Facebook/Baby Sideburns(CHICAGO) -- Two Chicago parents were so inspired by the 2003 Christmas holiday classic, "Love Actually," that they recreated the iconic cue-card scene.



Karen and Greg Alpert's parody, featuring their two children -- Zoey, 8, and Holden, 6 -- has been viewed more than 280,000 times on Facebook.



Fans of the ensemble-cast romantic drama may remember when Mark, played by Andrew Lincoln, finally told Juliet, portrayed by Keira Knightley, who's married to another man, how he felt for her by showing up on her doorstep with cue cards. One sentimental cue card read, "To me, you are perfect."



Blogger Karen Alpert told ABC News that she's watched the film for the "2973848678th time," last year with her husband, who had never seen the film.



"And that scene made both of us tear up," she added. "Well, lots of scenes made us tear up, but that one especially."



"Oh my gosh, it's heart-breaking," she said of the iconic scene. "He loves her so much, and he knows he can't have her. But I love that scene because he gets everything he's thinking off his chest so he can move forward. As he walks away, you just get the feeling that he is going to find someone else who is just as amazing if not more."



When the Alpert's filmed a version of the iconic scene earlier this year, Karen Alpert said "it was about 20 degrees and windy outside, and he was freezing. I felt so bad for him, but he was such a trooper."

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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
Members of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces walk inside a prison built by Islamic State at a stadium in Raqqah, Syria, in October. An Amerian citizen accused of fighting for the militant group is being detained in Iraq by the U.S. (Asmaa Waguih / Associated Press )

Reporting from Washington  A U.S. citizen being held without charges in Iraq must be allowed to meet with a lawyer to see if he wants to challenge his detention, a federal judge has ordered.

The man, who is accused of fighting for Islamic State, has been held as an enemy combatant by the military ever since he surrendered to a U.S.-backed militia in Syria in September.

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The man hasnt been charged with a crime, but the U.S. government has continued to detain him while officials try to decide how to handle his case.

In a ruling issued Saturday night, U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered that the American Civil Liberties Union be given immediate access to the detainee, either in person or by teleconference, to see if he wants the ACLU or another lawyer to represent him. She also said the government could not monitor the conversation and barred the military from transferring the man to another country.

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[ Read the judge's ruling ]

The New York Times reported last week that the man has both U.S. and Saudi citizenship and that Trump administration officials were discussing sending him to Saudi Arabia. In a filing, Justice Department lawyer Kathryn L. Wyer acknowledged that a transfer to another country is among the options under consideration.

The government argued in court that there was no evidence the man wanted the ACLU to represent him and said the law gives the military a reasonable period to decide the disposition of prisoners captured on the battlefield.

But the judge called that position disingenuous at best, since the man had already asked for a lawyer.

She said the departments position that his request should simply be ignored until it decides what to do with the detainee and when to allow him access to counsel is both remarkable and troubling.

Jonathan Hafetz, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU, said the ruling says immediate access, and that is what we will be demanding the government provide us.

"This is a critical ruling that rejects the Trump administration's unprecedented attempt to block an American citizen from challenging his executive imprisonment, he said.

Wyn Hornbuckle, a Justice Department spokesman, said the government was reviewing the decision and had no further comment.

In recent years, the government has been using the federal criminal courts to handle captured terrorism suspects. But in this case, the government appears to have struggled to come up with evidence to file criminal charges. The man talked to intelligence officers, but a second interrogation, for law enforcement purposes, never began because the man asked to see a lawyer first.

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When agents said they didnt know when he could see a lawyer, the man replied that it was OK, and that he is a patient man, according to a government court filing.

The only other case of a U.S. citizen being held in military detention involved Yaser Hamdi, who was held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, following his capture in Afghanistan. His case was resolved after Hamdi renounced his U.S. citizenship and was sent to Saudi Arabia. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that such detainees must have access to U.S courts.

In this case, Justice Department lawyer Wyer, in her filing, said no one has been talking to the detainee about renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
Tina Nelson, center, lights a candle in memory of her slain son Grant, with oldest son Todd, right, daughter Alex and husband Leonard at their home in Wilmette on Dec. 23, 2017. Grant Nelson was stabbed to death last May while working as an Uber driver. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune)

Its at a bereavement therapy group that meets on the Southwest Side of Chicago, far from her North Shore home, where Tina Nelson has found some measure of comfort and validation as she copes with her sons sudden and violent death.

Grant Nelson was killed in May while driving for ride-share company Uber. A 16-year-old Chicago girl is accused of attacking him with a knife and a machete that authorities say she had just stolen from a Walmart in Skokie.

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Since July, Tina Nelson has been attending a support group for crime victims families thats held each month at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago.

Tina Nelson had experienced other losses in recent years. A sister-in-law died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm. And just a month before Grant, another sister-in-law lost a torturous battle with cancer.

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But her sons death is a different sphere of experience, Tina Nelson said.

You have to reconcile the fact that someone chose to take the life of your loved one, said Tinas daughter Alex Nelson, who also has been attending the bereavement group. It is not a freak accident or illness. Its that someone made a conscious choice, and that adds to the grieving process. You are not just mourning the person. You are trying to reconcile the feelings about (the accused), whether it be forgiveness or anger.

Tina and Alex Nelson spoke with the Tribune on Dec. 4  what would have been Grants 35th birthday  about how the family is coping. Tina Nelson describes how she finds herself daily longing to talk to him, particularly to tell him things she knows hed find funny. She demonstrated how he would throw his head back when he laughed.

He had the best laugh, she said. I miss his laugh.

Grant Nelson, an Uber driver from Wilmette, was killed by a passenger last May. (Courtesy of Todd Nelson)

For Alex Nelson, life has been completely upended since her brother was killed.

Alex had moved to California eight months earlier. But after Grants death, she wanted to be closer to her family and to be able to attend the court hearings for her brothers suspected killer, Eliza Wasni, so she moved back to Chicago.

No one in California knew Grant, and returning to that life would be weird, Nelson said. I couldnt share my grief with anyone there.

Besides the support group, she also credits Penny, the dog she adopted weeks before her move back to Chicago, with helping her manage her grief.

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She forced me to take her on walks, Alex Nelson said. And dogs are pure joy and happiness.

Whats compounded their grief, they both said, is the slow-moving legal process. Besides the criminal charges against Wasni, the Nelson family has also sued Walmart for not stopping the alleged theft. And unlike Wasni herself  who has missed several court hearings because of hospitalizations or the many disciplinary problems shes had in juvenile detention  Tina Nelson has attended every one of the hearings.

Grants death is an ongoing process, Alex Nelson said. Because we are involved in the legal process, we cant just move on.

Confronting the first holiday season without Grant has been a particular challenge. This year, the family decided to eschew a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at their Wilmette home and instead dined at a downtown hotel.

And even now, seven months later, they encounter people who havent heard the terrible news about Grant. Tina Nelson relayed how, just recently, a cashier at the local grocery store asked her husband, Leonard, how Grant and his brother Todd were doing.

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Often when I tell someone, they dissolve in tears, Tina Nelson said.

It was a neighbor, she said, who suggested she participate in a bereavement support group. She tried a local group but found it was mostly people whod lost loved ones to illness.

My experience is not that, she said.

Members of the Nelson family look through holiday cards and photographs of slain family member Grant at their home in Wilmette on Dec. 23, 2017. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune)

A social worker at Cook Countys Skokie courthouse, where Wasnis case is being heard, suggested Tina Nelson attend a victims group at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago.

Like Nelson, many of the participants are women who are grieving losses from violent crimes. Some have been through the judicial process; others are awaiting the resolution of cases against their loved ones alleged killers. They come from different parts of the Chicago area and have different backgrounds, but they have bonded over the similarities of their experiences, Nelson said.

Lori Smith is the director of the Cook County states attorneys victim witness assistance program, which runs the bereavement group. There are three such support groups that meet regularly, with one conducted in Spanish.

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She said every participant in the Family and Friends Support Network has lost a loved one through violence, which Smith said results in trauma with a big T. 

Some members have attended for years, even decades, because they want their own experiences to help those more newly bereaved, she said. New arrivals are often hesitant even to walk in the door, she said, but are often engaged after a couple of visits.

A violent death is the great leveler, Smith said. To experience a violent loss is the same emotionally for the family in Roseland as it is in Winnetka. Someone is snatched out of life. There is no closure, and there is often an aching, rage and unspeakable emotions towards the person who committed the crime.

Johnnie Mae Glenn has attended the group regularly since 2005.

Glenn lost both of her sons to violence. Patrick Glenn was shot and killed in Florida in 2003 at age 33. The case remains unsolved.

Her oldest son, Henry Glenn Jr., was killed at age 40 after an altercation in Maywood in 2005. He had served in the Navy for 19 years, including during Operation Desert Storm, and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, she said. She and her husband, Henry Glenn Sr., attended her sons killers trial and, although he was found guilty and sentenced to 39 years in prison, the trial was stressful, and the proceedings took eight years. She recalls a particularly traumatic day the judge made her leave her the courtroom after an outburst brought on by seeing a photo of her deceased son. She said she was not allowed back into the courtroom until the sentencing.

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In 2006, Glenn and her husband started attending support groups offered by the states attorneys office, first in Oak Park, then Bridgeview and now in Markham.

It has been a lifesaver for my husband and myself, she said. Its the camaraderie. You get to know people that walked in your shoes. And no one looks down at you. They are all sympathetic.

Tina Nelson said shes found the bereavement group so helpful that she was moved to write to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to tell her. Preckwinkle wrote her back to explain that services for the victims of violent crimes and their families are largely supported by federal grant programs.

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Giving voice to those going through this experience, and with people who are in the same boat, is helpful for processing the shock, grief and horror, Tina Nelson said.

At most of the sessions shes attended, only about six or seven people show up.

There should be more, she said. There is so much violent crime in Chicago. If people dont get help, I dont know how they deal with.

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Though theyve had to reset their lives since Grants death, as Alex Nelson said, the family is also trying to hang on to old traditions while starting new ones. Theyve decided to move forward with their annual New Years day dinner for friends. Tina Nelson, who recently found the strength to visit her sons grave for the first time since his funeral, also lights a candle every day in Grants honor.

Somehow lighting a candle reminds me of his presence, she said.  Sometimes its hard to believe hes not here.

Susan Berger is a freelance reporter.

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[ At funeral for stabbed Uber driver, he's remembered as 'a kind soul in a cruel world' ]

[ Family of Uber driver killed with stolen knife, machete sues Walmart ]

[ Teen charged in Uber driver's hacking death has attacked guards, prosecutor says ]
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Boebert continues to lead Frisch on final day of counting

The election is hovering within the threshold for an automatic recount. Here's the latest in the Colorado race between Adam Frisch and Lauren Boebert.
China's fiscal funds for education in 2016 stood at 3.1 trillion yuan (480 billion U.S. dollars), with an average annual increase of 7.9 percent from 2012.

The ratio of the funds to GDP exceeded 4 percent each year during the period, according to a State Council report released on Saturday.

"Overall funds for education in 2016 reached 3.9 trillion yuan, over 80 percent of which were provided by the government," said the report delivered to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) at its six-day bimonthly session.

Over half of the fiscal funds for education were used for nine-year compulsory education in 2016. Teacher salaries and student financial aid accounted for over half of the fiscal funds for education in 2016, 10.6 percentage points up from 2012, said the report.

Fiscal funds for education transfer payment inclined toward relatively backward areas in 2016, with 84 percent going to central and western regions, which have fallen behind the east.

Compared to 2012, education funds for every junior middle school student, elementary school student and kindergarten kid in rural areas increased in 2016 by over 50 percent on average, said the report.

In 2016, the gross enrollment rates for the pre-school education reached 77.4 percent, 87.5 percent for senior middle schools, and 42.7 percent for higher education. The net enrollment rate for elementary schools was 99.9 percent, said the report.

Over 80 percent of children of migrant workers received education in cities where their parents work.

Since 2012, 698 billion yuan of financial aid has been granted to students from impoverished families.

According to the report, the government will continue to give priority to education. Fiscal funds for education will continue to rise, while society is encouraged to invest more in non-public education.

The focus of fiscal funds for education will shift toward rural areas, old revolutionary bases, ethnic minority areas, and border areas. The integrated development of compulsory education between urban and rural areas need to be strengthened, said the report.

Pre-school, special and online education should be improved. Vocational education and training systems will be optimized. More junior middle school graduates will be encouraged to go to upper middle school, said the report.
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) held a plenary session Saturday to hear reports by several central authorities.

The legislators reviewed the report on rectification of problems found during the audit of the implementation of the 2016 central budget and other fiscal matters, which was delivered by Hu Zejun, head of the National Audit Office.

According to the report, 8,123 people involved in fiscal violations were punished, among them 970 for inappropriate use of poverty relief funds and 1,363 for irregularities in the use of affordable housing funds.

The session was attended by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Legislators also reviewed reports on the allocation and use of fiscal funds for education, cultural heritage protection, and the trial use of plea bargaining in criminal cases in certain areas.

On Saturday afternoon, lawmakers held panel discussions on the draft supervision law, which is under its second reading. Zhang attended one of the panel discussions.

Lawmakers agreed that the draft has been well written, further clarifying principles, power and duties of supervisory agencies, strictly regulating compulsory measures that supervisory agencies are allowed to take, and establishing procedures between supervisory and prosecuting agencies.

They suggested that, after a few revisions, the draft should be submitted to the upcoming annual session of the NPC.




You are here: China

An increasing number of seagulls are wintering in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, local forestry bureau said.

Seagulls are seen at a park in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. [Photo by Zhang Tong/Yunnan Daily]

On Saturday, the Kunming Municipal Forestry Bureau and society for the protection of birds dispatched more than 200 workers to count the gulls. with over 40,500 seagulls seen, the bureau said.



In 2015, the number of seagulls which arrived at Kunming for the winter exceeded 40,000 for the first time, setting a 31-year record.

"The rising number of migrating birds shows the micro climate and environment at Dianchi Lake is improving," said Yang Ming, deputy secretary general of the society.

Seagulls are seen at a park in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. [Photo by Zhang Tong/Yunnan Daily]

Public awareness has also been increasing to protect the birds and provide them with food, he said.

The gulls mainly migrate from Lake Baikal in Russia, Uvs Nuur Basin in Mongolia, and Bosten Lake in far west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, he said.

Local forestry workers have carried out health checks on bird samples and found no danger, he added.

Kunming is known as the City of Spring for its mild climate. Close to 10,000 seagulls flew in the city in 1985 and have been coming every November since. The birds usually stay until late February.




You are here: China

China's anti-graft chief pledged to crack down upon corruption and malpractice in poverty relief projects.

Zhao Leji, head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour to southeast China's Fujian Province from Thursday to Saturday.

Officials will face severe punishment for embezzlement and misuse of poverty relief funds, bribery and nepotism, Zhao said when visiting poverty-stricken families in a village of Ningde city.

He also urged local officials to curb bureaucracy and red tape and enhance leadership when implementing poverty relief projects.

Zhao reiterated the importance of punishing corrupt officials at lower ranks, particularly those who shelter and collude with local criminal organizations.

In Zhangzhou and Ningde cities, he talked with local discipline inspection officials to gather first-hand information on the progress of the supervisory system reform.

He urged local Party organizations to strengthen leadership over the reform to ensure a smooth transition, adding supervisory commissions at the county level must be empowered to step up supervision over local civil servants.

During the trip, he also presided over a symposium attended by central, provincial and local discipline inspection officials to hear their opinions on the supervision work.




French President Emmanuel Macron [File photo]





Two years ago, then French President Francois Hollande hosted the United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP 21), at which the Paris Accord came into effect with the full support of the vast majority of nations forming Planet Earth.

Two years later, his successor, Emmanuel Macron, hosted the One Planet conference, also in Paris, to press for greater global action to implement the Paris Accord.

The conference concluded with increasing pledges by the European Union (EU), the World Bank and multinational companies like Microsoft to contribute more and give greater support to initiatives to combat the increasingly negative climate change effects worldwide.

Even so, the meeting was unable to secure enough pledges to get anywhere nearer to the level of climate financing needed to make the finite difference between words and deeds for countries big and small.

Many world leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, were there. Most glaring was the absence of President Donald Trump, who has promised to pull his country out of the Paris Accord.

Macron expressed optimism that Trump  who cannot implement his pullout threat until one day after the next U.S. presidential election in 2020  will come around by then.

However, the climate change denier Trump has appointed like-minded people to head every related American institution, and together they have wasted no time making it clear that times have changed and science has been forced to take a back seat.

With Big Oil influencing U.S. environmental policy, now, more than ever, America's environmentalists are sorrowfully singing the Doomsday Blues.

Less than one year after Trump took office, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has delivered on six of the eight demands made by the American Petroleum Institute (API), rolling back or delaying implementation of all the stronger measures introduced during the eight years of the Obama administration relating to environmental and public health protection.

The American deniers, and their counterparts around the world, continue to turn their backs on science and close their eyes to the increasing evidence that it is humans who are responsible for the whole grim saga of climate change, despite Mother Earth, year after year, offers more proof to those still harboring doubts.

While the One Planet conference participants talked, the worst fires in the history of California  the largest American state  blazed in six separate infernos that destroyed more land than the entire state of New York or the island of Singapore, destroying almost 1,000 homes and displacing nearly 250,000 people.

At the same time  and also during the Paris meeting  parts of Europe experienced the worst blizzards in years, unusual snowfall forcing closure of British airports (including the main London facility, Heathrow), as well as highways, businesses and schools, like never before.

Just a couple months ago, two major earthquakes and three successive hurricanes hit Mexico and the Caribbean island chain, causing unforeseen deaths and damage in small countries already affected by rising tides.

Scientists in the U.S. and across the world are warning that such negative climate change effects must now be seen as the "New Normal." But Big Oil and Dirty Coal are again set to hasten and deepen the damaging effects as the deniers keep shutting their eyes to what everyone else clearly sees and feels.

U.S. scientists have just reported that Arctic ice is melting at the fastest rate in the last 1,500 years, and is partly responsible for the unusual weather behind both the California fires and the sharper cold snap hitting the American south and east.

They have confirmed that global warming made Hurricane Harvey, hitting Texas last August, 15 percent more intense and the costliest of all, more than the previous superstorms Sandy and Katrina combined.

The One Planet conference did feature some interesting sidelines, including the French president's claim that its overall objective was to "Make Our Planet Great Again" and his offer of jobs in Paris to 13 American Climate Change scientists  both seen as clearly intended jabs at his American counterpart.

However, as some of the defenders of smaller nations most vulnerable to climate change pointed out after the Paris meeting, as long as dirty oil, coal and gas continue to get priority over cleaner nuclear, wind and solar power, global warming will continue to accelerate.

And the "New Normal" will continue to feature across the USA  and everywhere else  for as long as people in poor countries most vulnerable to climate change continue to be short-changed by rich countries.

Earl Bousquet is a contributor to china.org.cn, editor-at-large of The Diplomatic Courier and author of an online regional newspaper column entitled Chronicles of a Chronic Caribbean Chronicler.





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.




You are here: Travel

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With China and Belarus working to observe 2018 as the Year of Belarus in China and the Year of China in Belarus to boost two-way tourism, the Eastern European country is ready to offer Chinese tourists a variety of experiences, a Belarusian Foreign Ministry official said Saturday.

They range from agritourism, ecotourism and industrial tourism to "red tourism", Dmitry Mironchik, press secretary at the ministry, who was in China to participate in the first inter-Ministry of Foreign Affairs consultations on information issues, told Xinhua.

Mironchik also said Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Belarus in 2015 greatly enhanced bilateral cooperation.

To boost tourism, Belarus this year announced a visa-free entry for citizens of 80 states, including China, that would allow them to stay in Belarus without a visa for five days.

Commenting on the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Mironchik said the event was extensively covered by the Belarusian media.

Mironchik said the congress reaffirmed the importance of China's role in international relations and the world economy.

He also noted Belarus regarded the Belt and Road Initiative as a solid economic foundation for bilateral cooperation.
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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Saturday that Egypt's armed forces will use "utmost violence" to eradicate terrorism in the country's Sinai Peninsula.

He made the remarks while inaugurating a number of national mega projects at the Suez Canal region in Ismailia province northeast of the capital Cairo.

He said that Egyptians "should never fear any foreign threats" as long as they are united, reassuring the country is heading in the right direction towards development and success despite terrorist plots.

Sisi's remarks came a few days after a shelling attack that targeted Arish airport in North Sinai killed an officer, wounded two others and caused damages to a helicopter during the visit of defense and interior ministers to Arish city.

On Nov. 24, also in Arish, a terrorist attack against a mosque in a small village killed at least 310 Muslim worshippers and wounded over 120 others, marking the deadliest terror operation and the first against a Muslim mosque in Egypt's modern history.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack, yet a Sinai-based terrorist group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional group is the main suspect.

Following the mosque attack, Sisi ordered the army's chief of staff to restore security and stability in the restive part of the peninsula within three months.

Terror activities in Egypt have killed hundreds of security men and civilians since the military toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested a great number of suspects during the country's anti-terror operations.
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Reacting to the U.S. decision to sell lethal weapons to Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday that it will lead to "new bloodshed."

"The U.S. weapons can lead to new victims in our neighboring country (Ukraine), to which we cannot remain indifferent," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in the statement.

"Washington is trying to present itself as an intermediary. But it is an accomplice in fomenting a war," Ryabkov said, adding that there is overwhelming "Russophobia" among many U.S. politicians.

The response came after the U.S. State Department said Friday that Washington will sell advanced weapons to Ukraine to help update its defense capabilities. The arsenal will include Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kiev has long desired.

Ukraine launched a military operation in its southeast Donbas region in April 2014, after the pro-Russia local residents refused to recognize the new pro-West Ukrainian authorities and sought independence.

Armed conflicts have been plaguing Donbas since then and have claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people.

Kiev and the insurgents reached a peace agreement brokered by Russia, France and Germany in Minsk in September 2014. A more detailed renewal of the agreement was signed in February 2015.

The pact spells out a cease-fire, a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the line of separation between the two warring sides, exchange of prisoners, and holding local elections in Donbas.

But the agreement has been breached from time to time, with both parties accusing the other of violations.
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An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced 26 defendants up to 10 years in prison over acts of violence and sabotage by storming a police station in January 2014, official MENA news agency reported.

Giza Criminal Court handed 13 convicts 10-year jail terms and sentenced 13 others to five years in prison. Their crimes also include illegally holding guns and ammunition and undermining security and social peace.

The 26 are mostly supporters of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, who was toppled by the military in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Most Brotherhood leaders, members and supporters, including Morsi himself and the group's top chief Mohamed Badie, are currently detained.

Many of them have been handed appealable death sentences and lengthy jail terms over charges varying from inciting violence and murder to espionage and jailbreak.
You are here: World

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Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj said Saturday that holding elections can solve the political crisis in the country.



Serraj made his remarks during a meeting with the Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano in the capital Tripoli.

Serraj said that the Libyan Election Commission has started registration of voters and preparing for the elections next year, after approving the election law and voting on a constitution for the country, according to the prime minister's media office.

Serraj also said that rejection of certain parties to the political process "complicates the scene, which calls for firm stances from the international community."

Eastern-based army commander, General Khalifa Haftar, announced a few days ago that the UN-sponsored political agreement had "expired" after it was signed by Libyan political factions two years ago.

Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya Ghassan Salame urged Libyan parties to "refrain from any actions that could undermine the political process."

Salame proposed an action plan for Libya in September aimed at ending the political crisis in the country. The plan includes amendment of the current political agreement and holding presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
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The largest opposition party in Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE, elected late Saturday Hristijan Mickoski as its new party leader.

Mickoski, current VMRO-DPMNE secretary general, was elected at the party's extraordinary congress, garnering the votes of 376 delegates out of 428 that attended the voting.

Mickoski, the only candidate running for the party leader post, replaced former prime minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski.

The new leader said in his address at congress that his main goal was to consolidate the party to score a victory at the next elections.

"Now is the time to be united to meet the expectations and demands of VMRO-DPMNE and Macedonia. New energy is required as our citizens wish for brightness and hope," Mickoski said.

Mickoski further noted that Macedonia's future is within the European Union and NATO, while he stressed that the country should make real progress and resolve the problems via dialogue.

VMRO-DPMNE delegates attending the congress declared Gruevski for the party's honorary leader.

Gruevski resigned few days ago, taking over responsibility for the loss in the last elections that send VMRO-DPMNE to opposition.
 Flash

India and China have pledged to develop stable and healthy bilateral relations to contribute to regional and world stability and development in New Delhi, India.

While meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country has always attached great importance to developing ties with China.

Modi said India is willing to joint hands with China to enhance mutual beneficiary cooperation so as to develop stable and healthy bilateral ties which is conducive to regional and world stability and development.

For his part, Yang said Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Indian prime minister have met for several times in recent years, which has played a strategic leading role for the development of bilateral relations.

China is ready to work together with India to strengthen strategic communication, promote strategic mutual trust and broaden pragmatic cooperation in all sectors to become good neighbors, who coexist peacefully, and good friends, who collaborate sincerely to revitalize their countries, in a bid to make important contribution to stability and prosperity in Asia and the world at large, Yang said.

Yang was in India for the 20th round of talks between Chinese and Indian special representatives on boundary issues.
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home US ACLU sues Trump admin to allow 2 underage illegal immigrants to abort their babies

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on behalf of two illegal immigrant teenagers who are seeking to obtain an abortion in the U.S. while in federal custody.

The two teenagers, both aged 17, are 10 weeks and 22 weeks pregnant, according to ACLU lawyers representing them in the court case.

The ACLU lawyers are taking issue with a new policy of denying abortion access for minors in federal custody. They contended that the rule is unconstitutional because it strips the teenagers of their rights to make an independent decision about becoming a parent.

"We've already stopped the Trump administration from blocking one young woman's abortion," senior ACLU staff attorney Brigitte Amiri said in a statement, according to The Stream.

"It's unreal that the federal government is trying to force more young women to continue their pregnancies against their will," she continued.

Government lawyers have argued that the young women, referred to as Jane Roe and Jane Poe in court documents, may not be mature enough to make the decision to abort their babies. They further stated that if the judge allows the teens to obtain abortions, their "interests would be irreparably undercut."

The Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families has reportedly stated that the Roe and Poe could either leave the country or "find a suitable sponsor."

"If they choose not to exercise these options, HHS does not believe we are required to facilitate the abortion," the government lawyers said in a statement.

The case is being presided by Tanya Chutkan, who had previously ruled in favor of another illegal immigrant minor who wanted to get an abortion.

In that case, the 17-year-old Mexican girl, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, was able to terminate her pregnancy in late October. However, government attorneys petitioned the Supreme Court to vacate Chutkan's decision and reprimand ACLU attorneys, alleging that the ACLU misled them about the schedule of Doe's abortion.

The ACLU is also pursuing litigation in another case in an attempt to overturn the Trump administration's policy.

A lawyer from the ACLU had reportedly complained that under the policy, underage pregnant girls are taken to crisis pregnancy centers and offered religious counseling in an attempt to convince them not to abort their babies.

Court documents revealed that there had been 420 pregnant women in custody during the 2017 fiscal year.

In mid-October, the HHS reported that it cared for 43 pregnant illegal immigrant girls. Jonathan White, the department's director for children's programs, noted that 18 of the minors requested an abortion. He reported that 11 of the girls obtained the procedure and five changed their minds. Two girls had left government custody before they were able to make a final decision.
home World Australian Catholic Church rejects recommendation to make celibacy voluntary for priests

Leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia have rejected a key recommendation of a landmark inquiry into child sexual abuse that the Vatican change the Church's policy to make celibacy voluntary for priests.

After five years of work, Australia's royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse produced a 21-volume report detailing the abuse of tens of thousands of children in Australian institutions over past decades.

The commission has made more than 400 recommendations, including the creation of a new National Office for Child Safety and the requirement that members of the clergy report abuse revealed to them in a confessional.

The report urged the Australian Catholic bishops conference to ask the Vatican to reconsider its celibacy rules. While the commission found that celibacy for priests was not a direct cause of abuse, it noted that the policy elevated the risk when compulsorily celibate male clergy or religious figures had privileged access to children.

The commission also called on the bishops conference to ask the Vatican to reform canon law by removing provisions that "prevent, hinder or discourage compliance with mandatory reporting laws by bishops or religious superiors."

"We recommend that canon law be amended so that the 'pontifical secret' does not apply to any aspect of allegations or canonical disciplinary processes relating to child sexual abuse," the report stated, according to The Guardian.

However, Denis Hart, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, contended that the seal of the confessional was "inviolable" and "can't be broken." He said that he would encourage those who have confessed to abusing children to admit their crimes outside the confessional so that it could be reported to the police.

"I would feel terribly conflicted, and I would try even harder to get that person outside confessional, but I cannot break the seal. The penalty for any priest breaking the seal is excommunication," he said.

Hart also dismissed calls to change the policy on celibacy saying, "We know very well that institutions who have celibate clergy and institutions that don't have celibate clergy both face these problems. We know very well that this happens in families that are certainly not observing celibacy."

Anthony Fisher, the Catholic archbishop of Sydney, said that he would study the findings and recommendations of the commission carefully and provide a detailed response afterward.

The commission, headed by Justice Peter McClellan, has heard stories of sexual abuse that took place in more than 4,000 institutions, including religious organizations, sporting clubs, schools and orphanages.

Nearly 2,500 victims told the commission about mistreatment they suffered in an institution managed by the Catholic Church, representing 61.8 percent of all survivors who reported abuse in a religious institution.

Over 8,000 people shared their stories to the commission in private sessions, while hundreds more testified about the abuse they suffered through public hearings that lasted 444 days. More than 2,500 cases of abuse have been referred to the police, resulting in 230 prosecutions.
home World Christian-owned toy store in UK refuses to open on Christmas Eve despite estimated loss of $3M in sales

The Christian owner of one of the largest toy store chains in the U.K. has decided to keep all of its 149 branches closed on Christmas Eve this year so the staff can spend time with their families.

The Entertainer faces losing nearly 2.3 million (US$3.8 million) in sales by closing on Christmas Eve, but owner Gary Grant says he believes that the gain for the families of his 1,700 workers is worth it.

Grant, a devout Christian, refuses to open on Sundays as he believes that giving his staff the time off on that day helps strengthen family life, which he says is already "under attack enough."

"I have given the concept of one day in seven as a day of rest a lot of thought and I am not making an exception just because it is Christmas Eve," he said, according to Daily Mail.

"I value families. I have four children and six grandchildren. I employ a lot of parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties. It is convenient that everybody has the same day off, that parents can be off at the same time as their children," he added.

Grant said that he does not know any other shops being closed on Christmas Eve a when experts expect shoppers to spend a total of 1 billion (US$1.34 billion) as people make a last-minute dash to buy presents and supplies for Christmas.

His decision not to open on Christmas Eve has been commended by the shop workers' union Usdaw. "Staff in retail work very long hours in the run-up to Christmas. Our members tell us they need time off to recuperate as well as to spend time with their family and friends. That is especially important when they have children," a spokesman said.

Grant, who describes himself as a "charismatic Christian," said that he tries to apply Christian values to every aspect of his business, giving away 10 percent of his profits to charity in line with biblical teaching.

He also refuses to sell items with occult themes, including Halloween witches' costumes and Harry Potter merchandise. In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, Grant noted that he does not stock toy trolls because it is being marketed as creatures with "magical, mystical powers of good luck."

Grant entered the toy store business in 1981 after taking over a local shop in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. The company now makes a 9 million profit each year on sales of 150 million and it opened 16 new stores this year.

He said that he will be attending church in London on Christmas Eve as usual before helping his wife prepare for Christmas Day.
home World Israeli archaeologists discover remains of 1,500-year-old monastery and church near Jerusalem

Israeli Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a major early Christian church believed to be built in the fourth century A.D. at a site in the town of Beit Shemesh.

Extraordinary mosaics, crucifixes and iconic Christian architecture were discovered by the archaeologists last month after they were called in to survey the site ahead of the expansion of Ramat Beit Shemesh, located some 30 kilometers west of Jerusalem.

With the help of over 1,000 teenage volunteers, the archaeologists uncovered walls built with large, worked stone masonry, as well as several architectural elements, such as a marble pillar decorated with crosses and marble window screens.

Benyamin Storchan, director of the excavation for the Israeli Antiquities Authority, said that the building may have served as a meeting ground for pilgrims.

"We were surprised by the wonderful state of preservation of the ancient remains, and the richness of the finds being uncovered," he said, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

"The artifacts found in the large building, which seems to be a monastic compound, may indicate that the site was important and perhaps a center for ancient pilgrims in the Judean Shfela [Judean foothills] region," he continued.

During unrelated excavations in the same area, archaeologists have found a major wine-producing installation and an olive oil production facility. Storchan noted that both sites were about a minute's walk from the church and he surmised that the new discovery was the central entity in the area, judging by its splendor.

The diggers and the teenage volunteers found crosses in the form of jewelry, and also on pillar bases and on business stones. Other finds at the site included parts of a chancel screen (a divider), a window post with crosses and incense burners.

The mosaic floor featured birds, which are said to be common in ancient Byzantine stone art, but it also depicted leaves and fruit trees, which Storchan said have "no close parallel in any church uncovered in Israel, Jordan or Syria," adding, "It's a style that is unique to this place."

Storchan noted that the diggers have only uncovered a small portion of a monastery, which was abandoned in the seventh century A.D. for unknown reasons.

He admitted that he has no idea why the church was built at the site, as opposed to any other place in Israel, but he speculated that it could be because an ancient martyr or saint was buried there, or because of a tale from the Old or New Testament.

Teenagers from various organizations, including schools and pre-military associations, have taken part in the excavations since it began last summer.

"We searched for a way to fund-raise for our class trip to Poland, and we decided to take part in the archeological excavations," said Hadas Keich, a 16-year-old student at the Sde Boker Field School.

"Little by little, we uncovered exciting finds here, which helped to connect us to our country and its history. Amazing what is hidden here beneath our feet!" Keich went on to say.
home US Judge says sacking of Atlanta fire chief over Christian devotional was unconstitutional

A federal judge has ruled that the city of Atlanta had violated the First Amendment when it terminated a fire chief for publishing a devotional book that promoted traditional marriage.

Kelvin Cochran was fired in 2015, just two months after he was suspended for publishing his book titled "Who Told you That You Were Naked," which characterized homosexuality as "unclean," "a sexual perversion", "vulgar" and "inappropriate."

On Wednesday, Judge Leigh Martin May found that the city's policies restricting non-work speech are too broad and allowed city officials to discriminate against with which they disagree.

Both sides in the case Cochran v. City of Atlanta are claiming victory after the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued the ruling.

While the judge backed Cochran's claims related to the policy's prior restraint and unbridled discretion being in violation of the First Amendment, she dismissed the former fire chief's claims of religious discrimination.

According to a spokesperson for the mayor's office, the judge ruled "in the city's favor on all major constitutional issues, and specifically rejected Mr. Cochran's claim that the city violated his due process and other First Amendment rights of freedom of association, free speech, and free exercise of religion."

Speaking on American Family Radio on Thursday, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) senior counsel Kevin Theriot clarified that the judge had not upheld Cochran's firing and found that he was unconstitutionally terminated from his job.

"Now, she only ruled for us on two claims and that was the primary one that their policies that say you have to get permission before writing a book like Chief Cochran wrote and the primary reason they said they fired him is unconstitutional," Theriot explained.

"We had several other claims a one of which that they fired him for his free speech views, another one that they fired him for his religious beliefs a and the court ruled against us on those," he added.

Theriot had asserted that the ruling would mean that Cochran would receive his lost wages and lost benefits. He said that the city would have to pay Cochran's attorney's fees and noted that "it's very possible" that it would be required to reinstate him as fire chief.

Christianity Today reported that the arguments in the case were heard last month in Atlanta, and during the hearing, May indicated that a jury trial was likely in the spring on the issues she may not decide in her December ruling.

The city had contended that Cochran was not fired for expressing his views on his book, but rather because he had violated the city's policy in publishing it.

The ADF, however, argued that the comments made by city officials demonstrate the book's viewpoint was the reason for Cochran's dismissal.

Just before Cochran was fired, Atlanta City Council Alex Wan remarked that when city employees have beliefs and opinions that "are different from the city's, you have to check them at the door."

A lawyer for the city contended that Cochran had not obtained permission to use his fire department title for the book and had failed to inform the city about its publication.

Cochran stated that a city official had given a verbal approval for the publication of the book as well as the use of his fire department title.

The ADF further noted that the city had conducted an investigation, but found that the former fire chief had not discriminated anyone based on his religious beliefs.

Cochran, who now serves as a staff member at a Southern Baptist Church, was part of the Resolutions Committee during the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention meeting, in which he presented a resolution affirming Southern Baptists' commitment to biblical sexuality and urging protection for religious exercise.
home World Old churches in the UK should host events other than worship services to stay sustainable, report says

A major review has recommended that old churches in the U.K. should host events other than worship service and offer other services such as flu shots, post offices and General Practitioner surgeries in order to stay sustainable.

The government review was commissioned to determine how church buildings could become more sustainable and ensure that the maintenance, repairs and other major works in places of worship would be funded and carried out in a timely manner.

The report recommended that a network of community support advisers be created to advise churches and help them talk to local councils about how the buildings can be put to better use.

"There are many examples of innovation throughout the sector. Equally, there are many congregations struggling to identify suitable partnerships and opportunities, or who are too overwhelmed by their situation to be able to explore options," the report stated, according to The Telegraph.

The report pointed to places of worship where "enterprising clergy, PCCs [parish councils] and volunteers have developed their churches into vibrant hubs at the centre of their wider communities."

One example of a church that has made such changes was the St. Cuthbert's Church, Copnor, in the diocese of Portsmouth, which incorporated GP surgery into its redesign.

In another example, Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire hosts concerts, runs a cafe and playgroup, and it is converted into a skate park every February half term.

In Yarpole, Herefordshire, St. Leonard's is creating a cafe, village shop and a Post Office, and it can also be hired for exercise classes.

The government review was led by Bernard Taylor and was prepared by Loyd Grossman, chair of Heritage Alliance; Sir Simon Jenkins of the Churches Conservation Trust and Sir Peter Luff of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

"Increased use and helping communities in their broadest form to see the value and potential of the local church is the key to the church building becoming more self-sustaining and ultimately ensuring its long term survival," Taylor said.

The Guardian noted that more than 200 churches have full or part-time shops, while more than 150 have Post Offices.

A 2015 survey has indicated that 60 percent of churches held parent and toddler groups and two-thirds hosted food banks.

The government review follows a recent decision by a church court to allow Bath Abbey to remove its pews so that it can host events such as bake sales and graduation ceremonies.

Some conservationists have decried proposals to refurbish interiors of churches, claiming that precious heritage is being lost.

The report also recommended that heritage experts should be appointed to consult with local churches about repairs and maintenance. It stated that pilot schemes should be set up in rural and urban areas in order to test the proposals.

The review was welcomed by the National Churches Trust, which described the recommendations as "sensible and achievable."
home World Ontario to implement ban on vigils outside abortion clinics beginning February

Ontario will be implementing the ban on pro-life vigils outside abortion clinics beginning Feb. 1, 2018, the government confirmed in a letter last week.

Bill 163, or Safe Access to Abortion Services Act, was passed by Ontario lawmakers on Oct. 25, just three weeks after it was tabled by Attorney General Yasir Naqvi.

The measure would ban pro-life activities within 50 meters of Ontario's eight abortion facilities and the distance could be increased up to 150 meters.

According to Life Site News, the banned activities include advising a person to refrain from accessing abortion services, abortion-related protests, physically interfering with or intimidating persons accessing or providing abortion services, and taking photos or video of patients or providers.

In a letter dated Dec. 15, Naqvi informed groups that his ministry consulted on the legislation that it will come into force on Feb. 1, pending finalization of the regulations on its implementation.

The groups that were consulted by the ministry include the Campaign Life Coalition, which denounced the Liberals for a bill that violates Charter rights. During the one-day public hearings, the group delivered thousands of signed petitions objecting to the legislation.

Naqvi's letter noted that hospitals, health care centers, and pharmacies a which are now allowed to dispense the abortion pill a can apply for "bubble zones" up to 150 meters.

"If a request for a safe access zone around a facility is granted, the location and size of the zone will be listed in a regulation under the Act. Information regarding how to submit requests for safe access zones to my ministry will be available on the government's website on February 1, 2018," Naqvi wrote.

Apart from the abortion facilities, the measure also automatically establishes safe zones of 150 meters outside the homes of "protected service providers," defined as "all clinic staff and doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who provide abortion services."

Those who are found to be in violation of the new law could be fined up to $5,000 and be sentenced up to six months in jail. The penalties will be doubled for the second and subsequent convictions.

Campaign Life Coalition national president Jim Hughes said that the new measure will not stop pro-life advocates from reaching out to pregnant women who are facing difficult decisions.

"If the government and the abortion industry think this is going to deter us, they have no idea," Hughes told Life Site News.

Earlier this month, 43-year-old Canadian pro-life advocate Mary Wagner was arrested and jailed for setting foot on the premises of Women's Care Clinic in Ontario.

She went to the clinic on Dec. 8 carrying roses and a contact card with the words "You can keep you baby. Love will find a way," as well as information about the religious group, "Sisters of Life."

Wagner, who had been arrested in December 2016 for expressing her pro-life message, had been charged with one count of mischief and two counts of breaching probation. She had not been charged under Bill 163, as the government had not finalized the implementation of the law.
home US Over 120 countries vote for UN resolution condemning Trump's Jerusalem recognition

A total of 128 members of the U.N. General Assembly voted on Thursday for a resolution denouncing President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The nonbinding resolution declaring Trump's decision "null and void" was approved 128a9, despite the president's threats to cut off aid to any country that would cast a vote in its favor.

According to The Associated Press, 35 of the 193 U.N. member nations abstained from the vote, while 21 were not present.

The resolution, sponsored by Yemen and Turkey, reiterates the U.N.'s stance that Jerusalem's final status must be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Prior to the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley warned that Washington would be "taking names" of the nations that went against the administration's Jerusalem decision.

"The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation," Haley told the assembly on Thursday as the vote approached.

"We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world's largest contribution to the United Nations. And we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit," she added.

After the vote, Haley tweeted an image that listed the 65 countries that either voted no, abstained or were absent saying, "We appreciate these countries for not falling to the irresponsible ways of the UN."

Apart from the U.S., the countries that voted against the resolution were Israel, Guatemala, Honduras, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, the Marshall Islands and Togo.

The countries that abstained from the Thursday's vote include Australia, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Philippines, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.

Australian U.N. Ambassador Gillian Bird explained that Australia wanted to see the U.S. continue to play a leadership role in brokering peace, and decided to abstain because it did not wish to isolate any party from the process.

Haley maintained that the resolution will make no difference in the administration's plans to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but "will make a difference on how Americans look at the U.N., and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the U.N."

Earlier this week, the U.S. vetoed a similar resolution at the 15-member U.N. Security Council. The Egypt-drafted resolution, which was approved by the remaining 14 members, did not specifically mention the U.S or Trump but it expressed "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem."
home World Philippine church leaders bemoan President Rodrigo Duterte's support for same-sex marriage

Leaders of the Catholic Church and Evangelical churches in the Philippines have expressed their objection to President Rodrigo Duterte's support for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Catholic-majority country.

Speaking to an LGBT group in Davao city on Sunday, Duterte said that he wants to introduce same-sex marriage in the Philippines.

"I want same-sex marriage. The problem is we'll have to change the law. But we can change the law," the president said.

"The law says marriage is a union between a man and a woman. I don't have any problems making it marrying a man, marrying a woman or whatever is the predilection of the human being," he added.

The president's remark was immediately criticized by the Philippine Catholic and Evangelical church leaders, arguing that marriage of the people of the same sex in a church "is impossible."

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes issued a statement saying the Catholic Church could never approve of such unions and called on Filipinos not to allow it.

"The trivialization of marriage is one of the fundamental reasons [for] the breakdown of individuals and human society," the bishop said, according to Inquirer.

Bastes stressed that the Church holds that marriage can only be between a man and a woman for the procreation of children and the building of the family.

Meanwhile, Bishop Noel Pantoja of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) warned that the recognizing same-sex unions could harm "not only the Christian faith but also the morality and very destiny of our nation."

"It will only marginalize religion and thus cause the very discrimination it seeks to avoid," Pantoja argued, adding that same-sex marriage contradicts not only the teachings of Christianity but also Islam.

The PCEC had raised concerns about House Bill NO. 4982, also known as the sexual orientation or gender identity or expression equality bill, as well as House Bill No. 6595, or the civil partnership bill, which would recognize licensed unions of LGBT couples.

According to UCA News, the Philippine president had previously expressed his opposition to the legalization of same-sex marriage because it is prohibited by the country's Civil Code.

The president's previous statement had been welcomed by the country's church leaders, saying they are grateful for respecting the "sanctity of marriage."

Duterte's allies in Congress had also said that passing a law that would allow same-sex unions was not among the president's priorities.

Catholic bishops had voiced their concerns over the legalization of same-sex marriage when Duterte's ally in the House of Representatives, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, introduced a measure that would recognize gay unions.

During his speech in Davao, the president did not reveal details about how same-sex marriage will be legalized, but he stressed that he cared nothing for the Church's opposition.
home World Pope Francis expresses concern about falling birth rates in modern world

Pope Francis has expressed concern about the collapse of birth rates in many modern nations, and he has reminded faithful Catholics that God's first commandment to man was to "be fruitful and multiply."

In his homily during mass at the Casa Santa Marta, Francis noted that infertility is considered in the ancient world as a curse, while fecundity is seen as a blessing. He lamented that many countries today "have chosen the path of sterility and suffer from that grave disease that is a demographic winter."

The pope asserted that many couples today refrain from having children for fear of undermining their own "well-being." He said that this would result in "countries empty of children" adding that "this is not a blessing."

He stressed that "fruitfulness is a blessing of God," whether it is material or spiritual, because all people are called to give life in some way.

"We too, priests and religious men and women, do not get married, but woe to us if we are not fruitful with good works, if we do not bring fruitfulness to the people of God. Fruitfulness is a sign of God," he contended.

The pontiff further warned that collapsing birth rates is part of Satan's deliberate plans. "The devil wants infertility. He does not want us to give life, be it physical or spiritual, to others," he said, as reported by Church Militant.

The pope's warnings follow the release of a recent report by Demographic Intelligence, which showed that the birthrate in the U.S. is expected to fall to a 30-year low of 1.77 children per woman in 2017, which is below the replacement value of roughly 2.1.

The report further noted that U.S. births are down "markedly" in 2017, despite a thriving economy and higher employment among young adults. It is expected that U.S. births will likely fall to about 3.84 million in 2017, which is a drop of about 2.8 percent from the 3.95 million births in 2016.

Other countries that have birth rates below or near replacement level include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Iran, Russia, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

European nations are also experiencing low birth rates even among predominantly Catholic countries.

According to Church Militant, none of the European Union's 28 member states has a birth rate at the replacement level, and among the countries with the lowest fertility rates are the predominantly Catholic nations of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Ireland.
home US Salvation Army bell ringer assaulted for greeting man 'Merry Christmas'

A Salvation Army bell ringer was assaulted by an unidentified man on Wednesday while he was collecting donations outside a Walmart store in Roseville, California.

The bell ringer, Rev. Jamie Wolfe, Sr., told CBS Sacramento that he greets everyone "Merry Christmas," but one man unexpectedly attacked him while he was trying to spread the holiday cheer.

"He haymakered me, hit me, got me down on the ground and we started wrestling, at that point I'm fighting for my life," he recounted.

The unidentified man did not appear to be interested in the kettle money, but his cheer. Police said that the attacker is still on the run, but there is hope that he will be identified through a surveillance video.

Lt. Steve Pavlakis, who worked with the Salvation Army for 14 years, said that he has not witnessed an incident like this.

"Store says they love him and he's been the best bell ringer they've ever had, so an attack that's unprovoked is very surprising and very unfortunate. It's not the call we'd expect to get at night," he said.

"It's really saddening that one of our bell horingers would be out there working day after day for us that's met with hate and punches to the face and kicks to the face," he added.

Wolfe suffered bumps and bruises in the scuffle, but he said that he has no plans to stop to spread Christmas joy. "It's really rewarding. I'll be right back out there doing it again tomorrow," he said.

This was not the first time that a Salvation Army bell ringer was assaulted by a passerby during the holidays.

In 2015, a blind bell ringer was kicked, punched and hit with a donation bucket outside a Smashburger in Greenburgh, New York.

In 2013, a bell ringer was punched by a woman outside an Arizona Walmart for saying, "Happy Holidays," instead of "Merry Christmas."

The holiday greetings had become a focal point in the "war on Christmas" debate in recent years.

However, a Pew Research Center survey that was released earlier this month revealed that a growing number are less concerned about whether they are greeted "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" when they enter stores and businesses this holiday season.

Other findings revealed that the religious aspect of Christmas is less emphasized now than in recent years and there has been a significant decline in the share of Americans who believe that the biblical elements of the Christmas story, such as the virgin birth, are historically true.

According to Pew, 55 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. The figure includes 46 percent who see it more as a religious holiday than a cultural holiday, and nine percent who celebrate it both as a religious and a cultural occasion.

In 2013, 50 percent said they celebrated Christmas as a religious holiday, including 51 percent who saw it as more religious than cultural.
home US Trump admin asks Supreme Court to block abortions of illegal immigrant teen

The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block an emergency order to allow an illegal immigrant in federal custody to obtain an abortion.

On Monday afternoon, federal district court Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order to stop the government from preventing two illegal immigrant teenagers, known in court documents as Jane Roe and Jane Poe, from having abortions.

The government, however, is only appealing the abortion of Roe, who is said to be 10 weeks pregnant. The administration is asking the court to block Chutkan's ruling for Roe for a minimum of two weeks to allow them to vet the sponsor that was appointed for the teenager. The sponsor could then allow the immigrant to obtain an abortion, but without the federal government facilitating it.

The second girl, Poe, is believed to be 22 weeks pregnant, and had reportedly changed her mind about getting an abortion just two weeks prior to the lawsuit. The government simply states that they are not seeking a stay in her case due to "differing circumstances."

Life News noted that Poe is rapidly approaching the 24-week mark when most states outlaw the procedure.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the girls noted that Poe was in her second trimester, but is not known exactly how many weeks pregnant she is because she had not gone through an ultrasound.

Chutkan placed a 24-hour hold on her temporary restraining order to give the government time to appeal her ruling until Tuesday, and it was extended by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. However, Chutkan had lifted the 24-hour hold on Poe since the government did not appeal the order blocking her procedure.

In a court filing on Tuesday, the Justice Department noted that Roe is 19-years-old, not 17, as previously believed, and that she is being transferred from the Office of Refugee Resettlement to the Department of Homeland Security as an adult.

The Justice Department further stated that the transfer will be completed imminently and "will materially affect the viability and review" of the restraining order issued by Chutkan.

In October, the D.C. appeals court had issued a ruling allowing another illegal immigrant teenager to have an abortion. After the teenager, identified only as Jane Doe, had obtained the procedure in Texas, the state's attorney general, Ken Paxton, warned that a bad pattern could follow.

"This ruling not only cost a life. It could pave the way for anyone outside the United States to unlawfully enter and obtain an abortion," he said.

Government attorneys have petitioned the Supreme Court to vacate the ruling on Doe, alleging that the ACLU misled them about the schedule of her abortion.
home World UK abortion provider boycotts PR awards ceremony after pro-life group wins 'best campaign' in Northern Ireland

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has withdrawn from an awards ceremony at the annual Public Affairs Awards in London last week after a pro-life group won the award for the "best campaign in Northern Ireland."

Both Lives Matter won the won the Northern Ireland Public Affairs Campaign of the Year for its "100,000" billboard campaign, which contended that 100,000 lives have been saved because the 1967 Abortion Act was not implemented in the region.

BPAS, which bills itself as the leading abortion care service in the U.K., had raised objections about including Both Lives Matter in the awards, arguing that the association was "providing an endorsement for the denial of healthcare and human rights" by recognizing the pro-life group's campaign.

The abortion provider, which was also nominated for its campaign to reduce the price of the morning-after pill, had issued a statement denouncing the decision and boycotted the ceremony.

In an open letter to the event's judges, BPAS said that it "no longer wants recognition from an organisation which is also happy to celebrate the systematic suppression of the rights of women and girls to basic healthcare," adding, "Please accept this letter as notice of the withdrawal of our entry."

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), which hosted the ceremony held on Dec. 14, wrote back to BPAS to refute the assertions that it was endorsing the pro-life group's campaign.

The Director General of the PRCA, Francis Ingham, insisted that the campaign work that had been showcased by the award-giving body had covered "numerous viewpoints on often controversial issues."

Ingham said that the allegation made by BPAS was "absurd" as it would make it appear that the PCRA was endorsing multiple pieces of work with competing viewpoints, given that BPAS itself was shortlisted along with Both Lives Matter at the same awards event.

He further contended that Both Lives Matter operates in accordance with the laws of Northern Ireland so it cannot be excluded from an award.

Dawn McAvoy, co-founder of Both Lives Matter, said that her organization is "stunned and delighted" to have won the award but it was disappointed by the letter from BPAS.

"We are surprised and disappointed by the reaction of BPAS and others who have essentially put pressure on the organisers to have us excluded from the awards. By withdrawing in protest, they have attempted to make the awards about them rather than a celebration of the great work by all the nominees," she told the Belfast Telegraph.

She revealed that her group has written a letter to the organizers of the awards ceremony to express their gratitude for the "professional way they have dealt with this matter."
home US University of Minnesota distances itself from memo proposing ban on Christmas displays

The University of Minnesota has denied distributing a memo that proposed a ban on Christmas displays, including nativity scenes, angels and even Santa Claus.

Campus Reform reported on Dec. 15 that an academic department at the university had distributed a guideline that discouraged a host of holiday practices, including the display of numerous items such as "Santa Claus, Angels, Christmas trees, Star of Bethlehem, Dreidels, [and the] Nativity scene."

The guidelines encouraged school employees "to recognize holidays in ways that are respectful of the diversity of our community," and asked them to "[c]onsider neutral-themed parties such as 'winter celebration.'"

Employees and student workers were also asked to report bias incidents of "inappropriate religious celebrations" in their work or learning environment to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.

The handout also stated that parties should not feature the colors red and green due to its connection with the Christmas tradition.

The document reportedly originated from the school's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences (CFANS). Susan Thurston Hamerski, media contact for CFANS, told Campus Reform at the time that the guidelines were intended to be used for conversations among faculty and staff. She further noted that the document was "not policy" and "not for distribution."

Becket, a religious liberty law firm, condemned the memo and bestowed the department with an Ebenezer Award, the "lowest (dis)honor, awarded for the most ridiculous affront to the Christmas and Hanukkah season."

A university official has since clarified that the document does not represent a policy of the school and denounced it as an "ill-advised" memo from "one individual that was not distributed broadly."

"The document in question was created by one individual as part of a session for a segment of employees within one area of the University. It was not provided by, reviewed by, or approved by the University of Minnesota; the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; or the University's Office of Equity and Diversity," the university official stressed.

The religious liberty law firm Liberty Counsel has launched its 15th annual Friend or Foe Christmas this year in an attempt to ensure that Christmas displays are not censored. The organization provides a memorandum to advise to public officials and schools regarding religious displays on public property.

The Liberty Counsel memo states that publicly sponsored Nativity scenes are allowed on public property if it is accompanied by a secular symbol. Privately sponsored nativity scenes or other religious displays are also allowed on public property that has been opened to the general public for expressive activity, and no secular symbol is necessary in the context of private speech on public property, the memo claims.
A Clear Brook High School band technician was arrested Saturday on charges of sexual assault of a child and an improper relationship with a child, according to media reports.



KPRC and thepolicenews.net are reporting that Taylor Alexander Stump, 22, was taken into custody Saturday. KPRC is reporting that the victim is a 16-year-old female, who officials said was seen getting into Stump's vehicle.

He was arrested outside a Domino's, where he works as a manager, according to thepolicenews.net. Both Galveston County Constable Jerry Fisher's office and the Friendswood police have been involved in the investigation, media reports said.
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Nevaeh Vasquez let loose a little squeal of delight when volunteers at the Christmas Eve Big Feast handed her a new Barbie doll -- a toy she clung to tightly as if worried someone would take it away.

"She looks just like you," the volunteer said, pointing out that both the 7-year-old and the doll had curly hair.

Nevaeh nodded and smiled, her ringlets bobbing up and down as she walked back to her grandfather, Guy Vasquez, proudly displaying all the toys she had received: a doll, a hula hoop, a vinyl figurine she could color.

Guy beamed back at the girl. These will be the only gifts she receives this Christmas.

"It's been a hard year," the 49-year-old said.

This is the first time Guy, Nevaeh and his fiance, Ruth Gonzalez, have come to the Christmas Eve Big Feast, which was started by the late Bishop L.J. Woodard 39 years ago as a way to give back to the community. The event, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center, provides needy Houstonians with food, clothes, toys and even free haircuts and medical care.

While Gonzalez, also 49, was getting her hair cut, Guy explained the tough situation the trio has faced this year. They'd left New York in an RV, fleeing high rent and burgeoning taxes. Houston only became their destination when they broke down here.

They were scrapping by on Gonzalez' supplemental security income -- Guy has a heart condition and cannot work -- while also trying to save money to fix the RV, he said.

But then Hurricane Harvey hit.

The storm battered their RV, forcing the family to flee to a shelter. They were stuck there for months, Guy said, waiting for Federal Emergency Management Agency money so they could fix their leaking and moldy home, which still doesn't run.

Since returning to the RV, Guy said their financial problems have only gotten worse.

"We have no money at all," he said through mouthfuls of steaming turkey, corn and rice.

Thanks to Harvey's devastation, many more Houstonians found themselves in need of a helping hand than in previous years.

But officials with the City Wide Club, which sponsored the event, were prepared to see more people than normal -- at least 20,000, said Stephanie Lewis, the club's project director.

"We're expecting a lot more people because everyone is recovering from Hurricane Harvey," Lewis said. "People lost everything, which means they need everything."

Mark Smith, 62, didn't lose his east Houston home to Harvey. But he lost many of his belongings in the floods, he said.

"Some of my stuff was destroyed," Smith said, as he rummaged through a brown paper bag full of donated clothes he'd just received at the event.

Smith is disabled and lives on a fixed income. If it weren't for Sunday's event and all the donated goods being handed out, there are many things he said he might not be able to replace.

But Sunday wasn't just about replacing items -- he wanted to help make people feel better, too, with his warm smile and constant rhyming, he said.

People down on their luck, like Donna Newman and Robert Colton.

The couple became homeless in April, after suffering several job losses. They put their name in for subsidized housing, they said, and had hoped they'd have a permanent roof over their heads by now.

But then Harvey reared its ugly head.

There were suddenly more people on the streets, they said, filling up shelter beds that were much easier to acquire before. The list for subsidized housing grew longer, they added.

"Harvey set us back," Newman said. "There are so many more people on the street."

The two soon decided to get a tent, they said, and have been living there ever since.

Sunday's meal likely will be the only hot meal they receive today, they said, but they hope to get a home soon so they can start life again.

"We are getting married as soon as we're off the streets," Colton said.

Alex Stuckey covers science and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.
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Jeannette Clift George, a Golden Globe nominated actress, native Houstonian and local theater company founder, died Saturday. She was 92.

George was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Corrie ten Boom in the 1975 film "The Hiding Place," which was about a family who sheltered Jewish neighbors during the Holocaust and then were imprisoned in a concentration camp.

Even prior to that role, George had made a name for herself in Houston's theater life. In 1967, she founded Houston's After Dinner (A.D.) Players Theater Company, which is Christian based, according to the company's Facebook page.

The company produces six Main Stage shows each year and is "committed to producing plays and programs that uphold human value, offer creativity and promote literacy and education, according to Facebook.

In a Christmas Eve Facebook post, the company paid tribute to the woman who led them for nearly five decades.

"Those who knew and loved Jeannette well will remember her laughter, her winsome teaching, her life-long passion for theatre and her steadfast love for her Lord Jesus Christ," the Facebook post read. "Her presence among us will be sorely missed"

George received numerous awards throughout her lifetime, including the Matrix Award for outstanding contribution to the community through her playwriting; the Delta Gamma Fraternity Shield Award for distinguished achievement; and the 1998 Texas Baptist Communications Award.

Along with her distinguished acting career, George was an author and Bible teacher.

"Her friendship, her teacher and her writing have been treasured by many," a company news release stated.

She held honorary degrees from Dallas Baptist University and Houston Baptist University. She is a distinguished alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin Theatre and Dance Department.

A memorial service will be held in January at Houston's Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive. Details still are pending.

Alex Stuckey covers science and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.
The Manero watches in the John Wick chapter 3 ... The Manero watches in the...

The brand was present on May 9th, 2019, in New-York for the global premiere of the Hollywood movie. The brand was present on May 9th, 2019,...
I don't know how many young women come to this blog or how many are parents of teenage or young adult women, but here are some safety tips from Kelsey's Army:

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I

P

S

1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.Remember the acronym TIPS:ake Chargenform others of your whereaboutsrepare for any situationurvival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen)For more information, go to Kelsey's Army
Egypt's interior ministry said in a statement that nine terrorists were killed during a Sunday morning raid on a farm in the Nile Delta's Sharqiya governorate.

The ministry said that the terrorists fired shots at police as they attempted to conduct the raid, leading to a shootout where the terrorists were killed.

The statement said that the terrorists were using the farm as a training camp to carry out terrorist operations in North Sinai.

Police seized seven machineguns as well as ammunition at the site.

The ministry also said that police raided another terrorist hideout in Cairo, arresting nine suspects and confiscating explosives and ammunition.

Four of those arrested were involved in an attack on a Cairo security checkpoint in July, which injured one conscript and one civilian, according to the ministry.

Police say both the Cairo and Sharqiya groups had links to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, from which they received financial support to carry out their operations.

The ministry said that the terrorists were planning to carry out attacks against several vital institutions.

Throughout the past months, Egypt's security forces have carried out raids on terrorist hideouts in multiple governorates, mainly killing or arresting members of the terrorist group Hasm, which authorities say is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Al-Ahram institution will hold a conference on Tuesday titled Al-Ahram 2025: a smart, integrated media institution to discuss its vision for the future and the challenges facing press institutions.

Al-Ahram said in a statement it is presenting its 2025 vision to come up with ways to adapt to new market challenges and the changes in the way people read news and media content.

The conference will tackle the change in the media market from print to digital services.

The print press is facing big challenges including transformations related to technological development as well as offering the appropriate training for employees at press institutions, the statement read.

Al-Ahrams management realised that these challenges are critical and that it is necessary to deal with them with creative and innovative ideas, the statement added.

The conference, to be inaugurated by the institutions chairman and press syndicate head Abdel-Mohsen Salama, will be attended by Planning Minister Hala El-Said and ICT Minister Yasser El-Qadi.

Also attending are Makram Mohamed Ahmed, head of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, and Karam Gabr, head of the National Press Authority, in addition to former Trade and Industry Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdelnour.

The conference will be held at the Naguib Mahfouz hall at the institutions headquarters at 11am.

The event will be followed by the inauguration of the Al-Ahram exhibition titled Al-Ahram, history of a nation to celebrate 142 years since the institutions founding.
SCHERTZ - For 40 years, Steve Gooding's works of art have shined at the highest levels in Texas and several other states.

Literally. At 80 feet, 100 feet, 125 feet.

Even at more than 500 feet, atop the 30-story-tall Tower Life Building in San Antonio.

Gooding, 66, is a flagpole painter, an avocation that a century ago surely counted thousands of craftsmen among its ranks, including hundreds in Texas, as they climbed up the thin steel shafts with brush in hand.

Now Playing: Steve Gooding, 66, has worked as a Texas flagpole painter for 40 years. Video: (Joshua Guerra/For the Chronicle)

Now, by most accounts, the affable aerialist is one of the last who works old school in the Lone Star State, climbing the poles a shimmy and a rope-pull at a time, when most other pole painters use mechanized lifts to do their business.

"I've been doing this so long, I don't think anything about it," Gooding said on a recent morning, as he carefully assembled his ropes and riggings for a job at the entrance to the Northcliffe subdivision, where he repainted a 100-foot flagpole bronze - even polishing up the ball at the top with gold paint.

"Heights don't bother me. In this business, that's good."

Even so, after years in the unusual business, he acknowledges, "this is not an easy trade. It's not something most people would want to do. But I like doing it."

In about 30 minutes on a recent job, Gooding nimbly worked his way up the pole, moving up the safety ropes and a bosun's chair a few feet at a time. Then, after painting the golden ball, he worked his way down a foot or so at a time, painting the pole with a roller and bucket of paint hanging from his rigging.

Gooding's aerial show went unnoticed with most drivers coming or going past the pole, though some who slowed or stopped to look at what the people on the ground were looking at were surprised - even shocked and noticeably shaken - when they spotted him way up there.

"There's no way you could get me to do that," said Ed Zukowski, a member of the homeowner's association board, as he watched Gooding's measured progress up and down the pole. "But you can tell be absolutely enjoys it."

A climber's beginning

Gooding got an early start on his unusual career.

Growing up in California during the 1960s, and eventually moving with his mother to near Yosemite National Park, where she ran a health food store, Gooding said he had little idea what he wanted to do with his life.

By the mid 1970s, he had moved to Colorado and was painting houses and doing school maintenance. He learned rappelling with a church youth group, got a job painting light poles at a car dealership and, after learning how to use a bosun's chair from a man in Wyoming, started painting flagpoles.

His first one: A 100-footer on the courthouse in Pueblo in December 1977.

In the years since, he has painted poles in 27 states - from Nebraska to Arizona and Washington to California, Utah and Texas - as he and his family lived and traveled around the country in a fifth-wheel trailer. He would return every few years to redo an earlier job, while stopping at courthouses, military bases, libraries, universities, hospitals, even state capitols to get new customers - many times just by stopping and asking for work.

"I painted the pole on the Capitol in Denver for 35 years, and I'd come back every year, until they took that old 50-foot steel pole down and replaced with a new one that doesn't need to be painted," Gooding said. "That was a nice pole on the Capitol."

In recent years, though, he has cut back on his travels and now mostly paints poles for repeat customers and those who book his services through five Texas flag companies that he works for as a sub-contractor.

His average fee for painting a "simple" 100-foot flagpole: between $800 and $1,000.

"How many can I paint in a day?" he said. "I painted the poles at the Abilene schools for years, all 18 of them, ranging from 80 feet to 20 feet. At one time, I painted 15 in a day - but that was a long day."

His coldest job, he recalls, was painting a 30-foot pole at the courthouse in Clayton, N.M., one December, "in 8-to-12-degree temperatures, maybe 18 tops. It was cold."

The hottest? "Someplace in Texas in the summer," he said. "I start out at 5 a.m. with a flashlight to get the coolest part of the day when I do those jobs."

Rarely has he encountered another "climber," as he calls the painters who do the work by hand, he said.

"I did talk to a family in Washington State one time, when I first got started, that were flagpole painters," he said. "They got paid $3 a foot at that time."

During his career, Gooding has painted flagpoles on the state capitols in Colorado, Idaho and Kansas, and has done repair work on the one at the Texas Capitol in Austin.

He also repairs the pulleys at the top, and makes other repairs, as he paints.

The most difficult: Untangling a 20-by-30-foot flag on a 115-foot flagpole atop the 30-story Tower Life Building, where winds hampered his efforts and made the work more dangerous than usual.

Among his favorite poles: An ornate 125-footer on the parade ground at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

'I had to finish the job'

"I moved to Texas 30 years ago. There are a lot of flagpoles in Texas, and the weather is better here," he said. "When I was younger I wanted to see parts of the country. I would spend six months in Colorado, and then come back to Texas. You can make good money, but it takes agility and a lot of traveling."

In his long career, Gooding said he has only fallen once, two years ago while painting a 30-footer at an Austin bank.

"A knot came loose ... and I fell about 20 feet onto a grassy area," he said. "I hit the ground and just lay there for a few minutes ... My seat was still up on the pole, so I had to get back up there and finish the job. I had to finish the job. I was really sore. So I drove home and went to bed."

Two days later, Gooding said, an X-ray showed he had three compression fractures in vertebrae in his back.

He was back to work painting flagpoles in just a few weeks.

"He's (almost) 67 but he's really 37," explains Sharon Gooding, his wife of 12 years. "He puts new meaning into the word agile. I knew what he did for a living after we met, and I've never tried to talk him out of what he does. He enjoys his work so much."

Not a family business

None of his children - one son and three daughters - chose to follow him into flagpole painting, she said - although Gooding insists he never pushed it because he thought they should pursue less-dangerous work.

"I don't have any interest in teaching them," he said. "It's hard money. This work is not easy. You have to go from town to town to get work."

On the recent morning he was painting the Schertz flagpole - not far from his home - his 19-year-old granddaughter, Kaitlyn Gist, watched him for the first time from the ground.

"There's no way I would do that," she said, watching as he worked his way down the tall steel pole, maneuvering in his bosun's chair to reach around the mast as he painted.

"He's like the flagpole painter in the famous Norman Rockwell painting, hanging on ropes at the tops of the pole as he paints an eagle gold," his wife said. "The painting even looks like him."

And what does one of Texas' last hand-painting-flagpole climbers do in his spare time?

"We have a 60-foot flagpole at our house," Sharon Gooding says. "He keeps it perfectly painted."
More Information

Panel: Travel ban violates federal law

HONOLULU - A federal appeals court panel has ruled that President Donald Trump once again exceeded the scope of his authority with his latest travel ban, but the judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put their decision on hold pending review by the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning the ban involving six majority Muslim countries will remain in effect.

The 77-page ruling released late Friday says Trump's proclamation makes no finding whatsoever that simply being from one of the countries cited in the ban makes someone a security risk.

Hawaii, which is suing to stop the ban, has argued that it will be harmful because families will be separated and university recruitment will be hampered.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court lifted temporary lower court orders that had prevented the ban from taking effect.

The ruling Friday was a procedural but important step. The Supreme Court asked this month that both the 9th and 4th Circuit courts rule expeditiously to enable it to take up the case.

The Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit is considering a similar ruling out of Maryland.

The judges said the ban conflicted with immigration law's "prohibition on nationality-based discrimination," and that Trump had failed to prove that the entry of citizens of certain countries would be detrimental to the United States' interests.

Under U.S. immigration law, such a determination must be made before barring 150 million potential travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, they said.

Chronicle wire services
The Egyptian presidency said that the recent overwhelming vote in the UN General Assembly against the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital is a positive sign for the Palestinian cause.

The vote was passed with 128 countries in favour, nine against, and 35 abstentions.

Presidency spokesperson Bassam Rady told Al-Ahram Arabic news website on Sunday that this international consensus is unprecedented, especially when it comes to the Palestinian issue.

Rady said that there had previously been camps for and against, but that this latest overwhelming support, even from Britain  the architect of the Balfour declaration, which paved the way for the creation of Israel  is a good sign for the Palestinian cause.

Following Trump's decision, Egypt presented a draft resolution to the Security Council on behalf of Arab countries that would have required the US to reverse its decision.

The resolution was vetoed by the US after gaining support from all 14 other members of the Security Council, including key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine.

Rady stressed that the General Assembly vote was achieved through an Egyptian initiative following the US veto in the Security Council.

"Egypt is looking to capitalise on this momentum through dialogue with members of the international community," he added.

The spokesman said that Egypt's stance against the US declaration on Jerusalem is consistent with its historic commitment to the Palestinian cause, of which Jerusalem is a vital part, adding that Egypt will never abandon the Palestinian cause.

Egypt has long maintained its support for the establishing of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. - There's "no doubt" a gunman who fired at police in several locations in the state capital, wounding one of them before they shot and killed him, was targeting police officers, a prosecutor said.

Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired at a Harrisburg police officer on Friday afternoon and later at a state trooper, wounding her before pursuing her, Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said.

"He fired several shots at a Capitol police officer and at a Pennsylvania state police trooper in marked vehicles," Marsico told reporters, flanked by state police, Capitol police and FBI officials.

The gunfire began shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, when the man fired several shots at a state Capitol officer in downtown Harrisburg, striking his car several times and sending one shot "that went very close to hitting him," Marsico said. About 20 or 30 minutes later, he fired several shots at the state trooper, striking her with one of those shots.

The trooper is "doing well," is in good condition and is expected to make a full recovery, Marsico said.

El-Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood, where city and state police encountered him.

"He approached them with two handguns  firing many shots at those police officers," and the officers returned fire, killing him, Marsico said.

El-Mofty had ties to the Middle East and recently traveled there, but the motive for the attack was unknown, Marsico said.

Marsico asked for information from the public about the man, who also had ties to the city and its western suburbs across the Susquehanna River. He declined to comment on whether the man was known to police.

A relative, Ahmed Soweilam, told PennLive.com that he and his family doesn't know what to make of the reported actions by El-Mofty, his sister's ex-husband.

"That's not his behavior at all," said Soweilam, co-owner of a Halal store in Camp Hill. "That's not him. I still don't believe it."

Soweilam said El-Mofty, had been married to his sister until they separated about six years ago.

Department of Homeland Security Acting Press Secretary Tyler Q. Houlton said Saturday that El-Mofty was a naturalized U.S. citizen who was admitted to the country from Egypt on a family-based immigrant visa.
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.
Egypt's presidency spokesman Bassam Rady said on Sunday that Cairo is committed to a peaceful course in negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), though he reiterated that Egypts supply of Nile water is "a matter of life or death for the country."

"Egypt took a direct path in the negotiations, based on honesty, friendliness and mutual relations. We are still committed to this path," Rady told Ahram's Arabic news website.

The latest tripartite ministerial meeting between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan held in Cairo last November to discuss a preliminary technical report on the impact of the dam had failed to reach a consensus.

On Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sameh Abu Zeid said that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is set to visit Addis Ababa next week to discuss specific ideas to overcome the stalemate in the GERD technical negotiations.

Abu Zeid stressed in last Thursday's statements Egypts keenness to resume talks on the GERD technical negotiations as soon as possible, saying that Cairo is currently assessing if the stalemate is "intentional," or due to differences in points of view on issues between Egypt and Ethiopia.

The spokesman said that there are disagreements on the report issued in October 2017 by the European firms tasked with assessing the impact of the dam on downstream countries.

Ethiopia has been constructing the Renaissance Dam since 2011 on the Blue Nile.

Egypt has repeatedly voiced concerns that the dam would reduce its share of Nile water, which currently stands at 55.5 billion cubic metres per year in accordance with a 1959 treaty.

In October, the Ethiopian government announced that the construction of its 6,450 megawatts dam was 62 percent complete.

During their last meeting in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, Shoukry told his Ethiopian counterpart Workneh Gebeyehu that Cairo is concerned about the slow progress of technical studies on the dam.

The Egyptian foreign minister expressed Egypt's concern about the inactivity of the tripartite technical committee assigned to study the effects of the dam on downstream countries.

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Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes as Christmas celebrations began in Bethlehem on Sunday, but many tourists stayed away with tensions still simmering following Washington's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The controversial December 6 announcement by President Donald Trump unleashed demonstrations and clashes, including in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city Bethlehem, where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus in a midnight mass.

Trump's decision ends a 37-year-old US foreign policy position of not recognising  along with the international community  Israel's 1980 decision to annex occupied East Jerusalem and designate a "unified Jerusalem" as an eternal capital for Israel.

The Palestinians have been seeking to establish an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

On Bethlehem's Manger Square, dozens of Palestinians and tourists gathered excitedly in the cold near a huge nativity scene and Christmas tree to watch the annual scout parade.

They took pictures as scouts, some playing bagpipes, marched through the square towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus.

Celebrations were to culminate at the church later on Sunday with midnight mass.

The square is usually thronging with tourists on Christmas Eve, but clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army in the past weeks have kept people away this year.

Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur, a town near Bethlehem, said Trump's decision had made the run-up to Christmas "miserable".

"People are only going out to vent," said the 67-year-old, whose granddaughter wore a Santa Claus hat and clutched a pink balloon.

Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two percent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has said "dozens" of foreign visitors had cancelled their Christmas trips after Trump's announcement.

In a statement before Christmas, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump's announcement "encouraged the illegal disconnection between the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, both separated for the first time in over 2,000 years of Christianity".

Abbas called on "world Christians to listen to the true voices of the indigenous Christians from the Holy Land... that strongly rejected the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital".

"They are the descendants of the first followers of Jesus Christ and an integral part of the Palestinian people," Abbas said, calling the local Christian community "an inherent part of our societies".

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BRUNSWICK ---- On the night he was honored for his time served on City Council, outgoing at-large Brunswick councilman, Alex Johnson, thanked his wife, Michelle, in more ways than one.

"I want to thank my family for their support - especially my wife for being the bus driver tonight; I had a flat tire," Johnson deadpanned at his final city council meeting Dec. 18, before taking on a more somber tone.

"I'm very sad I won't be able to continue on this journey," he said to both his constituents and council colleagues. "To think where this city started four years ago to today, it's because of your leadership. This (can be) a thankless job, so I am saying thank you. And I will continue to be a nosy neighbor and come back and visit."

Long history in short time

In a proclamation honoring Johnson, Mayor Ron Falconi noted the councilman's unique experience, from his time as the area's youngest city council member when he was elected in Parma Heights in 2002 at the age of 22 - where he went on to serve two terms - to his role on Brunswick's economic development committee and his dedication to "healthy economic development in our neighborhoods."

Falconi also recognized Johnson's founding of the annual 5K Pumpkin Run in October, proceeds from which go to benefit the Brunswick Food Pantry.

Johnson temporarily resigned from council in 2016 when he took a job as Deputy Medina County Auditor, stating a possible conflict of interest. However, Johnson resumed his position on Council when it was determined that no conflict existed with his new position.

Johnson failed to hold his seat in the Nov. 7 general election, garnering the fewest amount of votes from among a field of six at-large candidates. Former Brunswick city councilman Joe Delsanter, who was elected along with incumbents Patricia Hanek and Brian Ousely, will fill Johnson's seat starting in January.

Please take a moment and click here to help the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, a cleveland.com partner. Every dollar you give buys four meals for the hungry.
Kwanzaa starts on Tuesday and runs through Jan. 1. Many of you have at least heard of it, but here's a quick drill:

The holiday was created by professor and author Maulana Karenga in 1966. It celebrates seven principles. They are: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Each of the seven days is dedicated to one of the principles. Black, red and green candles are also placed in the Kinara (candle holder) and lit each day starting with the black candle that symbolizes "Unity."

Karamu House plans a nontraditional celebration this year that will focus on the fourth principle, "Cooperative Economics." The organizers felt it was time to push the boundaries.

"In the past, we have done a traditional Kwanzaa celebration -- official candle lighting ceremony," said Aseelah Shareef, director of programming at Karamu, in an email. "When I started planning Kwanzaa at Karamu I chose to highlight the 4th day, Ujaama or cooperative economics. The state of economics in the African-American community is an important issue to me. I am concerned about how we spend our dollars, how we save, invest and plan for generational wealth."

The program, titled "In the Tradition: Black Wealth + Entrepreneurship" on Dec. 29 will be moderated by Orlando Watson, poet, songwriter and producer, with a panel of black business owners. The goal is to help those who have been sitting on ideas to branch out on their own. Panelists will discuss a range of topics from the challenges of owning a business to knowing how to put together a business plan. The agenda also includes a talk about why black-owned businesses are good for the community.

A community meal will follow the presentation and panelists will answer additional questions. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. at Karamu's Arena Theatre, 2355 East 89th St., Cleveland. Registration is required. Call 216-795-7077 or go to karamuhouse.org.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In Rwanda, where 17-year-old Raissa Walubila grew up, she never attended a play. Plays, like school, cost money, something her family never had enough of. So when Raissa's youth mentor, Christine Jurcsisn, told her she'd nabbed tickets to a Christmas show, she jumped at the chance to go.

On a Wednesday in early December, Christine arrives at the modest, West side two-story where Raissa lives with her mom, aunt, grandma and a troupe of energetic younger relatives, to ferry Raissa to Playhouse Square. Cousin Mariam, 12, is coming too.

Raissa runs upstairs to change. Jeans and a sweater won't do.

The chemical engineer from Willoughby met the African teenager in August through the Cleveland nonprofit Refugee Response. The two study English together, reading and vocabulary, Christine armed with Google Translate to decipher Raissa's French. It's easier than the girl's Swahili.

The house is toasty. Framed Bible verses hang on the wall in the dining room. There are no decorations, but it's early yet. Though they observed Christmas in Rwanda, celebrations were much simpler. "It's just to church and back home," says Raissa.

Raissa was born a refugee in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, the daughter of Congolese parents displaced by a protracted series of armed conflicts that have plagued the country since the late 1990s. Humanitarian organizations have estimated death tolls in the millions. The Kivus in the eastern Congo, where Raissa's family is from, have seen some of the worst atrocities, including mass rape and civilian massacres.

She waited 16 years -- almost her whole life -- to make it here in 2016. Her father is still in Africa. When she mentions him, her eyes swim with tears. Women support her household. "Seventy percent of all refugees," says Patrick Kearns, executive director of Refugee Response, "are women and children."

As of December 14, only 32,538 refugees had been admitted to the U.S., according to the State Department's online reporting system. That's about a third of the numbers admitted in 2016 (96,874). In 2016, Ohio welcomed 4,857 refugees from across the globe; this year so far, it has only accepted 1,989. The drop was even more dramatic for Cleveland, which resettled 743 refugees in 2016, but only 244 this year.

The declines can be traced to Donald Trump's White House. Each year the President determines a ceiling for refugee admissions. When Trump took office last January, he slashed the cap set by Barack Obama (110,000) by more than half.

The Trump administration plans to limit the number of refugees to 45,000 in 2018, a historic low. Resettlement agencies have said a cap of at least 75,000 is needed to meet growing humanitarian needs around the world.

As Raissa's mom and aunt sign permission slips for Christine, Raissa makes her entrance. Her white sweater dress and matching faux fur vest are as pristine as fresh snow. Red braids sit atop her head in a demure bun, set off by glittering, silver hoop earrings big enough to pass a hand through.

"Oh, you're so beautiful!" Christine says.

Downtown at the Hanna Theatre, the lobby is jammed with parents and kids. Raissa and Mariam take it all in -- wreathes heavy with ornaments, chandeliers, ablaze with light. "Wow," says Raissa. Mariam says the same with her eyes.

They find their seats and go quiet, as though waiting for a sermon to begin. Onstage, a Christmas tree sparks to life, golden ribbons sprouting magically from its boughs.

In "A Very Electric Christmas," performers outfitted in costumes made of luminescent wire execute a glowing ballet set to pop and holiday music. A baby bird loses his way flying South for the winter, crash landing in the North Pole. He is befriended by acrobatic worms and warbling flowers, and threatened by a coterie of mice and their nefarious king. His journey home is fraught, his reunion with his family sweet.

Afterwards, they offer a critique. "I like it when the birds found their baby," Mariam whispers.

Raissa marvels at how she could feel the pain of the birdy's Mom and Dad when they lost their chick. It made her think of her own dad in Rwanda and how he must be missing her. It'll be a long time before she sees him again.

Coming to the theater, seeing all those kids with their mothers and fathers and grandparents, has given her a lot to think about -- "ideas about Christmas" she says. What does it really mean?

"Christmas is not for the kids only -- it is for the family," she says. "It's for the family to be together and be happy. That is what I am feeling is Christmas."

Before going home, they race across Euclid Ave. to the Festival of Trees, a collection of elaborately decorated ersatz evergreens inside the Allen Theatre covered with every imaginable ornament -- fairies, stars, cupcakes, seashells.

"A Christmas Story" is playing there, and the girls see their first glowing leg lamp, a rite of passage for any Clevelander. Mariam stands on a stool to pose in Ralphie's "pink nightmare" bunny suit. She shyly sticks out her tongue. Christine laughs and snaps a picture.

It's Raissa's turn. "No way!" she says, already too old for that.

The trio head to Christine's car, laughing and chattering their teeth with comic exaggeration in the lake effect wind. The night has been so fun.

Christine volunteered with Refugee Response after the 2016 Presidential election. She wanted to help.

"We need to make sure Cleveland is a welcoming place and a safe place," Christine says.

That's also what Christmas means.

(To read part 1 of Raissa's story, click here.)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland police are investigating whether four shootings that happened between Friday and early Saturday morning are connected.

No one died in the shootings, but four people, including a 16-year-old girl, were hurt in the shootings that started about 3 p.m. on Clark Avenue near West 58th Street, Cleveland police spokeswoman Jennifer Ciaccia said.

A 29-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to his thigh and was taken to MetroHealth for treatment, Ciaccia said.

The second shooting happened about three hours later on East 123rd Street near Kinsman Road. The 16-year-old girl was shot in the leg and was taken to University Hospitals for treatment.

The third shooting happened about 10 p.m. on Parkway Road near Fairport Avenue.

A 22-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the eye and was taken to University Hospitals for treatment.

The final shooting happened about 12:30 a.m. at West 73rd Street and Lorain Avenue. A 39-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and was also taken to University Hospitals for treatment.

The victims' conditions were not available.

Cleveland police did not release any additional details about the four shootings, including possible motives for all of the gunfire. Ciaccia also did not say whether any arrests were made in any of the shootings.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
The United Arab Emirates said Sunday that "security information" had caused the delays on Tunisian women from boarding flights to the Gulf state that caused an outcry in their home country.

"We contacted our Tunisian brothers about security information that necessitated taking specific procedures," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on his Twitter account.

"We should avoid misleading attempts... We highly value Tunisian women and respect them," Gargash said, without elaborating.

A number of Tunisian women said in recent days that their travel to the Gulf state on UAE airlines had been delayed and some had to undergo additional examination of their visas.

That triggered angry reactions on social media and local Tunisian media.

The Tunisian government said Friday it had asked the UAE ambassador for clarification, adding that the envoy said the decision was for only a short period and the restrictions had been lifted.

Despite the clarification, Tunisian rights groups issued a statement on Saturday condemning the UAE measures as "discriminatory and racist".

*The story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Tunisia has banned all airlines from the United Arab Emirates from landing in its territory, the Tunisian transport ministry said on Sunday.

The announcement came two days after Tunisian government officials said the UAE had banned Tunisian woman from flying to or transiting through its territory.

No reason was given for either decision and there was no immediate comment from the UAE.

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A federal judge ruled Saturday that the U.S. military must provide legal counsel to an American citizen who was picked up months ago on the Syrian battlefield and accused of fighting with Islamic State militants.

The unidentified American, who has not been charged, surrendered to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria around Sept. 12 and is currently being held in Iraq as an unlawful enemy combatant.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a court petition challenging his detention and asking to act on his behalf to provide him access to legal counsel.

Late last month, the U.S. government acknowledged that it has detained an American citizen accused of fighting with IS for months without fulfilling his request to see a lawyer. Responding to a court order, the government said the man picked up on the Syrian battlefield indicated he was willing to talk to FBI agents but "felt he should have an attorney present."

In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied the Defense Department's motion to dismiss the matter and ordered the military to let the ACLU "immediate and unmonitored access to the detainee" so that it can determine whether he wants the ACLU to represent him. The judge also ordered the Defense Department not to transfer the detainee until the ACLU tells the court of the detainee's wishes.

"This is a landmark ruling that rejects the Trump administration's unprecedented attempt to block an American citizen from challenging his executive imprisonment," said Jonathan Hafetz, senior staff attorney for the ACLU. "Ensuring citizens detained by the government have access to a lawyer and a court is essential to preserving the Constitution and the rule of law in America."

Kathryn Wyer, an attorney in the Justice Department's civil division, earlier told the court that the U.S. military was working "diligently" on the matter, but had not yet decided what to do with the detainee. Wyer cited case law stating the executive branch should be given a reasonable period of time to determine a detained individual's status.

The government said that during questioning that FBI special agents advised the detainee of his right to remain silent even though he might have spoken earlier to other interrogators. That was an apparent reference to intelligence agents who are believed to have questioned the detainee first. The government said the detainee also was advised of his right to an attorney.

But the government also acknowledged that the detainee said he "understood his rights and said he was willing to talk to the agents, but also stated that since he was in a new phase (of questioning), he felt he should have an attorney present."

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BRIDGEPORT  Its been 35 years since an arsonist burned Beardsley Parks Christmas Village to the ground, with some children fearing Santa Claus had been killed in the fire.

The memories of what took place and the legacies of those involved have been captured in the pages of a recently published book  The Miracle of Christmas Village.

Christmas Village is a place where city residents can bring children to see animated elves and reindeer and surround themselves with the holidays sights and sounds.

Children are able to visit with Santa Claus and receive gifts from him. The village opens each year in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Back in Dec. 1982, the village was housed in a building in Beardsley Park and was scheduled to open on Dec. 12. But in the early morning hours of Dec. 7, 1982, Christmas Village burned to the ground  with only one wall left standing.

The culprit was never found.

The citys mayor at the time, Leonard Paoletta, heard the news of what happened while he was talking to a classroom of children. He said he cut the meeting short and headed back to his office.

On the way back to the office, I stopped at Beardsley Park and saw the result of the fire, Paoletta said last week. It was three walls and the roof that were gone.

Though initial talks were to rebuild Christmas Village for the following year, Paoletta wanted it done for the 1982 Christmas season, he said.

Paoletta said he got the call about the fire around 8 a.m. that day.

By 11 oclock I had an office full of people. I told them what Id like to see done. And, very nicely, they did suggest I have my head examined, Paoletta said with a laugh.

But still, Paoletta said, everyone decided to go forward with his plan.

Volunteers started pouring in; hundreds of people were showing up to help rebuild Christmas Village every day. Paoletta said he remembered one man from Newtown who would ride in on his bicycle each day.

The village was burned down on a Tuesday. By that Sunday, it was standing tall again on its Beardsley Park footprint.

The kids got to see Santa Claus and got their toys, Paoletta said.

In the days before social media, the story of what happened spread by newspapers, television broadcasts and word of mouth.

The ripple got wider and wider, said Mike Daly, who was a reporter at the Bridgeport Post when the village was burned down.

Word of what happened reached then-President Ronald Reagan. He called the city on Dec. 12, complimenting the work that was done to get the village operational so quickly. He went on to mention the immense effort on national television three times, Paoletta recalled.

Reagan even took the time to call Paoletta at one point to commend him and the city on the job well done.

Paoletta, decades later, keeps a box of letters from people across the nation who wanted to help. That box of letters is what sparked Dalys interest to write a book about the fire and the rejuvenation of Christmas Village.

For a lot of impoverished kids, this was Christmas, Daly said of the village. For some reason, what went on in Bridgeport ... it touched something in human beings.

Today, a granite monument stands at the site in Beardsley Park. It reads: Miracle at Christmas Village from the concerned people of America, 1982. It was donated by a Joe Mason, the owner of Stratford Insulation.

Christmas Village became a tradition when it started in 1950. That tradition continues to this day, at the villages new home at 2 Quarry Road in Trumbull.

To immortalize the efforts of Paoletta and everyone else involved in the rebuilding in 1982, Daly said he decided to write a book  which he self-published through Amazon  about what took place and to allow Paoletta to have a written account of his legacy as the citys mayor.

Over the past four years, between editing the Connecticut Posts editorial page, writing columns and practicing and performing with the newsroom band The Bad Slugs, Daly conducted interviews, read material on the topic and wrote the story. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Kindle.

A book signing is scheduled for Jan. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Barnum Museum, Daly said. He said he hopes the book can become a seasonal classic for the city that becomes available for purchase each year around Christmas.
Time flies when youre being held hostage by the budgetary dithers (yes, its a noun) who we call state lawmakers.

Jan. 4, 2017 Legislation to raise the minimum wage; allow early voting; and let municipalities enact local sales-tax surcharges, are proposed by Democrats in the General Assembly.

Bills requiring schools to display the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence; kill public financing for state political campaigns; and bar state workers under age 65 from collecting retirement benefits, are submitted by Republicans.

None of those bills survive the legislative process in what will become a year of historic stalemates.

Jan. 13 Jessica Brocksom, a Milford fifth-grader who campaigned on a platform promoting the humane treatment of animals, is awarded the blue sash of Connecticuts Kid Governor during a ceremony in the historic Old State House.

Alas, neither her appointment nor the blue sash, raise the maturity level of state politics and government.

March 3 A bill to ban the use of old vehicle tires for playground surfaces survives the legislative Committee on Children, on its way to a slow death at the hands of crumb-rubber lobbyists, including the Recycled Rubber Council.

The mulched tires contain a dozen known carcinogens and 20 lung irritants. Researchers at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York warn of the possible increase in leukemia and lymphoma for children who romp around on the stuff and breathe the outgases.

Sen. Len Suzio, R-Meriden, co-chairman of the committee in the Senates brave new 18-18 tie, says legislation isnt needed until the federal Environmental Protection Agency finishes studying the issue. This is around the time that the Trump administration promises to dismantle as many regulations as it can.

By the end of the year, the EPA is still researching the chemical makeup of rubber samples from a select group of playing surfaces.

March 15 Gun-safety advocates and law-enforcement officials favor legislation to require those who openly carry handguns to show their permits to state and local police upon request.

Now, we cant tell you whether thats a legitimate or illegitimate carry, Berlin Police Chief Paul Fitzgerald tells lawmakers.

But opponents, including several urban Democrats concerned about racial profiling, join with Second-Amendment types who want unfettered freedom of the Wild West  and possibly hear their spurs go jingle jangle jingle  and the bill is shot down, without a vote, in the Judiciary Committee.

March 10 Dr. James Gill, the states chief medical examiner, gives lawmakers some grim news on drug-related deaths in the state. Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid sometimes added to heroin for street sales, is 100 times more powerful than morphine.

Coincidentally, the opioid crisis has increased the number of autopsies by 64 percent, with 895 more in 2016 than in 2014, he says.

April 13 Gov. Dan Malloy, the hardest-working  and possibly least-liked  Connecticut state employee, announces he wont seek a third four-year term. On Nov. 16, ending months of speculation, Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman says she wont run for governor, turning the 2018 gubernatorial election into a wide-open race for what might be a political booby prize.

April 25 For the first time in nearly 30 years, the legislative Appropriations Committee fails to vote on a budget proposal. It reflects the Senate deadlock and the tiny, 79-72 Democratic edge in the House.

May 15 Frank Farricker, acting president and chairman of the board of the troubled Connecticut Lottery Corp., resigns after an uncomfortable smackdown from members of the legislative Public Safety Committee.

Appointed by Malloy six years earlier to head the board, Farricker, former Greenwich Democratic Town Committee chairman, was ancillary damage in the Lotterys failed 5 Card Cash instant game, in which about a dozen vendors were arrested for cheating. On Oct. 12, the Office of State Ethics extracts a $5,000 penalty and $6,300 in restitution from Farricker, for money he used to pay for internet services at his home, high-definition cable TV with HBO and regional sports, personal mobile-phone bills, and $3,000 in mileage expenses

Nov. 1 The states record budget stalemate ends, mostly, when Malloy quietly signs a new two-year, $41.3-billion state budget that is retroactive to July 1, nearly ending Connecticuts record legislative stalemate.

In fact, the House and Senate reconvene mid-month to revise their bottom line, for which Malloy signs off on Nov. 24. Within days, the budget is more than $200-million out of balance and 113,000 elderly participants in the Medicare Savings Program complain about a 50-percent cut in the income thresholds. So, the 2018 calendar year starts with lawmakers grappling, again, with the state budget.

Nov. 29 Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim given a second chance by city voters, is denied by a federal judge who says that state lawmakers can indeed bar him from public financing in his young campaign for statewide office, possibly governor, in 2018. Hell have to raise more than $7 million to run competitive primary and general election campaigns.

Ken Dixon can be reached in the Capitol at 860-549-4670 or at kdixon@ctpost.com. See twitter.com/KenDixonCT.
JANE BELFIELD

This poem by the late Jane Belfield - a journalist who did fine work in Papua New Guinea around the time of independence - was first published in PNG Attitude on 22 December 2007

'Tis the night before Christmas,

And all through the house

Little creatures are stirring -

From cockroach to mouse.

There are moths in the wardrobe

And fleas in the bed;

Angry ants in the breadbin;

Rabid rats in the shed.

There's a snake in the ivy

Outside the front door,

And redback and whitetail

Spiders galore.
One of the worst legacies of Tony Blairs New Labour  yet to be reversed  was the capture of Government by PR men, image experts and spin doctors.

They had an image for everything, and knew the reality of nothing. The country was subjected to years of superficial, expensive change. What lay underneath was often left unaltered or  in many cases  made worse.

Few institutions escaped. But the Army was one of them. It needed no image, with centuries of battle honours based on courage and chivalry, and the traditions of beloved regiments stretching back into the far past.

It said three simple words to its recruits: Be the Best.

In recent years the Army has suffered. But this is not because it has the wrong branding. It is because the Treasury, under both major parties and the Coalition, has carved it to the bone and beyond with unwise cuts

It is true that in recent years the Army has suffered. But this is not because it has the wrong branding. It is because the Treasury, under both major parties and the Coalition, has carved it to the bone and beyond with unwise cuts.

Many regiments have been merged out of existence. Others have been hollowed out. During conflicts, vital kit has come too late or not at all.

Experienced men and women, disillusioned by this, have quietly left. Young men and women who would once have signed up, now sense decay and stay away from recruiting offices.

So it is not just absurd and ridiculous that Ministry of Defence chiefs are planning a rebranding operation early in the New Year, in which scarce money will be squandered on retiring the perfectly good Be the Best slogan.

So it is not just absurd and ridiculous that Ministry of Defence chiefs are planning a rebranding operation early in the New Year, in which scarce money will be squandered on retiring the perfectly good Be the Best slogan

It is proof that they have lost their way.

If the MoD wants to attract new talent, then it must end and reverse cuts which have already gone far too far, threatening the integrity of the Army itself as well as the safety of the country.

Justice goes on trial

The great Czech novelist Franz Kafka (who was also a lawyer) wrote in his book The Trial about a man pursued by shadowy authorities for a crime which they will not even name.

He never finds out what he is accused of, though he is driven to the depths of misery.

British people reading this would once give thanks that they lived in a free country where such things were unknown. But now it is happening among us.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke describes in The Mail on Sunday today his seven weeks of Kafkaesque hell, during which he has been publicly thrown to the wolves, without ever being told what he is alleged to have done.

This is a breach of British justice. If there is a case to answer, he must immediately be told what it is and allowed to defend himself.

If there is none, this is rank persecution and must cease, and he should never have been named.

Truce in the trenches

For a few blessed days of peace and privacy, the tumult and the shouting of politics are pushed into the background by the sweeter sounds of carols and bells.

Leavers and Remainers, Left and Right, can step out of their trenches and celebrate what unites us instead.

A very happy Christmas to you all.
A young girl whose self-confidence was crippled by the head brace she had to wear last Christmas after major brain surgery is looking forward to a special festive season with family and friends.

Daisy Smith, 11 from Portsmouth, had to wear a huge metal frame, known as a halo brace, after major surgery in September 2016 to remove a huge non-cancerous brain tumour that had spread into her neck and spine.

She wore the device designed to keep neck and spine bones immobile as they healed for three months and felt so self conscious about people staring at her that she refused to go out and join in her family's traditional festive activities.

Her father, Andy Smith, even dyed his beard green and attached baubles in a bid to detract attention from his daughter, but when she did agree to go to the pantomime, she hid behind a curtain so no one could see her.

Daisy's brain tumour was discovered only after months of misdiagnosed symptoms which began with a persistent cough but thankfully, she is now making a good recovery and is looking forward to making the most of Christmas.



Daisy Smith, 11, (pictured) from Portsmouth had an 11-hour operation to remove a huge brain tumour

Left to right: Honey, eight, Reggie, eight months, Sue, Daisy, 11 and Andy smiling during a Christmas outing this year

As well as Christmas festivities, Daisy also missed out on Halloween and Bonfire Night last year.

Her mum, Sue Smith said: 'She didn't want to go anywhere because people stared at her so much. It was awful.

'We go to the pantomime at Christmas every year but Daisy was too worried about sitting in the audience with the brace on.

'In the end my sister organised a box for the family, but even then Daisy sat in the corner and held the curtain around her so people couldn't see her.'

Daisy (pictured left) has amazed doctors and charity workers with her recovery. She is pictured smiling with her sister Honey, eight, and Reggie, eight months

Now Sue and Andy have pledged to make this Christmas the best ever for Daisy and her siblings Honey, eight, and brothers Billy, 22, and Reggie, eight months.

'We'll be going out, meeting friends and doing a lot more this year,' Sue said.

The first symptom of Daisy's brain tumour was a persistent cough, which doctors initially diagnosed as asthma.

They prescribed an inhaler, even though Sue - who is herself asthmatic and whose younger daughter Honey also lives with the condition - was adamant that the cough was not an asthmatic one.

She spent last year hiding away because people stared at the head brace she had to wear after the surgery. Her dad Andy even dyed his beard green detract some of the unwanted attention

Her parents were told by doctors to enjoy the week before her operation as she would probably 'never be the same girl again'

After the inhaler seemed to make her condition worse, Daisy was sent for a chest X-ray which revealed a curvature of her spine, followed by a full-body X-ray that showed no further abnormalities.

But when she began to show signs of weakness in her right arm, Daisy was finally referred for an MRI scan.

It revealed a brain tumour so large that it had spread down her neck and into her spine, requiring surgery as soon as possible.

Her mum recalled the terrifying time, she said: 'It started in her brain stem and ended between her shoulder blades.

'It was the tumour that had been causing the cough as it was pressing on her windpipe.

'The surgeon said it was a massive risk to operate but they had no choice. If they didn't, she would end up paralysed from the neck down.'

Pilocytic astrocytoma Pilocytic astrocytoma typically occur in children and young adults before the age of 20 and they are the most common primary brain tumour in childhood, affecting both sexes. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting and visual complaints, depending on the location of the tumour. Medics don't know the cause, but are looking at genetic factors as a possibility. There's a good prognosis with a 95 per cent survival rate at five and ten years. Advertisement

'We were told to enjoy the week with Daisy and to make special memories for the family as she would probably never be the same girl again after the surgery,' Sue said. 'It was absolutely awful.'

'We took her to Harry Potter World and to see Wicked at the theatre in London. She went horse-riding, which she loves, but all we could think was: "She's never going to be able to do this again."

Daisy had an 11-hour operation on September 27, followed by an eight-hour operation three days later.

Surgeons managed to remove around 90 per cent of the tumour, which was low-grade and non-cancerous type known as a pilocytic astrocytoma. However, her ordeal was far from over.

Within weeks, as Daisy was being cared for in hospital after her operation, her medical team became concerned about the position of her head. A CT scan showed that her neck was at risk of dislocation.

'She had to spend a day and a half in traction, with weights attached to her head to pull her neck back into position. She couldn't move at all. It was horrible,' Sue said.

After the traction, surgeons performed another operation to fit the halo brace, which remained in place for three months until January.

But now, a year on, Daisy has continuously amazed her doctors and her family with her recovery.

She returned to school in February, now attending four days a week, and has been able to pick up her beloved hobby of drawing despite continuing numbness in her hands.

In October, Daisy joined dozens of family members and friends on a ten-kilometre walk in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity which raised over 7,000.

Sarah Lindsell, chief executive of The Brain Tumour Charity, said: 'Daisy's courage and determination since her diagnosis is an inspiration to all of us at The Brain Tumour Charity.

'We are so grateful to her and her family for their incredible fundraising achievements and for sharing their own experience to raise awareness of brain tumours.

Her proud mum said: 'She was determined to finish the walk and she was so thrilled when she managed it. Now we're hoping to do it every year.'
The festive season brings many things and not all of them come wrapped in shiny paper.

Alongside the gifts and the mince pies, there's the very real threat of a crack in your relationship appearing too, as over-indulgence, opportunities for bad behaviour and difficult family members heap pressure on couples.

Relate counsellor Denise Knowles, who has been advising couples on relationship woes for 25 years, told FEMAIL that it isn't unusual to see warring couples requesting guidance come January 1st.

Denise Knowles, a Relate counsellor with 25 years of experience, says she frequently sees couples in January saying 'We never want to have another Christmas like that'

She says: 'We see couples who say 'we never thought we'd find ourselves here" or "we never want to have another Christmas like that again"'.

Knowles says pressure is often the key to festive relationship breakdowns: 'People often put unrealistic expectations on each other. They want the perfect Christmas, the chocolate box idyll.

'I hate to lay the blame at the door of advertising, but the constant message about having the perfect Christmas does make people want it all.

There's a human desire to have a good time together and it can create a tinderbox at Christmas.'

Young children, overwrought by too many presents, can add to the tension between parents

And it doesn't matter how long you've been together with long-term relationships just as vulnerable as new ones.

Says Knowles: 'Newlyweds often feel a different sort of pressure to other couples.

'It depends on where and how they're spending Christmas but they may have two lots of in-laws to try and impress. They may be hosting for the first time and want to prove that they can stand on their own two feet.

There's a human desire to have a good time together and it can create a tinderbox at Christmas Denise Knowles, Relate Counsellor

'Older couples may feel that they have everyone descending on them including their own children and grandchildren. And grandkids are often obsessed with screens and may not engage in the way grandparents had hoped, leading to disappointment and tension.'

If you're fretting about marital tension this yuletide, feel reassured that many couples do come out the other side.

Says Knowles: 'Communication is key and there needs to be a willingness to work things through but you should always be optimistic that marriages can be saved

'It's all about expectation before the event. If you know what to expect and who's doing what you're less likely to scream at your partner when everyone goes home.'

So, how do you ensure that come January 1st, you don't wake up with a separation on your hands?

DON'T LET CHRISTMAS PARTY JEALOUSLY EAT YOU UP

Try and compromise on nights out. Everyone wants to let their hair down and inhibitions lower but no-one wants to have to face a colleague the next morning having done something silly.

If you feel jealous about a partner getting dressed up and going out, then try and reach a compromise with them where you agree they'll try and get home at a certain time. Or if they're going away, you'll Skype at a certain time.

ASSIGN EACH OTHER ROLES BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Assign roles. Emotional intelligence can be lacking The vast majority of women end up being the main host, which puts on lots of pressure. Resentments develop if you're doing all the work and your partner is on their umpteenth sherry.Before December 25th, talk about who does what.

MANAGE DIFFICULT FAMILY MEMBERS TOGETHER

Discuss how you're going to deal with a tricky relative together well ahead of time. It needs to be a collaborative effort to ensure the person is 'managed'.

And don't be afraid to ask other family members to help, by bringing something that makes your day easier, even if it's just a 10 box of crackers.

SPEND SOME TIME ALONE

Don't be afraid to spend some time away from the party. Couples don't ordinarily spend this much time together and problems that can be avoided through the year often rear their head. Don't be afraid to go and have a cup of tea by yourself, or take a walk alone.

DON'T OVERSTRETCH YOUR BUDGET

Financial pressure at Christmas can be huge. Be careful about your budget and agree together what you can afford for family members. People often think they can pay things off in January and they overspend on everything from food to gifts - which leads to misery when you can't afford things later on.

MANAGE YOUR KIDS' EXPECTATIONS

Children can be addicted to the latest toys and easily become overwrought, moving from one toy to another at Christmastime, adding additional pressure for parents.

Be realistic with your budget - a cardboard box is often played with more that the latest must-have toy. And be sensible too, don't roll in drunk in front of them on Christmas Eve.

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You've hung the stockings for Santa Claus, done all the last-minute wrapping and stocked up the fridge with festive food - but have you made a Christmas Eve box yet?

Dreamed up as a way of keeping overexcited children happy until Christmas Day, the personalised boxed typically contain things like new pajamas, small toys and sweets.

The new trend for presenting youngsters with a box full of treats on December 24th is the latest festive tradition to make its way to the UK from across the Atlantic from the US and has seen a huge explosion in popularity this year.

Hobbycraft, the UK's largest craft retailer, has reported a 129 per cent increase in customers purchasing items to create the personalised box filled with treats compared with last year.

The popularity of Christmas Eve boxes has increased by more than double since last year as festive families produce the craft for their children and share on social media

One person who shared their child's Christmas Eve box filled it with sweets and festive games

Another filled their son's box with a haul of small toys and items from Primark

Some parents go all out when it comes to personalising their children's boxes and have been proudly showing off their efforts on Instagram using the trending hashtag #ChristmasEveBox.

One parent chose a Mickey Mouse theme for their box with a Christmas hat with mouse ears on top and the Disney character's famous white gloves clutching the sides.

And on Twitter, parents revealed what they were planning to put in their boxes, saying their children couldn't wait to receive them, while many revealed they would be trying the trend for the first time this year.

One excited mother wrote: 'Making a Christmas Eve box for the boys, pajamas, snacks, a drink, a blanket and a movie. They'll be so excited'.

One person filled their box with a Santa plate set, Christmas books and DVD's

An adult filled their box with a wine glass, pampering items and festive reindeer food

One mother filled their son's box with a book, socks, toy and letter from Santa

Another chose to design a simplistic wooden Christmas eve box with a bronze handle

And a doting grandmother said that making one of the boxes for her seven-month-old granddaughter is now her new tradition.

Katherine Paterson Customer Development Director at Hobbycraft said: ' We first noticed the trend for Christmas Eve boxes a couple of years ago but this year it's even more popular with boxes and hampers flying off the shelves'.

'The Christmas Eve Box is a charming tradition which sees parents and loved ones fill crates or boxes with small treats. Children by Christmas Eve night often start to get impatient so filling a box with a selection of small games or treats is a great way to keep them entertained ahead of the big day'.

One person decided to make a large Disney box which resembled Micky Mouse

Others also went for a simplistic festive design using stencils and paint

Hobbycraft says 'Christmas Eve Box' is the most searched-for term on its website

Adults have also admitted to making grown-up versions of the festive boxes for themselves and others including items such as DVDs, wine glasses and candles.

Hobbycraft's social media video on the trend has been viewed over 589,100 times and Christmas Eve Box is the most searched term on the retailer's website.

However, a few weren't impressed by the trend at a time when there's already so much pressure to buy gifts with one commenting: 'When I was a kid we were lucky if we were allowed to open Roses tin on Christmas Eve'

A stream of people revealed that this year would be their first time embracing the trend
A high-flying business owner quit her job to launch a 'groovy loungewear' label following a trip to India.

Kerry Mounsey, 38, from London, launched eponymous brand Verry Kerry, which makes luxury kimonos, loungewear and pyjamas, in 2010 and recently celebrated opening her first store.

The busy first-time mother was working full time when she started making her luxury kimonos, which retail at 115.

Kerry, who has daughter Nala, four, with her partner Francesco, was born and raised in Zambia until she was ten and says her childhood was filled spent 'mostly barefoot, up a tree or riding horses' with the sights and smells of the southern African country influencing her flamboyant designs.

Having it all: Kerry Mounsey launched eponymous brand Verry Kerry, which makes luxury kimonos, loungewear and pyjamas, in 2010 and recently opened her first store

The self-confessed former 'tomboy' recalled: 'In Zambia at the time we couldn't readily buy nice clothes, so we often got things made from a local tailor.

'From around the age of five I started to get quite involved with it all and would tell my mother what I liked.

'I loved going for the fittings and the thrill of bringing home the final creations. I suppose that was the beginning of it all.'

She also spent time living in Australia where she studied graphic design in Melbourne and went on to set up her own business.

Despite this, Kerry insists she never saw herself as being 'into fashion' - a sentiment that began to change over the years when she struggled to find clothes that she liked.

Inspiration from abroad: Kerry's first port of call was a trip to India, where she travelled to Delhi with her mother and began visiting local markets to source fabrics (pictured)

During her time in India, Kerry met Mandy, a designer and factory owner whose business follows high ethical standards and whom she has worked with ever since

Hard work: The busy first-time mother was working full time when she started making her luxury kimonos, which retail at 115

Kerry, who has daughter Nala, four (pictured), with her partner Francesco, was born and raised in Zambia until she was ten and says her childhood was filled spent 'mostly barefoot'

She was working for Brora Scottish Cashmere in London when, encouraged by founder Victoria Stapleton, she decided to launch her own label, began learning more about the fashion industry, and finally took the plunge to go solo.

Kerry's first port of call was a trip to India, where she travelled to Delhi with her mother and began visiting local markets to source fabrics.

There she met Mandy, a designer and factory owner whose business follows high ethical standards and whom she has worked with ever since.

Kerry was 'overwhelmed with India's kindness and continual surprises' but also struck by some of the negative effects of the clothing industry - notably how it 'takes advantage of impoverished communities and disregards its own waste'.

Kerry has spent time living in Australia where she studied graphic design in Melbourne and went on to set up her own business

Kerry insists she never saw herself as being 'into fashion' - a sentiment that began to change over the years when she struggled to find clothes that she liked

Kerry was 'overwhelmed with India's kindness and continual surprises' but also struck by some of the negative effects of the clothing industry - notably how it 'takes advantage of impoverished communities and disregards its own waste'.

She recalled: 'After working non-stop in 45C degrees heat, I returned from India with an incredible determination and I will never forget the feeling of opening the box when the first samples finally arrived.'

In 2010 Kerry began working on her first garments and exhibiting at markets and trade shows.

Thanks to a family loan, topped up with her personal savings, she began to turn her hobby into a business - while simultaneously working a 'very demanding' full-time job.

Kerry was working for Brora Scottish Cashmere in London when, encouraged by founder Victoria Stapleton, she decided to launch her own label, began learning more about the fashion industry, and finally took the plunge to go solo (pictured: some of her colourful designs)

Speaking about receiving her fabrics, Kerry said: 'After working non-stop in 45C degrees heat, I returned from India with an incredible determination and I will never forget the feeling of opening the box when the first samples finally arrived'

Four years on, Kerry has just celebrated opening her first store while her label goes to strength to strength, winning style plaudits from a line-up of fashion bloggers

She played photographer while her friends modelled her first collection, with partner Francesco helping her with the website, often working late into the night on top of her day job.

After daughter Nala was born, Kerry admits tiredenss almost made her doubt herself - but then TV presenter Lauren Laverne featured my Geisha kimono in her Sunday column for a national publication which she 'took as a sign not to give up'.

'Ill never forget the buzz it gave me,' Kerry said. 'My partner helped me all along, until he finally quit his full time job to join Verry Kerry.

Kerry's advice to other mothers wanting to launch their own businesss: 'Get a good babysitter! You will need it'

After daughter Nala (pictured) was born, Kerry admits tiredenss almost made her doubt herself - but then TV presenter Lauren Laverne featured my Geisha kimono in her Sunday column for a national publication which she 'took as a sign not to give up'

A great help but a new set of challenges, sacrifices, late nights and of course many a heated argument!'

Four years on, Kerry has just celebrated opening her first store while her label goes to strength to strength, winning style plaudits from a line-up of fashion bloggers.

Her advice to other mothers wanting to launch their own business?

'Get a good babysitter! You will need it.'
Meghan Markle has been left distraught after her beloved rescue dog Guy broke two legs.

The beagle  described as Meghans absolute world  was injured shortly after Clarence House announced the actresss engagement to Prince Harry.

Guy was flown to London earlier this year from Toronto where he lived with Meghan while she worked on television series Suits.

While it is not clear how the injuries occurred, The Mail on Sunday understands that the dog is receiving treatment from television super vet, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, who is renowned for his bionic surgery techniques.

Prince Harry is said to have joined his anguished fiancee on visits to see Guy. The dog is believed to be receiving treatment at a facility in Surrey.

Meghan Markle has previously described her Beagle Guy as her 'absolute world' and often posted photos of the pair together on Instagram

Last night, sources close to the couple said Meghan was distraught and very upset about Guys condition.

It is further turmoil for Meghan, who has already had to say goodbye to her labrador-shepherd cross called Bogart after he was deemed too old to fly to the UK.

Guy arrived to join his owner having gone through a lengthy checking process.

To secure permission to live in the UK, foreign pets must be microchipped, be given a rabies vaccination, and then have a blood test 30 days later.

In an interview earlier this month, Meghan revealed: One [dog] is now staying with very close friends and my other, little Guy, hes in the UK, hes been here for a while.

I think hes doing just fine.

Meghan has previously described her dogs as my boys, and gushed that they mean the absolute world to her.

During her time in Toronto, the animals repeatedly appeared on her Instagram page and were pictured snuggled up in bed with her.

Last night a spokesman for Kensington Palace declined to comment.
A 22-year-old woman whose symptoms were dismissed as food poisoning died just days after she was struck down with meningococcal.

Jacqueline Conticello, from Western Australia, was left bed bound after she started experiencing vomiting, diarrhoea and a sore ankle on November 23.

But just four days later, her distraught parents Christine and Amleto Conticello found their daughter dead in her bed, The West Australian reported.

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Jacqueline Conticello (pictured) whose symptoms were dismissed as food poisoning died just days after she was struck down with meningococcal.

Her distraught parents Christine and Amleto Conticello found their daughter dead in her bed

'I rang the ambulance and it was time to give her CPR but I knew she was already gone,' Mr Conticello told 7 News.

The woman, who lived with one of her four brothers in Perth, had left work early because she was feeling ill.

Her parents said they initially considered taking her to hospital but decided to wait because they assumed she just had food poisoning.

'[This is] something that will haunt me for the rest of my life,' her father said.

Unaware she had contracted the deadly disease, the family stopped by her home several times over the weekend to make sure she was well.

As the family prepare for their first Christmas without her, the parents have called on the government to provide free vaccinations against all strains of the disease

When the family checked up on her on Sunday morning, Jacqueline showed signs of improvement so they were not concerned.

But by the afternoon, the healthy and active woman was found dead.

As the family prepare for their first Christmas without her, the parents have called on the government to provide free vaccinations against all strains of the disease.

'I know it's a lot of money but the life of our daughter... I would give everything I own, even my life, to save her,' Mr Conticello said.

By sharing their story, the family wanted to warn other parents of the symptoms of the disease that claimed their daughter's life.
Dear women of the United Kingdom.

I know it is just us reading this, as every man in the land will have disappeared this morning  on the pretext of 'getting more milk'  to search for your gift.

He left it until today as his small brain still hoped that Christmas might be cancelled due to the weather, Brexit, your mother/father/dog dying, or that you might have got divorced after that contretemps in M&S on Friday when he suggested Morrisons is cheaper.

Unlike him, the monosyllabic lump, the gift will speak volumes. Here's my guide to decoding his present. Chocolates of any description. He's trying to make you fat so he can go off with another woman

But no, you are still shackled together, and Christmas is going ahead, much to his chagrin.

He will return this afternoon, ashen, after an exhausting foray to the high street, clutching something in a plastic bag as thin as your patience. What will he give you, I wonder, when you have given him children, or at least your last remaining childbearing years.

But unlike him, the monosyllabic lump, the gift will speak volumes. Here's my guide to decoding his present. Each of these atrocities, bar one, has been given to me at some point, so it's no surprise I'm single

1. Petrol forecourt flowers or a half-dead poinsettia covered in glitter. Flowers at Christmas are OK, provided they are classy and uniformly white. But if they contain gypsophila, and are wrapped in cellophane with a Nisa Local sticker attached, this means he's never going to pay child support after he's left you.

QUOTES of the week 'No one under 45 will have owned a blue passport and most will think they're not worth 50 billion and crashing the economy.' Labour MP Mary Creagh questions whether changing British passports from burgundy back to blue is such a great idea. 'They were told they were rubbish and if they didn't behave better they would be given bread and water at the Christmas party.' Lee Robinson reveals how children at a Cardiff school were criticised by their head after their Nativity show. 'When a musical is bad it's like a teenager's socks  it stinks to high heaven.' Hugh Jackman, hopes his role as impresario PT Barnum impresses the critics. 'A lot is expected of women. Are we better off than our mothers? Not necessarily.' Kirstie Allsopp suggests that career women have created problems for themselves. Advertisement

2. Chocolates of any description. He's trying to make you fat so he can go off with another woman. If he gives you liqueurs, he finds you as sexy as your ancient maiden aunt and/or thinks liver disease will be a cheaper option to divorce. If he gives you Matchmakers, it's a warning he'll go on Tinder if you say you're trusting him to load the dishwasher. If it's anything salted caramel, he's spent far too much time in front of MasterChef when he should have been up a ladder checking the smoke alarms. 'Do you want me to burn in my bed?' I have been known to wail.

3. Perfume. He scores a point if it's one you already wear, but nul points if it's eau de toilette, not de parfum. If it's one his mum wears, phone a shrink. If it's one his ex wore, phone a lawyer. And who really wants more bottles in the bathroom attracting dust?

4. A single DVD chosen at random from a box set (my husband once gave me season three of The L Word; I gave him a car). It means he thinks you have nothing left to say to each other, and he is safe to play games on his phone, ignoring your cries of: 'But who on earth is that? Who was murdered?'

5. If it's a spiraliser or stepometer, he is saying he'll put you in a home if you get brittle bone disease followed by dementia. If he gives you a spa voucher, tear it up and throw it in his face: he wants you out of the house so he can watch Brian Cox without you saying: 'But who put the black holes there in the first place?' If he buys you a massage, he thinks you have cellulite.

6. Underwear. Hmmm. Can earn Brownie points, but only if it is really expensive (think Myla, not Primark) and, here's the important bit, the correct size. My ex bought me three thongs in a MEDIUM! This is passive aggression designed to belittle you, especially when he adds: 'Just cos you're flat doesn't mean you're a size 8.'

A Nigella cookbook means he thinks you don't feed him enough, never bother to light enough candles, and don't lick the spoon seductively for him as you slave over the stove

7. A visitors' book. Unless you're the Duchess of Devonshire, who needs one? I like to forget whoever has stayed with me. It means he's about to start asking his mates round for Sacred Rivers with Simon Reeve when he baulked at your suggestion to go punting in Cambridge.

8. Clothes brushes. My ex gave me this for my birthday, in a mahogany box like a coffin. He obviously thinks I have dandruff. He subliminally wants me dead.

9. A Nigella cookbook means he thinks you don't feed him enough, never bother to light enough candles, and don't lick the spoon seductively for him as you slave over the stove. If it's a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall vegan cookbook, he's secretly gay.

10. My friend's boyfriend has just asked whether she wants bellows for Christmas. For the fire. This means he thinks she is a manual labourer with bingo wings.

11. Jewellery has to be expensive or it is a health hazard. My ex-husband bought me diamond earrings so microscopic I had to go to A&E, already overstretched at this time of year, to have them removed as they'd fallen into my ear piercing. Then again, unless he's proposing, jewels smack of guilt. What on earth has he done this time?

Merry Christmas.
Christmas is a time for sparks to fly and love to blossom, and it seems like that is certainly the case for Michaella McCollum.

With Christmas day almost upon us, one half of the infamous 'Peru Two', who hails from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was seen enjoying a spot of shopping with a mystery man at the Victoria Shopping Centre, Belfast.

This isn't the first time the couple have been seen out and about together recently, with two festive outings already notched up this week.

The 24-year-old former model, who was jailed in 2013 for attempting to internationally smuggle drugs, giggled as she walked alongside her apparent new beau.

Michaella McCollum was seen out and about with a mystery man for the third time in a week

Michaella seemed to be splashing out too as she browsed in the high-end retail stores.

Wrapped up in a millennial pink coat and thick checked scarf, she wandered through the town in search of last-minute gifts.

The unknown man looked fondly at her as they strolled together, arm in arm. Earlier this week, Michaella was seen admiring a selection of engagement bands alongside her unknown companion.

She browsed high-end shops, admiring handbags and make-up in Belfast City Centre

Festive strollin': The couple cosied up as they wandered along the streets of the Northern Irish capital

Earlier this week, Michaella was seen admiring a selection of engagement bands alongside her unknown companion

She looked stylish in a pair of knee-high suede heeled boots over the top of skinny blue jeans.

Getting into the festive spirit, she added a pop of red lipstick and a pair of sparkly earrings.

It seemed that money was not an option for Michaella who mooched around designer stores, admiring the handbags.

She wrapped up in a millennial pink coat and thick checked scarf as she wandered through the town in search of last-minute gifts

The pair were spotted out on Monday evening where they enjoyed dinner in a local restaurant in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter.

The duo seemed to be getting along famously as they headed to the city's Christmas market on Wednesday.

McCollum looked stylish in a pair of leather leggings which she paired with a matching jacket and a chic faux fur stole.

The pair paused to admire the engagement rings for sale at Margaret Forbes in the city centre

The duo, who were last seen enjoying dinner together on Monday, later visited the Christmas market in Belfast

The 24-year-old slipped into a pair of black suede boots with a quirky perspex heel and could be seen carrying a Chanel tote.

Her mysterious companion, meanwhile, opted for a pair of distressed denim jeans and added a pair of sunglasses to his trendy look.

After admiring the ring display in Margaret Forbes, where it is not clear whether they made a purchase, the pair took a stroll to the local Christmas market.

The ex-convict could be seen sampling the fake snow on sale and is believed to have made a purchase

The pair seemed to be getting along famously as they sampled the goods at the local stalls

The pair could be seen admiring the products and several local stalls and McCollum even purchased a packet of fake snow.

Shortly after McCollum could be seen dropping a coin into a buskers guitar case as she made her way home from the market.

It seems that McCollum is well settled back into her Belfast home following her summer of jet-setting and has even returned to college.

Shortly after McCollum could be seen dropping a coin into a buskers guitar case as she made her way home from the market

It is unclear who the McCollum's mystery man is but he appears to be an ever growing presence in her life

On Thursday she was spotted arriving at Millfield College in the city where she is studying Humanities & Social Science.

Over the last few months, Michaella has been spotted living it up in party centres Ibiza and Marbella enjoying sun, sea and cocktails.

How the former drugs smuggler has funded her holidays is unclear, but she has been linked to a number of potentially lucrative opportunities and was recently spotted outside HMP Liverpool where her agent said she was filming a prison documentary.

She was also spotted heading to a morning of meetings at the BBC back in September. Representatives for McCollum told the MailOnline that McCollum had visited the studios today for 'meetings about upcoming projects'.

It has been reported that she has been offered a 250,000 tell all book deal detailing her criminal exploits and time behind bars in Lima.

Her jet-setting lifestyle is a stark contrast to former accomplice Melissa Reid, who has landed a charity job at Citizens Advice.

Reid applied for a job at the charity after she was released from the South American jail last June.

McCollum, by contrast, has been accused of capitalising on her notoriety, and in May it emerged she has signed with a talent agency.

The two were sentenced to spend six years and eight months inside a grim jail in Lima, after they were caught trying to smuggle the huge quantity of cocaine.

The ex-convict was released on parole last March after serving less than half of her sentence but initially had to stay in Peru, where she carried out voluntary work until August when she flew back to Belfast.
Guy Vainer, from Israel, takes hilarious snaps of his twins, Yanai and Barak

A dad of identical twins has documented his hilariously hectic life with two toddlers in a series of funny snaps.

When Guy Vainer, from Slomi in Israel, discovered his wife, Dalit, was expecting twins he had no idea what he was letting himself in for.

However, rather than be overwhelmed by the chaos, the 31-year-old decided to embrace it and the end result is a rather unusual photo album for his sons, Yanai and Barak, to look back on when they're older.

The photographer has set up a series of funny snaps which show his cheeky identical one-year-old twins doing everything from mundane tasks such as helping to give their daddy a shave to more extreme scenarios such as getting tattoos.

Guy Vainer, from Slomi in Israel, takes hilarious snaps of his one year old twins Yanai and Barak

The amusing shots were created using photoshop with the clever dad editing together various images to create one funny snap.

Guy said he was in shock when he first found out his wife was expecting twins.

He said: 'I was in shock. They're our first children so we didn't have any parenting experience.

'I didn't even know how to deal with one kid and then I suddenly had two.

The photographer made the clever photos using clever Photoshopping skills

Wake-up call! He said that he was in 'shock' when he found out that he would be having twins

Guy said their house is in complete chaos with the twins and compared it to living in a 'tornado'

Guy said he didn't want to have normal pictures and wanted to give his boys 'something special'

He admitted that some people are shocked by the photos and think he and his wife are 'bad parents'

'Because we have identical twins that look exactly the same it was hard for me to even tell which was which in the first four months.

'Having two boys loose in the house is like a tornado. Within five minutes the house is in total chaos.

'I think that taking 'normal' pictures is boring. Every kid has the same pictures and I wanted to give my boys something special.

'Most of the people love the photos and find them funny. But there are always some who don't get them and think we are bad parents and putting the kids at risk.

The process behind taking the photos is a little complicated as each child is photographed alone at least 20 times

Guy will then take pictures of him and his wife before photographing the different backgrounds

Guy said that neither the children or their pets are put in dangerous situations while taking the pictures

He said of their birth 'I didn't even know how to deal with one kid and then I suddenly had two'

'Each child is photographed alone at least 20 times. Then we take some pictures of ourselves and the background.

'If the kids appear flying is because I hold them in the air. Hiding my hands under their clothes to make it easier to erase. No children or animals were put in danger or discomfort while taking the pictures.

'It's chaotic but we love being with them and when they fall asleep the house suddenly seems so quiet.'

He even admitted that he struggled to tell the boys apart in the first few months of their lives

Guy said that most people who see the pictures think they're hilarious despite his critics

The twins were the couple's first children so they didn't know what to expect with two babies
Last Christmas was a difficult time for Zara Tindall and her husband Mike as they announced they'd suffered a miscarriage on Christmas Eve.

It was to be the couple's second child, and the tragic announcement came just a month after they'd announced their happy news.

This year, the family appeared to be having a much happier Christmas Eve as they attended a party with their adorable daughter Mia, three.

While many of the other royals gathered at Sandringham, Zara, 36, looked in festive spirits as she carried a Christmas cake into the party in Sydney, Australia where the family are currently on holiday.

Zara Phillips, 36, and her husband Mike Tindall, 39, attended a friend's Christmas party with their daughter Mia, three, on Christmas Eve

Zara wore a black dress with an asymmetric hem and peplum detailing around the hips. She kept the look casual in a pair of black flip flops and accessorised with a pair of black sunglasses.

Zara carried a Christmas cake and a gift wrapped present, presumably for a lucky party guest.

Little Mia looked very cute in a green dress with flared sleeves, perfect for 20 degree weather in the Australian city.

Their outing comes exactly a year after the family announced Zara had miscarried their second child - while the rest of the royals are gathering at Sandringham, the Tindalls will celebrate in Australia this year

Zara seemed in high spirits as she carried a Christmas pudding cake and a present into the party

She wore a sweet pair of gold trainers and carried her very own purple handbag.

Rugby player Mike wore a casual blue shirt with a bird pattern and chino shorts and some flip flops.

The trio chatted happily as they made their way to a friends house for the festivities.

Their outing comes exactly a year since they announced Zara had suffered a miscarriage.

The equestrian looked chic in a black dress with asymmetric hem and a peplum detail

Little Mia looked adorable in a green dress with gold trainers and her own purple handbag

The Queen's granddaughter Zara and her husband lost their unborn baby, just weeks after revealing they were expecting their second child.

A royal spokeswoman for the couple made the announcement on Christmas Eve last year.

Equestrian champion Zara and Mike, announced at the end of November they were expecting their second child.

A spokeswoman for the couple said: 'Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby. At this difficult time, we ask that everyone respects their privacy.'

The family have been holidaying in Sydney, Australia and dressed casually for the occasion

Zara was thought to be around four months pregnant when she lost her baby last December.

Speaking in May for the first time since the news was announced the former rugby player revealed how he had coped with the loss.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: 'One thing you do learn is how many other people have to go through the same thing.'

The rest of the royals are in Sandringham and joined the Queen for the Christmas Eve church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham today.

Prince Philip looked as fit as ever today as he walked to and from church with other members of the Royal family at Sandringham and cracked jokes with well-wishers.

The family appeared to be in the festive spirit as they chatted on their way into the party

A crowd of around 350 people were delighted to see Philip briskly walking 400 yards to St Mary Magdalene church while the Queen was driven in her maroon-coloured Bentley accompanied by Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Wearing his trademark brown overcoat, Philip led a procession of Royals on the walk from Sandringham House as he chatted to Prince Andrew.

Andrew's daughters Beatrice and Eugenie followed behind with Prince Edward and his daughter Lady Louise, the Princess Royal and her husband Sir Tim Laurence, and Peter Phillips and wife Autumn.
Im writing this on the day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement. I was glued to their interview on TV. She has such shiny hair. And great teeth. And she is just so darned confident and self-assured; there was none of the peering out from under dark lashes in the manner of her late future mother-in-law. She said words like organic with a straight face. She was totally, utterly certain of Harrys love for her; you can tell who wears the chinos. She was the adored, he the adoree  no matter the palaces and the thousands of acres of moorland, the two tours of duty, the cottage off Kensington High Street. She is utterly perfect, even down to the fact she has two much-loved dogs, one of whom has been flown to be with her.

I read about his wooing of her. The bombarding of her with texts. The invitation to sleep under canvas in Botswana. The weekends at Soho Farmhouse. The ring, oh my God, the ring. We can overlook the fact it is yellow gold: he dug up the diamond with his own bare hands down a mine in Africa. He framed that stone with fragments from his mothers jewellery: a bit creepy, but, boy, is it expensive.

And I started to wonder why for some women romance is like this. They are pursued. She never once said, Well, I almost didnt turn up at Invictus, as I was midway between waxes. It is all excitement and helicopters and Wimbledon and Scotland. Holding hands. Smiling. Gazing into each others eyes. Someone else organising and paying for the wedding. They talked about children, even though they are not married yet, not until next spring. It was all an adventure, a journey they would embark upon together. They were a team.

Hmm. Well. My life hasnt been quite like that. No one has ever pursued me. No one has whisked me off to Soho Farmhouse: they would moan about the price, pretend its booked up until 2020, that it is full of annoying media types likeme. No one has dug up a diamond for me with his bare hands; it was as much as I could do to get my husband to mow the lawn. We all know what my latest engagement ring cost.

Its an extreme example, but how lovely, and useful, to find a man who has houses and cars and connections and interesting friends. How amazing, and a bit retro, would it feel to marry someone who would look after you, provide for you, cherish you and open doors and windows on whole new worlds. This is how romance is supposed to be. This is why we devote our lives to pilates, shopping, sit-ups, face packs, pore strips, Bliss Softening Mitts, strip wax, hot wax, pedicures and endless bloody bottles of water. This is why we dont eat chocolate, and instead buy Touche Eclat and corner lashes and fake tans and pedicures and stupid outfits we neither need nor really love. We are lamps, wanting to attract that perfect moth in a sea of darkness.

All Ive ever attracted to my bare bulb is men who are babies: useless, selfish, whiny, unimaginative, un-reliable; who cant even use a dipstick or operate a strimmer. You cant blame me, because I am (or used to be, more like) dynamic, high flying and rich; Meghan is that, too. I cannot imagine Meghan putting up with a man who says of his broken boiler, which looks about 400 years old, It was, to my mind, working when I left. She would wither him with just one look.

I suppose Im in a dark mood, not just from the jealousy, the prospect of spending the next six months writing articles about her outfits, but because David Cassidy has just died. Everyone Ive ever loved seems to be dead. David (Cassidy; not the other, more recent one; though I do wonder, sometimes). Michael Jackson. Prince. George Michael. Squeaky. Snoopy. Sam. Hilda. And Dreamy. It feels like the end, whereas for Meghan its the beginning. Im just jealous. I want to be wooed. I want to be treated to Soho Farmhouse, though Im sure it would annoy the hell out of me: it lists on its website a chance to visit the horse stables; what other type is there? I want to be whisked to The Pig at Combe for Christmas Day. Fat chance. I want someone to dig up diamonds for me with their bare hands, not buy me a 21.99 piece of tin as a token that was never exchanged for an actual expression of love. In the words of dear, departed David Cassidy: I want to be cherished.
With her mega decs and bright colours, interior designer Tiffany Duggan is all set for tomorrow, when the beautifully wrapped presents and prosecco can finally be opened

With its festive wreath from Castle Street Flowers (castlestreetflowers.co.uk), the front door, painted in Basalt gloss by Little Greene (littlegreene.com), is dressed and ready for tomorrows guests

Left: Candlelight flickers in the striking convex mirror from Reid & Wright (reidandwright.london) and reflects the living rooms Cobble by Fired Earth (firedearth.com) shade. I wanted the space to feel enveloping and warm, says Tiffany. The stockings are from Liberty (libertylondon.com). Right: Rescue dog Tanya gets into the festive spirit with a collar from Hiro & Wolf (hiro-and-wolf.com)

THE FAMILY Interior designer and founder of Studio Duggan, Tiffany Duggan lives in a three-storey Edwardian house in North London with husband James, an executive search consultant, their sons Finlay, six, and Jefferson, three, cats Rocco and Lola and rescue dog Tanya. Advertisement

'This Christmas we are going big! laughs Tiffany. Usually we keep it simple as we travel to Ireland to be with Jamess family, but this year everyone is coming to us, so we are decorating in style! Rocking a decadent Hollywood glamour vibe, jewel-coloured decorations are mixed with seasonal foliage and festive favourites. Baubles in rich shades of aubergine, green, orange, pink and purple deck the tree, while parcels are wrapped in handmade Esme Winter patterned paper. Im not one for traditional reds and greens, says Tiffany. For me, its all about colour and fun  with vibrant textiles and tableware and quirky floral displays adding a sprinkling of opulence to our Christmas table.

It is no surprise that Tiffanys interior design practice Studio Duggan has gained a loyal following over the past six years. I designed our home in the same way I would approach a clients renovation, says Tiffany, who, together with husband James, bought the property three years ago then spent six months rejigging its five bedrooms and one bathroom to create a space suited to family life.

Rocking their festive crowns from Hobbycraft (hobbycraft.co.uk), Jefferson (left) and Finlay cant wait to rip open their presents. Wrapping paper, Esme Winter (esmewinter.co.uk). Tree decorations, John Lewis (johnlewis.com)

Once the layout had been finalised, Tiffanys ideas were tear-sheeted, pinned and moodboarded, with detailed room schemes pulled together simultaneously to ensure consistency of style. I always balance old and new  its important to me to create eclectic yet contemporary spaces, with a sense of longevity and permanence.

We preserved all the beautiful architectural features but have reconfigured upstairs to create separate levels for us and the boys; making space also for a dressing room, playroom and guest room, with en-suites for each of the three bedrooms. Downstairs an urban-style kitchen was installed along with elegant parquet flooring to complement original hallway tiles.

The vibrant La Havane wallpaper from Nobilis (nobilis.fr) adds Beverly Hills glamour to the boys bedroom and is always a talking point, says Tiffany, as is the Steiff giraffe (steiff.com). The artwork is by James Brown (stjudesprints.co.uk) and the alphabet pots from Bridie Hall (notanotherbill.com) add a magical quality. The metallic paper globes are from Rockett St George (rockettstgeorge.co.uk). The personalised present sacks are from Not On The High Street (notonthehighstreet.com)

For Finlay and Jeffersons level, Tiffany wanted to create a sense of high-octane fun and drama, hence their bedrooms exotic palm-tree wallpaper and chalkboard walls. I love to add touches of unexpected eccentricity, laughs Tiffany. Herald the 8ft giraffe!

On Christmas morning, a family tradition is upheld  bacon sandwiches and prosecco in bed  while the boys snuggle up to open their stockings before dashing downstairs to find half-munched carrots and Santas empty sherry glass. Christmas dinner is always a late affair, so toasted marshmallows, espresso martinis and party games are de rigueur, before more presents are opened, says Tiffany. It seems there really is no place like home  this festive house of fun could prove hard to leave.

studioduggan.com

Our festive table represents everything I love about Christmas  fun, family, colour and glamour, says Tiffany. The flowers are from Scarlet & Violet (scarletandviolet.com). The crackers are from Toast (toa.st). The tableware, linen and antique spindle candlesticks are from Summerill & Bishop (summerillandbishop.com)

Handwritten and hand-stitched name settings by Oyster Bridge & Co (for details, visit @oysterbridgeandco on Instagram) add a personal touch. Tableware, cutlery and linen, as before

The kids love toasting marshmallows in the garden, regardless of the weather, and the fire-pit from Garden Trading [gardentrading.co.uk] makes it cosy, says Tiffany. The sheepskins from Graham & Green (grahamandgreen.co.uk) give the chairs by Made (made.com) snuggle-factor; the Christmas tree is from Oxenford Farm (oxenfordfarm.com)

Left: In the master bedroom Crittall doors, designed by Studio Duggan and made by Flight Design, separate the bedroom from the sink area and its adjoining shower and WC. The basin is from Design Concrete (design-concrete.com). Right: Our bedroom is quite big, so the four-poster bed from Vielle & Frances [vielleandfrances.com] adds scale within the lofty proportions, says Tiffany. Walls are painted in Felt IV by Paint & Paper Library (paintandpaperlibrary.com). The bath is from The Cast Iron Bath Company (castironbath.co.uk)
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Pigs Priscilla and Poppleton hogged the limelight for a series of festive snaps to help them trot into Christmas.

The sister and brother duo from Jacksonville, Florida, donned pajamas, Santa hats, ugly sweaters and even posed up with Kris Kringle himself and their piggy family.

The pair shared the cute snaps with their 685,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook.

Owner Melissa Nicholson, 43, fell in love with the animals after visiting a farm as a student at the The University of Alabama.

She said that one of her students gave her pets festive pajamas and she also got a pair to match and she captioned the picture: 'Best pajama day ever!!! One of our sweet classmates brought me and Pop a pair of pajamas just like hers, so we all could match (and even wore pigtails, our favorite).

'Mommy got a pair too, so we can match her over Christmas break. ThOINKs cutie! We love you to the Cheerio Castle and back.'

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Melissa captioned this snap: 'Best pajama day ever!!! One of our sweet classmates brought me and Pop a pair of @happyhannas pajamas just like hers, so we all could match (and even wore pigtails, our favorite). Mommy got a pair too, so we can match her over Christmas break. ThOINKs cutie! We love you to the Cheerio Castle and back'

This snap was captioned: 'It's Polar Express pajama day at school today! That means movie snacks for us, too! This was us on one of our first pajama days together. This will be my 5th and Pop's 4th. We are so lucky to be forever first graders'

Visit to Santa: 'The whole family went to see Santa! He always remembers us and was so excited to meet baby Penn and Pigtail for the first time. He told us we are all on the nice list, too,' Melissa wrote

In another snap the duo visit Santa along with three other porkers and a dog. Melissa wrote: 'The whole family went to see Santa! He always remembers us and was so excited to meet baby Penn and Pigtail for the first time. He told us we are all on the nice list, too!'

Melissa often takes her piggies to her classroom as class pets who help out with teaching her children lessons.

'Priscilla and Poppleton love snacks and the schoolchildren have been encouraged to eat healthier so that they can share their food with the pigs.

'The pigs' favorite food is Cheerios and peanut butter.'

Fashionista Priscilla is known for wearing pearls, bows and the color pink in many of her glamorous shoots.

Most of the trendy wardrobe are actually dog clothes that come from local pet stores or online shops - but they seem to fit perfectly.

The pigs are pictured earlier in December heading to Savannah for a holiday fair benefiting the Humane Society of Savannah

Pigs in blankets: Owner Melissa Nicholson, 43, fell in love with the animals after visiting a farm as a student at the The University of Alabama

Melissa got Priscilla when she was six weeks old.

She added: 'She loves hugs, is very affectionate and an attention seeker.

'The pigs have given me an awareness that animals are friends not food. I have become a vegetarian again after 20 years.'

The pigs also have their own children's book called 'Prissy and Pop Big Day Out,' and a clothing line with logos like 'Pop for president.'

Decking the halls: Melissa captioned this snap 'following in cousin Pop's hoofsteps...Look who showed up to help put the piggy lights on the tree!'

Friends not food: Melissa shared this snap writing 'The only way to have a pig for Christmas dinner'
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A couple who married this summer discovered they were childhood sweethearts after spotting each other together in long forgotten holiday photographs taken 20 years ago.

Heidi and Ed Savitt, 26, had no idea about their fateful meeting aged six until Heidi's mother mentioned a 'holiday romance' with a little boy called Ed and dug out photos which, to everyone's amazement, showed her future husband.

Communications Manager Heidi told MailOnline: 'I didn't believe in fate before finding that out but there's no arguing with it - we're clearly destined to be together!'

Heidi and Ed Savitt, 26, who married this summer(right) had no idea about their fateful meeting aged six until Heidi's mother mentioned a 'holiday romance' with a little boy called Ed and dug out photos from 1997(left) which showed her husband

The couple tied the knot in August in the long gallery at Haddon Hall, a manor house in Derbyshire which dates back to the 12th century and was described by author Simon Jenkins as 'the most perfect house to survive the Middle Ages'

Kay mentioned in passing over dinner that Heidi had a 'holiday boyfriend' who was also called Ed when she was six, and said the pair had played together for much of the two-week break, as these long-forgotten images from 1997 show

The couple, who live in London, met in 2011 at Newcastle University. Ed, owner of DropShot Coffee - a specialty coffee shop in Southfields - read Psychology and Business, while Heidi studied Economics and Management.

They first spoke when Ed moved into a student house where Heidi had previously lived and messaged her asking how to work the tumble drier after spotting her name on some post.

The pair soon started dating, and had been together for four years when they had dinner with their mothers in Wandsworth, south-west London.

Fiona Savitt soon got talking with Heidi's mother, Kay Parker, about their shared love of sailing holidays.

Kay mentioned in passing that Heidi had a 'holiday boyfriend' who was also called Ed when she was six, and said the pair had played together and held each other's hands for much of the two-week break.

Everyone thought it was a strange coincidence, and Fiona even smashed her wine glass in surprise, but the conversation quickly moved onto other topics.

However, when Kay was going through her attic two weeks later, she found a dusty photo album from a sailing holiday in Gumbet, Turkey.

One of the photos, dated July 1997, showed Heidi side by side with a little boy. To Kay's amazement, she rubbed off the dust to find it was Ed, whose face was recognisable under his childhood bowl-style haircut.

They first spoke when Ed moved into a student house where Heidi had previously lived and messaged her asking how to work the tumble drier after spotting her name on some post. They are seen being driven away from Haddon Hall in a vintage car

The pair(pictured left in 2011) soon started dating, and had been together for four years when they had dinner with their mothers in Wandsworth, London. The wedding at Haddon Hall was followed by a champagne reception on the lawns

This photograph was taken after the wedding ceremony at Haddon Hall and shows, from left to right: Ed's father, Jonathan Savitt with his wife, Fiona; Ed and Heidi; and Heidi's parents, Keith and Kay

'I was screaming, it was just unreal,' Kay said. 'Of course, I sent it to Fiona. Then loads more photographs came out.

'None of us had any idea whatsoever that Heidi and Ed had met before university. But during that two-week holiday, they held hands most of the time.

'Perhaps they just had a subconscious realisation they had shared that time together when they met as adults.'

The couple were 'inseparable' once they started going out and always knew they would end up getting married.

'It's crazy to think we could have got married, shared our lives together, but then never found out about this,' Heidi said.

'From the moment we started dating we were inseparable and knew we were going to be together forever.'

The couple married in August at Haddon Hall, a manor house in Derbyshire which dates back to the 12th century.

This was followed by a reception at grade-II listed Shiningford Farm, where hundreds of guests enjoyed a late-night dance under a tipi and a pool party the following day.

The wedding followed by a reception at grade-II listed Shiningford Farm, where hundreds of guests enjoyed a late-night dance under a tipi(pictured) and a pool party the following day

The couple(pictured at Newcastle University, left, and after their wedding) were 'inseparable' once they started going out and always knew they would end up getting married. 'It's crazy to think we could have never found out about this,' Heidi said

Heidi (pictured with Ed during an evening out at university) said of her wedding in Derbyshire: 'It was just so much fun to marry my best friend surrounded by all our family and friends'

Ed and Heidi are pictured outside Haddon Hall with the wedding guests of honour, many of whom couple both knew at university

This map shows the journey both the Savitts and Parkers took, from Sheffield and London - 200 miles apart - to the Mediterranean resort of Gumbet in Turkey where they met in 1997

'It was just so much fun to marry my best friend surrounded by all our family and friends,' Heidi said.

'It absolutely blows my mind that we could have never found out that we first knew each other all those years ago.

Fiona said: 'When Kay sent me the photo of a little boy called Ed I shrieked, 'oh my goodness, that's Ed!' It was unbelievable.

'We sent it around to all our family and friends and everyone was amazed. The phones didn't stop ringing and everyone was liking it on Facebook.'

Kay and Keith Parker are now good friends with Fiona and Jonathan Savitt, and regularly go on holidays with each other.

The rest of the family are also close. Ed has two sisters, Emma, and Maddy, and a brother, Matt, and Heidi has two sisters, Hannah and Olivia.

'It was not just Heidi and Ed who met on that holiday but all of us as well,' Kay said. 'It is just such a lovely, incredible story.'

Both the Savitt and Parker families are now close friends. Ed has two sisters, Emma, and Maddy, and a brother, Matt; and Heidi has two sisters, Hannah and Olivia. Pictured: Ed and Heidi in the grounds of Haddon Hall after the wedding ceremony

The terraced gardens at Haddon Hall, where Ed and Heidi are pictured after their wedding, are one of the jewels of the historic house, which sits right in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District
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Daniela Soleri says her father, late Italian architect Paolo Soler, raped her and abused her throughout her childhood

The daughter of the late Italian architect Paolo Soleri claims that her father molested her throughout her childhood and attempted to rape her when she was 17 years old.

Daniela Soleri wrote a lengthy blog post for Medium in which she describes her father, who died in 2013 at the age of 93, as a 'fierce narcissist' whose celebrated work shielded him from any scrutiny about his behavior.

'It was a clumsily literal dream that started in my early adolescence, when my father, an architect and craftsman, began sexually molesting me, eventually attempting rape when I was 17,' she wrote.

'It was a child's solution to the problem posed by a man who I, and everyone around me, saw as the center of the universe.'

Daniela writes that she had first come forward about her experiences some 24 years ago, when she told people in her father's inner circle.

Six years ago, Soleri resigned from the board of the Cosanti Foundation.

Arcosanti is Paolo Soleri's architectural and ecological creation.

It is the home and studio that he and his wife founded when they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1956.

In her letter, she explained the reason stemmed from her traumatic experience as a sexual assault victim.

'In response to receiving my letter, one of my father's long time colleagues and board member wrote 'I am disappointed in everyone',' Daniela Soleri wrote.

Six years ago, Soleri resigned from the board of the Cosanti Foundation. Cosanti is Paolo Soleri's architectural and ecological creation. It is the home and studio that he and his wife founded when they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1956. He is pictured in 1976

Paolo Soleri is best known for Arcostanti, his vision of a self-sustaining, environmentally responsible architectural alternative to crowded big cities and suburban sprawl. He is pictured standing outside his underground concrete house in Cosanit, situated in the Arizona desert

'A strange reaction from a man I had known since I was seven.

'Two years later he presided at a memorial seminar eulogizing Soleri and his work.

'His message seemed to be that, yes, he's disappointed that those things occurred, but he's equally disappointed that they are being brought up, instead of silenced.'

Daniela writes that she sees many parallels between the reaction she received from her father's 'coterie' and the culture that enabled Harvey Weinstein and other powerful figures to escape the consequences of their alleged sex crimes.

Paolo Soleri is best known for Arcostanti, his vision of a self-sustaining, environmentally responsible architectural alternative to crowded big cities and suburban sprawl

She also hints in her letter that she contacted the New York Times and presented the abuse allegations, but they didn't run the story.

Paolo Soleri is best known for Arcostanti, his vision of a self-sustaining, environmentally responsible architectural alternative to crowded big cities and suburban sprawl.

The experimental micro-city exists to this day in Yavapai County, Arizona  about 70 miles north of Phoenix.

The legacy of Arcosanti is considered significant since it has inspired architects and urban designers who studied and worked with him.

Daniela Soleri writes that she and her sister had tolerated their father's behaviour by 'swallowing [their] hurt and anger' and 'relinquishing a sense of self.'

She writes that an incident in January 2011 when her father made her daughter cry because of an act of 'petulant selfishness' was a wake-up call.

'Here was the transgenerational transmission of trauma described by psychologists being acted out before my eyes, as I had also acted it out so many times as well,' she writes.

'The absurdity of constructing workarounds that ignore your own sense of self, self defense, and of right and wrong, in deference to this man became obvious, finally.

'I believe resilience requires toughness. I had thought I was being tough and resilient, but I was deluding myself.'

The Cosanti Foundation board says they support Daniela and will 'reconsider his legacy' in the wake of her open letter.

'We are saddened by Daniela Soleri's trauma. Her decision to speak out about her father's behaviour towards her helps us confront Paolo Soleri's flaws, and compels us to reconsider his legacy,' the president of the board Jeff Stein told Dezeen.

'With Paolo Soleri's creative intelligence, he understood the need for discipline and limits to the urban form. However, his narcissism prevented him from understanding the need for discipline and limits on abusive behavior. We support and stand firmly with Daniela.'

Soleri designed Acrosanti in the 1970s in a bid to show that urban conditions could be improved while making a limited impact on the Earth

The idea was to house around 5,000 people in the community of lavish buildings. The population has varied between 50 and 100 people, and mostly consists of students and volunteers

Many of the buildings blend into the landscape and give off vibrant colors. The Cosanti Foundation board says they support Daniela and will 'reconsider his legacy' in the wake of her open letter

The collection of buildings in Arcostani in the Arizona desert blend into the landscape. Soleri lived at the compound and used it as his studio until his death in 2013
MSNBC says it has decided not to renew a contract with paid contributor Joan Walsh, and the news caused an uproar on social media by some of the network's top talent.

Walsh says on her Twitter account she learned of the New York-based network's decision Friday while baking pies with her daughter. MSNBC hosts Chris Hayes and Joy Reid have tweeted in support of Walsh.

Reid called the network's decision 'short sighted' and added 'Given the momentousness of next year's anniversaries: the women's march, the King and RFK assassinations ... we need to be at full strength as media entities, and Joan belongs in the mix.' While Hayes tweeted Walsh is 'indispensable.'

Within 24 hours, however, the contributor shared she was picked up by CNN. 'I'm thrilled to tell you I'll be heading to @CNN in the new year. Thanks to everyone who made this happen. A Christmas miracle,' she tweeted.

Joan Walsh, who has been contributing at MSNBC for over a decade, was fired by the network Friday, much to the dismay of her colleagues

Hosts Chris Hayes (left) and Joy Reid (right) tweeted their support for Walsh- Reid specifically denounced the network's decision to let her go

Newsman Chris Hayes took to Twitter calling Walsh an indispensable voice at the network

Reid called the decision to let go of Walsh 'short sighted' and said she belongs on air

CNN's hiring of Walsh came after a full day of dismay at MSNBC's decision to can her by her colleagues and her fans on Twitter.

Followers have expressed their dismay with the trending #KeepJoanWalsh tag. Katie Couric used the hashtag to display her own displeasure with the news of Walsh's departure and lamented she loved hearing Walsh's perspective.

Walsh reacted on Twitter Saturday morning. 'So it's true: after 12 years on MSNBC, six on contract, I learned Friday night they are not renewing,' she said. 'I've given my heart and soul to the network, from the George W. Bush years through today. I'm proud of the work I did.'

'Yes, it's Christmas weekend. I was baking pies with my daughter, who is home for the holidays, when I got the news. It didn't feel too good. But all of your support helps, a lot. I'm grateful to the people who have fought for me,' she continued.

MSNBC, in a statement to The Wrap, said the decision to not renew the contributor was based on a review of their paid contributor list.

'Every year we review our paid contributors list across the ideological spectrum. Unfortunately we couldn't renew Joan, but she and her distinct perspective will still be invited on our shows. Joan Walsh has been a key voice on MSNBC for years and she's absolutely still welcome.'

Even Walsh's news collegue Katie Couric tweeted her support of Joan Walsh, urging MSNBC over Twitter to keep her on

The Keep Joan Walsh hashtag was trending on Twitter, Couric added to the chorus of voices

Other fan's of Walsh said on Twitter that they were calling MSNBC.

An MSNMBC watcher, Emilie Pollack tweeted Saturday, 'When you tell your mom about @joanwalsh and she proceeds to call @MSNBC and leaves a message saying 'How dare you @MSNBC ,' Walsh responded, 'It's true: Moms love me.'

Even actor Ron Perlman spoke out taking to Twitter say Walsh is 'a beautiful voice for decency and fair play!'
A pregnant teenager who was six months pregnant was shot and killed as she slept on Saturday but her baby has survived.

Jasmine Vega, 19, died after being shot at her home in Tucson, Arizona, at 4.30am on Saturday.

Relatives who were also asleep awoke to sounds of her screaming but the gunman had fled.

Police say several shots were fired into the home from the exterior and that at least one struck Jasmine.

It is not clear if it was a random or targeted attack.

Vega was taken to hospital but died not long afterwards. Doctors were able to save her baby and it is being treated in hospital.

Jasmine Vega, 19, died after being shot at her home in Tucson, Arizona, at 4.30am on Saturday

Police have not revealed whether it is a boy or a girl.

No one has been arrested for the killings. Authorities have not said whether they have a suspect in mind.

Jasmine, 19, was married and seemed to be looking forward to becoming a mother, according to family members speaking to Tucson News Now.

On social media, she proudly shared photographs of early ultrasound scans.

Tucson Police Department is now appealing for witnesses.

Anyone with information is urged to call 88-CRIME or visit crimestoppers.

Jasmine's unborn baby survived. She was six-months-pregnant when she died and had shared early ultrasounds of her pregnancy
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A state firefighter who died battling the largest wildfire recorded in California's modern history was remembered Saturday as a devoted family man who didn't hesitate to do his job, no matter the danger.

'When Cory decided he wanted something, he got it. When there was a job to be done, he did it and 10 more,' Ashley Iverson told mourners inside Rock Church in San Diego.

Governor Jerry Brown joined family, friends and colleagues honoring Cory Iverson.

A container with Iverson's ashes stood on the flower-decorated speakers' platform and Iverson's smudged firefighter's coat was displayed during the service.

A bagpiper played Amazing Grace.

Cory Iverson (far right) was a state firefighter who died battling the largest wildfire recorded in California's modern history

He is seen in the above photo with his wife, Ashley, and their two-year-old daughter Evie

'When Cory decided he wanted something, he got it. When there was a job to be done, he did it and 10 more,' Ashley Iverson told mourners inside Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

Ashley Iverson praised her late husband as a 'superhero.' 'He provided me with the greatest gift of all: love,' she said

'He was the greatest father to his Munchkin, and the most devoted man I know,' Ashley Iverson said of her late husband

Cory Iverson is seen above in an undated photo as he poses in front of a Cal Fire helicopter

Cory and Ashley Iverson are seen in the above undated photo posing with their dog

Cory Iverson was a Cal Fire firefighter for over eight years before his death on December 14. An undated baby photo of Cory Iverson is seen above

Before she began her remarks, Ashley Iverson invited the audience to take a deep breath with her as she was overcome with emotion

'"Just breathe" is what I told one of my best friends when she lost her soulmate at the age of 22 seven years ago,' Ashley Iverson said at the start of her remarks

Ashley Iverson spoke as an urn bearing the ashes of her late husband lay on the table in front of her at Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

Ashley Iverson and daughter Evie are escorted by Cal Fire at the celebration of the life of Cory Iverson who was killed battling the Thomas Fire

He was remembered Saturday as a devoted family man who didn't hesitate to do his job, no matter the danger

Thousands of firefighters and family members gathered to celebrate Iverson's life at Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

The 32-year-old Cal Fire engineer died of burns and smoke inhalation on December 14 while tackling the Thomas Fire that burned more than 700 homes in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties

The Thomas Fire that began on December 4 was fueled by ferocious winds that drove it through neighborhoods, foothills and into national forest land

The 32-year-old Cal Fire engineer died of burns and smoke inhalation on December 14 while tackling the Thomas Fire that burned more than 700 homes in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Details of what led to his death haven't been released.

Iverson, an Escondido resident who was with a San Diego-based strike team, left a 2-year-old daughter, Evie, and wife Ashley Iverson is expecting their second child.

She praised her husband as a 'superhero.'

Before she began her remarks, she invited the audience to take a deep breath with her as she was overcome with emotion.

'"Just breathe" is what I told one of my best friends when she lost her soulmate at the age of 22 seven years ago,' Ashley Iverson said at the start of her remarks.

'Will you join me in taking a breath?'

'He provided me with the greatest gift of all: love,' she said.

'He was the greatest father to his Munchkin, and the most devoted man I know.'

A motorcycle-led procession is seen outside the Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday for the memorial in honor of Cory Iverson

A retired California firefighter wears a badge outfitted with a special black band in honor of Cory Iverson on Saturday

A California firefighter gives a salute during the procession outside of Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

Ashley Iverson and her two-year-old daughter Evie are escorted into the church by fire and other municipal officials

A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $600,000 in less than a week to help the family pay bills after losing Cory Iverson

Firefighters from outside San Diego County covered for their brethren so that Cory Iverson's comrades could attend the special memorial on Saturday

Fire officials said the blaze was no longer an imminent threat to homes but was burning in remote, rugged wilderness. A Los Angeles County fire official is seen on the right embracing an unidentified mourner outside Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

Ashley Iverson thanked the community for its outpouring of support after her husband died.

'Wow is all I can say and feel today and over this past week and two days,' she said. "The overwhelming amount of love I have felt is otherworldly.

'It is something I never before felt worthy of and will simply never be able to repay.'

The fire is blamed for the deaths of Iverson and that of a 70-year-old Santa Paula woman who was killed in a car crash on an evacuation route.

The Thomas Fire that began on December 4 was fueled by ferocious winds that drove it through neighborhoods, foothills and into national forest land.

As of Saturday it had blackened 273,400 acres (427 square miles).

More than 2,500 firefighters were still tackling the fire, which was 65 percent contained.

Fire officials said the blaze was no longer an imminent threat to homes but was burning in remote, rugged wilderness.

'Let there be no doubt to anybody in this room that Cory Iverson died a hero,' Tony Mecham, the chief of Cal Fire San Diego, told mourners.

'Cory Iverson lost his life for one very simple reason: He put others first.'

Mecham said that other fire departments volunteered to cover for Cal Fire personnel throughout San Diego County so that Iverson's colleagues could attend the service.

An Orange County fire official carries a wreath to the memorial for Cory Iverson at Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

'Let there be no doubt to anybody in this room that Cory Iverson died a hero,' Tony Mecham, the chief of Cal Fire San Diego, told mourners

'Cory Iverson lost his life for one very simple reason: He put others first,' Mecham said on Saturday

Firefighters escort loved ones to the memorial service for Cory Iverson at Rock Church in San Diego on Saturday

After learning of Cory Iverson's death, California Governor Jerry Brown ordered flags at the state capitol flown at half-staff

'Cory was ours,' Mecham said. 'All of ours. And thats why were here.'

Mecham's remarks were reported by KSWB-TV.

After learning of Cory Iverson's death, Governor Brown ordered flags at the state capitol flown at half-staff.

'His bravery and years of committed service to the people of California will never be forgotten,' the governor said.

Cecily Bauchmann, a close friend of Ashley Iverson, launched a GoFundMe page that allows the public to donate money to help the bereaved family with mortgage payments and other expenses.

'This is still so very new but please contribute as you feel led,' Bauchmann wrote.

'Their oldest is almost 3 and they will be due in May with their newest baby. I will update here as needed. Thank you all for blessing the Iverson family.'

As of Saturday evening, the crowdfunding campaign has raised nearly $600,000 in less than a week - well on its way to the goal of $1million.

Last Sunday, thousands of bystanders lined up along a 200-mile route from Ventura to San Diego county for the funeral procession.

The procession traveled south on the 101 Freeway through Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties, arriving at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego County, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Iverson, 32, was with a five-engine strike team from San Diego when he was killed attempting to quell the third largest blaze California has ever seen.

According to state officials, the fire currently covers 267,500 acres - an area larger than New York City.
DeShaune Stewart, 24, has been accused of killing his supervisor and a co-worker in Dublin, Ohio, amid fears he was going to be fired from his job as a postal worker

A disgruntled mail carrier accused in the slayings of his supervisor at an Ohio post office and a postal inspector outside her apartment complex has been charged with aggravated murder.

The worker is identified in Franklin County Municipal Court records as 24-year-old DeShaune Stewart, of Columbus.

Stewart is accused of fatally shooting Lance Herrera-Dempsey, 52, shortly before 4:30 am Saturday in the sorting bay at the post office in Dublin.

He was naked at the time.

Police say Stewart then drove to a Columbus apartment complex nearby and shot the postal inspector, Ginger Ballard, in a parking lot nearly three hours later.

Cops say Stewart had been facing dismissal from his job and was still nude when he was arrested. He had also been disciplined for work violations.

Stewart can't be reached for comment while in custody.

Lance Herrera-Dempsey, 52, (left), and Ginger Ballard , 53, right) were identified as the victims of the slaying

Stewart is accused of fatally shooting Lance Dempsey, 52, shortly before 4:30am Saturday at the post office in Dublin (police at the scene above)

Police tape surrounds the scene in Dublin, Ohio, where Stewart allegedly opened fire

The United States Postal Service inspection office released a statement saying: 'We can confirm that shooting incidents occurred at the Dublin, Ohio Post Office along with a related shooting at the Bowland Place apartment complex in the early morning hours of December 23, 2017.

'Because this tragic matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Postal Inspection Service and local law enforcement, we are not yet in a position to provide details concerning the incidents, although we can say the suspect believed to be responsible for the shootings was apprehended and is in custody.

'We are referring all additional media inquiries to the Southern District of Ohio U.S. Attorneys Press Office and they will provide additional information at the appropriate time.'

Police Sgt. Dave Sicilian told NBC 4i that Stewart was under investigation at his job.

One was his supervisor, the other was an investigator who was investigating him for some type of misconduct,' said Sicilian.

'There had been some type of investigation into his misconduct and it had culminated and to possibly him being terminated and this was apparently his response was very violent.'
The former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. government surveillance programs by disclosing classified material in 2013 has a new job: app developer.

Edward Snowden in a video message Friday unveiled a new phone app he helped create, called Haven, that aims to protect laptops from physical tampering.

Snowden says it's an open-source tool designed for human rights activists and other people at risk and it uses an Android phone's sensors to detect changes in a room.

Edward Snowden developed an app to spy on spies- but its met with skeptisim as people don't trust the former NSA contractor turned fugitive

The software was developed with the Freedom of Press Foundation and the Guardian Project. It has been greeted with mixed social media reactions, with some people celebrating its security capabilities and others saying they don't trust Snowden.

Snowden has lived in Russia since 2013, when the country gave him asylum, resisting U.S. pressure to extradite him.

In his attempts to escape 'persecution' by the US authorities, Snowden asked more than 20 countries for asylum but was unable to leave Russia after the US revoked his passport.

Since then he's a lived a relatively quiet life aside from a few interviews with Western media and some video chat gigs on the speaking circuit.

The app is designed for Androids and is specifically geared at protecting laptops from being tampered with

But he has been careful not to give too much away about his personal life, and takes intense security measures amid fears that he could be kidnapped by US agents.

He has also tried to distance himself from his new home.

In November 2015, he told a crowd in Washington DC, via video chat: 'People say I live in Russia, but that's actually a little bit of a misunderstanding. I live on the internet. And that's where I spend all of my time.'
A glamorous fitness model could spend 10 years behind bars after police allegedly seized more than $220,000 in cash secreted in her bedroom.

Katiusha Stepanyan, a 27-year-old marketing executive turned fitness trainer, allegedly stashed another $10,000 in the lounge room of her family home in North Ryde, Sydney's north.

Ms Stepanyan has been charged with two counts of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Ms Stepanyan has been charged with two counts of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime

The police allege the money is linked to serious drug offences, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Ms Stepanyan's assets, including her bank accounts, have since been frozen by the NSW Crime Commission.

The Sydney fitness model has not yet entered a plea, but her lawyer said she denied any guilt.

'My client maintains her innocence and at this stage of proceedings she is entitled to that presumption,' Leo Premutico said.

New South Wales Police officers executed a search at Ms Stepanyan's North Ryde home in March this year.

Ms Stepanyan (pictured) has not yet entered a plea, but her lawyer said she denied any guilt

Ms Stepanyan (right) pictured alongside Steve Willis, also known as The Commando, who rose to fame in Australia's The Biggest Loser. Mr Willis has no involvement in Ms Stepanyan's charges

The police said the March raid did not directly relate to Ms Stepanyan.

When the police executed a second raid at the home, the $220,000 cash was seized.

The police confirmed a woman, then aged 26, was arrested and charged with two counts of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Court documents show police opposed bail for Ms Stepanyan for several reasons, including her potential criminal associations.

'The offence relates to a large amount of cash that is possibly linked to serious drug offences,' a bail submission document said.

'The accused resides with persons known to have been convicted of serious indictable offences,' the court heard.

Ms Stepanyan's brother Dimitri (pictured together) spent seven years behind bars for armed robbery

Ms Stepanyan was released on bail despite police objections.

Her bail conditions required her to live at home, report to the police every week and forfeit her passport.

The north Sydney woman worked as a marketing executive at the time of her arrest.

She has worked in various marketing jobs since 2011, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She was described as a 'reliable, loyal and highly motivated strategist' by a marketing director on the professional networking site.

According to online profiles, she is also a registered personal trainer and group exercise instructor.

According to Ms Stepanyan's online profiles, she is a registered personal trainer and group exercise instructor

Ms Stepanyan's brother Dimitri spent seven years behind bars for armed robbery before he was released in October, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Since his release from jail, Dimitri has been pictured alongside Ms Stepanyan in photos posted to social media.

Ms Stepanyan's case is due to return to local court in early 2018.
President Donald Trump has slammed deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, saying he was 'racing the clock to retire,' as reports surfaced that he plans to retire.

'FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits,' Trump tweeted. '90 days to go?!!!'

CNN, CBS and The Washington Post all reported that the 49-year-old McCabe plans to retire, possibly in March, when he will be eligible for full pension benefits.

An FBI spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has faced intense pressure from US President Donald Trump, who once again took aim at him amid reports he plans to retire

'FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits,' Trump tweeted. '90 days to go?!!!'

In a second tweet Saturday, Trump suggested that McCabe's wife, a Virginia politician, had been given $700,000 by allies of Hillary Clinton at a time he was involved in the investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server

McCabe has faced intense pressure from Trump, who for more than a year has challenged the FBI official's connections to the Democratic Party even while suggesting more recently that the long-respected agency was 'in tatters.'

But with administration officials themselves under mounting pressure from the investigation by former FBI chief Robert Mueller into links between Trump's election campaign and Russia, the president's pointed criticism of McCabe has raised concerns among Democrats who fear he might be laying the groundwork to oust, or at least undermine, Mueller.

McCabe has faced intense pressure from Trump, who for more than a year has challenged the FBI official's connections to the Democratic Party

In a second tweet Saturday, Trump suggested that McCabe's wife, a Virginia politician, had been given $700,000 by allies of Hillary Clinton at a time he was involved in the investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server.

The FBI has said McCabe did not start overseeing the Clinton investigation until his wife's campaign for the Virginia Senate was over.

A Justice Department inspector general has been examining McCabe's role in the Clinton investigation.

Democrats have urged McCabe to resist pressure to step down, which they say is politically motivated.
Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn used their traditional Christmas messages today to set out radically different political visions.

While the Prime Minister talked of heroism and the Armed Forces, Mr Corbyn spoke about homeless people and war-torn Yemen and Syria.

And while vicars daughter Mrs May urged Britain to take pride in our Christian heritage, the Labour leader made no mention of religion at all.

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Theresa May praised the UK Armed Forces and also paid tribute to emergency services after the Grenfell Tower disaster and a series of terror attacks

In her seasonal message a year ago, Mrs May urged the UK to come together in the wake of the Brexit vote.

This year, the Prime Minister made no mention of Brexit or the crises she has faced in a disastrous 12 months during which she lost her Commons majority and faced repeated threats to her premiership. But she did issue a rallying call to the nation, saying: This Christmas, whatever our faith, let us come together confident and united in the values we share.

Mrs May, who on Friday made a pre-Christmas visit to UK troops in Cyprus, paid tribute to the humbling bravery and daily sacrifices of Armed Forces personnel.

She also saluted the emergency service heroes who dealt with the Grenfell Tower fire and the terror attacks in Manchester and London.

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn used their traditional Christmas messages today to set out radically different political visions

Mrs May praised volunteers who give up their time to make someone elses Christmas that little bit better. And she added: As we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us celebrate all those selfless acts  and countless others  that epitomise the values we share.

Mr Corbyn highlighted the plight of those who were cut off and lonely or in war-torn countries such as Yemen and Syria.

He said: Its a time of the year when we think about others, like those who have no home to call their own or who are sleeping rough.

The Prime Minister's message showed her meeting UK troops as she praised the 'humbling bravery and daily sacrifices' of the Armed Forces

Labour sources defended Mr Corbyns failure to mention religion, saying: Its a concise message about the Christian spirit of compassion which is at the heart of our country and Christianity.

They also stressed that he had issued his own separate Christmas message via Twitter to the Armed Forces on Friday.

But Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: Everyone agrees we should help the homeless but Christmas is not a time for cheap political digs. It is also regrettable that the Labour leader cannot bring himself to mention Christianity itself.
Just one in 80 Christmas cards features the traditional Nativity story of Jesus being born in a stable, a shocking survey by The Mail on Sunday has revealed.

Church leaders said the findings were further evidence that people were losing touch with the real reason for Christmas celebrations.

Our survey of festive designs by leading greeting card producers Hallmark and Card Factory found that only seven showed Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the wise men or an angel  out of more than 580.

Just one in 80 Christmas cards features the traditional Nativity story

When the MoS visited branches of Waitrose, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Waterstones last week, incredibly not one was selling cards featuring the Nativity theme.

Even the Church of England has faced criticism after a parishioner complained that a card sent by her local diocese depicted a wreath hanging on a door.

In a letter to the Church Times newspaper, Mavis Jacobs of Norwich said the secular design appeared to be motivated more by a desire to cause no offence than proclaim the Christian faith.

Last week, a Mumsnet poll for this newspaper found that nearly a third of primary schools are either dropping or watering down traditional Nativity plays.

The former Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, said it was a worry that the proportion of cards depicting the Nativity was in steep decline. We talk a lot about choice in the market but actually our choices are being narrowed, and the fact that there are not enough Christian themes to choose from should be a worry to us, he said.

If manufacturers leave out the Nativity, then people are deprived of a choice.

When the MoS visited branches of Waitrose, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Waterstones last week, incredibly not one was selling cards featuring the Nativity theme

The Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, said: Mainstream manufacturers cant say people dont buy religious cards if they dont provide them. I would like them to offer more choice so people can be reminded of the real point of Christmas.

The Greeting Card Association says that last year more than a billion Christmas cards were bought in the UK. Hallmark and Card Factory declined to comment.
The failure by police officers and prosecutors to hand over crucial evidence is the number one cause of unsafe convictions, experts warned last night.

Richard Foster, chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, told The Mail on Sunday that non-disclosure of material that could prove a suspect's innocence is the 'biggest single problem' affecting the right to a fair trial.

He said an 'explosion' of emails, text messages, social media posts and CCTV footage has made the work far harder for detectives, while police budgets have shrunk.

But Mr Foster claimed the difficulty of the task was 'no excuse', and failure to do it right was 'a failure to uphold the rule of law'.

Richard Foster, chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, said an 'explosion' of emails, text messages, social media posts and CCTV footage has made the work far harder for detectives, while police budgets have shrunk

His comments come after a week in which five shocking cases of non-disclosure have come to light.

The rape trial of student Liam Allan was halted only when prosecutors uncovered a disk containing 40,000 messages that showed his accuser had pestered him for casual sex.

Scotland Yard also announced it was reviewing all ongoing rape cases after the collapse of a second sex trial, that of Isaac Itiary, over disclosure problems.

MP's aide Samuel Armstrong was cleared of rape by a jury but said he could have been convicted if his defence team had not obtained crucial phone and medical records days before his trial.

But Mr Foster claimed the difficulty of the task was 'no excuse', and failure to do it right was 'a failure to uphold the rule of law'

Judges also quashed the rape conviction of Danny Kay, who had served two years behind bars, after it emerged that the complainant had deleted Facebook messages showing their sex had been consensual.

And the CCRC itself referred to the Court of Appeal the case of a man jailed for sex with an underage girl in 2007, after its investigators found 'a body of relevant information had not been disclosed to the defence'.

Mr Foster, a former chief executive of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Disclosure is hard work. It can be dull.

It means sifting through huge volumes of material, made more voluminous by the explosion in digital communications and CCTV surveillance. But the fact that the task is harder  and money shorter  is no excuse, especially in serious prosecutions.

'We are talking about whether evidence in our possession justifies us in even bringing a prosecution, let alone convicting someone.'

In a recent speech on fair trials, Mr Foster added: 'Accusers and accused can be put through the mill unnecessarily. At worst, the innocent are wrongly convicted.

'Deliberate non-disclosure should be unthinkable. So why is it the biggest cause of unsafe convictions my commission sees?'
A staggering 100 million photos of Christmas dinners will be posted online this year.

According to a new survey, the average adult will use a smartphone to interact with 25 people on Christmas Day  typically sending their first festive message at 8.24am.

Britons then struggle to put their phones down. Even on Christmas Day, people will trawl through social media, check their emails and indulge in some online dating.

The poll of 2,000 adults found those aged 25 to 34 spend by far the most time staring at their screen over Christmas. A quarter of them will check their mobiles during a Christmas Day walk, 23 per cent while watching the Queens speech, and 17 per cent while playing games with family.

A staggering 100 million photos of Christmas dinners will be posted online this year, a survey has found

One in five 25- to 34-year-olds will do online banking and one in ten will scroll through an online dating profile on Christmas Day.

The study by Vodafone also revealed that we typically receive seven messages at Christmas from people we never hear from for the rest of the year  including four mystery messages from those who are no longer in our contacts.

However, social media use on the big day can backfire.

One in 14 of those polled said they have been embarrassed by a picture of them posted by a family member. And five per cent have had a family member write a silly post on their feed.

Human behavioural expert Judi James said: With family and friends often away over Christmas, the upsurge in technology helps us to feel reassured as we can easily contact them on the big day.
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The driver accused of mowing down pedestrians in Melbourne's CBD forced his religion on colleagues and would 'blow up' in anger, according to a former workmate.

Afghan refugee Saeed Noori, 32, has been charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of endangering life after he allegedly drove a white Suzuki Vitara through the pedestrian intersection of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street on Thursday.

A former colleague of Mr Noori's said there was always talk of his religious beliefs in the office.

Saeed Noori (pictured) was charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of conduct endangering life after being formally interviewed by police

The colleague, known only as Daniel, worked with Mr Noori at a call centre, where the accused went by the name Mark.

Daniel said Mr Noori 'forced' his religion on other people.

'People would say 'I believe in God' and he'd say 'you need to believe in Allah',' Daniel said.

Daniel said he was shocked to hear Mr Noori was allegedly behind the wheel of a car when it ploughed into pedestrians in Melbourne's centre on Thursday.

While he was shocked by the seriousness of the accusation, Daniel said he noticed aggressive tendencies in Mr Noori.

'There was one or two instances where he'd blow up and he'd say I need you to calm down you're at work now,' Daniel said.

Noori is expected to face court on Saturday afternoon. Twelve people injured in Thursday's car attack remain in hospital, with three people fighting for their lives, Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said investigators had asked advice from the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions on the charges

Victoria Police Prosecutor Senior Constable Amitoj Singh told the court Mr Noori drove the vehicle through the intersection 'with the intention of killing or causing serious injury'.

He said 18 people were injured, and three remained in a critical condition in hospital.

Senior Constable Singh said Mr Noori's motive for the incident was still under investigation.

Mr Noori did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing on Wednesday.

The mother (pictured) of the man accused of mowing down 18 pedestrians outside Melbourne's Flinders Street Station has violently lashed out at reporters as she arrived at court for her son's charges

Footage of his distressed mother (pictured) shows the woman swinging her handbag angrily at journalists outside court as she arrived to support her son on the dock

Mr Noori's mother violently lashed out at reporters as she arrived at court for her son's charges on Saturday.

Footage shows the woman swinging her handbag angrily at journalists outside court as she arrived to support her son on the dock.

The 32-year-old's mother kept her face hidden under a Hijab as she swung wildly at onlookers and yelled out incoherently.

Emotional scenes played out in the courtroom as the woman sobbed and rocked back and forth as the charges laid against her son were read out, the Herald Sun reports.

She attempted to reach out to the accused and took photographs on her mobile phone before being assisted back to her seat and instructed to turn off the device.

Noori covered his face with his hand and looked down for the hearing, as prosecutors read details of the incident, indicated more charges are being considered and said the motive remained under investigation.

The 32-year-old's mother (pictured) kept her face hidden under a Hijab as she swung wildly at onlookers and yelled out incoherently

When asked if there were any custody management issues, Noori's defence lawyer said: 'Yes, your honour, first and foremost mental health.'

He also said the accused man had physical health issues.

Magistrate Bob Kumar remanded Noori in custody to face a filing hearing on Wednesday. He also ordered that Noori be seen by a nurse for physical and psychiatric issues.

At the end of the hearing, Noori uttered a quiet: 'Thank you,' before being led from the dock into custody.

Twelve people injured in Thursday's car attack remain in hospital, with three people fighting for their lives, Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said investigators had asked advice from the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions on the charges.

'I've got a firm belief that what he [allegedly] did on Thursday night was a deliberate act,' he told reporters on earlier Saturday.

'The motivations for that act, we'll work through.'

Mr Noori made 'utterances' to police about voices, dreams and the 'poor treatment of Muslims' to officers in hospital on Thursday night, and later made comments about Australia's top security body and Allah.

Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said Saeed Noori made comments while at St Vincent's under police guard, only hours after the horrific rampage on Thursday afternoon.

'I don't know the exact detail, to do with Allah and some ramblings about ASIO (the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation),' Mr Patton said according to The Herald Sun.

Saeed Noori (pictured), 32, is an Australian citizen who came to Australia from Afghanistan via a refugee program in 2004

Mr Patton told The Project Noori made utterances about voices, dreams and about why he drove the Suzuki SUV through the busy crowds.

'Others are about that he did this act because of perceived harms committed on Muslims around the world,' he said.

'There's a range of issues there.'

After treatment Noori was transferred from hospital to a holding centre to be interrogated by police.

The 32-year-old tried to hide his face with his cuffed hands while sitting between two detectives as he left Melbourne Police Station heading for the Custody Centre below the Magistrates Court.

The Afghan refugee accused of mowing down 18 pedestrians outside Melbourne's Flinders Street Station has been transferred to a holding centre to be interrogated by police

The Afghan immigrant spent the previous 24 hours under police guard in hospital after crashing the white Suzuki Vitara into a tram stop bollard at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets.

Detectives were initially unable to interview him due to his injuries from the crash and a struggle with an off-duty police sergeant who heroically wrestled him from the car before other officers arrested him.

Mr Patton said there were no signs in Noori's online activity that he planned the attack in advance, and that counter-terrorism specialists did not believe it was a terrorist attack.

'We haven't excluded [him being motivated by terrorism]. We haven't seen any warning signs that there was any threat of violence,' he said.

He said Noori had a history of drug use and mental illness, stressing that investigators had not yet found any extremist or terrorist links to the horror rampage.

The 32-year-old spent the previous 24 hours under police guard in hospital after crashing the white Suzuki Vitara into a tram stop bollard at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets

Speaking briefly to investigators last night as he lay in a hospital bed at St Vincent's under police guard, the Noori made a 'number of utterances' and 'spoke about dreams and voices'

Investigators were still searching for a motive for Noori's alleged 'evil act' and it was hoped the formal interview, would shed some light on them.

Police said it did not appear to be a terrorist attack but raided two homes in Heidelberg West - where Noori lives - and Oak Park in Melbourne's north on Thursday night, hours after the terrifying incident.

The family members present were reportedly cooperatives as forensics teams seized electronic items from the homes that police will comb through for clues about Noori's motives.

'At this stage nothing has been found to indicate a linkage to extremism, a terrorist organisation or anything of a terrorist nature,' police told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

Noori arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2004 through a resettlement program, and had several run-ins with the law between 2008 and earlier this year.

'He came to Australia as a refugee. He did not come with a people smuggler, he came through the appropriate refugee, the normal refugee programs,' Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said.

Police said it did not appear to a terrorist attack but raided two homes in Heidelberg West - where Noori lives - and Oak Park (pictured) in Melbourne's north on Thursday night, hours after the terrifying incident

The family members present were reportedly cooperatives as forensics teams seized electronic items from the homes that police will comb through for clues about Noori's motives

'At this stage, because investigations are continuing, apart from that statement, there are no known links to any political issues or any, certainly any links to extremist groups.

'Therefore, the position I am advised off at the moment is that no terrorism link has been identified at this stage. I want to stress, there is a mass of material that is being investigated and nothing should be ruled out, nothing should be ruled out.

'Now, whatever the motivation, this was a despicable and cowardly act, but I want to reassure all Australians that this is an isolated incident.'

Noori's legal issues started with a minor assault charge in 2010 that was dropped after he pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury and was fined $800.

Then in June this year he was convicted and fined $1000 after pleading guilty to driving while unlicensed, using a mobile phone while driving, and failing to answer bail.

Many more could have been injured or killed if the car hadn't crashed into a tram stop bollard on Flinders Street and the intersection of Elizabeth Street

The missing bail charges was from when he missed a court date for the driving offences, which occurred either early this year or late last year, and which he also faced court for in February.

Nineteen people were injured in the incident, including the driver and an off-duty policeman who heroic wrestled him from the car where other officers arrested him.

Many more could have been injured or killed if the car hadn't crashed into a tram stop bollard on Flinders Street and the intersection of Elizabeth Street.

By midday on Saturday 12 people were still in hospital with only three, including an 83-year-old from Northcote and two South Koreans in their 60s who remain in a critical condition.

Five men, aged 25, 40, 43, 45 and 83 and six women, aged 25, 30, 35, 47 and 58, were among the victims and along with another three men and two women of unknown age.

Many were from overseas including citizens of South Korea, China, Italy, India, Venezuela, Ireland and New Zealand.
A tax raid on the individuals who bankrolled the Leave campaign in the referendum is 'bad for democracy', Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have warned.

Their comments come after it was revealed the HMRC is looking to recover a 20 per cent tax levy on donations made by individuals during the 2016 Referendum.

The pair, who were prominent figures on the campaign to leave the European Union, argue the move is an unfair attack on 'plucky' entrepreneurs who backed Brexit.

A tax raid on the individuals who bankrolled the Leave campaign in the referendum is 'bad for democracy', Boris Johnson has warned. Above, the Foreign Secretary speaking at a rally in April 2016

The Government's tax recoup is expected to disproportionately hit Leave-supporting donors as more individuals supported their campaign compared to Remain, which was largely funded by publicly listed companies.

City financier Peter Cruddas said he had given hundreds of thousands to political campaigners over the year, including during the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum and had never been challenged by HMRC.

A Conservative source described the demands to The Telegraph as 'scandalous' and evidence of the 'Treasury's revenge'.

A source close to the Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson told the newspaper the decision by HMRC to pursue the claims would make it more difficult for grassroots campaigns to be successful in the future and pointed out 9million of tax payer's cash was spent on state-funded leaflets backing remain.

A source close to Michael Gove told the paper: 'Michael is obviously concerned about action that appears to impinge on our democratic values. this will appear to many like an attempt to silence anyone who dare challenge the establishment and status quo.'
A special forces sergeant has become the first female British soldier to kill a terrorist during a military operation.

The woman, who is serving with the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), neautralised at least three targets with a submachine gun.

She was part of a team that had arranged to meet a female Islamic State informer, who claimed she was forced to marry a prominent ISIS commander.

She offered to provide intelligence on the group in return for being helped to escape with her child.

The female sergeant opened fire on a group of ISIS fanatics when she and her comrades were ambushed on the Iraqi Syrian border (stock image)

The team of British special forces soldiers - including some SAS troopers - an MI6 officer and SRR members.

They met with the informant close to a small town on the border between Syria and Iraq.

The team withdrew to the rendezvous point following the meeting  but were ambushed as they passed through a built-up area which ISIS fanatics had recently fled from.

The group leapt from their vehicle and returning fire with automatic rifles and grenade launchers.

The heroic soldier managed to shoot dead at least three terrorists with a submachine gun. Pictured: ISIS fanatics march through Raqqa

Several terrorists tried rushing the vehicle where the female soldier was guarding her colleagues.

The female SSR sergeant was armed with a Heckler & Koch MP5K submachine gun and shot dead several terrorists.

'Every time a terrorist appeared she dropped them  and gave a running commentary to her colleagues so that they had an idea of what was happening to their rear,' a source told The Sun.

'When they returned to base her colleagues were giving her high fives and calling her Britain's first GI Jane, but she just wanted to downplay the whole event and simply said she was doing her job.

When the soldiers returned to base the sergeant was called 'Britain's first GI Jane' by colleagues. Pictured: An ISIS terrorist waves a flag in Syria

'She made the point women are more than capable of serving on the frontline in special forces units and are just as good as men.'

The incident is understood to have taken place in September.

The SSR is currently the only special forces unit that allows female soldiers into its ranks.

The regiment has seen action in Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland.
The nation's top Marine Corps commander told American soldiers stationed in Europe that 'there's a war coming' and that a 'big-ass fight' was on the horizon, it was reported on Saturday.

General Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, made the remarks during a holiday visit with US troops stationed in Norway this week.

The remarks were first reported by Military.com.

'I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming,' Neller said.

'You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence.'

The Marine Corps commandant was speaking to the troops about the importance of readiness even during peacetime missions that can change depending on the circumstances.

General Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, told American soldiers stationed in Europe that 'there's a war coming' and that a 'big-ass fight' was on the horizon, it was reported on Saturday

Neller was speaking to a 300-member contingent of US troops stationed at the Norwegian Home Guard base near Trondheim.

He told the soldiers that American military planners were focused on Russia and the Pacific as possible future flashpoints of conflict.

Neller made the remarks while fielding questions from troops in a town-hall style forum.

'I think probably the focus, the intended focus is not on the Middle East,' Neller said.

'The focus is more on the Pacific and Russia.'

Neller said that while America wants to look beyond Iraq and Afghanistan, it cannot always dictate events.

'The problem is, we may not be interested in the Middle East, but they seem to be fascinated with us,' he said.

'And as long as there are groups there that threaten the United States, there will have to be some presence.'

He told the soldiers that American military planners were focused on Russia and the Pacific as possible future flashpoints of conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen right. North Korean ruler Kim Jong-Un is seen left

President Donald Trumps administration said on Monday that Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries globally, but stopped short of accusing Moscow of meddling in the 2016 US election.

The criticism of Russia, laid out in a new national security strategy based on Trumps 'America First' vision, reflects a view long held by US diplomats that Russia actively undermines American interests at home and abroad, despite Trumps own bid for warmer ties with President Vladimir Putin.

'Through modernized forms of subversive tactics, Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries around the world,' said the document.

It avoided directly citing what US intelligence agencies say was Russian meddling in last years US presidential election.

'Russia uses information operations as part of its offensive cyber efforts to influence public opinion across the globe. Its influence campaigns blend covert intelligence operations and false online personas with state-funded media, third-party intermediaries, and paid social media users or "trolls",' the document said.

Trump has frequently spoken of wanting to improve relations with Putin, even though Russia has frustrated US policy in Syria and Ukraine and done little to help Washington in its standoff with North Korea.

Neller's remarks were reported at around the same time that Defense Secretary James Mattis made a similar assessment about the potential for future conflict.

Mattis on Friday told US soldiers in Fort Bragg, North Carolina that 'storm clouds are gathering' over the Korean Peninsula.

Without forecasting a conflict, Mattis emphasized that diplomacy stands the best chance of preventing a war if America's words are backed up by strong and prepared armed forces.

Neller's remarks were reported at around the same time that Defense Secretary James Mattis made a similar assessment about the potential for future conflict. Mattis on Friday told US soldiers in Fort Bragg, North Carolina that 'storm clouds are gathering' over the Korean Peninsula

'My fine young soldiers, the only way our diplomats can speak with authority and be believed is if you're ready to go,' Mattis told several dozen soldiers and airmen at the 82nd Airborne Division's Hall of Heroes, his last stop on a two-day pre-holiday tour of bases to greet troops.

Mattis' comments came as the UN Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea, compelling nations to sharply reduce their sales of oil to the reclusive country and send home all North Korean expatriate workers within two years.

Such workers are seen as a key source of revenue for North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's cash-strapped government.

Trump and other top US officials have made repeated threats about US military action.

Some officials have described the messaging as twofold in purpose: to pressure North Korea to enter into negotiations on getting rid of its nuclear arsenal, and to motivate key regional powers China and Russia to put more pressure on Pyongyang so a war is averted.

For the military, the focus has been on ensuring soldiers are ready should the call come.
The estranged homeless older brother of millionaire pop star Madonna has been taken back in by her family after living on the streets of Michigan for seven years.

Anthony Ciccone, 61, who has previously accused his mega famous sister of not caring about him, struggled with alcoholism through the years. However, the Mirror reports, he has recently made strides at a rehab facility, and his brother Christopher Ciccone, 57, says he is now 'back home' and 'recovering.'

Before his recent stint in rehab, Anthony was living under a bridge in Michigan- where Madonna, 59, is from. He spent time in the revolutionary rehabilitation facility, Dann's House, which allows their homeless addict residents to drink as much alcohol as they want.

Madonna's family has taken back her estranged older brother, Anthony Ciccone, after he spent the last seven years living on the streets

Anthony Ciccone was living under a bridge in Michigan (pictured) before he got help at a rehab center

Anthony underwent treatment at Dann's House, which allows patients to drink as much as they want in treatment

Dann's House founder, Karen McCarthy, confirmed Anthony's stay, telling the Sunday People: 'Anthony loved it at Dann's House for quite a while, and made significant improvements in his life while he was with us.

'Dann's House does good work with people who are vulnerable. We've seen tremendous, positive results.'

Madonna had previously, reportedly, footed the bill for a two month stay in a Texas clinic, and according to family friends, made repeated efforts to reach out to her wayward older brother recently.

In a 2011 interview, Anthony accused his family of not caring whether he was dead or alive. 'I'm a zero in their eyes  a non-person. I'm an embarrassment. If I froze to death, my family probably wouldn't know or care about it for six months.' he said.

'My father would be very happy if I died of hypothermia, then he wouldn't have to worry about it any more. He's old school, he grew up in the depression.'

He also took a shot directly at Madonna as well, adding 'I never loved her in the first place, she never loved me. We never loved each other.'

Madonna's brother Christopher (right) confirmed that their brother Anthony was home and recovering

Anthony's mugshot after his 2013 arrest in which he resisted an officer and ended up with nine stitches

Anthony lost his job at the family vineyard owned by his father, Tony, and his stepmother, Joan, after being found sprawled on his back drinking wine straight from the vats.

The oldest of Madonna's six siblings, has had several run-ins with the law.

Things would get worse for Anthony, before they started to look up recently.

In 2013 he was arrested and required nine stitches to his forehead after he resisted officers in a struggle in a public bathroom in northern Michigan.

Anthony refused to leave the bathroom at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center.

Police say a female officer attempted to arrest him on an outstanding warrant for trespass, but he showed resistance. His face hit the bathroom floor in the scuffle.

Police said at the time of his arrest, his blood-alcohol level was 0.40, which is five times the legal limit in Michigan.
Two days of deluges have dumped a month's worth of rain in some parts of the country, causing chaos on the roads and for commuters attempting to get to work this morning. Trains have been delayed this morning after flooding stopped them on the tracks, while some major roads were left shut due to the amount of standing water. The Met Office has warned that some areas could see almost four inches of rain in the coming 24 hours, as the 'atrocious' weather looks set to continue. The service has put in place two warnings for heavy rain which are in force across large part of the midlands and the north, as well as eastern Scotland, while the Environment Agency has issued 25 flood warnings and 99 alerts in England. Photos show cars stuck in deep standing water and lorries partially submerged after misjudging the extent of the flooding in Surrey and West Sussex. The M23 southbound was closed between J10 and J11 as workers tried to remove standing water during Rush Hour this morning, after the road and the nearby A27 was closed overnight due to flooding, with firefighters called in to rescue trapped motorists last night. Emergency services spent the night trying to free those trapped in the horrendous conditions, as well as removing vehicles stuck in the rising water. As of this morning the road's eastbound carriageway remains closed. There was also severe disruption on the trains in and around London this morning, with trains from Essex into the capital delayed after reports a lorry hit a railway crossing barrier, while part of the Piccadilly Line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge has no service this morning, with Transport for London blaming 'significant leaf fall'
Twitter users came out swinging at the Los Angeles Times in full force after the photo for its cover story about empowering actresses included only white women.

The cover story of the newspaper's The Envelope section, which examines the awards season, is titled 'A Shift in Focus: Actresses Call for a Change in the Way Many Stories Are Told.'

Posing on Thursday's cover were Jessica Chastain, Margot Robbie, Diane Kruger, Saoirse Ronan, Annette Bening and Kate Winslet.

Hundreds took to social media to lambast the news outlet for only choosing white -mostly blonde - actresses for a story about working in Hollywood and the treatment of women on screen.

Twitter users came out swinging at the Los Angeles Times in full force after the photo for its cover story about empowering actresses included only white women

Hundreds took to social media to lambast the news outlet for only choosing white -most blonde - actresses for a story about working in Hollywood and the treatment of women on screen

'It shouldn't be necessary to point out the obvious, but clearly it's necessary to point out the obvious,' wrote one Twitter user.

'No editor on that entire staff said 'oh, huh, wait a sec?" Not in discussions about the photo, not in booking the photo, not the day of the photo shoot, not looking at proofs, not sending it over for a final look before publication? Dozens of places to sop and reconsider,' tweeted another

One user noted: 'Four of the last 8 winners of Best Actress in a "Supporting;"role are African American. Viola [Davis], Lupita [Nyongo], Octavia [Spencer] & Monqiue.'

Twitter users werent upset just with the newspaper; they were upset with the women who posed for the cover shoot for not speaking up.

Writer and WNYC radio producer Rebecca Carroll called out Chastain, who has spoken out in the pass for the rights of minority women.

She tweeted: 'Honestly @jes_chastain as an outspoken voice for equality how do you pose for a photo like this and not feel absolutely mortified by the blatant exclusion? How is it possible to not understand the [message] this photo sends?'

Twitter users werent upset just with the newspaper; they were upset with the women who posed for the cover shoot for not speaking up about the lack of diverstiy

"What is wrong with people? Not ONE of these talented and smart women stood uo and said, "hey, something's missing in this photo?" Really?' tweeted one user.

'It is almost 2018. If you're a white woman and someone asks you to pose for a group picture, for a magazine cover, with only other white women, YOU SAY NO,' wrote another.

People also criticized Winslet, one of the actresses featured on the cover, for defending Woody Allen, who she worked with on the film Wonder Wheel.

Allen, along with Harvey Weinstein and many other Hollywood men, has been accused of sexual assault.
A Gold Coast bus driver has been caught on camera relieving himself straight out the door of his vehicle.

The video, which emerged on Sunday, shows the man urinating in full view of local residents as he stood inside the Surfside bus.

'He stops up in a bus, he's doing a p***,' the man who filmed the bizarre incident is heard saying.

The driver looked to his left and right before zipping up his pants and getting straight back behind the wheel.

A Gold Coast bus driver has been caught on camera relieving himself straight out the door of his vehicle

The bus was headed to Tweed Heads in New South Wales' far-north, according to Nine News.

Surfside Buslines said the driver was stood down immediately after the company was made aware of the video.

'We are horrified by this footage and it is upsetting to see this type of behaviour,' a spokesman told the network.

'It is in no way reflective of the behaviour or values we expect of our professional drivers.

'We have commenced an immediate investigation into the incident - and the driver has been stood down while this takes place.'

The spokesman said the appropriate disciplinary action would be determined after the investigation was complete.
One California family has managed to keep its Christmas tree alive for the last 34 years.

When Gina and Joe Mistretta, of Irvine, stepped onto the lot in Christmas 1983, they didn't think anything of the two-foot tall potted Scotch pine they bought for less than $20.

It was so small it could only hold one string of lights but, when the holiday was over, the tree didn't look anywhere near dead.

'It was sad to throw it away,' Gina told The Mercury News.

So the family kept it and, 34 years later, it has become part of a family tradition - and an unintended conservation effort.

One California family has managed to keep its Christmas tree (pictured) alive for the last 34 years. When Gina and Joe Mistretta, of Irvine, stepped onto the lot in Christmas 1983, they didn't think anything of the two-foot tall potted Scotch pine they bought for less than $20

Gina and Joe (pictured) decided to not throw out the tree and instead have kept it every year. Thee tree has been kept trimmed and watered and is re-potted several times a year, although Joe will always saw the trunk so it's short enough to duck under the living room ceiling

But it's a family effort to keep it going and the couple is helped by their children, Michael (left) and Joe Jr (right). The men, 27 and 31, have never known any other tree

Throughout the years, the tree has been kept trimmed and watered and is re-potted several times a year, although Joe will always saw the trunk just a bit so it's short enough to duck under the living room ceiling.

But it's a family effort to keep it going and the couple is helped by their children, Michael and Joe Jr. The men, 27 and 31, have never known any other tree.

Joe Jr has re-potted the tree four times and it even survived a fire. The home's front door had to be doubled in size so the nearly 300-pound tree can be rolled in.

'I just hate coming down the street [after Christmas] and seeing people put out their tree,' Michael, referring to the annual post-holiday garbage dump, told Mercury News.

Keeping the tree year in and year out has also turned into a massive conservation measure.

According to Cal State Fullerton professor John Bock, the director of the school's Center for Sustainability, the tree has captured nearly 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide - the equivalent to not burning about 1,200 pounds of coal.

Joe Jr has also re-potted the tree four times and it even survived a fire. The home's front door had to be doubled in size so the nearly 300-pound tree can be rolled in (Pictured, ornaments on the Mistretta Christmas tree)

According to Cal State Fullerton professor John Bock, the director of the school's Center for Sustainability, the tree has captured nearly 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide - the equivalent to not burning about 1,200 pounds of coal (Pictured, Michael and Joe Jr decorate the tree)

Now retired, the Mistrettas have passed on their tradition to their son Joe Jr, who lives with his girlfriend in the Bay Area. They have their own two-foot tall potted tree, which they plan to re-use (Pictured, left to right: Michael, Joe Jr, Gina and Joe)

They've also not released many greenhouse gas emissions by not cutting down a tree each year.

In comparison, a real tree bought each year over 34 years would generate about 374 pounds of carbon dioxide. And a fake tree discarded every five years would use about 277 pounds of carbon dioxide over 34 years, Bock told The Mercury News.

Now retired, the Mistrettas have passed on their tradition to their son Joe Jr, who lives with his girlfriend in the Bay Area. They have their own two-foot tall potted tree, which they plan to re-use.

However, the original tree will likely be inherited by their youngest son, Michael. Scotch pines typically live 150 to 300 years, and the Mistrettas plan to keep their tree for as long as they can.

'You'll spread our ashes in it,' Joe joked to The Mercury News.
The Canadian billionaire couple whose deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide after their bodies were found hanging from poolside railings were possibly dealing with financial woes.

The bodies of Barry, 75, and Honey Sherman, 70, were discovered last week by their realtor after they had recently put their home on the market for $5.4million. The New York Post reports the couple was entangled in dozens of lawsuits, a government investigation and mounting financial pressures.

The Shermans have donated millions in past years to hospitals and schools, but only donated $66,000 in 2016 according to their tax filings. In 2015 The Sherman Family Foundation didn't donate anything.

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Barry, 75, and Honey, 70, (pictured) were found dead last week, half-seated and hanging, slumped at the edge of their indoor pool in their Toronto home

Barry and Honey Sherman were found hanging from the railings of their indoor pool (pictured)

The foundation wound up reporting just $1million in its coffers last year.

As founder and former CEO of Apotex Inc - one of Canada's largest pharmaceuticals company producing more than 300 generic drugs in 115 countries - Sherman had an estimated fortune of more than $3billion and was last year ranked Canada's fifth richest individual.

Additionally, work was stalled on the construction of another home that they recently received demolition and building permits on.

Barry had stepped down from Apotex five years ago, however he was still involved in fighting dozens of lawsuits.

DailyMail.com previously reported he was embroiled in a nasty battle with cousins who wanted a stake in his fortune.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen at Barry and Honey Sherman's memorial service in Toronto on Thursday morning. Trudeau had offered public condolences and commended their 'vision and spirit,' after their death

Trudeau, seen leaving the memorial service on Thursday afternoon, wore a yarmulke out of respect for the Jewish family

Sherman's four cousins, brothers Kerry Winter, Paul Barkin, and Jeffery Barkin and Julia Winter, the widow of a fourth brother, Dana all claimed he had promised them a piece of his fortune in a lengthy, nasty legal war.

And piling onto the growing issues the Shermans were facing, days before they died their attorneys filed documents in Canadian federal court to try to squash a government investigation over a fundraising dinner they held at their home for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2015 in which plates went for $1,100.

Police said they believed it was a murder-suicide but their four adult children reacted with horror and issued a statement denying that their parents would do such a thing.

Honey had been due to fly to their winter home in Miami on Tuesday, one of their daughters had just had a baby and another is soon to be married.

The autopsies gave cause of death as 'ligature neck compression' and Toronto Homicide Division took over the investigation.

On Thursday, dozens attended a memorial service held for the couple in Toronto.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among multiple Canadian Dignitaries present at the service. Trudeau himself had offered public condolences and commended Barry and Honey's 'vision and spirit' in the wake of their deaths.

Police initially believed the incident was a murder-suicide, but the couple's children issued a statement denying that their parents would do such a thing

The Shermans' son, Jonathon Sherman, wept as he delivered a eulogy in memory of his parents. He put on his yarmulke after he was done speaking about his father who, he said, was an atheist.

On Wednesday officers went door-to-door canvassing neighbors in the wealthy Forest Hills section in which the Shermans lived, late into the evening.

Forensic officers continue to comb through the property and police have appealed to neighbors to hand over footage from their security cameras.

As the investigation into the couple's suspicious deaths is stepped up, DailyMail.com disclosed the full details of a case which saw Sherman fight in court for years with his four cousins who claimed he came into their home like a cuckoo in the nest and took what was theirs.

Their fight stretched on through a series of family tragedies in the 1950s and 1960s, and is still going on.

Barry and Honey's son Jonathon Sherman (pictured alongside his sisters) wept as he spoke during the memorial service for his parents

He put on his yarmulke on after he was done speaking about his father who, he said, was an atheist

Mourners exited the memorial to get on three giant buses which escorted them behind the two hearses carrying both Barry Sherman and his wife Honey

Honey Sherman's sister Mary Shechtman is consoled as she weeps for her sibling and brother in law. Shechtman gave a speech at the service

Authorities believed their deaths could have been a murder-suicide, but the couple's children insisted their parents would never do such a thing
Tributes have poured in for a Melbourne mother and her 18-month-old baby who were tragically killed in a horror car crash while on holiday in Zimbabwe.

Claire Penno, 32, and her daughter Anaishe died 'on the spot' after Ms Penno's husband, Emmanuel Mpofu, lost control of the car they were travelling in near Victoria Falls on Thursday, local media reported.

'The diver lost control of the vehicle resulting in it veering off the road and overturning before it rolled several times,' police told Zimbabwe newspaper the Chronicle.

Tributes have poured in for Melbourne mother Claire Penno (left) and her 18-month-old baby who were tragically killed in a horror car crash while on holiday in Zimbabwe

Ms Penno, 32, and her daughter reportedly died 'on the spot' after Ms Penno's husband, Emmanuel Mpofu, lost control of the car they were travelling in near Victoria Falls on Thursday

Mr Mpofu and a teenager believed to be his son survived the crash and were rushed to hospital.

Ms Penno, who worked at a Melbourne childcare centre, is being remembered by friends and family as a 'wonderful person.'

'Claire was just an innately good and wonderful person, passionate about welfare of all people, and compassionate beyond measure,' an online tribute reads.

'She loved and centred her life on the welfare of children, their education and expanding their potential. She was amazing, she was beautiful inside and out and she was loved.

'Claire was just an innately good and wonderful person, passionate about welfare of all people, and compassionate beyond measure,' an online tribute reads

A GoFundMe page as been set up to bring the bodies back to Australia

'Anaishe was just starting her life, full of character, personality and such intelligence. She had so much potential to bring to the world.'

Another friend wrote: 'Claire was a beautiful and caring soul who was making a difference in the early childhood space. Always put others before herself!

'This festive season is about spending time with family and loved ones. I can only imagine how both their families feel.'

A GoFundMe page as been set up to bring the bodies back to Australia. As of Sunday afternoon, it had raised over $27,000.
A shooting spree on cops in Pennsylvania has been deemed a 'terror attack' as authorities revealed the gunman had entered the U.S. on a 'family-based immigrant visa'.

The Department of Homeland Security said on Saturday that chain migration is a terror risk and is responsible for letting two terrorism suspects into the US.

Acting Press Secretary Tyler Houlton released a statement on Twitter saying the DHS 'can confirm the suspect involved in a terror attack in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and another suspect arrested on terror-related money laundering charges were both beneficiaries of extended family chain migration.'

Chain migration is the process by which an immigrant gains legal entry into the US via sponsorship by a family member who is already a legal resident or citizen.

The Trump administration has launched a campaign against the process in favor of a more merit-based structure, favoring education and job potential as factors.

The Department of Homeland Security said on Saturday that chain migration is a terror risk, responsible for letting two terrorism-related suspects into the US. One suspect was Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty, 51 (pictured), who came to the US from Egypt on a family-based visa

Authorities say El-Mofty fired at a Capitol police officer and later at a state trooper on Friday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, before he was shot and killed

Houlton's statement first referred to 51-year-old Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty, who was a naturalized US citizen admitted from Egypt on a family-based visa.

El-Mofty went on a shooting spree on Friday in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was reportedly targeting police officers. Authorities say, El-Mofty fired at a Capitol police officer and later at a state trooper, wounding her. El-Mofty then attacked other officers with two handguns and was killed.

'He fired several shots at a Capitol police officer and at a Pennsylvania state police trooper in marked vehicles,' Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said. The state trooper was injured but is 'doing well,' he said.

The Trump administration has launched a campaign against the process in favor of a more merit-based structure, favoring education and job potential as factors. trump is pictured Sunday during a teleconference with members of the mlitary

The statement also mentioned 27-year-old Zoobia Shahnaz, who is a naturalized US citizen who entered the country from Pakistan, also on a family-based visa.

Shahnaz was indicted on December 14 after she allegedly laundered more than $85,000 through Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies overseas to the Islamic State.

Acquiring the money through fraudulently obtained credit cards as well as a bank loan, Shahnaz laundered the funds to people in Pakistan, China and Turkey and 'planned to travel to Syria and join ISIS', federal officials said.

She was stopped at Kennedy Airport in July while attempting to fly to Pakistan. Shahnaz's lawyer has said she was trying to help Syrian refugees.

Another beneficiary was Zoobia Shahnaz, 27, who is a naturalized US citizen who entered the country from Pakistan, also on a family-based visa. She was arrested after allegedly wiring $85,000 in Bitcoin (pictured) to the Islamic State group

Chain migration is the process by which an immigrant gains legal entry into the US via sponsorship by a family member who's already a legal resident or citizen. The Trump administration has said the process has been exploited by immigrants

Shahnaz was charged in federal court with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of money laundering, according to the US Attorney's Office.

In the DHS statement Saturday, Houlton said: 'These incidents highlight the Trump administration's concerns with extended chain migration.'

The president has said chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by extremists.

'Both chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by terrorists to attack our country,' Houlton said.

'Not only are the programs less effective at driving economic growth than merit-based immigration systems used by nearly all other countries, the programs make it more difficult to keep dangerous people out of the United States and to protect the safety of every American.'
A school teacher from Washington, DC has accused United Airlines of evicting her from her first-class seat and giving it to senior Democratic congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Jean-Marie Simon, 63, was preparing to board her final flight home from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on December 18 after an hour-long weather delay when she was told by the gate attendant that her ticket was not in the system.

When the attendant asked her if she had canceled her ticket, Simon replied: 'No. I just want to go home.'

Simon, who was on the second leg of her return flight from Guatemala, was then told that the seat she had purchased, 1A, was taken.

The airline compensated her with a $500 voucher and another ticket for that flight in Economy Plus.

Jean-Marie Simon, 63, was flying home on December 18, having boarded a flight in Houston bound for the capital. She said the airline denied her a seat she paid for in first class and instead gave it to Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (seen in the seat near the window)

Simon (above), a school teacher from Washington, DC, says United Airlines evicted her from her first-class seat and gave it to the Democratic congresswoman

Upon boarding the plane, Simon noticed that her seat was taken by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, the congresswoman from Houston.

Simon believes that she was removed from her seat by United in order to accommodate the Congresswoman.

The airline, however, denies this.

'After thoroughly examining our electronic records, we found that upon receiving a notification that Flight 788 was delayed due to weather, the customer appears to have canceled her flight from Houston to Washington, DC within the United mobile app,' United said in a statement.

'As part of the normal pre-boarding process, gate agents began clearing standby and upgrade customers, including the first customer on the waitlist for an upgrade.'

Simon denies the airline's claim that she canceled her ticket and claims United staff threatened to remove her from the flight for complaining and for taking a photo of Lee in her seat.

The teacher said she has screenshots of her United app that shows a canceled flight to Houston in August during Hurricane Harvey when she was supposed to visit her daughter, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Simon believes that she was removed from her seat by United in order to accommodate Lee. The airline, however, denies this

United says the screenshot wouldn't show the December 18 flight as canceled because Simon did eventually end up taking the flight.

Simon said that she saw Jackson Lee board with plane with a flight attendant before all of the other passengers but wasn't aware of who she was at the time.

After she was seated, she was told by another passenger that her original seat was occupied by a congresswoman and that he had seen her do it twice before.

Simon denied the airline's claim that she canceled her ticket, leading to the mix-up

Other people on the flight claim they have witnessed the congresswoman carry out similar behavior at least three times before.

'I've seen Lee and IAH cutting in line and rudely taking advantage of her status before. United knows she will play the race card if she isn't treated like royalty so they just give in. They don't care about a hard working teacher vs a privileged idiot,' one person tweeted.

Simon said before take off the plane was delayed for nearly an hour due to mechanical problems. During this time Simon said she went to the front of the plane and snapped a picture of Jackson Lee in her seat.

She then told a flight attendant she believed she was bumped from her seat by the airline out of favoritism toward a senior politician.

In a statement on Saturday, Jackson Lee said: 'I asked for nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary and received nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary.'

Jackson Lee said Simon, who is white, confronted a black flight attendant about the perceived slight.

The congresswoman suggested that her grievance may have something to do with the fact that she is an African American.

Jackson Lee (seen above giving a speech in Washington, DC on September 20) suggested that Simon, who is white, complained to the airline because she and one of the flight attendants are African American women, thus making them easy targets

'Since this was not any fault of mine, the way the individual continued to act appeared to be, upon reflection, because I was an African American woman, seemingly an easy target along with the African American flight attendant who was very, very nice,' Jackson Lee said in the statement.

SHEILA'S ALLEGED PAST BEHAVIOR: Simon claims she was told by another passenger that her original seat was occupied by Sheila Jackson Lee and that he had seen her do it twice before. Other people on the flight claim they have witnessed the congresswoman carry out similar behavior at least three times before. One person said he had witnessed Lee 'cutting in line and rudely taking advantage of her status before'. He claimed that United knows Lee would play the race card if 'she isn't treated like royalty'. Reports from back in 1995 when Lee first came to Washington allege that she was routinely chauffeured just one block to work in a government car at the taxpayers' expense, the Standard reports. Advertisement

'This saddens me, especially at this time of year given all of the things we have to work on to help people.

'But in the spirit of this season and out of the sincerity of my heart, if it is perceived that I had anything to do with this, I am kind enough to simply say sorry.'

Simon denied any suggestions she was a racist.

'I had no idea who was in my seat when I complained at the gate that my seat had been given to someone else,' she said.

'There is no way you can see who is in a seat from inside the terminal.'

Simon said that five minutes after she snapped the photo of Jackson Lee, another flight attendant sat next to her and asked her if she 'was going to be a problem.'

The teacher said she was so distraught by how the airline treated her that after she arrived home she wrote a letter to the CEO, Oscar Munoz, and posted it on social media.

An airline representative contacted her last Saturday morning and repeatedly apologized.

Simon has asked for a formal, written apology.

'It's just impossible to suspend disbelief and swallow that story that I cancelled my flight,' she said said.

United Airlines has experienced a number of public relations headaches in the past year related to its customer service. On April 9, Dr David Dao (above) was violently dragged off a flight just before take off in Chicago because the airline needed to make room for crew

United Airlines has experienced a number of public relations headaches in the past year related to its customer service.

The most notorious case was that of Dr David Dao.

On April 9, just before a United flight was set to take off from Chicago to Louisville, security personnel forcibly dragged Dao off a plane to make room for United crew members.

Dao refused to give up his seat and was left bloodied by the experience, which was filmed on cellphone video and posted to social media.

The viral backlash was a black eye for United, which apologized. The airline and Dao reached a financial settlement for an undisclosed sum of money.
A grieving fiancee has paid tribute to her partner killed in a horror motor cycle accident the week before Christmas.

In the lead-up to his devastating accident Flynn Howette had been looking forward to spending time with his children over the festive break.

Instead, his shocked partner is comforted by the hope he will be with them in another way but says his presence will be dearly missed.

A fiancee has paid tribute to her partner Flynn Howette (pictured) killed in a horror motor cycle accident

The father-of-three will be dearly missed by his loved ones over the festive season after initially having plans to spend the time with his children, including twin boys

'He'll be there in spirit in some way. He'll be with us,' Ms Pridham said.

'Without him physically there watching the kids grow up will be really, really hard,' she told 9 News.

Emily Pridham has asked motorists to take care this holiday season after the father-of-three's tragic collision in Newstead.

His fiancee Emily Pridham (right) plead motorists to take care this holiday season

Mr Howett's is death is one of 18 on Queensland roads in December so far

Her plea comes less than 48 hours into the major Christmas crackdown, as police move to crackdown on motorists over the holiday.

Police are expected to increase patrols from now until the new year with hundreds of extra officers taking to the Australian roads and highways.

Mr Howett's is death is one of 18 on Queensland roads in December so far.
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein emerged from relative seclusion on Saturday and stopped by a juice bar in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Weinstein is a regular customer at Kaleidoscope Juice, according to TMZ, which obtained photos of the former Weinstein Company boss ordering a healthy drink.

Kaleidoscope says its goal is for its products 'to nourish everyone who comes into contact with Kaleidoscope Juice with our organic cold pressed juice, high vibe foods and uplifiting shop experience so that we can live happy, purpose-filled lives.'

Weinstein has been living in Arizona in recent weeks, having checked in to a rehab facility after scores of women came forward to accuse him of a litany of sex crimes, including harassment and rape.

Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein emerged from relative seclusion on Saturday and stopped by a juice bar in Scottsdale, Arizona

While his career and personal life are in tatters, the former Miramax boss can take solace in the fact that he may evade prosecution.

It was reported on Friday that Weinstein is unlikely to face sexual assault charges in Los Angeles because investigators are struggling to find evidence in numerous cases.

LAPD detectives assigned to the multiple investigations of Weinstein have yet to gather enough evidence that prosecutors can use to bring an indictment, sources told TMZ.

The fact that these alleged crimes took place years ago makes it especially hard for police to amass evidence.

Weinstein is unlikely to face sexual assault charges in Los Angeles because investigators are struggling to find evidence in numerous cases

It's all one-on-one, a law enforcement source familiar with the LAPD investigations told TMZ.

The woman says she was sexually assaulted or raped and he denies it. Even if the woman told others after the fact, it's just not enough.

When the alleged crimes took place, there simply wasnt the level of public surveillance that there is today, sources told TMZ.

If there was video of a woman leaving Weinstein's hotel room crying, that would be powerful, but most of the hotels back then didn't have video and if they did, it was erased a long time ago, TMZ quoted a source as saying.

Police also do not have a medical report that includes evidence of rape or sexual assault.

A report that would offer an indication of vaginal tearing, for example, would greatly aid the police investigation. However, no such report has yet to surface.

As things stand now, the district attorney will decline to prosecute the cases  even though authorities in LA are reportedly eager to try a high profile figure in a sex crimes case in order to make a point, according to TMZ.

In October, an Italian model-actress spoke to LAPD detectives for over two hours during which she alleged that Weinstein raped her in a hotel in 2013.

The woman, who has not been identified, told the LAPD that the incident took place inside her hotel room at the Mr C Beverly Hills.

In October, an Italian model-actress alleged that Weinstein raped her in a hotel in 2013. The woman, who has not been identified, told the LAPD that the incident took place inside her hotel room at the Mr C Beverly Hills (seen above)

'He ... bullied his way into my hotel room, saying, "I'm not going to [have sex with] you, I just want to talk",' the alleged victim told the Los Angeles Times.

'Once inside, he asked me questions about myself, but soon became very aggressive and demanding and kept asking to see me naked.'

The actress then stated: 'He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to do something I did not want to do. He then dragged me to the bathroom and forcibly raped me.'

She is keeping her identity private at this time for the sake of her three children, and reveals that she showed Weinstein photos of them at one point during the alleged assault in hopes that it would convince him to stop.

She is the sixth woman to accuse Weinstein of rape, joining actresses Rose McGowan, Asia Argento and Lysette Anthony, then-college student Lucia Evans and an unnamed woman who detailed her alleged assault in The New Yorker.

Weinstein has denied the allegations.

Last month, the LA Times reported that the LAPD launched a second investigation against Weinstein.

An unidentified woman came forward to accuse the film producer of lewd acts that were allegedly committed in 2015. No further details of the alleged crime were forthcoming.

Actor Ed Westwick (seen above at the People's Choice Awards 2016 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles) is being investigated by the LAPD for allegedly raping an actress, Kristina Cohen (right), at his home three years ago

Murray Miller (left), a writer for the HBO dramedy Girls, is also the subject of an LAPD investigation after an actress came forward to allege he raped her in 2012

The cases involving Weinstein arent the only ones that are proving difficult for investigators.

TMZ says that the LAPD is running into the same problems in its other probes.

The LAPD is also investigating claims that Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick raped an actress at his home three years ago.

The department also confirmed it is investigating actor Corey Feldman's claims about a Hollywood pedophile ring.

Murray Miller, a writer for the HBO dramedy Girls, is also the subject of an LAPD investigation after an actress came forward to allege he raped her in 2012.

The LAPD also confirmed it is investigating actor Corey Feldman's claims about a Hollywood pedophile ring. Feldman is seen above during an appearance on NBC television in October

In late October, 20-year-old actor Tyler Cornell filed a criminal complaint against former Hollywood agent Tyler Grasham, the LA Times reported.

Grasham has been accused of criminal sodomy by Cornell as well as other young men. He is also being investigated by authorities in the United Kingdom for similar alleged crimes.

Last month, the LA Times reported that the LAPD has opened 28 investigations against Hollywood and media figures who have been accused of sex crimes.

In addition, the department has referred nearly 40 other sex crimes reports to other law enforcement agencies.

In addition to LA, Weinstein is being investigated in New York, Beverly Hills, and London.

Scores of women have come forward to accuse Weinstein of sex crimes ranging from assault, rape, harassment, and others.

Since the Weinstein allegations surfaced thanks to bombshell reports in The New York Times and The New Yorker, hundreds of women and a handful of men have come forward to make similar accusations against powerful figures in Hollywood, the media, politics, sports, and other industries.


A man is on the run from police in Queensland after he allegedly kicked, punched and choked a police officer on Friday.

Kevin De Vroom, 45, was pulled over by a motorcycle officer around 4.30pm, travelling southbound on Maleny-Montville Road at Balmoral Ridge.

The 45-year-old became hostile, physically assaulting the officer by punching and kicking him in the head.

Kevin De Vroom, 45, is on the run from Queensland Police after allegedly kicking, punching and choking an officer on December 22

The officer was forced to use his taser and capsicum spray but that did not stop De Vroom's attack.

The man then allegedly tried to choke the officer before stealing his helmet, which had a police-issued Body Worn Camera attached.

De Vroom then fled in his vehicle, a white 2009 Toyota Hi-Ace Van with Queensland registration plates 730WDZ.

Police have released a photo of the attacker and his vehicle and have warned the public not to approach the man.

De Vroom then fled in his vehicle, a white 2009 Toyota Hi-Ace Van with Queensland registration plates 730WDZ

The 47-year-old male police officer was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with facial injuries, but was later discharged.

Anyone who may have seen De Vroom or knows of his whereabouts is urged to contact police immediately.

Police would also like to appeal for anyone who may have witnessed the assault to contact Policelink on 131 444.
The latest UN sanctions against North Korea have been branded an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against the country by Kim Jong-un.

North Korea's foreign ministry issued the statement today, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

UN Security Council legislators unanimously imposed new sanctions on the hermit nation on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad.

The resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un makes a closing remark at 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on December 23 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang

Thousands gathered to hear North Korea's dictator make a speech in Pyongyang - the country's capital

Members of the Workers' Party of Korea cry as they applaud the speech of their leader

In a last-minute change, the deal also demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The US-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea's foreign ministry said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting 'more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country'.

The latest UN sanctions against North Korea have been branded an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against the country by Kim Jong-un

The new resolution is tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

'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".'

North Korea on November 29 said it successfully tested a new ICBM that put the US mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

The recluse kingdom's nuclear weapons are a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law, its foreign ministry added.

'We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the US nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US,' the ministry said.

'The US should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the US mainland,' it added, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face Pyongyang's wrath.

'Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this "sanctions resolution" shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the "resolution" and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done,' the statement said.

North Korea's foreign ministry issued the statement today, threatening to punish those who supported the measure

UN Security Council legislators unanimously imposed new sanctions on the hermit nation on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad

The US-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM as people gather to watch one of the launches earlier this year

In a last-minute change, the deal also demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed

US diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un

Thousands listen and take notes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un makes a closing remark at 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons on December 23

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called 'brutal sanctions', saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 constituted genocide

Tension has been rising over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of UN Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called 'brutal sanctions', saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 constituted genocide.

US diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

China, with which North Korea does some 90 percent of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint from all sides.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday said that the new resolution also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution via talks and that all sides needed to take steps to reduce tensions.

Widely read Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said on Saturday that the tougher resolution was aimed at preventing war, and noted the US had compromised with no indication the United Nations could grant the United States permission for military action.

'The difference between the new resolution and the original U.S. proposal reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the US proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable,' it said in an editorial.
As temperatures in New South Wales soar above 41C on Christmas Eve, a rapidly-moving fire is devouring bushland and forcing evacuations Sydney's west.

Firefighting are battling the blaze as it moves towards the Nepean River at Mulgoa, assisted by water-bombing aircraft that were sent to help fight the flames.

Residents living on Mayfair Rd were told to leave their homes around sundown as strong winds from Penrith intensified the flames and turned the fire from 'mild' to 'dangerous', according to Channel 9.

A rapidly-moving fire is devouring bushland and forcing resident evacuations in Sydney's west

A rapidly-moving fire is devouring bushland in Sydney's west as temperatures soared to 41C

The raging bushfire is being exacerbated by the heatwave, which tore though Sydney today

At 9.20pm, the bushfire was still blazing out of control at Mulgoa as firefighters moved in to defend the properties after the evacuation.

'We've had fire impacting two houses up the road there, we've saved those, it's the good news,' NSW Rural Fire Service spokesperson Larry Bagnell told media on Sunday night.

Residents have said that the fire 'just came out of nowhere', with one reporting that the fire was burning on all side of his house.

The fire is being exacerbated by the heatwave, but the RFS confirmed that firefighters will remain on the fireground over night in an effort to 'identify containment lines and gain control of the fire'.

At 9.20pm, the bushfire was still blazing out of control at Mulgoa as firefighters defend houses

Firefighting are battling a quickly-moving blaze as it moves towards the Napean River, Mulgoa

Due to the excessive heat, more than 3000 homes in Wiley Park, Lakemba and Punchbowl have lost power.

'There are reports the fire has spotted across the Nepean River [and] into the Blue Mountains National Park,' said the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) on their website.

'Embers may be blown ahead of the fire, creating spot fires. These spot fires may threaten your home earlier than the predicted main fire front.'

As smoke drifts towards the Glenbrook and Lapstone areas, the RFS has warned residents that fires can be 'difficult to control' in such hot, dry conditions and urged locals to monitor the situation.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mulgoa Road has been re-opened after being closed earlier, but Fairlight Road and Mayfair Road are closed to all motorists except for local residents.

More favourable weather conditions are expected on Christmas Day, with temperatures around 20C and the chance of a shower.

The RFS has warned residents that fires can be 'difficult to control' in such hot, dry conditions

Residents work hard to defend their homes after a huge bushfire 'just came out of nowhere'
Rape complainants must not automatically be believed by Police a former High Court judge said last night - following the collapse of three high profile cases.

He slammed the crisis and said that police forces shouldn't train their officers to presume that suspects are guilty.

Ex-High Court judge, Sir Richard Henrique's comments reflected the collapse of several rape cases where it was found that police had failed to investigate properly. Which included police withholding evidence from defence lawyers.

This was seen in the cases of Liam Allan, Samuel Armstrong and Isaac Itiary.

In two cases text messages revealed the men's innocence. In Mr Allan's case messages showed that the complainant had told friends she had enjoyed having sex with him.

Similarly messages revealed that Isaac Itiary, who had been charged with statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl, did not know her age as in the messages she had claimed she was 19.

Tory MPs aide, Samuel Armstrong, 24 was cleared of rape as it emerged evidence was only disclosed eight days before trial said today police and CPS do it because it 'makes getting convictions easier'.

Liam Allan was acquitted after messages showed that the complainant had told friends she had enjoyed having sex with him

Following the collapse of the unrelated cases of the three young men last week the Metropolitan Police announced that it would be reviewing 30 rape inquiries.

Both men were acquitted after evidence was brought to light that should have stopped them ever being in court.

It is believed that the officer that worked on Mr Allan and Mr Itiary's cases, Detective Constable Mark Azariah, claimed that text messages he didn't send to the defendant's defence teams were irrelevant.

Yesterday, reported by the Sunday Express, he said: 'The obligation to believe all complainants at the start, and automatically treat them as victims, handicaps police disclosure officers in their duty to disclose evidence that assists defendants or undermines the prosecution case.

Samuel Armstrong said he and the woman had consensual sex after drinking in the Houses of Parliament. He was found not guilty of two counts of rape and two of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court

His claims are supported by the College of Policing and follow the belief that police officers should approach each case with an open mind due to the fact that treating all complainants as victims can handicap them.

To restore confidence police officers should be trained to investigate complaints with the possibility that it may be genuine or false, the High Court judge said.

Claims previously made by Chief Constable Simon Bailey of the College of Policing that only 0.1 per cent of allegations are false were rejected by Sir Richard Henriques.

Arguments from charities that most survivors don't report sexual crimes out of fear of being believed were also rejected by the former Judge who.

He added: 'The cases that have emerged over the last week demonstrate that the burden of proof is being reversed. It's flawed.'

'Somebody who has been a genuine victim of crime doesn't need to be encouraged to go to the police. They go to the police because they're a victim of crime.'

Isaac Itiary, who had been charged with statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl, did not know her age as in the messages she had claimed she was 19 and was therefore also

Sir Henriques called upon Home Secretary Amber Rudd to arbitrate after 16 months had passed since chief Constable Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe accepted his claims that obligation to believe complainants was criticised in his report.

The former High Court judge's 2016 report suggested that the Metropolitan Police force mishandled many historic sexual abuse claims.

His main query was that the immediate presumption of a the suspects guilt had shaded the way the investigations were handled.

A spokesman for the College of Policing confirmed that following Sir Richard Henriques review into Operation Midland the College is looking into recommendations in the report.

A Home Office spokesman confirmed it had already begun a review into the disclosure process.
Lee Rigby's mother has finally found peace after moving to the countryside four years after her soldier son was killed in the street by terrorists.

Lyn, 51, has taken solace in her new home after years of harrowing memories of Lee's death in the street at the hands of Islamic State terrorists four years ago.

At her lowest ebb, she wanted to end her own life after being unable to escape the horrific thoughts of her son's final moments in in Woolwich, London.

But this year she will spend Christmas Day surrounded by her family in their home, which is near Lee Rigby Lodge in Staffordshire - the foundation she founded in her son's name.

She plans to cook Christmas dinner for the first time in four years with fond memories of Lee's last Christmas in 2012 close to the family's hearts.

Lyn, 51, pictured with her husband Ian, has taken solace in her new home after years of harrowing memories of Lee's death in the street at the hands of Islamic State terrorists

Fusilier Lee Rigby, pictured, was killed in the street in Woolwich, London, by Islamic State terrorists four years ago

Husband Ian, younger daughters Courtney and Amy and her elder daughter Chelsea and her partner James will join the celebrations.

Lyn told the Mirror: 'I still miss Lee terribly but I feel closer to him than ever before in our new home.

'I can feel his spirit and his love so strongly and it brings me so much comfort knowing he is with me still.

'The last four years of grief have been horrendous but everything changed the moment we moved to our new home a few weeks ago.'

Lee Rigby Lodge has been jointly funded by the Lee Rigby Foundation and former wrestling star Kendo Nagasaki, who was moved by the Fusilier's story.

The private estate offers a peaceful place for military families who have lost a loved one - as well as veterans experiencing the effects of PTSD.

Michael Adebolajo, pictured left, and his accomplice Michael Adebowale, pictured right, murdered 25-year-old Fusilier Rigby near the Royal Artillery Barracks

The retreat is part of Kendo's country estate and Lyn has said she is thankful for the support.

In January, the Islamic extremist who brutally murdered Mr Rigby found a lawyer to fight a 20,000 legal battle against the prison service after his teeth were knocked out during a scuffle with guards.

Michael Adebolajo, 32, lashed out at officers who were trying to escort him to his cell at HMP Belmarsh, south east London, in July 2013. His head reportedly hit a window but he refused medical attention afterwards.

The five officers involved in the incident were suspended on full pay during a six-week police investigation. They were later cleared and returned to work.

Adebolajo had been trying to find legal representation ever since and reports say he finally found someone to help him sue.

The Lee Rigby Lodge retreat is part of Kendo Nagasaki's country estate and Lyn has said she is thankful for the support

The exact figure for the claim is not known but similar cases have sought up to 20,000.

The news was met with disgust and anguish by Mr Rigby's family, who said the jihadi killer had no remorse for his 'heinous' crime.

Adebolajo and his accomplice Michael Adebowale, 24, murdered 25-year-old Fusilier Rigby near the Royal Artillery Barracks.

They knocked Rigby down in a car and then hacked him to death with knives and a cleaver. Both of the attackers were found guilty of Rigby's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Adebolajo was given a whole life order and Adebowale was ordered to serve at least 45 years.

Adebolajo has since complained about being segregated from other Muslim prisoners. He was moved from HMP Belmarsh to Frankland in County Durham after fears that he was trying to radicalise other inmates.
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a Sydney man missing since Friday morning.

Patrick Hahn, 25, was last seen celebrating Christmas with friends on December 21 at the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown.

Mr Hahn, from Drummoyne, was seen getting into a taxi outside the bar, on Kings Street, at 1.18am on Friday morning.

Patrick Hahn, 25, was last seen celebrating Christmas with friends on December 21 at the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown

Mr Hahn is described as being of Caucasian appearance, of thin build, and about 190cm tall

According to police and Mr Hahn's friend, Rob, the taxi turned left onto Missenden Road and was paid for with Mr Hahn's credit card at 1:37am.

He was caught on 7/11 service station CCTV footage walking along Victoria Road towards Gladesville Bridge.

Mr Hahn is described as being of Caucasian appearance, of thin build, and about 190cm tall.

He was last seen wearing a white button up shirt, black coloured jeans, and dark coloured boots.

Mr Hahn, from Drummoyne, was seen getting into a taxi outside the bar (pictured), on Kings Street, at 1.18am on Friday morning

The 25-year-old has previously spent time in both Manila and Auckland, as friends ask for any possible information of his whereabouts overseas.

Family and friends hold grave concerns for the young man and have urged anyone with information to contact Burwood Police on 02 9745 8499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police have also asked anyone in the area around the time of Mr Hahn's disappearance with dash cam footage to come forward.
Kristina Prikhodko, pictured, was missing for two days before her body was discovered in a forest close to Siberia's largest city

A 19-year-old Russian student has been found strangled to death with her body wrapped in clingfilm after responding to an advertisement for a 'governess' with a 'model appearance'.

Kristina Prikhodko was missing for two days before her body was discovered in a forest close to Siberia's largest city.

The student had been sexually attacked before being strangled to death, say police, who have arrested two men, both aged 28, on suspicion of murder.

They warned about men using advertisements to lure young women for sex under false pretences.

It is known that Kristina had posted revealing pictures of herself and was this year registered on a site where women can meet 'sugar daddies'.

Her naked body was wrapped in clingfilm and put inside a zip-up bag which was found on snow-covered ground dumped close to a reservoir on the River Ob near Novosibirsk city.

Two men caught driving a car in which the body was transported were later arrested on suspicion of murder.

The men, who have not been named, were today being quizzed over the alleged crimes.

The student had on 21 December replied to an advertisement which police suggested was in reality placed by men seeking sexual services.

She went to a house outside the city for an interview, as instructed.

Prikhodko, pictured, had been sexually attacked, say police, who have arrested two men, both aged 28, on suspicion of murder.

It is known that Kristina had posted revealing pictures of herself and was this year registered on a site where women can meet 'sugar daddies'

Her father reported her missing the same day when she failed to return home from her university.

A massive search by police and volunteers was launched resulting in her body being found two days later.

A police source said: 'The first man was caught at about 2 am, the second the following afternoon.

A massive search by police and volunteers was launched resulting in her body being found two days later

Kristina's naked body was wrapped in clingfilm and put inside a zip-up bag which was found on snow-covered ground dumped close to a reservoir on the River Ob near Novosibirsk city

'One of them was last year suspected in a criminal case involving rape butthe case was closed.'

Kristina is believed to have argued recently with her father who said she should behave in a more 'modest' way.

On the day she vanished, her phone was live until 8pm but she did not pick up calls.

Kristina is believed to have argued recently with her father who said she should behave in a more 'modest' way

The student had replied to an advertisement which police suggested was in reality placed by men seeking sexual services. Police have now issued a warning to young women about replying to such postings

Following the incident police urged young women to beware of advertisements for cleaning or domestic help which, in reality, are placed by men seeking sex.

It emerged that police stopped the car that was used to dump her remains and officers saw the zip-up bag containing her body in the boot.

But the two men drove off and escaped from police. Later, after the body was dumped, police stopped the car again.

This time the driver was detained but the other man fled. He was later caught by police. Both have been remanded in custody.
A shaken couple in Maitland found an extra surprise under their pile of holiday gifts on Sunday afternoon - but it definitely wasn't on anyone's Christmas list.

A red-bellied black snake had wriggled across the cool floor tiles to gain refuge from the heat, eventually seeking shelter next to a pile of gifts under the Christmas tree.

But the reptile had actually been indoors for about a week; John's wife said she had caught sight of the snake several days ago - but he didn't believe her.

A couple have discovered a red-bellied black snake lying under their decorated Christmas tree

'The snake had actually found its way up stairs to the second floor whilst trying to find a way out,' said Bill from Maitland Snake Relocation.

'[It] just shows how much they really try to avoid us and stay out of our way.'

Bill suspects that the snake came into the house through the garage, as most roller doors do not seal fully in the corners at each end.

'Snakes try and avoid these really hot days as much as we do so its worth making sure your doors seal properly to prevent them entering your home,' he advised.

Red-bellied black snakes are highly venomous, but will never attack humans or defend themselves unless they are provoked or threatened.

In fact, farmers and owners of rural properties often encourage them to stick around to keep the brown snakes and tigers snakes away from livestock.

'If you do happen to find a snake inside, try to avoid disturbing it and watch from a safe distance or confine it to the room its in by closing doors and jamming towels firmly under to prevent them from escaping.'

Bill's Snake Relocation has now carefully removed the snake and released it back into the wild

The snake has since been captured, removed and relocated, but the husband and wife who found it are still in a bit of shock.

'I thought I saw it on Friday downstairs,' wrote John's wife. 'But John checked around and convinced I was seeing things...Obviously not!'

John joked that he was so scared he was 'in need of medical attention' after spotting the dangerous reptile under the Christmas tree, and added that he'd be 'checking it twice' from now on.
The handsome man spotted on the arm of Princess Beatrice last week has been revealed as magazine editor Mark Guiducci.

But royal watchers hoping for more wedding joy - following Prince Harry's recent engagement announcement - will have to continue to wait as Mr Guiducci, Garage magazine's editor-in-chief, is gay.

Bea, who broke up from her boyfriend of ten years in 2016, seemed in high spirits alongside the former Vogue arts editor outside oF an exclusive members club, in London, on Thursday.

The handsome man spotted on the arm of Princess Beatrice last week has been revealed as magazine editor Mark Guiducci. Bea, who broke up from her boyfriend of ten years in 2016, seemed in high spirits alongside the former Vogue arts editor outside of Soho House, an exclusive members club in London, on Thursday

Eugenie, 27, was accompanied by her long-term boyfriend, nightclub manager Jack Brooksbank , while Beatrice, 29, was flanked by her editor companion.

The foursome could be seen leaving the venue, where Meghan Markle is believed to have been wined and dined by Prince Harry in the early stages of their relationship, in the early hours of the morning.

Eugenie opted for a smart black coat with military-style gold buttons, while her older sister stayed warm in an olive green number which she paired with bejewelled plimsolls.

The sisters appeared to be in good spirits as they left Soho House arm-in-arm at the end of the night and got into a waiting car.

But royal watchers hoping for more wedding joy - following Prince Harry's recent engagement announcement - will have to continue to wait as Mr Guiducci, Garage magazine's editor-in-chief, is gay

They are believed to have been heading back to St James's Palace, where Beatrice lives in a four-bedroom apartment.

It came after an afternoon of festivities at Buckingham Palace in which Prince Harry's fiancee is said to have won over her future in-laws by pulling a cracker with Prince Charles, donning a paper hat and reading out a corny joke.

The foursome could be seen leaving the venue, where Meghan Markle is believed to have been wined and dined by Prince Harry in the early stages of their relationship, in the early hours of the morning.

The gang are believed to have been heading back to St James's Palace, where Beatrice lives in a four-bedroom apartment

The foursome could be seen leaving the venue, where Meghan Markle is believed to have been wined and dined by Prince Harry in the early stages of their relationship, in the early hours of the morning

Eugenie opted for a smart black coat with military-style gold buttons, while her older sister stayed warm in an olive green number which she paired with bejewelled plimsolls.

The sisters appeared to be in good spirits as they left Soho House arm-in-arm at the end of the night and got into a waiting car.

They are believed to have been heading back to St James's Palace, where Beatrice lives in a four-bedroom apartment.
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2017 is verging on becoming Britain's hottest year ever  as tropical air makes Christmas Day hotter than the Mediterranean as it nudges the 15C (59F) record warmest December 25 ever.

This year is poised to finish as a hotter year than the 2003 and 2006 heatwave scorchers, Met Office records show.

That would leave 2017 behind only 2014 as the warmest year since records began 107 years ago in 1910.

This year's average UK temperature is set to pip the 9.73C in 2006 - which saw the hottest summer ever recorded - as well as the 9.50C in 2003, which saw Britain's 38.5C hottest day on record, and the 9.64C sizzler in 2011. 2014 saw 9.91C.

An average year is just 8.85C. The Met Office will finalise 2017's temperature in the New Year.

2017 could be the hottest year ever recorded in Britain and tropical air is set make Christmas Day one of the warmest. The Angel of the North in Gateshead was pictured silhouetted against the sky

This year is poised to finish as a hotter year than the 2003 and 2006 heatwave scorchers, Met Office records show. People gathered at Victoria Tower on Castle Hill, Kirklees, West Yorkshire, this morning and enjoyed stunning views

The Met Office forecast Christmas Day to see sunny spells in the South and highs pushing towards 15C  9C above the UK's average late-December highs.

But the warm weather is not going to last, with four festive storms due to hit Britain from today to New Year's Eve  with a 70mph 'weather bomb' threatening the 'nightmare after Christmas' for travellers.

Temperatures will push the 15.6C warmest Christmas Day record, set in Edinburgh in 1896 and Devon in 1920.

Saturday saw a freak 15.1C at Kinlochewe, Wester Ross, northern Scotland.

On Christmas Day, all of England and Wales will be in double figures.

The South and Midlands will be dry until mid-afternoon. But the North will see showers and turn colder with a risk of snow in the evening.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes has slashed odds on the warmest Christmas Day ever from 10/1 to 3/1.

Britain will be hotter than 12C Naples in southern Italy, on the Mediterranean.

Tropical air is arriving from 2,000 miles away, south of the Azores islands in the mid-Atlantic.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: '14C can't be ruled out on Christmas Day, which is not far from the December 25 record.

'Tropical maritime air from around the Azores will bring mild air, with 10-12C for much of England and Wales.'

The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: '14C or 15C in late December is remarkably mild.'

This is the UK's three-day weather forecast. Christmas will have showers for many people but that should clear up as the week progresses

Temperatures will push the 15.6C warmest Christmas Day record, set in Edinburgh in 1896 and Devon in 1920. In Oakworth, West Yorkshire, fishing boats were pictured bathed in sunshine

On Christmas Day, all of England and Wales will be in double figures. American Steam Train 'Santa Express' was pictured powering through Oakworth

All but three months so far this year were hotter than average.

Spring saw unusually dry southerly winds boosting Britain's temperatures. Highs hit 29C in northern England and Scotland in for the late May Bank Holiday weekend.

Heat from the continent delivered summer roasts. The 34.5C second hottest June day for 167 years was followed by the 28.2C hottest late August Bank Holiday since it began 52 years ago.

Surges of tropical heat in autumn delivered Indian Summer warmth. Mid-October sizzled at 23.5C.

The heat meant the mid-December chill was just a blip.

The Met Office says 2018 is expected to be a hot year.

Mr Burkill said: 'The majority of months this year have been warmer than average.

'There were some warm conditions in spring and the first half of summer was particularly good.

'Autumn also also had a very warm period. But there were severe events also, including early named storms in September.'

Mr Gaze said: '2017 looks like bordering on the UK's warmest year on record.

Experts are predicting one pf the warmest Christmases on record. Stunning colours were captured in the morning sunrise on Christmas Eve at Victoria Tower on Castle Hill, Kirklees

'It's been a balmy year with consistently warm spells all the way through, not just in one season.

'There were some great conditions in spring, and summer had very hot conditions, especially in June.

'Autumn saw some Indian Summer weather and also warm tropical air being pumped north, which has returned for the Christmas to top off a warm year.'

But the warm weather won't last.

Four festive storms will hit Britain from today to New Year's Eve  with a 70mph 'weather bomb' threatening the 'nightmare after Christmas' for travellers.

New Year's Eve and Hogmanay celebrations  cancelled in previous year due to storms - are at risk.

Millions face transport impacts.

Storms Dylan and Eleanor threaten to be named as winds peak between Wednesday and New Year's Eve next Sunday.

A 'weather bomb' threatens, said both The Weather Outlook and Netweather.

A 'weather bomb' sees 'explosive cyclogenesis' as air pressure plunges by more than 24 milibars in 24 hours, whipping up wild winds.

The Met Office said a storm undergoing cyclogenesis was not uncommon at this time of year,
Many of us are looking forward to tucking into a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings this Christmas.

But if health chiefs were in charge of your yuletide meal it would be a much less indulgent affair.

The Taxpayers' Alliance has calculated what a Christmas dinner would look like if Public Health England (PHE) decided on the portions - and it's almost unrecognisable.

Nutritional guidelines would allow an adult male just a few slices of turkey, a half-serving of boiled potatoes and a twentieth of a mince pie

Nutritional guidelines would allow an adult male just a few slices of turkey, a half-serving of boiled potatoes and a twentieth of a mince pie.

Alcohol is also strictly limited to just a quarter of a glass of champagne and three quarters of a glass of wine.

And chocoholics would have to content themselves with just a quarter of a fun-size Mars bar.

This year, PHE has spent over 40 million of taxpayers' money telling Brits what they can and cannot eat, drink and do in their leisure time.

Many of us are looking forward to tucking into a traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings this Christmas

John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'All year long taxpayer-funded public health Tsars tell us what to eat, drink and how to spend our leisure time.

'If they had it their way, we would be eating nothing but salad and Brussels sprouts this Christmas, with a meagre sliver of a mince pie for pudding.

'I wonder if public health officials this year will be practicing what they preach by following their own healthy eating guidelines?'
This is the sickening moment a van driver is filmed saying 'Hitler was a great man' repeatedly in a 'disgusting' antisemitic rant.

The man's attack was fired a Jewish motorist during a road rage altercation in Stamford Hill, north-east London.

The van driver continues by saying 'he knew what he was doing', in reference to Hitler, to the Jewish motorist.

He is then asked by the motorist filming him to 'say it again', to which he obliges and sings Hitler's praises again.

In the video the red van driver can then be heard shouting 'you think you own the world? you don't own the world. This is Stamford Hill, it's not Israel'.

Stamford Hill Shomrim, a neighbourhood watch group, has reported a van driver to the police after they were passed a video of an antisemitic road rage incident.

A van driver was filmed saying 'Hitler was a great man' during an antisemitic road rage rant in Stamford Hill

Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE, president of Stamford Hill Shomrim, said: 'The words used in this antisemitic rant is absolutely abhorrent and disgusting.

'I am deeply shocked that a person can hold and feel free to express such despicable views.'

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon in Stamford Hill in London.

Anybody who witnessed the incident or believes they may know the man should call the Metropolitan Police Service on 101 citing reference CAD6289/23/12/17.
Arthur Collins has been charged with possessing prohibited items while in prison after being found with a mobile phone and USB sticks hidden in a crutch

Acid attacker Arthur Collins has been charged with possession of prohibited items while he was on remand in prison.

A tiny mobile phone, charger, two sim cards and two USB sticks were allegedly concealed inside of the hollow shaft of a crutch that he had with him in prison.

He is said to have bombarded his ex-girlfriend with calls from prison while she was pregnant with their daughter.

He was using crutches after fracturing both of his heels trying to escape after squirting acid across the dance floor of an east London nightclub in April.

He was found with the items while on remand in Thameside jail.

They were reportedly found when the rubber bottoms were removed from the crutches.

The charge comes after Collins, 25, was jailed for 20 years after squirting acid on a packed nightclub floor.

The attack left 22 people injured and left with life long scars and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the atrocity.

The banned items were allegedly concealed in the bottom of his crutches which he was using after fracturing his heels trying to escape from the nightclub (stock image)

It is the heaviest sentence ever given to an acid attacker.

Sixteen people suffered chemical burn injuries and three people were temporarily blinded  one of whom still suffers from blurred vision in one eye.

Judge Noel Lucas QC branded Collins a 'calculating liar'.

He also said Collins, the father of Miss McCann's baby daughter, has not shown the 'slightest remorse' after the 'deliberate and calculated attack'.

One of his victims, Sophie Hall, said those who were injured had 'been left with permanent scars for the rest of our lives' after the sentencing hearing.

Another victim, Lauren Trent, bravely described the harrowing moment she had to phone her parents on her birthday night out to tell them her skin was 'coming off'.

Collins, of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, was convicted of five counts of causing GBH with intent and nine counts of assault occasioning ABH, relating to 14 revellers.

During the sentencing hearing at Wood Green Crown Court, the judge ruled that Collin was 'dangerous' - meaning he will serve at least two-thirds of the jail term.

Collins, the ex-boyfriend of TOWIE star Ferne McCann and father to her baby daughter Sunday, is due to appear before Bromley Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Collins, the ex-boyfriend of TOWIE star Ferne McCann (pictured) was jailed for 20 years after injuring 22 innocent people in an acid attack in an east London nightclub

If found guilty, he could be jailed for an additional two years.

He is said to have bombarded his ex-girlfriend with calls from prison while she was pregnant with their daughter.

The attack took place while they were out celebrating the news of her pregnancy.

If found guilty, he could be facing an additional two years in prison. Pictured here with Ferne McCann (left) and on the CCTV the night he hurled acid over the innocent clubbers(right)

The Metropolitan Police said: 'A man has been charged with possession of a prohibited item in prison.

'Arthur Collins, 25, of HMP Belmarsh was charged with the offence on Wednesday, 29 November.

'The charge relates to an offence committed on Sunday, 10 September at HMP Thameside where Collins was on remand awaiting trial for an unrelated matter.
Tragedy has struck a family on Christmas Eve after a young boy drowned in a backyard pool.

Emergency services were called to a home in Bass Hill in Sydney's south-west on Sunday evening where a two-year-old boy was pulled unconscious from the water.

The child was treated at the scene on Broad Street just before 7pm before being rushed to Westmead Children's Hospital, but was unable to be revived.

A report is being prepared for the coroner and police are investigating the incident.

More to come.
A teenager caught up in a love triangle has been viciously assaulted after he was beaten by a friend's boyfriend who was passing by in a taxi and recognised him.

Matthew St Vincent was visiting a friend in Marrickville when the attacker, who is believed to be the boyfriend of a girl he knows, jumped out the car and began the violent take down.

'He grabbed me by the throat and starting throwing punches at me,' he told 9 News.

Matthew St Vincent (pictured) was assaulted after he was beaten by a man passing him by in a taxi

The 18-year-old was visiting a friend in Marrickville when he was viciously attacked

'He got me to the ground and kept on throwing punches and punches.'

The cruel pummelling only ceased when a passing motorist stopped and intervened.

Left bloody and bruised, the 18-year-old was later taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for treatment.

Mr St Vincent said he knew the man who attacked him and believes he was assaulted because of his close relationship with the man's girlfriend.

The cruel beating only ceased when a passing motorist stopped and intervened

Friends of the victim however claim the victim was 'infatuated' with the girl and has been asked a number of times to stay away but say he continues to go to Marrickville where she lives.

Marrickville police are investigating and want to hear from anyone with more details.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Close-fisted defence chiefs have allocated just 1 a head to British troops with 'suffering moral' for their Christmas celebrations.

The 500 troops positioned in Afghanistan have been given 500 for their festive celebrations this year - working out at just 1 a head.

But apparently this isn't even enough for coffee and they 'send in more money to feed the stray cats on the US compound' and even the Mongolians receive more.

In stark contrast according to the Sunday Times, US soldiers have been gifted eight Christmas trees, several turkeys, decorations and will also be treated to a special screening of the new Star Wars film.

British troops in Afghanistan have been allocated just 1 a head for their Christmas celebrations this year

Despite remaining the largest deployment of British soldiers feel forgotten about as the the festive season is in full swing in the UK

A British officer stationed in Kabul said: 'As an army we don't have as much money as the US, but even the Danish and Mongolians seem to be doing more.'

One soldier said morale was suffering: 'They haven't even sent us enough for a coffee. The Americans send in more money to feed the stray cats on their compound.'

Civilian causalities have been at their highest this year in Afghanistan as the war enters it's 17th year.

Despite remaining the largest deployment of British soldiers feel forgotten about as the the festive season is in full swing in the UK.

A British officer stationed in Kabul said that even the Danish and Mongolians seem to be doing more for Christmas than the UK troops

Although they haven't been completely forgotten as one officer said: 'It has been staggering to see the number of parcels that have arrived for us from friends and family.'

An MOD spokesperson said: 'Over the Christmas period thousands of brave and committed service personnel are working tirelessly to keep this country safe amid intensifying threats.

'Their dedication is hugely appreciated and arrangements for festive celebrations are made locally.'
Kate Maltby (pictured) has said she was made aware of two other women who were considering come forward regarding Mr Green's behaviour

The Tory activist who accused Damian Green of sexual misconduct has claimed two other women considered making allegations against him.

Kate Maltby, 31, claimed Mr Green 'fleetingly' touched her knee during a meeting in a pub in 2015 and today wrote that she was made aware of the two other women before she complained about his behaviour.

The former Deputy Prime Minister, 61, was sacked this week after he was judged to have broken the ministerial code when he lied about porn being found on his Parliamentary computer.

And he is now embroiled in a fresh row after his allies were accused of leaking messages between Mr Green and Ms Maltby.

Mr Green has been accused of 'dirty tricks' after the text messages between him and the journalist were leaked to the media.

According to the Sunday Times, the text messages had been edited to make it appear she was suggesting the pair should meet up without her encouraging him.

But the full chain of messages reveal he had texted her to say they should 'fix a date soon'.

Mr Green is now facing calls by opponents to also stand down as an MP.

Sophie Walker, leader of the Women's Equality Party, said: 'If Damian Green, or someone acting on his behalf, has briefed newspapers to smear Kate Maltby then there can be no doubt about his unfitness to serve - not just as a minister but as an MP.'

A friend of Mr Green told The Telegraph that the leak had not come from Mr Green, but said: 'The texts do show that Damian and Kate Maltby were friends and nothing more.'

Ms Maltby had previously claimed he sent her a 'suggestive' text message after she was pictured wearing a corset in a newspaper. She today said he would have kept his job if he had issued a 'limited apology'.

And a Tory MP also accused Mr Green and his supporters of 'launching an attack' while Ms Maltby told the Sunday Times 'only Damian Green or his allies' could have leaked the texts.

Former Conservative minister Anna Sourby said an attempt to 'smear or trash' Ms Maltby was 'shameful' and 'wrong'.

Another MP told the newspaper: 'It smacks of a dirty tricks campaign and is unhelpful to the government when it is still dealing with the fallout of the Westminster harassment scandal.'

Kate Maltby (pictured) originally accused Damian Green of sexual misconduct and said either he - or his allies - leaked the messages

Mr Green (pictured with Theresa May on Wednesday) was sacked after he lied about pornography found on his computer

Ms Maltby wrote in the Sunday Times today and said that she originally spoke out because two other women shared similar concerns about Mr Green.

She added: 'In the days before I made my allegation public, I became aware of two young women who were considering making allegations against him.

'Their positions were more vulnerable, their allegations more serious. I knew that people in Downing Street knew my story was true and I believed that if I was the first to go public, they would ensure Green apologised and made a commitment to changing his behaviour.'

A spokesman for Mr Green told the newspaper that he was 'not in a position' to address her claims without knowing who the alleged accusers were.

Text messages leaked to the media show Ms Maltby sent texts to Mr Green this year, which appeared friendly in tone and included one in February which said 'hope to catch up when things calm down'.

Mr Green (pictured with his wife Alicia) has been accused of 'dirty tricks' after text messages were leaked

Mr Green reportedly replied: 'they never do so let's fix a date soon', to which Ms Maltby is said to have replied: 'Great. Night night.'

Ms Maltby said she believes only Mr Green 'or his allies' could have leaked the messages, but a source said that he 'totally denies having anything' to do with it.

She wrote in the paper: 'On October 31, I asserted in The Times that Damian Green had made sexual advances while offering me career advice and discussing the possibility of helping me become a Tory candidate.

'Last week Green accepted that, although he did not recognise the events as I had described them, 'he clearly made [me] uncomfortable, and for that I apologise'. The prime minister told him he was right to do so.

'If he had issued that same, limited apology back then, he would probably still have his job today. It would have been rational damage limitation for any politician.

'At least, it would have been for any politician who could be confident no other women would emerge with similar allegations.'

MailOnline has contacted Mr Green for comment.
Director Ridley Scott has revealed how he replaced Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer in just four days after a sex scandal broke about the actor.

Plummer, 87, stepped in at the last minute to take on the role in All The Money In The World with just weeks to reshoot scenes.

British-born Scott was determined to make the release date of December 22 for the movie and quickly got the cast back together to film shots that had featured disgraced Spacey, 58.

He revealed that it was 'actually pretty straightforward' to re-shoot the scenes and that it had taken just four days.

Speaking to the Times, he said: 'Well, I'm meant to say it was terribly difficult. A nightmare. But it was actually pretty straightforward. We pulled the whole plan together in  honestly  about four days.'

Ridley Scott, pictured, was determined to make the release date of December 22 for the movie and quickly got the cast back together to film shots that had featured disgraced Spacey, 58

After the scandal involving Kevin Spacey (pictured left in the movie), Plummer, (pictured right), 87, stepped in at the last minute to take on the role in All The Money In The World

The movie was all but complete when he made the decision to reshoot the scenes that featured Spacey - just six weeks before the big-budget film's release date.

The reshoots, taking place in London and Rome, reportedly cost around $10 million on top of the movie's original $40 million budget.

Scott has also revealed that Spacey had not been in touch since he was dropped from the movie.

He said: 'I haven't heard from him or his advisers. Extraordinary, really. But it made it easier to make the decision.'

Plummer is three decades older than Spacey so didn't need the extensive facial prosthetics that Spacey did in the original scenes.

Scott was working on the music for the movie - which is still slated for release on December 22 - when he heard the first allegations, that Spacey had made a sexual advance to Anthony Rapp when Rapp was just 14.

Anthony Rapp alleged that Spacey, pictured, had made a sexual advance to him when he was just 14

Since then more than a dozen other men have alleged similar sexual misconduct or assault against the American Beauty Oscar-winner.

Scott thinks it is 'miraculous' that he managed to get everyone back - including Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams - to London and Rome for the reshoots.

It was claimed by The Hollywood Reporter that Plummer was the original choice for the role but studio executives wanted a bigger name, which is why Spacey came on board.

The movie tells the true story of the kidnapping of Getty's grandson John Paul Getty III in 1973.

Getty Sr refused to pay $17million in ransom money even though he was the richest man in the world at the time.

Williams plays Getty III's mother Gail Harris and Wahlberg is Fletcher Chase, the former CIA operative who tried to persuade Getty Sr to co-operate with the kidnappers' demands.
An elderly couple has been left homeless the day before Christmas after an out-of-control car smashed into their Adelaide home as they slept.

'[It was] very, very scary for me and my wife,' Abdulah Mujic told 9NEWS, describing the smell of smoke and choking dust that engulfed their Morphettville property.

The Mazda crashed through an empty bedroom in the front of the house at about 1.30am on Saturday morning.

The force of the impact shattered bricks and scattered debris through out the house and yard.

A car crashed through the empty front bedroom of an Adelaide House at 1.30am on Saturday

Mr Mujic described the smoke and choking dust that engulfed their property after the crash

Mr Mujic's wife Habiba is reportedly still in shock, telling Channel 9 after the incident that she was still shaking and crying from the stress.

The couples' grandchildren usually sleep in the front room that was destroyed by the car, and Mr Mujic said that he was incredibly thankful that they weren't there that night.

Thankfully, the couple were unhurt in the collision; neighbours clubbed together to help them to safety as emergency services secured their home.

'I feel very sorry for these guys because they might be thinking about Christmas celebrations but now not, nothing,' said Mars Garin, a nearby resident.

Neighhbours helped the couple to safety as emergency services worked to secure their house

'They're still shocked.'



Mr and Mrs Mujic stayed the night with neighbours on Sunday, as their house is now 'virtually uninhabitable'.

The couple now plan to spent Christmas Day with their family, and hope to be able to stay there until they are cleared to return to their home.

The driver, 32, was taken to Flinders Medical Centre with minor injuries and will undergo blood tests to see if he was drunk or under the influence of drugs.
President Trump kicked off his Christmas Eve at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida by participating in a video conference with American troops stationed around the world.

'I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas,' the president said. 'We say "Merry Christmas" again, very, very proudly,' Trump added, repeating his position on saying 'Merry Christmas' over 'Happy Holidays.'

The president spoke to various rooms full of military personnel  one from each branch  based in Qatar, Kuwait, in Guantanamo Bay and aboard the USS Sampson, per the White House pool report.

President Trump is seen engaging with members of the military over video conference Christmas Eve morning at Mar-a-Lago

President Trump began his Christmas Eve by speaking to American troops stationed around the world via video conference

President Trump is captured participating in a video conference with American troops from his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago

Members of the media are seen at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Christmas Eve, leaving the president's video conference with military members

President Trump touted the fact that 'we say Christmas again very proudly,' as he talked to American servicemembers

President Trump beckons to members of the media in the room as he participates in a video conference with American troops

President Trump is spending the holidays at what he calls the 'Winter White House,' his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida

After his call with servicemembers, President Trump was spotted playing a round of golf at his Palm Beach golf course, which is located nearby his Mar-a-Lago resort

President Trump is pictured on a golf cart as he spent a part of Christmas Eve at his local golf club, which is located near his Mar-a-Lago resort

'We're going to have a great year, an incredible year,' the president promised the military members.

'I'm thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people,' Trump continued.

'Today and every day we're incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous,' he added. 'Always underappreciated. Military families. The greatest people on earth.'

As Trump addressed soldiers and then sailors, he, in particular, applauded the Coast Guard for its hurricane response.

'Many Republicans are very happy, but I have to tell you the people of Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, lots of other states are even more happy,' the president said. 'What a job you've done.'

'The Coast Guard saved thousands and thousands of lives, almost, it's unbelievable when I look at the charts, I saw the number of lives you saved,' Trump continued. 'So I want to congratulate the Coast Guard for having done an incredible job.'

President Trump tweeted his complaints about the media on Christmas Eve morning, suggesting the polls journalists report on are 'fake' because of his low approval ratings

Trump then told the servicemembers he would answer some of their questions, though, first, asked the members of the media in the room, capturing the conversation, to leave.

'We're going to be speaking with the wonderful people of the media and asking them to leave,' Trump said. 'Enjoy yourselves. Really appreciate it, have a great Christmas and we're going to do some very personal questions between these great people and myself.'

'If I dont see you during the day, have a great holiday and a great Christmas, thank you very much,' he said as the pool reporters were being ushered out.

Later in the day, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump will participate in NORAD Santa tracker phone calls.

President Trump also spent time Sunday playing golf.

Earlier in the week, Vice President Mike Pence made a surprise trip to Afghanistan where he told the troops there that President Trump wanted servicemembers to know that 'I love them.'

Despite the approaching holiday, the president has been on a Twitter kick for most of the weekend.

The president had latched on to news that the FBI's Deputy Director Andrew McCabe planned to retire.

Trump's suggested that McCabe is guilty of political bias because McCabe's wife was given a campaign donation from Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe's political action committee.

McAuliffe is a longtime political ally of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

In a Sunday morning tweet, the president tagged Fox News and quoted the network saying that 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,' Trump wrote.

The 'M' in his tweet stands for McAuliffe.

The president, seemingly rattled by new polling data, also sent out a Christmas Eve tweet attacking the 'fake news.'

'The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is,' Trump wrote. '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!' Trump said.
Real Housewives of New York City star Luann de Lesseps, 52, was arrested in Florida early Sunday morning after reportedly threatening 'to kill you all.'

The mother-of-two was taken into custody at 1.25am by Palm Beach police. 'The Countess' was charged with battery, disorderly intoxication, resisting a police officer with violence and corruption by threat of a public servant. Four of the charges are felonies.

Bail for the Bravo TV star was set at $20,000. But de Lesseps was released on her own recognizance and is due in court on January 25.

An assistant state's attorney said the former model slammed a door and kicked at least one police officer, according to the Palm Beach Post.

'I'm going to kill you all,' the state's attorney said de Lesseps told people prior to her arrest.

Judge Ted Booras is allowing de Lesseps to travel back to New York, since she has no prior criminal offenses. But he cautioned her not to ignore the charges against her. 'I don't think it would be that hard to find you,' he said.

Later Sunday afternoon, de Lesseps issued a statement and apologized for her behavior.

'This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions,' de Lesseps said. 'I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior. I am committed to transformative and hopeful 2018.'

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Real Housewives of New York City star Luann De Lesseps, 52, was arrested in Florida early Sunday morning. The mother-of-two was taken into custody at 1.25am by Palm Beach police

'The Countess' was charged with battery on a firefighter, disorderly intoxication, resisting a police officer with violence, corruption by threat of a public servant. Four of the charges are felonies

Her ex-husband, Tom D'Agostino (above together in 2017), who is currently in Palm Beach for Christmas with his family and will be joined by his girlfriend Anna Rothschild next week, has no comment on her arrest

Rothschild (right), who used to be friends with de Lesseps and appeared on the Bravo TV show, told DailyMail.com: 'I think it's so sad when you think of where Luann was last year at this time, and now she's stooped to this. 'There is a reason Tom walked away from their marriage.'

Hours before being taken into custody, she posted a short clip on her Instagram story showing her longtime friend and former model, Julie Olsen, picking out dresses from a closet. After being released, de Lesseps reportedly went to her brother's house in nearby Jupiter.

A few of her cast-mates on Real Housewives of New York have tried to contact her, but claim her phone is off and going to voicemail, a source told DailyMail.com.

Her ex-husband, Tom D'Agostino, who is currently in Palm Beach for Christmas with his family and will be joined by his girlfriend Anna Rothschild next week, has no comment on her arrest. He was spotted out on Saturday night in Palm Beach.

A source close to D'Agostino told DailyMail.com: 'Tom left her for this reason, because she was so violent.

'She used to punch, kick and scratch him. And in public. It doesn't surprise me, especially when she drinks.

'And boy does she like to drink. She clearly has a problem.'

D'Agostino and de Lesseps got hitched in a lavish ceremony on December 31, 2016 in Palm Beach, Florida. But the couple announced in August they were divorcing after he reportedly continued his flirtatious ways with other women.

In announcing their breakup, de Lesseps tweeted at the time: 'It's with great sadness that Tom & I agreed to divorce.

'We care for each other very much, hope you respect our privacy during this sad time!'

Judge Ted Booras is allowing de Lesseps to travel back to New York. The circumstances of de Lesseps' arrest late Saturday in Palm Beach were not immediately available in court records. She is pictured above when she drunkenly fell over in Mexico during Season 9 of the show

D'Agostino and de Lesseps (above in April) got hitched in a lavish ceremony on December 31, 2016 in Florida. But the couple announced in August they were divorcing after Tom apparently continued his flirtatious ways with other women

Rothschild was spotted riding in a car with D'Agostino in the Hamptons shortly after his divorce from de Lesseps was announced in August (above)

De Lesseps is also the former wife of Count Alexandre de Lesseps and retained the French royal title after their 2009 divorce following his alleged affair with Ethiopian Princess Kemeria Abajobir Abajifar.

The reality star, who is the mother to son Noel, 21, and daughter Victoria, 22, with her first husband, famously had to give up her Countess title to marry D'Agostino in 2016.

Rothschild, who used to be friends with de Lesseps and appeared on the hit Bravo reality TV show, told DailyMail.com: 'I think it's so sad when you think of where Luann was last year at this time, and now she's stooped to this.

'There is a reason Tom walked away from their marriage.'

Another source told DailyMail.com: 'People who truly know Luann have seen this side of her.

'This sheds some light on what was happening behind the scenes in Tom and Luann's marriage. This is the true Luann and not a onetime thing.'

In July, de Lesseps, who also had a brief singing career with the single 'Money Can't Buy You Class,' was accused of slapping D'Agostino in the face at a restaurant.

But the Real Housewives of New York star who was born in Connecticut told Andy Cohen that the accusations were not true.

De Lesseps is also the former wife of Count Alexandre de Lesseps (above together in 2007) and retained the French royal title after their 2009 divorce following his alleged affair with Ethiopian Princess Kemeria Abajobir Abajifar.

The reality star, who is the mother to son Noel, 21, and daughter Victoria, 22 (above together), with her first husband, famously had to give up her Countess title to marry D'Agostino in 2016.

'I did not slap him. We have a very passionate love affair going. We never go to bed angry but when we do, when we wake up, we make up. That's the best part,' she insisted at the time.

De Lesseps relationship with D'Agostino was featured on RHONY over the course of several seasons.

They were on and off so frequently that fellow Housewife Bethenny Frankel pleaded with Luann not to tie the knot with him before their New Year's Eve wedding.

While filming for RHONY, Frankel had shown de Lesseps photos of D'Agostino kissing another woman while the castmates were in Florida for vacation.

De Lesseps confronted him about the issue and he apologized for his mistake and the two reconciled.

But his behavior still didn't change.

'I got to a certain point where you just get, I got totally fed up,' she told Wendy Williams in October.

'I just couldn't do it anymore...I was unhappy and I think he was unhappy too.'

Of her divorce, which was finalized in September, de Lesseps said that despite the heartbreak, she's moving on from the short-lived marriage that fell apart in just seven months.

Luann (far left) has been a cast member on Real Housewives of New York since 2008

After her divorce was finalized, she said: 'I don't live with regrets. She acknowledged that she had had 'blinders on' when it came to her relationship with D'Agostino

'I don't live with regrets,' the 52-year-old said.

The reality star acknowledged that she had had 'blinders on' when it came to the relationship but had fallen hard for the 50-year-old businessman.

'We got engaged after three months and then we got married a year after, so I thought, plenty of time, because I got married two weeks after I met my first husband and it lasted 17 years, so I thought, you know this is how it works,' she told the daytime chat show host.

The 'last straw', she said, was when the press and her friends kept showing photos of D'Agostino out at bars after she'd asked him to stop doing that.

'He's 50 years old, he never asked anyone to marry him, so I thought I was different. I know he loved me. That's not the issue and I know he went into it just like I did with a big heart and a lot of love,' she said.

'And then he just couldn't give up his bachelor lifestyle. And that didn't work for me.'

Bravo TV has yet to comment on de Lesseps arrest. She has also not commented.
Luis Elizondo, who formerly ran the Pentagon's Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program, said the existence of UFOs had been 'proved beyond reasonable doubt'

The former head of a Pentagon program to understand the mysteries of UFOs has said that such objects visiting Earth had been 'proved beyond reasonable doubt'.

Speaking to The Telegraph, former Intelligence Officer Luis Elizondo said that unidentified flying objects of advanced capabilities have been seen 'lots' over the years.

Elizondo, who presided over the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program until two months ago, told The Independent: 'I think it's pretty clear this is not us, and it's not anyone else, so one has to ask the question where they're from.'

The program, inaugurated in 2007 and funded with $22million of government funds, was revealed to the public earlier this month.

Elizondo further said that UFOs have often been found near nuclear and power plants.

He said he resigned from his government job because he believes the government needs to provide more funding and support.

The Defense Department finally acknowledged the existence of its long-secret UFO investigation program earlier this month, when officials shifted attention and funding to other priorities.

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The Defense Department acknowledged the existence of the program, popularly dubbed an X-Files department, earlier this month. Pictured is a stock photo of a UFO

Elizodo left his job at The Pentagon (pictured) because he believes the UFO program needs more government funding. He told the Independent: 'I think it's pretty clear this is not us, and it's not anyone else, so one has to ask the question where they're from'

Its initial funding came largely at the request of former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat long known for his enthusiasm for space phenomena, the newspaper said.

The program was created by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada), with the support of the late Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Republican Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

Their fears were that the unexplained phenomena could be advanced weaponry or technology from foreign states such as Russia or China which could threaten the US.

'Was this China or Russia trying to do something or has some propulsion system we are not familiar with?' a former staffer told Politico.

While Elizondo, who ran the initiative, stressed he wanted to take the 'voodoo' out of a 'voodoo science,' the program investigated some issues that sound like they're straight out of a science fiction movie.

They included 'wormholes' and 'warp drives' as well as interviewing pilots and military personnel who reported experiences with UFOs.

Elizondo said that many of the Navy pilots described aircraft moving and acting in a way that seemed to be beyond human beings' current capabilities.

'We had never seen anything like it,' he said.

Paul Trent of McMinnville, Oregon took this photograph of a flying saucer over his farm

The formerly top-secret program was created by then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat

REPORTED SIGHTINGS Among the sightings were reports from pilots of two U.S. Navy Super Hornet fighters who spotted a UFO on a training mission. They were 100 miles from San Diego in the Pacific when a call on their radios asked if they were carrying weapons. The unusual request, that day in 2004, came from a naval cruiser, the Princeton, that had spent two weeks tracking unidentified aircraft. Commanders David Fravor and Jim Slaight had only dummy missiles, but were directed to investigate objects that appeared suddenly at an altitude of 80,000ft, then plunged towards the sea. Hovering erratically 50ft above that spot was some sort of flying craft, around 40ft long, oval-shaped and whitish. As the pilot descended towards it, it rose to meet him, but suddenly peeled away at an immense speed that he admits left him feeling 'pretty weirded out'. The craft 'had no plumes, wings or rotors' but, seemingly travelling at a mile a second, easily outran America's fastest military jets. Advertisement

The former staffer said that Reid believed there could be a valid national security issue and so agreed to fund the program.

But after a few years, and very little to show for it, Reid decided it wasn't worth continuing.

'After a while the consensus was we really couldn't find anything of substance,' he recalled. 'They produced reams of paperwork. After all of that there was really nothing there that we could find. It all pretty much dissolved from that reason aloneand the interest level was losing steam. We only did it a couple years.'

'There was really nothing there that we could justify using taxpayer money,' he added. 'We let it die a slow death. It was well spent money in the beginning.'

According to the the Pentagon, the program 'ended in the 2012 timeframe.'

Yet according to its backers, the program remains in existence and officials continue to investigate UFO episodes brought to their attention by service members, the newspaper said.

The Pentagon openly acknowledged the fate of the program in response to a Reuters query.

'The Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program ended in the 2012 timeframe,' Pentagon spokeswoman Laura Ochoa said in an email.

'It was determined that there were other, higher priority issues that merited funding and it was in the best interest of the DoD to make a change,' she said.

But the Pentagon was less clear about whether the UFO program continues to hover somewhere in the vast universe of the U.S. defense establishment.

'The DoD takes seriously all threats and potential threats to our people, our assets, and our mission and takes action whenever credible information is developed,' Ochoa said.

SECRET PENTAGON DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION ON UFO ATTACKS UFO enthusiasts have argued for decades that the U.S. government has been covering up the existence of unidentified craft containing alien visitors. The idea that a hush-hush government outfit was investigating sightings and other bizarre phenomena famously provided the basis for TV drama series The X-Files. Now, it seems the cult series wasn't such a flight of fancy after all. The shadowy programme's existence was intentionally buried in the defence department's $600 billion (448.76 bn) annual budget, as were its headquarters, deep within the labyrinthine Pentagon building. Based on the fifth floor of C Ring, the secret department has spent years investigating reports of unidentified flying objects. Although the Pentagon officially stopped funding the project in 2012, insiders told the New York Times it is still operating. And, more tantalisingly, intelligence experts who ran it, and politicians who backed it, insist its research has not been fruitless. Having investigated myriad reports from U.S. servicemen of encounters between unknown objects and military planes, they are convinced that nothing in this world can explain them. Advertisement

What is less in doubt is former senator Reid's enthusiasm for UFOs and his likely role in launching the Pentagon initiative to identify advanced aviation threats.

'If you've talked to Harry Reid for 60 seconds then it's the least surprising thing ever that he loves UFOs and got an earmark to study them,' former Reid spokeswoman Kristen Orthman said in a message on Twitter.

Or as Reid himself said in a tweet that linked to the Times' story: 'The truth is out there. Seriously.'

Elizondo has since joined former Blink 182 vocalist Tom DeLonge's company To The Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences - described as a 'public benefit corporation' that has 'mobilized a team of the most experienced, connected and passionately curious minds from the U.S. intelligence community, including the CIA, Department of Defense, who have been operating under the shadows of top-secrecy for decades.'

Speaking to CNN, he said: 'My personal belief is that there is very compelling evidence that we may not be alone.

'These aircraft - we'll call them aircraft - are displaying characteristics that are not currently within the US inventory nor in any foreign inventory that we are aware of.

'Things that don't have any obvious flight services, any obvious forms of propulsion, and maneuvering in ways that include extreme maneuverability beyond, I would submit, the healthy G-forces of a human or anything biological.'

Among the sightings were reports from pilots of two U.S. Navy Super Hornet fighters who spotted a UFO on a training mission.

They were 100 miles from San Diego in the Pacific when a call on their radios asked if they were carrying weapons.

The unusual request, that day in 2004, came from a naval cruiser, the Princeton, that had spent two weeks tracking unidentified aircraft.

Commanders David Fravor and Jim Slaight had only dummy missiles, but were directed to investigate objects that appeared suddenly at an altitude of 80,000ft, then plunged towards the sea.

At 20,000ft, they stopped and hovered before disappearing out of radar range or shooting up again.

The pilots could see nothing at first and then Commander Fravor looked down to the sea.

The water in one place was being churned by something just below the surface.

Hovering erratically 50ft above that spot was some sort of flying craft, around 40ft long, oval-shaped and whitish.

As the pilot descended towards it, it rose to meet him, but suddenly peeled away at an immense speed that he admits left him feeling 'pretty weirded out'.

The craft 'had no plumes, wings or rotors' but, seemingly travelling at a mile a second, easily outran America's fastest military jets.

Fravor's comrades made fun of him when he described the encounter, but others in the U.S. military, we now know, took him seriously.

For the episode was one of scores of unexplained encounters between military personnel and UFOs that were investigated by a top-secret, multi-million-dollar program run by the Pentagon.
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London Zoo has reopened following a deadly blaze that killed an aardvark named Misha and left four meerkats missing presumed dead.

An investigation is under way after half of a children's petting enclosure was gutted by the fire which engulfed a nearby gift shop, London Fire Brigade revealed.

Today, workers wearing breathing apparatus were pictured inspecting the devastating aftermath of the inferno.

The fire began in the Animal Adventure section of the zoo and destroyed the gift shop and cafe and could have quickly spread into the animal enclosures if quick-thinking keepers living on site had not raised the alarm.

Eight people were treated for shock and smoke inhalation after the blaze tore through an enclosure at the park on Saturday morning.

Desperate staff are believed to have risked their lives by smashing through glass in an attempt to save meerkats and other animals.

The four missing meerkats, named Robbie, Norman, Billy and Nigel, were brothers, born at the zoo in 2011, and 'well-loved by everyone for their friendly, curious nature' according to a spokesman.

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Experts were today inspecting the scene of the London Zoo fire which closed the attraction for a day and killed up to five animals. A probe is under way to find out what caused the blaze

Workers with breathing apparatus were pictured at the Adventure Cafe and Shop at London Zoo today. The zoo has reopened after it was forced to close yesterday

Staff could be seen inspecting the damage at the zoo today. Half of a children's petting enclosure was gutted by the fire which engulfed a nearby gift shop

The damage from the blaze could be seen on Adventure Cafe today. An investigation has been launched to find out what caused the fire in which several animals died

A member of the investigation team could be seen working his way through the charred remains of the Adventure Cafe and Shop at London zoo

The fire began in the Animal Adventure section of the zoo and destroyed the gift shop and cafe and could have quickly spread into the animal enclosures if quick-thinking keepers living on site had not raised the alarm

Pictures today revealed the devastating aftermath of the fire that ravaged London Zoo on Saturday. An aardvark died in the blaze and four meerkats are missing presumed dead

The cause of the blaze is still unknown but London Fire Brigade station manager David George said his specialist team would be going through the debris to see if they could spot any clues

London Zoo reopened today following a blaze on Saturday that killed up to five animals. Customers were pictured queuing up outside the attraction this morning

Despite the fire, customers were not put off visiting the zoo and as soon as the doors reopened people were spotted queuing to get inside

The fire began in the Animal Adventure section of the zoo and destroyed the gift shop and cafe and could have quickly spread into the animal enclosures if quick-thinking keepers living on site had not raised the alarm. The zoo reopened today

One customer was pictured walking past a poster for the zoo, advertising meerkats, four of which are now feared dead. The blaze also killed an aardvark named Misha

A zoo employee was checking out tickets as customers entered the attraction. The zoo reopened its doors just a day after a blaze tore through one of the enclosures

One aardvark - named as nine-year-old Misha - died following the 6am inferno, which began in the Animal Adventure section of the park before spreading to a gift shop and cafe. Pictured: The fire being extinguished earlier this morning

Four meerkats, meanwhile, have also been reported missing and are presumed dead. Pictured: Three of the little mammals that remain unaccounted for after the tragic blaze

Four meerkats, meanwhile, have also been reported missing. Pictured: Misha, who has died after the shocking fire at London Zoo

An upset member of London Zoo's staff is hugged by a fellow worker after the shocking blaze. Many members of staff were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire

The zoo said: 'Duty staff that live on site at the zoo were on the scene immediately, and started moving animals to safety'. Pictured: The roof smoking after being extinguished

Pictured: Smashed glass at the entrance to the meerkat enclosure after dozens of firefighters battled to extinguish a blaze at London Zoo yesterday

Desperate zookeepers are believed to have risked life and limb smashing their way through the glass at the meerkat enclosure to save the cute critters - as the neighbouring cafe was being gutted by fire

The zoo, which is based in Regent's Park in north London, closed for the day but has now reopened. Pictured: Zookeepers move animals after the disastrous fire

Llamas stand in their enclosure as firefighters remain on the scene following the devastating fire in London Zoo yesterday

Gamze Yildiz, 30, said: 'I was planning to go to the zoo today so this is really sad. I was scared that the zoo might get burned down when I heard about it but I'm very pleased they have got it out.' Pictured: The aftermath of the blaze

The London Fire Brigade said 72 firefighters and ten fire engines had worked to put out the fire at a cafe and shop area of the park, which is close to the meerkat enclosure

The female aardvark died following the 6am inferno.

The zoo was closed for the day, leaving families who had tickets for the Meet Santa experience unable to attend.

On Twitter the zoo told visitors who had booked to enter Santa's grotto that they would be offered a refund.

Today police and the fire brigade were continuing to probe what sparked the fire and customers were pictured queuing up outside as the zoo reopened.

London Fire Brigade station manager David George said it was not currently known what caused the fire.

Misha, who was nine, died during the fire. Four other animals - meerkats - are missing feared dead

He said: 'Our specialist fire investigation teams will be searching through the debris and looking and seeing if they can establish a likely cause for the fire.'

Dominic Jermey, director general for the Zoological Society of London, told the Press Association on Saturday: 'We are absolutely devastated that Misha has passed away.

'We had our vet team on site immediately but sadly there was nothing that they could do for Misha.'

Keepers who live at the zoo are believed to have sprung into action immediately to get as many animals to safety as they could.

The zoo was opened after 'consultation with fire experts', it said in a statement.

Misha was born at The Royal Burgers' Zoo in the Netherlands and arrived in London in 2008.

A London Zoo spokesman said: 'She was a great favourite of both zookeepers and visitors alike, both for her impressive digging abilities and friendly and gentle nature.'

Specialists are now keeping a close eye on all animals inside the Animal Adventure enclosure amid fears they may have inhaled smoke.

The zoo explained in a statement: 'Sadly our vets have confirmed the death of our nine-year-old aardvark, Misha. There are also four meerkats unaccounted for at this stage, and we have limited access to site to confirm this.

'We are all naturally devastated by this. It's too soon to speculate on the cause but we will be working very closely with fire investigators over the coming days and weeks to ascertain the cause.

'All other animals in the vicinity are being monitored closely by our vets, but early signs suggest they have not been affected. We will continue to monitor them over the coming days.'

The fire was under control by 9.16am.

A London Zoo spokesperson added: 'ZSL London Zoo can confirm that at approximately 6am on Saturday 23 December a fire broke out in the Animal Adventure section of the Zoo, and spread to an adjacent shop

The London Fire Brigade said 72 firefighters and ten fire engines were working to put out at the fire at the cafe and shop area of the park

Fire crews from Kentish Town, Paddington, Euston, West Hampstead and other stations were sent to the scene

Flashing blue lights of fire trucks could been seen inside the zoo as at least three engines waited outside

Firefighters at Adventure cafe and shop near the Meerkat enclosure at London Zoo where there was a blaze yesterday

London Zoo has refused to comment on how many animals and which breeds live in the Animal Adventure section

Smoke rises above London Zoo in a photograph taken from Primrose Hill just before dawn this morning

The blaze is understood to have taken around three hours to get under control and has left the air surrounding the top end of the park thick with smoke and burning plastic

The firefighters can be seen tackling the huge blaze at the zoo

The zoo, in North London, is one of the capital's most popular attractions. Pictured: The fire brigade on the scene

'Duty staff that live on site at the zoo were on the scene immediately, and started moving animals to safety.

'The London Fire Brigade were on the scene within minutes and the fire was brought under control by 9:16am.

'A number of zoo staff have been treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and shock.

'Our staff are now in the process of assessing the situation in difficult conditions.

'We are immensely grateful to the fire brigade, who reacted quickly to the situation to bring the fire under control.'

A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade added: 'Ten fire engines and 72 firefighters and officers were called to a fire at a cafe and shop at London Zoo this morning.

'The adventure cafe and shop were destroyed by the blaze, along with around half of an adjacent petting zoo.

'Crews remained at the scene throughout the morning damping down remaining pockets of fire.

'Sadly London Zoo confirmed that a much loved arrdvark called Misha died in the fire. Four meerkats are also missing, and are now presumed to have died.

The zoo was closed while vets worked to ensure the safety of all 2,000 animals. Pictured: A photograph of Misha in happier times

Tributes poured in for Misha on social media, with many people also hoping for the safe return of the meerkats. Steve Clode (pictured) wrote 'RIP Misha'

Dominic Jermey, director general for ZSL, said some staff were treated for smoke inhalation and shock. But most posts on social media were about the animal victims of the fire

Members of the public walking through Regents Park were devastated at how much of the site had been destroyed. Members of the public online were equally devastated by the death of Misha the aardvark

Many people online said they would pray for the safe return of the missing four meerkats, who London Zoo staff are still searching for

The blaze is understood to have taken around three hours to get under control and has left the air surrounding the top end of the park thick with smoke and burning plastic. Pictured: A lamentation for the fire's victims on Twitter

Other users stressed that the animals are the primary victims of the fire and criticised those who expressed sympathy for the humans affected

'During the incident one firefighter suffered a minor wrist injury and was taken to hospital as a precaution.

'Five others were also assessed on the scene by London Ambulance Service but remained on duty. A number of Zoo staff were also treated.

'The Brigade was called at 0608 and the fire was under control by 0916. Fire crews from Kentish Town, Paddington, Euston, West Hampstead and other surrounding fire stations were at the scene.

'The cause of the fire is under investigation.'

London Zoo has refused to comment on how many animals live in the Animal Adventure section.

Dominic Jermey, director general for ZSL, said some staff were treated for smoke inhalation and shock.

Mr Jermey said: 'Given the circumstances they are fine but they, like all of us, are absolutely devastated by this incident today.'

All other animals in the vicinity of the blaze are being monitored by vets, and early signs suggest they have not been affected.

A spokeswoman for the LFB said: 'Approximately half of an adventure cafe and shop, which also contains an animal petting area, is currently alight.' Pictured: The fire being extinguished after dawn

The spokeswoman added: 'It is not known if any animals are involved at this stage.' Pictured: Firefighters go into the cafe after dawn

Members of the public walking through Regent's Park were devastated after the fire.

Gamze Yildiz, 30, said: 'I was planning to go to the zoo today so this is really sad.

'I was scared that the zoo might get burned down when I heard about it but I'm very pleased they have got it out.

'I imagine the staff and animals now need some time to get over this, but perhaps I will come tomorrow.'

The London Fire Brigade said 72 firefighters and ten fire engines had worked to put out the fire.

A spokeswoman for the LFB said: 'Approximately three quarters of an adventure cafe and shop and half of the roof [was] alight.

'An animal petting area is nearby.'

She added: 'It is not known if any animals are involved at this stage.'

Pictured: Four firefighters on the scene with a hose. An aerial ladder was also used to fight the blaze, the fire brigade said

ZSL people press officer Emma Edwards said: 'The fire is in the adventure shop and cafe and the closest animals are in the children's zoo, a petting zoo with meerkats, porcupines, goats, pigs and other farmyard animals'

Specialists are now keeping a close eye on all animals inside the Animal Adventure enclosure amid fears they may have inhaled smoke

The zoo, which is based in Regent's Park in North London, was closed yesterday while the fire was investigated.

Flashing blue lights of fire trucks could been seen inside the zoo as at least three engines waited outside.

The blaze is understood to have taken around three hours to get under control and has left the air surrounding the top end of the park thick with smoke and burning plastic.

During the blaze, one firefighter suffered a wrist injury and was taken to hospital. Five other firefighters were assessed on the scene by paramedics but remained on duty.

A dog walker said: 'I could smell the fire from Camden Town, I thought it was going to be a huge blaze but it seems like they've got it, so I'm quite pleased.'

ZSL people press officer Emma Edwards said: 'The fire is in the adventure shop and cafe and the closest animals are in the children's zoo, a petting zoo with meerkats, porcupines, goats, pigs and other farmyard animals.'

Fire crews from Kentish Town, Paddington, Euston, West Hampstead and other stations were sent to the scene.

An aerial ladder was also used to fight the blaze, the fire brigade said.
A New York police officer who makes $173,000 a year has been allegedly caught shoplifting at a Banana Republic store.

Sgt. Tamas Balatoni was accused of switching price tags inside the SoHo store in Manhattan on Thursday night amid the Christmas shopping rush.

The 49-year-old officer was not arrested.

Sgt. Tamas Balatoni, 49, was accused of switching price tags inside the Banana Republic store in SoHo, New York (above) on Thursday night amid the Christmas shopping rush

He was instead stripped of his badge and reassigned to desk duties, police sources told the New York Post.

Balatoni, who lives on Staten Island, earns a base salary of $108,593. With overtime, his total earnings in the 2017 fiscal year was $173,525.

The alleged shoplifting incident will be looked at by the NYPD's internal disciplinary review process. They will also investigate why he wasn't arrested.

Balatoni has been on the force for 20 years and was most recently a driver for the NYPD's assistant chief, Edward Delatorre (pictured above), in Staten Island

Balatoni has been on the force for 20 years and was most recently a driver for the NYPD's assistant chief, Edward Delatorre, in Staten Island.

Sources said Balatoni is being urged to quietly retire to avoid disciplinary action.

'If he doesn't retire, he's probably going to get fired,' a source said.

'He's an embarrassment to the Police Department and to the profession itself.'
A Connecticut police bloodhound is recovering from minor injuries after he was found following a 36-hour search.

Texas, a K-9, was used as part of a Wednesday search for a man who had gone missing near Wooster Mountain in Danbury, the Hartford Courant reports.

The three-year-old ran off after his handler, Edward Anuszewski, accidentally dropped his leash due to a stumble during the search. Texas bounded off.

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Texas, a K-9 bloodhound for Connecticut's police force, bounded off on Wednesday during a missing person search. He was found on Friday morning after a 36-hour search and was reunited with his handler, Edward Anuszewski (pictured together)

Anuszewski had accidentally dropped the three-year-old pup's leash. The missing person was eventually found. Texas is pictured in a squad car

The dog was hungry and thirsty and had a cut on one paw but otherwise appeared to be fine, police said

More than 100 police officers, state troopers, firefighters and civilians joined in the search for the pup, who was found with his leash on Friday morning in nearby Ridgefield, about three miles from where he had gone missing.

He was hungry and thirsty and had a cut on his paw.

'Texas will be checked out by a vet but he seems to be generally OK,' a police spokesperson said.

Jeff Kehlenback, a special agent, eventually found Texas by calling to him near a woodland and tracing the howl he heard from the dog.

The pair was then spotted walking along a road by civilian Laura Stabell, who drove them to a local shooting range where the search party had gathered.

Texas and Anuszewski, a 28-year veteran of the force, had a tearful reunion, the Ridgefield Press reports.

More than 100 people - including civilians - joined in the search effort for the dog. Mayor Mark Boughton (left) tweeted about the eventual rescue. Texas was found by Jeff Kehlenback, a special agent. Civilian Laura Stabell then drove the duo to a shooting range parking lot, where the search party had congregated (Kehlenback and Stabell pictured at right)

'It was like having a Hollywood star in my van, with all the crowd cheering when we pulled up,' Stabell told the Ridgefield Press in reference to Texas.

Police say that over the span of his short live, the K-9 has saved multiple lives.

'That dog is one of us, it's not just a dog,' Connecticut State Police Captain David Delvecchia told Fox61.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said the dog was 'healthy and well,' WTNH reports.

The missing man was found on Wednesday by another K-9.
This is the man whose dead body was found next to a murdered woman who had been stabbed up to 30 times at a flat in Manchester.

Tributes have flooded in to 'beautiful and kind' Nicola Jayne Campbell, 30, who was discovered alongside John Lee Morris, also in his 30s, in a flat in Beech Mount in the Harpurhey area of the city on Friday morning.

A post-mortem revealed Ms Campbell died from multiple stab wounds and her death is being treated as murder.

Police are now awaiting toxicology reports to confirm the cause of Mr Morris' death, but said they do not think it was suspicious.

John Lee Morris' dead body was found next to murdered Nicola Jayne Campbell, who had been stabbed up to 30 times at a flat in Manchester

Tragic: Niki Campbell, pictured above, was found dead at a flat in north Manchester on Friday morning

A man and women, both in their 30s, were found dead in a flat in the Harpurhey area of Manchester at 10.10am on Friday morning

Friends and family of Ms Campbell, also known as 'NikNak', have left heartbreaking tributes to her on social media.

Paying tribute to Nicola, her mother Jayne said: 'Niki was not just my daughter but my best friend. Niki was the life and soul of the party. Always smiling and willing to help anyone.

'Niki was part of a close knit family and was a brilliant aunty. Niki was bubbly and a happy go lucky person. Her death has left us utterly heartbroken and feeling empty.'

Rachel Doyle posted on Facebook: 'Can't believe what I've just heard was only talking to her the other day. I've got so many memories of us in our younger daft days feel heartbroken. Fly high mate RIP Niki Campbell.'

Danny Salford wrote: 'Can't believe this another angel took away from us too soon you were the most loyal friend I've ever known you helped me in times I needed someone to talk to. My thoughts are with your family and friends RIP Niki Campbell gone but never ever forgotten.'

Natalie Rose described Niki as one of the 'most beautiful, kind and caring' people she had ever met.

Friends and family of Niki, also known as 'NikNak', have begun leaving heartbreaking tributes to her on social media and at the scene

Detective Chief Inspector Terry Crompton said that anyone with information which could help the investigation should get in touch

She added: 'Niki Campbell, can't get my head around the awful news. NikNak you truly was one of the most beautiful kind caring human beings I've ever met, and I will never forget you, in utter shock. RIP beautiful.'

A police spokesman said: 'At around 10.10am today, Friday 22 December 2017, police were called by the North West Ambulance Service to a property on Beech Mount in Harpurhey.

'On arrival, officers discovered the body of a man in his 30s and a woman in her 30s. The deaths are currently being treated as unexplained.

'Forensic officers and detectives will remain at the scene whilst investigations continue.'

Detective Chief Inspector Terry Crompton, of GMP's City of Manchester team, said: 'My thoughts are very much with the families and we are continuing to support them through this incredibly hard time.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths

Pat Kearney, Harpurhey ward councillor, said the deaths were especially shocking because they came so close to Christmas

'Our enquires remain ongoing and I would continue to urge anyone with any information that could help our investigation to please get in touch.'

One neighbour said the people who lived in the Victorian bay-fronted building which was split into flats were mainly male and tended to keep to themselves.

They added they were deeply saddened by the deaths.

Harpurhey ward councillor Pat Karney said the deaths were especially appalling given they came so close to Christmas.

He said: 'It's shocking at any time to hear about such tragedies, but doubly so three days before Christmas.

'Everyone in the Harpurhey community wants to extend their sympathies to the families of these relatively young people.

'The police tell us they are not looking for anyone else in relation to these deaths.'
Bitcoin is a virtual currency, the first of a new form of money held only online that can be used either to spend like cash or as an investment a little like a commodity such as gold.

Bitcoin, like other similar electronic currencies that have followed (Ethereum, Litecoin, Zcash and Dash), are stored online in a digital wallet and then spent on goods and services. Alternatively, you can exchange it for a traditional currency such as sterling. This can be done using a special pre-payment card that converts the cryptocurrency when a purchase is made.

HOW DOES IT WORK  AND HOW DO YOU BUY IT?

When Bitcoin was invented in 2009, it was aimed at techies who mined for it using Blockchain technology. Blockchain allows transactions to be managed cheaply, securely and anonymously in a kind of devolved online ledger with records of transactions held on thousands of computers.

To release coins a miner had to verify each transaction by solving a complex maths problem. But today, the Bitcoin revolution has extended beyond the techies and miners. Cryptocurrencies can now be purchased from specialist exchanges such as Coinbase, Kraken, Bittylicious and Bitstamp.

You can usually pay for the currency by credit or debit card or bank transfer. Exchanges are likely to make a charge for each purchase of cryptocurrency. For example, Coinbase charges 3.99 per cent for card purchases.

Oliver Isaacs, a technology investor and expert in cryptocurrencies, says: You can send a currency to another persons digital wallet so a Christmas present could be on the cards.

WHY HAS BITCOINS VALUE BOOMED?

The number of Bitcoins in circulation will never exceed 21 million. About 16 million have already been mined. The limit was set by a mysterious coding genius with the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin. This aims to ensure it will always have scarcity value.

The recent price rise  a nine-fold leap since the beginning of this year alone to $11,000 (8,000) at one point last week for a single Bitcoin  is partly due to growing interest from institutional investors and hedge funds.

But it is possible to purchase as little as a one hundred millionth of a Bitcoin (0.00000001 Bitcoin)  called a Satoshi.

WHERE AND HOW TO SPEND IT

A number of online and physical shops accept Bitcoin  from pubs and florists to holiday booking websites and charities.

Shoppers can pay online or use an app on their phone. They need to set up a virtual wallet first to store their coins. This acts like a bank account for receiving or using virtual currency  but without any consumer protection. To find shops accepting the currency visit wheretospendbitcoins.co.uk.

SHOULD YOU BUY? 'One year's winner can be next year's loser'

Warnings abound that investors heated love affair with Bitcoin can only end in tears.

The number of boasts of fortunes made from Bitcoin should ring alarm bells. Remember the rapid rise in share prices ahead of the bursting of the technology bubble in 2000?

Some experts warn of a 30 per cent correction in the Bitcoin price as soon as January. Others believe governments will clamp down because the secretive nature of these currencies makes them popular with criminals and also because they might undermine international currencies.

Justin Urquhart Stewart, of wealth manager Seven Investment Management, says: Bitcoins relentless march has the hallmarks of an investment trap. Investing in something just because it has gone up has never been sensible. One years winner can all too easily become next years loser.

But he is attracted to the technology behind the currency. He adds: Blockchain is more than a mechanism for moving money. It is about secure control of data and information. It could also be used in industries beyond financial services such as retail, healthcare and real estate.

Patrick Connolly, of financial adviser Chase de Vere, is nervous of the hype over an investment that is neither regulated nor offers consumer protection.

He says: We are not recommending any Bitcoin investments to our clients. Many people are investing without understanding the risks.

Benjamin Dives of start-up London Block Exchange says: If you are looking to invest you really need to do your homework.
Former FBI Director James Comey issued a statement in defense of the FBI's top lawyer James Baker who Republicans on Capitol Hill are trying to cast as a leaker.

'Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain,' Comey remarked on his Twitter account Friday night. 'James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better.'

Hill Republicans, who are attempting to sniff out political bias within the agency, have suggested that Baker  who is in the process of changing roles at the FBI  may have leaked information about the infamous dirty dossier to Mother Jones reporter David Corn.

Corn, who broke the story on the existence of the dossier, has stated that Baker was not his source.

President Trump, however, suggested something shady might be afoot in a Saturday afternoon tweet. 'Wow, "FBI lawyer James Baker reassigned," according to @FoxNews,' the president wrote.

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Former FBI Director James Comey defended the FBI's top lawyer James Baker on Twitter late Friday night, after Republicans have tried to connect Baker to leaks to the press

Former FBI Director James Comey used his @Comey Twitter account to defend James Baker, who is leaving his post as the FBI's general counsel as new director Christopher Wray selects his own senior staff

Politico put out a story Friday that quoted two unnamed Congressional GOP sources who told the publication that House Republicans are investigating contact between Baker and Corn in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election.

Corn broke the story on the dossier on October 31, 2016, eight days before the election.

The FBI's top lawyer James Baker (pictured) is being scrutinized by Congressional Republicans, who have hinted he may have leaked information to Mother Jones' David Corn

On October 28, 2016, Comey had told lawmakers that the FBI had found additional emails pertinent to the Hillary Clinton email investigation  a statement that the Democrat would later say helped her lose.

Corn's piece pointed out that then Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, sent a 'fiery' letter to Comey and revealed the existence of the dossier.

'In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government,' Reid wrote. 'The public has the right to know this information,' the Senate's Democratic leader told Comey.

Corn then laid out what he knew.

The liberal journalist said his primary source was a 'former senior intelligence officer for a Western country who specialized in Russian counterintelligence,' who told Mother Jones 'in recent months he provided the bureau with memos, based on his recent interactions with Russian sources, contending the Russian government has for years tried to co-opt and assist Trump  and that the FBI requested more information from him.'

It's since been reported that the dossier's author was Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence agent.

Two of the Washington Post's sources said FBI lawyer James Baker wasn't being 'reassigned' because of the agency's perceived political problems, but instead because new FBI Director Christopher Wray (pictured) was choosing his own senior staff

Corn also cited a 'senior U.S. government official not involved in the case' who called the dossier's source 'credible' and 'with a proven record of providing reliable, sensitive and important information to the U.S. government.'

In a statement to Politico Corn said, 'I'm not going to discuss my sources. But in order to prevent the dissemination of inaccurate information, I will say that James Baker was not my source for this story.'

Baker, however, was receiving attention because of a Washington Post story that came out Thursday that said he's being reassigned from his position atop the Office of General Counsel at the FBI.

Two of the Post's sources said the move didn't come because of the political controversies plaguing the FBI, but rather as part of the leadership transition at the hands of new FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was confirmed for the job in August.

The Post's story also pointed to Baker's involvement in a leak probe that involved news reports detailing surveillance techniques for a specific email provider.

A source told the paper that on that issue, Baker 'was distressed about it but was confident he hadnt leaked anything.'

That probe, the newspaper reported, had recently petered out.

Politico's story, which came out a day later, had Republican sources revealing that Baker had been in contact with Corn in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election, citing documents that had been provided to lawmakers recently by the Department of Justice.

Republicans sources told Politico that FBI attorney James Baker is being investigated for contact he had with Mother Jones journalist David Corn (pictured) in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election. It was during this time that Corn broke the first story on the dossier

David Corn has said James Baker was not his source for the story. The way Corn wrote the piece suggests he may have spoken directly with former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele (pictured) who reportedly compiled the Trump-focused opposition research

However, the story also noted that the congressional sources told the publication that there was no conclusive evidence that Baker assisted Corn with his reporting.

'But Republicans are pointing to the connection to cast suspicions about whether FBI officials had a hand in directing the details of the dossier to reporters, and the two sources said they expect it to be a focus on GOP investigators' upcoming lines of inquiry,' Politico wrote.

The contents of the dossier were also reportedly shopped around to reporters by Fusion GPS, the firm hired by Hillary Clinton's campaign to dig up dirt on Trump.

The dossier had originated as opposition research on Trump, first funded by an unknown Republican primary opponent and then taken over by the Democrats and Clinton's campaign.

Republican allies have questioned the FBI's use of the dossier, which has never been verified in full, as a way to cast doubt on the handful of investigations into Russian meddling of the 2016 election and any Trump ties.

The president has also made great hay over government officials leaking information to the media.

Questions about Baker's media ties began several days ago, Politico pointed out, when he appeared with FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe on Tuesday as McCabe took part in a closed-door session with the House Intelligence Committee, one of the panels investigating the Russia links.

GOP lawmakers in the meeting grilled McCabe on who at the FBI was allowed to talk to the media.

One Republican member then asked McCabe about a 'hypothetical,' outlining a meeting between the FBI's general counsel and a Mother Jones reporter, Politico said.

In front of the panel, McCabe  who has also taken recent heat from the president over alleged political bias  said a meeting between such an FBI official and a reporter would be unauthorized, as Baker was seated in the room.

The FBI's Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was reportedly asked about a 'hypothetical' conversation between the FBI's general counsel and a Mother Jones reporter in a closed-door meeting with the House Intel Committee, in which General Counsel James Baker was present

The House Intelligence Committee's ranking member, Rep. Adam Schiff scolded Republicans for leaking conversations from closed-door meetings to the press, as GOP lawmakers tried to cast top FBI lawyer James Baker as a leaker to the press

The committee's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, suggested it was Republicans who should be ashamed for leaking information about Baker to the media, as Politico's sources had done.

'While we do not comment on the substance of nonpublic investigatory interviews, congressional Republicans again appear to be leaking information in an effort to discredit the FBI and Justice Department in the hopes of undermining the Mueller investigation,' Schiff said.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has taken over the FBI's investigation into Russia and Trump.

'Disdainful of the damage they are doing to our system of checks and balances, they would drag down another public servant in order to protect the president at any cost,' said Schiff.

Besides his Capitol Hill testimony in June, Comey  who was fired by President Trump in May  has largely stayed away from FBI-related matters, using his social media presence to share timely quotes and inspirational phrases.

But on Friday night, he used his Twitter account to back a former colleague.

'He is what we should all want our public servants to be,' Comey said of Baker.
A 20-year-old man was stabbed after a mass brawl erupted outside a nightclub in a Mad Friday altercation.

Footage from the fight in Walsall town centre shows dozens of people throwing punches in the middle of the street as drivers have to avoid hitting them.

Several of the men taking part in the violence in Bradford Place ripped off their shirts before joining the fight that broke out just after 5am on Saturday.

A 20-year-old man was stabbed when a massive fight broke out in Walsall early Saturday morning

Footage from the early morning brawl shows dozens of people throwing punches in the middle of the street

The 20-year-old man who was stabbed during the violence was treated at the scene before he was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The fight erupted after someone was ejected from a nearby club, insiders told the Birmingham Mail.

It happened as thousands across the UK partied on what's known as Mad Friday, the last working day before Christmas.

The scene of the fight was closed to traffic until 11am on Saturday as police investigated the incident.

Several of the men taking part in the violence in Bradford Place ripped off their shirts before joining in the brawl

The fight erupted after someone was ejected from a nearby club, insiders said. It happened as thousands across the UK partied on what's known as Mad Friday, the last working day before Christmas

The scene of the fight was closed to traffic until 11am on Saturday as police investigated the incident

West Midlands Police said in a statement: 'A man was taken to hospital with stab wounds after disorder outside a Walsall nightclub in the early hours of Saturday December 23.

'Police were called to Bradford Place just after 5am where several people were reported to be fighting.

'Ambulance colleagues treated the 20-year-old at the scene before he was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries where he remains in a stable condition.'

Anyone who has information about the incident has been asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.
Sen. Jeff Flake, a lifelong Republican who is retiring from Congress in early 2019, continued to warn party members that the GOP is in trouble  and so is President Trump's tenure.

'When you look at some of the audiences cheering for Republicans sometimes you look out there and you say, "those are the spasms of a dying party,"' Flake said when asked if the GOP was in jeopardy of losing the House and the Senate next year.

Flake believed Republicans could lose their lock on both chambers because of the party's lack of diversity and some of the alienating rhetoric coming from Trump.

Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who will retire next year, went on ABC's This Week and warned the GOP that the party could be dying and President Trump could attract both a Republican primary challenger and an independent in the 2020 presidential race

Sen. Jeff Flake (left) sat down with ABC News' Jonathan Karl, who wanted to know if Flake had any presidential ambitions of his own. Flake answered that it's 'not in my plans,' but that he also doesn't rule anything out

President Trump is seen on Christmas Eve at Mar-a-Lago participating in a video conference with U.S. troops. Sen. Jeff Flake in an interview with ABC News on Sunday suggested the president's behavior could earn him a GOP primary and an independent challenger in 2020

'If he continues on the path that he's on ... that's gonna leave a huge swatch of voters looking for something else,' Flake said on ABC's This Week.

ABC's Jonathan Karl then asked the senator if he thought an independent challenger would come into the presidential race.

'Oh yes, I think he's inviting that,' Flake replied. 'He's probably inviting a Republican challenge as well.'

While Karl tried to get Flake to articulate any presidential ambitions he may have, the Arizona lawmaker answered 'that's not in my plans,' but 'I don't rule anything out.'

Karl also asked the senator if he thought Trump would make it through all four years of his first term.

Flake answered that he doesn't get 'caught up' on the impeachment chatter that's coming from the political left, though outlined a number of missteps the president has made in regards to the Russia matter.

'I mean, I look at that last campaign and I think, "Was the campaign even capable of colluding with anybody?" It was so chaotic and what not,' Flake said. 'But the problem is, as they always say, the cover up. And the sensitivity that the White House has to the special counsel and this investigation is troubling.'

As an example, Flake pointed to the May firing of FBI Director James Comey, a move by Trump that led to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointing Robert Mueller as a special counsel to take over the Russia probe.

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake donated $100 to Democrat Doug Jones writing 'country over party' on the check. Jones was running against accused pedophile Roy Moore for an Alabama Senate seat

'I still cannot figure out the rationale for the timing of the Comey firing,' Flake said. 'And if the president continues to try to undermine the legitimacy of that investigation and if Republicans continue to try to help with that, I think that puts us in peril, that we shouldn't participate in the undermining of our institutions that way.'

Looking ahead, Flake said it would be a 'big problem' if Trump decided to fire Mueller.

He also labeled it 'equally troubling' if the president pardoned former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty of lying to the FBI earlier this month.

As for the broader Republican Party, Flake was among those in the GOP who were deeply concerned by the president and the party's support of Roy Moore, the Alabama Senate hopeful who was accused of preying on teenage girls in the weeks leading up to the election.

Moore suffered an embarrassing loss to Democrat Doug Jones, who became the first Democrat to be elected in the bright red state in 31 years.

Flake had donated $100 to Jones' campaign writing 'country over party' on the check.

For Flake, Moore's loss was a good thing, suggesting the party could walk back from the ledge.

Despite criticizing President Trump (left), Sen. Jeff Flake (right) voted alongside his fellow Republicans to give the president a tax bill win. Here he's seen at the White House December 5, sitting next to the president as they address tax legislation at a luncheon

'But if we continue to go down that path, just to drill down on the base, then I think you'll have a lot of people realize there's no future for them in this party,' Flake said.

As for who the party is attracting, Flake outlined that too.

'We're appealing to older white men and there are just a limited number of them,' he said. 'And anger and resentment are not a governing philosophy,' the lawmaker also warned.

Flake dramatically announced his retirement from the Senate during a late October floor speech, where he criticized Trump, without saying the president's name, by pointing out that the executive's behavior has not been 'normal.'

At the same time Flake has continued to vote with his Republican colleagues in the Senate, giving  this week  Trump a much-needed win as Congress passed the first piece of major legislation in the Trump era, the tax bill.

'Let me put it this way, before the president came along on health care reform, repeal and replacement of Obamacare, I voted on it some 40 times. Should I change just to spite the president because he happens to favor the same reform that we do?' Flake mused. 'Same with tax reform, I've been pushing corporate tax reform, in particular, for years. Should I now turn the other direction just because the president happens to share our view?'

Flake will, however, give a handful of Senate floor speeches about the state of the union, with the first being on what Karl called 'Trump's relationship with the truth.'

The senator agreed with that characterization, explaining that 'we need as a democracy, as a country, shared facts that we can agree on.'

Flake expressed that he didn't like those institutions undermined by talk about 'alternative facts' or there being a 'rigged' political system, statements Trump or his allies have made.

Karl asked if that meant Flake was calling the president a liar.

'I'm not saying that,' the senator replied. 'We can all choose our own words. I don't use that word,' he said when pressed on the question again.
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More than 250 couples in India tied the knot on Sunday as part of a mass wedding hosted by an Indian diamond trader.

The mass wedding in Surat featured 251 young couples, including five Muslim couples, a Christian couple and two women who are HIV positive.

The celebration was hosted by Indian diamond trader Mahesh Savani in the western state of Gujarat.

A mass wedding in Surat in the western state of Gujarat, India, featured 251 young couples, including five Muslim couples, a Christian couple and two women who are HIV positive

The celebration was hosted by Indian diamond trader Mahesh Savani in the western state of Gujarat. A similar mass wedding is held by the diamond trader each year

Savani, who believes that giving away brides is a blessing from God, has been funding and organising mass weddings for fatherless women in Surat every year since 2012

During the mass wedding, Savani performs the Hindu wedding ritual of 'Kanyadaan' - the practice of giving away one's daughter in marriage

Savani, who believes that giving away brides is a blessing from God, has been funding and organising mass weddings for fatherless women in Surat every year since 2012.

He performs the Hindu wedding ritual of 'Kanyadaan' - the practice of giving away one's daughter in marriage.

Hundreds of brides in colourful ethnic attire and ornate jewellery performed their wedding rituals in front of thousands of guests in the city of Surat, a hub for the diamond polishing industry.

In previous years, Savani has given gifts of gold and household items, including sofas and beds, worth 500,000 rupees ($7,400) to each of the brides to help them start married life.

It is believed that this year's women will receive similar gifts.

Savani said he feels a 'social responsibility' to help the woman who can't afford their own weddings.

Hundreds of brides in colourful ethnic attire and ornate jewellery performed their wedding rituals in front of thousands of guests in the city of Surat, a hub for the diamond polishing industry. Pictured above, a bride, left and a groom perform rituals during the mass wedding

In previous years, Savani has given gifts of gold and household items, including sofas and beds, worth 500,000 rupees ($7,400) to each of the brides to help them start married life. It is believed that this year's women will receive similar gifts

Indian diamond trader Mahesh Savani, right, blesses Christian bride Priyanka Gamit before a mass wedding in Surat, India, on Sunday, during the mass wedding

Savani said he feels a 'social responsibility' to help the woman who can't afford their own weddings. Pictured above, a bride and groom take part in wedding rituals during the ceremony

Indian brides smile as they prepare to take part in Sunday's mass wedding in Surat. Weddings in India are expensive affairs with the bride's family traditionally expected to pay the groom a large dowry of cash and gifts

'I have taken the responsibility as their father,' he told the Indian Express. 'This time real estate developer Sanjay Movaliya is also helping us.'

Weddings in India are expensive affairs with the bride's family traditionally expected to pay the groom a large dowry of cash and gifts.

Fathers in India traditionally pay for their daughters' weddings, which can mean that if a bride's father has died or is extremely poor, her chances of getting married are next to nil.

Hundreds of people, mostly family members and neighbors of the couple, are hosted at lavish meals over a number of days adding to the costs.

Savani said he began his charitable campaign in 2008 when one of his own employees died just days before his daughter's wedding.

It is not known how much the giant ceremony cost.

Savani said he began his charitable campaign in 2008 when one of his own employees died just days before his daughter's wedding. Pictured above, a bride and a groom perform rituals during the mass wedding

Fathers in India traditionally pay for their daughters' weddings, which can mean that if a bride's father has died or is extremely poor, her chances of getting married are next to nil. Pictured above, Indian brides pose for photograph before the ceremony

A Christian couple perform rituals as fireworks and confetti go off during the mass wedding in Surat, India, on Sunday evening
Rupert Murdoch and his wife Jerry Hall have kicked off the festive season with a spot of Scrabble.

The media mogul, who is worth an estimated $12 billion, and his 61-year-old wife were snapped playing the board game on Christmas Eve as they celebrated with family in London.

Rupert, 86, and the former model were pictured sitting in a cozy living room as they rearranged pieces on the Scrabble board on Sunday.

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Rupert Murdoch and his 61-year-old wife Jerry Hall were snapped playing a game of Scrabble on Christmas Eve in London

Jerry, who went makeup free and wore her long blonde hair down, was spotted wearing glasses and a cozy knit sweater.

Jerry's son Gabriel Jagger also appeared in the shot as his girlfriend Molly hugged him.

Georgia, whose father is legendary rocker Mick Jagger, also earlier posted a selfie to her Instagram story with her dogs with the caption: 'They are already fighting about Scrabble'.

Jerry's son Gabriel Jagger (lefT) also appeared in the shot as his girlfriend Molly hugged him

Georgia, whose father is legendary rocker Mick Jagger, also earlier posted a selfie to her Instagram story with her dogs with the caption: 'They are already fighting about Scrabble'

It is not clear who took the snap of Rupert and his wife of almost two years but at least two of Jerry's four children were present for the Christmas festivities.

The couple were spotted out last week in London hand-in-hand to attend the Evening Standard's Christmas party.

Rupert's marriage to Jerry is the fourth for him and the second for Hall, who had a long relationship with Sir Mick Jagger. She shares four children with the Rolling Stones star; daughters Elizabeth, 33, and Georgia, 25 and sons James, 32, and Gabriel, 19.

The couple, who have 10 children between them, met in Australia in August 2015, when Jerry was touring Down Under with a production of The Graduate.
A fishing lake owner who put up a sign banning Polish and 'Eastern Bloc' anglers says it has been taken down after his family received threats.

Billy Evans of Field Farm Fisheries said he put up the sign because he had caught anglers stealing fish.

But he was met with a barrage of complaints and his family even received threats.

Mr Evans, fearing for the safety of his loved ones, took down the sign.

Mr Evans said he was now considering closing his fishery in Launton, Oxfordshire, to the public.

Billy Evans of Field Farm Fisheries said he put up the sign because he had caught anglers stealing fish

Polish fisherman Rado Papiewski, 35, raised more than 10,000 to launch a private prosecution to have the sign - which he called 'disgusting' - removed.

In a post on the website Crowd Justice he said: 'I was shocked when I visited this fishery in April and was told by the owner that he wont let me fish as I am from Poland, because all Polish end Eastern European anglers are here to steal from him.

'I felt very strong about the fact that I am being treated in this way - only because I was born in Poland.'

Evans (pictured) said he was now considering closing his fishery in Launton, Oxfordshire, to the public

Polish fisherman Rado Papiewski (pictured) raised more than 10,000 to launch a private prosecution to have the sign - which he called 'disgusting' - removed

Mr Evans told BBC News: 'The sign has been removed because of threats to my family.'

Mr Papiewski, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, runs Building Bridges for the Angling Trust, a project which aims to integrate foreign anglers into the British fishing community.

Mr Papiewski called the sign's removal a 'big step in the right direction', adding he was now seeking written confirmation that Mr Evans had changed his policy and that all anglers were now welcome on the site.

He said his legal team from Duncan Lewis Solicitors would 'provide a further update early in the New Year'.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission deemed the sign was unlawful and warned it would take 'enforcement action' if necessary.

And he believes the sign was even in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

An EHRC spokeswoman said it had written to the fishery to advise it to take it down.

'It's right to challenge such out-of-date practices and any business that believes this is acceptable should think again before they find themselves facing legal action,' she said.
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Pope Francis in Christmas Eve remarks likened the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave homelands for a better life, or just for survival, and he expressed hope that no one will feel 'there is no room for them on this Earth'.

The late-evening service in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday came after the pope's Angelus noon prayer, which he delivered from his studio window overlooking St Peter's Square.

The Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told faithful at late-evening Christmas vigil Mass that the 'simple story' of Jesus' birth in a manger changed 'our history forever. Everything that night became a source of hope'.

Pope Francis holds his pastoral staff as he celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday evening

The Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told faithful at late-evening Christmas vigil Mass that the 'simple story' of Jesus' birth in a manger changed 'our history forever. Everything that night became a source of hope'

Catholic faithful flocked to the Vatican to take their seats in St Peter's Basilica on Sunday to attend to the Pope's Christmas Eve Mass

Francis was surrounded by Cardinals and thousands of members of the public as he held a Christmas Eve Mass on Sunday night

Pope Francis celebrates during the traditional midnight Mass in St Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve at the Vatican on Sunday

Noting that Mary and Joseph arrived in a land 'where there was no place for them', Francis drew parallels to contemporary time.

'So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary,' he said in his homily. 'We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day.

'We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.'

Francis has made concern for economic migrants, war refugees and others on society's margins a central plank of his papacy.

He said God is present in 'the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognizable, who walks through our cities and our neighborhoods, who travels on our buses and knocks on our door'.

That perception of God should develop into 'new forms of relationship, in which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this Earth,' he said.

Pope Francis has previously used his public events around Christmas to discuss the current state of the world and what can change for the better

Pope Francis unveils a statue of Baby Jesus as he celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday evening

Pope Francis kisses a statue of baby Jesus during Sunday's Christmas Eve Mass at St Peter's Basilica. It came after the pope's Angelus noon prayer, which he delivered from his studio window overlooking St Peter's Square

Francis is set to deliver his Christmas Day message 'urbi et orbi' - Latin for 'to the city and to the world' - on Monday from the central loggia of the basilica overlooking St Peter's Square

Children carry bouquets of flowers to the statue of Baby Jesus during Sunday's Christmas Eve Mass at St Peter's Basilica on Sunday

After unveiling the statue of Baby Jesus and greeting it with a kiss, Pope Francis held it in his arms. Like years before, children from countries that Francis has visited as Pontiff were invited to watch him speak inside the grand 16th Century church - one of the largest in the world

As the bells of St Peter's Basilica rang out at the start of Mass, Francis entered in flowing white robes before unveiling a statue of baby Jesus

Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders 'who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood', said the 81-year-old, who will give his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' Christmas address on Monday

His Christmas message traditionally notes world events and trouble spots, while aiming to strike a hopeful note as the year winds down

'Christmas is a time for turning the power of fear into the power of charity,' Francis said.

He urged urged the world's 1.3billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants who are 'driven from their land' because of leaders willing to shed 'innocent blood'.

Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders 'who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood', said the 81-year-old, who will give his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' Christmas address on Monday.

As the bells of St Peter's Basilica rang out at the start of Mass, Francis entered in flowing white robes before unveiling a statue of baby Jesus, which he gently kissed to start the event.

Like years before, children from countries that Francis has visited as Pontiff were invited to watch him speak inside the grand 16th Century church - one of the largest in the world.

Noting that Mary and Joseph arrived in a land 'where there was no place for them', Francis drew parallels to contemporary time during his homily on Sunday

Francis urged urged the world's 1.3billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants who are 'driven from their land' because of leaders willing to shed 'innocent blood'

Francis said God is present in 'the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognizable, who walks through our cities and our neighborhoods, who travels on our buses and knocks on our door'

That perception of God should develop into 'new forms of relationship, in which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this Earth,' he said

It is unclear how many exactly attended Sunday's Mass, but St Peter's Basilica has a capacity of 60,000. The 81-year-old pope, who was born of Italian immigrant stock in Argentina, has made defense of migrants a major plank of his papacy, often putting him at odds with politicians

Pope Francis delivers a blessing at the end of the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday evening

Francis also condemned human traffickers who make money off desperate migrants as the 'Herods of today' with blood on their hands, a reference to the Biblical story of the king who ordered the killing of all newborn male children near Bethlehem because he feared Jesus would one day displace him

The children left flowers around the statue of baby Jesus before Francis, 81, addressed the thousands who gathered at the basilica.

It is unclear how many exactly attended Sunday's Mass, but St Peter's Basilica has a capacity of 60,000.

The 81-year-old pope, who was born of Italian immigrant stock in Argentina, has made defense of migrants a major plank of his papacy, often putting him at odds with politicians.

Austria's new chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has aligned himself with central European neighbours like Hungary and the Czech Republic in opposing German-backed proposals to distribute asylum seekers around EU member states.

In elections in Germany in September, the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made significant gains, with electors punishing Chancellor Angela Merkel for her open-door policy and pushing migration policy to the top of the agenda in talks to form a coalition government.

Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League, whose leader Matteo Salvini often gives fiery speeches against migrants, is expected to make gains in national elections next year. A law that would give citizenship to children born in Italy to migrant parents is stalled in parliament.

In his homily, Francis said, 'Our document of citizenship' comes from God, making respect of migrants an integral part of Christianity

Pope Francis, background center, celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday evening

Pope Francis celebrates mass on Christmas eve marking the birth of Jesus Christ on Sunday at St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Pope Francis holds the book of the Gospel as he celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday

Pope Francis delivers his homily during the Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, where he addressed thousands of people in attendance

It is unclear how many exactly attended Sunday's Mass, but St Peter's Basilica - one of the largest churches in the world - has a capacity of 60,000

In his homily, Francis said, 'Our document of citizenship' comes from God, making respect of migrants an integral part of Christianity.

'This is the joy that we tonight are called to share, to celebrate and to proclaim. The joy with which God, in his infinite mercy, has embraced us pagans, sinners and foreigners, and demands that we do the same,' Francis said.

Francis also condemned human traffickers who make money off desperate migrants as the 'Herods of today' with blood on their hands, a reference to the Biblical story of the king who ordered the killing of all newborn male children near Bethlehem because he feared Jesus would one day displace him.

More than 14,000 people have died trying to make the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean to Europe in the past four years.

Francis is set to his Christmas Day message 'urbi et orbi' - Latin for 'to the city and to the world' - on Monday from the central loggia of the basilica overlooking St. Peter's Square.

The message traditionally notes world events and trouble spots, while aiming to strike a hopeful note as the year winds down.

Christmas Eve and midnight Masses are held around world as Pope addresses the Vatican

From the Middle East and Western Europe to the United States and China, millions of people attended Midnight and Christmas Eve Masses on Sunday night to prepare for holiday celebrations.

Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem on Sunday, but many tourists stayed away this year.

Hundreds of people gathered in the cold on Bethlehem's Manger square to watch the annual scout parade towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus.

In neighbouring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017.

Christmas decorations have meanwhile become more visible in Christian areas of Syria's capital Damascus this year.

In Iraq too, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Pakistani Christians attend midnight Christmas mass at St. Anthony's church in Lahore, Pakistan, on Sunday

A Christian woman prays during midnight Christmas Mass at St. Anthony's church in Lahore, Pakistan

A Christian woman prays during midnight Christmas Mass at St. Anthony's church in Lahore, Pakistan

Archbishop Gintaras Grusas greets worshipers during the Christmas celebration midnight Mass at the Cathedral-Basilical in Vilnius, Lithuania

Priests and clergy process to attend the Christmas celebration midnight Mass at the Cathedral-Basilical in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sunday

People attend a Christmas Eve mass at the Saint Antuan Church in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday

A priest attends Christmas Mass at Saint Antuan Church in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, on Sunday

People light candles during Christmas Eve mass at the Saint Anthony of Padua Church on Sunday in Instanbul, Turkey

People attend a Christmas Eve mass at the Saint Antuan Church in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday

Catholics attend the Christmas Eve mass in the Xuanwumen Catholic Church in Beijing, China, on Sunday. Christians in China attend church masses as they prepare to celebrate the religious holiday to commemorate the birth of Christ

Catholics receive the Eucharist during the Christmas Eve mass in the Xuanwumen Catholic Church in Beijing, China, on Sunday

Chinese bishop Joseph Li Shan (center) takes part in the Christmas Eve mass in the Xuanwumen Catholic Church in Beijing on Sunday

Members of a choir sing during the Christmas Eve mass in the Xuanwumen Catholic Church in Beijing, China, on Sunday

Two Santa Clauses pose for photo outside the Xuanwumen Catholic Church in Beijing, China, on Sunday

Iraqi priests lead the prayers during a Christmas mass at the Saint Paul's church in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Dozens of Iraqi Chaldean Christians from Mosul held their prayers at Saint Paul's church for the first time after the expulsion of the Islamic state state group from the city

Iraqi Christians attend a Christmas Eve Mass in St. Joseph's Church in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sunday

Iraqi Christians attend a Christmas Eve Mass at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad on Sunday

Iraqi Christians attend a Christmas Eve Mass at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad

A Baby Jesus is presented as part of Christmas Eve Mass at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad on Sunday

Iraqi Christian children attend a mass at Church of Saint George in Teleskof, Iraq, on Sunday

People arrive for a Christmas eve mass at The 'Flussschifferkirche' floating church in the Baumwall area of Hamburg, Germany

The 'Flussschifferkirche' boat church was first built especially for Inland sailors who navigate the rivers and canals

People listen to music during a Christmas eve mass at The 'Flussschifferkirche' floating church in the Baumwall area of Hamburg, Germany

The Rev Tom Braak, a retired priest from Marshalltown, Iowa, uses a candle in a cupcake to celebrate the birth of Jesus during the Homily for children given at the Christmas Eve Mass on Sunday

The head of the Catholic church in Bosnia-Herzegovina Cardinal Vinko Puljic, center, holds a Christmas mass in Sarajevo's main Cathedral

A Bosnian Croat woman offers prayer as she attends a Christmas Eve Mass in Sarajevo's main Cathedral on Sunday

US soldiers serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo together with Kosovar Christians attend the midnight Christmas mass eve in Cathedral of St. Mother Teresa in Kosovo capital Pristina on Sunday

Kosovar children dressed as angels pray prior to the Christmas mass eve, marking the birth of Jesus Christ at the Mother Teresa cathedral in Pristina on Sunday

Egyptian Catholics attend the the Christmas Eve Mass at the Saint Joseph Church in Cairo on Sunday

A boy is carried by his father as he receives Holy Communion during a mass on Christmas eve at Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Cairo, Egypt

Father Farah carries statue of Jesus Christ during the Christmas Mass at the Saint Joseph Church in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday

oussef Abssi, the Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (left), attends a mass at al-Zaitoun church at the Christian-dominated Bab Sharqi neighborhood in Damascus, Syria

Christian devotees pray during Christmas mass in Colombo on Monday morning. Christians account for some six per cent of Sri Lanka's 21million people
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Thousands of U.S. troops stationed overseas are celebrating Christmas without their loved ones.

Far from home, soldiers are doing their best to maintain Christmas cheer as a momentary respite from life in a combat zone.

Heartwarming photos show Christmas Eve celebrations at a U.S. airfield in Bagram, north of Kabul.

Scroll down for video

Members of the U.S. army take a picture with a soldier dressed as The Grinch, of Dr Seuss lore, during Christmas Eve celebrations at a U.S. airfield in Bagram, north of Kabul, Afghanistan

Two troops enjoy cupcakes during the celebration. Thousands of U.S. troops stationed overseas are celebrating Christmas without their loved ones

Members of the U.S. military dressed as The Grinch and a Who from Whoville pose for a photograph. Far from home, soldiers are doing their best to maintain Christmas cheer as a momentary respite from life in a combat zone

A soldier is dressed as Santa Claus complete with a white beard. Other soldiers sported Santa hats or reindeer ears while otherwise being clad in army gear

Soldiers dressed as Santa Claus and one even dressed as The Grinch, the infamous Dr Seuss character who once tried to steal Christmas.

Other soldiers sported Santa hats or reindeer ears while otherwise being clad in army gear.

The celebrations come after President Donald Trump kicked off his Christmas Eve by participating in a video conference with American troops stationed around the world.

'I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas,' the president said.

U.S. armed forces mebers sign carols on a stage decorated with a Christmas tree and an inflatable Santa Claus-reindeer sleigh apparatus

General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks during the ceremony. The celebrations come after President Donald Trump kicked off his Christmas Eve by participating in a video conference with American troops stationed around the world

Pictured is another view of Dunford speaking. 'I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas,' the president said in his video conference

A member of the U.S. military sporting reindeer ears passes out cupcakes of various types during the Christmas Eve ceremony

Members of the U.S. military pose with an American flag during the ceremony. During his video conference, Trump said: 'We say "Merry Christmas" again, very, very proudly.' The comment serves as a reiteration of his position on saying 'Merry Christmas' rather than 'Happy Holidays'

'We say "Merry Christmas" again, very, very proudly,' Trump added, repeating his position on saying 'Merry Christmas' over 'Happy Holidays.'

'We're going to have a great year, an incredible year,' the president promised the military members.

'I'm thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people,' Trump continued.

'Today and every day we're incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous,' he added. 'Always underappreciated. Military families. The greatest people on earth.'

A member of the U.S. Air Force wears a Pittsburgh Steelers hat during the ceremony. 'We're going to have a great year, an incredible year,' the president promised the military members

A member of the U.S. military holds a photograph of his father during the ceremony. 'I'm thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people,' Trump continued during his video conference speech

Pictured is another view of Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Joseph Dunford speaking on a decorated stage during the Christmas Eve ceremony

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that a roadside bomb on Christmas Eve killed seven civilians in the southern Helmand province.

Haji Salam Khan, a provincial council member, said Sunday's explosion killed seven civilians and wounded three others. Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, confirmed the attack but did not provide a toll.

No one immediately claimed responsibility.

The Taliban have a strong and growing presence in the area.

A solider takes a photograph of another soldier posing with the Grinch-bedecked soldier. The Grinch infamously tried to steal Christmas before becoming a better individual through personal growth

A soldier dressed as Santa and one dressed as The Grinch playfully do battle during the event. 'Today and every day we're incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous,' Trump said during the conference

Another member of the U.S. army distributes cupcakes during the ceremony; to his right another soldier leans back and takes a photograph. The cupcake-distributing soldier sports an elf hat

A woman wearing a Santa Claus hat bedecked in snowflakes claps and sings along during the celebration. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that a roadside bomb on Christmas Eve killed seven civilians in the southern Helmand province

A member of the U.S. military sporting reindeer ears arrives at the celebration. Haji Salam Khan, a provincial council member, said Sunday's explosion killed seven civilians and wounded three others. Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, confirmed the attack but did not provide a toll

U.S. troops are greeted with high-fives from The Grinch, Santa Claus and the Whoville resident as they arrive for the Christmas Eve ceremony

U.S. troops laugh during the celebrations at the U.S. airfield in Bagram, north of Kabul, on December 24
An American man who was paralysed after falling through a roof to chase a monkey in Bali which had stolen his beloved Steelers hat has raised $60,000 from strangers who are eager to help with his recovery.

Jeff 'Swede' Swedenhjelm was injured on Monday as he tried to stop the animal from steeling his hat.

The fall left him paralyzed from the chest down and his family say he is now losing sensation in his fingers.

On Sunday, they shared their gratitude with well-wishers who have raised $60,000 via a GoFundMe page to fly him home in a Medevac.

They hope to raise $100,000 to ensure he has enough money to pay for treatment once back in the US.

Jeff 'Swede' Swedenhjelm was injured on Monday as he tried to stop a monkey from steeling his Steelers hat. He has been left paralysed and is raising money to fly home to Florida in a Medevac

Friends and family have so far raised $60,000 out of their $100,000 goal on a GoFundMe page

'First of all we would like to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for all your support at this very difficult time. Your donations, kinds words, prayers and positive energy give us hope that we can get through this.

'The current situation is that Swede is now stable and recovering from the Pneumonia which was brought on by his lungs and breathing muscles being paralysed.

'He is still in ICU with a breathing apparatus but is upbeat,' they said on Saturday.

Swede, who is able to communicate with them, shared his own message.

'No wrath left uncloned, mighta been there, mighta done that, yet my path alone.

'Bali clobbered me but I can't be hobbled see, and when I mount this comeback it's gonna leave the world wobbling on its D,' he said.

Swedenhjelm, 40, is paralyzed from the chest down after falling 33 feet from a roof

Swede (before the fall) has been living in Bali for years. His family in Florida say he cannot afford to get himself home without help

The man's family in Destin, Florida, say he moved there years ago and does not have the money to pay for himself to get home.

Those with him in Bali said they feared local doctors would use the opportunity to delay treatment and try to get more money out of him.

They desperately want to fly him out of Indonesia and are hopeful that the campaign will go viral.

The Steelers have not yet acknowledged the campaign or Swede's injury.

The donations amassed were given by almost 1,000 people online.
A fire that broke out at a luxury five-star hotel on Loch Lomond and killed two people may have been caused by a Christmas tree.

Staff who first raised the alarm at Cameron House Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond are understood to have told 999 operators that a 12ft-high decorated tree in the main reception area was ablaze.

It is thought that the tree was the cause of the fire that killed two men.

The 12-ft Christmas tree in the main reception area of the Cameron House Hotel may have caused the fatal blaze at the luxury hotel which killed two men

A source told the Sunday Post: 'The first call to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service came from the hotel reception to report the tree was alight, at 6.40am on Monday morning. The 999 call was made by a member of staff.'

The flames are believed to have spread up through the hotel, along cavities between the brick outer walls and wood panelled or plastered interiors.

An emergency service worker who attended the blaze confirmed the tree had been identified as a priority for investigators.

He said the 70 firefighters tackling the blaze, in which two men died and six people were taken to hospital, were faced with deadly, dense smoke.

Simon Midgley (right), 32 and his partner Richard Dyson (left), 38, died in the fire that also saw six people injured

He said: 'Smoke spread so quickly that fire crew could barely see in front of themselves as they scoured rooms looking for trapped victims.

'Flames had travelled up the void between the outside and inner walls.

'This acted like a chimney to stoke the spread of the fire.'

An emergency service worker who attended the blaze confirmed the tree had been identified as a priority for investigators

By noon the floors were caving in and fire crews were ordered to evacuate the building for fear of their own lives.

Temperatures reached 1,000C, setting the roof ablaze.

Simon Midgley, 32 a freelance journalist and PR manager, and his partner Richard Dyson, 38, a TV producer, died in the fire.

By noon the floors of the hotel were caving in and fire crews were ordered to evacuate the building with temperatures reaching 1,000C

One of the men is understood to have been found close to a window, after trying to force his way out.

Attempts were made by paramedics to resuscitate one of the couple on the hotel lawn but they couldn't revive him.

Newlyweds Andrew and Louise Logan watched in horror as their baby son, Jimmy, was tucked under the arm of a fireman and carried down a ladder from their third-floor bedroom window.

The three of them were rushed to hospital in Glasgow, suffering smoke inhalation, but were later discharged.

Staying in the room directly below the Logans were Matt and Hannah Munns, and their five-year-old son.

70 firefighters are reported to have tackled the blaze which got so hot that the roof caught fire

Matt, 47, from Leeds, said: 'Just after half-six in the morning we were woken by the fire alarm going off.

'I thought it was a test drill then I began to hear shouts and screams.

'My wee boy opened the bedroom door and smoke started coming in and we realised it was for real.

'We grabbed phones, shoes and coats and ran out into the corridor.

Newlyweds Andrew and Louise Logan watched in horror as their baby son, Jimmy, was tucked under the arm of a fireman and carried down a ladder

'We managed to get to the reception but it was already in flames and we couldn't get out that way.

'We could see the flames through the double doors.

'It was very frightening because there was a lot of smoke but one of the staff shouted on us to follow them to another way out and it was such a relief to be outside in the fresh air. Then the windows started blowing outwards and we watched the drama as the firemen rescued a baby from the room above ours.

'All the time I was trying to shield everything from my boy.

'He was pretty upset and wanted to go home so later that day we drove back to Leeds.'

A total of 200 guests had to be evacuated from the building.

200 guests were evacuated from the five-star hotel with some fleeing the blaze dressed in little more than their hotel robes

The fire continued to burn for 24 hours and has left the five-star hotel - a 300-year-old mansion - very badly damaged.

A Fire Scotland spokeswoman said: 'The fire at Cameron House Hotel is still under a police and fire investigation. We can't comment on the cause at this time.'

Cameron House declined to comment.

The hotel is a 300-year-old mansion that has hosted guests such as Robbie Williams and Sir Sean Connery

After the fire, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'This is absolutely dreadful news. My heart goes out to the loved ones of those who have died, and to all those affected.

'My thanks also to our brave firefighters and emergency services.'

Hotel guests  many wearing little more than bath robes  were taken to the hotel's Boathouse restaurant while fire crews fought the blaze a few hundred yards away.

Simon Midgley was a freelance journalist and PR manager, while his partner Richard Dyson, was a TV producer

From the safety of the restaurant, many posted messages on social media to let their loved ones know they were all right.

Ainsley Huxham from Dumfries, tweeted: 'Never have I ever been so scared of death until this morning waking up to a fire outside my hotel room.'

Jim Slight, 57, from Dalkeith, Midlothian, described the horrific scene as he and his wife fled.

Mr Slight, who had been celebrating his birthday at the hotel, said: 'The alarm went off at 6.40am. We exited via a fire door and then walked past the front of the building and the main entrance.

'Smoke was billowing from the building. We could see two of the rooms were filled with smoke. And just as we were passing the corner of the building we heard glass smashing above. That's when three people came out on the balcony.'

The hotel is a popular wedding venue, has a championship standard course for golfers and houses the Michelin star Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond restaurant

Cameron House is a popular wedding venue and houses the Michelin-starred Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond restaurant. It last changed hands for around 80million in 2015.

The hotel is said to have had showbiz guests including Robbie Williams, Cameron Diaz and Sir Sean Connery.

The luxury hotel is owned by US investment firm KSL Capital Partners, which was reported to have paid between 70 million and 80m for the 132-room property in 2015.
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Skies will be sunny over most of Australia for Christmas with warm temperatures forecast for barbeques and pool party across much of the country.

But some on the east coast will have to lay out their ham and turkey across the dinner table with downpours expected in Brisbane, Darwin and the northern NSW coast.

Christmas morning looks very gloomy in Sydney with totally overcast skies and a few earlier showers, but the rain should be held at bay by afternoon, although there is little chance of much sun.

Christmas morning looks very gloomy in Sydney with totally overcast skies and a few earlier showers - but that didn't deter people from early-morning dips

The rain should be held at bay by afternoon, although there is little chance of much sun

An entire family headed to Bondi Beach on Christmas morning, keeping warm with jumpers in temperatures of less than 20C

The farther north you get, the worse weather you're likely to get, with rain hitting everything north of Newcastle by afternoon and storms developing in Brisbane by evening.

It's not all gloom in Brisbane as daytime should be mostly sunny, so enjoy the 34C temperatures outdoors while you can.

Melbourne also looks a bit gloomy this morning but that won't last long as the clouds should clear by lunchtime with a comfortable top of 22C.

Hobart residents also need to enjoy the fine weather while it lasts with a maximum of 21C forecast for the day but rain expected by evening.

Lifeguards tried to make the beach festive for the early-comers by sticking a decorated tree in the sand

A couple donned festive Santa hats and rugged up as they sat on the beach waiting for the weather to warm up

A man with a board slung over his shoulder has a very festive pair of novelty pants making it appear he is riding on Santa's shoulders

Elsewhere in Australia will have comparatively scorching temperatures but little chance of rain, like Adelaide where the mercury will hit 29C but without a cloud in the sky.

Perth will as usual have hot and dry conditions, hitting 33C while being completely sunny, with much higher temperatures farther north pushing into the 40s.

Huge parts of the Northern Territory and North Queensland will feel the heat with maximums of up to 42C, but northern WA will have the hottest days with Paraburdoo hitting 45C.

Darwin will be a comparatively chilly 30C, but with wet season in full swing can expect a rainy Christmas with showers likely developing into thunderstorms.

A rapidly-moving fire is devouring bushland and forcing resident evacuations in Sydney's west

At 9.20pm, the bushfire was still blazing out of control at Mulgoa as firefighters defend houses

A rapidly-moving fire is devouring bushland in Sydney's west as temperatures soared to 41C

Sydney's cooler temperatures and forecast rain will be welcome news for some at least, with firefighters still battling out-of-control fires in the west fuelled by 40C weather earlier in the week.

Families in Mulgoa, near Penrith, had to flee their homes on Christmas Eve as dangerous fires broke out and were spread quickly by high winds that continued on Christmas morning.

It has been one of the warmest years on record, with many parts of Australia reaching 40C heat earlier in December, but the weather looks to be a mostly gloomy affair for Sydney and Brisbane on Christmas Day.

'It's going to be a beautiful day for many parts of the country, probably one of the most stable and quietest weather days we've seen for most, not all, parts of the country,' senior forecaster Dean Narramore said.

Cooling off: Bondi Beach was packed on Sunday morning

Sydneysiders soaked up the sun on Sunday morning

While most of the country will enjoy a spectacularly sunny day on December 25, the sunshine will struggle to peak through the clouds and intermittent showers across NSW and Queensland (Pictured is Sydney)

However Christmas Eve in Sydney (pictured) will be a scorcher with tops of 34C and a small chance of thunderstorms

Mr Narramore said the temperature will warm up mid-week in much of southeast Australia before the next 'weather maker' moves through on Thursday into Friday, which could result in some showers and storms.

It is too early to predict the weather for New Year's Eve, he added.

Senior climatologist Dr Andrew Watkins said Sydney and Brisbane should be a little cooler than normal during January, while Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth are looking a little warmer.

Senior climatologist Dr Andrew Watkins said Sydney and Brisbane should be a little cooler than normal during January, while Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth are looking a little warmer (Stock image)

The following two days in Melbourne (pictured) will be a welcome change from the heavy rains which battered the region this week

'We're looking at some warmer conditions through southeastern Australia and also in the southwest as well - warmer days but also unfortunately a few warmer nights, a bit more uncomfortable for sleeping,' Dr Watkins said.

'In terms of rainfall, possibly a little wetter through NSW and Queensland, particularly in the eastern half of the state, but elsewhere the odds aren't really strongly swinging towards a wetter or drier January.'

Dr Watkins said Australia is experiencing La Nina conditions, but nowhere near as strong as the last La Nina in 2010-12 that caused widespread flooding rain over January.

He said 2017 is expected to have been among the top five warmest years on record for Australia, and in the top 10 for NSW, Queensland, Victoria and possibly South Australia.

Annual rainfall will have been close to average.
They've all made a name for themselves on the international stage.

But Australian celebrities and royals alike have embarked on the long journey back home for Christmas to celebrate the festive season with their friends and family.

Daily Mail Australia counts down the stars who are Down Under for the holidays.

They're back! Australian celebrities and royals alike have embarked on the long journey back home for Christmas to celebrate the festive season. Pictured: Ruby Rose and Jess Origliasso

Ruby Rose and Jessica Origliasso

Ruby Rose playfully announced her return home on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, telling viewers she was 'nervous' about coming home.

The 31-year-old, who admitted she has a rule about spending Christmas in Australia every year, said she was afraid of the 'stalker pig' she gave her mother six years ago.

'Euphemia' the pig was a gift from Ruby to her parents, but grew extremely large - much larger than the original 'teacup' size it was advertised to be.

It apparently 'stalks' the Pitch Perfect 3 star around the house, which is something she'd rather avoid this holiday season.

Ruby's girlfriend Jessica Origliasso - who is one half of pop duo The Veronicas - will also join her in Australia.

Hello handsome! The Hemsworth brothers and their leading ladies are in Australia for the holidays. Pictured: Chris Hemsworth and his family

The Hemsworth family

The Hemsworth brothers and their leading ladies are in Australia for the holidays.

Chris Hemsworth, 34, and his Spanish wife Elsa Pataky, 41, have already been spotted on the beaches of Byron Bay catching waves with their three children.

Liam, 27, and his fiancee Miley Cyrus - who rekindled their romance around Christmas two years ago - will be spending December 25 in Nashville.

But they will fly to Australia before New Years Eve to be with the rest of his family.

The on-off couple has long been the subject of 'secret wedding' rumours, leading fans to speculate they will elope Down Under.

An 'insider' told HollywoodLife Miley was struggling to buy a gift this year because Liam 'isn't into material things' - perhaps signalling they will tie the knot as the most romantic gesture of all.

Holiday plans: Liam Hemsworth and his fiancee Miley Cyrus will be spending December 25 in Nashville, but they will fly to Australia before New Years Eve to be with the rest of his family

Will they tie the knot? The on-off couple has long been the subject of 'secret wedding' rumours, leading fans to speculate they will elope Down Under

Kylie Minogue

While she divides her time between Australia and London, Kylie Minogue will be waiting for Santa to arrive Down Under this year.

The 49-year-old has been in Australia promoting the film Swinging Safari, which is set in a typical Australian beachside neighbourhood in the 1970s.

Kylie will star alongside her former Neighbours co-star Guy Pearce, as well as Julian McMahon and Asher Keddie.

National treasure: While she divides her time between Australia and London, Kylie Minogue (third from left) will be waiting for Santa to arrive Down Under this year

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness

Hugh Jackman, who flew to Australia to promote his new film The Greatest Showman, has been spotted enjoying the Sydney weather with co-star Zac Efron.

The Wolverine star, 49, had previously spoken about his plans for 'Hot Christmas' on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this month.

Hugh's actress wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 62, is also around for the holidays.

Back in action! Hugh Jackman, who flew to Australia to promote his new film The Greatest Showman, has been spotted enjoying the Sydney weather

In town: The Wolverine star, 49, had previously spoken about his plans for 'Hot Christmas' on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this month

Couple: Hugh's actress wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 62, is also around for the holidays

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie has also returned home for the first time in a year, spending some time in Byron Bay, New South Wales for a friend's hens party.

But on Christmas Day she'll be on the Gold Coast with her mother Sarie Kessler - something she has been looking forward to for a while.

'Obviously (I miss) big things like my family and my friends, being there to see my nephew grow up, weddings, funerals, all those big important moments where everyone comes together,' she told The Courier-Mail about living overseas.

She added: 'To be away during those things sucks. But even the small things suck. Like, I miss Burger Rings, I miss Nutri-Grain! I can't wait to go back.'

Girl's day out! Margot Robbie has also returned home for the first time in a year, spending some time in Byron Bay, New South Wales for a friend's hens party

Home girl: On Christmas Day, Margot will be on the Gold Coast with her mother Sarie Kessler - something she has been looking forward to for a while

Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts looked elegantly chic arriving at Brisbane airport on Saturday, touching down in the Sunshine State with her two sons just in time for Christmas.

'HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone!! Wishing for a fantastic 2018,' she captioned an Instagram snap of the family wearing striped onesies.

'HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone!! Wishing for a fantastic 2018': Naomi Watts arrived in Brisbane with her children on Saturday

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman capped off her big year by returning to her native Australia.

Speaking with US Weekly, the 50-year-old actress revealed her plans to spend the festive season by the beach with husband Keith Urban and their daughters, Sunday and Faith, as well as their extended families.

'We go back for the heat. We want to be on the beach for Christmas, no snow!' she said.

Nicole celebrates Christmas as a practicing Catholic, and it's believed she will spend time with her mother, Janelle, who lives in Sydney, as well as Keith's mother, Marienne, who is based on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Famous face: Nicole Kidman capped off her big year by returning to her native Australia

'We go back for the heat. We want to be on the beach for Christmas, no snow!' Nicole is known to prefer spending the holidays Down Under

One big happy family! Nicole Kidman visited Palm Beach with her children and sister Antonia

Princess Mary

For the last few weeks, Princess Mary has been spotted with her husband Prince Frederik and their four children on Sydney's Palm Beach.

'The Crown Prince couple travel together with their four children, TRH Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, to Australia and celebrate Christmas with the family of HRH The Crown Princess,' the royal family said in a statement.

They have been soaking up the sunshine, and enjoying morning runs together and playing in the waves.

A royal arrival! For the last few weeks, Princess Mary has been spotted with her husband Prince Frederik and their four children on Sydney's Palm Beach

Erin McNaught

Model Erin McNaught has touched down on the Gold Coast with her sons Van and Ennio, poking fun at the summer weather on her Instagram.

'London-Shmondon,' she captioned a bikini snap, tagging her location as the idyllic Sanctuary Cove.

She is joined on the trip her husband, British musician Example (real name: Elliot Gleave).

'London-Shmondon': Erin has been poking fun at the summer weather on her Instagram

Back home! Model Erin McNaught has touched down on the Gold Coast with her sons Van and Ennio, and husband Example (real name: Elliot Gleave)

Joel Edgerton

Australian actor Joel Edgerton has also been spotted flying into Sydney Airport, carrying a bag from The Ritz Carlton.

The 43-year-old was in Los Angeles on Wednesday raising money for Australian charity The Fred Hollows Foundation.

'I finally had some time. I took a trip to Nepal, and then I took trips to regional Australia and had a look at the work they were doing,' Edgerton told The Hollywood Reporter.

'I kind of got a little intoxicated by it because the work they're doing is so immediate, it's so present.'
He is recognised as one of the soap's leading hardmen, with a long history of undertaking dangerously harmful tasks.

And Phil Mitchell [Steve McFadden] is set to prove no different as he will come to blows with nemesis Max Branning [Jake Wood] in the highly anticipated Eastenders' Christmas episodes - armed with a deadly gun.

This shocking clash will come amid the unruly death of a main character this festive season.

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Dangerous: Phil Mitchell is set to adhere to his hardmen persona as he will come to blows with nemesis Max Branning in the highly anticipated Eastenders' Christmas episodes - armed with a deadly gun

In images from the imminent scene, the mechanic appears frantic as he holds onto the pistol weapon - set for use on Max.

Phil progresses the heated encounter into a full blown fight as he is pictured furiously hitting the fictional father to Lauren and Abi Branning.

Dressed in dark attire, the scene is expected to send fans into meltdown in conventional Eastenders style.

Heated: Phil progresses the encounter into a full blown fight as he is pictured furiously hitting the fictional father to Lauren and Abi Branning

This physical encounter comes amid conformation that there will be a death during the Christmas special episodes.

In the images, Max appears in deep sorrow outside a church hall, as he is surrounded by a coffin and condolence flowers.

According to The Daily Star, the show's bosses ensured all relevant cast members were on set to distract speculation on who the character could be for the highly secured plot.

Show boss John Yorke revealed: 'I came up with this line "Someone old, someone new, someone's dead, someone's blue".

Black Christmas: This Christmas Day is set to deliver one of EastEnders' traditional festive tragedies - as bosses have revealed there will be a shock death

'We really want this Christmas to be full of shocks and surprises and we have some shocking twists coming up.'

This refers to the fact that the characters of Linda and Mick Carter [played respectively by Kellie Bright and Danny Dyer] are set to renew their wedding vows after a tumultuous year.

EastEnders has celebrated boosted ratings this year thanks to it's extreme storylines.

Ho Ho... No! Show boss John Yorke revealed -- 'I came up with this line "Someone old, someone new, someone's dead, someone's blue"'

In addition to the Carter renewal, Stacey Fowler [Lacey Turner] and Max Branning will find themselves re-igniting the spark after their affair was exposed 12 years ago.

Yorke used to be the soap's script editor but now runs things; he's been instrumental in bringing fan favourites like Mel back, as well as Kat and Alfie Moon [Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie].

The couple's return has also prompted the characters of Big Mo [Laila Morse] and Jean Slater [Gillian Wright] to return.

High drama: Stacey Fowler [Lacey Turner] and Max Branning [Jake Wood] will find themselves re-igniting the spark after their affair was exposed 12 years ago

Ten years later: Yorke hinted that as well as a death, the Christmas instalments of the show will bring Max and Stacey's affair 'full circle' - with first-look pictures promising steamy scenes on Christmas Eve

Another return: Yorke used to be the soap's script editor but now runs things; he's been instrumental in bringing fan favourites like Mel back, as well as Kat and Alfie Moon [Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie]

Meanwhile, Yorke has promised that 'strong women are back at the heart of the show' as he teased a Christmas episode details.

Yorke hinted that as well as a death, the Christmas instalments of the show will bring Max and Stacey's affair 'full circle' - with first-look pictures promising steamy scenes on Christmas Eve.

The executive producer said: 'I realised there were a lot of stories running that lent themselves to significant endings, but one story was crying out in particular for the EastEnders treatment.

Back in the spotlight: Meanwhile, Yorke has promised that 'strong women are back at the heart of the show' as he teased a Christmas episode details

'I was head of department of continuing drama 12 years ago, when the Brannings were introduced to Albert Square, and the temptation to square that circle and bring that story to a full ending was pretty hard to resist.

On the dramatic climax to come, actor Jake Wood told the Press Association: 'I think the Christmas episodes are some of the best I've ever read.

'It feels like you're at the centre of something very special so I'm just honoured to be in that position.'
If theres one character whos stealing the limelight this festive season, its the Highway Rat.

As star of the BBCs animated family special, this swashbuckling rogue is expected to attract up to ten million viewers on Christmas Day, including two small royal ones.

Prince William has said that Prince George and Princess Charlotte are both fans of the book characters created by Britains top picture book creators, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

And though Highway Rat is their worst ever baddie  he robs every animal he meets to feed his cravings for sugary treats - its still hard not to sympathise with such a sweet tooth - especially at Christmas time.

So how did the film-makers turn a book for pre-schoolers that takes eight minutes to read into a half hour TV special?

Tanith Carey discovers the fascinating secrets behind this magical family film.

Highway Rat shows off his moves: This loveable rogue isnt just familiar because the animators stuck so closely to Axel Schefflers illustrations

This loveable rogue isnt just familiar because the animators stuck so closely to Axel Schefflers illustrations.

Its also because the programmes director threw in a dash of 18th century Highwayman Dick Turpin, matinee vigilante Zorro and even Eighties pop star Adam Ant from his Stand and Deliver music video.

Director Jeroen Jaspaert, said: I watched everything I could think of from Adam Ant, to get his dandyish nature, to the old TV series about Dick Turpin, starring Richard OSullivan, and even the Carry On Film, Carry on Dick. But to avoid Highway Rat being too dastardly, Jeroen says researched the more playful elements of Zorro, a masked swordsman who defends the weak and the poor against injustice.

For example, Dick Turpin is portrayed as pulling up his scarf to cover up his face while Highway Rat wears an eye mask like Zorro.

Zorro would also use his sword to draw a Z in the clothes of the people he overcomes, but he never hurts them.

When it came to Highway Rats hat, even illustrator Axel was not completely sure what sort it was, adds Jeroen.

So we gave him a tricorn hat like the one in Poldark.

As the rat goes marauding around the countryside, his trusty steed happily hoovers up the left-overs, including the stump of this carrot

There are certainly partners in crime  to begin with atleast.

As the rat goes marauding around the countryside, his trusty steed happily hoovers up the left-overs, including the stump of this carrot.

Producer Michael Rose told the Mail: One of the challenges is that rat is baddie, but we also needed to make him loveable and someone you could empathise with.

So we wanted to give him a close and fond relationship with his horse so they are team.

Its only when Highway Rat starts to go badly off the rails, and oversteps the mark by eating his own horses hay, that they part company.

Writer Julia Donaldson was inspired to write the book by her childhood love of the poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes.

However at first she was admits she was unsure what kind of animal to make him.

I went through bad animals; it's usually a wolf or a fox and I thought 'I can't quite see them on the horse!'

When she decided on a rat, illustrator Axel was thrilled because rodents are his favourite subjects to draw.

He says: The scale of horse and rat and the animals is of course completely unrealistic, but picture books have their own logic and anything is possible.

The next animal Highway Rat meets wandering along the highway is a lady rabbit

Now he has practiced his swordplay, Highway Rat is keen to grab another snack. The next animal he meets wandering along the highway is a lady rabbit.

When he insists she hands over her pastries and puddings at first she is simply baffled because the treats in her basket are a bunch of clover.

Michael Rose, of Magic Light Pictures, who made the special, says: Highway Rat is still new on the scene. So at first when he demands her pastries and puddings, she is slightly impressed and then bemused until he turns a bit threatening.

With so few lines of dialogue  the film-makers didnt add anything at all to the books rhyming couplets  it was also important that the actors had recognisable voices which could maximise every line.

For the role of the rabbit, Frances De La Tour, best known for her roles in Seventies sitcom Rising Damp and Harry Potter, was asked to step in.

However its never made clear what turns Highway Rat to a life a crime. But there is a clue in the fact that that like all the creatures on two legs in the film, Rabbit is taller than Highway Rat.

Director Jeroen says: He is shorter than all the other characters which may explain why he needs to show off so much  he has a touch of short man syndrome.

When Highway Rat comes across a squirrel pushing a barrow containing a sack of nuts, played by Rev and Night Manager star Tom Hollander, it doesn't take much to reduce him to a quivering wreck

Emboldened by his success, Highway Rats notoriety has spread far and wide  and now there are Wanted posters on every tree.

So when Highway Rat comes across a squirrel pushing a barrow containing a sack of nuts, played by Rev and Night Manager star Tom Hollander, it doesn't take much to reduce him to a quivering wreck.

To give the book, written in 2011, an update, the animators also tweaked some of the characters outfits.

Director Jeroen says; We only took clothes from the illustrations that we felt would be worn nowadays.

I remember saying that we needed to think about Shoreditch hipsters and what they still wear.

So the squirrel still has a little necktie, and other animals got hipster braces, or tweed jackets.

But though the squirrel is being browbeaten, the animals didn't want Highway Rat to cross the line into violence.

Indeed, he rarely uses his sword to threaten.  I wanted it to be a fencing sword with a nice little wobble and a rounded tip so its clear it would not pierce anyone.

5. Highway Rat lying down eating.

Director Jeroen says: I liked the idea he has not got perfect teeth. As a character obsessed with sweet things, we imagined he would not have the best dental care'

As he continues his life of crime, Highway Rat steals milk from a cat, honey from some bees, a leaf from some ants and even his horses own hay.

But his favourite treat by far is a pink cupcake he robs from a duck.

But as he gets more despotic  even taking away food he doesnt like because he can  the other animals get thinner, and he gets plumper.

Its not just Highway Rats waistline that suffers from his lust for sweet treats.

So do his teeth which are yellow and uneven.

Director Jeroen says: I liked the idea he has not got perfect teeth. As a character obsessed with sweet things, we imagined he would not have the best dental care.

In animation, it also bothers me when characters are too symmetrical because it looks so slick and artificial.

If there is an unevenness, it draws the audience in a bit more because they feel they are seeing a real character.

To make the characters move convincingly  and feel like real animals, all of them were also made into plasticine figures of up to 15cm high to see how they would look from every angle so they could be modelled accurately by computer.

Highway Rat is also the first of Julia Donaldson and Axel Schefflers books to feature animals who wear clothes.

It meant that the animators had to work out exactly how the materials they wear would move, particularly Highway Rats cape.

Joreon says: In the book, the rat also has a ruffled shirt from his neck to his belt.

But we reduced that to a frilly collar, which is easier to animate, and fastened his cloak with a red broach.

We also wanted his cape to feel like it was made from a heavy curtain like material so it had plenty of swoosh. I modelled something similar myself to show how it would move for the animators. Its also apt that Scottish actor David Tennant is the voice of the Highway Rat.

When author Julia Donaldson and her husband Malcolm perform the book for schoolchildren, they always give him a thick Glaswegian accent because the couple lived in the city for 25 years.

The rat is convinced when Duck calls to her sister inside to ask if she has any biscuit and buns and they hear her call back. In fact, its only an echo

There is one feisty creature however who wont cave in to the Highway Rats demands  a cunning duck.

As the treats starts to run out, he gets his nastiest yet and threatens to eat her.

Just in time, the crafty bird, played by Last Tango in Halifax star Nina Sosanya, distracts him by promising to show him an Aladdins Cave full of biscuits and buns where her sister lives.

The rat is convinced when Duck calls to her sister inside to ask if she has any biscuit and buns and they hear her call back. In fact, its only an echo.

Director Jeroen says actress Nina needed to put a lot of emphasis on her promise of goodies in order to get the biscuit bandit to change his plan.

She needed to sound really enticing to almost put him into a trance-like state where he could imagine this world of treats.'

7. Duck helps Highway Rat imagine a cave full of treats

As part of their research to make the world look complete as possible, director Jeroen took a group exploring the caves near their base in Capetown

The biggest challenge for the animators was to turn the 2D book in which the characters are seen from the side  into a complete three dimensional world.

It took a crew of up to 140 animators 18 months to make the special  and most of the animation was done at a studio in South Africa.

As part of their research to make the world look complete as possible, director Jeroen took a group exploring the caves near their base in Capetown.

We had to crawl in the opening very much like the one in the film. But it

gave the artists a chance to see rocks and see how shiny they were.

Otherwise Jeroen says the landscape in the film is a mixture of the Yorkshire Moors and Southern Scotland.

In the early scenes, the weather is bright and sunny but the skies get stormier as Highway Rat becomes more tyrannical. The landscape also gets more barren to show how far Highway Rat is prepared to travel in search of sugary treats.

8. Fireflies show Highway Rat the way out.

As he stumbles around in the dark, trying to find a way out, he falls into a watery crevice and cant climb out.

Having been tempted inside, Highway Rat has a shock to find that the instead of mountains of sweets, all he can find are slimy stalactites and stalagmites.,

As he stumbles around in the dark, trying to find a way out, he falls into a watery crevice and cant climb out.

When he sees a reflection of his fearful face in the pool, he recognises it as the same expression he saw in the animals he robbed.

Now feeling sorry for what he has done, he throws off his cape, mask and sword.

Producer Michael Rose says: When he sees his reflection, he remembers the awful things hes done to others.

At that point we allow for two fireflies to come and lead his way out of the cave.

He emerges a humbler, greyer and meeker rat.

9. Parent and child animals come out of cake shop

Rat now emerges from the cave to find thick snow and a pretty lit-up town in the valley below

Its not a Christmas special without a snowy scene.

Rat now emerges from the cave to find thick snow and a pretty lit-up town in the valley below.

Director Jeroen says: With so little dialogue, another important aspect is to make the sound effects as vivid as possible

It means that sound rat makes as he walks through the thick snow outside the cave  where it is deeper - and the sound it makes when he walks in the town  where it is crunchier- are different.

There is the same attention to detail to sound effects through-out the film, adds Jeroen.

Our sound designer Adrian Rhodes has a complete library he has recorded live.

So for example for the duck quacking, he gave me a choice of seven different types.

For the horse, he recorded a range of sounds form the horse in the field next door to his home, so we could choose bellowing or breathing sounds that had some personality or emotional meaning in them.

10. Rat looking though the glass counter at the Gruffalo biscuit

As he wanders into the cake shop, Rat believes he has finally found heaven as he presses his nose to the glass counter to look at the mouth-watering wares

As he wanders into the cake shop, Rat believes he has finally found heaven as he presses his nose to the glass counter to look at the mouth-watering wares.

In almost every book, creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler include a hidden Gruffalo as a tribute to their best-selling book, which has sold over 13 million copies since it was published in 1999.

In their last animated Christmas special, The Stick Man, which aired two years ago, the monster popped up on a bauble on the Christmas tree. This time, he makes an appearance as one of the cookies.

Look carefully at the cakes and you will also see a Yule Log in the shape of Stick Man too. Director Jeroen says; Weve had a few screenings in front of children and one of the biggest reactions we get is when he sees the Gruffalo biscuit and the kids also get that moment of recognition.

You get the feeling the biscuit is something theyd like to eat themselves.

When the cake falls as the shopkeers gives it to her, the rat proves he has changed his ways by catching it and returning it to her

When Duck pays a visit to stock up on goodies for Christmas, she is shocked to see her nemesis, this time brought down a peg, dressed in an apron and holding a broom now he is employed to sweep the crumbs off the floor.

When the cake falls as the shopkeers gives it to her, the rat proves he has changed his ways by catching it and returning it to her.

Author Julia Donaldson says she knows some people don't think he is sufficiently punished in the book, but I like to think hes a long way from his victims doing his community service.

But then as we all know, temptation is harder to resist when you have sweet tooth.

Even though the chastened rat, gallantly returns the cake to his customer, he still manages to grab a sneaky finger-ful of the pink icing.

See Highway Rat on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 4.45pm and also on
They've decided to spend Christmas in Australia after moving to London five years ago.

And model Erin McNaught looked delighted to be back her hometown with her husband Example (real name Elliott Gleave) as they celebrated their son Van's third birthday by the beach on Friday.

The 35-year-old looked every inch the doting mother as she cradled her son Ennio, three months, during the festivities at Brisbane's South Bank Parklands.

Yummy mummy! Erin McNaught looked every inch the doting mother as she cradled newborn Ennio at her son Van's third birthday party in Brisbane on Friday

Dressed in a stunning floral off-the-shoulder top and white denim shorts, Erin happily flaunted her golden tan on the balmy summer day.

Her eldest son Van wasn't shy about playing with the wildlife, as he was seen taking a pair of tongs and clapping them at a nearby bird.

Van, who is the spitting image of his English musician father, was being watched over carefully by Example.

Love is in the air! Erin and her musician husband Example (real name Elliott Gleave) were even spotted stealing a kiss during the family trip Down Under

Erin and Example - who married in Ballina, New South Wales five years ago - were even spotted stealing a kiss during the family trip.

The Queensland-born model later shared several her own pictures from another day at the park, with Van seen jumping into the water for a swim.

He also took to the children's playground with aplomb, sliding down a slope with his watchful mother by his side.

He's on the run! Their eldest son Van wasn't shy about playing with the wildlife, as he was seen taking a pair of tongs and clapping them at a nearby bird

Lively lad! He also took to the children's playground with aplomb, sliding down a slope with his watchful mother by his side

The family has decided to come to Australia for the holidays, after several years of celebrating Christmas in chilly England.

On one of her first days back on home soil, Erin donned a maroon-coloured bikini in her backyard and soaked up the sun.

'London-Shmondon,' she playfully captured the snap.

Australian Christmas! On one of her first days back on home soil, Erin donned a maroon-coloured bikini in her backyard and soaked up the sun
Ferne McCann's ex-boyfriend and the father of her child, Arthur Collins was jailed last week for a monstrous acid attack injuring 22 people.

And the reality star, 27, has reportedly lost weight as she struggles to cope with the abuse from online trolls after her ex-boyfriend's sentencing,The Mirror reports.

The former TOWIE star is said to have been left 'distraught' and isn't sleeping after her seven-week-old daughter Sunday, whom she shares with Arthur, was targeted by 'vicious' trolls.

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'She is worried and distraught': Ferne McCann 'lost weight and sleep' as her daughter Sunday was targeted by 'vicious' online trolls after the dad of her baby Arthur Collins was jailed

The source told the publication: 'Ferne isnt bearing up well at all. Were all really worried. She isnt sleeping well and is finding all the unwanted attention hard to deal with.

'People are being really vicious and are even being mean about Sunday. She is distraught.

'Before Arthur was sentenced Ferne was getting a lot of positive support but now the tide seems to be changing  its not nice at all.'

MailOnline has contacted Ferne's representatives for comment.

Guilty: Ferne's ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins, 25, was jailed for twenty years on Tuesday after being found guilty of an acid attack in east London, which injured 22 people in April

The television sensation's only joint interview with ex-boyfriend and now jailbird Arthur was recently unearthed - and shows signs their romance was doomed from the start.

Arthur, 25, was jailed for twenty years after he was found guilty of an acid attack in east London, which injured 22 people in April.

Just one week before the attack however, he and Ferne had released an interview with OK! - which not only spoke of their future together, but also saw the reality star, 27, overlook Arthur's 'bad boy' past.

Looking back: Ferne's only joint interview with ex-boyfriend and now jailbird Arthur Collins has been unearthed - and shows signs their romance was doomed from the start

During their year-long romance past Facebook posts of Arthur's, which discussed class-A drugs with his friends, emerged online, and left her fans shocked.

In the now-heartbreaking interview however, former TOWIE star Ferne stood by her beau, and admitted her belief he had changed - just one week before his shocking attack at Mangle nightclub.

Discussing the evidence of his bad-boy past, she simply said: 'We all did silly things when we were teenagers.'

Heartbreaking: The interview, released on the day of the acid attack, heard Ferne gush of her romance with Arthur, and claim they plan to marry and have children in the future

The interview, which hit shelves on the day of the acid attack, also saw Ferne gush of their blossoming romance with Arthur, and confess her hopes the pair would marry and have a family in the future.

Despite only a year of romance, she told the magazine: 'We spend every night together anyway. Moving in is definitely the next step. And I know that seems a bit rushed, but when you know, you know.'

She even touched upon their future nuptials - revealing the pair had been discussing a relaxed beach wedding, with Ferne matching the theme with bare feet and flowers in her hair.

Stand by you: It also saw Ferne overlook his bad boy past, with the star stating of his previous Facebook posts discussing Class-A drugs: 'We all did silly things when we were teenagers'

Troubled: Their loved-up display has been unearthed online, one day after Arthur was found guilty of an acid attack and jailed for 20 years, with an extended license of five years

The pair first got together in summer 2016, but had just reconciled after a brief break at the time of the interview.

During their time apart, the reality star had continued on her quest for love by going on E4's Celebs Go Dating - something Arthur confessed he had not been happy about.

He said: 'I only watched it a few times  I was a little bit [jealous], yes! I didn't watch too much of it because I didn't want to see her going on dates.'

Their loved-up display has been unearthed online, one day after Arthur was found guilty of an acid attack and jailed for 20 years, with an extended license of five years.

Fateful night: The 25-year-old had hurled acid across the dancefloor at Mangle nightclub near Dalston and injured 22 - three of whom who testified in court

Solo: Three weeks after the attack, Ferne confirmed she was pregnant with his child, and broke down on ITV's This Morning as she revealed her plans to raise the baby alone

The 25-year-old had hurled acid across the dancefloor at Mangle nightclub near Dalston and injured 22 - three of whom who testified in court.

Arthur, who branded the crime 'a silly little mistake', was seen winking at his family as he was given his sentence by Judge Noel Lucas QC, who branded him a 'calculating liar'.

He also said Collins had not shown the 'slightest remorse' after the 'deliberate and calculated attack' in April.

Three weeks after the attack, Ferne confirmed she was pregnant with his child, and broke down on ITV's This Morning as she revealed her plans to raise the baby alone.

She welcomed daughter Sunday in November, and took her to visit Arthur in Category A Belmarsh prison once - reportedly telling him: 'This is the last time you will see either of us.'

Just the two of us: She welcomed daughter Sunday in November, but has since cut contact with Arthur and has told him he will never see them again
Her sudden departure from Channel Nine over a pay dispute made headlines across Australia - and even caught the attention of the New York Times.

But despite the controversy, Lisa Wilkinson can still count on the friendship of her former colleague, The Voice and Today Extra host Sonia Kruger.

Sonia, 52, has taken over Lisa's annual Carols By Candlelight hosting duties but assured The Sun-Herald there is no hard feelings between them.

'We'll have a glass of champagne in the New Year!' Sonia Kruger said there's no hard feelings between herself and Lisa Wilkinson following her shock departure from Channel Nine

Lisa has reportedly been texting 'messages of support' to Sonia with the suggestion they meet up over the New Year.

'We've been texting each other and the plan is to have a glass of champagne in the new year,' Sonia told the Sunday newspaper.

'Lisa literally lives about five minutes away from me. We will no doubt head to the beach... and have a good old catch up.'

Cheers to that! Lisa has been texting 'messages of support' to Sonia with the suggestion they meet up over the New Year, according to The Sun-Herald

'He sent over four amazing dresses': Meanwhile, Sonia fretted over what to wear for her Carols By Candlelight debut - but fortunately designer Alex Perry was on hand to save the day

Meanwhile, Sonia fretted over what to wear for her Carols By Candlelight debut.

'I texted Alex Perry and said, "Help"... he sent over four amazing dresses, including a red ball gown... He's never getting it back,' she said.

Sonia will fly from the show to the Gold Coast in order to be with her brother's family come Christmas day.

The end of an era! Former Today host Lisa had been the honourary carols emcee alongside Karl Stefanovic and David Campbell for 10 years. Now Sonia is taking over the reigns

In October, Lisa left the Today show after a decade working alongside Karl Stefanovic, reportedly over a gender pay gap issue.

She is set to join Channel Ten's The Project at the beginning of 2018 but has been taking well-earned time off over the holiday season.

Meanwhile, Sonia, who is a mother to two-year-old Maggie, continues to host Today Extra alongside David Campbell.
SKANEATELES  The village of Skaneateles's streets were filled with people Sunday, some picking up last minute Christmas presents or walking their dogs while others enjoyed some caroling from the village's Dickens Christmas performers.

Many Skaneateles small business owners agreed that the Christmas season is one of the busiest for the lakeside village and the annual Dickens Christmas celebration draws visitors from around the state, which in turn drives people into their shops.

Merchants throughout the village sponsor Dickens Christmas festivities, which is organized by the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce.

"It's wonderful that the chamber does all they can to help the businesses in this town," said Ann Neibert, owner of Aristocats and Dogs Pet Boutique. "Business from Dickens helps us get through the winter. We all appreciate Dickens."

Neibert, who has owned the small pet store with her husband David for almost 10 years, said the increased business at Christmastime helps small business owners get through the lull in tourism the village experiences during winter.

Besides a providing a boost in business, Neibert said the Dickens Christmas celebration is just fun. She enjoys when the characters  dressed in Victorian clothes and sporting British accents  come into the shops and interact with her and the customers.

Neibert said Scrooge himself stopped by her store Sunday and wished her and her customers a Merry Christmas.

Kay DiNardo, the owner of Vermont Green Mountain Specialty Co., said while business is steady for her coffee and chocolate shop throughout the year, it intensifies during the holiday season.

"Dickens is a great draw, not only for me but the town in general," DiNardo said from behind the counter of her bustling shop. "Business has been great."

Geraldean Lantier, who owns the boutique Skaneateles 300, said December is always one of her shop's best months. She said during the week mostly locals are out and about shopping and on the weekends, "day trippers" make their way into the village for shopping, lunch and to see the Dickens characters.

"They know its a destination," Lantier said. "Dickens draws people to the area. We know it does. It's a family tradition for so many people."
He's a staunch fitness enthusiast, often seen showing off his buff physique on Instagram and Twitter.

And despite it being Christmas Eve, Oliver Proudlock of Made In Chelsea proved there's no rest for the wicked as he took on a gruelling weights session on Sunday.

The reality star, 29, was snapped in Australia, where he's spending Christmas, taking on a 6 Weeks 2 Sexy challenge in Sydney.

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Christmas Heave! Made In Chelsea's Oliver Proudlock lifts VERY heavy weights and shows off his defined muscles as he puts himself through a grueling work out in Australia

The hunky blonde looked poised as he worked with a trainer to lift a hefty barbell, wearing a khaki vest and tiny black shorts.

He completed the look with skintight black leggings and crisp white trainers.

He swept his golden mane into a smart quiff as he readied himself for the lift.

Showing off his rippling tattoo-laden arms, Proudlock prepared to raise the heavy weights, under the guidance of a personal trainer.

No rest for the wicked: Showing off his rippling tattoo-laden arms, Proudlock prepared to raise the heavy weights, under the guidance of a personal trainer

Psyched up: The hunky blonde looked poised as he worked with a trainer to lift a hefty barbell, wearing a khaki vest and tiny black shorts

On his Instagram page, Proudlock was filmed performing The Deadball Complex.

The reality star was seen doing a back-to-back sequence with a very weighty looking deadball, carrying it on his shoulders and in front of him, performing squats and alternate steps.

Proudlock looks to be opting for a hot Christmas this year, as he's been surfing on Bondi Beach over the past few days.

He is thought to be staying Down Under until late-December.

His appearance across the globe comes as his Made In Chelsea cast-mate Georgia Toffolo returned from the outback, where she was crowned Queen of the Jungle on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
What a difference a year makes.

Twelve months ago, Roxy Jacenko spent a 'confusing' Christmas at the family home while her husband Oliver Curtis was behind bars for insider trading.

But on Sunday, she was celebrating Christmas Eve on Bondi Beach getting VERY close with her handsome spouse, who was released from prison in June.

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A year ago, Roxy Jacenko spent a 'confusing' Christmas at the family home while her husband Oliver Curtis was behind bars for insider trading - now they're celebrating at Bondi Beach

Roxy was spotted looking loved-up with Oliver, a former investment banker, at their local beach as the summer temperatures soared above 35 degrees.

The 37-year-old looked stunning in a $174 bandeau bikini by Melissa Odabash as she talked with the father of her two children, Pixie, six, and Hunter, three.

Meanwhile, their Insta-famous kids splashed about in the waves nearby before settling onto the grass on matching towels.

So in love: On Sunday, the high-profile Sydney couple were spotted at their local Beach

Loving embrace: As the family walked back up to the grassy knoll, Oliver placed his arm across his wife's shoulders in a tender public display of affection

Oliver flaunted his toned post-prison physique in a pair of navy board shorts and shielded his gaze from the sun with a cap and sunglasses.

Meanwhile, Roxy - who is known for her regular gym sessions with Sydney's most exclusive personal trainers - looked fit and fabulous as usual.

As the family walked back up to the grassy knoll, Oliver placed his arm across his wife's shoulders in a tender public display of affection.

Smiling in the sun: Roxy flaunted her enviable figure as she strolled down to the ocean

Under the knife: During the beach outing Roxy also displayed her surgery scars - the result of a recent breast reconstruction

Surgery: The procedure came after Roxy was left with capsular contracture, a condition that caused her breast implant to harden and ripple. It was complication from radiation treatment

During the beach outing, Roxy also displayed her surgery scars - the result of a recent breast reconstruction.

The procedure came after Roxy was left with capsular contracture, a condition that caused her breast implant to harden and ripple.

It was complication from her radiation treatment, following her breast cancer diagnosis last year.

Flexing those muscles! Oliver was spotted in a pair of navy board shorts

The future looks bright! Roxy looked in happy spirits during the family beach trip

Hot mama! Roxy's stunning figure is the result of hard work at the gym and a strict diet

Last year, 32-year-old Oliver spent his Christmas holiday in Cooma Correctional Centre, while Roxy and the children stayed at home in Bondi.

'We didn't really celebrate as we will be this year. It was low key and for the kids it was very confusing,' Roxy told News.com.au on Sunday.

'I tried to play down the fact it was Christmas as I had earmarked the time as when Pixie and Hunter could expect Oli home -which was shortsighted of me, but at the time the first thing that came to mind.'

Bad times: Last year, Oliver spent Christmas at Cooma Correctional Centre, while Roxy and the children stayed at home in Bondi

This year the Jacenko-Curtis crew will congregate at The Park Hyatt in The Rocks and enjoy a lavish lunch in the venue's Dining Room.

New Years Eve will also see the family-of-four head to Queensland's Gold Coast.

The couple married in a lavish Sydney ceremony back in 2012 after several years of dating.
She balances motherhood with a formidable business empire.

And Roxy Jacenko was multitasking as usual on Sunday during a family trip to Sydney's Bondi Beach.

The 37-year-old stashed her iPhone in her white bikini bottoms, as she helped assist daughter Pixie, six, with her pink headband.

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Multitasking mama! Roxy Jacenko briefly stashed her iPhone in her white bikini bottoms as she doted on her daughter Pixie, six, at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday

Roxy showed off her gym-honed frame in a $174 white Melissa Odabash two-piece.

The bandeau-style bikini top revealed her cleavage, while coordinating briefs accentuated her washboard stomach and lean legs.

Roxy accessorised with delicate jewels and gold-rimmed Ray Ban sunglasses, and her beauty look consisted of a minimal makeup palette.

She's got it covered! The PR queen didn't have any pockets available, but nonetheless had to ensure she was hands-free to style Pixie's hair

Svelte: Roxy showed off her gym-honed figure in the white $174 two-piece by designer Melissa Odabash, and accessorised with delicate jewels and gold-rimmed Ray Ban aviator sunglasses

Pictured on a grassy knoll at Bondi Beach, Roxy assisted her daughter with her pink headband from her own range, Pixie's Bows.

Pixie appeared to have just returned from a dip in the ocean, as she had wet hair and carried a towel over her shoulders.

Roxy appeared to stash her iPhone into her white bikini bottoms, ensuring she had both hands free to style Pixie's hair.

Back home: The sighting comes as Roxy's husband Oliver Curtis, 32, prepares to celebrate his first Christmas back home, following his release from prison in June

Candid: The publicist reflected on the past 12 months in an interview with News.com.au on Sunday, admitting, 'We have been through so much as a family'

Roxy's husband Oliver Curtis, 32, is preparing to celebrate his first Christmas at home following his release from prison in June.

The PR queen reflected on the past 12 months in an interview with News.com.au on Sunday, saying 'We have been through so much as a family'.

And it certainly was a difficult year, as Roxy was diagnosed with breast cancer while her partner was spending time behind bars for insider trading.

Bittersweet: Roxy explained that Christmas last year 'was low key and for the kids' as their father was behind bars. She confessed it was a 'very confusing' experience overall

Roxy explained that Christmas last year 'was low key and for the kids'. She confessed it was a 'very confusing' experience overall.

She added: 'I tried to play down the fact it was Christmas, as I had earmarked the time as when Pixie and Hunter could expect Oli home.

'Which was shortsighted of me, but at the time the first thing that came to mind.'

Roxy, Oliver and their children will have breakfast at home on Christmas Day, followed by a celebratory lunch at The Park Hyatt in The Rocks.
She's made family her number one priority.

And so no doubt Kim Kardashian was overjoyed to spend the holiday season with her little ones, as she hit an ice rink with her son Saint and daughter North during a Christmas party in Thousand Oaks, California on Saturday.

Doting mom Kim, 37, carefully showed her two-year-old son how to skate as she guided him onto the ice, while also debuting a chic new haircut.

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Aww: Kim Kardashian was overjoyed to spend the holiday season with her little ones, as she hit an ice rink with her son Saint and daughter North during a Christmas party in Thousand Oaks, California on Saturday

Little Saint was bundled up from head-to-toe for the outing in a thick beige jacket, black sweatpants, and a beanie.

His mother guided him through the ice as she wore a thick sweatshirt and sweatpants while styling her sleek blonde hair down completely straight.

Kim also doted on her daughter North, holding her hand as she skated alongside her little girl.

That's her girl! The doting mom guided her daughter onto the rink

Follow the leader: Kardashian held her daughter's hand as they made their way on the ice

Like mother, like daughter: The adorable duo took a break from ice skating to watch the rink and enjoy snacks

Happy family: Kim looked delighted to be spending time with her toddler son Saint

North couldn't have looked happier as she enjoyed some quality family time wearing a cute camouflaged sweater and black Adidas sweatpants.

Sister Kourtney joined the group wearing an adorable fluffy rust-colored jacket covered with various vibrant shapes.

She teamed her retro-inspired look with maroon pants and wore her hair straight past her shoulders.

Helping hand: Saint needed a little extra assistance getting on and off the rink

Stylish: Little Penelope showed she had inherited her family's sense of style as she skated

Cute! Sister Kourtney joined the group wearing an adorable fluffy rust-colored jacket covered with various vibrant shapes

Oh what fun! She teamed her retro-inspired look with maroon pants and wore her hair straight past her shoulders

Mom! The eldest Kardashian daughter skated alongside her five-year-old daughter Penelope, he opted to match her mother's coat with a mini black version of her own

Iced: Kourtney's boyfriend Younes Bendjima, 24, skated closely beside his lady love wearing a dark sweater and matching sweat pants

The eldest Kardashian daughter skated alongside her five-year-old daughter Penelope, he opted to match her mother's coat with a mini black version of her own.

Little Penelope seemed too tired to make it across the rink and was carried off the ice by her strong mother.

Kourtney's boyfriend Younes Bendjima, 24, skated closely beside his lady love wearing a dark sweater and matching sweat pants.

Friends! Little Penelope held on to Sophie Pippen's hand as her mother guided her on the ice

Sweetheart: Little Penelope seemed too tired to make it across the rink and was carried off the ice by her strong mother

Toasty: Larsa Pippen, 43, covered up her famous figure with a forest green jacket complete with blue fur trim

Friends of the family Scottie, 52, and Larsa Pippen, 43, brought along their brood for the holiday fun, with Larsa covering up her famous figure with a forest green jacket complete with blue fur trim.

Larsa and her former roommate Kourtney chatted on the ice before checking out very important images on the reality star's phone.

The families seemed to be enjoying their time on the ice during the fun-filled holiday weekend ahead of Kris Jenner's famous Christmas Eve celebration.

Pals: The whole family seemed to be enjoying their time on the ice

Good job! Saint struggled a bit with his skates before Kim helped him glide

All stars: Scottie Pippen chatted with Kim on the side lines of the ice rink

Kim was seen holding Saint and North's hand while walking down the street to the ice rink
It's the infamous Melbourne apartment building set to be renovated on the new series of The Block.

But before any changes are made to St Kilda's Gatwick Hotel, a priest reportedly visited the former rooming house to bless the 'souls of restless residents' that still roam the halls.

According to The Herald Sun, Father Bob Maguire shared a poem in front of the Fitzroy Street address ahead of the January renovation.

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'Make it safe by night and day': A priest has blessed St Kilda's infamous Gatwick hotel ahead of The Block's latest season which will see contestants renovate the HAUNTED rooms

'It does not matter if The Block builds the most beautiful apartments in the universe, the ancestors will be there, not to frighten anybody but they will be just there,' he explained.

'Yes, they dragged us in the other day. It wasn't the owners.'

The whimsical poem is believed to ward off 'trouble,' the priest confirmed.

Blessing the former residents: Father Bob Maguire shared a poem in front of the Fitzroy Street address ahead of the January renovation

Would you go inside the haunted house? Scott Cam is gearing up for season 14 of The Block

'Bless this house, O Lord we pray, make it safe by night and day,' he chanted.

In 2017, Channel Nine attempted to buy the apartment block but mysteriously, after months of negotiations and reported purchase offers in excess of $14 million, the deal fell through.

Now, after Nine confirmed the boarding house had been secured for season 14, The Daily Telegraph has announced the expected filming date.

Block it in! Season 14 of The Block could begin filming in as little as eight days, it's been revealed, with News Corp claiming the show 'is already set to start next month'

In a quick turnaround following October's Season 13 finale, the next edition may begin filming next month.

'A new series of The Block is already set to start filming next month (January) in seedy Fitzroy St, St. Kilda,' News Corp reported.

With a truly intriguing location and filming date locked in, season 14 is set to be the series' most controversial yet.

On schedule! If true, it means producers are on, or ahead of schedule, with casting agents previously providing a broad four-month window to confirmed contestants

The next crop of hopefuls will have their work cut out for them as they take on dilapidated Gatwick in Melbourne's St Kilda, a former hotel with a sordid past.

The building, which is also known as 'the house of horrors,' has had an infamous history in the seaside suburb.

It has been the site of four murders, including 34-year-old Arthur Karatasiosis - who was stabbed to death in the foyer in 2006.

Controversy: With a truly intriguing location and filming date locked in, season 14 is set to be the series' most controversial yet

Four murders! The Gatwick Hotel has been the site of four murders, including 34-year-old Arthur Karatasiosis - who was stabbed to death in the foyer in 2006

During that same year, a 52-year-old woman was raped and robbed in a gruesome attack.

The building has also seen a series of fatal drug overdoses.

In the past, Inspector Jason Kelly called for improved security and safety from the building's owners and government agencies after attending five jobs a day at the former hotel.
She spent Christmas Eve on Sydney's idyllic Palm Beach with her family.

And despite taking every measure to keep her fair skin away from the harsh sun Nicole Kidman still suffered a 'Marilyn moment' on Sunday afternoon when her white sarong blew up in the wind.

The 50-year-old was walking across the sand in an abstract purple patterned one piece when the wind betrayed her, causing a slight fluttering of her skirt.

Whoops! Swimsuit-clad Nicole Kidman suffered a 'Marilyn moment' as the wind caught her sarong while on a family trip to Palm Beach

Nicole travelled from Nashville to Sydney on Friday with her musician husband Keith Urban and their growing daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret.

Her younger sister Antonia Kidman - who is famous in Australia as a TV presenter and journalist - was also present, along with her family.

The Moulin Rouge! star accessorised with a trendy round-rimmed hat, and shielded her eyes behind a pair of tortoise-shell sunglasses.

Standing tall! The statuesque beauty is reportedly looking to make a more permanent move Down Under with her brood

Ready to Rock and Roll into Christmas: The Oscar award-winning actress celebrates Christmas as a practicing Catholic

Nicole told US Weekly of her Christmas plans: 'We go back for the heat. We want to be on the beach for Christmas, no snow. We love the ocean and shrimp!'

The Oscar award winning actress celebrates Christmas as a practicing Catholic, and it's believed she will spend time with her mother, Janelle, who lives in Sydney, as well as Keith's mother, Marienne, who is based on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Meanwhile, Woman's Day recently reported that Nicole and Keith are planning a 'permanent' move back to Australia.

Oops! Nicole accidentally flashes her swimsuit after a large gust of wind ensnared her sarong

'Nicole has been longing to move back to Oz for some time now,' a source claimed.

'She and Keith have always said they'd eventually settle here, they were just waiting for the right time.'

This year has been an outstanding one for Nicole who was most recently nominated for best actress in a mini-series for her portrayal of Celeste in HBO's Big Little Lies.
She's got the designer wardrobe even most adults would envy.

And on Sunday, Pixie Curtis, six, showed off her new jewelled crown, as she prepared to celebrate a Christmas Eve party with her family.

Taking to Instagram, the six year posed up for a picture modelling the Monarque Jewels creation, looking sweet in a white dress.

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Fit for a princess! Pixie Curtis, six, parades her new jewelled crown as she celebrates Christmas Eve with a lavish party with mother Roxy Jacenko

'When Monarque Jewels creates a Christmas Eve crown for the function,' Pixie wrote, with love heart emojis.

'Beautiful,' one follower commented.

Pixie's mother Roxy, 37, runs her account and revealed she is having a Christmas Eve party with family and friends.

Time to celebrate: Pixie's mother Roxy, 37, (seen) runs her account and revealed she is having a Christmas Eve party with family and friends

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the PR guru shared a snap of a lavish cheese platter and food, set up with an arrange of Christmas florals.

'How the Jacenko's do Christmas Eve,' Roxy captioned the post.

Roxy had been getting ready for the party - making her own Christmas wreaths, after previously being a florist.

Tasty! Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the PR guru shared a snap of a lavish cheese platter and food, set up with an arrange of Christmas florals

In her element: Roxy had been getting ready for the party - making her own Christmas wreaths, after previously being a florist

Earlier on Sunday, Roxy enjoyed heading to the beach with husband Oliver Curtis and their children, Pixie and Hunter, three.

This is Oliver's first Christmas since being released from prison in June, for insider trading.

Last year, 32-year-old Oliver spent his Christmas holiday in Cooma Correctional Centre, while Roxy and the children stayed at home in Bondi.

'We didn't really celebrate as we will be this year. It was low key and for the kids it was very confusing,' Roxy told News.com.au on Sunday.

'I tried to play down the fact it was Christmas as I had earmarked the time as when Pixie and Hunter could expect Oli home -which was shortsighted of me, but at the time the first thing that came to mind.'
She recently enjoyed a whirlwind getaway to New Zealand.

And it seems Olympia Valance may have forgotten to tie up all her loose ends before jetting away for the festive season, if her latest Instagram Story is anything to go by.

Taking to her popular social media page on Christmas Eve, the brunette beauty uploaded a photo of a wilted potted cactus along with the caption: 'My cactus is cactus.'

Prickly situation! Neighbours actress Olympia Valance, 24, was mocked by her co-star for managing to kill her potted cactus this week

She followed up with a screen-grab showing a message she had received from Neighbours co-star Mavournee Hazel, which read: 'You killed a cactus. They survive the desert'.

The self-deprecating post comes days after Olympia documented her idyllic getaway to New Zealand.

On Wednesday, the actress took to Instagram to share a picture of herself relaxing in a hot tub overlooking the country's picturesque mountains.

Quite an achievement! She followed up with a screen-grab showing a message she had received from Neighbours co-star Mavournee Hazel, which read: 'You killed a cactus. They survive the desert'

Wet and wild! Neighbours star Olympia Valance shows off her incredible body during picturesque New Zealand holiday

The actress gave a sultry pose with her hair pulled back in the snap, while a subsequent image featured Olympia flaunting her flawless figure in a bikini in the tub.

Despite previously saying she has plans to move to Hollywood, the actress encouraged her fans to head to the land of the long white cloud.

'To all the Aussies who have never done the very short 3 and a half hour flight to Queenstown like I had never done... do it,' she posted.

Taut: The actress showed off her toned tummy while in the New Zealand's hot pools

The actress added: 'It's the most spectacular place I have ever visited. We all know a kiwi friend... get them to take you.'

On Monday, the thrill-seeking Olympia took to her Instagram stories ahead of her bungee jump, which saw her free-fall a staggering 43m.

The soap star cut a casual figure in a white long sleeved top and khaki trousers as she donned a black harness.

Taking the plunge! The actress has shared a number of racy shots from her New Zealand holiday

She captioned it: 'Best thing I've ever done'.

The adrenaline junkie enjoyed the bungee jump so much, she decided to do it all over again, sharing a shot of herself looking terrified as she teetered over the edge of bridge.

Feeling brave, Olympia decide to fall backwards- which is harder than falling front on.

Thrill-seeker: The daredevil actress, 24, completed a bungee jump backwards at a height of 42 metres

The actress, who plays Paige in Neighbours, has been keeping her fans updated as she enjoys her sun-soaked holiday.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the brunette beauty shared a short video that showed her cavorting in a spa while flaunting her enviable figure at Queenstown's Millbrook Resort.

She wore a lilac-coloured two-piece that flaunted a generous amount of cleavage while also showing off her well-toned arms and slender midriff.

Offering a cheeky expression as she sashayed through the bubbling water, Olympia kept her hair tied back in a pony tail for the dip.

Accessorising with a subtle silver pendant around her neck, Olympia looked as though the downtime was agreeing with her.
They welcomed their first child together, a son named Jack, in June this year after seven years of romance.

And Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham enjoyed some alone time on Saturday as they embarked on a spot of last-minute Christmas shopping in LA.

The model, 30, was effortlessly stylish in black skinny jeans and dark sunglasses as she joined her fiance, 50, at the Saint Laurent store in Beverly Hills.

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Just the two of us: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham enjoyed some alone time on Saturday as they embarked on a spot of last-minute Christmas shopping in LA

Coffee run: The British beauty was carried two hot beverages as she strolled along

The British beauty displayed her impressive post-baby body in the leather-look trousers, which tightly clung to her famously leggy frame all the way down.

Keeping casual for the shopping trip, Rosie added a classic beige checked shirt and black silk camsiole - which featured a stylish mesh panel at the neckline.

She accessorised with a sleek leather handbag and dark sunglasses, and tied her look together with classically glamorous heeled boots.

Low-key: Keeping casual for the shopping trip, Rosie added a classic beige checked shirt and black silk camsiole - which featured a stylish mesh panel at the neckline

Quality time: The model, 30, was effortlessly stylish in black skinny jeans and dark sunglasses as she joined her fiance, 50, at the Saint Laurent store in Beverly Hills

Slicking her blonde hair away from her face, the model drew attention to her naturally striking features and clear and glowing complexion, as she stepped out with her beua.

Meanwhile Jason was equally low-key in a camel bomber jacket and his trademark Aviator sunglasses as she picked up a few last minute bits for the Christmas season.

The pair, who have been dating for seven years, confirmed they were expecting their first child in February with a stunning bikini snap - displaying Rosie's bump to all.

Chic: The British beauty displayed her impressive post-baby body in the leather-look trousers, teamed with a casual checked shirt and heeled ankle boots

Proud parents: The pair confirmed they were expecting their first child in February, and announced they had welcomed a son, Jack Oscar Statham, in June

They took to Instagram once again in June to confirm the arrival of their sweet little boy, writing in the caption: 'Our little man arrived! Jack Oscar Statham 8.8lbs on Saturday June 24th.'

Rosie had previously discussed her desire to start a family with her beau, telling The EDIT in 2015: 'Having a family is something I think about for sure, and whether I'd live here in America or in England. But it's not always as simple as that.'

Before she added: 'I have no idea what will happen, but it'll be interesting to find out, right? And nothing will be perfect, I'm sure.'

Rosie and Jason confirmed they were dating in 2010, and became engaged in January last year.
She barely puts a foot wrong when it comes to her red carpet fashion, and always looks impeccable when presenting on TV.

And on Christmas Eve, Today Extra star Sonia Kruger stunned as she hosted Carols By Candlelight.

The 52-year-old turned heads in two red Alex Perry gowns, which cost a combined $5,000.

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Red hot! On Christmas Eve, Today Extra star Sonia Kruger stunned as she hosted Carols By Candlelight with David Campbell

One gown featured a figure-hugging design, and was one-shoulder.

The dress was $1,600 and Sonia shared a video to Instagram of herself, showing off her jewels ahead of the event.

She then changed into a ballgown, costing $3,400.

Taking the plunge! Sonia revealed her decolletage in a series of racy Instagram updates from behind-the-scenes during the concert

Racy in red! Sonia flaunted her cleavage in an eye-popping video of herself getting glammed up in one of her two Alex Perry numbers ahead of the show

What a dress! She then changed into a ballgown (seen), costing $3,400

The dress featured a strapless design and a flowing A-line skirt.

Carols by Candlelight raises money for Vision Australia, and is held in Melbourne.

Sonia hosted the event with Today Extra co-star, David Campbell.

He looked dapper in a black and white suit.

A big night: Carols by Candlelight raises money for Vision Australia, and is held in Melbourne

Sonia had taken over Lisa Wilkinson's annual hosting duties for the concert, after Lisa left Nine for Channel Ten over a pay dispute.

Sonia told The Sydney Morning Herald that there is no hard feelings between the pair.

'We've been texting each other and the plan is to have a glass of champagne in the new year. Lisa literally lives about five minutes away from me. We will no doubt head to the [beach] ... and have a good old catch up,' Sonia said.
He has been dating Irish actress Lisa Hogan since March, with their romance going from strength to strength throughout the year.

And Jeremy Clarkson looked happier than ever as he jetted into Dublin with the blonde beauty and her teenage children ahead of their first Christmas together on Saturday.

The 57-year-old Grand Tour presenter was relaxed as he strolled through the terminal with his partner's son, clad in a powder blue fitted shirt, navy cardigan and jeans, paired with a classic black jacket.

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Getting serious? Jeremy Clarkson looked happier than ever as he jetted into Dublin with the blonde beauty and her teenage children ahead of their first Christmas together on Saturday

Family Christmas: The 57-year-old Grand Tour presenter was relaxed as he strolled through the terminal with his partner's son, clad in a powder blue fitted shirt, navy cardigan and jeans, paired with a classic black jacket

His glamorous partner, 46, showed off her slim figure in a pink patterned silk shirt and skinny jeans which hugged her slender legs as she walked ahead of her partner.

Her blonde tresses were styled sleek and straight while a light dusting of make-up and sparkly earrings completed her airport look.

Showing how comfortable Jeremy is with her children, he was seen chatting to Lisa's son as the group prepared to head home for the holidays.

Glamorous: Lisa, 46, showed off her slim figure in a pink patterned silk shirt and skinny jeans which hugged her slender legs as she walked ahead of her partner

Blonde beauty: Her blonde tresses were styled sleek and straight while a light dusting of make-up and sparkly earrings completed her airport look

Relax: Jeremy looked ready to celebrate the festive period as he walked through the airport

Family time: Lisa was with two of her children as she joined Jeremy in Dublin

Festive fun: Jeremy looked content as he made his way through the airport ahead of the festive celebrations

Dubliner Lisa split from her eccentric millionaire husband Baron Steven Bentinck in 2005. The former couple share three children, Wolfe, Alice and Lizzy.

After confirming their romance back in March, Lisa spoke about how 'great' Jeremy is.

Lisa told The Sunday Mirror: 'I'm very happy. He's really great.'

Lisa was 'discovered' by comedian John Cleese in the early 1990s when she was struggling to get a second-hand-clothes business off the ground.

Chatty: Showing how comfortable Jeremy is with her children, he was seen chatting to Lisa's son as the group prepared to head home for the holidays

Home for the holidays: Jeremy looked content as he walked with Lisa's teenage children

Chat: Jeremy chatted with Lisa's kids as the group prepared to head to their home for the holiday

He subsequently employed her as a researcher, became a close friend and even gave her a role in Fierce Creatures, his follow-up to A Fish Called Wanda.

Despite reports to the contrary, they were never romantically involved.

Jeremy - who was fired by the BBC when he punched a producer in the face - divorced his wife of 21 years, Frances, in 2014.

He has three children, Emily, Katya and Finlo.
They're spending Christmas as a family in London after eldest son Brooklyn returned home from first term at university in New York.

And Victoria Beckham was enjoying some quality time with her children on Saturday, sharing a sweet snap of herself cuddling daughter Harper, six.

The 43-year-old style icon - who also raises sons Romeo and Cruz - can be seen sleeping with her mini-me nestled into her chest.

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Festive: Victoria Beckham was enjoying some quality time with her children on Saturday, sharing a sweet snap of herself cuddling daughter Harper, six

Victoria captioned the snap: 'Nap time with mummy Kisses just before Christmas xxx'.

The fashion designer's followers were quick to praise the 'beautiful' picture, sending their well-wishes to the Beckham brood.

This comes amid The Spice Girls are set for a money-spinning reunion next spring after agreeing to use Girl Power to boost their dwindling spending power.

Victoria, whose eponymous fashion empire saw its annual losses double to 8.5 million last week, has always refused to sing again.

But a source close to the chart-topping band revealed a compromise  she and the other four members will judge a Chinese reality show to find the next global pop star.

Victoria captioned the snap: 'Nap time with mummy Kisses just before Christmas xxx'

Back together again? The Spice Girls are set for a money-spinning reunion next spring. From left: Mel B, Mel C, Geri, Emma and Victoria

The key to the reunion is music svengali and Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller, who is credited with the phenomenal commercial success of the Spice Girls and Brand Beckham.

At the height of Spice Mania in the late 1990s, there was a hit movie, Spice World, as well as dolls, stationery, trainers and even lollipops as part of a huge promotional push that saw them become the most merchandised group in history  and the most lucrative since The Beatles.

The source said: Victoria vowed she would never sing with the girls again, and she wont.

But now theyve found a way round that. They will go to China in the spring and do the television show. In terms of money, theyre not doing it for pennies.

Height of fame: The Spice Girls at the height of Spice Mania attending the 1997 MTV Awards in Rotterdam

The plan is that lots of endorsements and other big-money deals will snowball from this.

Simon Fuller sees a lot of potential profit in their merchandise, as well as their back catalogue. Were talking millions here.

The band members have enjoyed mixed financial fortunes recently.

As well as Victorias losses, Mel B has just emerged from an expensive divorce, while Geri Halliwells solo company, Wonderful Productions, has seen its profits collapse from 179,258 in 2014 to just 4,568 last year.Z
It has become something of a tradition that she loves to ring in Christmas under the Caribbean sunshine.

So it was no surprise Emma Forbes celebrated Xmas Eve in style when she soaked up the sun on the beach in Barbados on Sunday.

The television presenter, 52, paraded her age-defying figure in a navy slinky swimming costume, teamed with a tasseled wrap.

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Christmas in the Caribbean! Youthful Emma Forbes, 52, flaunted her fabulous figure in a slinky swimsuit and tasseled beach wrap as she soaked up the sun during Barbados break on Sunday

The decorative tassels on the semi-sheer sarong drew further attention to the radio personality's incredible physique.

Under wraps, the blonde bombshell flaunted her fabulous figure in the skintight swimming costume which clung to her enviable curves.

Glamorous Emma proved her beauty had stood the test of time as she wore minimal touches of make-up to highlight her natural features.

She swept her golden locks into a loose bun and accessorised with a pair of trendy circular sunglasses to keep the sun out of her eyes.

Fabulous figure: The decorative tassels on the semi-sheer sarong drew further attention to the radio personality's incredible physique

Ditching her heels, the Hammersmith born beauty sashayed across the hot golden sands barefoot before she dared to take a dip in the icy cool sea.

The TV sensation confessed her secret to looking fabulous at 50 when she appeared on Loose Women in June.

Of her lifestyle change, she told panelists: 'I had my children and never lost my baby weight. It's fine when kids are aged two or three, but theres a problem when they are 20. For me, I wanted to lose that weight. I didnt recognise myself. You dont look at that section of you.

Covered up: Under wraps, the blonde bombshell flaunted her fabulous figure in the skintight swimming costume which clung to her enviable curves

She's a natural:Glamorous Emma proved her beauty had stood the test of time as she wore minimal touches of make-up to highlight her features

She continued: 'Everyone made such a big deal about me turning 50 and were like are you gonna have a party? But I just wanted a change. You're very vulnerable at 50.

Emma is mother to Lily, 20, and Sam, 18, from her 30-year marriage to wealthy financier Graham.

The blonde bombshell married the banker in a romantic ceremony in September 1987.

At home: Ditching her heels, the Hammersmith born beauty sashayed across the hot golden sands barefoot before taking a dip in the sea

Emma claimed it was their leaving home which also prompted her to take action and change her lifestyle.

She said: 'I had empty nest syndrome and I didnt want to be at home and eating. I just thought, have a lifestyle change.

'I didnt want surgery. I'd end up on Botched. I thought it's time to get on top of health. So I gave up sugar and I walked. I hiked up mountains.'

She's so glamorous: She swept her golden locks into a loose bun and accessorised with a pair of trendy circular sunglasses to keep the sun out of her eyes

Showing off her new blonde locks, Emma said she decided to change her hair colour on a whim within the last 24 hours when on the show.

She said: 'Thats what happens when you're 50 and hormonal. You do radical things.

'It only happened in the last in the 24 hours. I just thought it would be fun a bit of reinvention. My husband said Ive always preferred blonde hair. Been with him 30 years!'
Few Australians will know what it's like to celebrate the holidays in 'Hotel Kerobokan'.

But for 10 years, from 2004 to 2013, Schapelle Corby was forced to spend the festive season behind bars in Bali's most notorious prison.

But after her release on parole in 2014 and subsequent deportation in May this year, the former beauty student is now enjoying her first Australian Christmas since 2003.

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Home at last! Convicted drug trafficker Schapelle Corby, 40, is celebrating her first Australian Christmas in 14 years with her loyal family. Pictured: A youthful Schapelle sits on Santa's lap

The Gold Coast native, 40, has offered her loyal supporters a glimpse of her Christmas plans using her preferred media channel: Instagram.

In the past few days, Schapelle and her family members have been sharing festive snaps of themselves preparing for the holidays.

In one Instagram Story video, Schapelle joked she 'couldn't reach the top' while trying to decorate her Christmas tree.

Meanwhile, Australian musician Sia's new holiday album Everyday Is Christmas can be heard playing in the background.

Time to decorate the tree! The Gold Coast native has offered her loyal supporters a glimpse of her very special Christmas using her preferred media channel, Instagram

She was listening to the festive tracks Santa's Coming For Us and Puppies Are Forever.

That particular song will have special significance, as Schapelle has been showing off her new puppy recently.

She appears absolutely smitten with her pet pooch Lucille, who is now a regular fixture on her popular Instagram account.

Not just for Christmas! Schapelle has been getting in the festive spirit with her new dog Lucille. While decorating the Christmas tree, she was also heard listening to Sia's Puppies Are Forever

Over the weekend, Schapelle also shared a photo of herself sitting on Santa's lap.

Looking happier than ever, she wrote in the caption: 'Merry Christmas. Thanks to all who have supported me through the years and thank you for welcoming me home.

'I'm so happy. Stay safe through the holiday season.'

Sister act! It is also believed Schapelle enjoyed a festive trip to the Movie World theme park on the Gold Coast over the weekend. Pictured with her younger sister Melenae

In the comments section, Schapelle was met with the usual mix of sincere well-wishers and light-hearted ribbing.

One fan wrote: 'So, so good to see you back home, Schapelle. I bet thousands of people have wished this for you for so so many years.

'Just knowing that you are back home with your family makes me really really happy. Have a blessed holiday, girl.'

But another follower offered the cheeky reply: 'Did you ask him for a new boogy (sic) board bag for Christmas?'

Time to party! Schapelle's first milestone celebration following her deportation was her 40th birthday party in July

It is also believed Schapelle enjoyed a festive trip to the Movie World theme park on the Gold Coast over the weekend.

She was pictured there with her younger sister Melenae, in a photo posted to older sister Mercedes' Instagram account on Sunday.

Mercedes wrote in the caption: 'My gorgeous sisters. Love them, so blessed we are all so close.'

Supportive: She shared several Instagram photos from the event at her mother Rosleigh Rose's Brisbane home, including snaps of herself sipping champagne

Emotional time: 'First birthday back on home soil after being away for 13 years,' Schapelle wrote on Instagram. 'Each year it's been my wish to be home, finally 2017 it's a reality.'

During her years in Kerobokan Prison, Christmas was an important time of year for Schapelle.

In Indonesia, well-behaved prisoners have their sentences cut on religious holidays as part of an annual remission program.

Similar sentence cuts are also offered as part of Indonesia's Independence Day celebrations in August.

Schapelle had sentence cuts in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. She did not receive remissions in 2007 after being caught with a mobile phone.

Here's to freedom! Schapelle Corby is pictured in Kerobokan Prison's Block W in 2013. She was released on parole the following year after almost a decade behind bars

Bikini babe! Schapelle has been enjoying life back in Queensland following her ordeal in Bali

The sentence cuts do not apply to prisoners on death row or those serving life sentences, like the male members of the Bali Nine.

However, Renae Lawrence - who is serving a 20-year sentence as part of the same drug trafficking syndicate - may well be spending her last Christmas behind bars.

Renae, 40, has been described by prison governors as a 'model prisoner' and has received successive remissions. She is eligible for a release next year.

Dedicated: Schapelle's family has always stood by her side. Pictured with siblings Mercedes (right) and Michael Jr (centre)

'Private property': Schapelle (pictured with her dog Lucille) has kept under the radar since her return to Australia, turning down TV interviews and keeping in touch with fans on Instagram

After being locked up, Schapelle famously vowed she would never celebrate anything in the 'hellhole' that is Kerobokan Prison.

And the conditions in jail guaranteed she would have little to be cheerful about.

In fact, on her first Christmas behind bars she overheard a male prisoner having his fingernails ripped off by police near the visitors room, according to her biography.

Following sentence reductions, Schapelle was eventually released on parole in February 2014. She was deported to Australia in May this year.

Tragedy: The last time Schapelle celebrated Christmas on home soil, her father Michael Corby Sr. was alive. However he died of cancer in 2008 while Schapelle was still in prison

Her rock: Schapelle's sister Mercedes (pictured in May 2017 ahead of Schapelle's deportation) has been her biggest supporter and media spokesperson since her arrest in 2004

Long-distance: Schapelle will sadly be spending Christmas apart from her 'soulmate' Ben Panangian (pictured), who she met in Kerobokan Prison

Schapelle's first milestone celebration following her deportation was her 40th birthday party in July.

She shared several Instagram photos from the event at her mother Rosleigh Rose's Brisbane home, including snaps of herself sipping champagne.

'First birthday back on home soil after being away for 13 years,' she wrote. 'Each year it's been my wish to be home, finally 2017 it's a reality.'

Post-prison catch up? Former Kerobokan inmate and Bali Nine member Renae Lawrence (left) may well be spending her last Christmas behind bars. Pictured with Schapelle in 2008

Desperate: While Renae has been eligible for twice-annual sentence remissions like Schapelle, the male members of the Bali Nine serving life sentences are not. Pictured (left to right): Si Yi Chen, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, and Matthew Norman in 2006

But Schapelle admitted she was missing her late father, Michael Corby Sr. who died in 2008, and her 'soulmate' Ben Panangian, who still lives in Bali.

In October, the family marked sister Mercedes' 43rd birthday - a date that will have bad memories for the Corbys.

Schapelle's purpose for travelling to Bali 13 years ago was to celebrate Mercedes' 30th birthday - but the trip soon became a living nightmare.

Arrest: Schapelle was arrested at Bali's Ngurah Rai airport on October 8, 2004 after customs officers found 4.1kg of marijuana wrapped in plastic inside her boogie board bag

Heartbreaking: Schapelle reacts after being found guilty of drug smuggling at Denpasar Court in 2005. She was sentenced to 20 years. Pictured with her interpreter Eka (left)

Claims: Schapelle has always maintained her innocence, denying the drugs belonged to her. Pictured at her 2006 appeal in Denpasar District Court in Bali

She was arrested at Ngurah Rai airport on October 8, 2004 after customs officers found 4.1kg of marijuana wrapped in plastic inside her boogie board bag.

Schapelle has always maintained her innocence, denying the drugs belonged to her and insisting they were planted without her knowledge.

She was sentenced to 20 years at her 2005 trial, spending almost a decade in prison.
She is the daughter to one of the world's most famous rappers.

But Hailie Scott ensured all eyes were on her on Sunday as she posted a seriously sultry snap via her Instagram, after spending nine months away from social media.

Reclining on a plush red sofa, Eminem's daughter flaunted her washboard abs and serious underboob in a cut-out white top.

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Stunner: Hailie Scott ensured all eyes were on her on Sunday as she posted a seriously sultry snap via her Instagram, after a nine month hiatus from social media

The 21-year-old showed off her ample assets in the revealing ensemble, appearing to go braless for her early birthday celebrations.

She captioned the glamorous shot: 'Happy early birthday to me'.

Hailie, who will celebrate her 22nd birthday on Christmas day, showcased her tremendous pins in indigo denim jeans.

She added a boost to her height with black strappy sandals and showcased her sun-kissed tan with a dramatic smoky eye, red lipstick and blush-swept cheeks.

Hailie also styled her long blonde tresses in silky sleek waves.

Living her best life: Hailie's Instagram account shows a happy and healthy woman who likes to spend time with her boyfriend and post photos of her weekend travels

Hailie has been living a relatively normal life as a college student at Michigan State University.

And her Instagram account shows a happy and healthy woman who likes to spend time with her boyfriend and post photos of her weekend travels.

She has actively remained out of the public eye, making it clear she does not have any other private accounts or a Twitter account run by her.

In 2014, Hailie graduated from Chippewa Valley High School in Michigan and thanked her parents for their influence in her life.

Regulating her social media: Eminem's daughter has actively remained out of the public eye, making it clear she does not have any other private accounts or a Twitter account run by her

'My mother and father are because they have pushed me to be the person I am and have given me all the support to achieve what I have,' she said.

Hailie achieved the prestigious Summa Cum Laude status which is bestowed upon those who achieve a 3.9 or above Grade Point Average at the school in Clinton Township, Michigan.

She maintained high grades while juggling numerous extracurricular activities, including National Honor Society, Art Club, Key Club, volleyball, and student council.

Good upbringing: In 2014, Hailie graduated from Chippewa Valley High School in Michigan and thanked her parents for their influence in her life

Hailie's mom Kim Scott married Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, in 1999, only to proceed with a nasty divorce two years later and a remarriage in 2006 that didn't last the year.

Eminem recently opened up about looking for love more than a decade after the end of his marriage to his high school sweetheart.

The rapper revealed he's used the dating app Tinder, as well as jokingly referencing the use of gay app Grindr, and has even gone to strip clubs to meet women.

'It's tough,' the 45-year-old told Vulture. 'Since my divorce I've had a few dates and nothing's panned out in a way that I wanted to make it public. Dating's just not where I'm at lately.'

Happy! The 21-year-old appears happy as she celebrated her birthday last December with her handsome boyfriend

It's not certain if the rapper was joking about his methods for meeting people, but aside from Tinder, Eminem also said he would also try to find dates on Grindr and at strip clubs.

'And Grindr,' he told the interviewer with a laugh.

'Going to strip clubs is how I was meeting some chicks,' he added. 'It was an interesting time for me.'

Family matters: Together Eminem and Kimberly have daughter Hailie, who will be turning 22 on Christmas Day (pictured 2017 in London)

The 8 Mile star assured the interviewer he wasn't lonely.

The pair have three children  Hailie Scott who is Eminems biological child, Whitney Mathers, 15, who is Eminems adopted daughter and Alaina Mathers, 24, Kims twin sisters daughter who Eminem has also adopted.

Eminem also has legal custody of his younger half-brother Nate Kane.

Tying the knot: Eminem was first married to Kimberly from 1999 to 2001, before re-marrying her in 2006
This Christmas Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wants Australians to go out of their way to help a stranger and make this a special time of the year for everyone.

In his Christmas video posted to Twitter and Facebook on Sunday morning, the prime minister asked Australians to remember the homeless, those who are lonely, our emergency services and armed forces.

"Whatever you're doing on Christmas this year, please remember those that need our love and support now more than any other time," he said in the video.
A fisherman has been charged over an attack that has left another man fighting for life in Perth.

Police say the victim was walking on Riverside Road in East Fremantle just before 1.30am on Saturday with two people when they spoke to two fisherman and an altercation occurred with one of them.

The 32-year-old victim was allegedly struck to the head with an object, causing him to fall to the ground, and he remains at Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition.

A 34-year-old Joondanna man has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm.
AFL star Dustin Martin is reportedly "shattered" plans for a family Christmas in Bali have been dashed after his father was denied entry.

Martin told the Sunday Herald Sun his father Shane Martin arrived at Bali's airport and was told he could not come through because Australian officials requested he be denied entry.

Shane Martin was deported to New Zealand last year over his links to the Rebels motorcycle club, missing his son's grand final win as the Tigers claimed their first flag since 1980.

He challenged that decision in the Federal Court, but he still doesn't have a visa to re-enter Australia despite Immigration Minister Peter Dutton conceding the decision to kick him out of the country should be overturned.

"I was so confused, I've been to Bali before, even after my visa was cancelled and had no problems," Shane told the Sunday Herald Sun.

He said the officials told him: "I'm sorry -- we've been told by Australian government not to let you in."

Dustin Martin said he couldn't understand why his father was denied entry.

"We had Christmas in Bali planned for a while -- way before the minister's decision was overturned -- and it was gonna be really special for my family to be all together," he told the newspaper.

"I was just shattered and really confused. Why would they stop him from going to Bali now? We were there a year ago and nothing changed apart from dad winning his case.

"I'm a really proud Australian and I love this country but this just isn't a fair go."
Australia's leading Catholic has called 2017 an "annus horribilis" partly due to the gay marriage and euthanasia debates which have challenged the Christian conceptions of life and love.

In a Christmas message released on Friday, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher said the year's end united people in their need for hope, particularly after a challenging year for his church.

"For people of faith you might say it's been an annus horribilis," he said in a statement on Friday.

"As our Christian conceptions of life and love have been challenged in the marriage and euthanasia debates; freedom of religion in Australia put in doubt and shameful crimes and cover-ups in our Church uncovered by the royal commission.

"But the Christmas story insists there is a star in the dark sky, light amidst the fears and failures. Christmas speaks of new hope."

He said young people were not naive to the shameful chapters in the church's past but want to help it move forward.

In his Christmas message Dr Philip Freier, the Anglican Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Melbourne, said there was "widespread mistrust and dissatisfaction" in Australia and more suffering than there should be.

"Yet, in the worst times and worst of situations, salvation is at hand through God's precious gift of his son, Jesus Christ," he said.

Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies, for the first time, took to Twitter to send out his Christmas wish - condensing his spiritual message to fit the social media platform's 280 character limit.

"In short - a baby born in a shed saves the world #canyoubelieveit," the tweet reads.

The archbishop remarked Twitter had become the preferred communication method for at least one world leader - a thinly veiled reference to US President Donald Trump.

"With a limit of 280 characters - it is difficult to say much, let alone explain anything complex," he said in a statement earlier this week.

"Who knows what might happen if the leader of another country takes something the wrong way?"

He urged people to read the full version of his Christmas story in the Bible's book of Luke.

Moderator of the Uniting Church in NSW and the ACT Simon Hansford recounted how embracing his new-born daughter changed him as a person, and urged his followed to similarly embrace the baby Jesus.

"When we engage with the child we are changed," he said in a statement.

"One of the highlights of Christmas is that the birth of the baby Jesus is God in all his vulnerability."

"He is here in our hands for holding. I wish you a blessed and peaceful Christmas."
Queenslanders are in for a scorcher this Christmas Day as parts of the state brace for temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius.

Humid conditions across the southeast are also expected to pave the way for afternoon thunderstorms.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster James Thompson said Brisbane was expecting a top of 34 degrees, compared to 32 on the Sunshine Coast and 31 on the Gold Coast.

"It looks like it'll probably be pretty close to the warmest day for December this year across the southeast," he told AAP on Sunday.

Mr Thompson said people spending Christmas Day in Brisbane could expect to feel a sea breeze in the afternoon.

There is also the slight chance of a late storm, but Mr Thompson said the likelihood was higher further south and inland.

Mr Thompson said the rest of the state was also set to sizzle, with Birdsville expected to reach 45 degrees.

"It's looking warm really across the entire of Queensland," he said.

'There's just the chance of a storm through the southern interior and far northwest into the Gulf (of Carpentaria) country."

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged people across the state to stay cool, drink water and stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.

"Check on elderly relatives and neighbours," she said in a statement.

"Do not leave children, adults or animals in parked cars."
It will be perfect beach weather in Perth on Christmas Day, while other parts of Western Australia are also expected to experience hot temperatures.

The mercury is expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius in Perth on Monday, while other coastal areas in the state's southern half will enjoy similar weather, such as Esperance and Bunbury.

Albany is expected to be a cooler 26 degrees.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts Marble Bar to be the hottest spot in WA, with the mercury to soar to 44 degrees.

A spokesman told AAP the temperature was expected to hover in the low to mid 40s through much of the inland Pilbara region in the state's north. Some rain is also possible.

A tropical cyclone may also form in northern WA later in the week.

The spokesman said there was a low probability of development on Christmas Day, but there was a greater risk from Thursday and into the weekend.
Queensland looks set to sizzle on Christmas Day, with temperatures tipped to reach 45 degrees Celsius in some parts.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster James Thompson said a top of 34 was expected in Brisbane, compared to 32 on the Sunshine Coast and 31 on the Gold Coast.

"It looks like it'll probably be pretty close to the warmest day for December this year across the southeast," he told AAP on Sunday.

Mr Thompson said a sea breeze would likely be felt across Brisbane in the afternoon.

There is also the slight chance of a late storm, but Mr Thompson said the likelihood was higher further south and inland.

The BoM on Sunday said severe thunderstorms were likely south of the Gold Coast and down to the NSW border.

Mr Thompson said the rest of the state was also in for some hot weather, with Birdsville expected to reach 45 degrees.

"It's looking warm really across the entire of Queensland," he said.

'There's just the chance of a storm through the southern interior and far northwest into the Gulf (of Carpentaria) country."
Firefighters in Sydney's west will welcome in Christmas Day trying to contain a bushfire that threatened homes.

The fire broke out on the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park in Mulgoa amid high-30 degree heat on Sunday afternoon.

But in the late afternoon a cool change blew across the region and pushed the fire west - away from homes and toward the Nepean River.

By dusk firefighters were still working to contain the blaze but had downgraded the fire to advice warning level.

Firefighters will remain on the fireground through the night until the blaze is contained.
A man has been pulled to safety before his house was destroyed by fire on the NSW Far South Coast, but a woman is missing, police say.

The fire broke out in the house north of Merimbula in the early hours of Christmas, according to police, who said they found the 67-year-old on the floor of the home and pulled him to safety.

The intense fire pushed the officers back from the home and prevented them from searching for the man's partner before the building was destroyed.

Fire fighters brought the fire under control, with a search of the scene expected to be conducted on Monday morning.
A woman is fighting for life in hospital after a fiery Christmas Eve car crash in Melbourne which left three people dead.

A speeding Audi lost control on Palmers Rd in Point Cook and crossed onto the wrong side of the road, hitting a Honda Jazz at 7.30pm.

The two people in the Audi and one woman in the Jazz were killed and the other woman was taken to hospital.

She remains in a critical condition at the Alfred Hospital, a spokeswoman has said.

"We've got two women in the Jazz, one of them is in the hospital fighting for life, this could be a quadruple fatality," Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer told reporters on Sunday night.

"They were probably heading home to wrap presents - one of them will never get to open them.

"You've got two others in the Audi who also won't be there tomorrow with their family."

Mr Fryer said it was clear the Audi was travelling well above the 70km/h speed limit.

"You've got a motor that's been ripped out of the car, you've got the vehicle up on the barricade, and you've got a battery that's a further 100 metres down the road, so the impact has been significant," he said.

Major Collision investigators will examine the circumstances of the collision and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

So far in 2017, 251 people have died on Victoria's roads.
A firefighter stands in front of a burning shopping mall in Davao City on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao

Thirty-seven people were believed killed in a fire that engulfed a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, local authorities said on Sunday.

A Bureau of Fire Protection commander at the scene said the chances of the 37 surviving were "zero", Paolo Duterte, Davao's vice mayor, who is also the president's son, wrote in a Facebook post.

The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall on Saturday morning and people were trapped inside, including at a call centre on the top floor, Ralph Canoy, a police officer in the district, told AFP.

Canoy said the fire was still going before dawn on Sunday morning, nearly 24 hours later.

"The fire started on the third floor, which houses products like fabrics, wooden furniture and plastic ware, so the fire quickly spread and it's taking a long time to put out," he said.

He said investigators believed some of those likely killed had been trapped in the call centre, which operated 24 hours a day.

"The fire started on the third floor, which houses products like fabrics, wooden furniture and plastic ware, so the fire quickly spread"

"It's possible that while they were working, they did not immediately notice the fire spreading," Canoy said of the call centre workers.

He said the reason for the blaze was not immediately known.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who served as mayor of Davao for about two decades and continues to live in the city, visited the mall on Saturday night to comfort relatives of the victims, one of his aides told AFP.

Davao, with a population of about 1.5 million people, is the biggest city in the southern Philippines. It is about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Manila, the nation's capital.

The fire adds more misery to the mainly Catholic Philippines at Christmas, with a tropical storm killing at least 182 people and displacing tens of thousands of others in recent days.

Many of those killed in the storm were also in the southern region of Mindanao.

Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards.

There have also been horrific fires in bigger buildings and factories, where corruption and exploitation mean supposedly strict standards are often not enforced.

Seventy-two people were killed in 2015 when a fire tore through a footwear factory in Manila. Survivors of that blaze blamed barred windows and other sweatshop conditions for trapping people inside the factory.

In the deadliest fire in the Philippines in recent times, 162 people were killed in a huge blaze that gutted a Manila disco in 1996.
All the supermaxis in the Sydney-Hobart race this year are Australian owned, after Sydney's Jim Cooney purchased the 100-foot Comanche from American owner Jim Clark less than two weeks ago

A close race could be in store for Australia's gruelling Sydney to Hobart bluewater classic, with unfavourable conditions near the finish set to work against the supermaxi favourites.

There are 103 entries, including 28 from overseas, for the 73rd edition of the often brutal 628-nautical mile (1,163-kilometre) slog across the Tasman Sea, which leaves Sydney on December 26.

The weather forecast points to a fast race, ideal conditions for line honours favourite Comanche, one of four supermaxis in the hunt along with Wild Oats XI, BlackJack and InfoTrack.

But the conditions could also see the frontrunners arrive in Hobart's notoriously breathless River Derwent at night.

"It doesn't look good for us in the river. We could spend a lot of time there," Comanche's navigator Stan Honey said.

Ichi Ban's navigator Will Oxley quipped that "between 10pm and 10am is death in the Derwent".

The Bureau of Meteorology's state weather services chief Jane Golding said the race was likely to start in a moderate east or south-easterly breeze around 10 knots.

"The winds will shift around to the north-east during the afternoon, to around 15 knots," she added.

The forecast, if it holds, means last year's record race time of 1 day 13hr 31min 20sec by Australian supermaxi Perpetual Loyal, now InfoTrack, was unlikely to be under threat.

Wild Oats, an eight-time winner, is hoping to make it third time lucky after being forced to retire from the last two races.

It took a blow to its chances when the top of its 45-metre (147-feet) high carbon fibre mast was struck by lightning last week, destroying some of its instruments, but is expected to be ready.

"The goal is to be first, to finish," said Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards.

Wild Oats, an eight-time winner, is hoping to make it third time lucky at the Sydney-Hobart yacht race after being forced to retire from the last two races

Medium-sized boats, which expect to arrive at the Derwent in the morning, would be in "red hot" competition for the overall win, Oxley suggested.

"It will come down to boat handling and minimising damage," he said.

"Everyone talks about how much fun it is to go downwind, but in 25 to 30 knots on a TP52 (Ichi Ban), that's a lot of wind on the eastern side of Bass Strait.

"So we will be working pretty hard to look after the boat to get through those conditions."

- New owners -

All the supermaxis this year are Australian owned, after Sydney's Jim Cooney purchased the 100-foot Comanche from American owner Jim Clark less than two weeks ago.

Local media speculated he paid more than Aus$10 million (US$7.7 million) for the yacht.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity -- too good to pass up," said Cooney, who is relishing the upcoming battle despite only having handled Comanche several times before the start of the race.

Last year's overall handicap winner, the Volvo 70 Giacomo, has been renamed Wizard, and is now under the ownership of American brothers David and Peter Askew for the upcoming Sydney-Hobart race

"This year competition is fierce, with the strongest line-up of supermaxis ever seen on one race," he said.

"Depending on conditions, any of the 100 footers could take line honours, it threatens to be one of the best races in the history of the event."

InfoTrack is also in the hands of a different owner, Sydney software developer Christian Beck, a newcomer to ocean racing.

"I've seen the start one hundred times but I've no idea what happens after that," he joked.

One a more serious note, he said that "if the weather is very windy like it was last year I think we have a realistic chance of taking back-to-back line honours".

Last year's overall handicap winner, the Volvo 70 Giacomo, has been renamed Wizard, and is now under the ownership of American brothers David and Peter Askew.

It is tipped to again be a challenger for handicap honours -- the vessel that performs best according to size. Line honours go to the fastest boat.
Pope Francis called for peace in Jerusalem in his traditional Christmas address, warning: 'The winds of war are blowing,' as he called on Israel and Palestine to 'resume' dialogue.

The pontiff urged the world's 1.3 billion Catholics to not to ignore migrants fleeing danger, highlighting the plight of children scarred by the conflict, in a yuletide message of unity.

Addressing tens of thousands of worshippers gathered at the Vatican to hear his fifth 'Urbi et Orbi' (To the City and The World) message, Francis called for 'peace for Jerusalem and for all the Holy Land.

'We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians,' he said.

Pope Francis called for peace in Jerusalem in his traditional Christmas address, warning: 'The winds of war are blowing,' as he called on Israel and Palestine to 'resume' dialogue

'Let us pray that the will to resume dialogue may prevail between the parties and that a negotiated solution can finally be reached, one that would allow the peaceful coexistence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognised borders.'

The pontiff's plea came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Following Trump's lead, Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales said Sunday his country would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Trump's announcement on December 6 unleashed demonstrators and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where Christians marked the birth of Jesus at a midnight mass.

The pontiff urged the world's 1.3 billion Catholics to not to ignore migrants fleeing danger, highlighting the plight of children scarred by the conflict, in a yuletide message of unity

'May the Lord also sustain the efforts of all those in the international community inspired by good will to help that afflicted land to find, despite grave obstacles the harmony, justice and security that it has long awaited,' the pope said.

The pontiff also mentioned other global flashpoints such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan and Venezuela, after stressing that the 'winds of war are blowing in our world'.

'Let us pray that confrontation may be overcome on the Korean peninsula and that mutual trust may increase in the interest of the world as a whole,' the 81-year-old said.

Addressing tens of thousands of worshippers gathered at the Vatican to hear his fifth 'Urbi et Orbi' (To the City and The World) message, Francis called for 'peace for Jerusalem and for all the Holy Land

Earlier, celebrating midnight mass in the ancient town, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, used his homily to lambast the wars that 'the Herods of today fight every day to become greater, to occupy more space'.

Criticising Trump's announcement, Pizzaballa insisted 'Jerusalem is a city of peace, there is not peace if someone is excluded. Jerusalem should include, not exclude,' stressing the principle that Jerusalem is a city for both peoples and the three Abrahamic faiths.

Hundreds had gathered in the cold on Bethlehem's Manger Square to watch the annual scout parade towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus.

But the square was noticeably quieter following the violence between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army in the past weeks.

Twelve Palestinians have been killed since Trump's declaration, including a 19-year-old who died of his wounds on Sunday nine days after he was shot during a Gaza protest.

Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and interpreted Trump's statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this.

The pontiff's plea came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Following Trump's lead, Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales said Sunday his country would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

Christmas decorations have meanwhile become more visible in Christian areas of Syria's capital Damascus this year.

In the central Syrian city of Homs, Christians will celebrate Christmas with great fanfare for the first time in years after the end of battles between regime and rebel forces -- with processions, shows for children and even decorations among the ruins.

In Iraq too, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was meanwhile due to pay tribute to the cities of London and Manchester which suffered terror attacks this year.

Meanwhile, he likened the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave their homelands for a better life

'This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months in the face of appalling attacks,' the 91-year-old monarch was to say in the pre-recorded televised message.

London suffered two deadly terror attacks, while 22 people -- including children -- were killed during an attack at Manchester Arena following a performance by US singer Ariana Grande.

Meanwhile, he likened the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave their homelands for a better life.

During the Christmas Eve vigil Mass in the Vatican, the Pope told the faithful that the 'simple story' of Jesus' birth in a manger changed 'our history forever'.

Meanwhile, he likened the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave their homelands for a better life. During the C

He said: 'Everything that night became a source of hope.'

Noting that Mary and Joseph arrived in a land 'where there was no place for them', the pontiff drew parallels to contemporary time.

'So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary,' he said in his homily. 'We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.'

'In many cases this departure is filled with hope, hope for the future; yet for many this departure can only have one name: survival,' the pope said.

Referring to the king of Judea who was depicted as a tyrant in the New Testament, Francis continued, saying some migrants are 'surviving the Herods of today, who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood'.

During the Christmas Eve vigil Mass in the Vatican, the Pope told the faithful that the 'simple story' of Jesus' birth in a manger changed 'our history forever'

Francis has made concern for economic migrants, war refugees and others on society's margins a central plank of his papacy.

He said God is present in 'the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognisable, who walks through our cities and our neighborhoods, who travels on our buses and knocks on our door'. That perception of God should develop into 'new forms of relationship, in which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this Earth,' he said.

'Christmas is a time for turning the power of fear into the power of charity,' Francis said.

At the start of the service, Francis bent over to kiss a statue of the baby Jesus in the basilica.

At midday on Monday, tradition calls for Francis to deliver the Christmas Day message 'urbi et orbi'  Latin for 'to the city and to the world'  from the central loggia of the basilica overlooking St Peter's Square. The speech often is a review of the world events and conflicts.
Mohammad Shawash sits outside his shop in the devastated streets of Aleppo's old city on July 22, 2017

It used to be one of the most vibrant marketplaces in the Syrian city of Aleppo, but today, the bombed-out streets of Khan al-Harir are home to a solitary shop selling tablecloths.

Mohammad Shawash's partly restored storefront stands amid a sea of smashed concrete and debris-laden roads.

The 62-year-old with a snow-white beard and glasses decided to return to the historic souk five months ago to reopen the shop he had managed for years.

"I cried when I first came back. I found total destruction all around me. The stores were destroyed, the streets covered in rubble and rocks, and the buildings collapsed," he told AFP.

"So I repaired it myself, to prove to the whole world that Aleppo's Old City still has a soul."

Khan al-Harir, or the Silk Market, lies in the celebrated Old City of central Aleppo, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Mohammad Shawash arranges the display outside his shop in the Old City of Aleppo on July 22, 2017 amid the destruction caused by years of battles

Its historic covered market was the largest in the world, with some 4,000 shops and 40 caravanserais in a labyrinth of alleyways selling everything from home ware to artisanal products.

For four years, the Old City was on the front line of battles between government troops in the city's west and rebels in the east.

But a blistering, Russian-backed offensive saw Syria's army retake swathes of the country, and in December 2016 the government declared it was once more in control of the whole of Aleppo.

- 'I lost myself' -

Much of the Old City remains scarred by fighting, but part of the Souk al-Jumruk marketplace reopened last month. Other shopkeepers have slowly begun returning to assess the damage.

Shawash, a native of Khan al-Harir, was one of them.

"I was raised here and I used to open my shop from 7:00am until late at night. I knew everyone around me," he said.

"The streets were full of passers-by, stalls, restaurants and people selling clothes, carpets and furniture. But now there is no one."

Mohammad Shawash sits outside his shop in the wartorn streets of Aleppo

When he returned earlier this year to check on his shop, he found a wall had collapsed, the goods were either gone or burned, and the streets were eerily empty.

"It's not just about losing money or stock. I lost my neighbours, I lost my people, I lost myself."

For a week, Shawash piled bricks, cement, and stone in a small wheelbarrow and navigated it through the ravaged streets to repair his shop by hand.

"I would arrive completely exhausted, because the streets are narrow and there was rubble everywhere, which meant cars couldn't get through," he said.

He has since resumed his daily ritual, laying out multicoloured plastic tablecloths and mats for display, many of them still wrapped in protective plastic.

Shawash then sits down on a plastic chair and waits for customers, his prayer beads in hand. For hours no one stops, so he packs up his goods, locks the metal door, and heads home.

With a dearth of customers, he said he was barely making enough "to buy a falafel sandwich".

"Before the war, I used to sell between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds ($1,000 and $1,500, depending on the exchange rate) worth of goods," he said.

Shawash insisted Aleppo's young people must return to rebuild their city.

"Aleppo is the symbol of civilisation," he said. "I'm proud to be the first one to reopen my shop in this souk, but I hope that life returns to the market."
The toll for Tropical Storm Tembin has now topped 200 in the Philippines

Some 200 people have been killed in the southern Philippines after a tropical storm battered the archipelago nation's second-largest island, triggering heavy flooding and landslides that have ravaged towns and displaced tens of thousands.

Tropical Storm Tembin lashed Mindanao island, home to 20 million people, on Friday with gusts of 125 kilometres (80 miles) an hour and torrential rain, wiping out at least one mountain village and prompting a massive rescue operation over the weekend.

Police said 144 people remained missing while more than 40,000 had fled to evacuation camps as Tembin roared out into the South China Sea early Sunday.

A total of 70,000 have been displaced or affected by the storm according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which warned that continued heavy rain could hamper the search for survivors.

"People left everything behind when they fled for their lives," the IFRC's Philippines operations and programmes manager Patrick Elliott said in a statement.

The Philippines is pummelled by major storms every year, many of them deadly, but Mindanao tends to be less affected.

Footage shows vast tracks of land on the island is now under brown water, often waste deep as local try to flee to safer ground.

Local police said 135 people were killed and 72 were missing in the northern section of Mindanao, while 47 were dead and 72 missing in the impoverished Zamboanga peninsula on its western side.

Another 18 people perished in the province of Lanao del Sur in the centre of the island.

- Village erased -

One of the places hit hardest by the storm was the mountain village of Dalama, which was virtually erased from the map.

Footage filmed by Filipino television network ABS-CBN showed houses destroyed or engulfed by floodwaters there and rescuers retrieving the body of a dead girl buried in a landslide.

Police, soldiers and volunteers used shovels and their bare hands to dig through mud and debris in their search for survivors.

"The flood was already close and the people were not able to get out from their homes," Armando Sangcopan, an elderly male survivor, told the station.

More than 40,000 have had to flee their homes

Rescuers said a total of 103 houses were carried off by rampaging floodwaters in Dalama.

The storm approached the western island of Palawan, a popular tourist draw, late Saturday and swept into the South China Sea before dawn, the state weather service said.

"So far zero casualties, but we have accounts of some people missing," Palawan civil defence chief Zaldy Ablana told DZMM radio in an interview on Sunday.

But in a Palawan fishing village, a 53-year-old man was killed by a crocodile while securing his boat in a river.

Tembin struck less than a week after Tropical Storm Kai-Tak left scores dead and more than 20 missing in the central Philippines, straining the disaster-prone nation's already stretched resources.

The deadliest typhoon to hit the country is still Haiyan, which killed thousands and destroyed entire towns in heavily populated areas of the central Philippines in November 2013.
Forecasters are projecting a yield of 46 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 Florida orange season, a drop of 33 percent from the previous season

Hit by Hurricane Irma and a citrus ailment known as "Yellow Dragon Disease," Florida orange growers are bracing for potentially the worst harvest in more than a half century.

Forecasters are projecting a yield of 46 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 Florida orange season, a drop of 33 percent from last year and the lowest output since at least 1944-1945, according to the US Agriculture Department.

Some areas have lost as much as 90 percent of their fruit due to winds from Irma, or root damage due to flooding.

"It may take months for growers to gauge the true scale of the impact of Hurricane Irma and years to fully recover," said Shelley Rossetter, a spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Department.

Florida oranges aren't the only casualty of 2017, an unusually busy year for natural disasters in North America.

The massive "Thomas" wildfire, considered the second biggest fire ever in California, has damaged lemon and avocado crops in the region north of Los Angeles.

Hundreds of acres of producing land have burned, said Ken Melban, vice president of industry affairs at the California Avocado Commission.

"It's a very unusual fire, some areas have been burned several times," Melban said. "It has a tremendous impact on growers impacted by the fire."

But Melban said it was difficult to determine the full impact on avocado prices because of higher imports and the supply from California growers not touched by the fire.

- Sour times -

But in Florida, where the orange industry employs 45,000 and an economic impact in the state of $8.6 billion, the outlook is grim, especially since the industry already faced myriad challenges even before Irma hit in September.

Citrus greening disease -- otherwise known as Yellow Dragon Disease -- is a bacterial malady spread by insects that has begun to ravage crops, killing some orange trees and rendering other fruit small and sour.

Orange production in Florida, which peaked at 244 million cartons in 1998, fell last year to 67 million.

There is no cure, so growers are focusing on ways to limit the spread of the disease, and on technologies and growing practices that could build resistant to the disease.

"Things were starting to turn around," Rossetter said. "Before Hurricane Irma, Florida Citrus growers were expecting 75 million boxes, the first crop size increase in years."

But she warned that in the wake of the storm, "Without support from state and federal government, some growers may go out of business."

The state orange industry also has come under pressure due to declining demand for orange juice as Americans turn to less sweet drinks and other alternatives. About 90 percent of Florida's oranges are used for juice.

US consumption of fresh orange juice has fallen 18 percent in just four years, according to Nielsen data.

At the same time, rising imports offer unwelcome competition. Brazil, a big producer of oranges for orange juice, could see an increase in output of 55 percent this year amid favorable weather conditions, according to USDA.
China's home-grown AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft in production, codenamed "Kunlong," took off from the southern city of Zhuhai for its maiden flight and landed after roughly an hour

China's home-grown AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft in production, took to the skies on Sunday for its maiden flight.

The plane, codenamed "Kunlong" according to state news agency Xinhua, took off from the southern city of Zhuhai and landed after roughly an hour-long flight.

With a wingspan of 38.8 metres (127 feet) and powered by four turboprop engines, the aircraft is capable of carrying 50 people and can stay airborne for 12 hours.

"Its successful maiden flight makes China among the world's few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft," chief designer Huang Lingcai told Xinhua.

The amphibious aircraft has military applications but will be used for firefighting and marine rescue, with at least 17 orders placed so far with state-owned manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China, state media reported.

While it is around the size of a Boeing 737, the AG600 is considerably smaller than billionaire Howard Hughes' flying boat, better known as the Spruce Goose, which had a wingspan of 97 metres and a length of 67 metres but only made one brief flight, in 1947.

The AG600's flight capabilities put all of China's island-building projects in the South China Sea well within range.

The AG600's flight capabilities put all of China's island building projects in the South China Sea well within range

"Its 4,500-km operational range and ability to land and take off from water makes it well-suited for deployment over China's artificial islands," said James Char, a military analyst at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

The aircraft can fly to the southernmost edge of China's territorial claims -- the James Shoal -- in just four hours from the southern city of Sanya, state-owned Global Times reported.

The shoal is also claimed by Taiwan and Malaysia, and is currently administered by Malaysia. The collection of submerged rocks lies roughly 80 kilometres from Malaysia's coastline and about 1,800 kilometres from the Chinese mainland.

"The plane's capacity and maneuverability makes it ideal for transporting materiel to those maritime features that are too structurally fragile to support runways," Char said.

Beijing's buildup in the South China Sea, through which some $5 trillion in annual trade passes, is hotly contested by other nations.

The Philippines for many years was one of the region's strongest opponents of Chinese expansionism, and brought a complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal.

The panel ruled last year that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis, but the Philippines has backed away from the dispute under its new president Rodrigo Duterte.

The launch of the new amphibious aircraft further strengthens China's rapidly modernising military.

Earlier this year, it launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Type 001A. This complemented the Liaoning, a second-hand Soviet carrier commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.

China's military expenditure in 2016 was an estimated $215 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, putting it in first place in Asia, well ahead of India ($56 billion), Japan ($46 billion) and South Korea ($37 billion).
Pakistan's military has been battling Islamist militants in the country's northwestern tribal regions

A roadside bomb killed three soldiers Sunday in a remote part of northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, officials said.

The bombing took place in the village of Ghulam Khan in North Waziristan, one of the country's seven semi-autonomous tribal areas where the military has been battling Islamist militants, including the Pakistani Taliban.

The soldiers from the paramilitary Frontier Corps were searching for bombs to clear the area for the passage of a convoy, a senior Pakistani security official told AFP.

"Three soldiers ... were martyred in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast in Ghulam Khan," the official said.

Local intelligence officials confirmed the incident and casualties.

It was not possible to independently verify the account as the area is out of bounds for media.

A curfew has been imposed in the area as security forces search for the suspected militants who planted the bomb, the official said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Taliban militants have carried out many similar attacks in the past.

Violence in Pakistan has declined in recent years following a series of military offensives against insurgents along the northwestern border with Afghanistan, but militant groups are still able to carry out bloody attacks.

There have been a number of deadly assaults in recent weeks in the northwest as well as in the southwestern Balochistan province.

This latest wave of attacks came as hundreds of people displaced from their homes during the offensives in North Waziristan prepared to return after the military declared the region safe.
Palestinian protesters carry a poster of wheelchair-bound demonstrator Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, who was killed on December 15 by Israeli forces during clashes with soldiers near the border fence with Gaza

A Palestinian teenager died on Sunday, nine days after being wounded by Israeli fire during a Gaza protest against US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the health ministry said.

Mohammad Sami al-Dahduh, 19, from Gaza City was shot on December 15 during a demonstration on the Israeli border, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

His death brings to 12 the number of Palestinians killed since US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Ten protesters have died after clashes with Israeli troops, two of them on Friday. Two others were killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza earlier in the month.

Among the Gazans killed in the December 15 clashes was Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, who had lost his legs in an Israeli attack a decade ago.

The health ministry in Gaza said the 29-year-old was shot in the head by a sniper, with the UN's human rights chief saying he was "truly shocked" by Abu Thurayeh's death, demanding an "independent and impartial investigation".

On December 18, the Israeli army said it conducted an investigation, according to which it was "impossible to determine whether Abu Thurayeh was injured as a result of riot dispersal means or what caused his death".

"No live fire was aimed at Abu Thurayeh," the army said in a statement.

On Saturday, the head of COGAT, Israel's defence ministry unit responsible for activities in the Palestinian territories, reiterated there was "no basis for the false reports that a sniper deliberately targeted Abu Thurayeh".

Major General Yoav Mordechai also wrote in a Facebook post in Arabic that he had asked the Red Cross to provide all information on Abu Thurayeh's evacuation and treatment.

"There are too many question marks around Abu Thurayeh's death," Mordechai wrote. "Let's put an end to the rumours, exaggerations and lies."
Iraqi clergy attend a Christmas Eve mass at Saint Paul's church in Mosul for the first time since the end of jihadist rule

Hymns and cries of joy filled a church in Iraq's second city Mosul on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas there for the first time in four years after the end of jihadist rule.

Mass opened with the Iraqi national anthem as women ululated, despite the modest decorations inside the church and the armoured cars and police outside.

"This is a sign that life is returning to Mosul," said wheelchair-bound Hossam Abud, 48, who returned earlier this month from exile in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Like tens of thousands of other Christians, Abud fled in 2014 as the Islamic State group seized the northern city and swathes of the surrounding Nineveh province, ordering the minority to convert, pay taxes, leave or die.

Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako of Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Church called on the congregation to pray for "peace and stability in Mosul, Iraq and the world".

"With this mass, we're sending a message of peace and love, because Christ is the messenger of peace," he told AFP.

On Christmas Eve at Saint Paul's church, Muslims stood with Christian worshippers and local officials amid candles and Christmas trees.

Outside, the portrait of a Christian killed under IS rule was displayed as a reminder of the city's grim recent past.

Iraqi forces expelled the jihadist group from Mosul in July after months of ferocious fighting.

That was part of a string of defeats which have decimated an organisation that once ruled over millions of people across large parts of Syria and nearly a third of Iraq.

White sheets hung over the church's window frames, blasted empty during the battle.

Farqad Malko, another of the few Christians to have returned, said the mass was a message to IS.

"With this celebration, we tell them that residents of Mosul are all brothers, whatever their religion or ethnicity, and despite all the damage and suffering," he said.

Sunday's church service in eastern Mosul was "an immense joy", she said, smiling broadly as seasonal hymns played in the background.

Saint Paul's is currently the only functioning church in Mosul, and is only open thanks to the clean-up efforts of young volunteers.

"We must rebuild the city's churches that were destroyed to encourage the return of Christians," Abud said.

- 'More expected soon' -

Iraqis arrive amid tight security for a Christmas mass at Saint Paul's church in the country's second city Mosul

The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq had by 2014 pushed some 90 percent of Mosul's Christian population to flee, leaving only 2,000 families when it was captured by IS, officials and activists say.

Sako urged Christians displaced within Iraq and those who have sought refuge abroad to return and "play an active role in (the city's) reconstruction".

Between 70 and 80 Christian families have so far returned "and more are expected to follow soon", according to Dourid Tobia, an advisor on Christian affairs to the provincial governor.

Mina Ramez, 20, returned with her family two months ago, in time for the start of the new university year.

"This is our land, these are our homes, and we will do everything we can with our brothers of all religions to rebuild it," she said.

"We will never abandon the land of our birth."
Mali's ousted former president Amadou Toumani Toure, visiting his home country, has said he was "not there to do politics"

Mali's ousted former president Amadou Toumani Toure returned to the country on Sunday for the first time since a coup deposed him in 2012.

Toure flew into the capital, Bamako, the scene of his downfall on March 22, 2012, when mutinous soldiers overthrew the government and detained him.

The coup led by army captain Amadou Sanogo toppled what had been heralded as one of the region's most stable democracies, before the country's northern territory was overrun by Islamist rebels allied with Al-Qaeda.

Toure, who arrived with his family on board the presidential plane, travelled to the personal residence of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, with whom he is due to have lunch.

He was welcomed by the prime minister and security minister, along with hundreds of supporters at around midday (1200 GMT).

Keita said on Friday the moment had arrived "for us to tell our brother Amadou Toumani Toure to return to Mali," while Toure told AFP from the Senegal capital, Dakar, that he was "not there to do politics".

Toure has been living in exile in Senegal ever since he was deposed.

He was accused by Keita's government in 2012 of treason over the failure of soldiers to tackle a rebellion led by Tuareg people that eventually led to jihadists trying to take over the country. The charges were dropped last year.

Islamist militants took control of northern cities in Mali in March and April 2012 but were chased out by a French-led military operation launched in January 2013, which is still under way.

Mali's army, French soldiers and a UN mission (MINUSMA) have little control of large tracts of the country, which regularly come under attack in spite of a peace accord signed with Tuareg leaders in May and June 2015, aimed at isolating the jihadists.
A member of the Iraqi government forces walks next to a pipeline at the Bay Hassan oil field, west of the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, on October 19, 2017

Iraq's oil ministry on Sunday called for bids for the construction of a pipeline to allow oil exports to resume from the northern province of Kirkuk to neighbouring Turkey.

The pipeline is to run for 350 kilometres (200 miles) and have a capacity of more than a million barrels per day, the ministry said.

It is to replace one built in the 1980s that was damaged in attacks by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Iraq had exported 250,000 to 400,000 barrels per day through that pipeline before IS jihadists swept across large parts of the country and neighbouring Syria in 2014.

The new pipeline will replace a section of the route from oil-rich Kirkuk province, under Baghdad's control since October, to the Mediterranean Turkish port of Ceyhan.

It will transport crude from the area of Baiji, in the province of Salaheddine to the south of Kirkuk, to the Fishkhabur border post with Turkey further north.

Foreign and domestic companies have a month to bid for the project, a quarter of which will be awarded to local companies, the ministry said.

Iraqi government and paramilitary forces moved in to take over Kirkuk and its oilfields after Iraqi Kurds in September voted for independence in a controversial referendum opposed by Baghdad.

The Baghdad government has declared victory over IS in Iraq, while US-backed forces are pressing a campaign to expel the jihadists from eastern Syria.

Iraq's monthly oil revenues rose 27.4 percent in November compared with September, according to oil ministry figures published Sunday.

Oil income was $4.9 billion (4.1 billion euros) in September, when the price of a barrel of crude was hovering around $50. That rose to $6.2 billion in November on slightly higher sales, as crude prices topped $57 per barrel.
Rohingya women and men queue at a relief centre at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh in this November 28, 2017 photo

The UN General Assembly on Sunday urged Myanmar to end a military campaign against Muslim Rohingya and called for the appointment of a UN special envoy, despite opposition from China, Russia and some regional countries.

A resolution put forward by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was adopted by a vote of 122 to 10 with 24 abstentions.

China, Russia, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam joined Myanmar in voting against the measure as did Belarus, Syria and Zimbabwe.

The resolution calls on the government to allow access for aid workers, ensure the return of all refugees and grant full citizenship rights to the Rohingya.

It requests that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appoint a special envoy to Myanmar.

The measure was adopted by the assembly after its budget committee gave the green light to funds for the new position of UN special envoy to Myanmar.

More than 650,000 Muslim Rohingya have fled the mainly Buddhist country since the military operation was launched in Rakhine state in late August.

Myanmar authorities insist the campaign is aimed at rooting out Rohingya militants who attacked police posts on August 25 but the United Nations has said the violence amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Last week, the UN special rapporteur for Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, said she had been banned from the country and that the government had cut off all cooperation with her.
An Emirates Airbus A380 takes off from Toulouse-Blagnac airport on October 19, 2017

Tunisia on Sunday suspended Emirates Airlines flights after a public outcry over security measures in the United Arab Emirates targeting women from the North African country.

The transport ministry said it had "decided to suspend" Emirates flights to Tunis "until the airline is able to find the appropriate solution to operate its flights in accordance with international law and agreements".

An Emirates Airlines spokesperson confirmed to AFP: "Emirates will stop services between Tunis and Dubai, as instructed by the Tunisian authorities, with effect from December 25, 2017."

A number of Tunisian women had said their travel to the Gulf state on UAE airlines had been delayed and some had been forced to undergo additional examination of their visas.

That triggered angry reactions on social media and media outlets in Tunisia.

The United Arab Emirates said Sunday that "security information" had caused the delays.

"We contacted our Tunisian brothers about security information that necessitated taking specific procedures," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter.

"We should avoid misleading attempts... We highly value Tunisian women and respect them," he said, without elaborating.

The Tunisian government said Friday it had asked the UAE ambassador for clarification, adding the envoy said the decision was for only a short period and the restrictions had been lifted.

Despite the clarification, Tunisian rights groups issued a statement on Saturday condemning the UAE measures as "discriminatory and racist".

Tunisia has been trying to repair diplomatic ties with the UAE damaged by its 2011 revolution and after the Islamic party Al-Nahda, which has strong links with Qatar, came to power in the North African country.

Relations between Qatar on the one hand and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the other have been severed since June after the four Arab countries accused Doha of backing "terror" groups in the region, a charge denied by Qatar.
BANGKOK (AP) - After facing international outrage and charges of ethnic cleansing, Myanmar made a pledge: Rohingya Muslims who fled the country by the hundreds of thousands would start their journey home within weeks.

With so many obstacles, however, and no real sign of good will, few believe that will happen.

The returns are supposed to be voluntary. But many members of the religious minority, now living in sprawling refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, are afraid to go back.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2017, file photo, Rohingya Muslim man Naseer Ud Din holds his infant son Abdul Masood, who drowned when the boat they were traveling in capsized just before reaching the shore, as his wife Hanida Begum cries upon reaching the Bay of Bengal shore in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh. Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)

They don't trust the nationalist-led government and feel widely hated by the general population. Meanwhile, the military - which violently ousted them - says the refugees shouldn't expect to return in large numbers.

Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing.

Their home for generations, the northern tip of Rakhine state, is now virtually empty, prompting the United Nations, the United States and others to label it ethnic cleansing.

In an apparent effort to quiet criticism, Myanmar reached an agreement with Bangladesh last month saying refugees would start returning home before Jan. 23.

There is "no way" that will happen, says Chris Lewa, a leading expert on the Rohingya and the policies that have made them one of the world's most persecuted minorities. The government, she notes, has done almost nothing to prepare.

While Myanmar said the Rohingya would be allowed to settle in their original homes, few of which remain standing, some officials have talked about putting them in "camps" in northern Rakhine.

Already, two barracks have been constructed next to a police post in the Rakhine state village of Taungpyo Letwe to receive returnees, the Ministry of Information says. The government has stockpiled material and started breaking ground for 41 modular houses.

The idea, the ministry said, is that returnees can stay there temporarily.

That scares Arif Ullah, a 34-year-old Rohingya living at the Balukali camp in Bangladesh. He worries it could lead to something more permanent like apartheid-style camps erected after violence broke out in Sittwe, the state capital, in 2012.

Five years later, those camps remain home to 120,000 people. International aid agencies are effectively banned and the Rohingya have little access to food, education or basic medical care. Mothers regularly die in childbirth. Babies and children have clear signs of malnutrition.

"We miss our home," said Arif Ullah, married and a father of two. "But we are human beings."

"If the Myanmar government is really willing to take us back and give us our rights, they could have built houses on the land where our houses were burned down," he says. "But clearly they don't want to do that. And we are not going back to just live in the camps."

Anagha Neelakantan, Asia Director of the International Crisis Group, meanwhile, warned of potential security risks. She also does not believe large numbers of Rohingya will be returning from Bangladesh any time soon.

And the presence of so many traumatized, hopeless refugees in Bangladesh, she said, could be a recipe for further instability and possible cross-border attacks by Rohingya militants, known as ARSA.

Attacks by ARSA inside Rakhine state - first in October 2016 and then again in August - triggered the army's heavy-handed, indiscriminate response.

Well-trained and funded in part by the Middle East, the militants' agenda appears to be to localized. They want the Rohingya to enjoy the same rights as others in Myanmar. But if the situation does not improve, there are fears the militants could be exploited by transnational jihadists with their own aims.

Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, says the decision as to who returns and when should not be left to governments. It should be for residents inside Myanmar to decide.

"It is impossible to accept the number of persons proposed by Bangladesh," he said last month in a statement. "Emphasis must be placed on wish of local Rakhine ethnic people who are real Myanmar citizens. Only when local Rakhine ethnic people accept it, will all the people satisfy it."

Though many Rohingya have been living in Myanmar for generations, they are seen by most people in the country as "foreign invaders" from Bangladesh. They have been denied citizenship, effectively rendering them stateless.

In addition to saying the Muslim minority should be allowed to return freely, safely and in dignity, Myanmar's agreement with Bangladesh says Rohingya will need to provide evidence of their residency - something many say they do not have.

While the agreement says that the U.N. High Commission for Refugees will play a role in the repatriations, Adrian Edwards, a spokesman in Geneva, said they have so far been excluded from initial discussions between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh wants them to be involved, sources say. Myanmar does not.

"After the widespread atrocities, safe and voluntary return of Rohingya will require international monitors on the ground in Burma (Myanmar)," says Bill Frelick, refugee rights director at Human Rights Watch. This, he says, means a central role for the UNHCR.

But how that can happen and when is just one of the many obstacles to a Rohingya return to Myanmar that many fear, many simply don't want - and that, in the context of the months of violence that 2017 brought to so many people, is for the moment a political talking point and very little else.

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Esther Htusan, Yangon correspondent for The Associated Press since 2016, has reported from Myanmar since 2013. Robin McDowell reported from Yangon for the AP from 2011 to 2016.

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2017, file photo, Rohingya Muslim woman, Rukaya Begum, who crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, holds her son Mahbubur Rehman, left, and her daughter Rehana Bibi, after the government moved them to newly allocated refugee camp areas, near Kutupalong, Bangladesh. Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2017, file photo, Rohingya Muslim child cries as she stands amid a crowd of elders to receive food being distributed near Balukhali refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2017, file photo, Rohingya Muslim women, who crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, stretch their arms out to collect sanitary products distributed by aid agencies near Balukhali refugee camp, Bangladesh. Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2017, file photo, groups of Rohingya Muslims cross the Naf river at the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, near Palong Khali, Bangladesh. Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 60 million, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the country's 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge ruled Saturday that the U.S. military must provide legal counsel to an American citizen who was picked up months ago on the Syrian battlefield and accused of fighting with Islamic State militants.

The unidentified American, who has not been charged, surrendered to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria around Sept. 12 and is currently being held in Iraq as an unlawful enemy combatant.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a court petition challenging his detention and asking to act on his behalf to provide him access to legal counsel.

Late last month, the U.S. government acknowledged that it has detained an American citizen accused of fighting with IS for months without fulfilling his request to see a lawyer. Responding to a court order, the government said the man picked up on the Syrian battlefield indicated he was willing to talk to FBI agents but "felt he should have an attorney present."

In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied the Defense Department's motion to dismiss the matter and ordered the military to let the ACLU "immediate and unmonitored access to the detainee" so that it can determine whether he wants the ACLU to represent him. The judge also ordered the Defense Department not to transfer the detainee until the ACLU tells the court of the detainee's wishes.

"This is a landmark ruling that rejects the Trump administration's unprecedented attempt to block an American citizen from challenging his executive imprisonment," said Jonathan Hafetz, senior staff attorney for the ACLU. "Ensuring citizens detained by the government have access to a lawyer and a court is essential to preserving the Constitution and the rule of law in America."

Kathryn Wyer, an attorney in the Justice Department's civil division, earlier told the court that the U.S. military was working "diligently" on the matter, but had not yet decided what to do with the detainee. Wyer cited case law stating the executive branch should be given a reasonable period of time to determine a detained individual's status.

The government said that during questioning that FBI special agents advised the detainee of his right to remain silent even though he might have spoken earlier to other interrogators. That was an apparent reference to intelligence agents who are believed to have questioned the detainee first. The government said the detainee also was advised of his right to an attorney.

But the government also acknowledged that the detainee said he "understood his rights and said he was willing to talk to the agents, but also stated that since he was in a new phase (of questioning), he felt he should have an attorney present."
BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq on Sunday invited companies to submit statements of interest in building a new pipeline from the northern city of Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

The new 350-kilometer (220-mile) pipeline will carry up to one million barrels a day, the state-run Oil Projects Company said. A 305-kilometer (190-mile) gas pipeline to feed pumping stations, tanks and other service installations will be included in the project, it said.

The new line will be built alongside an existing 1.6 million barrel-per-day pipeline, which runs through restive Sunni areas and has been idle since it was badly damaged by militant attacks in 2014.

FILE - in this April 4, 2005, file photo, Iraqi men watch an oil pipeline fire burning in Hawija, near Kirkuk, Iraq. Iraq has invited bidders to express interest to build an oil pipeline that sends crude to international market through Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. (AP Photo/Bassem Daham, File)

Iraqi forces drove the Islamic State group from the area earlier this year, but the militants are expected to continue to launch insurgent-style attacks.

Interested companies have until Jan. 24 to submit applications for pre-qualification before receiving the final tender documents. Authorities did not provide a timeline for the project, which will be offered under a build-own-operate-transfer scheme. At least 25 percent of the project will be owned by Iraqi entities.

Iraqi forces seized the disputed city of Kirkuk from Kurdish forces in October. The Kurds, who had taken control of Kirkuk and other disputed areas when IS swept into Iraq three years ago, exported oil through their own pipeline to Turkey.

The fields around Kirkuk currently produce around 140,000 barrels a day, all of which goes to refineries, Oil Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said Sunday.

Oil and other infrastructure suffered widespread damage during the fighting against IS. The costs of the war, along with low oil prices, have taken a heavy toll on Iraq's economy.

Also on Sunday, Iraq reached a deal with China's state-run Zhenhua Oil to develop the southern section of the East Baghdad oil field. Iraq hopes to pump 40,000 barrels a day within five years from the beginning of the development, Jihad said. The field is believed to hold 8 billion barrels.

Iraq has the world's fourth-largest oil reserves. This year, it added 10 billion barrels, bringing its total reserves up to 153.1 billion barrels.

FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 17, 2006, file photo, Iraqi youths watch a burning oil pipeline near Taji, north of Baghdad, Iraq. Iraq has invited bidders to express interest to build an oil pipeline that sends crude to international market through Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. (AP Photo/Ahmed Al-Dulimi, File)
CAIRO (AP) - Will 2018 dampen the fires that rage across the Middle East? Although skepticism is understandable, there is a glimmer of change.

The fight against the Islamic State group is mostly over, and the war in Syria may finally be winding down. The region is transitioning from fighting those wars to dealing with their aftermath - the destruction and dispersal of populations they wrought and the political fallout. Iran's influence has grown after its proxies were generally successful, and even its nuclear deal with the West remains in place. In rival Saudi Arabia, a youthful new leader is promising long-delayed modernization at home and greater confrontation with Iran in the region. Donald Trump in the White House adds a mercurial element to an exceedingly combustible brew.

If pessimism reigns, much can be traced to the failure of the 2010-11 Arab Spring revolts against despotism. Instead of the democratic tsunami many envisaged, a string of wars has followed. Libya seems doomed to chaos and the war in Yemen is a genuine humanitarian crisis. In many places the old guard remains in place. So spectacular is the wreckage that almost no one refers to the Arab Spring without irony any more.

Men swimming during an early morning swim in the Mediterranean sea in cool temperatures of 8 degrees celsius, 46.4 Fahrenheit, across Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Egypt, which gripped the world's attention when street demonstrations - and the military - toppled Hosni Mubarak seven years ago, may be the best example of the scaled-down ambition. After several years of mayhem it seems more stable now, the economy starting to grow and tourism up. Jihadi terrorism remains a problem, though, especially in the Sinai Peninsula and against Christians, and freedoms have been curtailed. Still, there is little sense of foment in the streets - where protests are severely restricted - and barring a surprise, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi can expect to win re-election in a few months.

Across the border in Israel, there is more prospect for change as long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces corruption investigations that could lead to his removal or early elections. Netanyahu, albeit bellicose, has been cautious - but he also seems wedded to a ruinous status quo with the Palestinians. He could be replaced by a greater firebrand or by the moderate center-left, which would create new opportunities.

Here's a look at some possible inflection points for 2018:

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ALL QUIET ON THE SYRIAN FRONT?

Syria's President Bashar Assad has been embattled since war erupted in his country almost seven years ago, when his demise was widely predicted in the early going. But it looks like he'll survive, for now, as the war appears to draw to a close.

Major military operations have tapered off, with Assad in control of key areas and the war against the Islamic State group mostly concluded with the recapture of the cities it controlled. Bloodshed still lies ahead if Assad tries to seize areas still under rebel control, including some near the capital and in Idlib province to the north. But local cease-fires brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey have significantly reduced the daily carnage that kept Syria in the news.

The damage, with half the population displaced and almost a half million killed, is huge. Tens of thousands are missing, many believed held in government detention centers. Syrian Kurds in the north hold nearly 25 percent of the country; Turkey, Russia, the U.S., Iran and Lebanese troops all maintain bases they are likely to keep for now.

The fate of Assad, whose heavy-handed, decades-old family rule sparked the rebellion, remains a toxic issue that has scuttled all diplomatic efforts at peace. Backed by Russia and Iran, it may seem like Assad has won the war: too many of his frustrated opponents turned to extremist groups such as al-Qaida and IS for the United States and the West to jump in and risk conflict with Russia. But the endgame remains open.

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A PHOENIX ON THE TIGRIS

The war against the Islamic State group has been declared over after four years of savagery. The group's epic abuses - enslaving women, massacring whole populations, grisly killings, mass terrorism - inspired a furious reaction that has left large parts of Iraq in smoldering ruins. The fight by the U.S.-led coalition was grueling in Fallujah, Ramadi, Hawija, Tal Afar and finally Mosul. Whether Iraq can rebuild is a key question for 2018, for only then will Baghdad regain the authority to govern the whole country.

The cash-strapped government estimates $100 billion is needed nationwide - while leaders in Mosul say that amount is needed for their city alone. Funding is unclear, and the United States - whose coalition dropped approximately 27,700 munitions around Mosul from October 2016 to July 2017 - seems to be washing its hands.

While 2.7 million Iraqis have returned to lands retaken from IS, more than 3 million others cannot - including some 600,000 from Mosul. Thousands of civilians were killed. More than 70 percent of Ramadi remains damaged or destroyed, according to authorities there.

At the heart of the matter are the sectarian divisions that bedevil not only Iraq but Syria, Lebanon, and other parts of the region whose borders were mostly drawn by Europeans. The destroyed areas are largely Sunni, while the Baghdad government is Shiite-dominated. If rebuilding efforts fail, the Sunni areas will likely become restive again.

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PROMISE AND PERIL IN SAUDI ARABIA

The monarchies of the region - from Morocco to Jordan to the Gulf - were the least affected by the Arab Spring. Perhaps most ossified was Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally and key oil power whose strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam is blamed by critics for abetting the spread of jihadism worldwide.

Now change appears to be coming, symbolized by the ubiquitous acronym MBS - the widely used nickname for 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who many expect will take over the throne from his father officially in 2018. He has been stumping for a more moderate view of religion and is widely credited with the recent decisions to end the highly contentious, decades-old bans on women driving and cinemas operating.

The crown prince is also widely seen as the driving force behind the arrests of dozens of his fellow princes on corruption charges. Few are surprised by the corruption allegations, but critics sensed a power grab. Many of the detainees continue to fester, albeit in style, in the luxury Riyadh hotel that has become their improbable prison.

Saudi Arabia has also led a political and economic assault by Gulf nations on small but scrappy Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and being too close to Iran. A series of demands, such as the closure of its state-owned Al Jazeera television network, have been summarily rejected, and the gambit seems mired in stalemate.

The Syria war is, to a degree, a proxy fight between the two regional powers, with Tehran supporting Assad and Riyadh many of the rebels. That also drove the seemingly Saudi-inspired and ultimately abortive resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who was seen as too easy on the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which is fighting in Syria. In Yemen, where the Saudis have backed the government with airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, many thousands of civilians have died, the rebels still control key parts of the country and there is starvation and cholera on a historic scale.

So great is the antipathy toward Iran by Saudi Arabia and other Sunnis powers that some observers think it exceeds their opposition to Zionism. In Jerusalem, officials giddily whisper of an emerging Sunni-Israeli axis against the Islamic Republic.

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A PENULTIMATE DEAL?

Perhaps inspired by the high-profile failures of his recent predecessors to coax the Israelis and Palestinians into a final peace, Trump speaks repeatedly of the "ultimate deal." But it is difficult to envision even a more moderate Israeli leader meeting the Palestinians' terms, which include dividing or sharing Jerusalem and its Old City, holy to three religions. Even if they somehow agree to share, Israel and a future Palestine will likely need a border snaking through the city to keep peace rejectionists apart. And the Palestinians demand recognition of at least a theoretical "right of return" for millions of descendants of refugees, which few Israelis contemplate. Two decades of failed negotiations attest to the quagmire.

With this unpromising backdrop many Palestinians are talking about ditching the two-state strategy and demanding annexation and equal rights instead. That would make Israel an evenly divided binational state, something its government can be expected to resist, even as they face potential accusations of apartheid. With Israel having already settled 600,000 Jews in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, extricating itself will be difficult.

Some expect Trump's team to try to forge a partial deal instead: A Palestinian state on only some of the land they seek, with Jerusalem and refugees left for later negotiations. Washington may be hoping for help from Riyadh and perhaps Cairo in pressuring the Palestinians. But that never came in the past, even with offers on the table far more likely to entice.

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Associated Press writer Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed to this report.

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Follow Dan Perry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/perry_dan

Iraqi civilians fleeing walk past the destroyed al-Nuri mosque as Iraqi forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Palestinian protesters burn tires and clash with Israeli troops following protests against U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Friday, Dec. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

A U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighter, looks through a window as he takes his position inside a destroyed apartment on the front line, in Raqqa, northeast Syria, Thursday, July 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Blood stains pews inside the St. George Church after a suicide bombing, in the Nile Delta town of Tanta, Egypt, Sunday, April 9, 2017. Bombs exploded at two Coptic churches in the northern Egyptian cities of Tanta and Alexandria as worshippers were celebrating Palm Sunday, killing over 40 people and wounding scores more in assaults claimed by the Islamic State group. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

An elderly woman and a child are pulled on a cart as civilians flee heavy fighting between Islamic State militants and Iraqi special forces in western Mosul, Iraq on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

More than 100 Islamic State suspects sit inside a small room in a prison south of Mosul, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. A total of more 370 IS suspects are being held in bad conditions in the prison. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)

Smoke billows over the Old City after several strikes as Iraqi forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, Monday, July 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A boy rides his bike past destroyed cars and houses in a neighborhood recently liberated by Iraqi security forces on the western side of Mosul, Iraq, Sunday, March 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
ATLANTA (AP) - A Democratic congressional candidate outside Philadelphia calls the Republican tax overhaul a "cynical bill" that will redistribute wealth upward.

One of her counterparts in California dismisses estimates of tax savings for most U.S. households and says the legislation is "just putting money in the pocket of the wealthy." And in Kansas, a Democratic candidate for governor says it's "a recipe for disaster" that previews inevitable cuts to popular programs like Social Security and Medicare.

While Republicans celebrate a massive tax overhaul they say will goose the economy and increase workers' take-home pay up and down the income ladder, Democrats are aiming to turn the tax law into a cudgel in next year's fight to retake control of Congress and to dent GOP advantages in statehouses.

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2017, file photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, standing with Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., right, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms plan to argue that the legislation favors the wealthy and breaks President Donald Trump and Republicans' promises to the middle class. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Democrats hope to use the tax plan, passed without a single Democratic vote, to stake their ground as the party of middle-class and working-class America. They hope Republican efforts to gut the 2010 health care law and President Donald Trump's unpopularity will help that cause.

"It's all a consistent message: This is not what you were promised," says Chrissy Houlahan, a Democratic candidate in the suburban Philadelphia district of Republican Rep. Ryan Costello, who voted for the tax plan. He is one of Democrats' top GOP targets as they try to flip the 24 GOP-held seats necessary for a House majority.

Republicans acknowledge dismal polling for their approach but count on a turnaround in public opinion as tax cuts for many take effect.

A Wall-Street Journal/NBC News poll taken Dec. 13-15 found just 17 percent of respondents expect to pay less in taxes, while a third thought they'd pay more. Two-thirds of those polled said corporations would get breaks; more than half said rich people would get cuts.

Indeed, the overhaul slashes the corporate rate from 35 to 21 percent, and adds generous deductions for certain types of businesses. Yet the plan also lowers individual rates and alters various deductions and credits. Results vary widely but the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center calculates that every income bracket will see gains in after-tax income, at least until some of provisions expire after 2025. The initial gains are estimated at about 0.5 percent for the bottom 20 percent of wage earners to about 2 percent for most of the top 20 percent.

"When Americans see they have more in their paycheck, we think they'll be appreciative," says Corry Bliss, who runs a political advocacy organization and a separate political action committee backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. "I think it sets up a wonderful contrast for the midterms."

Suburban Democrats like Houlahan particularly object to a new cap on deductions for state and local taxes, along with limits on mortgage interest deductions. One provision limits a household to a maximum deduction of $10,000 in state and local taxes, including property levies. Interest calculated on mortgage debt beyond $750,000 also would not be deductible, down from the current $1 million cap.

Those changes fall disproportionately on the nation's largest metro areas, particularly along the coasts, where median incomes are often much higher than the national benchmark but where residents also have considerably higher housing costs and local tax burdens.

Such House districts feature prominently on Democrats' target list in 2018. Several are now represented by Republicans who voted against the final tax bill, like House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, who represents New Jersey's 11th congressional district. He cited the deductions cap in explaining his "no" vote.

Frelinghuysen's potential general election opponent, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, said the congressman's overall support for Ryan and the GOP agenda still makes him "complicit" in the tax legislation.

In California, Democratic House challenger Gil Cisneros plans to hammer Rep. Ed Royce for backing the bill. Cisneros acknowledges many filers will benefit from expanded standard deductions and a more generous child tax credit, but said the other changes will offset much of that.

"You can't buy votes with a few bucks in a paycheck," Cisneros says.

Democrats beyond the higher-income, high-tax suburbs are bullish as well, leaning on more populist arguments values and priorities, like the prospect that the tax cuts will increase the national debt.

"You can't have these kinds of cuts and keep the services that people expect," says Democrat Jim Ward, a Kansas state legislative leader who is running for governor. Republican-run Kansas, Ward says, is the perfect example for the potential fallout given the state's experience since Gov. Sam Brownback's sweeping tax cuts after he took office in 2011.

Brownback, an acolyte of supply side economics, promised an economic boom once Kansas slashed personal income taxes for business owners and eliminated the top marginal personal income tax rate. What followed was a cratering in state revenues, followed by cuts to education and other services, along with increased debt and a lower state credit rating.

Unlike states, the federal government can borrow for operating costs to avoid the steepest immediate cuts even if Republican promises of revenue growth don't materialize. But Ward points to Republicans' long-term proposals to overhaul popular but expensive programs like Social Security and Medicare.

"Day after day, services Kansans had taken for granted were shown not to be available," Ward recalls. "The same thing can happen from Washington over the long term."

Of course, Democrats won't have the campaign megaphone to themselves. Ten Senate Democrats must run for re-election next year in states Trump won. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, one of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's top recruits, is challenging incumbent Claire McCaskill, who joined 47 other Senate Democrats in unified opposition to the tax bill.

In Hawley's campaign, the senator is now known as "Claire McTaxall," complete with a website: clairemctaxall.com.

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On the Web: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/feature/analysis-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act

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Follow Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP.

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The story has been corrected to show that Kansas slashed personal income taxes for business owners, not that Kansas slashed corporate taxes.
ROME (AP) - Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni is proposing deploying an Italian military force in Niger over the next few months to combat human trafficking and terrorism.

He says the Italian Parliament will be asked to approve transferring some of the troops now in Iraq to the African nation, a major route for migrant traffickers. He cited no numbers as he spoke Sunday aboard the Italian naval vessel Etna, which has rescued migrants from traffickers' foundering boats in the Mediterranean.

Gentiloni advised "concentrating our attention and energies on that mix of threats stemming from human trafficking and terrorism that has been consolidating in the last few years in the Sahel, in Africa."

Italy has recommended focusing on Africa as a strategy to combat trafficking of migrants to Libya and then northward toward Europe.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - When her baby boy is born in March, Kim Lyons will have an added worry. The child needs surgery to remove extra fingers and toes. But she'll also have an extra safety net.

Under New York's new paid family leave law, billed as the nation's most generous, she will be able to take eight weeks off from work at half her regular pay.

"I'm so grateful that I'll be able to take more time to spend with my newborn," said Lyons, who lives in Highland in the Hudson Valley. The baby's father will qualify for paid time-off, too.

On Jan. 1, New York will join California, New Jersey and Rhode Island in requiring employers to give workers paid leave to bond with a baby, care for a close relative with a serious illness or help loved ones during a family member's military deployment.

The new benefits, which apply to 6.4 million private-sector workers, will phase in over four years.

In 2018, employees can take up to eight weeks of paid leave and receive 50 percent of their average wage, up to a cap weekly cap of $652. When the phase-in is complete in 2021, they'll be able to take up to 12 weeks at two-thirds of their average weekly wage.

"This is going to be life-changing, especially for low-wage workers," said Nancy Rankin, of the Community Service Society, a group that advocates for low-income New Yorkers. "Those are the workers who have little or no savings, are in debt, are barely getting by. It's a real crisis when they have a new child or ill family member."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced the paid leave legislation in his 2016 State of the State speech. He said he regretted not spending more time with his dying father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, and noted that many people don't have that choice because they can't afford to take time off from work.

He signed the paid leave policy into law in April 2016 along with a $15 minimum wage plan, also being phased in.

Workers - not their employers - will ultimately bear the burden of paying for the leave through a payroll deduction of up to $1.65 a week.

Full-time employees will be eligible after 26 consecutive weeks on the job. Part-time employees qualify after working 175 days in a 52-week period.

"It's the most significant human resources law in the last 30 years," said Frank Kerbein, director of the Center for Human Resources at the Business Council of New York State, a business lobbying group. "It's going to create a tremendous administrative burden, particularly on smaller employers."

One staffing and record-keeping headache for employers, Kerbein said, is that leave could theoretically be taken in up to 40 one-day increments over the course of the year. An employee could take off the days a spouse with cancer gets chemotherapy treatment, or days when a child has an asthma attack.

"It's just going to be a challenge in 2018 to get our minds around this complex law," Kerbein said.

New York's leave policy would be more generous than California's or New Jersey's, which provide six weeks paid leave, and Rhode Island's, which allows for four weeks.

Washington state also enacted a paid family-leave law that will ultimately be more generous than New York's. In 2020, it will provide up to 12 weeks with 90 percent of wages for employees who earn less than the state's average wage, with a weekly cap of $1,000.

"We really should have this at the federal level," Rankin said. "The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn't have government-guaranteed paid maternity leave."

Under the federal Family Medical Leave Act, employers with 50 or more workers must allow parents 12 weeks of job-protected leave to care for a newborn, but the leave is unpaid.

Lyons said she plans to take New York's temporary disability leave benefit, which provides $170 a week for six weeks for an uncomplicated delivery, and then the eight-week paid family leave.

"Without this new law, I wouldn't be able to take that extra time," she said.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - The wife and mother of an Indian naval officer facing the death penalty for espionage in Pakistan will arrive for a rare meeting with him in the country's capital, despite lingering tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, a foreign ministry spokesman said Sunday.

Mohammad Faisal said India informed Islamabad about the visit on Saturday. He added that the two women will fly to Islamabad on Monday to meet with Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested in March 2016 by Pakistani officials after he entered the country from neighboring Iran. Jadhav will be brought to the ministry for the meeting, and India wants Pakistan to bar journalists from speaking with the family members for security reasons.

A security official said the two women will meet with Jadhav in the presence of three Indian diplomats.

FILE - In this March 29, 2016, file photo, journalists look a image of Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested in March 2016, during a press conference by Pakistan's army spokesman and the Information Minister, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan's foreign ministry said on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, New Delhi has officially informed Islamabad that the wife and mother of Jadhav, who faces death penalty for espionage and sabotage are arriving in the capital for a meeting with him. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)

"The mother and wife of Jadhav will be able to see and talk to him but there will be a partition between them for security reasons," said the official, who is involved in making arrangements for the meeting.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to brief the media.

Jadhav and his wife have petitioned the Pakistan army for a pardon, but have yet to receive a response.

In his petition, which was seen by The Associated Press, Jadhav says "I feel very shamed and I genuinely seek pardon of the acts and sins and crimes I have committed here against the nation and the people of Pakistan."

Pakistan says Jadhav was working for the Indian spy agency, RAW.

Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations and they have fought three wars since they gained independence in 1947.
Kansas City's Secret Santa is at it again, this time focusing his annual good cheer on Kansas' capital city.

A reporter for the Kansas City Star tagged along recently as Secret Santa followed his long tradition of handing out $100 bills to strangers in Topeka - places where the hurting and downtrodden gather, including a shelter and thrift store.

At each stop, the arrival of Santa and his 'elves' was met with quizzical stares. By the time they left, there were tears of joy and shouts of 'praise Jesus.'

Local police and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt accompanied the Secret Santa.

'This is such a heart-warming experience,' Schmidt said. 'Such raw generosity.'

The Secret Santa tradition began years ago with a man named Larry Stewart.

In this December 21, 2017 photo, Sharon Bosse of Mayetta, Kansas, embraces one of Santa's 'elves' after being handed a $100 bill in Topeka, Kansas

Stewart was touched by a stranger's kindness at his lowest point. He later became wealthy and decided to share his good fortune with strangers.

When Stewart was dying of cancer, he asked the current Santa to carry on the mission. He has done so for 11 years.

The donor follows in the footsteps of his late friend, who over a quarter-century disbursed an estimated $1.3 million to the needy in Kansas City and other communities.

Stewart publicly identified himself shortly before his 2007 death from esophageal cancer at age 58.

Today's Santa has always remembered what Stewart said on his death bed: 'I wish I could have helped more people.'

The current Santa insists on anonymity.

'It's not about the person,' he said. 'It's about the deed.'

But occasionally, reporters are invited along in hopes of inspiring kindness in others. And sometimes, Santa has kindness shown to him.

More than a dozen homeless people at Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries gave Secret Santa a hug in Topeka after they each received a $100 bill

Debi Widman of Topeka was shopping at a thrift store when a man she didn't know walked up and told her he liked her coat.

The stranger offered her $50. Then $75. Then $100.

'I don't want any money,' she told him. 'I'll give it to you.'

That's when Santa revealed himself. He gave Widman $100 and she kept her coat.

'God bless you,' she told him.

Widman's gesture helped make Santa's day.

'Those with the least,' he said, 'are always willing to give the most.'

In late December 2015, Secret Santa gave out money to local residents in Ferguson, Missouri.

The donor follows in the footsteps of his late friend, billionaire philanthropist Larry Stewart (above), who over a quarter-century disbursed an estimated $1.3 million to the needy in Kansas City and other communities. Stewart died in 2007 after he was diagnosed with cancer

His aim was to help a city still reeling from the violent clashes in August 2014 that broke out after the death of black teenager Michael Brown, shot dead by former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.

His mass giveaway included a trip to the former fourth-grade classroom of nine-year-old Jamyla Bolden, who was killed in August when shots were fired into her home as she did homework on her mother's bed.

The students received $20 bills along with a secret Santa coloring book that tells the story of Stewart, who before earning millions in the cable television and long-distance telephone service industries received his own unexpected donation at a Mississippi diner where he couldn't afford to buy his meal.

'Our mission is to do random acts of kindness,' he said. 'Kindness is the bridge between all people. And right now, Ferguson needs that kindness.'

The secret Santa said he typically hands out between $100,000 and $120,000 annually with the help of other anonymous counterparts in cities such as Charlotte, North Carolina, and Detroit.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - It was a bloody day in Philadelphia: five people shot or stabbed dead. One of the shooting victims was Trina Singleton's 24-year-old son, Darryl.

In this city of 1.6 million people that tallied 269 homicides last year, Darryl's death on Sept. 13, 2016, earned him a few lines near the end of a newspaper story, his loss overshadowed by the death of a 21-year-old cousin of rap star Meek Mill.

"He was totally overlooked," Trina Singleton said. "There were so many people shot that day, he was a number."

In this Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017 photo, Trina Singleton poses for a photograph in Collingdale, Pa., with a photograph of her eldest son Darryl who was murdered. The Philadelphia Obituary Project, a new website, is working to show that homicide victims in Philadelphia are more than statistics. Trina Singleton said sharing Darryl's life story with the obituary project has helped the family move forward, "so his life isn't summed up by some gunshots." (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Now a new website is working to show that Darryl and victims like him are more than statistics. Since the Philadelphia Obituary Project went live in June, it has posted more than 30 in-depth obituaries of city homicide victims from the past 18 months.

"We want to talk about the lives of the people, not their deaths. To dignify them. To humanize them," said Cletus Lyman, a city lawyer who has spent more than $10,000 to fund the project. "We want to complete the picture and show the community that we're losing real people."

Lyman grew up in a small Pennsylvania town reading obituaries, everyone's obituaries, because in a town that size, every citizen was considered worthy of coverage. As an adult, he found himself frustrated by the way the deaths, especially of those who met violent ends, were covered.

Lyman found Albert Stumm, a former Associated Press editor who is now a freelancer based in Spain, to manage the site's content.

"This is an unapologetically positive effort because there's a lot of victim-blaming that goes around," Stumm said. "Yes, many victims have gotten into trouble before they got killed. But how they got there is less important to us than who they were."

The obituaries will include information about a victim's criminal past if the family chooses to talk about it, Stumm said. In instances where a known violent offender is killed, the website won't seek further details, he said, noting a founder of the Junior Black Mafia, which terrorized the city for decades, was not profiled after his murder in December 2016.

Stumm said he didn't know of any other similarly broad private efforts, though he pointed out that some news organizations have tried to write about all homicide victims in a given time period.

Obituaries are part of the ritual of grieving, said Frank Farley, an educational psychology professor at Philadelphia's Temple University.

"We memorialize because we ourselves hope to be memorialized," Farley said. "For many, the fear of disappearing from life with no notation, nothing noted, is a very grim thing."

With newspapers having less space and fewer staff, it's more likely that homicide victims won't receive the due they had been given in years past, although grieving loved ones can always pay to put a death notice in the newspaper. Typically, newspapers write articles about the deaths of only well-known locals and other public figures.

When the Philadelphia Obituary Project's reporters began contacting the families of homicide victims last year, some were hesitant. Then the effort began to get traction.

The tribute to Darryl Singleton in the Philadelphia Obituary Project notes he attended crime-scene investigation camp in Baltimore one summer and was taking classes to be an emergency medical technician. It shares his paternal grandmother's remembrance of the summers he and his brother spent at her home in Georgia and the trips they made to local nursing homes, where Darryl would sing songs like "I Believe I Can Fly."

These good memories, Trina Singleton said, have helped the family mourn.

"We're talking about what he accomplished, so his life isn't summed up by some gunshots," she said. "That's important for us as we go forward."
Turkeys president has said his government is working with Russia to try to evacuate hundreds of people from a besieged, rebel-held Damascus suburb in Syria.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that 500 people in eastern Ghouta, including 170 women and children, are in urgent need of humanitarian or medical assistance.

The government has refused to allow hundreds of people to leave the area to reach hospitals just minutes away. Eastern Ghouta is home to about 400,000 people.

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The UK is calling for urgent and unhindered humanitarian access to the Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta. https://t.co/lcOrF3DKBK pic.twitter.com/9S3ArhP3e7  DFID (@DFID_UK) December 14, 2017

Mr Erdogan said he discussed the issue during a recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Turkish leader said: We want to take them (from eastern Ghouta) and provide them treatment and care in our country.

Turkey is a leading supporter of the Syrian opposition, while Russia is allied with President Bashar Assad.
By Nadine Awadalla and Eric Knecht

CAIRO, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will visit Addis Ababa next week for talks with his Ethiopian counterpart, a foreign ministry spokesman said, in a bid to end a standoff over a multi-billion dollar dam project on the Nile river.

The dispute, which also involves Sudan, centres on control of a share of the waters of the Nile that stretches 6,695 km (4,184 miles) from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean and is the economic lifeblood of all three countries.

Cairo says the dam would threaten water supplies that have fed Egypt's agriculture and economy for thousands of years.

Ethiopia says the Grand Renaissance Dam, which it hopes will help make it Africa's largest power exporter, will have no major effect on Egypt. It accuses Cairo of flexing its political muscle to deter financiers from backing other Ethiopian power projects.

Delegations from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia met in Cairo in November to approve a study by a French firm commissioned to assess the dam's environmental and economic impact.

But negotiations stalled when they failed to agree on the initial report with each blaming others for blocking progress.

Sudan's Irrigation Minister Moataz Moussa said Egypt was unwilling to accept amendments to the report put forward by Khartoum and Addis Ababa.

Sudan and Ethiopia had expressed concern over several points, especially the proposed baseline from which the study would measure the dam's impacts, Moussa said in November.

Another source of disagreement is whether Ethiopia plans to complete construction before negotiations over water flows have finished.

"It's clear they don't want to reach conclusions quickly. We believe they probably want to start filling the dam and complete construction while there are still some ongoing discussions," said Mahmoud Abou Zeid, Arab Water Council Chair and former Egyptian irrigation minister.

He said this would violate an agreement signed by all three countries in Khartoum in 2015 meant to ensure diplomatic cooperation and stem fears of a resource conflict.

Cairo fears the 6,000-megawatt dam, being built by Italy's largest construction firm, Salini Impregilo SpA, and due for completion next year, will reduce the flow it depends on for drinking water and irrigation.

Egyptian officials say safeguarding the country's quota of Nile water is a matter of national security.

"No one can touch Egypt's water ... (which) means life or death for a population," President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said last month. (Reporting by Nadine Awadalla and Eric Knecht; Editing by John Davison)
By Andrew Cawthorne

CARACAS, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Three dozen opponents of Venezuela's socialist government were released from prison and reunited with their families on Sunday as part of a wider Christmas release, a local rights group said.

Lambasted by critics at home and abroad for holding around 270 activists in prison, President Nicolas Maduro's administration said on Saturday it was freeing 80 of them with alternative sentences like community service.

Thirteen were paraded in front of TV cameras at a meeting with a senior official, Delcy Rodriguez. She harangued them for violence and subversion, but also wished them a happy Christmas.

Alfredo Romero, whose Penal Forum group tracks the detention of activists and protesters, said 36 "political prisoners" had been freed by Sunday morning. But he criticized the government for not giving a blanket amnesty.

"They should release not just some but all of them, and not imprison any more," he said.

The best-known among the released prisoners were former provincial mayor Alfredo Ramos, opposition electoral adviser Roberto Picon and a dozen policemen who worked for the opposition-run Chacao district of Caracas.

"I'm happy to be free. I'm with my family," Ramos was quoted as saying in local media.

"It was a tough ordeal, very difficult. It was an arbitrary detention, unjust. I didn't commit any crime."

'CRUEL FARCE'

Maduro, the 55-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez, refutes the term "political prisoners", saying all of the jailed activists were there on legitimate charges of plotting to overthrow his government and promoting violence.

Some 170 people died during two rounds of anti-Maduro street protests in 2014 and earlier this year.

Opponents say they are fighting for freedom against a "dictatorship" that has destroyed the OPEC nation's economy and democracy. Maduro accuses them of being part of a global right-wing plot to topple him in a coup.

U.S. lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a fierce critic of both Venezuela and Cuba's Communist government, called the pre-Christmas releases in Venezuela a hypocritical gesture.

"Maduro in Venezuela cynically 'releases' 80 political prisoners who were actually innocent, parades and humiliates several on state TV ... and expects thanks for Christmas 'mercy'," tweeted the Republican U.S. representative from Florida.

"What a cruel farce."

Nevertheless, the releases could inject life into stuttering mediation talks between Venezuela's government and opposition due to resume in the Dominican Republic in early January.

The releases "concretely demonstrate the Revolution and President Nicolas Maduro's firm desire for dialogue," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said. "Let's hope the opposition knows how to interpret this and isolate its violent factors."

Venezuela's best-known detained politician is Leopoldo Lopez, who remains under house arrest in Caracas, accused of spearheading violence in 2014.

"Though they have turned his house into a jail, I know his mind is strong and he will keep fighting tirelessly for a better Venezuela," said his mother Antonieta Lopez, lamenting he was spending a fourth Christmas detained. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Mary Milliken)
By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Pope Francis strongly defended immigrants at his Christmas Eve Mass on Sunday, comparing them to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and saying faith demands that foreigners be welcomed.

Francis, celebrating his fifth Christmas as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, led a solemn Mass for about 10,000 people in St. Peter's Basilica while many others followed the service from the square outside.

Security was stepped up, with participants checked as they approached St. Peter's Square even before going through metal detectors to enter the basilica. The square had been cleared out hours earlier so security procedures could be put in place.

The Gospel reading at the Mass in Christendom's largest church recounted the Biblical story of how Mary and Joseph had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be registered for a census ordered by Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus.

"So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary. We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away, but driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones," Francis said.

Even the shepherds who the Bible says were the first to see the child Jesus were "forced to live on the edges of society" and considered dirty, smelly foreigners, he said. "Everything about them generated mistrust. They were men and women to be kept at a distance, to be feared."

"NEW SOCIAL IMAGINATION"

Wearing white vestments in the flower-bedecked church, Francis called for a "new social imagination ... in which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this earth."

The 81-year-old pope, who was born of Italian immigrant stock in Argentina, has made defence of migrants a major plank of his papacy, often putting him at odds with politicians.

Austria's new chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has aligned himself with central European neighbours like Hungary and the Czech Republic in opposing German-backed proposals to distribute asylum seekers around EU member states.

In elections in Germany in September, the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made significant gains, with electors punishing Chancellor Angela Merkel for her open-door policy and pushing migration policy to the top of the agenda in talks to form a coalition government.

Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League, whose leader Matteo Salvini often gives fiery speeches against migrants, is expected to make gains in national elections next year. A law that would give citizenship to children born in Italy to migrant parents is stalled in parliament.

In his homily, Francis said, "Our document of citizenship" comes from God, making respect of migrants an integral part of Christianity.

"This is the joy that we tonight are called to share, to celebrate and to proclaim. The joy with which God, in his infinite mercy, has embraced us pagans, sinners and foreigners, and demands that we do the same," Francis said.

Francis also condemned human traffickers who make money off desperate migrants as the "Herods of today" with blood on their hands, a reference to the Biblical story of the king who ordered the killing of all newborn male children near Bethlehem because he feared Jesus would one day displace him.

More than 14,000 people have died trying to make the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean to Europe in the past four years.

On Christmas Day, Francis will deliver his twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" (To the City and to the World) blessing and message from the central balcony of St. Peters Basilica. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Leslie Adler)
GUATEMALA CITY, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said on Sunday he had given instructions to move the Central American country's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a few days after his government backed the United States in a row over the city's status.

In a short post on his official Facebook account, Morales said he decided to move the embassy from Tel Aviv after talking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

This month U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of U.S. policy and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies.

On Thursday, 128 countries defied Trump by backing a non-binding U.N. General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem.

Guatemala was one of only a handful of countries to join the United States and Israel in voting against the resolution.

The United States is an important source of assistance to Guatemala, and Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor of the U.N. resolution. (Reporting by Bill Barreto; Editing by Susan Thomas)
1. Birthday of Jesus: a Non-Issue for the first Christians

The celebration of Christs birth on the 24th / 25th December dates back to the Third Century CE. But it is universally acknowledged that the gospels give no clue to arrive at such a date or any other date for that matter. Lukes Gospel mentions that the shepherds were in the fields that night guarding their sheep when the birth of Christ was announced to them. This could never have happened in the winter month of December when the freezing cold would allow neither man nor beast to spend the night in the open air. So Luke does not allow us to fix Christs birth in December!



Besides, the first Christians were not accustomed to celebrating birthdays. Their tradition was to treat the day of ones death as ones true birthday. This meaningful custom continues to this day in the church. The feast of a saint is celebrated normally on the day of that saints death and the Roman Martyrology introduces each saints feast-day (the date of death) dies natalis (birthday) of such and such a saint.

Finally, the highpoint in the festive calendar of the church had always been the Easter and not Christmas. It was at Easter that the Christians celebrated the birth of the Church as the Body of the Risen Jesus.



2. Christmas: a Critical Response to a Challenge

Historical data available to us indicate that the choice of this date as the date of Christs birth was the outcome of early Christianitys critical response to the popular Roman cult of the Sun, a cult which was encouraged by Emperor Elagabalus in the early 3rd century. It was his successor, Emperor Aurelian who dedicated a temple to the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) and fixed December 25th as the Birth Anniversary of the Unconquered Sun (Dies Natalis Solis Invite).



It was not historical facts but a challenge to Christian faith that made the early church adopt this same date as the birth anniversary of Christ. For, Jews and Christians were a colonized religious minority in a dominant and dominating Greco-Roman culture and they had to conserve their faith with great caution and circumspection. For them, the sun was a mere creature and never to be worshipped and their faith would not allow them to participate in that national celebration. As will be indicated below, they already had a tradition that used the metaphor of the sun to describe God, the Creator, who brings Light and Life to all Creation. How could they, in conscience, join other citizens in what they abhorred as idle-worship?



Long before the Romans began to venerate the Sun, a Jewish seer had already prophesized the coming of Christ with the words The Sun of Justice will dawn with healing rays (Malachi, 4:2). According to Lukes Gospel Mary, pregnant with Jesus, arrived at her Cousin Elizabeths home and prophesied in song the revolutionary changes her divine Son was going to bring about. In response Zachariah (Elizabeths husband) also burst into song, acknowledging the arrival of Jesus as the rising of the Sun from on high (Lk 1:78). The Sun they welcomed and worshipped as God in Christ. They had no difficulty in honouring that SUN on the 24th/ 25th of December.



3. The Process of Fixing Christmas on 24th/ 25th December

The early Christians quite soon found an ingenious way of fixing 24th/25th December as the birthday of Christ. The clue was found in the Book of James (a second-century work, not to be confused with Letter of the Apostle James); in this book, the 23rd September is mentioned as the Jewish Day of Atonement. It was allegedly on such a day or thereabouts that Zechariah entered the temple to perform his priestly sacrifice as well as received the news of his barren wife Elizabeth miraculously conceiving John the Baptist. The early Christians, therefore, added nine months to 23rd September and fixed the 24th June as the birthday of John the Baptist!



Since he was six months old when Mary conceived Jesus ---according to Angel Gabriels announcement--- Jesus was calculated to have been conceived on 24th / 25th March! This is the day Christians even today celebrate the Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus to Mary, i.e., the day she conceived Jesus. Add nine months to 24th/25thMarch you have December 24th/25th as the birthday of Jesus! Ingenious, indeed!

Hence the celebration of the Birth of Christ on Christmas day was a conventional agreement officially accepted by the early church rather than a historically authenticated date. While the Romans were festively engaged in Solar Worship on the 25th December, the Christians were quietly and prayerfully commemorating the birth of Christ, the Unconquerable Sun that was day by day conquering the hearts of gentile masses in the Roman Empire!



4. Advent, as the Original Name for Christmas

Advent was initially another way of referring to Christmas. It was much later that it assumed the meaning we give it today, namely the period of preparation for Christmas. Originally it was a synonym for Christmas. Here again, we encounter a tacit Christian contestation of what the early church saw as Imperial Romes idolatry.



The Latin word adventus, meaning arrival was originally a technical term for a new emperors official assumption of office. There was a custom, perhaps introduced by Augustus, that the new emperor should officially enter the City of Rome in pomp and circumstance to mark the event of his taking over imperial duties. This official arrival was referred to as the adventure (arrival). But this official entry into the City was not that of a mere human, according to the Romans. For Emperor Augustus had already claimed divinity and consequently his successor Tiberius had imprinted his title on the denarius (Roman silver coin), as Divi Filius (son of god). Hence Constantines official entry into Rome as the new Emperor had been recorded in a medal as adventus divi, the Coming of the Divine One!



Christians treated this divine claim of Roman Emperors with a sense of humour by celebrating Christmas as the real arrival or the advent of the one and only Divine Ruler that they believed in and worshipped. The critical approach they had adopted towards Romes sun-worship was also applied to Romes emperor-cult.



5. Christmas and the Option of Christ

The aforementioned historical precedents have transformed Christmas into an event that confronts us with two contrasting value systems as well as an invitation to make an either-or choice between them. Caesar represents humans who assume divine status after acquiring political power and live on the sweat and blood of the poor masses.

God-King Jesus, by contrast, hides his divinity and joins the destitute class even at his birth to challenge the oppressive system which human rulers have created. No wonder, the very news of his birth became a threat to the local political chief, King Herod, who tried unsuccessfully to eliminate him already during infancy, a tragedy inseparably connected with Christmas. Later, the adult Jesus launching of the divinely willed order of justice (which he called the Reign of God) antagonized both politicians and the priests. Their apparently successful attempt at planning his disappearance was frustrated when they heard the news of his reappearance which consolidated his disciples into a movement, which was destined to be a perpetual challenge to the reign of Herods and the Caesars of all times!Whether the church was faithful to this mission always and everywhere is an uncomfortable and embarrassing question we must never cease to ask ourselves.



Hence our conclusion: Christmas comes as an annual reminder that the advent of Jesus, the King of Righteousness takes place today only where we Christians succeed in evoking his image and his presence by engaging in the non-violent struggle for peace and justice which characterized his earthly mission. The hope of such an advent of Christ, if kindled in our hearts and realized through our deeds, would make the celebration of this holy season a genuinely Christ-ful Christmas.
I am delighted to note that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to donate USD 98 million to develop the roads in the previously war-torn northern region

The road network in the country is expanding rapidly. It is the prime factor in any country for it to prosper as well achieve its economic targets

The carpeted road from Habarana to Passikudah however was excellent, perhaps in ten years time it may have to be expanded in view of the clusters of tourist hotels coming up in the region

After a lapse of ten years I visited my motherland, Sri Lanka. Amazingly the infrastructure development of the country, which was almost at a standstill when I left, is now progressing steadily.



I journeyed from Colombo to Passikudah via Kandy. The Kandy road was highly congested and I felt it needs expansion without delay. The carpeted road from Habarana to Passikudah however was excellent, perhaps in ten years time it may have to be expanded in view of the clusters of tourist hotels coming up in the region. Perhaps a by-road avoiding old urban areas to Passikudah hotel complex is more appropriate. The A9 starting from Kandy also needs expansion.



The road network in the country is expanding rapidly. It is the prime factor in any country for it to prosper as well achieve its economic targets. I am delighted to note that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to donate USD 98 million to develop the roads in the previously war-torn northern region. The minister in charge of State Administration, has proposed to have a cable car service to Sri Paada. This I proposed in my publication, Pre-historic Lanka to end of Terrorism, dedicated to the President with elaborations of experience I had gained after making two trips via cable cars to the Alps, during the time I was in West Germany training to be a journalist.



During my stay in Sri Lanka we stayed at hotels in Kandy, Habarana and the jungle region at Passikudah. In Batticaloa we stayed in close proximity to the sea beach set amidst dry cadjans and sea sand. It was indeed a pleasant experience.



We were delighted to learn that the Government now pays more attention to rural development at the grass-roots level and hitherto had selected 14,000 villages for this purpose. The way of life of village -folks will be dramatically changed into a modern lifestyle as a result.



I travelled along a number of by-roads in Colombo and suburbs where the narrow roads are terribly congested due to colossal amount of vehicles, three wheelers, cars, vans, lorries etc . The infrastructure of the urban development of such roads have to be expanded. This would then provide a little more space for vehicles until urban development takes place. It should be a combined effort by the Colombo Mayor and Secretary of Urban Development.



Another pleasant situation that I observed was locating beautiful Buddha statues at several prominent places and on road sides and junctions with appropriate illumination which were quite apt for a predominantly Buddhist country like Sri Lanka. This practice of placing Buddha statues on road-sides was started by the Radio Ceylon, during the time of Director General, Mr. S.B. Senanayake.



At that time I was the General Secretary of the Buddhist Association of the Institution and it was not the practice to obtain government money for religious activities. As such when I organised a musical show at the Viharamahadevi Park and collected the required funds.



I learnt that the Northern region is developing rapidly with several housing projects including luxury apartments such as Thulsi Hotel and commercial complexes also in the offing. The Sanguppidy Bridge that is 288 metres long, is being constructed from Pooneryn to Jaffna. This would reduce the time taken to reach Jaffna drastically. The Army, which was earlier busy fighting terrorists, have now been enlisted to build roads and houses.

This practice of placing Buddha statues on road-sides was started by the Radio Ceylon, during the time of Director General, Mr. S.B. Senanayake



New roadways with better bridges, hospitals, schools, business complexes were also noticeable. Lands for the landless are also in the offing. We have to allow Tamils in the northern region to utilize their ethnic identity willingly. Every Tamil with a great aspiration expects this and have a glorious pride for their ethnicity. That is an essential factor for unity. Not only Tamils, other ethnicities too should take pride in their national identity and should be allowed to express it freely. To promote the national unity, other communities should be allowed to live in the North and the East. But Tamil citizens should be cautious not to follow their present ambitious leaders who make every attempt to pose themselves as martyrs by following the beaten track of the defeated tiger terrorists. It would be a hindrance for Tamil citizens prosperity.



I met the renowned and eminent scholar, Dr. K.N.O. Dharmadasa, who wrote the foreword to my controversial history cum religious book Pre-historic Lanka to end of Terrorism.

You must be wondering why I am praising every aspect of the development strategy of my mother country instead of criticising negative areas. In any government in the globe, negative areas are more according to those who are constantly muddled up with resentments, dislikes and opposition views. Well,it should not be the policy of a country that is eager to see their country developed for the benefit of all its citizens. Even opposition parties should lend their hands to promote nation building while criticizing any damaging action put forward by the government. Development should be important to them too, at least they must respect the voters who sent them to parliament and other governing councils.



The great hindrance is the intolerable strikes initiated by trade unions in the country initiated by opposition members. If the govt. wants to develop the country and build unity among all the citizens, these so-called strikes should be suspended at least for ten years after taking the health, wealth and happiness of the people into consideration. This is something of utmost importance. During the past few months the higher education activities of all university students came to a standstill as a result of the actions of these so called strikers who had no mercy on the children and younger population of the country. In this connection I wish to refer to the following Trade Union Ordinance:

Trade Union Ordinance, Section 20 (2) and 21.



According to the Ordinance an association or combination consisting of judicial officers, members of the armed forces, Police officers, Prison officers, and members of any corps established under the Agricultural Corps Ordinance cannot engage in trade union action.



This restriction should be extended to the educational sector, including higher education as well.

A.E. Gunasinghe was the father of labour unions in Sri Lanka. He was so thoughtful and never imagined including the education sector in trade union activities. He was so considerate about the national consciousness and education provided to children. He established the labour movement after the visit of Ramsay McDonald, British Labour Party Leader in 1926. It is now up to the National Education Commission to make sure trade union activities do not affect our future generations in a negative way.
There is enough proof that our politicians do not represent the people, the masses. They represent the people who support them and fund their elections.

Corruption is rampant in Sri Lanka since 1970s owing to the existing political system.

Corruption has outlived well beyond our expectations in our country. People elected the Yahapalana Government, with a mandate to eradicate corruption and establish good governance.



They too have gone back inevitably on their pledges. The Bond Commission unmistakably has revealed startling evidence of the involvement of key politicians.

The alleged bond scam seems to be the biggest fraud since independence.

It is time, therefore, we name corrupt politicians as thieves of State. They rob public money during day and night, take commissions, bribes and resort to various corrupt practices in order to earn billions and billions for their election campaigns and their kith and kin.



Most politicians including Parliamentarians, Provincial Councillors downwards to the local level Pradeshiya Sabha members invest millions and billions in their election campaigns.



After having been elected, they resort to various devious and corrupt ways to continually rob peoples money and had impoverished the whole country since Independence.

Certain politicians assisted by corrupt bureaucrats reap unjustified profits illegally, unethically, immorally and amass enormous amounts of wealth far beyond their requirements. Citizens country-wide are left with no option.

Our democracy, no doubt, is so beautiful in theory and in practice - A fallacy in reality! They often condemn the venality of their predecessors and after they are elected they too continue syphoning off public money mercilessly



They could only observe the elected representatives have made all State institutions a safe haven to make ill-gotten money. The masses helplessly grin and bear, while going through all the suffering painfully, looking at politicians squandering their wealth, their opportunities etc., not only for this generations but for generations to come.

Some politicinas who capture power make money, after election after election, causing immense losses to the State. They shatter the hopes and dreams of all innocent subjects mercilessly. People always wait patiently until the next election.

It appears the vicious cycle continues unabated and seems unstoppable. In 1977, at the Parliamentary Elections, many legal practitioners including some organisations, supported JRJ and the UNP, having obtained an undertaking that the progressive and futuristic law reforms introduced to overcome laws delays by Felix Dias Bandaranaike, the then Minister of Justice, and the then Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Dr Nihal Jayawickrama, during the then SLFP Government will be repealed. JRJ Government thereafter, as was undertaken, took steps immediately having won the elections not only to repeal the relevant piece of progressive legislation but also to IMPOSE CIVIC DISABILITY, i.e., removal of CIVIC RIGHTS of Felix Dias.



JRJs intention was to kill two birds in one stone. JRJ took necessary steps to impose all those punishments and to eliminate a strong political enemy from politics. JRJ abolished the reforms which were people friendly to please a minuscule section.

The masses are sickened and are now left with no alternative but to accept endemic corruption as a menace which cannot be expunged by them ....



In fact, the reforms that were introduced were a piece of legislation to reorientate the judiciary in the country to overcome various problems for the benefit of the public!

The masses are sickened and are now left with no alternative but to accept endemic corruption as a menace which cannot be expunged by them because thieves are the elected representatives eternally in power in the present deformed democracies.

This is good enough proof that our politicians do not represent the people, the masses. They represent the people who support them and fund their elections.

We are therefore a Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka only on paper in the Constitution.



Our democracy, no doubt, is so beautiful in theory and in practice - A fallacy in reality! This also indicates politician do everything to protect them. However, they very often condemn the venality of their predecessors and after they are elected they too continue siphoning off public money mercilessly at will for various irregular purposes.

Owing to all these, there is a culture of impunity that has come to stay together with numerous other issues that had cropped up causing irreparable harm. We now need the rule of law established.

We also need all the relevant laws suitably strengthened and amended where necessary.

Furthermore, time has come for citizens to understand that corruption does not exist only in politics. It exists everywhere.



We need the relevant institutions strengthened and values and attitudes changed. We need leaders who are visionaries who could think beyond the next elections and for the benefit of the next generation, including the unborn. The corrupt politicos continue to pay lip service to hoodwink the gullible masses.



Furthermore, time has come for the citizens to understand that corruption did not exist only in politics. It exists everywhere. It has become endemic-because people too are so selfish and greedy now, like their political leaders. Politicians lead the way and the gullible masses follow them while hero worshipping the corrupt politicos who have caused irreparable damage to the country, the people, the systems and the institutions. Politicians of all colours and races, since independence have created wars, conflicts, destruction, executions, mayhem, rifts, chauvinism, lawlessness etc., etc.

Time has now come for the youth to understand the reality. It is encouraging those youth in Balapitya have come up to face the daunting challenges before them. We must salute their courage and determination to come as independent candidates to contest Balapitya Pradeshiya Sabha. Pope Francis in 2015, addressing a large group of youth, in Kenya had said I quote 



Whenever we accept a bribe and put it in our pocket, we destroy our heart, our personality, our country. Please do not develop a taste for the sugar of corruption. If you do not want corruption in your life, in your country, start with yourself! If you do not start, neither will the person next to you. Corruption robs us of joy, of peace. A corrupt person does not live in peace.

Immoral politicos and public servants should not be allowed to run away with public property and rob the country of its wealth, while misleading the public telling untruths and escape due to impunity.

It is time for right thinking people to come out vociferously against corruption. I have no doubt it is only the virtuous people that can lay the foundation to build a strong NATION consisting of people who are contended. We have experienced that depraved politicos have undoubtedly created endless woes and disasters to the country and people.

Immoral politicos and public servants should not be allowed to run away with public property, cheat the country of its wealth, while misleading the public telling untruths and escape due to impunity.



Dont you think that ours is also a state where we have eventually developed to a man eat man society? I recall during our young days, the then Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere referred to Kenya and said that Kenya was an example for Man eat Man Society! All due to corruption. Isnt most of our politicos are doing the same?
Former Maldivian President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed had cancelled the meeting with Maldivians in Sri Lanka on December 26 due to threats to his life, former Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem said.

Maldivian Raajje reported that Ahmed Naseem has announced the cancellation of Nasheeds meeting because Nasheed had been receiving threats to his life, since the announcement.

He also said that any disorder that would have happened during the meeting would violate Sri Lankan law.

The meeting would be moved to a future date, he said.

Naseem also noted that Maldivian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Mohamed Hussain Shareefs talk of forcefully bringing Nasheed back to the country encourages violent behaviour.

He appealed to the top Government officials to refrain from making similar statements, and to authorities to investigate the threats.
After almost two decades, Sri Lanka got a seat as a State party to the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year, at the 16th meeting of State parties which was held at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria from 18th to 21st December. Ms. Priyani Wijesekera, Ambassador, and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in Austria delivered the Governments statement during the opening ceremony of the meeting. Sri Lanka acceded to the MBT on 13th December 2017 and became the 163rd State party to sign it.



The Sri Lankan delegation had an opportunity to meet with the special envoys of the MBT, Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium and His Royal Highness Prince Mired of Jordan. Both special envoys congratulated Sri Lanka on its accession to the MBT during their speeches at the main plenary meeting. Throughout the 4-day global meeting, Sri Lanka was congratulated and honoured by the international humanitarian disarmament community. Becoming a State party to the MBT will guarantee that future generations will have a safer and more peaceful environment to live in and cherish without fear of anti-personnel land-mines.

Maj. General G.D.I. Karunaratne and Colonel P.T. Paranagama of Sri Lanka Army, Irosha Cooray Counsellor and Namal Wijayamuni Zoysa Second Secretary of Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Austria, Vidya Abhayagunawardena Coordinator, and Nillasi Liyanage youth campaigner of Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines were present on this occasion.
Long before Rahul Gandhi went temple hopping in Gujarat in a well crafted strategy to woo back the majority community and shed the image that the Congress is pro-Muslim, former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi had played the soft Hindutva card. Indeed, if any Congress leader can be accused of attempting to appease the majority community or the hardcore Hindutva brigade, it was him! But in opening the locks of the Babri Masjid, the Congress stepped outside the lakshmanrekha of the party's much professed secularism. The move boomeranged, paving the way for the BJP to storm on to the national centre-stage.

Rahul Gandhi's temple hopping in Gujarat, which has had better success, is clearly borrowed from the same saffron copybook. The reason isnt far to seek. With the rise of Narendra Modi, the BJP and the saffron fringe elements began working towards making Hindutva "The Great Nationalist Ideology," with it's anti-Pakistan chants and its cries of nationalism that pushed the secular Congress into a corner. A senior BJP leader, who refused to be identified said; "over the last couple of years the campaign to paint Congress as anti-majority has intensified and it did pay dividends." He explained that "consolidation of the Hindu vote bank is BJP's ticket to victory and the party will not and cannot deviate from this agenda. We have always fashioned ourselves as a Hindu revivalist party." Come 2019, the BJP is expected to be ready with its greatest Hindutva card - the construction of the Ram temple.

The UP assembly polls were the dry run where the BJP artfully blended Hindutva rhetoric with Vikas - development. Yogi Adityanath, the UP chief minister's tough line on cow slaughter, crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses were clear signals of BJP's rapid steps towards consolidation of the Hindu vote bank, not just in UP but across the nation. Hindu-born or not, Rahul Gandhi saw the BJP leaders repeatedly remind the nation of his "Italian mother." At the height of the Gujarat campaign, Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Somnath temple and his name in the entry register meant for non-Hindu saw BJP leaders taking to the TV channels questioning Rahul Gandhi's religious faith. BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy declared Rahul Gandhi "a Christian who goes to church every Sunday."

For Gandhi, already reeling from repeated electoral failures, there was a swift realization that secularism was no longer a card that worked to the party's advantage. With the Hindu awakening sweeping the nation, Rahul Gandhi took a sharp right turn. At the filing of nomination for the party president's post Rahul Gandhi sported a prominent tilak on his forehead. He was seen wearing rudraksh beads, During the Somnath controversy, Congress leaders described the Congress scion as a janeu-dhaari Hindu.

The arrival of the "janeu-dhari" Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat, encroached into BJPs space with his right of centre moves, rattling the saffronites. Apprehending a division of the Hindu vote bank, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley scoffed at the new Rahul. "The BJP has always been seen as a pro-Hindutva party. So if an original is available, why would one prefer a clone? he asked.

But in his new avatar, Rahul kept his nerve, refusing to be baited while continuing with his temple runs. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi played the polarizing card by accusing former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh of conspiring with Pakistan to influence Gujarat polls, Rahul and his party did not once raise the issue of the Gujarat riots through the entire campaign. The party also quickly scotched rumours about Ahmed Patel's candidature as a chief minister.

Rahul Gandhi visited around 30 temples during the months-long election campaign held for 182 assembly seats in the state. When asked whether his visits to the temples were political, Rahul of course said: "Is it wrong to go to a temple? Jahan mauka milta hai vahan mandir jaata hoon, Kedarnath bhi gaya tha, vo kya Gujarat mein hai? (Whenever I got the opportunity I have visited temples, have been to Kedarnath as well. Is that in Gujarat?)," adding "whenever I went to a temple I just prayed for a Sunehra Bhavishya for the people of Gujarat, a better development here." In the end, his temple did bring "seat blessings" to his party. But as a Congress insider pointed out, the visits to the temples were part of a strategy to woo back the Hindu voters without upsetting the minority vote bank, which sees BJP as "enemy number one." The Congress spin doctors are of the opinion that there was no electoral loss in playing the Hindutva card as for the minorities Congress will always be the only alternative.

This is why, in the 2018 poll bound states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh - due for polls in the latter half of 2018 - where Muslims are virtually invisible, Rahul Gandhi will not make any overt outreach to the community and continue to push into the BJPs Hindutva space. As per 2011 census, Muslim population in Madhya Pradesh is 6.57 percent, 9.1 percent in Rajasthan and only 2.02 percent in Chhattisgarh. In these states, Rahul Gandhi is expected to repeat the Gujarat template and push the Hindutva card. The party also has the advantage of huge anti-incumbency factor. In poll bound Karnataka with nearly 13 percent Muslims, party insiders revealed that the Hindutva strategy could vary a little. Rahul will visit the darghas in Bengaluru as well as Hindu temples in Karnataka. The BJP, post the close fight in Gujarat, will raise it's Hindutva pitch, by upping the ante on the government's decision to celebrate Tipu Jayanti, and celebrating Onake Obavva, a legendary Dalit woman who died fighting his father, Hyder Ali, when he invaded the Chitradurga Fort.

Except, the anti-Tipu rhetoric of the party stalled a bit, as an old photograph of former BJP Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar attending a Tipu Sultan event surfaced! Either way, Rahul Gandhis newfound Hindutva to counter BJPs aggressive Hindutva will remain one of the major fulcrums of Congress electoral strategy in 2019.
Patna: Popular South actress Nayanthara herself would not have known how much of an important role she played in catching hold of a thief in Bihar recently.

Thats because she neither met the criminal, filed a complaint nor provided any evidence, but its her photograph that worked wonders for this particular case, according to a report in Gulf News.

A man named Mohammad Hasnain was on the run after stealing Bhartiya Janta Party leader Sanjay Kumar Mahatos expensive phone in Darbhanga, 150 kms north to Patna.

A complaint was filed at the Darbhanga police station, and the case was handed over to Madhubala Devi, the assistant sub-inspector of police.

The thief had not switched off the phone and continued using it, according to the analysis of the call detail records.

The police tried to arrest him several times, but he managed to give them the slip every single time.

Thats when Madhubala Devi came up with a master plan to honeytrap him by calling him regularly like a girlfriend. Initially, Hasnain didnt show any interest to meet, but one day he asked her to sent him her photograph.

Devi then set Nayantharas picture as her WhatsApp display picture, after which he fell into the trap.

He appeared mad with joy after seeing the photograph and agreed to meet me at a place in Darbhanga town. Finally when he reached the designated place, we arrested him with the help of other policemen in civilian clothes, Devi told the news website.

Like we see in several films, Devi had donned a burqa for the meet to avoid getting recognised.

Hasnain confessed to his crime during interrogation, but claimed that he had bought the phone for Rs 4500 from another person, who was also arrested later on.

Madhubala Devis clever idea in nabbing the thief has also prompted the police department to announce a reward for her.
Amritsar has a laidback industrial vibe with the architecture reminiscent of the 70s era. It is a city that appears to have resisted falling into the trap of new age rapid development. No Indian city can fight back the the lure of building ostentatious malls conveniently sharing a wall with a flashy five-star hotel and Amritsar is no exception. After all, there is no better way to draw in tourists than offer them the fancy trappings of designer stores and high end services. But Amritsar need not worry. The tourists or rather the spiritual seekers will continue to arrive into this holy city in droves.

Its biggest crowd puller or charm factor lies in the Golden Temple, or the Sri Harmandir Sahib, which is not just a place of worship for the Sikh community but a beacon of hope for every individual seeking solace and fulfillment. Nothing can prepare the first time visitor, who embarks on this sanctified journey to the holiest Gurudwara in the country.



The famous Haveli restaurant which gives you a feel of village life

Given the solemnity of this pilgrimage site, all vehicles are stopped almost a mile away and visitors are expected to walk the remaining journey. Keeping the comfort and convenience factor in mind, all shops in the vicinity have been renovated giving the neighbourhood a fairly tale like vibe. So many pilgrims can opt to stay in small inns and hotels within this community of sorts  which offers everything under one roof  from dhabas doling out delicious parathas, to tiny stores selling glittering bangles, and eye-catching wares. There are temptations at every step from colourful jootis calling out for attention to shimmery fabrics in various hues. The goal is clearly two fold, pray for your sins and then shop to celebrate your cleansing.

But those in quest of a spiritual satiation, walk ahead, not distracted by any of the material desires as their goal is to place their head in subservience at the Guru Granth sahib inside the hallowed portals of the temple. It is customary to partake a meal at the langar  a community initiative where everyone is treated equally and people volunteer to wash vessels after a meal.



Amritsars iconic dhaba where the delicious non vegetarian thali is a must try

There is a sense of calmness and serenity that fills the mind even amidst the large groups of people. You can opt for the pre dawn darshan at 4 am or the night darshan, where you get to watch the volunteers painstakingly cleaning the gold embossed ceilings with milk. You can spend hours here, savouring the pure air and walking around the holy pool as a mark of respect or what is known as parikrama.

The Wagah border

There is not just divineness but also a touch of history that makes a visit to this city memorable. One such experience is the Wagah Border, where raucous jingoism and a sense of desi pride fills the air as you watch the Indian soldiers perform the flag lowering service. This is a daily ritual that is jointly practiced by the security forces of India and Pakistan. The Wagah Border ceremony takes place at 5 pm in winters as Amritsar can be bitingly cold post dusk. Again, due to security constraints, visitors are expected to get dropped off at a designated entry point, from where you walk for almost 10 minutes to reach this historic venue. As a precautionary note, ensure you get there at least 45 minutes in advance coz the serpentine queues will delay your entry process. This also ensures that you will get the best seats to sit inside the open air venue. If you are fortunate, you will get seats closest to the Wagah Gate overlooking the No Mans land and the Pakistani gate.

The mood is almost like a war zone as citizens from both sides of the border vociferously root for their own country. This coupled with some dramatic footwork by our soldiers makes for an entertaining evening. But really no trip to Amrtisar is complete without partaking the desi ghee rich cuisine. There is something about the nippy air that makes you ravenous all the time. The famous Kesar dhaba, a small nondescript locale whips up the most buttery and mouthwatering parathas in various flavours be it mooli or paneer. This accompanied with thick chicken gravy and bright red gajar ka halwa is enough to make you pass out with blissfulness.

For those visitors looking to savour a rural experience, the Haveli restaurant on the highway brings alive a village like ambience in an urban setting. Its almost like participating in a mela which offers some respite for weary travellers While the indoor restaurant serves pure vegetarian food, most people though prefer to sit in the open air around the Food Court from where you pick up anything from piping hot jalebis to dahi papdi chaat or even chai. Shopoholics will find the stores irresistible as they offer traditional fabrics, shoes and much more under one roof. Amristar is a bustling city with throbbing energy and a great way to savour the traditional Indian hospitality.
The gang had set up its operational hub at a house in the Moghalpura area in the Old City with offices in Golconda and Tolichowki.

HYDERABAD: The city police on Sunday caught a seven-member gang who were illegally routing telephone calls through the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) facility. The gang had set up its operational hub at a house in the Moghalpura area in the Old City with offices in Golconda and Tolichowki.

These centres cause financial loss to the government and can be used for terror-related activities. The gang adopted the latest equipment, including the SIM boxes, to run the telephone exchange. Flashers and devices that can change the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers of the handset were also used.

Each SIM box can hold up to 16 SIM cards. A person in a foreign country can call a local number in India. It will be routed to a number in India and then to the intended call recipient through the exchange. This way, the caller avoids the international tariff, which causes loss of revenue to the government, said S. Chaitanya Kumar, additional DCP, task force.

The gang obtained up to 500 SIM cards in the name of MI Solutions. Generally, MNC involved in operations in various foreign countries use the VoIP technology by paying a substantial amount to the department of telecommunications. In this case, everything was illegal, said the official.

Those persons who were caught are identified as Syed Mohammed Ilyas, 33, the prime accused from Moghalpura, Mosin Bin Mohammed, 44, Mohammed Shahnawaz, 20, Dr Mohd Omer, 26, Mir Muzafar Ali, 32, Mohd Zubairuddin , 27 and Isa Bin Sayeed, 20.

The police seized Rs 4.80 lakh, six laptops, nine mobile phones, WiFi routers and SIM cards from them.
The family members agreed to donate his vital organs including two kidneys, liver, lungs, cornea, skin and heart and the process was completed on Saturday morning. (Representational Image)

Chennai: A 19-year-old brain dead boy Srikanth gave a fresh lease of life to many others by donating organs after he succumbed to injuries in an accident at Stanley Medical College (SMC) Hospital. After declared brain dead, liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, eyes and heart were harvested and some organs were transplanted on Saturday.

After sustaining serious head injuries due to a road accident on last Wednesday, Srikanth was admitted to Neuro ICU at SMC, where he was declared dead on Friday night. A resident of Anna Nagar, Srikanths parents and sister provided consent to the hospital authorities to donate the organs of the deceased. The family members agreed to donate his vital organs including two kidneys, liver, lungs, cornea, skin and heart and the process was completed on Saturday morning.

One kidney was transplanted to a kidney failure patient at SMC on Saturday morning, while another kidney was given to Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital. Skin was retained at SMC and liver was shared with Kumaran Hospital. The cornea was sent to Egmore eye hospital. The harvested heart was sent to Omandurar Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital for a transplant, while lungs were shared with Global Hospital.
Manohar Parrikar may have succumbed to pressure from his party to give in to Karnataka in the Mahadayi row.

Belagavi: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar may have succumbed to pressure from his party to give in to Karnataka in the Mahadayi row, but he has come under attack by the opposition Congress party in his state for his new softened attitude to his neighbouring state.

Strongly opposing his letter to Karnataka BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa offering to release water for drinking to the state, top leaders of the Goa Congress party have said they will not under any circumstance support his efforts to help Karnataka.

But in Belagavi, a team of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders headed by Member of Parliament, Suresh Angadi accused Congress president, Rahul Gandhi and former president, Sonia Gandhi for complicating the Mahadayi issue.

It is because Sonia Gandhi issued a statement last year in Goa that a drop of water should not be released to Karnataka under the Mahadayi project, that all Congress leaders of Goa are against release of water to the state, they contended.

Denying that the BJP was using the Mahadayi dispute for its political ends owing to the coming assembly elections in the state, Mr Angadi welcomed Mr Parrikars gesture. He recalled that it was the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government which first gave in principle permission for the Mahadayi project in 2002 but it was halted for various reasons later.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit presenting a memento to President Ram Nath Kovind at Raj Bhavan on Saturday. A grand banquet was hosted at the Raj Bhavan in honour of the visiting President and First Lady Savita Kovind. Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his cabinet colleagues, besides several dignitaries and diplomats, were present. (Photo: DC)

Rameswaram: The President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday offered worship at the famous Sri Ramanathaswamy temple here in this pilgrim-island in Ramanathapuram district, which was followed by him paying homage to the former President Dr A.P.J .Abdul Kalams at his memorial in Peikarumbu here.

In a whistle-stop tour of Ramanathapuram district, his first to this part of the country since he became President, Mr Kovind, who arrived at the Mandapam helipad near here from Madurai at 11-25 hours, straight drove to the Ramanathaswamy temple where he spent about 30 minutes. First to greet Mr Kovind was the State Governor, Mr. Banwarilal Purohit, alongside Union minister, Pon. Radhakrishnan and State ministers led by R. B. Udayakumar.

President Ramnath Govind welcomed with traditional poorna kumbha by the head priest at Sri Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram on Saturday. (Photo: DC)

President moved by design for Kalam memorial

At the entrance to the temple, the President was accorded the traditional 'Poorna Kumbha' welcome by the Head priest of the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple. The President then had 'darshan' of the various deities one-by-one commencing from the Lord Anjaneya shrine. After being sprinkled with the water collected from all the 22 'Teerthams' (sacred wells) inside the temple complex, Mr. Kovind prayed at the main shrine of Lord Shiva and at the shrine of his consort, Goddess Parvathavarthini Ammal. A 'special Archana' was performed in his name at the Goddess' shrine, official sources said. The temple authorities also offered him 'prasad' and honoured him with mementoes on the occasion.

After signing the 'Visitors Book' at the temple, the President drove to the government guest house where he rested for a while. Later around 2 pm, the President visited Dr Kalam's memorial and paid homage to the late President. After spending about 20 minutes at the place where Dr Kalam was interred, the President left for Mandapam to board his chopper for Madurai around 2-40 pm, enroute to Chennai, sources said.

At the Kalam memorial, the President was moved by its structure. In the visitors' book there, Kovind wrote, It is a personal privilege and honour to be able to offer prayers and pay homage to my predecessor  a great scientist and son of the soil  at the National Memorial. He also described the memorial, built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), as a major architectural and engineering marvel and said it was a befitting tribute to Kalam.

The president also met the relatives of Kalam, including his nephew and grand-nephew, and enquired about the health of the former president's elder brother from them. During his visit, he also enquired about an auto-rickshaw driver, Shanmugham, who had taken him on a guided tour of the island town years ago, when Kovind was a Rajya Sabha MP.

Security had been tightened at all places in view of the President's visit. As the temple had come under the control of the President's security entourage since 9 am earlier in the day, devotees and pilgrims were irked by the fact that they had to wait for long hours before being allowed inside the temple for 'Darshan'. Earlier in the day, at his arrival in Madurai airport from New Delhi, the President was received by the Governor Banwarlilal Purohit and district collector Veera Raghava Rao.
A beaming Dhinakaran told reporters in Madurai, 'We are the true AIADMK...people of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor.' (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday suffered a major setback with rival faction candidate TT V Dhinakaran winning the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin, while the BJP wrested two seats from the Congress in Arunachal Pradesh and retained one in UP.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by a gang led by bandit Phoolan Devi.

Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed leader V K Sasikala, defeated his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK by 40,707 votes, election officials said.

Polling for the seat was held on December 21. The bypoll in the Assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of J Jayalalithaa in December 2017.

The late Tamil Nadu chief minister was elected from the RK Nagar seat in north Chennai.

Dhinakaran surpassed the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls.

While he polled 89,013 votes, Madhusudhanan secured 48,306. DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh came a distant third with 24,651 and lost his deposit, as also 57 others, including the BJP nominee.

He contested as an independent on the pressure cooker symbol after the Election Commission allotted the 'two leaves' symbol to the factions led by K Palanisamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The two factions had merged in August this year after deposing Dhinakaran and Sasikala, who is serving a four year jail term in a Bengaluru prison in a corruption case.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed BJP victories in UP and Arunachal Pradesh and said his party is committed to serving the country's villages. He also expressed happiness over the party's improved performance in the West Bengal by-election.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent. B R Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy chief minister, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said. In the Likabali, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest. The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after state minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4.

The bypoll in Pakke-Kessang was held after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency polls null and void. In West Bengal's Sabang seat, while TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP polled 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick got 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll came in the wake of former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defecting to the TMC earlier this year. He is a Rajya Sabha member. The biggest jolt was to the Congress, which not only lost one of its citadels to the TMC, but also finished a distant fourth in the bypoll. Sabang has been a Congress stronghold since 1957. The results came as a booster for the TMC and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, ahead of the panchayat polls and two by elections -- in Noapara Assembly constituency and Uluberia Lok Sabha seat  due early next year.

The bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MLA. According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party, bagged 61,423 votes.

Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes. The Sikandra bypoll was held following the death of sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22. While the SP and the Congress had allied for the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, they had parted ways in the bypoll.

Phoolan Devi, who had surrendered before the police in 1983, had successfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket and became an MP from Mirzapur. The bandit-turned-politician was shot dead by masked gunmen outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.
Tony Ranauro's world froze when he received frenzied texts from his daughter, McKenzie, about a lockdown at Auburn Junior High School on Dec. 12.

Ranauro said McKenzie, 12, initially thought the lockdown was a real scenario with a credible threat in the building. It was actually a drill. Forty-five minutes away from the school at the time, he told her to remain calm. But the counter-terrorism training he received with the U.S. Department of Defense didn't stop his mind from racing.

Getting a call from his daughter saying she was fine and the situation had been a drill was "like a car taken off my chest," Ranauro said.

"I never really understood what a heart attack felt like until that morning," Ranauro said.

Later that day, wanting to get the perspective of other parents, Ranuaro posted his concerns about how the drill was handled on an Auburn-focused Facebook page, saying he was appreciative of the Auburn Enlarged City School District and the Auburn Police Department for the drills, but wished the district would have informed parents beforehand. His post swiftly garnered a number of comments with various opinions  ranging from saying they were also confused about whether the lockdown was a real situation to saying the district and the APD made the right call.

State law passed last year mandates four lockdown drills be conducted at each school building a year. The district operates three announced drills conducted by the district in which staff are made aware of when the drills will be happening. Another one, though, is unannounced.

Sgt. Greg Dann of the APD, who runs the Auburn school district's student resource officer program, said the Auburn Police Department conducts a drill  like the Dec. 12 drill  in which police notify the school a lockdown is about to happen shortly before the drill commences. The district is not given any additional advance notice.

Dann said unannounced drills have been conducted in the district since 2008. When the APD contacts the school about the drill, a lockdown is immediately announced at the school without any indication that it isn't a real scenario.

Dann said the Dec. 12 drill wasn't done differently than any other unannounced drill. The call to the school about the lockdown happened at 9:50 a.m., while the end of the drill was announced at 10:30 a.m., Dann said. He said drills in most of the other buildings take around 30 to 45 minutes. He said APD always meets with administrators after each drill to talk about how the school did. Dann said the Dec. 12 drill went well.

While complaints after a drill aren't unusual, Dann said, he believes the social media comments on this particular drill caused more of a stir. Auburn Enlarged City School District Superintendent Jeff Pirozzolo said the district received complaints from parents about the Dec. 12 drill, with many wanting to know why they weren't informed beforehand.

Pirozzolo said the principal of a building with a lockdown have sent out automated calls to parents about drills afterward. Going forward, he has decided that principals will make prerecorded messages that will go out quickly after a lockdown to avoid potential delays in parents getting the information.

Pirozzolo plans on writing about the district's intention to continue the drills in the district's next monthly newsletter. Auburn has run 17 lockdowns since September, he said. He said the safety of children and staff is the district's "No. 1 priority."

While some parents have requested advanced notification, giving an indication of a drill in advance would not be as effective, Dann said. He believes students would not take the situation as seriously. He said there had been past situations in which word leaked about a drill, and students didn't commit to those scenarios.

"They don't know and they shouldn't; (students and staff) should just follow the procedure they would if there was a real lockdown," Dann said.

Ranauro said while he understands the argument of why staff and students wouldn't be informed that the drill wasn't real, he remembers a drill at Auburn Community Hospital  where he works security  in the summer. He said everyone in the hospital was informed that it was an "active shooter" scenario and that the situation was a drill. He said the drill still went well and that drills have occurred before, but people were still taking the matter seriously.

"All they heard was 'active shooter,' they didn't care it was a drill," Ranauro said.

Ranauro said he understands why the district wouldn't contact parents in the middle of an actual threat, but he said he wished the school would have contacted parents about the drill as it was unfolding. That being said, Ranauro said he appreciates how seriously the district and the APD take child safety. Ranauro said he can't recall his daughter mentioning other lockdowns before.

Dann suggested that when talking about lockdowns with their child, parents should say the drills are necessary due to various emergencies in other schools that have occurred across the country, and that students should follow the procedures they have been taught.

Kenneth Trump, president of the National School Safety and Security Services consulting firm, said parents should broach the topic using the language most appropriate for that child, though parents shouldn't "sugar coat" the topic's seriousness. He said students should be reminded that just as with a fire drill, a lockdown is meant to get students and staff out of harm's way.

Trump said the best way to mitigate stress about lockdowns is through parents and children to talk about schools and for districts to communicate with parents about the drills in place and how the district will communicate with schools in case of emergencies.

"While you can't predict every scenario, what (districts) can do is to reassure parents that they have reasonable plans in place to protect children," Trump said.

Pirozzolo said that as a parent and a school administrator, he understands concerns about wanting children to be safe. He lamented the "unfortunate" need for lockdown drills but said he views them as necessary.

"We have got to be prepared under any circumstances for any emergency," Pirozzolo said.
The accident happened as the labourers were reconstructing the wall that had collapsed in the rains 2 weeks ago.
BENGALURU: Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) doesn't have enough money to pay their former employees. There is a simmering unrest among the former BMTC employees over the pay settlement issue.

The transport corporation hasnt paid the remaining dues to their former employees even 15 months after their retirement.

I retired in the month of January and whenever we ask them, the BMTC keeps telling we will pay. If we go near the office, they wont even let us inside. We have family; we need to educate our children, do their wedding, there are health issues as well to be taken care of, said Gundanna, a former BMTC employee.

The corporation is running at a loss and even they know it well. The official from BMTC also added that they have paid the dues for employees, who retired till August 2016.

While another former employee said that there are thousands of retired employees who are waiting for their settlement money, while many employees have even passed away without getting it.

Recently, Domlur TC died without even getting his settlement money. The employee added that all that money will eventually go back to the organisation itself. Every orgainsation will settle their dues within one month after the retirement, but not in this case.

"Pay us the settlement money, we will go to our village," added Gundanna.

BMTC Chairman Nagaraj Yadav said, There is a process that is going on already. We are paying them on the seniority basis. There is a financial crisis and BMTC is running under Rs 200-crore loss. It will take another one year time to get back to the track.

Nagaraj also added that they will be able to work it out now as the motor vehicle tax is being levied on BMTC buses for 5 years by the state government.
Sources disclosed Thakur s name was also finalised as the central leadership was in favor of promoting a second generation leadership in the state.

New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday announced that former state Cabinet minister and five-time MLA, Jairam Thakur, 52, will head its government in Himachal Pradesh where the party won 44 out of 68 Assembly seats in the recently concluded election.

Most of the BJP MLAs backed Mr Thakurs name for the top post in the legislature party meeting held in Shimla in the presence of partys Central observers  Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar.

Mr Thakur-led BJP government will take oath on December 27 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to be present.

Jairam first Himachal BJP CM from Mandi

Having an RSS lineage, Mr Thakur, MLA from Seraj is a Rajput, numerically dominant caste in the state.

Addressing the media shortly after his appointment as the CM, Mr Thakur thanked all BJP leaders.

I thank all legislators for supporting my candidature.... We waited for Congress-Mukt Himachal, now our dreams have come true.... I want to thank Prem Kumar Dhumal ji who proposed my name, said the CM-elect.

Sources disclosed that though Mr Thakurs name was announced at the legislature party meeting in the afternoon in Shimla, he had received a call from the party top brass in the morning about his name being finalised. BJP President Amit Shah, sources said, held a meeting on Saturday night to deliberate on mainly two names  Mr Thakur and former CM PK Dhumal, who lost his seat.

While a majority of BJP-RSS cadre was backing Mr Thakurs name for the top post, a section within the state unit was also lobbying hard for Prof. Dhumal. Though Union Minister JP Naddas name was also doing the rounds, the Saffron cadre and senior state leaders were in favor of only an MLAs name to be considered for the top post.

Sources disclosed Mr Thakur s name was also finalised as the central leadership was in favor of promoting a second generation leadership in the state. Mr Thakur comes from the Mandi region, which till today never had any saffron party CM in the state. The CM issue had created major rift within the BJP state unit. Supporters of both Mr Thakur and Prof Dhumal had clashed recently outside the venue of a meeting of central observers earlier.
Hyderabad: Osmania University may have lost the Indian Science Congress to Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, sources said.

The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) will make an official announcement after its organising committee meets on December 27, 2017.

Osmania University was to be the venue of the prestigious congress scheduled for January 3 to 7. The reasons for not holding the congress here are still not clear.

Several logistical problems have arisen as a result of the change of venue. Some Rs 2.60 crore was collected as registration fees, which OU is planning to transfer back to the members who registered. About 13,000 members had registered for the ISC up to December 15.

The registration fee, which had to be paid in advance, is Rs 2,000 per head for Indian members and much more for overseas members.

OU registrar Gopal Reddy said that as the fee was collected through the Indian Science Congress Association, we will try to transfer back the money to the association from where they can repay participants or they can transfer it to the next venue if the event is planned in another university.

He added, The event was likely postponed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is quite busy due to Parliament session. We are waiting for the final decision of the organising committee on December 27. Once it is finalised we will decide on the fee transfer process.
The TPCC president alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had cheated all sections of society by not honouring his promises.

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday appealed to Congress cadre to treat the Panchayat Raj elections in the state, to be held next year, very seriously as they precede the general elections.

Addressing a meeting of booth-level workers in Alair in Bhongir district on Sunday, Mr Reddy asked Congress workers to focus on the elections as it would be a major test for all political parties and its results might impact the Assembly elections.

The TPCC president alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had cheated all sections of society by not honouring his promises.

He said in the last elections, Mr Rao had openly cheated SCs, STs and Muslims. With fresh elections approaching, he said Mr Rao was talking about BC welfare and sub-plan. It is a clear indication that KCR's next target for cheating are BCs, Mr Reddy said.

He wanted Congress workers to meet the people with the complete list of failures of the TRS government. Mr Reddy alleged that Telangana state, under TRS regime, had emerged as the epicentre of scams and irregularities.

The TPCC chief also demanded that the TRS government increase the quota for BCs under A, B, C and D groups in proportion with their population. He said that the quota for SCs should also be increased. He also slammed the Chief Minister for not pursuing the issue of SC categorisation with the Centre.
Hyderabad: Two persons, suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, and an employee of a toll plaza were killed on the Hyderabad-Warangal Highway at Bhongir on Saturday night. The mishap occurred when the car in which they were travelling crashed into a truck. Later, the toll plaza employee was hit by an RTC bus while trying to help them.

Achini Srinivas, 26, and K. Srisailam, 31, hailing from Koheda village near Hayathnagar, were on their way to Yadadri in a car. When their vehicle reached the highway at Bhongir town, a cement tanker was proceeding ahead of them. Srinivas, who was at the wheel, did not notice the tanker and rammed into it. Meanwhile, the driver of another SUV, which was just behind, hit the car, crushing Srinivas and his friend. Both died on the spot.

Kondal Reddy, 42, a helper at the toll plaza, was cautioning other vehicles when he was fatally hit by an RTC bus.

Bus was travelling at a high speed

After an hour, an RTC bus belonging to the Narsampet depot hit Kondal Reddy killing him on the spot. The bus was at such high speed that it went ahead and jumped off the road and landed in a pit.

We suspect the passengers in the car were under the influence of alcohol. We booked a case of accidental death against the drivers of the tanker and the SUV. A separate case has also been booked against the RTC driver. All three drivers are absconding, said Bhongir circle inspector A. Arjunaiah.

Meanwhile, in another incident at Abdullapurmet, an overspeeding tipper killed a biker on Sunday.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fifth edition of Kerala Blog Express, a unique initiative that hosts top travel bloggers, will start chugging from March 2018. The registration process for the fifth edition has commenced and willing bloggers have started promoting their profiles on social media in order to get maximum votes by their followers by January. The submission forms uploaded by the bloggers from around the world would be reviewed by a panel. Post approval, the bloggers profiles would be up for voting. As soon as the bloggers get approval, they could share their Kerala Blog Express profiles among friends and followers to seek votes in their favour. Names of final participants of Kerala Blog Express 5 would be announced after an evaluation by a panel of judges.

Given the success of the previous edition of Kerala Blog Express, we are expecting a surge in entries this year, said Mr P. Bala Kiran, tourism director. The Department has made this initiative unique by combining various aspects such as campaign on social media, familiarization trip, bloggers meet and road trip in a major way, he added.

Minister for Tourism and Cooperation Kadakampally Surendran said the travel bloggers would also get the chance of documenting their journey, while promoting the State Tourism during the 15-day journey. Tourism secretary Rani George hoped the trend of the previous editions where 100 brand ambassadors have blogged about the picturesque destinations of the state would continue this time also. The fourth edition that had commenced from Kochi, and had concluded in Kovalam, had 29 bloggers from 23 countries being picked by a voting system that garnered 38,000 votes online.
Cotton farmers affected by the pink bollworm during the kharif season have been left in the lurch.

Hyderabad: Cotton farmers affected by the pink bollworm during the kharif season have been left in the lurch, with the government not taking the initiative to ensure that they get compensation from seed companies or insurance firms.

Cotton crop sowed in 10 lakh acres has been affected by the pink bollworm pest attack.

The government is yet to conduct even a panchanama of crop loss so far, which is essential for the farmers to claim compensation. In contrast, the Maharashtra government had recently directed seed companies and insurance firms to pay compensation to the affected farmers. It has roped in teams to inspect the crops damaged by bollworm. Based on their report, the government sought compensation of up to Rs 38,000 per acre to farmers from the Centre, seed companies and insurance firms.

No such effort is seen in the state despite farmers suffering huge losses and reports of distressed farmers committing suicide were coming in from the districts almost every day.

The TS government is more focussed on convincing farmers to destroy the standing crop affected by bollworm, for which the agriculture department has taken up a campaign in all districts.

Agriculture commissioner C. Parthasarathi has written to collectors and agricultural officers asking them to convince farmers to destroy the standing crop so as to control its spread in the ongoing rabi and next kharif seasons. Farmers should destroy the affected crop after the third picking, which is taken up in the third week of December, and completely destroy the crop by the end of the month. The extended life of the affected crop will not only damage the crop in ongoing rabi season but also sp-read it to the next kh-arif season, he noted.

Farmers associations are demanding that the Centre and and the state government ensure payment of compensation from Monsanto for crop losses.

The Telangana Rythu Sangham has demanded the government initiate action against Monsanto, holding it responsible for the spread of third generation BT cotton seeds.

Farmers are terming Roundup Ready Flex or RRF herbicide-tolerant cotton-technology as BG-III. Monsanto India has denied these allegations and held seeds sellers responsible for crop loss.
Chennai: Over 85 per cent of waterbodies in Chennai have been encroached by those with political background, the BJP here has alleged and called for concrete measures from the government to contain this. The party also sought a mechanism to ensure dwellings for the poor, especially the Adi Dravidas at Thiruverkadu in the city. Squarely blaming political parties for encouraging encroachments on waterbodies, BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has said the encroachments by politically influential persons have become rampant and government should take concrete steps to prevent the waterbodies from vanishing.

Waterbodies are the lifeline to any place where people live and it is doubly so for Chennai, which always experiences problems due to water scarcity. It is sad that encroachments are made on lakes and rivers, chocking the primary source of water to the people, she said after visiting residential settlements on the banks of Cooum river at Thiruverkadu here on Saturday. The BJP members of Tiruvallur district claim that some of the residents in Thiruverkadu were being evicted in the name of river widening programme. Tiruvallur west district president J. Loganathan accompanied Dr Tamilisai.

Earlier this year, the party president took pot shots at DMK saying the Dravidian major was seeking pava vimochanam (salvation for their sin) by taking up the desilting of temple tanks. During an occasion, partys national secretary H. Raja had slammed civic authorities and said the waterbodies in Tamil Nadu have not been desilted for the past half-a-centurydu here on Saturday.

The BJP members of Tiruvallur district claim that some of the residents in Thiruverkadu were being evicted in the name of river widening programme. Tiruvallur west district president J. Loganathan accompanied Dr Tamilisai. Earlier this year, the party president took pot shots at DMK saying the Dravidian major was seeking pava vimochanam (salvation for their sin) by taking up the desilting of temple tanks.
Bengaluru: Alleging that the letter politics of BJP leaders of Karnataka and Goa might weaken Karnatakas case in the Mahadayi river dispute tribunal, KPCC working president, Dinesh Gundurao on Sunday asserted that the vexed issue can be solved only if the all three states in the Mahadayi basin come together and resolve it amicably.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Rao charged that BJP leaders in the state were playing with farmer sentiments. Instead of indulging in letter politics, BJP leaders should have insisted that an all-party delegation meet the Goa CM and seek the release of water, he said.

I fear this letter politics of BJP leaders might weaken our stand on Mahadayi in the water dispute tribunal, where we have a bright chance of winning the case, which will help our farmers in north Karnataka, he said.

In response to a question, Mr Rao denied that the state government had any intention of dividing any community including Lingayats. It all started with All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha submitting a memorandum to the CM demanding separate religion status for their community. The issue was not raised by the ruling party at all. As the CM, he (Siddaramaiah) had only responded to the memorandum submitted by various stakeholders and was trying to find a solution to a problem which the community had been raising for years, he reasoned.
Middle-class moralists hate corruption in politics more than corruption itself, and more than other social evils like communalism, casteism and even peccadilloes. That is why, when special court judge O.P. Saini in New Delhi threw out the Central Bureau of Investigation against former telecommunications minister A. Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi in the 2G spectrum allocation case, there was loud lamentation from secular pulpits that Indian judiciary has sunk to its lowest depths. When special court judge Shivnath Singh in Ranchi held former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav convicted in the fodder scam, there was a sigh of relief among the Pharisees that there is hope for justice and that the corrupt are getting their just desserts. The conviction of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and Union coal secretary H.K. Gupta for corruption in the coal block allotments case did not draw much attention because Mr Koda is not a high-profile politician, and the moralistic chatterati are not provoked by cases of corruption when insignificant politicians are involved.

It is because of this selective targeting of the corrupt that corruption continues to flourish in the country, and there is no serious concern about how it is harming the development of the economy apart from making India into an exemplary Third World country where in a sea of poverty, corrupt and rich politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen flourish. Not many of the righteous souls are serious enough to ask some hard questions about corruption or of the ways to deal with. The moment the man accused of corruption is metaphorically burnt at the sake, and it has to be a big politician and no less, their lust for justice is assuaged and they sink back into political somnolence until the next big man/woman accused of corruption is brought into the public arena, and bloody inquisition begins yet again.

The moral brigade has little patience with legalities when judging corruption. They do not think it is necessary that corruption cases should follow legal procedures and they do not entertain the possibility that a wrong person could be hauled up for corruption and there is need to protect the innocent. They do not even pause to consider that a corrupt politician is being convicted on a false charge and that it is necessary to nail him for the many acts of corruption he committed rather than for the many he did not commit. They think that anyone wanting evidence of corruption is siding with the devil. All they want is justice, that is, they want punishment to be delivered to those accused of corruption. The anti-corruption fanatics have the mentality of a lynch mob. They scream for blood and justice.

Anti-corruption zealots like Anna Hazare and his former acolytes like Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal are also focused on the big game. They too are keen to bring down the big leaders, and not the corrupt hoi polloi. But the outrage against corruption in high places is not the preserve of morality brigade of mavericks. The political parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party in particular, have ridden this moral hobbyhorse of anti-corruption to shoot down the Congress Party when it was in power. It seemed to BJP strategists and others that one of easier ways to blacken the name of a government is to bring up corruption charges. Let it be admitted straightaway that not all of them are trumped up. Parties like the Congress, which have been in power longer than others, have been prone to corruption to an exceptionally high degree. So corruption is a good stick to beat the political opponents. Most of the time then, corruption turns around political games, as to who is winning and who is losing. In the 2G spectrum allocation case as well as the fodder scam case against Lalu Yadav, the BJP has sought political advantage and it has also gained it.

It is indeed legitimate political strategy on the part of the BJP to make a case against corrupt politicians in other parties; the prevalence of corruption remains a major problem despite the setting up of the much-vaunted Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in states. The common mans woes with corruption in the government at lower levels go unheeded.

In all this din surrounding corruption cases involving politicians in high places, the loud thinking of finance minister Arun Jaitley for the last two years about the need to introduce an amendment in the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, which would protect the honest bureaucrat when he takes a decision in good faith and it results in loss to public exchequer is drowned out. It is nice and exciting to hunt for the corrupt in furrows and warrens of the government, but it is necessary to keep the system running and allow decisions to be made.

It is time to understand the reasons as to why corruption arises in the first place to contain it and to root it out. Corruption has disappeared in getting cooking gas cylinders, telephones, cars and railway tickets because throwing open the system has helped remove the potential for corruption. Can a similar algorithm be worked out for checking corruption in other spheres of governance, as in the grant of industrial licences, allocation of spectrum and mines and getting a government job? Is corruption a larger issue than settling of political scores between rivals? To rage against corruption is good political theatre but it is not enough to check it.
In a week of oscillating fortunes for politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen in corruption cases, the Bombay high courts order granting relief to former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan comes as huge relief to him and the Congress Party. The court set aside the sanction for his prosecution given by current governor last February as opposed to an earlier governor having declined the same in 2013. It is difficult not to draw the conclusion that some political motive was involved in declining the sanction as well as in granting it. Judicial orders, based on facts and law, have to be taken at the face value, and they obviously have to be decided on a case-to-case basis.

Even so, a sweeping conclusion that no collusion of politicians was involved in such cases is best discouraged. In any case, such closures are projected by political forces and are generally disbelieved. There was undeniable evidence that Chavans kin  his sister-in-law Seema Sharma, mother-in-law Bhagwati Sharma and father-in-laws brother Madanlal Sharma  were members of the society and benefitted from the allotment of flats in the Adarsh Society, originally meant for people who had served in the defence forces. The arguments were over whether Chavan, as revenue minister, had benefitted from a quid pro quo in the society being given land and in return civilian membership being opened up by the societys promoters.

Chavan has been absolved in this case although he may be open to prosecution under the stringent prevention of corruption act. However, Chavan had paid a big price in having to step down as chief minister. Politicians have been known to skate on thin ice in several such decisions of the government playing the role of the benefactor in blatantly discriminatory manner. Even then, there can be no better arbiter than the highest courts of the land to nail them or let them go on technicalities.
Perhaps the punishment would be disproportionate if prominent film actors Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty Kundra were to find their way to jail for having used a sharply pejorative expression  bhangi  on television. A local Mumbai political worker associated with dalit politics has demanded that they be prosecuted under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

It is truly surprising that people in such prominent places as these film personalities remain untouched by some of the quiet revolutionary changes occurring on the social plane for the good in the country. Or, is it that they are completely ignorant? In either case, the two actors are fit candidates for social ridicule and censor. It is shocking that changing mores have passed them by in the era of information explosion.

Words like bhangi and chamar were not just occupational categories in traditional society, but carried with them deeply-held prejudices of the old order against people who did supposedly demeaning work. Since feudal times they have carried not just the idea of social inferiority and stigma but also untouchability. In many parts of the country, the use of such expressions can trigger a riot, besides being repulsive.

If Mr Khan and Ms Kundra used the deeply offensive word so casually, they clearly have not heard of the work of a man called Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This is deplorable.
The victory of Sasikalas nephew and independent candidate T.T.V. Dhinakaran in the Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar bypoll has significance far beyond the numbers in the thumping margin with which he beat the odds stacked against him. His victory could be a turning point in the Tamil Nadu political scene rendered tumultuous in the wake of the death of the AIADMK partys charismatic leader J. Jayalalithaa. The fight for the Jaya legacy may have been settled even though its main claimant Sasikala has been convicted making her ineligible to contest polls for 10 years. Fighting her proxy battle, Mr Dhinakaran managed to win nearly twice as many votes as the official AIADMK, which is in the hands of chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his deputy O. Panneerselvam, and more than three times what the DMK, two of whose prominent members were recently absolved in the 2G scam case, could muster.

The RK Nagar voters, who freely imbibed the cash-for-votes, may have made this the most corrupt election ever in the history of Indian polls. And yet they were only reaffirming that graft, among politicians and leaders, is no big issue with the people. That means a lot in a state whose most popular chief minister went to jail and would have been deemed guilty in the DA case too if not for the charges abating because she had died. The immediate threat arising from the fallout of the bypoll verdict is to the stability of the Palaniswami government whose nebulous majority in the Assembly has not been tested yet after the rebel Dhinakaran took away his faction of MLAs to resorts for an extended holiday.

The winning candidate, who lost the battle before the EC, for the popular Two Leaves symbol of MGR and Jayas party, has openly threatened to bring down the government soon. While results in other byelections held elsewhere in the country stuck to form in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, the verdict in the constituency in north Chennai is the only one that has the potential to change the politics not only in Tamil Nadu but also in coalitions ahead of the 2019 general elections to Parliament. The MGR-Jaya party has two choices ahead  either merge to keep the government in place and continue to enjoy the patronage of the Centre or the Sasikala faction can bring the regime down and force fresh Assembly elections.
The human resources development (HRD) ministry is in the process of setting up the National Testing Service, an agency to conduct all entrance tests for higher education.

The human resources development (HRD) ministry is in the process of setting up the National Testing Service, an agency to conduct all entrance tests for higher education. The government is aiming to make it operational by 2018. The aim is to free organisations such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other institutions from administrative responsibilities so that they can focus more on academics.

Currently, these bodies conduct tests such as Joint Entrance Examination, National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) and National Eligibility Test among others.

The start, however, has hit a bump. The ministry wanted the CBSE to use its experience of conducting large entrance tests such as the JEE (Main) and NEET to run the body initially for a bit and handhold it through teething troubles. The CBSE has turned down the governments request on account of being overburdened with work. This means that either ministry babus will have to run the show or hire a new team before the body is established.

Munir A. Khan: J&Ks top cop

Due to his high-profile in counter-insurgency operations and effective handling of law and order problems, inspector-general of police Kashmir zone, Munir Ahmad Khan, is likely to continue as head of the Kashmir executive police even after his elevation to the rank of additional director-general of police (ADG) along with four other officers of the 1994 batch.

The departmental promotion committee (DPC) of the state home department had met earlier this year and approved rank promotion in favour of five IGPs. Headed by chief secretary B.B. Vyas, the DPC also comprises of senior-most IAS officer K.B. Agarwal, principal secretary home, R.K. Goyal, DGP Dr S.P. Vaid and law secretary Abdul Majid Bhat as members. Sources say that even after his promotion to the rank of ADG, Mr Khan would continue as head of the executive police in Kashmir zone that includes Ladakh. Mr Khan had replaced Gilani as IGP Kashmir in May this year.
The election in Gujarat was a clear win for the Bharatiya Janata Party. We can speculate about the reasons why but the results are unambiguous. They are in keeping with the way Gujarati voters have spoken for the last 20 years. To call the Congress rise in voteshare a sign or a trend of something larger in the nation will need to await more data and more results from other states. In Gujarat the BJP triumphed. Having clarified that lets examine why so many people were hoping that the Congress would perform well. Or more accurately why the BJP would not win again. Such people are usually called Modi-baiters, though it is unclear what that is supposed to mean. I have not met many people who will offer an outright defence of dynastic politics. So we should assume that many of these people who are worried by another BJP victory are not supporters of the Congress in the positive sense. They are merely concerned about something else. What is it?

The answer is religious nationalism of the sort that the BJP deliberately pushes. Nationalisms can be of many types. You can have composite nationalism, which includes all Indians of all religions and all communities and all geographies. This is not what the BJP champions. Can a Naga or Mizo assert her Indian identity with pride if she feels it? In the way that the BJP has framed it, this individual can do so only through Hindi slogans (like Bharat Mata Ki Jai), and through stopping eating beef, even if that has been their traditional food for thousands of years.

Can a Muslim from Kerala assert Indian identity? Only if he promises he will not fall in love with a woman who is Hindu. The nationalism of the BJP is not meant for all Indians. It is only for a particular kind of Indian. The thing is: even some of those types of Indians do not like it. I am a Hindu male from north India (assuming Gujarat is north India, though that is debatable). I do not want to be a part of a nationalism that excludes other Indians.

I have a problem with all nationalisms generally speaking because they are used to mobilise one group against another. And the other group is then caricatured and demonised in a way which I find repulsive. Nationalism usually leads to violence and so it should be handled with great care. But within the set of nationalisms, I find religious and ethnic nationalism particularly nasty and dangerous, and especially in our part of the world. I dont like Pakistans Muslim nationalism. I dont like Chinas Han nationalism.

Many Indians feel the same way as I do and that is why they view the BJP with alarm. You could be opposed to nationalism that is based on one religion and be a Bahujan Samaj Party voter, as I am. You could be a Trinamul Congress voter or an Aam Aadmi Party supporter or someone who prefers NCP, TDP, PDP, JD(U), CPM or any party anywhere. But if you are a supporter of religious nationalism, anywhere in India, you will back the BJP. There is only one party that deliberately pushes this as its primary agenda. This is why those who are concerned by its actions and its rhetoric and the damage they do to our nation, will have wanted to see the party decline in Gujarat, no matter what their political affiliation is.

If one removes the element of religious nationalism, one finds that the policies of the BJP are not very different from other parties. I am not saying that these common policies are good. In fact, they are not. Almost all the issues that are taken up by the human rights organisation I work for are problems created under the Congress rule. For example, the use of AFSPA and the criminal exploitation of adivasi lands. None of these is a creation of the BJP or Narendra Modi. However, the BJP is adding to these, rather than reducing them. And the fallout of its aggressive pushing of religious nationalism is visible in the news every day. The frequent episodes of violence like beef lynchings we are reading about now are deliberate creations of the BJP. If they do not pursue the course of dividing Indians on the basis of religion mainly but also on the basis of geography and caste and gender, most of these incidents would not happen.

The violence on our streets, and the violence in our media (the calling of individuals as dalals of Pakistan) is the physical manifestation of religious nationalism. It brings an urgency to the problem that many of us cannot look away from. We wish it would end so that Indians would not get harmed and we could focus on real national priorities like poverty, health and education. This, more than anything else, is the reason why many people wished that the BJP would not have triumphed again in Gujarat. But it has, and we have to accept it and resume the dialogue with its supporters to try and make them see our perspective.
After the 2G trial court verdict, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal speaks with Ashhar Khan about the 2G scam that wasnt.

All the accused in the 2G case have been acquitted. How do you see the verdict?

It was bound to happen, as there was no case. I was not the telecom minister when the allocations were being done. I came to the scene after A. Raja had demitted office. When I looked at the files it was amply clear that there was virtually nothing in the case. It was just a case of propaganda against the government of the day that was aided and abetted, unfortunately by the media too. Now almost after six years justice has been done. The position of the Congress and the then UPA government has been vindicated. Yes reputations were tarnished, some people went to jail, but now that has come to an end.

What about the Supreme Court as it cancelled licences way back in 2012?

The Supreme Court is not a trial court. It did not go into the files and details of the case bit by bit. Instead it instructed the CBI to investigate the case. It also appointed U.U. Lalit as the prosecutor in the case. Now a Supreme Court monitored probe by the CBI has submitted a chargesheet in the trial court. All allegations in the Supreme Court leading to cancellation licences were included in the chargesheet and rejected after considering the evidence both oral and documentary, which the Supreme Court had no occasion to look at, not being a trial court. This is what happens when courts come to conclusion before the trial. So to sum it up, a Supreme Court monitored probes chargesheet by the CBI was rejected by the trial court. This means there was no evidence. The trial court verdict says a huge scam was seen by everyone where there was none. These factors compelled people to conjecture about a big scam. Thus, some people created a scam by artfully arranging a few selected facts and exaggerating things beyond recognition to astronomical levels.

Do you feel vindicated after the verdict?

I would like to ask where is the Rs 1.76 lakh crore that Vinod Rai came up with? In fact, where is Mr Rai now? He needs to apologise to the nation for the figure he came up with. He should be removed from all posts that he holds. The BJP also has a lot of explaining to do on this. They went against the government by their lies and falsehoods. In all this the country suffered. Telecom was a sunshine sector but the BJP and Mr Rai destroyed the sector by creating suspicion. Foreign companies went back, those who stayed had to get new licences, the prices went high and the companies had to take huge loans from banks. As the business was not profitable because non-performing assets (NPAs) rose and look where we are today. The other question will now arise that foreign companies whose licences have been cancelled will file for damages under Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPA)? Now who will bear the costs?

The verdict has also come as a boost for the Congress. Your comments.

There was a sustained campaign that was run against our government from the very top of the BJP. Lots of vested interests also joined in, unfortunately. The atmosphere was such that many people got carried away and termed us as the government of scams. Now the trial court has concluded that there was no scam in 2G, the quantum of loss has been thrown out and there was no conspiracy. All that we were saying about 2G are now being said by the trial court. Well it just shows the power of negative propaganda of the BJP and if there was a scam it was a scam of lies by the BJP.

At a personal level you had said that there was zero loss. Dont you think that your criticism will now end?

Yes, when I took over as the minister and looked at all the files I saw that there was zero loss. I was trolled, abused and ridiculed but unlike the BJP I dont believe in U-turns. I had made that statement after carefully understanding the issue. Now would anybody tell me where is the loss? Mr Rai should explain that where is the presumptive/notional loss? The leaders of the BJP both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, who went to town shouting scam, I would like to ask them where is the scam? Where is the loss? So the BJP and Mr Rai need to answer now.

Your party raised the issue of the verdict in Parliament. Do we expect that Parliament will not be allowed to function in the Winter Session?

Well our Parliament strategy will be decided and finalised by the parliamentary party. But one thing remains that this shoot and scoot policy of the BJP has to be called out. They have to be careful in their utterances and they cannot malign reputations of people. As far as adjournments in Parliament are concerned, I would like to quote the former Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and the present minister in this government. He had said that disruption is very much part of parliamentary proceedings. So the BJP would do well to stop giving us sermons over parliamentary disruptions.

How do you see the role of the CAG in all this?

I do not like to comment on institutions, but yes, Mr Rai did a lot of damage to the country with his presumptive loss theory. The BJP had their captive channels that did their bidding and still are doing so. They went ahead with this theory tarnishing reputations of people. Coming back to the CAG, due to demonetisation there was actual loss of close to `3 lakh crore as the GDP dipped close to two per cent. The present CAG said that they cannot go behind the policy of the government, but Mr Rai did just the same. Now there cannot be double standards by institutions. I also feel that public functionaries should be more responsible when they take decisions of such magnitude.

The agencies say that they will challenge this judgment in higher courts. Your comments.

That is the normal practice in such cases I believe. But as I have been saying that there is no evidence in the case.
Recent cases in which courts have banned the press from reporting judicial proceedings violate Indias Constitution. Before his timely retirement, Justice C.S. Karnan made a series of shocking orders in two high courts against judges of the Supreme Court of India. He was sentenced to a term in prison for contempt of court. Then Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar made an order on May 9, 2017 forbidding the media from publishing the contents of the orders passed by Justice Karnan. The public surely has every right to know why he was sent to prison and the contents of his orders.

Orders such as this are not only erroneous in law but also provide wrong guidance to the high courts. On November 7, the Allahabad high court barred the media from reporting proceedings of a hate speech case in which Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was the prime accused, saying wrong reporting of the day-to-day proceedings of this case... is causing a lot of embarrassment as the observations are reported out of context and very often misquoted... We are constrained to pass the order directing that no one shall publish or cause to be published any proceedings of this case till the delivery of judgment. The courts have ample power to deter deliberate slanted reportage, but such a ban is not supported by law.

On November 28, the court asked people holding public office not to comment on the film Padmavati. When a matter is pending for consideration before the Central Board of Film Certification, how can persons in public authority comment on whether the CBFC should issue certificate or not? It is well settled that the pendency even of judicial proceedings is no bar to a discussion of issues of public policy or public concern in the media. How then can such a ban apply to a statutory body like the CBFC? It is of vital importance that the board be informed of popular sentiment and comment by informed persons in the press or persons in public authority. They cannot lose their rights as citizens. Such executions on their part are, in turn, open to public censure. The democratic process needs no nannies to regulate it.

The last order in the unfortunate series was made on November 29. In the aftermath of Narendra Modis reign as chief minister of Gujarat, 15 persons were put on trial in a famous encounter case. In November 2005, Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat polices anti-terrorism squad while on their way from Hyderabad to Sangli. Sheikh was allegedly killed in a fake encounter near Gandhinagar, the state capital. His wife disappeared, and is believed to have been killed as well. Prajapati, Sheikhs aide and eyewitness to the alleged encounter, was also allegedly killed by police in Gujarat in December 2006.

The 15 accused were discharged. Charges were framed against 22 police officials and private persons. The case was transferred by the Supreme Court from Gujarat to Mumbai. On November 29, Justice S.J. Sharma, while allowing journalists present in the CBI special court to stay, barred the media from reporting proceedings. It may happen that publication (of reports) may create security problems for the accused, prosecution witnesses, defence team and the prosecution. This can happen in any criminal trial of this kind.

These orders stem from a fundamentally wrong notion of the rights of the people and the press. In Richmond Newspapers, Inc vs Virginia (1980) the Supreme Court of the US ruled: Instead of acquiring information about trials by firsthand observation or by word of mouth from those who attended, people now acquire it chiefly through the print and electronic media. In a sense, this validates the media claim of functioning as surrogates for the public. While media representatives enjoy the same right of access as the public, they often are provided special seating and priority of entry so that they may report what people in attendance have seen and heard.

Wrong precedents were set earlier. In a libel case against R.K. Karanjia, editor of Blitz, a judge of the Bombay high court orally ordered that a witness deposition must not be published because earlier reports had harmed his business. In 1966, eight of the nine judges on a bench of the Supreme Court upheld the order. Dissenting Justice M. Hidayatullah rightly held that it was made without jurisdiction. In 2012, the court upheld postponement orders for media reporting.

Neither ruling was well considered. Both overlooked the Privy Council ruling in 1939 that an order directing proceedings to be held in-camera was so completely beyond the powers of the high court that it might be disobeyed with impunity.

By arrangement with Dawn
Trump originally tweeted about McCabes wifes campaign in July, inaccurately describing the campaign donation as coming from Hillary Clinton. (Photo: File)

Washington: President Donald Trump again questioned the impartiality of the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

In a tweet Saturday, the president wrote: 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 USD 700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?

McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by lawmakers on two separate committees as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clintons email practices when she was secretary of state. His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

McCabes wife, Jill, received USD 700,000 in donations from Virginia Govt Terry McAuliffes political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015. The money was donated before McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation. McAuliffe is a longtime supporter of Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

McCabe became acting FBI director last May after Trump fired Comey, who was overseeing the bureaus investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump maintains there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government, and has blasted the investigation as a witch hunt.

From his South Florida home, where he is spending the holidays, Trump also tweeted that McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!

McCabe plans to retire in about 90 days, when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing people familiar with the situation. Trump and his Republican allies have made it clear that they want McCabe out of the FBI. But McCabe is a civil service employee who cannot be fired without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

McCabe was among the candidates Trump interviewed for the FBI directors job after he dismissed Comey. He also has been a focus of Trumps ire for some time.

Trump originally tweeted about McCabes wifes campaign in July, inaccurately describing the campaign donation as coming from Clinton: Problem is that the acting head of the FBI & the person in charge of the Hillary investigation, Andrew McCabe, got USD 700,000 from H for wife!

In a second tweet that month, the president asked why didnt A G Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation, referring to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The FBI declined to comment on reports about retirement by McCabe, who was summoned to Capitol Hill this week and grilled for hours by two congressional committees.

Republicans charge that an anti-Trump bias exists in the bureaus ranks, citing the campaign donations to McCabes wife and, more recently, the release of hundreds of text messages between FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Strzok and Page used words like idiot and loathsome human to describe Trump during the campaign.

Strzok was removed the team of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation, over the summer after the text messages surfaced. Democrats accuse the GOP of diversionary tactics and say their criticism could embolden Trump to take steps to fire Mueller.

Trump said earlier this week that hes not considering firing Mueller.
In addition to accusing the outgoing FBI Deputy Director's wife, Trump did not refrain from slamming James Comey or Hillary Clinton in his tweet. (Photo: File)

West Palm Beach (Florida): President Donald Trump is reacting to reports about the retirement of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe by re-tweeting falsehoods about McCabe's wife.

Trump tweeted on Sunday: "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 USD 7,00,000 for wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

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

McCabe's wife, Jill, did not get USD 7,00,000 in donations from Clinton for a Virginia state Senate race in 2015.

The donations came from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe's political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party before McCabe was promoted to deputy director and a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation.

McCabe became acting FBI director in May after Trump fired James Comey.
Pete Hoekstra made the blunder while being questioned by a journalist from Dutch broadcaster NOS over remarks made at a 2015 conference. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: The new US ambassador to the Netherlands apologised on Sunday after denying he once said the country was in "chaos" because of Muslims and accusing an interviewer of peddling "fake news," only to be caught out by Dutch television in a bizarre exchange.

Pete Hoekstra, who starts as ambassador to The Hague in January, made the blunder while being questioned by a journalist from Dutch broadcaster NOS over remarks made at a 2015 conference.

When the reporter challenged him about referring at that event to Muslim-inspired "chaos" and to dangerous "no-go zones" in the Netherlands, Hoekstra responded: "That is actually an incorrect statement -- we would call it fake news.

"I never said that," said Pete Hoekstra.

But in a clip played from the event, Hoekstra can be heard saying: "The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos. Chaos in the Netherlands -- there are cars being burned, there are politicians that are being burned."

"And yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands," Hoekstra added.

When pressed further during the interview, the Dutch-born ambassador denied having accused his interviewer of "fake news" altogether.

"I didn't call that fake news," said Hoekstra, a former representative from Michigan. "I didn't use the words today. I don't think I did."

The exchange, which appeared on Dutch current affairs program Nieuwsuur, has circulated on social media, drawing widespread mockery. One tweeter quipped that Hoekstra was "even giving fake news a bad name."

In a Twitter message on Sunday, Hoekstra said: "I made certain remarks in 2015 and regret the exchange during the Nieuwsuur interview. Please accept my apology."

He vowed to "move on in the spirit of peace and friendship with the people and the leaders of the Netherlands."NOS nterviewer Wouter Zwart later told CNN that Hoekstra said the "no-go zones" comment was intended to refer to "a broader context of European problems with 'those areas.'"

The "no-go" reference was reminiscent of remarks by Donald Trump during his campaign for the US presidency.

Blaming Muslims, he said parts of Paris were so radicalised "that the police refuse to go there," that London police in some districts were "afraid for their own lives" and that parts of Brussels were a "hellhole.
The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad. (Photo: AP)

Beijing: The latest round of United Nations sanctions against North Korea are an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against the country, North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad.

The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The US-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea's foreign ministry said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting "more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country".

The new resolution is tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

"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'."

North Korea's nuclear weapons are a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law," it added.

"We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the US nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US," the ministry said.

"The US should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the US mainland," it added, using the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face Pyongyang's wrath.

"Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this 'sanctions resolution' shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the 'resolution' and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done."
Thirty-seven people were believed killed in a fire that engulfed a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, the local vice mayor said on Sunday. A Bureau of Fire Protection commander at the scene said the chances of the 37 surviving were zero, Paolo Duterte, the vice mayor, wrote in a Facebook post. The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall on Saturday morning and people were trapped inside, including in a call centre, Ralph Canoy, a police officer in the district said. Canoy said the fire was still going before dawn this morning. It started on the third floor, which houses products like fabrics, wooden furniture and plastic ware, so it quickly spread and its taking a long time to put out, he said.
Scientists have discovered a water-adapted species of spiders and named it after Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley. In 2009, the sea along the coastline of Queensland in Australia receded to such an extent that it exposed a population of spiders.

Researchers associated their emergence with Marleys song High Tide or Low Tide. In a study published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics, researchers from Queensland Museum in Australia and University of Hamburg in Germany described the intertidal spider. Unlike the spiders which people are familiar with, the intertidal species have adapted to the underwater life by hiding in barnacle shells, corals or kelp holdfast during high tide.
The govt says the purges are needed to counter the continuing danger posed by followers of Gulen's movement. (Photo: AFP)

Ankara: Turkey has sacked 2,756 more people from its public service sector for alleged links to terror groups as it presses ahead with purges launched following 2016 failed military coup.

According to two government decrees published in the Official Gazette on Sunday, those dismissed in the new wave of purges include 637 military personnel, 360 gendarmerie force members and 150 academics or other university personnel.

Turkey blames the July 2016 failure on US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Some 50,000 people have been arrested and more than 1,10,000 civil servants have been dismissed for alleged links to Gulen or militant groups in a crackdown since then.

The government says the purges are needed to counter the continuing danger posed by followers of Gulen's movement.

Gulen denies involvement in the coup.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday said it was in no hurry to hang convicted Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who will meet his wife and mother here on Monday amid tight security.

Foreign office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal told a news conference that Jadhavs mercy appeal was pending with army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and even if he rejected it, the death-row inmate had a chance to file another plea with President Mamnoon Hussain.

He said India had requested Pakistan not to allow media interaction of Jadhavs mother and wife to ensure their privacy. We had invited the Pakistani and Indian media for coverage in addition to the international media but India did not favour such an interaction. We have not issued visas to the Indian journalists keeping in view the Indian request (against media interaction), he said.

Dr Faisal said Pakistan had a strong case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the India plea.

The ICJ has not given a decision and at the most they can seek a re-trial or ask us for consular access, he said.
North Korea today slammed the latest UN sanctions imposed on it over the isolated country's widely-condemned intercontinental ballistic missile tests, describing the move as an "act of war".



"We fully reject the latest UN sanctions... as a violent breach of our republic's sovereignty and an act of war that destroys the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and a wider region," Pyongyang's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency.

It was the first official reaction from Pyongyang, a day after the UN Security Council unanimously passed new, US- drafted sanctions that will restrict oil supplies vital for the impoverished state.

The sanctions received the backing of Pyongyang's key ally China and also orders the repatriation of North Korean workers sent abroad to earn much needed revenue for Kim Jong- Un's regime.

The third raft of sanctions imposed on the North this year came about three weeks after Pyongyang test-fired its longest-range ICBM, which it said was capable of striking all major US cities.

The test of Hwasong-15 further heightened global concerns over the rapid advance in the North's missile and nuclear weapon programmes that has accelerated since Kim took power in 2011.

The North says its weapons programmes are designed for self-defence against "hostile" US policies towards the isolated but nuclear-armed nation.
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office said today.



They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
The Karnataka government is considering the constitution of a new law, which enables courts to sentence to death by hanging, those convicted for sexual atrocities against children, said Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy.



Speaking to the media, in Bengaluru on Saturday, Reddy said that the new law would contain provisions to award a death penalty for sexual atrocities against children aged 12 years old or below.

"The Madhya Pradesh government has recently passed such a law. We will want to constitute a similar, stringent law," Reddy informed.

He said that he had already directed high-ranking police officers to get the details of the MP law and scrutinise it.

"After I get their report, I will raise the issue with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. When such laws are brought into force, atrocities against girl children should decline," Reddy opined.

Atrocities against 1,565 children

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, 1,565 cases of child atrocities were registered in Karnataka in 2016.

Of these 317 were sexual atrocities cases.
Visitors who came to witness the Brand Bengaluru logo launch at Vidhana Soudha were irked by the delay caused by the unseemly late arrival of the ministers.



They complained that no seating had been arranged for them; not even a canopy to provide some shade.

They pointed out that Brand Bengaluru launch was 'not a political event' to wait endlessly for some ministers' arrival.

"It's an event for common Bengalureans and all facilities should have been provided to us," they asserted.

The logo has been done by a four-member 'Nammuru' team; which is a two-year-old start-up headed by Rushi Patel.

Though English music was being played at the launch venue, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Karave) and other Kannada activist organisations didn't seem to mind it.
India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks taking place and both sides putting it on the back-burner even as the political situation in the country remained fragile with the ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers scandal.



The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside PoK. The sentencing of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death in April further deteriorated ties.

Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal claimed that Pakistan is all for the resumption of dialogue but India has been running away on one pretext or another.

"Indian stubbornness is the main reason that we are unable to resume talks. The fault is with India and not with us. We are ready to talk about everything, but they don't come forward and only hurl allegations," Faisal told PTI.

The ties strained further after Pakistan Army special forces team sneaked 250 metres across the Line of Control and beheaded two Indian security personnel in May.

In response, the Indian Army launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting "some damage".

Faisal said Pakistan cannot be blamed for "zero" progress in the bilateral ties in 2017, as it made persistent efforts to improve relations.

"First, India linked talks with the issue of militancy but when we showed readiness to discuss every issue, including terrorism, then they (India) ran away. Actually, Indian side is not ready to sit across the table," he alleged.

He said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a letter to his Indian counterpart urged India to maintain peace on the LoC after over 1,300 ceasefire violations killed 54 civilians this year.

Throughout the year, Pakistan repeatedly summoned Indian diplomats to the Foreign Office to register its protests on the ceasefire violations.

The spokesman was not very optimistic for talks in the 2018 and said that there was no hope for peace with the current government in India.

"The same trend may continue in 2018. Nothing is changing on ground," he said.

The two countries also engaged in war or words in the United Nations and the Human Rights Council, wherein India called Pakistan the "face of international terrorism".

In April, India reacted strongly when a Pakistan Army court sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of espionage after a secret trial. India demanded consular access to Jadhav, which Pakistan repeatedly denied claiming the man was an Indian spy. India took the case to the International Court of Justice, which put a hold on Jadhav's execution.

During the year, Pakistan also witnessed one of its worst political crisis when the Supreme Court disqualified Prime Minister Sharif and put him on trial for corruption.

Sharif nominated his close aide and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as interim prime minister.

With his ouster, Sharif became the first prime minister in the politically unstable Pakistan to quit in the middle of his term for a record third time.

The year will also be remembered for the deaths of hundreds of people in several terror attacks in all provincial capitals - Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta. Several other cities were also targeted by terrorists, including those from the Islamic State.

Pakistan this year also test-fired its first Submarine- Launched Cruise Missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 450 kms and the radar-evading surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 2,200 kms, bringing many Indian cities within its range.

This year, career diplomat Tehmina Janjua became Pakistan's first-ever woman Foreign Secretary, replacing Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry who was appointed as ambassador to the US.

Her elevation to the top bureaucratic slot prompted Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit to quit as the senior diplomat ostensibly was not ready to work under his junior.
Five-time legislator Jairam Thakur will be the new chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, the BJP announced on Sunday.



His name was proposed by former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and seconded by Union minister J P Nadda.

Dhumal was the first choice but lost the race after he lost his own seat from Sujanpur in the results announced December 18.

Thakur (52) represents Seraj, a constituency in Mandi district.

Thakur staked his claim to form the government in Himachal Pradesh following which Governor Acharya Devvrat has invited him to do so.

Governor Devvrat on Sunday invited Thakur to form the government in Himachal Pradesh, a Raj Bhawan release said.

Earlier, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti and the newly elected leader of BJP Legislative Party Thakur, along with other senior BJP leaders called on the governor at Raj Bhavan and handed over a letter to him, staking claim to form the government.

The Seraj MLA, a throughbred RSS man, emerged as the frontrunner for the top post after the shock defeat of the BJP's chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal in the 2017 Assembly polls, the results of which were announced last week.

A former chief minister, Dhumal, was still in the reckoning for the chief minister's post till last night, when he opted out. Union minister J P Nadda was another top contender.

Thakur, a former state unit chief and rural development and panchayati raj minister in a government headed by Dhumal, was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party today.

The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP MLAs.

His name was proposed by senior leaders Suresh Bhardwaj and Mahender Singh and seconded by others.

"It is expected that Thakur will take oath as the state's next CM on December 27 at a ceremony where Prime Minister Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and a galaxy of top leaders would be present," a source said.

Thakur will be the first chief minister from Mandi, the second largest district of the state. Himachal's chief ministers and political leaders mostly belong to or hailed from Shimla, Kangra and Sirmour.

Mandi has 10 Assembly seats, second only to Kangra's 15.

In this election, the BJP put up a stellar show in Mandi, winning 9 of the district's 10 seats.

Seen largely as a low-profile man, Thakur is from a farming family of Mandi. He did his post-graduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh and decided to join politics when he was in his 20s.

Thakur contested on a BJP ticket in the 1993 Assembly polls. He lost, but went on to win in 1998 from the now delimited constituency of Chachiot (Seraj) and every Assembly election after that.

A soft-spoken man, Thakur's strength is that he is seen as a leader who has managed to straddle the party's warring factions in the state.
What progress will a government-appointed interlocutor achieve in Kashmir, how will a law on triple talaq evolve, who will rein in cow vigilantism and when will India get Vijay Mallya extradited?



Next year, all eyes will be glued to these issues as well as those of the fate of Rohingya migrants, the fallout of the Ayodhya hearing in Supreme Court and the twists and turns in Indo-Pak relations.

The security establishment will also have its eyes set on the Maoist and Northeast insurgency fronts, though no large-scale attack took place this year leaving the forces upbeat.

While the first half of 2017 went on without any major incident, the unprecedented terror strike on Amarnath pilgrims in July will remain a black mark on the government, as it once again proved that forces were still not on top of the terror machinery.

The government sought to put pressure by squeezing separatists through a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into funds they reportedly received from Pakistan for triggering trouble in the Valley besides offering several sops.

But peace is yet to return to the Kashmir Valley, as people are still taking to the streets, there is no respite from militant strikes and more security personnel are losing life.

While acting tough on one front, the government made a surprise announcement in September appointing former Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma, an old Kashmir hand, as an interlocutor to deal with the issue.

With this, the government subtly changed its goal post from "no-talks" to "talks with all stakeholders", a euphemism for involving separatists in the process.

However, Sharma's outings in the Valley have not earned much so far.

The task is also cut out for the government in reining in cow vigilantism and right-wing groups using the bogey of "love jihad", a description used by Hinduvta elements to describe a marriage between Muslim man and Hindu woman, to target minority communities.

A Muslim labourer from West Bengal was killed in Rajasthan with the accused claiming that he was preventing a "love jihad".

Though it could put the onus on states saying law and order is a state subject, the Centre will have to face flak if they do not manage to curb such incidents, especially in the BJP-ruled states.

Another contentious issue would be the formulation of a law on triple talaq following a Supreme Court making it illegal.

Early next year, officials also would have to burn the midnight oil over dealing with Rohingya, who have illegally crossed over to India following a purge in Myanmar.

While the officialdom has taken a position that India cannot afford their presence, an adverse order from Supreme Court would have an egg on its face.

Another question that would bother the security establishment would be the early conclusion of a deal with NSCN(IM) on the Naga issue.
It is compulsory for the BJP to come power in Karnataka in the 2018 Assembly elections in April-May if the state has to benefit from the Centre's various welfare programs, said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan.



Addressing BJP's Parivartana rally in Haveri, on Sunday, Chouhan alleged that Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah was projecting Central government's schemes started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his own. "This is the most corrupt state in the country," Chouhan alleged.

Taunting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by alluding to the Mahadayi river water dispute, Chouhan said, "There is no water for the Congress in the country. From where will they (Congress) get water for Karnataka?"

The MP CM said that Siddaramaiah was ruining the name of Karnataka in India by absenting himself at the NITI Aayog meetings.

"The Congress government is encouraging the sand mafia by importing sand from Malaysia and exporting its own," Chouhan alleged.
Uttar Pradesh minister of state (independent charge) for water supply and water resources Upendra Tiwari today alleged that efforts were made to save the accused persons in the 2G scam during the Congress-led UPA regime.



"It was during the regime of the Congress-led UPA government that the 2G spectrum scam took place. The then government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made efforts to save its own minister and other accused," Tiwari told reporters here today.

He alleged that the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in order to save the accused, had put pressure on the CBI. "In this case, the acquittal of the accused was quite natural," Tiwari said attacking the UPA leadership.

Mounting an attack on the former SP government in the state, he said the, "SP government had shown discrimination towards Hindus in different government schemes. SP, which indulges in Muslim appeasement, is now claiming to be pro- Hindu. This is completely misleading."

On the issue of UPCOC Bill, 2017 being referred to a select committee of UP Legislative Council, Tiwari blamed SP, BSP and Congress.

"The Opposition parties in UP are not interested in improving the law and order," he said.
The BJP on Sunday wrested both the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress in the byelections to these constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh.



With this, the 60-member state Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one Congress and one Independent legislator.

B R Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by a narrow margin of 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy chief minister, Kameng Dolo of the Congress.

While Waghe polled 3,517 votes, Dolo bagged 3,042, Joint Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali seat, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by a slender margin of 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA.

While the BJP candidate polled 3,461 votes, the PPA nominee secured 3,156 votes in the constituency, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest.

While Congress candidate Modam Dini could secure only 362 votes, the lone Independent candidate, Sengo Taipodia, bagged 675 votes.

The constituency also saw 23 voters opting for NOTA, Bhattacharjee said.

Over 68.5% electors had cast their votes in the December 21 bypolls, with Pakke-Kessang recording an 86% voter turnout and Likabali 51%.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after then health and family welfare minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4.

The Pakke-Kessang seat fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency in the March 15, 2014, polls null and void, following an election petition filed by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly.
Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today slammed Lalu Prasad for comparing himself with Nelson Mandela and B R Ambedkar, saying they made sacrifices in national interest while the RJD chief was in jail for corruption.



The Lok Janshakti Party chief said Prasad had insulted stalwarts like Ambedkar by comparing himself with them and asked if the fodder scam was a scam of the poor or the powerful people.

Defending his ally BJP, which has been accused by Prasad of conspiring to put him behind bars, Paswan said the allegations amounted to an insult of the judiciary as he has been convicted by a court not the saffron party.

"Lalu ji you should not blame the BJP for everything to hide your sin. You should also not compare yourself with Martin Luther King, Mandela or Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They made sacrifices in the national interest. You are in jail for corruption, which is against national interest," Paswan said on Twitter.

The LJP chief, who was an ally of Prasad earlier, said the RJD chief and his supporters may make a lot of noise but his crimes cannot be brushed under the carpet.

A CBI court had yesterday convicted Prasad in a corruption case involving the fodder scam. He blamed the BJP for the development, accusing it of a conspiracy to put him behind bars.

Soon after the verdict, a post on Lalu Prasad's Twitter handle had read, "Powerful people and powerful classes always managed to divide society into ruling and the ruled classes. And whenever anyone from the lower hierarchy challenged this unjust order, they would be deliberately punished."

Another tweet had said, "Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and casteist minds. No one should expect any different treatment."
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has called for an end to the 'growing culture of religious intolerance' being witnessed in several parts of the country.



The chief minister, in his Christmas eve greetings to the people of Punjab, especially Christians, said India's secular fabric was its biggest strength and any attempt to disrupt communal harmony could not be condoned.

Describing Christmas as a pious and joyous occasion not just for Christians but for people of all faiths, he said the safety and security of the community, and in fact of all communities, was the responsibility of every individual and organisation that believed in the sanctity of the constitution of India.

"The ethos of unity in diversity, which is embedded in our constitutional framework, could not be allowed to be torn apart by vested elements, which were interested only in promoting their personal agenda," he said.

Singh said an India which could not let all communities, castes and religions thrive in an environment of peace and equality would end up getting annihilated as a world power.

"Religious violence and intolerance will put the nation on the path to regression," he warned, urging one and all to come together in a spirit of bonhomie and compassion to celebrate Christmas.
British Prime Minister Theresa May today paid tribute to the country's "heroes" who helped victims of terrorist attacks and the fire at Grenfell Tower in London in her annual Christmas message.



She also urged Britons to take pride in the country's Christian heritage at Christmas.

"As we gather with our friends and family, I want to say thank you to all those whose service to others means they will be spending time away from their loved ones this Christmas," she said.

"The heroes in our emergency services, whose courage and dedication so inspired the nation in response to tragedy at Grenfell Tower and the abhorrent terrorist attacks in Manchester and London. But whose service saves lives in our communities every day, including Christmas Day," she added.

The British Prime Minister, a regular church-goer and daughter of a vicar, also made a specific reference to the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

She added: "Let us take pride in our Christian heritage and the confidence it gives us to ensure that in Britain you can practice your faith free from question or fear.

"Let us remember those around the world today who have been denied those freedoms from Christians in some parts of the Middle East to the sickening persecution of the Rohingya Muslims.

"This Christmas, whatever our faith, let us come together confident and united in the values we share."

In contrast, Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's Christmas message made little mention of religion as he said that Christmas was "a time of the year when we think about others".

He said: "We think about those who feel cut off and lonely. Many older citizens to whom we owe so much will be spending what should be a time of joy alone.

"We think of others such as carers who look after loved ones, people with disabilities or dementia."

Corbyn added that his thoughts were also with those "living in nations like Yemen, Syria and Libya in fear of bombs and bullets, of injury and death".
The Congress today attacked the Centre over the killing of four Indian soldiers along the LoC by Pakistani troops, saying the incident raises questions over the government's ability to protect the country's borders.



Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said yesterday's incident along the Line of Control (LoC) was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "flip-flops and somersaults" on Pakistan.

Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, yesterday.

Tewari claimed that there have been 900 attempts of incursion by Pakistan this year, out of which 780 cases have been reported along the LoC and 120 along the International Border (IB).

"There were 583 major ceasefire violations in 2014 (between June-December), 400 in 2015, 450 in 2016 and 900 this year. The prime minister points fingers at others, accuses people who have occupied top posts of committing treason but this government seems incapable of protecting our borders," the former union minister told reporters.

Modi, during the Gujarat assembly polls campaign, had suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the Assembly polls in the state.

The government and the Congress are involved in a face- off over prime minister Modi's 'conspiracy with Pakistan' remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

Tewari said that the BJP government's Pakistan policy is driven by "flip-flops, somersaults and adhocism" and demanded that the prime minister comes clear on his agenda behind his 2015 stopover in Lahore or the Centre's decision to allow ISI personnel at the Pathankor terror attack site.

He said India's neighbourhood policy was in tatters under the BJP dispensation as apart from the "frequent" Pakistani shelling along the border and incursions, the new Nepalese government was overtly tilting towards China.

"In Sri Lanka, growing Chinese influence is a matter of concern. Maldives has signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China disregarding India's position. China has constructed permanent structures in Dokalam," he said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has dismissed the claim of state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa that Karnataka can seek interim relief from the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal on the basis of the Goa chief minister's letter to him (Yeddyurappa).

"The Tribunal will not admit the letter as a document. It is bereft of any commitment from Goa. If Yeddyurappa is really keen on resolution of the dispute, he should ask Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to file an affidavit before the Tribunal expressing Goa's willingness to part with 7.5 tmcft of Mahadayi water to meet drinking water needs of North Karnataka. The affidavit should be filed before the Tribunal starts its final hearing in February," the chief minister said.

He was speaking to reporters after laying foundation stone for various development works in Hubballi-Dharwad East Assembly constituency on Sunday.

On Saturday, Yeddyurappa had stated that according to legal experts Karnataka can get an interim relief from the Tribunal if a fresh application is filed on the basis of Parrikar's letter to him. Parrikar had written to Yeddyurappa expressing his intent to resolve the Mahadayi water sharing dispute through an amicable settlement.

Accusing the BJP of "enacting a big drama" over Mahadayi issue, the chief minister said that in inter-state matters, a chief minister should write to his counterpart. "Without making it a prestige issue, I wrote to Parrikar saying that I am ready for talks. But, instead of replying to my letter, Parrikar issued a statement that he was not ready for any talk until the Assembly elections are over in Karnataka and Yeddyurappa becomes the chief minister. But, Yeddyurappa will never become the chief minister again," he said.

Meanwhile, addressing a press meet in Haveri, Yeddyurappa said that the Mahadayi activists who have been staging a protest in front of the BJP office in Bengaluru, should vacate the place immediately and hold a dharna in front of the chief minister's residence.

He said that he had made honest efforts for resolving the Mahadayi issue. "But, chief minister Siddaramaiah and AICC president Rahul Gandhi have scuttled my attempts through a statement they got issued from Goa Congress president," he claimed.
Concerned over rising NPAs of the banks, a Parliamentary panel asked the government to take urgent remedial measures to reduce volume of stressed assets in the system and strengthen vigilance mechanism.



The Committee on Petition in its reports said that it is constrained to note that even after having a 'vigilance mechanism' in vogue in the banking system, there are incidences of fraud relating to non-performing assets (NPAs).

"In this regard, the Committee opined that merely issuing of guidelines or advisories by the government or the RBI for averting the incidences of fraud relating to NPAs do not seem to have yielded the desired results and the RBI-being a Regulator - does not seem to have succeeded in so far as implementation and enforcement of its own guidelines is concerned," it said.

The Committee, therefore, recommended the government to impress upon the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to monitor and follow up strict compliance of the relevant instructions with the banks and financial institutions on a regular basis, the panel added.

It also recommended that the existing vigilance mechanism should be re-visited and, if required, the same be amended to provide more teeth to existing mechanism.

There is a need for establishment of a more robust vigilance mechanism to put a check on the incidences of irregularities, malpractices, corruption, etc, at all levels in the functioning of banks.

The committee has also made a case for amending banking laws, including the SBI Act, to provide for disclosure of names of loan defaulters.

The panel had recommended that the government make appropriate amendments in "the archaic provisions of the SBI Act and other relevant laws to disclose the names of individuals who owe money to the Banks or are responsible for bad loans on account of their default to repay".

In this regard, it said the Committee appreciated that RBI was in favour of making available information on 'wilful defaulters' in public domain.

However, it added, the Ministry of Finance (Department of Financial Services)/RBI are of the opinion that the disclosure of information of other defaulting borrowers may not be in the interest of the revival of their distressed business units, which may be otherwise viable.

It reiterated that they should undertake an "objective examination and analysis of the extant provision(s) for disclosure of details of loan defaulters in public domain by amending the existing relevant Acts/Rules vis-a-vis interest of the revival of their distressed business units without having any impact on their viability".
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said the Nokia facility at Sriperumbudur near here, was left like an "orphaned child" and the Centre was "on the job" to make it operational.



Finland-based Nokia had provided jobs to 8,000 people when the facility, which produced mobile phones in Sriperumbudur was functioning with full capacity. The factory was left out of the USD 7.2 billion deal that was signed between Microsoft and Nokia in 2014.



"The Nokia facility was left as an orphaned child.. I tried my best.. You know Microsoft took over Nokia but left the Nokia plant (due to double) taxing issue," the Minister for Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology said.



"We are trying to work it out," he told reporters at a CII organised event here.



Elaborating further, he said, "We (the government) were on the job.. We tried with one-two companies.. It did not work out.. Let me concretise and then disclose it to you.. But, we are on the job(to make it operational)."



On the proposal by Apple Inc., to set up a manufacturing facility in the country, he said, the government is in talks with them. To a query, he said there were 40 lakh people working "directly" in the IT industry and 1.30 crore employed "indirectly."



"I am very happy to tell you that one-third of them are women," he added. He said the number of mobile manufacturing factories in the country has increased to 108 from two that were operating earlier.



"Now 108 mobile manufacturing facilities have come up (across India) and about three lakh boys and girls are working directly and indirectly," he said.



On the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana scheme, he said about Rs four lakh crore has been given to eight crore Indians in ticket sizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 50,000 Rs five lakh and Rs 10 lakh.



The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana scheme provides access to institutional finance to small business units of various ticket sizes.



"50 per cent of them were first time entrepreneurs. Now, even if half of this eight crore Indians have added one job, there would be four crore new jobs," he said.



Prasad also said, the government has decided to set up 23 BPO centres targetting skilled employees present in Tier II and III cities in Tamil Nadu. Already 19 BPOs were operational in places like Coimbatore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruchirapalli among others, he noted.



"In the BPO jobs the potential is 2,700 seats in total. Initial employment has been given to 2,500 people," he said.



Responding to another query, he said the government has set up 2.70 lakh Common Service Centres that would provide nearly 300 digital services.



"About 10 lakh boys and girls are working.. Even you talk of BPO, they have started operating in places like Kohima, Imphal in the North East," he said.



On his interaction with the core members of Confederation of Indian Industry earlier, Prasad said the members have come out with suggestions on GST and that he would look into it.



"What is important is, the larger objective of the Narendra Modi government, which is to perform, reform and deliver.. we (industry and government) have to work together to show that development," he said.



On the initiatives taken by his Ministry, he said he discussed the story of Digital India, Skill India, Start Up India, smart cities with the members of CII, Tamil Nadu region.



"India's digital initiative is one of digital inclusion to bridge the divide between the digital haves and digital have nots. I also explained to them (CII members) about bankruptcy code, to GST, RERA. I also told them how Moody's rating has made India positive," he said.



Last month, the Moody's Investors Service raised India's sovereign rating for the first time in 13 years, saying growth prospects have improved with continued progress on economic and institutional reforms.



The US-based agency upped India's rating to Baa2 from Baa3 and changed its rating outlook to 'stable' from 'positive' saying the reforms will help stabilise rising levels of 'debt.'
A Brahmin outfit stepped up its protest against senior BJD leader Damodar Rout today demanding his removal from the party for his alleged derogatory remarks on the community.



They staged a demonstration near Sishu Bhavan square here, under the banner of 'Brahmana Mahasangha', prompting the police to tighten security outside Rout's residence.

The police detained several protesters as a precautionary measure after the agitation against the former minister was intensified amid slogan shouting, a police officer said.

Leaders of the Mahasangha said the agitation would continue to mount pressure on Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik to expel Rout from the ruling party for his remarks against Brahmins.

Rout should also purify himself by shaving his head outside Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri and taking dip in sea besides seek an apology, they said.

Rout, who was the agriculture minister, was dismissed from the council of ministers on December 22 by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The chief minister removed the veteran leader from the post of party vice-president yesterday.

He was also removed from the post of observer of Dhenkanal district.

The opposition BJP has dubbed Patnaik's action against Rout as a political stunt.

BJP state unit spokesperson Sajjan Sharma alleged that the BJD believes in caste and communal politics and Patnaik has dismissed Rout to mislead people.

Rout was removed from a minister's post following state-wide protests by Brahmins over his remarks against their community during a function in Malkangiri on December 17.

The veteran leader, who represents Paradip in the Assembly, had said, "While no tribal is seen begging in any part of the state, one can spot Brahmins resorting to begging in places such as bus stands".

Brahmins, who constitute about nine per cent of the state's population, had been demonstrating and staging dharnas in different places to press their demand.
NDA Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said AICC president Rahul Gandhi's charm would not spell magic in next year's Karnataka assembly polls and Congress would taste defeat as it did it in Gujarat polls for playing caste politics.



"Rahul Gandhi's charm will not spell any magic in Karnataka elections next year.Congress will face defeat just as it did in Gujarat polls for playing caste politics," he told PTI here.



Gandhi's elevation as party president has not brought about a resurgence in Congress. His elevation has only brought about yet another drubbing in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls, he said.



However, it is a wakeup call for the BJP in Gujarat and the newly-elect government would address the issues that dented the hopes of winning seats as expected, Chandrasekhar, an industrialist, said.



The BJP had expected to win 150 seats, but won 99 seats in the 182-member Assembly as against 77 seats by Congress.



Congress and Patidars had struck a deal in Gujarat polls amidst demands for granting reservation quotas to the Patidars, who form 12-14 per cent of the states population.



Chandrasekhar alleged that Congress always played divisive politics in the name of caste and religion. Siddaramaiah's government in Karnataka was no exception, he said.



"Just consider the issue of separate religious status for Lingayats. This has brewed tension in the society.



This simply is an attempt by Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to divide Lingayat community for electoral gains," he said.



The government was also playing politics in the name of religion by celebrating 'Tipu Jayanti', which has fomented communal tension in coastal and Kodagu regions of the state, Chandrasekhar said.
The BJP has threatened to hold statewide protests if those involved "in gate-crashing into party office and attacking" party functionaries in Koppa in Chikkamagalur district are not arrested. The BJP has blamed Congress workers for the attack on Saturday.



In a press statement on Sunday, BJP state general secretary Shobha Karandlaje said that with Assembly polls fast approaching the Congress has started to resort to "goondagiri in order to browbeat the BJP".

Following the incident, Sringeri BJP MLA DN Jeevaraj and party workers are staging protest demonstration in Koppa. This protest will continue till the culprits involved in this violence are arrested, she stated.

"The reluctance on the part of the police to nab the miscreants is a proof that the culprits and anti-social elements are getting protection from the government," Karandlaje claimed.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Sunday that the BJP's move to reap "political advantage" from the Mahadayi river water dispute has boomeranged on the saffron party.



Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Rao said the BJP trying to claim sole credit for a breakthrough in getting the dispute resolved could result in further straining the relationship between Karnataka and Goa.

"While dealing with sensitive issues such as the Mahadayi dispute, we should work beyond party lines. The BJP should be aware of this", Rao said. He said the Congress has always maintained that it was ready to be part of an all-party delegation to hold talks with the Goa government.

On farmers holding a protest in front of BJP headquarters in Malleswaram in Bengaluru, Rao said, "Farmers are showing their anger by holding the agitation. This is not restricted to any party but the welfare of the state is involved".

He said there was no politics in the state government's move to constitute an expert committee to examine the issue of according minority religion status to the Lingayat or Veerashaiva faiths.

The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha and seers of influential mutts on Saturday had questioned the "constitutional validity" of the committee formed by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission to look into the issue. "We have asked the expert committee for its opinion and recommendation. This is how a government should work in a democratic set-up should work," he said.

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders held a meeting to discuss preparations for the Congress Foundation Day celebrations scheduled to be held at Ambedkar Bhavan in Bengaluru on December 28.

BBMP KR Puram corporator Manjula Devi of the BJP joined the Congress in presence of ministers K J George and Krishna Byre Gowda.
The Centre is staring at a higher Budget deficit this year (2017-18) with its revenue mop up expected to remain less than budgeted for. The GST hiccups and lowering of tax rates on several items in the recent times have compounded the woes.



Additionally, the government this financial year will have only 11 months of indirect tax revenue as GST collections for March will be accounted for in the next financial year (2018-19). This is because the due date for payment of the tax for March is April 20. Hence March collections will be reflected only in April.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to review the fiscal deficit target for 2017-18 before the month end after his ministry tabulates the revenue collections from GST in November and reviews PSU disinvestment programme.

The GST mop-up has deteriorated month after month since the new indirect tax regime was launched in July this year. The figures for November collection of GST is expected in the week ending December 30.

Officials sources told DH, "the GST collections for November may have slowed down too".

"This is an unusual year when the government is going to make do for 12 months of expenditure with 11 months of indirect tax revenues," Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian had said recently.

In October, the total revenue collected under GST fell by around 10% to Rs 83,346 crore from over Rs 92,000 crore in September. The GST collections in the first month of implementation (July) were the highest at Rs 94,0000 crore.

The government, in the Budget 2017-18, had set a target of 3.2% for fiscal deficit or the difference between Centre's revenue and expenditure, for this fiscal. Centre's fiscal deficit has already touched 96% of the full year's target in April-October compared to less than 80% in the corresponding period last year.

Though the government has so far adhered to the glide path as far as maintaining the deficit is concerned, Jaitley has sounded a warning note. While replying to the Supplementary Demand for Grants in the Lok Sabha, he said that the government could spend more only either by borrowing more the from the market or by earning higher revenues.

The headwinds are not only on account of indirect tax revenues but also non-tax revenues. This year the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has transferred less than half of surplus to the Centre's kitty than last year. The RBI in August announced that it will transfer Rs 30,659 crore as surplus. The revnues from spectrum sale have also been muted and the Budgeted PSU disinvestment have not been completed either.

But the recent hike in the customs duty on electronic goods is expected to fetch an additional about Rs 2,000 crore this fiscal. Jaitley will present Union Budget for 2018-19 on February one.
The Centre will invest Rs 83 crore to support innovative research projects of students and faculties of technical institutes for development of cheap and affordable technical solutions for rural development under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA).



The decision was taken at a meeting here on Friday.

The meeting, chaired by HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, also approved a plan of action to scale up the UBA to a total of 8,250 institutions in three years.

Eminent scientist and Chancellor of Nalanda University Vijay Bhatkar, who is credited with leading the development of Param supercomputers at CDAC, Pune, attended the meeting along with some "select non-Government organisations."



The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), which is the nodal agency for implementation of the programme, recently approved 21 research proposals under the scheme.

"Approved a plan of action to scale up the UBA to 8,250 institutions in three year period. These 8,250 institutions would adopt 40,000 villages and would involve more than 20 lakh students in the effort," HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said in a series of tweets.

He said that the research projects of the higher educational institutions will be selected through "a challenge method," which means only best of the research proposals will be cleared under the scheme.

"The institutions for Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan would be selected through a Challenge method. An amount of Rs 83 crore would be spent in training, orienting and monitoring the programme," the HRD Minister said.

Many of the Centrally funded technical institutes including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have been working on various rural development projects and have also adopted villages in their vicinity under the scheme since it was launched last year. The IIT-Delhi has been designated as the coordinator for the implementation of the research projects.

The HRD Ministry, the Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Panchayati Raj joined hands to implement the scheme together to bring about "substantial improvements" in the formulation and delivery of developmental schemes in the rural areas.

As per a tripartite agreement signed by the three Union ministries, the role of the HRD Ministry is to oversee that the higher educational institutions, selected under the scheme, adopt at least five panchayats in consultation with the respective district collectors and use their knowledge base to find solutions for the issues of basic amenities and livelihood opportunities in rural India.

"The programme seeks to help in bringing about a qualitative change in the economic and living standards of the people living in rural areas," a Ministry official said.
Recently, North Korea conducted a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-15, that it claimed brings the whole of the United States within its striking range. Weeks earlier, it had conducted what it claimed to be the test of a thermonuclear weapon. With these, North Korea declared itself to be a full-fledged nuclear weapons state, thus ratcheting up the tensions on the Korean peninsula and across East Asia.



If North Korea's claims of its missile and nuclear capabilities are true, they are a big reason for the United States to worry, not only for its own freedom of action vis-A -vis Pyongyang but also for the security of its allies Japan and South Korea. North Korea's missile and nuclear tests have once again started the debate on the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Those who bat for peace have always condemned states that have aspired to become nuclear weapon states. They argue that the threat to the international community rises as the number of states possessing nuclear weapons rises.

Almost two decades back, in 1998, when India conducted five nuclear weapons tests at Pokhran and declared itself a nuclear weapons state, and Pakistan followed two weeks later with its six tests, the two countries, too, faced international opprobrium and sanctions.

Critiques argued that a nuclear South Asia would prove to be disastrous and could see the deaths of hundreds of millions in a nuclear exchange. They were proved wrong the very next year when the Kargil conflict did not descend into nuclear war as had been feared. Neither India nor Pakistan brought out their nukes to fight the war. Critiques were right in one thing, though -- that with nuclear weapons, even a small state could deter a much larger state.

India's conventional military strength towered over Pakistan's, until the latter obtained nuclear weapons. This is evident from the results of all the wars they have fought. Once Pakistan obtained nuclear weapons, it deterred India to a large extent from launching an all-out punitive offense after events like the December 2001 Parliament attack and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008.

Had Pakistan been a non-nuclear weapon state at the time of these events, or even if both India and Pakistan were non-nuclear states, India's response would surely have been very different from what it was. Not that the thought of striking at the adversary with nuclear weapons does not come to mind, with huge public pressure to do so in the backdrop, too, but any responsible state in the international system calculates the outcomes of such an action, especially when the adversary also has nuclear weapons. A Pakistani nuclear hit on India would kill millions, an Indian nuclear retaliation on Pakistan would not just kill millions of Pakistanis but put the country's very survival in doubt. To be sure, India values the lives of its own citizens far more than hitting the enemy state hard; Pakistan values its survival as a state. Which is why, Pakistan seeks to deter India from any military action through a seemingly irrational nuclear first strike doctrine while India does so through a "massive retaliation" doctrine, although in recent months, some people in India have raised questions about the corollary "no first use" policy.

In international relations, it is said that one can never judge the 'intentions' of a state. That is even more true of a state like North Korea, which does not qualify as a responsible state in the international system currently. It must be acknowledged, however, that with North Korea possessing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them, the US cannot deal with the Kim Jong-un regime as it did with states like Iraq and Afghanistan, which did not have the power of deterrence that comes with the possession of nuclear weapons.

The power of a nuclear weapon state is not in using the weapon but in having it to deter the adversary. This is because once a state uses such weapons, it risks the wrath of the whole international community at large. Nuclear weapons, therefore, are not weapons for offence but for deterrence. Even their usage for defence can be justified only when a state faces the gravest threat to its security and survival. Otherwise, nuclear weapons cannot be and should not be, used. This was the dictum India lived by after the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attack.

Therefore, nuclear weapons make major wars less likely because these weapons have the capability to annihilate a large part of the adversary's, and one's own, population and territory, and its aftereffects are huge. Nuclear weapons in the hands of the Kim Jong-un regime makes a US-North Korea war less likely. But, of course, it all depends on whether North Korea chooses to behave like a responsible state or not.

(The writer is Junior Research Fellow, School of International Studies, JNU).
A 23-year-old man has been arrested for murdering his colleague and gay friend in South Bengaluru's Madiwala.



Police arrested M R Devaraj (23), of Hassan, on Saturday for murdering Chennegowda (30), of Amruthuru in Tumakuru district. The men waited tables at Arogya Hotel in HSR Layout for two months and lived in a rented house in Venkatapura near Madiwala.

Devaraj told the police he was in a physical relationship with Chennegowda.

Around 11.30 pm on December 19, the friends bought alcohol from a bar and headed for the Venkatapura burial ground. Chennegowda consumed alcohol and became unconscious. Devaraj smashed a liquor bottle and stone on his head, resulting in his death, police said.

Devaraj was angry at Chennegowda as the latter had insulted and bullied him before customers. Once, Channegowda even hit him in front of customers for a silly reason. Devaraj then vowed revenge, police added.
The city police have lost track of nearly 2,021 history sheeters of 9,490, a Crime Records Bureau (CRB) report has revealed.



According to the CRB-2017 report, 6,340 repeat offenders have responded to police calls for inquiry, while 1,129 reprobates were in judicial custody. The remaining 2,021 lawbreakers have absconded.

Based on the crimes committed, the police maintain the list of offenders in A, B or C categories with their backgrounds and residential addresses. They control the criminals by keeping an eye on them.

If the criminals are active in their own areas, they would be categorised as A, while those committing crimes in different police limits would fall into the B category.

If the individual is violent and shows signs of growing into a criminal in his own right, the person finds himself in the C category. His name will be in the list for one year and would be removed if his behaviour remains good. In the event that the person commits even one crime, he will be moved to either A or B category.

If criminals in the A or B list continue with their violent activities, despite warnings by the police, they are sent to jail under the Goonda Act (the Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Slum Grabbers Act, 1985).

The police have booked seven repeat offenders in 2016 and 15 in the first 11 months of this year.

Police officials said there are 239 history sheeters - a list of criminals who continued to break the law despite serving a prison sentence - in the city.

According to them, there are 3,622 A-listed criminals, 4,081 B-listers and 1,787 C-listers.
It is like a carnival, shouted a Greek tourist at the Vidhana Soudha.



She was instantly corrected by a policeman on duty: "No Madam this is Bengaluru Habba, a local festival."

A team of 16 tourists, who are on South India tour under the Incredible India umbrella, were enthused by the crowd and cultural display at the Bengaluru Habba.

They said that they had heard about the Vidhana Soudha as a high-security zone.

But were merrily surprised on seeing the gates of the seat of power being opened for visitors and tourists.

Babis Bizas, a tour operator from Greece, said that he came to Bengaluru 20 years back. He exclaimed that the city has drastically changed since then.

"Earlier, I was not allowed to see the Vidhana Soudha from inside the gates. But now it's not just me, but even my other tourist friends have been allowed inside," he said.

He added that the government should do this more often as it will help increase the number of tourists.

Warm and casual

He pointed that life and culture in Bengaluru were more casual and warm when compared to other parts of India.

"Here things are more visible and tangible. The architecture, ancient culture, temples and monuments are more open to tourists when compared to other parts of India. However, there is a visible drastic infrastructure change. Some monuments have remained the same, while some have disappeared. While the city is modernising, it should also protect its roots," he added.

The tourists were delighted to see the Vidhana Soudha from inside. They were seen interacting with security officials, learning their working and history of the building.
21 December 2017 (Columbia University)  New research predicts that migrants applying for asylum in the European Union will nearly triple over the average of the last 15 years by 2100 if carbon emissions continue on their current path. The study suggests that cutting emissions could partially stem the tide, but even under an optimistic scenario, Europe could see asylum applications rise by at least a quarter. The study appears today in the journal Science.Europe is already conflicted about how many refugees to admit, said the studys senior author, Wolfram Schlenker, an economist at SIPA and a professor at the universitys Earth Institute. Though poorer countries in hotter regions are most vulnerable to climate change, our findings highlight the extent to which countries are interlinked, and Europe will see increasing numbers of desperate people fleeing their home countries.Schlenker and study coauthor Anouch Missirian, a fourth-year PhD candidate in sustainable development at SIPA, compared asylum applications to the EU filed from 103 countries between 2000 and 2014, with temperature variations in the applicants home countries. They found that the more temperatures over each countrys agricultural region deviated from 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) during its growing season, the more likely people were to seek refuge abroad. Crops grow best at an average temperature of 20 degrees C, and so not surprisingly, hotter than normal temperatures increased asylum applications in hotter places, such as Iraq and Pakistan, and lowered them in colder places such as Serbia and Peru.Combining the asylum-application data with projections of future warming, the researchers found that an increase of average global temperatures of 1.8 C  an optimistic scenario in which carbon emissions flatten globally in the next few decades and then decline  would increase applications by 28 percent by 2100, translating into 98,000 extra applications to the EU each year. If carbon emissions continue on their current trajectory, with global temperatures rising by 2.6 C to 4.8C by 2100, applications could increase by 188 percent, leading to an extra 660,000 applications filed each year.Under the landmark climate deal struck in Paris in 2015, most of the worlds nations agreed to cut carbon emissions to limit warming by 2100 to 2C above pre-industrial levels. President Trumps recent decision to withdraw the United States, the worlds second largest carbon emitter, from the accord now jeopardizes that goal.In a further setback to reducing U.S. carbon emissions, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency has proposed lowering the U.S. governments social cost of carbon, or the estimated cost of sea-level rise, lower crop yields, and other climate-change related economic damages, from $42 per ton by 2020 to a low of $1 per ton. The EPA partly arrived at the lower figure by excluding the cost of U.S. emissions on other countries, yet as the study shows, effects in developing countries have clear spillovers on developed countries. In the end, a failure to plan adequately for climate change by taking the full cost of carbon dioxide emissions into account will prove far more costly, said Missirian.The research adds to a growing body of evidence that weather shocks can destabilize societies, stoke conflict and force people to flee their home countries. In a widely-cited 2011 study in Nature, a team of researchers led by Solomon Hsiang, then a doctoral student at SIPA, linked modern El Nino drought cycles to increased violence and war globally.More recently, researchers have highlighted the connection between the drying of the Middle East and ongoing conflict there. In a 2015 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, another team of Columbia researchers made the case that climate change made Syrias 2006-2010 drought two to three times more likely, and that the drought was a catalyst for Syrias 2011 uprising. The civil war that followed has so far claimed 500,000 lives, by one estimate, and forced 5.4 million Syrians to flee the country.Germany has taken in the largest share of asylum-seekers from Syria and elsewhere, but increasingly faces a backlash from German voters worried about assimilation and loss of jobs. A wave of anti-immigrant sentiment elsewhere in Europe has led to Hungary building a wall to keep refugees out and influenced Great Britains decision to leave the European Union. In the United States, President Trump was elected in part on his promise to build a wall to block Mexican immigrants from entering the country illegally.Hsiang, now an economics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in the research, called the study an incredibly important wakeup call. We will need to build new institutions and systems to manage this steady flow of asylum seekers, he said. As we have seen from recent experience in Europe, there are tremendous costs, both for refugees and their hosts, when we are caught flat footed. We should plan ahead and prepare.Colin Kelley, a climate scientist at Columbias International Research Institute for Climate and Society who linked climate change to Syrias ongoing conflict, also praised the research. Its unclear how much more warming will occur between now and the end of the century, but the study clearly demonstrates just how much climate change acts as a threat multiplier. Wealthier countries can expect to feel the direct and indirect effects of weather shocks from manmade climate change in poorer, less resilient countries.The research was initiated at the request of the European Commissions Joint Research Centre (JRC), which also provided funding. These findings will be especially important to policymakers since they show that climate impacts can go beyond the borders of a single country by possibly driving higher migration flows, said Juan-Carlos Ciscar, a senior expert at the JRCs Economics of Climate Change, Energy and Transport Unit. Further research should look at ways for developing countries to adapt their agricultural practices to climate change.The U.S. Department of Energy provided further support for the study.Study: Asylum applications respond to temperature fluctuations.

Contact

Kim Martineau, klm32@columbia.edu or 646-717-0134.
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(Photo: Peter Kenny)Graffiti on the Israeli separation wall between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in February 2016.

President Donald Trump is a hog. He has knack for stealing the headlines whether they are fake or about fake governance and about world politics.

And he has even done it with Christmas in Bethlehem, which is now immersed in Trump invoked discourse due to its proximity to Jerusalem.

Christians throughout the world celebrate the birth of Jesus in a manager in Bethlehem, a city under the administration of the Palestinian authority that is only about 10 kilometers from Jerusalem.

Trump managed to upset some global equilibrium when this month he said the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and wants to move it embassy there.

Christmas Eve festivities in Bethlehem are being held against the backdrop of protests of Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the Associated Press reported.

Vatican officials crossed an Israeli military checkpoint from Jerusalem ahead of midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity, which is believed to be the site where Jesus was born.

MANGER SQUARE

As usual hundreds of locals and foreign visitors gathered in Manger Square as bagpipe-playing Palestinian Scouts paraded past the Christmas tree.

Accompanying the decorations this year is a banner protesting Trump's Jerusalem declaration, AP noted.

Since Trump's Jerusalem recognition, Palestinians have been clashing intermittently with Israeli forces outside the gates of the Jacir Palace Hotel, a luxury Bethlehem inn, The New York Times reported.

As the clashes simmered on, sporadic and limited in scope, Bethlehem, like the rest of the Palestinian territories, seemed suspended in a kind of limbo.

Residents were neither basking in seasonal cheer nor raging in the throes of a new intifada, the popular mood in the city was more one of hopeless resignation, said the Times.

The Jacir Palace sits along a stretch of road that has become a main flash point for protests, only yards away from Israel's 26-foot-tall (8 meter) concrete barrier separating Bethlehem from Jerusalem, the contested holy city.

Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television and online outlet also harks on Mr. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital looming "large in Christmas festivities this year in the traditional birthplace of Jesus."

PALESTINIAN PROTESTS

There some food vendors, sellers of holiday trinkets and a leading hotelier say Palestinian protests, triggered by what many here view as a provocative show of pro-Israel bias, have hurt their Christmas business.

"Yet Bethlehem also offers a stage for a Palestinian rebuttal: banners proclaiming Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Palestine have been draped over facades on Manger Square as a backdrop for Christmas TV broadcasts to a global audience.

"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is keenly felt - perhaps even more so at Christmas - in Bethlehem, just a few miles (kilometres) south of contested Jerusalem," says Al Jazeera.

It notes that Israel's separation wall cuts into Bethlehem and a segment of it has become a tourist magnet in its own right.

GRAFFITI ARTISTS

The wall's cement slabs are covered with works by international graffiti artists such as Banksy and pro-Palestinian slogans left by visitors.

Al Jazzera said that while Palestinians try to draw attention to the barrier when foreigners pour in for Christmas, Trump's policy shift on Jerusalem "has emerged as the dominant theme this year. It went again international consensus."

It says that Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem houses major Muslim, Jewish and Christian shrines, and Palestinians seek it as a future capital.

In Bethlehem's Manger Square the huge nativity scene, donated by Malta, sits in pride of place under a grid of festive lights draped across the plaza, Britain's Guardian newspaper, also wrote glumly.

"Today  as every Christmas Eve  this square and the bulk of the ancient Church of the Nativity which sits on its periphery, will be lit up by television lights to allow images of Christmas in Bethlehem to be transmitted around the globe.

"But once again, say the West Bank city's Palestinian residents  including the large Christian minority  it will be another gloomy holiday," the newspaper opined.

It explained that for Christians "Bethlehem and Jerusalem are the alpha and omega of the Christian narrative; the first the birthplace of Christ and the second the site of his crucifixion and resurrection."

In Palestinian Christian society during the major festivals, the faithful have traditionally shuttled between the two.

But at the Vatican on Christmas Eve Pope Francis was looking to the greater flock.

Speaking in St. Peter's Square after the Angelus prayer, Francis said he is praying for the dead and missing from a tropical storm which lashed southern Mindanao Island in the Philippines, Vatican News reported.

His prayers are for the storm-stuck population of Mindanao Island in the Philippines where at least 200 people have been killed by floods and landslides and scores are missing.

Speaking after the Angelus in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, the Pope said: "I wish to assure my prayers to the population of Mindanao Island in the Philippines, which has been struck by a storm that has caused numerous victims and much destruction".

"May the merciful Lord receive the souls of the dead, he continued, and comfort those who are suffering for this disaster".
WASHINGTON  Their tax bill triumph in the rear-view mirror, Republicans running Congress face a 2018 in which they'll need Democratic votes to get almost anything done.

And that won't be easy. Short of a few must-pass items, divisions within both parties plus a natural election-year tendency to draw distinctions with the other side means achievements and cooperation will be minimal.

The pressure will be on the GOP, which controls the White House, Senate and House and would probably be blamed by voters for any major screw-ups. Since Republicans will have just a 51-49 Senate majority next year  well shy of the 60 votes needed to pass most bills  Democrats will have leverage for most things, including a deal to prevent a politically jolting January federal shutdown.

"There's not much you can do on a partisan basis in the Senate," Senate Majority Leader McConnell, R-Ky., conceded to reporters Friday.

Topping McConnell's immediate list will be a spending bill averting a shutdown and providing big boosts for the Pentagon. In exchange, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will be demanding comparable increases for domestic spending. Schumer also wants a deal to extend protections that President Donald Trump has threatened to halt for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, the so-called Dreamers.

Factored into Democrats' thinking: their recent momentum-building successes swiping a Senate seat in Alabama, holding governorships in Virginia and New Jersey and grabbing unexpected local legislative seats. With Trump's profound unpopularity weighing down the GOP across the country, Republicans face a legitimate risk of losing House and Senate control in the November midterm elections.

McConnell said he'll be looking for bipartisan cooperation on immigration and an effort to ease parts of the Dodd-Frank law that regulates financial market, but Democrats won't be eager to shake hands quickly.

"For Democrats, there's no reason to cut a deal just for the sake of cutting a deal, especially with the Republican Party as weakened as it is right now," said Jim Manley, a Democratic consultant.

Also in play in January will be money to keep nearly 9 million low-income children in all 50 states covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program, an extension of a law allowing U.S. surveillance of foreigners overseas and tens of billions of dollars for recovery from storms and other disasters in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

Even as GOP leaders plot their broader 2018 agenda, they'll need to cautiously seek a sweet spot between showing hard-core Republican voters that they're pursuing conservative goals and protecting their more centrist and vulnerable members from damaging votes.

That will be complicated by internal divisions. Already, McConnell and his House counterpart, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., seem to be contemplating divergent pathways.

Ryan, whose Republicans are generally more conservative than GOP senators, has talked about overhauling benefit programs like welfare, Medicaid and parts of Medicare. Reining in those ever-growing programs has long been a priority for Ryan and his party, but targeting popular entitlements in an election year can be risky. McConnell signaled this week that he's not likely to do that.

"We'll not be doing entitlement reform unless we have enough Democratic support to achieve it," McConnell said in an interview, citing a condition that seems just shy of implausible.

The year just ending underscored the limits of unity within both parties.

Republicans rallied around their $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, a primary plank of GOP ideology for decades. They also banded together to confirm the nominations of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and other top federal judges and to peel back 14 rules enacted during the final months of Barack Obama's presidency dealing with guns, the internet, education and the environment.

But Republicans splintered when it came to their failed effort to erase Obama's health care law. And they face internal divides over issues like spending, where hard-right members of the House Freedom Caucus can be single-minded in their desire to slash spending and defy leadership efforts to strike compromises inevitably needed with Democrats.

"The only difference that mitigated the December difficulties is we passed a historic tax reform bill," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who leads the Freedom Caucus. "We're not going to have an historic tax reform bill to fall back on in January, so now it gets down to some very difficult decisions on how we move forward."

Democrats also face splits over how aggressively to pursue their agenda, particularly immigration.

While party leaders like Schumer work toward reaching an agreement with Republicans, some liberals and members of the party's Congressional Hispanic Caucus accuse them of not being assertive enough.

In one tell-tale look at that rift, 17 Senate Democrats  including several seeking re-election next year from GOP-leaning states  voted Thursday for the bill that prevented a federal shutdown this weekend.

Twenty-nine Democrats voted "no," including some of the most liberal members and potential presidential contenders. They included Sherrod Brown of Ohio, New Jersey's Cory Booker and Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren. Schumer joined them.
As if the brand doesn't always excite its consumers, Sephora just took things to another level.

Earlier this month, Sephora announced a new campaign in the coolest way possible. The beauty company decided to cast its very own employees to star in their latest holiday campaign. Here's the kicker, the festive "Reach Out and Gift" campaign includes a diverse group of employees.

The employees didn't come from one store, so the decision wasn't too easy. To enter the contest, Sephora employees were required to submit a video of themselves talking about what beauty means to them.

According to Racked.com, the campaign developed due to conversations about celebrating a diverse sense of beauty.

Although, the campaign debuted in October, one of its stars, 23-year-old Taija Kerr, recently went viral on Twitter after she announced that she is the first Afro-Hawaiian woman to be featured in a major beauty campaign.

Aloha Im Taija, 23, this year all of my insecurities brought me the biggest opportunity of my life. I am the FIRST Afro-Hawaiian Women to be displayed on a beauty campaign. Mahalo @sephora pic.twitter.com/wpdcZ5qCnS

After Kerr's announcement, praise and celebration came quickly with thousands of people congratulating and complimenting her. Everyone elaborated on the fact that Afro-Hawaiians are underrepresented in beauty and media. Social media users also noted that Kerr's opportunity would definitely open doors for others.

Here are some of Twitter's reactions to Kerr's big news

Issa Hawaiian goddess  A Tay (@AllynnTay) December 14, 2017

I'm so glad you're the first. You're absolutely beautiful!!  sleepygirl (@farOnMars) December 14, 2017

Me and my coworkers always talk about how gorgeous you look in that picture!  Marissa Melhorn (@marissamelhorn) December 14, 2017

Yaaaaaasc Im doing a extra XTRA whip and a flip for youuuuu #congrats  R.St.Vincent (@kinkyhautecurl) December 14, 2017

Among all of the excitement, Kerr got the chance to speak with POPSUGAR. The 23-year-old stated that she hopes she can become someone that the keiki children can look up to.

Kerr also mentioned that she's never had a Polynesian figure to look up when she was growing up.

This is only the beginning for the New York makeup artist. Social media users have already started to get Rihanna's attention in hopes that Fenty Beauty might possibly be her next move. Until then, congrats Taija!
As we continue to hear story after story about a number of Hollywood's most predatory men, a story has surfaced that has reminded us that not all men are bad. In fact, some men are downright amazing both as individuals and as partners to the women in their lives.

This past weekend, neurosurgeon Brenton Pennicooke asked his girlfriend, Michela, a fashion entrepreneur, to marry him during a festive surprise proposal set in the midst of one of their annual snowball fights.

After meeting on the dating app Bumble over two years ago, Pennicooke teamed up with Bumble and spent weeks orchestrating the perfect proposal for his longtime love. Then, when the special day arrived, Bumble hosted Pennicooke's proposal in New York City at an indoor facility that was filled with imitation snow, blanket snow, and everything else one would expect out of a Winter Wonderland.

Speaking to Bumble just before asking Michela to marry him, Pennicooke looked back on the previous memories he's shared with Michela and explained why snowballs are so close to his heart.

Every year we end up in a snowball fight," he revealed. "When the snow falls its like a fun thing to do to throw snowballs at people you care about. Its like a thing, we cant have snow on the floor and not throw it at each other.

However, during their weekend proposal, there was one snowball, in particular, that wasn't meant to be thrown. Instead, it was meant to be broken open and ultimately showcased Michela's engagement ring.

Looking back on how they met, Pennicooke credited the dating app Bumble with allowing him to find love with his future wife, Michela, and said that without joining the app, he would have never been able to experience the things he's experienced with Michela, including his recent proposal in the Big Apple.

Being a resident is a very time insensitive thing," he explained during his pre-proposal interview. "The first date Michela and I went on was an Indian restaurant. As the date went on I loosened up a lot more. Without the Bumble experience to introduce, there was no way we wouldve crossed paths.

Pennicooke and Michela are just one of the many, many success stories of Bumble.

In addition to their dating app, Bumble also features a business aspect of their platform, which allows users to connect professionally.
Step right up and get your tickets, folks! The Greatest Showman has somersaulted into theaters with Hugh Jackman portraying the legendary P.T. Barnum.

Forever The Underdog

The audience will learn that P.T. Barnum (Jackman as an adult and Ellis Rubin as a young man) was always an outcast in the Victorian era of the United States. Despite losing his father at a very young age, Barnum's passionate imagination and storytelling helped him pull through a troubling time.

He earns the trust and love of his childhood sweetheart Charity (Michelle Williams as an adult and Skylar Dunn in the flashbacks). Against the wishes of Charity's Tremaine like father, the couple marries and has two adorable daughters.

Barnum decides to build a museum to make sure to provide that he starts a risky venture: a circus that features uncanny performers.

Powerful Performances

Jackman commands the screen as Barnum and turns in one of his best performances of his career. Joining Jackman in the cast is an excellent group of performers.

Williams shows tenderness and vulnerability as Charity Barnum and shares superb chemistry with the ringmaster. Zac Efron and Zendaya created electricity, as the star-crossed couple Phillip Carlyle and acrobat Anne Wheeler. The audience would be blown away by the actors' superb performance of "Rewrite the Stars," where the former Disney stars take to the skies.

Keep an eye on Keala Settle, who portrayed bearded lady Lettie Lutz. Settle stole the film every time she leads the ensemble in "This Is Me" and "Come Alive" and she is going to have a bright career after this film.

Pasek And Paul

The Greatest Showman's strongest moments come from its 11 musical numbers in the film. The film's opening "The Greatest Show" excellent set the tone of the film and audience will be transported to Barnum's colorful world.

All credit to The Greatest Showman's music goes to the songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The duo brought both Dear Evan Hansen to Broadway and La La Land to the silver screen.

Currently, Pasek and Paul are nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "This Is Me," and the millennials' version of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken could sweep the award season.

Screenwriters Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon delivered an excellent screenplay that brought this film to life. Just like Barnum, they make the movie a dark horse candidate in the awards race.

The Greatest Showman will leave audience's hearts filled with hope, happiness, and inspiration, and if you cannot make to Broadway, see the most excellent show on the silver screen.

Grade: A
Selena Gomez may have recently landed in Texas to celebrate the holidays with her family but unfortunately, the holidays may not be as merry as they usually are.

According to a new report, Gomez and her mother, Mandy Teefy, are at odds.

Its more complicated than just fighting over a guy, a source revealed to People magazine on Dec. 22. Mandy and Selena have had their ups and down before. This isnt the first time.

As some may have heard, Gomezs family was said to be concerned about her decision to rekindle her romance with Justin Bieber. However, Bieber has been spending a lot of time in church and with his pastor in recent months and hopes to show Gomez's family members that he has truly become a better man.

Unfortunately, that is easier said than done for Bieber and as Gomez continues to leave him behind when she travels back home, rumors have been swirling which suggest Teefy was recently hospitalized after a Bieber-related argument with her daughter.

Mom And Daughter Bieber-Fights

As People magazine revealed, Teefy voluntarily sought treatment at a hospital in Los Angeles but shut down a report claiming Bieber had something to do with it. According to their insider, Teefy has been facing a lot of stress in recent weeks and decided to go to the hospital to make sure everything was okay.

Gomez wants to give her mom some space, the magazine's source explained. When they fight, they fight hard. But when they love, they also love hard.

According to another source, Gomez's mom isn't happy about her reunion with Bieber in any way, shape, or form and the issue has caused conflict within her family. As for how Gomez has been handling the drama, the insider added that she's been taking things hard.

People magazine's report comes days after another report suggested that Bieber was doing his best to give his girlfriend some time to herself as she continues to deal with her family feud.

Selena is so relieved that Justin has been giving her space to figure things out with her family. This is an incredibly hard situation for both of them and the way Justin is handling it is giving her even more reason to love and trust him, a source close to Gomez explained to Hollywood Life.
Jordan Feldstein, the manager for Maroon 5, Robin Thicke, Elle King, Big Boi, and Miguel, passed away tragically at the age of 40. It has been reported that Feldstein's passing was due to an apparent heart attack.

The Music Pioneer

Feldstein was the CEO of and founder of CAM (Career Artist Management), a prominent management company based in Beverly Hills, CA. He was the brother of Wolf of Wall Street actor Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein.

"Unfortunately, last night Jordan called 911 for shortness of breath, when paramedics arrived it was determined he went into full cardiac arrest and passed away shortly thereafter," a spokesperson for his family stated.

The LAPD has stated they are investigating his death, however, no foul play is suspected.

Feldstein was the manager of Maroon 5 for fifteen years and was friends with Adam Levine since childhood. Feldstein helped shape the group into one of the most successful bands, winning three Grammy awards and selling over twenty millions copies of their albums.

"His family asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time.. In lieu of food and flowers, the family will announce a charity in the coming weeks where memorial donations can be made in Jordan's name," the spokesperson continued.

Feldstein has two children from his marriage to actress Francesca Eastwood, Clint Eastwood, and Frances Fisher's daughter.

Meanwhile, certain celebrities have already begun to pay their respects to Feldstein on social media.

#rip Jordan , my Close Friend and Manager pic.twitter.com/0XV470BfJ9 - Big Boi (@BigBoi) December 23, 2017

Man. So Sad Man. Peace be with his family and loved ones. He effected and changed the lives of many https://t.co/FyR8y2iqZe - Questlove Gomez (@questlove) December 23, 2017

R.I.P. Jordan Feldstein - juicy j (@therealjuicyj) December 23, 2017

Hill has yet to comment on his brother's passing. Other notable celebrities that have passed away in 2017 are Chester Bennington, David Cassidy, and Della Reese.
Protein cages based on coiled coil units can self-assemble in bacteria and mammalian cells. A tetrahedron, rectangular pyramid and trigonal prism cages of 5 to 10 nm diameters were designed. The prism, composed of more than 700 amino acid residues, represents the largest single-chain designed protein. Potential applications include drug delivery, vaccines, enzyme encapsulation, smart biomaterials, biosensors and molecular machines.

Proteins are natures nanomachines performing key processes necessary to sustain life, such as catalysis of chemical reactions, transportation of oxygen in our blood and molecular recognition. Proteins also provide structural support, for example in the form of microtubules, actin filaments, intermediary filaments and collagen fibres. Proteins are built as a linear chain of amino acids, which encodes information about the 3D structure. Before proteins can do their jobs, they must first fold into the correct 3D structure. Understanding the relationship between the sequence, 3D structure and function of proteins is one of the key challenges of protein research. The problem is not only of academic interest but also of great technological importance as designed proteins could be used to build new nanomaterials, transport vessels and therapeutic agents such as improved vaccines, cancer therapeutics and flu inhibitors. However, designing novel proteins is far from trivial. Twenty different amino acids appear in proteins, making the number of possible amino acid sequences almost infinite. For peptides with 8 amino acids, there are four times as many possible sequences as there are people on earth. For proteins of length 64, there are more possible sequences than the estimated number of all atoms in the known universe!

Scientist from the Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology at the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana, Slovenia have found an alternative solution to the protein-folding puzzle. They have invented a method to design protein cages of any selected shape that can self-assemble in living organisms. Their approach was based on previous work that included the design of a single-chain polypeptide tetrahedron assembled from coiled-coil segments [1]. The method was named coiled-coil protein origami (CCPO), since it was inspired by DNA origami, a technique that involves folding a long DNA strand into the desired shape by multiple short complementary DNA staples [2].

The key insight of CCPO was to use coiled-coils as building blocks. Coiled-coils are natural protein binding motifs that can be designed so that only the specific pairs form in solution. In this way, a toolbox has been created of coiled-coil building modules with simple and modular binding rules.

To construct larger structures, the coiled-coils have to be connected together in a longer chain. The scientists, assisted by the mathematician Tomaz Pisanski, solved the folding problem in a way that can be likened to the construction of a pyramid from a single piece of rope (Figure 1). They identified a path for the protein chain that passes over each side of the pyramid exactly twice. This path determines the order in which the halves of the coiled-coils have to be connected along the chain. Instructions for this strategy are available in an open-source program CoCoPOD [3].

Figure 1. Design of coiled-coil protein origami. A target shape is chosen, in this case a pyramid. Then a double circular path is found that passes every side exactly twice, setting the order of coiled-coil pairs.

Over 20 variants of CCPO cages have been designed and characterised. Several tetrahedra, two square pyramids and a triangular prism were designed and produced in bacteria. The triangular prism at more than 700 amino-acids represents the largest de novo designed single chain protein so far. The cages correctly self-assemble in bacteria, mammalian cells and live mice, without causing unwanted side effects. The structures of the cages were confirmed using a variety of experimental techniques including small-angle X-ray scattering at beamline BM29 and electron microscopy and they agree well with the designed scaffolds (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Designed and determined structures. The designed structures (top) match very well with structures determined from electron microscopy and SAXS modelling (bottom).

The research was highly interdisciplinary, employing a wide range of techniques, from molecular and structural biology to immunology and even mathematics.

A multitude of potential applications have been envisioned: active substances could be packed inside the cages, leading to novel cargo delivery vehicles. For example, toxins could be encapsulated and the cages used to deliver the toxins only to cancer cells. Additionally, more efficient vaccines could be created, by placing antigens at the vertices of the cages. Future projects include the creation of cages that can open and close in response to external stimuli, such as light or pH, leading to the development of smart nanomaterials and biosensors and perhaps novel molecular machines.

Principal publication and authors

Design of coiled-coil protein-origami cages that self-assemble in vitro and in vivo, A. Ljubetic (a) , F. Lapenta (a,b), H. Gradisar (a,c), I. Drobnak (a), J. Aupic (a,d), Z. Strmsek (a), D. Lainscek (a), I. Hafner-Bratkovic (a,c), A. Majerle (a), N. Krivec (a), M. Bencina (a), T. Pisanski (e), T. Cirkovic Velickovic (f), A. Round (g,h), J. Maria Carazo (i), R. Melero (i) and R. Jerala (a,c), Nat Biotechnol. 35, 1094-1101 (2017); doi: 10.1038/nbt.3994.

(a) Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(b) Graduate School of Biomedicine, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(c) EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(d) Doctoral Study Programme in Chemical Sciences, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(e) FAMINT, University of Primorska, Koper and Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

(f) Center of Excellence for Molecular Food Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade (Serbia)

(g) ESRF

(h) School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele Univerity (UK)

(i) Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia (CNB-CSIC), Madrid (Spain)

References

[1] H. Gradisar et al., Nature Chemical Biology 9, 362366 (2013); doi: 10.1038/nchembio.1248.

[2] P.W.K. Rothemund, Nature 440, 297302 (2006); doi: 10.1038/nature04586.

[3] CoCoPOD: https://github.com/NIC-SBI/CC_protein_origami.

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the Slovenian Research Agency, ERANET project Bioorigami, MSCA project Tollerant and a grant from ICGEB.
Hi,



I am looking for a licensed liquidator in Dubai to close a DAFZA company at a reasonable fee.



Thanks

Miky
Merry Christmas



Merry Christmas to all!



Thanks Bev for helping us with your knowledge, and also to all the members who have offered their advice.



At times when I read members posts..some bring me to laughter and at times tears. Most of you share information of your life and much is personal. Thank you all.



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.



Dawna:tree::wreath::santa:
My experience is a little different from EuroTrash's.



In my area, you do need a doctor's scrip in order to get lab tests done. In the area where I live, blood draws and such are done at the lab usually without an appointment. They do only non-appointment blood tests from when they open (7:30 or so) until about 9 or 9:30. Makes it easier if you're having the sort of blood tests where you are supposed to have not eaten for x hours before.



Blood draw is done by the nurse at the lab, with the quantity calculated based on what tests have been ordered. But as far as I know it is absolutely necessary to have the prescription. (If for no other reason, just to be sure that the cost is covered by insurance.)



You pick up your results the next day from the lab. Usually there are two copies - one for you and one to give to your doctor (the one who ordered the tests).



You could always go to another doctor to ask for a scrip for the tests. There are certain specialists you can go to without a referral from your medecin traitant, if that's the doctor you'd like to avoid dealing with.



There are certain lab tests (not usually blood tests, though) where the doctor takes the sample and then gives you a special packet to mail it in to a lab (along with your check) and they send those results back to you directly, with a copy to your doctor.

Cheers,

Bev
It is just about 6 months since we moved from Thailand to Nth Luzon. I was asked recently by another expat how I was settling in.

On reflection, it has been a bit of a tough journey. I am sure I will eventually settle down more, it is always difficult when you go to a new environment.

I had veen to Phils about 6 or 7 times before the permanent move, so had a fair idea of what it was like here, or so I thought.

I am struggling with the level of poverty, far worse than I realised. There is a constant stream to our door of locals with their hands out. It is much the same philosophy here, if you are expat, then you must be rich - alas, I fail in that criteria, merely an old bas...rd trying to have a decent retirement which I could not have in my home country.

At this time of the year, the traffic has increased to our door.

The sheer numbers of people and the traffic congestion takes some getting used to. I used to ride a bike in Thailand but quickly realised that is a free ticket to the hospital or worse, so we have a car to get around, only marginally safer! Driving here is a stressful task and I do no more than is necessary.

Trying to deal with 'tradesmen' (an over estimation) is a nightmare, jobs rarely done correctly - but thankfully, just about finished in that department.

Consumer laws or lack of them has been another difficulty, they do not seem to like replacing something if it is faulty?

Not wishing to sound like a whinger here, but just trying to give an insight into problems that I have encountered. Barking dogs are an issue I have discussed in another post, much the same in Thailand, so going nowhere with that one.

i have met a few nice locals but even one of them 'put the bite on me' and I had only known him a few weeks!!

I wonder of other members found similar problems when they first arrived, if so, have they adjusted their expectation levels or should I just grin and bear it?
bigpearl said: Chuck yes but why did i ever give over my personal life to such an oligarchical site, my bad and my bad yet. I don't refer to this site but another and trivialities and bitches on forums such as these mean or hold little sway, in the end it is about independent experiences shared in many forms, those may be obtrusive or accepted at face value and given honestly with no ill intent though perceived by some as malicious and then some.



Cheers, Steve. Click to expand...

As stated previously attacking the post is one thing attacking the poster is another. Just recently here you stated the poster was always negative and that maybe true, but you continued to speculate that the poster was probably not happy where he currently was located. Unless you are a mind reader how do you know? If this had been directed at me, you would have probably received a few choice comments. Having seen your post not only here but also on other forums, you seem to come across very abrasive at times. Why is this, I honestly do not know and will not speculate. Sometimes it maybe better to step back and reevaluate when the same thing happens more than once. JMO. I will never give over my personal life to to any entity. Agree no forum should or would hold sway over my life. I join them to glean knowledge from others, impart what I have learned and for general conversation. I also try hard not try to tell people from other countries how their country should be or compare it to mine.Chuck
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The son of deceased trucking magnate Bill Hall Jr. lost a court battle to wrestle control of his fathers estate away from his estranged mother, whos serving a two-year prison sentence for murdering her late husband.

Justin Hall, 30, asked Bexar Probate Judge Tom Rickhoff to give him and his sister, Dominique Hall, their fathers half of the couples estate. Bill died without a will, so his share of the estate passed to his wife Frances A. Hall.

Dominique, 34, sided with her mother in opposing Justins request to place their fathers share of the business in constructive trust. Rickhoffs ruling confirms Frances claim to 100 percent of the Bill Hall Jr. Trucking companies and other assets.

Dominique has been running the trucking empire while Frances, who co-owned the businesses with her husband, serves out her remaining time in prison. She is scheduled to be released in September.

At a court hearing Thursday, Mark Braswell, a lawyer for Justin, argued that Frances should be disqualified from receiving Bills half of their estate because she shouldnt benefit financially from her criminal act.

A Bexar County District Court jury in September 2016 found Frances guilty of murder and aggravated assault. Prosecutors said Frances wanted to kill her husbands longtime paramour for ruining her marriage but ended up killing her husband instead.

Frances, 54, was accused of killing Bill by knocking his motorcycle off the road with her Cadillac Escalade, then hitting another SUV driven by his lover, Bonnie Contreras  all in a highway chase Oct. 10, 2013, 2013, on South Loop 1604. Bill was 50.

The jury, though, handed Frances the lightest possible murder sentence, agreeing with her defense lawyers that she acted out of sudden passion.

The jurys finding of sudden passion thus negates the intent necessary to establish the willful taking of a life under the Texas Estates Code provisions dealing with forfeiture of property, said Keith Miller, a probate lawyer for Frances. Its a shame that Frances Hall, after suffering the loss of her husband, is now being sued by her son.

Rickhoff agreed in a brief written ruling denying Justins request to put his fathers half of the estate into a constructive trust.

The conviction relied upon by (Justin) does not meet the predicate for imposing a constructive trust, Rickhoffs ruling reads.

Ronald S. Schmidt, who represents Dominique, who also is the estates independent administrator, said she opposed Justins legal fight even though she could have financially benefited.

Shes always believed that her mother is the rightful heir and beneficiary, having survived her husband and not having been involved in an intentional act that ended her husbands life, Schmidt said.

Braswell said he disagrees with the judges ruling.

We will decide our next step after we finish reviewing his decision, Braswell said.

Bill and Frances estate was valued at $15.5 million in a 2014 court filing in the probate case. At one time, Bill Hall Jr. Trucking had a fleet of more than 100 trucks.

Bills share, which was about $7.7 million, has dwindled by $6 million, Braswell has said, blaming Dominique for selling off assets and ruining the businesses. Two of the family trucking companies are in bankruptcy.

Rickhoff has previously awarded the proceeds from multiple life insurance policies on Bills life to Frances after Justin indicated he wanted the money to go to his mother.

Braswell said Justin was being advised at the time by a lawyer who was conflicted because he also was representing Frances, Dominique and the estate. Justin is suing the lawyer for legal malpractice.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | pdanner@express-news.net | @AlamoPD
As the barges float by Casa Rios River Walk perch, its a meta-moment for San Antonio Tex-Mex: The barges are there largely because of what Casa Rio founder Al Beyer started in 1946. The barge captains call the place out by name, one after the other declaring it as the oldest restaurant on the River Walk.

Its an enchilada place, first and foremost, the type of sprawling River Walk cafe designed to crank hundreds of plates on a busy day. Its not a taco place, per se. But its a good excuse to sit under the bright umbrellas, drink a margarita, feed tortillas to the ducks and appreciate the fact that crispy tacos and the rest of the River Walks Tex-Mex canon had to start somewhere.
My sister came across this picture while interviewing a local businessman about the Jewish history of San Antonio for a project. In the front row, you will recognize Teddy Roosevelt  something about raising money for the Bullmoose Party. Standing next to Teddy is another gentleman we recognize as a Sharlack who was also a Jewish businessman at the time here in San Antonio. On the third row, far right, we recognize our grandfather, Charles Pulman, who opened a shop of some sort, maybe used furniture, in downtown San Antonio sometime after his arrival here which would had to have been after 1910. I believe he was born in 1885. My father, Jake, was born in St. Louis in 1910 to Charles, my grandfather, shown in picture, so it could not have happened before 1910.

 Randy Pulman

The file has the digital image named Roosevelt @ Bexar County Courthouse, but both identifications might be incorrect. We ran it past Tom Shelton, longtime curator of the Institute of Texan Cultures photograph collections at the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections. He noted that the image isnt a close match for any in this large collection, including more than three million historical images from local newspapers and more from leading area photographers.

The building stonework doesnt match either entrance to the Bexar County Courthouse or other buildings here, said Shelton. I dont think it was taken here.

Soif the man at lower left in the photograph is Theodore Roosevelt, where was he, when and with whom? He has the glasses, probably pince-nez (without temples) and the brushy, downturned mustache The expression of the man in your photo  a closed-lipped smile  is rare for the 26th president (1901-1909), who seems to have alternated between a serious near-frown and an all-out, tooth-baring grin.

Lets look at Charles Pulman to see if he and Roosevelt could be in the same place at the same time, in San Antonio around the turn of the last century, judging from the attire and style of the photo.

Roosevelt, as newly elected president, came to San Antonio for the second day of an April 6-7, 1905, reunion of the Rough Riders (covered in this column Jan. 11, 2009), the 1st Voluntary Cavalry Regiment, better known as the Rough Riders. Led by then-Col. Roosevelt, the unit had trained here in 1898 at the outset of the Spanish-American War. During that 1905 visit  part of a hunting trip that also took the president to Oklahoma and Colorado  the guest of honor was welcomed by dignitaries at the Grand Opera House, gave a public speech on Alamo Plaza, reviewed the troops at Fort Sam Houston and had lunch at the Rough Riders reunion in whats now Riverside Park. Between stops, he was conveyed by automobile with a military escort and rode in a parade from downtown to the veterans encampment along Roosevelt Avenue, which had been renamed and improved in his honor.

Although there was a push to make San Antonio the permanent site of future Rough Riders reunions, they soon ceased to be yearly affairs and devolved into sporadic and regional gatherings.

Roosevelt didnt come back to San Antonio until March 13, 1911. Out of office, having chosen not to run for a second full term  Roosevelts first was the remainder of William McKinleys, whom he succeed as vice president after McKinleys assassination  he was considering challenging his own successor, William Howard Taft, for the Republican nomination in 1912. Roosevelt, perhaps testing the waters for support, was on a Western swing that took him to San Antonio, Austin and Waco within 24 hours.

Most of that was spent in San Antonio, where he addressed a crowd from a Menger Hotel balcony  telling them that there was no city or town that has a greater claim on me than San Antonio, according to the San Antonio Light, March 13, 1911  chatted with a few former Rough Riders in his suite, rode around downtown and went to Fort Sam to inspect the troops during a maneuver camp that brought 12,000 troops to town. (His automobile sped through the camp of the troops assembling and in and around the fort until Mr. Roosevelt had seen the greater part of the big post, says the Light.)

From there, Roosevelt headed back downtown, where the former president and thousands of children from the public schools waved at each other in Travis Park, the former saving his voice for a speech in Alamo Plaza, from which he was taken to board a special train for Austin. He went on to run for president in 1912 as the candidate of the Progressive Party, nicknamed Bull Moose after his statement reassuring voters that he was as healthy as one.

At the time of both visits by Roosevelt as an active politician, Pulman was not yet a San Antonian, judging from the 1920 U.S. census, which lists him as Pallman a merchant living at 207 S. Mesquite St., born in Russia (of whose empire Latvia formerly was a part) and notes that his three youngest children (Jake, Sam and Annie) were born in Missouri, the youngest in or about 1914. Hes in the 1921 city directory at the same address and is said to be in dry goods. For the rest of the decade, hes documented as self-employed, in the business of used or antique furniture.

In a city directory search, San Antonio Conservation Society Librarian Beth Standifird found Meyer Scharlack, a cashier/bookkeeper for the Sunset Loan Co.  a business owned by Isidore Arbetter, also listed as a jeweler and pawnbroker  at 532 E. Commerce St. in the 1910-1911 volume. Two years later, Scharlack (spelled Scharlock) was in business with Arbetter at the Alamo Jewelry Co. at 315 Alamo Plaza.

As of 1933, Pulman was the founder of Acme Furniture with a small display room and four employees, according to an anniversary advertorial in the Light, Aug. 7, 1960, by which time the store occupied three levels in a corner building at 144 W. Commerce St., run by Charles Pulmans sons Jake and Sam.

Roosevelt died Jan. 6, 1919, having spent the years since his 1911 visit here contending with occasional ill health, world travel, the loss of his son Quentin in World War I and another flirtation with a presidential run, either as the Progressive or Republican nominee, which he declined. Local newspaper coverage of his death reminded readers of his 1905 visit, that brought well-wishers from all over the state to fill the hotels and rooming houses of San Antonio. No mention was made of his high-speed, 1911 visit nor any others in the early 1900s.

The elder Pulman died June 17, 1940, of a coronary occlusion related to a ruptured appendix with general peritonitis, according to his death certificate. This document, for which son Jake Pulman was the informant, says he had lived here for 23 years, putting his arrival in the city at 1917. The census that year, like the two previous ones, says he arrived in this country in 1904; by that time, he was the owner of his own home and business, working 60 hours a week.

Did Pulman and Scharlack belong to a downtown business owners group, pictured in the photo with Roosevelt or someone who looked a lot like him? Lets see if any of our readers have or have seen this same picture and recognize the building or any of the other men. Anyone with information to share may contact this column; all responses will be forwarded and may be published in a future column.

MOMUMENTS MAN: Local researcher Rita Schimpff is seeking information about Frank Teich and his Teich Monumental Works and would like to hear from descendants of the German-born sculptor, stone-carver and monument designer, known as the father of the Texas granite industry. Teich worked in San Antonio during the late 1800s on projects including the present City Hall before moving to Llano and was an early associate of Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini, of Alamo Cenotaph fame. To share photos, documents or research suggestions, contact this column for forwarding to Schimpff.

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For 25 years, H-E-Bs annual Feast of Sharing dinner has been a favorite tradition for thousands of volunteers, a mammoth display of corporate charity by a company known for such things and, for some, a sobering tableau of the profound poverty in San Antonio.

Some 15,000 meals were served Saturday in the cavernous halls of the Convention Center, one of 33 such holiday events that the privately held grocer hosts across Texas and Mexico, home to its 390 stores.

Arriving in wheelchairs, by city bus and on foot, the crowd was serenaded by H-E-B workers with cowbells and Christmas carols  later by mariachis on stage  before they consumed 3,750 pounds of ham and mashed potatoes, 3,300 pounds of green beans, 15,000 rolls and 1,500 apple pies.

Its my first time. I heard about it at Haven for Hope, said Charles Roachelle, 40, who has been at the downtown homeless shelter since his release last October from state prison for aggravated robbery. I truly appreciate these peoples time and effort. Ive been blessed today.

A contemplative, childless man raised on the Northwest Side, Roachelle seem buried in thought beneath his black hooded sweatshirt.

Im just trying to get my birth certificate so I can restore my ID, he said. People dont realize how many homeless people dont have drivers licenses or proper ID, which makes it hard to get a job.

A ninth-grade dropout with no father at home while growing up, Roachelle said he has worked in landscaping, in warehouses and as a busboy.

I have no complaints though. I made the wrong decisions, he said. People have been pretty compassionate to the homeless in San Antonio. I know I will get my chance.

He walked alone out the door.

Philis Thomas was zooming out of the Convention Center on her motorized wheelchair to grab a cigarette when she and her common-law husband, Leo Rosas  in matching Naughty or Nice Santa hats  talked about getting by on disability and their decade-plus attendance at the Feast of Sharing.

Each lives on about $730 a month plus food stamps, they said, in a $350-a-month apartment on Mitchell Street on the South Side.

Some days are hard, but I get by, said Thomas, who explained that she is Korean and was adopted by Corpus Christi parents at age 15 months. I have diabetes, and a back condition that has left me with nerve damage.  I get cold at night. We could use more blankets.

She looks forward to the H-E-B event each year, loves the bands such as Mariachis Azteca de America and Izis the Voice, but longed to see her children, who she said have lost contact.

I dont even know their phone numbers, she said. They were taken away from me by CPS (Child Protective Services) and I have never gotten over that. How do you? You would hurt forever, wouldnt you?

I would like to tell them hi, she said. I would like to tell them Merry Christmas.

Just then a buoyant Clemens High School honor society student, one of 2,000 energetic helpers, cruised past with a big round serving tray of apple pie. Frost Bank tellers refilled cups of iced tea. A mom carried out one tray with help from a tiny daughter with full outstretched arms.

H-E-B, which has been active in various hurricane relief efforts, teacher-excellence awards and community foundations, says it gives about 5 percent of pre-tax profits to charity. Any excess food from Saturdays event was going to the San Antonio Food Bank.

bselcraig@express-news.net
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Even as President Donald Trump signed a directive earlier this month to put boots back on the moon, a team of NASA researchers continued work on a quiet project to send an unmanned rover there.

The project started three years ago, when several NASA centers, including Johnson Space Center, embarked on a quest to learn more about the availability of water on the moon. If there is enough water that can be collected easily, the elements could be broken down to create rocket fuel, for example, or astronaut life support.

The result of their efforts, thus far, is Resource Prospector: a 6-square-foot rover outfitted with a drill and mini science lab built to find and process water on the moon.

Our mission is about taking the next step toward chasing the water on the moon, said Bill Bluethmann, the rovers element lead at Johnson Space Center.

Touting his new directive, Trump said, This time we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars and perhaps someday to many worlds beyond.

Launch of the rover still is about five years away, but Bluethmann said that if the recent federal excitement helps get the rover into flight, well be very excited.

A lunar discovery

In November 2009, NASA officials made an announcement that fundamentally changed how people viewed the moon: Water existed in a permanently shadowed lunar crater.

Many in the scientific community assumed the moon was a dry, desolate place. But data from NASAs Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite indicated otherwise.

Up until that point, everyone was certain the moon was absolutely dry, and this flipped that on its head, said Dan Andrews, project manager for rover at NASAs Ames Research Center in California. This discovery really was a game-changer for how we thought of the moon.

Scientists began chasing this new discovery in earnest. About five years later, NASA researchers began developing a rover that could find and capture this water.

Their budget is $250 million  a small-scale project, Bluethmann said.

Fast forward to 2017 and the rover still is in the technology development phase. But researchers have a sense of how it will work.

Using mapping technology, the rover will determine the areas of the moon saturated with the most hydrogen. It is those areas where the rover will drill for water in 4-inch chunks, Bluethmann said, going down as far as a meter.

Soil samples will be brought inside the rover any time water  typically in the form of ice  is detected, he said, and machinery will test the soil.

The soil will be weighed and heated, he added, and anything that comes off the sample will be captured.

Scientists want to understand whether (the water) is on the surface so we get to it, whether we have to excavate to get it  whether its distributed as nice bricks or channels, Bluethmann said.

The discoveries made during this mission, slated for 2022 or 2023, could have serious ramifications for deep-space travel, he said.

If enough water is found, the hydrogen could be used to refuel rockets on the way to Mars, for example, and the oxygen could be used to refuel life support for astronauts, he added.

This would not only make deep-space travel easier, it would make it cheaper.

Launching 1 pound of any material into space costs thousands of dollars, NASAs website states. One gallon of water weighs more than 8 pounds, so the ability to generate water, air and fuel in space could represent enormous cost savings for future deep-space missions.

The possibilities, Andrews said, have gained the attention of many commercial manufacturers.

Really, I think the commercial world is hinging on what (Resource Prospector) finds about the nature of lunar resources, Andrews said. If they are accessible and if clever folks can come up with methods to extract them that are financially viable, that could be a new market.

The rover is being built to last a full lunar day: about two weeks on Earth. It will stay on the moon, along with its samples, when the mission is complete, Bluethmann said.

Mars and beyond

Johnsons moon rover could gain traction under the Trump administration, which has expressed a renewed interest in human lunar exploration.

That interest was cemented Dec. 11 when Trump signed Space Policy Directive 1, urging NASA to return Americans to the moon.

The directive marks an important step in returning American astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972 for long-term exploration and use, Trump said.

The Trump administration has been working its way up to this announcement all year.

Vice President Mike Pence voiced an interest in returning to the moon in October during the National Space Council, according to the New York Times.

The council, created to coordinate policies between NASA and other agencies involved in space, was dissolved in 1993. But Trump this past summer re-established it through executive order.

We will return American astronauts to the moon, not only to leave behind footprints and flags, but to build the foundation we need to send Americans to Mars and beyond, Pence said, according to the Times.

On the day of Trumps December announcement, officials with Johnson Space Center said it was too early to understand how implementation of the new directive may affect our work. The center will undoubtedly be impacted: Johnson is where astronauts live and train before embarking on any space missions.

The move to return to lunar exploration comes after the Obama administration spent eight years pushing Mars travel over the moon. Its not clear how or when a lunar exploration endeavor will be executed by the current administration. Funding for the directive was not addressed during the Dec. 11 presidential announcement.

Though Andrews, the lunar rover project manager, did not directly comment on the Trump administrations renewed interest in the moon, he said NASAs focus on both lunar and deep-space missions will be helpful to their mission.

I dont even think you have to be interested in the moon to see the value of Resource Prospector, he said. Its findings could enable so many other destinations as well.
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The uncertainty in Xander Ibanezs mind played out across his tear-streaked face.

Santa Claus sat several feet away, his arms outstretched, a puffy white beard masking his welcoming grin. But Santa  really Bobby Hogeland, an assistant chief in the Bexar County Sheriffs Office  was a stranger, and Ibanez, age 3, wasnt used to hugging unfamiliar bearded men.

Do you want to sit and take a photo with Santa? asked his mom, Yasmine Gonzales, a substitute teacher in the Southside Independent School District. A small crowd had gathered around Ibanez as he struggled to decide: Did he want to ask Santa for the toy on his Christmas wish list, a remote-controlled truck?

No! Ibanez shouted, opting to run away instead.

Ibanez was one of 56 kids from the Southside ISD community who on Saturday morning ate tamales, opened gifts and, if willing, sat on Santas lap at Southside High School 9th Grade Academy. The festivities were part of a partnership between the school district and the nonprofit Forward in Fitness, a program funded by philanthropist Kym Rapier to combat childhood obesity.

Leading up to the weekend, the school district and Forward joined forces to compile a wish list for each kid, buying them Christmas gifts their parents might ordinarily be unable to afford. In a school district where 83 percent of children live at or below the federal poverty line, many would not have experienced Christmas at all, said Southside spokesman Randy Escamilla.

Among those at the academy Saturday were a grandmother raising nine children and a family displaced by Hurricane Harvey.

We weren't financially ready to move, said Jacylnn Dominguez, 24, who was forced out of her Rockport home by the hurricane, along with her kids Joann Gunnels, 7, and Travis Gunnels, 5. Shes living with her husbands family in their nearby home on Pleasanton Road, with no plans to move south anytime soon.

We lost our car in Harvey, so I had to buy a new car, Dominguez said. We lost things like that, everyday things that you don't think of losing  dishes, clothes, beds, things like that.

For Christmas, Joann received an eraser maker kit. Travis got two Lego kits: a car and a helicopter.

Sylvia Rios, the grandmother of nine, enjoyed watching the smiles flashing across her grandchildrens faces as they tore open gifts: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures, t-shirts, plastic dinosaurs. Rios said she would typically go bargain-hunting to buy presents for her grandchildren, ages 5 to 11.

I just get them whatever I can, and they'll be happy, as long as there's a gift under the tree, she said.

To Escamilla, the partnership with Rapiers nonprofit marks a turning point for a school district that was until recently plagued by an ineffective board of trustees. In May, the state stepped in to suspend the elected board and appoint a five-member board of managers in its place.

Also attending the event Saturday were two students from the University of Incarnate Words School of Osteopathic Medicine, and the schools director of public health and applied research, Anil Mangla. The university has partnered with the district to visit with families every two weeks, providing assistance and educating guardians about proper medical care and health insurance. In the process, Mangla said, he hopes to uncover the root of the districts high diabetes rate and the resulting prevalence of kidney failures  and figure out a way to stop it.

One medical student, Sioned Kirkpatrick, 24, said the program has taught her things she wouldnt expect to learn in a classroom, like how families can struggle to access medical care. She works with Rios and her nine grandchildren, and asked Rios on Thursday what she wants for Christmas.

She said health, and for her kids to be happy, Kirkpatrick said. Her kids make her the happiest in the world.

Jasper Scherer is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jscherer@express-news.net | @jaspscherer
Come to think of it, Ozzy Osborne has more of a connection with S.A. than the Tricentennial headliners.

Tom Scheppke

Yes, its Christmas

Merry Christmas, San Antonio. Yes, I meant just what I wrote. No apologies. Let us not forget the true meaning. May God bless.

Michael V. Pullin

When fake is real

I witnessed the recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and of all places, blood-red Alabama, where voters resoundingly rejected Donald Trump, the legend in his own mind, Steve Bannon, their candidate, Roy Moore, and their shared agenda. I also saw a candidate for the judiciary, Matthew Petersen, who had never tried a case at the state or federal or state level and who was not even familiar with decisions and common practices a federal judge must use in his everyday duties.

Even the Trump-supporting senator asking the questions gave up on this unqualified and inept individual, refusing to confirm him. I must have witnessed all of this in the fake news with my fake eyeballs, but it sure seemed real to me. I hope Trump supporters denouncing fake news end up in a federal court one day, expecting justice and, perhaps, mercy, from one of these highly qualified judges being thrust upon us at an alarming rate. If that day comes and his anxiety grows when he walks into that courtroom, he can just take comfort in the fact that this must be fake fear hes experiencing.

Allen Cunningham, Wimberley

Harmful legislation

To Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and to Rep. Lamar, Smith, a bad tax bill is not better than no tax bill.

Star Carey, Canyon Lake

Pleasing the base

Was it not Gov. Greg Abbott who pushed for a series of amendments to the U.S. constitution that would permit states to override the Supreme and supersede federal laws? One of the proposed measures would have allowed a two-thirds majority of the states to override federal regulations, while another set the same threshold for overturning Supreme Court decisions. The upshot of these proposals was that people speculated he might want Texas to secede from the union, which he later flatly denied.

Nevertheless, I hope the irony is not lost on him now that he is complaining the U.S. government is not providing enough money for the Houston flooding. How would he have managed the disaster with only the state budget? This is just another example of how he will say anything to play to his base, no matter how ridiculous.

Doug Bartels

Desecrating history

Re: No justification, Your Turn, Dec. 19:

To be clear, Bill Clinton did have sex in the Oval Office. That was proven, while President Donald Trump has only accusers. Whether or not he had sex with them, it has not been proven one way or the other. Bill Clintons sex was consensual but proven to be the truth. Bill Clinton deserves condemnation for having sex in the Oval Office, a place of great honor and respect for all the world and Americans and American history.

E.J. Garcia, Converse

What a shame

Why did the Express-News wait until Dec. 8 to remember Pearl Harbor?

For San Antonio, Military City USA, what a shame not to honor Dec. 7.

Sheila Thuerwachter, Windcrest
Its proving that the benefits of this stadium are going to come not only to the city area, but certainly down into the country as well, Mr Murray said.
Jourdan Dunn is hosting Christmas this year.

Jourdan Dunn

The 27-year-old model - who has a seven-year-old son, Riley, with a former partner - paid for all her loved ones to spend the festive season in Barbados last year, but after buying a new house, she can't wait to invite her family and friends over for the big day.

She said: "Last year I took my family to Barbados for Christmas but I recently bought my first house, so I'll be hosting in west London this year."

And it seems Jourdan likes to buy her loved ones similar gifts.

She said: "My signature gift is Jo Malone's Velvet Rose and Oud Candle."

While her job takes her round the world, Jourdan loves being at home as much as possible.

She told Vogue magazine: "Home is New York and London but I'll always be an Ealing girl.

"If I'm not working, I'll be back for Sunday lunch with my brother Antoine and my son, Riley.

"Nothing beats my mum's roast chicken, rice and peas and cauliflower cheese."

Meanwhile, Jordan recently admitted she used to think she was a witch.

She said: "I used to think I was a witch when I was younger. I used to be behind the curtain and just be doing spells."

But the catwalk star's actions baffled her friends who would quiz her on her unusual behaviour.

She explained: "And everyone would be like, 'What is Jourdan doing? Who is Jourdan talking to? Oh, she's in her witch phase.' "
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman would have celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary today so we reflect on their time as husband and wife.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (Credit: Famous)

1. Cruise met his second wife Kidman on the set of the movie Days of Thunder back in 1989.

2. They have since starred in Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and Far And Away (1992) together.

3. The pair got married on 24th December 1990 in Telluride, Colorado.

4. Following this, they adopted two children Isabella Jane (born December 1992) and Connor Antony (born January 1995).

5. As Kidman is 5'11'', she was 4 inches higher than Cruise so allegedly rarely wore heels when she was seen publicly with him to match his height- now she is rarely seen without a pair of heels.

6. In 2001, Cruise filed for a divorce on the same week The Others was released.

7. Afterwards, she still spoke fondly of Cruise even after their split in Ladies' Home Journal in June 2006."He was huge; still is. She said; To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge. But he was lovely to me. And I loved him. I still love him." (Wikipedia)



8. When the couple married, reportedly, part of their promise to one another was that they would not be separated for more than two weeks.

Source: Wikipedia and IMDB.

by Lucy Moore for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Hi. Im Sam Ozer. Im the girl who loved to travel. My day job is blogger and social media manager for a local real estate firm, by night Im a freelance writer and mum. I hope you enjoy my magical Christmas story from Oludeniz.

A magical Christmas story from Oludeniz, Turkey

Oludeniz, on the South West coast of Turkey, is one of those places that can never be done justice in a travel mag. Its enticing mix of laid-back beach life, crazy mountain-leaping madness, contemporary restaurants, and astounding beauty are hard to resist. As a Brit whos lived in the area for 12 years, you would think that the novelty of my new found home would have worn thin by now. But no, hardly a week goes past when I fail to be amazed by somewhere new or surprised by something different. Its this element of mystery that makes this region of Turkey so very special. The areas unfathomable charm that keeps lovers of Fethiye returning, and those that live in the area happy to call it home.

Oludeniz and Saint Nicholas

One such surprise happened last winter when I heard of Oludenizs link with St Nicholas. I sat talking to the Gurkans, owners of one of my favourite haunts, Buzz Bar. I listened to the history of the ruins that had for many years sat overgrown at the back of their restaurant. I came away fascinated. At that point they were building a hotel, Ecclesia, with the ruins as its centerpiece. I cant deny it, I was skeptical. The site was a chaotic building site, all mud and machinery, the ruins sectioned off in the centre. Their plans were ambitious and the 3D images impressive, but could they really keep the essence of an old church at the rear of one of the trendiest and most popular bars in the area? Could they really mix modern with ancient and do history justice? Thankfully, they did just that. The new hotel opened early summer and is wonderful and quite unique. The ruins of St. Demetrius now proudly displayed in Ecclesias courtyard, tidied up with its columns and many mosaics on show  a world of difference from the overgrown rubble that had for decades lay untouched in their carpark.

So, on to St. Nicholas

I knew St. Nicholas Island in the neighbouring bay was so called for a reason, that it was said to have homed St. Nicholas when he escaped persecution in the 4th century. I had no idea that it was possible that he had visited the church in Buzzs backyard. Although I had lived in Oludeniz for many years, I knew little about the areas Christian importance or history, or that the saint who inspired such a magical and significant tradition had probably stood a few meters away from where people now enjoy their sundown mojitos.

Father Christmas may be fictional, but St. Nicholas was very real and came from nearby Patara.

You may be sat under the twinkles of your fairy lights now thinking Father Christmas is fictional, that the modern Christmas tale was simply a story about a jolly old fellow in a bright red suit made up by the brains at Coca-Cola. In many ways, the story does seem ludicrous. Few question the magic or where good old Santa comes from. Few know that the story dates back to the 3rd century and an orphaned boy called Nicholas, who at a young age in Patara, just 40 minutes drive from Fethiye, did some extraordinary deeds ultimately founding the basis of our wonderful Christmas tale.

The story of St. Nicholas.

Take a journey back to 280AD, a time when much of Southern Turkey was inhabited by Greeks and there was a devout Christian community along much of the coast. A young boy called Nicholas, raised by wealthy devout parents in Patara, was sadly left orphaned after his parents died in an epidemic. Little more than a child, he inherited his folks fortune. Having been raised Christian, Nicholas wanted to honour his parents faith by giving all he owned to those less fortunate. This he did in secret. Nicholas climbed on the rooftops of houses throwing coins down chimneys to help pay debts or buy food for needy families  sound familiar?

One night, Nicholas was caught by a local who questioned his acts. The man told the whole town of the young boys good deeds. The church soon became aware of his actions and, whilst still a young man, he was made Bishop of Myra, a town we now know as Demre.

Nicholas was well loved by the locals and continued his good-will actions in Myra helping young townswomen escape servitude by donating dowries in secret to their fathers, and helping those wrongly accused of crimes avoid severe penalties and even death. He was a local hero.

Nicholas  Protector of children and sailors

Nicholas died on December 6th 343AD. By that time his actions had spread far and wide. Europe, especially Holland, loved the story and Nicholas became known as the gift giver and protector of children and sailors. To the Dutch, Nicholas became known as Sinter Klaas and, even today, they celebrate St. Nicholas Day each December 6th. It was actually the Dutch that introduced the story to the States back in the 1700s, who then elaborated on his actions finally creating the magical Santa Claus character the world knows and loves today.

Back to Oludeniz  so much more than simply a beach resort.

Earlier in the year, I helped write copy for the new hotel website. I was lucky enough to read the history of St. Demetrius based on the findings of archaeologists and historians that had worked on the site. It was extremely interesting and shed light on how important Oludeniz once was. I had previously thought it was simply a beautiful bay, but it was so much more than that.

In brief; it is believed that Oludeniz, Kdrak (around Likya World) and Gemiler (the bay past Kayakoy), were all places of Christian pilgrimage and teaching, most likely set up by St. Paul after he was left shipwrecked at Patara sometime around 50AD. The area offered boats good shelter on route from Jerusalem so communities sprung up across Symbola (Oludeniz) as a result. A synod was ordered by Constantine at Nova Roma (Istanbul) in 325AD. He wanted the beliefs of the established Christian communities to be assessed. The Bishops of Christendom were called to attend, including Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra. Records show that Nicholas visited Symbola (Oludeniz) more than once visiting the church of the Archangel and St. Demetrius. Records also show there were six churches in the area, St. Demetrius the largest and most significant.

Today, although much of the site was destroyed during the 7th Century by North African pirates, archaeologists have unearthed significant mosaics, some thought to be extremely rare. The Gurkans have been careful to preserve the church under a roof which offers protection against the elements and allow historians to continue making discoveries during the winter months. The church certainly makes for a worthy nosey around if you happen to be in the area. More information on St. Demetrius can be found on Ecclesias website.

So there you have itOludenizs very own Christmas story. Yet another reason this region really is one of the most charming areas on the Turkish coast and undoubtedly one to visit any time of the year, especially at Christmas.

This article was written by Sam Ozer and is published with her kind permission.

Follow Sam on her blog, growinguptwo.com
Chicos FAS, Inc. has announced that David Pastrana has been appointed as the new president of its White House Black Market brand, effective January 10, 2018. In this role, Pastrana will oversee all business activities for White House Black Market and will report directly to Shelley Broader, president and chief executive officer of Chicos FAS.Pastrana will succeed Donna Colaco who is leaving to pursue other opportunities. He brings to White House Black Market more than a decade of retail experience. Over the course of his career, Pastrana has held senior leadership positions at Zara, Topshop / Topman and most recently at Sears Holding Corporation, where he served as president of apparel since 2014. In these roles, Pastrana has established a distinguished record of driving increased profitable growth through new merchandising and multi-channel initiatives as well as through broad based operational improvements in merchandising, sourcing, marketing, technology, logistics, and other operating areas.

Chico's FAS, Inc. has announced that David Pastrana has been appointed as the new president of its White House Black Market brand, effective January 10, 2018. In this role, Pastrana will oversee all business activities for White House Black Market and will report directly to Shelley Broader, president and chief executive officer of Chico's FAS. #

Broader said, David is a proven leader who complements White House Black Markets existing leadership, including a new head of design and seasoned merchandising associates. Given its differentiated market position and loyal customer base, White House Black Market is uniquely positioned for success. Im thrilled to welcome David as he focuses the team on a shared vision to create a stronger, more profitable brand and to deliver the elevated style, quality and service our loyal customers expect.Pastrana said, I have long admired the White House Black Market brand and am excited to join the team at this pivotal time for the business. White House Black Market has already begun to make important improvements, including returning to the brands core and shifting the assortment focus back to work wear, black and white and work-appropriate dresses. I look forward to partnering with Shelley and the entire White House Black Market team as we continue to strengthen the brand and deliver for our customers.Before joining Sears, Pastrana served as president North America for Topshop / Topman, where he managed the North American retail, wholesale and online businesses and led the commercial, retail, buying, merchandising, HR, finance, technology, and operations teams. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Pure London, the UKs leading fashion trade event, has unveiled a new sourcing event, Pure Origin, which is aimed at uniting global suppliers, buyers and brands in Londons busiest fashion trade hub. To be held in London alongside Pure London and Pure Man, Pure Origin will bring together all aspects of fashion sourcing and manufacturing under one roof.Pure Origin will be the gateway for international manufacturers to break into the UK market, meet with thousands of visitors from the fashion retail ecosystem and be a part of a market whose growth rate is leading across Europe.

Pure London, the UK's leading fashion trade event, has unveiled a new sourcing event, Pure Origin, which is aimed at uniting global suppliers, buyers and brands in London's busiest fashion trade hub. To be held in London alongside Pure London and Pure Man, Pure Origin will bring together all aspects of fashion sourcing and manufacturing under one roof.#

Pure Origin will offer a unique opportunity for connected and efficient business by facilitating easy access to global suppliers and fuelling networking and trade. Over 40 manufacturers from around the world, including Blueberry Impex and Timeswell Textile from Hong Kong and Ribeiro & Matos from Portugal have already confirmed. While an upsurge in British manufacturing is reflected in a strong UK contingency at the show with Oxford Blue, LS Manufacturing, Gil Design Studio, Kalopsia Collective and BeFab Be Creative UK signed up.Julie Driscoll, managing director at Pure London says; Offering efficiency and time-saving benefits, Pure Origin will showcase a curated selection of international manufacturers, textile producers and white labels  it was the obvious extension to the globally recognised Pure London brand. The UK is renowned for its world-class retailing, booming e-commerce sector, innovative independents and resilience and following extensive research into the marketplace Pure Origin was created to deliver all aspects of fashion sourcing and manufacturing under one spectacular roof at London Olympia.As well as exclusive Pure Origin briefings, content from trend leaders WGSN and colour methodology and forecasting workshops in collaboration with COLORO, visitors to the new section can benefit from one to one advice and tutorials specific to the fastest growing portion of the market  menswear. Pure London now welcomes over 800 brands from 48 countries and over 10,000 UK and International visitors. International growth has been driven through penetrating 13 new geographical markets including Peru and Malaysia. (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
New Delhi: Air India launched a direct flight between Amritsar and Sikh pilgrimage destination of Nanded in Maharashtra on Saturday.

It will deploy an A-320 neo aircraft on Amritsar-Nanded route twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays, according to Air India.

Air India will also launch a direct flight between Amritsar and Mumbai.

Flight AI815 departed from Amritsar at 10.55 am to reach Nanded at 1.10 pm, while the return flight AI816 departed from Nanded at 1.50pm to arrive in Amristar at 4.30 pm, the airline said in a statement.

The inaugural flight was flagged off from Amritsar by minister of state for social justice and empowerment Vijay Sampla, CMD Air India Pradeep Singh Kharola and other dignitaries.
Editor's note: In a prolific career spanning nearly four decades, Satyajit Ray directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. His films have received worldwide critical acclaim and won him several awards, honours and recognition  both in India and elsewhere. In this column starting 25 June 2017, we discuss and dissect the films of Satyajit Ray (whose 96th birth anniversary was this May), in a bid to understand what really makes him one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century.

An unquenchable thirst for variety is the hallmark of a great artist. Having directed several feature films and one documentary, Ray made a short film in the year 1964  a 12-minute film under the banner of Esso World Theatre  a cultural programme telecast by the non-profit government-funded television programming distributor in America named the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), and sponsored by the American oil company Esso. In a bid to showcase the world outside their own to their viewers, and yet to make them understand what was being shown on screen, the producers had requested Ray to make the film in a Bengali setting but in the English language.

The combination didnt quite appeal to Ray, who decided to solve the problem by doing away with the spoken word altogether in his film, seeing this, in turn, as an opportunity to pay his tribute to the golden era of silent films. The film he thus made was called Two and it depended solely on sound and music. Although it is perhaps the least watched of the directors works, critics and experts from all over the world consider it to be one of the best films ever made by Satyajit Ray.

Ray called Two a film fable  one which showed two boys, both 6-7 years old, duelling with each other, each showing off his toys in a bid to outdo the other, in the middle of a lonely and breezy summer afternoon. The first boy comes from an affluent family. The film opens with a shot (which was later used in another short film by Ray  titled Pikoo) of his parents leaving him alone at his palatial home with a large collection of toys. The boy, wearing a Mickey Mouse cap, wanders from room to room, bursting balloons from the night before  which happened to be his birthday. He plays with his toys, especially with a robot he has been gifted and a toy tower that he has been building all morning.

Despite all the toys around him, he soon gets bored and is wondering what to do to pass his time, when suddenly, on hearing the sound of a flute, he rushes to his window to find a young boy of his own age, living in a shanty dwelling in the grassland behind his house, playing the instrument happily. In a bid to draw the poor boys attention, the rich boy brings his own expensive electronic trumpet at the window and bellows with it. And soon, before you know it, the two boys begin showing off their toys and masks to each other  the rich kids expensive ones, and the poor boys cheap, handmade ones. Very soon, the poor boy realises that his prized possessions are no match to those of the rich boy, and he decides to give up and engage himself in flying his kite instead. The rich boy is clearly not happy with this decision, because he is confined to the house, and his competitor is out there in the open.

In a fit of childish envy, he shoots the poor boys kite down with his toy airgun. Realising that the rich boy is way too powerful and wouldnt let him play in peace, the poor boy then sadly retires behind his hut and resumes playing his flute. The rich boy, now victorious, but left all alone, sits and thinks about what he has done, even as he tries to drown out the sound of the flute in the cacophony of his toys. In the final scene of the film, his toy robot, now left unattended and unguided, walks into the tall tower he has built with painstaking efforts, making it crash to the ground.

The film is unarguably the most allegorical of Rays entire body of work. Despite being a simple tale involving two young boys, it deals with such complex subjects as loneliness, the human capital, socio-economic divide, the philosophy of happiness and contentment, the evils of consumerism, the futility of war, mankinds resistance to oppression and the true meaning of freedom. Ray himself considered Two as one of his most profound works, and, in his own words  as a film that packs quite a punch in its 10 minutes.

Ray had been deeply moved by the Vietnam War  in later years, he made several veiled (Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne) as well as direct (Pratidwandi) commentaries on the war, and about the extraordinary resilience shown by the ordinary people, mostly peasants, of Vietnam in the face of death brought upon them by a superpower such as America. But many years before these films, he did make a silent protest against the war in Two. Through the poor boy, he shows the infallible capacity of the human spirit to pick up the pieces after a great loss, and to move on, to find a quiet, undisturbed corner of the world to resume life again. As a stark contrast, through the rich boy, he shows the hollow rewards of a victory earned through vile means, especially in a battle which shouldnt have taken place in the first place.

In Two, Ray also shows his deep understanding of the mind of a child. Impressionable and prone to mimic what it sees around itself  both good and bad  a childs mind can be as pretty as it can be perilous. In Two, for instance, while one boy turns a moment of loneliness into one of joyous music, the other sees it as an opportunity for destruction.

Two is the sort of film, which stays with you for days on end, even after you have stopped thinking about it in your conscious mind. Because it is not one message that it sends your way. The film is a hard-hitting basket of messages and meanings  all densely packed in 12 minutes. And such a feat is possible only for a filmmaker like Satyajit Ray.

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is an author and translator. His translations include 14: Stories That Inspired Satyajit Ray, and his original works include the mystery novels Patang, Penumbra and Here Falls The Shadow.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday demanded the withdrawal of the triple talaq bill and said no Muslim organisation or scholar was consulted during its drafting, according to several media reports.

#NewsAlert | AIMPLB demands withdrawal of triple talaq bill. Says no Muslim organisation or scholar was consulted pic.twitter.com/EeVgMos0Pk  News18 (@CNNnews18) December 24, 2017

The organisation also argued that the bill is against Sharia law, and will ruin Muslim families, CNN-News 18 reported.

On Sunday, AIMPLB held an emergency meeting in Lucknow ahead of the tabling of the triple talaq bill in Parliament.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board holds emergency meeting in #Lucknow ahead of tabling of bill on Triple Talaq in Parliament pic.twitter.com/Up32nqoNYY  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 24, 2017

"No procedure was followed in drafting this bill, neither any stakeholder was consulted. President of AIMPLB will convey this stand to the prime minister and request him to withhold and withdraw the bill," ANI quoted AIMPLB's Sajjad Nomani as saying.

In August, the Supreme Court in a majority verdict ruled that the practice of instant divorce through triple talaq among Muslims is "void", "illegal" and "unconstitutional". By 3:2 verdict, the apex court held that the triple talaq was against the basic tenets of Quran.

In September, AIMPLB said that it respected the court's decision, but considered the Centre's submission in the Supreme Court about all other forms of their marriages as an "attack on the personal law".
New Delhi: A major fire broke out at a hospital in east Delhi's Preet Vihar on Saturday and 92 patients were evacuated from the building, officials said.

Some patients suffered minor injuries in the fire that broke out on the second floor of the Metro Hospital and Cancer Institute, the police said.

"The fire broke out on the second floor of the hospital. When I arrived the hospital, I saw smoke coming out from that floor," a hospital official told PTI.

"We immediately evacuated all patients and staff. Of the 92 patients admitted in the hospital, 43 were sent to Metro Hospital in Noida, while others were moved to Max Patparganj and government hospitals nearby," the official said.

He said everyone was evacuated from the five-storeyed building and no casualty or major injury was reported.

At the time of the incident, 240 staffers were present in the hospital.

The fire started in an air conditioning vent and then spread to other floors, a senior police officer said.

A senior officer of Delhi Fire Services said a call was received at 3.20 pm alerting them about the blaze, which intensified in the next 20 minutes. Twelve fire tenders were rushed to the spot, he said.

"But it was controlled by 4.15 pm and completely doused by 4.50 pm," the official said.

Cooling operation was underway, the police said, adding that some patients suffered minor injuries in the incident.

The fire department official said that nearly 51 persons, including 40 patients were evacuated by the firefighters using a hydraulic lift.

The others, who were stuck there, were evacuated by the time the firefighters reached the spot.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the police said, adding it is suspected that a short-circuit triggered the blaze.

The fire department will submit a preliminary report to the district administration, following which the exact reason of the fire would be known, a senior police officer said.
By Charu Bahri

Climate changes contributed to the rise as well as the fall of Indias two ancient societies, the Indus Valley civilisation and the Vedic civilisation that followed, according to new research published in the journal Science Advances.

The new study is not the first study to identify climate change as the reason for the fall of the Harappan civilisation. But it is the first study to reconstruct Indian monsoon precipitation patterns over the last 5,700 years, by studying calcite depositscrystalline deposits usually composed of calcium carbonate dissolved from the surrounding limestone by groundwaterin a cave in Uttarakhand.

The records revealed a correlation between weak summer monsoons and the periods over which the Indus and Vedic civilisations are known to have disintegrated. Both civilisations prospered during climatically stable intervals and disintegrated during years of drought.

If ancient societies could not cope with the variations we noted in the Indian summer monsoon, which were far more severe than anything we have seen in the recorded rainfall records of the twentieth century, what makes us believe that modern civilisation will be able to cope with the next potentially prolonged downturn of the Indian summer monsoon without adequately planning for itespecially in the face of other climatic challenges such as global warming, rising ocean temperatures and so on? Ashish Sinha, 50, professor of earth sciences at the California State University in the US, told IndiaSpend over a phone conversation from China where the study was conducted.

I didnt really like the monsoon season when I grew up in India, with all the chaos and inconvenience, said Sinha, co-author of the study. Later, he learned to appreciate how the monsoon is entwined with Indian life and is the lifeline of what is still a largely agrarian Indian economy, which provides livelihood to 228.3 million or 48.8% of Indians.

Today, Sinha imparts his expertise on the Indian summer monsoon to younger researchers, such as the studys first author Gayatri Kathayat, 31, a post-doctoral scholar at the Institute of Global Environmental Change, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian, China.

Kathayats passion for cave research, a traditionally male-dominated field, has led her to explore some of Indias most dangerous caves in order to collect speleothemsas the calcite deposits made from calcium carbonate dissolved from the surrounding limestone by groundwater are calledincluding those used in this research, and to analyse them as part of her doctoral dissertation in China under the guidance of professor Hai Cheng, a leading global authority in paleoclimate research.

Kathayat and Sinha tell IndiaSpend why it is important to study the variability of the Indian summer monsoon over the last few thousand years.

Links between the Indian summer monsoon variability and historic regional events have been challenging to derive, mainly due to a lack of accurate climate records. To bridge this gap, you studied oxygen isotopesoxygen variants differing in their number of neutronsin calcite deposits (speleothems) of the Sahiya Cave in Uttarakhand to generate a reliable record of the variability of the Indian summer monsoon over the last 5,700 years. What makes the stalagmite profiles of the Sahiya Cave an accurate indicator of the climate model of the sub-continent, and hence, an accurate base to predict future climate change?

GK: The Sahiya Cave is located in Uttarakhand, about 200 kilometres north of Delhi, roughly 1,190 metres above sea level. The area lies between the Gangetic Plains and the Lesser Himalayas, at the fringe of the Indian summer monsoon-influenced region. I say fringe because in most years this is how far the monsoon rain from the Bay of Bengal branch can penetrate north and northwest India. The monsoon system weakens as it makes its way across the Gangetic Plain, such that northwest India is the most arid part of the country and drought-prone. This basic pattern of the Indian summer monsoon has stayed the same over the last 5,700 years. The variability in the monsoon is expressed most strongly at its western limit, meaning that any weakening of the system will impact the fringe areas most. So the Sahiya Cave is situated in a very sensitive region, climatically speaking. The speleothems, or mineral deposits within the cave, are formed from groundwater, so in a broad sense, yes, the variability of rainfall would influence their growth. However, more deeply, we studied the changes in the chemistry of speleothems (technically, the ratio of heavy to light isotopes of oxygen) to determine how their growth has been impacted by variations in the monsoon rainfall. This is what makes us confident of the Indian summer monsoon precipitation record of the last 5,700 years based on the speleothems of the Sahiya Cave.

Your data set representing the variability of the Indian summer monsoon over the last 5,700 years shows a positive correlation with the expansion and disintegration of successive human civilisations in the Indian subcontinent. Can you quickly take us through the timeline and summarise your findings?

GK: Sure, lets start with the earliest period, between 4,550 years before present (BP) and 3,850 years BP, a fairly wet and warm, climatically stable interval facilitated the expansion of the agrarian communities of the early Indus Valley civilisation into large urban centres marking the civilisations mature phase. During an ensuing prolonged dry spell, these sites were abandoned as communities relocated to the eastern precincts of the Indo-Gangetic plain, a region enjoying a heavier monsoon.

A similar story played out (later) starting 3,400 years BP, when a strong Indian summer monsoon encouraged the influx of Indo-Aryans into the north Indus valley, marking the beginning of the Vedic civilisation. A weak Indian summer monsoon event around 3,100 years BP caused these communities to shift eastward. A revival in the monsoon sustained this society for another 600 years through to 2,450 years BP, when the monsoon abruptly weakened, causing the society to disintegrate into disparate political units, the predecessors of large kingdoms of the Mahajanapadas period.

To turn to more recent history, the speleothem oxygen isotope record of the Sahiya Cave shows a failure of the monsoon around 1,620 AD, a time coinciding with the downfall of the Guge kingdom in western Tibet.

While we acknowledge that local and regional anthropogenic factors must also have contributed to past societal changes, previous research has also implicated disease and socio-political factors in the disintegration of the Indus Valley and Vedic civilisations, the correlation between the fortunes of those societies and the variability in the Indian summer monsoon is indisputable. We invite archaeologists and anthropologists to study this tangible link between climate change and societal change to confirm our analysis.

Why is it important to model the variations in the Indian summer monsoon over the last thousands of years? What can studies of this duration tell us about the Indian summer monsoon that we do not already know?

AS: Well, if you go by the actual Indian summer monsoon rainfall data that scientists have access to, it spans, at most, about 100 to 150 years. If you think of this period in the sense of the time that has elapsed since the Indus Valley civilisation, it can show us but a brief snapshot of monsoon variability. This snapshot of the Indian summer monsoon in the twentieth century shows at most, two to three years of successive drought. The data set of the last 5,700 years we have generated suggests that the Indian summer monsoon expresses a cyclical centennial-scale pattern, varying from strong intervals of good rainfall to weak intervals lasting much longer than the 2-3 years of successive drought we know of, likely in response to summer temperatures in the northern hemisphere and the meltwater discharges of rivers flowing from the Himalayas.

This is important in the light of global warming, rising ocean temperatures and the fluctuation in the monsoon India has seen in the last 10-15 years, especially if you consider that civilisation is now spread across the region where the Indus Valley civilisation flourished as well as in regions to the east of that area, where we found that populations migrated during the intervals when the monsoon system weakened. On the one hand, you have the established cyclical pattern of the monsoon and on the other hand, you have all these other climatic changes that are expressing. What would be the outcome of superimposing the data set representing the cyclical pattern of the Indian summer monsoon with the data set expressing the influence of recent climatic changes? This is something to study deeply and possibly to use as a base for agricultural policy. India is, after all, still an agrarian economy.

Does your study tell us anything new about the impact of climate change on the Indus Valley civilisation, at a time when climatic changes were most likely causing the downfall of other Bronze Age civilisations such as the Egyptian civilisation and the Mesopotamian civilisation?

AS: Previous studies have attributed both the societal collapses in the Middle East and in the Indus Valley to a climate event, the so-called 4.2 kiloyear (ka, a unit of time equal to 1000 years) BP event, a period of prolonged drought. Our study, that is, the Sahiya Cave record, shows that the 4.2 ka BP event did not play out as a singular prominent abrupt event in the Indian subcontinent but rather as an interval of declining Indian summer monsoon strength. An abrupt event would have lasted less than a decade and caused widespread societal disruption. Essentially, the Indus Valley was not as severely impacted by the climatic episode that led to the downfall of the Old Kingdom in Egypt and the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia.

(Bahri is a freelance writer and editor based in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.)

Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit
In a significant revelation, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain, is learnt to have approached the wife of jailed separatist leader and chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF-R), Farooq Ahmad Dar, telling her that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asking her to prevail upon her husband to join the mainstream.

Dar is in Tihar jail after a case was registered against him by the NIA for fanning unrest in Kashmir in 2016 , following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Muzafar Wani. More than 70 civilians were killed and thousands were injured in clashes following Wani's death.

Dar's wife, Assabah Khan, works as an an assistant director in the social welfare department. She said that the officer told her that the NIA is seeking to cut a deal with Farooq and he will be let off if he gives up the path of separatism. Earlier, he remained in detention for different militancy-related cases for 16 years. He was released in October 2006. NIA has accused Dar of having huge assets in Srinagar, a claim which the family has denied.

Assabah showed the Whatsapp messages in which Hussain asked her to convince her husband to give up the path of violence. The messages were sent to her by him in August and Assabah said that New Delhi was trying to cut a deal with Dar and was even pressurising him to join the BJP.

However Imtiyaz said that he didnt meet her in any official capacity.

The JKLF leader's wife said that the police officer told her that he was sent by the NIA, and that in case Dar agreed to join the mainstream, he will be set free.

As per the Whatsapp messages, Assabah Khan told Hussain that she was ready to receive the dead body of my husband, but not strike any deal with NIA.

Though the SSP is posted in Barmaulla, he met Assabah on 20 August in Srinagar at a coffee shop. The meeting, Assabah said, lasted for nearly 15-20 minutes in which the police officer asked her to prevail on her husband to help the NIA.

A day later, she flew to New Delhi to meet her husband for the first time after his arrest. She conveyed to him that Imtiyaz was sent by the NIA asking her to convince him to give up separatism.

However Assabah told Firstpost that my husband was furious and said, Why did I listen to that man?

I did not know Imtiyaz. I got a request for a meeting on Messenger and I thought it was sent mistakenly to me. But later he sent messages on Whatsapp and we met on the evening of 20 August. This was after he told me that he wanted to discuss Farooqs arrest and was SSP Baramulla, she said, adding that Imtiyaz told me that Farooq is a person who is least involved and if he co-operates with the NIA, we can really help him. You must prevail on him to become the approver of NIA once you meet him at Tihar jail.

Assabah said that nearly a month after her husband was jailed at Tihar, she met him and he was in dishevelled state. The NIA had not even given him clothes which he had taken along. He had not changed his clothes for a month. 

She further said that recently, she was also approached by people asking her if she wanted to make a deal with New Delhi with a former Intelligence Bureau chief.

The following are the contents of the Whatsapp chat between the SSP and Assabah Khan

[8/20, 16:01] Assabah Khan: Wt z d status of our meeting ?

[8/20, 16:01] Assabah Khan: Are we meeting r nt meeting

[8/20, 16:02] Assabah Khan: Cud you kindly let me know

[8/20, 16:03] Assabah Khan: I am asking bcoz I have to come from Dargah Shareef

[8/20, 17:22] Imtiyaz Hussain: How long will it take you to arrive ?

[8/21, 09:05] Assabah Khan: When Imam Khomeini Who revolutionised whole of Iran died, his worldly possessions were a bucket to perform ablutions and few books. Not money bt strength of character and mental calibre defines great leaders. Imam Khomeini z my ideal. Let us make him ideal for the universe

[8/21, 09:06] Imtiyaz Hussain: Won't comment on this.

[8/21, 09:54] Assabah Khan: I am very much ready to receive the dead body of my husband bt I will nt strike any deal with NIA.

[8/21, 09:55] Assabah Khan: I am ready for my own death but I will nt cheat this nation

[8/21, 09:56] Assabah Khan: Let me suffer let him suffer I cannot die with any burden on my conscience

[8/21, 09:57] Imtiyaz Hussain: It's not about cheating. It's about standing firm on principles but ensuring justice is delivered to your husband if he is innocent

[8/21, 09:58] Imtiyaz Hussain: And punishing those who have made fortune out of blood money.

[8/21, 09:58] Imtiyaz Hussain: A poor man's son has to die so that others make money

[8/21, 09:59] Imtiyaz Hussain: This needs to be stopped Assabah

[8/21, 09:59] Imtiyaz Hussain: Political ideologies apart

[8/21, 09:59] Imtiyaz Hussain: It's not being traitor or being loyal

[8/21, 09:59] Imtiyaz Hussain: It's basic humanity

[8/21, 10:01] Imtiyaz Hussain: Absolutely no issues for political or ideological position of anyone. They are within their rights to have one. But violence is not in anybody's interest.

[8/21, 10:01] Imtiyaz Hussain: We can't afford to lose our boys

[8/21, 10:01] Assabah Khan: Yes I agree

[8/21, 10:01] Imtiyaz Hussain: Like we do everyday

[8/21, 10:01] Imtiyaz Hussain: This madness has to stop

[8/21, 10:02] Imtiyaz Hussain: And it will stop when big sharks thriving on the blood of our children are neutralised

[8/21, 10:02] Imtiyaz Hussain: That's my point

[8/21, 10:03] Imtiyaz Hussain: You may have an option of escaping from Kashmir and secure the future of your kid but what about millions of Kashmiris
Islamabad: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will arrive Monday to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, the Pakistan foreign office said. They will arrive in Islamabad by a commercial flight and leave the same day after the meeting, it added.

India's deputy high commissioner JP Singh will accompany the visitors to the meeting. "India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 December and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted on Satuday night.

Earlier, media reports said that Pakistan had asked India to convey the plan of Jadhav's family at the earliest otherwise it would be difficult to arrange the meeting. Separately, Faisal had said that the meeting would take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its photo and video footage would be issued.

The mother and wife of Jadhav were being provided with a meeting with him in the light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds," he had said. Pakistan on 20 December issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the International Court of Justice in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on 3 March, 2016, after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
Islamabad: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on 25 December to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office said on Saturday.

They will arrive by a commercial flight on 25 December and leave the same day. Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 December and leave on the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat.  Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 23, 2017

Pakistan on 20 December issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on 3 March 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
New Delhi: The father of the twin babies, one of whom was wrongly declared dead by the Shalimar Bagh Max Hospital, has sought a court-monitored probe into the matter, alleging that the ongoing "tainted" investigation may harm the prosecution case.

In the plea filed through advocate Rishipal Singh before a magisterial court in Rohini, Ashish Kumar has also urged that the station house officer concerned be directed to share details of the progress made in the investigation.

"Monitor the tainted investigation as it may harm the prosecution case and also give direction to give a copy of status report," the plea said.

A baby boy and his twin sister, prematurely born at the hospital on 30 November, were declared stillborn by the hospital doctors.

However, when the parents were on their way to the crematorium, they found the boy was still alive and rushed him to another hospital. He died later at a private nursing home.

The applicant has alleged that there was a delay of 20 hours in lodging FIR in the matter. "We have also sought a CBI probe in the matter," Singh said.

The plea has sought directions to the police to explain why the statements of the family members of the complainant (the father) have not been recorded by the police.

"This is a case of grave medical criminal act, misconduct and omission with an intention to cause the death of two infants in Max hospital, Shalimar Bagh when the applicant was not in a position to fulfil the extortion demand of Rs 50 lakh," the plea alleged.

It said that hospital did not provide proper care and treatment which resulted in the death of two infants.

The hospital's licence was cancelled by the Delhi government on 8 December, following an uproar over the incident.

But the hospital resumed its operations 10 days later after it got relief from an appellate authority which stayed the Delhi government's order.
Nagpur: A Naxal was on Sunday killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and the rebels in Sandra-Jaragudam forest in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said.

The encounter happened at around 10:30 a.m when the Gadchiroli police was conducting an anti-Naxal combing operation in the forests close to post Damrancha in Gadchiroli, said police.

Officials said that the police party was attacked and the Naxal was killed in retaliatory firing. They added that the rebels fled leaving behind his body. Police recovered a 12 bore rifle from the spot.

In another encounter that took place on Sunday morning in the Jhelia forest area in Dhanora, Naxals fled in the face of heavy police fire, said officials.

The rebels left behind a detonator, a battery cell, electric wire and Naxal literature, police said.
After Fortis Hospital in Gurugram charged an exorbitant bill of Rs 18 lakh from the family of a seven-year-old girl, who died of dengue, another case has emerged with Medanta  The Medicity, a multispeciality hospital, also from Gurugram, charging Rs 15 lakhs from the family of an eight-year-old for the treatment of dengue, reports said. The child died in this case as well.

Gurugram Police said on Saturday that it has received a complaint from the parents of an eight-year-old boy, who died of dengue shock syndrome, against Medanta. The parents alleged that Medanta  The Medicity overcharged them for the treatment of their child, The Indian Express reported.

Gurugram Police PRO Ravinder Kumar told ANI that the complaint was received at Sadar police station on Friday. He further said that the complainant alleged their child, suffering from dengue, was admitted to Medanta hospital in Gurugram and a huge bill penalty was imposed on them.

Complaint received at Police Station Sadar yesterday, complainant has leveled allegation on Medanta Hospital (Gurugram), their child suffering from dengue was admitted in the hospital, huge bill penalty was imposed on them. Investigation is underway: Gurugram Police PRO pic.twitter.com/khiByjGOBw  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017

The father of the child said that his son was in the hospital for 21 days and they were given a bill of Rs 15.88 lakh. He also accused the hospital of looting them in the name of treatment.

My child was there in the hospital for 21 days, the hospital gave us a bill of Rs 15.88 lakh. We had to request people for money, the hospital has looted us in the name of treatment: Father of the deceased child #Gurugram pic.twitter.com/WUKz5SzscS  ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017

The father added that when the doctors at Medanta felt that the child's condition is such that he can no longer be kept there, they pushed the family to shift him to a government hospital. The parents took him to RML Hospital, where he died.

The hospital, however, maintains that the parents took the child to another hospital against medical advice, The Indian Express report stated.

The medical superintendent of Medanta also said that the child was given the best possible treatment. "He was given adequate treatment based on his condition and was then transferred to RML. We are not aware of any (police) complaint in this matter. However, we will fully cooperate with any investigating agency," Hindustan Times quoted AK Dubey, medical superintendent, Medanta-The Medicity, as saying.

The police, Hindustan Times reported, has initiated investigation and will send a copy of the complaint to the chief medical officer, Gurugram, before filing an FIR.

Earlier, the parents of a seven-year-old girl alleged that they were allowed to take their daughter's dead body from Fortis Hospital in Gurugram after paying an exorbitant bill of Rs 18 lakh. The parents of the deceased alleged that the hospital staff kept their daughter on ventilator for three days even after she had stopped responding to the treatment. Union health minister JP Nadda had also called for details of the case.
New Delhi: The Centre has asked all states to regulate the issue of remuneration given to nurses working in private medical institutions. Union health minister J P Nadda said in Lok Sabha that several advisories have been sent to all chief ministers to do the needful for providing better salaries to the nurses working in private hospitals and nursing homes.

Private institutions cannot remain unregulated and for that the state governments, if necessary, should bring a legislation so that this sector can be regulated, he said.

The minister said the government has received representation from the All India Government Nurses Federation demanding revision in pay and allowances against the 7th central pay commissions report.

The government has examined their demands along with the demands of other associations. The government accepted the Commissions recommendations on minimum pay, fitment factor, index of rationalisation, pay matrices and general recommendations on pay without any material alteration, he said.

Nadda said the recommendation on allowances was referred to an empowered committee, comprising the finance secretary, secretary (expenditure) as chairman and secretaries of ministries of home, defence, health, personnel, posts and chairman Railway Board as members for further consideration.
New Delhi: The Indian Army on Sunday clarified that the bodies of its personnel killed in firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir were not mutilated and the injury marks were due to splinters and gunshots.

An army major and three soldiers were killed yesterday after Pakistani troops targeted the army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

"The injuries suffered are due to splinters and gunshots sustained due to firing by the enemy on the patrol," army sources said.

Responding to media reports, they said that there has been no mutilation of bodies.
Editor's note: Jairam Thakur will take oath as the sixth chief minister of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, after the BJP selected his name from a pool of applicants. Below is Thakur's profile, initially published on Saturday, 24 December, after the party announced his candidature.

Jairam Thakur has been selected by the BJP as the next chief minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal Ji proposed Jairam Thakur Ji to be elected as the Legislature party leader. Shanta Kumar Ji & JP Nadda Ji also supported this proposal: Narendra Singh Tomar, Central Observer pic.twitter.com/eqH6E8Gpxu

Thakur will also be the legislature party leader in the state, BJP central observer Narendra Singh Tomar said.

Jairam Thakur being greeted by Prem Kumar Dhumal, JP Nadda, Shanta Kumar on being chosen as the Legislature party leader in Himachal Pradesh pic.twitter.com/bjZypjt1U6  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

The five-time MLA was seen as a frontrunner to land the Himachal Pradesh chief minister's job.

According to a senior BJP leader, one of the reasons why the 52-year-old BJP leader was selected for the post was that the party would not need to go through a by-election.

Thakur won from Seraj constituency in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls by defeating Chet Ram of Congress.

According to a report in The Indian Express, Thakur was a minister in the earlier BJP government and with the exception of a bypoll he lost to Virbhadra Singhs wife Pratibha Singh in the Mandi constituency in 2014, his record in the Assembly election has been stellar.

According to a report in Indian Express, Thakur is known for his subdued personality and his non-aggressive style of politics. This disposition is the reason why he has come to be known as the saffron partys gentle face.

Thakur is from a humble background. According to News18, he was born in Mandi district in 1965. His father, who was a farmer, had to make ends meet to feed three sons and two daughters. His father and brothers worked in the fields to provide Thakur with an education. Their efforts paid off as Thakur acquired an MA degree from Panjab University in Chandigarh.

Thakur then went on to be a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing affiliated to BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), right after graduation.

His first stint in Assembly polls was when he contested the 1993 election from Seraj for the BJP at the age of 28. Despite being defeated, Thakur contested the next Assembly elections in 1998 from the Mandi constituency and won by a comfortable margin. According to the Financial Express, Thakur then went on to serve as the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

Thakur also served as the BJP state president from 2007 to 2009. According to a report in the Financial Express, his term was considered as "non-controversial and acceptable."

According to News18, Thakur has two daughters and is married to ABVP colleague Sadhana Thakur. Sadhana, a Kannadiga BJP leader, is a doctor who was born and brought up in Jaipur, according to the report.

The BJP ousted the Congress from power in Himachal Pradesh by clinching 44 of the 68 seats in the fray during the Assembly Elections.

With inputs from agencies

Follow our LIVE blog on Jairam Thakur's swearing-in here
Bhopal: Although there is still a year to go for the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the state unit of the Congress on Sunday said the party would start the exercise of identifying probable candidates from mid-January.

The party said the leadership might give opportunity to fresh and young faces over the older ones this time.

"We will start the candidate selection process for the next year's Assembly elections after 15 January. The process of streamlining the organisational structure in the state would also be completed by the next month," AICC general secretary and party in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, Deepak Babaria, told reporters.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in November-December next year.

"Initially, we will focus on 60-65 seats, where the party could not win in the past two elections. We will tell the probable candidates to start preparing," he said.

Asked about the demand of some party leaders that the candidates should be announced six months prior to the election, Babaria said, "It depends on the vulnerability of the seats. The announcement may be made two months, two weeks or two hours prior to the filing of nominations, because the Opposition may also plan its strategies accordingly."

Babaria also said that as Congress president Rahul Gandhi has indicated and which was also visible in the recently-held Gujarat elections, younger faces would be given a preference in Madhya Pradesh as well.

He also said that the party would request the leaders, who had lost in the last two-three elections, to vacate the seat for the young leaders.

"The leaders who were defeated in the last two-three elections would be told to leave the seat for the young leaders and work for the party. The names of such leaders would be considered for the parliamentary elections," he said.

Responding to a query, Babaria said the party would focus on the election preparedness at the micro level in Madhya Pradesh after learning a lesson from the Gujarat Assembly elections, in which it lost to the BJP despite putting up a good show.

When asked about the announcement of the party's chief ministerial face for the next assembly election, the AICC general secretary said the party would take a call on this at a suitable time.
Ahmedabad: Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani on Sunday said even if Congress president Rahul Gandhi were to live in the state for the next five years, his party won't be able to wrest the power.

The Congress president had exuded confidence on Saturday that after increasing the tally in the elections earlier this month, his party would come to power in Gujarat in the 2022 Assembly polls.

"I want Rahul Gandhi to camp in Gujarat from today to ensure Congress's victory in the 2022 Assembly polls. I am confident that even if he does that, the Congress will lose that election too, because the people of Gujarat know them well," Vaghani said, speaking to reporters in Ahmedabad.

"It is my humble request to the Congress that it should shun its power-centric and caste-based politics. The Congress will never be able to defeat the BJP if it does not embrace positive politics," Vaghani added.

Gandhi held "introspection meetings" in Ahmedabad on Saturday to ascertain reasons for the party's defeat in Gujarat.

Vaghani said the Congress will always end up doing introspection.

"The Congress loses wherever Rahul goes for campaigning. It also lost in Himachal Pradesh. If its wants to do introspection on that defeat too, I am ready to provide them with a place if they can't find one," Vaghani said.

"The Congress will end up doing introspection only while people will keep on electing BJP to power," the Gujarat BJP chief said.
Bengaluru: A case has been registered against BJP's Lok Sabha lawmaker Shobha Karandlaje for "provocative" tweets she posted in the social media over an alleged attack on a minor girl in Karnataka's Honnavar, police said on Saturday.

"We have registered an FIR under sections 153 and 503 of the Indian Penal Code on Friday against the MP for some provocative tweets, which were brought to our notice," Inspector General of Police, Western Range, Hemant Nimbalkar told IANS on phone from Karwar in Uttara Kannada district.

The coastal town of Honnavar, about 487 km from Bengaluru, witnessed public unrest and protests over the death of 19-year old Hindu activist Paresh Mesta in early December and the lawmaker's tweets were both incidents.

"The Honnavar police are investigating the case and verifying the tweets," said Nimbalkar.

Responding to the FIR against her, Karandalaje said:

Govt which has failed in providing safety to women in Karnataka now tries to stifle my voice through a FIR.@siddaramaiah Govt protecting Jihadis. pic.twitter.com/aEFmZFBuvi  Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) December 22, 2017

The state government had, however, transferred the inquiry into the "mysterious" death of Mesta to the CBI on 13 December on the request of his father Kamalakar Mesta.

Mesta's mutilated body was found on 8 December floating in a lake at Honnavar. According to his family, he went missing from home since 6 December.

In the second incident, a 14-year-old girl from a nearby village (Magodu) was allegedly waylaid at Honnavar on 14 December by two youth when she was on way to school in a bid to abduct her.

"Preliminary inquiry revealed that the victim had self-inflected the wounds and fabricated the kidnap bid by the youth," Honnavar Sub-Inspector Ananamurthy told IANS.

Reacting to the alleged attack on the minor, Karandlaje tweeted on 15 December that "Jihadists had tried to rape and kill the girl".

"Will continue my fight against Jihadi elements. There is no way I'll succumb to the pressure of @siddaramaiah Govt.#HinduLivesMatter," she said in another tweet.
Ranchi: Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said his father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad's conviction in a second fodder scam case was a "conspiracy" against their family and they would move the Jharkhand High Court against the special CBI court's verdict.

The RJD was not worried and it would fight against any such conspiracy, he said.

"It is a conspiracy against Laluji and his family. We will move the high court and we are confident that we will get justice there," he told reporters.

"The RJD is not a weak party. It will not be weakened by Lalu Prasad's conviction. All RJD workers are our leaders and we can carry on the party affairs even when Laluji will be in judicial custody," Yadav said.

Meanwhile, the BJP in Jharkhand said Prasad's conviction proved that those involved in corruption would not got off scot-free.

BJP state unit general secretary Dipak Prakash rubbished allegations that there was a political conspiracy behind Prasad's conviction.

Prasad must understand it was a conspiracy of the Congress as the entire fodder scam came out during its rule and the inquiry and trial were also conducted by the Congress governments, he said.

"The CBI court order in the Deoghar fodder scam case proved that anybody involved in corruption will not be spared and so the people in politics must maintain probity," he said.
New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday cited his party's win in assembly bypolls to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the opposition's anti-development politics.

With the Congress not winning any of the five seats in the bypolls, Shah took a dig at it, saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

After putting up a strong fight in Gujarat, where the BJP won its sixth consecutive Assembly election, the Congress had claimed moral victory last week.

Shah, in a series of tweets, said that his party's winning spree has continued after the victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls as it won three of the five by-elections.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district.

The result in Sikandra underlines the support of farmers and villages to the BJP, Shah said, claiming that the BSP's "tacit support" to the SP did not help the opposition.

"BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the opposition," he said. The win in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East policy", Shah said.

The BJP will continue to serve the northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen, he said.

"I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of the Congress," Shah said.

He also took heart from the rise in BJP's vote share in Sabang in West Bengal, where the party's candidate came third. Shah claimed that the BJP is fast emerging as an alternative to the "anti-people" Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left front, which he alleged has "ruined" West Bengal.

The TMC, in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In the crucial RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu suffered a major setback with rival faction candidate TTV Dhinakaran winning the prestigious seat, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed BJP victories in Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh Assembly bypolls, and said his party is committed to serving the country's villages.

He also expressed happiness over the party's improved performance in a bypoll in West Bengal.

"My gratitude to the people of Sikandra for once again supporting BJP. Our commitment to serving India's villages and taking them to new heights of progress is unwavering," Modi tweeted.

In another tweet, he thanked voters of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in the BJP.

"We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast," he said.

On the bypoll results of Sabang, West Bengal, Modi said the BJP will leave no stone unturned in serving West Bengal.
Chennai: The ruling AIADMK led by its top office-bearers O Panneerselvam and E Palaniswamy on Sunday paid homage to party founder, late chief minister MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary.

The leaders and functionaries vowed to take forward the party rule for many more years.

Panneerselvam, AIADMK Coordinator, and Co-coordinator Palaniswamy paid floral tributes at MGR Memorial at Marina.

Ramachandran, a former matinee idol, is fondly addressed as MGR by supporters and party workers.

The AIADMK leaders took a pledge to strive for the party's well-being and sustained growth.

The party leaders and members pledged to "work hard to ensure that the rule of AIADMK, founded by MGR and taken forward by Amma (the late J Jayalalithaa)," continues for many years.

The AIADMK was founded by MGR.

Later, the leaders, including party's candidate for RK Nagar bypoll E Madhusudhanan, paid floral tributes at the mausoleum of Jayalalithaa at Marina.
Bengaluru: NDA Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar said AICC president Rahul Gandhi's charm would not spell magic in next year's Karnataka Assembly polls and Congress would taste defeat as it did it in Gujarat polls for playing caste politics.

"Rahul Gandhi's charm will not spell any magic in Karnataka elections next year. Congress will face defeat just as it did in Gujarat polls for playing caste politics," he told PTI.

Gandhi's elevation as party president has not brought about a resurgence in Congress. His elevation has only brought about yet another drubbing in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls, he said.

However, it is a wakeup call for the BJP in Gujarat and the newly-elect government would address the issues that dented the hopes of winning seats as expected, Chandrasekhar, an industrialist, said.

The BJP had expected to win 150 seats, but won 99 seats in the 182-member Assembly as against 77 seats by Congress. Congress and Patidars had struck a deal in Gujarat polls amidst demands for granting reservation quotas to the Patidars, who form 12-14 per cent of the states population.

Chandrasekhar alleged that Congress always played divisive politics in the name of caste and religion. Siddaramaiah's government in Karnataka was no exception, he said.

"Just consider the issue of separate religious status for Lingayats. This has brewed tension in the society. This simply is an attempt by Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to divide Lingayat community for electoral gains," he said. The government was also playing politics in the name of religion by celebrating 'Tipu Jayanti', which has fomented communal tension in coastal and Kodagu regions of the state, Chandrasekhar said.
New Delhi: Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday slammed Lalu Prasad for comparing himself with Nelson Mandela and B R Ambedkar, saying they made sacrifices in national interest while the RJD chief is in jail for corruption.

The Lok Janshakti Party chief said Prasad had insulted stalwarts like Ambedkar by comparing himself with them and asked if the fodder scam was a scam of the poor or the powerful people.

Defending his ally BJP, which has been accused by Prasad of conspiring to put him behind bars, Paswan said the allegations amounted to an insult of the judiciary as he has been convicted by a court not the saffron party.

"Lalu ji you should not blame the BJP for everything to hide your sin. You should also not compare yourself with Martin Luther King, Mandela or Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They made sacrifices in the national interest. You are in jail for corruption, which is against national interest," Paswan said on Twitter.

The LJP chief, who was an ally of Prasad earlier, said the RJD chief and his supporters may make a lot of noise, but his crimes cannot be brushed under the carpet.

A CBI court had on Saturday convicted Prasad in a corruption case involving the fodder scam. He blamed the BJP for the development, accusing it of a conspiracy to put him behind bars.

Soon after the verdict, a post on Lalu Prasad's Twitter handle had read, "Powerful people and powerful classes always managed to divide society into ruling and the ruled classes. And whenever anyone from the lower hierarchy challenged this unjust order, they would be deliberately punished."

Another tweet had said, "Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and casteist minds. No one should expect any different treatment."
Chennai: Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll, the outcome of which can have a bearing on political equations in Tamil Nadu, has begun in Chennai on Sunday.

The seat was earlier represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The counting began by 8 am at Queen Mary's College in Chennai and the process is expected to be completed in 19 rounds.

As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise.

Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security.

The outcome of the result is crucial for all key contenders  the ruling AIADMK, rival leader TTV Dhinakaran, and the main opposition DMK.

Unfazed by some exit polls indicating an edge for rival AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, both AIADMK and DMK have expressed confidence that they would win the seat.

For the ruling regime helmed by Chief Minister K Palaniswamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam, it will be seen as an acid test of whether voters prefer them after the demise of their formidable leader late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

For Dhinakaran, who claims to represent the welfare legacy of Jayalalithaa, a bypoll success is a veritable springboard for his future political aspirations.

Success for an aggressive DMK is critical as it would lend credence to its campaign line that the people were fed up with the incumbent "horse-trading" regime and wanted to bring it to the seat of power for dispensing good governance.

The DMK has been bolstered with the support of some more parties, including the Left, MDMK and VCK.

A win in this bypoll could help it project itself as a much more redoubtable key Opposition party.

While there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities.

The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round.

The bypoll held on 21 December had seen a record 77.68 percent voter turnout.

There are 59 candidates in the fray, but the fight is essentially a triangular one, with key contenders being ruling AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran, contesting as an Independent.

The ruling AIADMK got back its Two Leaves election symbol back following merger of factions led by Palaniswamy and former rebel O Panneerselvam.

The 2015 R K Nagar bypoll in which Jayalalithaa was elected by a huge margin of 1.5 lakh votes for the first time in this segment had witnessed a record 75 percent turnout.

RK Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.

Follow LIVE updates of the bypoll here
Chennai: This is one record the BJP candidate who contested the RK Nagar bypoll will not be proud of, as NOTA got more votes than he did.

While the main battle was confined to the giants: TTV Dhinakaran and AIADMK veteran E Madhusudhanan, in an interesting aside, NOTA pipped the saffron party's Karu Nagarajan.

As many as 2,373 voters from the constituency did not want to vote for anyone and pressed the electronic voting machine button for None of the Above (NOTA), leaving Nagarajan with a meagre 1,417 votes.

This was his second electoral failure in as many years.

Nagarajan, a regular face in Tamil TV channels who puts forth his party's views on various issues, had unsuccessfully contested the 2016 Assembly polls from Mylapore constituency in this city.

AIADMK had then won the seat.
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The counting of votes for the high-profile RK Nagar Assembly seat will take place on Sunday. The results are expected to be out by afternoon that day, PTI reported.

A record voter turnout of 77.68 percent was registered in the RK Nagar Assembly constituency on Thursday. Election officials said 79.21 percent of women voters exercised their franchise while 75.92 percent of men cast their votes.

Counting of votes to begin at 8 am

The bypoll is being seen as an acid test for the Chief Minister E Palaniswamy and his deputy O Panneeerselvam-led ruling AIADMK which is facing a strong challenge from sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran and an aggressive DMK. The DMK is putting up a tough fight to wrest the seat after a hiatus of over two decades.

A local Tamil news channel showed TTV Dhinakaran as the clear favourite to succeed J Jayalalithaa as the representative of the RK Nagar constituency. ASs per the survey, 37 percent voters wanted him as the MLA, while only 26 percent of those surveyed wanted AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan.

The ruling AIADMK got back its Two Leaves election symbol back following merger of factions led by Palaniswami and former rebel O Panneerselvam.

Of the 59 candidates in the fray, the fight is essentially triangular with the key contenders being ruling AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent.

Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll will begin at 8 am at Queen Mary's College near Marina Beach.

According to News18, there will be 19 rounds of voting. As only one postal vote was received, EVMs will be opened immediately.

As Tamil Nadu observes the 30th anniversary of its late chief minister MG Ramachandran, around 400 policemen have been deployed near the MGR memorial at Marina Beach.

All rounds will be monitored through video

The DMK has won the lone postal ballot in RK Nagar bypoll. The focus now moves to the EVM votes. There will be 19 rounds of counting according as per a report in CNN-News18.

TTV Dinakaran is leading with around 600 votes in RK Nagar by-election, reports CNN-News18.

While TTV Dhinakaran is leading, AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan is trailing by over 350 votes.

Madhavaram S Sudarsanam, DMK's District Secretary for North Chennai alleges that he saw certain "trouble-making and anti-social elements" entering the counting grounds in the morning and that the police were not stopping them.

Chief Minister E Palaniswamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam are together to pay tributes to late chief minister MG Ramachandran, on his 30th death anniversary. Along with them, there are other AIADMK cabinet ministers too.

E Palaniswamy and O Panneerselvam together at the MGR memorial

WATCH: TTV and AIADMK supporters shout at each other in RK Nagar

Independent candidate TTV Dinakaran is leading by 1891 votes. On the other hand, AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan is trailing, winning only 646 votes. DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh is trailing with just 360 votes.

"There are 258 booths, each of which will count 14 EVMs. 252 booths will be counted in 18 rounds and 6 booths will be counted in the last round, making 19 in total," Rajesh Lakhani, Chief Electoral Officer, told Firstpost.

Dhinakaran is currently leading by 5399 votes, while the AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan has garnered only 2737 votes till now.

At the end of first round , TTV Dhinakaran leads by over 5300 votes

As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise. Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security.

Visuals from CNN-News18 shows that AIADMK supporters are creating a ruckus inside the counting centre. Visuals show chairs and papers being thrown at Election Commission officials.TTV Dhinakaran supporters have also been attacked, claim reports. As a result, counting has been halted for temporarily.

Meanwhile. AIADMK workers have sought eviction of journalists from the counting centre in Queen Mary's College in Chennai as they are spreading information about the leads, reports News18 Tamil Nadu.

According to reports, Chennai Police has restored peace. "Compilation of second round is going on, " D Karthikeyan, Chief Electoral Officer, said.

With the first round of counting complete, BJP's RK Nagar candidate, K Nagarajan polled less than a percent of the total votes. (66 of the total 10,042 votes) .

"It might seem like someone is initially leading in a race but in the end, we will win," AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan told News18 Tamil Nadu.

The 2015 RK Nagar bypoll in which Jayalalithaa was elected by a huge margin of 1.5 lakh votes for the first time in this segment had witnessed a record 75 percent turnout.

NOTA has recorded more votes than than the BJP candidate K Nagaraj. (66). While NOTA has recorded 122 votes, K Nagaraj has secured only 66 votes so far.

Naam Tamizhar Katchi party workers outside counting center. TVK Nagar district leader Immanuel A (in yellow) says they are optimistic about coming 2nd and 3rd. They campaigned honestly and have the support of the youth, who constitute more than 80 percent of the party volunteers, he said. K Kalaikottuthayam  Naam Tamilar Katchi candidate polled only 258 votes in the first round.

Naam Tamizhar Katchi candidate gets only 258 votes so far

According to Financial Express, the entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round.

Dhinakaran still leading; NOTA gets more votes than BJP

"Our life is for TTV Dhinakaran, our life is for Chinnamma (Sasikala)", shout supporters. They say TTV Dhinakaran will dissolve the current government.

Subramanian Swamy says two AIADMK faction could merge before 2019 polls

Dhinakaran added that it is not about who has the two leaves symbol but about who actually has the support of the cadres.

He said that the mandate suggested that the people have rejected an anti-people government. "People know that only we can fulfill their aspirations," he said.

Speaking at the Madurai Airport, TTV Dhinakaran thanked the people of RK Nagar for voting him. "Tamil Nadu people have helped us win. I am thankful to them I am saying this from the land of the Madurai Meenakshi."

Speaking to reporters outside the Madurai Airport, Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran has vowed to overthrow the "anti-people" government of E Palaniswamy and O Panneerselvam within the next three months.

While there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities. The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round.

Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran is still leading by a margin of over 8,000 votes over his nearest rival, E Madhusudhanan.

P Puspa, the lone female candidate in the fray has polled merely 26 votes ( 0.13 percent of the total votes), according to the EC report.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan has claimed that the counting trends highlight the fact that cash-for-votes was rampant in the by-election, The Hindu reports.

Another official said police restored peace and that the second round of counting was on. "Police restored peace, Nothing alarming. Compilation of the second round going on," he said.

A senior electoral official said "altercation caused disruption," even as the two rival sides charged each other with roughing up counting agents.

Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll suffered a temporary disruption following an alleged altercation between supporters of independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran and AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan.

Counting was disrupted for a while following AIADMK-TTV spar

After reaching Chennai, TTV Dhinakaran will directly go to Amma (Jayalalithaa) memorial in Marina Beach, say news reports.

A senior AlADMK party leader addressed supporters outside the counting centre and asked them to maintain quiet and calm.

As per the fourth round of counting, TTV Dhinakaran has garnered over 20,000 votes. On the other hand, AIADMK and DMK candidates are in the second and third position.

TTV.Dinakaran on Sunday said the current Tamil Nadu government will fall in three months time. Speaking to reporters at the Madurai airport, Dinakaran predicted that the government headed by Chief Minister K.Palaniswami will fall in three months time. He said the people in RK Nagar have reflected the views of the Tamil Nadu's populace.

'Will bring down government in three months'

Riot police personnel have been deployed in heavy numbers outside the counting centre as a precautionary measure, with the presence of TTV and AIADMK supporters increasing at the counting centre.

As per a News18 report, TTV Dinakaran has reached Chennai and will now travel straight to the Amma memorial in Marina Beach. According to Times Now, he is at the VVIP lounge of the Chennai airport. Notably, today is also the 30th death anniversary of MG Ramachandran, the founder of AIADMK.

AIADMK supporters, who are gathered at the counting centre are hopeful of winning and say the celebrations from the TTV camp are premature. "There are 15-odd rounds to go and the two-leaf will definitely win,"a supporter said.

Speaking to reporters outside the Chennai airport, Dhinakaran hinted that he is the true heir of Jayalalithaa and MG Ramachandran's legacy. He also told reporters that he will snatch away the "two leaves" symbol from the AIADMK.

Updates after the fifth round of counting

The party leaders and members pledged to "work hard to ensure that the rule of AIADMK, founded by MGR and taken forward by Amma (the late Jayalalithaa)," continues for many years.

The leaders and functionaries vowed to take forward the party rule for many more years. Panneerselvam, AIADMK Coordinator and Co-coordinator Palaniswami paid floral tributes at MGR Memorial at Marina. Later, the AIADMK leaders took a pledge to strive for the party's well-being and sustained growth.

The ruling AIADMK led by its top office-bearers O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami today paid homage to party founder, late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary.

Sundaram E, a teacher from Thirunalveli and TTV supporter has come to the counting centre to witness the results and says, "TTV Dhinakaran is a leader who can pull supporters by his side. In politics, this trend is a upward sign for him. For the opponent, its a downward trend. He will do good to the people of this constituency (RK Nagar) as an independent candidate."

Supporters thronging to Chennai from far away locations

All cadres are with me, says Dhinakaran

Also, in the by-election which was held more than a year after the death Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, NOTA votes continued to be higher than the total votes polled by the BJP candidate K Nagarajan (485 votes).

While TTV polled 29,255 votes, AIADMK's candidate Madhusudhanan secured 15,181 votes and the DMK candidate Maruthu Ganesh came third with 7,986 votes.

At the end of the sixth round of counting, TTV Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed former AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala, on Sunday was leading the by-election to Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency. Dhinakaran was leading by a margin of 14,000 votes.

After sixth round of counting, the results are:

Claiming victory, Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran said "this is the best gift for the 1.5 crore party supporters" on the 30th death anniversary of party founder, the late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR.

Mediapersons and supporters have started gathering outside TTV Dhinakaran's house in Adyar to greet him on his arrival.

S Renukadevi has set up shop outside TTV Dhinakaran's home in Adyar. She says she earlier had a shop outside the AIADMK office which was closed when Dhinakaran was sent to jail.

"During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the pressure cooker (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," he said.

TTV Dhinakaran also sought to make light of the E Palaniswami camp winning the Two Leaves symbol after both camps staked claim for it before the Election Commission.

After the eighth round, TTV Dinakaran is leading with 39,548 votes in RK Nagar by-election, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 19,525 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 10,292 votes.

The Hindu reports that the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam and the residence of DMK's Working president Stalin in Chittaranjan Road is wearing a deserted look, as it is increasingly becoming clear that the Dravidian party may end up at the third place.

Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran pays tributes at the MGR and Jayalalithaa memorials, The Times of India reports. Today is also the 30th death anniversary of the AIADMK founder.

The people gathered outside TTV Dhinakaran's house credit this win to a variety of reasons - primarily his smiling face, they say, which is more effective than any money. They also say he has proved he isn't just an election time face by not resting after his campaign but embarking on a State-wide tour, from which he has only just returned.

Thanga Tamil Selvan, addressing the media outside TTV's residence, said that this win at RK Nagar is proof that both the people and the AIADMK cadres are with them. He also claimed that around 60 MLAs, including several ministers are in touch with them. Selvan was earlier a disqualified AIADMK MLA and is now a Dhinakaran aide.

Thanga Tamil Selvan said this is an election against betrayal. He jokingly talked about "sleeper cells" with the AIADMK, that includes serving Ministers, who will be "activated soon"

Thanga Tamil Selvan said this is an election against betrayal. He jokingly talked about "sleeper cells" with the AIADMK, that includes serving Ministers, who will be "activated soon"

Thanga Tamilselvan reiterates that it was AIADMK that distributed money and not those from the TTV Dhinakaran camp.

"The election result shows who the true leader of AIADMK is. After MGR, it was Amma and after her, it is TTV. Once he (Dhinakaran) enters the assembly, MLAs will have no choice but come to his side," Former state minister of higher education and TTV Dhinakaran supporter, P Palaniappan was quoted by The Times of India.

With counting entering Round 16, AIADMK supporters have started dwindling from outside the counting center. The riot police and security personnel take a break before the counting reaches the end.

While Dhinakaran polled 89,013 votes, Madhusudhanan got 48,306 votes. DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh came a distant third with 24,651, in the process losing deposit, as also 57 others, including the BJP nominee.

Dhinakaran bettered the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls.

RK Nagar was therefore seen as a mini-referendum on how the people of Tamil Nadu, more so in the state capital, perceived their government. The result shows EPS and OPS have failed the test.

If there is one thing Dhinakaran's victory has confirmed, it is that the EPS-OPS government's expiry date is nearing. Since February, when EPS won the trust vote by keeping MLAs in captivity at the resort outside Chennai, the government has not faced an electoral test.

As many as 2,373 voters from the constituency did not want to vote for anyone and pressed the EVM button for None of the Above (NOTA), leaving Nagarajan with a meagre 1,417 votes. - PTI

While the main battle was confined to the giants  TTV Dhinakaran and AIADMK veteran E Madhusudhanan, in an interesting aside, NOTA pipped the saffron party's Karu Nagarajan.

This is one record the BJP candidate who contested the RK Nagar bypoll will not be proud of, as NOTA got more votes than he did.

DMKs working president MK Stalin blamed the Election Commission for the partys poor performance. "Not DMK, it was the Election Commission of India that faced a Himalayan defeat in RK Nagar bypoll," he told reporters, according to News18.

#TTVWinsRKNagar | This is a victory for Amma's true loyalists. Our cadre have worked very hard: @TTVDhinakaran #LIVE : https://t.co/lAVV87Be0y pic.twitter.com/hv9fi4A9QL

While talking to CNN-News18 after the victory, Dhinakaran said that the victory has been given by the true loyalists of Amma (Jayalalithaa). He said that all promises made by Jayalalithaa in her old constituency would be fulfilled.

An unlikely symbol of victory, the humble pressure cooker stands tall

TTV Dhinakaran arrives at the counting centre to formally accept his victory

The police struggle to hold the tide of TTV Dhinakaran supporters from following him into the polling centre

Nagarajan, a regular face in Tamil TV channels who puts forth his party's views on various issues, had unsuccessfully contested the 2016 Assembly polls from Mylapore constituency in this city. AIADMK had then won the seat.  PTI

As many as 2,373 voters from the constituency did not want to vote for anyone and pressed the EVM button for None of the Above (NOTA), leaving Nagarajan with a meagre 1,417 votes. This was his second electoral failure in as many years.

While the main battle was confined to the giants  TTV Dhinakaran and AIADMK veteran E Madhusudhanan, in an interesting aside, NOTA pipped the saffron party's Karu Nagarajan.

This is one record the BJP candidate who contested the RK Nagar bypoll will not be proud of, as NOTA got more votes than he did.

NOTA gets more votes than BJP candidate in RK Nagar bypolls

TTV Dhinkaran supporters raise a pressure cooker, his poll symbol at RK Nagar, to commemorate the RK Nagar bypoll victory

After a record voter turnout of 77.68 percent on Thursday, the counting of votes for the high-profile RK Nagar Assembly seat will take place on Sunday. TTV Dinakaran has declared himself as the true political heir of the late J Jayalalithaa after zooming ahead in the by-election to RK Nagar assembly seat in Tamil Nadu. Thanking voters, the sidelined AIADMK leader has vowed to bring down the EPS-OPS government in the state within three months.

Voting for the RK Nagar bypoll passed off peacefully amid tight security. Election officials in Chennai said there may be some variation in the figure after taking into consideration the polling percentage at some booths where voting went on beyond 5 pm. The voter turnout is higher than the 68 percent recorded in the 2016 Assembly election,according to officials.

RK Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.

Election officials said 79.21 percent of women voters exercised their franchise while 75.92 percent of men cast their votes.

The bypoll is being seen as an acid test for the Chief Minister E Palaniswamy and his deputy O Panneeerselvam-led ruling AIADMK which is facing a strong challenge from Dhinakaran and an aggressive DMK.

The DMK is putting up a tough fight to wrest the seat after a hiatus of over two decades.

Of the 59 candidates in the fray, the fight is essentially triangular with the key contenders being ruling AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent.

The ruling AIADMK got back its Two Leaves election symbol back following merger of factions led by Palaniswami and former rebel O Panneerselvam.

The run up to the bypoll saw political parties and candidates holding as many as 152 public meetings and taking out 605 processions with the campaigning ending on 19 December.

The 2015 RK Nagar bypoll in which Jayalalithaa was elected by a huge margin of 1.5 lakh votes for the first time in this segment had witnessed a record 75 percent turnout.

Voting at 258 polling stations passed off peacefully with 2500 state police personnel, 15 companies of Central Armed Police Forces and 1638 election officers manning the poll process.

Serpentine queues were witnessed in booth after booth, right from 8 am when voting began with women outnumbering men in several of them.

A large number of people were awaiting their turn to vote even at the scheduled close of voting at five pm.

All those who were present inside the polling stations ahead of the 5 pm deadline were given tokens by officials to ensure that they exercised their franchise.

There were, however, sporadic complaints of snag in EVMs, and consequential delay.

Some voters complained that their names were deleted, othes claimed their names were struck off the rolls wrongly categorising them as "dead."

Gun-toting Central Armed Police Force personnel in their trademark green uniforms were stationed at all the polling stations and across the 45 checkposts in and around the RK Nagar constituency.

Senior poll officials including the district election Officer D Karthikeyan inspected the polling stations.

Several dozens of flying squad teams, static surveillance teams and video surveillance teams were deployed in the constituency.

Election authorities made elaborate arrangements to ensure both hassle free environs for voters and measures for free and fair polling with nine observers, 307 micro-observers and 258 web cameras to monitor the poll process.

Chennai Corporation personnel drafted for poll duty took differently-abled persons inside the polling stations using wheel-chairs.

In booths that had a significantly high number of voters, a medical team comprising doctors, and paramedics were stationed.

'Pandals' were put up, and help desks helped people find the right booth to vote. Amenities like drinking water, and toilets were also in place.

With inputs from PTI
Chennai: The by-election for former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaas Assembly seat saw not her party candidate, but her aide VK Sasikala's nephew and Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran winning the contest. Dhinakaran won by 40,707 votes. While he polled 89,013 votes, the AIADMK candidate E Madhusudhanan secured 48,306 votes. The DMKs Maruthu Ganesh came third with 24,651 votes.

Dhinakaran maintained a steady lead throughout the 19 rounds of counting. Other than him and Madhusudhanan, all the other candidates will forfeit their deposits for polling less than one-sixth of the votes. The BJPs K Nagarajan polled less than one percent of the total votes. Even None of the Above (NOTA) had more takers than the 1,417 votes Nagarajan secured.

The by-election, held more than a year after the AIADMK matriarchs death, was crucial for all the key contenders: Mannargudi clan and rebel leader Dhinakaran, the main Opposition DMK and the merged AIADMK faction of Chief Minister E Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam.

The AIADMK candidates defeat in the by-election could affect the minority government. Speculation is rife that Dhinakaran might stage a political coup with the support of many sitting MLAs.

Addressing the media outside Dhinakarans residence, his aide and disqualified AIADMK MLA Thanga Tamil Selvan said this win was a proof that both the people and the AIADMK cadres are with them. He joked about "sleeper cells" within the AIADMK, comprising ministers who will be "activated soon".

Commenting on the BJPs poor show, Nagarajan alleged that this election was a through and through cash-for-votes scam. It is the money that spoke and not any of Prime Minister Narendra Modis policies, he said.

The by-election, earlier slated to be held in April, was cancelled by the Election Commission after it found evidence of large-scale bribery of voters by the ruling AIADMK (Amma) and other parties and candidates. The polling, held on 21 December, saw 77.7 percent turnout.

The 2G case judgment, in which the special CBI court acquitted DMK leaders  former Union telecom minister A Raja and Karunanidhis daughter Kanimozhi  on the day of polling boosted the confidence of the party workers, who had been expecting a victory ever since. However, it was Dhinakaran who drew a massive mandate.

At his Chennai residence, his supporters burst crackers and distributed sweets. At the counting centre, a teacher from Thirunalveli and a Dhinakaran supporter Sundaram E expressed hope that the new MLA would do good for the people of his constituency as an Independent candidate.

Party Candidate Votes Vote percentage Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran 89,013 50.32 AIADMK E Madhusudhanan 48,306 27.30 DMK N Marudhu Ganesh 24,651 14.00 BJP K Nagarajan 1,417 0.80 NOTA N/A 2,373 8.22 Total: 1,76,890

Ayswarya Murthy is a Bangalore-based journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.
Sidelined AIADMK leader and independent candidate in the RK Nagar bypoll TTV Dhinakaran is all set for a big win with the vote margin with his rivals further widening by over 26,000 votes at the end of the 13th round of counting of votes.

Dhinakaran is continuing to maintain a comfortable margin over his AIADMK and DMK rivals. The outcome of the RK Nagar bypoll can have a bearing on political equations in Tamil Nadu. The battle for the constituency has become a matter of prestige for the ruling AIADMK as the seat was earlier represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Thanga Tamil Selvan, a disqualified AIADMK MLA and now a Dhinakaran aide, while addressing the media outside TTV's residence, on Sunday said that this "win'' at RK Nagar is proof that both the people and the AIADMK cadres are with them. He also claimed that around 60 MLAs, including several ministers were in touch with them.

According to News18, Dhinakaran, while thanking voters, has vowed to bring down the EPS-OPS government in the state within three months. He has also declared himself as the true political heir of the late Jayalalithaa.

The counting began by 8 a.m. at Queen Mary's College in Chennai and the process is expected to be completed in 19 rounds. As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise.

There are 59 candidates in the fray, but the fight is essentially a triangular one, with key contenders being ruling AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran.

Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security.

The outcome of the result is crucial for all key contenders  the ruling AIADMK, rival leader TTV Dhinakaran, and the main opposition DMK.

For the ruling regime helmed by Chief Minister K Palaniswamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam, it will be seen as an acid test of whether voters prefer them after the demise of their formidable leader late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

For Dhinakaran, who claims to represent the welfare legacy of Jayalalithaa, a bypoll success is a veritable springboard for his future political aspirations.

Success for an aggressive DMK is critical as it would lend credence to its campaign line that the people were fed up with the incumbent "horse-trading" regime and wanted to bring it to the seat of power for dispensing good governance.

The DMK has been bolstered with the support of some more parties, including the Left, MDMK and VCK.

A win in this bypoll could help DMK project itself as a much more redoubtable key Opposition party.

While there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities.

Earlier in the day, counting of votes suffered a temporary disruption following an alleged altercation between supporters of independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran and AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan. A senior electoral official said "altercation caused disruption," even as the two rival sides charged each other with roughing up counting agents.

Meanwhile, the ruling AIADMK led by its top office-bearers O Panneerselvam and E Palaniswamy paid homage to party founder, late chief minister MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary.

The leaders and functionaries vowed to take forward the party rule for many more years. The party leaders and members pledged to "work hard to ensure that the rule of AIADMK, founded by MGR and taken forward by Amma (the late J Jayalalithaa)," continues for many years.
Soon after it was clear that TTV Dhinakaran (also spelt as Dinakaran) would romp home in RK Nagar, Thanga Tamil Selvan, one of the 18 suspended MLAs in Tamil Nadu owing allegiance to the Dhinakaran camp, was asked about the possibility of a rebellion within the ruling AIADMK.

"If you add the 18 legislators, we have 60 sleeper cells,'' he announced with a dramatic flourish. Sleeper cell is a reference to an AIADMK lawmaker who is in fact a Dhinakaran loyalist. A Trojan horse of sorts. "And we will activate them soon,'' he added, with a laugh, raising visions of a political attack in E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam's backyard.

If there is one thing Dhinakaran's victory has confirmed, it is that the EPS-OPS government's expiry date is nearing. Since February, when EPS won the trust vote by keeping MLAs in captivity at the resort outside Chennai, the government has not faced an electoral test.

RK Nagar, therefore, was seen as a mini-referendum on how the people of Tamil Nadu, more so in the state capital, perceived their government. The result shows EPS and OPS have failed the test.

Which means is that Tamil Nadu will once again be thrown into political turmoil. There is a caste angle to this tug-of-war as well. Since EPS became chief minister, the Gounder community has been calling the shots, much to the dismay of the Thevars who controlled the AIADMK when VK Sasikala was the de facto boss. So far, within the party, the Thevars had thrown their weight behind OPS but RK Nagar has proved that Dhinakaran could be the Thevar political chieftain the AIADMK seeks.

"OPS and EPS are mere actors, TTV is for real,'' said a Dhinakaran supporter outside his residence in Chennai. This win makes Sasikala's nephew the inheritor of J Jayalalithaa's legacy. Having won from the late chief minister's constituency  from where she won in 2015 and 2016  without a doubt, raises Dhinakaran's political stature. That he won the election on the day MGR passed away 30 years ago made the occasion that much more significant.

The police seems to know which way the wind is blowing. Chennai-based television commentator Rangaraj Pandey pointed out how on 5 December, the first death anniversary of Jayalalithaa, Dhinakaran had just a single constable around him when he was at her samadhi. On Sunday, an entire posse of policemen provided him security.

The biggest loser on Sunday is OPS. Ten months ago, on a late evening, his stock rose with a dramatic revolt against Sasikala. The manner in which he merged his faction for a few crumbs of power showed he had feet of clay. E Madhusudhanan was his camp's candidate, for he fought within the party. OPS even campaigned aggressively in RK Nagar and Madhusudhanan's defeat is an indictment of Panneerselvam as well.

The AIADMK defeat also proves that a party symbol in itself means nothing. For all the talk of the loyal AIADMK voters' allegiance to the two leaves symbol, on D-day, they decided to vote for the brand new pressure cooker instead. The victory reduces the AIADMK being headed by OPS to a house of cards which could collapse should Dhinakaran apply pressure.

The DMK had hoped to gain from the division in the AIADMK vote. In the end, Dhinakaran's chemistry with the voter proved better than DMK's arithmetic. It came a poor third, leading to wild conspiracy theories about whether the DMK deliberately lost the election to accelerate the ferment in the AIADMK camp. If that is true, many would question the wisdom in creating a situation where Dhinakaran, a formidable political mind, would emerge as a strong leader in the near future and a rival to the DMK.

The BJP, which was seen as indulging in backseat driving all through 2017, controlling the affairs of the AIADMK and the government, ended up with egg on its face, polling fewer votes than even None of the Above (NOTA). Not that the BJP was seen as a strong party in Chennai, but the result proved that it is at best a party confined to the television studios. It blamed money power for its performance forgetting that no one pays money to voters to punch on the NOTA symbol on the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Finally, a word about free and fair elections. It was not a free election as no vote came free, with voters being bribed between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000 by every party. The BJP fared abysmally, polling less votes than NOTA but if there is one part of India that can confirm that achhe din have arrived, it is RK Nagar.

That in a nutshell, is the story of this election.
IANS

It is not just in India, Chinese players grew 125 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) and captured 29 percent of the Bangladesh handset market in the third quarter this year  up from 13 percent in the same period last year  market research firm Counterpoint Research said on Saturday.

"As smartphone penetration in the country increases, local brands, which are losing market share to the Chinese brands, are positioning themselves as best-placed to tailor products to local needs and preferences," said Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research.

Local manufacturer Symphony Mobile remained the top handset player in Bangladesh with 26 percent market share, but its sales declined 24 percent annually owing to tough competition from players like iTel and Nokia.

South Korean giant Samsung was able to maintain its second position in the smartphone segment with 14 percent market share.

Chinese player Huawei clinched the third spot in the smartphone segment with 8.5 percent market share in the third quarter.

Walton was the only other Bangladesh brand to be featured in the top five smartphone brands list, achieving 8.3 percent market share.

Another Chinese player iTel, at number five, captured 6.9 percent share of the smartphone market.

The Bangladesh handset market grew 19 percent (Y-o-Y) and one percent sequentially.

Smartphone shipments contributed to 24 percent of the total mobile phone shipments, signalling a slow but steady adoption of smartphones.

"Consumer uptake has been slow, especially after duties were increased in June 2017 and those interested in buying LTE phones waiting for LTE roll-out, now likely to happen in early 2018," Pathak added.

In India, Chinese vendors captured 49 percent of the Indian mobile phone handset market in the first quarter of 2017  with a 180 percent (year-on-year) revenue growth  threatening to wipe out domestic players from the overall handset segment.

Among the top Chinese brands, Xiaomi witnessed the biggest growth in India this year.
AP

Russian television anchor Pavel Lobkov was in the studio getting ready for his show when jarring news flashed across his phone: Some of his most intimate messages had just been published to the web.

Days earlier, the veteran journalist had come out live on air as HIV-positive, a taboo-breaking revelation that drew responses from hundreds of Russians fighting their own lonely struggles with the virus. Now hed been hacked.

These were very personal messages, Lobkov said in a recent interview, describing a frantic call to his lawyer in an abortive effort to stop the spread of nearly 300 pages of Facebook correspondence, including sexually explicit messages. Even two years later, he said, its a very traumatic story.

The Associated Press found that Lobkov was targeted by the hacking group known as Fancy Bear in March 2015, nine months before his messages were leaked. He was one of at least 200 journalists, publishers and bloggers targeted by the group as early as mid-2014 and as recently as a few months ago.

The AP identified journalists as the third-largest group on a hacking hit list obtained from cybersecurity firm Secureworks, after diplomatic personnel and US Democrats. About 50 of the journalists worked at The New York Times. Another 50 were either foreign correspondents based in Moscow or Russian reporters like Lobkov who worked for independent news outlets. Others were prominent media figures in Ukraine, Moldova, the Baltics or Washington.

The list of journalists provides new evidence for the US intelligence communitys conclusion that Fancy Bear acted on behalf of the Russian government when it intervened in the US presidential election. Spy agencies say the hackers were working to help Republican Donald Trump. The Russian government has denied interfering in the American election.

Previous AP reporting has shown how Fancy Bear  which Secureworks nicknamed Iron Twilight  used phishing emails to try to compromise Russian opposition leaders, Ukrainian politicians and US intelligence figures, along with Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and more than 130 other Democrats.

Lobkov, 50, said he saw hacks like the one that turned his day upside-down in December 2015 as dress rehearsals for the email leaks that struck the Democrats in the United States the following year.

I think the hackers in the service of the Fatherland were long getting their training on our lot before venturing outside.

Classic KGB Tactic

New Yorker writer Masha Gessen said it was also in 2015  when Secureworks first detected attempts to break into her Gmail  that she began noticing people who seemed to materialize next to her in public places in New York and speak loudly in Russian into their phones, as if trying to be overheard. She said this only happened when she put appointments into the online calendar linked to her Google account.

Gessen, the author of a book about Russian President Vladimir Putins rise to power, said she saw the incidents as threats.

It was really obvious, she said. It was a classic KGB intimidation tactic.

Other US-based journalists targeted include Josh Rogin, a Washington Post columnist, and Shane Harris, who was covering the intelligence community for The Daily Beast in 2015. Harris said he dodged the phishing attempt, forwarding the email to a source in the security industry who told him almost immediately that Fancy Bear was involved.

In Russia, the majority of journalists targeted by the hackers worked for independent news outlets like Novaya Gazeta or Vedomosti, though a few  such as Tina Kandelaki and Ksenia Sobchak  are more mainstream. Sobchak has even launched an improbable bid for the Russian presidency.

Investigative reporter Roman Shleynov noted that the Gmail hackers targeted was the one he used while working on the Panama Papers, the expose of international tax avoidance that implicated members of Putins inner circle.

Fancy Bear also pursued more than 30 media targets in Ukraine, including many journalists at the Kyiv Post and others who have reported from the front lines of the Russia-backed war in the countrys east.

Nataliya Gumenyuk, co-founder of Ukrainian internet news site Hromadske, said the hackers were hunting for compromising information.

The idea was to discredit the independent Ukrainian voices, she said.

The hackers also tried to break into the personal Gmail account of Ellen Barry, The New York Times former Moscow bureau chief.

Her newspaper appears to have been a favorite target. Fancy Bear sent phishing emails to roughly 50 of Barrys colleagues at The Times in late 2014, according to two people familiar with the matter. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential data.

The Times confirmed in a brief statement that its employees received the malicious messages, but the newspaper declined to comment further.

Some journalists saw their presence on the hackers hit list as vindication. Among them were CNN security analyst Michael Weiss and Brookings Institution visiting fellow Jamie Kirchick, who took the news as a badge of honor.

Im very proud to hear that, Kirchick said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said the wide net cast by Fancy Bear underscores efforts by governments worldwide to use hacking against journalists.

Its about gaining access to sources and intimidating those journalists, said Courtney C. Radsch, the groups advocacy director.

In Russia, the stakes are particularly high. The committee has counted 38 murders of journalists there since 1992.

Many journalists told the AP they knew they were under threat, explaining that they had added a second layer of password protection to their emails and only chatted over encrypted messaging apps like Telegram, WhatsApp or Signal.

Fancy Bear target Ekaterina Vinokurova, who works for regional media outlet Znak, said she routinely deletes her emails.

I understand that my accounts may be hacked at any time, she said in a telephone interview. Im ready for them.

Ive Seen What They Could Do

Its not just whom the hackers tried to spy on that points to the Russian government.

Its when.

Maria Titizian, an Armenian journalist, immediately found significance in the date she was targeted: 26 June, 2015.

It was Electric Yerevan, she said, referring to protests over rising energy bills that she reported on. The protests that rocked Armenias capital that summer were initially seen by some in Moscow as a threat to Russian influence.

Titizian said her outspoken criticism of the Kremlins colonial attitude toward Armenia could have made her a target.

Eliot Higgins, whose open source journalism site Bellingcat repeatedly crops up on the target list, said the phishing attempts seemed to begin once we started really making strong statements about MH17, the Malaysian airliner shot out of the sky over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people. Bellingcat played a key role in marshaling the evidence that the plane was destroyed by a Russian missile  Moscows denials notwithstanding.

The clearest timing for a hacking attempt may have been that of Adrian Chen.

On 2 June, 2015, Chen published a prescient expose of the Internet Research Agency, the Russian troll factory that won fresh infamy in October over revelations that it had manufactured make-believe Americans to pollute social media with toxic rhetoric.

Eight days after Chen published his big story, Fancy Bear tried to break into his account.

Chen, who has regularly written about the darker recesses of the internet, said having a lifetime of private messages exposed to the internet could be devastating.

Ive covered a lot of these leaks, he said. Ive seen what they could do.
Anirudh Regidi

If I think of Japan, the first things that spring to mind are anime, samurai and sushi. Give that thought some time and my mind settles on the culture, mindfulness and the kindness of the people there.

Heading to Tokyo Design Week (TDW), courtesy of Autodesk, these were the thoughts in my mind. Never having been to a Design Week before, I was unsure of what to expect. Having experienced Autodesk University in the past, I expected something similar: A hodge-podge of assorted art and creations with a pinch of Japanese culture for local flavour.

And did it deliver? Oh yes it did!

The event, which was held in a field situated bang opposite the Meiji Jingu stadium in Tokyo, is an institution in itself. It draws designers and artists from all over the world and myriad creations from graphics designers, artists, architects, engineers and students are shown off here.

The event is a celebration of art and design, and you can't mistake it for anything else.

Autodesk: A tree that masquerades as a car and more

Autodesk had a relatively small booth at TDW but what they had on display was quite intriguing. For starters, they showed off a dress that would start pumping out smoke when someone gets close. At first, you might scratch your head and ask yourself, Why? But then you realise art isnt necessarily about the why.

By definition, art can have no purpose than itself and its exactly what TDW is about.

Moving on, we encountered a gorgeous, futuristic model car that was grown from bio-engineered seeds. I kid you not. Jason Medal-Katz, Gallery Curator and Director of Brand Engagement told us that this is just a concept and that the idea is that you can grow all the components yourself.

This car may not be ready in 50, maybe even a 100 years, he said, adding that the car would be made of a fictional material called biofibre and that it would draw energy from sunlight, emitting only oxygen. The idea might sound zany right now, but you have to admit, its exceedingly cool, and environmentally friendly to boot.

Looking around the booth we also spotted Under Armours boot with 3D printed sole. Wed spotted this at AU: India as well, and you can check out the video below.

Other highlights at the booth also included an intricate, 3D printed model of a building to rival the Burj Khalifa. If youre interested, the spiral structure is designed to dissipate wind forces and thus, reduce vibrations at the top of the the structure.

Autodesk had also set up PCs (not just any PCs, these were Surface Books) on which anyone could come and design something to be 3D printed or laser cut from cardboard. Its a neat idea and something that aligns very well with Autodesks philosophy of nurturing the maker in all of us.

Rimono Prototype No. 1

This fascinating contraption is, of all things, a cloth-covered electric car. Its powered by a 5kW electric motor that draws power from a 4KwH Li-Ion battery.

You steer via handle-bars rather than a steering wheel and you can slot a tablet or phone into the dashboard to serve as your HUD or navigator. This strange contraption seats two (tiny) adults.

Rimono is apparently a take on norimono, the Japanese word for vehicle or thing to ride.

Airo Miro: Fishy, very fishy

By far my favourite of the exhibition was the Airo Miro. Its an A.I. Fish Companion that can actually swim by itself in a water body of your choosing. The fish are very large and seem to have sensors that help them avoid colliding into each other and the edges of, say, your aquarium.

At first glance, theyre very realistic and the movement is very natural.

The fish are powered by an 8.4V, 11,400mA battery and can operate for 10 hours non-stop. These fish are also neither small nor light, weighing in at a whopping 2.8kg. An electronic air bladder embedded in the fish maintains neutral buoyancy and ensures that the fish dont sink to the bottom of your pool.

Now if only they had a life-size sharkbot. What a pool decoration that would be!

Everything else

There was a great deal of other stuff at TDW. We saw myriad robots designed by kids, air displays with floating UI, wooden lego blocks (called Mokulock), fascinating studies in architecture, air filled plastic igloos that hosted sound and light shows, stunning pottery, T-Shirts, paintings, interior design, toys, designer playgrounds (designed by students), a lunar rover, interactive wall fittings and so much more.

The list is long and it is endless. Make sure to check out our Facebook page where we will be putting up images and videos of all of the above and more. You can also check out Tokyo Design Weeks own Facebook page where theyve also posted pictures of all the above.

Disclaimer: Tech2 was invited to Tokyo Design Week by Autodesk. All expenses related to travel and accommodation were borne by Autodesk. However, every effort has been taken to keep the events coverage as impartial as possible.
Beijing: China's home-grown AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft in production, took to the skies on Sunday for its maiden flight.

The plane codenamed "Kunlong" according to state news agency Xinhua, took off from the southern city of Zhuhai and landed after roughly an hour long flight.

With a wingspan of 38.8 metres (127 feet) and powered by four turbo-prop engines, the aircraft is capable of carrying 50 people and can stay airborne for 12 hours.

"Its successful maiden flight makes China among the world's few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft," chief designer Huang Lingcai told Xinhua.

The amphibious aircraft has military applications but will also be used for firefighting and marine rescue, with at least 17 orders placed so far with its state-owned manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China, state media reported.

While it is around the size of a Boeing 737, the AG600 is considerably smaller than billionaire Howard Hughes' flying boat, better known as the Spruce Goose, which had a wing span of 97 metres and a length of 67 metres but only made one brief flight, in 1947.

The AG600's flight capabilities put all of China's island building projects in the South China Sea well within range.

The aircraft can fly to the southernmost edge of China's territorial claims - the James Shoal - in just four hours from the southern city of Sanya, state-owned Global Times reported.

The shoal is also claimed by Taiwan and Malaysia, and is currently administered by Malaysia as the collection of submerged rocks lies roughly 80 kilometres from its coastline and about 1,800 kilometres from the Chinese mainland.

Beijing's buildup in the South China Sea, through which some $5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes, is hotly contested by other nations.

The Philippines for many years was one of the region's strongest opponents of Chinese expansionism, and brought a complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal.

The panel ruled last year that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis, but the Philippines has backed away from the dispute under its new president Rodrigo Duterte.

The launch of the new amphibious aircraft also adds to China's rapidly modernising military.

Earlier this year, it launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, which complemented the Liaoning, a secondhand Soviet carrier commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.

China's military expenditure in 2016 was an estimated $215 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, putting it in first place in Asia, well ahead of India ($56 billion), Japan ($46 billion) and South Korea ($37 billion).
Cairo: Masked gunmen opened fire on a cafe south of the Egyptian capital, killing three people, security officials said.

The attack, which took place overnight in the village of Al-Ayat about 50 kilometres from Cairo, left at least five others wounded, they said.

While the motivation was unclear officials suspect it was a criminal incident rather than terrorism.

State-run newspaper Akhbar al-Youm, citing witnesses, said two attackers arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire on people in the cafe before fleeing.

Security officials arrived at the scene and also interviewed injured people in hospital to try to identify and arrest the attackers, the newspaper reported.
Davao: At least 37 people, including call centre staff from an American firm, are believed to have perished in a fire that tore through a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, local authorities said on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte, himself a Davao native, visited distraught relatives outside the burning building overnight but told them there was "zero" chance their loved ones had survived, witnesses told AFP.

Firemen found one body as the blaze was brought under control Sunday, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, the president's daughter, told reporters.

Firemen have concluded that all those trapped in the building are dead, she said, adding: "They assessed that no one would survive in that heat and with that thick, black smoke."

The deadly fire adds fresh misery for the mainly Catholic Philippines at Christmas as the death toll from a tropical storm that hit the south on Friday topped 200 and displaced tens of thousands of others.

The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall on Saturday morning sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky over Davao.

With low wages but strong English language skills, the Philippines is a popular destination for international companies to set up customer call centres.

The mall's top floor housed a 24-hour call centre for US multinational SSI, a market research company.

Jimmy Quimsing, a retired seaman, was one of the relatives desperately waiting for news.

His 25-year-old son Jim Benedict worked at the call centre and had not been in contact since the fire broke out.

Quimsing said he spoke to President Duterte and had been told to prepare for the worst.

"He told us zero, no one would survive under these circumstances," he told AFP.

Duterte's special assistant Christopher Go confirmed the bulk of the conversation to AFP.

Paolo Duterte, the president's son and the vice mayor of Davao, also wrote on Facebook that fire officials had told him there was "zero" chance of anyone trapped surviving the blaze.

No ventilation

In a statement on its local Facebook page SSI Philippines Davao said it would set up a "command centre" for relatives of those missing.

"Please continue to pray for everyone's safety," the firm added.

Davao fire marshal Honeyfritz Alagano said the blaze may have started with a spark on the third floor of the mall, which had a furniture section.

"One of our firemen here has a kid who is an (call centre) agent in there. He told us some of them went to collect their stuff at their lockers and were trapped," Alagano told AFP.

"The mall is an enclosed space with no ventilation. When our firemen tried to enter they were pushed back by smoke and fire," she said.

Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards.

"It's possible that while they were working, they did not immediately notice the fire spreading," Davao police officer Ralph Canoy told AFP, referring to the call centre workers.

Davao, with a population of about 1.5 million people, is the biggest city in the southern Philippines. It is about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Manila, the nation's capital

The president served as mayor for more than two decades and continues to go home there on weekends from his work at the presidential palace in Manila.

His daughter succeeded him as he ran for president, with one of his sons also winning the vice mayoralty post.

Most of those killed by the recent tropical storm were also in the southern region of Mindanao.

There have also been horrific fires in bigger buildings and factories, where corruption and exploitation mean supposedly strict standards are often not enforced.

Seventy-two people were killed in 2015 when a fire tore through a footwear factory in Manila. Survivors of that blaze blamed barred windows and other sweatshop conditions for trapping people inside the factory.

In the deadliest fire in the Philippines in recent times, 162 people were killed in a huge blaze that gutted a Manila disco in 1996.
Moscow: Thousands of Russians on Sunday endorsed the candidacy of Alexei Navalny, seen as the only Russian opposition leader who stands a fighting chance of challenging strongman Vladimir Putin in a March vote.

Thousands of people who back the charismatic 41-year-old lawyer were meeting in 20 Russian cities to nominate him as a candidate in the presence of electoral officials to boost his chances of making the presidential vote.

In Moscow alone, more than 700 people supported Navalny's candidacy as they gathered in a huge tent set up in a picturesque park on the snow-covered banks of the Moscow River.

"I am hugely happy, I am proud to tell you that I stand here as a candidate of the entire Russia," the plucky Western-educated lawyer told supporters at the Moscow event which at times felt like a US campaign conference.

"We are ready to win and we will win these elections," Navalny said before finishing his speech in a cloud of confetti.

Two members of the Central Election Commission attended the Moscow event, Navalny's campaign said.

Earlier Sunday supporters in other Russian cities also endorsed his candidacy, including more than 800 people in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, more than 900 in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and over 700 in Novosibirsk in Siberia, his campaign said.

Electoral officials have deemed Navalny ineligible to run due to a criminal conviction, saying "only a miracle" would help him get registered.

Navalny, who has tapped into the anger of a younger generation who grew up under Putin and yearn for change, hopes that popular support for his Kremlin bid would pressure authorities into putting his name on the ballot.

'Thwart dishonest elections'

An independent candidate needs at least 500 votes to get registered with election authorities, according to legislation.

Navalny has said he would get at least 500 Russians in each of the 20 cities to support his candidacy to make it harder for the authorities to reject his bid.

Putin, 65, announced this month that he will seek a fourth presidential term, which would extend his rule until 2024 and make him the longest-serving Russian leader since dictator Joseph Stalin.

Opposed by token opposition candidates, he is widely expected to sail to victory.

On Sunday, Navalny reiterated his threat to call for a boycott of the polls if he did not get registered.

"Thwart the elections if they are dishonest," he said.

With the result of the March vote a foregone conclusion, turnout could be low, harming Putin's hopes for a clear mandate, observers say.

"If Navalny is not allowed to run I am not going to vote," pensioner Marina Kurbatskaya told AFP in Moscow. "I don't see anyone else who I want to become president."

Navalny has built a robust protest movement in the face of persistent harassment and jumped through multiple hoops as he campaigned across the country in an effort to shift attitudes amid widespread political ennui.

He says he is the only Russian politician who has run a genuine Western-style political campaign, stumping for votes in far-flung regions.

Many critics scoff at Navalny's Kremlin bid but the anti-corruption blogger says he would beat Putin in a free election if he had access to state-controlled television, the main source of news for a majority of Russians.

'Need new president'

Navalny shot to prominence as an organiser of huge anti-Putin rallies that shook Russia in 2011 and 2012 following claims of vote-rigging in parliamentary polls.

The rallies gradually died down but he has been able to breathe new life into the protest movement this year, bringing out tens of thousands of mostly young protesters onto the streets.

"Navalny is the only real opposition candidate," Sergei Dmitriyev, 60, told AFP in the second city of Saint Petersburg where more than a thousand supporters gathered to support Navalny's bid.

"We need a new president," added Alexander Semyonov, 18.

Despite a litany of problems such as corruption, poor healthcare and increasing poverty, opinion polls suggest Putin enjoys approval ratings of 80 percent.

Asked why Navalny had been barred from running, Putin  who has refused to mention him by name in public  said the opposition was hoping for a "coup" but would not succeed.
Jerusalem: Thousands of Israelis on Saturday held a demonstration in Tel Aviv for the fourth week running calling for the resignation of the "corrupt" government and its head.

In Jerusalem, hundreds also took part in a rally against graft headed by a rightwing former member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's staff.

Organiser Yoaz Hendel said the Jerusalem protest was "in support of law enforcement".

The protests came days after Netanyahu lashed out against police, accusing them of conducting an investigation against him aimed at ending his premiership.

Netanyahu has been questioned seven times in the past year in two corruption probes.

Protesters in central Tel Aviv held signs calling for the resignation of the "crime minister" and other "corrupt" members of Netanyahu's government suspected of misconduct.

In Jerusalem, one sign read: "We deserve clean politics".

Speaking at the Jerusalem rally, former defence minister Moshe Yaalon said corruption worried him more than anything else.

"It's a greater danger than the Iranian threat, (Lebanese movement) Hezbollah, (Palestinian movement) Hamas or the Islamic State" jihadist group, he said of corruption, without naming Netanyahu.

"Corruption is a disease," he said, "a disease that must be healed by electing and appointing honest people."

Netanyahu has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and says he is the target of a smear campaign by political opponents.

In one investigation, he is suspected of illegally receiving gifts from rich personalities including Australian billionaire James Packer and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan.

In a second case, police suspect Netanyahu sought a secret pact for favourable coverage with the publisher of the top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

The alleged scheme, not believed to have been finalised, would have seen him receive favourable coverage in return for helping curb Yediot's competitor, the pro-Netanyahu freesheet Israel Hayom.

The 68-year-old premier has not been formally implicated, but reports say police were set to recommend the justice ministry press charges.
Manila: Some 200 people have been killed in the southern Philippines after a tropical storm battered the archipelago nation's second-largest island, triggering heavy flooding and landslides that have ravaged towns and displaced tens of thousands.

Tropical Storm Tembin lashed Mindanao island, home to 20 million people, on Friday with gusts of 125 kilometres an hour and torrential rain, wiping out at least one mountain village and prompting a massive rescue operation over the weekend.

Police said 144 people remained missing while more than 40,000 had fled to evacuation camps as Tembin roared out into the South China Sea early Sunday.

"People left everything behind when they fled for their lives," the IFRC's Philippines operations and programmes manager Patrick Elliott said in a statement.

The Philippines is pummelled by major storms every year, many of them deadly, but Mindanao tends to be less affected.

Footage shows vast tracks of land on the island is now under brown water, often waste deep as local try to flee to safer ground.

Local police said 135 people were killed and 72 were missing in the northern section of Mindanao, while 47 were dead and 72 missing in the impoverished Zamboanga peninsula on its western side.

Another 18 people perished in the province of Lanao del Sur in the centre of the island.

One of the places hit hardest by the storm was the mountain village of Dalama, which was virtually erased from the map.

Footage filmed by Filipino television network ABS-CBN showed houses destroyed or engulfed by floodwaters there and rescuers retrieving the body of a dead girl buried in a landslide.

Police, soldiers and volunteers used shovels and their bare hands to dig through mud and debris in their search for survivors.

"The flood was already close and the people were not able to get out from their homes," Armando Sangcopan, an elderly male survivor, told the station.

Rescuers said a total of 103 houses were carried off by rampaging floodwaters in Dalama.

The storm approached the western island of Palawan, a popular tourist draw, late Saturday and swept into the South China Sea before dawn, the state weather service said.

"So far zero casualties, but we have accounts of some people missing," Palawan civil defence chief Zaldy Ablana told DZMM radio in an interview on Sunday.

But in a Palawan fishing village, a 53-year-old man was killed by a crocodile while securing his boat in a river.

Tembin struck less than a week after Tropical Storm Kai-Tak left scores dead and more than 20 missing in the central Philippines, straining the disaster-prone nation's already stretched resources.

The deadliest typhoon to hit the country is still Haiyan, which killed thousands and destroyed entire towns in heavily populated areas of the central Philippines in November 2013.
Caracas: Venezuela on Saturday said two diplomats from Canada and Brazil were no longer welcome, in an escalating showdown over their criticism of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government.

The head of the powerful pro-government Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, said the body decided on the move against Brazil's ambassador Ruy Pereira and Canadian charge d'affaires Craig Kowalik.

"We have decided to declare persona non grata the Brazilian ambassador until such time as constitutional order is restored in the neighboring country," Rodriguez said referring to the government of Brazilian President Michel Temer.

The Brazilian conservative replaced leftist Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff after she was impeached and Kowalik of Canada has been carrying out "nagging, constant rude and offensive interference in Venezuela's domestic affairs."

On the Twitter account of the Canadian embassy in Caracas, she said, the assembly was described as a threat to Venezuelans' ability to elect their leaders, including their next president.

Last week, Brazil urged Venezuela, which has been sidelined from the regional trading bloc Mercosur, to improve its human rights record. Temer said he would welcome Caracas back into Mercosur's fold when Venezuela returns to democracy.

Venezuela considers Rousseff to have been pushed out in a political "coup d'etat" in Congress.

No time frame was set for the diplomats' departure, she said.

In Brazil, the government said that if the measure were to take place, Brazil would take reciprocal steps.
No one sells more goods and services to the government than Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Boeing (NYSE: BA). These two aerospace giants are the Nos. 1 and 2 biggest contractors to the federal government, respectively -- and to the Pentagon and NASA -- according to a 2016 report by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). And yet, when it comes to space contracting, these two behemoths now have a new rival.

No, I'm not talking about SpaceX. I'm talking about Virgin Orbit.

Virgin? You mean that airline run by the guy with the funny beard?

Yes, that's the one. The guy's name is Sir Richard Branson, and to date, he's founded some five dozen various "Virgin" companies. Most relevantly, in addition to Virgin Airlines (which he sold to Alaska Air last year, by the way), Branson has set up space tourism company Virgin Galactic, and also its recently separated-out subsidiary Virgin Orbit, which aims to deploy satellites by using airplanes to fire rockets into orbit. It's this latter subsidiary that I want to talk about here.

Last month, Virgin Orbit announced that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has contracted with Virgin Orbit to run a "Space Test Program" for it. Virgin will fly a specially modified Boeing 747 dubbed "Cosmic Girl" to 35,000 feet, and there fire off disposable "LauncherOne" rockets to carry "technology demonstration satellites" into orbit. Flights are to begin sometime in 2019 under the aegis of the DoD's Defense Innovation Unit Experimental department (DIUx).

What is DIUx?

DIUx can best be thought of as a venture capital arm of the Pentagon. Tasked with solving a specific problem, DIUx enters into "pilot contracts for commercial innovation" with private companies -- and it has a particular focus on signing up "nontraditional or small businesses" like Virgin (as opposed to traditional megadefense contractors like Lockheed and Boeing). Companies that come up with workable solutions can then "easily enter into follow-on contracts" with the Pentagon for production of their solutions.

Seeking to take advantage of this program, Virgin is setting up a dedicated subsidiary to work with DIUx and other DoD departments on this and other military work. The new Virgin subsidiary will be called VOX Space (presumably short for Virgin Orbit eXperimental). Operating out of California, VOX Space already has its own mission statement: to "provide responsive, affordable launches to the national security community of the USA & its allies."

And now it has a Pentagon contract, too.

What does it mean to Lockheed and Boeing?

Through sales to the Pentagon, NASA, and other government agencies, Lockheed Martin racked up $43.4 billion in government contracts last year, according to GSA data (Boeing ran a distant second at $26.5 billion in government contracts). Although we don't know exactly how large the DIUx contract with VOX Space is, when compared to these sums, it's not likely that VOX Space poses any immediate danger to traditional defense contractor hegemony within the Beltway. The fact that we haven't heard any specific dollar figure attached to the Space Test Program with DIUx further suggests that the size of the initial pilot contract is not material.

That said, Branson's Virgin companies have proven themselves to be aggressive and successful competitors to more established corporations. Taken in conjunction with the rise of multiple other small rocket and small satellite companies, one way to view VOX Space's arrival on the new-space scene would be as "just one more" challenge that Lockheed and Boeing must overcome.

That being said, the list of those challenges -- and challengers -- is getting pretty long. If Boeing and Lockheed don't watch out, they might just find their military space businesses disrupted from below.

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Rich Smith 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.
It took the better part of a year, but the GOP and President Trump have their first major legislative win under their belts. Though healthcare reform failed on many accounts, tax reform has not. After some smoothing over, a reconciled tax bill between House Republicans and GOP Senators passed muster in Congress and won President Trump's signature to become law.

The new law, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, has two primary purposes: cut taxes, and simplify the tax code. For instance, individual taxpayers will find that some of the income ranges that correspond to a specific income-tax rate have been increased, while a few of the seven separate tax rates have been decreased. Also, the standard deduction for single and married tax filers has been nearly doubled, while a number of deductions and credits were eliminated.

Corporations might be an even bigger beneficiary. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers the peak marginal corporate income-tax rate form 35%, which is among the highest in the world, to just 21% on a permanent basis. The thesis here is that putting more money into the pockets of businesses will allow them to hire more workers, boost the wages of existing employees, and expand through reinvestment.

This industry won't be seeing green following the new tax law

However, not every industry is going to be able to take advantage of the new law. Marijuana companies that had been hoping for a reprieve from U.S. tax code 280E will continue to get the short end of the stick.

U.S. tax code 280E, which has been on the books for over three decades, states:

In plainer English, because marijuana is still a Schedule I, and thus wholly illegal, drug at the federal level, pot businesses remain unable to take normal corporate income-tax deductions. That leaves businesses that are profitable to pay an effective tax rate of as much as 90% on their profits. This tax rate is especially crippling considering that Marijuana Business Daily's latest annual report forecasts legal U.S. sales growth of 45% in 2018.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) tried to make headway during the Senate's phase of tax discussions in early December. He submitted an amendment for discussion that would have removed marijuana businesses from the constraints associated with 280E, allowing them to be taxed like a normal business.

However, Gardner's amendment gained no traction and wasn't even voted on. Why? First, Republicans have a far more conservative view on the expansion of cannabis than do Democrats. The latest Gallup poll showed that just 51% support the idea of legalizing weed, which is still within the margin for error to be below the 50% line.

The other issue is that the Congressional Budget Office predicts that the tax law will add nearly $1.5 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years. Essentially, the GOP needs every cent in tax revenue that it can get, which means continuing to tax cannabis businesses at well above the 15% to 30% marginal rate that most normal businesses pay.

Marijuana companies may actually face a double whammy

And that's not the end of it by any means for pot companies.

In addition to getting no reprieve in the GOP's legislation, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is waiting in the wings for any opportunity to pounce on medical-marijuana businesses operating in the 29 states that have legalized medical cannabis since 1996. Remember, this is an individual who believes that "good people don't smoke marijuana," and that medical cannabis isn't a proper way to deal with America's opioid crisis.

The only thing that's kept Sessions at bay is the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, which disallows the Justice Department from using federal dollars to prosecute medical cannabis businesses. However, in September, the House Rules Committee blocked a vote on renewing the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment (this is the same as the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, but with a different sponsor). Blocking this vote doesn't necessarily mean the amendment will be excluded in future federal budget discussions -- the Senate can always add it -- but it does remove one opportunity for medical-cannabis businesses to be protected. If neither GOP-controlled house of Congress adds the amendment to a longer-term federal spending bill, Sessions would be free to begin prosecuting pot businesses.

Sure, the pasture is looking greener for most corporations heading into 2018, but don't look for that same cheer among the marijuana industry.

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The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
A star of the popular reality show "The Real Housewives of New York City" was arrested early Sunday after she allegedly attacked an officer and threatened to kill police during a drunken rampage in Florida.

Luann de Lesseps, 52, was arrested in Palm Beach on charges of battery on an officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest with violence and crimes against a person, Fox 29 reported.

Later Sunday, she tweeted an apology, explaining: "This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being here brought up buried emotions."

De Lesseps, known as "The Countess" on the hit Bravo show, appeared in court early and was released on her own recognizance, according to the Palm Beach Post.

The 52-year-old slammed a door and kicked at least one police officer during the incident early Sunday, an assistant states attorney told the court.

"Im going to kill you all," the states attorney said De Lesseps told people prior to her arrest, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Judge Ted Booras allowed de Lesseps, who has no prior offenses, to go back to New York before her next court appearance on Jan. 25.

He also advised the reality star to not to incriminate herself, and respond to him when he said she might have a drinking problem.

De Lesseps is a former wife of Count Alexandre de Lesseps, and retained the French royal title after their 2009 divorce until she married Tom DAgostino Jr. in 2016. The two split earlier this year, according to TMZ.

Her full tweet Sunday afternoon read: "I want to offer my most sincere apologies to anyone that I might have offended with my behavior. This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being here brought up buried emotions. I am committed to a transformative and hopeful 2018."

Click for more from Fox 29.
A British baker has recreated the little town of Bethlehem entirely out of fruitcake.

Master baker Lynn Nolan, from the village of Youlgrave, constructed the six-foot-tall, three-foot-wide edible nativity scene using about 44 pounds of butter, 110 pounds of marzipan and 1 gallon of whisky  and took six months to complete.

The 61-year-old mother of two said her miniature marvel was made with the goal to help raise funds for a local school in her village, the Youlgrave Church of England Primary School.

11 CRAZIEST GINGERBREAD HOUSES OF INSTAGRAM

I made the village of Bethlehem cake to raise money for a new playground, Nolan wrote in an email to HuffPost.

The Christmas model depicts the main street of Bethlehem with a lively market filled with marzipan vendors selling spices, food and textiles.

In the center of the busy display is a barn where a small Mary and Joseph sit admiring tiny Jesus in a crib. The trio are surrounded by detailed cows and sheep, as well as shepherds. The three wise men are seen nearby, waiting to approach the baby.

Nolan also added an LED element, hardwiring lights throughout the cake made to look like glowing candles in the building windows.

Nolan has created edible replicas for charity before  once making a 16 building model of her home village, which raised nearly $15,000 for a new roof for the church.

"When I finished the village model last year I said 'never again', she told SWNS.

"But people kept asking me this year if I was going to do another one so I said 'oh alright then', she continued. I was thinking about doing an Austrian Christmas market but then I thought the Nativity would be a great idea.

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The Bethlehem structure was auctioned off in more than 20 pieces on Wednesday. But it probably wont be the last of Nolans festive seasonal creations.

God knows what theyll have me baking this time next year, she said.
A Florida man living in Indonesia is fighting for his life after he plunged 33 feet off a rooftop while chasing a monkey that had snatched his favorite Pittsburgh Steelers cap, according to a report out Saturday.

Jeff "Swede" Swedenhjelm, 40, reportedly was diagnosed with severe spinal damage by hospital officials in Bali, and is paralyzed from the chest down.

"Our utmost concern is to get Swede out of Bali and into a country with a spinal specialist" such as Singapore, his daughter, college student Lyric Swedenhjelm, told Northwest Florida Daily News.

His daughter also said her dad is in a medically-induced coma and on a ventilator.

The family has started raising money through GoFundMe to cover the estimated costs of the travel and medical care, which Lyric said could amount to $60,000.

TRUMP TAKES AN INTEREST IN AMERICAN'S BALI PRISON ORDEAL OVER MEDICAL MARIJUANA

She added that her father moved to Bali years ago and has neither money nor medical insurance.

Their fundraising effort has already pulled in over $58,000. It depicts Swedenhjelm at the hospital and includes quotes attributed to him:

"A few nights ago, in Bali, I had an accident that has crippled me from the chest down, and has only allowed me to feel a tingling sensation in hands and arms. Obviously this is going to incur a great deal of medical expenses."

The message adds, "I am hopeful that the time we shared on this wonderful planet has given me enough love and respect in your heart to make you want to help. I have never been the one to ask for help, especially in monetary form, but any help will be taken to heart. Thank you all in advance. One Love. <3 Swede."
Americans could soon be celebrating Christmas the way they did decades ago, because of cases the U.S. Supreme Court may decide in 2018 and because of President Trumps promise to bring Merry Christmas back into the American mainstream.

A resurgence of respect for Christianity in politics is already restoring legal standards concerning Christmas. Both of these together could now give the faithful a resurgent role in culture.

The Constitutions Establishment Clause states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Those words did not prevent Congress from passing a law many years ago recognizing Christmas as a paid federal holiday. However, the Supreme Court in the 1960s adopted a novel reinterpretation of those words, advocating strict separation between faith and public life that has plagued the law ever since.

In 1989 the high court considered the constitutionality of Christmas and Hanukkah displays in Pittsburgh, consisting of a Nativity scene in a county courthouse and a Christmas tree and menorah in the park outside. In County of Allegheny v. ACLU, a narrowly divided 5-4 Supreme Court adopted the endorsement test. The court found that government actions touching upon faith violate the Establishment Clause if a reasonable observer would conclude the government is endorsing religion.

Besides just Christmas displays, the endorsement test has barred prayers, Christmas concerts, Easter celebrations, Ten Commandments displays and even war memorials.

Applying that subjective test, the Supreme Court struck down the Nativity display, but allowed the Christmas tree and menorah to survive. The nine justices split between five separate opinions, with justices joining some parts of some opinions. The endorsement test was an unmitigated train wreck, impacting both politicians and popular attitudes.

The only coherent opinion was the four-justice dissent written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, joined by conservatives like Justice Antonin Scalia. Kennedy insisted endorsement was a terrible test.

Instead, Kennedy wrote that the Establishment Clause forbids only government actions that meet historical standards for officially adopting religions. Examples of this would be mandating church attendance or government appointment of church leaders. Another example would be coercing people into religious activities that violate their conscience.

The Nativity scene is fine under this standard. If you dont like it, dont look at it. The government is not making anyone bow before it. It coerces no one. It doesnt mean the display is OK. It just means that the issue is one for local officials answerable to the people to decide, rather than for a federal judge.

Besides just Christmas displays, the endorsement test has barred prayers, Christmas concerts, Easter celebrations, Ten Commandments displays and even war memorials. In October, the Fourth Circuit federal appeals court struck down as a religious endorsement a century-old World War I memorial in Bladensburg, Maryland, because it prominently features a Celtic cross. This puts the constitutionality of Arlington National Cemetery in doubt.

The Supreme Court is expected to have an opportunity in early 2018 to take the Maryland case. In 2014 the justices took a major step in replacing the endorsement test with the history-and-coercion standard. Legal experts are eager to see if the justices will now go the distance.

As the Supreme Court returns to the historical understanding of the Establishment Clause and national leaders like President Trump shape the national discussion, Christmas can have a comeback in American culture.

President Trump has taken a side in the decades-long War on Christmas, promising that Americans will start saying Merry Christmas again! He is fulfilling that promise through his public statements, policy pronouncements, and his judicial appointments  especially to the Supreme Court.

While Justice Neil Gorsuch is President Trumps sole appointee to the Supreme Court so far, experts anticipate two more appointments to the high court. President Trumps ability to win Senate confirmation of the nominee of his choice will be impacted by whether Republicans retain control of the Senate in the 2018 midterms.

But already, the president is delivering on his promise. Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
The polls sponsored or cited by news organizations indicate that only between one-third and half of all Americans support the tax cuts signed into law Friday by President Trump. But the first thing to remember about these polls is that they were conducted by the same pollsters who told us Hillary Clinton would be elected president last year.

However, there may be some truth to the finding in the polls that many Americans have an astounding ignorance of economic history. This needs to be addressed.

The economic concepts involved in the justification of the new tax cuts are not difficult to understand. However, the interpretation given by Democrats to justify their opposition to the tax reductions is being accepted much more widely than the Republican rationale in favor of tax cuts.

Ever since Democrat Franklin Roosevelt won the presidency in 1932 by blaming the Depression on the perfidy of large corporations, Democrats have preached that government is the answer to all our troubles and that high tax rates are required to pay for government. If you accept this premise, you wind up concluding that corporations are bad and government is good.

The middle class will see its main benefits from the expansion of the economy  higher wages, more price competition, more new businesses and more money floating around.

As Rush Limbaugh has pointed out, Democrats have never accepted the fact that President Reagans tax cuts in 1984 and 1986 brought about 20 years of prosperity in America. The result is that the Democrats have rewritten history: Reagans tax policies were bad and Obamas tax policies were good, they claim.

Here are five simple facts:

1) Economic expansion means that companies are building new plants, buying more capital equipment, doing more advertising, researching more inventions, shipping more goods and using more energy. This leads to hiring more people, which leads to labor shortages instead of labor surpluses. As a result, wages have to go up in order to attract new employees and keep current employees.

2) Economic expansion requires more investment capital. Building factories, buying trucks, and developing new products cant take place without seed money  money spent before anything is produced to generate new income. For example, a company can spend millions of dollars building an auto factory before the first car rolls of the assembly line and can be sold.

3) When taxes are kept low, less money is taken from profits to give to the government. That means businesses have more money. But the shareholders of companies demand productive uses of the extra money  they dont want it sitting in a low-interest bank account. Why not? Because expanding the company increases the value of their stock, while hording or even distributing cash reduces asset value and thus the price of the stock.

4) Consequently, company executives spend the extra money on projects that they believe will add to the growth of the company. This means expansion of some kind  whether expansion of product line, facilities, equipment, or advertising. Any kind of expansion means more people are hired to fill more jobs.

5) New products, new ideas and new procedures all require employees with new skills. So the training departments of companies, programs at colleges and vocational schools, and retraining programs of all kinds flourish because of new needs and new markets.

The above five facts lead to a clear conclusion: tax policy that sparks economic expansion is a very good thing for everyone, not just for corporations and the rich.

The real value of tax reductions is not that they lower personal income tax rates or raise deductions. The middle class will see its main benefits from the expansion of the economy  higher wages, more price competition, more new businesses and more money floating around.

The Democratic idea  that middle-class support for tax policy depends on how many dollars an individual will save with a tax cut  is totally misplaced. What are a few dollars less in my taxes compared to the new job I just got, or my raise, or the new business I just started?

The underlying problem with the socialist view of the economy is that socialism views the economy as static  the classes never change: the poor will always be poor, the rich will always be rich, and the middle class can never become rich but is always on the cusp of being poor. Thus, the rich are the enemy of the other classes, because they must keep the other classes down to maintain their own riches. This is a pie that never gets bigger.

But Americans dont believe in socialism. We think the pie can get bigger, and that any poor person can become rich, with talent and hard work. Americans have what is called upward mobility  the opportunity to change ones place in society, to become richer, smarter, happier and healthier.

The government cant do that. Only you and I and our fellow Americans can expand our lives. And expanding our economy helps  a lot!
Hamilton is about to give its 1,000th performance, a major milestone for a Broadway show.

I have to admit, when I first heard of it  a hip-hop musical about that guy on the $10 bill  I thought it was a joke. Who would write such a thing? And whod pay Broadway prices to see it?

The answer to the first question is Lin-Manuel Miranda, whod already had a major hit with In the Heights, and was inspired by Ron Chernows bestselling biography of Alexander Hamilton.

The answer to the second question is so many people want to see it that two-and-a-half years after it opened, its still the hottest ticket in town.

And I think thats cause to celebrate.

Hamilton had become the forgotten Founding Father, nowhere near as famous as Washington, Franklin or Jefferson. Indeed, the man who helped set up our countrys financial system was scheduled to be removed from the $10 bill.

Then came Hamilton, and Alexander became the hippest of the Founders, his place on our currency secure.

I see the show as sort of cross between two blockbuster musicals from the late 1960s, Hair and 1776.

Like Hair, Hamilton helped bring the sound of its day (first rock and now rap) into the world of mainstream Broadway. And like 1776, Hamilton took a well-known story about the early days of our republic (the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the life leading up to this shouldnt be a spoiler  Hamiltons duel with Aaron Burr) and turned it into gripping theatre.

Hamilton is also filled with influences from numerous other classic musicals. You can hear echoes of shows like The Pirates of Penzance, South Pacific, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pacific Overtures and Rent, to name a few. In addition, there are many shout-outs to pop, rock, R&B and rap.

The show features over 30 numbers, giving everyone  including Hamilton, his wife Elizabeth, Burr (whos actually fairly sympathetic), Washington, Lafayette, Jefferson, King George and others  their moment to shine.

Its a great show by any standard, but perhaps the masterstroke was hiring a racially and ethnically diverse cast. This takes a story from over 200 years ago and brings it into the 21st century.

Too many people, especially young people, feel the story of the Founders is not their story. Some might even ask why the concerns of a bunch of dead white males have anything to do with them.

Hamilton answers that question. The story of the Founders is everyones story. Their triumphs are our triumphs, and their problems are problems we still grapple with today.

Many who attend the musical, no doubt, dont see todays political situation the same way Lin-Manuel Miranda does. But thats OK. As the show demonstrates, the people who founded this country didnt see things eye to eye either.

The show has won 11 Tony awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but thats icing on the cake. Whats important about Hamilton is it reminds us that our history is as relevant as ever, and the story that the Founders started is still being written.
A federal judge in Seattle on Saturday partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States.

U.S. District Judge James Robart heard arguments Thursday in lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service, which say the ban causes irreparable harm and puts some people at risk. Government lawyers argued that the ban is needed to protect national security.

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications. He said his order applies to people "with a bona fide relationship to a person or entity within the United States."

President Donald Trump restarted the refugee program in October "with enhanced vetting capabilities."

The day before his executive order, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees must be banned unless additional security measures are implemented.

It applies to the spouses and minor children of refugees who have already settled in the U.S. and suspends the refugee program for people coming from 11 countries, nine of which are mostly Muslim.

In his decision, Robart wrote that "former officials detailed concretely how the Agency Memo will harm the United States' national security and foreign policy interests."

Robart said his order restores refugee procedures in programs to what they were before the memo and noted that this already includes very thorough vetting of individuals.

In a statement, Department of Justice spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam said: "We disagree with the Court's ruling and are currently evaluating the next steps."

The ACLU argued the memo provided no evidence for why additional security was needed and didn't specify a timeframe for implementing the changes. The groups say the process for imposing the policy violated a federal law.

August Flentje, a Justice Department attorney, told the judge that the ban is temporary and "is a reasonable and appropriate way for agency heads to tackle gaps" in the screening process.

The lawsuits from the two groups were consolidated and represent refugees who have been blocked from entering the country.

The ACLU represents a Somali man living in Washington state who is trying to bring his family to the U.S. They have gone through extensive vetting, have passed security and medical clearances, and just need travel papers, but those were denied after the ban.

Lisa Nowlin, staff attorney for the ACLU of Washington, said in a statement they were happy for their client -- "who has not yet had the opportunity to celebrate a single birthday with his younger son in person -- will soon have the opportunity to hold his children, hug his wife in the very near future, and be together again as a family for the first time in four years."

Two other refugees included in the Jewish Family Service lawsuit are former Iraqi interpreters for the U.S. Army whose lives are at risk because of their service.

Another is a transgender woman in Egypt "living in such extremely dangerous circumstances that the U.S. government itself had expedited her case until the ban came down," said Mariko Hirose, a lawyer with the Jewish Family Service case.

Yet another is a single woman in Iraq, Hirose said. Her husband divorced her after she was kidnapped and raped by militants because she worked with an American company. Her family is in the U.S. but she's stranded by the ban, Hirose said.
President Trump took aim on Saturday at two senior FBI officials who have recently been the target of Republican critics.

In several afternoon tweets, Trump drew attention to recent news stories about FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe's rumored agency exit.

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits, Trump tweeted. 90 days to go?!!!

His tweet appeared to be in reference to a Saturday story published by The Washington Post saying McCabe plans to retire in several months after becoming eligible for benefits.

Fox News confirmed that McCabe will be eligible for retirement in March, but it is not yet clear if that's his plan.

Republicans have long questioned McCabes ties to the Democratic Party, considering his wife ran as a Democrat for a Virginia Senate seat in 2015.

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? Trump asked.

Trump also commented on the news that FBI General Counsel James Baker, the bureaus top lawyer, is being reassigned to another role at the FBI.

Wow, FBI lawyer James Baker reassigned, according to @FoxNews, Trump tweeted.

Fox News confirmed Saturday that Baker, who has served as the FBI's general counsel, was removed from his position at the agency but was not fired and will remain an FBI employee. There's no word yet on who will replace him.

The general counsel plays a large role at the FBI, and is read in on every investigation the bureau takes on.

Sources familiar with Baker's movement told Fox News that his re-assignment has more to do with other leak investigations than it has to do with inquiry into Russian influence in the 2016 elections.

The Washington Post first broke word of the story earlier this week, saying Baker had been removed from his post and would be reassigned at the bureau.

The newspaper reported that Baker had been caught up in a strange interagency dispute that led to a leak probe and attracted the attention of senior lawmakers, but that the issue had not played a part in Bakers reassignment.

COMEY DEFENDS REASSIGNED FBI LAWYER

On Friday evening, the website Politico published a story saying House Republicans were interested in Bakers contacts with a liberal reporter from Mother Jones in the weeks ahead of the 2016 election.

Former FBI Director James Comey defended the bureaus recently reassigned top lawyer and suggested the move was political.

Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain, Comey tweeted Friday night.

Comey, who was fired by Trump earlier this year, tweeted: James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better. He is what we should all want our public servants to be.

Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
A bomb squad investigating a suspicious gift-wrapped Christmas package from the American people that was left outside the home of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin found that it was horse manure.

A Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad responded Saturday after a neighbor in the city's Bel Air section reported seeing the package in the driveway of Mnuchins residence, KTLA-TV reported.

But it turned out that the package, wrapped in Christmas paper and addressed from "the American people," was filled with horse manure, LAPD Sgt. R. Briggs said. Officials determined that it was not a threat.

A Christmas card discovered inside made negative references to Mnuchin, President Donald Trump and the $1.5 trillion tax bill that Trump signed into law Friday, police said.

The package was removed from the scene a short time later. Reports suggest that no one was evacuated from the area. Police havent released additional information about the package.

The LAPD said the Secret Service was taking over the investigation. The Secret Service told The Washington Post on Sunday it was aware of this matter but referred all questions back to Los Angeles police. The Secret Service could not be reached by Fox News for an immediate comment.

It wasn't clear whether Mnuchin or his wife, Louise Linton, were inside the home at the time.

Mnuchin became the 77th secretary of the U.S. Treasury in February, when the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment by President Trump.
Trump critic and Republican Sen. Jeff Flake suggested Sunday that the presidents words and actions have left him open to a primary challenge if he seeks reelection.

If he continues on the path that he's on, that is going to leave a huge swath of voters looking for someone else, Flake, who is not seeking reelection in 2018, told ABC News This Week. He's probably inviting a Republican challenge.

Flake also said Trumps continued path could result in a diminished base and a huge swath of voters in the middle that may be looking for something else -- including a far left president like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent, or Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The first-term senator has been perhaps the most outspoken congressional Republican against Trump.

Flake has made clear that he didnt vote for Trump in 2016. And, he has openly criticized the president on several matters over roughly the past 18 months, including Trump's travel ban affecting mostly Muslim countries -- and more recently the presidents support for Republican Roy Moore, who recently lost the special Senate election in Alabama amid accusations of sexual misconduct decades ago.

Flake, whose opposition to Trump in conservative-leaning Arizona hurt any reelection chances, also said Sunday that Trump certainly will face a challenge from an independent candidate, which has happened to every president in recent history.

However, Flake said that he doesnt plan on seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 2020.

I don't rule anything out, but it's not in my plans, he told ABC News.

Flake also suggested he wouldnt leave the GOP and that Moores defeat could turn around the party and help it move away from its "ultra-nationalist" element.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump on Sunday extended his feud with the FBI's top brass, singling out Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whose wife's Virginia Senate campaign in 2015 received donations from the political action committee of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Clinton ally.

".@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,'" Trump tweeted, quoting Fox News' Ed Henry.

TRUMP RIPS TOP DOG AMID REPORT OF RETIREMENT PLANS

Trump has long been critical of the FBI and McCabe, who participated in the agencys investigation into Hillary Clintons use of private email servers while secretary of state. The president has ramped up his criticism since McCabe announced this weekend that he would retire in 2018.

"FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!" Trump tweeted Saturday.

He also tweeted earlier in the day: "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?"

FBI'S ANDREW MCCABE IN SPOTLIGHT AMID TRUMP TEXT CONTROVERSY

Henry said Sunday morning on "Fox & Friends": "Andrew McCabe, in addition to his wife getting all this money from McAuliffe in this race, he was using, allegedly, his FBI official email account to promote her campaign. You obviously cannot do that, and these were the people who were investigating Hillary Clinton."

McCabes wife, Jill, received roughly $675,000 from McAuliffes PAC Common Good VA and the Virginia Democratic Party, according to FactCheck.org. The group reported that McCabe was at the time running the FBIs Washington, D.C., bureau that was assisting with the Clinton email probe and that he didnt become deputy director until after his wife lost her bid.

The Justice Departments Inspector Generals Office is reportedly probing McCabes role in the Clinton email investigation.
President Trump talked Sunday with top U.S. military leaders overseas, telling them and their troops in a Christmas Eve teleconference that Americans are incredibly grateful for them and their families service and sacrifice.

We're fighting well and we're winning, Trump said to the leaders at the start of the teleconference. Wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  And most importantly, on behalf of American people, were incredibly grateful for you and your families, always under appreciated.

Since the start of his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump has made the U.S. military a top priority, vowing to provide more funding for military operations and to take better care of veterans.

Trump on Friday in fact touted the fact that the temporary spending bill recently passed by Congress included $4 billion he wanted for missile defense programs.

The president was joined Sunday on the teleconference by leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard -- including some helping U.S. partners in the fight against Al Qaeda, the Taliban and the Islamic State terror group, in such countries as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Among the leaders was Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Goossen, an Ohio resident and commander of the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squad in Qatar.

Under his command, the  squadron has dropped more than 1,400 weapons on Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan targets to support the grounds forces in the coalition, the White House said. Lt. Col. Goossens poised leadership style, operational savvy, and his strategic understanding have enabled the squadron to maintain surge operations for more than four months. There is almost no hour of the day when one of his crews is not providing an airborne aluminum overcast in the fight that has liberated thousands of square miles of Iraq and Syria from the clutches of the ISIS.

The other leaders on the call were Coast Guard Capt. Matthew Wadleigh, a California resident with 30 year of service and stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Army Col. Charles Chuck Lombardo, a Missouri resident and brigade commander of the 2d BDE, 1st Armored Division, known as the Iron Brigade and station in Kuwait; Marine Col. Christopher Gideons, a Virginia resident and commanding officer of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force in Kuwait; and Navy Cmdr. Timothy LaBenz, a Philadelphia resident and commanding officer of the USS Sampson in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

Thank you and your crew for outstanding work in defending high value assets in the Strait of Hurmuz, the Red Sea. Trump said.

The president also told the leaders: It's going to be an incredible year. Im happy to bring seasons greeting on behalf of the first lady and our entire family.

Fox News' Serafin Gomez contributed to this report.
A woman who booked a flight from Houston to Washington, D.C., accused United Airlines of giving her first-class seat to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas  and later threatening to remove her after she complained and snapped a picture of the anti-Trump congresswoman, although the airline said it happened because the woman canceled her reservation on the airline's app.

Jean-Marie Simon, who used 140,000 miles to buy first-class tickets to take her from Washington, D.C., to Guatemala and back home, described the experience as so completely humiliating, reports the Houston Chronicle.

When it was time to board the last leg of her flight home from George Bush International Airport on Dec. 18, the gate attendant told Simon that her paper ticket was not in Uniteds system and asked if shed canceled her flight.

"No," the 63-year-old attorney replied. "I just want to go home."

Simon was told that her seat was taken, and United gave her a $500 voucher and reseated her in the Economy Plus section in row 11.

Later, Simon learned that Jackson Lee, who has been a vocal proponent of impeaching President Trump, was in the seat shed purchased and has alleged that the congresswoman received preferential treatment, which United denies.

"We were concerned by this issue and took immediate steps to fully understand what happened. After thoroughly examining our electronic records, we found that upon receiving a notification that Flight 788 was delayed due to weather, the customer appears to have canceled her flight from Houston to Washington, D.C. within the United mobile app," United said in a statement to Fox News. "As part of the normal pre-boarding process, gate agents began clearing standby and upgrade customers, including the first customer on the waitlist for an upgrade."

Simon denied that she canceled her ticket. She did not comment further when contacted by Fox News.

Jackson Lee issued a statement on Saturday afternoon to the Chroncile, saying "I asked for nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary and received nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary." The congresswoman's office did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.

Simon shared a screenshot of the United website that showed only one inactive reservation, which was a flight to Houston in August that she canceled because of Hurricane Harvey.

A United spokesperson told Fox News the screenshot didn't show the December flight as canceled because Simon ultimately took the flight. The airline provided the Chronicle with another screenshot of its internal software and said it showed the flight had been canceled on the mobile app, but that was not verified by the publication.

The airline said it reached out to Simon "to explain what occurred, to apologize for her experience and will be offering compensation as a gesture of goodwill."

Simon reportedly saw Jackson Lee board the plane with a flight attendant before all of the other passengers but did not immediately recognize her. A short while later Simon snapped a picture of Jackson Lee and told a flight attendant that she knew why shed been bumped.

In her statement, Jackson Lee said she overheard Simon speaking with an African-American flight attendant and saw her snap the photo.

"Since this was not any fault of mine, the way the individual continued to act appeared to be, upon reflection, because I was an African American woman, seemingly an easy target along with the African American flight attendant who was very, very nice," Jackson Lee said in the statement, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"This saddens me, especially at this time of year given all of the things we have to work on to help people. But in the spirit of this season and out of the sincerity of my heart, if it is perceived that I had anything to do with this, I am kind enough to simply say sorry."

Simon said Jackson Lee's statement accused her of racism, adding: "I had no idea who was in my seat when I complained at the gate that my seat had been given to someone else," she said. "There is no way you can see who is in a seat from inside the terminal."

About five minutes after Simon took the photo on the plane, Simon said, another flight attendant sat next her and asked if she "was going to be a problem."

On Facebook, Simon wrote that she sat next to a Texas congressman who identified Jackson Lee as being in Simon's seat and said to her that this was the third time he personally had watched the Houston congresswoman bump a passenger, adding, "Jackson Lee gives us all a bad name; its shameful."

When she got home, Simon wrote a letter to airline's CEO and posted it on Facebook and Twitter. A "resolution manager" called her the next day and apologized at least a half-dozen times, she told the Chronicle.

However, Simon said she still wants a formal, written apology from United.

"It's just impossible to suspend disbelief and swallow that story that I canceled my flight," Simon said.

This incident is the latest in a series of customer relations gaffes this year for United.
A sweet moment was caught on video Wednesday when a Navy trainee made it home to Georgia just in time for the holidays and planned a surprise visit for his mother, Fox 5 reported.

His mom, Kenika Johnson, was just starting her shift as an operating room nurse at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, according to the hospitals Facebook post. One of her co-workers motioned her over to a door and told her to stand right here because she had a little present coming.

HIGH SCHOOL JANITORS REACTION TO SURPRISE CHRISTMAS GIFT GOES VIRAL

An employee knocked a few times and moments later, the nurses son appeared.

Johnsons youngest son, Martabius, has been in Texas training for the Navy, Fox 5 said, and his mom clearly didnt expect to see him.

When Johnson noticed her son, she squealed with joy and jumped into his arms, engulfing him a big hug. As the embrace endured, her happy screams changed to happy tears.

UTAH DAD PREPARED TO TAKE OUT LOAN AFTER PORCH PIRATES STEAL PRICEY MEDS FROM ILL SON

Martabius had been working with her [Johnsons] manager to plan a top-secret mission, the video post said. It had been viewed some 38,000 times as of Saturday.

When asked by Fox 5 about the experience, Johnson said she felt so many emotions.

Im really touched  I felt the Childrens love yesterday, she said.
The Department of Homeland Security said chain migration is the common element in two cases allegedly tied to terrorism activities, according to a statement released Saturday.

In the statement on Twitter, Acting Press Secretary Tyler Houlton said DHS can confirm the suspect involved in a terror attack in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and another suspect arrested on terror-related money laundering charges were both beneficiaries of extended family chain migration.

Chain migration is when an immigrant gains legal entry into the U.S. via sponsorship by a family member whos already a legal resident or citizen. The Trump administration launched a campaign against the immigration system, in favor of a more merit-based structure, favoring education and job potential as factors.

WHITE HOUSE TO PUSH MERIT-BASED IMMIGRATION IN NEW CAMPAIGN

The memo referred to Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty, 51, who it said was a naturalized U.S. citizen admitted to the U.S. from Egypt on a family-based visa. El-Mofty went on a shooting spree Friday in Harrisburg and was reportedly targeting police officers.

The gunman, carrying two rifles and a shotgun, fired at officers in multiple locations.

"He fired several shots at a Capitol police officer and at a Pennsylvania state police trooper in marked vehicles," Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said. The state trooper was injured but is doing well, he said.

El-Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood and encountered law enforcement officers, who ultimately killed him after he fired many shots at them.

The statement also mentioned Zoobia Shahnaz, who DHS said was a naturalized U.S. citizen who entered from Pakistan, also on a family-based visa. Shahnaz was indicted on Dec. 14 after she allegedly laundered more than $85,000 through Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies overseas to the Islamic State.

END CHAIN MIGRATION, AS TRUMP WANTS, AND SWITCH TO MERIT-BASED IMMIGRATION

Acquiring the money through fraudulently obtained credit cards and a bank loan, Shahnaz laundered the funds to people in Pakistan, China and Turkey and planned to travel to Syria and join ISIS, federal officials said.

Shahnaz was charged in federal court with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

In the DHS statement Saturday, Houlton said, These incidents highlight the Trump administrations concerns with extended chain migration.

Both chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by terrorists to attack our country, Houlton said. Not only are the programs less effective at driving economic growth than merit-based immigration systems used by nearly all other countries, the programs make it more difficult to keep dangerous people out of the United States and to protect the safety of every American.
Butting heads once again with the White House on immigration, California Gov. Jerry Brown used a Christmas holiday tradition to grant pardons Saturday to two men who were on the verge of being deported for committing crimes while in the U.S.

Brown characterized the pardons as acts of mercy, according to an article on Saturday in the Sacramento Bee.

The Democratic governor moved as federal officials in recent months have detained and deported immigrants with felony convictions that resulted in the loss of their legal residency status, including many with nonviolent offenses from years ago.

With the pardons, the reason for deportation may be eliminated, lawyer Kevin Lo of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus, which represented some of the men in a recent class-action lawsuit, said in the Bee. The pardoned immigrants will still need to ask immigration courts to reopen their cases, he said.

In all, Brown pardoned 132 people for mostly nonviolent and drug-related crimes, and commuted the sentences of 19 others, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Browns pardons involved two Northern California Cambodian men picked up in October in immigration sweeps, Mony Neth of Modesto and Rottanak Kong of Davis.

Kong was convicted on felony joyriding in 2003 in Stanislaus County at age 25 and sentenced to a year in jail. Neth was convicted on a felony weapons charge with a gang enhancement and a misdemeanor charge of receiving stolen property with a value of $400 or less in 1995 in Stanislaus County, The Bee said.

Both men came to the U.S. as children after their families fled the Khmer Rouge.

Brown last defied the White House in October by signing into law so-called sanctuary state legislation, placing limitations on state and local law enforcements ability to help federal officials enforce immigration violations.
A statue of a Confederate soldier that stood high atop a Georgia cemetery was severely vandalizedwith the statues hands and rifle cut off and its face bashed in.

Someone or a group of people entered Myrtle Hill Cemetery on Wednesday before damaging the monument, which was built in 1887.

It looked like it was surgically cut, Rome City Manager Sammy Rich told the Rome News-Tribune. Its just super disappointing that somebody would go to that much trouble to get up there, put a ladder up or whatever to reach it.

Cemetery Director Stan Rogers estimated the value of the damages at $200,000, the newspaper reported.

MEMPHIS CONFEDERATE STATUES REMOVED AFTER CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO SELL PARKS

The vandalism comes amid a nationwide debate about whether Confederate monuments should be taken down. Across the U.S., at least 25 cities and towns have removed or relocated Confederate monuments.

The monument was removed and the city will try to determine whether it can be fixed and put back.

The cemeterys gates are locked to vehicular traffic, but anyone could have made the hike on foot up the hill.

Police have said they're investigating the incident but don't have any leads yet.
A Minnesota woman who was kidnapped at gunpoint by her ex-boyfriend earlier this week outside her job was found alive on Saturday, officials said.

Nicole Smith, who was abducted in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka on Thursday, returned to her family Saturday evening, the Minnetonka Police Department said in a news release.

Were happy Nicole is home, and our thoughts are with her and her family, Minnetonka Police Captain Shelley Petersen said in a statement. Now, our continued focus is to locate Jahon Douglas. We believe him to be armed and dangerous; if anyone has knowledge of his whereabouts, do not approach him."

Douglas, 37, was seen by a witness abducting Smith at gunpoint around 4 p.m. on Thursday and forcing her into a silver 2001 Pontiac Bonneville with license plate 947-WWM.

Smith returned home a little more than two days following her abduction. Police said they are still investigating the details surrounding her abduction and return, and had no further details.

The pair had a history of domestic disputes, police told the Star-Tribune.

Family members on Saturday said they were thankful that Smith made it home.

MS-13 FOILED IN ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP, KILL TEEN BOY ON LONG ISLAND

"I just want to thank everyone who was there to help--family members, the media and friends," Karen Weborg, Smith's mother told FOX 9. "I'm so grateful that she's home and safe."

Police still warned that Douglas remains on the loose and remains "armed and dangerous," adding that anyone who spots him should contact police.
Relatives and friends of two Ohio postal workers slain by an enraged, naked coworker were at a loss to explain the violence that occurred Saturday morning.

Police said DeShaune Stewart, 24, of Columbus, was charged with killing his supervisor at a post office in Dublin, Ohio, and then killing the Dublin postmaster outside the Columbus apartment complex where she lived.

Both killings were regarded as acts of workplace violence, police said, adding that they believed Stewart regarded the victims as being to blame for his impending dismissal from his job.

Stewart was naked and carrying a weapon at the time of both killings, which occurred about three hours and four miles apart, authorities said.

He should have never died the way he died, Lisa Gonzales said about her brother, Lance Herrera-Dempsey, 52, the supervisor and U.S. Army veteran who was one of the victims, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Police said Stewart arrived at the Dublin post office around 4:30 a.m. -- three hours early -- approached Herrera-Dempsey, and shot him. When the supervisor fell to the floor, Stewart shot him again, killing him, police said.

About three hours later, Stewart  again naked and armed  was seen chasing postmaster Ginger Ballard, 53, around a parking lot, the Dispatch reported.

Then Stewart threw her to the ground, where she struck her head and died, according to police.

I just dont understand; I loved her so much, friend Terri Rivera wrote on Facebook about Ballard, the Dispatch reported. I pray for all of you who she touched.

Stewart has been charged with aggravated murder for fatally shooting Herrera-Dempsey in Dublin and with murder for killing Ballard in Columbus, police said.

Patrol officers arrested Stewart shortly after Ballard was killed. They recovered a handgun after he tried to run away, police said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
A pregnant woman was shot and killed in her sleep when someone opened fire on her southern Arizona home early Saturday, but doctors were able to deliver her baby, according to police.

The Tucson Police Department said in a news release several people in the home were awoken at 4:30 a.m. to the sounds of 19-year-old Jasmine Vega screaming before becoming "unresponsive."

Arriving officers found Vega unconscious and transported her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Vega was six months pregnant at the time, according to police.

"Hospital staff were able to successfully deliver her unborn child, who is currently being treated at the hospital," Tucson police said.

The baby's father, Anthony Rivera, told Tucson News Now the baby boy is in critical condition and on life support.

TEXAS WOMAN WHO HAD MISCARRIAGE STABBED FRIEND TO DEATH, TOOK INFANT, POLICE SAY

Evidence at the scene, including "several projectile holes in the walls of the residence," indicates multiple gunshots were fired into the home, police said.

It's not yet known if anyone was specifically targeted in the shooting. No one else was injured in the shooting, police added.

Authorities have not identified any suspects, and are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact police.
Five people were killed, including family members, on Sunday morning after a small plane crashed after taking off from a Central Florida airport in heavy fog, officials said.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release the twin-engine private plane took off around 7:15 a.m. from the Bartow Municipal Airport, located about 45 miles east of Tampa, and headed east into the fog before it crashed.

Polk County Sheriff's Office confirmed five people, including the pilot, on board the Cessna 340, "perished upon or immediately after impact."

The victims, identified by the sheriff's office, included: pilot John Shannon, a 70-year-old local attorney, and John's daughter, Olivia Shannon, who was a 24-year-old student at Southeastern University. Both were of Lakeland, Fla.

Also among the victims were Baltimore residents Victoria Shannon Worthington, a 26-year-old school teacher who was also John's daughter; Victoria's husband, Peter Worthington Jr., 27, who was a third year law student at the University of Maryland; and family friend Krista Clayton, of Lakeland, who was a 32-year-old teacher.

John Shannon, according to the sheriff's office, "filed a flight plan this morning to fly to Key West." His daughter, Victoria, and her husband, Peter, arrived to Florida on Saturday to celebrate the holidays.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Shannon, Worthington, and Clayton families. This is a tragedy any time, but it is so much worse because it happened on Christmas Eve," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "We are providing all of our resources to assist them with anything they need to help them get through this horrific tragedy."

"There was a fire after the plane crashed, which was put out by Polk County Fire Rescue personnel," the sheriff's office said.

A helicopter pilot with the sheriff's department was in a hanger and heard the plane starting to take off, according to Judd. He said "seconds later," he heard a sound change and impact at the north end of the airport.

"There was no chance of survival," he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending a team to investigate the cause of the crash, and will also be joined by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Sheriff's Office said the fog likely contributed to the crash, Fox 13 Tampa reported.
Family members say a Virginia couple tried to get their teenage daughter to end a relationship with a boyfriend whom the parents believed espoused neo-Nazi views.

Now that boyfriend, 17, has been charged with killing the parents.

Police say the teen fatally shot Scott Fricker, 48, and Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, 43, of Reston, after they caught the teen in their 16-year-old daughter's bedroom around 5 a.m. Friday and tried to get him to leave, the Washington Post reported.

After allegedly shooting the parents, the boy, of Lorton, Va., shot himself in the head, but has survived, police said. He remains unidentified because of his age.

On Dec. 17, Kuhn-Fricker sent an email to the principal of the Fairfax County, Va., private school that the daughter and her boyfriend attended, alerting the principal about her concern regarding the boys beliefs.

In the email, the Post reported, she attached images of the boys social media account in which he had retweeted messages praising Hitler, supporting Nazi book burnings, calling for "white revolution," and making derogatory comments about Jews.

I would feel a little bad reporting him if his online access was to basically be a normal teen, but he is a monster, and I have no pity for people like that, the mother wrote in the email. He made these choices. He is spreading hate.

"(H)e is a monster, and I have no pity for people like that. He made these choices. He is spreading hate."  Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, in email to a school principal regarding her daughter's boyfriend.

The girls family staged an intervention Wednesday, took her to a friends house in Washington, D.C., and tried to convince her to stay away from him. The girl eventually agreed it was in her best interests to end the relationship, the Post reported.

The parents went to check in on their daughter Friday morning, after possibly hearing a sound, a detective told the girlfriends grandmother. They discovered the boyfriend in their daughters bedroom. The girls father shouted at the boy, told him to leave and never return. The boy then pulled out a gun and fatally shot both parents before turning the gun on himself.

The police reportedly havent discovered a motive but family members and friends blamed it on the couples struggle to keep hate out of their home, the Post reported, citing family members.

The teen has been charged with two counts of murder. He is in a hospital in critical condition. A law enforcement source told FOX 5 police are investigating the boy's alleged neo-Nazi connection.

The boy's family declined to comment.

Several neighbors laid flowers outside the home Saturday, and said the entire neighborhood is feeling a profound loss.

"They just seemed like people we would like to know better and they are just gone. We all really feel big loss," neighbor Danuta Moon told FOX 5. "They were a very new part of this community but we all really started to like them very much."
Grand Canyon Spirits owner Cecily Maniaci is bringing the local corner liquor and convenience store back to Flagstaff.

Maniaci brought the store to the corner of Humphreys Street and Fort Valley Road from Tusayan in November. She opened the store in Tusayan in 2008 as a gift shop.

However, the gift shop idea didnt do so well with the downturn in the economy, she said. So she switched the store to a liquor and convenience store where locals and tourists could find the goods they needed.

Maniaci said she brought the store to Flagstaff because she wanted to move the business closer to the other businesses she has in this city. Maniaci also owns the two Toasted Owl restaurants on the east and west sides of Flagstaff and the Hoot Mart on North San Francisco Street. She was traveling back and forth to Tusayan two or three times a week and it was just getting to be too much, she said.

The shop consists of one side of entirely non-alcoholic drinks and snacks and a spot for Wheelys Cafe to sell their coffee. The other side has a growing stock of wines, liquors and spirits. Maniaci said she hopes to continue to add to the stock of snacks, drinks and other merchandise available as more requests for items come in from the neighborhood. She also wants to bring in some of the sandwiches from the Toasted Owl into the shop.

She said she wants the store to become a local favorite. She loves the new location of the store because its in a small neighborhood where she gets to see regular customers. Most of the customers in Tusayan were tourists who were looking for a bottle of wine or something for their picnic to the Grand Canyon. She said it was great meeting so many people from different areas of the world, but theres something special about being the corner convenience store and being able to great the regulars as they come in the door.

The store carries a number of local brews and Arizona beers, wines and liquors, as well as Matador Coffee and Huppy Bars, she said. But she is more than willing to try and order anything a customer requests. Shes been able to fill a number of requests already and is almost always surprised by what people ask for.

For example, rye whiskeys are a popular request, so she ordered in a number of different kinds. Cream sherry was another unusual item.

Maniaci said that even though she doesnt drink much, she likes learning about the different liquors, wines and beers and the stories behind why customers are seeking them. She said the stock at the store will continue to grow to meet the needs of the neighborhood.

Maniaci, who was a high school teacher, said she isnt worried about the students from nearby Flagstaff High School getting access to the alcohol. The store is clearly divided into an alcohol-only and non-alcohol side, which makes it easy to spot customers who may not belong in the side with the alcohol. She also trusts her staff, some of whom have worked for her for many years.
A mother in North Texas is feeling extra grateful this Christmas after police in Fort Worth replaced gifts for her three sons that were stolen out of her truck Friday.

Brittney Curry told Fox 4 News she thought the holiday was going to be ruined after a Grinch stole bikes, games, shoes and clothes out of the truck after it was left in a parking lot for several hours.

"There was no way we were going to be able to rebuy any of those gifts," she told Fox 4. "I was devastated."

Curry said she bought the gifts on Friday with a Christmas bonus check.

"Who steals that kind of stuff? What kind of heart do you have?" she said.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR NAVY TRAINEE'S MOM BEATS ANYTHING BOUGHT AT A STORE

After she broke the news to her sons, Curry then contacted Forth Worth Police who told her a group of teens was seen near the vehicle that afternoon.

When Curry called again to follow up on Saturday, police surprised her and said they had three bags of gifts they wanted to bring over.

"This Christmas will always be remembered. It will always be a story."  Brittney Curry

Officers later stopped by and let the boys pick their own gifts from toys donated to the department for young crime victims.

"It's nice to be able to have something just good happen, Officer Bradley Klingberg told Fox 4 News. "Any time you can go and make a real difference in someone's life, it feels really good."

IN FINAL HOLIDAY PUSH, UPS GRABS ITS ACCOUNTANTS TO DELIVER PACKAGES

Curry said the officers were "talkative and amazing" with her sons, and that they turned a "horrific Christmas" into something else.

"This Christmas will always be remembered. It will always be a story," she said
A woman was killed and her husband seriously injured after a vicious mauling by two pit bulls on Christmas Eve in a Kentucky coal town.

Two Bell County deputies responded to the scene Sunday morning in Arjay and discovered the woman and her husband had been savagely attacked by two pit bulls, the sheriff's department said in a statement. Investigators said the husband managed to shoot the dogs afterwards, killing one of them.

The Bell County Coroner's Office said the woman who was killed was Lorraine Brock Saylor, 66.

WYMT-TV identified the husband as Johnny Saylor.

The sheriff's department said a caller had reported his brother and sister-in-law were attacked by two of their neighbors dogs, WLEX-TV reported.

DEPUTIES WATCHED DOGS 'EATING RIB CAGE' OF VIRGINIA WOMAN, 22, DURING MAULING, SHERIFF SAYS

Lorraine Saylor was declared dead at the scene. Her husband was hospitalized.

The husband suffered wounds as well, but was able to shoot both dogs, killing one while the other ran off, the department said.

The sheriff urged residents to be on the lookout for the injured dog.

Under no circumstances are you to engage this dangerous animal, the department said.
An intense blaze broke out at the London Zoo Saturday morning, likely killing five animals.

Zoo employees mourn the death of a 9-year-old aardvark, Misha, and potentially four meerkats who workers were unable to locate in the fire.

The staff was absolutely devastated upon hearing the news about Misha, zoo director Dominic Jermey said.

We had our vet team on site immediately but sadly there was nothing that they could do, he said.

LAST OF NEPALS DANCING BEARS RESCUED BY ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP

Employees at the zoo, the world's oldest scientific zoo, were treated for smoke inhalation and shock following the days traumatic events at the facility, located in Regents Park.

The fire, which started around 6 a.m., coursed through the area for some three hours before it was contained. In all, 72 firefighters arrived to battle the blaze, which produced intense flames at first before leaving a cloud of smoke over much of the grounds.

Staffers living onsite rushed to move animals as quickly as they could in the frenzied minutes after the fire started.

Workers searched in vain for the four missing meerkats throughout the day, but said Saturday evening they were presumed dead.

GAZA ZOO TRIES TO SELL LION CUBS FEARING COST OF CARE

Vets were called in to monitor the surviving animals, and zookeepers were encouraged that there were no other signs of injury.

A cause for the blaze has not yet been determined, according to London Fire Brigade station manager David George.

"Over the next few hours our specialist fire investigation teams will be searching through the debris and looking and seeing if they can establish a likely cause," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Will 2018 dampen the fires that rage across the Middle East? Although skepticism is understandable, there is a glimmer of change.

The fight against the Islamic State group is mostly over, and the war in Syria may finally be winding down. The region is transitioning from fighting those wars to dealing with their aftermath  the destruction and dispersal of populations they wrought and the political fallout.

Iran's influence has grown after its proxies were generally successful, and even its nuclear deal with the West remains in place. In rival Saudi Arabia, a youthful new leader is promising long-delayed modernization at home and greater confrontation with Iran in the region.

Donald Trump in the White House adds a mercurial element to an exceedingly combustible brew.
A human rights group says Venezuela has released dozens of prisoners accused of inciting violence against the government.

Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero said 36 prisoners had been released over the weekend, including some who were never convicted.

National constituent assembly president Delcy Rodriguez had several of the prisoners escorted into a government chamber Saturday before she lectured them and wished them a merry Christmas. She announced that a total of 80 prisoners had been under review for release.

Activists and foreign leaders have accused President Nicolas Maduro's government of using harsh tactics and the threat of imprisonment to control opposition protesters.

Foro Penal estimates the country is still holding more than 200 political prisoners.
A sonar search for the Argentine submarine that vanished with 44 crew members aboard last month detected a new contact in the South Atlantic, the country's navy announced Saturday.

The new contact will be investigated by a remotely operated Russian Panther Plus submarine, while a U.S. oceanographic research vessel continues examining the search area.

No further details about the contact were released by the Argentina navy, but it said it's received help from 13 continues in the search for the ARA San Juan, which disappeared Nov. 15 after reporting a fire on board.

Other reported contacts detected several weeks ago turned out to be to nothing, with some instead being a identified as a sunken fishing boat, according to Agence France-Presse.

The latest development in the search for the vessel came a week after the navy took the first disciplinary action after the maritime disaster, firing Navy Admiral Marcelo Srur.

ARGENTINA FIRES HEAD OF NAVY AFTER SUBMARINE DISAPPEARANCE

The navy has said the vessel's captain reported water entered the snorkel and caused one of the submarine's batteries to short circuit on Nov. 15.

The captain later communicated by satellite phone that the problem had been contained, the navy said. Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from.

The navy is no longer looking for survivors, although a multinational operation, including Russian and U.S. ships, continues to search for the vessel.

ARGENTINA SUBMARINE CHASED BY BRITISH HELICOPTER BEFORE VANISHING, SAILOR'S SISTER CLAIMS

The ARA San Juan was sailing from the southernmost port of Ushuaia to the coastal city of Mar del Plata when it vanished.

Relatives of the missing crew claimed the government had put their loved ones in harm's way because the vessel is more than 30 years old. The German-built TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in the 1980s and had been refitted between 2008 and 2014. It was built by a subsidiary of Germany's ThyssenKrupp that is no longer in business.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
North Korea on Sunday condemned the latest U.N. sanctions as an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade and threatened to punish those who support the measure.

The response follows a unanimous vote Friday by the U.N. Security Council for tougher measures against Kim Jong Un's regime for its November test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

With the resolution, the U.N. aims to limit North Koreas access to refined petroleum products and crude oil. In addition, the U.S.-backed resolution threatens to impose further restrictions if North Korea conducts another nuclear test or launches another ICBM, Reuters reported.

North Korea responded with a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency: We define this sanctions resolution rigged up by the U.S. 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.

After the countrys latest ICBM test Nov. 29, Kim declared the country's nuclear force to be complete, and boasted of having all of the U.S. mainland within range.

But North Koreas foreign ministry insisted that the weapons were for self-defense and were not in violation of international law. However, North Korea has been pursuing its nuclear and missile programs for years in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been critical of China  North Koreas biggest trading partner  for not playing a bigger role in easing tensions. China has preferred to address North Korea with more measured solutions.

China said that the latest U.N. resolution highlights the need for a diplomatic solution to reduce tensions. A state-run tabloid in China suggested that the U.S. had pushed for even harsher sanctions, and that there was no way the U.N. would allow the U.S. to pursue military action on the Korean Peninsula.

The difference between the new resolution and the original U.S. proposal," the tabloid said in an editorial, "reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the U.S. proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable.
Rescuers searched for survivors on Sunday after a fierce typhoon lashed the Philippines, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake as more than 200 were killed and about 70,000 were left homeless.

Tropical Storm Tembin strengthened into a typhoon before moving into the South China Sea. Most of the dead and missing were reported in the hard-hit provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur and on the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Intense rainfall in the mountains most likely caused landslides that blocked rainwater, said Marina Marasigan of the government's disaster-response agency. When the naturally formed dams broke from the pressure, torrents of rainwater smashed into the villages below.

Mayor Bong Edding of Sibuco town blamed logging operations in the mountains for flash food that swept away houses with more than 30 residents. Five bodies have been recovered so far in the village and a search and rescue was continuing.

It happened very fast, the flood waters quickly rose filling our house, farmer Felipe Ybarsabal, 65, told Reuters by telephone, saying he and his family had to run to higher ground.

Authorities said 159 people were listed as missing while about 70,000 had been forced from their homes.

A large number of dead and missing was also reported in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces, where floodwaters from a mountain washed away several riverside houses.

Marasigan asked the public to heed storm warnings and evacuation orders to avoid casualties.

"We're really sad that we have this news especially because our countrymen were looking to celebrate Christmas," Marasigan told a televised news conference, according to The Associated Press.

Thousands of villagers fled to emergency shelters and more than 500 passengers remained stranded in airports and seaports after the coast guard prohibited ferries from venturing out in the rough seas and several flights were canceled Saturday.

The typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 145 kph (90 mph).

An inter-island ferry sank off northeastern Quezon province Thursday after being lashed by fierce winds and big waves, leaving at least five people dead. More than 250 passengers and crewmen were rescued.

Earlier in the week, another tropical storm left more than 50 people dead and 31 others missing, mostly due to landslides, and damaged more than 10,000 houses in the central Philippines.

Among the areas battered by the latest storm was Marawi, a lakeside city in Lanao del Sur that is still recovering from a five-month siege by pro-Islamic State group extremists that left more than 1,000 people dead and displaced its entire population of about 200,000 people.

It was the latest disaster to hit the Philippines, which is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, making the archipelago that lies on the Pacific typhoon belt one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Christians who have called northern Iraq their homeland since the first century are recovering from ISIS carnage only to face an emerging threat that they fear could be just as challenging: the growing influence from Iran.

That influence comes in an array of shapes and forms, and even an infiltration within the Christian community itself.

Most flagrantly, it includes the direct arming and funding of a prominent militia of Iraqi Christians. The real intentions of the militia, known as the Babylon Brigade, worry those Christians who remain in or want to return to their ancient homeland, known as the Ninevah Plains.

We had ISIS, and now we are struggling with this increasing Iranian rule, the changing demographics, lamented Dr. Salem Hana, a 33-year-old Iraqi Christian dentist. The Nineveh Plains is an important part of their Crescent to link Iran with Syria, but this will have a negative impact on the survival of Iraqi Christians in their original areas.

The Babylon Brigade, which is led by 32-year-old Rayan al-Kildani, is closely aligned to the Badr Organization, a Tehran-founded political party and militia now headed by the former Iraqi transportation minister Hadi Al-Ameri. Badr officially has vowed that any violation to Babylon means a violation to Badr.

While some Christians are indeed grateful for the work and sacrifice of the militias in driving out ISIS, many Iraqi Christians have said they worry that Iran, the home of Shiite Islam, is not funding and equipping the Babylon Brigade solely out of a religious impulse.

Iran is directly funding a Christian militia so it can extend its authority in the Nineveh Plains, claimed Ano Jawhar Abdoka, an Erbil-based Christian activist and international relations analyst.

And its not just Iraqi Christians who are concerned about Irans generosity to the Christian militia.

This is a real problem and the world is looking the other way, former congressman Frank Wolf, R-Va., who has personally tracked the issue in Iraq, told Fox News. The land bridge enables Iranian trucks and weapons to casually go all the way through to the Mediterranean. Iran is on the move.

For that land bridge, also known as the Shiite Crescent, stretching from Tehran through northern Iraq, Syria and then into Lebanon, to be realized, Iran requires territory from the fast dwindling Christian communities of the Ninevah Plains. Many members of those communities remain displaced because of ISIS and thus cannot protect their homes. And, over the past couple of months, that land route has quickly come closer to completion.

One reason for concern is the close friendship between Kildani, the Babylon Brigades leader, and Irans most powerful military figure, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleiman.

Without Soleimani, much more of Iraq would have fallen into ISIS hands, Kildani said to Fox News from his Baghdad office.

The Christian militia leader also said that Soleimani is now a top adviser in the Iraqi government, and that he advised on battles to take back Christian areas from ISIS in Iraq  and even took things one step further over the border in Syria where he personally led the battles to free Christian areas. He wanted to play a lead role in liberating these lands, he wanted to protect the holy places.

Apart from the troubling connections between the Babylon Brigade and the Iranian military, Christian civilians are finding Irans Islamic influence creeping into their daily lives.

That influence inside the Nineveh Plains, many Christians on the ground lamented, is becoming more blatant with each passing day.

Residents have said it's not uncommon for posters to spring up featuring Iran's former Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini. At a checkpoint near the entrance of Syriac Christian town of Bartella  a poster of the Virgin Mary last month was ripped down and replaced with a side-by-side image of Khomeini and his successor, Ayatollah Khamenei. And, in late September, a school named after Khomeini  his name hung over a large banner across the tallest building  even opened there, the ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the Iranian Consul General in Erbil, Murtadha Abadi.

Romeo Hakari, who heads the Bait-al-Nahrain, Assyrian Christian political party in Iraq, said that he routinely fields complaints from Christians across the Nineveh Plains about the building of houses from outsiders, presumed to be from Shia communities  including fellow minority Shia Shabaks who nonetheless adhere to many pillars of Irans Shia Islam.

There is clearly a larger plan for demographic change, Hakari opined, asserting that Christians are feeling increasingly pressured to sell their land both out of financial desperation having lost everything post-ISIS and out of fear their land may eventually be taken from them by Iranian dominion anyway.

In Iraqs largest Christian town of Qaraqosh in the Al-Hamdania district of the Nineveh Governorate, Christian activists bemoaned that their small university  Al-Hamdania University  was recently directed, as per the federal government education ministry, to accept upwards of 180 mostly Shia students from central and southern Iraq, prompting protest from locals who feared having to give over their properties to the new influx.
For whatever reason, Culpeper Music, formerly the Virginia Hotel, has always been a hangout for some of the towns older men.

It was that way as far back as the Civil War and the tradition continues today. On any given Saturday, you can come in during late morning and find classic rock pickers playing some of your favorite tunes with bluegrass musicians taking over in the early afternoon.

The Virginia Hotel was built in either 1846 or 1847 by Francis Millan and is one of the oldest buildings in Culpeper.

During the Civil War, the hotel was owned and operated by William Payne and his family, who, according to Eugene Scheels Culpeper history book, hated with a passion the Yankees that frequented the business after the Battle of Cedar Mountain.

Incidentally, Paine reportedly charged $1 a meal for dinner during this difficult time (a 25-cent meal was high) and $4 a day for a room ($1 was the going rate).

Rumor has it that a Confederate scout, who pretended to be an old farmer delivering a load of late fall cabbages, overheard important Federal troop plans that winter and reported them back to Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Initially the land on which the hotel building sits extended all the way to West Street.

During the war, the hotel had large porches on two floors both on the Main Street and Cameron Street sides. Those were removed during a 1914 remodeling effort.

At that time R.T. Kelly, who had purchased the property in 1907 for $6,100, moved the furniture business he had just bought from J.C. Bell (it had been located on East Davis Street) into the building.

Tom Hand had operated the hotel for a few years between the time Kelly bought it and when he moved his furniture store there (Joe Hudson, another Culpeper businessman and character, opened the Mayflower Restaurant in one part of the building in 1935).

Kelly and his son, Alexander Alex T. Kelly, operated the store for some 50 years before selling it to Jesse Williams (also a partner with Johnny Clore in Clore-Williams Pontiac).

Russell Guinn, who is in the above photo, often spoke of the wild card games that went on in the back of the store after hours and the interesting ladies who were entertained in the rooms upstairs.

There is one story of a card player (these were all prominent Culpeper merchants) deciding to take a nap on the sofa in the show window late one night while the others played. His buddies just left him there and he awoke the next morning with a small crowd of onlookers on the Main Street sidewalk laughing their heads off.

Williams began selling a few musical instruments in the store in the 1960s and then sold the business to Joe White (son of Carter White) around 1969. White turned it into a music store.

Around the time White bought the Dominion Skating Center, he sold Culpeper Music Center to Greg Yates. Tommi Reynolds then bought the store, which is now operated by his daughter, Debbie.

Other businessbarber shops, a restaurant, a coin store, Dr. Gilberts dentist office and the DavidEddy Gift Shop have also occupied parts of the building, which is now owned by Dave Billitt.
There has been an unusual pitter patter of little feet around the Labor and Delivery Department at Mary Washington Hospital, but it has had nothing to do with newborns.

Two tiny bundles of joydressed in red and green instead of the typical colors of pink and bluehave been bringing holiday cheer to those who help bring babies into the world.

The colorful sprites are Twinkle and Sunshine, and theyre part of the popular Elf on the Shelf campaign, a popular method used to keep kids in line during the holiday season.

The elves are supposed to spy on whats happening around them, report back to Santa nightly with news of the naughty and nice, then reappear in a different location the next day.

Twinkle is the departments male elf, named in honor of those who work when stars glow, and Sunshine is the female representative of daytime workers.

Since the first day of December, each shift has displayed the others elf in a variety of scenarios that combine holiday creativity with medical conditions and the unusual sense of humor shared by those who deal with bodily fluids on a daily basis.

Assistant Nurse Manager Betty Quinn came up with the idea as a way to foster team-buildingand funand the results have been better than she expected.

Its been a big moral booster, said Ann Weed, nurse manager of the 53-person department. Its really been fun to come in and see what theyve done.

Most displays have been in the nurses station, and the rules dictate the creators use items they have on handnot go out and buy elaborate props.

We cant share photos of one elf helping with a teddy bears cesarean section while another is hooked to a breast pump and next to a sign that asks, Got Milk? Hospital officials worried they might be offensive.

But we can chronicle some of their other adventures.

Twinkle broke his leg while playing a miniature version of Twister and had to be hospitalized and put in traction. A yellow blanket, cut from a slipper sock, covered his body. (The color yellow designates that patients have a high risk for falling.)

After his hospital stay, Twinkle went to the Snowed-In Rehabilitation Center for therapy. Snowed-In is both a winter term and a twist on the name, Snowden at Fredericksburg.

Sunshine made angels in snow that looked a lot like sugar crystals and took a ride on a hot-air balloon covered with a colorful scrub cap (the thing nurses wear on their heads to hold in their hair).

Sunshine also climbed a rock wall with hand-holds made of gumdrops and sat atop a stuffed storka longtime mascot of the departmentin a field of Cabbage Patch Kids (pictured on front page). The cabbages were green nausea bags, collapsed and arranged to look like a row of vegetables.

The Elfie Selfie showed a cardboard stage with Polaroid photos of nurses, wearing their own elf hats and holding Sunshine.

For an elaborate display showing Santas sled being hijacked by elves, nurses used the small ginger ale cans found in hospital refrigerators to form the reindeers bodies. They topped them with cardboard facesshapes that could have been made by tracing a newborns footand used candy canes for the sleds runners.

Fellow nurses knew that Barbara Allison, who worked as an Air Force mechanic before she became a nurse, had the skills of MacGyver, the television character who could work his way out of any crisis as long as he had duct tape and a match.

But they were really impressed with her ability to turn floss and a paper clip into an IV pole or the way she added red stripes to straws to turn them and a shoe box cover into a jail for Twinkle.

Seems he had to be incarcerated after he got into mischief and hung toilet paper in the nurses station. When the management is away, the elves will play, read a nearby sign.

The nurses and managers stressed that the Elf on a Shelf displays never interfered with their primary mission of caring for babies and their families.

On average, about seven babies arrive at the Fredericksburg hospital every day, and when numbers exceeded thatand there wasnt time to put an elf in a snow globe (an upside-down fish bowl) and cover it with snow made from a hole puncherthe nurses scaled down their efforts.

On those days, they turned to toilet tissue. One result was the papering incident and another, a three-roll high icon of winter with black buttons and eyes, an orange nose and crocheted hat.

Twinkle sat in front of it with a Frozen smile on his face and a sign that read: Do you want to build a snowman?
DOstillio saw the issue of brain health as an opportunity to educate and improve the quality of life for the people in his community. So far, he has presented his program concerning brain health to the Fredericksburg Chapter, the Richmond Retired Teachers Association, the Brooklawn-Bush Hill Civic Organization and at the AARP Virginia ACA.
Amy Siegel put up a Christmas tree this year. She strung lights on her house and across her mantle and hung a babys first Christmas ornament small things that seemed enormous because of what is missing.

Time was supposed to make it easier. But sometimes it feels harder, especially this time of year, when she watches Genevieve, already 11 months old and toddling across the living room and looking every bit like the Army father she never got to meet.

There is the house in Pennsylvania shed planned to pack up days before Nicholas Siegels death, a seemingly unsalable yoke that keeps her from moving closer to her family in Stafford County.

And there is the ongoing ordeal with the Department of Veterans Affairs, a $17,000 mistake that, unless she is granted a waiver, she will pay back in $100 increments until all of it is returned.

When The Free LanceStar first spoke with Amy Siegel in September, shed been trying to recoup for nearly six months $11,000 in back-pay benefits the VA had deposited into the wrong bank account. After dozens of phone calls, a congressional inquiry and a formal complaint with the agencys inspector general, she finally received it.

But then she got stunning news: She actually owed the government $17,000 for a separate survivor award shed been mistakenly assured was hers to keep. Amy Siegel feared shed lose the $1,800 in monthly benefits she relies on to support herself and her daughter until the debt was settled.

Since then, she has applied for a waiver that, if granted, will mean she wont have to return any of it. In the meantime, the VA has agreed to subtract just $100 from her monthly payments either until the debt is paid back or the waiver is approved.

Its a tolerable solution to a headache that should never have happened, she said. People have failed at doing their job over and over again in my situation. Im just one person. Who knows how many other people have been affected in a similar fashionat the worst time of their lives.

TRAGEDY, THEN A COSTLY ERROR

Nicholas Siegel, an 18-year Army veteran who survived three wartime deployments, was killed in July 2016 just 1,000 feet from his fathers home in Stafford when a distracted teenage driver struck the back of his motorcycle.

Amy Siegel was 3 1/2 months pregnant with a baby girl they planned to call Genevieve. After two miscarriages, a healthy pregnancy felt like a miracle, and the future seemed set after the Army moved Nicholas Siegel to Fort Belvoir. The couple planned to put their house in Pennsylvania on the market and move to Stafford for good.

Nicholas Siegel was just two years from retirement, and his new position in the Army poised him for a solid civilian job. After his death, his widow took some comfort in the fact that his military service meant shed have a measure of financial security in the form of a tax-free monthly benefit.

Amy Siegel was still in the thick fog of grief the first time she visited the Department of Veterans Affairs to apply for it. A backlog of claims meant it could take several months until the pay kicked in, but in the meantime there was a stopgap, an award called the Survivor Benefit Plan.

A mistake in paperwork held up both funds for seven months. She got the stopgap payments, which included back pay, this March. A month later, the VA pay finally kicked in. But those back payments were deposited into someone elses account, a mistake that took another six months to fix.

Amy Siegel has since learned that she should have gotten only one or the otherthe VA pay or the stopgap award. It turned out to be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing.

The two agencies that were paying herthe VA and the Defense Finance and Accounting Servicedidnt see that she was getting either, when in fact she was getting both.

Amy Siegel said she should have gotten paperwork asking her to waive one or the other. But she never did. Once the agencies realized what had happened, shed collected $17,000 shed been assured was hers to keep.

Except it wasnt.

MAKING THE BEST OF IT

After Amy Siegels story was published, Chris McNair, a district representative for Fredericksburg-area Congressman Rob Wittmans office, stepped in to help her maneuver through some of the red tapeand to find out exactly why shed been overpaid to start with.

In addition to applying for the waiver, she has also applied for an Army Corps of Engineers housing assistance program that, if successful, could free her from her home in Pennsylvania. But because her husband did not die on deployment, she wont automatically qualify.

Meanwhile, she is trying to make the best life for herself and her daughter, to make some effort at a festive Christmas for Genevieve and to honor her husband.

This month, she ordered two wreaths for herself from Wreaths Across America, a program that places the greenery on the graves of veterans around the country. She donated three more.

On Dec. 16, she bundled Genevieve against the cold and drove to Quantico National Cemetery, where she placed a wreath against Nicholas Siegels headstone.

She bought an ornament that looks like a folded flag and hung it on the tree with the one commemorating her babys first Christmas. She bought a singing Mickey Mouse for Genevieve, along with a few other toys.

It was hard, she said, being in the stores and knowing she no longer had a husband to shop for. Back at home, though, she put out his stocking.

It felt like a good thing to do.
Juanita "Sue" Rittner Juanita "Sue" Rittner, 83, Jonesborough, Tenn., went to be with the Lord on Friday morning, December 8, 2017 at the Life Care Center of Gray. When Sue passed away, she left us with snow. Sue was a Navy wife for 52 years and she loved to travel. She volunteered her time and actively participated in the National Association for Family and Community Education (F.C.E.), the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (N.M.C.R.S.), and also volunteered in many different Veteran's homes and hospitals all over the country. Her volunteer work took her to almost every state in the USA and in her travels she acquired many dear and lifelong friends from all over the country. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Sarah Foxx; daughter Dorothy Rittner; and her sister, Marguerite Greene with her husband, Robert. Those left to cherish Sue's memories are her loving husband of 52 years, Gilbert Rittner; daughter Maxine Mehne and her husband, Dallas of Indiana; son Clarence Rittner of California; brother Leo Foxx and wife Becky of North Carolina; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. SPECIAL THANKS to neighbors, Judy and David Rust, for all of the love and support you have given. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to Alzheimer's Tennessee by mail to Alzheimer's Tennessee Northeast Tennessee Office, 3212 Hanover Rd. Ste. 5, Johnson City, TN 37604 or online at www.alztennessee.org/give/donate-now. It is the family's wish for Sue to be cremated and will not have any services at this time. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral and Cremation Services, 3001 Peoples Street, Johnson City, TN 37604, (432) 610-7171, is honored to serve the Rittner family.
Dear Santa,

Its me again with my 52nd annual holiday letter filled with hopes and dreams and wishes that I fully expect will be crushed beneath the cruel boot heel of reality.

Its not your fault, Santa. I set my expectations high.

This time last year, I said, I hope politicians will finally look beyond petty differences, manufactured controversies and outright lies to do what is best for all Americans.

Oh well.

As I previously explained, the first few letters you received from me in the mid- to late-1960s were more or less press releases from my family because I had not yet developed the skills to express myself in written form, aside from writing my name in the snow.

(Note: I did that again last week and I think my handwriting has improved.)

But after those early years, it was definitely me writing those letters to you at the North Pole, where I know you read each one, never outsourcing them to cheap elf labor.

For old times sake, lets take a look at a few of the highlights from over the years.

1970: I have been a good boy. I want a dinosaur. I do not want a plastic dinosaur. I want a real dinosaur. Then I want the dinosaur to eat Billy like the dinosaur ate that guy in the movie Valley of Gwangi, because Billy threw a fish stick at me.

Did I mention I have been a good boy? I did not write my name in the snow this year on account of the neighbors getting mad last year.

1971: I have been a pretty good boy. Thank you for the bike and the blocks and the army men last year, but I would like to point out one thingno dinosaur. Maybe other boys and girls deserved a dinosaur to eat someone more than I did.

But if you can see your way clear, go ahead and pencil me in for a dinosaur this year. It doesnt have to be a Tyrannosaurus, which I imagine are quite expensive. I will settle for a flying dinosaur-like Pteranodon, which can swoop down on the playground and snatch that little fish stick-throwing Billy right up out of his Keds and take him away.

As I said, I have been pretty good, aside from another incident involving the neighbors I would just as well not go into at this time.

1972: Admittedly, I have made some mistakes this year. If anyone was offended by my behavior over the last 12 months, I offer my sincere apologies at this most special time right before Christmas when lists are being made and checked twice. I still believe in my heart that I am a good boy, and I hope, Santa, you do as well as you prepare for your special journey.

Thank you for the Hot Wheels, Close N Play record player and chemistry set last year, but again, I must note, there was no dinosaur. As my education has progressed, I now realize that an actual living, breathing dinosaur is a particularly tall order, even for such a celebrated supernatural figure as you.

Still, I believe with a little Christmas magic and the progress being made in the burgeoning scientific field of cloning, you could whip up something approximate to a dinosaur, just as long as it can eat Billy.

And here we are back at the present. Once again, Santa, I feel like I am a blessed man, not wanting for food or shelter or friends. There is no shiny item I desire. All I ask is that maybe you can help us be a little kinder to each other, a little more understanding and a little more compassionate.

If not, I will take the dinosaur you owe me.

Scott Hollifield is editor/GM of The McDowell News in Marion, N.C., and a humor columnist. Contact him at rhollifiel@mcdowellnews.com.
THE OIL and gas industry is trying to convince us it is serious about a warming planet. It promises to expand its efforts to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions that are the principal cause of climate change.

This would be terrific news if the industry were indeed committed to such efforts. But there are reasons to doubt that it is.

For years the same industry denied the reality of climate change, sought to diminish public concern over it, and lobbied to block or slow government action on it.

Since the Trump administration took office, oil and gas interests have pressed to weaken EPA, DOE and Interior Department regulations that affect the industry.

These include vehicle fuel economy standards that would help to clean the air in our cities while also reducing carbon emissions as well as the Obama administrations Clean Power Plan that would have put the nation on a path to cleaner ways of producing electricity.

The industry has urged the Interior Department to open even more federal lands and offshore areas for oil and natural gas exploration and drilling.

Much of the industry has backed Trump administration and congressional efforts to curtail research on climate change science, scrub government websites of climate change data and reports, and reduce modest subsidies for renewable energy while increasing them for fossil fuels.

All of these actions by the industry and its supporters have taken place even as public concern about climate change has soared and the scientific community has produced ever more definitive reports about climate change and its impacts.

This includes the recently released National Climate Assessment that pointed to the burning of fossil fuels as the primary driver of climate change.

But suppose that we take the industry at its word. What might it do now and in the near term to alter course?

It could invest heavily in renewable energy technologies and seek to improve them. More than half of electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. grid in 2016 came from renewables. Globally, two-thirds of generating capacity came from renewable sources.

That electricity could be powering our future vehicles. Transportation accounts for a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Within the past year, nearly every major vehicle manufacturer, including Tesla, GM, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo has announced new and expanded production of electrics or hybrids that will be more affordable and practical.

The fossil fuel industry also could foster breakthroughs in battery technology that will be essential to store energy generated by wind and solar power and to enhance driving distance between charges for electric vehicles.

The industry could fund additional research on cost-effective ways to capture and store carbon emissions from power plants. Success there could be monumentally important.

It also could help to educate the public and its elected officials about the economic, public health, environmental, and national security risks of climate change and get behind efforts to deal with it.

The Trump administration, aided by its supporters in the oil and gas industry, continues to argue that taking action on climate change will hurt the economy and cost jobs. It is wrong. With rapidly falling prices for sustainable energy sources, decarbonization creates jobs and helps the economy.

Given this reality, perhaps the oil and gas industry could shift public debate and return the nation to a position of leadership on climate change. For example, it could persuade the Trump administration to get behind the Paris Agreement.

The presidents decision to withdraw from that agreement seriously hurt our standing with allies and harmed national security, the economy, and the environment.

The oil and gas industry could help to reverse that decision. If it were successful, that could go a long way to rebuilding the public respect that it has squandered in recent years.

Michael Kraft is professor emeritus of political science and public and environmental affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. This op-ed was distributed by Tribune News Service.
LET the children have their night of fun and laughter, let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern tasks and formidable years that lie before us, resolved that by our sacrifice and daring these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world.

Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: For thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

The Gospel according to Luke

Lo, how a rose eer blooming, From tender stem hath sprung,

Of Jesses lineage coming, By faithful prophets sung.

It came a floweret bright, Amid the cold of winter,

When half spent was the night.

Isaiah twas foretold it, The rose I have in mind,

With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind.

To show Gods love aright She bore for us a Savior,

When half spent was the night.

15th-century German carol

I sing the birth, was born tonight,

The author both of life, and light,

The angels so did sound it,

And like the ravished shepherds said,

Who saw the light, and were afraid,

Yet searched, and true they found it.

The Son of God, th Eternal King,

That did us all salvation bring,

And freed the soul from danger,

He whom the whole world could not take,

The Word, which heaven, and earth did make,

Was now laid in a manger.

Ben Jonson, English playwright, poet, actor and literary critic of the 17th century

Let every man be jolly, Each room with ivy leaves is dressed, And every post with holly. Though some churls at our mirth repine Round your foreheads garlands twine, Drown sorrow in a cup of wine, And let us all be merry!

George Wither

Dear George, remember, no man is a failure who has friends.

Note from Clarence the Angel to George Bailey in Its a Wonderful Life

Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere:

Go tell it on the mountain, That Jesus Christ is born!

While shepherds kept their watching Oer silent flocks by night,

Behold throughout the heavens There shone a holy light.

The shepherds feared and trembled When lo! Above the earth,

Rang out the angel chorus That hailed our Saviors birth.

Down in a lowly manger The humble Christ was born.

And God sent us salvation That blessed Christmas morn.

AfricanAmerican spiritual from the 1800s

The Word has become flesh. That is the meaning of Christmas. Jesus is ImmanuelGod with us. He is the personal approach from the unseen. We almost gasp as the Picture steps out of the frame...I look at the character and life of Jesus, and I know what Gods character is like...[And] I too must become the word made flesh.

E. Stanley Jones, 20th-century American missionary in India

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, Remember Christ our Saviour Was born on Christmas Day; To save us all from Satans power When we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort and joy!

London carol, 18th century

We shall hear the angels, we shall see the whole sky all diamonds

And our life will grow peaceful, tender, sweet as a caress. I believe, I do believe.

Anton Chekhov

And he who gives a child a treat Makes joy-bells ring in Heavens street, And he who gives a child a home Builds palaces in Kingdom come.

John Masefield

God bless us, every one! said Tiny Tim.

Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

TO WHICH ye editors say, Amen.
News

editor's pick centerpiece

For port director, first devils are in the details

KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Galveston Port employees lower blades onto the dock on the west end of the port on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. The port mostly receives the wind turbine blades, cars, Del Monte fruits and other automobiles. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Del Monte trucks drive from the port in Galveston on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. Port Authority Chairman Ted O'Rourke wishes to move Del Monte to Pelican Island to make room for a new cruise terminal. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Port Authority Chairman Ted O'Rourke walks through the Del Monte warehouse in the Port of Galveston on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. O'Rourke wishes to better utilize the port's space to bring more business to Galveston. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News An open area in the port on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. Port Authority Chairman Ted ORourke wants to make this area a place for shipping vessels to dock. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Cruise Terminal 1 is seen on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. The Port of Galveston has goals to build a new cruise terminal and have it next to the other terminals, therefore separating tourism and industry. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News A Galveston Port employee unloads a tractor off the shipping vessel on the east end of the port on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Port of Galveston officials hold a finance meeting in port office on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News The port director's office is clear for a new employee on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. Rodger Rees from Cape Canaveral will begin as the new port director after the new year.

When Rodger Rees arrives as the Port of Galvestons new director next month, hell be greeted by a board and a community with high expectations hell shape a broad vision for the public docks. But his first concern must be in the fine details, several wharves board trustees said.

Major projects are almost cost-prohibitive right now, Trustee Elizabeth Beeton said. We really need to sharpen our game with everything within our ability right now and hope that helps us get into a position where we can do bigger projects.

The Port of Galvestons governing board voted 6-0 to hire Rees as the new director, agreeing to a yearly salary of $240,000, and ending nearly a yearlong search to find a replacement for former Port Director Michael Mierzwa.

Rees comes at a time when the city has increasingly become demanding that the port perform better financially and provide a better return on investment. After years of treating the port has merely a jobs creator, the city has recently demanded it become a revenue generator. Rees arrival also coincides with the citys efforts to re-imagine the development of the port where it should plow its limited resources  the East or West ends.

And hell have to deal with the perennial issue of aging, deteriorating infrastructure with little cash on hand to make repairs.

Port officials are projecting operating revenues of about $37.4 million next year against operating expenditures of $37.2 million.

Trustees also slowed down a strategic planning initiative to accommodate Rees arrival, officials said.

The wharves board hired John Manlove of John Manlove Marketing & Communications on Sept. 11 for about $10,300 to develop a strategic plan, but in November agreed to delay it until after the new port director was in place.

REES ROLE

Im very bullish on where we are going, Mayor and Trustee Jim Yarbrough said. Weve got a good port director who can help us in the areas we need help on, which in 2018 is helping us with the strategic plan and helping us make decisions on what businesses to retain and recruit to come to the port.

Wharves board trustees differed slightly in visions for the future.

Ted ORourke, shortly before taking over as chairman, listed some of his top goals for the port that included filling slips on the west end of the port, building the new bridge to Pelican Island, diversifying port business with more cargo customers, developing a container terminal on Pelican Island, deepening the channel, getting Galveston designated a cruise ship port of call, building another cruise terminal and improving the financial health of the port.

I have three main goals, Beeton said. Id like the port to generate more tax revenues through improvements. Id like the port to become more scenic, attractive and integrated with the town on the East End. And Id like more cargo.

Rees must navigate the strategic planning process while also determining how the port can run more efficiently, ORourke said.

SAVING MONEY

If projections for 2018 hold, the port is due to bring in only about $250,000 in net income, records show.

Its fine to have a master plan, but if you cant finance and fund it, then it will do no good, Yarbrough said. With his background in finance, Im optimistic he can put together not only the master and strategic plans, but can help us find reasonable funding opportunities.

Rees, who is the chief financial officer for Port Canaveral, must find ways to save money and bring in more revenues to help the port, Vice Chairman Albert Shannon said.

One thing he talked about doing at Port Canaveral was the ability to borrow money with their good bond rating, Shannon said. He might be able to help us with funding for projects for infrastructure and capital improvement. We need someone with a good grasp with what is available out there.

Tenant leases and staff structure is another area to look at, trustees said.

There are some opportunities for low-hanging fruit, Shannon said. There are existing customers that want to expand their business at the port. We need to find a way to help them accomplish that.

Several trustees have said that the port needs to consider which lines of business the port needs to be in and whether some longtime and once lucrative businesses are in the way of more profitable pursuits.

One tenant Yarbrough has mentioned specifically is the grain elevator operator Archer Daniels Midland Co., which occupies a large section of centrally located port property.

Archer Daniels Midland Co., which took over operations of the elevator in 2004, has been making substantial investments at the Port of Corpus Christi, raising concerns about whether the grain giant would leave town, Yarbrough has said. The mayor at a meeting in 2016 questioned whether the island port should remain in the grain business, which has become less profitable over the years.

Rees also will have to consider whether diversification is important, Shannon said.

In our most recent bond rating, one thing the analyst told us is that we arent doing as well because of our concentration and dependence on cruise ships, Shannon said. Cruise is good, but you learn in business, if you have too many eggs in one basket and it turns upside down, theres going to be trouble.

ORourke agreed and said the port needs to pursue more cargo opportunities.

The budget for the 2018 fiscal year anticipates more than 50 percent of the ports $37.4 million in revenues will be cruise-related.

ULTIMATE

Only through considering the economic details in 2018 and completing the strategic plan will the port be capable of achieving its ultimate goal, ORourke said.

The ultimate goal is to run the port like a business so that it can be the economic engine of the city, ORourke said.

The port has done a good job attracting cruise lines to the island and there are further opportunities to consolidate services with the city to improve the ports financial future, Yarbrough said.

When youve got a port worth $300 million and you look at the return on the investment, its not very good, Yarbrough said. Weve got to change the mindset of how we approach that and make sure that the return on the public investment is better than weve historically experienced.

Once Rees accomplishes the short-term goal of maximizing profits and takes a hard look at all the current services and areas to save, then money will be freed up for the long-term plans, Yarbrough said.
On The Water: You might need a bigger boat for Transpac 2023
Hal Lindsley was 14 years old when he saw a man blowing glass at Meier & Frank department store in Portland. Young Lindsley spent four years following him to expositions before the artist finally offered to show his protege how to make glass.

That was in 1949, Lindsley, now 89, said. Ive been doing it ever since.

In the 1950s, Lindsley came across a photo of a George Hinke painting that showed Santa Claus and his elves making glass-blown ornaments on Christmas Eve. Lindsley has kept that print for many years, showing it recently to Corvallis artist Cindy Cauthorn, who wanted to re-create it in 3D, incorporating Lindsley's glass ornaments.

I thought this would be just the most delightful, nostalgic, non-commercial Christmas window, Cauthorn said. We have to do this.

Project Santas Workshop was installed Dec. 1 at The Inkwell Home Store, just in time for Lindsley's birthday on Dec. 2.

Cauthorn and Lindsley, who met four years ago, first discussed recreating the Hinke painting two years ago. For the past year, Cauthorn has been constructing elves in her living room, listening to Christmas music, even in July. She used the Hinke picture for inspiration, making each of the 34 elves come to life.

Their little faces are just so darling, she said. They all have real personalities. They just look like little men.

The elves aren't the predicable, pointy-ear variety we often associate with Christmas, she said. Hinke was from Germany and immigrated to the United States in the 1920s. His elves were based on the gnome characters from his country's folklore, Cauthorn said.

One of Cauthorn's friends, Rex Hockema, constructed steel frames for the elves, each bent in the position of its counterpart in the painting. Cauthorn then wrapped paper around each steel frame before glazing it with papier-mache. Afterward, she applied paper clay to each elf before sanding and painting it. Hockema also helped Cauthorn create props, including wheelbarrows, paint buckets and tiny hammers.

Also included in the installment is a life-size Santa Claus holding up an ornament, inspecting the elves work. Hockema created a steel frame for St. Nick, which Cauthorn wrapped in paper and padded with cloth to create a rotund belly. Another of Cauthorns friends, Sondra Luis, sculpted Santas hands. Cauthorn created his face using papier-mache. She also sewed a red and white Santa suit and hat for him.

It was just really fun to make this thing come to life, Cauthorn said.

The elves were arranged in the storefront, each with a specific task. Some are shoveling sand to make glass while others are firing ornaments in a furnace. One elf is using a palette to paint ornaments, while others package the glass balls.

Theyre all really busy doing something, as any self-respecting elf would be, Cauthorn said. Except for Cal, who sits in the back smoking his pipe.

The artist gave each of the elves a three-letter name. Lindsleys namesake is perched in front of the furnace, blowing a glass ornament.

More than 100 of Lindsleys ornaments are featured in the display. Some are spheres and others icicles. Some are in the shape of snowmen. All the ornaments, which were created by Lindsley in the 1950s, are decorated with colored glass. Considering the nostalgia of the presentation, Cauthorn wanted to use vintage ornaments.

When the artists set up the piece in the Inkwell Home Store window they received several comments from passersby who were happy to see an old-fashioned storefront that wasnt dedicated to selling something, Cauthorn said.

This is more magical.

Its just been really fun to share it with everyone, the artist said.

Cauthorn said Lindsley's ornaments are now available for sale inside the store.
GAC Motor, Chinas fast-growing automaker, is returning to the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) for the fourth time with all lineup and innovative new vehicles. GAC Motor will be debuting its high-end flagship MPV model; a new signature sedan; and an electric concept car that targets the young generation in the US market.

GAC Motor has sold more than 460,000 vehicles from January to November in 2017, a 38.9% year-on-year increase, while establishing sales and services networks in 14 countries supported by top global suppliers, covering the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and North America.

GAC Motor now ranks the highest among all Chinese brands for five consecutive years in J.D. Power Asia Pacifics 2017 China Initial Quality Study (IQS). The company aims to build a production capacity of 500,000 vehicles by 2017 and of 1,000,000 vehicles by 2020.
Consider it Americas other prescription drug epidemic.

For decades, experts have warned that older Americans are taking too many unnecessary drugs, often prescribed by multiple doctors, for dubious or unknown reasons. Researchers estimate that 25 percent of people ages 65 to 69 take at least five prescription drugs to treat chronic conditions, a figure that jumps to nearly 46 percent for those between 70 and 79. Doctors say it is not uncommon to encounter patients taking more than 20 drugs to treat acid reflux, heart disease, depression or insomnia or other disorders.

Unlike the overuse of opioid painkillers, the polypharmacy problem has attracted little attention, even though its hazards are well documented. But some doctors are working to reverse the trend.

At least 15 percent of seniors seeking care annually from doctors or hospitals have suffered a medication problem; in half of these cases, the problem is believed to be potentially preventable. Studies have linked polypharmacy to unnecessary death. Older patients, who have greater difficulty metabolizing medicines, are more likely to suffer dizziness, confusion and falls. And the side effects of drugs are frequently misinterpreted as a new problem, triggering more prescriptions, a process known as a prescribing cascade.

The glide path to overuse can be gradual: A patient taking a drug to lower blood pressure develops swollen ankles, so a doctor prescribes a diuretic. The diuretic causes a potassium deficiency, resulting in a medicine to treat low potassium. But that triggers nausea, which is treated with another drug, which causes confusion, which in turn is treated with drugs.

For many patients, problems arise when they are discharged from the hospital on a host of new medications, layered on top of old ones.

Alice Cave, who divides her time between Alexandria, Va., and Tucson, discovered this when she traveled to Cheyenne, Wy., after her 87-year-old aunt was sent home following treatment for a stroke in 2015.

Before her hospitalization, Cave said, her aunt, a retired telephone company employee whose vision is impaired by glaucoma, had been taking seven drugs per day. Five new ones were added in the hospital, Cave said.

She came home and had a huge bag of pills, half of which she was already taking, plus pages and pages of instructions, she said.

Some were supposed to be taken with food, some on an empty stomach. Cave said she spent several hours sorting the medications into a giant blue pill box. It was crazy  and scary.

Cave said she felt helpless to do much; her aunts doctors didnt question the need for more drugs.

When Shannon Brownlees mother was taken to an emergency room to determine whether her arm pain might signal a heart attack (it didnt) a cardiologist prescribed five new drugs  including an opioid  to the small dose of a diuretic she had been taking to control her blood pressure.

Brownlee, senior vice president of the Lown Institute, a Boston-based group that seeks to improve health-care quality by reducing unnecessary treatment, said that when her brother questioned the necessity of so many new drugs for a woman in her late 80s, the specialist replied frostily, I dont see anything wrong with prescribing lots of medication to older people.

This problem has gotten worse because the average American is on a lot more medications than 15 years ago, said cardiologist Rita Redberg, a professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco.

Studies bolster Redbergs contention: A 2015 report found that the share of Americans of all ages who regularly took at least five prescription drugs nearly doubled between 2000 and 2012, from 8 percent to 15 percent.

Redberg and other doctors are trying to counter the blizzard of prescriptions through a grass-roots movement called deprescribing systematically discontinuing medicines that are inappropriate, duplicative or unnecessary.

Interest in deprescribing, which was pioneered in Canada and Australia, is growing in the United States, bolstered by physician-led efforts, such as the five-year-old Choosing Wisely campaign. The Beers Criteria, a list of overused and potentially unsafe drugs for seniors first published in 1991, has been followed by other tools aimed at curbing unnecessary drug use.

Lots of different medications get started for reasons that are never supported by evidence, said Redberg, editor in chief of JAMA Internal Medicine. In general, we like the idea of taking a pill a lot better than non-drug measures, such as improved eating habits or exercise.

Thats what we were taught as physicians: to prescribe drugs, said Ranit Mishori, a professor of family medicine at Georgetown University and a proponent of deprescribing. We are definitely not taught how to take people off meds.

Kathryn McGrath, a Philadelphia geriatrician, said she tries to begin every appointment with a review of medications, which she asks patients to bring with them. I think having the pill bottles is much more powerful than a list, said McGrath, who has written about how to deprescribe safely.

Although support is growing, deprescribing faces formidable obstacles.

Among them, experts say, is a paucity of research about how best to do it, relentless advertising that encourages consumers to ask their doctors for new drugs, and a strong disinclination  baked into the culture of medicine  to countermand what another physician has ordered. Time constraints play a significant role. So do performance measures that are viewed as a mandate to prescribe drugs even when they make virtually no sense, such as giving statins to terminally ill patients.

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Theres a reluctance to tinker or change things too much, said University of Michigan geriatric psychiatrist Donovan Maust, who labels the phenomenon clinical inertia. When inheriting a new patient, Maust said, doctors tend to assume that if a colleague prescribed a drug, there must be a good reason for it  even if they dont know what it is. Maust said he tries to combat inertia by writing time-limited orders for medication.

He recently began treating a man in his 80s with dementia who was taking eight psychiatric drugs  each of which can cause significant side effects and most of which had been prescribed for undetermined reasons.

Its very typical to see a patient who has a few episodes of reflux and is then put on a proton pump inhibitor, or PPI  and a few years later are still taking it, said Georgetowns Mishori. Many experts say the heartburn drugs are overprescribed, and studies have linked their long-term use to fractures, dementia and premature death.

This is a cultural problem and an awareness problem exacerbated by the fragmentation of care, said Brownlee, the author of Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making Us Sicker and Poorer. Many doctors, she added, have never heard of deprescribing.

Before his death several years ago, doctors advised Brownlees father, a hospice patient, to continue taking a statin, along with several other medications. None would improve or extend his life, and all had potentially harmful side effects.

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Older people taking lots of medication was what Canadian pharmacist Barbara Farrell encountered when she began working at a geriatric hospital in Ottawa nearly two decades ago. Her experience, she said, was a catalyst for the Canadian Deprescribing Network, a consortium of researchers, physicians, pharmacists and health advocates she co-founded. The group seeks to drastically reduce inappropriate medication use among Canadian seniors by 2020.

Farrell, a clinical scientist at the Bruyere Research Institute, has also helped write guidelines, used by doctors in the United States and other countries, to safely deprescribe certain classes of widely used drugs, including PPIs and sedatives.

Ive found a lot of receptivity to the guidelines among physicians, Farrell said. We know there are pockets around Canada and the world where theyre being implemented.

One of Farrells most memorable successes involved a woman in her late 70s who used a wheelchair and was nearly comatose.

She would literally slide out of her chair, Farrell recalled. The woman was taking 27 drugs four times per day and had been diagnosed with dementia and a host of other ailments.

After reviewing her medications, Farrell and her colleagues were able to weed out duplicative and potentially harmful drugs and reduce the doses of others. A year later, the woman was like a different person: She was able to walk with a cane and live mostly independently, and she reported that her doctor said she did not have dementia after all.

When Farrell asked another patient why she was taking thyroid medication, the woman replied that her doctor had prescribed it for weight loss after her last pregnancy  in 1955.

The patients I see are the tip of the iceberg, Farrell said.

One way to facilitate deprescribing, Farrell said, is to require doctors to record why a drug is being prescribed, a proposal the deprescribing network has made to Canadian health officials. A recent study by a team from the Boston VA Healthcare System found strong support among doctors for this concept.

While some doctors are reluctant to discontinue medications, patients can be wary, too.

They may say, I tried stopping my sleeping pill and I couldnt sleep the next night, so I figured I needed it,  Farrell said. Nobody explained to them that rebound insomnia, which can occur after stopping sleeping pills, lasts three to five days.

Mishori said that she deprescribes only one medication at a time so she can detect any problem that arises from that change. And, she adds, I never take people off of a medication without doing something else. In the case of heartburn drugs, she might first recommend taking the drug only when needed, not continuously. Or she might suggest a safer alternative, such as an over-the-counter antacid tablet.

Maust, the geriatric psychiatrist, recommends that doctors actively focus on the big picture and carefully weigh whether the benefits of a drug outweigh its risks.

In geriatrics, he said, less is more.

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Boodman is a regular contributor to Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit health news service that is an editorially independent part of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
David Mitroffs favorite restaurants in New York and San Francisco now quietly add an 18 percent tip to his final bill  before he even has a chance to consider a gratuity.

Automatic tips have also appeared on his hotel bills and when he checks his luggage with the airport skycap. Its almost as if everyone assumes he wants to tack a few extra dollars onto the final tab, even when he doesnt.

When it come to tipping, he says, theres been a shift.

For Mitroff, its more than an annoyance. Hes a business consultant with Piedmont Avenue Consulting, an Oakland, Calif., firm that specializes in hospitality industry technology, so hes had a front-row seat to the business decisions behind auto-tipping. He predicts a few rocky years before this issue is settled. The problem is disclosure: A business advertises its products at one price, but the bill unexpectedly arrives with extras attached to it.

Its their job to clearly explain pricing, so when the check arrives its not a surprise, he says.

But as auto-tips multiply, thats not whats happening.

Cruise lines, for one, have almost fully embraced automatic tipping. Many restaurants have, too, particularly for large parties. The practice is spreading to other businesses that cater to travelers, most notably hotels. The charges are showing up on bills at the last minute as gotchas, and customers often feel shamed into paying them.

Weve been placed into a situation that brings up both embarrassment and guilt if we do not honor this mandatory system, even though we dont agree with it and we may not feel the service was even worth tipping, says Nat Smith, a professional housesitter who is traveling around the world with his wife.

Anyone can get tripped up by auto-tipping.

Last summer, South Florida Sun Sentinel restaurant critic Michael Mayo dined at the Fresh American Bistro at the Sole on the Ocean resort in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. He ended up leaving a $60 tip on top of an automatic 18 percent gratuity that had been built into the check, but which was hard to read. And nobody said a word, he noted in his story. A manager told Mayo the 18 percent fee was a resort policy.

Thats not how its supposed to be. A few short years ago, automatic tipping was limited to restaurants with large parties, experts say. Even then, a guest would be notified of the gratuity and could adjust the tip based on the level of service. Lately, these automatic tips have made appearances in places people dont expect them, particularly on room service bills. Removing them is often difficult, embarrassing or both.

Although the practice may benefit some travel industry workers, its not entirely fair to travelers, who want to know the price of an item before they buy it.

A tip, these travelers point out, should be something given for extraordinary service  not an entitlement and never, ever, added automatically.

Most offensive to guests is that these gratuities are added to their bills with a claim that its for their convenience. But thats not what it feels like.

Even the most benign kind of auto-tip  a helpful notation on a point-of-sale screen that asks, How much would you like to tip? can be deceptive. Push the 20 percent button and, more often than not, it will bill you for a percentage that is based on the amount of the meal  plus tax.

Greg Geronemus, the co-chief executive of Smartours, a New York tour operator, says his company doesnt include a tip in any of its invoices and never makes them mandatory.

This decision is very clear-cut in our minds, he says. Tipping needs to be at the clients discretion and based on performance. Otherwise, you remove a key motivator for various people contributing to their experience during the tour.

Travelers are also vulnerable to bogus mandatory tips.

The last time Judy Reaves, a retired fire-prevention specialist, checked in for a flight curbside at her hometown airport in Phoenix, a skycap asked for her credit card. While it is customary to tip skycaps, she was surprised when the employee charged her an automatic gratuity in addition to charging her for the service.

As it turns out, her surprise was warranted. According to the Phoenix airport website, theres no cost  aside from the baseline fee  for skycap service.

Gratuities are accepted for great service, it notes.

Mitroff, the business consultant, says that even without these tips or service charges, we are becoming an auto-tip society. And its time to think about what that means and whether thats what we want.

When is the last time you left a restaurant without tipping? he says. Even if you had a bad experience, most people usually still tip 10 percent to say we are unhappy, not zero.

He prefers the model adopted by most European countries, where the price youre quoted includes all applicable fees and charges.

Why not include the tip in the pricing and make everything more streamlined? he asks.

Your inattention feeds the reckless expansion of automatic tipping. Every time you absent-mindedly sign a check or push the tip 15 percent button on a Square terminal or sign a room-service bill without reviewing it, youre silently endorsing the often deceptive practice of auto-tipping. At the very least, its a hidden price increase that almost always sticks. At the most, its a violation of one of the core principles of American business: Never lie to your customers.
A representative for Roberta Flack has announced that the legendary musician has ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrigs disease, and can no longer sing. Flacks manager Suzanne Koga said in a release Monday that the progressive disease has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak" but will not silence this icon. The announcement of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis comes just ahead of the premiere of Roberta, a feature-length documentary debuting Thursday at the DOCNYC film festival. The release says that the 85-year-old Killing Me Softly With His Song singer plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits.
#FIFA World Cup Ghana coach 'happy' to see old pupil Son Heung-min in Qatar When South Korea and Ghana square off in their second Group H match of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this month, it will also set up a reunion for a coach and a former player o...
PHOENIX -- A federal appeals court on Friday rejected a bid by US Border Patrol to avoid having to provide mats and blankets to migrants they detain in holding cells in Arizona for more than 12 hours.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments by the federal agency that having to provide the mats would be a hardship. Among the arguments were that having mats where people can lie down reduces the number of migrants that can be placed into a holding cell. That claim did not impress the court.

"It is not unreasonable to infer that a person who has been detained in a station for over 12 hours (after having been awake for some period of time before his detention) has a right to lie down and rest, even in the middle of the day,'' appellate Judge Consuelo Callahan wrote for the three-judge panel.

Callahan said the whole thing would not be an issue during normal processing which should take no more than two and one-half hours.

But it turns out that during a period of three and a half months in 2015 only 3,000 of the approximately 17,000 people detained were processed out of detention within 12 hours.

About 8,600 were held at a Border Patrol station up to 23 hours, 6,800 for up to 47 hours, 1,200 for up to 71 hours and 476 for 72 hours or more.

And then there was the finding by District Court Judge David Bury that "the hard concrete floors and benches retain the cold caused by low thermostat temperatures and make it too hard and cold to sleep.'' Migrants have referred to the holding facilities as hieleras, the Spanish word for "ice boxes.''

But while saying detainees are entitled to mats and blankets, the appellate court rejected arguments by their attorneys that these same migrants are entitled to beds and mattresses. Callahan said that's asking too much for what is supposed to be a temporary holding facility.

The appellate judges were also not persuaded by the claim that the migrants should have access to showers and that the access to medical care was inadequate because specially trained medical personnel like doctors or nurses was lacking.

There was no immediate response, either from the groups that filed suit on behalf of the migrants or Border Patrol.

Friday's ruling comes a year after Bury ordered Border Patrol to make immediate changes to how it treats people being held after being picked up for being in this country undocumented. .

The judge said it is a violation of the rights of those being detained -- often for days -- to not provide them with clean bedding, including a mat on which to sleep.

He also ordered the agency to address the personal hygiene needs of detainees being held for longer than 12 hours, including the opportunity to wash themselves. Bury cited testimony of an expert who saw holding rooms with floors, walls, benches, drains, toilets, sinks, stalls and other fixtures, "all of which were badly soiled.''

And Bury said there was evidence that Border Patrol was not even complying with standards that require one toilet for every 12 male prisoners and one for every eight female detainees. One large holding room at the Nogales station had a capacity of up to 88 -- but with just one working toilet and another that didn't flush at all.

In deciding to issue the injunction, Bury said that some of the conditions cited by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups representing detainees amounted to a deprivation of their constitutional rights; And that, the judge said "constitutes irreparable injury.''

What that means, Bury wrote, is that he can order immediate intervention rather than simply allowing those affected to sue -- after the fact -- for financial compensation.

It was the part of the order to provide mats and blankets that caused Border Patrol to seek appellate review.

Attorneys for the government argued that allowing detainees to lie down to sleep significantly reduced the holding cell capacity and interfered with their ability to transfer individuals efficiently. They also said the presence of the mats had increased processing time and made it difficult to comply with federal laws which require separating and monitoring "vulnerable'' populations.

Callahan, however, said evidence shows that Bury was careful to balance the rights of the detained individuals with any "legitimate governmental objective.''

In this case, she said, Bury acknowledged that the Border Patrol stations are not really designed for holding people but instead for short periods between being detained and being moved somewhere else. And Callahan noted that Bury crafted his order to recognize that the agency need not provide the same level of services to those in the stations as might be required in an actual detention facility.

"It did so by requiring only mats and Mylar blankets instead of beds and mattresses, by allowing body wipes for cleaning rather than showers, and by allowing non-medical personnel to medically screen detainees,'' she wrote.

The judge also said there is "little to no evidence'' that providing detainees with mats interferes with the ability of the Border Patrol to identify and process individuals.

On the other side of the equation, Callahan agreed with Border Patrol that providing showers for thousands of detainees "raises substantial security and logistical concerns.''

"Furthermore, although plaintiffs have a right to hygiene, the Constitution does not require access to a shower within 12 hours or even 24 hours,'' she said.

In fact, the only precedent Callahan cited was a 1986 ruling that held that prison inmates were entitled to showers three times a week.

"But case law does not compel the conclusion that they have a constitutional right to a shower when detained for fewer than two days,'' she said.
Young Puerto Rican calls for Jones Act repeal

by Michael Hansen, Hawaii Shippers Council, December 22, 2017

The Hill published on December 21, 2017, an opinion-editorial, Puerto Rico needs to repeal the outdated Jones Act, written by a young Puerto Rican, Glenn Ojeda Vega, attending Pontifical Xavierian University in Bogota, Colombia, where he conducts graduate research. Ojeda earned his BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and specializes in international trade and development in Latin America and Africa.

Key excerpts from The Hill:

The debate over the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act) has been revived as devastating hurricanes stormed through the Caribbean and public figures like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have introduced legislation for its partial or total repeal.

The United States Congress should repeal the outdated Jones Act of 1920 because it is hindering economic development and free markets in Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii, and Alaska, while promoting a monopoly in national trade.

The United States Merchant Marine and its political lobby benefit from the Jones Act because its means that they do not have to compete with the lower costs and more efficient services offered by other shipping giants, such as Maersk.

The fact is that the Jones Act is both a regulatory burden and huge subsidy that keeps the shipping industry in the United States from becoming truly competitive because they already have a captive domestic market.

Theoretically, given its strategic regional position, Puerto Rico should have access to imported goods at a more favorable rate than some parts of the mainland United States because of the numerous trade routes that traverse the Caribbean.

However, it is estimated that consumers in Puerto Rico pay approximately twice what other Caribbean islands pay for imports due to the restrictions imposed by the Jones Act.

The Jones Act and the industry that it has protected for almost a century seem to be one of the few sectors of the national economy that is not willing to deregulate.

The permanence of the Jones Act will hinder Puerto Ricos competitiveness as the island seeks to reshape its economic model.
Hawaii gets Federal nod on its ESSA plan, approval expected soon

News Release from Hawaii DoE, 20-Dec-2017

The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) this morning received encouraging feedback from the U.S. Department of Education (USED) following a review of its State plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). USED officials gave the indication for ultimate approval of the plan during a call with HIDOE officials.

We had a great discussion with federal education officials who determined that Hawaii is well on its way for approval once we make minor adjustments to our consolidated plan, said Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto. The State plan is a culmination of a community effort and its rewarding to see that the USED recognizes Hawaiis effort and commitment to providing equitable and accessible education.

ESSA is a reauthorization of the federal education law known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It replaces the prior reauthorization, most commonly known as No Child Left Behind.

Following the Hawaii State Board of Education approval, the Superintendent and Governor David Ige submitted the signed states ESSA plan to USED in September 2017. The Hawaii ESSA plan is designed to support HIDOEs Strategic Plan objectives, which provides common direction for public schools to empower students in their learning.

"I'm pleased to learn that we are close to getting our ESSA plan approved," said BOE Chairman Lance Mizumoto. "The plan reflects our collective commitment to providing a well-rounded education for all students."

HIDOE is making the necessary adjustments where further clarification is being sought on student supports that are already in place. Once the non-substantial changes are made, Superintendent Kishimoto will send the State plan to the USED for final approval. For information on the state plan, visit http://bit.ly/HIDOE-ESSAfaqs .

Read the USED Hawaii State plan interim feedback letter here .

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Star-Adv Fluff-Piece: State DOE on track with plan to meet new federal benchmarks
BRISTOL, Tenn.  Fifty years ago, Charles Rotenberrys boss called him into his office and asked him to decorate downtown Bristol for Christmas. He had no idea then that hed spend the rest of his life lighting up towns across the region for the holidays.

I worked for BTES  it was Bristol Electric back then. The head man said he wanted me to hang the decorations downtown, Rotenberry, 90, said as he leaned back in his recliner. I didnt own a ladder or a truck, so I paid to use the electric companys truck and a ladder. Thats how I got started, and it just kept growing.

Over the years, Rotenberry decorated the Bristol Mall, Bill Gatton companies, the United Coal Co., other businesses in Grundy, Haysi, Coeburn and Clintwood, Virginia, and several businesses in Harlan, Kentucky.

When he started, Rotenberrys sons, Jerry and Charlie, who were teenagers, picked up a ladder to hang the decorations  most of which weighed more than 35 pounds.

It took a long time to get everything hung downtown. We strung garland across State Street from the lampposts. It hung like this, Rotenberry said, as he made draping motions in the air. It was beautiful. It makes me sad that the city doesnt decorate like that anymore.

Jerry Rotenberry laughed when he remembered that he and his brother stuffed light bulbs into their shirts and propped an extension ladder against a pole to change the bulbs on the decorations.

There were 18 poles on each side of State Street at the time, he said. Now, the poles are gone, and we have six employees and three bucket trucks.

Charles Rotenberry, who worked at BTES until he retired in 1977, owned and operated Twin City Decoration and Novelty Co. in Bristol until several years ago, when he turned the business over to his sons.

Putting on a hat and coat, the elder Rotenberry offered a tour of a 3,000-square-foot outbuilding behind his Bristol, Tennessee, home, where he houses decorations dating back 50 years.

They need to be cleaned up about every 20 years or so, he said as he touched a 5-foot metal star he had been sanding down for a few days. They get rusty after so many years of use, so Ive been working on this one for a few days. I refurbished most of the decorations that we put up in Elizabethton this year.

Off to the left, Christmas lights were wound loosely around large spools, a larger-than-life shining Teddy bear hung on the wall, and assorted sizes of light bulbs filled nearby baskets.

Each of these spools has 42 feet of lights, he said. And if a light goes out, we also have to replace it. I also rewire the ones that need it. Over the years, Ive unraveled miles of Christmas lights.

Around the outside of the building is another entrance that leads to a second story. Once inside, Rotenberry flipped a light switch, revealing hundreds of half-century-old decorations.

He pointed to the rafters, where gold Christmas bells trimmed in red were stacked on top of each other until they almost touched the ceiling.

Those hung from the big lampposts on State Street  and over here are the signs that say Seasons Greetings, he said as he turned toward the wall behind him. You just cant find stuff like this anymore.

On the floor, 20-foot Christmas trees stood in formation.

I made those trees, Rotenberry said. I had the frame welded, took the branches I bought, and would weave them into the frame until the trees were perfect.

Also tucked away on the upper floor is a metal horse and carriage that looks as if its moving when the lights are turned on, many large wreaths, ornaments, Nativity scenes and other one-of-a-kind items.

A couple of Rotenberrys handmade trees are still in use in the area.

One is on Malcolms Meat Market, and another is on the bank in Grundy, Virginia, he said. Fred Malcolm was a very good friend of mine. I put a tree on top of his business over 30 years ago, and weve put one up every year since then.

Malcolms Meat Service is at 538 Randolph St. in Bristol, Virginia.

Currently, the only decorations the company puts up in Bristol are the tree at Malcolms, five wreaths on Regions Bank and the three wreaths on the front of Bristol Tennessee Essential Services, Jerry Rotenberry said.

We put up the decorations for Mountain City and Elizabethton, Tennessee  the Elizabethton Chamber of Commerce, he said.

The elder Rotenberry said hes slowed down a bit over the years, but hes going to continue to work as long as he can.

Then Ill go to heaven to be with my wife, Betty Lee. She went to heaven on our 68th anniversary on July 12 while I was holding her hand, he said.

Jerry, who turned 65 on Thursday, said he plans to keep the business going as long as he can.

But I dont have any children, and my brother has one son who lives in Nashville, he said. And he isnt interested in the business, so Im not sure what were going to do when its time to close. Theres no one to take it over. I guess well find someone who wants to buy all of this  but Im not sure where to start.
Bristol, Tennessee  Code of Ordinances

Chapter 10  ANIMALS ARTICLE II  DOGS AND CATS

Sec. 10-46.  Tethering of dogs.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to tether a dog unless: (1) The weight of the tether is less than one-eighth of the body weight of the dog; and (2) The tether is of such length as to allow the dog to move a distance of at least 12 feet from the stationary object to which the tether is affixed as measured along a horizontal plane at ground level from the base of the stationary object; and is further placed in such a manner and location as to prevent the dog or tether from becoming entangled with other objects or animals, or from extending over an object or in any other manner that could result in injury of the animal; and (3) The tether, if attached to a stationary object that allows 360 degree access around said stationary object by the dog, is equipped on the tethered end with a swivel or similar device that prevents the tether from wrapping around the stationary object so as to reduce the free-movement of the dog; and (4) The tether is attached to a properly applied buckle-type (nonchoke) collar, halter, or harness configured so as to protect the dog from injury; and (5) The tethering system allows the dog reasonable freedom of movement and access to adequate food, water, shade, dry ground and shelter; and (6) The tethering system restricts the dog to the owners property in the absence of consent of the property owner upon which the tether extends.

(b) No dog shall be tethered if: (1) It is less than six months of age; or (2) It is a female dog in heat; or (3) The health or safety of the dog would be endangered due to: (i) extreme weather conditions; or (ii) the dogs illness or injury.

Sec. 10-47.  Confinement of certain dogs.

Every female dog in heat shall be kept confined in a building or other secure enclosure in such manner that the dog cannot come in contact with another dog except for intentional breeding purposes.

Sec. 10-48.  Failure to provide adequate care.

It shall be unlawful for any person who keeps or houses any dog in any residence, business, shelter or other place in the city, to fail to supply adequate food, adequate shade, adequate shelter, and adequate water to such dog, or to fail to provide any dog in his or her custody with protection from extreme weather conditions.
The pundit class has grudgingly been calling passage of tax reform a win for President Trump. But its not the only one. Despite the failure to repeal Obamacare, the administration has racked up numerous accomplishments.

Not all of them deserve praise. Unilaterally yanking the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership will hurt the economy and leave America weaker against nations such as China, which rushed in to fill the void. The presidents aggressiveness on immigration  such as bringing the hammer down on Dreamers  deserves no applause, either.

Yet some of Trumps handiwork deserves plenty. The list should begin with the elevation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Gorsuch is no Scalia  nobody could be  but he might be the best possible substitute.

Another worthy win: a rollback of onerous regulations, including so-called net neutrality, which really just privileged big content suppliers over big content carriers. The administration has revoked 66 other regulations and sidelined more than 1,500 others.

Then theres ISIS. If the terrorist state were ascendant, Trump would get the blame. So while its defeat is not entirely his handiwork, it happened on his watch  and the win goes in his column. Not bad for a political rookie.
Two children were killed when a school gate fell on them at Swami Vivekanand Vidyapeeth situated some 3 km away from the district headquarters.

Alirajpur sub-divisional officer police (SDO-P) Ghanshyam Bamnia said that the incident took place at around 11 am.

The two kids have been identified as Kartik (9) and Sawan (8). While Kartik studies in the school and is son of school employee Mamta Bai, Sawan is his friend.

Today the school was closed but Mamta Bai had come along with Kartik and Sawan also tagged along. They were playing near the iron gate when it suddenly fell on them killing them both instantly.

Police source said that they are trying to find out who fixed the door in such a way that it became unhinged. A police officer said that if the school management is found guilty then action would be taken against them. The collector Ganesh Shankar Mishra has asked the area SDM to inquire into the matter.

School principal B Kulkarni said the children must have been climbing on the main gate which resulted in the gate falling on them.
Actor Priyanka Chopra posted on Saturday a video of her playing and dancing with young kids at an event organised by Unicef India in Delhi.

The actor, who is also a Unicef Global Goodwill Ambassador, shared the video on Instagram and wrote: It was a bright sunshiny day in Delhi today and it had nothing to do with the weather. It was the energy and smiles of these amazing kids from Nine is Mine, a key partner of @unicefindia. These kids aged between 11 and 16, are active child rights advocates who relentlessly support the important issues of child education, health and protection.... not just in their own homes but also in their communities. Imagine their bravery, going out into those very communities to fight the mindsets and stigmas that were set eons ago. I salute each and every one of them. I know they will make this world a better place in their own way. Maybe we all should take a lesson from them! And... at the end of it all, they infused my morning with their infectious enthusiasm.... and so we danced. #endchildmarriage @9ism9.

She also met senior government officials along with the Unicef team and discussed matters related to womens empowerment, girl child and adolescent education.

Posting a picture she wrote: Had a very positive, inspiring discussion at the Ministry of Women and Child Development with Secretary Shri Shrivastav and Joint Secretary Mr. Moses with my @unicefindia team. There is such amazing work being done around the #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao campaign... and its heartening to know that there are many more tangible initiatives being planned for this programme to be scaled up. This is the need of the hour... such programmes will bring the change and I pledge to support such initiatives in every way that I can.

In an interaction with media, Priyanka said she is a just an instrument of change and the real job of empowering women is supposed to be done by the government and society. At a Unicef event, the Bollywood and Hollywood star said though there is nothing wrong in becoming a homemaker, young girls must be given their rights and be allowed to choose their career path.

I am just an instrument of change. I am neither government nor am I Unicef. But I have voice, I have a platform which you people have given me... Some change will be done I am sure when so many of you who are here will write about it, Priyanka said.

The international star said she was privileged in her upbringing, with her parents being educated enough to allow her to carry on with her desires, but not everyone shares a similar destiny, and society must give the young girls their say and allow them education.

Some people say what change I can make alone, some say we ourselves dont have enough to eat, how can we contribute to this cause... To them I would say, if you cant donate money, then donate your compassion, she said.

Emphasising on the role of girls in a household, Priyanka remarked on the increasing number of old age homes, which, she said might not happen if there are more daughters in the society.

The sex ratio in some states, I got to know about, is so low, which is so dangerous.

The actor also praised government initiatives like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao -- the central governments flagship scheme -- and said if everyone lends his and her support such a movement can become very big.

It our house and it is our responsibility to clean it. We have nothing to learn from anyone. We are such a logical people. We run the tech for the entire world. We can change our society on our own, the Quantico star said when asked by a reporter if she has any changes to suggest for India, something she noticed abroad.

Adolescents today face a unique set of challenges. Giving them the tools to improve their lives will help create a generations of economically-independent citizens who will actively contribute to their communities. Investment in adolescents can lift millions out of poverty by creating a constructive and skilled workforce, she said.

India is home to more than 243 million adolescents, who account for a quarter of the countrys population. Ending child marriage, enabling access to secondary education and transition to work can be a game change for Indias future growth and development, Unicef said in a statement.

(With HT inputs)

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Whats your idea of Christmas? Carols, cakes, midnight mass and, of course, Santa Claus. Right? For Varun Dhawan too, these things are synonymous with Christmas but this time around, the actor decided to do something different  he visited the kids of St. Catherine of Siena School for destitute children and orphanage in Bandra, Mumbai. The whole idea of life should be to spread happiness and positivity, says the actor.

How was the experience of having a different kind of Christmas celebration?

It was extremely special and isnt that the whole idea of Christmas? Giving back [to the society] in some way to spread cheer and joy. I truly feel that I celebrated Christmas this time. I had gone to the same orphanage during Badrinath Ki Dulhania (BKD) and promised the kids that I would be back. And Christmas was a great time to do that. Last time, I remember the orphanages brother told me that the kids didnt have enough school bags. So although I got them chocolates, I made sure that I also got school bags for them.

Varun Dhawan says as a kid, he remembers his mother going for the midnight mass to St. Andrews Church or Mount Mary in Bandra. (HT Photo)

Do such things make you feel extremely content?

More than feeling content, it was a good experience. Not just for Christmas, the whole idea of life should be to spread happiness and positivity. And now that people like me because of films, I try to do that once in a while and in different ways. I am happy that this time, Hindustan Times and I partnered for the same. As we grow older, I feel we all have to be Santa Clauses in each others lives. Especially, if you have the means to spread cheer and joy, do that because it really feels good.

Varun Dhawan says in all likelihood, he will celebrate Christmas this year at his new home. (HT Photo)

What are your earliest Christmas memories?

I remember my mother (Karuna Dhawan) going for the midnight mass very often to St. Andrews Church or Mount Mary (both in Bandra), lighting candles and praying. I vividly remember accompanying her so many times. The whole atmosphere with festivities, candles and people singing Christmas carols etc. gives a lot of peace. In fact, I would love singing carols (laughs). Also, my father (director David Dhawan) was always like a real life Santa Claus so that was fun for all of us.

Varun Dhawan says 2017 has been an exceptional year for him when it comes to his career. (HT Photo)

Whats the plan for this Christmas?

I have just shifted into my new house that my mother has designed. So, in all likelihood, I will celebrate Christmas at my new home, which is exactly one floor below my parents house. Probably, a couple of friends will come over and my family is also there. So, I will be indoors only.

Varun Dhawan says he would ask Santa Claus for a pollution-free Christmas and New Year. (HT Photo)

Work-wise also, you had a great year with BKD and Judwaa 2.

Yes, 2017 has been an exceptional year. Its been a massive high. As an actor, you want to enjoy this kind of love, especially when films in general dont do well. Also, when films like BKD and Judwaa 2 do so well, it proves that laughter is the best medicine. People want to be entertained and whats going to matter the most is just that  entertaining audiences.

Varun Dhawan says his mother and film-maker Karan Johar have been his real-life Santa Clauses. (HT Photo)

Given an option, what would you ask Santa for at this stage?

I would ask him for a pollution-free Christmas and New Year. Of course, Delhi was full of smog recently, but when I came back from there, I saw haze in Mumbai also. I am not trying to preach but as a society, we all have to collectively make the effort and start taking care [of the environment].

Varun Dhawan says we all have to be Santa Clauses in each others lives. (HT Photo)

Is there someone who has been a real-life Santa for you?

I know I am choosing a woman but it has to be my mother. Be it being awake till 3o clock in the night to help me make my art and craft projects in school, getting me a watch that I really wanted, or doing up my new house now and so many other things, my mother has been real Santa. I would also call Karan Johar my Santa Claus. I call him, Papa Johar or P Johar (laughs).

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The Science of Meditation: How to Change Your Brain, Mind and Body Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson Penguin Price: Rs 350 (Kindle edition)

How is a mantra any different from my obsessive patients who cant stop saying shit-shit-shit? asked an incredulous professor of clinical psychology, when Daniel Goleman first set out to research the effect of chanting, at Harvard University, more than four decades ago.

The answer was simple  the expletives were involuntary while a mantra is a voluntary focusing tool. The clinical psychologist wasnt convinced, but since then, science writer Goleman and neuroscientist Richard Davidson, chair of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of WisconsinMadison, have collaborated on studies that use modern imaging tools to demonstrate how meditation not just improves physical wellbeing but also tweaks the brains neural pathways to cultivate empathy, altruism, equanimity and compassion.

Meditation calms the brains emotion processor, the amygdala, to reduce impulsive reactions to stressful or negative experiences and thoughts. Instead of focusing on the pop applications of meditation  using it to lose weight or improve business performance  Goleman and Davidson focus on its capacity to free the mind of negative emotions and develop what they call highly positive altered traits.

The genesis of their experiment was the Dalai Lamas challenge to them to scientifically prove whether the time-tested practices of taming destructive emotions worked when stripped of their religious and cultural trappings.

Using fMRI, PET and a battery of cutting-edge data-analyzing programs at his lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Davidson scanned the brains of dozens of Tibetan monks  the largest pool of deep meditation practitioners studied anywhere  to confirm how deep meditation leads to remarkable, positive changes in brain and behaviour.

Everyone doesnt get it right. The duo recount the cautionary tale of Swami X, who abandoned his wife, two kids and job as a manager of a shoe factory in India to seek fame and fortune in the US. In the mid-1970s, he asked Goleman and Davidson to study his yoga prowess at the Harvard Medical Schools Massachusetts Mental Health Center. What followed was a disaster. When the swami was asked to lower his blood pressure, it went up, when he was asked to raise it, it went down. In between bidi-breaks in the lavatory, all he did successfully was put his heart in atrial fibrillation, a state where the heartbeat becomes rapid and irregular and damages the organ.

The angry swami blamed his failure on the toxic tea he drank!

Meditation and monetising clearly dont work, say the authors, but when done right, the benefits of meditation to both the mind and body are colossal.

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With some anguish I would like to remind you of an esteemed personality who doesnt find the prominent place in many peoples memories that it deserves. I am talking about Madan Mohan Malaviya. Its his birth anniversary today.

Ideally a good essayist shouldnt turn his writings into a diary of historical events. But it is necessary in Malaviyas case. Without that it is impossible to describe his multifaceted character.

Born in 19th century colonised India, Malaviya had anticipated that political independence will become meaningful only when we mould a generation of progressive and cultured young people. For this a world-class university was the need of the hour. How could this dream come true? A small incident will give you an idea about the kind of effort he put in to accomplish this. The Nizam of Hyderabad was renowned to be tight-fisted. Getting him to make a donation was perceived next to impossible. Armed with a steely determination, Malaviya managed to extract such a large purse of donation from the Nizam that even today there is a Nizam Hyderabad Colony in the Banaras Hindu University where dozens of teaches and their families reside. In my eyes, the place deserves more respect than New Delhis Hyderabad House.

In the same manner  through a mix of fighting, cajoling and persuasion  Malaviya laid the foundation of the Banaras Hindu University. Along with donors, Malaviya had to use his persuasive powers on the tallest intellectuals of India and the world. It was a unique campus where in one classroom professors from overseas taught engineering or science wearing neck-ties, even as their colleagues in the ancient history department donned traditional Indian attire. Even in those days Malaviya did not forget to establish a womens college. He had envisioned discovering a number of women scholars such as Apala and Gargi in Indias future generations.

It wasnt that he ignored everything else when he got busy with setting up the university. Malaviya became president of the Indian National Congress four times. He also founded the Hindu Mahasabha. The Mahasabha then was very different from the Mahasabha of today. Mahatma Gandhi considered him as his conscience-keeper and called him his elder brother on public platforms. Still, Malaviya didnt hesitate in disagreeing with the Mahatma when it came to principles. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, when Bapu asked students to boycott schools, Malaviya publicly expressed his displeasure. Boycotting educational institutes was something Malaviya considered antithetical to a nations interests. If children dont study, how can they prepare for running the country? was Malaviyas credo.

Dont you think that callous politicians have hurt independent India more than anybody else?

Malaviya realised that Bhimrao Ambedkar was emerging as a huge force in Indian politics. And his differences with Mahatma Gandhi were growing. That is why the Pune agreement signed on September 24, 1932, was modified to placate Ambedkar. Malaviya, too, put his signatures on the agreement signed between Gandhi and Ambedkar. Had it not been signed, the British would have sowed some more seeds of conflict in the name of Dalits. This shows that Malaviya was a true visionary.

Very few people are aware that 172 people were sentenced to be hanged in the Chauri Chaura case. By then Malaviya had left legal practice owing to politics and social work. Still, he fought the case on their behalf and managed to get 153 people acquitted. He even appealed to the viceroy to stop Bhagat Singhs death sentence. If his appeal had been accepted, it would have changed the course of politics in the country.

While we are on the subject, let me tell you about his association with the publication of Hindustan Times in Delhi along with Leader and Abhyuday in Allahabad. If you read about him, youll discover that Malaviya was concerned about subjects as diverse as gender parity, a society free of discrimination, media, justice and the importance of education for peoples awakening. And he did his bit in each of these spheres. No wonder Rabindranath Tagore honoured him with the encomium Mahamana (a luminous mind and magnanimous heart).

Let me recount a personal experience. After studying at the Banaras Hindu University I began working as a journalist and was transferred to Allahabad in 1982. The city is Malaviyas place of birth. I was surprised to note that even as Mahamana was revered in Varanasi, most conversations in Allahabad began with the Nehru family. Was it because after Jawaharlal Nehru, his descendants stayed active in politics even as Malaviyas children chose to pursue other professions?

Whatever might the case be, it cant be denied that despite his immense contributions history didnt give Mahamana the place that he deserved. All of us are to blame for this.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief Hindustan

letters@hindustantimes.com
If you are planning a trip to Nainital or Mussoorie to ring in the New Year, dont forget to pre-book your hotel room or else you may have to return even before reaching your destination.

Vehicles from Uttarakhand and other states make a beeline to the two hill stations around the New Year time, leading to hours-long traffic jams and parking woes. This time, the police and the local administration plan to regulate the number of tourists for avoiding traffic chaos in the festive season.

Nainital has a capacity to park around 2,000 cars while Mussoorie can accommodate around 1500 vehicles, but more than 10,000 vehicles reach the two hill towns for New Year celebrations.

For Nainital, we will allow only those vehicles to proceed to the city who have pre-booked their hotel rooms and parking slots. For Mussoorie, we are yet to take a final decision (about regulating the entry of vehicles) and the focus will be on making the best utilisation of parking spaces available, Kewal Khurana, deputy inspector general (DIG) of the traffic directorate, told Hindustan Times.

Notably, after the high courts order in September, the Nainital administration launched a mobile app in October allowing visitors to pre-book parking space.

Efforts were being made to spread the message of tourist regulation through traffic directorates website and social media, Khurana said. We will also be deploying 10 units of city patrol unit for monitoring traffic flow and checking drink driving in Mussoorie. Around 50 additional cops will man the two hill towns for regulating traffic movement. A meeting would take place on December 25 to chalk out a final traffic plan for the New Year, he added.

Hoteliers rued that the decision had come too late. While we agree with the administration that theres a need to regulate (the number of tourists visiting these towns), these things should have been planned well in advance rather than at the last minute, which will only put tourists coming from different parts of the country to inconvenience, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Uttarakhand president Sandeep Sahni said.

Nearly 30-40% of tourists make plans at the last minute and they add to walk-in clients for hotels, Sahni said. Not everybody has a mindset to pre-book in advance. Last year, we had a situation where many people even with confirmed booking were denied entry to Mussoorie... I dont see anything wrong in their intention but when it comes to implementation, it (tourist regulation) is done so shoddily that eventually tourists are the ones who end up suffering.

Meanwhile, after protests from local hoteliers and businessmen, Nainital authorities said that vehicles will be stopped from coming into the Lake City only if the parking capacity in the town gets exhausted. Harish Chand Sati, additional superintendent of Nainital, said, We have made appropriate arrangements for parking of tourist vehicles in the town and nearby areas. They vehicles will be stopped only if they exceed the parking limit.

Nainital district magistrate Dipendra Chaudhary said that arrangements to accommodate tourists were being made, irrespective of pre-booking. We hope that there will be enough space for all vehicles, he said.

(With inputs from Kamal Jagati in Nainital)

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Farmers in Champawat districts hill areas are gradually quitting agriculture due to increasing incident of crop destruction by wild animals.

Number of farmers in Champawat has tumbled down from 34,338 at the time of the states formation in 2000 to 31,791 in 2017 -- a decline of 7%, the district agricultural office said.

Similarly, production of wheat has decreased by almost 40%, it said.

A key reason behind farmers leaving traditional occupation of agriculture in the district is the menace of wild animals which has gone out of control... the animals eat up the hard work of the farmers, S Kumar, district agriculture officer, told HT.

The wild animal menace has added to woes hill farmers are already facing due to small size of land holdings.

While number of farmers has decreased, number of farm labourers in the district has increased from 520 in 2000 to 1,980 at present.

This means that farmers are preferring to work as labourers in others fields instead of cultivating their own crop.

Villagers said they were least interested in continuing with the occupation as wild animals were destroying their hard work.

Whatever little we sow, wild animals, specially wild boars, monkeys or porcupines, destroy it. The government is hardly interested in freeing the villages from this menace, Chandrakant Pandey, a resident of Khetigara village, told HT.

We have no option other than leaving the village to find other avenues of livelihood in cities, Pandey said, adding that lack of basic facilities like roads and healthcare were also forcing people to migrate from hill to plain areas of the district.

Asked, Champawat divisional forest officer A K Gupta said: We have started trapping monkeys from rural areas and leaving them in jungles.
A 60-year-old man and his 22-year-old son were injured after a group of juveniles allegedly stabbed them following an argument in north Delhis Jakhira on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The duo is out of danger while one of the suspected juvenile has been apprehended, the police added.

The victims  Iqbal (60) and Dilshad (22)  work as labourers and the argument ensued after Iqbal allegedly slapped a young boy, the police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Jatin Narwal said the incident was reported around 1pm from a slum in Jakhira.

We received a call that two persons were allegedly stabbed by a group of juveniles. When we visited the area we found Iqbal and Dilshad were stabbed by a group of juveniles. Both of them are residents of a jhuggi (slum) in Jakhira. Preliminary enquiry suggested that Iqbal had an argument with one juvenile in the area and he called his friends, said Narwal.

Other juveniles then joined the argument and had a scuffle with Iqbal and they allegedly stabbed him. When Iqbals son rushed to help his father, he too was stabbed, police said.

We rushed the injured duo to a hospital. Both of them are out of danger and police have apprehended one of the juveniles involved in the crime, added Narwal.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring to destroy small traders and benefit the big businessmen through sealing drives in the city.

A group of traders, under the aegis of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), also approached Union home minister Rajnath Singh and sought his direct interference in the matter.

More than 50 business units, running from properties officially earmarked as residences, have been shut down in Defence Colony and Chattarpur since Thursday by a sealing committee formed by the Supreme Court.

On December 15, the Supreme Court had revived the three-member committee that had ordered the sealing of thousands of establishments between 2006 and 2012. On Sunday, AAP MLAs and councillors, along with party volunteers and traders, staged a protest against the sealing drive and burnt an effigy of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).

The protest saw the presence of AAP members, led by legislators Saurabh Bharadwaj, Alka Lamba, Madan Lal, Ajay Dutt and Avatar Singh Kalra, demanding that conversion charges of traders be waived.

Bharadwaj, who is also AAPs spokesperson, said that the sword of sealing was hanging over big markets  including Green Park, Hauz Khas, Greater Kailash-I and II, South Extension among others. He alleged that the shops of the traders who have paid conversion charges had also been sealed during the drive.

This (the sealing drive) is a well-planned conspiracy by the BJP to decimate small traders and benefit the big ones. They want big multinational chains to come up by destroying small traders, Bharadwaj said.

He said that conversion charges  being demanded by the municipal corporation  range between 1 crore to 2 crore which were even higher than the cost of the shops.

He said that according to laws, the municipalities should serve a notice to the shop owner 48 hours prior the sealing and should explain the reasons behind the move.

BJP works for the betterment of the traders and is against such sealing drives. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari has already directed all the three municipal corporations not to carry out any sealing drive without prior notice to the shop owners in future. The AAPs allegations have no ground, said Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Delhi BJP spokesperson.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed formal charges against a Delhi businessman, Gagan Dhawan, and also attached assets worth 1.17 crore in a money laundering case involving the Gujarat-based Sandesara Group.

Dhawan was arrested by the ED on November 1 for his alleged role in facilitating the Sandesara Group in money laundering. The court has taken cognizance of the formal charges, filed in the form of a prosecution complaint.

Dhawan once used to be a frequent visitor to the residence of former CBI chief Ranjit Sinha, revealed from an entry register kept there.

The court has taken cognizance of the formal charges, filed in the form of a prosecution complaint.

The ED said in a statement that it started probing the money laundering charges in the case following a CBI FIR against Nitin Sandesara and Chetan Sandesara, the directors and promoters of Sandesara Group of companies, and others for obtaining fraudulent loans from various public sector banks and subsequently diverting and misusing such loans for personal use.

Following investigations into the charges of alleged money laundering to the tune of 5,000 crore, the ED has provisionally attached a plot, worth 1.17 crore, owned by Gagan Dhawan in DLF Phase III, Gurgaon.

The ED investigation revealed that Gagan Dhawan purchased the plot after getting funds from PMT Machines Ltd, which is a Sandesara Group company. The money was allegedly sourced from the loan obtained from a bank.

The said funds were routed to him by Chetan Sandesara through a benami company, Solpuri Furnishing Private Ltd, incorporated on the instructions of Chetan Sandesara and Gagan Dhawan. The modus operandi was to rotate the funds through several bank accounts of Sandesara Group Companies and then use the bank account of Solpuri Furnishing to layer the said funds, ultimately the same was used for purchasing a property in Gurgaon, the ED in its statement alleged.

The ED added it is also probing money laundering in connection with allegations of bribing of Income-Tax officials by the Sandesara Group and the alleged role of Gagan Dhawan in it. The role of more than 300 benami entities controlled by the Sandesara Group is also under the ED scanner.
Delhi Police have arrested four people and claimed to have solved the murder case of a 27-year-old auto executive, who was found dead in a forested area of Mahipalpur in Delhi on December 15.

Bhatt was working as an engineer in a Manesar-based auto company, Denso India.

Police said the arrested accused allegedly robbed the man, Sunil Kumar Bhatt, and murdered him after offering him a ride to Haridwar in their car.

The accused  Arif alias Pappi, Ajay Kumar, Nirmal Sharma, and Pratap Singh  had been previously booked for cheating and robbery cases reported at various police stations across Delhi-NCR. An Indica car involved in the murder, two mobile phones robbed from Bhatt and a bag was recovered from the accused. The police also seized a Honda City car and a scooter from the possession of the men.

Police said that on December 15, Bhatts body with strangulation marks and injuries to the face was spotted by passersby along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. A case was registered and investigation in the matter was taken up.

Investigators learnt that Bhatts ATM cards were used for shopping and for withdrawing money. Police obtained CCTV footage of banks and shopping malls where the cards were used. While examining the footage they identified one suspect, Arif, and nabbed him on Friday from Jehangirpuri.

Arif is the leader of the gang that used to rob passengers after luring them with cheap fares. His interrogation led to the arrest of his three accomplices, said the officer.

During interrogation, the four disclosed that they had lured Bhatt by telling him that they were going to Haridwar and would drop him there. Bhatt was made to sit between Nirmal and Pratap on the rear seat. The duo also tried to trick him into keeping his belongings in an envelope, police said.

When Bhatt refused, the two started thrashing him and snatched his belongings. They forced him to disclose the ATM cards pin codes and later strangled him with a muffler. His body was then dumped by the roadside, said the officer.
The US suffered a telling if symbolic defeat in the United Nations General Assembly which voted 128-9 with 35 abstensions on a resolution that denounces the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. India was among many friends of the US who voted against the administrations decision. The resolution will have no effect on West Asia, least of all the moribund Palestinian peace process. In normal circumstances, the lopsided vote would have been a warning shot to the US about the direction of its West Asia policy. Today, it will probably encourage Trump to further make the US an irresponsible stakeholder in West Asia.

The rest of the world can only continue to uphold the principles on which previous West Asian peace processes have been based  one of them being that the final status of Jerusalem should be part of a final peace agreement  until there is clarity on Mr Trumps endgame. If the US is signalling a desire to extricate itself from the peace process then the question is whether there is anyone else prepared to pick up the slack. Another question: is the Palestinian issue a priority in a region where deeper, more dangerous conflicts and fault lines have emerged?

Indeed, many countries are being forced to think through their West Asian interests. India is no exception. This is why New Delhi has begun saying its views on issues such as the Jerusalem one will not be based on those of third countries. India now de-hyphenates its Israel and Palestine relations, letting them run on separate tracks.

The defence relationship with Israel is alone so broad and deep that it cannot be hostage to the views of the Arab world. Nonetheless, India remains of the view that secular Palestinians deserve an independent nation. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Israel and Palestine on two separate journeys he will symbolically reflect this reality. So does the fact that India cast its UN vote just a month before the State visit of the Israeli prime minister.

Clearly defining the countrys public position, and explaining it others players is an urgent task for emerging powers such as India that have to operate in turbulent regions like West Asia. Restating fuzzy principles and making impractical suggestions are no longer sufficient.

With the US surrendering its honest broker status and no alternative visible, West Asia is a diplomatic minefield that needs mapping before someone accidentally steps on one.
You may want to avoid over-eating during this festive season, as a recent study has warned that frequent heartburns in the older adults may raise the risk of developing cancer. According to researchers, acid reflux, which causes heartburns, is linked to cancer of the throat, tonsils and upper digestive tracts in older adults.

The team conducted a study on 13,805 patients aged 66 or older with cancer of the respiratory and upper digestive tracts and 13,805 patients without cancer. They wanted to analyse inflammatory condition gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD or acid reflux) and the development of cancer.

The patients with cancer of the respiratory and upper digestive tracts (outcome) were compared to those without cancer to examine whether GERD (exposure) was associated with cancer. The results suggested that GERD was associated with cancer of the throat, tonsils and parts of the sinuses.

Author Edward D. McCoul from the Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans explained that GERD was associated with cancer in older adults in the respiratory and upper digestive tracts. This association requires further study to determine causality and to possibly identify an at-risk population so surveillance can be improved and treatment initiated earlier.

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The citys health sector fared dismally this year, with a significant rise in cases of people suffering from respiratory diseases. The same was a direct fallout of the rise in the level of pollutants in the atmosphere and a steady dip in the citys air quality.

Although a rise in wind speed and occasional bursts of rain helped clear the thick cloud of smog and dissipate pollutants, extensive waterlogging and flooding of sectors led to a spurt in cases of dengue and malaria. According to data released by the state health department, the city recorded as many as 105 confirmed dengue cases this year. The number of malaria cases, too, rose significantly to 273 from 38 last year.

The deadly H1N1 virus, which had been on the retreat over the last two years, also made its comeback this year. According to official data, the city recorded eight new confirmed swine flu cases this year. However, the unofficial count of positive swine flu cases was much higher, at 70.

Although no swine flu cases were reported in the city in the last two years, as many as 37 were reported in 2014. However, no deaths were reported that year. The last swine flu case in the city was reported in March 2015.

Apart from the rise in the number of dengue and malaria cases this year, both government and private hospitals in the city were also in the news this year over alleged lack of infrastructure and medical negligence.

On May 26, a three-year-old boy, who fell from a two-storey under construction building, died waiting for an ambulance. He was to be shifted from the Civil Hospital to Delhis Safdarjung Hospital.

In a similar incident in April, a three-month-old boy died waiting for an ambulance. Many claimed to have been denied medical treatment owing to the lack of requisite facilities at the only government-run hospital in the city.

On May 29, a chunk of plaster from the ceiling outside the emergency room of the Civil Hospital collapsed. A hospital staff sustained minor injuries.

Last year, on April 11, a piece of concrete from the ceiling of the maternity ward had collapsed, leaving a mother and her infant injured. In 2015, as well, similar incidents were reported at the Civil Hospital.

The citys private hospitals, too, were in the eye of a storm this year over multiple allegations of medical negligence.

On November 20, a tweet regarding a private hospital in Gurgaon created a stir. Union health minister JP Nadda responded to a family friends tweet expressing outrage over alleged inflated billing by the private hospital. We will take all necessary action, the minister responded on Twitter.

In September, a seven-year-old girl died of dengue at a private hospital in Gurgaon and the father of the deceased alleged that the hospital billed them for 660 syringes and 2,700 gloves during the 15-day hospital stay.

In another alleged case of medical negligence, an FIR under section 304 (2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code, was filed against one of the doctors of Fortis Hospital on December 9. The doctor was involved in the treatment of seven-year-old Adya Singh, who succumbed to dengue. On December 15, the police added Section 188 of the IPC in the case, as the hospital failed to report dengue case to the government authorities.

Read I Dengue death: Complaint filed against another pvt hospital in Gurgaon

In November, parents of a 12-year-old boy, lodged at a private hospital, accused the doctors of medical negligence and created a ruckus, demanding action. However, hospital authorities claimed that the boy died after suffering multiple organ failure. Prateek (11) was allegedly suffering from diarrhoea when he was brought to Park Hospital located at South City-2 on November 21. He died the day after.

In December, a complaint was filed against Medanta-The Medicity in Sector 38 alleging medical negligence that led to the death of a seven-year-old boy suffering from dengue on November 22.

The deceased boy, Shaurya, was admitted to Medanta on October 29 and was under treatment there till November 20. He was referred to the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital as there was no significant improvement in his condition. His father, Bhupender Singh Parmar, filed a complaint at the Sadar police station.

These cases brought a bad name to public and private health care services in the city. Residents have called for an urgent upgrade of the citys health care facilities.

The condition of the government hospital leaves a lot to be desired. Many people turn to the Civil Hospital for treatment, as private health care is beyond their means. Every citizen has a right to avail of basic health care. The quality of health care in the citys needs urgent improvement, said Souniya Khurana, a resident of Sector 56, who had helped domestic help Shahnara Khatun, 23, who was injured after being hit by a bus of a private educational institute on December 8 last year.

Meanwhile, the health department assured that they are taking all required measures to plug the loopholes in the citys health care scene.

We are trying to improve service at the government hospital.With regard to allegations of medical negligence at various private hospitals, we are investigating the cases and will take appropriate action, BK Rajora, chief medical officer, Civil Hospital, said.

On the rise in dengue and malaria cases this year, he said that the health department is in the process of identifying more mosquito breeding grounds in the city and will ensure that vector-borne diseases are kept at bay next year.

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Popular Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who were earlier in India with their children Dylan Michael and Carys Zeta for a family vacation, have left the country and moved to Cambodia. Zeta-Jones, 48, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photograph of herself with Douglas enjoying a meal.

Arriving in Cambodia. A sunset river cruise with a cup of tea and a few cakes. Perfect, she wrote alongside the image.

Zeta-Jones, best known for her roles in films like Chicago, The Terminal and Broken City, along with her family was in India last week. During her visit, she shared videos and photographs on the image-sharing site. On Saturday, she shared a video titled Life in India, in which she shared all the images from her vacation. My family and other life in India, she wrote alongside the image, which shows different cultures and traditions of India.

Zeta-Jones and Douglas visited the Taj Mahal, roamed around the streets of Jaipur and enjoyed wildlife in India during their vacation.

On Instagram, the actress also shared that it was her dream to visit India. When you dream of visiting a country all your life, and it lives up to everything you hoped it would be, she wrote.

Douglas, 73, has appeared in films like One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Wall Street, Solitary Man and The American President.
Facing flak for slow progress on identifying, collecting, documenting, preserving and digitising manuscripts, the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) has decided to set up 100 gurukulas across the country.

The gurus heading them would be retired professors or historians, and be assisted by scholars or research officers. Their mandate would be to edit and translate manuscripts and finally publish four books each year.

To be initially set up in 15 institutions to conduct research on manuscripts in various languages  Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and Tibetan  the number would gradually grow to 100.

We have identified nine institutions so far for setting up gurukulas and do the rest very soon. All 15 would start functioning from April 1, Dr Dilip Kumar Kar, coordinator of NMM, told HT.

These eight include the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Leh, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara in Bihar, Saraswati Research Institute in Odisha, Dr Hari Singh Gaur University and Kundkund Gyan Peeth (both in Madhya Pradesh), Thunchan Memorial Research Centre in Kerala, Sri Chandra Shekharendra Saraswati Vishwa Mahavidyalya and Government Oriental Manuscripts Library (both in Tamil Nadu) and Central Council for Research on Ayurvedic Sciences in New Delhi, Kar added.

Launched in 2003, NMM has so far documented 42 lakh manuscripts, digitised 2.20 lakh manuscripts with 2.5 crore pages, and published 50 volumes. An estimate shows that there are about 10 million manuscripts available in India in the possession of individuals, universities and research organisations.

Dr Kar said that a gurukul evaluation committee would screen the research proposals submitted by these institutions. Before launching research work, the gurukuls would submit the list of manuscripts they want to conduct research on and the committee would decide the priority, Dr Kar said.

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Facing criticism for its frothing lakes and potholes on roads, the Karnataka government on Sunday launched the Bengaluru city logo, the first Indian city to do so, in a bid to resurrect its image as a tourism destination. With this, it joins cities like Amsterdam in The Netherlands and New York in the US to have its own logo.

The logo was designed by Nammur, a design start-up, which won a contest and received a prize money of Rs 5 lakh from the government.

Speaking to HT, state tourism minister, Priyank Kharge, said although the city was a brand in terms of investment, it was not so for tourism. "We wanted to remedy this and portray the rich history and culture of the city," he said. It was his idea to come up with the logo.

Kharge said the government wanted to bring the city on par with Amsterdam and New York as a brand to attract tourists and showcase its cosmopolitan nature. This, he said, was highlighted in the logo, where Be and U in Bengaluru are highlighted in red. This represents the welcoming character of the city, where people of all identities will be respected," he said.

Nammurs Vinod Kumar said the challenge in the design was to incorporate the city's rich cultural heritage and yet show how it is changing. It is for this reason that some of the English letters have been designed to look similar to characters in the Kannada script, he said. The logo was also designed to subconsciously teach Kannada, he said. The company has also launched merchandise that will represent Bengaluru.

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Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has threatened to pull out of the BJP-led coalition in Assam if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is passed.

The regional outfit, which is opposed to granting of Indian citizenship to religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, has warned if the Bill is passed, it will break ties with the saffron party.

There are fears in Assam that if the Bill, to be tabled in the ongoing winter session of parliament, is passed, it will lead to a huge influx of Hindu Bangladeshis.

However, even if the AGP goes ahead with its threat, it wont affect the Sarbananda Sonowal government. BJP has 61 members in the 126-member assembly and the support of the Bodoland Peoples Front, which has 12 MLAs. On Friday, two separate delegations from Assam one BJP and another AGP met Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi. While the BJP team wanted fast-tracking of the bill, AGP wants it withdrawn.

A wrong impression is being created about the bill. Assam alone wont bear the burden of religious minorities from neighbouring states, said Roopam Goswami, BJP spokesperson.

Several other groups and organisations in Assam are also against the bill. There is no question of granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis. If it is done, it will go against provisions of the Assam Accord, Samujjal Bhattacharya, chief adviser of the All Assam Students Union (AASU), said in a rally on Saturday.

AASU, the biggest student body in the state, had spearheaded the anti-foreigner agitation which culminated in the Assam Accord of 1985. The movement had claimed 855 lives. The present Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 and grant citizenship to illegal Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Jain, Buddhist and Christian immigrants.

The earlier Act required illegal immigrants to stay in India for 11 years to be eligible for citizenship. The Bill, if passed, would reduce it to six years.

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The central government, in consultation with states, proposes to launch a new price support scheme for farmers to prevent distress sales at prices below the minimum support price (MSP).

Under the proposed market assurance scheme, states will be free to procure all crops from farmers for which MSPs are announced, except rice and wheat, which are already being procured by the centre for the public distribution system.

Under the new scheme, the centre will compensate states for any losses capped at 30% of the procurement cost. It will be the states responsibility to dispose of the procured crops.

The proposed scheme will ensure an assured price for the farmer, mitigating the price risks faced by farmers after harvest. Together with a prolonged spell of inadequate rains and two years of drought it has contributed towards rural distress.

If successful, it will also politically benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), though it could place fiscal pressures on the Union government; in the just-concluded assembly election in Gujarat, one reason contributing to the BJPs less than usual performance was farmer angst triggered by rural distress.

The system, as it exists now, under which only rice, wheat and small quantities of pulses and oilseeds are procured by the centre, leaves much to be desired, according to a copy of the proposal reviewed by Mint. The new scheme proposes to strengthen the procurement mechanism to ensure that farmers do not suffer from marketing inefficiencies, as commonly reflected in the prices ruling lower than notified MSP for many commodities, it said.

States will take ownership of the scheme, including which crop to procure and in what quantities, when wholesale prices drop below MSPs. State governments will be free to use the procured crops for targeted nutrition-support programmes such as mid-day meals for schoolchildren, or sell them in the open market.

We have written to states to elicit their opinion on the scheme, and if they are interested we will launch the scheme, said a senior official at the agriculture ministry who declined to be named. According to this official, the letter to states was sent more than a month ago.

The proposed scheme comes against the backdrop of a record harvest of cereals and pulses in 2016-17, which led to wholesale prices plunging below MSPs.

The price crash has led to protests by farmer groups across the country since June, with demands for remunerative crop prices and loan waivers. While states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Karnataka have announced farm loan waivers that are at different stages of implementation, states like Madhya Pradesh have launched their own price support schemes for farmers growing pulses and oilseeds.

Experts welcomed the move, but cautioned that it was at best a stopgap measure and that the eventual solution was to bring in greater competition in agricultural markets by dismantling existing cartels.

While any intervention and attention to agriculture marketing is welcome, we must await full details of the scheme to make any specific comments, said Pravesh Sharma, farm expert and a visiting fellow at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.

However, it can be generally observed that government does not seem to risk spending political capital to directly take on poorly functioning agriculture markets, where lack of competition, cartelization and opaque price discovery are the root causes of price distortions.

Spending public money may be necessary in some instances, but the larger goal of reforming agricultural markets should not be lost sight of, he added.
The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre over the killing of four Indian soldiers along the LoC by Pakistani troops, saying the incident raises questions over the governments ability to protect the countrys borders.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said Saturdays incident along the Line of Control (LoC) was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modis flip-flops and somersaults on Pakistan.

Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district.

Tewari claimed that there have been 900 attempts of incursion by Pakistan this year, out of which 780 cases have been reported along the LoC and 120 along the International Border (IB).

There were 583 major ceasefire violations in 2014 (between June-December), 400 in 2015, 450 in 2016 and 900 this year. The prime minister points fingers at others, accuses people who have occupied top posts of committing treason but this government seems incapable of protecting our borders, the former union minister told reporters.

Modi, during the Gujarat assembly polls campaign, had suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the Assembly polls in the state.

The government and the Congress are involved in a face- off over prime minister Modis conspiracy with Pakistan remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

Tewari said that the BJP governments Pakistan policy is driven by flip-flops, somersaults and adhocism and demanded that the prime minister comes clear on his agenda behind his 2015 stopover in Lahore or the Centres decision to allow ISI personnel at the Pathankor terror attack site.

He said Indias neighbourhood policy was in tatters under the BJP dispensation as apart from the frequent Pakistani shelling along the border and incursions, the new Nepalese government was overtly tilting towards China.

In Sri Lanka, growing Chinese influence is a matter of concern. Maldives has signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China disregarding Indias position. China has constructed permanent structures in Doklam, he said.
Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran spelt embarrassment for chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswamis camp Sunday, winning a by-election to Chennais RK Nagar assembly constituency with a margin more than what J Jayalalithaa secured on her way to win the seat in 2016.

The constituency, which has a symbolic value for its association with Jayalalithaa, had fallen vacant after the charismatic AIADMK leaders death last December.

Even as counting was in progress, Dhinakaran claimed to be the real successor to the legacy of Amma, as Jayalalithaa was popularly known in Tamil Nadu.

In the election held on December 21, AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan could win just 47,115 votes --- some 40,000 fewer than Dhinakaran, who is the nephew of Jayalalithaa aide Sasikala. Jayalalithaas 2016 victory had come with a margin of 39,545 votes.

Dhinakaran, who fell out of favour with CM Palaniswami and lost the battle for the partys two leaves symbol, fought as an independent under a pressure cooker symbol.

He was left out in the cold after AIADMK rival factions led by Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, now the deputy CM, joined hands following a prolonged spell of infighting in the aftermath of 68-year-old Jayalalithaas death.

Dhinakarans victory sparked huge celebrations at his Adyar residence, where supporters declared that the Palaniswami government will collapse soon and their Anna (read Dhinakaran) will become the CM.

Symbol is not important, the candidate is, Dhinakaran said earlier in the day, declaring the government will fall within three months.

He asserted that the government was in minority since 18 MLAs loyal to him had withdrawn support to the EPS-OPS camp.

And in the confident assertion of Dhinakaran lies the importance of his victory. In the short term, his win may trigger a fresh round of infighting within the AIADMK. In the long run, Dhinakaran has emerged as an important political player in Tamil Nadu who will have a larger role in the general elections.

Some BJP leaders have already reached out to Dhinakaran to congratulate him, sources said. A few MLAs from the EPS-OPS side, too, have begun contacting him.

Also, his victory in Jayalalithaas bastion will have a direct impact on the state government once Dhinakaran enters the assembly and launches his assault on the government and its MLAs.

It is definitely bad news for the AIADMK (EPS-OPS) ruling camp, but it is even worse news for the DMK..., said Prof Ramu Manivannan of the Madras University.

For the DMK, which is positioning itself as the next ruling party, the outcome was shocking as it had to lose its deposit. The BJP was never in the contest and polled fewer votes than NOTA. The saffron party secured 1,417 votes as compared to the NOTA figure of 2,373.

Dhinakarans vote share was 50.32% as compared to AIADMKs 27.31%. The DMKs share was 13.94%, a sharp fall in comparison with its performance in the 2016 state elections.

Political analyst Sumanth C Raman wondered whether the DMK had transferred its votes.

But DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said: We do not contest elections to lose and make someone else win. We will introspect to find out the reasons for the loss and make corrections for future.

Prof Manivannan said Karunanidhis DMK must rethink their strategy, adding that voters message to political parties is their violent anger can make a hero out of a nobody.

Had the DMK not contested the seat, it would have been fine. But trailing in third position with huge margin is certainly not something that the DMK leadership would be very happy with, he said.

Tamilisai Soundararajan, the BJPs state unit chief, said money power has won.

Since the beginning we have been saying money is being distributedTell me what Dhinakaran has done to deserve this kind of victory? she asked.

The DMK too charged the EPS-OPS and Dhinakarans camps with pumping in money to win the by-election. We want to put an end to the use of money power in elections, said DMK spokesperson A Sarvanan.

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Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani on Sunday said even if Congress president Rahul Gandhi were to live in the state for the next five years, his party wont be able to wrest the power.

The Congress president had exuded confidence on Saturday that after increasing the tally in the elections earlier this month, his party would come to power in Gujarat in the 2022 Assembly polls.

I want Rahul Gandhi to camp in Gujarat from today to ensure Congresss victory in the 2022 Assembly polls. I am confident that even if he does that, the Congress will lose that election too, because the people of Gujarat know them well, Vaghani said, speaking to reporters here.

It is my humble request to the Congress that it should shun its power-centric and caste-based politics. The Congress will never be able to defeat the BJP if it does not embrace positive politics, Vaghani added.

Gandhi held introspection meetings here on Saturday to ascertain reasons for the partys defeat in Gujarat.

Vaghani said the Congress will always end up doing introspection.

The Congress loses wherever Rahul goes for campaigning. It also lost in Himachal Pradesh. If its wants to do introspection on that defeat too, I am ready to provide them with a place if they cant find one, Vaghani said.

The Congress will end up doing introspection only while people will keep on electing BJP to power, the Gujarat BJP chief said.
A record 1,244 Indian women have applied to go for Haj next year after the NDA government allowed for the first time Muslim women to undertake the annual pilgrimage to Mecca without the company of a male relative.

Till now, Muslim women had to be accompanied by a mehram, usually a husband or a relative to whom marriage is unlawful, for the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Officials in the minority affairs ministry said of the 1,244 applications from single women, 1,016 applications have been accepted so far.

The recommendation to allow women-only groups to apply for Haj was made by the Afzal Amanullah panel constituted to review the earlier Haj policy. The panels recommendation was accepted by the Narendra Modi government in October.

There are many schools of thought on this (women going alone) but the religion per se doesnt prohibit it. So I decided to make the recommendation, Amanullah said.

Since demand often outstrips the quota of pilgrims India is allowed to send, applications are picked through a lucky draw. But in the category of women without male companions, there is no quota limit as the Centre wants to give priority to such applicants.

Kerala tops the list with 288 women, said Mohammed Hassain, who vets records at the Kerala Haj Committee.

Scholars say there is no restriction in Islam that explicitly bars single women from embarking on Haj. Saudi Arabia admits women-only groups if the pilgrims are over 45 years of age.

Puttutty, who goes by one name, has never wandered alone from her small village in Kottayam, a Kerala district famous with vacationers. When she occasionally does, the 54-year-old is usually accompanied by a male relative.

In June next year, Puttutty will break free from the many fetters traditional societies put on women. She, along with three other women in her group, will make a lifetimes journey without a male looking over their shoulders.

We are four women, so I am not at all nervous, Puttutty told HT over the phone.

Another pilgrim who will lead an all-womens team to Haj from neighouring Mallapuram, Asya, said she too was venturing out alone for the first time but God will help us.

Faizan Mustafa, a scholar and the vice-chancellor of the Hyderabad-based NALSAR University of Law calls it a welcome step.

It should have happened long ago. Why should the Indian government impose any restrictions on Indian Muslim women to go to Haj? I also think women should have representation in the Haj committees. When 50% of the population is women, they must find more space in these bodies.

Afyia Siddiqui, a social activist from the NGO Lab Azad Hai, described the reform as a giant leap.

In 2017, at least 1.24 lakh Indians went for the pilgrimage, while the total number of applicants was nearly 4.5 lakh.

Former Indian-origin American reporter Asra Nomani created headlines when she published a memoir Standing Alone in Mecca after performing Haj by stealth as a single woman with an infant son born outside marriage.

Sehba Farooqi of the National Federation of Indian Women, said: I have seen Muslim women married outside the community going to Haj taking help from neighbours or distant relatives and fudging their identities. Now, as the government is allowing women to go unaccompanied by male relatives, it will become very easy for them to travel to Saudi Arabia.

But I dont know how the clergy will react. I must say, this is a great challenge for Indian Muslim women to assert their rights within the Sharia structure.

The new Haj policy is among a series of reforms by the judiciary and the government to empower Muslim women and ensure gender justice in the community. The Supreme Court this year struck down instant triple talaq and also allowed women to enter the Haji Ali shrine in Mumbai.

In September, Saudi Arabia reversed its much-pilloried, long-standing policy of not allowing women to drive, as the kingdom faces pressure to modernise its patriarchal laws.
I am the real successor of Amma, claimed rebel AIADMK leader and independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday after he won the RK Nagar assembly bypoll.

Dhinakaran won with a heavy margin, claiming 40,000 more votes than his closest competitor AIADMKs E Madhusudan.

The outcome of the election, first to be held after the demise of former chief minister late J Jayalalithaa in December last year, is perceived to be a litmus test for the ruling AIADMK faction headed by chief minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneeerselvam.

RK Nagar poll leads reflects the mood of the people across Tamil Nadu, a smiling Dhinakaran said, adding in the same breathe, People want me to succeed Amma.

The government will fall in three months, predicted Dhinakaran, who had earlier claimed to have many sleeper cells within the ruling party.

Late chief minister, whose demise necessitated the bypoll, was reverently called Amma (mother) by her supporters and Dhinkaran is trying to position himself as the rightful heir to her legacy.

Symbol is not important, the candidate is, ousted former deputy general secretary of the AIADMK said, alluding to election commissions decision to deny him the partys two leaves symbol.

He had just 10 days to popularise his election symbol  a pressure cooker-- among the electorate.

Election commission did not give my previous symbol, the hat, he complained but said people only saw the candidate (me) and I am thankful for their support, he said.

A victory in Jayalalithaas home turf will be a veritable springboat for Dhinakarans political career which took a beating after he was sacked along with his aunt VK Sasikala from the AIADMK in September.

Political observers say Dhinakarans entry into assembly might intensify the power struggle within the AIADMK, as he will now be poised to challenge the government, which he maintained was in minority after 18 MLAs loyal to him withdrew support from it.

Many MLAs would now like to switch side after seeing the result of the RK Nagar byelection, said an AIADMK leader requesting anonymity.

It is definitely bad news for the AIADMK (EPS-OPS), but it is even worse for the DMK, said Prof Ramu Manivannan of the Madras University.

It is a bigger problem for the DMK, actually a massive setback for the party that positions itself as the next ruling party, he said.

With their verdict, the voters wanted to send across the message to the political parties that with their silent anger they could make a hero out of nobody, Manivannan observed.

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The army plans to buy high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strengthen its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and improve the effectiveness of its military operations.

The force is laying the groundwork for acquiring more than 120 high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAVs, a senior officer told HT. Such UAVs can fly at over 60,000ft and remain airborne for over 30 hours. The armys existing unmanned systems fleet comprises Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs, and the smaller Searcher Mark II tactical drones, both built by Israel Aerospace Industries. Herons can fly at over 35,000ft and feed airborne intelligence for over 45 hours compared to Searchers that operate at 15,000ft for nearly 20 hours.

The higher you go, the more you see, said Lieutenant General Subrata Saha (retd), armys deputy chief till March 2017. The precision afforded by HALE UAVs comes with top-end technology that can be expensive.

The army is waiting for local vendors to respond to a request for information (RFI) for 60 short-range remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) that can operate for 10 hours at 15,000ft. India is in talks with US for the possible sale of 22 Guardian UAVs at a cost of $2 billion. An RFI for UAVs, a naval variant of Predator B drones, was issued to the US Office of Defence Cooperation on November 14.

Talks on the UAVs, manufactured by US General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, progressed only after India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime in 2016. General Atomics chief executive (US and International Strategic Development) Vivek Lall, an American of Indian origin, has spearheaded efforts to allow the export of Category 1 UAVs to the first non-NATO country.

Lall was a part of the Ivanka Trump-led US delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad in November.

The IAF has projected a requirement of over 100 US-made Predator C/Avenger armed UAVs. India does not have weaponised drones at the moment.
As the NDA government gets ready to introduce a bill in Parliament to criminalise instant Triple Talaq , leaders from Opposition parties said on Sunday that they were unhappy with several key provisions, and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said it would urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withhold and withdraw the proposed law.

The stance indicates another tussle may be in the offing on the floor of the House in the winter session, which has been acrimonious because of the Congress partys demand that Modi apologise to former PM Manmohan Singh over remarks made about him on the campaign trail in the recent Gujarat elections.

On Sunday, the Congress and the CPI(M) questioned the requirement of an instant triple talaq law, while the BJD, the fifth-largest party in the House, opposed the penal provision of a jail term for husbands.

AIMLB spokesman Maulana Sajjad Nomani, after an emergency meeting on the issue in Lucknow, said: The terms set out in the proposed bill not only encroach upon the constitutional guarantees granted to religious minorities but are also against the very essence of the verdict delivered by the Supreme Court on August 22, 2017 in instant triple divorce matter.

He added that the Centre neither followed procedure nor consulted the stakeholders while giving shape to the bill.

The bill to ban instant triple talaq, or talaq-e-biddat, was circulated among members of Parliament last weeka procedural formality before its introduction in the House. Sources said the government may introduce the bill on Wednesday, when the House resumes after Christmas.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 criminalises instant triple talaq and imposes a prison term of up to three years and fine on husbands who violate the law. It also aims to provide alimony for the woman on whom instant triple talaq has been pronounced and grants her the custody of her children.

The Congress stand is that the SC judgment should be followed in letter and spirit. However, using a highly polarised 3-2 verdict, and that too, with variation even among the majority verdicts, the government cant and shouldnt misuse that verdict as a springboard for significant expansion not even remotely contemplated in majority verdicts, Abhishek Manu Singhvi told Hindustan Times.

In August, three of five judges of a Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court said the practice of saying talaq three times in one go  sometimes even over email and WhatsApp  violated womens right to equality and was not integral to Islam. Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and justice S Abdul Nazeer gave opposing views and asked the government to bring a law to regulate the practice within six months. The majority verdict overrides the minority view.

CPI(M) MP Md Salim maintained that the government should spread awareness instead of bringing a law. Is this the most pressing issue in the country? How many cases of triple talaq happen in the country? Islam doesnt approve of triple talaq. The Centre must focus on issues like malnutrition among children, trafficking of women instead, he said.

BJDs Lok Sabha leader Bhartruhari Mahtab said strict penal provisions in a civil matter were uncalled for. The three-year imprisonment for a husband who gives triple talaq to his wife is a point of concern. If the law is unnecessarily stringent, every possibility that it may be misused and not serve the purpose, said Mahtab.

The government, however, justified the need for a bill. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the legislation circulated among members of the House says, The legislation would help in ensuring the larger Constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help subserve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment.

(with inputs from Lucknow)

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The army on Sunday clarified that the bodies of its personnel killed in firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir were not mutilated and the injury marks were due to splinters and gunshots.

An Army major and three soldiers were killed on Saturday after Pakistani troops targeted the army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district.

The injuries suffered are due to splinters and gunshots sustained due to firing by the enemy on the patrol, army sources said here.

Responding to media reports, they said that there has been no mutilation of bodies.
A blower has been installed at the makeshift temple at Ayodhyas disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site to keep Ram Lalla (infant Ram) warm in the winter after VHP threatened to protest the alleged neglect of the deity.

This is for the first time since its inception in 1992 such a device has been installed in the temple for the comfort of the deity.

The makeshift temple was built after Babri Masjid was pulled down by a mob of kar sevaks in December 1992, nearly 43 years after the idols were found inside the mosque.

The deity and his three younger brothers are, however, yet to get new woollen clothes and quilts as was demanded by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The idols are at present clad in old woolens.

The pan-Hindu organisation recently demanded a blower, new woollens and quilts for the idols of Ram Lalla and his three younger siblings-- Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan.

The VHP had also sought a quilt for Hanuman, the monkey god, whose idol is also installed at the makeshift temple.

Ayodhya divisional commissioner Manoj Mishra, who is also the court-appointed receiver of the makeshift temple, had issued instruction for arranging a blower for the deity.

Our demand has been fulfilled partially. Ram Lalla has been provided with a blower. We are waiting for the district administration to arrange warm clothes, Sharad Sharma, the VHP state spokesperson told HT over the phone from Ayodhya.

Mahant Satyendra Das, who has been head priest of the temple for over 25 years, also confirmed the development.

Das, however, regretted that the deity was still waiting for a new set of winter clothes.

Earlier, there was no dearth of clothes for Ram Lalla and his brothers. Be it summer or winter, they had enough clothes. In fact, we had a problem of plenty, he recalled.

Things changed after six heavily armed terrorists made an attempt to storm the makeshift temple on July 5, 2005. Prior to the attack in which all six terrorists were killed in a 90-minute gun battle, devotees were allowed to offer clothes, blankets, utensils and other items at the temple.

Now they are allowed to offer only anardana (small, sugar-coated balls).

The administration must lift the ban and allow devotees to offer clothes to the deity, Das demanded, adding, This will solve the problem of shortage of clothes for Ram Lalla and his brothers.

Four sets of clothes, one each for Ram Lalla and his three brothers, are needed every day. The clothes of the deities are changed all seven days a week.

Every month, the head priest of the makeshift temple gets Rs 76,000 for maintenance of the temple from the receiver.

This includes Rs 51,000 for the salary of the five priests and four other employees, who are the only people allowed inside the makeshift temple.

Besides, another Rs 24,100 is provided for the various meals for Ram Lalla, his three brothers and Hanuman.

Clothes for Ram Lalla and his brothers were stitched since 1985 till his death by Babu Lal, a local tailor and after that his son Bhagwat Prasad Pahadi and Shankar Lal took up the task.

In another first, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had celebrated Deepotsav on Diwali eve in Ayodhya on October 17.

As many as 1.71 lakh earthen lamps were lit up as part of the grand Diwali celebrations in the temple town.

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Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll, the outcome of which can have a bearing on political equations in Tamil Nadu, began in Chennai on Sunday.

The seat was represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The counting began by 8 am at Queen Marys College and the process is expected to be completed in 19 rounds.

As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise.

Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security.

The outcome of the result is crucial for all key contenders  the ruling AIADMK, rival leader TTV Dinakaran, and the main opposition DMK.

Unfazed by some exit polls indicating an edge for rival AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran, both the ruling AIADMK and main opposition DMK have expressed confidence in winning the seat.

For the ruling regime helmed by chief minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, it will be seen as an acid test of whether voters prefer them after the demise of their formidable leader late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

For Dinakaran, who claims to represent the welfare legacy of Jayalalithaa, the bypoll success is a veritable springboard for his future political aspirations.

Success for an aggressive DMK is critical as it would lend credence to its campaign line that the people were fed up with the incumbent horse-trading regime and wanted to bring it to the seat of power for dispensing good governance.

The DMK has been bolstered with the support of some more parties, including the Left, MDMK and VCK.

A win in this bypoll could help it project itself as a much more redoubtable key opposition party.

While there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities.

The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round.

The bypoll held on December 21 had seen a record 77.68 per cent voter turnout.

There are 59 candidates in the fray, but the fight is essentially a triangular one, with key contenders being ruling AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dinakaran contesting as an independent.

The ruling AIADMK got back its Two Leaves election symbol back following merger of factions led by Palaniswami and former rebel O Panneerselvam.

The 2015 RK Nagar bypoll, in which Jayalalithaa was elected by a huge margin of 1.5 lakh votes for the first time in this segment, had witnessed a record 75 per cent turnout.

RK Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.
TTV Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed leader V K Sasikala, won the crucial RK Nagar bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes.

He trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by 40,707 votes in the assembly constituency in north Chennai.

The bypoll necessitated by the death of the AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on December 5 last year was held on December 21 and the votes were counted on Sunday.

Here are the updates:

6:55 pm: Its a victory for all. This government will not be here for two more months. Two leaves symbol was a victory symbol when it was with amma. But now its with villains, how can they win: TTV Dhinakaran.

6:00 pm:

Official EC Final Result: TTV #Dhinakaran at 89013 votes, #AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan at 48306 votes, #DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh at 24651, #BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1417 votes at the end of counting. #Dhinakaran wins by 40707 votes #RKNagarElectionResult pic.twitter.com/01g7Qknx1h  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

5:17 pm: TTV Dhinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll by a margin of 40,707 votes, a gap wider than Jayalalithaas victory from the seat in 2016 general elections.

4:35 pm: Vote tally after the end of 16 rounds

TTV Dhinakaran- 81315

AIADMKs Madhusudhanan- 44522,

DMKs N Marudhu Ganesh- 22962

BJP-1236

3:50 pm: Vote tally stands at:

TTV Dhinakaran- 68302

AIADMKs Madhusudhanan- 36211

DMKs N Marudhu Ganesh- 8928

BJP-942

3:45 pm: Dhinakaran visits memorials of party stalwarts--the late M G Ramachandran (party founder) and Jayalalithaa--at the Marina Beach.

He prostrates at Jayalalithaas mausoleum.

2:35pm: Vote tally stands thus:

TTV Dhinakaran  44,308 votes

AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan  21,972 votes

DMKs N Marudhu Ganesh  11,431 votes

Nota 1,151 votes

BJP  636 votes

2:30pm: Round eight also goes to Dhinakaran who gets 44,308 votes.

2pm: TTV Dhinakaran goes to Marina beach to pay tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary.

1:30pm: Dhinakaran continues strong with more than double the votes than AIADMK.

1:05pm: Counting speeds up. Sixth round also ends with Dhinakaran in lead. Vote tally stands thus:

TTV Dhinakaran  34,346 votes

AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan  17,471 votes

DMKs N Marudhu Ganesh  9, 206 votes

12:50pm: Before boarding his flight from Madurai to Chennai, sidelined AIADMK leader Dhinakaran says he is the real successor of Amma. RK Nagar poll leads reflects the whole Tamil Nadus peoples minds. People want me to succeed Amma (Jayalalithaa), he tells media at the airport.

12:45pm: Dhinakaran, who is leading in the RK Nagar bypoll, takes a shot at the ruling AIADMK party. I firmly believe that it is time for this government to go, and in the coming three months you will see this government go, ANI quotes him as saying.

12:39pm: In the fifth round, Dhinakaran registers 24,132 votes  still a formidable lead ahead of AIADMKs Madhusudhanan who has 13,057 votes and DMK Marudhu Ganesh who has 6606 votes: ANI

12:20pm: Fourth round of counting ends. EC trends give Dhinakaran a lead of 4430 votes, AIADMK comes second with 2639 votes and DMK maintain third spot with 1341 votes. On to round five of counting.

12:07pm: Dhinakaran crosses 20,000 votes, more than double of the AIADMKs around 10,000 votes. DMK a distant third with 5,000 votes in the RK Nagar bypoll counting of votes.

12:03pm: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran await his arrival from Madurai at Chennai airport. The independent candidate has held a comfortable lead so far, a fact that is likely to upset political equations in Tamil Nadu.

11:39am: TTV Dhinakaran gets over 18,000 votes while AIADMK scores around 7000. Trends look favourable for the independent candidate.

11:30am: Third round of counting also ends. TTV Dhinakaran gets a wide lead of 5447 votes. Is trailed by Madhusudhanan, who has 2512 votes, and Marudhu Ganesh with 1367 votes, according to EC: ANI

10:52am: Election Commission announces latest trend  TTV Dhinakaran leads with 5082 votes, AIADMKs Madhusudhanan gets 1783 votes and DMKs N Marudhu Ganesh gets 1142 votes in second round of counting, reports ANI.

10:25am: Dhinakaran supporters kick off celebrations by lighting firecrackers and distributing sweets as the independent candidate maintains his lead, though still early in the race.

10:01am: ANI quotes Chennai district Electoral Officer as saying, Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on. Counting was halted for about 15 minutes after AIADMK supporters clashed with Dhinakaran supporters.

10am: TTV Dhinakaran crosses the 10,000 votes mark while AIADMK stands at roughly 4521 votes. DMK is at a distant third with 2383 votes and the BJP is at a poor fifth, behind VCK.

9:45am: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate outside the counting centre as early official trends gave him a lead in the race for RK Nagar seat.

9:35am: Counting of votes suspended for sometime as fight breaks out between rival factions of AIADMK at counting centre. Para military force personnel swing into action to bring situation under control.

Election officials wait for the disturbance to settle down before resuming counting of votes, at Queen Marys College in Chennai. (ANI/Twitter)

9:30am: Official Election Commission trend indicates independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5339 votes, followed by AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan with 2738 votes after first round of counting.

9:15am: Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami, deputy CM O Panneerselvam among those paying tributes to MG Ramachandran.

9am: Meanwhile, AIADMK leaders gather at Marina Beach at the memorial of party founder MG Ramachandran to mark his 30th death anniversary.

8:55am: BJP gets 66 votes so far.

8:30am: Police hold cordon around the centre as Election Commission officials count the votes.

8:15am: First postal vote goes to the DMK.

8am: Counting begins at Queen Marys College.

(With agency inputs)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) intends to drop 13 Pakistani witnesses in the Samjhauta Express train blast case.

We have not heard anything formally from the Pakistani side since the summons for appearance of the witnesses were issued through the ministry of external affairs. The court had in July given four months to secure their presence. Although no final decision has been taken, the NIA plans to request the designated court in Panchkula to drop these witnesses in order to not delay the trial any further, a home ministry official told HT on the condition of anonymity.

Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concern over what it terms unnecessary delay in the Samjhauta case. But those who have followed the Pakistani tactics for long say the neighbouring country has never been interested in cooperating with India in legal matters.

Pakistan rakes up the case time and again just to ward off New Delhi and international communitys pressure to bring terror fountainheads like Hafiz Mohammed Saeed and Maulana Masood Azhar to justice who have been involved in targeting Mumbai and the Pathankot airbase, said Arun Chaudhary, who had a long stint with Intelligence Bureau before retiring as chief of Sashastra Seema Bal.

A total of 68 people, including 42 Pakistani passengers, were killed in the firebombing of Samjhauta Express that took place when the bi-weekly train, connecting Delhi and Attari at India-Pakistan border in Punjab, was crossing Panipat on the night of February 18, 2007.

Around half a dozen Hindu extremists, including Aseemanand, are facing trial in the case.

Sources said the testimony of Pakistani witnesses is important as they were travelling in the train at the time of the blast. After recording their initial statements with Haryana police, they were allowed to leave.

These witnesses were served summons in March. They have twice  in July and November  failed to appear before the court. The report on the status of their arrival is awaited, said NIA prosecutor RK Handa.

Sources said the NIA had considered recording the statements at Wagah in case they didnt want to travel to Panchkula.

Out of 290 witnesses, 216 have deposed so far. Of these, around 30 witnesses turned hostile. The next hearing is on January 12.
A parliamentary panel has expressed concern over the high occurrences of custodial rape cases in Uttar Pradesh, from where over 90% of such cases in the country have been reported over the past few years.

The panel looked at data from 2015 in its report on Women in Detention & Access to Justice in which, 95 cases of custodial rape were reported from UP, followed by two cases from Uttarakhand and one each from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

However, the number of cases has declined dramatically in 2016 (the latest period for which NCRB data is available), with 11 of the total 26 custodial rapes reported from UP.

The state also reported the highest incidents of deaths of women inmates in prison for three consecutive years. While 340 deaths were reported in 2013, the number came down to 9 and 10 respectively in 2014 and 2015 (the latest period for which prison statistics are available with NCRB).

The parliamentary panel on Empowerment of Women, which submitted its report in Lok Sabha on Friday, expressed concern over the high occurrence of custodial rape case cases.

The committees are of the view that police brutality during custody is one of the several forms of police misconduct which assumes grave proportions when it is perpetrated against the weaker and vulnerable sections of the society, the panel said.

PK Mishra, IG (Prisons) Uttar Pradesh, however, said the rapes did not happen inside the jail.

It could have occurred in other places  police stations or maybe nari niketan (correction home for women).

The state also reported the maximum cases of rape in 2016. Of the 38,947 cases, 4,816 were reported from the state.

The panel visited seven jails across India including Mumbais Byculla jail, where 38-year-old convict Manjula Shetye died allegedly after she was beaten up by jail staffers. Inmates in Byculla jail complained of misbehaving authorities, poor quality food, unhygienic conditions of toilets, the panel noted.

It recommended installing CCTV cameras for better surveillance and supervision to ensure effective prison management and inspection of police stations by superior officers.

The panel also flagged overcrowding and shortage of medical staff to attend to women inmates in jails.

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Several challenges stare at 52-year-old Jai Ram Thakur, the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) pick for the chief ministers post in Himachal Pradesh after the partys victory in the assembly elections.

Here are some of them

BALANCING ACT: Thakurs primary responsibility will be to keep the BJPs flock of 44 new legislators together in a state where factionalism could bother the party after its pre-poll candidate for the chief ministers post, 73-year-old Prem Kumar Dhumal, lost the election. Several of Dhumals loyalists lost too, but the two-time chief minister still commands influence.

Thakur wil have to strike a balance between organisation and government, especially strong caste and regional affiliations when he picks his ministers. With the Centres backing, he could run the government smoothly and ensure a good show for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

CREATING JOBS: Himachal reels from little job opportunities but the new chief minister could turn the bleak scenario around by offering self-employment options for the youth. The governments statistical department says there are more than 300,000 unemployed people in the state, while employment exchange data put it at around a million.

FUNDS CRUNCH: Thakurs biggest challenge will be to stem a financial crisis in the state, which has a debt burden of over Rs 45,000 crore and its per capita debt is Rs 55,000. The Centre has been giving Rs 8,000 crore a year as revenue deficit grant to bail out the state, but this relief is just a stopgap solution. Successive state governments have failed to mobilise resources and tax collection went down after the good and services tax (GST) was implemented this July.

ECONOMY REBOOT: For the current financial year, the agriculture-dependent states growth rate is 6.8%. But contributions from the farm sector into the economy have shrunk and the state hasnt registered any significant growth in industries. Tourism, which also sustains the economy, has been stagnant too. Given the scenario, Thakur may have to take unpopular and tough decisions such as overhauling the taxation system and excise policy to boost finances.

HEALTH SECTOR: Himachal has built hospitals and put more beds for patients over the past five years, but vacant posts of doctors and other medical staff have crippled services. An AIIMS was built in Bilaspur and the chief minister will have to ensure it is up and running on his watch. Besides, he will have to strengthen healthcare services in rural areas.

QUALITY EDUCATION: Himachal has more than 2,000 government as well as private educational institutions. But poor results besiege most schools and teachers are seldom held responsible. During the previous BJP rule, more than a dozen private universities were built in the state. But quality education is still a dream for many students in the state.

LAW AND ORDER: The BJPs spoke about the states deteriorating law and order during its poll campaign, giving examples of the gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai, and the killing of forest guard Hoshiyar Singh in Mandi. The two cases dented the state police image. Thakur will have to restore peoples faith in police and make law and order a priority for his government.

Also read: Jai Ram Thakur: The rise and rise of Himachal Pradeshs new CM-elect in BJP

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The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Sunday announced former Member of Parliament Karan Singh Yadav as the party candidate to contest the Alwar Lok Sabha by-election, likely to be held in a month or two.

As per the direction of AICC president Rahul Gandhi, state party incharge Avinash Pande has announced Yadav as the party candidate for Alwar parliamentary bypoll, stated an official release issued by the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC).

Yadav, a cardiac surgeon, had been an MLA from Behror assembly seat and MP from Alwar. In the previous Congress regime led by chief minister Ashok Gehlot, he was appointed as the vice-chairman of 20-point programme. He joined politics in 1998.

The bypolls for Alwar and Ajmer parliamentary seats in Rajasthan have been necessitated following the demise of BJP MPs Mahant Chandnath and Sanwar Lal Jat, respectively. Chandnath had defeated former MP Bhanwar Jitendra Singh.

The decision to field Yadav from Alwar was taken in a meeting held in New Delhi on Sunday. Around 65 Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Avinash Pande, Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot and former MP Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, took part.

A senior leader, who was present in the meeting, but does not want to be named, told HT that Bhanwar Jitendra Singh proposed the name of Yadav for the bypolls. After consultation with all the district functionaries and senior leader, Yadavs name was finalised, he said.

He said Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, whose name was also doing the rounds, was expected to work with the central leadership. Singh, known to be close to Rahul Gandhi, who has been elevated as the party president, would be working closely with him in future, he said.

Sources said that Bhanwar Jitendra Singhs supporters, who were present in the meeting in majority, had raised objections over Yadavs name.

The Congress is yet to decide on the name of candidate for the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat, where Pilot was defeated by Jat in the last election.

Yadavs selection has come as a surprise to many in the state, especially for those in Alwar. The party workers and others had conveyed to state party incharge Avinash Pande that Pilot from Ajmer seat and Singh from Alwar seat will bring poll result in partys favour. But if larger roles (for them) are the criteria, then Pilots candidature from Ajmer also looks dicey, said another state Congress leader on the condition of anonymity.

The bypolls for the Ajmer, Alwar Lok Sabha and Mandalgarh assembly seats will be seen as a referendum on the performance of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a year ahead of the state assembly elections. BJP has not announced candidates from any of the three seats. However, the party sources claim that the party might field any one from labour minister Jaswant Yadav, district president Sanjay Sharma or Balak Nath from Alwar. In Ajmer, there is probability the party may field any family member of Sanwar Lal Jat, possibly his elder son Ram Swaroop Lamba.
Speeding and overtaking have emerged as the cause of the Saturday bridge accident in Sawai Madhopur that claimed 33 lives, according to the police.

Sawai Madhopur superintendent of police Maman Singh said a team of forensic science laboratory in Jaipur inspected the spot on Sunday and came to the conclusion that the driver of the private bus, which broke the barrier of a bridge and fell into Banas river, tried to overtake a vehicle ahead of it. However, the driver then saw some other vehicle coming from the opposite side of the narrow bridge and the bus driver then lost control of the bus.

FSL team found marks of skidding 60 feet ahead of where the bus broke the railing, suggesting a vehicle coming from the opposite side applied the brake to avoid a collision with the bus, Singh said.

The SP said that all bodies had been handed over to the families after post-mortem. Administration and police officials pooled money to send three bodies to Siwan in Bihar after relatives who came to claim them said they didnt have money for transport.

Singh said a mechanical inspection of the private bus was also carried out on Sunday. The bus had new tyres and the vehicle was fit to drive, the officer said.

Meanwhile, the station house officer of Soorwal police station  under whose jurisdiction the area where the accident occurred falls  registered an FIR against the bus driver for negligent driving. The investigating officer (IO) of the case recorded statements of the seven injured at two private hospitals.

We did not find any evidence to suggest that the driver, Zakir, was not at the wheels. None of the injured told us this, said Subhash Mishra, deputy SP (City), the IO of the case.

Meanwhile, police said according to school records, Shahrukh, the conductor, was 19 years old. On Saturday, some injured had claimed that a minor was driving the bus. Police today ruled out both  that he was a minor and that he was driving.

Sonu Gurjar, who claimed to some newspapers on Saturday, that the minor bus conductor first gave them tickets and then started driving, told police that he had heard this from someone.

District collector of Sawai Madhopur Kailash Chand Verma said that both hospitals have offered free treatment to the injured.
Rajasthan tourism department has asked Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to furnish it with a detailed report of restoration work of the ancient dilapidated structure of Bhand Deora Shiva temple of Baran, also known as Khajuraho of Rajasthan.

Convener of INTACH, Baran, Jitendra Kumar Sharma said that the temple, constructed around 1,000 years back, has already faced the wrath of natural calamities and may collapse anytime, if not conserved. INTACH is collaborating with State Archaeology department, tourism department and State government to undertake the work.

INTACH has also proposed technical assistance for the restoration work, said Sharma.

INTACH has sought permission from the state department of Archaeology and Museum (A&M) for the preparation of detailed report on Bhand Deora. It is a protected monument of State Department of Archaeology and Museum and INTACH is yet to receive an NOC, said Sharma.

Sharma added that Rs 7 crore was set aside for restoration work in 2011 but the funds lapsed when the contractor failed to continue with the work. No restoration work has been done since.

Deputy director, state department of Archaeology and Museum, Virendra Kaviya said, State department of Archaeology and Museum along with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will be carrying out the restoration of Bhand Deora.

Tourism promoter, Abdul Haneef Zaidi said that the Bhand Deora Shiv temple was constructed by a ruler from Malwa, Malaya Verma in 11th century. It has several erotic sculptures and carvings resembling the famous Khajuraho Temples of Madhya Pradesh.
A BEST bus collided with a dumper around noon after the latter suddenly turned into the main road from a narrow lane in Andheri (East) on Sunday. Fifteen people, including passengers, conductor and driver of the bus, have suffered minor injuries. The truck driver has been arrested for rash driving.

According to the MIDC police, the incident occurred around 12pm near Marol bus depot in MIDC Andheri (East). The bus was going straight when the dumper carrying sand came onto the road suddenly from a left lane leading to a collision.

The buss front portion was badly damaged in the accident, however, driver Shivaji Shinde, 49, miraculously escaped with minor injuries. The bus (route no 545) had come to Mumbai from Airoli in Navi Mumbai and was heading to Agarkar chowk in Andheri.

A police official from the MIDC police station said, All the injured people were rushed to nearby Trauma Care hospital where they were treated for their minor injuries. Fortunately, none of them suffered fractures. They suffered abrasions,

The dumper driver Brijesh Yadav, 42, a resident of Naigaon, has been arrested. An FIR has been registered against him under IPC sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others.), said police inspector Santosh Jadhav of MIDC police station.
Event manager Tejas Sakpal visits the Kalbadevi traffic police chowky at least twice a week. Why? To get back his car that gets towed away from the Maharishi Karve Road (MK Road) or the Jaganath Shankar Seth Road (JSS Road).

Sakpal, who has been staying at Abbas building in Chandanwadi lane, says that owing to Metro construction work, residents there have no place to park their vehicles. Our vehicles are towed away if we park them on MK Road but tempos and trucks there never get towed by the traffic police, said Sakpal.

The residents of MK Road and the JSS Road have submitted a list of more than 70 tempos and trucks which they found parked on both sides of the MK Road just outside the Marine Lines Railway station.

Two and four-wheeler vehicles of people who come to pay their respects at Chandanwadi graveyard also get towed but the tempos and trucks there are untouched. Despite filing several complaints, the police have not responded to this problem, said Uday Mane, a resident of JSS Road, while adding that the residents had made a failed attempt to ask the MMRDA and the BMC for a parking space six months ago when the Metro work had just started.

They also claim that the goods carriers belong to traders at Kalbadevi and other markets and just because they do not have space in those markets, the contractors park vehicles at MK Road for days together. The residents have also complained of traffic snarls owing to barricading and double parking on streets leading to Marine Line station during peak hours .

When contacted, Sunil Deshmukh, assistant commissioner of police (traffic), South, admitted that there are a lot of parking related issues in south Mumbai and that they have been receiving many complaints from residents. The buildings on Chandanwadi Road and other roads in south Mumbai are old constructions with no mandate of parking spaces allotted to residents. Moreover, the trend of multiple cars owned by one family is increasing and that is leading to haphazard parking in these areas, said Deshmukh.

As and when the traffic department gets complaints, they claim, they send a team to survey the area and take action.

We redress the complaints when we receive them. If the residents still feel their complaints are not heard at the traffic police chowky level, they can approach the joint commissioner, added Deshmukh.
Long tailbacks, breakdowns and accidents on the Mumbai-Pune expressway continued to harry motorists on Sunday, who headed out of Mumbai to celebrate the long Christmas weekend.

Congestion was cleared by 1.30pm on Sunday. Several vehicles were stuck in traffic for hours. They fear if the traffic police dont take precautionary measures, the situation will become worse on New Year when revellers leave for getaways such as Pune, Alibaug, Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar.

I along with my family was travelling from Vashi to Pune on Sunday morning. Because of congestion, it took almost five-and-a-half-hours to reach Pune. On other days, the journey normally takes around three hours, said Vinod Mhatre, 35, a resident of Vashi.

With offices shut till Monday (Christmas), many professionals have extended their holiday with leave on Tuesday.

Traffic snarl was first reported at the beginning of the expressway, near Kalamboli and Panvel on Saturday. Every toll naka in Raigad district saw huge tailbacks. Breakdowns also contributed to motorists plight. A trailer toppled and hampered the movement of Pune-bound and Mumbai-bound vehicles on Sunday morning.

In the first half of the day, Ghat sections witnessed traffic jams and hundreds of vehicles coming from Mumbai were stuck for hours. The situation, however, improved in the afternoon.

Traffic has been extremely slow since Sunday morning, and we have deployed more officials on the highway. The expressway usually sees more traffic on weekends. This time, the situation is worse as people have a long weekend, said a senior officer of the Raigad police.

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Ending the long wait of international travellers, duty-free shops will open at Chandigarh International Airport by the end of February next year.

Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from national taxes and duties. However, goods are sold only to international passengers and a copy of the passport is sought for billing. As firms operating these outlets purchase the goods directly from the international manufacturers, the buyer can be assured of getting original products.

Most sought-after Liquor and wine brands are the most sought-after. In India, there is 150% import duty on international liquor brands, which is waived at these outlets. Cigarettes and cigars, which have 200% duty, are also in demand. Travellers are entitled to buy a limited quantity, which varies from country to country. For example, on landing here, a passenger can carry along 2 litres of wine or liquor, 100 sticks of cigarette or 50 cigars.

Upendra Arora, an official of the global firm Flemingo that last month got the contract to open these outlets, said the airport authorities allotted them space for construction about a fortnight ago.

Our design work is getting ready. The construction will begin by the first week of January and we are very confident to opening the outlets by February-end, he said.

At both departure, arrival

The outlets will be opened in both departure and arrival areas of the airport so that all inbound and outbound travellers can buy the goods. There is always the risk of increasing the weight of hand baggage while travellings, so it is good to have the same shopping facilities at the final destination, said a Flemingo official.

To begin with, a range of liquor, tobacco, perfumes, chocolate and other lifestyle items will be available. Later, the firm will add more products based on demand and customer feedback.

The rates will be competitive for the advantage of the passengers, said the official.

Airport chief executive officer Suneel Dutt said the duty-free shops will enhance the travelling experience of passengers. We are trying our level best to provide more passenger-centric facilities along with new flights at the airport, he said.

Currently, the airport has daily flight to Dubai, a Bangkok flight that is four days a week and thrice-a-week Sharjah flight. On an average, 350-400 passengers travel on these flights every day. The headcount will increase with starting of more international flights.

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A 19-year-old youth from Jalandhar who had landed in Toronto on Monday to fulfil his dream of studying in Canada died two days later in mysterious circumstances.

His family, living in Green Model Town here, said Sahaj Juneja had taken admission in Lambton College in Mississauga, Ontario, and he reached there on Monday.

After sleeping on Tuesday night, he did not wake up from his bed on Wednesday morning and doctors declared him dead, said Junejas father Inderjit Singh while talking to HT.

Junejas body is lying in a morgue in Toronto for the past two days as the family says they do not have resources to bring his body back home.

Inderjit has urged external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to intervene in the matter so that the ministry bears the expenses of bringing his sons body back to India.

ALSO READ | Christmas holidays in Canada may delay bringing Jalandhar teens body back

I had already spent over Rs 12 lakh for sending my only son to Canada after borrowing from relatives and taking a loan. I run a small shop and my financial condition is not so good that I can afford to bring my sons body back, Inderjit said.

He said he had written a letter to Swaraj on Thursday when they got to know about his sons death. But so far, we havent received any response from the ministry.

If no help comes from there, I have only one option left and that is to sell my house to arrange money for bringing my sons body home, he said.

Juneja had completed Class 12 (commerce) from Delhi Public School in Jalandhar and was a brilliant student, said his brother-in-law Prabhjeet Singh.

Anu Juneja, the deceaseds mother said, it was his dream to live a comfortable life abroad. Sahaj was very happy as his dream was coming true. We even went to the Golden Temple to seek the blessings of Waheguru two days before his departure. We couldnt even imagine that we will never see him again.

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Police on Saturday arrested wanted gangster Gaurav Kumar Miglani, a close accomplice of fugitive gangster Harjinder Singh alias Vicky Gounder, from Shambhu village, nearly 50km from here.

The police have recovered .32 pistol, eight cartridges and a Hyundai i20 car (HR-01AM-7836) from him.

Miglani (32), a resident of Faridpur village in Haryanas Karnal district, was trying to enter Punjab when he was apprehended in a joint operation carried by teams of the crime investigation agency (CIA) and the organised crime control unit.

A police official said Gaurav managed to escape on Dec 10 when Haryana police raided a farmhouse in Yamunanagars Chhachhroli after getting a tip-off about Gounder.

Superintendent of police (SP) Harvinder Singh Virk said Gaurav had done his B.Tech and was allegedly involved in kidnappings and extortions in Punjab and Haryana.

He will be produced in a local court on Sunday to get his police remand for detailed investigation in the case. He is accused of giving shelter to Punjabs fugitive gangsters, SP said.

CIA-II inspector Bikramjit Singh Brar said Gaurav is close to wanted gangsters Harsimrandeep Singh alias Simma and Sukhpreet Singh Budha, who are accused of killing Faridkot businessman Ravinder Kochhar in July.

Also, he was a close accomplice of gangster Davinder Singh Bambiha, who was killed in a police encounter last year.

A case under Sections 392 (robbery), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death or hurt), 384 (punishment for extortion), 212 (harbouring offender), 216 (harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons) and 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed with a common object), 473 (possessing counterfeit seal) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act was registered against the accused.
The Punjab government has announced Rs 12 lakh compensation and a job to any one family member of martyr Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, 34, killed during ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district on Saturday, on compassionate grounds.

Congress MLA from Amritsar (West) Raj Kumar Verka made this announcement on the behalf of Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh at Gurmails native village, Alkare, 23 km from district headquarters, on Sunday.

The only breadwinner of his family, Gurmail is survived by wife Kuljit Kaur, daughter Ripandeep Kaur, 8, father Tarsem Singh, mother Gurmeet Kaur and sister Daljit Kaur. Of the money announced, Rs 5 lakh is for wife Kuljit Kaur with Rs 2 lakh for other family members. The government will give Rs 5 lakh for the purchase of a residential plot.

The body of the martyr reached the village about 5.30pm and the army took the body to the cremation ground within 10 minutes. The last rites were performed with full state honours with his 8-year-old daughter giving him the last salute.

Besides army officers, deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha, SSP (Amritsar-rural) Parampal Singh, and Congress MLAs Harpartap Singh Ajnala and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria also attended the last rites. Gurmails wife Kuljit Kaur said, I am proud that my husband sacrificed his life for the country.

His younger brother Malwinder Singh said, Gurmail used to joke with mother that a gate would be built to mark his martyrdom. We never expected to receive his coffin.

Gurmail is the first martyr from our village, famous as the village of soldiers with around 40 men serving in the army, said Daljit Singh, a retired soldier from the village. Gurmails two cousins are also soldiers.

After the cremation, family members and villagers slammed the union government for its failure to equip soldiers with modern weaponry. Verka said, The Union government must give a befitting reply to Pakistan.

Describing the state government compensation as inadequate, Akali leader and MLA from Majitha (the martyrs village is situated here) Bikram Singh Majithia said, My condolences to the family. The government should have announced a compensation of at least Rs 1 crore.

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Two head constables were sent to the Police Lines on Saturday for allegedly barging into a house and assaulting a woman and children at Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26.

The action was taken on the complaint on Mintu, a bouncer, against head constables Raj Kumar, posted at the Mauli Jagran police station, and Shiv Dayal of the police control room (PCR).

Mintu also provided the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of his house, showing the head constables assaulting his wife and children on Thursday night.

Mintu alleged that cops had first chased him from Mauli Jagran and then barged into his house.

Mauli Jagran station house officer (SHO) Baldev Kumar said on Thursday a clash took place between one Ranjit and his neighbour Krishna at Mauli Jagran. Krishan had alleged that he had some guests from Shimla at his house when Ranjit started arguing with them owing to some old rivalry.

The argument was allegedly followed by stone pelting and clash between the two groups.

The SHO said Mintu and his aides had come to Ranjits house in his vehicle and had fled as the police team reached the spot getting information of the clash. The two head constables along with other cops had followed Mintu.

The police had registered a case against both the groups on Friday on complaints of Krishna and Ranjit. Mintu is also an accused.

We had received a complaint from Mintu along with CCTV footage of his house. Acting on his complaint, we have sent the two head constables to the police lines, said deputy superintendent of police (DSP, east) Satish Kumar. He said the case has already been registered on complaints of both the parties and search is on for other accused.
US homeowners festooning their front lawns with thousands of twinkling lights, massive inflated Santas, candy canes and reindeer to spark smiles are instead igniting ornament wars, enraging neighbours over traffic, pollution and safety concerns. Over-the-top Christmas displays have turned normally quiet neighbourhoods in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut into tourist destinations and pitted neighbour against neighbour in a battle of privacy versus holiday cheer.

Amid the bedazzled homes in the Dyker Heights section of New Yorks Brooklyn borough, December crowds from as far away as Japan are expected to top last years 1,00,000 gawkers, said Fran Vella-Marrone, president of Dyker Heights Civic Association. Tour buses arrive nightly from Maryland and elsewhere during peak season from December 15 to January 1.

This is a residential neighborhood  not Times Square! Vella-Marrone said. Eye-popping photographs posted on social media have lured multitudes, twisting the once-charming local holiday event into an out-of-control block party, said Josephine Beckmann, district manager of the local community board.

The street becomes completely filled with pedestrians, Beckmann said. Last year, an ambulance had trouble accessing the street. Neighbours blamed hot chocolate and popcorn vendors for blocking driveways, creating mountains of trash and polluting the air with their idling food trucks. This year Dyker Heights, organisers sought a permit to ban vendors and secure sanitation and extra police services, but city officials rejected their application.

On a quiet dead-end street in Old Bridge, New Jersey, meanwhile, neighbours took matters into their own hands. When crowds returned to gape at Tom Apruzzis annual display of 3,00,000 lights decking his home, some neighbours told CBS2, they were outraged by the legions of onlookers. Apruzzi said he bore the brunt of their anger. Theres been a broken windshield on one of my trucks. Theres been spitting on the sides of the truck and harassment issues. Its starting to get pretty bad.

In Fairfield, Connecticut, police stepped in to cool tempers and negotiate a compromise after 40 neighbours signed a petition protesting parking problems created by hordes viewing Gene Halliwells holiday electrical extravagance on Roseville Terrace. The display known as Wonderland on Roseville, now in its 18th year, drew 30,000 visitors last year, said Fairfield Police Lieutenant Robert Kalamaras.

As part of the deal, neighbours agreed to a temporary parking ban on one side of the street. The homeowner, who could not be reached for comment, agreed to turn off the lights an hour earlier  by 9 pm local time on weekdays  and to turn down the volume on a loop of the theme song from Frozen, Kalamaras said.

Some neighbours and even potential neighbours remain delighted by the flashy exhibit. Olia Yelner, an attorney who is considering moving to the neighbourhood from nearby Trumbull, Connecticut, parked at a home for sale that overlooks the Halliwells display and gazed at the spectacle with her 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son. We thought that if we bought it, we could look out onto the lights each evening, she said, breaking into a smile.

Deck the halls  A post shared by Bianca Stabile (@bonksss) on Dec 22, 2017 at 7:45pm PST

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A federal judge in Seattle partially blocked US President Donald Trumps newest restrictions on refugee admissions on Saturday, the latest legal defeat for his efforts to curtail immigration and travel to the United States.

The decision by US District Judge James Robart is the first judicial curb on rules the Trump administration put into place in late October that have contributed significantly to a precipitous drop in the number of refugees being admitted into the country.

Refugees and groups that assist them argued in court that the administrations policies violated the Constitution and federal rulemaking procedures, among other claims. Department of Justice attorneys argued in part that US law grants the executive branch the authority to limit refugee admissions in the way that it had done so.

On October 24, the Trump administration effectively paused refugee admissions from 11 countries mostly in the Middle East and Africa, pending a 90-day security review, which was set to expire in late January.

The countries subject to the review are Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. For each of the last three years, refugees from the 11 countries made up more than 40 percent of US admissions. A Reuters review of State Department data showed that as the review went into effect, refugee admissions from the 11 countries plummeted.

Robart ruled that the administration could carry out the security review, but that it could not stop processing or admitting refugees from the 11 countries in the meantime, as long as those refugees have a bona fide connection to the United States.

As part of its new restrictions, the Trump administration had also paused a program that allowed for family reunification for refugees, pending further security screening procedures being put into place.

Robart ordered the government to re-start the program, known as follow-to-join. Approximately 2,000 refugees were admitted into the United States in fiscal year 2015 under the program, according to Department of Homeland Security data.

Refugee advocacy groups praised Robarts decision.

This ruling brings relief to thousands of refugees in precarious situations in the Middle East and East Africa, as well as to refugees already in the US who are trying to reunite with their spouses and children, said Mariko Hirose, litigation director for the International Refugee Assistance Project, one of the plaintiffs in the case.

A Justice Department spokeswoman, Lauren Ehrsam, said the department disagrees with Robarts ruling and is currently evaluating the next steps.

Robart, who was appointed to the bench by Republican former President George W Bush, emerged from relative obscurity in February, when he issued a temporary order to lift the first version of Trumps travel ban.

On Twitter, Trump called him a so-called judge whose ridiculous opinion essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country.

Robarts ruling represented the second legal defeat in two days for the Trump administration. On Friday, a US appeals court said Trumps travel ban targeting six Muslim-majority countries should not be applied to people with strong US ties, but said its ruling would be put on hold pending a decision by the US Supreme Court.
US President Donald Trump is under fire for yet another faux pas, reportedly saying Nigerians live in mud huts and Haitians all have Aids, and that too at a White House meeting on immigration.

Trump, during a discussion at the Oval Office in June, was angry at the number of foreigners who had entered the country in the period since he had been sworn in, said a report in The New York Times on Saturday.

He told his national security team that it was making a mockery of his pledge to stop people from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

Trump began reading out the number of foreigners who had entered the country since January, according to officials present at the meeting.

While reading that 15,000 Haitians had visited the US, he grumbled they all have Aids.

And reacting to the number of Nigerians who had entered the US  40,000  he exclaimed that they would never go back to their mud huts in Africa.

John Kelly, who was then serving as the homeland security secretary, and secretary of state Rex Tillerson tried to explain to Trump that most of these travellers were tourists making one-time visits.

However, all that served to do was to let tempers flare, resulting in the Oval Office being cleared of all but Trump, his domestic policy adviser Stephen Miller, Kelly and Tillerson.

Staff members say they could hear them arguing furiously, the NYT report said.

The White House has strenuously denied the reports.

Gen Kelly, Gen McMaster, secretary Tillerson, secretary Nielsen and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims, NYT quoted White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders as saying, referring to the current White House chief of staff and the national security adviser. Its both sad and telling The New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous sources anyway.

However, the damage has been done. The racist comments  whether actually uttered by him or not  have already provoked a backlash.

Hes basically saying, You people of colour coming to America seeking the American dream are a threat to the white people, Frank Sharry, the executive director of Americas Voice, a pro-immigration group, told New York-based Daily News.

Democrat lawmaker Joe Crowley tweeted: These comments are beneath the office of the President. The America I know welcomes those fleeing conflict and disaster with open arms. President Trump is once again embarrassing our nation at home and abroad.
In mid-December, the public policy research group Angus Reid Institute released a survey on the approval ratings of the leadership of Federal parties in Canada. Jagmeet Singh, elected leader of the New Democratic Party or NDP just two-and-a-half months earlier, made his debut on the list, scoring an impressive 39%, exceeding the figure for his Conservative counterpart but trailing the countrys Prime Minister and Liberal Party chief Justin Trudeau.

While that may be a positive driver heading into 2018, there are also signs for concern. As the Institutes executive director Shachi Kurl said, While these approval numbers should give him some reason for comfort, hes also going to be judged, inevitably, through the more traditional metrics of political success.

In four Federal by-elections to the House of Commons since Singh assumed charge of the NDP, support for the party has collapsed. Theres no question the NDP were the losers; they decreased their vote share in every single election. Which shows really there has been no upsurge in support for him, Christopher Cochrane, associate professor of political science at the University of Toronto Scarborough, argued. The Liberals won the 2015 (Federal) elections with soft left-of-centre voters choosing the Trudeau Liberals over the NDP. Can Jagmeet Singh woo back those voters? Thats what he needs to do in order to survive and grow the party, Kurl said.

That hasnt happened yet, but its still very early in his tenure as Singh himself commented to the media in Ottawa this month: This is something thats not going to happen overnight.

The first challenge for Singh heading into 2018 could be to find a way into the House of Commons rather than holding press availabilities outside, as he has been wont to do.

He is not an MP, and was a member of the Ontario legislature when elected to lead the NDP.

He faces the problem that his party holds no seats in the area he dominates, Brampton, a suburb of Toronto.

But he may require a resignation from a plausible riding elsewhere to make his presence felt in Parliament

Cochrane said, Hes taken the Justin Trudeau strategy of staying away from Parliament and going out and, as he put it, connecting with voters. The problem for him for a strategic point of view is he doesnt have the family name Trudeau has, he doesnt have the same level of media interest, he doesnt get any of that free publicity.

So, if hes not in Parliament, if hes not on Question Period, if hes not constantly on the Hill grilling his opponents, if he doesnt get the images of standing up and interrogating Justin Trudeau in the House of Commons, hes simply not going to get nearly enough attention to generate a national profile.

Kurl agreed, Hes not easily accessible to the daily opportunity of national media exposure.

That apart, he will need to rebuild a party that was battered, bruised and chastened, as Kurl put it, after the 2015 elections, after heady success in 2011, emerging then as the principal Opposition in the House of Commons.

The party will have to figure out a way to present itself to progressive Canadians as a reasonable alternative to the Liberals, Cochrane said.

Thats a task in itself since Trudeau leads the most left-of-centre Liberal government in a generation, occupying the space traditionally taken by the NDP.

As Kurl pointed out: He still faces a very very strong brand in Justin Trudeau.

While his election as the first visible minority to lead a Federal party in Canada was celebrated in Canada and across the world, just being an observant turban-wearing Sikh could prove a drawback in a province like Quebec, which propelled the NDP in 2011.

As Cochrane said, It will be incredibly difficult for Jagmeet Singh to maintain the NDPs gains in Quebec and for that party, Quebec seems to be the path of power.

Quebec has what is charitably described as a secularist commitment or a dislike for overt display of religiosity, a major strike against Singh. Hes up against it doubly because of the way he looks and the religion he adheres to, Cochrane felt.

While Singh faced headwinds early as he refused to condemn the display of photographs of the mastermind of the Air India bombing in gurdwaras in Canada as a martyr, that issue may not impact him in the overall context, as Kurl pointed out. I dont know how much of an issue this is for Mr Singhs younger followers or so Canadians writ large.

Other matters will dominate. Kurl said, The task of building a party back up from a morale standpoint, from a financial standpoint and from an operational standpoint will be the challenge and task set for Mr Singh next year.

Taking that task on is very much on Singhs agenda certainly, as he told the media in Ottawa this month: I know its going to take a lot of hard work, and Im not in any way discouraged; Im just encouraged to work even harder, and Ill continue to do that.

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It is the world's largest recorded outbreak of infectious disease: In Yemen, the number of cholera cases is one million. But: The spread slows down.

Only on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that the number of suspected cases of cholera has risen to one million. The World Health Organization (WHO) spoke of 998,000 infectious disease suspected cases - 2227 people had died of cholera due to the devastating humanitarian situation.

In the civil war country of Yemen, the outbreak of dangerous diarrheal disease had picked up speed starting in April of this year and quickly reached the hundred thousand mark, the WHO said. But in the past three months, the increase in suspected cases has slowed significantly. According to the information, 16.4 of the approximately 28 million Yemenis living in the desperately poor country on the Arabian Peninsula have no access to medical care.

Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which is transmitted through contaminated water or food. Medicines can significantly reduce the mortality rate. The epidemic in Yemen is the world's largest recorded outbreak so far.

Civil war in Yemen: cholera outbreak aggravates the situation

According to UN data, more than 20 million people in Yemen need help, and at least seven million are facing famine. In many parts of the country, the infrastructure and health facilities have been largely destroyed by the years of civil war.

In Yemen, a Saudi-led military coalition supports the country's internationally recognized government and flies attacks on the Houthi rebels. These control large parts, especially in the north of the country.

In total, more than 5600 civilians have died in the civil war since March 2015, according to the United Nations. The organization Action Against Hunger said Thursday that they had to restrict their work in the port city of Hodeida because of fighting near the city.

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The Dublin comedian has revealed that he is hoping that the likes of The Script and Picture This will pen songs for a new musical show he is planning to stage in 2019.

Revealing that he's hoping to get some big Irish acts involved, Brendan says: "The Script, Im hoping, will do a number. Picture This will do one. I havent written the story yet, but thats where we are heading.

"We are very lucky because everybody sings. Some of them have amazing voices, and then there will be a couple of them who will rap. It will be fun.

The new musical will tour Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand in 2019.

"Im writing a new show for 2019, Mrs Brown: The Musical. It will still tour, I wouldnt stay in one place," Brendan told the Evening Herald.

"One of the reasons why I havent done Broadway or London is because they want you to stay in one place for six months. Thats like a real f***ing job."

"Everyone will be singing. Its hard writing anything. Ive written a few songs. It wont be just me."
Forty years ago, Alex Kronemer was a bored college student on a semester-abroad tour of Italy when he entered what felt like his millionth Catholic church.

Thinking to sneak away, he headed for the exit. There, by the main door, was an exquisite Giotto fresco depicting St. Francis of Assisi undergoing trial by fire before the sultan of Egypt.

Kronemer stopped in his tracks.

"It immediately captured my imagination," he said of the fresco, which shows Francis defiant before a chest-high pillar of flame that arises at the command of the enthroned sultan.

"It stayed with me," Kronemer added, because he always felt that there was more to this particular saint than "just the guy who loved animals."

On Tuesday, PBS will air the result of Kronemer's fascination with the story in "The Sultan and the Saint," a one-hour documentary he wrote and directed.

Narrated by Irons

The film, narrated by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, recounts the unlikely friendship between Francis and Malik al-Kamil Nasir al-Din Muhammad, ruler of Egypt and nephew of the great Muslim leader Saladin.

The Italian saint - whom Pope Francis is named after - traveled to Egypt in 1219 to preach against war among the Christian Crusaders. He arrived as tens of thousands of Christian soldiers besieged the Muslim fortress of Damietta, defended by Sultan Malik al-Kamil.

The story goes that Francis crossed the battle lines and made his way to the sultan's camp. He told the sultan he wanted to preach the Gospel to save his and his companions' souls - and the sultan, who could have killed him as his enemy, instead received him graciously.

Francis offered to walk through fire - the inspiration for the Giotto fresco - to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel, but the sultan declined. He allowed Francis to preach to his court.

The two men spent several days together, eating together, talking together, before Francis returned to the Christian side of the battlefield. Scholars depict the encounter as pivotal for Francis.

'It moved him'

"I believe in watching Muslims pray, men and women, five times daily that it really struck Francis unexpectedly," Michael Cusato, a Franciscan priest and historian, says in the film. "I think it profoundly moved him."

Kathleen Warren, a Franciscan sister, adds, "The respect they had for each other spoke volumes to Francis that this, indeed, was not an enemy, this was not a beast, but this truly was a brother."

But the Crusaders had other ideas and continued their siege, wiping out 80,000 people in Damietta. Francis was sickened and disheartened and returned to Italy.

The sultan, forced to retreat, soon turned the tables on the Crusaders and had them surrounded and starving. But instead of going in for the kill, he sent his enemies food and feed for their animals. Many lives were saved and both sides returned home.

"The sultan had every reason in the world to let the Christians die, but he responded with mercy and compassion," Kronemer said. "It is not the reason the Crusades ended, but it really was the beginning of the end and it was these two men of faith who got that moving."

Why tell this 800-year-old story now? Kronemer believes many of the circumstances that made the mass slaughter of the Crusades possible are in play again between East and West, especially the dehumanizing of one's enemies and rhetoric that "otherizes" those who are considered different because of religion or race.

"When people begin otherizing that bleeds out into" other areas, such as politics, Kronemer said. "I think that is a period I think we are in right now. We are hoping that the film raises that and provides a model through these two individuals to how you can overcome that."

Scores of watch parties

That's reflected in the viewing parties Kronemer's production company, Unity Productions Foundation, and PBS have organized nationwide for the airing Tuesday.

There are more than 100 scheduled, ranging from family gatherings to interfaith meet-ups. Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Baha'i groups are hosting parties from Massachusetts to California.

Michael Lavach and his wife will hold a viewing party at their house near San Diego the next time their monthly devotional interfaith group gets together. They are Baha'is and saw the film a year ago at the invitation of a Catholic sister who knew of a screening.

"What we are trying to do in (their devotional group) is break down barriers and help people become more open to different faiths so they can understand that all major belief systems come from one God and should not be a cause for fighting," he said. "We thought if St. Francis and the sultan can come together, why not everybody else?"
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Capital murder charges have been filed in the brutal death of a 50-year-old Baytown woman on Mother's Day last year.

Byron Lloyd Collins, 29, of Baytown, was charged Saturday for the May 8, 2016, killing of Nataliya Shal, Harris County court records show.

Collins killed Shal with a knife "while in the course of committing and attempting to commit" aggravated sexual assault, the Harris County District Attorney's Office said in the charge against him. He does not appear to have a previous criminal history.

For more than a year, Baytown Police had been investigating the death inside an apartment at the Lakes at Madera in the 300 block of West Baker.

Shal's husband of nine years, David Englerth, was out of town that day. The truck driver called police because he'd been unable to reach his wife by phone and wanted officers to do a welfare check.

Police said they saw Shal's body through a window, after which an officer forced his way into the apartment.

"She's the only woman I've ever loved, period," Englerth said at a press conference days after Shal's murder. The couple met in Prague in 2003 when Englerth was in the military. They married four years later.

An accomplished businesswoman who was born in Ukraine, Shal spoke seven languages.

"She put up with me for 13 years - and I'm not an easy person to get along with," he said.
The year in crime in brought no closure to Flagstaffs most high-profile shooting as a jury could not reach a verdict in the murder trial of NAU shooter Steven Jones.

Coconino County Superior Court Judge Dan Slayton declared a mistrial after the jury could not come to a unanimous decision after five days of deliberation.

The hung jury kept an ending to the most high profile incident of 2015 in limbo.

Jones is charged with first-degree murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault after killing Colin Brough and injuring Nick Prato, Nick Piring and Kyle Zientek with a handgun during a fight in the Mountain View Hall dormitory parking lot in September 2015.

Coconino County Deputy Attorney Ammon Barker attempted to portray Jones as an assassin in the night, while Jones defense attorney Joshua Davidson described his client as an innocent bystander protecting himself from attackers.

The defendants pride was hurt in the early morning hours of October 9 because he was punched one time in the face, and instead of walking away or punching back he went to his car to get his fully loaded handgun and walked 90 feet to shoot four college students, killing Colin Brough, Barker said to the jury during opening statements.

Mr. Barker tells a good story but this is not a case of an assassin who murdered in the dark, countered Davidson. This is about Mr. Jones, who a couple of weeks into his college career found himself surrounded, threatened and attacked. Jones did what he had to do to protect himself and he only had seconds to make that decision, Davidson said in rebuttal of the prosecution.

The new year could bring about a conclusion to this shooting, as a retrial is scheduled for March 27.

A number of murders were also recorded in 2017, with none capturing the publics eye more than the killing of Glendale kindergarten teacher Cathryn Gorospe.

Her body was found in October in Mayer, a small town midway between Dewey and Cordes Junction on state Highway 69.

The teacher was last seen alive on Oct. 6 bailing out her friend and primary suspect in her murder, Charlie Malzahn, out of jail.

Malzahn was arrested by Phoenix Police three days later while driving Gorospes blood-stained Toyota Rav4.

Malzahn has not been charged with her murder but was the one who led police to the teachers body, according to the Flagstaff Police Department.

The discovery of her body ended a nearly two-week search that spanned the woods of Coconino County to the high-desert of Yavapai County.

All you can do is look and hope we find her, Cathryns sister-in-law Freya Gorospe said one day before the teachers body was found. We keep looking because we want to bring her home.

This year also saw a high number homicides in Flagstaff, according to the Flagstaff Police Department, creating a sharp contrast from 2016, when no murders were recorded.

Flagstaff Police investigated four homicides this year, two of them involving juveniles

The years first murder occurred in March when Fernando Enriquez, 15, shot and killed Jacob M. Allen, 20, in the bathroom of the Hal Jensen Recreation Center in Sunnyside. The shooting occurred after Enriquez attempted to rob Allen and his friend Nicholas Tyler Woods, 19, during a drug deal for marijuana.

Enriquez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and one count of armed robbery in November and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

The years second homicide brought another self-defense claim after James Womble, 21, stabbed his landlord Peter Gillespie, 63, multiple times with a pair of scissors in Southside in July.

Womble said that Gillespie became violent with him over unpaid rent and threw him to the ground, dislocating Wombles shoulder.

Get away from me. I am going to stab you, Womble said he yelled moments before stabbing his landlord. I have a bad shoulder and I cant do anything else but stab, so please get away from me.

Rick Morris, who has been friends with Gillespie for 43 years, said that he did not believe Wombles defense.

I cant see him going after this kid on a level he is talking about, Morris said. I could see him being vocal about the situation but not hurting someone.

Womble was charged with second-degree murder in October and is awaiting a trial date under the supervision of pretrial services.

The years third homicide is the second involving juveniles.

Flagstaff residents Lawrence Sampson-Kahn, 18, Kayson Russell, 19, Mirelle Gorman, 16, and Jadya Fortune, 17, were charged with second-degree murder on Sept. 7 after allegedly beating Jaron James, 23, to death in room 119 at the L Motel on South Milton Road.

The teens allegedly beat an intoxicated James after he repeatedly touched the two underage girls inappropriately.

James was too drunk to defend himself and could only block his face lazily, according to the police report.

Gorman told Flagstaff Police detectives in an interview that they only attacked James because he touched them.

He touched me, he touched me, but it doesnt matter that he touched me, Gorman cried, after she learned James was dead.

The teens are currently awaiting trial out of custody under the supervision of pretrial services.

Flagstaffs final murder is still awaiting a murder charge.

Ethan Watson, 25, was stabbed to death in his car at the Killip Elementary School parking lot on Nov. 2.

The primary suspect in that case is currently in custody for an outstanding warrant but has not been charged with murder.
The FBI says it thwarted a possible terrorist attack at San Francisco's Pier 39 after arresting an ex-Marine who told undercover agents he wanted to carry out an Islamic State-inspired suicide bombing at the popular tourist destination on Christmas Day.

Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was charged Friday with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Over nearly two months, Jameson had been corresponding with FBI agents posing as Islamic State affiliates, during which he repeatedly "espoused radical jihadi beliefs" and expressed a desire to conduct a violent attack on San Francisco's Pier 39, according to an FBI complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court.

Jameson, a tow-truck driver from Modesto, Calif., about 100 miles east of San Francisco, said he wanted to target Pier 39 because he was familiar with the location and knew it was heavily crowded, the FBI affidavit stated. The pier, known for its sunning sea lions, is among the city's most popular tourist draws, packed with museums, shops and restaurants.

Jameson told an undercover agent Christmas was the "perfect day to commit the attack" and that he "did not need an escape plan because he was ready to die," the affidavit stated.

According to court documents, the FBI had been investigating Jameson starting in September, when a source tipped the agency off to one of Jameson's Facebook accounts that "was 'liking' and 'loving' posts that were pro-ISIS and pro terrorism." One such post Jameson "loved" was an ISIS propaganda poster that showed Santa Claus standing in New York with a box of dynamite, with the caption: "We meet at Christmas in New York . . . soon."

Jameson said he had converted to Islam two years ago at the Islamic Center of Merced - a claim later corroborated by his father - and expressed an eagerness to "join the cause against darul kuffar," using a derogatory Islamic term for unbelievers in western nations, according to the affidavit. He also told undercover agents he supported ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks, such as the 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., and the October attack in New York, in which a truck driver plowed into a bike path, killing eight people.

"Jameson stated that we need something along the lines of New York or San Bernardino," the affidavit stated. When asked to clarify what he meant, "Jameson replied that he wanted to use a combination of the two (which I believe is a reference to inflicting casualties through the use of a vehicle and firearms)."

In his correspondence with undercover agents, Jameson also referenced his prior military experience. Jameson completed Marine Corps basic training in 2009, earning a sharpshooter rifle qualification, but was discharged for failing to disclose his history of asthma, the affidavit stated. Jameson would later tell an undercover agent he was "trained in combat and things of war" and knew how to use both the M-16 and AK-47 rifles, the affidavit stated. He also asked for help obtaining assault weapons and materials to make a rudimentary bomb.

The FBI's undercover investigation came close to being blown when an FBI employee mistakenly called Jameson's cellphone on Monday from a Washington, D.C., area code, the affidavit stated.

"After Jameson answered in apparent Arabic language, the FBI employee immediately terminated the call," the affidavit stated. "Shortly afterwards, Jameson called the 202 telephone number, which resolves to a voice mail identifying the name (but not employing agency) of user of the 202 telephone."

It's unclear if Jameson realized anything after the telephone call. Later Monday, Jameson once again communicated with an undercover agent and confirmed he could rent a storage unit for their planned attack, according to court documents. On Monday night, however, Jameson told the undercover agent he had reconsidered and "don't think I can do this after all," the affidavit stated.

"In Sha Allah one day I can," Jameson told the undercover agent, according to the affidavit. "But I can't."

On Wednesday, investigators searched Jameson's home in Modesto and found a handwritten letter in which he pledged his devotion to the "Lions of Islam" and condemned President Donald Trump's recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the affidavit stated. Agents also discovered an envelope containing "the Last Will and Testament of Everitt Aaron," along with two rifles, a handgun, ammunition and fireworks.

"At periodic times during [the Wednesday raid on his home] Jameson stated his support of ISIS and terrorism and discussed aspects of the plan to carry out an attack, noting that he would be happy if an attack was carried out," the affidavit stated.

At a federal court hearing on Friday, Jameson denied the allegations. He is being held for a Thursday detention hearing and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, The Associated Press reported.

Calls made by The Post to the Islamic Center of Merced and to a public defender listed for Jameson were not immediately returned Saturday morning.

After Jameson's arrest, his father, Gordon Jameson, told the Merced Sun-Star he was shocked and didn't believe the FBI's allegations. He added his son had been depressed after losing custody of his two young children and had immersed himself in his new religion, to the point where family members sometimes jokingly nicknamed Everitt Jameson "Isis."

"He just ain't no terrorist, no way," Gordon Jameson told the newspaper, of his son. "He would never hurt people. Not ever. It's just unbelievable. That's not who he is."

San Francisco's acting mayor, London Breed, said there were no other known threats and that there would be increased police presence throughout the city.

"San Francisco is a city that proudly champions democracy, freedom and liberty. Sadly, that makes our home a target," Breed said in a statement. "We will not allow the thwarted attempts of one dangerous individual to disrupt our way of life. We will remain vigilant and continue to protect our city from any threat."
It was the first time in his career fixing hearts at Johns Hopkins Medicine that David Kass had been asked to diagnose a condition like this: A heart two sizes too small suddenly grows three sizes in one day.

For the residents of Whoville, yes, the transformation was wondrous. But when asked to be the Grinch's cardiologist, Kass considered what medical conditions might have caused such a change. Never before had he been asked to diagnose a storybook character - but then again, how many storybook characters have cardiac issues? "Horton has hearing problems," he noted, but you would need an ear, nose and throat specialist for that.

It's almost Christmas. And so researchers at Johns Hopkins, Georgetown University and other learned places are bringing their expertise to some of the holiday's classic tales.

Georgetown professors answered questions such as: Does Santa use big data to find the perfect gift for every child? Why doesn't Claus age?

And they even wondered - Grinch-like - whether there might be some toy-licensing violations going on in Santa's workshop.

At Johns Hopkins, they called on a theoretical particle physicist to explain the ghosts who bring Scrooge into his past and his future in Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol."

Moving forward in time is easy, said physicistIbrahima Bah, an assistant professor at Hopkins: Just start moving close to the speed of light.

"In principle, physics allows you to go forward in time compared to another person," he said, drawing on Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity: If one person (say, a ghost) is moving fast compared to someone else, his clock will tick slower; 10 years in the ghost's reference frame could be 30 for the person holding still.

"But we don't know how to move back in time," said Bah, whose name is inescapably Scroogian.

"You would have to have negative energy density. We don't know how to make that, or what that even means." (Indeed.)

If there were a way to tear a hole in the fabric of space - called a naked singularity ring - "if you somehow go through that ring, and come back out, then you would go back in time," he said. "But physically, there is no process that can make a naked singularity ring."

Easier option: Suspend disbelief. Read more Dickens.

Steve Farber, principal investigator at the Carnegie Institution for Science and a Johns Hopkins biology professor, took on another question: Why did Rudolph have a very shiny nose?

He knew there are creatures that light up naturally, such as sea anemones and coral that glow a brilliant red. His team routinely inserts fluorescent jellyfish-like proteins into the zebrafish he works with to make the fish glow to study cardiovascular disease. His theory would take a sort of one-in-a-million chance, but it goes something like this:

Say one of the reindeer is pregnant and feeling lousy while Santa's sleigh is soaring over the Holy Land. She passes out, and despite Santa Claus's desperate efforts to maneuver, the sleigh crashes into the Red Sea. The reindeer gets cut on some coral that has a protein in it that, if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.

"The question is, how would you get that DNA into Rudolph's DNA?" Farber asked, from the pregnant reindeer's blood to the egg cell that will one day be baby Rudolph.

"There are particles related to viruses called mobile genetic elements that have the ability to cut genomes and insert sequences into the DNA."

But why would just the nose light up? If some DNA from the coral got into a protein that's only in the nose - such as a smell receptor - that could explain it.

Still, while it would be easy to inject the DNA into an egg cell in a lab, it's a little hard to imagine that transfer happening in nature.

Harder than imagining a jolly fat man flying a sleigh around the world in one night? For some, yes.

When Kass, a cardiologist whose research into heart failure has led to discoveries that have helped many people, was asked if the university's public-relations team could videotape him evaluating the Grinch, he said, "I'll do it, but I have to put on a fake Austrian accent and wear my glasses like Chuck Schumer."

He didn't let them slide down his nose, as the Democratic U.S. senator from New York often does, but he was able to come up with a novel explanation. Kass has evaluated many diseased hearts - small and large. If a heart grew as rapidly as the Grinch's, it struck Kass as highly unlikely that the Grinch would be cheerful and active, lifting his sled, handing out presents and whatnot.

Kass drew on research that had interested him, in Science, in which a molecular biologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder studied how a Burmese python's heart grows dramatically after a very large meal, such as a rabbit.

Then, he turned elsewhere in the literature. Just before the rapid expansion of his heart, the Grinch had stolen Who pudding, roast beast and everything down to the very last can of Who hash.

It was obvious: The Grinch must be a snake.

He is very green, but . . .

"He does have legs," Kass acknowledged. "But Dr. Seuss put legs and fur on all sorts of things," including plants. "To me, that's not a defining feature."

And in the end, if his diagnosis ("Snake") is correct, his medical advice would be easy. "Just don't eat so much at once."

More specifically, "Avoid eating something where someone would look at it and not be able to figure out how you ate it all. It's probably generally decent advice, whether you're a snake or not. It may describe a lot of us after Christmas dinner."
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Being as there's no chimney at Betzabe Gomez's house in east Aldine, the 9-year-old sometimes jokes that Santa can just squeeze through the gaping hole in the living room ceiling - the one that yawns through the molded sheetrock like a monster's mouth. The one that Hurricane Harvey left behind.

When it rains, the family places buckets beneath it to keep the water from soaking the carpet and the couch.

While Betzabe may make light of the hole on occasion, she told me Friday that it mostly makes her sad to look at it. And sad that her father can't fix it.

Seriously ill with diabetes, her father is undergoing dialysis and dealing with various health problems, including the effects of five strokes. Her mother, who had to quit work at a shipping company to care for her husband, doesn't have the money to hire someone and is busy raising five children.

And that's why young Betzabe wrote the letter. She saw her family struggling. She helps as much as she can, often collecting recyclables to raise money. She worries, she says, to the point that she understands what it must be like to be a grown-up. She knew they needed an intervention.

And she knew just whom to ask.

"Dear Santa," she scrawled on notebook paper one day at her friend's house after school. "I need help in my house because when it's raining, the rain comes in. When I look at it I am sad. This is why I want help and what if it floods in there?"

Of course, Betzabe didn't expect something for nothing.

"P.S.," she wrote. "I will leave milk, cookies and carrots and water."

The friend's mom, Araceli Ramos, said she saw the letter that day, on Dec. 14, and she saw how grateful the little girl was for a big meal of brisket and mashed potatoes and all the sides. She packed up the leftovers for Betzabe's family and got to work on the rest.

"It broke my heart," said Ramos, who has five children and describes herself as a community volunteer. "I thought, 'Dear God, help me to help them.' "

Ramos began reaching out to people she knew, nonprofit organizations and businesses she thought could help. She said administrators at the girls' school were quick to respond, soon arriving at the house with gifts wrapped in Peanuts and SpongeBob paper.

The first official to respond was state Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, himself the eldest of five children, raised in the Aldine area by a single mother.

He remembers what it was like to struggle. He began making calls and soon learned the family had applied for federal assistance but was denied.

An October letter from the U.S. Small Business Administration said the request for a disaster loan was rejected due to "lack of repayment ability," as the family of seven is largely getting by on dad's disability check. A December letter from FEMA said the family was ineligible for assistance because their house wasn't damaged to the point that it was unsafe.

'We were that family'

Walle kept making calls to congressional members and others. In the meantime, the lawmaker - who just earned his law license and whose roofing skills include little more than hanging Christmas lights - bought a hammer and climbed a ladder. He nailed a blue tarp to the roof and weighted it with cinder blocks. And he donated two space heaters since the house, a drafty hodgepodge of bald walls and bare wood, has no heating or cooling.

"You got to understand," he told me, "we were that family years ago when I was a kid."

He recalls one Christmas when he was 12 or 13. His dad had gone on "vacation," the euphemism the family used for prison, and his mom had no money for presents. He wrote for help for his younger brothers and sisters, and a group of police officers responded. They got toys and even bikes.

"I remember those days when we didn't have anything," Walle said. "When I heard about this, there was no way I was not going to help this family."

He said he asked Betzabe three times what kind of gift she wanted for herself, and she wouldn't say.

"That little 8-year-old tells you a little about humanity, and how we should live," Walle said. "She wanted her roof fixed and her dad to get better."

That's it.

"I'm floored by that."

Ultimately, Walle wants more for the family than a few gifts and the hole repaired. He wants a new house for them. And he believes the generous people of Houston will come through. But in the meantime, he's buoyed by the community response so far, including an anonymous donor who paid off the family's back taxes, tallying around $2,000.

It's the answer to her mother's prayers.

"At night, I was thinking, 'What am I going to do?' " Maria Luisa said as she stood near a small artificial Christmas tree, constantly monitoring her husband sitting in an armchair nearby. "I wake up in the early morning and I say, 'Well, Lord, you will know. I don't know. But you know how it's going to turn out.' "

It's a stressful time of year, she said, not just because her husband is ill, but because her children see other kids at school, talking about gifts they're getting. She says she thought she could spend about $5 to get each child a gift, but she dreaded disappointing them.

"I tell them, 'Ask God for what you want. God's the one who gives me strength to stay on my feet, to stay standing, to help you kids and your father as well.' "

Presents dwarf worries

Betzabe may have gone through a middleman of sorts, but she got results just the same.

On Friday afternoon, the girl was all smiles as she fielded questions and waited for the next knock at the door - the next friend, neighbor or complete stranger, like Robert Gonzalez, who had heard about the family on social media and came bearing shoes, money, and an offer to donate labor from his hardwood flooring company.

The piles of boxes and bags dwarfed the family's small tree, and for a while, their worries as well.

Saturday also happened to be Betzabe's 9th birthday, so she received more than one cake. At one point, her best friend Emily stopped by and they sang one of their favorite tunes, "God Bless America."

What the season's about

Sitting on her couch, Betzabe twirled a cross necklace and told me how she loved to write, how she wanted to be a teacher, a chef or maybe an artist, and how she initially had been afraid to tell anyone about her family's situation for fear of being bullied at school.

When she finally wrote the letter, she was surprised at the response.

"I was so confused," she said. "A lot of people just started calling on my mom's phone. They were asking what we wanted for Christmas."

She felt a little embarrassed by all the attention, but powerful, too. She knows her letter can't magically heal her father, but over in his armchair, she could see a smile on his face.

"What she's done is pretty amazing," her 12-year-old brother, Martin Jr., said, admiration shining in his eyes. "She's the only one who spoke out."

One prayer. And many answered the call. That is what this season is about. And judging by the events of this year, that is what this city is about, too.

Merry Christmas, Houston, and to all a New Year filled with joy, and friendship and hope.
The #MeToo movement that began in October seems to have fizzled over the past few weeks, or at least subsided on social media.

In my opinion, Al Franken is to blame for that. I'll explain why, after I explain why I'm writing another column related to the subject.

As a result of the #MeToo movement, many Americans have been grappling with the question of how we should respond when a man is credibly accused of behavior that falls in what we summarize as "the gray area."

That's because for the first time in human history, some men are actually experiencing consequences for such behavior. In some cases, the punishment has arguably been disproportionate to the crime.

I can tell this is something many men have been secretly brooding about, and I can understand why, because there's obviously no consensus about what the appropriate consequences should be, in such cases. The reason the question arises is that some men have been credibly accused of behavior that we as a society have always pretended to consider objectionable, at a moment when we've finally conceded that maybe the people who actually object to it should be taken seriously.

"There's a difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right?" asked Matt Damon, haplessly.

"Don't we have the moral capacity to distinguish between aggressive sexual predation and run-of-the-mill romantic bungling - between a pattern of abusive behavior and a good man's uncharacteristic bad moments?" asked Bret Stephens, in a column for the New York Times, arguing that women who insist on conflating such things are jeopardizing the credibility of the #MeToo movement and its chances of success.

What men like Damon and Stephens are clearly failing to see is that absolutely no one is actually conflating "patting someone on the butt" with crimes like rape and child molestation. That's why we use different words to describe them, and why only some of them qualify as actual crimes, in the sense that we technically have laws against them, which also specify what the consequences of doing so, in theory, might be.

Case-by-case basis

The same is not true of all the things that women have accused men of doing to them lately. And many people would agree with them that the "lesser sins" aren't acceptable either, but that is an ethical claim.

And although I wasn't emotionally distressed by Stephens' criticism of the women who have made that argument, or offended by his decision to do so, I do think men who agree with him are being a bit illogical.

"None of it is acceptable," said Kirsten Gillibrand recently, while calling on one of her colleagues, Franken to resign.

"Of course none of it is OK," says Stephens, after quoting this comment.

I'm glad we all agree about that, but the thing is, Franken is one of the men who has been doing such things anyway. And Gillibrand has never argued that everyone who has ever groped a woman, or posed for a photo pretending to do so, should be fired or exiled from polite society. She was saying that she had concluded that Franken should resign, in light of the accusations that multiple women had made against him over the previous few weeks.

In other words, Gillibrand had considered Franken's case as such cases should be considered, on a case-by-case basis. And most such cases are being considered that way, actually.

On Wednesday, for example, the New York Times announced that it will reinstate Glenn Thrush, one of its most high-profile political reporters, who was suspended in November after four women accused him of inappropriate behavior.

"While we believe that Glenn has acted offensively, we have decided that he does not deserve to be fired," explained Dean Baquet, the executive editor.

'Terrible mistake'

In December, by contrast, the New Yorker decided to fire one of its most high-profile political reporters, Ryan Lizza, on the basis that he had "engaged in what we believe was improper sexual conduct."

It remains unclear what Lizza was actually accused of doing, or whether the decision to fire him was "a terrible mistake," as he put it in a statement. So it's hard to say if he deserved to be fired. And although it's debatable whether Thrush should have been, the opinion that matters on that subject is the one held by the people who have to make that decision.

In Franken's case, that probably would be the people of Minnesota, because although Franken eventually did say he would resign, and the governor has already appointed his replacement, Franken has not resigned yet, and was clearly unhappy when his colleagues started calling on him to do so, given that the president, Donald Trump, is among the men who have done worse things to women than the ones he had admitted to doing.

Still, Franken should resign. I thought that from day one. The women who came forward were describing behavior that might not qualify as particularly egregious. But the first one who did so, Leeann Tweeden, provided a photograph.

So Franken's case was unusual, as was the ensuing public conversation. No one seriously questioned whether Tweeden was telling the truth, or what she might have done to provoke it. The only question was about what kind of consequences would be appropriate, under the circumstances.

Common denominator

And what I saw in that photo is a man who is totally confident that he can get away with what he's doing. That was the common denominator in the #MeToo stories that women, and men, had been sharing, because it's the reason so many women, and men, have such stories.

There's no reason to worry about the harm you cause someone, if you get to decide what consequences would be appropriate and the answer depends on how you might be affected by them. Some of the people saying #MeToo might not have realized that; others might have been hoping this would change. And Franken is using his position of leadership to illustrate how naive that was.
Accelerated Intermediate Academy - the charter school network criticized for its purchase of a Houston condominium with taxpayer dollars - also owns a second condo in downtown Dallas where similar units have been appraised at more than $300,000.

The two-school charter network, which served fewer than 300 students last year at two campuses, spent $427,238 for the Houston condo and an undisclosed amount for the high-end Dallas residence, property records show. Both were purchased in June 2011.

The network also shelled out nearly $120,000 in property taxes on the Houston property, including $45,700 in late fees and attorney costs, in 2016 after the Harris County Appraisal District denied a request for a property exemption, tax records show.

The denial came after the district's exemption coordinator, Doug Eustice, questioned the school's purchase.

"Personally, I cannot imagine that the state of Texas would allow the use of state funds to purchase this property," Eustice wrote to an appraisal district official in an email obtained by the Chronicle.

The property purchases and tax payments mean hundreds of thousands of dollars less for the academy's classrooms, raising additional questions about the network's leadership.

Accelerated Intermediate Academy has received about $55 million in taxpayer dollars since opening in 2001, producing solid academic results. It is one of dozens of charter school networks that are publicly funded and privately governed by nonprofit boards to provide parents an option in place of traditional public schools.

Office, storage space

A Houston Chronicle investigation last month uncovered the Houston condo purchase in 2011 and reported that the school's superintendent, Kevin Hicks, earned more than $250,000 each of the past three years despite several parents and former teachers saying he rarely appeared on the Houston campus.

Additional records and emails recently obtained by the Chronicle through a public records request provide a deeper look into the school's spending on expensive residential properties.

Property records show Educational Development Group, doing business as Accelerated Intermediate Academy, bought a 1,340-square-foot condo unit in Dallas' Uptown neighborhood, an area brimming with fancy restaurants and boutique hotels.

At different points, the charter holder responsible for governing the school has been listed as "Educational Development Group dba Accelerated Intermediate Academy" and "Accelerated Intermediate Academy Inc."

The reasons for the discrepancy are unclear, and Educational Development Group is not listed as a nonprofit in state or federal records. The two organizations have listed the same address in property and financial records.

It's unclear how much the organization paid for the unit, but it was appraised at $320,000 in 2010.

School officials told appraisers in Dallas that the unit would be used for office and records storage, even though the school already had a 9,600-square-foot campus in the nearby suburb of Lancaster. That campus has never enrolled more than 17 students since opening in 2012, according to state reports. The Houston unit also was described as an office and storage facility.

Following both purchases, school leaders sought full property tax exemptions, which routinely are granted for charter schools. The network noted in a letter to Harris County appraisers that "the only funds we receive are state and federal funds."

Dallas County appraisers granted an exemption, property records show, but Harris County appraisers denied the request after determining the ninth-floor unit "does not meet the use requirements" for public property exemptions.

Accelerated Intermediate Academy fought the decision, and school leaders didn't pay property taxes for more than five years during the dispute, resulting in the late fees and attorney costs.

Legal, but wise?

There are no Texas laws barring charter schools from buying residential property, but four charter school experts interviewed by the Chronicle called the practice highly unusual.

"If I were called upon to evaluate the school around this matter, I would be asking a lot of questions," said Brian Carpenter, the former CEO of the National Charter Schools Institute at Central Michigan University and a consultant to 200-plus charter schools. "The first and foremost question: Are these purchases prudent? It may be legal to do. But is it smart to do?"

To date, the Texas Education Agency, which oversees charter schools to ensure compliance with state law, has had no problem with Accelerated Intermediate Academy's spending.

TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said the agency deemed the Houston condominium purchase aboveboard because the school's leaders "told us it was used for charter school purposes." The agency also "cannot really answer" questions about the appropriateness of the property tax payments, Culbertson said recently.

TEA officials added "the agency has been made aware" of the Dallas condominium, but noted the agency doesn't track charter governing board purchases unless they involve a campus expansion.

Hicks and three of four governing board members did not respond to multiple requests for comment, including phone calls and emails to addresses they listed on state-required school filings. One board member, Carolyn Crosby, refused to answer questions when reached by phone and didn't respond to written questions.

In a series of unsigned emails sent before the Chronicle's initial report on the school, a school representative gave multiple reasons for buying the Houston condominium: The school needed additional office space and a place to store records; the Houston campus wasn't a safe place for records because of multiple break-in attempts; buying property was more fiscally responsible than paying rent; and a tight real estate market limited options for property.

The author also noted the Houston condominium was bought with cash, a statement backed up by financial records obtained from the Harris County Appraisal District.

"We purchased the smallest space we could afford and could negotiate a deal on at a reasonable price," the representative, who refused to identify himself or herself, wrote in an email. "The only other space available would have been for rent and not for purchase."

Accelerated Intermediate Academy's properties had high-end touches befitting their price tags, according to online real estate listings. The Dallas unit came with hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, a wine cooler, granite countertops and access to a rooftop deck with a hot tub. The 1,118-square-foot Houston condo has floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood floors and access to a pool with skyline views.

As Accelerated Intermediate Academy has sunk money into buying properties, however, the charter network has paid teachers salaries that are well below average, payroll data shows. Most of its educators have earned about $35,000 to $45,000 in recent years. By comparison, the starting salary at traditional public school districts in the Houston area is about $50,000.

The school also has stockpiled $12.5 million in cash, enough to cover six years' worth of operating expenses; most schools keep three to six months' worth of operating expenses in cash.

The battle continues

As of May, Accelerated Intermediate Academy planned to keep fighting for a property tax exemption in Houston by hiring a tax consultant service, according to minutes from a governing board meeting.

The school's leaders would need Harris County appraisers to follow the lead set by Dallas County appraisers, who inspected the property before approving the exemption.

"We didn't see anything that would be of a residential nature there, so if they're claiming it's used for storage space, then we have no choice but to grant the exemption," said Cheryl Jordan, community relations officer for the Dallas County Appraisal District.

Todd Thomas, managing consultant of Texas Protax's Houston office, a private company with no affiliation with Accelerated Intermediate Academy, said properties bought with taxpayer money "have to be accessible to the public" to receive a full exemption - and a ninth-floor condominium doesn't fit the bill.

Thomas said he is not familiar with the details of Accelerated Intermediate Academy's exemption request but said, "It makes perfect sense to me why they were denied.  We couldn't walk up there any time we wanted to. We don't have free access to it."

Accelerated Intermediate Academy board members, meanwhile, signaled at the May board meeting that they might be willing to sell the Houston condominium if the property taxes cost more than leasing office space.

Seven months later, common real estate websites - realtor.com, trulia.com, zillow.com - don't show the condo up for sale.
Q: I have taken Prilosec for almost three months. During this time, I have experienced some of the worst days of my life. While on this drug, I am experiencing severe anxiety, nervousness and depression. I feel like I am going nowhere.

I want to stop taking this drug, but the withdrawal is awful. Whenever I don't take a dose, I get horrible heartburn. Is there a way to get off this medicine?

A: Proton pump inhibitors are powerful acid-suppressing drugs. They help heal stomach ulcers and can relieve symptoms of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

Most people assume that PPIs exert their effects only in the stomach. Research suggests, however, that PPIs have effects throughout the body.

A new study shows that these medications may impact the brain (International Psychogeriatrics, online, Sept. 13, 2017). More than 300 elderly Italians participated in the study, answering questions about their mood, as well as their use of proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole (Prilosec). People taking a PPI were about twice as likely as other individuals to report depression or anxiety. The authors conclude: "Use of PPIs might represent a frequent cause of depression in older populations; thus, mood should be routinely assessed in elderly patients on PPIs."

Stopping a PPI suddenly can trigger rebound hyperacidity. Heartburn symptoms like those you've experienced may become more intense. Gradual withdrawal over several weeks or months is a better approach.

You can learn more about getting off PPIs in our "Guide to Digestive Disorders." You also will find other ways to deal with heartburn. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (70 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: peoplespharmacy.com.

Q: There is a strong possibility that my husband and I might need to start taking the new product called Repatha for cholesterol. We have read some disturbing reviews about the side effects of this drug. In addition, the cost is almost prohibitive. Can you please shed some light on this new drug?

A: The injectable drug Repatha (evolocumab) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2015 for people with very high cholesterol that runs in the family. It is supposed to be used with statins or other cholesterol-lowering drugs. Some doctors are beginning to prescribe Repatha for people who can't tolerate statins, however.

Side effects may include infections of the respiratory system or urinary tract. Some people also experience headache, dizziness, cough, back pain, muscle pain or reactions at the injection site. Life-threatening allergic reactions are the most serious complication.

If your insurance company won't cover Repatha, you may end up spending at least $1,200 a month each.
Judy Memmel wasn't thinking about her five grandchildren or her own life when she shoved an armed robber out of the Houston Jewelry store earlier this week.

She was too consumed with rage.

Houston police are still searching for two men who tried to attack Judy and two coworkers Tuesday morning at the west Houston jewelry stop off of Westheimer in the Galleria. Memmel said they were both wearing suits but wore beanies and sunglasses to conceal their identities.

She and her boss, Rex Solomon, believe the men meant to take the three workers hostage and use the suits to masquerade as employees if anyone passed by the store during the robbery.

But that was before they encountered Memmel, who is more known for her love of ballroom dancing than fighting off armed robbers.

Memmel said she, colleague Kathye Parker and a male coworker were going through their typical morning opening routine before they saw the men. One person turned off the silent alarm, another slipped inside and the third locked the door behind them all. On Tuesday at about 8:45 a.m., it was Memmel's turn to be last.

Before she could reach down to lock the door, a man darted towards the entrance. He pried the door open and tried to make his way inside.

"I said we're closed, but he tried to get in," Memmel said. "I gave him a hand shove with two hands and said 'No, you're not coming in.' Then I saw the gun and his holster."

The man pried the gun from his waist and fired three shots into the store, shattering a display case. Although the weapon looked like a handgun, police said the man fired pellets rather than bullets.

Another robber driving the armed man got out of car, saw the shove, but quickly ran back to the driver side. As the two sped off, Memmel turned around, picked up her bags from the door, shrugged at her colleagues and walked out of view of one of the shop's security cameras.

When store owner Solomon saw the survellaince video, he was stunned.

"She pushes him on the shoulders like a linebacker would do and pushes him out," he said, describing the video. "I mean, she's grandma and a ballroom dancer, but she doesn't take s--t. She doesn't do what she's told no matter what, and she's one of our best sales people."

Memmel said no clear thoughts popped through her head when she attacked the robber, just pure rage. Her two daughters, on the other hand, had plenty to say.

"My daughter said 'you're nuts,'" Memmel said. "I sent some of the police officers the video, they said 'Wow, you know that's not something you're supposed to do.' I said yeah, I guess."

Memmel said she would do it again, but stressed that every situation is different. She recalled a time more than 20 years ago when armed robbers took her and 9 customers hostage at another jewelry store. That time she complied with their demands to stick her hands up in the air.

She didn't do the same a few years ago when she found two men in her Sharpstown living room carrying away her silver, fur coats and jewelry inside her brand new bed sheets.

Memmel yelled at the masked men for taking her stuff, which they dropped. When one grabbed her purse, causing the chain to break, she chased after them and whacked one of them on the head twice with the piece of metal.

"With that they grabbed my car keys, so I ran after them and said 'give me my keys.' He said he didn't want me to follow them, and I said I wouldn't, so they threw them in a bush," Houston's most badass grandmother said. "Two cops told me I was nuts, but they didn't get my stuff."
When I preached a sermon with this title, "The Truth I Do Not Wish to Hear," a few years ago, I got mixed responses. In the following sermon talk-back session we listed a few things that nobody wants to hear: "You have cancer." "I'm divorcing you." "Your child is missing." "You are a drug addict." We could all agree on these, and I saw a few people shudder at the very mention of these things. I shuddered myself.

Now is the holiday season, and amidst the hustle and bustle we again hear the feeble refrain of how Christmas has become too commercialized. We know that our rampant consumerism peaks in a frenzy of the holiday "gotta have it" mentality. Think how many Christmas TV specials are aired that remind us of the "true meaning of Christmas" - yet they barely make a dent in the mindset of the typical American shopper. The holiday "buy and sell" continues unabated; this is a truth which envelopes us all, one which we can hardly deny.

After more than three decades of ordained ministry I've become convinced that the truth I do not wish to hear is the truth I must hear. We often shield ourselves from the harsh, disturbing truths around us - pushing them away, keeping them at arm's length. This practice is characterized starkly in the story of the Rich Young Ruler, (Mark 10:17-31). This young man ran to Jesus and knelt before Him. The man had youth, wealth and power. Yet something was missing in his life and he knew it. He asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus told him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me (v 21, RSV)." The young man went away sadly, unwilling to give it all away.

Did this young ruler inherit his wealth (he wants to "inherit" eternal life), or did he work for it, a self-made man? Perhaps the young man was trying to find a way to take it all with him when he died. Or, was the young ruler feeling guilty because his were ill-gotten gains that now required making amends, doing penance? Perhaps the response of Jesus to this young man, that he must sell all he owned and give the proceeds to charity, was specific to his situation - or is this message intended for us all? Or, is the issue at hand really about power, the brother of wealth, both then and now?

If the issue is material wealth, the words of Albert Schweitzer speak most directly to us: "If you own something you can't give away, then you don't own it. It owns you." There is abiding ancient wisdom in this statement and it's valuable for us today. Don't let your possessions possess you.

As a professor of philosophy and ethics for many years, as my classes finished up the fall semester with the holiday season well under way, we studied the Stoics, whose favorite role model was poor old Socrates. In class we'd acknowledge that depression and anxiety often attend this season, and in the Stoic tradition of Epictetus, I told my students, simply: "Raise your hands if you would you be willing to want less in order to have more joy."

The students would shift in their seats uncomfortably, but a few would raise their hands. After half an hour of candid back and forth, nearly all would admit that they really did want that special gift under the tree, because getting it is what would really make them happy.

This is not the deeper message of the holiday season. Here, we should recall the words of the Buddha, who said: "Life is suffering. You think you suffer because you don't have enough, but actually, you suffer because you want too much."

At the end of that class session, I would again ask my students if they were willing to want less if it would bring them more happiness. Typically, almost no hands went up.

I recall two female students in their 30s who, when hearing my question, quietly hung their heads and thought about the reality they faced at home. Each in their own way, they told me after class that if they didn't get their kids that special toy or new video game Santa Claus promised them, their kids would ruin Christmas Day for the whole family with their crying and screaming outbursts. One was in tears as she told me that this had been her experience with her own children; she'd felt like she was being punished for being a bad mother. After a moment I told her, "Yes, your kids want a lot - they're kids. But limits do need to be set. As the parent, you need to set them."

This is more of what we do not wish to hear today, and now I put the question to you: Can you want less so that you can have greater happiness? The Rich Young Ruler's answer was no. Perhaps he was seeking immortality, or maybe he was hoping he didn't have to commit too deeply to the path Jesus walked. We'll never know from the few scant verses of this parable. For you and me today, does the comfort and prestige of luxurious living control our lives? I'd say yes, it often does. I also acknowledge that it is oh-so-easy for a poor man to tell a rich man how to spend his money. The striving for wealth, honor, privilege and power is all-American. It also is a truth I do not wish to hear or write about.

Let's put it another way. The truth I don't wish to hear is that I am more materialistic than I think I am, more acquisitive than I should be. The almighty dollar is only almighty if I allow it to be. I do not believe that Jesus was opposed to wealth; however, I still hear him speaking to us down through the ages, saying: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Doesn't this speak to our whole culture, where the richest 1 percent of Americans own more than the bottom 90 percent - with the gap still widening? No wonder most of us simply cannot afford an expensive Christmas.

But still we spend too much, hoping to make loved ones happy. Then comes January with the credit card bills and the crushing debt. Christmas not so merry.

"You're un-American! You're not doing your part to help our country's economy and you're probably a Communist!" A small-town, older churchgoing veteran actually said this to my face one day. I didn't respond to his pseudo-patriotic comment other than to say, "No, I'm not a communist."

Sadly, his mentality helps give rise to the (non-)Gospel of Prosperity which permeates places like the Lakewood Church. There, they tell you just to believe, and then God will bless you with abundant life, wealth, health, love, etc. That's most of the appeal of their misguided thinking - and trust me, it's far from the message Jesus taught.

Here's a tip for this holiday season: Conscientiously limit your wanting; re-direct your usual gift buying and explain to your loved ones why you're doing it. Instead of more shopping, do volunteer work passing out food to the needy. After doing this, you won't feel so needy yourself. If you have kids, take them with you to help. Don't legitimize or rationalize overspending. Ease off on the accelerator of your purchasing and pump the brakes - you don't have to come to a screeching halt. Simply set realistic, attainable limits for your spending and hold fast to them. You can do this.

True, we adults are naive if we underestimate the dominant, pervasive influence of money in our society. I underestimated it in my younger years; I've seen vital ministries end, or never begun because the money ran out. We wind up, even the best of us, serving both "God and mammon" - but we can tip the scales, beginning with the way we order our own lives. I recall the great theologian, Rev. Robert McAfee Brown, who gave us, his students, this simple advice: "As you go through life, travel light." As if our possessions were literally piled upon our backs.

When I made these points in a sermon some eight years ago, one well-educated parishioner, a psychologist, criticized me afterwards stating that wealth was condoned, even exalted in the New Testament because the Three Wise Men, the Magi, brought very expensive gifts to that homely manger scene.

"Yes," I countered, "and what did those three wise men do with their expensive gifts?"

"Why, they gave the gifts to the Christ child, of course."

In silence, I waited a long moment until she finally said, "Oh, I get it now."

The Rev. David V. Mason can be contacted via davidvmason.com; email davidvmason@yahoo.com
WASHINGTON - Late to his own meeting and waving a sheet of numbers, President Donald Trump stormed into the Oval Office one day in June, plainly enraged.

Five months before, Trump had dispatched federal officers to the nation's airports to stop travelers from several Muslim countries from entering the United States in a dramatic demonstration of how he would deliver on his campaign promise to fortify the nation's borders.

But so many foreigners had flooded into the country since January, he vented to his national security team, that it was making a mockery of his pledge. Friends were calling to say he looked like a fool, Trump said.

According to six officials who attended or were briefed about the meeting, Trump then began reading aloud from the document, which his domestic policy adviser, Stephen Miller, had given him just before the meeting. The document listed how many immigrants had received visas to enter the United States in 2017.

More than 2,500 were from Afghanistan, a terrorist haven, the president complained.

Haiti had sent 15,000 people. They "all have AIDS," he grumbled, according to one person who attended the meeting and another person who was briefed about it by a different person who was there.

Forty thousand had come from Nigeria, Trump added. Once they had seen the U.S., they would never "go back to their huts" in Africa, recalled the two officials, who asked for anonymity to discuss a sensitive conversation in the Oval Office.

As the meeting continued, John Kelly, then the secretary of homeland security, and Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, tried to interject, explaining that many were short-term travelers making one-time visits. But as the president continued, Kelly and Miller turned their ire on Tillerson, blaming him for the influx of foreigners and prompting the secretary of state to throw up his arms in frustration. If he was so bad at his job, maybe he should stop issuing visas altogether, Tillerson fired back.

Tempers flared and Kelly asked that the room be cleared of staff members. But even after the door to the Oval Office was closed, aides could still hear the president berating his most senior advisers.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, denied Saturday morning that Trump had made derogatory statements about immigrants during the meeting.

"General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims," she said, referring to the current White House chief of staff, the national security adviser and the secretaries of state and Homeland Security. "It's both sad and telling The New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous 'sources' anyway."

A visceral approach

While the White House did not deny the overall description of the meeting, officials strenuously insisted that Trump never used the words "AIDS" or "huts" to describe people from any country. Several participants in the meeting told Times reporters that they did not recall the president using those words and did not think he had, but the two officials who described the comments found them so noteworthy that they related them to others at the time.

The meeting in June reflects Trump's visceral approach to an issue that defined his campaign and has indelibly shaped the first year of his presidency.

Seizing on immigration as the cause of countless social and economic problems, Trump entered office with an agenda of symbolic but incompletely thought-out goals, the product not of rigorous policy debate but of emotionally charged personal interactions and an instinct for tapping into the nativist views of white working-class Americans.

Like many of his initiatives, his effort to change U.S. immigration policy has been executed through a disorderly and dysfunctional process that sought from the start to defy the bureaucracy charged with enforcing it, according to interviews with three dozen current and former administration officials, lawmakers and others close to the process, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail private interactions.

But while Trump has been repeatedly frustrated by the limits of his power, his efforts to remake decades of immigration policy have gained increasing momentum as the White House became more disciplined and adept at either ignoring or undercutting the entrenched opposition of many parts of the government. The resulting changes have had far-reaching consequences, not only for the immigrants who have sought to make a new home in this country, but also for the United States' image in the world.

"We have taken a giant steamliner barreling full speed," Miller said in a recent interview. "Slowed it, stopped it, begun to turn it around and started sailing in the other direction."

It is an assessment shared ruefully by Trump's harshest critics, who see a darker view of the past year. Frank Sharry, the executive director of America's Voice, a pro-immigration group, argues that the president's immigration agenda is motivated by racism.

"He's basically saying, 'You people of color coming to America seeking the American dream are a threat to the white people,' " said Sharry, an outspoken critic of the president. "He's come into office with an aggressive strategy of trying to reverse the demographic changes underway in America."

Those who know Trump say his attitude toward immigrants long predates his entry into politics.

"He's always been fearful where other cultures are concerned and always had anxiety about food and safety when he travels," said Michael D'Antonio, who interviewed him for the biography "The Truth About Trump." "His objectification and demonization of people who are different has festered for decades."

Friends say Trump, a developer turned reality TV star, grew to see immigration as a zero-sum issue: What is good for immigrants is bad for America. But he remained conflicted, viewing himself as benevolent and wanting to be liked by the many immigrants he employed.

Over time, the anti-immigrant tendencies hardened, and two of his early advisers, Roger Stone and Sam Nunberg, stoked that sentiment. But it was Trump who added an anti-immigrant screed to his Trump Tower campaign announcement in June 2015 in New York City without telling his aides.

"When do we beat Mexico at the border? They're laughing at us, at our stupidity," Trump ad-libbed.

"They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems," he continued. "They're bringing drugs; they're bringing crime; they're rapists."

Democrats and some Republicans recoiled, calling Trump's messaging damaging and divisive. But for the candidate, the idea of securing the country against outsiders with a wall had intoxicating appeal, though privately, he acknowledged that it was a rhetorical device to whip up crowds when they became listless.

Ban restarts enforcement

Trump came into office with a long list of campaign promises that included not only building the wall (and making Mexico pay for it) but also creating a "deportation force," barring Muslims from entering the country and immediately deporting millions of immigrants with criminal records.

Miller and other aides had the task of turning those promises into a policy agenda that would also include an assault against a pro-immigration bureaucracy they viewed with suspicion and disdain. Working in secret, they drafted a half-dozen executive orders. One would crack down on so-called sanctuary cities. Another proposed changing the definition of a criminal alien so that it included people arrested - not just those convicted.

But mindful of his campaign promise to quickly impose "extreme vetting," Trump decided his first symbolic action would be an executive order to place a worldwide ban on travel from nations the White House considered compromised by terrorism.

With no policy experts in place, and deeply suspicious of career civil servants they regarded as spies for President Barack Obama, Miller and a small group of aides started with an Obama-era law that identified seven terror-prone "countries of concern." And then they skipped practically every step in the standard White House playbook for creating and introducing a major policy.

The National Security Council never convened to consider the travel ban proposal. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary at the time, did not see it ahead of time. Lawyers and policy experts at the White House, the Justice Department and the Homeland Security Department were not asked to weigh in. There were no talking points for friendly surrogates, no detailed briefings for reporters or lawmakers, no answers to frequently asked questions, such as whether green card holders would be affected.

The announcement of the travel ban on a Friday night, seven days after Trump's inauguration, created chaotic scenes at the nation's largest airports, as hundreds of people were stopped, and set off widespread confusion and loud protests. Lawyers for the government raced to defend the president's actions against court challenges, while aides struggled to explain the policy to perplexed lawmakers the next night at a black-tie dinner.

Forced to back down

Amid the turbulent first weeks, Trump's attempt to bend the government's immigration apparatus to his will began to take shape.

The ban's message of "keep out" helped drive down illegal border crossings as much as 70 percent, even without being formally put into effect.

Immigration officers rounded up 41,318 immigrants who were in the country illegally during the president's first 100 days, nearly a 40 percent increase. The Justice Department began hiring more immigration judges to speed up deportations. Officials threatened to hold back funds for sanctuary cities. The flow of refugees into the U.S. slowed.

By early March, judges across the country had blocked his travel ban. Immigrant rights activists were crowing that they had thwarted the new president. Even Trump's own lawyers told him he had to give up on defending the ban.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and lawyers at the White House and Justice Department had decided that waging an uphill legal battle to defend the directive in the Supreme Court would fail. Instead, they wanted to devise a narrower one that could pass legal muster.

The president, though, was furious about what he saw as backing down to politically correct adversaries. He did not want a watered-down version of the travel ban, he yelled at Donald McGahn, the White House counsel, as the issue came to a head March 3 in the Oval Office.

It was a familiar moment for Trump's advisers. The president did not mind being told "no" in private and would sometimes relent. But he could not abide a public turnabout. At those moments, he often exploded at whomever was nearby.

Even as the administration was engaged in a court battle over the travel ban, it began to turn its attention to another way of tightening the border - by limiting the number of refugees admitted each year to the U.S. And if there was one"deep state" stronghold of Obama holdovers that Trump and his allies suspected of undermining them on immigration, it was the State Department, which administers the refugee program.

At the department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, there was a sense of foreboding about a president who had once warned that any refugee might be a "Trojan horse" or part of a "terrorist army."

Trump had already used the travel ban to cut the number of allowable refugees admitted to the U.S. in 2017 to 50,000, a fraction of the 110,000 set by Obama. Now, Trump would have to decide the level for 2018.

At an April meeting with top officials from the bureau in the West Wing's Roosevelt Room, Miller cited statistics from the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies that indicated that resettling refugees in the U.S. was far costlier than helping them in their own region.

Miller was visibly displeased, according to people present, when State Department officials pushed back, citing another study that found refugees to be a net benefit to the economy. He called the contention absurd and said it was exactly the wrong kind of thinking.

But the travel ban had been a lesson for Trump and his aides on the dangers of dictating a major policy change without involving the people who enforce it. This time, instead of shutting out those officials, they worked to tightly control the process.

'Rookie mistakes'

Cecilia Munoz, who served as Obama's chief domestic policy adviser, said she was alarmed by the speed with which Trump and his team had learned to put their immigration agenda into effect.

"The travel ban was a case of bureaucratic incompetence," she said. "They made rookie mistakes. But they clearly learned from that experience. For the moment, all of the momentum is in the direction of very ugly, very extreme, very harmful policies."

By year's end, the chaos and disorganization that marked Trump's earliest actions on immigration had given way to a more disciplined approach that yielded concrete results, steered in large part by Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general. As secretary of Homeland Security, he had helped unleash immigration officers who felt constrained under Obama. They arrested 143,000 people in 2017, a sharp uptick, and deported more than 225,000.

Later, as White House chief of staff, Kelly quietly persuaded the president to drop his talk of Mexico paying for the wall. But he has advocated on behalf of the president's restrictionist vision, defying his reputation as a moderator of Trump's hard-line instincts.

In September, a third version of the president's travel ban was issued with little fanfare and new legal justifications. Then, Trump overruled objections from diplomats, capping refugee admissions at 45,000 for 2018, the lowest since 1986. In November, the president ended a humanitarian program that granted residency to 59,000 Haitians since a 2010 earthquake ravaged their country.

As the new year approached, officials began considering a plan to separate parents from their children when families were caught entering the country illegally, a move that immigrant groups called draconian.

At times, though, Trump has shown an openness to a different approach. In private discussions, he returns periodically to the idea of a "comprehensive immigration" compromise, though aides have warned him the phrase might be seen by his core supporters as code for amnesty.

"He wants to make a deal," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "He wants to fix the entire system."
What's big and shiny and gold and features President Donald Trump's name splashed across the front? No, it's not a new development on the West Side of Manhattan. It's the redesigned presidential challenge coin.

A custom dating back 20 years, presidential challenge coins have traditionally been handed out to service members in commemoration of special achievements and milestones. Trump's coin, which many saw on Friday for the first time, is unmistakably different from its predecessors.
As Hurricane Harvey's astonishing rainfall rose behind Addicks Dam, Aaron Byrd peered into a computer screen at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Miss. Somebody had told him that developers had built houses in the reservoirs that were about to flood, and he needed to know how many people were endangered. So he opened up Google Earth, looked at the satellite images and beheld an ominous sight: Row upon row of houses, thousands of doomed homes, sitting directly in the flood pool.

"How did they get permission to build there?" he wondered.

That question should haunt our elected leaders this holiday season. It's just one of many issues raised in "Developing Storm" the seven-part series of Chronicle reports probing the causes and consequences of Hurricane Harvey's devastating floods. As the year of the costliest natural disaster in our area's history comes to a close, government officials must resolve to take action next year on the problems exposed by this investigative reporting and the lessons our community learned during this catastrophe.

As all too many unlucky homeowners discovered, politicians in the Houston area have routinely allowed developers to build houses and commercial structures in harm's way. Indeed, Houston and Harris County have approved 20,000 parcels of land worth $13.5 billion to be developed in or along floodways, the areas where water moves fastest after a large storm. City and county officials need to muster the political courage to prohibit new construction and major improvements to structures in flood pools and floodways.

Countless property owners living in subdivisions near the Addicks and Barker reservoirs had no idea they lived in flood pools, areas that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had designated as giant overflow tubs during catastrophic storms. State law should require that homebuyers purchasing property in those areas be notified of the danger not only in writing, but also with signage prominently posted around subdivisions built in flood pools.

For too long we've allowed our city to be run by developers and engineers who have a conflict of interest between private profit and public good. Mark Kilkenny and L.S. "Pat" Brown Jr. both sat on the city planning commission despite the fact that each had firms involved in building subdivisions inside the flood pools of Barker Reservoir. Steve Costello, who gets paid a $160,000 salary as the city's current flood czar, also owned an engineering firm that was involved in construction projects within the flood pools. Costello has denied that he knew about the danger of building within the reservoir. Jim Blackburn, an environmental lawyer and Rice professor, says he finds that "hard to believe." As we wrote during the earliest days of Harvey, it is time to remove the people who got it wrong on flooding from the levers of power and start elevating those who had the foresight to warn us.

The catastrophe that struck the Houston area this year was exacerbated by a disastrously dysfunctional National Flood Insurance Program, which our reporting revealed has failed in just about every way possible. It has encouraged Americans to buy property and build homes in flood prone areas, increasing both the cost and the magnitude of disasters. For example, one home in Houston valued at $114,000 was responsible for 16 flood insurance claims that cost more than $800,000. The program is now $20 billion in debt, even though taxpayers have repeatedly bailed it out with $42 billion in loans and grants. Congress bears special blame for this ongoing mess, because special interests spending hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign cash have consistently thwarted attempts to fix it. Lawmakers in Washington must reform the nation's flood insurance plan and put a stop to its spectacularly wasteful policies.

Hurricane Harvey also exposed the hazards posed to neighborhoods supposedly protected by levees. About 20 percent of Fort Bend County residents, roughly 143,000 people, live in areas defended by a collection of locally managed levees, which don't offer anything approaching absolute protection against major floods. At least 900 levee-protected homes in the county flooded. If a community is going to depend upon levees, they should become stronger. Experts recommend building levees to withstand bigger floods, designing them for 500-year events instead of the current 100-year standard. Congress also needs to heed the advice of the National Committee on Levee Safety and establish a nationwide levee safety code, updating it at least once every 10 years.

Nothing poses a greater threat to the Houston area than the prospect of failing dams. The Corps of Engineers conducted detailed studies of what would happen if the Addicks and Barker Dams failed, and the reports read like an apocalyptic horror story. At least 2,500 people would die in the best case scenario, but the death toll could surpass 6,900. More than 120,000 structures would flood causing more than $22 billion in property damage. To lessen the odds of such a cataclysm, Congress should finally give the Army Corps of Engineers the money it has long sought for a feasibility study on making major changes to the dams. Among the ideas the Corps should explore are excavating the reservoirs to hold more water, buying out more properties upstream, and digging relief canals or tunnels to take the pressure off the dams during major storms.

Experts from the Netherlands who travel the world consulting with local officials after serious floods recently offered us an important observation. They've noticed that cities recovering from disasters have about a year to accomplish major goals and begin big infrastructure projects to prepare for the next catastrophe. After a year, they advise, memories begin to fade and the demand for action ebbs away.

As we leave 2017 behind, we need to heed that warning. Our window of opportunity is gradually closing. Let 2018 become the year that our elected officials take action on lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey.
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Adequate governance is critical to realizing the vast promise of the Internet for a better world for all, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the annual United Nations forum on Internet governance on Monday.

The Internet, and new technologies in general, have an immense role to play in helping us address global sustainable development challenges, Mr. Guterres said in his video message to the opening of the 12th UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Geneva, Switzerland, which runs through 21 December.

But there is a growing danger that the Internet can be used for polarization, division and criminal activity, he added.

This years theme is Shape your digital future!

Mr. Guterres noted the Internet must serve to improve the human condition, which means bridging digital divides based on locality, means and gender.

And it means establishing governance that supports innovation while respecting human rights and protecting society, he said.

The IGF is recognized as the widest-reaching international forum on Internet governance, and is at the forefront of identifying and debating critical issues that shape international agenda. Its mandate was renewed for 10 years at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in December 2015.

The 12th IGF will discuss some of the most pressing Internet Governance issues today: Connectivity and Access; Impact of the Internet on Sustainable Development and Economic Growth; Human Rights Online; Gender Issues; Cybersecurity; Multistakeholder Collaboration at National, Regional and Global Levels; and Emerging Technologies, and Trends such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Fakenews and Virtual Reality; and many others. These discussions will act as inputs toward the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, which relies on robust and strategic use of ICTs and sound Internet policies.

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=58310
Imperial Valley News Center

Announcement of the Selection of the UNICEF Executive Director

Washington, DC - The United States welcomes Secretary-General Guterres appointment of Henrietta Holsman Fore as Executive Director of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). Ms. Fore has had a long and distinguished career in public service, private sector, and nonprofit leadership, including as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and Under Secretary of State for Management. Over the course of her career, Ms. Fore has worked to champion economic development, education and health, security and good governance, and humanitarian assistance for the most vulnerable in the world. Most recently, Ms. Fore has served as Chairperson and Board Member for several private sector and non-profit institutions.

Ms. Fore will be a powerful voice on behalf of the worlds children in her new position with the UN. In January, she will succeed current Executive Director Anthony Lake, whose leadership, dedication, and compassion have been exemplary. We thank Mr. Lake for his seven years of tireless service to UNICEF.
Governor and First Lady Honor Spc. Avadon A. Chaves

Sacramento, California - On behalf of all Californians, Governor Brown and First Lady Anne Gust Brown honor Spc. Avadon A. Chaves, who bravely gave his life in service to our state and nation. The Governor and First Lady extend their deepest condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.

In memorial, Governor Brown ordered that flags be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol. Spc. Chaves' family will receive a letter of condolence from the Governor.

Spc. Avadon A. Chaves, 20, of Turlock, California, died December 20 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident that is under investigation. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Bliss, Texas. Spc. Chaves was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
Governor Brown Statement on Death of March Fong Eu

Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued the following statement regarding the death of former state Assemblymember, California Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia March Fong Eu:

Anne and I were saddened to learn of March Fong Eu's passing. She was a pioneering woman who helped open doors to public service for more women and Asian Americans. On behalf of all Californians, Anne and I express our deep condolences to Marchs family.
Governor Brown Grants Executive Clemency

Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has granted 132 pardons and 19 commutations.

Individuals who have been convicted of a crime in California may apply to the Governor for a pardon. Those granted pardons all completed their sentences and the majority were convicted of drug-related or other nonviolent crimes. Pardons are not granted unless they are earned.

A gubernatorial pardon may be granted to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary behavior and have lived productive and law-abiding lives following their conviction. The process includes eligible individuals obtaining a Certificate of Rehabilitation, which is an order from a superior court declaring that a person convicted of a crime is now rehabilitated. This requirement was waived for a refugee who is currently detained as part of a federal immigration proceeding.



When a pardon is granted, the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are notified so that they may update their records on the applicant. The pardon is filed with the Secretary of State and the Legislature, and it is a public record.

The Governor also granted 19 commutations to current inmates. Inmates currently serving a sentence for a conviction by the California Courts can petition to have their sentence reduced by applying for a commutation. In the majority of these commutations, these individuals have been granted the opportunity to make their case before the Board of Parole Hearings, which will determine whether they are ready to be released from prison.

Copies of the gubernatorial pardons and commutations can be found here.
Border Patrol Agents Arrest Convicted Sex Offender Sneaking Into U.S.

Otay Mesa, California - Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Border Patrol agents working near the U.S./Mexico International Border arrested a man who had a previous conviction for child molestation.

At around 2:40 p.m., agents patrolling on All-Terrain Vehicles responded to illicit cross-border activity near Otay Mesa, California. After following footprints for several hundred yards, agents discovered four men hiding in the brush north of the U.S./Mexico International Boundary. After questioning all four men, agents determined that they were all Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States.

The four Mexican nationals were then transported to a nearby Border Patrol station for processing. At the station, record checks revealed that one of the men, 32-years-old, was previously convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in California for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age and had a prior record for deportation.

The man is being held in Department of Homeland Security custody pending prosecution for felony re-entry after deportation.

To prevent the illicit smuggling of humans, drugs, and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on major corridors of egress away from our Nations borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.
Navy Announces Uniform Policy and Initiative Updates

Washington, DC - The Navy announced several updates to Navy uniform policy and several uniform initiatives in NAVADMIN 310/17, December 22.

Policy updates include Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) qualification insignia, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) identification badge, Navy Working Uniform Type II and III (NWU Type II/III) embroidered shoulder patches, Navy Career Counselor identification badge, black v-neck pullover sweater, and revised occasion for wear of the NWU.



The following policy updates are effective immediately:



EDOs who have completed the Engineering Duty Qualification Program, to include command responsibilities and qualification standards, are authorized to wear the EDO breast insignia. Specifications, eligibility and availability of the EDO qualification insignia is clarified in this NAVADMIN.



Sailors assigned as staff members to NORAD are authorized to optionally wear the NORAD identification badge during the duration of their assignment.



Embroidered Navy-certified subdued matching NWU Type II and NWU Type III pattern "Don't Tread On Me" and reverse U.S. flag patches are authorized for optional non-tactical wear in garrison at unit commander discretion. Patches are available for purchase at Navy Exchange Uniform Centers and Uniform Call Centers beginning February 2018.



Authorized wear of the Navy Career Counselor identification badge is extended to qualified Full Time Support instructors of the two-week Reserve Career Information Course.



The black V-neck pullover sweater is designated as a unisex component authorized for wear by male and female Sailors. Manner and occasion for wear remains the same.



The policy governing the occasion for wear of NWUs is revised as follows: wear of NWUs is authorized for commuting and all normal tasks and associated short stops (i.e. child care, gas station, off-base shopping, banking and dining) before, during and after the workday. The NWU is not a liberty uniform. After working hours, NWU wear is not permitted while conducting official business when business attire is appropriate and participating in social events. Also, consumption of alcohol in NWUs on base is authorized except where regional commanders promulgate otherwise.



The following are Navy uniform initiative updates:



The 2017 Navy Boot Study is complete. Findings and recommendations from over 300 Sailors were reported to Navy leadership to support development of a short- and long-term solution for an improved general purpose safety boot. Future NAVADMINs will announce the progress and availability of the two safety boot enhancement projects.



The submarine sweater, worn by U.S. submarine Sailors since World War I, is an olive drab or brown, five-button, v-neck sweater made of 100 percent wool or 100 percent acrylic fabric. An improved design submarine sweater is being developed, but until it is available, submarine Sailors issued the original sweater as organizational clothing may continue to wear it under guidelines outlined in the NAVADMIN. The sweater is authorized for wear by personnel currently serving at Submarine Force commands or personnel serving at non-Submarine Force commands who are qualified in submarines.



The Navy Physical Fitness Uniform (PTU) is being enhanced with an optional running short, and a new color scheme and logo for the PTU shirt. A new design concept is under review and will be announced in a future NAVADMIN.



Lastly, upon Sailor feedback regarding Bates "LITE" dress shoe heel disintegration, Bates reformulated the chemical composition of sole material to rectify this defect and the Navy Exchange Command purged inventory of the affected shoes. Sailors who experience heel or sole failure (blowouts) of their dress shoes, or any other mechanical defect that occurs within 36 months of purchase from the Navy Exchange Uniform Centers, should return the shoes to the navy Exchange and address the issue with a uniform center associate.
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Bob Givens, one of the team of animators who helped design Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, has died at the age of 99.

Mariana Givens, the animators daughter, said he had passed away on December 14 in Burbank, California, from acute respiratory failure.

The Associated Press said Mr Givens began working for Walt Disney Studios straight from high school and later joined what would become Warner Bros. As such, he was an animator during the industrys golden era.

His version of Bugs Bunny debuted in 1940. Other characters he illustrated over his six-decade career included Tom & Jerry, Daffy Duck, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Popeye.

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Givens also brought his skills to TV advertising, animating cartoon insects for Raid bug-killer commercials.

Ms Givens said over the weekend she had always likened her father to Popeye when she was growing up. He was always energetic and resilient, and even smoked a pipe.

He served in the US army during the Second World War, before returning to the animation industry. He passed away at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Centre in Burbank.
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Ahead of the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Mark Hamill voiced his initial concerns with the arc of his beloved character, Luke Skywalker.

The actor expressed his difficulty in accepting the way in which writer-director Rian Johnson had decided to steer Skywalker having lived with the character since A New Hope in 1977.

Hamills issues came from a grizzled Skywalkers scenes with Rey (Daisy Ridley) in which he states that Its time for the Jedi to end.

The actor revealed, in an interview with Spanish website SensaCine, how this made him tell Johnson: Jedis dont give up. I mean, even if he had a problem, he would maybe take a year to try and regroup, but if he made a mistake he would try and right that wrong, so right there, we had a fundamental difference, but, its not my story anymore. Its somebody elses story, and Rian needed me to be a certain way to make the ending effective.

He added that he was forced to figure out what could have happened that would make the most hopeful, optimistic character end up in this dark place. I almost had to think of Luke as another character. Maybe hes Jake Skywalker  hes not my Luke Skywalker.

Hamill was ultimately happy to depict the scenes presented in the script because he felt it served the story well, however he ascertains that he almost views Skywalker in The last Jedi as another character.

This is the next generation of Star Wars so I almost had to think of another character  but I had to do what Rian wanted me to do because it serves the story well  I still havent accepted it completely.

The Last Jedi has proved divisive since release despite critics hailing it as one of the best franchise entries to date.

 Holly Willoughby gives away a major Star Wars spoiler  leaving John Boyega speechless

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When a new iPhone is announced, and at high-volume times of the year like Christmas, the Apple team in charge of logistics is hard at work. For deliveries to the UK, Europe, the Middle East and beyond, that team is based in Cork  I met them to hear every detail of the process.

The Irish Apple logistics team is over 100 strong and it has to source the products and then steer them from China to your door. This month, the team has been at full force. Preparations began months ago, with a level of analysis that is mind-boggling. Many individual postcodes have been studied in different countries to see which of the delivery organisations has the best record in delivering fast to those individual postcodes, so work can be assigned accordingly. Many, by the way, means literally millions of postcodes are analysed.

Apple works with around 15 different carriers, with every kind of transportation possible.

iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch People try the Animoji feature on iPhone X during its launch at the Apple store in Singapore Reuters iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Apple staff congratulate customers as they are of the first to enter Apple's Regent Street store AFP/Getty Images iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch People queue outside Apple's Regent Street store AFP/Getty Images iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch The new iPhone X EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers line up to buy the new iPhone X in Hong Kong AP iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers sleep, while in line, before purchasing the iphone X in Australia Rex Features iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch People queue outside Apple's Regent Street store in central London AFP/Getty Images iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers queue at Dubai Mall EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers wait in line in Tokyo Getty Images iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch A man gestures as he holds an iPhone X in Sydney EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers wait outside an Apple store at Dubai Mall EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers queue outside an Apple store in Dubai EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch The first purchasers of the iPhone X show off their boxed phones in Sydney EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Dozens of customers queue as they wait to buy the new iPhone X in Cologne EPA iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures iPhone X Launch Customers queue at the Apple store Schildergasse in Cologne EPA

For major events, like the commitment to deliver the new iPhone X on November 3, planning begins some weeks in advance. Apple says its delivery management system works with military precision because of this forward planning, so the customers can be sure their delivery date will be met.

When you log on to order a product, the system not only knows the stock levels but also how long it will take to get to you  a remote rural postcode might take longer for that guaranteed delivery slot than a city centre  and give you a date accordingly.

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It's the beginning of a process focused on the "Delivers On day because of the importance of the delivery date.

As well as Apple's system, the carriers will all do another check to make sure they know how well they're doing in each particular postcode.

The day before the launch date, dozens of collections will be made by the carriers, each with security escort, getting ready for customer delivery. Carriers say that this level of scrutiny is unique to Apple, other customers don't require this obsessive level of detail.

Apple wouldn't reveal the details of its security systems but said there are preventative measures and proactive work to protect the product, and each carrier would have transportation security requirements.

On the day of release Apple's logistics teams start watching what's happening from 5.30AM. Hundreds of flights with product which will then go to thousands of delivery depots belonging to the carriers. From there they are carried in tens of thousands of vehicles with deliveries throughout the day, right up until midnight.

A fulfilment rate of even a whisker less than 100 per cent would not be considered a success. The mantra, I'm told, is to "delight the customer".

Things can go wrong, from planes going mechanical to fog preventing a landing at a particular airport, traffic snarl-ups and more.

Apple depends on its carriers rather than having its own delivery fleet because demand fluctuates during the year.

And if you think a product launch sounds busy, Christmas is another level of commitment, like "Delivers On" on speed. It's a multiplication of a launch day, I'm told, because customers are banking on Christmas delivery.

From December 4 onwards, there are well over a dozen meetings every day geared just to seeing how deliveries are going, assessing carrier performance.

I'm shown a chart showing thousands for flights, tens of thousands of delivery depot events and hundreds of thousands of delivery trucks in action.

Also on the chart is a reindeer, symbol of the last-gasp effort which this year will run until Saturday December 23 or even Sunday, Christmas Eve. The last-gasp is about ensuring customers receive their orders no matter what. It's built into the Christmas planning  if something's not going to get there in time because of a diverted flight, or snow say, Apple uses a series of same-day carriers with stock coming from nearby distribution centres or stores and if necessary they will call customers to tell them they could have an alternative, perhaps a different capacity memory or another colour and would that work for the customer?

The process, once it's described in detail is jaw-dropping. Of course, this is how it should be when it's your Christmas present that's being delivered, and it's certainly reassuring.
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People who are overweight are more likely to be happy, a study has found.

Carrying extra pounds is usually associated with a number of health risks, including heart conditions, diabetes and increased likelihood of suffering strokes.

However, a new study has discovered that people who are classified as fat may lead happier lives.

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The research, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, was conducted by a group of scientists at the University of Bristol led by Louise Millard and George Davey Smith.

The group set out to analyse how they could use PHESANT (PHEnome Scan ANalysis Tool) to perform automated phenome scans in the UK Biobank.

The UK Biobank is a database containing genetic data from 500,000 men and women in the UK from the ages of 37 to 73.

How to pack a healthier lunch Show all 6 1 /6 How to pack a healthier lunch How to pack a healthier lunch Kilner Salad-on-the-go jar, 9.99, lakeland.co.uk How to pack a healthier lunch Zaytoun Olive oil 500ml, 11.45, zaytoun.org How to pack a healthier lunch Clearspring Nori flakes, 1.99, clearspring.co.uk How to pack a healthier lunch MealPal Free app or mealpal.co.uk How to pack a healthier lunch Monbento Bento box, 27.50, monbento.co.uk How to pack a healthier lunch Merchant Gourmet Wholegrain rice, 2.30, merchant-gourmet.com

During their investigation, they came to many conclusions about the connection between a persons BMI and their health that are already widely known.

These include that fact that people with a higher BMI are more likely to have higher blood pressure, to suffer from diabetes and to go through puberty at an earlier age.

However, they also discovered that people who are overweight generally have a calmer state of mind, much to their surprise.

In regard to their findings, the researchers stated: We also detected a number of potentially causal associations that were previously unknown.

For example, participants with a genetic propensity to higher BMI were less likely to perceive themselves as a nervous person or to call themselves tense or highly strung.

Dasha Nicholls, head of the eating disorders faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, explained how ones eating patterns can have an effect on their mental state.

We know that if someone is nutritionally compromised that affects their ability to regulate their emotions, she told The Times.

It doesnt surprise me in that sense that there would be a direct link, but I think its a really interesting study.

According to the NHS, in 2014 58 per cent of women and 65 per cent of men were classed as obese in the UK, with an increase of obesity prevalence in the UK from 15 per cent in 1993 to 26 per cent in 2014.
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The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox has sparked a flood of stories of love and loss, after urging people to use Christmas to tell loved ones how much they mean to them.

Brendan Cox, whose wife was murdered by a far-right extremist in June last year, issued an impassioned plea for people to take the time to envisage losing the person they love the most in the world.

He then called on people to imagine the things they would inevitably wish they had taken the time to say to them.

Weird thing to do on Christmas Eve but Id encourage everyone to take a moment to imagine losing the person you love most in the world. Imagine what you would wish you had said to them. Then take a moment to say it, he said.

In the space of just four hours, the post has not only been shared by 5000 and liked more than 13,000 times, but it has prompted people to come forward with their own stories of bidding farewell to a loved one during the Christmas period.

Mark Edgerton said on Twitter: Lovely thought, Brendan. Having lost several loved ones in my lifetime, l know the power in keeping their memory alive, and in chatting away to them regularly, as if they were still here.

Keeps me sane, in an increasingly mad, mad world. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes and candles are placed by a picture of slain Labour MP Jo Cox at a vigil in Parliament square in London AFP Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Tributes to Labour Party MP Jo Cox are placed on her houseboat in Wapping in London REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures The Union flag at half-mast on top of Portcullis House in London after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (2R) and deputy leader Tom Watson (L) light candles as they attend a vigil to slain Labour MP Jo Cox in Parliament square in London AFP/Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and deputy leader Tom Watson (rear) arrive to leave tributes at Parliament Square PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People leave St Peter's Church after a vigil in memory of Jo Cox REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Flowers left at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminste, following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People react as they look at tributes left for Labour Member of Parliament Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A man writes a message at Parliament Square PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People stop to look at tributes left at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A woman arrives to lay flowers at a statue to Joseph Priestly in Birstall near to the scene where Labour MP Jo Cox was shot AFP/Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Tributes at Parliament Square opposite the Palace of Westminster PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A woman places candles in tribute to Labour Party MP Jo Cox REUTERS Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A member of the public signs a memorial for British MP Jo Cox in Parliament Square, London EPA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People sign messages of condolence for MP Jo Cox during a vigil in Parliament Square in London Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Flags at half mast outside Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, after Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street outside her constituency advice surgery in Birstall PA Jo Cox tributes - in pictures People arrive in Market Square with floral tributes after the death of Jo Co Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes are placed in Market Square next to the statue of Joseph Priestley following the death of Jo Cox Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures Floral tributes are brought to the scene after the death of Jo Cox Getty Images Jo Cox tributes - in pictures A police officer carries bunches of flowers at the scene of the shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox in Birstall REUTERS

Other users shared similar messages of love and loss.

I lost my loved one six months ago. I want you to know that whatever you think was not said by you to Jo (thats the name of my late husband too) as she was taken from you so cruelly, she knew it all anyway, she knew you and your kids were her world and she was so loved. Rosie x.

Beautifully put. My brother Michael died on Christmas Day 1978 when I was 12 & he was 17. I understand completely what you mean. Sending you all love. Nik, Phil, Lizzy & Emily. Xx, Nicky Clarke added.

I lost my Daughter in April 2015, the pain is unbearable, my only child. Your wife was an amazing human being as is her legacy. Youre an inspiration, said another.

I did. My father died, too young, on Christmas Eve. Lucky to have chance to say it. And that he met his young grandson, then three months. 25 years ago today, added one more.

Mr Cox recently spoke out about difficult it is to bring up children as a single parent ahead of his second Christmas without his wife.

The 39-year-old, who will spend this Christmas with their children Cuillin (six), and Leijla (four), spoke to The Sun about the Great Christmas Get Together campaign to address loneliness at Christmas.

Jo and I often talked about single parents and how much we admired them and how hard it must be. And it is, basically. Its shit, he said.

Its those little things like, Does Lejla have a cough or has she got pneumonia? Is this bump supposed to be there? Are the kids getting on okay at school? All judgments you have to take as a parent that are all entirely on you.

Mr Cox, who has often called on Britain to unite against hatred in the wake of his wifes tragic death, added: Theyre very good with me. They frequently ask me how Im doing. Theyre just incredibly loving kids.

Ms Cox was brutally shot and stabbed by a far-right extremist in Birstall, in her constituency of Batley and Spen in June last year.
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While many children spend December wondering what Santa Claus will bring, six-year-old Amelia Campbells mind has been grappling with weightier thoughts.

The 15-minute walk to her central London primary school often takes her past homeless people sleeping rough or selling The Big Issue, prompting many difficult questions for her parents.

Why dont they have a home? Can they come home with us? Why cant they go back to their mums and dads? Why cant we give them more money? Normal childrens questions, says her mother Jessie Campbell, 42.

She was asking lots of questions and we answered them as best we could  sometimes it can be quite hard.

Ms Campbell and her husband Andrew, 41, delicately explained to their daughter that not everyone has a home to go to, and that were quite lucky that we do.

We said that some people may not have mums and dads who would be happy to have them back at home; some people may be far away from home, such as refugees, and that we cant open our homes to everybody.

In Westminster, the borough in which Amelia lives, 2,767 people were recorded as sleeping rough last year in statistics compiled by St Mungos homelessness charity.

Amelia was troubled with what she saw on her way to school, but watching her mother buy The Big Issue one day gave her an idea.

We said the magazine is printed to raise money for the people selling them, says her Ms Campbell. She said, But I dont have any money. I dont have anything I can give. So she thought if she wrote a story and sold it to her friends she could raise some money.

She was really troubled by the fact there was nothing she could do because she doesnt have much power as a child, so thats where it came from.

Her parents suspected she might not follow through with the idea, but their daughter was soon reaching for her paper and crayons to write an illustrated story about two dragons that went on holiday to the rainforest (a subject she chose, she says, because in most books theres no dragons).

Admittedly, her seven-page booklet, titled The Two Dragons, contains more colourfully scrawled mythical beasts than the typical edition of The Big Issue. But Amelia was soon selling printed copies for 50p to everyone she knew  family, friends, children at her Beavers group.

I wanted to help the homeless because they have nothing at all, she told The Independent. I wrote a story because I wanted to make more money than my pocket money.

Amelia chose to write about dragons because in most books theres no dragons (Amelia Campbell)

After her parents set up a crowdfunding page for further donations, Amelia has raised 1,200 so far. The family are to give half of the money to the housing charity Shelter.

The rest will go to The Passage, a local charity runs a hostel in Pimlico which offers shelter to some of Londons estimated 4,000 nightly rough sleepers. It also provides advice on housing, benefits, and health to around 100 people a day at its a resource centre in Victoria.

Nichola Wilson, relationship manager at the charity, says everyones hearts melted in the office when Amelias family contacted them with her story.

Its wonderful, she adds. Its really heartwarming to see someone so young as Amelia has gone the extra mile, has been asking her parents questions, and wanted to do something.

The Passage sends staff into schools to speak to pupils, and Ms Wilson said educating young people about rough sleeping can help to remove any stigmas around the subject.

Ms Campbell admits her daughter may be too young to understand the complexities of tackling homelessness.

But she adds: Its good for her because she feels like shes made an impact. Its a nice feeling when youre small.

The six-year-old is anxious to give the money to the homeless before Christmas but pleased with herself and that its gone well, says her mother.

She has also been an inspiration to her own parents, who volunteer at a local shelter.

We havent pushed Amelia towards this, stresses Ms Campbell. Actually she has been quite inspiring to us. Weve done more charity work because of her. Im very proud of her.

Now shes determined to be a charity worker when she grows up.

Then again, when youre only six, perhaps its best to keep all career options open.

She also said she wanted to be a fairy, says Ms Campbell. So who knows what shell grow up to be.
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Princess Michael of Kent has apologised for wearing a racist broach to the Queen's Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, that was also attended by Prince Harry's mixed-race fiancee Meghan Markle.

The princess, who is married to the Queen's cousin, was pictured wearing a prominent piece of "blackamoor" jewellery pinned to her coat as she arrived at the annual royal family gathering.

She is thought to have been introduced to Ms Markle, who was attending her first such lunch after her engagement to Harry was announced last month.

 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reveal how Harry proposed

It is not clear if Princess Michael was still wearing the brooch - which depicts a black man in a gold headdress - as the two met.

But she was widely condemned for wearing the "blatantly racist" piece to the Palace.

A spokesman for the princess said she was very sorry and distressed that it had caused offence. They added that the brooch was a gift and has been worn many times before.

Blackamoor art, mostly sculptures, figurines and jewellery, often depicts dark-skinned Africans in subservient roles such as footmen or waiters.

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

Made mostly in the 18th century, some have suggested that it fetishises racial conquest.

The princess, who was born Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz in the former Czechoslovakia, is married to the Queen's first cousin, Prince Michael of Kent. Her father was an SS officer.

After pictures emerged of her wearing the brooch, she was heavily criticised on social media.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady tweeted that Princess Michael's decision to wear the brooch was an "appalling show of disrespect and jealousy."

Another Twitter user wrote: "Apparently wearing slavery inspired brooches is the ultimate royal holiday tradition. Can't believe she wore this for the Queens lunch."

A third said said: "As a Republican I find the behaviour of Princess Michael of Kent to be obnoxious, outrageous and offensive."

It is not Princess Michael's first brush with racial controversy. In 2004, she denied telling a group of black New Yorkers to "go back to the colonies" because she felt they were being rowdy in a restaurant.
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Tesco is preparing to become the only UK retailer to stop wasting food suitable for human consumption, promising none of its UK stores will waste produce by March.

The companys chief executive Dave Lewis revealed the plans for all 2,654 stores, and called for other supermarket chains to follow Tescos example.

Mr Lewis said food waste had been talked about for years and insisted edible food should be used for people, rather than merely squandered as wastage.

If Tesco can make this work, with all of our different stores across the country, then why cant everyone? Mr Lewis told The Daily Telegraph.

So long as that food is fit for human consumption, Id much prefer it to go to people than landfill or animal feed, or fuel, he said.

Use of food banks is on the rise in the UK and thousands of Britons have become progressively more dependant on them. Not only has the use of food banks increased fourfold since 2012, but data from the Trussell Trust suggests they provided more than a million emergency food supplies to people last year.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA 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 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But according to the environment, food and rural affairs committee, the UK throws away 8.1 million tons of food a year.

Mr Lewis said: Last year we sold 10 million tons of food to the British public. But even if our waste is just 0.7 per cent of the food, thats still 70,000 tons of food.

And so long as that food is fit for human consumption, Id much prefer it to go to people than animal feed or fuel.

But he confessed that there would always be some surplus food in supermarkets.

No matter how sophisticated the ordering systems are, it will be impossible to perfectly match the supply and demand for every one of our shops, 365 days a year, when theres so much volatility.

Tesco says it reduces waste by selling surplus groceries tagged with reduced to clear stickers and running a scheme which dishes out unsold items to local charities.

The store uses an app called FoodCloud which itemises the surplus food in each store at the end of the day, and then the information is given to local charities that collect the food.

That goes a long way in reducing charities bill burdens, so they can spend the money on other things, like the cost of housing two more addicts, or providing much more needed services, Mr Lewis said.

Tesco has also joined forces with all major UK supermarkets and signed a pledge to axe food waste by a fifth within a decade. The voluntary agreement is referred to as the Courtauld Commitment 2025.

A number of supermarkets have implemented schemes to address the issue, like shifting away from buy-one-get-one-free offers that have come under fire for potentially increasing food waste.
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The Army has scrapped plans to update its logo and slogan, despite internal research indicating it had made recruiting new soldiers more difficult.

In documents seen by the Mail on Sunday, the armys most senior officer, General Nick Carter, said that the armys longstanding slogan, Be The Best should be removed immediately as it did not resonate with many of our key audiences.

The research also showed the Armys crest, which depicts crossed swords, a crown and a lion, was non-inclusive.

Recommended Gavin Williamson is positioning himself as the next Tory leader

The recommendations suggested it should be replaced with a Union Jack.

Since becoming Defence Secretary last month, Gavin Williamson has also appeared on the front pages after telling the Chancellor of the Exchequer he would not be able to use Ministry of Defence planes until the bill for previous trips had been settled.

He also intervened to prevent two former armed forces dogs from being put down.

In 2016, the Government pledged to spend 178bn on new military equipment over the next 10 years.

But it must also find 7.3bn of efficiency savings within the department, on top of the 7.1bn previously announced, which is likely to be achieved through selling off property.

Chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee, Julian Lewis, told the newspaper that being the best was nothing to be ashamed of.

He said: It is a matter for pride and a very positive message to transmit. Why should we be afraid of excellence when we are constantly saying our Armed Forces are the best in the world?

Colonel Richard Kemp, the former commander of UK troops in Afghanistan, added that it was lunacy to squander money on a futile branding project when there was already pressure on the defence budget.

Last month the Ministry of Defence was forced to confirm it was in discussions with the Treasury over Chancellor Philip Hammonds reported unpaid bill for the use of military planes.

The Chancellor had been banned from using MoD planes until his department settles the bill for a recent flight.

The MoD was said to have told officials not to accept any more bookings from the Chancellor until the six-figure sum for flights with No 32 (The Royal Squadron) had been paid.
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Two of the Conservatives flagship housing policies have been dropped from a key government document, raising questions about the future of the plans.

The new single departmental plan published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) does not include a single reference to Starter Homes, which form a central plank of the Governments commitment to increase home ownership, or of the planned extension of Right to Buy.

The document, which forms part of the guidance for civil servants working on housing, is in stark contrast to the previous plan published last year, in which the two policies featured prominently and were mentioned several times as part of the Conservatives housing strategy.

In the latest version, five specific pledges to boost home ownership, including delivering Starter Homes and the extension of Right to Buy, have been downgraded to a single-line promise to increase home ownership through schemes including Help to Buy.

Recommended Fewer social homes being built than at any time since Second World War

Furthermore, a specific commitment to increasing home ownership has been absorbed into the broader aim of fixing the broken housing market.

Starter Homes are properties supposedly affordable to first-time buyers because they are offered at a 20 per cent discount.

Ministers had promised to build 200,000 of them by 2020 but The Independent revealed last month that not a single Starter Home has yet been built. This led to officials admitting the policy remained an ambition  but have now removed all mention of it from DCLGs housing objectives.

The previous iteration of the departmental plan included a clear commitment to the policy. It said: We are delivering a major boost to affordable home ownership with Starter Homes and extending Right to Buy to housing association tenants.

It reiterated a pledge to build 200,000 Starter Homes, including 30,000 on brownfield land  former industrial sites earmarked for development.

The world's least affordable cities for housing Show all 10 1 /10 The world's least affordable cities for housing The world's least affordable cities for housing Hong Kong The world's least affordable cities for housing Sydney The world's least affordable cities for housing Vancouver The world's least affordable cities for housing Auckland The world's least affordable cities for housing Melbourne The world's least affordable cities for housing San Jose The world's least affordable cities for housing San Francisco The world's least affordable cities for housing London The world's least affordable cities for housing San Diego The world's least affordable cities for housing Los Angeles

References to the planned extension of Right to Buy to 1.3 million housing association tenants have also been quietly dropped from the latest document.

Whereas the 2016 document promised to implement a voluntary agreement with housing associations and the National Housing Federation that will extend Right to Buy level discounts to 1.3 million housing association tenants, giving them the opportunity to buy their own home, the latest version includes no mention at all of the controversial Right to Buy scheme.

The omissions will probably fuel speculation the Government is wavering in its commitment to two of its most contentious housing policies  especially given the delays in implementing them.

Amid widespread concern about the future of social housing, Sajid Javid, the Communities Secretary, admitted in October the Conservatives had failed on housing in recent years and promised a complete rethink of our approach to social housing in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

That revaluation could have consequences for the two policies not included in the latest DCLG plan, both of which are predicted to accelerate the loss of social housing  something highlighted by the Grenfell tragedy. The extension of Right to Buy is expected to lead to the loss of 75,000 social homes, while Starter Homes will be built at the expense of other types of affordable housing, including those for social rent.

 Flagship government housing plan fails to deliver a single home in three years

Labour said the omissions in the new document showed the Government had given up on helping first-time buyers.

John Healey, the partys Shadow Housing Secretary, said: With home ownership at a 30-year low and the number of younger homeowners in free fall, the Government has now given up on first-time buyers.

We need much more affordable housing for younger people looking to buy their first home but ministers have erased new housing for first-time buyers from the Communities Departments official objectives.

After seven years of failure on housing, the Conservatives have no plan to fix the housing crisis. Ministers should back Labours plan to build 100,000 FirstBuy homes linked to average incomes to give first-time buyers the chance to own their home.

The Department for Communities and Local Government said the new strategy document was a high-level summary and did not reflect a change in policy.

A spokesperson said: This single departmental plan is not an exhaustive list of all of the departments policies. This is a high-level summary of our priorities and overall aims for the Government.

The latest plan was published as ministers said the implementation of a third major Tory housing policy is to be be pushed back until 2019 at the earliest. Controversial measures introduced in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 will force local councils to sell off their most valuable council homes in order to fund the extension of Right to Buy.

Town hall leaders say the policy will lead to a huge loss of social housing at a time when waiting lists are already up to 10 years in some parts of the country, while housing charity Shelter estimates that up to 113,000 council homes could be sold off under the plans.

The policy had already been delayed until at least 2018 and Mr Javid confirmed last week that it will be pushed back again, until 2019 at the earliest. A government spokesperson said ministers were considering how to implement the policy.
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Nigel Farage has claimed he has been overlooked for a knighthood because he did not support Remain at the EU referendum in 2016.

The former Ukip leader and influential Brexit campaigner told the The Telegraph he would not be receiving an honour because of his political allegiances.

Of course I have not got an honour of any kind  I am not a Remainer, he told the newspaper.

 Nigel Farage says he will take his EU pension if he receives it

Every one of them got CBEs, they got knighthoods, quite extraordinary. I have got a Brexmas present far more important than the honour, he added.

A campaign to get back British blue passports has been successful. I held that passport up every day [during the referendum campaign] so I couldnt be happier.

The news comes after claims that Ukips former MP Douglas Carswell blocked attempts to give Mr Farage a knighthood at last years New Year honours.

 Nigel Farage says he has done more to stop the far-right than anyone

Mr Carswell apparently mocked Mr Farages chances of winning an honour, saying he should be given an award for services to headline writers, according to leaked emails seen by The Telegraph.

Mr Farage claimed the comments were an indication that Mr Carswell was consumed with jealousy and has a desire to hurt me.

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

Lord Pearson of Rannoch, Ukips former leader, had previously attempted to get Mr Farage a peerage in the wake of last years EU referendum.

The plans were however dropped when it was realised that Mr Farage would have to resign as an MEP to be allowed to sit in the House of Lords.
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Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have both released Christmas messages to the nation.

The Prime Ministers message calls on the country to live up to its Christian values, while the Labour leader said he hoped people would do more to make the UK the kind of society we want to live in.

Neither Brexit nor the June general election were mentioned by either politician.

Recommended Farage says supporting Brexit has cost him a knighthood

Ms May paid tribute to the armed forces and the emergency services whose efforts in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire and terrorist attacks in London and Manchester inspired the nation.

She also called on people to remember the sickening persecution of the Rohingya Muslims.

Ms May said: As we gather with our friends and family, I want to say thank you to all those whose service to others means they will be spending time away from their loved ones this Christmas.

The heroes in our emergency services, whose courage and dedication so inspired the nation in response to tragedy at Grenfell Tower and the abhorrent terrorist attacks in Manchester and London. But whose service saves lives in our communities every day, including Christmas Day.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us celebrate all those selfless acts  and countless others  that epitomise the values we share: Christian values of love, service and compassion that are lived out every day in our country by people of all faiths and none.

Let us take pride in our Christian heritage and the confidence it gives us to ensure that in Britain you can practice your faith free from question or fear.

So this Christmas, whatever our faith, let us come together confident and united in the values we share. And wherever you are at this special time of year, let me wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Mr Corbyn asked people to think about those who are cut off and lonely or living though conflict at Christmas.

The Labour leader said: We think of those living in nations like Yemen, Syria and Libya in fear of bombs and bullets, of injury and death.

None of this is inevitable. We pride ourselves on being a compassionate nation.

My Christmas wish is that we all do more to help bring about the kind of society and world we want to live in.

Whenever you can show people love, show them you care and enjoy your Christmas.
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A man has been pictured smiling and smeared with blood in a police mugshot after he was accused of stabbing his mother to death.

Justin Jay Paul, 22, was charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing his mother, Jeannette Lee Paul, in the throat at their home in Westland, Michigan.

Her body was found by a family member, who called the police.

Paul fled the scene and was shot in the leg by police as he was arrested.

Police said they found a knife in the front pocket of his trousers.

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

His father, Vern Paul, told WDIV ClickOnDetroit his son has ADHD and bipolar disorder, but there were no problems between Paul and his 50-year-old mother.

Paul has denied killing his mother.

He will return to court on 11 January.
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Most Californians are unaccustomed to white Christmases. But shifting weather patterns have dusted the state with flurries rarely seen this time of year.

It looked like my front yard had snow on it, said 67-year-old Ron Tito, standing beneath the scorched hills encircling his oceanside town of Carpinteria.

It wasnt snow but a coating of ash: a byproduct of the infernos that had engulfed hundreds of thousands of acres near Los Angeles  and a potential harbinger of devastation to come.

Were about ready to have firefighting at Christmas, Governor Jerry Brown said after surveying the damage. This is very odd and unusual.

Californias history, seen from one angle, is a chronicle of natural disasters. The threat of floods, droughts and earthquakes hovers ever-present, and wildfires are a fact of life.

But this year they have been especially destructive. In October, a series of blazes raged across the rolling hills of California wine country and into populated areas, killing more than 40 people, incinerating thousands of structures and likely breaking a record for fire insurance claims.

In December, a time when cooler weather and rains usually mitigate the risk, hundreds of thousands of southern Californians have been pushed from their homes by powerful conflagrations  one of which, the Thomas Fire that had rained ash on Mr Titos yard, was still burning weeks after it ignited.

It is not just a matter of scale but of timing. The state typically had a fire season, with the odds of blazes climbing in the hot, dry summer months when fuel is abundant and the conditions are auspicious for fires to spread. Firefighters and residents could prepare accordingly.

That predictable window, experts say, has been thrown open. Fire season is starting to look more like a year-round threat. Christmas, as the governor said, may bring no reprieve.

California fires: in pictures Show all 36 1 /36 California fires: in pictures California fires: in pictures A man watches the Thomas Fire in the hills above Carpinteria, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Santa Barbara harbor stands as wildfire burns along the coast during the Thomas Fire REUTERS California fires: in pictures Flames from the Thomas Fire burn in the hills of Montecito, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Fire personnel drive along West Lilac Road near Bonsall Rex Features California fires: in pictures The Thomas Fire burns on a hillside behind Lake Casitas in Ventura AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Chatsworth firefighters Zach Reynolds, left, and Steven Salazar clear hot spots at a home destroyed by the Skirball Fire on Casiano Road in Bel-Air Rex Features California fires: in pictures A home is consumed by fire Getty Images California fires: in pictures A mountain lion is removed from a truck. Nearly 200 animals were evacuated from the Wildlife Waystation when the Creek fire started. Rex Features California fires: in pictures Firefighters battle the Lilac fire in Bonsall AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Kalorama Apartments that was partially destroyed in the fire Rex Features California fires: in pictures Inmate firefighters fight a fire in an avocado orchard at the Ojai Vista Farm EPA California fires: in pictures Flames consume a structure as the Lilac fire burns in Bonsai, Calif AP California fires: in pictures Inmate firefighters fight a fire in an avocado orchard at the Ojai Vista Farm EPA California fires: in pictures Firefighters monitor a section of the Thomas Fire along the 101 freeway Getty Images California fires: in pictures Firefighters work to extinguish the Thomas Fire as it burns past the 101 Highway towards the Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Firefighter Dan Whelan is silhouetted against the sun as he battles a wildfire burning near Faria State Beach AP California fires: in pictures A firefighter is working on extinguishing the Lilac Fire Reuters California fires: in pictures Firefighters work to extinguish the Thomas Fire as it burns past the 101 Highway AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures A wildfire threatens homes as it burns along a hillside in La Conchita, Calif AP California fires: in pictures A car drives past as the Thomas Fire burns a hillside south of Casitas Springs, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Firefighters try to extinguish fire at a house in the Bel Air district of Los Angeles Rex Features California fires: in pictures A burnt-out car is seen at the Bel Air district of Los Angeles Rex Features California fires: in pictures A burning house at the Bel Air district of Los Angeles Rex Features California fires: in pictures Firefighters battle to contain flames to a home on fire in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles Rex Features California fires: in pictures LA city firefighters try to save a winery storage building that is own by billionaire Rupert Murdoch Rex Features California fires: in pictures A firefighter tries to extinguish fire at a house in the Bel Air district of Los Angeles Rex Features California fires: in pictures A burning house at the Bel Air district of Los Angeles Rex Features California fires: in pictures Los Angeles City firefighter Francisco Martinez protects a home as firefighters battle the Skirball Fire in Bel-Air Rex Features California fires: in pictures The Thomas Fire burns behind trails on Old Baldwin Road in Ojai, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Members of the Reinhardt family sort through the remains of their family home after the Thomas wildfire swept through Ventura, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Heavy smoke covers the seaside enclave of Mondos Beach beside the 101 highway as flames reach the coast during the Thomas wildfire near Ventura, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures A family wears face masks as they walk through the smoke filled streets after the Thomas wildfire swept through Ventura, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures Flames from the Thomas fire burn above a truck on Highway 101 north of Ventura AP California fires: in pictures Trees are seen through the haze at the burnt out Vista del Mar Hospital after the Thomas wildfire swept through Ventura, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures A woman involved in a traffic accident waits to get towed beside a wall of flames on the 101 highway during the Thomas wildfire near Ventura, California AFP/Getty Images California fires: in pictures The Thomas Fire burns along a hillside near Santa Paula, California AFP/Getty Images

We dont even consider fire season a season anymore. Its not spring, its not summer, its not winter  the southern part of the state is year-round in terms of wildland fires, and the northland isnt far behind, said Scott McLean, a spokesman for Cal Fire.

While researchers caution against attributing any one fire to climate change, there is a broad consensus that warmer, drier weather is contributing to an overall increase in the frequency and severity of burns.

There used to be a much more defined fire season in California in the sense that you could reliably say, we need to start staffing up by this date and we can start demobilising some of the resources by this date, said J Keith Gilless, chair of Californias Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.

When our rains start, in a typical year there was an average time theyd start in the fall and youd have enough water and snow that the fire season was effectively over in much of the state. That just isnt the case anymore.

Climate change is supplying the basic ingredients. Temperatures in California have risen over the last half-century, including in the winter. Precipitation has become more variable, evidenced by the fact that the state is still recovering from a crippling drought that left it encrusted in combustible dry brush  the type of extreme event that is the hallmark of climate change, according to National Weather Service fire meteorologist Robyn Heffernan.

Our fire seasons are starting early, theyre lasting longer and yes, we do believe that overall that is tied to changes in the climate, Ms Heffernan said. When we do get fires they tend to be much more active because of the underlying climate conditions.

With those conditions in place, when high winds lash the landscape  as they have in both sets of destructive fires this year  flames are able to sprawl rapidly and outpace firefighters.

The trend is not a new one. According to research conducted by Leroy Westerling, a climate and fire scientist at the University of California, Merced, the duration of fires in the western US has increased more than eight-fold, and the number of days with fires burning soared from from 138 a year to 222 annually between 1973 and 2012.

In other words, there are flames more often than not.

If you look around the western US in the last 40 years, we see steady increases in the number of fires not just in forest but in grassland, too, Mr Westerling said. We see bigger burns, larger and larger maximum fire sizes, more severe fires, longer fire season, longer-burning fires.

But a recent spate of fires have underscored the new reality in California. Three of the 10 most destructive blazes in the states history occurred this year; 11 of the 20 worst have occurred since 2007.

In the last few decades were certainly seeing warming in the West and a lot of times this is associated with drought or dry conditions. So that combination makes the vegetation much more susceptible to burning, said Tim Brown, director of the Western Regional Climate Centre at the Desert Research Institute. We are certainly in the last couple of decades seeing an increase in larger fires and an increase in more destructive fires.

Scientists caution that hotter, drier weather is not the only factor driving more hazardous and frequent fires. Decades of focus on fire suppression have prevented the types of natural burns that clear out underbrush, leaving more fuel when large fires do start.

 California wildfires: Rescue of disabled woman caught on bodycam

And more people have pushed into wildlands with higher fire risk, with some 11.2 million Californians spread across around 4.5 million homes in more remote, fire-susceptible areas as of 2010.

Climates one piece of the puzzle, the fact that we have so much fuel in the landscape is part of the puzzle, the fact that so much of our populations wants to live in these beautiful rural areas is part of the puzzle, Ms Heffernan said.

Setting aside the complex causes, the end result has become increasingly clear to Californians.

It isnt precisely clear what climate change is doing at this moment, what is the precise contribution of the warming climate and what is the natural variability, Mr Brown, the California governor, told a climate conference as much of his state was ablaze.

But we know that the fires youve seen on television and which people experience in California now, as we speak, are what we can expect and expect a lot more of.
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A six-year-old boy was mistakenly shot dead in Texas when police officers opened fire on a suspected car thief, US media reports.

As four officers targeted Amanda Lene Jones, 30, who they believed was armed, a stray bullet pierced the wall of the mobile home where the youngster, Kameron Prescott, lived.

It became lodged in Kamerons abdomen and officers rushed inside the house to carry him out and administer first aid. He was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Maria Morales, who works at Wiederstein Elementary School in Texas, paid tribute to the young victim.

Kameron was a ball of energy, happy, smart and could strike up a conversation with anyone, she told CNN.

He also had a great sense of humour and caring heart. Hell be truly missed.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said the officers involved were "shaken up".

Officer-involved shootings are traumatic enough. Add to this the death of an innocent si-year-old, and its that much more troubling, he said.

The officers who opened fire have all been placed on administrative leave.

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

Preliminarily, I can tell you it appears as if policies were complied with, Sheriff Salazar added.

Right now, what Im dealing with is a tragic accident that led to the death of this young man.

Ms Jones, the suspected car thief, was killed after the officers opened fire but no weapon was located near her body. Instead a dark coloured pipe was found.

Witnesses who had seen her on the day claimed she had threatened to shoot them.
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A 14-year-old girl who sent an explicit photograph of herself to a boy she liked has been charged by authorities in Minnesota with distributing child pornography, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The teenager known only as Jane Doe sent the picture via the Snapchat messaging site. The boy then showed it and shared it with his friends without her permission, the civil rights group said in a statement. They have also been charged under Minnesotas pornography law.

If convicted, the girl could face up to 10 years on the sex offenders register, the ACLU said, adding that the career paths open to her as an adult could be sharply limited.

Im not a criminal for taking a selfie, Jane Doe said in a statement released via the organisation. Sexting is common among teens at my school, and we shouldnt face charges for doing it. I dont want anyone else to go through what Im going through.

The statute under under which the girl has been charged states that the intention is to protect minors from the physical and psychological damage caused by their being used in pornographic work depicting sexual conduct which involves minors.

However, the teenagers father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accused the state of victimising the victim.

To suggest that a juvenile who sends a sexually explicit selfie is a victim of her own act of child pornography is illogical, Teresa Nelson, Legal Director of the ACLU-Minnesota, said in a statement. Child pornography laws are supposed to protect minors from predators, and Jane Doe is not a predator.

The group has now filed a legal motion to have the case against her dismissed.

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

John Fossum, the Rice County attorney who signed off the charges, told Minnesota Public Radio that he was unable to discuss the charges because the case involved a juvenile.

But there have been a number of similar cases involving teenagers who have been charged after sending explicit pictures of themselves.

In 2015, a 17-year-old boy in North Carolina was prosecuted for having nude pictures of himself on his own mobile phone. The images were taken when he was 16.

He had to strike a plea deal to avoid potentially going to jail and being registered as a sex offender.

However, last year New Mexico passed a sexting law that allows people aged 14 to 18 to engage in consensual sexting.
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The commandant of the US Marine Corps told around 300 Marines stationed in Norway they should prepare for a "bigass fight."

General Robert Neller told the Marine rotational force at the Norwegian Home Guard base near Trondheim: "I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming.

"You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence," he said, in comments reported by Military.com.

 Boris Johnson and Russian foreign minister talk about frosty UK-Russia relationship

The general later said he expects the Pacific and Russia to be the focus of future conflicts outside of the Middle East.

"Just remember why you're here," Sergeant Major Ronald Green told the Marines, according to the military news site.

"They're watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We've got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar."

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 rotational force has been deployed in Norway since January, where they have supported Nato operations and trained in cold weather and mountainous conditions.

Tensions have been rising in the region since Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014.
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Donald Trump has intensified his attack on the deputy director of the FBI.

The US President appeared to quote Fox News in a tweet about Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being attacked for alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

Mr Trump said: @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.

In another tweet posted yesterday, Mr Trump said: 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 dollars for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?

 Ten great things Donald Trump will give the world in 2018

Mr McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by politicians on two separate committees, as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clintons email practices when she was Secretary of State.

His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

Mr McCabes wife, Jill, received $700,000 [520,000] in donations from Virginia governor Terry McAuliffes political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015. Mr McAuliffe is a longtime supporter of Ms Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The money was donated before Mr McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation.

Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Show all 22 1 /22 Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of Difa-e-Pakistan Council a coalition of right wing Islamic parties, burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump, during a protest in Quetta, Pakistan EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli police scuffle with a Palestinian protester outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City Getty Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters burn pictures of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu following Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli forces disperse Palestinian protesters outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City on 7 December 2017 AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organization, chant slogans as they burn Israeli and US flags during a protest against Donald Trump in Peshawar REUTERS Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinians paint an 'X' over the face of a picture of US president Donald J. Trump which was painted on the Israeli separation wall in Bethlehem EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protestors burn the Israeli flag and a poster of US President Donald Trump in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of a Pakistani religious party rally against Donald Trump in Lahore AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters burn the US and Israeli flags in Gaza City AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital A poster depicting U.S. President Donald Trump is burnt during a protest against Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in the West Bank city of Ramallah REUTERS Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Israeli forces detain a Palestinian protester during clashes that followed protests against US President Donald Trump recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Hebron AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters burn an effigy of U.S. President Donald Trump AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protesters shout slogans against Donald Trump EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital A Palestinian protester wears a Guy Fawkes mask used by the anonymous movement during clashes with Israeli troops in Hebron AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops during protests AFP/Getty Images Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Supporters of a Pakistani religious party chant anti-American slogans during a rally in Islamabad, Pakistan AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Pakistanis burn a representation of the U.S. flag during a protest rally in Hyderabad AP Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Young Palestinian women look on as smoke billows from burning tyres as fellow Palestinian demonstrators clash with Isralei troops AFP/Getty Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Protesters burn a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump at a protest in Islamabad REUTERS Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Protestors shouts slogans against US President Donald Trump as they hold Palestinian and Turkish flags during a protest near the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Palestinian protestors put their feet over a picture of US president Donald Trump during a protest in the West Bank City of Nablus EPA Protests erupt after Trump recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital Pakistani protesters burn tires at an anti-Donald Trump rally in Multan AP

Mr McCabe became acting FBI director last May after Mr Trump fired Mr Comey, who was overseeing the bureaus investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump maintains there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government, and has blasted the investigation as a witch hunt.

Tweeting from his home in South Florida where he is spending Christmas, Mr Trump also said Mr McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!

Additional reporting by AP
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A bomb squad team rushed to the Los Angeles home of Donald Trumps Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discover a suspicious package labelled for him containing horse manure.

Reports said the team was dispatched to millionaire Mr Mnuchins home in the citys Bel Air area after a neighbour reported receiving a package addressed for the cabinet member. The package also included a Christmas card with negative comments about Mr Trump and the new tax law signed by last week.

Los Angeles Police Department Area Watch Commander Rob Weise told NBC the package was dropped off on Saturday evening and cleared by officers by 8pm. The investigation has now been handed to the Secret Service, he said.

The heavy police presence frustrated some residents, including Zsa Zsa Gabors widower.

We have $50m homes and we cant move, we cant get out, said Prince Frederick von Anhalt, who was trapped for two hours. Thats bad, they have to find another way.

 Ten great things Donald Trump will give the world in 2018

Mr Mnuchin, who was reportedly not at home when the package was discovered, is a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc executive and Hollywood film financier.

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

Earlier this year, he and his wife, British actress Louise Linton, sparked controversy when they posed with a sheet of dollar bills at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Critics said they looked like villains from a James Bond movie, something Mr Mnuchin, whose signature appears on the bills, seemed quite happy about.

I guess I should take that as a compliment that I look like a villain in a great, successful James Bond movie. But let me just say, I was very excited of having my signature on the money, he told reporters.

Its obviously a great privilege and a great honour and something Im very proud of.
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Frustrated with the numbers of incoming refugees into the United States, President Donald Trump declared in the Oval Office that the incoming Haitian refugees all have AIDS, according to the New York Times.

Mr Trump, months after taking office, reportedly made the comments after entering his office for a meeting with documents that detailed the number of refugees and immigrants that had arrived, including those from Haiti, Nigeria. Mr Trump was reportedly dismayed by what he deemed inadequate efforts to curb the number of US Visas available to foreigners.

Of the Nigerians, Mr Trump reportedly said that they would not go back to their huts, even though some of his top aides noted that many of the visas were first-time, and temporary, visas.

The White House has denied that Mr Trump said that all of the Haitian refugees have AIDS, and the Nigerian huts comments  or that he used those words to describe immigrants from any countries. The New York Times notes, however, that some of their sources were so taken aback by the comments that they had mentioned it to others at the time. Other people in the room said that they do not recall those comments.

Mr Trump campaigned on a promise to strictly cut down on immigration into the United States, opening up his campaign with a harsh assessment of Mexican immigrants travelling into the US.

During the campaign, Mr Trump also promised a ban on Muslim immigration into the United States, following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California.

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

Since taking office, Mr Trump has attempted to make good on those promises, and is pursuing the construction of a border wall. Mr Trump has also overseen travel bans on several Muslim-majority countries, which have been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States after challenges from the states.
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Donald Trump has attacked fake polls and fake news as surveys show he enters the holiday season with the lowest approval rating in modern presidential history.

The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is, he wrote on Twitter, displaying his trademark affection for the use of capital letters.

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.

Mr Trump approaches the end of 2017 amid a flurry of polls that show him with a dismal approval rating. A poll released last week by CNN found that it had tumbled to just 35 per cent, from the 45 per cent he enjoyed in March shortly after taking office.

A a nonpartisan poll released by the NBC/Wall Street Journal found the presidents approval rating stood at 40 per cent. Peter Hart, a Democrat who helped conduct, said his final survey of 2017 found Mr Trump had lost the support and respect of a majority of Americans in his first year as president.

 Ten great things Donald Trump will give the world in 2018

Meanwhile, a tracker from the political data site FiveThirtyEight put his rating at 37.1 per cent. It said that dating the way back to President Harry Truman in 1945, at Day 337 of their first term every president had an approval rating at least ten percentage points better than where Mr Trump stands now at the same point.

Yet while Mr Trump is may be off target in his criticism of the polls and the media organisations, he is at least partly right about his claim that he retains intense loyalty among his base of supporters.

In October, a Fox News poll found that 83 per cent of Republican voters still approved of Mr Trump, compared to just 7 percent of Democrats. But while his overall support among conservatives has remained stead, the poll found he had leached some support among two crucial constituencies - white evangelical Christians and white men without a college degree.

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

However, Mr Trumps ability to press through a tax overhaul bill likely help cement his support among traditional Republicans, especially fiscal conservatives who believe the government should reduce its spending on welfare programmes such as Medicare and Medicaid. His endorsement of religious conservative Roy Moore in Alabama, despite the candidate facing widespread allegations of sexual abuse of girls and young women - allegations he has denied - may help bolster his support among the religious right.

Indeed, a poll published last month by Politico-Morning Consult found that 82 per cent of respondents who voted for Mr Trump in the 2016 presidential race said they would support him again. Just seven per cent said they would pick another candidate if they had to recast their 2016 ballot.

That figure was even higher than that enjoyed by his rival, Hillary Clinton.

About three-quarters of those who voted for the former secretary of state, 78 per cent, say they would vote for the Democratic nominee again if they had the chance. A total of eight per cent said they would support a different candidate, a reflection perhaps of her failure to defeat Mr Trump in a contest in which most pundits had made her the favourite.
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Donald Trump has launched a new broadside in his long-running attack on CNN - tweeting an image showing the President with the networks logo splattered under his shoe.

The President has long accused CNN and other media outlets of being fake news for any coverage he disapproves of. The network has stood its good, recently tweeting that it was not CNNs job to represent the US to the world - thats yours, after Mr Trump criticised coverage of CNN International he had watched overseas.

In his latest swipe at the cable news channel, the President retweeted an image posted by a Twitter user with the handle @Oregon4Trump.

It showed a picture of Mr Trump in the rear of a limousine, talking on a car phone and bearing the headline Winning.

 Ten great things Donald Trump will give the world in 2018

On the sole of Mr Trumps left shoe appears to be a splatter mark, along with the CNN logo.

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 former director of the Office of Government Ethics under Barack Obama, accused Mr Trump of being a wannabe autocrat after the President retweeted the image.

The wannabe autocrat just retweeted an image depicting CNNs blood on the sole of his shoe, said Walter Shaub, a lawyer who has emerged as a frequent critic of Mr Trump.

These colicky tweets reveal hes hurting this weekend. They make him (and our country) look weak.
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Donald Trumps former chief strategist Steve Bannon has lashed out at Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner in a wide-ranging interview, in which he also referenced the (withdrawn) allegation that the President raped a 13-year-old.

Laying bare his disdain for the pair, who he referred to as Javanka, he blamed them in Vanity Fair magazine for being the railhead of all bad decisions in the White House.

Ms Trump came in for particular criticism after she stepped in to Alabamas recent special election for the US Senate.

Recommended Mitch McConnell mocks Steve Bannon over Roy Moore defeat

Mr Bannon had heavily backed Republican candidate Roy Moore, whose campaign became embroiled in child sex allegations.

A number of women accused the Alabama Supreme Court Judge of sexual misconduct, including one woman who claimed he molested her when she was 14 years old while he was in his thirties.

Mr Moore denied the allegations, but a number of prominent Republicans distanced themselves from his campaign. Mr Moore lost the seat to Doug Jones, who became the first Democrat to hold a seat in the Republican heartland since 1992.

Although Mr Trump had eventually came out in support of his partys candidate, at one point during the campaign his daughter said there was a special place in hell for people who prey on children.

 Roy Moore refuses to concede defeat in Senate race

Responding to Ms Trump's comments in the Vanity Fair interview, Mr Bannon said: What about the allegations about her dad and that 13-year-old?

He was referring to an unproven allegation from a California woman that Mr Trump had raped her as a teenager  a claim the US leader denied. The woman dropped a lawsuit making the claim last year.

Mr Trump has also denied claims of sexual misconduct from a number of other women.

Mr Bannon, who left the White House in August after seven months in office, amid infighting with members of Mr Trumps family, said Ms Trump had been a fount of bad advice during the presidential campaign.

The 64-year-old, who returned to the far-right news website Breitbart as chairman, also blamed Mr Kusher for reportedly encouraging the president to fire FBI Director James Comey, during the investigation into alleged collusion between Mr Trumps presidential campaign and Russia.

US intelligence agencies have concluded Moscow tried to sway the presidential election in favour of Mr Trump. It is alleged that Russian hackers stole information linked to the campaign of his rival Hillary Clinton and passed it to Wikileaks so it could be released to undermine her  a claim Mr Trump has repeatedly denied.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Bannon nonetheless accused Mr Kushner, 36, of being naive and exposing the administration by holding meetings with figures linked to Moscow during the campaign.

Hes taking meetings with Russians to get additional stuff. This tells you everything about Jared, he said. They were looking for the picture of Hillary Clinton taking the bag of cash from Putin. Thats his maturity level.

Mr Trump fuelled claims of a cover up when he sacked Mr Comey in May, citing his reason as this Russia thing. The Department of Justice subsequently appointed ex-FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to look into the matter.

Mr Bannon described Mr Comeys firing as the dumbest political decision in modern political history, bar none. A self-inflicted wound of massive proportions.
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A quick Google search of Christmas in North Korea brings up very little actual concrete information.

From US tabloids branding Kim Jong-un the Grinch who stole Christmas to a veritable plethora of Christmas jumpers which feature predictable puns that incorporate Christmas and nuclear weapons, it is hard to ascertain what the festive season in the worlds most secretive and isolated regime is actually like.

The short answer is that it is something of a non-event. Santa Claus may exist in the imaginations of millions of children in the West  but for those in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea he's not even a mythological figure. The North Korean government works hard to ensure information about religious holidays does not enter the so-called hermit kingdom, and its citizens subsequently remain unaware people are yanking crackers, gorging on mince pies and belting out Christmas hymns across the West.

This is because inside North Korea  a country widely deemed to be one of the most hostile and repressive towards organised religion  you can be imprisoned, tortured or ordered to death for simply celebrating Christmas.

Kang Jimin, who grew up on the ghostly grey concrete streets of the capital of Pyongyang, says he remained wholly oblivious to Christmas while living there.

Recommended North Korea propaganda artist reveals stark reality of life in regime

There is no Christmas in North Korea. I did not know what it was, the 31-year-old tells The Independent. Christmas is Jesus Christs birthday but North Korea is obviously a communist country so people do not know who Jesus Christ is. They do not know who God is. The Kim family is their god.

Rather bizarrely, Christmas trees adorned with baubles and Christmas lights can be found in Pyongyang, but are there all year round and citizens are unlikely to be aware of the festive connotations they bear.

But this does not mean the North Korean government were happy with the Christmas tree-shaped tower the South Korean government constructed near the border with the North.

The tower  which was about two miles from the border and had in the past been lit up at Christmas  could be glimpsed by North Koreans living in nearby towns. Incensed by it, the North threatened to shoot it down back in 2014, saying it constituted psychological warfare.

But while Christmas is forbidden in North Korea, celebrating the birthday of Kim Jong-Suk  the deceased grandmother of Kim Jong-Un  is certainly not. People mark the revolutionary idols birthday, which falls on Christmas Eve, by making pilgrimages to a town in the north-east called Hoeryong (her birthplace).

In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un givesfield guidance to the August 25 Fisheries Station under KPA 313 Unit Reuters In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour korea-9.jpg Kim Jong un laughs as he inspects the August 25 Fisheries Station under KPA 313 Unit Reuters In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stands in the August 25 Fisheries Station under KPA 313 Unit Reuters Reuters In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives in the August 25 Fisheries Station under KPA 313 Unit Reuters Reuters In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inside the August 25 Fisheries Station under KPA 313 Unit Reuters Reuters In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the bier of Kim Kuk Thae, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and expressed deep condolences over his death in Pyongyang Getty Images Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the Masik Pass Hotel, ski service and lodging buildings and rest areas in the skiing courses of the Masik Pass Ski Resort in Kangwon province Getty Images Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks through the Masik Pass Hotel, ski service and lodging buildings and rest areas in the skiing courses of the Masik Pass Ski Resort in Kangwon province Getty Images Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inside a room in the Masik Pass Hotel, ski service and lodging buildings and rest areas in the skiing courses of the Masik Pass Ski Resort in Kangwon province Getty Images Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Koreans gather together on the steps of Mansu Hill to lay flowers at the base of statues of the late leaders, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang AP AP In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean soldiers gathered at Kumsusan memorial palace in support of their leader Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang Getty Images Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean People's Army soldiers take part in a rally to swear allegiance to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ahead of the second death anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang Reuters Reuters In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korean soldiers gathered at Kumsusan memorial palace in support of their leader Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang Getty Images Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour North Korea soldiers stand guard on the banks of the Yalu River which separates the North Korean town of Sinuiju from the Chinese border town of Dandong Getty Images In pictures: Kim Jong Un goes on a Christmas tour China has lost its key North Korean interlocutor with the purging of Kim Jong Un's uncle, but analysts say the young leader's tightening grip on power may be welcomed by Beijing, which prizes stability in its wayward nuclear-armed ally Getty Images Getty Images

The birthday of Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un  the men  is more important, but Kim Jong-Suks birthday was celebrated. People come together and have a drink and sometimes drink too much, he says.

Kang says he did not know any Christians when he was living in North Korea, adding: I did not know any Christians or anyone who believed in God. The North Korean government control all of the media and the Internet, and people I met did not know who Jesus was.

But it has not always been like this. Pyongyang was something of a hotbed of Christianity prior to the Korean War, which divided the peninsula into a communist North and capitalist South, and many Christian preachers were in fact from the north of the country.

About 60 years ago, it was a very Christian country, people called it the Jerusalem of the east, reflects Kang.

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

He says the country has become increasingly religious since 1996 because increasing numbers of North Koreans escaped and came into contact with pastors in China, and then came back into North Korea to disseminate their faith.

But Kang says he remained unaware of those practising Christianity underground because he lived too far from the border with China to be informed of what was going on. I believe that people were practising but I did not meet any Christians, he says.

Nevertheless, he was aware of the stark punishments enforced on those who dared practice religion in the atheist state.

Recommended Defector reveals stark reality of life inside North Korea

You cant say you are Christian. If you do, they will send you to a prison camp, he says. I heard about a family who believed in God and the secret police caught them. They are now all dead  even the children  a 10-year-old and a seven-year-old.

My friend was working in the secret police and he told me they caught a Christian family who were trying to get people to convert, he continued. They tried to get information out of them like where they learnt about God and how they got bibles.

The only reason they were giving them food was to get information but the family did not say or eat anything, and instead just died.

However, it is worth noting there are some state-sanctioned and state-controlled Christian churches in North Korea, but they take a highly different form to what we think of in the west. The Database Centre for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) estimates there to be 121 religious facilities in the country, including 64 Buddhist temples, 52 Cheondoist temples, and five state-controlled Christian churches.

Kang was only aware of one state church, but says it was nigh on impossible to visit for most people. Most of the time normal citizens cant go there. It is very controlled and meant for visitors to the country. Its so if someone asks, Do you have churches?, they can say: Of course we have churches, we have everything because we are a free country, and then take them on a tour.

He says he met an American man who actually visited the church and remarked on how fake it appeared. He said, They were singing Christian songs but it was perfect, it was like they had the same people in the church everyday training and practising together, Kang recalls.

This echoes the findings of the South Korean government-funded Korea Institute for National Unifications (KINU) 2015 white paper, which reported citizens were strictly barred from entering places of worship and normal citizens deemed such places predominantly as sightseeing spots for foreigners.

 North Korean artist Song Byeok: from propaganda painter to political refugee

Kang, now 31, managed to escape North Korea in 2007 at the age of 20. He and his sister were caught six times before they made it to China but paid someone off each time. Fortunately for him, he had saved up money from selling electrical goods on the black market  a fast-growing phenomenon which the North Korean government are failing to control.

After a number of failed missions, Kang at long last succeeded in tracking down a broker whom he paid $10,000 so he could cross into China. Once there he found another broker who got him to Britain on an illegal passport where he claimed asylum.

He now lives in North Malden, a sleepy south-west London suburb which is home to an estimated 700 North Koreans, and is the largest North Korean community in Europe. There he works in a Korean Travel agency and is in the process of trying to get his memoir published.

North Korea has of course changed since Kang succeeded in escaping the country. NK News, an online US publication which provides news and analysis about the country, predicts some citizens are aware of the holiday, despite not being allowed to celebrate it.

It also notes Christmas is celebrated in the state-controlled churches, with the North Korean media bragging that prayer services are held across the country on Christmas day. In other words, it appears that in North Korea Christmas exists for foreign visitors celebrating it in tightly controlled circumstances which are off-limits for ordinary citizens.

A 2016 report by the US state department on international religious freedom in North Korea found all-year-round state churches comprised of tour buses.

Foreign legislators who attended services in Pyongyang in previous years reported congregations arrived and departed services as groups on tour buses, and some observed the worshippers did not include any children, reads the report.

Some foreigners noted they were not permitted to have contact with worshippers, and others stated they had limited interaction with them. Foreign observers had limited ability to ascertain the level of government control over these groups, but generally assumed the government monitored them closely.

Michael Glendinning, who works as the director of London-based charity Connect North Korea which works to connect the world to North Korean exiles through educational and arts-based programming, echoed the findings of the report in his analysis.

Any kind of public event acknowledging any religion will all be state sanctioned and state managed, he tells The Independent.

Mr Glendinning says it is likely some Christians are celebrating Christmas in North Korea, but will be forced to do so in covert and underground ways.

It is very probable there are small pockets of North Koreans who do know about Christmas and will be celebrating it behind closed doors and in small groups, he says.

But if people are celebrating Christmas you are talking handfuls of people, there will not be any gifts or Christmas trees; it will be prayer-led.

He says it is impossible to discern the exact numbers of Christians currently living in North Korea because researchers obviously cant simply go in and interview people in the country.

Any kind of prayer or religious activity happens in their front rooms because people are not allowed to engage or read the Bible in public so everything is done on a clandestine basis, he says.

There are estimated to be anywhere between 200,000 and 400,000 Christians living in North Korea but it is, of course, difficult to establish the exact number.

The US state department report on freedom in the country came to the conclusion it was hard to estimate the amount of secretly practising Christians in the country.

Made in North Korea - In pictures Show all 6 1 /6 Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures

While some NGOs and academics estimated there may be up to several hundred thousand Christians practising their faith underground, others questioned the existence of a large-scale underground church or concluded it was impossible to estimate accurately the number of underground religious believers, it read.

Individual underground congregations were reportedly very small and typically confined to private homes. Some defector reports confirmed unapproved religious materials were available and secret religious meetings occurred, spurred by cross border contact with individuals and groups in China, it added.

Some NGOs reported individual underground churches were connected to each other through well-established networks. The government did not allow outsiders access to confirm such claims.

The report also explored the repression of Christians, saying religious and human rights groups outside the country provided numerous reports that members of underground churches were arrested, beaten, tortured, or killed simply because of practising their religious beliefs.

To put it simply, it is clear that celebrating Christmas outside of a state-sanctioned church has the potentiality to engender potentially fatal consequences, in what is undoubtedly one of the world's most repressive regimes.
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North Korea says that the UNs latest sanctions are an act of war.

The international community has agreed not to allow North Korea to import huge amounts of oil and other goods in the hope of calming the nuclear situation. But North Koreas foreign ministry only called the new rules an act of war, and promised that it would punish those who had agreed to it.

The UN security council unanimously agreed on the new sanctions in a vote on Friday. They were introduced in response to a recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, and it was hoped that by launching an economic punishment the government would slow down its attempts to develop nuclear weapons.

Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Show all 30 1 /30 Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Farmer works in a field Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Women soldier walk on the street Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A female soldier guards railway Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of platform of Pyongyang Railway Station Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Students stage a protest against South Korea and the US in Pyongyang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Students rehearsal for celebrating the 70th birthday of Workers' Party of Korea Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone People enjoy the cool at the carriage door Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of countryside Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Korean People's Army soldier rest on the rail 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A little boy begs food on the platform in Hamhung Railway Station in Hamhung 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Children swim in a river in noon Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone People cross a railway crossing 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A boy collects corn cob beside a railway Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officer is seen on the train No.100 from Moscow to Pyongyang at Tumangang railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officer checks a passenger's mobile device on the train to Pyongyang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of the railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Kids pass by Tumanggang railway station in Tumanggang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of Tumangang - a small town located at North Korea and Russia border Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A train carriage on it's way to Pyongyang is delayed for a day and half due to military transportation in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officers talks to a passenger at Tumanggang railway station in Tumanggang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A little girl walks on the street in Tumanggang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone An elderly man is seen in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Kids go to school in morning in Tumangang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone

But the country hit back angrily, saying that the sanctions had strengthened its resolve and that it would look to strike against the US and the other countries who had supported the vote.

The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 per cent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The US-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year, and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Koreas foreign ministry said the US was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country.

The new resolution is tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

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.

On 29 November, North Korea said it successfully tested a new ICBM that put the US mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

Its foreign ministry added that North Koreas nuclear weapons are a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law.

We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the US nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US, the ministry said.

The US should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK, which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the US mainland, it added, using the countrys official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face Pyongyangs wrath.

Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this sanctions resolution shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the resolution and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done.

Tension has been rising over North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of UN Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called brutal sanctions, saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on 3 September constituted genocide.

US diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

China, with which North Korea does some 90 per cent of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint from all sides.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the new resolution also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution via talks, and that all sides needed to take steps to reduce tensions.

Widely read Chinese state-run tabloid, the Global Times, said that the tougher resolution was aimed at preventing war, and noted the US had compromised with no indication that the UN could grant it permission for military action.

The difference between the new resolution and the original US proposal reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the US proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable, it said in an editorial.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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A church in the Northern Iraqi city of Mosul has hosted a Christmas service for the first time since the city was set free from Isis.

Saint Pauls Church, which at present is the only functioning church in Mosul, celebrated Christmas mass on Sunday despite being subject to stringent security.

At least 100 Christians attended the service in east Mosul and there were large numbers of Muslims who came to show support to their friends and neighbours.

A portrait of a Christian killed under Isis rule was shown outside the church to serve as a painful reminder of the city's difficult recent history.

Iraqi forces expelled the jihadist group from Mosul in July after months of brutal fighting.

Under Isis, practising Christian traditions in public was dangerous. The group forced worshippers to make the conversion to Islam, pay a tax or be faced with death, so many Christians wound up fleeing persecution.

Christians in the congregation at Saint Pauls argued it was imperative Christians established their place in the city's future following three years of persecution.

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. 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Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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

Our faith and our hope was to be here to evangelise on our earth and in our town, Father Thabet Habib told The Telegraph. This pushed us to come here and to celebrate the mass and to tell all the world that we are here as Christians.

Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadia hailed the three-year campaign to drive Isis out of Iraq as a success.

Prior to the advance of Isis in 2014, church leaders predicted there was a Christian community of 35,000 in Mosul.
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Even Andorra, the tiny principality landlocked between France and Spain, is likely to be subject to tough new frontier rules imposed by the European Union. But a leading Conservative has insisted that British travellers will be exempt  even after Brexit.

As The Independent has revealed, the EU is working energetically to impose the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) by 2020.

The system is aimed at reducing the migration, security or public-health risk from nationals of visa-exempt third countries, which is what the UK will become after Brexit. It is similar to the US ESTA scheme.

Prospective visitors to the EU will be required to complete a form online, including questions on health, employment and criminal convictions.

The fee of 5 ($4.50) for a permit valid for three years. On arrival at an EU border, Travellers would have their data verified, their picture or fingerprint taken and a set of questions asked, says a recent EU briefing paper.

But Kwasi Kwarteng, MP for Spelthorne, has rejected the prospect that British travellers will need to register online to travel to EU countries after Brexit.

On BBC Radio 4s Any Questions? Mr Kwarteng said: I dont actually think travel within Europe will be any more difficult.

The question, from Sally Baldwin, was: Does the panel consider that the new blue passport will compensate us for the loss of the right to travel, live and work freely in 27 European countries?

The MP, who campaigned for Leave, said: I dont actually think it is a price that were going to have to pay.

In a previous life, I used to do a lot of work in Switzerland. As you will know, Switzerland is not a member of the EU. Swiss businessmen can travel around Europe just as easily as British businessmen, frankly.

And if you are observant you will see that there is an EEA/EU line, there are lots of ways we can be accommodated in this process.

Switzerland is part of the Schengen Area, and is treated as an EU nation for the purposes of immigration.

The Independent has sought clarification from Mr Kwarteng on his confidence that British travellers will not be affected by the ETIAS scheme.

Another leading Brexit campaigner, Nigel Farage, has showed a puzzling grasp of history by telling the BBC: When they abolished the British Passport, they didnt just change the colour of it.

What they did, he said, was put two words on top of it, European Union.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 November 2022 Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt leaves 11 Downing Street, London, for the House of Commons to deliver his autumn statement PA 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

But the burgundy passport was introduced in 1988, five years before the European Union was established. Initially, passports were embossed European Community.
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Despite consistent warnings from the European Union authorities, Polands President, Andrzej Duda, this week signed into law a bill which could effectively force the entire Supreme Court bench into retirement and subjects judicial appointment to the whims of the ruling Law and Justice Party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc, or PiS).

The PiS, occupying the Polish seat of Government since 2015, has always been particularly unattractive. Yet, for all the attacks that might be levied at it for its backward views on gay rights and refugees, the fundamental complaint this week must be that PiS has adopted a position of ignorance shared with nationalists across Europe.

These are nationalists who wish to benefit from the economic security promoted by the EU without its complicated political and constitutional consequences. That is a position which any thoughtful economist should reject outright.

It is one that Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission, has properly condemned this week. More than that, both he and his colleagues are willing to follow words with action.

 EU takes unprecedented first step towards sanctions against Poland to stop drift towards authoritarianism

Article 2 of the Lisbon Treaty articulates the values upon which the Union was founded. One of those values is the rule of law. In an unprecedented statement on Tuesday, the European Commission announced that it had decided to commence disciplinary proceedings against Poland for judicial reforms that threaten that significant principle.

There will always be a debate among jurists about the exact content of the "rule of law", but most would agree that at the very least it requires the consistent application of transparent rules within a legal system. It is supported by many Poles who have come out onto the country's streets to protest against the Government's power grab.

Recommended Poland presents yet another tricky hurdle in the Brexit process

In the late 1990s, with the Treaty of Amsterdam, the EU decided to give constitutional values such as this real bite. Article 7 proceedings allow the European Council acting by a four fifths vote, to determine that there is a clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State of Article 2 values.

This is the first step  a shot across the bow.

Ultimately, in the event of a serious and persistent breach, the European Council may, acting by qualified majority voting, suspend the voting rights of a Member State. The fly in the ointment is that an initial determination of serious and persistent breach requires unanimity among the European Council. That is likely to be blocked by Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban.

The leaders of two former Warsaw Pact states that fought against Soviet incursion are now rebelling against Brusselss support for judicial independence. The irony will not be lost on anyone.

Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is welcomed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Reuters Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders EU President Jean-Claude Juncker greeting Theresa May at the EU Commission in Brussels PA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May poses for a picture with European Council President Donald Tusk REUTERS Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker walks behind British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker address a press conference at the European Commission in Brussels AFP/Getty Images Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at a press conference with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis (L) and Michel Barnier (2-L), the European Chief Negotiator of the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 enter the room by the emergency exit to attend British Prime Minister Theresa May press briefing on Brexit Negotiations in Brussels. EPA Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis (L), Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May (2-L), European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (2-R) and European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) in a meeting on Friday morning AFP/Getty Images Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters Brexit bonhomie as May finally seals agreement with EU leaders European Council President Donald Tusk addresses a media conference at the Europa building in Brussels AP

The actions of PiS throw into light an ongoing fallacy in the thinking of nationalists throughout Europe  including those close to home in the United Kingdom and France: the idea that one can have a truly beneficial economic union without surrendering a degree of sovereignty.

Astoundingly, in July, Hungary's Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, declared that the European Commission should refrain from acting like a political body. That is on its face a profoundly confused statement.

Recommended Emperor Trump visits Poland with no new clothes

Note also the constant refrain from Farage before Cameron gave him a referendum: It was said that in 1973 the UK had purchased a soft, furry economic union, but that it had grown  entirely unforeseeably - into some dangerous political animal.

This is a naive world view to say the least. Economic union always necessitated greater political union. This latest row with Poland is but one example of the reasons why.

Timmermans and his colleagues at the European Commission are right to highlight that without a commitment to judicial independence by Member States, the proper application of EU law is threatened. It is extraordinarily difficult to secure the proper functioning of a single market without the consistent application of EU norms to commercial parties throughout Member States. It is troubling that Poland's political masters cannot or do not want to understand this, given that the President, Prime Minister and PiS Chairman all have legal backgrounds.

In any event, the values enshrined in Article 2  including respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy and equality  are aims worth pursuing in their own right: aims which have always characterised the EU and which all existing Member States affirmed when joining the prestigious club.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the nationalists of Europe lack a deep understanding of and commitment to liberal values or economic progress in equal measure.

Time for them to be taught a lesson: you cannot have your cake and eat it.
UN Members Show Spine in Rebuffing Trump



President Trump and Ambassador Nikki Haley tried to bully the U.N. into accepting Trumps decision on Jerusalem as Israels capital but  in a rare show of independence  most U.N. members pushed back, notes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.



By Paul R. Pillar

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - When North Korea began the Korean War with an invasion of South Korea in June 1950, the armed response was waged under the flag of the United Nations thanks to the Soviet Union having absented itself from the Security Council. The Soviets were boycotting the council to protest the fact that Chinas seat had not been given to Mao Zedongs communists, who had won the Chinese civil war the previous October. With no Soviet veto in the way, the Security Council quickly passed the resolutions necessary to bestow U.N. sanction on the U.S.-led military resistance to the Norths aggression.

The Soviets came to realize that they were not going to get support for their contention that the absence of any of the councils permanent members should prevent the council from conducting business. The Soviets resumed their seat and began vetoing further resolutions on Korea. To get around this obstruction, U.S. diplomats led by Secretary of State Dean Acheson persuaded enough other delegations at the U.N. to have the General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, assert the power to take action on matters on which the Security Council was unable to act. That assertion, known as the Uniting for Peace resolution, passed the General Assembly in November 1950.

The General Assembly has used this power sparingly, in recognition of how it twists somewhat the division of responsibilities envisioned in the U.N. Charter. The power is appropriately looked at as a last resort in the face of obstructionism by any of the veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council.

The most recent use of the power came this week, with the General Assembly passing a resolution essentially identical to one that the United States had vetoed three days earlier and had been supported by all 14 other members of the Security Council. The resolution was the international communitys response to the Trump administrations declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and stated intention to move the U.S. embassy there.

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The vote in the General Assembly was 128 countries in favor, nine against, and 35 abstentions. Besides the United States and Israel, the only no votes came from some of the Pacific microstates among whom the United States usually gets support when the support is meager (Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, and Palau) as well as Guatemala, Honduras, and Togo. Among those casting yes votes were major U.S. allies such as Britain, France, and Germany.

It is appropriate and unsurprising that the resolution gained such strong support even in the face of the U.S. administrations threats and bullying. The resolution does not criticize the United States by name. It instead calls on all members to comply with Security Council resolutions regarding Jerusalem and reaffirms that the status and governance of the city constitute a final status issue to be resolved through negotiations in line with relevant U.N. resolutions. Far from being a usurpation of the Security Councils role, the General Assemblys action is a declaration of respect for the Security Councils own prior resolutions, in the face of U.S. flouting of those resolutions.

More Spine Than Usual

Among the principal takeaways from the General Assemblys action is that an international sense of justice and fairness matters. Many states reject the notion that might makes right, which is how the Israeli government has treated its relations with the Palestinians, and how the Trump administration approached its lobbying on this resolution.

Another conclusion is that, notwithstanding how much the Israeli government and its supporters in Washington would like to think that Arabs dont care about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict anymore and that the only thing that matters to them these days is to confront Iran, that is not how Arab governments (and certainly their constituents in the street) think. Every Arab state supported the resolution. Non-Arab Muslims also care about Jerusalem. Every Muslim majority state except Turkmenistan (which was absent) voted for the resolution.

The administrations threats and bullying did not work. The crude tactics included U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haleys rhetoric about taking names and Donald Trumps bombast about cutting off U.S. aid. Among the Arab states that supported the resolution were the two states  Egypt and Jordan  that receive more U.S. aid than anyone other than Israel. The very crudeness of the tactics, and the offense taken to bullying, probably made the tactics counterproductive.

More generally, the result of the vote is one more illustration of how much less is the capacity of the United States to push the rest of the world around than those Americans of an assertive nationalist stripe seem to think. This discrepancy between reality and uber-nationalist belief predates Trump and has existed at least since the post-Cold War unipolar moment that was barely a moment, if that. Trumps policies and rhetoric have caused international confidence in the United States to plummet to even lower depths . The United States pushing ability has dropped along with the confidence.

Paul R. Pillar, in his 28 years at the Central Intelligence Agency, rose to be one of the agencys top analysts. He is author most recently of Why America Misunderstands the World . This article first appeared as a blog post at The National Interests Web site. Reprinted with authors permission, Via Consortium News

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World Beware US Frozen Cold War Mentality

Editorial

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Russia and China rightly condemned the new US National Security Strategy (NSS) signed off this week by President Donald Trump. Moscow and Beijing rebuked the 68-page documents imperialist character and Cold War mentality.

Purportedly setting out Trumps vision of the world and strategic challenges facing the US, the national security document is rife with contradictions and falsehoods, as well as the usual cringe-making American delusions over its proclaimed virtues and greatness.

However, of serious note is an abiding theme targeting Russia and China as rivals who, it is claimed, are malign actors trying to undermine America as a world power.

There is little doubt from reading the latest NSS that Washington under Trump is no different from past administrations in its fundamentally hostile view of the world, and in particular a world where Russia and China are perceived as existential enemies.

Both are said to be contesting our geopolitical advantages and trying to change the international order in their favor.

It goes on more sinisterly: We must convince adversaries that we can and will defeat them  not just punish them if they attack the United States by developing weapons systems that clearly overmatches their lethality.

This amounts to a deplorable call for ever-more militarism, and a dystopian world of America seeing other nations as relentless threats.

China is accused of economic aggression; while Russia is accused of subversion.

Russia aims to weaken US influence in the world and divide us from our allies through modernized forms of subversive tactics, Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries around the world, states the NSS, repeating baseless claims over the past year saturating US and Western media, which Trump himself has at other times dismissed.

The torrent of contradictions and anomalies in the official US strategic view is staggering and untenable. None more so than the views of the president himself.

When Trump announced the NSS publication on Monday, he played down the rivalries that the document explicitly and repeatedly levels against Russia and China. In particular, Trumps speech did not accuse Russia of interfering in US politics. As on previous occasions he has dismissed US media claims of Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential elections as fake news. Yet, in the strategy document, Russia is provocatively accused of subversion.

More than that, at one point the NSS document makes the following blatantly false claim: With the invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, Russia demonstrated its willingness to violate the sovereignty of states in the region. Russia continues to intimidate its neighbors with threatening behavior, such as nuclear posturing and forward deployment of offensive capabilities.

It adds: The United States and Europe will work together to counter Russian subversion and aggression.

Bear in mind that the NSS is signed off by President Trump. Bear in mind too that a White House official reportedly admitted that the president was unlikely to have read the entire document.

That means that whatever President Trump says about respecting sovereign states and, in his speech Monday , building great relationships with China and Russia, we can take his words with a grain of salt. He has little credibility.

The real strategic thinking of the US ruling establishment is not what may be garnered from anything Trump says, but rather in the hostile content of the NSS document.

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That documents vision is predicated on the US trying to assert global dominance, and using military force, if needs be. In that way, there is no change from decades, indeed centuries, of official American thinking, from the Wolfowitz Doctrine in the 1990s, back to the Monroe Doctrine in the 1850s.

While Russia, China and others advocate for a multipolar world of cooperation between powers, lamentably Washington is still frozen in a zero-sum mentality from the Cold War era; a mentality which views the world as a theater of conflict; a Darwinian jungle of survival of the strongest.

Americas hegemonic ambitions of asserting unipolar dominance in the world, euphemistically called leadership, is unacceptably imperialist. This, in turn, stems from American capitalism and its imperative to dominate resources and markets. Cooperation and genuine coexistence are anathema to such power.

That is why US power is fundamentally destabilizing to the world despite its narcissistic claims of being a beacon of freedom and peace.

It was 10 years ago that Russian President Vladmir Putin made his landmark speech in Munich, in February 2007, when he called out the US as destabilizing the global order through illegal invasions, wars and regime-change operations. Putin nailed the true nature of US power in the world, not the vainglorious nonsense spouted by American leaders and regurgitated unquestioningly by Western media.

Trump, or rather his ghost writers declare the latest US strategy document as being based on principled realism. A more accurate description is unscrupulous fantasy.

This week we saw the real face of American greatness when it again threatened North Korea with pre-emptive war, and at the United Nations where it threatened financial retribution on any country which voted against Trumps reckless, unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

American rulers can never thaw from Cold War aggression because that is how they operate the world to satisfy US desire for dominance. The brute imperialist function is varnished with quixotic, lofty rhetoric. But there is no altering the underlying brute force.

Still, there were notable changes in the latest US strategic view. The sense of paranoia and insecurity over US global demise was palpable despite attempts to sound confident and strong.

One Orwellian phrase stood out: the call for peace through strength and military expansion.

Ominously, Americas incorrigible Cold War mentality is a harbinger of more conflict and war. The world beware.

This article was originally published by Strategic Culture Foundation -

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De Facto Travel Restrictions Now Exist For Americans

By Paul Craig Roberts

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Green Party presidential Candidate Jill Stein is being investigated by the Senate Intelligence (sic) Committee for Russian connections.

What has brought Russiagate to Jill Stein? The answer is that she attended the 10th Anniversary RT dinner in Moscow as did the notorious Russian collaborator US General Michael Flynn. RT is a news organization, a far better one than exists in the West, but if you were one of the many accomplished people who attended the anniversary dinner, you are regarded by Republican Senator Richard Burr from North Carolina as a possible Kremlin agent.

What is going on here? Stein sums it up: we must guard against the potential for these investigations to be used to intimidate and silence principled opposition to the political establishment.

Here I sit considering two interesting invitations. One is to speak at the main Plenary Session of the Moscow Economic Forum in April. The other is to speak at the Summit for Global Challenges in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan in May. The very minute I accept, the NSA will notify its mouthpieces, the New York Times, PropOrNots promoter the Washington Post, Senator Burr, and Special Russiagate Prosecutor Robert Mueller. Would I be renditioned to Israel or Egypt or Saudi Arabia and tortured until I confessed that I was a member of the Trump-Flynn-Jill Stein Kremlin spy network?

As the United States is no longer a free country governed by a Constitution that protects civil liberty, that possibility cannot be discounted. What is for sure is that if I accept these invitations, the US Establishment will discredit my voice when I write about US/Russia relations. Indeed, that was the intention of the PropOrNot Washington Post story that attacked 200 truth-tellers as Russian agents/dupes. Many of those so attacked have experienced slower growth in their readership. After all, Americans and Europeans are insouciant. They are actually sufficiently stupid to believe what governments and print and TV media tell them.

I, too, was invited to RTs 10th Anniversary celebration in Moscow. Imagining the celebration would be grand balls in palaces and myself, decked out in white tie with my French Legion of Honor dancing with those beautiful RT women, I almost accepted. But I learned in time that the event was conferences and speeches and decided to forego a Moscow winter.

Otherwise I would be in the dock with Trump, Flynn, and Jill Stein and whomever the Washington Gestapo settles on next.

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Russiagate is an orchestrated hoax. That has now become so apparent that even insouciant Americans are catching on, even those low IQ ones who sit in front of TV news. I often disparage Congress, but here is a member who is admirable , Republican Representative Jim Jordan from Ohio.

Watch the short video and delight in the power and force with which Rep. Jordan goes after the piece of crap US deputy attorney general the Twitter President has in office. When the President of the United States has to rely on a congressman to call out the Justice Department and the FBI for its criminal actions and for its treason to overthrow both democracy and the elected government of the United States, you know we have elected a president who is too scared to defend himself. Roger Stone is correct, if Trump were a real man, Mueller, Comey, Hillary, Obama, and the rest of the criminal scum would be arrested, prosecuted and sentenced for their vast crimes, crimes that exceed those of anyone in prison today.

But Trump is nothing but talk. No action.

How much longer can I give interviews to Russian and Iranian media before the Washington Gestapo gives me a midnight knock on my door.

Whatever America is, it is not a free country.

If Trump wants to make America great again, he must shatter the CIA, FBI, NSA, and media into a thousand pieces. The concentrated power that President Eisenhower warned Americans about in 1961 is far too great for liberty to survive.

Instead, the weakest president in American history actually read the speech handed to him by the ruling neocon military/security complex and declared Russia and China inimical to Washingtons interests.

Americans are too insouciant to understand it, but this was a declaration of war against two countries, which when combined are more than a match for Washington.

Neither Russia nor China, much less an alliance between them, will accept Washingtons hegemony.

If the hubris-crazed fools in Washington persist, we are all going to die.

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order .
Iraq Redux in the Making? US Rhetoric on Iran Brings Back Memories of 2003

By Philip Giraldi

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Sometimes you wake up in the morning and its 2003 all over again. That was the year when the United States embarked on its catastrophic course of intervention in Asia. It was at least "somewhat justified" in invading Afghanistan to eliminate al-Qaeda but then made the mistake of sticking around to fix the country, a repair job that has lasted sixteen years and counting with no end in sight. And it was also the time when the neoconservatives who were then controlling the Pentagon and White House decided that it was necessary to go after Iraq.

As Baghdad in no way threatened the United States, and everyone who had examined the actual evidence knew that to be the case, a false narrative about Saddam Hussein had to be contrived. The White House claimed that Iraq was supporting al-Qaeda, that it was seeking uranium to construct a nuclear weapon and that it was building gliders that could cross the Atlantic Ocean with cargoes of chemical and biological weapons.

None of that turned out to be true, but the piece de resistance of the go-to-war crowd was the presentation made by Secretary of State Colin Powell before the United Nations on February 5, 2003. With Central Intelligence Director George Tenet sitting behind him presumably to establish bona fides for the information that was about to be revealed, Powell detailed how Iraq was preparing and concealing from inspectors weapons of mass destruction, was avoiding disarming and was colluding with al-Qaeda. It was all a lie, intended only to make a minimal case to the U.N. that increasing the military pressure on Iraq was a supportable, indeed a necessary, policy. One month later President George W. Bush called on President Saddam Hussein to resign based on his failure to comply with U.N. demands and, when he did not do so, launched an invasion of Iraq.

Americas current United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is no Colin Powell either in terms of intellect or credibility, but she did try to act like him when she spoke on December 14 th in front of a sparsely attended press conference that was focused on a much larger US television audience. Haley displayed parts of what she claimed to be fragments from an Iranian-sourced missile that was allegedly used in an attack initiated by Houthi rebels and directed against the Saudi capital Riyadh. Haley denounced what she described as Tehrans increasing military role all around the Middle East. She claimed hyperbolically Its hard to find a conflict or terrorist group in the Middle East that doesnt have Irans fingerprints all over it, and warned that Washington will build a coalition to really push back against Iran and what theyre doing. To give weight to her message, she pointed at the fragments and said They are allowing missiles like this to be fired over to innocent civilians.

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Haleys blinkers, or ignorance, enable her to avoid any consideration of the US-supported war being waged by the Saudis against Yemen which has directly claimed upwards of 5,000 civilian lives while also introducing both famine and cholera to the Yemeni people. A major part of the Yemeni suffering has been inflicted by US manufactured munitions being dropped or fired by the Saudis during hundreds of sorties, many of which are directed against civilian targets. Direct involvement by Washington has also included supplying Riyadh with intelligence and aviation fuel.

Unfortunately, Haley is not alone. The United States is maintaining a military presence in Syria, even though ISIS has been defeated, to be able to threaten any developing Iranian permanent presence in the country. It is doing so even though it is in Syria illegally. Israel has also said it will take military action, presumably supported by Washington, if Iran establishes any military bases. The Wall Street Journal reports that the administration will not allow Iran and its proxies to be able to establish a presence in Syria. Donald Trump, during his successful electoral campaign, repeatedly denounced Iran, and his foreign policy team, including Generals James Mattis and H.R. McMaster, as well as CIA Director Mike Pompeo, are all unrelentingly hostile to Tehran, as are the pathologically pro-Israel Congress and mainstream media. Are we about to see Iran on center stage in a performance of Iraq Redux? Quite likely.

Philip Giraldi is a former counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and a columnist and television commentator who is the Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest.

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When Sanity Fails  The Mindset of the Ideological Drone By The Saker December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - My recent analysis of the potential consequences of a US attack on the DPRK has elicited a wide range of reactions. There is one type of reaction which I find particularly interesting and most important and I would like to focus on it today: the ones which entirely dismissed my whole argument. The following is a selection of some of the most telling reactions of this kind: Example 1: North Koreas air defenses are so weak that we had to notify them we were flying B1 bombers near their airspacethey didnt even know our aircraft were coming. This reminds me of the fearsome Republican Guard that Saddam had in the Persian Gulf. Turns out we had total air superiority and just bombed the crap out of them and they surrendered in droves. We have already seen what happens when an army has huge amounts of outdated Soviet weaponry versus the most technologically advanced force in the world. Its a slaughter. Also, there has to be weaponry up the USAs sleeve that would be used in the event of an attack. Dont forget our cyber warfare abilities that would undoubtedly be implemented as well. This writer seems to always hype Russias capabilities and denigrate the USs capabilities. Sure, Russia has the capacity to nuke the US into smithereens, and vice versa. But if its a head to head shooting war, the US and NATO would dominate. FACT. Example 2: Commanders intent: Decapitate the top leadership and remove retaliatory capability.

Execution:

Phase one:

Massive missile/bombing campaign (including carpet) of top leadership locations, tactical missile locations and DMZ artillery belt. Destruction of surface fleet and air force.

Phase two:

Advance into DMZ artillery belt up to a range of 240 mm cannon. Not further (local tactical considerations taken into account of course).

Phase three: break the enemys will to fight and destroy the regime support infrastructure

Phase four:

Regime change.

There you go. Example 3: I guess an American attack on North Korea would consist of preemptive strategic nuking to destroy the entire country before it can do anything. Since North Korea itself contributes essentially nothing to the world economy, no one would lose money. These examples perfectly illustrate the kind of mindset induced by what Professor John Marciano called Empire as a way of life [1] which is characterized by a set of basic characteristics: First foremost, simple, very simple one-sentence arguments. Gone are the days when argument were built in some logical sequence when facts were established, then evaluated for their accuracy and relevance, then analyzed and then conclusions presented. Where in the past one argument per page or paragraph constituted the norm, we now have tweet-like 140 character statements which are more akin to shouted slogans than to arguments (no wonder that tweeting is something a bird does  hence the expression bird brain). You will will see that kind of person writing what initially appears to be a paragraph, but when you look closer you realize that the paragraph is really little more than a sequence of independent statements and not really an argument of any type. A quasi-religious belief in ones superiority which is accepted as axiomatic. Nothing new here: the Communists considered themselves as the superior for class reasons, the Nazis by reason of racial superiority, the US Americans just because  no explanation offered (I am not sure that this constitutes of form of progress). In the US case, that superiority is cultural, political, financial and, sometimes but not always, racial. This superiority is also technological, hence the there has to be or the would undoubtedly in the example #1 above. This is pure faith and not something which can be challenged by fact or logic. Contempt for all others . This really flows from #2 above. Example 3 basically declares all of North Korea (including its people) as worthless. This is where all the expressions like sand niggers hadjis and other gooks come from: the dehumanization of the others as a preparation for their for mass slaughter. Notice how in the example #2 the DPRK leaders are assumed to be totally impotent, dull and, above all, passive. The notion that they might do something unexpected is never even considered (a classic recipe for military disaster, but more about that later). Contempt for rules, norms and laws . This notion is well expressed by the famous US 19th century slogan of  my country, right or wrong  but goes far beyond that as it also includes the belief that the USA has God-given (or equivalent) right to ignore international law, the public opinion of the rest of the planet or even the values underlying the documents which founded the USA. In fact, in the logic of such imperial drone the belief in US superiority actually serves as a premise to the conclusion that the USA has a mission or a responsibility to rule the world. This is might makes right elevated to the rank of dogma and, therefore, never challenged. A very high reliance on doublethink. Doublethink defined by Wikipedia as the act of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct, often in distinct social contexts. A perfect illustration of that is the famous quote  it became necessary to destroy the town to save it . Most US Americans are aware of the fact that US policies have resulted in them being hated worldwide, even amongst putatively allied or protected countries such as South Korea, Israel, Germany or Japan. Yet at the very same time, they continue to think that the USA should defend allies, even if the latter cant wait for Uncle Sams soldiers to pack and leave. Doublethink is also what makes it possible for ideological drones to be aware of the fact that the US has become a subservient Israeli colony while, at the same time, arguing for the support and financing of Israel. A glorification of ignorance which is transformed into a sign of manliness and honesty. This is powerfully illustrated in the famous song  Where were you when the world stopped turning  whoso lyrics include the following words  I watch CNN, but Im not sure I can tell you, the difference in Iraq and Iran, but I know Jesus and I talk to God  (notice how the title of the song suggests that New York is the center of the world, when when get hit, the world stops turning; also, no connection is made between watching CNN and not being able to tell two completely different countries apart). If this were limited to singers, then it would not be a problem, but this applies to the vast majority of US politicians, decision-makers and elected officials, hence Putins remark that  Its difficult to talk with people who confuse Austria and Australia . As a result, there is no more discernible US diplomacy left: all the State Department does is deliver threats, ultimatums and condemnations. Meaningful *negotiations* have basically been removed form the US foreign policy toolkit. A totally uncritical acceptance of ideologically correct narratives even when they are self-evidently nonsensical to an even superficial critical analysis. An great example of this kind of self-evidently stupid stories is all the nonsense about the Russians trying to meddle in US elections or the latest hysteria about relatively small-size military exercises in Russia . The acceptance of the official 9/11 narrative is a perfect example of that. Something repeated by the respectable Ziomedia is accepted as dogma, no matter how self-evidently stupid. A profound belief that everything is measured in dollars . From this flow a number of corollary beliefs such as US weapons are most expensive, they are therefore superior or everybody has his price [aka whom we cant kill we will simply buy, perfect recent example here ]. In my experience folks like that are absolutely unable to even imagine that some people might not motivated by greed or other egoistic interests: ideological drones project their own primitive motives unto everybody else with total confidence. That belief is also the standard cop out in any conversation of morality, ethnics, or even the notions of right and wrong. An anti-religious view par excellence. Notice the total absence of any more complex consideration which might require some degree of knowledge or expertise: the imperial mindset is not only ignoramus-compatible, it is ignoramus-based. This is what Orwell was referring to in his famous book 1984 with the slogan Ignorance is Strength. However, it goes way beyond simple ignorance of facts and includes the ability to think in slogans (example #2 is a prefect example of this). There are, of course, many more psychological characteristics for the perfect ideological drone, but the ones above already paint a pretty decent picture of the kind of person I am sure we all have seen many times over. What is crucial to understand about them is that even though they are far from being a majority, they compensate for that with a tremendous motivational drive. It might be due to a need to repeatedly reassert their certitudes or a way to cope with some deep-seated cognitive dissonance, but in my experience folks like that have energy levels which many sane people would envy them. This is absolutely crucial to how the Empire, and any other oppressive regime, works: by repressing those who can understand a complex argument by means of those who cannot. Let me explain: Unless there are mechanisms set in to prevent that, in a debate/dispute between an educated and intelligent person and an ideological drone the latter will always prevail because of the immense advantage the latter has over the former. Indeed, while the educated and intelligent person will be able to immediately identify numerous factual and logical gaps in his opponents arguments, he will always need far more space to debunk the nonsense spewed by the drone than the drone who will simply dismiss every argument with one or several slogans. This is why I personally never debate or even talk with such people: it is utterly pointless. As a result, a fact based and logical argument now gets the same consideration and treatment as a collection of nonsensical slogans (political correctness mercilessly enforces that principle: you cant call an idiot and idiot any more). Falling education standards have resulted in a dramatic degradation of the public debate: to be well educated, well read, well traveled, to speak several languages and feel comfortable in different cultures used to be considered a prerequisite to expressing an opinion, now they are all treated as superfluous and even useless characteristics. Actual, formal, expertise in a topic is now becoming extremely rare. A most interesting kind of illustration of this point can be found in this truly amazing video posted by Peter Schiff: One could be tempted to conclude that this kind of debating is a Black issue. It is not. The three quotes given at the beginning of this article are a good reminder of this (unless, of course, they were all written by Blacks, which we have no reason to believe). Twitter might have done to minds what MTV has done to rock music: laid total waste to it. Consequences: There are a number of important consequences form the presence of such ideological drones in any society. The first one is that any ideology-based regime will always and easily find numerous spontaneous supporters who will willingly collaborate with it. Combined with a completely subservient media, such drones form the frontline force of any ideological debate. For instance, a journalist can always be certain to easily find a done to interview, just as a politician can count on them to support him during a public speech or debate. The truth is that, unfortunately, we live in a society which place much more emphasis on the right to have an opinion than on the actual ability to form one. By the way, the intellectually challenged always find a natural ally in the coward and the follower (as opposed to leader types) because it is always much easier and safer to follow the herd and support the regime in power than to oppose it. You will always see stupid drones backed by coward drones. As for the politicians , they naturally cater to all types of drones since they always provide a much bigger bang for the buck than those inclined to critical thinking whose loyalty to whatever cause is always dubious. The drone-type of mindset also comes with some major weaknesses including a very high degree of predictability, an inability to learn from past mistakes, an inability to imagine somebody operating with a completely different set of motives and many others. One of the most interesting ones for those who actively resist the AngloZionist Empire is that the ideological drone has very little staying power because as soon as the real world, in all its beauty and complexity, comes crashing through the door of the drones delusional and narrow imagination his cocky arrogance is almost instantaneously replaced by a total sense of panic and despair. I have had the chance to speak Russian officers who were present during the initial interrogation of US POWs in Iraq and they were absolutely amazed at how terrified and broken the US POWs immediately became (even though they were not mistreated in any way). It was as if they had no sense of risk at all, until it was too late and they were captured, at which point they inner strength instantly gave way abject terror. This is one of the reasons that the Empire cannot afford a protracted war: not because of casualty aversion as some suggest, but to keep the imperial delusions/illusions unchallenged by reality. As long as the defeat can be hidden or explained away, the Empire can fight on, but as soon as it becomes impossible to obfuscate the disaster the Empire has to simply declare victory and leave. Thus we have a paradox here: the US military is superbly skilled at killing people in large numbers, but but not at winning wars. And yet, because this latter fact is easily dismissed on grounds #2 #5 and #7 above (all of them, really), failing to actually win wars does not really affect the US determination to initiate new wars, even potentially very dangerous ones. I would even argue that each defeat even strengthens the Empires desire to show it power by hoping to finally identify one victim small enough to be convincingly defeated. The perfect example of that was Ronald Reagans decision to invade Grenada right after the US Marines barracks bombing in Beirut. The fact that the invasion of Grenada was one of the worst military operations in world history did not prevent the US government to hand out more medals for it than the total number of people involved  such is the power of the drone-mindset! We have another paradox here: history shows that if the US gets entangled in a military conflict it is most likely to end up defeated (if not winning is accepted as a euphemism for losing). And yet, the United States are also extremely hard to deter. This is not just a case of  Fools rush in where angels fear to tread  but the direct result of a form of conditioning which begins in grade schools. From the point of view of an empire, repeated but successfully concealed defeats are much preferable to the kind of mental paralysis induced in drone populations, at least temporarily, by well-publicized defeats . Likewise, when the loss of face is seen as a calamity much worse than body bags, lessons from the past are learned by academics and specialists, but not by the nation as a whole (there are numerous US academics and officers who have always known all of what I describe above, in fact  they were the ones who first taught me about it!). If this was only limited to low-IQ drones this would not be as dangerous, but the problem is that words have their own power and that politicians and ideological drones jointly form a self-feeding positive feedback loop when the former lie to the latter only to then be bound by what they said which, in turn, brings them to join the ideological drones in a self-enclosed pseudo-reality of their own. What all this means for North Korea and the rest of us

I hate to admit it, but I have to concede that there is a good argument to be made that all the over-the-top grandstanding and threatening by the North Koreans does make sense, at least to some degree. While for an educated and intelligent person threatening the continental United States with nuclear strikes might appear as the epitome of irresponsibility, this might well be the only way to warn the ideological drone types of the potential consequences of a US attack on the DPRK. Think of it: if you had to deter somebody with the set of beliefs outlined in #1 through #8 above, would you rather explain that a war on the Korean Peninsula would immediately involve the entire region or simple say them crazy gook guys might just nuke the shit out of you!? I think that the North Koreans might be forgiven for thinking that an ideological drone can only be deterred by primitive and vastly exaggerated threats. Still, my strictly personal conclusion is that ideological drones are pretty much argument proof and that they cannot be swayed neither by primitive nor by sophisticated arguments. This is why I personally never directly engage them. But this is hardly an option for a country desperate to avoid a devastating war (the North Koreans have no illusions on that account as they, unlike most US Americans, remember the previous war in Korea). But here is the worst aspect of it all: this is not only a North Korean problem The US policies towards Russia, China and Iran all have the potential of resulting in a disaster of major magnitude. The world is dealing with situation in which a completely delusional regime is threatening everybody with various degrees of confrontation. This is like being in the same room with a monkey playing with a hand grenade. Except for that hand grenade is nuclear. This situation places a special burden of responsibility on all other nations, especially those currently in Uncle Sams cross-hairs, to act with restraint and utmost restraint. That is not fair, but life rarely is. It is all very well and easy to declare that force must be met by force and that the Empire interprets restraint as weakness until you realize that any miscalculation can result in the death of millions of people. I am therefore very happy that the DPRK is the only country which chose to resort to a policy of hyperbolic threats while Iran, Russia and China acted, and are still acting, with the utmost restraint. In practical terms, there is no way for the rest of the planet to disarm the monkey. The only option is therefore to incapacitate the monkey itself or, alternatively, to create the conditions in which the monkey will be too busy with something else to pay attention to his grenade. An internal political crisis triggered by an external military defeat remains, I believe, the most likely and desirable scenario (see here if that topic is of interest to you). Still, the future is impossible to predict and, as the Quran says, they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners. All we can do is try to mitigate the impact of the ideological drones on our society as much as we can, primarily by *not* engaging them and limiting our interaction with those still capable of critical thought. It is by excluding ideological drones from the debate about the future of our world that we can create a better environment for those truly seeking solutions to our current predicament. This article was originally published by The Saker -  1. If you have not listened two his lectures on this topic, which I highly recommend, you can find them here: Empire as a Way of Life, Part 1 | mp3 | doc

Empire as a Way of Life, Part 2 | mp3 | doc

Empire as a Way of Life, Part 3 | mp3 | doc

Empire as a Way of Life, Part 4 | mp3 | doc The Essential Saker: from the trenches of the emerging multipolar world $27.95

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Americans Are Only Now Beginning to Learn that We Live in a Dictatorship

By Eric Zuesse

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The first time when it became clear to me that I live in a dictatorship was in 2014 when reading, prior to its publication, the landmark (and still the only) scientific empirical study to address the question as to whether or not the United States federal Government is, authentically, a democracy  or, whether, alternatively, it's instead more of a dictatorship, than a democracy. This study documented conclusively that America's Government is the latter.

So, on 14 April 2014, I headlined US Is an Oligarchy, Not a Democracy, Says Scientific Study . Subsequently, my editor l inked it to the published article at the Journal where the study was published, Perspectives on Politics, from the American Political Science Association , and the full study can be read there.

On 30 April 2014, was posted at youtube the video that remains, to this day, the best and clearest ordinary-language summary of what that badly-written academic study proved. See its explanation here:

That summarys title is also better than the title of my article was; this excellent video headlines Corruption is Legal in America , which is another accurate conclusion from that study. Every American citizen should know what this 6-minute video says and shows from the academic study, because it explains how the super-rich, as a class, steal from everyone else (everyone who isnt super-rich): They do it through corruption.

Then, that same person who created the video did another presentation of it, but this time with text accompanying the video, and this article was titled "One graph shows how the rich control American politics , and it indeed showed how. The super-rich carry out their control via corruption, which is legal in America and which can be done vastly more by rich people than by poor people  poor people simply cant buy the Government, and any who would even attempt to do so would be using only the illegal means, which the US Supreme Court says constitutes the only illegal means, and that's blatant bribery, which is lower-class corruption, not the far more lucrative type of corruption that super-wealthy individuals have access to. Only the forms of corruption which are available only to the super-rich are legal in America. Thats the reason why the super-rich keep getting still-richer, while the rest of the population are lucky if they dont become poorer.

On 28 July 2015, former US President Jimmy Carter was frank about this situation; as a caller at a progressive radio show, he said this about Americas soaring top-level corruption:

It violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it's just an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or being elected president. And the same thing applies to governors, and US Senators and congress members. So, now we've just seen a subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect, and sometimes get, favors for themselves after the election is over. ... At the present time the incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody that is already in Congress has a great deal more to sell."

Three days later, Huffington Post published my article about that statement, which was headlined Jimmy Carter Is Correct That the US Is No Longer a Democracy, and it had over 60,000 likes on Facebook ( here the article is shown a bit earlier, when it had 56,000) but HuffPo reduced that number down to its currently shown number, 18,000 ; and this article turned out to have been the last submission of the 100+ that they accepted from me . They've rejected all of my submissions after it. No explanation was ever given, and I never heard anything from them again.

The scientific article about Americas Government had reviewed 1,779 pieces of proposed legislation during the period from 1981 to 2002, and it found that only what the super-rich wanted to become law did become law: The preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy, they said. Thats certainly not a democracy.

There has been speculation as to how far back historically Americas government-by-the-aristocracy (or, simply, Americas being an aristocracy  a rule over the public by the few super-rich, an oligarchy) has been in effect. Prior to Ronald Reagans Presidency, going back to the time when FDR died in office in 1945 as the President, the distribution of income and of wealth was much more equal in America than it started to become as soon as Reagan entered the White House and began the subsequent dominance of supply-side economics, which is based upon the supply-push belief that wealth trickles down from the few rich, instead of (as FDR believed) in a demand-pull way, that it percolates up from the many poor. FDR believed that what drives an economy is needs, not the products and services to fill needs. Reagan believed in the opposite, Says law, which says that whatever is produced will fill needs (or at least desires)  that production is what drives an economy, and that needs (and desires) just take care of themselves. So, FDR focused on the common man and especially the poor, but Reagan focused on entrepreneurs or the owners of businesses. (The middle class isnt an issue here, but is simply the richer portion of the poor. Historically that has been the case. For example, Americas middle class has declined while the poor have mushroomed, but the top 5% are getting all of the gains; and most of that is going to the top 1% or even less. So: poor here includes the middle-class; and, to refer to middle-class America is now like referring to a dying breed  but its a breed of poor, not of rich.)

However, the extreme corruption at the top in this country is showing up more sharply than ever in recently declassified US Government documents about the JFK assassination  showing up as having begun much earlier than had generally been suspected, begun at least by the time when President Kennedy came into office on 20 January 1961. Kennedy found himself surrounded by the military-industrial complex that his predecessor, Eisenhower, had cultivated while he was in the White House and that Ike hypocritically warned the American public against, on his way out of office, only on 17 January 1961  three days before Kennedys inauguration. Some of these corrupt people were ones whom Kennedy himself had brought in. Not all of them were Ikes holdovers. But Kennedy was apparently shocked, nonetheless.

The beginnings of this profound corruption might be traced still farther back to moles in the Government (such as the Dulles brothers, Averell Harriman and Prescott Bush) who had built their careers after World War I by means of plying and mastering the revolving door between the Governments foreign-policy Establishment and Wall Street. Starting at the very end of WW II, in 1945, agents of these moles ended FDRs Office of Strategic Services and started Trumans CIA. Right from the get-go, the CIA was deeply corrupt, as the following 2.5-hour BBC documentary from 1992 makes clear:

Operation Gladio - Full 1992 documentary BBC

It documents from testimony of former CIA operatives in Europe, that the CIA had been hiring European aristocrats and committed fascists and even former Nazis, to set up terrorist incidents in Europe rigged so as to be blamed by the public against communists and against any entities that were favorable in any way toward the Soviet Union. Numberless Europeans were injured and killed in terrorist incidents that were set up by the CIA to be, basically, anti-communist propaganda. This CIA operation was called Gladio, and it continues to this day, even though communism itself is gone.

Subsequently, a video was done thats far briefer, 50 minutes, and which starts with interviews of some of the survivors of these CIA-NATO operations, so that its far more from the victims perspective than was the BBCs lengthier documentary:

NATOs Secret Armies (2009)

When Kennedy became President, he found himself surrounded by advisors who were urging him such as, on 22 March 1962, John Kennedys own brother and US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy did, when RFK held a meeting to discuss the possibility of US manufacture or acquisition of Soviet aircraft because:

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There is a possibility that such aircraft could be used in a deception operation designed to confuse enemy planes in the air, to launch a surprise attack against enemy installations or in a provocation operation in which Soviet aircraft would appear to attack US or friendly installations in order to provide an excuse for US intervention. If the planes were to be used in such covert operations, it would seem preferable to manufacture them in the United States.

And, also like t his (on 12 April 1962, from a Major General and CIA officer  see it on page 16) :

We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington. The terror campaign could be pointed at Cuban refugees seeking haven in the United States. We could sink a boatload of Cubans en route to Florida (real or simulated). We could foster attempts on lives of Cuban refugees in the United States even to the extent of wounding in instances to be widely publicized. Exploding a few plastic bombs in carefully chosen spots, the arrest of a Cuban agent and the release of prepared documents substantiating Cuban involvement also would be helpful in projecting the idea of an irresponsible government.

Even JFKs own brother RFK, and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, and Secretary of State Dean Rusk  plus lots of holdovers from the Eisenhower Administration  thought that this sort of thing would be worth the President of the United States considering. Fortunately, JFK didnt.

Michael Ellison had gotten to see a bit of the 12 April 1962 document decades earlier and he reported it on 2 May 2001 in Britains Guardian under the headline Memos disclose US cold-war plot to frame Castro . Ellison wrote that The idea was an element in a wider scheme that may be the most corrupt plan ever created by the US government, asserts James Bamford. Since Bamford is perhaps the worlds leading journalist and historian who has written about the NSA ( books such as his 1983 The Puzzle Palace), for even him to have expressed surprise in 2001 that the US Government, at its top level, was predominantly staffed by people who were racking their brains to figure out ways to fake Soviet terrorism and attacks so as for the US and NATO to have a pretext to invade the Soviet Union, indicates how much more cynical we all have become after George W. Bushs lies about Saddams WMD as pretexts for the US and its collaborators to invade and destroy Iraq in 2003. Not only was John Kennedy surprised to discover it in 1962, but James Bamford was surprised to discover it even as late as 2001. Bamford in 2001 might not have said what he said there if he had seen that 1992 BBC documentary, which showed that the top level of the CIA had been like this from the time when the CIA started in 1947. But with so much history behind us now and which had still been classified information, and thus non-public, until 2001 when Bamford said that the 12 April 1962 document described may be the most corrupt plan ever created by the US Government, we today are hardly surprised at all to discover it. The corruption at the top of the US Government has long since overflowed its banks, out into the publics consciousness. Not all the kings horses and all the kings men can put the myth of US Government decency together again.

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Home The Gangster Nature of the State



By Michael Parenti



Recorded on November 22, 1993



Parenti argues that the state perpetuates the most unspeakable crimes against its own people, the gangster nature of the state cloaked by a facade of political representation Posted December 24, 2017 Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter ==== Join the Discussion It is not 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. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load.
Congress in Search of a Bordello

By James Petras

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - I n accordance with the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) the Office of Compliance (OC) compiled and published shocking statistics listing (1) the number of settlements paid to its employees and interns after allegations of abuse by legislators; (2) the total amount of dollars paid by US Treasury to the victims of Congressional workplace abuse.



The US taxpayers were made to pay millions of dollars in financial settlements for hundreds of incidents of Congressperson abuse, including gross sexual harassment, against interns, staff and office employees, of both sexes. This slush and shush fund was hidden from the American people. Many abused victims were paid-off and intimidated into silently watching the elected officials parade themselves as paragons of virtue and champions of their voters.



The data, published by Congressional Office of Compliance, covered a period starting in 1997 to November 2017. In that period, 264 victims of abuse, some by a number of Congresspersons, came forward with their complaints. The US Treasury secretly paid over $17 million dollars to the victims while the identities of the abusing Congresspersons are not identified and are protected under the 1995 statute.



In other words, the members of the US Congress, including serial sexual abusers and uncontrolled bullies, have shielded themselves from public exposure, so they could continue preying on their employees with impunity and without any personal material loss or humiliating exposure to their families. Thus protected, they could expect to be re-elected to abuse again and the taxpayers would pay their secret pay-offs!



Political Party Leadership in Congress and the Protected Abusers

An examination of the political party affiliation of the Congressional leaders and the Presidents during this 20-year period of abuse reveals that both parties were engaged in shielding offenders and perverts among their ranks.



During the first 10 years (1997-2007), Congress was controlled by the Republican Party. Under their leadership, the Treasury secretly paid over $11 million in compensation to the victims.



Democrats controlled the House during the next three years (2008-2011) when the Treasury paid over $2.5 million dollars. As a result of this perverse form of bipartisan cooperation, abusive officials from both parties were free to abuse, humiliate and exploit their employees and young interns with impunity.



In the last five years (2012-2017), Republicans, once again, controlled the House and oversaw the secret payout of over $3.5 million for bipartisan abuse.



Moving from monetary payment to the number of abused employees, we find 133 were subjected to abuse under the Republicans (1997-2007), 48 under the Democrats between (2008-2011) and another 73 victims under the latest period of Republican control (2012-2017). All victims, who came forward with their complaints, faced a gauntlet of procedural intimidation, counseling, cooling off periods and legal restraint to remain silent.



If we examine Congressional abuse on a per capita basis, Republicans abused on an average, 13 victims a year while the Democrats harassed 12 victims a year. There is a comforting level of uniformity and continuity of abuse in the US political system under both Republican and Democratic control of Congress. This indicates a shared political culture and practice among Americas Solons. Whatever wild-eyed rhetorical ideological differences, both parties cooperate with great civility in the abuse of their employees.



Indeed, the sense of feudal privilege over employees, viewing workers and interns as peasants, invoking the once outlawed droit de seigneur, pervades the Halls of Congress. This culture of feudal abuse, so common in the private sector, in giant corporations, Hollywood and the media, has metastasized to the centers of US political power, leaving untold thousands of brutalized victims and their helpless loved ones to deal with the long-term effects of humiliation, bitterness and injustice. For every abused young employee, treated like a serf by an all powerful legislator, there are dozens of helpless family members, fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters and spouses, who must deal with decades of silent resentment against these abusers.



None of this is surprising given how both parties have been financed and controlled by corporate leaders, Hollywood moguls and Wall Street speculators, who have exploited and abused their employees with impunity until the recent Me-Too movement erupted spontaneously. Given the transformation of the workplace into a kind of neo-feudal estate, the Me-Too movement may be seen as a latter-day Peasant Revolt against the overlords.



Presidential Leadership and Abuse in the Workplace

Several Presidents have been accused of gross sexual abuse and humiliation of office staff and interns, most ignobly William Jefferson Clinton. However, the Congressional Office of Compliance, in accord with the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 does not collect statistics on presidential abuses and financial settlements. Nevertheless, we can examine the number of Congressional victims and payments during the tenures of the various Presidents during the past 20 years. This can tell us if the Presidents chose to issue any directives or exercise any leadership with regard to stopping the abuses occurring during their administrations.



Under Presidents William Clinton and Barack Obama we have data for 12 years 1997-2000, and 2009-2016. Under President George W Bush and Donald Trump we have data for 9 years 2001-2008 and 2017.



Under the two Democratic Presidents, 148 legislative employees were abused and the Treasury paid out approximately $5 million dollars and under the Republican Presidents, 116 were abused and Treasury and over $12 million dollars was paid out.



Under the Democratic Presidents, the average number of abuse victims was 12 per year; under the Republicans the average number was 13 per year. As in the case of Congressional leadership, US Presidents of both parties showed remarkable bipartisan consistency in tolerating Congressional abuse.



Congressional Abuse: The Larger Meaning

Workplace abuse by elected leaders in Washington is encouraged by Party cronyism, loyalties and shameless bootlicking. It is reinforced by the structure of power pervasive in the ruling class. Congress people exercise near total power over their employees because they are not accountable to their peers or their voters. They are protected by their financial donors, the special Congressional judicial system and by the mass media with a complicity of silence.



The entire electoral system is based on a hierarchy of power, where those on the top can demand subordination and enforce their demands for sexual submission with threats of retaliation against the victim or the victims outraged family members. This mirrors a feudal plantation system.

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However, like sporadic peasant uprisings in the Middle Ages, some employees rise up, resist and demand justice. It is common to see Congressional abusers turn to their office managers, often female, to act as capos to first threaten and then buy off the accuser  using US taxpayer funds. This added abuse never touches the wallet of the abuser or the office enforcer. Compensation is paid by the US Treasury. The social and financial status of the abusers and the abusers families remain intact as they look forward to lucrative future employment as lobbyists.



This does not occur in isolation from the broader structure of class and power.



The sexual exploitation of workers in the Halls of the US Congress is part of the larger socio-economic system. Elected officials, who abuse their office employees and interns, share the same values with corporate and cultural bosses, who exploit their workers and subordinates. At an even larger level, they share the same values and culture with the Imperial State as it brutalizes and rapes independent nations and peoples.



The system of abuse and exploitation by the Congress and the corporate, cultural, academic, religious and political elite depends on complicit intermediaries who frequently come from upwardly mobile groups. The most abusive legislators will hire upwardly mobile women as public relations officers and office managers to recruit victims and, when necessary, arrange pay-offs. In the corporate sphere, CEOs frequently rely on former plant workers, trade union leaders, women and minorities to serve as labor relations experts to provide a progressive facade in order to oust dissidents and enforce directives persecuting whistleblowers. On a global scale, the political warlords work hand in glove with the mass media and humanitarian interventionist NGOs to demonize independent voices and to glorify the military as they slaughter resistance fighters, while claiming to champion gender and minority rights. Thus, the US invasion and occupation of Afghanistan was widely propagandized and celebrated as the liberation of Afghan women.



The Congressional perverts have their own private, secret mission: to abuse staff, to nurture the rich, enforce silence and approve legislation to make taxpayers pay the bill.



Let us hope that the current Me Too! movement against workplace sexual abuse will grow to include a broader movement against the neo-feudalism within politics, business, and culture and lead to a political movement uniting workers in all fields.

James Petras is a Bartle Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at Binghamton University, New York.

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How Palestinians Can Transform Statelessness Into Strength

By Ahmed Moor

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Trumps Jerusalem decision hurts. But it takes time to know why.

The Palestinians have spent an age coping with reality. The reality of wilting leaders, of capricious allies and an endlessly raw deal. Theyve learned the reality of being broke and on the dole to one or another prince or career diplomat at State. More than a hundred years into Zionism, theyve learned the emotional reality of being weak.

Disappointment, heaving, despairing rage, cynicism and a black outlook jockey for space behind the brows of a boneheaded people. Fool me once, shame on you; but fool the Palestinian leadership as many times as you like.

Unerringly, Palestinian leaders seem to place the hopes of an entire people on a faithless set of actors. Europe, America, and Arab leaders consistently violate commitments. Its nothing personal  its just real-world interests leave little room for the considerations of the weak. Nor are the Palestinians particularly special. In a world of great powers, justice is more often a drab retrospective, long after the virtuoso has died. Thats been true for the Vietnamese, the people of Cambodia, Myanmar, Algeria, Bosnia, Nicaragua and everywhere else.

So are the Palestinians  the sorry itinerants of the 20th century  destined to be the losers of the 21st century?

Maybe, but maybe not. Palestinian weakness is the result of a lot of things  not least, bad luck. Herzls Plymouth Rock crashed into the shores of Jaffa, but someplace else could have been the object of this present-day analysis. Luck isnt hereditary and 1948 is ancient history. But an unlearned history will cascade into the future, inevitably.

The Palestinian struggle developed in revolutionary times. The 19th and 20th centuries saw the nations of Latin America, Africa and Asia surge in a post-colonial spasm. Many of those peoples achieved independence from a corrupt, rapacious and racist Europe. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson (and Acheson and Rusk) failed to understand that the revolutionary Marxism of the period was an expression of anti-colonialism. Korea, Vietnam and Palestine were all viewed through the prism of anti-Soviet chauvinism. The American war against communism was, in reality, a war against self-determination.

Ho Chi Minh won his nationalistic, revolutionary war but Yasser Arafat failed to. The Vietnamese updated their analysis and moved on  today, Vietnam is a modernizing country. Marxist tropes have given way to the realities of comparative trade advantages.

The Palestinian strategy in the 1960s was appropriate to the zeitgeist. The theory accorded well enough with the reality of the times. Appeals to the non-aligned nations, popular armed struggle, anti-Capitalism and revolutionary socialism worked elsewhere in one combination or another. Why should the formula fail the Palestinians? Except, of course, it did.

It would be foolish to argue that nationalism  a powerful, universal tribalism  has ceased to drive global currents. Most stars coalesced in the dense aftermath of the Big Bang. Fourteen billion years later, gravity still matters. The recent referendums in Catalonia, England, and Kurdistan show that nationalism still matters, now and probably for a long time to come. Yet, new stars arent being created every day (figuratively speaking) and the period of state-building has mainly ended.

Thats the main failure of the Palestinians  they still live in the aftermath of the Big Bang. They act as though Israel can be maneuvered through negotiations with one or another heavyweight tipping the scales in their favor, preferably after a decisive battlefield victory. Yet Israel is not a weak state and an outdated analysis will never yield in the Palestinians favor. As a totally controlled and co-opted underclass they simply dont have any leverage, which is the only thing that really matters in a negotiation.

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The question for the Palestinians then, is how to gain leverage. How to achieve some measure of power through  rather than in spite of  their dismal circumstances. How to transform the source of their weakness  their lack of a state, fearsome armaments, and friends with old school interests  into strength.

It seems that the first step to gaining strength, or leverage, ought to be acknowledging reality. The Palestinians dont have a state. For all practical purposes they will never have a state. Whatever ones feelings, thats the reality.

Indeed, the depth of the hurt induced by Trumps decision showcases what expert liars the Palestinians and their supporters are, only theyve lied to themselves. They bought the falsehood  in full view of all the contrary evidence  that Jerusalem will be partitioned and that their state will be birthed by the very powers whove sought to abort their aspirations. Trumps overdue, shrill paean to Israeli facts-on-the-ground is an indirect elegy for Two States. Some will regard that fact with sadness.

But the truer, damp pain springs from the knowledge that so much  effort, money, time, energy, opportunity  has been wasted. Its a rich pain, endlessly fertilized by the loss of life.

Nonetheless there is a path forward for the Palestinians. And its a route that takes their only source of leverage as a point of strength. It lies in the power of their moral claim, a fact recognized by civil society through BDS. Israel is an apartheid state  that ought to be the only context for Palestinian tactics and strategy.

By restating the goals of the Palestinian national movement, away from state building and towards human rights and dignity, the PLO, Hamas, and the PA may fundamentally alter their dynamic with Israel. To date, civil society has pursued rights for the Palestinians independently of the political apparatus. The pursuit of equal rights is the only mechanism for transforming statelessness into strength. That ought to be a goal that the Palestinians can coalesce around.
The Demoralized Mind

By John F Schumaker

December 24, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Our descent into the Age of Depression seems unstoppable. Three decades ago, the average age for the first onset of depression was 30. Today it is 14. Researchers such as Stephen Izard at Duke University point out that the rate of depression in Western industrialized societies is doubling with each successive generational cohort. At this pace, over 50 per cent of our younger generation, aged 18-29, will succumb to it by middle age. Extrapolating one generation further, we arrive at the dire conclusion that virtually everyone will fall prey to depression.

By contrast to many traditional cultures that lack depression entirely, or even a word for it, Western consumer culture is certainly depression-prone. But depression is so much a part of our vocabulary that the word itself has come to describe mental states that should be understood differently. In fact, when people with a diagnosis of depression are examined more closely, the majority do not actually fit that diagnosis. In the largest study of its kind, Ramin Mojtabai of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health sampled over 5,600 cases and found that only 38 per cent of them met the criteria for depression.

Contributing to the confusion is the equally insidious epidemic of demoralization that also afflicts modern culture. Since it shares some symptoms with depression, demoralization tends to be mislabelled and treated as if it were depression. A major reason for the poor 28-per-cent success rate of anti-depressant drugs is that a high percentage of depression cases are actually demoralization, a condition unresponsive to drugs.

Existential disorder.

In the past, our understanding of demoralization was limited to specific extreme situations, such as debilitating physical injury, terminal illness, prisoner-of-war camps, or anti-morale military tactics. But there is also a cultural variety that can express itself more subtly and develop behind the scenes of normal everyday life under pathological cultural conditions such as we have today. This culturally generated demoralization is nearly impossible to avoid for the modern consumer.

Rather than a depressive disorder, demoralization is a type of existential disorder associated with the breakdown of a persons cognitive map. It is an overarching psycho-spiritual crisis in which victims feel generally disoriented and unable to locate meaning, purpose or sources of need fulfillment. The world loses its credibility, and former beliefs and convictions dissolve into doubt, uncertainty and loss of direction. Frustration, anger and bitterness are usual accompaniments, as well as an underlying sense of being part of a lost cause or losing battle. The label existential depression is not appropriate since, unlike most forms of depression, demoralization is a realistic response to the circumstances impinging on the persons life.

As it is absorbed, consumer culture imposes numerous influences that weaken personality structures, undermine coping and lay the groundwork for eventual demoralization. Its driving featuresindividualism, materialism, hyper-competition, greed, over-complication, overwork, hurriedness and debtall correlate negatively with psychological health and/or social wellbeing. The level of intimacy, trust and true friendship in peoples lives has plummeted. Sources of wisdom, social and community support, spiritual comfort, intellectual growth and life education have dried up. Passivity and choice have displaced creativity and mastery. Resilience traits such as patience, restraint and fortitude have given way to short attention spans, over-indulgence and a masturbatory approach to life.

Research shows that, in contrast to earlier times, most people today are unable to identify any sort of philosophy of life or set of guiding principles. Without an existential compass, the commercialized mind gravitates toward a philosophy of futility, as Noam Chomsky calls it, in which people feel naked of power and significance beyond their conditioned role as pliant consumers. Lacking substance and depth, and adrift from others and themselves, the thin and fragile consumer self is easily fragmented and dispirited.

By their design, the central organizing principles and practices of consumer culture perpetuate an existential vacuum that is a precursor to demoralization. This inner void is often experienced as chronic and inescapable boredom, which is not surprising. Despite surface appearances to the contrary, the consumer age is deathly boring. Boredom is caused, not because an activity is inherently boring, but because it is not meaningful to the person. Since the life of the consumer revolves around the overkill of meaningless manufactured low-level material desires, it is quickly engulfed by boredom, as well as jadedness, ennui and discontent. This steadily graduates to existential boredom wherein the person finds all of life uninteresting and unrewarding.

Moral net.

Consumption itself is a flawed motivational platform for a society. Repeated consummation of desire, without moderating constraints, only serves to habituate people and diminish the future satisfaction potential of what is consumed. This develops gradually into consumer anhedonia, wherein consumption loses reward capacity and offers no more than distraction and ritualistic value. Consumerism and psychic deadness are inexorable bedfellows.

Individualistic models of mind have stymied our understanding of many disorders that are primarily of cultural origin. But recent years have seen a growing interest in the topic of cultural health and ill-health as they impact upon general wellbeing. At the same time, we are moving away from naive behavioural models and returning to the obvious fact that the human being has a fundamental nature, as well as a distinct set of human needs, that must be addressed by a cultural blueprint.

In his groundbreaking book The Moral Order, anthropologist Raoul Naroll used the term moral net to indicate the cultural infrastructure that is required for the mental wellbeing of its members. He used numerous examples to show that entire societies can become predisposed to an array of mental ills if their moral net deteriorates beyond a certain point. To avoid this, a societys moral net must be able to meet the key psycho-social-spiritual needs of its members, including a sense of identity and belonging, co-operative activities that weave people into a community, and shared rituals and beliefs that offer a convincing existential orientation.

Similarly, in The Sane Society, Erich Fromm cited frame of orientation as one of our vital existential needs, but pointed out that todays marketing characters are shackled by a cultural programme that actively blocks fulfilment of this and other needs, including the needs for belonging, rootedness, identity, transcendence and intellectual stimulation. We are living under conditions of cultural insanity, a term referring to a pathological mismatch between the inculturation strategies of a culture and the intrapsychic needs of its followers. Being normal is no longer a healthy ambition.

Human culture has mutated into a sociopathic marketing machine dominated by economic priorities and psychological manipulation. Never before has a cultural system inculcated its followers to suppress so much of their humanity. Leading this hostile takeover of the collective psyche are increasingly sophisticated propaganda and misinformation industries that traffic the illusion of consumer happiness by wildly amplifying our expectations of the material world. Todays consumers are by far the most propagandized people in history. The relentless and repetitive effect is highly hypnotic, diminishing critical faculties, reducing ones sense of self, and transforming commercial unreality into a surrogate for meaning and purpose.

The more lost, disoriented and spiritually defeated people become, the more susceptible they become to persuasion, and the more they end up buying into the oversold expectations of consumption. But in unreality culture, hyper-inflated expectations continually collide with the reality of experience. Since nothing lives up to the hype, the world of the consumer is actually an ongoing exercise in disappointment. While most disappointments are minor and easy to dissociate, they accumulate into an emotional background of frustration as deeper human needs get neglected. Continued starvation of these needs fuels disillusion about ones whole approach to life. Over time, peoples core assumptions can become unstable.

Culture proofing.

At its heart, demoralization is a generalized loss of credibility in the assumptions that ground our existence and guide our actions. The assumptions underpinning our allegiance to consumerism are especially vulnerable since they are fundamentally dehumanizing. As they unravel, it becomes increasingly difficult to identify with the values, goals and aspirations that were once part of our consumer reality. The consequent feeling of being forsaken and on the wrong life track is easily mistaken for depression, or even unhappiness, but in fact it is the type of demoralization that most consumer beings will experience to some degree.

For the younger generation, the course of boredom, disappointment, disillusion and demoralization is almost inevitable. As the products of invisible parents, commercialized education, cradle-to-grave marketing and a profoundly boring and insane cultural programme, they must also assimilate into consumer culture while knowing from the outset that its workings are destroying the planet and jeopardizing their future. Understandably, they have become the trance generation, with an insatiable appetite for any technology that can downsize awareness and blunt the emotions. With society in existential crisis, and emotional life on a steep downward trajectory, trance is todays fastest-growing consumer market.

Once our collapsed assumptions give way to demoralization, the problem becomes how to rebuild the unconscious foundations of our lives. In their present forms, the psychology and psychiatry professions are of little use in treating disorders that are rooted in culture and normality. While individual therapy will not begin to heal a demoralized society, to be effective such approaches must be insight-oriented and focused on the cultural sources of the persons assumptions, identity, values and centres of meaning. Cultural deprogramming is essential, along with culture proofing, disobedience training and character development strategies, all aimed at constructing a worldview that better connects the person to self, others and the natural world.

The real task is somehow to treat a sick culture rather than its sick individuals. Erich Fromm sums up this challenge: We cant make people sane by making them adjust to this society. We need a society that is adjusted to the needs of people. Fromms solution included a Supreme Cultural Council that would serve as a cultural overseer and advise governments on corrective and preventive action. But that sort of solution is still a long way off, as is a science of culture change. Democracy in its present guise is a guardian of cultural insanity.

We are long overdue a cultural revolution that would force a radical revamp of the political process, economics, work, family and environmental policy. It is true that a society of demoralized people is unlikely to revolt even though it sits on a massive powder keg of pent-up frustration. But credibility counteracts demoralization, and this frustration can be released with immense energy when a credible cause, or credible leadership, is added to the equation.

It might seem that credibility, meaning and purposeful action would derive from the multiple threats to our safety and survival posed by the fatal mismatch between consumer culture and the needs of the planet. The fact that it has not highlights the degree of demoralization that infects the consumer age. With its infrastructure firmly entrenched, and minimal signs of collective resistance, all signs suggest that our obsolete systemwhat some call disaster capitalismwill prevail until global catastrophe dictates for us new cultural directions.

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The Kwara State Police Command along side other state securities, have deployed at least, 12,500 officers of the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and Nigeria Peace Corps have been deployed to maintain law and order and ensure security of lives and property during the Christmas celebration in the State.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawan Ado, who spoke through the commands Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, in an interview with our correspondent, on Saturday, said the command had deployed no fewer than 2,500 police officers, aside from the usual police officers on duty.

Also, the state Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr, Sunday Maku, said no fewer than 3,000 FRSC officers had been deployed across the state.

He added that more officers were expected from the zonal and national headquarters of the corps and that the command had deployed 25 patrol vehicles, three ambulances, and established three roadside clinics at Omu-Aran, Ilorin and Bode Sadu.

The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Adeyinka Ayinla, who spoke through the commands PRO, Mr. Henry Bilesanmi, said the command had deployed 3,000 officers in the state.

In addition, the state Commander, Nigeria Peace Corps, Mr. Lukman Yekini, said no fewer than 4,000 officers of the command had been posted across the 16 local government councils of the state.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The ECJ ruling in case (C- 462/16) on Thursday 20 December 2017 is a victory for pharmaceutical companies, who will now be allowed to calculate VAT when providing rebates to private health insurers in the same way as when they do public health insurers. The German tax authorities did not allow pharmaceutical companies to do so, which created a huge financial burden for the sector.

German system

In Germany, pharmacies issue pharmaceutical products to persons with public health insurance pursuant to a framework agreement concluded with the national association of public health insurance funds. The pharmaceutical products are supplied to the public health insurance funds, which make them available to the persons insured. The pharmacies grant discounts to public health insurance funds on the price of the medicinal products. Pharmaceutical companies must then reimburse pharmacies and wholesalers for this discount. For the purposes of VAT, the German tax authorities treat the discount as a reduction in remuneration.

Unlike public health insurance funds, private health insurance funds are not themselves seen as the customer for the medicinal products, but merely reimburse the persons they insure for the costs incurred when they purchase pharmaceutical products. Pharmaceutical companies are then bound, under national legislation, to grant private health insurance funds a discount on the price of medicinal products. So far, the German tax authorities have refused to treat the discount as a reduction in remuneration for the purposes of VAT. But following the ECJ ruling the German approach will no longer be allowed.

EU-wide impact

The relevance of the case is not limited to Germany. In fact, over the past years all EU member states have been struggling with this matter. As rising drug prices put an ever-increasing pressure on health budgets, governments and health insurers have introduced a variety of price control measures. Many of these measures involve significant discount structures which go beyond the traditional distribution chains that the EU legislator had in mind when designing the VAT system.

In the proceedings the UK had backed up the German tax authorities, arguing that ECJ case law supports the argument that if discounts are to be taken into consideration when calculating VAT, the final consumer must be part of the transactional chain. Like the German tax authorities, the UK was of the view that because individuals are reimbursed for discounts on sales to private health insurers, they cannot be considered the final consumers.

Opinion AG

In July this year Advocate-General Evgeni Tanchev, published his non-binding Opinion, in which he argued against Germanys application of the VAT rules. According to the Tanchev, the reimbursements under the private health system should in principle not be treated differently to the national system for VAT purposes. This, he said, would avoid a situation in which the tax authorities charge an amount that exceeds the VAT paid by the pharmaceutical companies.

The ECJ has now followed the AG by taking an economic, rather than a technical, approach. It ruled that the fact that a private insurance fund is not the direct beneficiary of the pharmaceutical products supplied by the pharmaceutical company does not break the direct link between the supply of those goods and the consideration received.

This article was written for International Tax Review by Jan Sanders, an international VAT specialist who works as an indirect tax manager at RELX.
by Louise Roseingrave

Seven lucky turkeys who eluded their expected fate this Christmas are being re-homed as pets around the country today.

The plucky posse were picked up from a midlands farmer following an appeal by Little Hill Animal Rescue in Co Kildare.

The turkeys, nicknamed the Magnificent Seven spent the night on a sleeping bag in the back of a car in a housing estate in Newbridge.

Volunteer Monica Donegan organised the collection of the turkeys from the farmer following a successful social media appeal to pay for and re-home the birds.

Driver Jeanne Banks planned to house the birds in her bathroom overnight. However, she was taken aback to find the birds wouldnt budge from their perch in the boot of her Nissan Note.

I had a sleeping bag down over a yoga mat and some old clothes so they were pretty warm and comfortable, Jeanne said.

The charity, backed by actor Pauline McGlynn, found homes for all seven turkeys whove been spared from becoming someones Christmas dinner.

We put up a post on Facebook looking to cover the cost of the turkeys and to find them homes where they will live as pets. It generated a huge response, Little Hill founder Susan Anderson said.

The charity is well known for its work rehabilitating ex-battery hens and is funded entirely by donations.

Jeanne left the turkeys in the car overnight because they refused to get out. We had a good giggle looking at the pictures this morning, Susan said.

The turkeys were eventually coaxed from the car and are being transported today to their various homes where they will be settled safely in time for Christmas.
125 Years Ago

From 1892  Parties returning from San Juan Placers are saying it is hard road to travel and the claims are hard to get for all the rumors of Gold by the Handful. It is about as hard to get out of the placers as it is to get by the more familiar process of sawing wood. Messrs. Fletcher Fairchild, Geo. P. Thornton and Will Babbitt, all reliable men, have returned from that section and have have furnished the first reliable information. They find that the Arizona & Utah Mining Company have located all the good ground.

While going down the steep grade to Jerome Thursday, Freighter Brashs rough lock-chain broke, allowing the wagon to run on his team and resulting in the killing of two of his horses. The off wheeler was thrown down and killed instantly and the wagon lodged against it, preventing the entire team and wagon from being drawn over the grade and 500 or 600 feet down the precipitous hill.

It is officially stated that the contract for the survey of Ft. Valley Military Reservation has been let and that the survey is to be completed no later than January 1, 1893. The work will be done by Deputy U. S. Surveyor Daniel Drummons, who has been sent from Washington D. C for this purpose.

A bill has been introduced in the U. S. House to increase the tax on whiskey from 90 cents to $1.25 per gallon. Those who are in the know say there is no probability of increasing this tax more than 10 cents per gallon.

The coldest morning this month was on the 7th, when the thermometer registered 5 degrees below zero.

100 Years Ago

From 1917  Quite a number went out skating the first of the week on the George Black Pond just north of town. The skater reported the ice bum and will wait until colder weather before venturing out again.

Joe Tissaw was painfully injured Wednesday while working in the new Babbitt Storehouse. He was adjusting a lighting fixture when the screwdriver slipped and penetrated his left eye. Although seriously injured it is thought the sight of the eye can be saved.

Get a ticket on the $350 Howard piano to be given away at Sullivan & Taylors on Christmas Eve. One ticket with each $1 purchase.

The Cornan Employment Agency shipped six men Wednesday to work on the Clarkdale Railroad laying steel.

Sheriff Dickinson and County Attorney Wilson left Wednesday for Florence with Florentino Pedroza, Ruben Gonzales and Mark Baubian, who were sentenced to terms in the penitentiary in the Superior Court on Monday.

John Thomas arrived in town on Wednesday from Oak Creek saying that roadwork is going on in Oak Creek Canyon and will be continued throughout the winter. He also said he and his brother Low lost 5,000 pounds of apples last season on account of not being able to procure help in gathering them.

As a result of the conference held Monday with the Board of Trade and the County Supervisors, an application has been made for $6,000 from the Federal Aid Road Fund to be used in constructing a piece of road that will connect the lower Oak Creek with the Oak Creek Road near the rim. Starting one mile below the pumphouse, the road will run west about a mile and then southwest until it connects with the present Oak Creek road about one-half-mile above the rim. With a maximum grade of 6 percent it is the estimate of the Engineer that no bridges will be necessary.

75 years ago

From 1942  Coffee rationing is now in effect.

The National Red Cross is urging the prompt completion of knitted garments so they can be shipped as soon as possible. Our deadline here has been set as December 15. Mrs. W. M. Bryant, Flagstaff Production Coordinator.

George Peffer, who appeared before Justice of the Peace J. C. Maxwell on Monday, was charged with aggravated assault and battery and was bound over to the Superior Court on a $1,000 bond after his preliminary hearing. It is alleged that he struck Louis Burns with a steel rod inflicting wounds and severe bruises. He is being held in the county jail pending the fall term of the court.

Tom Tombough, Commander of Civilian Defense in this area, will give the first of a series of lessons in a series on civilian defense in the case of a gas attack in the Red Cross Rooms on Leroux Street next Monday evening.

Flagstaff ignored the request to eat less meat and now faces enforced compliance from the Office of Price Administration.

The Forest Service has been very active in gathering abandoned metal junk in the forest and has now sold 283 tons.

The Arizona Highway Department has accepted the work completed on Fort Valley Road. Most other projects are being delayed by the war. Oiling of roads is to be held up for the duration of the war. The Supervisor is asking for concrete surfacing on Highway 66 given the heavy use between Flagstaff and Bellemont due to the work going on at the Navajo Ordnance Depot and the amount of freeze, thawing and icy roads conditions during northern Arizona winters.

In a Friday night ceremony the 15 Nurses Aides received their certificates of graduation from the Red Cross following a dinner the Hotel Monte Vista at 6:30 at which time graduates were guests of Mrs. Harold S. Colton. Dr. Harold S. Colton presided as toastmaster.

Attention: Trucker drivers, if you did not receive anticipated annual amount of gasoline in your application, do not raise your inquiries to the local Flagstaff rationing board. Any questions about an additional amount of gasoline is to be directed to E. F. Korbell, Box 551 Phoenix.

50 Years Ago

From 1967  Through the efforts of Bill Rogers, Flagstaff and Sedona residents who have loved ones overseas can send messages to them this Christmas season via Military Affiliate Radio Service. Rogers, who operates Rogers Electronics, has a ham shack out in Hidden Hollow off the Fort Valley Road and takes telephone calls at 774-3916, saying this phone is manned most of the time and urging anyone who does not get a reply to try again. He is happy to send messages free of charge.

With some patches of blue overhead, the accumulation of 47 inches of snow outside seems more beautiful. Snow removal equipment has been working around the clock and most streets are open at this point. U.S. 66 from Flagstaff east is closed. The Coconino Sheriffs Office received word that the highway is also closed from the New Mexico border almost to Albuquerque. West of Flagstaff U.S. 66 is open from the Coconino-Mohave County line to Seligman but it is rough with chains strongly advised.

The gloom at the state capital isnt entirely the fault of the weather with its rain and frigid temperatures. Legislators' pay has ended and they still havent passed a school finance and tax reform package. They are now working without a paycheck coming.

The Air National Guard is preparing for an emergency hay drop Sunday on Hopi reservation where the storm has isolated stock without food. A C-123 cargo plane has been made available for this. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is coordinating this mission.

Santas Sleigh got stuck in the snow preventing his expected visit to the Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce last week. He will try again and weather permitting will arrive at the Sedona Elks Lodge for the annual Elks Lodge Christmas Party for children. It is open to all children in community under 12 years of age.

25 years ago

From 1992  Some 1993 Coconino County property assessments have gone through the roof and so have some of the property owners. County Assessor Betty Peck said that the 6.4 percent overall increase is nothing out of the ordinary but some homeowners find themselves remarkably above that average. Those who feel their assessment is inaccurate have until January 25 to apply for a reassessment.

With the cooperation of several local bars and restaurants, the Citizens Against Substance Abuse and the Coconino Sheriffs Department have joined forces to single out designated drivers and to reward those who resist the urge to join their friends in drinking alcoholic beverages with free non-alcoholic beverages so they may drive their friends safely home.

Given that DUI arrests have doubled in just the past year it is evident that there are increasing numbers of us who are willing to flirt with tragedy.

Although there have been some complaints over the city policy since September of not picking up bulky trash every week it has led to a more effective, efficient operation and use of manpower. We are looking for ways to be more productive without increasing costs, said Solid Waste Superintendent Ben Fisk. A special bulky trash pickup is now scheduled on a rotating around town basis for every fourth week. Be sure to put your bulkies out on Monday of your week as the particular day depends on the amount picked up before the crew gets to you.

Just in case you hadnt noticed, it costs a bit more to live in Flagstaff. An ASU study recently released for 1991 showed Flagstaff overall at precisely 3 percent above the national average. Health care rate is 18 percent above national average, housing 9 percent and groceries 2 percent. Other studies that include Flagstaff with the entire West show that health care in the West is higher overall than it is in the eastern part of our country.
FORGET 34th, there was a miracle on Pyle Street this week and Santa will take flight once again this Christmas Eve  thanks to a little help from the County Press and Nettlecombe Farm.

Last week the County Press reported the annual Santa Tracker, run by the Isle of Wight Weather Centre, needed 300 for upgraded servers to deal with the extra traffic. Last year more than one million people visited the website to watch Santa as he made his way across the UK.&a mp;lt;/p>

However, the Santa Tracker has been saved after Nettlecombe farm agreed to be this year's sponsor  and they have even offered Santa the use of their reindeer, Comet and Dancer.

Meteorologist David Carrington runs the Santa tracker, updating it between 7pm and 9pm on Christmas Eve.

He said: "It has taken such a weight off, and I can't wait to get the Santa tracker back up and running again."
RALEIGH  As cleanup continues from the most recent North Carolina elections held without a regulatory board to settle disputes, both local and state officials are wondering if the court case that vacated the board will be settled before the next elections in May.

County boards and judges  not the state elections board  are still handling appeals from municipal elections in November. They include a mayors race that was decided by three votes and a one-vote race where ineligible voters cast ballots.

North Carolina hasnt had a statewide elections board since June because Gov. Roy Cooper is challenging a law that would change the boards composition to be divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Cooper, a Democrat, has gone to court against the GOP-controlled legislature to keep the system that gives the governors party a majority of the boards members. The litigation is now before the state Supreme Court.

So the staff members of an empty board have forwarded the cases to Superior Court judges in Wake County, who have demonstrated a desire to make a difficult situation work, said Josh Lawson, attorney for the State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. And were seeing that play out in multiple scenarios in the absence of our board.

For example, the winners of races in Boone went to court in mid-December for an order allowing them to take their seats because a protester argued that the winners should have to wait until the elections board had members.

The whole issue could have been avoided if the board had been available to adopt a one-stop voting plan for Watauga County because thats what triggered the dispute, Lawson said.

On Wednesday, state board staff sought a judicial review of the mayoral race in Sharpsburg, a town with residents in three counties, and the town council race in Winterville.

The Wilson County precinct received just seven ballots for Sharpsburg voters; the precinct has 349 voters eligible to cast ballots for Sharpsburg mayor, said Rena Morris, the county elections director. The precinct didnt have Sharpsburg ballots for about two hours, she said.

Mayoral candidate Robert Williams, who lost by three votes, said in his complaint that several potential voters were turned away.

The shortage occurred because of an inaccurate report that Morris ran before the election. That report showed just two voters at the Wilson County precinct who were eligible for a Sharpsburg ballot, she said. When she ran the same report on Election Day, she got 349.

Typically, the protest over the ballot shortage would have been filed Election Day with the state board.

The Pitt County Board of Elections recommended a new election for Winterville town council after it discovered that 10 people who dont live in the town limits were allowed to vote.

The incumbent, who lost that race by one vote, has conceded. But Lawson said the county board cant certify results that it knows are incorrect.

Other issues facing the member-less board include ethics complaints and new rules, Lawson said.
I understand to the victor go the spoils, but the tax reform orchestrated by the Republican Congress is simply brazen and irresponsible.

I would not necessarily be opposed to a revenue neutral reduction in the 35-percent corporate tax rate, assuming there was a rational case to be made.

But the rational case for this fiasco rests with the opposition.

Where were the public hearings or independent analysis? It is tax reform vacuous of any intellectual veracity. What we have is akin to a high-school student reading the inside jacket as adequate preparation for a book report due the next day.

This process was marred by illegible changes handwritten in the margins of the actual bill, internal analysis of one page justifying its goals, and two-page summaries so that members of Congress would not have to read the voluminous text for themselves prior to voting. The speed with which this legislation was crafted is incongruent with the complexity of the tax system.

It is also bad political optics when nearly 9 million children who depend on the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for their health care are placed on hold while Republicans rush to pass tax reform. CHIP covers children of parents whose earnings exceed Medicare qualifications, but cannot afford insurance. Placing a higher priority on helping the well connected (the top 1 percent getting 83 percent of the tax benefits according to Vox) over childrens health care cannot be reconciled.

To bypass the Byrd Rule, a condition of the budget reconciliation process that allows Republicans to pass legislation with only 51 votes, GOP gimmickry includes sun-setting individual rates while corporate rates are placed in perpetuity.

Ive long held that the fundamental difference between contemporary Democrats and Republicans is that the former cannot win elections and the latter cannot govern. In the prosecution of my thesis against the Republicans I offer the current tax legislation as exhibit A.

According to a Bloomberg September 2017 article, Corporate America has never been in better shape to put its cash hoard to use on everything from investment to acquisitions, share buybacks and dividends. Or just hold on to it. Bloomberg also cites corporate reserves have increased 60 percent since the end of the recession in 2009. It is politically fallacious to contend that corporations are patiently waiting for tax cuts to raise wages, hire more workers or to jumpstart the economy.

Republican commitment to rush through this panoply of corporate giveaways tragically ignores what America needs most. This legislation renders any potential investment in infrastructure null and void.

The failure to invest in infrastructure corresponds with the inability to grow. It risks placing our economic and social fabric in peril. Ignoring infrastructure for a short-term mess of pottage also enhances national security risks.

Social ramifications such as poverty, education, health care and the environment are quality of life concerns. Infrastructure investment will not completely eradicate these issues, but there is little doubt it would make dramatic improvement.

More than a permanent tax cut, corporations need a competent workforce to assume the available jobs. Without this particular investment in Americas social infrastructure, are we not destined to continue the hackneyed nativist argument that foreign workers are taking American jobs?

Corporations are not social experiments; they are in business to make money. They should not be harnessed with onerous legislation prohibiting that goal. But given the reserves currently at their disposal, what would the tax reform championed by Republicans achieve that corporations could not do already?

It is a false equivalency to offer this is no different than Democrats pushing through health-care legislation. The Democrats process was open and deliberate, complete with independent analysis. Republicans chose from day one of the Obama presidency not to participate. And for its imperfections, characteristic of most legislation, more individuals having health care is a moral imperative if a nation is to prosper. What is the moral imperative for this tax-reform legislation?

Under its current configuration, tax reform potentially comes at the expense of Americas long-term interest, economically and socially. This is the political gambit Republicans have put forth to the American people.

In a democratic-republic form of government, the path pursued is as important, if not more so, as the end product. The circuitous path taken by Republicans may produce the inverted order whereby the unintended consequences of the legislation were actually the goal.

During Prohibition, alcohol was sold legally for religious purposes. As a result, there was a sudden rise in rabbis possessing surnames like Jackson, OShaughnessy and Rossi. Likewise, because of the Republican tax reform, were likely to see an influx of well-heeled individuals suddenly becoming corporations.

Im not sure how this makes America great again.
Far away from me, I try to find out against me that means finding a deed against Stockholm and Helsinki at least these two cities in the Nordic region, already next year, is my rebellion against wrong Christians. Old isis soldiers will find in the Nordic region my wonderful dream with the wrong Christian.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan landed in Khartoum on Sunday and met his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir at the start of a three-country African tour.

Twelve accords were signed at the outset of his two-day visit to Khartoum, including economic and military deals as well as on the creation of a strategic cooperation council, Erdogan told a news conference.

He said the two Muslim countries aimed at boost two-way trade from the current level of $500 million a year to $1 billion in an initial stage and then $10 billion.

Bashir hailed the trip by Erdogan, who is to travel on to Chad and Tunisia, as an "historic" first visit to Sudan by a Turkish president.

Sudan's leader, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and war crimes in the strife-torn Darfur region, earlier this month attended a summit in Istanbul of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Erdogan called on those at the summit to condemn US President Donald Trump's recognition on December 6 of the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something

over there only because I am here . But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past

as past
LINCOLN  According to Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes, NDA and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarians have discovered a bovine tuberculosis (TB) positive cow in a beef cattle herd in Wheeler County.

The Nebraska herd was identified through an epidemiological investigation from an infected herd in South Dakota.

Nebraska was contacted by the South Dakota Animal Industry Board earlier this year as they began to trace the movement of cattle into and out of their infected herd, Hughes said. We have been diligently working with our counterparts in South Dakota and the USDA to locate and test the cattle that were moved into Nebraska, and through that testing procedure we discovered the TB positive cow in Wheeler County.

NDA and USDA are currently working together with the producer, who has been cooperating with both agencies. The herd is under quarantine.

Our staff will be conducting a thorough investigation tracing the movement of cattle into and out of the Wheeler County herd, Hughes said. We will also be working to locate any cattle that may have been pastured next to and had fence line contact with the infected herd. TB is primarily transmitted through nose to nose contact, so it is imperative that we work with those neighboring producers to test their cattle as well.

Bovine tuberculosis is a slow, progressive disease and is difficult to diagnose in the early stages. However, as the disease progresses, animals can exhibit emaciation, lethargy, weakness, anorexia, low-grade fever and a pneumonia with a chronic, moist cough.

If a producer sees any of these symptoms in their herd, they should contact their local veterinarian.

Further information, including FAQ sheets on TB, can be found on the NDA website at www.nda.nebraska.gov.
LINCOLN  On Dec. 14, the Lincoln-based Organization For Competitive Markets (OCM), along with the D.C.-based legal nonprofit Democracy Forward Foundation, filed suit in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, alleging that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue ignored thousands of comments made during public hearings and submitted in writing when he withdrew the Farmer Fair Practice Rule (FFPR) back in October.

The FFPR is an Obama-era directive with origins in the 2008 Farm Bill. It was designed under statutory requirements to protect farmers and ranchers who contract with agribusiness corporations. Because of this, the decision to toss the regulation is unlawful, according to the complaint.

One of the reasons were really interested in this case is because it has such tremendous and direct impact on small and independent farmers to compete in the market, said Aman George, director of legal policy at Democracy Forward. We had seen some coverage on this issue and did some research and saw that OCM has been way out front in advocating for the rule and criticizing the roll-back.

The litigation claims the withdrawal was illegal because it didnt establish a clear record as to why it was done and was thus arbitrary and capricious.

The vast majority of independent livestock operations in the country are not actually independent; they typically supply exclusively to a single buyer, (usually large, vertically integrated, multinational corporations). Because there are so few buyers in the market place, the individual producer is often subject to the whims of these corporations.

What you find now is that the marketplace is so concentrated, said Joe Maxwell, Executive Director of OCM, during a phone interview Tuesday. There are so few buyers of cattle, pigs or chickens, and theres only so few folks with a contract  that farmers literally only have one option in most parts of this country,

This lack of options to market their livestock means individual producers can be blackballed and subjected to retaliatory actions if they speak out against a packer or processor.

(The packers) shut them down by denying to buy their livestock, or by denying them a contract, Maxwell said.

Because producers rely on contracts to place the next flow of pigs or chickens into the buildings which theyve built (and have often time borrowed money against their farms and homes to contruct), the results of having these contracts denied can be devastating, Maxwell said.

(Farmers) are scared. Its real, its America, and theyre under threat of losing their family farms because of these big corporations, he said.

Only two producers, Nebraska-based rancher James Dinklage, and Alabama Farm couple Jonathan and Connie Buttram, joined the lawsuit, which Maxwell attributes to the threat of being blacklisted by packers.

If you speak out against the abuse, then you know youre cutting your own throat, Maxwell said. What Sonny Perdue did is throw these farmers to the wolves.

These corporations do not play fair, it is not in their best interest to play fair, and if government is not providing the safeguards for the market  and therefore the producer  its kind of like David versus Goliath, except David doesnt even have his slingshot and Goliath can do whatever he wants.

Critics have said that the purpose of the act is to protect competition, not individual competitors. Others feared the rule would eliminate bonuses and premiums which packers pay to producers for meeting and exceeding the terms of their contracts. However, Maxwell argues that government has a place in the market.

The Sherman Act was meant to protect trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopolies, which was further strengthened by the subsequent Clayton Act. For farmers and ranchers, Maxwell said, the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 recognized that government has a role in the market to act as a referee to ensure that there are safeguards in place so that the markets work.

OCM stands for fair, transparent, just markets, he said. Many folks want to speak out against regulations, but in this case these regulations are just safeguards to make sure that the market does work  that our free-enterprise capitalist system does work  for everyone in the market.

While buyers certainly have rights under the market, Maxwell said that large multinational corporations exert undue influence because of their size.

Smithfield (Foods) is owned by China and controls 25 percent of the pigs, he said. JBS Brazil is the largest beef producer and poultry producer in the united states, and JBS just bought out Cargills Pork Division, so they are number four in the country on pork.

The USDA does not comment on pending litigation. The court has since issued a briefing schedule, OCM will file its first brief in court on Feb. 6, and the agency will have until early to mid-March to respond.
WASHINGTON  Amid growing tumult over whether the USDA Organic label really guarantees that a product is grown as advertised, Congress is weighing legislation that would roughly double the budget for the USDAs oversight of the organic industry.

The bill, introduced by Rep. John Faso, R-N.Y., has 33 House cosponsors, and its backers hope that its bipartisan support will enable its passage next year.

The USDAs National Organic Program is supposed to protect consumers from food that is advertised as organic but that does not meet organic standards. This year The Washington Post has published several stories casting doubt on the authenticity of the products from some of the largest organic producers of milk, eggs and imported grains.

Theres a growing concern about the capacity of the Agriculture Department to accurately monitor products that are labelled organic but may not actually be, Faso said, citing the shipments of bogus organic soybeans from the Ukraine through Turkey to the United States, which was reported in The Post in May.

Because you can get a premium price, there are inevitably going to be people who will try to trick the [organic] system, Faso said. Under the terms of this bill, we will gradually increase the funding thats available to the department and the regulators, so that we can better track and monitor these products.

The legislation roughly doubles the budget for the USDAs organic program to $24 million over the next five years. It also, among other things, calls for the modernization of the USDA system that tracks imports of purportedly organic foods, allows organic inspectors to share investigative information across a supply chain, and requires officials to file an annual report to Congress detailing its organic investigations.

I definitely support it, said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who sponsored the 1990 legislation creating the USDAs organic program. Since then, he said, the rapid growth in sales has outpaced enforcement. Weve built a tremendous, $47 billion industry. Im not going to let it disappear.

The legislation caps a year of unprecedented upheaval within the organic food industry where, while sales remain strong, many have warned that gaps in enforcement of the USDA Organic label is eroding consumer faith.

The responsibility for regulating the industry lies with USDAs National Organic Program, which defines what farming methods count as organic and issues certificates to farmers and handlers that comply with those rules. Those certificates allow those farmers and handlers to sell food as organic. The organic label enables them to charge as much twice the price of a conventional product.

For years, an organic watchdog group, the Cornucopia Institute, raised questions about the rigor of organic enforcement. This year, however, amid reports of failures in several significant components of the industry, the program has faced a remarkable level of skepticism. In September, the chief of the program, Miles McEvoy, announced that he would be retiring. But several other events promised that the turmoil would continue.

The questions about the program largely revolve around the belief that products unfit to be called organic are nevertheless winning the right to bear the USDA Organic label.

 Several farm groups are, out of frustration, creating alternatives to the USDA Organic label. Most prominently, the Rodale Institute, a key early supporter of the USDA Organic label, and Patagonia, the apparel maker, are promoting a new regenerative organic standard that they say will fill in gaps in the current USDA organic rules. In announcing the program, Rose Marcario, president of Patagonia, wrote that the boom for organics has coincided with a boom for imposters.

 The Organic Trade Association, which represents 9,000 organic businesses in the U.S. and has long been an ally of the USDAs National Organic Program, sued the USDA in an attempt to force it to establish more humane rules for livestock on organic farms. As a Post story illustrated earlier this year, those rules are much less stringent than many consumers think: a henhouse can be deemed USDA Organic even if it holds 180,000 birds who are not allowed outside and are kept at a density of three hens per square foot of floor space. In a follow up decision, the USDA ruled that the animals in organic products need not be treated any more humanely than those in conventional farming.

 As much as half or more of some organic commodities are imported, and in a September audit, the Inspector General of the USDA revealed that bogus organic products from overseas could easily get into the U.S. undetected. It found lax enforcement of at U.S. ports. The report followed an article in The Washington Post revealing that millions of pounds of fraudulent organic corn and soybeans had reached American ports. According to the inspector general: The USDA was unable to provide reasonable assurance that  required documents were reviewed at U.S. ports of entry to verify that imported agricultural products labeled as organic were from certified organic foreign farms.

These signs of discontent arise at least partially from the rapid growth of the industry. As it has grown, critics say, the industry has outgrown USDA enforcement capabilities. In addition, the growth means that the idealistic farmers who joined the organic movement years ago have come elbow-to-elbow with much larger companies which, according to critics, seem more interested in profits than farming to improve the environment or health.

What was the organic movement has lost control of the National Organic Program - the pirates have taken over the ship, said Dave Chapman, a Vermont farmers who has farmed organically for 37 years.

This year, Chapman helped organize a series Protect Organic rallies across the country. He, too, is seeking with other farmers to develop an alternative to the USDA Organic seal which, he believes, betrays consumer expectation.

There are systemic problems, Chapman said. This is not just a few bad eggs. Unfortunately, consumers have no idea what theyre getting with USDA Organic anymore.

Whether the new legislation would, if passed, silence such criticism may be unlikely.

The legislation leaves unaddressed two fundamental aspects of the National Organic Program that, critics say, undermine enforcement of organic standards.

First, is the position of the National Organic Program within the bureaucracy. While the USDA Organic label might seem to consumers to be equal to other USDA labels, the enforcement of the USDA Organic label is not conducted by the usual USDA inspectors. Instead, the National Organic Program is tucked into the USDAs marketing arm, the Agricultural Marketing Service, and that is geared more toward boosting sales than inspecting food.

In all fairness, no one at USDA has ever really wanted the [organic] program - it has always been the ugly step sister of the department, Richard Mathews, former assistant deputy of the USDA office that oversees the organic program. It doesnt really get the support it needs.

Second, there is a conflict of interest embedded in the organic inspection program. To win the USDA Organic label, farms need not undergo a review by government inspectors. Instead, farms hire their own inspection companies, or certifiers, to conduct the visits.

To mitigate the risk that organic inspection companies will overlook faults for favored clients, the USDA conducts reviews of the inspection companies. But as many critics have pointed out, the potential conflict of interest is powerful: the farmer pays his inspector, and an inspector who finds fault may not get hired again.

Regardless, many within the industry argue that the new legislation will, if passed, go a long way to resolving at least some of the controversies within the industry. The expanded budget, for example, would allow for the USDA to conduct more inspections of certifiers and of farms.

Laura Batcha, executive director of the Organic Trade Association, acknowledged that these are difficult times.

But, she said, We want to find ways to keep the standards evolving to meet the consumers expectation...The bill will broaden the scope of where enforcement can happen.

John Bobbe, executive director of OFARM, a farmer cooperative based in the Midwest, has been pushing since last year for more stringent enforcement of imported organic products. He and other organic grain farmers in the U.S. have noted that with an influx of organic grains from abroad - some of which is organic in name only - prices for U.S. farmers have plummeted, and some may have to give up the business.

Bobbe said the bill should be more specific - regarding the number of inspectors that should be hired, for example, as well as requirements for international cooperation in investigations.

But, he said, Its a step in the right direction, which is encouraging.
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Medical marijuana is shown in Toronto, November 5, 2017. Marijuana consumers are likely to have a flood of options when pot becomes legal next summer and now a not-for-profit group is stepping in to help determine which products to trust. The National Institute for Cannabis Health and Education said its CannabisWise certification will test businesses on quality and safety guidelines, similar to the way other voluntary programs regulate pharmacy services or fish products in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
Adrian Pearce holds an unopened Christmas gift in a handout photo. As Canadians tear open their presents this Christmas morning, there's one dog-eared gift that an Edmonton man won't be opening that came from an old girlfriend who dumped him almost 50 years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Adrian Pearce MANDATORY CREDIT
Supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny vote during a meeting that their candidate for the presidential election race is nominated in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017. Opposition leader Navalny is barred from the race by an embezzlement conviction he calls politically motivated. Nevertheless, the 41-year-old anti-corruption crusader has run a yearlong grass-roots campaign and staged waves of rallies to push the Kremlin to let him run. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley votes in favor of a resolution, Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. The Security Council is voting on proposed new sanctions against North Korea, including sharply lower limits on its refined oil imports, the return home of all North Koreans working overseas within 12 months, and a crackdown on the country's shipping. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Kenosha native leads food company

Kenosha native Christian Evans has been named president of Grain Place Foods Inc.

Located in Marquette, Neb., Grain Place Foods manufactures organic products and offers custom contract services in the organic and Non- GMO food products field.

Evans attended Bradford High School and Carthage College. He moved to Nebraska to work as executive director of the Aurora Area Chamber and Development Corporation in 2008.

He joined Grain Place Foods in 2013 as the chief operating officer. As of Dec. 1, he is the newly named president of the corporation which just finished its 30th year of operations.
More than 30 years ago, the Henriettas of Back at the Ranch began having Christmas adventures. They have trouble writing new stories, since they use the hunt and peck system of typing, so this is one from their archives.

Christmas Eve blew in like a politician up for re-election, except instead of hot air, the wind was cold.

Down in the hen house, all the Henriettas were busy poking coop litter into the holes, which were letting fine snow sift in. (The hens were all named Henrietta because even they couldnt tell each other apart.)

They were also busy reminiscing. Last year they had pulled Santas sleigh.

But that was last year, clucked one Henrietta, and this year nothing is going to relieve the tedium of being a chicken!"

Just then they heard a faint scratching at the chicken-sized door that led into the yard.

Who could that be at this hour? asked Henrietta.

It couldnt be Santa. He always came down the air vent. It couldnt be the Lazy Human who brought the food. She always came in the people door and let in terrible amounts of wind and snow!

Maybe one of us got left outside, suggested a Henrietta.

They heard the noise again, and plucking up her courage, the bravest Henrietta opened the little door.

Horrors! Lying on the ramp up to the door was a fox!

Squawking and fluttering, the frightened hens rushed to close the tiny door, but stopped when the fox began to speak.

Please, good hens. Just let me in for a little while to warm up. Im nearly freezing and havent the strength to get back to my den and my dear family.

The Henriettas may have been a little short on brains, but they were big on heart. Grabbing his long, bedraggled red fur in their beaks, they hauled him inside, his lean body barely squeezing through the little door. Then they covered him gently with some reasonably clean straw and went to roost.

None of them slept very comfortably. Naturally, no one could turn away a stranger on Christmas Eve, but still -- a fox?

They were abruptly awakened a few hours later when the human arrived to bring their breakfast. She was in a great hurry to get home to her own breakfast and in her haste, left the big door slightly ajar.

This was terrible! The only thing that protected the hens from the two, huge, chicken-killing dogs next door was the fact that the dogs couldnt fit through their small door. Now the hens would be at their mercy, and it was nearly the hour when the dreadful dogs usually snooped and sniffed their way through the ranch.

Not only that, the fox was beginning to wake up. He looked much bigger now with his fur dry and fluffy. As he yawned and stretched, the hens looked with fear at his sharp white teeth.

Now they could hear the dogs snuffling and woofing. In a moment theyd discover the open door and all the Henriettas would become nothing more than ghosts of Christmas Past.

They huddled together in the middle of the hen house floor, the fox crouched on one side, the dogs nosing the door open wider on the other. Surely this was the end!

Suddenly, the fox sprang, but instead of landing among the helpless Henriettas he sailed over their heads.

Expecting an easy kill, the dogs were stunned when a Rhode Island Red-colored ball of fur and teeth drove them whimpering from the coop, never to return. As they licked their wounds, they reflected that scarce as hens' teeth was a very misleading saying.

Once outside, the fox was not inclined to re-enter the hen house -- he hated being cooped up. So, with a wave of his paw at the still-stunned hens, he trotted off to his den for a Christmas meal of roast chicken (after all, he was a fox).

As for the Henriettas, once their ruffled feathers settled down, they enjoyed their Christmas breakfast to the fullest, including the humans leftover chicken salad (after all, they were chickens).

Merry Christmas from the Henriettas and the Lazy Human.

Lyndel Meikle lives in the Deer Lodge area.
On the morning of December 19, 2017, Chris Lawrence Storseth passed away at home in Helena, MT surrounded by his family. He was 40 years old. Christopher was born on June 4, 1977 at 2:55 am in Glendive, Montana. He was the first born son of Pete and Donna Storseth.

Chris was a happy go lucky kid. He spent lots of time with his brothers and family. Chris loved skateboarding and all water sports. If you could do it on the water he had to try it! He was always surrounded by so many great friends. Chris was never afraid to try anything new or to simply go against the grain to just see what would happen! He was an unbelievable man and he touched so many peoples' lives over the years.

Chris met his wife Mary in 1998 in Illinois while he was a Locomotive Engineer. They were married on September 2, 2000 in Davenport, Iowa. They had two beautiful and amazing boys, Ryan, 17 years old and Caleb, 10 years old. He also dearly loved the newest addition to the family, his dog, Meatball; they have spent every moment together for 5 months.

Chris has done so much in his short life. He was always excited to learn new things. He would not stop learning until he had mastered it. Chris graduated from Helena High School in 1996 and was a lifelong student of the School of Hard Knocks. He was interested in everything from art to music, politics, technology, real estate, well just about everything that could possibly be interesting. After he was an engineer, he became a general contractor and Real Estate broker.

He began his career in Illinois and continued pushing forward in Helena, MT. Chris built his first vision, The Regency Condominiums and put everything into making sure they were beautiful homes. After developing, he and his wife started a Property Management Company (Queen City Property Management.) In 2013 he and his family moved to Naples, Florida. He was a Real Estate Broker in Florida. He then found a passion for the web. He became a Microsoft developer and also built an amazing website, Tenantbook.com.

Chris found a new passion at the end of 2009. That passion was for Christ. He took a backpack trip to Israel to get as close to God as possible. There he became a man who tried to live his life by the Word of God. He was a man of great Faith. The Lord had changed his life in so many ways. He wanted to make sure that he did his part and spread the Word whenever he had the chance.

Christopher was an amazing, brilliant, loving, stubborn gift from God to anyone who truly knew him. Chris was a father, a son, a husband, a brother, and unforgettable and amazing friend to everyone who knew him. The world has truly lost not only a beautiful and brilliant mind, but a genuinely beautiful soul. Chris you will forever be missed by many, but he will never be forgotten.

Christopher is survived by his wife, Mary, two sons, Ryan and Caleb, parents, Pete and Donna Storseth, brother, Joe Storseth, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and many dear friends.

Christopher is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Richard and Phyllis Gindhart, paternal grandparents, Elizabeth and Walter Storseth, his brother, Ryan Matthew Storseth and uncle, Ken Storseth.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave, followed by a reception in the social hall of the funeral home. Memorials in honor of Chris are suggested to a benefit account that has been set up to help support his two sons, Ryan and Caleb  ATTN: Mary Soreth at Helena Community Credit Union, 915 Kessler St., Helena, MT 59601. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Chris.
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As Puerto Rico struggles to rebuild its power grid and roads and come up with an accurate count on the deaths from Hurricane Maria, two Puerto Rican residents are grateful to spend their holiday safe in Billings.

Annette and Aram Garcia Sr. arrived in Billings in mid-October, trading the hurricane for the snow, as Annette said. Before they arrived, their son Aram Garcia Jr. and his family waited three long weeks to get word that his parents were OK.

Category 5 Hurricane Maria hit the American territorial island of Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, destroying most of the electrical grid and many roads. The prolonged blackout and lack of communication worried the Garcia family, who own the Imperial Thai restaurant in downtown Billings.

Aram Jr. grew up in Puerto Rico with his two older sisters and parents. He had faith in his parents ability to survive another hurricane. He believed they could tough it out as long as they had to. Yet, the wait was excruciating.

In early October, Annette was able to drive three hours from Utuado in the central mountains of Puerto Rico to San Juan, the capital and largest city, to get cell service. The main north-south road was washed out, so travel was hazardous, and gas was almost impossible to buy. Annette said she waited in line one day for eight hours to buy gas and left without any.

Her voice on the phone felt like a miracle to Aram Jr.

I kept telling my children, They are OK. Theyre going to call,  Aram Jr. said. Their survival skills are good. But we had gone so long without hearing, no text, no calls. That was scary.

The next step was to bring his parents to Billings. Three months after Hurricane Maria, many parts of the island are still without power because the power grid is operating at about 70 percent. The death toll was officially set at 64, but several news organizations, including the New York Times, believe it is much higher, more than 1,000. The prolonged blackout hampered medical treatment for the most vulnerable, and some deaths occurred because of a lack of medical care.

Together for Christmas

Annette and Aram Sr. have temporarily moved in with the Garcia family, which includes Aram Jr.s wife, Kanda, and their three children, ages 11 to 15.

Annettes 92-year-old mother is still on the island, so Annette wants to return to Puerto Rico in January. It will be her first Christmas in Montana, where her son and his family have lived for eight years.

Annette and Aram Sr. waited out the hurricane along with 15 other people in Annette's mothers house. They had packed ice in coolers, anticipating the loss of power and refrigeration. They used cables to anchor their wood house to the ground.

After the storm, they were able to get water from a spring and cooked their meals over a wood fire in the yard.

They spent the darkest hours of the storm singing, telling stories and playing games. They dealt with the storms devastation with good humor and faith, but they were relieved to finally arrive in Billings.

It felt good to get here, Annette said.

The Imperial Thai will be closed for Christmas, but for the past two months, Annette and Aram Sr. have been helping in the family restaurant, even though Annette said cooking Thai food is so different from her cooking style that she doesnt work in the kitchen. Rather, she and Aram Sr. sweep floors and set tables.

Her two daughters live in Florida and Las Vegas. Since the hurricane, 200,000 Puerto Ricans have fled to Florida as Puerto Rico works to rebuild its infrastructure.

The grandchildren are enjoying having the grandparents here for the holidays and are relieved that they survived the hurricane.

Kanitha Garcia, 16, said she worried constantly about her grandparents.

I wondered how they were getting their food and how they were living, Kanitha said.

Her brother, 15-year-old Pichit, agreed the wait was stressful.

Its been really fun having them, Pichit said.

The family is a blend of religions. On the Puerto Rican side, they are Catholic and on their Thai side they are Buddhist. They honor all religions in their home, Aram Jr. said. Kanda immigrated to the U.S. in 1995 when she was 14.

I am letting our kids pick their ways, Aram Jr. said. They are always asking questions, really good questions. We respect that.

Holiday foods will also reflect their cultures. Annette loves coquito, which she describes as a Puerto Rican eggnog made with coconut milk. She also hopes to make roast pig, which cooks in the oven for 10 hours. Two Thai favorites with the children are garlic stir-fry and Imperial curry.

We will do a lot of eating on Christmas. Its been really, really fun, Annette said of her time with her grandchildren.
"Girl with Hair Ribbon" (1965) by Roy Lichtenstein / Courtesy of Estate of Roy Lichtenstein



By Kwon Mee-yoo



Back when pop art sprang up in the late 1950s, the spirit of the movement was opposed to existing elitist art and reproduced identifiable images borrowed from mass media and popular culture such as Andy Warhol's soup can and Roy Lichtenstein's comic strips.



However, works of pop art nowadays are some of the most sought-after works in the world, having become expensive and now found only in museums.



The M Contemporary Art Center in southern Seoul offers the "Hi, POP" exhibit, featuring works of five of the most notable pop artists -- Robert Rauschenberg, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana and Keith Haring.



Maria Dolores Duran Ucar, curator of ComediArting which co-organized the exhibit, said these five artists blazed a trail of art in New York in the second half of the 20th century and this exhibition will provide a glimpse of how popular culture made its way into fine art.



The exhibition is subtitled "Art: Off the Walls, Out on the Streets" as it aims to make pop art more appealing and approachable to a wider public.



The venue M Contemporary is located on the first floor of luxury hotel Le Meridien Seoul and the exhibit extends to the lobby of the hotel, blurring the boundaries between art and commercialism.



Pop art emerged in Great Britain as a movement against modernism, but it bloomed in the United States. Works of pop art reproduce images of popular culture in a kitschy context, but ironically the reproductions have become exclusive and expensive works of art.



The exhibit begins with Rauschenberg, whose works shifted from Neo Dadaism to Pop art. His "Combine" painting series is a collage of existing objects such as scarves, comic strips and faux architectural cornice materials. The 1955 piece "Bed" was a combination of action painting and readymade as he sprayed paint over a bed and installed it endways.



In the '60s, Rauschenberg returned to flat space and started to work with silk-screens. He used socially significant images from newspapers, magazines and television to portray his critical attitude toward media.





"Tate 1980" (1980) by Robert Rauschenberg / Courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation



Lichtenstein played an important role in the expansion of pop art as he worked with scenes and techniques from comic strips to create powerful messages.



Some criticized him for merely altering existing images, but the artist believed that "The more similar my work is to the original, the more threatening and critical it becomes." Lichtenstein put his own words in the speech bubbles, transcending the cartoon imagery into representations of injustice.



The "Whaam!" series from 1963 takes images from the comic strip by Irv Novick in a 1962 issue of DC Comics' "All-American Men of War" and reflects Lichtenstein's experience in the air force.



Haring's works are displayed in a space that reminds the viewers of subway platforms in New York, a way of paying tribute to the artist known for his graffiti-like work growing out of the New York City street culture of the '80s. He also created several pop art pieces influenced by existing commercial products such as Lucky Strike cigarettes and Coca-Cola.



The artist was interested in how his works spread across the world and he opened the Pop Shop in New York's Soho in 1986, where he sold his own works directly. When asked about the commercialism of his work, Haring said, "I could earn more money if I just painted a few things and jacked up the price. My shop is an extension of what I was doing in the subway stations, breaking down the barriers between high and low art."



The eight-piece "Apocalypse" series from Haring's later days is on view for the first time in Korea.



Robert Indiana, best known for his "LOVE" sculpture, described pop art as the American dream, optimistic, generous and naive. This work came out of his boredom with oversaturation of Abstract expressionism.



"Some young painters turn back to some less exalted things like Coca-Cola, ice-cream sodas, big hamburgers, supermarkets and EAT signs. They are eye-hungry; they pop," Indiana is quoted saying.



In addition to the paintings of the famous hard-edged compositions, Indiana's other designs use bold, simple and iconic images with numbers and short words on view.





"Beethoven II. 392" (1987) by Andy Warhol / Courtesy of Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
Negative system' essential to build more innovative fintechs



By Kim Jae-kyoung



The financial industry is evolving rapidly due to technological progress.



No one doubts that the future in finance is based on technology and that all financial services can be replaced by fintech, or financial technology. Blockchain, which powers bitcoin, is a good example of how fintech can revolutionize the financial landscape.



Against this backdrop, financial regulators around the world are rushing to streamline rules to create an environment allowing market players to try new ways and introduce more innovative services.



In contrast, the Financial Services Commission (FSC), Korea's financial regulator, is hesitant to embrace such changes and has failed to catch up with the new trend.



This belated move has prevented local players from being innovative, leaving Korea further behind its rivals, including Singapore and Australia, in a race to become Asia's fintech center.



At a press conference Thursday, FSC Chairman Choi Jong-ku vowed to support the fintech industry through reorganization but the approach does not seem to be in the right direction from two aspects.



First, the FSC is seeking to react to these new trends only in a marginal way. To create an ecosystem of financial innovation, full-scale regulatory reform is a must.



Second, it is seeking to play a leading role in the fintech-driven industry transformation, but this attempt could cause an unwanted outcome _ killing the innovative spirit of startups.



Market watchers say Korea has one of the most tech-savvy populations in the world, but the legal and regulatory system prevents people from developing innovative products and services.



They stressed that the first thing to do is reform the regulatory scheme toward a "negative" system from a "positive" one.



"The primary problem we face in Korea with the development of the fintech industry is the regulatory environment," Paul Lee, vice president of NSHC Security, a Korean mobile security services provider, said. "Now is the time to adopt a negative system."



Under the positive system, all new businesses and services must meet the requirements of regulations listed in the system, which undermines the creation of innovative fintechs.



This system gives more power to the financial authorities, while preventing new competitors from entering markets, solidifying the status of incumbent players.



In contrast, many financial powerhouses, including the U.S., have adopted a negative system that minimizes pre-regulations but implements stringent penalties when things go wrong.



"Under the current environment, it is difficult to foster innovate fintech startups because the voices of existing players, including banks and other financial firms, are affecting the process of regulatory changes," Lee said.



This means that it is difficult for fintech companies to market their services in Korea because of the regulations and licensing requirements that tend to protect existing financial services companies.



Another thing market players are complaining about is that the FSC _ although it should play the role of a judge _ is trying to be a player in the market.



"The government, in many cases, is trying to step in through financial support, but such an attempt does not help produce innovative services," a chief developer at a Korean mobile payment services provider said on condition of anonymity.



"Therefore, it is important for the government to focus on creating an innovation-friendly environment investors can be attracted to. Currently, Korea is not an ideal place where fintech firms can find business partners as well as investors to fund new technology."



When Uber, a taxi service, and Airbnb, an online accommodation service, were introduced, nobody believed they would change industry paradigms.



Financial regulators must realize that fintech is now "a storm in a tea cup" but it will eventually have a far-reaching impact on the entire financial industry just as Uber and Airbnb have changed the taxi and hotel industries.



"Agility is the key to success in the fintech business," a Singapore-based fintech expert at a global consulting firm, asking not to be named, said. "In Korea, it takes too much time and effort to figure out what's allowed or what's not.



"The FSC should make further efforts to understand emerging technologies and new business models while taking a more risk-specific approach and not stifle innovation."




North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers an address during a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, Saturday. / Yonhap



By Rachel Lee



North Korea vowed Sunday to strengthen its self-defensive nuclear deterrence, rejecting the new U.N. sanctions imposed Friday in response to Pyongyang's latest ballistic missile test.



The U.N. Security Council passed the U.S.-drafted resolution, which includes measures to slash North Korea's petrol imports by up to 90 percent and a ban on exports of North Korean goods.



The North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement that the new sanctions, "manipulated by the U.S. and its loyalists," were a grave violation of the country's sovereignty and an act of war, which destroys the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the region.



"If the U.S. wants to live peacefully, hostile policies towards DPRK should be scrapped, and they should learn how to live together with the country like us with nuclear weapons and awake from their illusion that they can make us give up the nuclear weapons that went through all kinds of hardships," the statement said.



During the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea, Saturday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country will start its bold plans to build up a powerful socialist state, declaring a fight against non-socialist elements, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Sunday.



Kim said the party cells, basic organizations of the party, should be further strengthened and all the party cell chairpersons should fulfill their responsibilities and duties in order to successfully carry out the important and urgent tasks set forth by the party, the news agency said in its English edition.



"He said the offensive should be launched in the party cells, the bases educating the party members and other working people and training them into revolutionaries and the lowest revolutionary posts defending Korean-style socialism," the KCNA said.



Kim also stressed the need to launch a brave offensive to implement the decision of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the party and attain the goal of the five-year strategy for national economic development set forth at the Seventh Workers' Party of Korea Congress to "smash the escalating aggression moves of the U.S. imperialists and their sanctions and pressure and promote the radical progress of socialist construction in a more exciting and elated posture than ever before," the agency said.



The party wrapped up the three-day conference, Saturday. They lead the WPK's lowest-level units, consisting of five to 30 members.


ABC RadioWelcome to the very last show of the World Tour, Garth Brooks told the crowd Saturday night at Nashvilles Bridgestone Arena, before teasing he was free to play all night, since he doesnt have another gig for a while.

In the end, the six-time CMA Entertainer of the Year sang for close to two-and-a-half hours, in a set that started with its only newer song, Baby Lets Lay Down and Dance, before Garth blazed through scorching renditions of his biggest hits and classics. Wearing a Jack Daniels t-shirt and brown plaid, he often literally ran laps around his circular stage to have a moment with different sections of the audience.

Thank you guys for helping us finish this 3-year, 4-month, 12-day, 8-hour -- I dont know -- tour in Nashville, at home, Trisha Yearwood said during her set. Thank you for joining us for this very special night.

The two-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year closed with her breakout hit, Shes in Love with the Boy, showcasing the crowd on kiss-cam on the big screen. The song -- and the kissing -- ended with an extra-long smooch between Garth and Trisha, as they displayed their obvious affection for each other.

From there, it was more big songs and at least one big secret from Garth. Before going into the popular, "secret" third verse of Friends in Low Places, the Oklahoma native revealed hed been recording the final night of the tour for an upcoming live album.

In lieu of a traditional encore, Garth closed with whats become known as housekeeping on this tour: fans hold up signs requesting their favorite songs, and he does as many of them as he can. For the final night of the trek, Garth revealed the new tradition would probably be unique to this outing.

In addition to his own tunes, Garth threw in a couple personal favorites: Keith Whitleys Dont Close Your Eyes and Fishin in the Dark from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He brought Trisha back out to fulfill her own requests, and sang harmony on both Walkaway Joe and Where Your Roads Leads.

So this is what the deal is, Garth concluded. Tonight, Im not as sad as I am anxious, and let me explain why. Cause its time, after 390 shows, he laughed, Its time to close this chapter, and with Gods help, and you guys' help, its time to start writing the next, bigger, better chapter!

Heres the complete set list from Garths final North American date on his World Tour:

Baby Lets Lay Down and Dance

Rodeo

Two of a Kind, Workin on a Full House

The River

Two Pina Coladas

Papa Loved Mama

Unanswered Prayers

If Tomorrow Never Comes

That Summer

The Thunder Rolls

In Anothers Eyes (with Trisha Yearwood)

XXXs and OOOs (Trisha Yearwood)

How Do I Live (Trisha Yearwood)

Wrong Side of Memphis (Trisha Yearwood)

Shes in Love with the Boy (Trisha Yearwood)

Shameless

Shout!

Callin Baton Rouge

Friends in Low Places

The Dance

Shes Every Woman

Dont Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley cover)

Shes Gonna Make It

Wild Horses

Turn the Page

Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)

Fishin in the Dark (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band cover)

Walkaway Joe (Trisha Yearwood)

Where Your Road Leads (Trisha Yearwood)

The Song Remembers When (Trisha Yearwood)

On a Bus to St. Cloud (Trisha Yearwood)

Standing Outside the Fire

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Amidst a year filled with tumultuous politics, a rash of mass shootings and one-after-the-other natural disasters, millions of Americans took a rare moment of repose on Aug. 21.

That day, for just a couple of minutes, the moon traveled between Earth and the sun, creating the first total solar eclipse to cross the country in nearly a century. In Flagstaff, more than 700 people made their way to Lowell Observatorys Mars Hill campus, dawned cardboard eclipse glasses and turned their eyes skyward to see the moon cover about 70 percent of the sun.

"It was brilliant," said Sue Glaw, who was among the visitors to Lowell. "It was more than what I could ever have expected."

The experience was even more dramatic 1,000 miles away in Madras, Oregon, where Lowell hosted another eclipse event directly in the path of totality. An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people attended and the entire event was broadcast live by the Science Channel, putting Lowell in the national spotlight.

In other science news:

Lowells Will Grundy is continuing his position as head of the surface composition team on NASAs New Horizons mission, which is headed to a distant Kuiper Belt object after it made the first ever flyby of Pluto in 2015.

Flagstaffs astronomical credentials got another boost in the spring when Northern Arizona University opened its new Mars Rover Operations and Analysis Laboratory. The lab allows planetary scientists, in collaboration with hundreds of others across the world, to help navigate a rover across the surface of the Red Planet.

Researchers with NAU and Grand Canyon National Park published new findings about the speed and distances that groundwater travels from surface to springs on the Grand Canyons north rim. Tracers showed snowmelt can reach springs in as little as three days and can be tracked to canyon water sources as far as 25 miles away. The research is especially important as Grand Canyon begins to reevaluate its water supply, which currently comes from just one spring source on the North Rim.

The concept of reusing treated wastewater for drinking water got a statewide trial run this year with a competition among breweries to make beer with wastewater that had been sent through an advanced treatment system. Three breweries in Flagstaff joined the contest, which came as state water officials are crafting regulations for the direct potable reuse of water to make it legal statewide.

Flagstaffs use of reclaimed wastewater on golf courses, parks and ski slopes got a stamp of approval from a group of water and genetics experts, university researchers and medical professionals. After reviewing tests of the water as well as conducting their own research, the group members agreed that scientists havent found any evidence that suggests Flagstaffs use of treated effluent puts human health at undue risk.

This year marked W.L. Gore & Associates 50th anniversary in Flagstaff. The company started out developing electronic products like wires and cables but has since shifted its focus to creating an array of medical devices and expanded to become the city's largest private employer with 2,000 employees.

Gore is one of those fine companies that every community would like to have, said John Stigmon, with the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona.
Christmas is about faith, the birth of Jesus and his impact on the world.

For Jared Clairmont, a registered nurse, faith is a verb, a way to have an impact on the lives of other people. He sums it up in a Bible verse, Galatians 5:6: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Clairmont was headed back to Billings for Christmas, but he gave an interview while on board a Mercy Ships floating hospital docked in Cameroon, Africa. He spent 3- months on the Africa Mercy, a Mercy Ships floating hospital that brings modern medical treatment and care to some of the most impoverished nations in the world.

Like all of the nurses, doctors, medical staff and the rest of the crew, Clairmont paid his own way, both for travel and expenses, to volunteer with the international faith-based organization. Some on staff stay for years, while others, like Clairmont, do shorter stints to help out however they can.

Clairmont, who grew up on a ranch outside of Polson, graduated from Montana State University in 2015 with a bachelors degree in nursing. He spent a year caring for cancer patients at Billings Clinic, and then the next year working in the hospitals emergency department.

He first heard about Mercy Ships watching a segment on 60 Minutes. Then he learned that another nurse at Billings Clinic had volunteered on board.

She highly recommended it when I was chatting with her, he said.

Nurses must have two years of experience to be considered, but people from all kinds of backgrounds can apply for other types of jobs, from working in the galley or being part of the deck crew. Clairmont applied to work on the ship in July and was accepted soon after.

Despite jet lag, after he arrived he hit the ground running as a pediatric ward nurse, taking care of younger patients before and after surgery. During his first six weeks on board, physicians dealt with orthopedic cases, and then they transitioned to conditions requiring plastic surgery.

A lot of people in Cameroon still use open fire as their source of heat for cooking, Clairmont said. So a lot of them end up getting burned at an early age, and when they grow up, their skin ends up contracting.

That denies them a full range of motion. But with skin grafts, their ability to move more easily can be restored.

In the orthopedic realm, Clairmont cared for youngsters treated for bowed legs, crooked legs or those with contractures, an abnormal shortening or shrinking of the muscle and tendon.

He told the story of Ulrich, a 12-year-old boy who had quadriceps contractures that were so severe, his back was parallel to the ground. He could only walk by holding sticks in his two hands.

Aboard ship, Ulrich underwent surgery first on one leg and, about a week later, on the other. An after photo of the youth, standing straight and balanced on crutches, showed him with a smile on his face.

The surgery that transforms kids lives brings their mothers and fathers a different kind of healing, Clairmont said. Parents feel so much of their childs pain, and in a world where cures are hard to come by, Mercy Ships gives them hope.

The first time Ulrich stood up, you could tell his mom was just really, really touched, he said. She had suffered with him for 12 years  some could argue she suffered more than him. For her to see him standing with straight legs, that was pretty amazing.

Clairmont was equally inspired by the medical staff he worked with. They seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus, he said.

They have one common goal, he said. They dream, they desire to help people who are needing some help to give them a fair shot at life.
By You Soo-sun



Police will look into the infectionmanagement system at Ewha Womans University Medical Center in western Seoul, after one of four infants who died there last week was found to have been infected with a virus, indicating possible negligence by the hospital.



They will question as many as eight members of staff next week to check how the facility was operated, including the administration of medication, staff allocation and outsider's access to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) there.



Police said Sunday hospital medical records revealed that the hospital was aware that one of the four deceased premature babies had been infected with Rotavirus, a common virus among infants and children that is transmitted through feces or vomit.



Earlier, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the police the same virus was found in all four of the deceased infants in the NICU.



Authorities regard this as a critical factor in the ongoing investigation as it may serve as an indicator of the facility's level of hygiene.



On Dec. 19, four premature infants died of cardiac arrest within a span of 90 minutes. They were two girls, 9 days and 24 days old, and two boys, 5 weeks and 6 weeks old.



Police officers and forensic investigators searched the NICU and computer center and confiscated medical devices and records following suspicions raised by the parents that the deaths were caused by medical malpractice or some other preventable cause.



Forensic investigators conducted autopsies to determine the cause of the deaths; while a complete report will take about a month, initial findings pointed to the possibility of a bacterial infection in three of the deceased babies.



The ongoing investigation may affect the government's grading of the institution, currently designated as one of the highest-ranking general hospitals in the country.



The Ministry of Health and Welfare designates hospitals into three levels every three years and is expected to announce its decision for the next three years this week.


By Yi Whan-woo



Japan appears to be using Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's possible participation in the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as leverage in a row with South Korea over a disputed accord on "comfort women."



President Moon Jae-in invited Abe to the opening ceremony in a letter delivered by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in Tokyo last week, but Abe has still not responded.



According to Kang, the countries have not begun talks about Abe's schedule in detail and that he only promised to give a "maximum level of support" for Korea's first Winter Olympics to succeed.



Under these circumstances, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono reportedly raised issues over the "comfort women" and told Kang that it would be difficult for Abe to "make it to the Olympics."



The Asahi Shimbun said Kono, in his talks with Kang last week, brought up the Moon government's assessment of the agreement reached between the governments of former President Park Geun-hye and Abe in 2015 over the "comfort women."



Seoul's fact-finding team is scheduled to announce Dec. 27 how the two sides struck a deal to settle the dispute over Japan's imperial-era mobilization of Korean women as sex slaves without the surviving victims' consent.



The team's findings will offend Japan if the team concludes that the "final and irreversible" agreement should be revised.



The Moon government will refer to the conclusion to decide whether to retain, modify or scrap the deal.



"Should Korea deny the bilateral agreement, Abe may decide not to come to PyeongChang because it could lead to anti-Korea sentiment in Japan," a diplomatic source said.



A expert on Japan, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "The investigation into the sex slavery agreement led to Japan's mistrust of Korea, and Japan appears to be using the Winter Olympics to gain an advantage in this historical row."



The sources said, however, it remains to be seen whether Abe will boycott the PyeongChang Games considering Japan will need Korea's support when it hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.



Korea's taskforce on the sex slavery agreement was aimed at putting priority on the victims' opinions in its investigation when it was set up in July.



However, the team has been taking a prudent approach recently. Last week, one of its members said the team will exclude the victim's opinions in its conclusion and concentrate on the background of the accord.




By Rachel Lee



Peru has expelled two more North Korean diplomats _ following the deportation of the ambassador _ over the North's continued violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions on its nuclear program.



Peru's foreign ministry said First Secretary Pak Myong-chol and Third Secretary Ji Hyok had 15 days to leave the Latin American country.



The ministry made the announcement after it discovered the envoys were carrying out activities incompatible with their diplomatic duties.



North Korea's "continuous" violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to the nuclear program _ which has endangered world peace and security _ also led to the decision, the foreign ministry said.



In September, Peru ordered North Korean Ambassador Kim Hak-chol to leave because of Pyongyang's violation of U.N. resolutions on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.



On Sept. 7, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto declared North Korean Ambassador Kim Hyong-gil persona non grata and gave him 72 hours to leave the country. The Mexican foreign ministry said the decision was meant to express the country's "absolute rejection" of North Korea's nuclear tests.



Spain, Italy and Kuwait also ordered their North Korean ambassadors to leave. Kuwait decided to stop issuing visas to North Koreans.



Portugal cut ties with North Korea in July as part of efforts to strengthen pressure on the North to make it come to the dialogue table.



Some countries are scaling down their economic ties with Pyongyang.



The Philippines, one of the North's top-three trading partners, said Sept. 8 it would suspend trade relations to comply with U.N. resolutions. Thailand has also reportedly cut down on economic exchanges with the North.



The U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions Friday in response to Pyongyang's latest ballistic missile test.



The United States-drafted resolution includes measures to slash North Korea's petrol imports by up to 90 percent; that all North Koreans working overseas will have to return home within 24 hours; and a ban on exports of North Korean goods, including machinery.


By Rachel Lee







The Embassy of Azerbaijan said that the country's international university, the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA), has begun enrolments for next year.







The ADA, founded in 2006, has signed an exchange programs agreement with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Fourteen students from HUFS have studied at the Azerbaijani institution as exchange students so far, according to the embassy.







Two Korean professors have been teaching at ADA's School of IT and Engineering.







"Students, faculty, staff and alumni from 46 nations, including Korea, call ADA home and contribute to the tapestry of an inclusive learning environment here," the embassy said.







The university, in the capital city Baku, has provided training to diplomats and civil servants under the country's ministry of foreign affairs. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across its four schools _ public and international affairs, business, education and IT and engineering _ in English.







Azerbaijan's funding for the education system has amounted to almost $20 billion over the past decade, according to the embassy.







"The first of its kind in the region, this green' and smart' campus houses intelligent facilities operated by renewable energy sources," the embassy said. "Multi-media centers, interactive classrooms and spacious teaching and social areas have been complemented this academic year by the introduction of the MyADA information system that uses a banner program to meet student needs and expectations for an efficient and transparent data access."







The university also encourages international students to engage with the local community through outings, language immersion, social projects and more to address cultural, educational and civic growth, the embassy said.







Since 2009, the university has offered a scholarship _ named after former foreign minister Alimardan Topchubashov _ to bring international education and leadership training to students around the globe. The scholarship is open to all international undergraduate and graduate applicants who have been admitted to one of the university's degree-granting schools. The application deadline is April next year.







The fellowship is renewable every semester for the duration of studies when certain criteria are met, and covers tuition only. Recipients are expected to cover all other expenses, including housing, books, student fees and utilities.









Visit

for more information.


By Rachel Lee



Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) has approved more incentives for small and medium enterprises (SME) to cover over 100 business activities and increased the corporate income tax (CIT) exemption ceiling up to 200 percent to enhance competitiveness.



It also identified a list of targeted industries for the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi) and Digital Park Thailand (EECd).



BOI Secretary General Duangjai Asawachintachit said after the BOI board meeting, chaired by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, that the scheme's promotional period has been extended to December 2019.



The new promotion expands activities eligible for investment incentives from 40 to over 100. Meanwhile, some conditions have been relaxed for particular business activities.



There are also more attractive tax incentives.



Basic tax incentives (activity-based incentives): The ceiling for income tax exemption has increased from 100 percent to 200 percent for eligible activities.



Additional tax incentives (merit-based incentives): SMEs will receive a tax exemption or reduction under two conditions: For SMEs operating activities that enhance competitiveness, including research and development, advanced technology training, intellectual property licensing fees, and product and packaging design, investment and expenses conditions will be significantly relaxed to enable better access to the enhanced incentives.



For SMEs in 20 provinces with the lowest per capita income, activities that are eligible for eight-year CIT exemption will receive an additional 50 percent CIT reduction for another five years.



Other activities that are eligible for CIT exemption will receive an additional three-year exemption, on top of the normal CIT exemption.



Promoted SMEs are allowed to utilize used machines available in Thailand in their projects but with a maximum value not exceeding 10 million baht ($305,400).



The BOI board has approved the list of targeted activities to be located in the EECi and EECd. These will be eligible for special tax incentives under the EEC scheme.



Investments in the targeted industries in the EECi and EECd were offered, from the previous board meeting on November 23, two more years of CIT exemption on top of normal incentives and a 50 percent CIT reduction for another five years. However, projects are required to have cooperation on human resource development as specified by the board.



Additional to the current human resource development scheme with educational institutes or research institutes, such as WiL (Work-integrated Learning), Cooperative Education and Dual Vocational Education and Training, the board has approved a new scheme called the "Special Vocational Program in the EEC". It focuses mainly on training and human resource development in response to industry demands, especially in high-value-added targeted industries.



Under this program, participating companies will work with educational institutes in recruiting new students and designing courses and curriculums. Financial and other support will be provided to students, including tuition fees, personal expenses and apprenticeships or employment after graduation.


Firefighters battle a blaze at an eight-story fitness building in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday. / Yonhap



By Baek Byung-yeul

Twenty-nine people were killed and more than 20 injured Thursday in an afternoon blaze in a building in Jecheon, some 170 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The Chungbuk Fire Service Headquarters said the blaze began in the basement parking lot of an eight-story building at 3:53 p.m. The fire quickly spread through the building housing a fitness center, driving range, public sauna and restaurants.

Fire officials said most of the victims were in the sauna as they were trapped inside of the public bath on the second floor. They said 15 people, including a 50-year-old woman surnamed Kim, were found dead in the sauna.

Twenty people were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

The authorities said 50 fire engines, 60 firefighters and two firefighting helicopters were dispatched to the scene seven minutes after the fire was reported. They said the death toll could rise as the rescue operation continues.

Fire crews have finished putting out the fire and are expanding their search efforts.

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon paid an emergency visit to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and directed officials to do their utmost to immediately rescue people. He also dispatched Interior and Safety Minister Kim Boo-kyum to the scene.

President Moon Jae-in expressed his regret for the deadly fire and called for a speedy rescue to minimize casualties. He also ordered that victims should be identified as soon as possible to inform their family members.
Heather Cho

By Lee Kyung-min



The top court upheld a lower court ruling that acquitted former Korean Air Executive Vice President Heather Cho, Thursday, of the "nut rage" case three years ago that triggered nationwide outrage over the rich and powerful abusing their positions.

Cho is the eldest daughter of Chairman Cho Yang-ho of Korean Air, the country's largest full-service carrier.



In the first 13-member full-panel ruling deliberated by the 13 Supreme Court justices including chief justice Kim Meong-su after he took the top post, the court said she did not violate aviation law by ordering the plane to change its air route, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.



"The air route, the point of contention here, should be interpreted as referring to the aircraft's course when it is flying, not when it is taxiing on the ground," the court said.

"The lower court's ruling was apt in making such a determination, and there was no misinterpretation of the law that requires a review."



Cho was indicted in January 2015 for ordering a plane bound for Incheon to return to the gate from a taxiing area at JFK on Dec. 5, 2014. Mistakenly, the prosecution said Cho forced a flight that departed from JFK International Airport in New York bound for Incheon to change course.

She ordered the plane to return to remove the chief flight attendant because she considered it a failure of first-class cabin service for a junior attendant to serve macadamia nuts in a bag and not on a plate, as she considered it a hassle for passengers to open the plastic bag.

Cho also faced charges of committing acts of violence that disturbed flight safety, coercion, interfering with a business and interfering with the official duties of the flight crew by abusing her authority, all of which carry far less harsh sentences.



Cho had pleaded not guilty to the main charge, arguing the airport runway should not be considered part of the "air route." She claimed she had ordered the chief flight attendant off the plane because he failed to memorize the service manual.

A lower court sentenced her to one year in prison for obstructing aviation safety by ordering a taxiing plane to return to the gate over in-flight service. The conviction followed the court's ruling that it was questionable whether Cho really felt remorse about her actions, which the court deemed trampled on the integrity of humanity.



However, she was released in May 2015 after an appellate court sentenced her to a 10-month prison term suspended for two years.

The Seoul High Court acquitted her, saying the prosecution sought to interpret the definition of air route too restrictively to punish Cho.



The so-called nut-rage case drew fierce public uproar over long-held practices exhibited by Korea's family-owned businesses, or chaebol, referred to as "gapjil," in which the rich and powerful do not care about the repercussions of their actions because they think they can get away with anything simply by paying people off or firing them.



Children of chaebol families usually assume mid- to executive-level positions in their parents' companies at a young age regardless of their qualifications, simply because they can.



This deeply embedded sense of entitlement _ a feeling of limitless power without any responsibilities _ has long ailed Korea, where young people without any such status ended up coining the term "Hell Joseon," a sarcastic expression comparing the name of the old Korean kingdom, Joseon, with hell.






Park Jie-won urges party members to boycott merger vote



By Yi Whan-woo





Park Jie-won


By Yun Suh-young



December. The end of the year. Readying for a new year. An end and a new beginning.



It's that time of the year when we reflect on the past 12 months and brace for the New Year and a new beginning. We begin to make resolutions, new goals, and plans for new habits. But in order to move forward, we need to look back on the past. We need to know what we've done, what we regret, what we could have improved and what we could have appreciated more in order to make the next attempt better and more meaningful.



It's that time of the year to contemplate our past actions and also give thanks. Having weathered through whatever happened during the past 12 months is something to give thanks for. Being alive and still healthy is something to be thankful for. To live, to love, to eat, to work, to travel, to make valuable connections -- are all things to be thankful for.



What are you thankful for?





Lee Seung-yeon, senior communication manager at Microsoft



Starting this year, I began to write down or say things I'm thankful for at the end of every day. This changed my life. I was so happy because I was thankful. And I'm thankful for realizing that.



Ever since I decided to think of one thing that I'm thankful for that day, I realized I could be thankful for things I never thought of, even the trivial things that we overlook. Things like having returned home safe from driving.



I started this because I read a book that said if we say or write things, they materialize. So even before writing thanks, I had been writing about my goals and resolutions. I've been doing that for seven years and stuck it on my refrigerator. This year I went just one step further to giving thanks.



I was greedy and a perfectionist. I wanted to do many things and do it perfectly. I let that go now. I never felt fulfilled and happy when I was always craving for more when I already had so much.



Giving thanks has changed my life in that way. I deepened and matured.



Hank Kim, publisher of Seoul Selection



This year has been really tough for me, but through all those difficulties and hardships I think I'm becoming a better person. I really appreciate that. Without those difficulties and hardships I could never realize my shortcomings.



I learned to be modest and respecting of others. I found some arrogance inside me which might have not been disclosed otherwise. I would say the ugly side of me has been disclosed. It was a big discovery to me and I'm glad. I really appreciate it.



I think I see myself more as I humble myself. When I'm doing well, I don't see myself. But when I'm not doing well in terms of business, I get to see the arrogance inside me.



Invaluable lessons are everywhere only if you humble yourself and try to find your inner self. If you don't do that, you can never notice it.



Hardships are an invaluable asset. Of the past three years, this year was the hardest for me. Now is the time to get better and go up. I think I'm improving as I experience the bottom.



People are often blindfolded by knowledge, fame or arrogance. They refuse to see themselves because of their ego. But you need to crack your nut to see yourself, if you don't crack it, you'll never see it. And I'm thankful that I'm able to see this.



Ahn Jae-man, CEO of PR agency Apple Tree



This year I rediscovered relationships.



I was thankful for people who I didn't expect to be thankful for.



People who I didn't keep in touch with often and didn't have a trusting relationship helped me and I'm thankful to them. People all have their own level of expectations from others, and they just exceeded that.



I had times when I had hardships with work, was disappointed and betrayed by people, but these people who I didn't expect at all for this to be coming from, gave me psychological consolation. It's important to be cared about. They held surprise events and sent me gifts and even solved legal problems for me. I've had several of those instances.



Relationships are hard. I'm a PR person but this year was an opportunity for me to redefine relationships. I feel like my relationships are being reset.



I'm also thankful to see Kang Yoon-sung, the director of "The Outlaws" finally get his name out. I knew him from a long time ago and he had been in the shadow for 17 years. All of a sudden with this blockbuster movie he rose to fame. This was possible because he endured all those years. I was thankful to see that.



Daniel Lindemann, TV personality



I am thankful for all the good and bad experiences this year, because every single one gave me the opportunity to learn and grow. I am particularly thankful for being able to accept and complete new challenges but also rejecting challenges in order to spend more time with my friends. Personally 2017 was a very successful and thankful year.



Matthew Shampine, general manager of WeWork Korea



I feel incredibly blessed this year to have been given the opportunity with WeWork to move back to my mother country and meet so many amazing Korean entrepreneurs, creators and founders working to create their life's work. They're truly inspiring, and I can't wait to see what's to come from the WeWork Korea community in 2018.



Sebastien Falletti, Seoul correspondent for Le Figaro



I am grateful to old friends I made many years ago and who are still there, at reach anytime. Your presence enlarges the good days, and sweetens the tough ones. Thanks for just being yourselves, and sharing moments of that extraordinary, yet mysterious journey.



Todd Sample, CEO of food platform Eathentic



I am appreciative of all the wonderfully curious and supportive people whom I have met this year while working to promote a greater awareness of authentic international food in Korea. I'm also thankful that I had a chance to visit France and taste some of the best food I've ever had. And I'm thankful that I have two wonderful sons who mean the world to me.



Hong Jong-hee, PR manager at Airbnb Korea



I'm thankful this year to all the Airbnb hosts who were so warm and welcoming to me.



I remember the time when a hanok architect host explained over a hot cup of tea the old history of a house he personally renovated. I also remember doing hiphop yoga with former editor and yoga teacher Alexandra during a weekend in Hong Kong. I remember hunting for truffles with a truffle hunter in Italy.



I was thankful for the opportunity to participate in tai chi in the outdoor living room of Dalmaji Hill in Busan. In Pyeongchang, I healed in nature with a friend listening to the wind and the sound of running water in the stream. I immersed myself in LP music and books.



In Jeju, I ate abalone samgyetang for brunch and became a haenyeo in Sunnyeotang. In Seoul, I had fun making mandu (dumplings) and eating them with foreign friends. I feel like I traveled the world in Seoul.



Because of these hosts, my daily life was travel and travel was daily life. For all this, I'm thankful.



Park Nae-sun, PR manager at Seoul Design Foundation



Personally, I'm thankful that my daughter became the vice president of her class in school. At work, I'm thankful that our major exhibitions at DDP - the Pixar and Louis Vuitton - received positive reviews.



For myself, I'm thankful that the book I translated "A Book About Love" was published this year and sold pretty well.



I'm also thankful that you're calling me and asking me these questions.



For next year, I hope I can support my daughter better and publish my own essay instead of a translated book.



Wayne de Fremery, professor of Korean literature at Sogang University



I'm thankful that people are still reading books, literature. I'm thankful that people are also taking care of Korea's glittering cultural heritage.



I'm thankful for my students who've been awesome this year.



I'm thankful that my family is healthy and my kids are becoming bigger and smarter and I'm thankful to have fantastic conversations with them these days.



This year's been a crazy, busy year. I've gotten a lot of support for a lot of my projects so I'm really thankful for those. My non-profit got some big grants from private donors in the U.S. and Microsoft so that was pretty transformative.



That was definitely a big change from years past.






President Moon Jae-in, French President Emmanuel Macron (left) / Reuters-Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in and French President Emmanuel Macron stand poles apart in their respective economic reform agendas, although being similar in their sense of mission. The original title of this contribution was "President Macron's economic reforms."  ED.



By David-Pierre Jalicon





David-Pierre Jalicon
As a young high school American government teacher, I compared our system to an automobile that was useful if it could start, speed up, slow down and stop. When the people thought government needed to be more active, they elected liberal Democrats to press down on the accelerator. When people thought governments role was getting too large and expensive, they elected Republicans to apply the brakes and slow things down.

Our national debt is now $20 trillion and rising. That amounts to about $155,000 in tax liability for the average family of four, and to about $320,000 for each individual American under the age of 18, and not old enough to vote. They are the folks who will have to make good on the hot checks cashed by those of us who are old enough to protect ourselves, and pass on the pain to them.

The monstrous debt is clearly no priority to either of todays political parties. We now have two accelerator parties, and each is so committed to its base of supporters that neither will work with the other on a strategy for the essential public purpose of slowing down the debt.

In defiance of demographics, the Democrats still want to expand the reach of social programs, appearing unable to deal with the ever-increasing costs. In defiance of history, the Republicans want to speed up the economy so corporate businesses will create more jobs, thus trickling down prosperity, and limiting the need for the social safety net.

By this argument the Republicans claim their proposal benefits all the people. But its unquestionably clear that the people who are corporations will benefit far more than those who are mere human organisms. Corporations are currently fat with cash -- an estimated $2. 3 trillion -- which could be invested in job expansion now, without the government assistance the Tax Cut and Jobs Act provides them with $1.5 trillion in borrowed money. Why gamble their gains making capitol investments in an unstable world made more unpredictable by racing trends in technology?

So, increasingly prosperous corporations probably wont invest much in creating jobs. They will continue to invest in their stockholders. The stock market bubble, accelerated by a new infusion from public debt, will continue its abnormal rise. Common folks who are not investors will see only a minimal and temporary benefit in their taxes. They will be hurt the most, however, when the market correction inevitably comes.

A not well publicized aspect of the tax bill is its shifting of costs to the states. On the heels of a budget cutting special legislative session, Montana Department of Revenue analysts have so far identified provisions within the 1,100 page bill that they estimate will result in a net loss of revenue to the state of about $122 million.

The economy likely wont get much better, but count on the debt to get bigger as a result of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. Beyond impacts on states, other unforeseen consequences of the massive tax bill are yet to be discovered. Proceeding more slowly and cooperatively, Congress could have produced positive tax reform. Now, undoing the damage done will require more than a brake pedal.

Bob Brown of Whitefish is a former Montana secretary of state and state Senate president.
By Dan Steinbock





Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently concluded a visit to China. The joint talks about a free-trade pact began over a year ago. As Trudeau left Beijing, Western media ran headlines saying: "Trudeau leaves China empty-handed", while China's foreign ministry said "both China and Canada showed willingness to negotiate and sign a free-trade agreement".

In reality, the world of free trade is now in the kind of flux that has not been since the post-1945 era.

If the United States withdraws from the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta), it would start a six-month legal process before official termination. While President Donald Trump may see this as a tool to force Canada and Mexico to accept his demands, they may use the time for trade talks with Brazil and the European Union.

After the fifth round of Nafta talks ended amid simmering tensions, Canada and Mexico have hedged their bets against a potential collapse by pushing for deals with new partners, particularly China and other Asian countries.

Nafta is America's post-cold war blueprint for other free trade deals. It came into force in 1994, amid the globalisation boom. Despite the fanfare, accusations of misconduct surfaced barely a year after the deal.

President Bill Clinton's alleged abuses of public power led to a special counsel in the 1990s. Mexico's president, Carlos Salinas, was appointed World Trade Organisation director general, but fled Mexico as his brothers were prosecuted in a multimillion-dollar fraud case.

In public, Nafta was promoted as a receipt for regional success, yet its record has proven mixed. While the agreement benefited consumers in three countries, it also contributed to investment outflows, unemployment and offshoring.

Recently, US officials sought to subdue Nafta tensions by extending the timetable for renegotiations but that has poured oil on the simmering fire. In Mexico, tight elections in mid-2018 will complicate Nafta talks; in Canada, conservatives are positioning for 2019 elections.

Yet, in the 1990s, Washington's trade bureaucrats embraced Nafta as a blueprint that could be extended elsewhere. The proposed free trade agreement of the Americas (FTAA) was the first case in point.

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez condemned it as a "tool of imperialism", but Latin America's leaders, including the then president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and then president of Argentina, Nestor Kirchner, did not oppose the agreement but demanded the elimination of US agriculture subsidies, effective access to foreign (read: US) markets and consideration of their member states' needs.

Meanwhile, Washington sought to extend Nafta with non-trade-related concessions through the FTAA. Instead of opening South America to free trade, the agreement split the region into two blocs, as Brazil's president predicted.

Historically, the Trans-Pacific Partnership was deja vu all over again. Not only did it split the Asia-Pacific, it divided the US. As he had pledged, Trump killed the TPP on his first day in office.

Through the cold war, most Americans believed in international engagement, which had bipartisan support in Washington. Since the cold war ended, Americans have grown more sceptical of, even hostile to, international commitments.

The TPP originated from a 2005 free trade deal among Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. Its original version had more economic, transparent and inclusive foundations. After 2010, Washington began to lead talks for a significantly expanded free trade deal, which reflected US interests in Asia and the Americas. So the talks were assigned to the US trade representative, Michael Froman, a former security and Soviet Union expert.

The new Trans-Pacific Partnership was an integral part of Barack Obama's "pivot to Asia". That's why these negotiations were more geopolitical, secretive and exclusive by nature and China was excluded from the pact.

After the 2016 US presidential election, some TPP partners began to push a revised deal without the US. In the process, many  including Japan  began to hedge between a revised TPP, bilateral free trade deals with the US, and China-led talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

In November, 11 countries announced their commitment to resurrecting the TPP without the US. But a new deal will have to be signed and ratified by each country.

In fact, the idea of free trade in the Asia-Pacific has been around since at least 1966, when Japanese economist Kiyoshi Kojima advocated a Pacific free trade agreement. Practical measures ensued during the 1994 meeting in Indonesia, when Apec leaders opted for free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific.

In 2006, C. Fred Bergsten, then chief of an influential think tank, the US Peterson Institute for International Economics, made a forceful statement in favour of the free trade area of the Asia-Pacific. If the agreement could be achieved, he argued, it would represent the largest single liberalisation in history.

Oddly enough, the Obama administration set this aside to focus on the geopolitical TPP talks.

What the Asia-Pacific really needs is an inclusive free trade agreement. No sustainable regional pact can ignore China, the US  or both. Perhaps that's why China now seeks to couple its "Belt and Road Initiative" with renewed efforts on the ree trade area of the Asia-Pacific that would be broader and more inclusive than past efforts.





Dan Steinbock is an internationally recognised expert of the multipolar world. He focuses on international business, international relations, investment and risk among the major advanced economies and large emerging economies; as well as multipolar market trends. Copyright belongs to the South China Morning Post.
By Kaushik Basu





MUMBAI  At the end of a low and dishonest year, reminiscent of the "low, dishonest decade" about which W.H. Auden wrote in his poem "September 1, 1939," the world's "clever hopes" are giving way to recognition that many severe problems must be tackled. And, among the severest, with the gravest long-term and even existential implications, is economic inequality.



The alarming level of economic inequality globally has been well documented by prominent economists, including Thomas Piketty, Francois Bourguignon, Branko Milanovic, and Joseph E. Stiglitz, and well-known institutions, including Oxfam and the World Bank. And it is obvious even from a casual stroll through the streets of New York, New Delhi, Beijing, or Berlin.



Voices on the right often claim that this inequality is not only justifiable, but also appropriate: Wealth is a just reward for hard work, while poverty is an earned punishment for laziness. This is a myth. The reality is that the poor, more often than not, must work extremely hard, often in difficult conditions, just to survive.



Moreover, if a wealthy person does have a particularly strong work ethic, it is likely attributable not just to their genetic predisposition, but also to their upbringing, including whatever privileges, values, and opportunities their background may have afforded them. So there is no real moral argument for outsize wealth amid widespread poverty.



This is not to say that there is no justification for any amount of inequality. After all, inequality can reflect differences in preferences: Some people might consider the pursuit of material wealth more worthwhile than others. Moreover, differential rewards do indeed create incentives for people to learn, work, and innovate, activities that promote overall growth and advance poverty reduction.



But, at a certain point, inequality becomes so severe that it has the opposite effect. And we are far beyond that point.



Plenty of people  including many of the world's wealthy  recognize how unacceptable severe inequality is, both morally and economically. But if the rich speak out against it, they are often shut down and labeled hypocrites. Apparently, the desire to lessen inequality can be considered credible or genuine only by first sacrificing one's own wealth.



The truth, of course, is that the decision not to renounce, unilaterally, one's wealth does not discredit a preference for a more equitable society. To label a wealthy critic of extreme inequality as a hypocrite amounts to an ad hominem attack and a logical fallacy, intended to silence those whose voices could make a difference.



Fortunately, this tactic seems to be losing some of its potency. It is heartening to see wealthy individuals defying these attacks, not only by openly acknowledging the economic and social damage caused by extreme inequality, but also by criticizing a system that, despite enabling them to prosper, has left too many without opportunities.



In particular, some wealthy Americans are condemning the current tax legislation being pushed by congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump's administration, which offers outsize cuts to the highest earners  people like them. As Jack Bogle, the founder of Vanguard Group and a certain beneficiary of the proposed cuts, put it, the plan  which is all but guaranteed to exacerbate inequality  is a "moral abomination."



Yet recognizing the flaws in current structures is just the beginning. The greater challenge is to create a viable blueprint for an equitable society. (It is the absence of such a blueprint that has led so many well-meaning movements in history to end in failure.) In this case, the focus must be on expanding profit-sharing arrangements, without stifling or centralizing market incentives that are crucial to drive growth.



A first step would be to give all of a country's residents the right to a certain share of the economy's profits. This idea has been advanced in various forms by Marty Weitzman, Hillel Steiner, Richard Freeman, and, just last month, Matt Bruenig. But it is particularly vital today, as the share of wages in national income declines, and the share of profits and rents rises  a trend that technological progress is accelerating.



There is another dimension to profit-sharing that has received little attention, related to monopolies and competition. With modern digital technology, the returns to scale are so large that it no longer makes sense to demand that, say, 1,000 firms produce versions of the same good, each meeting one-thousandth of total demand.



A more efficient approach would have 1,000 firms each creating one part of that good. So, when it comes to automobiles, for example, one firm would produce all of the gears, another producing all of the brake pads, and so on.



Traditional antitrust and pro-competition legislation  which began in 1890 with the Sherman Act in the U.S.  prevents such an efficient system from taking hold. But a monopoly of production need not mean a monopoly of income, as long as the shares in each company are widely held. It is thus time for a radical change, one that replaces traditional anti-monopoly laws with legislation mandating a wider dispersal of shareholding within each company.



These ideas are largely untested, so much work would need to be done before they could be made operational. But as the world lurches from one crisis to another, and inequality continues to deepen, we do not have the luxury of sticking to the status quo. Unless we confront the inequality challenge head on, social cohesion and democracy itself will come under growing threat.





Kaushik Basu, former chief economist of the World Bank, is professor of economics at Cornell University and nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).




By Emanuel Pastreich





Emanuel Pastreich

It is perhaps one of the most hackneyed sermons that is regularly delivered by ministers on Christmas and it starts out with the words "what would Jesus say?" The sermon typically enumerates the sins of materialism and superficiality and demonstrates how they have reduced Christmas to a celebration of the senses and an indulgence of the ego. Most church-goers are entirely capable of listening to the sermon, nodding in agreement and then going out into a world of the most radical materialistic ideology without batting an eyebrow.



I never wanted to be a preacher, and I approach this topic with trepidation. But this year I feel oddly compelled by the deeply unhealthy trends I see in Korea, and in the societies of many nations, to suggest that this time it is not enough to talk about these problems in the abstract. This time we must take the first step in the right direction by confronting the truth.



I am afraid these days to walk in Gwanghwamun because I will encounter numerous people ringing bells for Salvation Army and looking at me with imploring eyes that demand that I make a donation. Or there are young people asking me to sign up for some program to give a fixed amount of money every month for some worthy cause or another.



I have given money on several occasions to these groups, but I have reached the limit.

No, it is not the limit. Nor is it the many articles that touch on the serious question of how much of the money given to "save the polar bears" campaigns actually goes beyond the bureaucracy.

The problem is a profound one. It is not merely that I do not always have spare change, or that I regret having to disappoint the young people who are out trying to raise money for good causes. Rather I am bothered by this feeling that if I made more money, if I could make a large donation of cash, I could do more good.



Such an assumption that having more money means we can do more good, however, is completely out of line with the teachings of Jesus. Nowhere in his sayings does he ever suggest that having more money will make one a more virtuous being. If anything, Jesus is best known for his statement that "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

There is so much that one can do to help other people, but the only option that is offered to us is the chance to give money to some organization with which we have no connection.

I have asked many of these groups about what I can do to contribute and invariably I am told that a monetary contribution is the only path. Like the indulgence in expensive presents and pricy Christmas vacations, such modern practices are distant from what we actually see in the teachings of Jesus which I naively associate with Christmas.

I was invited to give a talk for a Christian youth group recently at a fancy church in Seoul recently. The church, with its marble and soaring staircase reminded me of the Hyatt Hotel. The event was enjoyable and I was impressed by the ideas that some of the students expressed about how they would devote themselves to service. But at the same time, I heard a voice in my head demanding that I ask them why their church had to be so lavish, and why they had to attend such elite colleges.

Of course, to say something like that would be a condemnation of myself which was no doubt the intention of that voice. I grew up in a family which had the financial means, and which provided me with the intellectual environment, necessary to attend excellent schools. Ultimately, the criticisms of what I saw all pointed back to me.

The next day, I stopped at Seoul Citizen's Hall, the open space in the basement beneath the new Seoul City hall, for a few hours to finish my grading. I sat down on one of the padded benches towards the back that are open to the public. When the Citizen's Hall opened five years ago, these innovative spaces were quite popular with young people who would hang out on the foam mattresses and converse.

I was startled to find this time that the space is now full of homeless people seeking shelter from the cold.

Let us be honest: the radical concentration of wealth is not just something happening far away in other countries, but is directly impacting Korean society as well -- granted the media does not touch much on the plight of the poor. That gross inequity, which is only getting worse, should be the focus of our concerns for Christmas, and yet we spend our time pretending it does not exist.

I had a chance to speak with some of the homeless who gathered to keep warm in the Citizen's Hall and I came away convinced that they were people who would not have been there a few years ago. You have to ask how long it will be before we will be joining them. I do not pose that question factiously.

If Jesus were wandering around in Seoul, where do you think he would be?

Would he attending a a luxurious Gangnam Church, drinking a cafe latte in the lounge?

I doubt he would be allowed in.

Would he be buying perfume, or designer handbags, at a glimmering department store?

He would have neither the money nor the interest.

Jesus spent his time with beggars, outcasts and prostitutes, and he was shunned by the well-to-do in his time.

He would most likely have been on one of the back benches at the Citizen's Hall, talking with the middle-aged woman with a sleeping bag and a bag full of assorted items who tried to sleep there, but was repeatedly asked to get up by a security guard.

It seems unlikely we can make any progress in addressing the increasing fragmentation of our society by giving bits of change to charity groups on the street.

Nor can we expect large grants from billionaires to solve our torments.

The world will start to change only when we are ready to engage and work with those who form the invisible classes around us, only when we say thank you to the people who make our food and clean our offices, and treat them as our equals; only when we show concern for the futures of the young people working in coffee shops. Only when we realize that the position in society that those others have has nothing to do with their merits or their qualities. Only when we think of them like family, like friends, only then will change come.

Might we be able to see people in a manner that is not monetary? Will we be willing to recognize that for all its convenience and thrills, the market economy has reduced people to things, products for consumption and disposal?

I would suggest that it will not be too many Christmases in the future that we will face an even bleaker reality if we do not face it now.



Emanuel Yi Pastreich is a critic of literature, technology and international affairs. He teaches at Kyung Hee University and works at the Asia Institute. Contact: epastreich@gmail.com.
Education ministry's decision ignores reality





The education ministry has decided to abolish after-school English classes in elementary schools for first and second graders starting in March 2018.



The ministry's decision has angered many parents as the after-school English programs have been considered the affordable alternative to the more expensive hagwon or private academies.



The education ministry explained that the decision was aimed at alleviating the burden on parents and students by banning early English education.



Currently, English is included in the elementary school curriculum starting in third grade. But Korean parents normally do not wait until their children reach third grade to start learning English. The decision does not reflect the reality of elementary school education. The reality is that without advance learning, it is almost impossible for many students to catch up with English classes in the third grade because teachers usually do not start with the very basics, such as the alphabet.



Most English teachers proceed with the classes in the third grade assuming that the students already have acquired some basic knowledge of the language through advance learning from hagwon, private lessons at home or the after-school program. The ministry's decision ignores this reality and will only cause more stress for parents with first and second graders because they will have to enroll their children in private academies, find a tutor or teach them on their own. But none of this is easy considering that many parents are struggling with stagnant incomes. The after-school programs cost around 50,000 to 80,000 won each month, but private academies and tutoring are a lot more expensive. Many parents do not have sufficient knowledge of English or have the time to teach it to their children.



The fear is that the ministry's move will end up limiting access to English education particularly for children from low-income families.



The decision also has not considered the position of contract teachers who teach the after-school English programs. Abolishing the after-school classes threatens their job security.



Ultimately, the ministry's decision will not be effective in achieving its desired outcome of lifting the burden on parents and students and curbing private tutoring. It will only fan private lessons and deepen the educational inequality. Many parents and contract teachers have been protesting the decision on Cheong Wa Dae's online petition site.



English is not just another school subject. It is a pivotal skill in staying ahead of the competition at schools and in the job market. One of the best ways to acquire a foreign language is to start as soon as possible. Therefore, the government's fixation on officially starting English education in the third grade makes little sense.



The education ministry should reconsider the ban and come up with other ways to raise the effectiveness of elementary school English education.




Seen above is a screen capture of Profound's main webpage. The Seoul-based startup operates consultant matchmaking services mainly in Korea. / Courtesy of Profound



By Lee Min-hyung





Lee Yoo-kyung, founding CEO of business consultant matchmaker, Profound / Courtesy of Profound
By Lee Min-hyung



U.S.-based appliance giant Whirlpool is intensifying its trade battle against Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, calling for America's regulator to impose stricter safeguards on imported washers.



According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) plans to hold a public hearing Jan. 3 to garner opinions from both parties over the U.S. International Trade Commission's (ITC) latest safeguard decision.



The U.S. trade authority last month announced its three-year tariff recommendation on washers exceeding a quota of 1.2 million. Under the recommendation, washers from the Korean companies will face a 50 percent tariff in the first year, reduced to 40 percent in the third year.



Whirlpool wants stronger measures, claiming the Korean appliance makers have shifted the location of manufacturing facilities for years to avoid anti-dumping tariffs. But the two Korean companies say the safeguard is unnecessary, as they are building washing machine plants in the U.S.



"Any tariff would raise prices, provide fewer product choices and impair job creation at our South Carolina factory," Samsung Electronics America said after the ITC recommendation.



"We continue to believe that no remedy is necessary since our South Carolina factory will begin producing washing machines in early 2018. We've already hired 350 people who are preparing our factory for production in January, and we are on track to fill another 150 manufacturing jobs in South Carolina by the end of the year."



The decision to build factories came amid growing economic pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and the new U.S. administration's protectionist stance. LG's plant is being built in Tennessee.



Trump is expected to make his final decision on the ITC recommendation in February.



The Korean trade ministry is teaming up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the two Korean companies to come up with countermeasures to the safeguard. They include bringing the case to the World Trade Organization (WTO).



"The safeguard recommendation from the ITC is a move to limit choices for U.S. customers and hinder efforts by Samsung and LG to boost employment by building factories there," Kang Seong-chun, an assistant deputy trade minister, said during a recent press briefing. "The government will actively explain our stance to officials from state governments and administrative bodies there."


Former Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering CEO Ko Jae-ho speaks to reporters at the entrance of Seoul District Public Prosecutors' Office on July 4. / Yonhap



By Jhoo Dong-chan



The Supreme Court upheld a nine-year prison sentence on Ko Jae-ho, former CEO of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), Sunday, on charges of accounting fraud totaling 5.4 trillion won ($4.69 billion).



The court said it dismissed Ko's appeal, confirming the lower court's verdict to imprison him for dereliction of duty.



"Ko orchestrated the shipbuilder's financial statements and business plans for the fiscal year from 2013 and 2014 to cover up the company's mounting deficits," the Supreme Court said in its ruling.



"The court, therefore, has decided to confirm the lower court's verdict in pronouncing him guilty for accounting fraud and other charges."



Along with Ko, the Supreme Court also confirmed the original verdict that sentenced former DSME chief financial officer Kim Gap-jung to six years in prison on the same charges. Kim was in charge of accounting under Ko, and he told prosecutors that Ko ordered him to fabricate the financial statements.



The 62-year-old Ko was arrested for fabricating the company's financial statements while he was heading the ailing shipbuilder between 2012 and 2014. He was one of two people involved in the alleged mismanagement of the troubled shipbuilding company, alongside his predecessor Nam Sang-tae, who was arrested June 29.



Prosecutors suspect Ko committed accounting fraud worth 5.4 trillion won by underreporting production costs and exaggerating profits expected from the company's overseas plant building and shipbuilding projects during his three-year term.



According to the prosecution, DSME fraudulently reported that it made a 440 billion won profit in 2013 and a 471 billion won profit in 2014, but the company later admitted it actually suffered losses of 778 billion won and 742 billion won, respectively, citing accounting misreporting.



In the meantime, the company borrowed a total of 4.9 trillion won along with receiving a refund guarantee worth 10 trillion won from financial institutions by using fabricated statements.



With such fraudulent figures, the shipbuilder allegedly issued corporate bonds and promissory notes, incurring tens of trillions of won in losses for investors and creditors. The company used part of the fraudulently calculated profits to pay some 500 billion won in employee bonuses. The prosecution suspects Ko approved it.



In June, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) reviewed orders for 40 offshore plants won by DSME and said the company was suspected of accounting fraud to cover up 1.5 trillion won in losses from 2013 to 2014.



Prosecutors suspected the amount of the fraud would be much higher, up to 5.4 trillion won, and are looking into 500 orders since 2006.



Earlier this month, the Seoul court sentenced Nam to six years in prison for similar charges.



The Seoul Central District Court handed down a guilty verdict on the 67-year-old, convicting him of accounting fraud, embezzlement, breach of duty and bribery.






Name: Brenda Major

Age: 59

Occupation: Academics manager for Homework Hangout Inc.

City of residency: Decatur

What's new at Homework Hangout?

Homework Hangout has really been growing recently. We're not just a community center, but now we're also a training facility. We offer programs ranging from our traditional after-school program, to apprenticeship programs for people who are interested in learning and preparing for the construction trades. We want to provide services for every member of the community as well as we can.

Homework Hangout recently had its annual community Christmas party. Is it important for the organization to host fun events like this throughout the year?

There's an old quote that goes, "People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care." This time of year is known for spreading Christmas joy and Christmas spirit, and you can see it on TV and in the lights around town. But some of these students don't see it around their own houses. They may not have a meal, gifts or a tree, and we serve many of those students in our after-school program. It's really important for use to say that not only are we in the community, but we're here to actually serve the community.

Looking forward to the new year, are there some goals Homework Hangout wants to accomplish?

We want to continue to provide more services to the community, specifically regarding financial literacy and financial health within the community. We know that many families within the African-American community can be squeamish about money, how to handle it and how to make it work, so we want to help people understand financial literacy. We also want to make sure our teens are ready to look into their goals after high school, whether it's higher education or meaningful employment. I'm also the director of nutrition here, so I want to help introduce fresh fruits and vegetables into our meal plans.

Christmas is tomorrow. Do you and your family have a special way to celebrate?

My family loves to celebrate by playing games, and we also love to sing. We think we sing well, so there's a lot of singing of Christmas carols. We also get together and do a Christmas feast. We each have different specialties, so there's a lot of good sights and smells, and a lot of good eating.

What's your favorite thing about Christmas?

Christmas is my favorite time of year, because everyone who was really grinchy really does have a heart-growing experience. Even though there's a lot of hustle and bustle, people open their hearts a lot more. It really is a magical time of year. When people reflect on how much they've survived from January to December, you tend to have a grateful heart around Christmas.
DECATUR  It was a year of change at the top of Decatur public schools.

The school system was without a permanent superintendent for a year after Lisa Taylor tendered her resignation in April 2016. Assistant superintendents Michael Dugan and Bobbi Williams were appointed co-interim superintendents while the school board began a search for a replacement.

Paul Fregeau, formerly of the North Kansas City schools in Missouri, was named superintendent in March 2017, after a five-month search process. He accepted a three-year contract at a salary of $197,000.

Born in Chicago and raised in Momence and Manteno in Kankakee County, Fregeau served as assistant superintendent in North Kansas City and had previously served as superintendent of Cass-Midway Schools in Cleveland, Missouri; principal of Mountain Grove High School in Mountain Grove, Missouri; and taught in Monroe City High School in Monroe City, Missouri, and Quincy Junior High. He holds a bachelors degree in political science from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; a masters in secondary education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis; and a doctorate in education from Saint Louis University.

"There's a lot of opportunity here for improvement, and a lot of things we can do better, so I like that, Fregeau said upon being approved by the school board. And, I'm from Illinois, born and raised. All those things are reasons I thought it was a great opportunity to come here and help the kids of Decatur."

He has been an active superintendent from the beginning, spending as much time as possible in the district during the time between his appointment and his official start date of July 1. In that time, four new board members were elected in April 2017: Kendall Briscoe, Courtney Carson, Beth Creighton and Beth Nolan.

Board member Fred Spannaus, who was a vocal supporter of the three women's campaign and chose not to seek another term on the board, said he was pleased that the women, who ran as a slate under the moniker Parents in Leadership for Us, were all elected.

It's what Decatur needs, he said. A fresh start.

One of the first orders of business with new board members and a new superintendent was to begin the process of formulating a strategic plan for the district for the next five years. That process is underway, with a plan expected to be presented for board approval in late April or early May 2018. The previous plan was only supposed to last until 2012. No new one has been in place.

Additionally, since the new board was seated, a new district policy was approved which requires teachers to live within school district boundaries. The policy applies only to new hires and to district employees who move into administrative positions. During several lengthy discussions prior to the policy's final form, board members expressed a desire to require employees to send their children to Decatur's public schools, but board attorney Brian Braun said that could raise constitutional issues, and that part of the policy was dropped. He raised similar concerns in regard to requiring current employees to adhere to the residency requirement, as that could have exposed the district to litigation.

The hiring of Fregeau and the election of four new board members came on the heels of a tense time in the district, with questions raised during the audit in 2015 over the use of district procurement cards by former Superintendent Taylor and Chief Instructional Officer Edward Moyer. Board members expressed reluctance to extend Taylor's contract and after several public meetings and a mass show of support for Taylor, with district employees wearing yellow as a visible sign of their support, her resignation, and Moyer's departure from his position in summer of 2016 apparently signaled the end of the controversy.

Procurement card use had been suspended during that controversy, but in September 2016, the board approved a limited return of the cards, as booking hotels and travel for district employees attending conferences and other events was almost impossible without a district credit card.

One of the problems we have without one is, you have to go through purchase orders, said board President Dan Oakes. If we send someone to a conference, the hotel will not accept a purchase order. So by having a very limited number of p-cards that we can control and audit as a board, it solves the problem, and we keep our finger on the pulse of what's going on.
Low winds continued to help firefighters make progress against the epic Thomas fire on Sunday, and favorable weather should provide further relief over the Christmas holiday, authorities said.

At 427 square miles, it is the largest fire in Californias modern history, destroying 1,063 structures in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. .

It was 70% contained as of Saturday evening, with nearly 1,600 firefighters working to put it out, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Officials incorrectly reported earlier that the fire was 78% contained.

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With humidity extremely low, some interior portions of the blaze gained intensity Saturday, but there was no new threat to containment lines, the agency said.

Winds are expected to stay below 15 mph until Tuesday night, said Dave Bruno, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

It looks really good, as far as winds go, he said. There also is no rain forecast for the days ahead.

Fire officials estimate full containment by Jan. 7, more than a month after the blaze first erupted in Ventura County.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Meanwhile, the Creek fire, which has scorched more than 15,000 acres east of Sylmar, is nearing 100% containment, officials said.

The wind-whipped blaze, which started Dec. 5, destroyed more than 60 homes. Three firefighters sustained minor injuries, and 29 horses were killed in padlocked stalls at a ranch in Sylmar.

Just after the blaze started, witnesses reported seeing a snapped steel power pylon on a high-voltage transmission tower in Little Tujunga Canyon that sent sparks flying.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which owns the pylon, said that there was no break in the line and that fire investigators had not said any of the utilitys equipment was suspected in the fire.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

@finneganLAT

andrea.castillo@latimes.com

@andreamcastillo

UPDATES:

1:25 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from fire officials.

This article was originally published at 8:25 p.m. Saturday.
The U.S. Secret Service has taken over the investigation of a gift-wrapped package of manure sent to the Bel-Air home of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

The package was apparently intended as a protest.

Its not clear that any local laws were violated even though the package provoked an extensive law-enforcement response early Saturday evening, said Officer Ray Barron, of the West Los Angeles Division of the L.A. Police Dept.

There was nothing other than insulting comments, said Barron, describing a note that accompanied the box. There was nothing dangerous in the box  no controlled substances. No threats were made.

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A neighbor of Mnuchins made the call to police because the package had been left on the neighbors property. Police cordoned off the area for two to three hours, blocking access in and out, and called in the bomb squad, but ordered no evacuations, Barron said.

The bomb squad then sent in a remotely operated cart that x-rayed the device. There appeared to be no danger, except perhaps to olfactory glands.

The manure was dumped, but the box and accompanying note retained for evidence, Barron said.

The Secret Service, which plays a central role in protecting federal officials, including the president, immediately took over the inquiry, Barron said. Law enforcement officials have not released information about who might have sent the package.

Various broadcast reports identified the contents of the box as horse manure and said the note identified the box as coming from the American people.

carlos.lozano@latimes.com

howard.blume@latimes.com

@howardblume

UPDATES:

11:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details throughout from a West L.A. Division officer, who noted that the Secret Service has taken over investigation of the incident.

This article was originally published at 8:35 a.m.
Days before he was charged with plotting a terror attack, Everitt Aaron Jameson went with his father and some friends to an Oakland Raiders game.

His father said everything seemed fine and that his son expressed no anger and plans for violence.

It was a great time. It was a great game, Gordon Jameson told the Merced Sun-Star.

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His family said they cannot believe charges by the FBI that Everitt Jameson planned to launch a suicide attack on Christmas Day at a popular San Francisco tourist attraction.

Family members say Jameson, a 26-year-old tow truck driver and former Marine, was depressed and even suicidal over losing custody of his children and had begun studying Islam about a year ago. But they insist he never talked about violence or being influenced by terrorist groups.

He just aint no terrorist, no way, his father told the Sun-Star. He would never hurt people. Not ever. Its just unbelievable. Thats not who he is.

Acting on tips from an informant, authorities said they saw that Jameson liked and loved pro-Islamic State and pro-terrorism Facebook posts. In the coming weeks, the FBI alleged, Jameson would plot a Christmas suicide terror attack on San Franciscos Pier 39,

He had been there before and knew that it was a heavily crowded area, an FBI affidavit filed Friday said. Jameson explained that he also desired to use explosives, and described a plan in which explosives could tunnel or funnel people into a location where Jameson could inflict casualties.

Authorities announced terrorism charges against Jameson on Friday. His suspected plot comes as Islamic State has called for attacks on Western cities around the Christmas holiday.

Authorities claim in court documents that Jameson told an undercover FBI employee he believed to be a senior Islamic State leader that Pier 39 would be an ideal location for a terrorist attack because it is often crowded with tourists. On Monday, he sent the undercover employee a map and photos of the site, authorities said.

Jameson, authorities said, sought from the undercover employee an assault rifle, ammunition, powder, tubing, nails, timers and remote detonators  materials that can be made into a pipe bomb. According to the FBI, he said he did not need an escape plan because he was ready to die. He also said he was trained in both the M-16 and AK-47 rifles, the court filing said.

The suspect, authorities said, told the undercover employee that we need something along the lines of New York or San Bernardino, apparently referring to the Halloween attack in Manhattan when a man crashed a rented pickup into cyclists and runners, which killed eight people, and the terrorist attack in Southern California in 2015 that left 14 people fatally shot.

FBI agents conducted a search warrant on Wednesday at the suspects Modesto home and found a note signed by Abdallah abu Everitt ibn Gordon al-Amriki, dated Dec. 16, which in part said, I Abdallah [abu] Everitt ibn Gordon have committed these acts upon the Kuffar [non-Muslims], in the name of Dar al Islam [the Muslim world], Allahu Akbar!

Youve Allowed Donald J Trump to give away Al Quds [Jerusalem] to the Jews. Both You and he are wrong, it belongs to the Muslemeen [Muslims], the letter allegedly says. Long Live Isil, Long Live Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The FBI also said that it had seized firearms and ammunition from the home.

Jameson completed basic U.S. Marine Corps recruit training in 2009 and earned a sharpshooter rifle qualification, according to the affidavit. He was discharged for failing to disclose a history of asthma.

Late Monday, Jameson told the undercover employee that I  dont think I can do this after all. Ive reconsidered.

After securing a warrant, the FBI conducted a search of Jamesons home Wednesday. Jameson discussed aspects of the plan to carry out an attack, noting he would be happy if an attack was carried out, the affidavit said.

Those who knew Jameson said he had been consumed over a court battle for custody of his children but that they never heard him talk about terrorism.

The owner of the towing company where Jameson worked also said the accusations are stunning,

This all comes as a shock to us, Anderson owner Duane Thompson told the Modesto Bee.
A federal judge in Seattle on Saturday partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States.

U.S. District Judge James Robart heard arguments Thursday in lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service, which say the ban causes irreparable harm and puts some people at risk. Government lawyers argued that the ban is needed to protect national security.

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications but said his directive did not apply to people without a bona fide relationship to a person or entity in the United States.

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President Trump restarted the refugee program in October with enhanced vetting capabilities.

The day before his executive order, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees must be banned unless additional security measures are implemented.

It applies to the spouses and minor children of refugees who have already settled in the U.S. and suspends the refugee program for people coming from 11 countries, nine of which are mostly Muslim.

Robart wrote in his decision that former officials detailed concretely how the Agency Memo will harm the United States national security and foreign policy interests.

Robart said that his order restores refugee procedures in programs to what they were before the memo and that this already includes very thorough vetting of individuals.

The ACLU argued the memo provided no evidence for why additional security was needed and didnt specify a time frame for implementing the changes. The groups say the process for imposing the policy violated a federal law.

August Flentje, a Justice Department attorney, told the judge that the ban is temporary and is a reasonable and appropriate way for agency heads to tackle gaps in the screening process.

The lawsuits from the two groups were consolidated and represent refugees who have been blocked from entering the country.

The ACLU represents a Somali man living in Washington state who is trying to bring his family to the U.S. They have gone through extensive vetting, have passed security and medical clearances, and just need travel papers, but those were denied after the ban.

Lisa Nowlin, staff attorney for the ACLU of Washington, said in a statement that the group is happy that the man  who has not yet had the opportunity to celebrate a single birthday with his younger son in person  will soon have the opportunity to hold his children, hug his wife in the very near future, and be together again as a family for the first time in four years.

Two other refugees included in the Jewish Family Service lawsuit are former Iraqi interpreters for the U.S. Army whose lives are at risk because of their service.

Another is a transgender woman in Egypt living in such extremely dangerous circumstances that the U.S. government itself had expedited her case until the ban came down, said Mariko Hirose, a lawyer with the Jewish Family Service case.

Yet another is a single woman in Iraq, Hirose said. Her husband divorced her after she was kidnapped and raped by militants because she worked with an American company. Her family is in the U.S. but shes stranded by the ban, Hirose said.
DECATUR  Macon County judges could send veterans accused of crimes to Champaign for extra treatment under a new state law that requires a veterans court in each judicial circuit by Jan. 1.

Illinois lawmakers passed the measure last year but provided no funding and little direction, said Macon County Presiding Judge A.G. Webber.

At this point, we do not have guidance on how to proceed on this, he said.

Veterans courts are tailored to help former service members who may have been influenced by issues related to their service, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, depression and substance abuse.

Judge Jeffrey Ford in Champaign has already established an informal program to help veterans, so Webber said Macon County officials hope to send qualified, interested veterans there.

No one knows when that will start. Ford said he had not yet completed the needed paperwork to formalize and expand the program.

Macon County is in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which includes DeWitt, Piatt, Moultrie, Douglas and Champaign counties. Because a veterans court exists in one of those counties, Ford said the circuit had met the Jan. 1 requirement.

But he cannot yet accept residents of other counties.

If there are veterans in Macon County or Piatt County, right now I cannot see them, he said. But we are having conversations right now, and I think there is a way to get that worked out.

Unique issues

Veterans courts generally allow service members who were honorably discharged to plead guilty to a crime in exchange for a probation sentence, including follow-up court visits and mental health or substance abuse treatment. Once their sentence is completed, veterans can apply to have their records expunged.

The first veterans treatment court started in 2008 in Buffalo, N.Y. Similar courts sprang up nationwide as a way to help reform the criminal justice system, lower costs by reducing the prison population and recidivism rates, and connect veterans with treatment programs.

The first such court in Illinois was started in Madison County in 2009. It followed the creation of other specialty courts, such as drug and mental health courts, that help connect the people with services they need to address underlying problems

As an Air Force veteran involved with VFW Post 99 in Decatur, Don Neideffer said he favors anything to help veterans who have hit tough times. Just this month, as the VFW delivered Christmas baskets to veterans in the area, Neideffer said he could see some who would benefit from the program.

I know that part of that is problems theyve had with the law, and they probably didnt have any kind of help at their disposal, he said. So I think anything that can help make that connection (to services) would be a positive.

Unknown scope

No one knows how many veterans in Macon County might take part in the voluntary program or how much it will cost to transport them to Champaign. Webber said it is common for service members who come through the courthouse to already qualify for drug or mental health court.

Based on the experiences of other counties where veterans courts exist, the numbers of those persons who are enrolled in veterans court- only program or veteran court tracks in the program is relatively small, he said.

Drug court is also the starting point for Fords program in Champaign County. When veterans appear in drug court, Ford said he contacts the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System in Danville.

Service members are then evaluated based on a risk and needs assessment. Those who qualify often get connected with another program or service that can help.

We do not want them to just be out there when there are problems to be taken care of, Ford said. So basically, its a question of what services are there and how we can get that accomplished.

Judges are still discussing how the Champaign program will work for Macon and other counties in the circuit, and who will cover costs such as the risk and needs assessment. Ford said he must prepare policies and procedures to submit to the Illinois Supreme Court for approval, as well as negotiate agreements with officials in neighboring counties, before he can see veterans from elsewhere in the Sixth Circuit.

He also wants to establish a mentorship aspect of the program that would allow fellow former service members to help each other. While not required, mentoring has succeeded in other places, Ford said.

Part of Webbers confusion stemmed from lack of guidelines for eligibility or service requirements in the state law. The bills main sponsor, state Rep. Christine Winger, said the legislation intentionally included few details because local communities would know better how to treat their veterans than state government would.

Winger, a Republican from Wood Dale, said fewer guidelines would help offset some of the costs of the unfunded mandate.

Winger said she saw the success of similar programs and decided the best solution would be to implement veterans courts throughout the state.

With the actual treatment, veterans court can use existing services, Winger said. We knew there would there be some type of expense, but I believe the savings will come from keeping these veterans out of the jail system.

Other specialty courts

While the new state law did not define the courts structure, standards for problem-solving courts have existed for years. They apply not only to veterans court, but also those like drug court and mental health court, said Kelly Gallivan-Ilarraza, problem-solving court coordinator for the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.

Veterans courts will be different because they will include a member of the Veterans Justice Outreach Program, an effort by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to connect veterans with resources for mental health and substance abuse.

Because the missions of specialty courts often overlap, extra costs should not be that high, said Justice Kathryn Zenoff, chair of the Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning.

Circuits can apply existing infrastructure from the other specialty courts to the veterans court, she said, and the players involved in other courts can set aside a little extra time to focus on veterans cases.

It doesnt necessarily require great outlays of new money to help establish these courts, she said. So I think that is an important point, that it really is a question of how one can efficiently use the existing resources to make the new initiatives available.

It is unclear whether more training will ultimately be required for those operating the veterans court. Training for past hybrid courts, such as mental health court, was grant-funded, Webber said.

At present, I do not know who would pay for training now, Webber said. There is no funding in the state requirements that it be established.

Potential to expand

Eventually, Macon County States Attorney Jay Scott said officials hope to offer the veterans court in Decatur, rather than taking them to court in Champaign.

That wont happen for at least another year, he said. Itll be a work in progress.

Webber also said a local veterans court is a long-term option.

Aside from the financial concern, he said a barrier to the program is the time commitment necessary for all involved parties.

It is a continuing process of evaluation to decide, are we short-changing other persons who do not fit in the criteria for enrollment in these specialty programs by devoting so much time and so many resources to relatively few number of offenders? he said. And there is no good answer to that.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
To the editor: Les Gapay describes the paucity of the 2018 Social Security raise, which will be quickly gobbled up by increases in Medicare premiums and the cost of living. (The Social Security cost-of-living increase is a cruel fraud, Opinion, Dec. 19)

It is high time we acknowledge that the experiment of most workers relying on the vicissitudes of the stock market via 401(k) plans is a failure. We must also find ways to expand defined-benefit plans (pensions, in other words) as well as strengthening and not weakening Social Security.

Now that large corporations will be able to keep trillions of dollars more over the years thanks to the Republican tax plan, perhaps it is time for them to contribute more to the Social Security trust fund. Rather than the current 6.2% of wages they put in, maybe they should pay 8.2%.

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This would provide decades of additional benefits to retirees while still allowing corporations to keep the majority of the windfall they are set to receive.

James Clark, La Canada Flintridge

..

To the editor: Who knows what Gapay was trying to accomplish? His ranting is confusing, and he offers no ideas for changing the status quo.

Gapay is right on some things. While Social Security checks increased 2%, Medicare costs went up too. Sorry, but thats not fraud.

He complains that Medicares out-of-pocket costs, his rent and Campbells soup prices are all increasing, but the denizens in Washington are not raising a hue and cry because they have one foot in hell. My congressman, Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), actually does the one reasonable thing Gapay asks: He consistently sticks up for people who need help. So I voted for him.

Gapay should talk with his member of Congress and vote that person out if he doesnt listen, instead of howling at nameless denizens.

Edward Dignan, Long Beach

..

To the editor: I am close to collecting Social Security, and it always irks me to see another senior complaining that he is entitled to a larger benefit because he paid in. However, the fact continues to be that current retirees on average are going to get 30% more than what they paid in.

Why does my generation keep getting to increase the burden on future generations? And we say it is the millennials who are spoiled.

Paul Anderson, Newport Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Citing North Koreas growing nuclear and ballistic missile threat, the Trump administration is moving to vastly expand the problem-plagued homeland missile defense system despite warnings that the planned upgrades may not succeed.

Immediate plans call for building two $1-billion radar installations and adding 20 rocket interceptors to the 44 already deployed in underground silos at Ft. Greely in Alaska and at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Pentagon also is taking steps to launch new satellites to help each interceptors kill vehicle find, crash into and destroy incoming ballistic missiles high above the atmosphere.

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The expected cost is about $10.2 billion over five years, on top of more than $40 billion already spent for the system. On Thursday, Congress passed a short-term government funding bill that includes $200 million to start preparing construction of additional missile silos in Alaska.

But government reports and interviews with technical experts suggest the planned upgrades, including a redesigned kill vehicle, are unlikely to protect the United States from a limited-scale ballistic missile attack, the systems stated mission.

One concern is the administrations rush to expand the system.

The first new radar is scheduled to be made operational in 2020 before any flight testing is conducted. And the first set of redesigned kill vehicles will be installed in late 2021  following just one flight test of a prototype. All the new interceptors and kill vehicles are supposed to be in place by the end of 2023.

The nations missile-defense system has serious flaws. So why is the Pentagon moving to expand it? 

Theres no way to prove out the design  let alone its reliability  without more flight tests, said L. David Montague, a former aerospace executive who co-chaired a National Academy of Sciences panel of 16 experts that recommended ways to improve U.S. missile defenses in 2012. Its stupid.

On Oct. 11, President Trump told Fox News that the interceptors can knock out a missile in the air 97% of the time. The interceptors have only a 50% success rate in controlled flight tests, according to Pentagon reports.

The stakes are high because North Korea has developed an arsenal of nuclear weapons and last month tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that American officials said appeared capable of reaching the entire United States.

Some experts fear that U.S. overconfidence in the missile defense system could lead to miscalculations in the standoff with Pyongyang.

The response to North Korea is, Lets spend billions of dollars more on missile defense,  said Laura Grego, a physicist who led a 2016 study of the anti-missile system for the nonpartisan Union of Concerned Scientists. But we ought to be very careful that were not fooling ourselves.

The Missile Defense Agency, the Pentagon division responsible for protecting the nation from a limited ballistic missile attack, did not respond to questions for this article.

Pentagon officials have assured Congress that they have confidence in the system  but that it needs improvements. In April 2016, Vice Adm. James D. Syring, then head of the missile agency, told a Senate subcommittee that he wanted to replace the less reliable kill vehicles.

Can the U.S. defend against a North Korean missile strike? 

More details about the systems upgrades, and their expected costs, are expected early next year when the administration completes its Ballistic Missile Defense Review, a document aimed at setting policy and priorities.

Even more ambitious missile defense projects may be on the way.

On Dec. 12, Trump signed a defense authorization bill that requires the missile agency to develop plans to ultimately deploy 104 interceptors  perhaps by building new missile silos in the Midwest or on the East Coast. The agency also is preparing options to deploy space-based laser weapons for missile defense.

The interceptors form the core of the existing Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, or GMD. It is designed to track and destroy a limited number of incoming missiles from North Korea, Iran or another non-superpower adversary, not the kind of cataclysmic nuclear exchange envisioned in the Cold War.

The first few interceptors were made operational in 2004, but the GMD system has been beset with multiple shortcomings.

Since flight testing started, interceptors  often launched from Vandenberg AFB in Santa Barbara County  have failed to destroy target missiles in 9 of 18 attempts. Since 2004, the system has failed in 6 of 10 of the flight tests.

Pentagon officials, including two former directors of the Missile Defense Agency, have attributed the problems to shortcuts taken during the development and deployment of GMD.

Military planners estimate that four or five interceptors would be needed for each incoming missile to ensure its destruction. A dozen nuclear-tipped missiles thus could overwhelm the current U.S. arsenal.

The systems inadequacies have been described by the Pentagons operational test office, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the National Academy of Sciences panel and in interviews with other defense specialists.

For instance, 34 of the 44 existing interceptors use circuit boards that flight testing suggested are vulnerable to electrical shorting. The boards are crucial for powering the rocket thrusters that help steer the 5-foot-long kill vehicles toward their targets.

A Missile Defense Agency spokesman, Christopher Johnson, told The Times in an email last February that improved manufacturing processes would upgrade circuit boards in new interceptors, but no corrective actions would be taken for the original 34.

Moreover, U.S. officials have no reliable way to know if an interceptor has hit and destroyed an incoming warhead and not a decoy or large rocket debris. The so-called kill assessment is vital to ensure that interceptors are not squandered during an attack.

You dont want to keep shooting at something thats already dead because you need your ammunition for things that arent dead yet, said Philip E. Coyle III, a missile defense expert who headed Pentagon weapons testing and evaluation from 1994 to 2001.

Each of the new missile defense projects faces significant technical obstacles.

Every new interceptor will have a redesigned kill vehicle at its tip. If they are launched, the kill vehicle is supposed to separate from the three-stage rocket and, aided by an onboard sensor and rocket thrusters, slam into the target at a speed of 4 miles per second. Because of weightlessness in space, thats much faster than a speeding bullet on Earth.

Although missile agency officials say the new kill vehicle will perform more reliably than earlier versions, some outside experts are skeptical.

The Government Accountability Office, or GAO, which investigates federal programs for Congress, reported on May 30 that a heat-seeking sensor designed for the kill vehicle may not have sufficient performance to defeat some intercontinental ballistic missile threats.

The 117-page report said several Defense Department units, including Strategic Command, have raised concerns about the sensors ability to detect and track enemy missiles.

The missile agency plans only one flight test of the redesigned kill vehicle before the first set of new interceptors are deployed, however. That commits the Pentagon to buying a product prior to demonstrating the system is operationally useful, according to the GAO.

A flawed missile defense system generates $2 billion in bonuses for Boeing 

The new radars also have come under scrutiny. They are supposed to be able to distinguish an enemy warhead from decoys or rocket debris. The National Academy panel and other experts cited the existing systems inability to do so as a major concern.

The missile agency aims to solve or mitigate the problem by installing new radars  each costing about $1 billion  at Clear Air Force Station in central Alaska, and at a site not yet announced in Hawaii.

Both radars will operate in the S-band radio frequency, a mode used by the Navy to track short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

In interviews, several outside experts questioned whether the S-band can adequately identify long-range missiles and said the Pentagon should instead use more powerful X-band radars.

David K. Barton, a radar engineer who served on the National Academy panel, said X-bands shorter wave length enables it to provide better magnified detail, or resolution, of potential targets.

Inherently, the resolution at X-band is three times as good as that at S-band, said Barton, who has advised U.S. intelligence agencies. The higher the resolution, the better your results.

Cristina Chaplain, lead author of the GAO report, said her staff learned that the missile agency chose S-band over X-band in an effort to reduce costs.

The GAO report also noted the missile agency intends to deploy the new radar in Alaska before it is used in a single flight test. The Pentagon thus will risk that there may be unknown and unmitigated capability gaps in the fielded system, the report said.

The new satellites pose another challenge. Over the decades, the Pentagon has repeatedly sought a space-based system to distinguish warheads from decoys.

Most recently, the Obama administration spent $231 million to develop what was called the Precision Tracking Space System. It was never deployed.

The Trump administration is backing a rebranded approach, called the Persistent Space-Based Sensor Architecture. It ultimately could send numerous new satellites into space.

The number of deployed satellites has not been determined. Outside experts estimate at least 24 would be needed  at an additional cost of tens of billions of dollars  to provide continuous monitoring and guidance for the kill vehicles of a potential missile attack from North Korea.

Montague, who co-chaired the National Academy panel, said the latest satellite initiative faces the same obstacles that its predecessors failed to solve.

Its very difficult for me to see how such a scheme would work, Montague said.

david.willman@latimes.com
Gov. Jerry Brown granted 132 pardons and commuted 19 sentences on Saturday, continuing his tradition of Christmastime clemency.

Brown typically grants clemency around Christmas Eve and Easter, focusing largely on those whose run-ins with the law occurred years ago. Those pardoned Saturday had already completed their sentences, the majority of which were for drug-related or other nonviolent crimes, the governors office said.

Those hoping for pardons must obtain a certificate of rehabilitation from a court or petition the governors office directly. Applicants must show that they are living productive, law-abiding lives. Pardons do not erase their convictions, but allow certain rights to be restored.

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Since beginning his third term as governor in 2011, Brown has pardoned more than 1,000 people  far more than his most recent predecessors, according to figures provided by the governors office.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger granted 15 pardons during his time in office. Gray Davis granted none.

Other governors, however, handed down far more pardons, including George Deukmejian, who granted 325; Ronald Reagan, 574; and Browns father, Pat Brown, who granted 467.

Inmates can apply to have their sentences reduced. Most of the 19 people whose sentences were shortened Saturday were given an earlier chance to go before a parole board, which will determine whether they are ready to be released.

On the list was a Los Angeles woman who was ultimately sentenced to life in prison after initially agreeing to a plea deal that promised possible parole after 7 years. Candace Fox, 57, has spent more than 33 years behind bars despite a legal back-and-forth that prompted concern from a federal appeals court.

The case stems from the 1984 robbery and killing of Lewis Levy, a man who allegedly owed Foxs roommate money. Fox and some friends decided to rob Levy and use the proceeds to buy cocaine, according to court records.

Although Fox did not kill Levy  it was her roommate who repeatedly stabbed him  she hit him in the head with a beer bottle.

Fox agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and testify against a co-defendant. Once in prison, Fox learned that the deal she struck  a shot at parole in 7 years  was not allowed under the law.

A state appeals court set aside the plea and Fox was tried again. Without the presence of the original co-defendants, she was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Fox petitioned the governor earlier this year, saying she thought about Levy and his family almost every day and has tried to make amends by working to help others in prison. She asked the governor to commute her sentence to second-degree murder with the possibility of parole.

In his commutation, Brown noted that the two other people involved in the robbery were primarily responsible for Levys killing. One remains in prison, but has had several chances to go before a parole board, the governor wrote. Another was released from prison on parole.

Ms. Fox helped prosecutors obtain these convictions and has now been incarcerated for more than 33 years, Brown wrote. Justice is not served by continuing to deny her the opportunity she was promised decades ago  the chance to show that she is worthy of release.

Brown reduced Foxs sentence to 15 years in prison, allowing her something she has long sought: a parole hearing.



Times staff writer Maura Dolan contributed to this report.

kate.mather@latimes.com

@katemather

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Updates on California politics
There were 2,980 bills introduced and debated in the California Legislature in 2017, a bumper crop of proposals and symbolic, formal resolutions. But in raw political terms, some bills mattered more than others.

And this is the time of year it becomes clear that politically powerful interest groups were keeping score.

More than a dozen organizations assign a grade to each member of the state Senate and Assembly, distributed on an annual scorecard. Some assessments have already been published; others will be released in early 2018. Its important to call them what they really are: an electoral litmus test, one that fuels campaign donations and is later splashed across mail sent to voters  Jane Smith is a champion/destroyer of the environment, for example. It can be effective for voters who have little other information on the job their legislator has been doing in Sacramento.

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That kind of political impact is why lawmakers lavish so much attention on these annual performance reviews. Its hard to find a member of the Legislature who doesnt know how he or she stacks up. Its part of what makes some interest groups so powerful  from Planned Parenthood to the National Rife Assn., organized labor and beyond.

The Sierra Club of California released its scorecard in October with an explanation of how the bills in question were chosen. The selection is based on factors that include a bills overall importance to the states environmental quality, the precedent it sets for good or bad impacts, and the bills importance to fulfilling the Clubs mission.

Fifty members of the Assembly voted with the Sierra Club a majority of the time, as did 27 members of the Senate. Those are impressive numbers, a reminder of why environmental advocates begin most state Capitol debates with a real advantage. No Republicans came out with a high score, and a few of the Legislatures business aligned moderate Democrats also received a lukewarm grade.

Political Road Map: The major parties just arent cutting it for California voters 

The scorecard of the California Chamber of Commerce, on the other hand, found fewer kindred souls. Only 15 state senators  two of them Democrats  voted with the business group most of the time. In the Assembly, the list totaled 30 of the chambers 80 members with Democrats holding five of those spots.

Other groups find even less support. Just 39 of the states 120 legislators received a grade of D or better from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., frequent critics of new tax or spending proposals. The group urged its members to review the grade and then contact your legislators office to express your support or concern.

Political Road Map: The 2018 state budget debate may be less about what to spend than when to spend it 

A majority of lawmakers received high marks in 2017 from two powerful law enforcement groups  the California Police Chiefs Assn. and the California District Attorneys Assn. The bills on their list included the expanded use of search warrants and defeating a plan to allow safe injection sites for drug users. These grades can send a strong message about who is tough or soft on crime and punishment.

Scorecards also make note of lawmakers doing nothing at all. Those who abstain  refusing to cast a vote either way  can get credit from a group that hated the bill, or scorn from a group that sees the abstention as tantamount to voting No.

Its popularity notwithstanding, theres a danger in relying too much on a scorecard. It is, after all, a subjective list of bills that too easily becomes the justification for whos doing his or her job and who isnt. The politics of interest groups may be key to winning an election, but they arent always synonymous with effective governing.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast
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
This was no happy Saturday night for Israels embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In about 15 cities, crowds ranging from about 200 people to thousands gathered to protest corruption and demand his ouster.

Netanyahu is the subject of two police investigations for possible graft and abuse of his public position, and his close associates are the targets of two more. He has been interrogated as a criminal suspect seven times.

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On Tuesday, in a Hanukkah gathering with supporters and fellow Likud party members, Netanyahu hinted that police might recommend that he be indicted.

Who cares, he crowed before his audience, because most police recommendations are tossed!

Still, the longtime backing of his right-wing supporters appears to be wavering.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu lost a key ally, coalition whip David Bitan, who faces charges of fraud, breach of trust and graft relating to his time as deputy mayor of a Tel Aviv suburb.

On Saturday, Bitans replacement surprised Israel with a statement that seemed to put Netanyahus continued rule in question. Speaking to a Bar Assn. meeting, David Amsalem said that a prime minister of the state of Israel who has been indicted for bribery cannot serve as prime minister.

In Tel Aviv, for the fourth week in a row, about 5,000 protesters clogged Rothschild Boulevard, a major thoroughfare, calling for Netanyahu to step aside.

Jerusalem was the scene for two parallel anti-Netanyahu protests, one in Paris Square, just feet from Netanyahus official residence, where about 200 demonstrators gathered to rail against the prime minister.

It was the fourth consecutive week of protests at Paris Square, and the atmosphere was familiar and easygoing. On sale for $5.70 were umbrellas bearing the line, Not left, not right, only straight ahead. In Hebrew, straight is a synonym for honest.

Just under a mile away, in Zion Square, an unprecedented assembly of about 500 of Netanyahus supporters rallied under the banner A Rally For  meaning a rally for clean government, not a rally against Netanyahu.

Im here today not because Im against Netanyahu, but because Im in favor of the state of Israel, said Yoaz Hendel, Netanyahus former chief of communications, who organized the demonstration. Im here because this is how I was raised in the religious Zionist sector. Im here because we cannot live with divide and conquer. We cannot live while our leadership doesnt understand the value of setting a personal example and walking humbly.

Israelis protest at a right-wing demonstration against corruption in Jerusalem on Saturday. (Gali Tibbon / AFP/Getty Images )

Being in favor of ongoing settlement in Judea and Samaria does not contradict believing in the rule of law, he declared, referring to the occupied West Bank by its biblical name.

Whatever the intentions, Netanyahu was blasted by a series of high-profile speakers, including Moshe Yaalon, a former minister of defense in Netanyahus government and former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces.

When we fought, were wounded and lost soldiers and family members, we didnt ask  nor did our enemies  if the soldier was on the right, left, or any other school of thought, Yaalon, 67, one of Israels most decorated warriors, told the Zion Square rally.

This kind of unity is needed not just in the IDF and not just in war. Unfortunately, narrow-sighted political self-interests lead to division, Yaalon continued, asking, Why do politicians turn the issue of morality into a matter of left or right?

Yaalon closed his remarks by saying that he does not lose sleep over military threats that Israel faces, but is tormented by other concerns. Corruption is chipping away at society, damaging equality and costing us our health. Corruption tells citizens that injustice is being done. This is a bigger danger to us than the threats posed by Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas or ISIS, he said.

Hendel alluded to the symbolism of the location, Zion Square, the site of a notorious rally in late 1995  weeks before the assassination of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin  at which Netanyahu presided from a balcony while his supporters below loudly called Rabin a traitor, murderer and Nazi for signing the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians months earlier.

Aryeh Eldad, another former ally of Netanyahu, took direct aim at the prime minister and at the electoral apprehension gripping Israels right. Netanyahu is trying to convince us that if he falls, the left wing will rise to power, and I share this fear, he declared. But, he said, referring to the nationalist ideology embodied by Israels right-wing political parties, if the nationalist camp chooses a trustworthy candidate, there is no reason a change of government will lead to the rise of the left.

No honest man can assent to corruption in government, he said.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent.
CHICAGO  Concerns about suicides among teens nationwide and youth mental health issues have prompted officials at a school district in a northwestern suburb of Chicago to start discussing the topic in class.

Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 launched a suicide prevention and depression awareness program this month called Signs of Suicide for its seventh- and eighth-grade students.

District officials said parents were allowed to opt out of the program and that three decided to do so.

Kristin Schmidt, the district's assistant director of special education and a social worker, said the program's participants watch a video, participate in group discussions and answer questions to determine whether they are at risk of depression or have suicidal tendencies.

"We are seeing an increase in school clinicians needing to do crisis assessments," Schmidt said. "We do a crisis assessment if we believe there is a significant risk of harm of self or others. To date, we have done 100 crisis assessments at our three middle schools (this school year)."

The district has exceeded the number of crisis assessments it had conducted by this time last year. Officials said the district is seeing a gradual annual increase in students struggling with emotional issues.

"Oftentimes mental illness isn't talked about," said Scott Campbell, clinical director of Samaritan Counseling Center of the Northwest Suburbs.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds, Campbell said.

"Nine out of 10 people that take their lives have a diagnosable mental health issue," Campbell said. "That's why early intervention and prevention is really important. Teaching people how to look for the symptoms and getting people help, that's really the key."
On July 4, 1778, the bell rang and the battered people of Kaskaskia gathered. They found themselves under new rule. George Rogers Clark explained that the revolutionary government was not interested in changing their faith, but wanted to give them liberty.

The once British-occupied territory had been liberated by Clark, who was fighting for the Continental Army. About four decades later, this small settlement flanked by the Mississippi River would be the home to Illinois first capital.

There is a lot to Kaskaskias story, a lot that wouldnt be gleaned by a visit to the sparse island on what would seem to be the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. Emily Lyons, curator for the Randolph County Archives and Museum, said she has spent the last 20 years working to preserve the countys history in an official capacity, but has spent her life immersed in it.

Lyons said her family can be traced in a direct line back to settlers who came to what was then the Kaskaskia peninsula in the 1700s. Lyons explained that the peninsula became an island after years of deforestation along the banks of the Mississippi, as well as soil erosion, created a perfect storm in April 1818 when an ice pack at a bend in the river finally caused what was left of the remaining ties to the mainland to gave way.

Lyons explained that Kaskaskia began as one building. In 1703, the Jesuits built a chapel. Not long after, a small population of native peoples and 12 French settlers called the place home. By 1718, and several church buildings later, the chapel became a parish, the Immaculate Conception Church.

Lyons said the population grew and, in 1725, Kaskaskia was incorporated by the French. She said Kaskaskias location on the Mississippi River made it ideal for shipping the agricultural goods being produced in the region, but most valuable perhaps were the furs being trapped and sent to the garment trade in Europe. She said over the course of its history, the once-bustling community garnered the moniker of the "Versailles of the West." In fact, the Liberty Bell of the West was gifted to the Kaskaskias Immaculate Conception in 1741 in recognition of its importance. The bell still sits among the scattered historic buildings left on the island.

Lyons said before being incorporated, the king of France had sent a military detachment to build what would be Fort De Chartres. This proved to be a valuable asset in the years and conflicts to come.

After the French and Indian War ended, in 1765, Britain took the fort. Lyons said because of poor conditions there, the British moved to Kaskaskia, which is where Clark found them during the Revolutionary War. Lyons said while Clark and his men, who took Kaskaskia without a drop of blood being shed, announced they were happy to let the residents live their lives as they chose, they would need to be supplied. She said the following winter was a hard one as many larders had been raided to help with the war effort.

Lyons said after the war ended, Kaskaskia was part of several different territories. First it was part of the Virginia Commonwealth after the Treaty of 1783. Then it was in the Northwest Territory until it was part of the Indiana Territory in 1800. Finally, in 1809, Kaskaskia was part of the Illinois Territory.

When President James Monroe signed off on Illinois being admitted as the 21st state in the union in 1818, Kaskaskia was chosen as its first capital. But this didnt last long. Within a few months of acquiring statehood, Vandalia, which was not even populated at the time, was chosen as the states new capital. Many favored its more central location within the original 16 southern counties. The first meeting of the second General Assembly was held at a newly constructed statehouse in 1820.

Though at one time home to a vibrant population, Kaskaskia Island now is home to an almost startling quiet. Fewer than 100 people call the island home, with miles (in some cases) between houses. The Liberty Bell of the West sits encased in a brick shrine and the Immaculate Conception Church, its final brick building, just a few yards away. Yawning trees dot the grounds.

Lyons said while Kaskaskia is not the tourism hub of, say, Abraham Lincolns estate in the current state capital of Springfield, she is happy with things they way they are. She said many who still live on the island do so for a reason  its quiet. She said her biggest struggle as curator is getting people to see the value in history, as well as seeing the value in keeping historic buildings standing when possible.

Sometimes the impression is new is better, she said, noting the irony that many buildings that replace historic structures are often estimated to last only a few decades while those that come down have lasted centuries.

She said she always tries to explain the value in these historic places. And when she loses, she is not happy.

Its not a good feeling, Lyons said of seeing pieces of her countys history meet the wrecking ball.

Lyons said she wants to preserve her homes history and wants to ensure the buildings and museums can be maintained. This has been no easy task, as budgets in Illinois have shrunk in recent decades. However, she said she has to strike a balance when it comes to Kaskaskia: The grounds and buildings need to be kept up and the history should be celebrated, but not at the expense of those who still call Illinois first capital their home.

The rich and famous go off and buy islands so they can have a secluded place to live and we dont have to do that, Lyons said. We have a secluded place.
Many questions still remained Sunday morning after authorities said Justin Erik Kephart killed his mother on Friday afternoon at 1543 Dennis St. and then held off police for hours with bursts of rapid-fire gunshots from the Bethlehem Township home.

Justin Kephart. (Facebook photo)

While Pennsylvania State Police late Friday night confirmed Kephart's apparent suicide, many other details of the eight-hour incident remain shadowed in an ongoing investigation.

Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek has yet to formally identify Kephart's mother, who died in the front yard of the home.

Was Kephart, who lived in the home with his grandmother, using a bump-stock on a semiautomatic weapon to make it fire faster?Initial police reports referred to automatic fire. At one point, he pinned down a police officer and a neighbor, who were checking on the woman and had to be rescued by an armored vehicle.

What drove Kephart, 36, to violence may never be known, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said Saturday.

Christmas flowers and a candle were on the lawn at 1543 Dennis St. in Bethlehem Township two days after a killing and a standoff there. (Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Reporter Kurt Bresswein laid out what was known and unknown as of Saturday morning -- and little was clearer by Sunday morning.

But Morganelli, Lysek and investigators will meet with the media at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to "discuss the events that occurred on December 22, 2017 in Bethlehem Township resulting in the death of 2 individuals and release additional information," according to a news release.

State Police Lt. Joseph Sokolofski, who is in charge of criminal investigations for Bethlehem-based Troop M and provided the basics on Friday night, declined Sunday to answer questions ahead of the news conference, saying he hadn't yet conferred with investigators.

The probe continued on a rainy Saturday morning as police limited access to the neighborhood.

A couch and debris are seen at 1543 Dennis St. in Bethlehem Township two days after a killing and a standoff there. (Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com)

On Sunday, there were Christmas flowers and a candle in the front yard. Parts of the home were boarded up and there was a couch and debris in the front yard. Yellow police tape was still stretched across the rear of the backyard.

The front steps were deposited a few feet from the front door. A silver Volkswagen in the driveway had a sticker that said, "support your local white boy."

There was no sign of homeowner Rosemarie Meixell.

Sokoloski did confirm Kephart had more than one weapon, but couldn't provide details.

"I'm sure we can answer all questions at the conference," he said.

Reporter Pamela Sroka-Holzmann contributed to this report.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The federal government has labeled a man's shooting at police on Friday in Harrisburg an act of terror.

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was wounded and pursued by Ahmed Amin El-Mofty before the suspect was eventually shot and killed, the Associated Press said.

A tweet from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, meant to connect El-Mofty to an immigration program that allows extended family members to enter the United States, also called the shootings at various city and state police personnel "a terror attack."

El-Mofty was a beneficiary of "extended family chain migration," the tweet from Tyler Q. Houlton said.

"The long chain of migration that led to the suspect's admission into the United States was initiated years ago by a distant relative of the suspect," Houlton said.

El-Mofty was a naturalized citizen who came from Egypt and entered on a family-based immigration visa, Houlton said.

This and a second incident involving a naturalized citizen of Pakistani descent being charged with laundering bitcoins to support ISIS, "highlight the Trump administration's concerns with extended family chain migration," Houlton wrote. "Both chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by terrorists to attack our country."

BREAKING: My statement on Immigration Backgrounds of Recent Terror-Related Suspects: pic.twitter.com/I3JfZOfuBh  Tyler Q. Houlton (@SpoxDHS) December 24, 2017

The trooper who was wounded was "doing well," the Associated Press said on Saturday.

El-Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood, where city and state police encountered him, the Associated Press reported.

"He approached them with two handguns ... firing many shots at those police officers," and the officers returned fire, killing him, Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said, according to the AP.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
It's a really hectic Christmas in RTE for Laois comedian Bernard O' Shea.

The Durrow native co-stars with Jennifer Zamparelli tonight in a Christmas Special edition of Bridget and Eamon.

"Four Funerals and No Wedding" sees Bridget works out that with the widows pension and life assurance Eamon aka Bernard, would be worth more dead than alive. So she fakes his death but Eamon cant resist going to his own wake.

Jennifer and Bernard are enjoying a successful third season of the IFTA award winning comedy series.

The Christmas special goes out on RTE 2 on Christmas Eve at 9.45pm.

Meanwhile, the Laois man has been busy getting ready for Dancing With the Stars which gets underway way on January 7 on RTE 1. Helping to launch the series, Bernard admitted he 'couldn't walk down the stairs'. He also looked forward to getting the fake tan.

"I couldn't walk down the stairs!"



Contestant Bernard O'Shea chats to @JamesPatrice about his hopes and fears!



You've got this @boshea5!



Dancing With The Stars Ireland starts Sunday 6.30pm on RTE One #DWTSIrl pic.twitter.com/6Fj2MJ4Upt  RTE One (@RTEOne) December 24, 2017

Apart from the TV work, his morning radio slot on 2fm, a tour with Karl Spain, Bernard will be busy preparing for Santa Claus. Bernard has two children with his wife, Lorna.

In 2010, Bernard burst on to the TV screens as part of the team of the hit show, Republic of Telly. Staying with the show for its entire seven-series run.

In early 2014, Bernard was announced as the host of the 2fm breakfast show, Breakfast Republic, alongside Jennifer Zamparelli, and Keith Walsh.
SIX YEARS ago Limerick man Seamus Ryan set off on a quest to raise 100,000 for Temple Street Childrens Hospital.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and the Cappamore man is at the 35,000 mark. Every St Stephens Day he holds a forestry walk to raise funds.

There is still a long way to go but I will get there, said Seamus.

There is no better way to work off the Christmas dinner and mince pies than joining us on the foothills of the Slieve Felim mountains on December 26, he continues. Seamus said a number of Limerick children have to travel to Temple Street for specialist care.

It is a walk the Ryans have been doing since they were teenagers. In 2011, Seamus came up with the idea to organise it for charity.

We see a lot of the same faces year after year, I guess now it has become a tradition and people look forward to the catch up, especially those who are just home for Christmas. We also love to welcome new people every year to join us, said Seamus.

All walkers will start together from the forestry entrance at the end of the Kyle Road which is 5 kms north of Cappamore village. They are asked to congregate at 11.30am for a briefing before they start at noon.

There will be three different walks to choose from. The first is 4 kms (around 40 mins), 7.5 kms (1 hour 30 minutes) and 10 kms (two hours). The longer walk meanders through the forestry until reaching the famed Grageen bog, which supplied turf to the Munster region when coal could not be imported into Ireland during World War II.

We are hoping for a clear day again this year so walkers will get to take in the stunning views of east Limerick and the Galtee mountains, said Seamus.

When the walkers return to base there will be well deserved hot and cold refreshments.

There is no set charge but all donations are accepted on the day, said Seamus, who can be contacted on 087 2673322 for more information.

He says car parking is limited so please carpool where possible.

Dress accordingly for whatever weather we have on the day and bring a bottle of drinking water as the first 5 kms of the 10 km walk is uphill!! said Seamus.

The Christmas Day calories will be all worked off!
A LIMERICK man in his 30s has pleaded guilty after he threatened a shop assistant with a knife and robbed 280 from a person at a city ATM in the space of a few minutes.

Jason Carroll, 39, of Eden Villas, Lord Edward Street, was charged with attempted robbery at Tesco in Arthurs Quay Shopping Centre and robbery at an ATM on Patrick Street on March 23 last.

Limerick Circuit Court heard Mr Carroll approached a Tesco shop assistant and demanded money from him, and produced a knife when confronted by a very experienced security guard.

Giving evidence last Friday, Gda Donnacha Coakley said that gardai responded quickly to the incident, and that the shop assistant was terrified.

I feared for my life when he threatened me. I was afraid he was going to use it [the knife], the shop assistant told gardai, the court heard.

Within minutes of this incident, the accused demanded money from a man at an ATM outside the shopping centre and fled the scene with 280.

Gardai carried out a search and made an arrest that evening at 6.45pm.

Gda Coakley said that excellent quality CCTV footage showed the accused walking up Cruises Street, and that he had dumped items in a bin along the street.

The court heard that he had two knives on his person, which were recovered from a bin on Cruises Street.

Gda Coakley said that, at the time of the incident, Mr Carroll was intoxicated.

The court heard both separate incidents occurred in the space of a few minutes. Gda Coakley said that there was a heartfelt apology in the third interview.

Defending barrister Pat Whyms said that his client was addressing addiction problems but had relapsed after attending Saoirse services. He added that, following the breakdown of a relationship, he later became homeless.

The accused told gardai that he had no recollection of the incident, after washing down a double dose of prescription medication with vodka.

I was in a hole and I couldnt get out, he told gardai, the court heard.

The court was told that Mr Carroll handed over the stolen 280 when he appeared in the District Court. Judge Tom ODonnell said that he was going to consider the matter, and remanded the accused in custody until February 8.
WHEN Dolores Crowe heard her neighbours were putting on a benefit for them, all she wanted was enough money to fill the oil tank before Christmas.

Now she can do that, pay off an 8,500 Credit Union loan to make their Castleconnell home more comfortable for son, William, and have some left over.

A total of 12,720 was raised from the evening in Herberts pub for the 13-year-old. William has a life limiting condition. He was never fully diagnosed but has epilepsy, recurring chest infections and global development delay.

William attends St Vincents and is a full-time wheelchair user. He is fully dependent, 24/7, on family and carers for his needs to be met.

He doesnt have speech but has the most beautiful smile, said Dolores. She said the driving force behind the night was Catherine McCarthy.

The love and care Gerry and Dolores and Williams older sister Maria give that boy is just incredible. When he was in hospital for weeks in Limerick and Dublin, Dolores would spend the day with William and Gerry would stay for the night. They are just incredible parents, said Catherine.

Along with her hard-working committee of Catherine Keane, Liam McNamara, Ann Coleman, Kathlyn Coleman and Joe Byrnes they got busy selling tickets. They couldnt keep Dolores mum, Catherine OGrady, supplied with tickets she was selling them so fast in east Limerick! Ger OConnell secured signed jerseys and hurleys from the Limerick U-21 and Na Piarsaigh hurlers. John Hayes gave a signed rugby ball. These brought in hundreds of euros. Local musicians, under the moniker No Direction, brought the house down.

When Catherine counted it all up there was 12,720. I still cant believe it. Everybody was so generous. Id just like to thank everybody, said Catherine. Dolores is also lost for words.

I cant express how much this means to us. We are overwhelmed - people have been so good to us. On behalf of myself, Gerry, Maria, William, we are so honoured to have such lovely neighbours and friends to do all that for us, said Dolores. All she wanted was to fill the oil tank and if things went very well pay off some of the Credit Union loan. They gave up their bedroom to William years ago but this year 33,500 was spent on upgrading his room, bathroom and improving pathways. The council gave 25,000 so they borrowed the rest.

Im going to pay off that 8,500 this Thursday. It is going to relieve the financial pressure and stress off me. We will be able to enjoy Christmas so much better now. We will fill the oil tank and leave the rest to the New Year, said Dolores.

William was the apple of her late father Johns eye and she says he is watching over him from heaven. William was in hospital the night of the fundraiser  Dolores thanked those who stayed with him  but is home and looking forward to a Christmas.
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A JUDGE has expressed concern that a man who is accused of robbing 200 from a jewellery store in Limerick city remains in prison despite having been declared unfit to stand trial.

It is alleged the 30-year-old defendant threatened a female member of staff with a large knife after he entered Seoidin, Thomas Street at around 11am on March 10, last.

During a hearing in October, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist Anthony Kearns, who is attached to the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin, said he had examined the defendant a number of times after concerns were expressed about his mental health and his ability to enter a plea.

He said the accused man suffers from a Schizo defective disorder and that he also has an intellectual disability. He added he has an IQ which places him the lowest percentile in the country.

Dr Kearns told Mark Nicholas SC, defending, he found the defendant to be very incoherent and that he was not able to consider the charges in any reasonable way when he examined him.

The witness said he did not believe the defendant is capable of instructing his legal advisers or of following court proceedings.

When asked by Mr Nicholas, Dr Kearns agreed the accused mans problems are chronic and are compounded by his use of illicit drugs.

He said he did not believe that detaining him at the Central Mental Hospital was an option as it would not be an effective use of resources.

However, during a review of the case, Judge Tom ODonnell was told the defendants clinical position has since detonated and that he has now been placed on a waiting list to be admitted to the Central Mental Hospital.

Mr Nicholas said its accepted by all parties that his client will require long term care in the appropriate setting and that he is likely to be admitted to the CMH early in the new year.

Clearly everyone is moving in the right direction, he said adding that he may have to take action if there is any further delay.

Adjourning the matter to the new year, Judge Tom ODonnell said he has enormous concerns,

Im completely uncomfortable with the fact that he is still in prison when he should be in hospital, he said.

The judge directed that an up-to-date report be prepared for the court ahead of the next date.

Previously, he was told the defendants illnesses can be treated with regular medication but Dr Kearns said he did not believe he would attend any outpatient appointments to receive his medication.

While not disputing the medical evidence, John OSullivan BL prosecuting, pointed out that suffering from a mental disorder does not, in itself, preclude someone from going on trial.

The matter may proceed at a future date if the defendants condition improves to such an extend that he is declared fit to stand trial.
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Schenectady

It's not what Carlos Beria sees through the front window of his Albany Street barber shop that has him feeling confident about the future of Hamilton Hill.

It's the things that aren't there anymore.

Beria, who has owned Platinum Kutz for the past 10 years, remembers the times when he would look out the shop and see prostitutes strolling up and down the street at midday.

"I've seen a lot of negative stuff, the fighting, the shootings, the stabbings," said Beria. "I've been here through the changes, and it's still here, but it's a lot less now."

Beria says he finally notices signs of progress that have him optimistic the neighborhood is on the rebound.

An array of projects are sprouting in Hamilton Hill, once the city's most hopeless neighborhoods. Among them, housing for senior citizens and low-income families, a new library and literacy center, a discount store that opened last year on State Street and a modern facility on the border with neighboring Mont Pleasant for at-risk youngsters to stay busy and off the streets.

For this tough working-class neighborhood, the major investment of more than $60 million led by two private nonprofit groups is changing the landscape and perception some outsiders have of a high-crime, rundown area. Residents hope the work will restore pride in the neighborhood and bring in basic services found in many other communities.

 Move the slider to view a before and after image of the Joseph L. Allen Apartments.

Down the street from Beria's barber shop on Albany Street sits the $18 million Joseph L. Allen apartments, a pastel-colored dwelling named for the city's first black councilman that Rochester-based developer DePaul opened in October.

On Craig Street, the next block over, The Community Builders of Boston has work crews converting the old Horace Mann school into 25 senior housing units and former Craig Street Boys & Girls Club Street into 25 studio, one- two- and three-bedroom apartments on the second and third floor as part of Phase One of $19.5 million Hillside View development. The first floor will feature a police station and community artist maker space, where people with an interest in computing or technology can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment and knowledge.

Additionally, dilapidated properties on Stanley and Emmett Streets are being redeveloped as part of that first phase of work.

The second phase includes the purchase of buildings on Albany Street, Craig Street, Germania Avenue, Paige Street, Sprague Street, Delamont Avenue and State Street and then leveling them to make way for 94 more housing units, according to plans recently submitted to the city development office.

Under those plans, The Community Builders will also clean up a contaminated building at Craig and Albany Streets that used to house a family-owned cleaner and transform the building into a coin-operated laundromat.

 Move the slider to view a before and after image of the Phyllis Bornt library branch.

Last year, the $1.3 million Phyllis Bornt library branch and literacy center opened at 948 State St. A Family Dollar store opened next door. More recently, a new Stewart's opened at the corner of Albany Street and Brandywine Avenue.

More Information By the numbers Hamilton Hill (Part 1 crimes) 2016 536 2017 (as of Dec 12)466 Mont Pleasant (Part 1 crimes) 2016472 2017 (as of Dec 12)94 Part 1 crimes are as follows: Arson, assault, burglary, larceny, murder, motor vehicle theft, rape, robbery Source: Schenectady Police Dept. See More Collapse

The Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady has launched a campaign for a nearly $11 million two-story, 38,587-square-foot building in Quackenbush Park near the Mont Pleasant and Hamilton Hill border.

The Community Builders first started doing redevelopment work in the neighboring Vale neighborhood but pivoted to Hamilton Hill in recent years because census data showed median income was improving in Vale but stagnant or dropping in Hamilton Hill, where the average median income is $21,374, according to census data.

Jennica Huff, project manager with The Community Builders, said the organization is not "deterred by crime at all." It works closely with law enforcement and uses internal security measures to keep sites and tenants safe.

"We believe that good affordable housing, housing that people of all incomes can live in is one of the foundations of having a healthy life, a healthy family, a healthy community," Huff said.

Security is also tight at the Joe Allen apartments, where DePaul uses around-the-clock security staff and multiple surveillance cameras inside and outside the building.

Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority Chairman Ray Gillen said the neighborhood has suffered from a paucity of outside investment.

"We are linking with experienced, proven developers, and we have over $80 million in development under way or planned in that neighborhood," he said. "We certainly want to do more, but the first step is when you have a lot of new development and the neighborhood starts to look better, it's easier to draw in other investments."

City Councilwoman Marion Porterfield, who has lived in Hamilton Hill for 30 years, said the community needs a supermarket, community center, and a hair salon.

"The kind of amenities that people need in a neighborhood, as you start to redevelop, you start to see that come in," said Porterfield, who predicted that with a year or so a grocery store will open in Hamilton Hill.

A group made up mostly of Hamilton Hill residents launched a campaign called '"Miracle on Craig Street" where they are trying to raise $200,000 to acquire and reopen the Carver Community Center at 700 Craig St., which shut down over financial problems in 2013.

Porterfield said she would like to see developers extend sidewalks to make Hamilton Hill more pedestrian-friendly.

She also touted the mixed-income concept as a way to lessen "the concentration of poverty" in the area.

"You can make $65,000 and live in the same development as someone who makes $25,000," she said.

Marva Isaacs, president of the Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association, said the city should continue to tear down eyesores.

"I hope the city will get rid of most of those blighted houses that are there because Hamilton Hill is starting to look good," Isaacs said.

Angelicia Morris, who has called Hamilton Hill home for 16 years, said the redevelopment means greater availability of affordable housing for seniors and the needy.

Development is not the only thing that can improve the neighborhood's image.

Morris, head of the county Human Rights Commission, said renaming a section of Albany Street after Martin Luther King Jr. earlier this year injected a greater sense of neighborhood pride. "There is a rebirth of community development, of home ownership, and so as a resident I am glad that these projects are taking place," said Morris.

Felicia Collins, pastor of Bethel AME Church on Mumford Street for the past five years, said Hamilton Hill is a "place to watch" over the next decade.

John Howard III, a lifelong Hamilton Hill resident, said when he goes into his local barber shop for a haircut, he hears concerns from people in the community who worry "that over time, they'll get priced out of their homes."

Howard, a construction trainer for a local nonprofit group, said he would like to see "more initiatives with owner-occupied programs that allow people to buy-in and reinvest in their own communities."

For nearly 20 years, the taxpayer-funded Schenectady Metroplex has underwritten millions of dollars for construction work in Schenectady's nearby downtown. The expansion of Proctors theater, construction of Bow Tie Cinemas and addition of dozens of restaurants added vibrancy to the city's heart. But for years, critics have said downtown development had little impact on Hamilton Hill and other struggling neighborhoods to the east.

Violent crime often involving guns and drugs has plagued the community.

"People think of Hamilton Hill as the place where all the crime happens, but if you look at the statistics, the percentage may be higher here, but it's not like it's only here," Porterfield said.

Police Chief Eric Clifford said that as of late last week, the city had two homicides in 2017, and none in Hamilton Hill. By comparison, four people were killed in the neighborhood last year. Violent crimes like rapes, assaults and arson are down in both Hamilton Hill and neighboring Mont Pleasant.

"We acknowledge there is still work to do as it relates to that neighborhood, but the redevelopment efforts underway have transformed certain areas in a positive way," he said, noting many of he building projects feature "environmental design" such as clear sight lines and improved lighting which can enhance safety.

He also credited police work and crime mapping that pinpoints "hot-spot activity," and intelligence gathering that identifies those likely to be involved in criminal activity and steering them toward diversionary programs.

Lori Van Buren

Huff said The Community Builders is already working with the service agency Schenectady Community Action Program, the Electric City Barn, and the Boys & Girls Club. They are also involved with Capital Roots to have fresh food deliveries once a week to the Hillside View apartments. Modelled after the Albany Barn, the Electric City Barn maker space will feature space for woodworking, digital media and textile and fashion design and production. Local woodworkers, crafters and so called "makers" will have a venue to help train others work on their own projects.

Gillen said the city is looking to improve public transportation along the Craig Street corridor.

At the Allen apartments, roughly half of the 51 units have tenants who use services provided by Schenectady Community Action Program, an organization down the block from the apartments that helps people combat poverty.

"We're a provider first and a developer second so it's important ... that we have nice places that people want to be in and that we're good neighbors and part of the community so we want to have something that's always going to be nice looking," said Chris Tolhurst with DePaul.

Howard said projects need to employee more local residents.

"I want to know how many actual residents from Schenectady are working on working on these Schenectady projects that can benefit from this development long term," added Howard, who currently lives on Paige Street.

Porterfield said three minority contractors and a business owned by a woman did work on the Joseph Allen Apartments.

Back at the Platinum Kutz barbershop, Beria, who lives in Schenectady and owns a second shop on Eastern Parkway, said he has spoken with friends interested in opening businesses on Albany Street, a main Hamilton Hill thoroughfare.

He said he's worked hard to build a positive reputation for his shop.

"Now I want the location to match our name, and I think that will happen because people are feeling a little more comfortable, which is a good thing for us and for business," he said.

pnelson@timesunion.com  518-454-5347  @apaulnelson
WASHINGTON - Andrew McCabe, the FBI's deputy director who has been the target of Republican critics for more than a year, plans to retire in a few months when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits, according to people familiar with the matter.

McCabe spent hours in Congress this past week, facing questions behind closed doors from members of three committees. Republicans said they were dissatisfied with his answers; Democrats called it a partisan hounding.

McCabe, 49, holds a unique position in the political firestorm surrounding the FBI. He was former director James Comey's right-hand man, a position that involved him in most of the FBI's actions that vex President Donald Trump and in the investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state, a matter that still riles Democrats.

McCabe won't become eligible for his full pension until early March. People close to him say he plans to retire as soon as he hits that mark. "He's got about 90 days, and some of that will be holiday time. He can make it,'' one said.

A spokesman for McCabe declined to comment, as did an FBI spokesman.

Word of McCabe's plans drew a response Saturday from Trump, who in a Twitter post characterized the move as "racing the clock to retire with full benefits."

When Trump fired Comey in May, McCabe stayed to run the agency until a new director was in place and to take the political heat for decisions made by his former boss.

"Andy's in a difficult position now . . . because of the hyperpartisan political environment,'' said John Pistole, who held the FBI's No. 2 job for six years under former director Robert Mueller III. Mueller now serves as special counsel, running the investigation into whether any Trump associates conspired with Russian agents to interfere with the 2016 election.

Pistole said McCabe "is weathering the storm."

"It's disappointing," Pistole added, "to see how the criticism of the FBI is being used to try to undermine the credibility of the Mueller investigation. I think they've figured out they can't undermine Bob's integrity, so they're just going to go after whoever they can dig up any dirt on.''

Within the agency, there is praise - but also some criticism - for how McCabe has handled his role. Still, he has become a lightning rod in the political storms buffeting the bureau. Conservatives have called for heads to roll at the FBI, and McCabe is atop the lists of many. But current and former FBI officials said it would be dangerous to appease those demands.

"It would send a terrible message to move him now, but it's also a terrible situation he's in,'' one law enforcement official said.

Last week, the FBI's top lawyer, James Baker, told colleagues he was being reassigned, according to people familiar with the matter.

The pressure on McCabe has only intensified. He got an eight-hour grilling from the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday and returned to Congress on Thursday to face more than nine hours of questions from the House Judiciary and Oversight committees.

Other senior FBI officials, including those who worked closely with McCabe and Comey, are expected to face similar questioning from Congress next year.

Republicans are focusing in particular on the FBI's relationship with the author of a dossier containing allegations against Trump. The bureau offered to pay the author of that document after the election to keep pursuing leads and information, but the agreement was never finalized, The Washington Post reported earlier this year.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has called for McCabe's ouster, saying he "ought to go for reasons of being involved in some of the things that took place in the previous administration. We want to make sure that there's not undue political influence within the FBI - the [Justice] Department and the FBI."

Democrats emerging from Thursday's questioning of McCabe urged him to resist Republicans' calls to step down, saying the GOP's new focus on McCabe smells of political opportunism.

McCabe should not be fired because of "biased political commentary," said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.

Trump and his supporters have made clear they want McCabe gone, but as a civil service employee, McCabe can't be fired outright without a clear finding of major wrongdoing.

Christopher Wray became the FBI's director in August, and a new leader typically appoints a new deputy to help run the agency. When Comey became director in 2013, for example, he got a new deputy after about two months.

But within the FBI, even reassigning McCabe is viewed by many as a bad idea. It would be seen as caving to political demands and might provoke calls for additional housecleaning, according to current and former law enforcement officials.

McCabe rose quickly through the FBI's senior ranks, only to find himself, beginning last year, the subject of intense partisan fighting about his conduct.

Republicans criticized him after reports that his wife, a Democratic candidate for a Virginia Senate seat in 2015, had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the political action committee led by a close ally of the Clintons. He had also been part of discussions with Justice Department officials that critics said prevented FBI agents from more aggressively pursuing their investigation of the Clinton Foundation. Agents were trying to determine whether donations to the foundation were made with an expectation of government favors from Clinton or her allies.

After reports about those issues surfaced in October 2016, then-candidate Trump singled out McCabe for criticism, and congressional Republicans demanded detailed answers from the FBI about his role in the Clinton probes - questions they insist remain unanswered.

In a separate Twitter post on Saturday, Trump expressed his incredulity once more, asking "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 wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

McCabe's role is being examined by the Justice Department's inspector general, who has said a report on how the Clinton probe was handled should be finished by spring.

In May came Comey's firing, which left the FBI, according to one person inside the bureau, "permanently playing defense.''

McCabe was suddenly in charge, and, according to people familiar with the matter, law enforcement officials began to investigate the president for obstruction of justice.

In early December, McCabe faced yet another controversy. The Post reported that one of his senior advisers, FBI lawyer Lisa Page, had exchanged numerous pro-Clinton and anti-Trump text messages with Peter Strzok, the top FBI agent on Mueller's probe. The special counsel removed Strzok when he learned of their communications; Page had left the Mueller team two weeks earlier for what officials said were unrelated reasons. In one text, Strzok wrote that he thought Clinton should win "100,000,000-0.''

More problematic for McCabe is a text in which Page told Strzok: "I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy's office - that there's no way he gets elected - but I'm afraid we can't take that risk. It's like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you're 40.''

Republican lawmakers have seized on the text as evidence that Strzok, Page and possibly McCabe were involved in an effort to somehow ensure Trump would not win the election. But people familiar with the exchange said that the two were debating how overtly they should begin investigating Trump, and that one of the factors they considered was the likelihood he could win the presidency - which they deemed small.

Even that explanation presents a headache for McCabe, because it places a conversation in his office about how the expected election outcome should or should not affect the FBI's investigative decisions.
PHOENIX -- Saying owners are abusing the law, a Republican state senator wants to make it illegal to misrepresent a dog as a "service animal'' to bring it into places where pets are not allowed.

The proposal by John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills would allow judges to impose fines of up to $250 on someone who fraudulently misrepresents an animal as a service animal or service animal in training to anyone who operate any business or recreation site open to the public. That also includes buses, taxis and ambulances.

How that would work, Kavanagh said, is that an individual would have to produce proof confirming the animal had actually been trained for a specific chore covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The senator said nothing in SB 1040 would allow a business owner to refuse to let someone enter the premises solely because of the failure to provide such written proof. In fact, existing Arizona law prohibits requiring identification for the service animal.

Instead, Kavanagh said, it would be up to a business owner to file a complaint and have the issue heard by a court.

But Sarah Kader, attorney for the Arizona Center for Disability Law, said that presents problems of its own.

Kader said she could foresee a business owner calling the police on someone. Then the officer would issue a citation, forcing the person with the disability to wait until court to answer the charges.

And if that person lacked transportation, she said, a warrant for arrest would be issued.

She also questioned whether there really is a problem.

Kader pointed out that existing Arizona law already gives businesses the right to eject any animal -- including a service animal -- if it misbehaves, is not housebroken, poses an "undue burden'' or "poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others.''

Underlying all this is an Arizona law that makes it illegal for anyone who operates a public place to discriminate against people with disabilities who use service animals if what the animals do is "directly related to the individual's disability.''

That includes everything from aiding people with vision and hearing loss to helping ensure balance stability, pulling a wheelchair, and sensing when someone is about to have a seizure. Service animals also help those with psychiatric and neurological disabilities "by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors,'' however, animals that qualify as emotional support, or are there for comfort or companionship are not included.

Generally speaking, service animals are dogs. But Arizona law also allows for the use of miniature horses.

Kavanagh said he has no problem with those who have a legitimate need. But he's convinced that there are a lot more animals being brought into businesses than the law allows for.

"People complain all the time, 'there was a dog in the coffee shop,' 'a woman took a dog on a plane,' '' he said.

"I see it everywhere,'' Kavanagh continued. "Everyone sees it. And it's getting out of control.''

The tricky part for business owners is that they legally cannot ask someone with an animal about his or her disability. Instead, they can ask only if the animal is a service animal and what tasks the animal has been trained to perform. They cannot demand to see any sort of special ID card.

Kavanagh said that people abuse the system. And he sees nothing wrong with requiring people to prove to a judge that their animals have been properly trained for a specific disability covered by ADA.

"It's amazing that you can't get a placard to park your car in a disabled spot unless a doctor certifies that you're disabled,'' he said.

"But, pretty much, today everybody can walk around and buy vests (for their animals) on the internet and claim non-trained animals are service animals,'' Kavanagh continued. "It makes no sense to me.''

Kader said one big flaw in what Kavanagh proposes is that nothing in the law actually requires that a service animal be formally trained. She said that would subject people who have trained their own animals for legitimate ADA-covered needs to fines.

And what of those who are using the law -- and a claim of a disability -- to bring Fluffy or Fido into the grocery store or restaurant solely to make sure they're not left in the car?

Kader said she remains convinced the problem--given that one exists--is minor.

"I think Kavanagh and others who are putting these (laws) forward are making a big deal like there's thousands of people out there with these fraudulent service animals,'' she said. And Kader said business owners always have the option to approach someone and ask the two permitted questions to weed out who is entitled to bring an animal in.

"There are very few people that are going to have responses to the specific questions,'' Kader said. "Most people aren't going to lie and make up a disability and make up what their animal is trained to do in response.''

The bigger problem, she said, is what happens next if someone can't produce proof of training.

"The police are going to get called if a business owner doesn't believe them,'' she said.

"It's just a disaster,'' Kader continued. "It really punishes the people with disabilities for the actions of a very few.''

But Kavanagh said those with real disabilities should like his proposal.

"We're going to whittle away at an abuse and, hopefully, take the heat off legitimate service animals that are trained and are helping people,'' he said.

This isn't the first time lawmakers have grappled with the issue.

In 2015 Rep Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff, proposed to have state health officials issue permits, complete with photos of owners and the dog or horse, to service animals. He insisted at the time that would actually help the disabled by ensuring they get fewer questions from business owners.

But that proved so controversial that it was killed unanimously by the House Appropriations Committee, with even Thorpe voting against his own proposal.
Waunakee police were investigating an armed robbery at Walgreens, 401 W. Main St., on Friday night.

Police said the robber pulled out a black handgun and demanded money, then ran from the store. A police dog tried to track the suspect but couldn't find him.

The robber was described as African American, about six feet tall, with a thin build and wearing dark clothing.

Waunakee police said a cash reward was available for information leading to an arrest. Tips can be provided at the main police phone number, 608-849-4523 or tip line, 608-849-2847.
SEOUL - As 2017 opened, Kim Jong Un delivered a New Year's address in which he declared that North Korea had "entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of intercontinental ballistic missile."

As 2017 draws to a close, Kim can reflect on a year in which he's not only kept his resolutions, he's exceeded them: A missile that can fly 8,000 miles to reach Washington, D.C.? Check. A hydrogen bomb 17 times the size of the one the United States dropped on Hiroshima? Check. The whole world paying attention to him and taking him seriously? Double check.

For good measure, Kim had his half brother and potential rival murdered in a gruesome chemical weapons attack, and dispensed with a bunch of top apparatchiks who might have had different ideas about how to run the country.

And he's done it all while facing a new and unconventional adversary in Donald Trump, a president who has mocked Kim as "Little Rocket Man" and has repeatedly threatened military action.

It's been a good year for Kim.

"Kim has now consolidated power internally, is 90-95 percent done with the nuclear program and there are no signs of serious dissent within the regime," said Sue Mi Terry, a former Korea analyst at the CIA who is now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "That's cause for cheer in the dictator's household."

Six years ago this month, when the 27-year-old Kim succeeded his father, there was widespread skepticism that the inexperienced youngster would be able to maintain the world's most totalitarian state. He was viewed as something of a cartoon villain.

But he's proven just as ruthless and controlling as his father and grandfather before him - perhaps even more so. And he has consolidated his leadership of the regime, most recently by promoting himself to "Third General," replacing his grandmother in the North Korean holy trinity of revolutionary leaders.

Far from struggling with the job, he appears more confident and bolder than ever. On a trip this month to Mount Paektu, the spiritual home of the Korean people but one that has been co-opted by the Kim regime, the third generation leader appeared to put himself on equal footing with his grandfather, "Eternal President" Kim Il Sung.

The Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Workers' Party, ran 60 photos of the visit. Fifty of them showed Kim, including ones of him standing in a wool coat and dress shoes after - according to the paper - climbing the 9,000-foot snow-covered mountain.

It's a far cry from the predictions of imminent collapse when he took over at the end of 2011.

After 25 missile launches this year, including three of an intercontinental ballistic missile, and a powerful nuclear test, North Korea likely has only one key threshold to cross to become a full-fledged nuclear power, Terry said: building a re-entry vehicle that can carry the nuclear warhead safely through the upper atmosphere.

"It is possibly just one technical step away from being able to credibly threaten the U.S. with a nuclear weapon," she said.

Even his standoffs with Trump have served him well, said Nam Sung-wook, a former head of the South Korean intelligence service think tank who now teaches North Korean studies at Korea University.

If Kim was one of Nam's students, he'd get an A for his year's work.

"He's had a successful year by directly confronting Trump," Nam said, adding that Kim's international status has only risen because of the tensions.

"From the North Korean perspective, Kim Jong Un is doing well as a young leader, standing equal with Donald Trump," he said. "The recent war of words between Kim and Trump must have helped his leadership status domestically."

There are plenty of signs that Kim has continued to strengthen his grip on the regime.

He is accused of ordering the assassination of his older half brother, Kim Jong Nam, in an airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in February, eliminating one of the few other people who could stake a claim to carrying on the Kim family leadership. Yet he suffered no repercussions for the brazen attack.

More recently, he has banished members of the old guard. South Korea's intelligence service thinks Hwang Pyong So, head of the army's General Political Bureau, has been purged - or worse. Kim Ki Nam, a propaganda chief who worked for Kim's grandfather, hasn't been seen for months.

The turnover at the upper ranks within the Workers' Party apparatus is notable, said Ken Gause, a North Korea leadership expert at CNA, a Virginia-based consulting firm. The patronage networks that his father established have been swept away, and a new generation of apparatchiks who owe their loyalty entirely to Kim have been installed.

"Lot of things changed inside North Korea," Gause said. "It is not the same North Korea that it was in 2016."

But the nuclear-backed threats and the purges have provided ammunition to those in the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill who say Kim is a madman who can't be deterred in the way that the United States has been deterring North Korea for seven decades.

Trump has said Kim is "obviously a madman who doesn't mind starving or killing his people" while Nikki Haley, his ambassador to the United Nations, has asserted that the North Korean leader is not rational.

But all of Kim's actions, while often callous, have solid reasoning behind them, Gause said. "He is a ruthless leader but he is a very pragmatic leader and thinks through everything he does," he said.

Kim's top priority is regime survival. Getting rid of rivals or naysayers, or threatening to fire a nuclear-tipped missile at the United States if attacked, helps him achieve that goal.

"Every one of his actions which, on the surface, seems potentially crazy, actually makes perfect sense for somebody who is consolidating their power in the very rough-and-tumble environment of North Korea," Gause said.

So what will 2018 hold? Kim will supply some hints in his next New Year's address, to be delivered Jan. 1.

"I expect Kim Jong Un to declare that he and his nation are ready to fight against the U.S. and to promise that North Korea will continue pressing ahead with its nuclear and missile ambitions," said Nam, the South Korean expert.

As he makes progress, will Kim be willing to hold direct talks with the United States? Some analysts say the prospects for diplomacy are improving as North Korea gets closer to achieving its weapons goals because Kim wants to meet on equal footing.

"He's willing to now have discussions negotiations with us under certain conditions," Gause said. "But denuclearization is probably a nonstarter."
Johnny Fox, a professional sword swallower and magician who entertained audiences across the country to help them, as he said, "forget about the sadness and the madness" in the world, died Dec. 17 at the home of a friend in Damascus, Maryland. He was 64.

His death was announced by the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, where he had performed for 37 years, including as recently as in October. He had liver cancer, and his death followed two seizures, said his companion, Barbara "Tammy" Calvert.

Fox was, by his count, one of 20 or fewer sword swallowers in the United States - a group that travels from festival to carnival preserving the traditions of sideshow arts. He did coin tricks as well as comedy and was known, according to the Renaissance Festival, to "drive an eight inch spike into his nose" and to swallow five-foot balloons.

He swallowed fire until he learned it was detrimental to his health.

But his calling card was his sword act, which he taught himself for job security when he was in his 20s; copy cats could and did attempt to replicate his magic shows, but few if any would dare to open wide and turn the sharp end of a sword in the direction of their throat.

Thousands if not millions saw his act on the television shows hosted by Merv Griffin and David Letterman. Thousands more watched him perform at Renaissance festivals and other gatherings.

He said the most important trait of a sword swallower was the ability to conquer fear, not to mention the gag reflex.

"You have to surrender and open up," Fox told the New York Times in 1999. The trick, he continued, is "the ability to relax and dilate your throat, the pharynx and the epiglottis. ... When we swallow, they both open."

To counter suspicions that he was using a retractable blade, he sometimes employed a glowing sword that made light emanate from his throat. He was said to swallow swords up to 22 inches long, and up to 16 swords at a time.

In another feat, he swallowed a screwdriver.

"Twist it around a couple of times so my butt doesn't fall off," he told NPR in October, "and make sure I do it clockwise, not counterclockwise,"

John Robert Fox was born in Minneapolis on Nov. 13, 1953. An uncle entertained their relatives by inserting needles into his thumb, the Times reported.

Fox grew up in Connecticut, where he was living when his father took him to the Eastern States Exposition, a New England fair where he saw curiosities including "The Giant From Reykjavik, Iceland, 8-foot-8," "The Lobster Boy, Alive" and 'The Monkey Girl, Alive." Such so-called freaks, he told the Syracuse, New York, Post-Standard were his superheroes because they had "the courage to stand in front of the public, hearing people say nasty things."

The fair also provided his introduction to sword swallowing. He recalled his brother admonishing him, "Don't believe it, it's fake."

Fox's father encouraged the boy's interest in magic, giving him a book about the escape artist Harry Houdini. Fox began his performing career in Florida but gradually became known around the country. He appeared in a Maalox antacid commercial, munching on light bulbs.

In New York City, he operated a museum, the Freakatorium, El Museo Loco, that featured such items as a narwhal tusk, a two-headed turtle, conjoined piglets preserved through pickling, and relics billed as clothing having belonged to Tom Thumb and entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.'s glass eye. The museum closed in 2005, after five years, due to an increase in rent.

Fox was married and divorced four times. Survivors include his partner of two years, Tammy Calvert, of Bowling Green, Kentucky; a son from his second marriage, to Susan Kelly, Kelly Fox of Breckenridge, Colorado; a brother; and a sister.

Fox delighted in providing his audiences with a means of escape from daily life, and the struggle it often entails, with an act that was both difficult to watch and impossible to ignore.

"It's gross and disgusting, I know," he once told The Washington Post. "But you'll watch."
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has publicly acknowledged having no big diplomatic "wins" to notch on his belt, but he scored a significant bureaucratic victory last week when the White House nominated his preferred candidate to become his top adviser on East Asia.

If the Senate confirms Susan Thornton as the assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, she will become the first career Foreign Service officer to be elevated to a permanent slot in the hierarchy of senior officials. Thornton, who is considered one of the pre-eminent Sinologists in the State Department, has held the position in an acting capacity since March.

In a brief interview at the State Department Christmas party, Tillerson said he had come to have "enormous confidence" in Thornton's knowledge of Asia, exhibited during strategy sessions on China and North Korea. She has accompanied him on trips to Asia, including a harrowing flight to Guam in August when North Korea was threatening to launch a missile nearby.

Tillerson had wanted her in the job for months, but said the turning point was during President Donald Trump's trip to Asia in November.

"The president spent face-time with Susan during the Asia trip," Tillerson said. "He had a chance to interface with her and came away very impressed with her."

Thornton's nomination says as much about Tillerson and White House palace intrigue as it does about her credentials. And it could help revive flagging morale among Foreign Service officers in the State Department, many of whom have felt Tillerson does not value their advice.

White House advisers had blocked Tillerson's early efforts to get Thornton nominated. Chief among them was Stephen Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist.

Just days before his departure in August, Bannon singled out Thornton in a call to the American Prospect as he boasted of marginalizing the professional Asian hands at the State and Defense departments because they weren't hard-line enough on China.

"I"m changing out people at East Asian Defense," he said. "I'm getting hawks in. I'm getting Susan Thornton out."

Though being castigated by Bannon is a badge of honor to many in the foreign policy field, Thornton may face more broadsides from him now that he has returned to the helm of Breitbart News. The National Interest reported this week that Bannon and "the Breitbart crowd" intend to work against Thornton's confirmation.

Since joining the State Department more than 25 years ago, Thornton has mostly worked on Asia issues. She has served in embassies in China, Armenia and Kazakhstan.

"I think the world of her," said Daniel Russel, who was assistant secretary for East Asia until March and recruited Thornton to become his deputy. "She's an immensely competent Foreign Service officer. When I left, I was confident there was essentially nothing Secretary Tillerson wanted from the assistant secretary that he couldn't get from Susan. It's to his credit he stuck to his guns."

That Tillerson waited Bannon out, and finally got who he wants, suggests he is willing to play the long game. White House officials have repeatedly leaked scathing criticisms of Tillerson and suggested his departure is imminent, but he has dismissed the rumors as false and "ridiculous," and insisted he plans to stick around.

"Secretary Tillerson, who has famously had a very contentious relationship with the Foreign Service, really saw Susan's tremendous capabilities," said Abraham Denmark, Asia program director for the Wilson Center. "I expect a lot of Foreign Service officers will take some comfort in the fact that Susan has been so successful."

Denmark said Thornton's nomination could allay skepticism by some Foreign Service officers that Tillerson is willing to seek their input on foreign policy. "It remains to be seen if it's a one off, or an indication of a broader trend," he said.

A diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly about morale, said other diplomats are pleased at Thornton's ascent, but it may be too late to change the perception that Tillerson is unapproachable.

"The fact he has been so standoffish and so uninterested in what Foreign Service officers can contribute is well-established, and irreversible," the diplomat said. "Nobody could mistake this for an embrace by Rex Tillerson of the Foreign Service professionals. It's clearly an anomaly."

Tillerson said that he has considered other Foreign Service officers as assistant secretaries, and that they were accepted by the White House but met resistance in the Senate. He said he is open to considering others.

"I'm looking at the full talent pool," he said. "I don't have any restrictions. I just look for the best person."
When Shae Omonijo started as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, she ate most of her meals surrounded by large portraits of white men, famous founders and illustrious alumni of the college. Compared with back home in Baltimore, where many black leaders and activists are honored in public spaces, it seemed strange.

Her friend Asya Akca had been struck by the lack of statues honoring women at home in Louisville. Over the years, through friendship, research and sheer doggedness, the two found a way to help make the center of student life at Chicago better reflect the campus.

Last month, a sculpture of the first black woman to earn a doctorate at the prestigious university was unveiled.

At a time when so much attention focuses on efforts to tear down Confederate memorials and other markers, some universities and students are commissioning and creating new testaments to the past, challenging people to view the institution's history through a more complicated and nuanced lens.

"There are," Akca said, "so many stories that aren't told here."

It's part of an evolving conversation nationally, said Stephanie Meeks of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, "about the way our collective past is reflected in our cultural landscape, our public spaces, our college campuses. We see different institutions wrestling with this question of difficult history, or missing history, in different ways." The National Trust, for example, announced last month an effort to preserve important and overlooked sites in African-American history.

"We're at an important inflection point in our nation," Meeks said.

In some places, monuments are being torn down, as at Duke University, where officials removed a sculpture of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the days after a white nationalist rally turned violent in Charlottesville.

In some places, such as the University of Mississippi, monuments remain in place but with greater explanation of the broader context. In others, names of buildings are changed, as at Yale University, where a residential college that long honored John C. Calhoun, a graduate who was both a U.S. vice president and an ardent advocate of slavery, is now known for Grace Hopper, a graduate who was a pioneering mathematician and computer scientist.

And at other schools, people are creating something entirely new.

In June, the University of Virginia announced plans for a large and visible memorial to commemorate the estimated 5,000 enslaved people who helped build and take care of the school in its early years.

At Princeton University, student activists a couple of years ago demanded the name of former U.S. and university president Woodrow Wilson be stripped from buildings because of his support for segregation. The name remains, but an effort, endorsed by trustees, grew to diversify the art and iconography on campus, including considering commissioning pieces that honor people who helped to make the school more inclusive. This fall, a committee began considering nominations for new portraits. Recently, works have been commissioned from artists, including a two-part outdoor piece by Maya Lin.

A wall-size photo of Wilson was removed from a dining hall, to be replaced by a new commissioned piece of art that's more reflective of the university as it is today. In Wilson College, a residential college, something will probably be created that delves into the namesake's complicated legacy, said James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum.

Martha Sandweiss, a professor of history and the founder and director of the Princeton & Slavery Project, began delving into the university's past with her students in 2013. But as a former museum director, she was aware of both the power and the limitations of academic research. In scholarship, she said, "they have to live and die by their footnotes." She reached out to artists who could bring that history more vividly to life.

Recently, plays were performed (to sold-out audiences, Sandweiss said) that had been written by playwrights given access to the Princeton & Slavery research. And an eight-foot-tall sculpture stands, until mid-December, in front of the historical home of early Princeton presidents.

The sculpture, by Titus Kaphar and commissioned by the Princeton University Art Museum, layers portraits of the school president from 1761 to 1766 with those of a black man, woman and child. They represent the slaves who worked at the president's home and those who were sold at auction on that site.

It's at a prominent setting - clearly visible to people walking out of the J. Crew store across the street, Sandweiss said, or waiting at a bus station - and a powerful one, given the history.

It has internal lighting, so as dusk falls, the sculpture changes, transforming from one in which a sketch of enslaved people is seen over a silhouette of a man's face. "At night, his presence comes out and exists there along with the images of the people that were sold," Sandweiss said. "Those two worlds coexisted uneasily."

Steward sees the piece as "an anti-monument," both literally - because it's a carving in relief overlaid by a ghostlike image - and figuratively, because it presents complications rather than just honoring a man. It reinforces the idea that "we constantly rewrite our histories," he said. "That's a very different impulse than most public monuments."He remembers seeing, as an 18-year-old first-year student at the University of Virginia, the Confederate monuments in Charlottesville at the center of violent clashes this summer.

At the University of Chicago, Akca and Omono found the women they wanted to honor by chance, through a coincidence that makes them laugh. Both political science majors, they often talked about their research. Omonijo told Akca how her work in the archives had led her to a black woman who was forced out because of her race many decades before.

She knew there was a dean who had supported that student, Georgiana Simpson, despite complaints by some white students, but didn't know the dean's name. Akca did.

"Dean Marion Talbot!" Akca told her. Talbot, the historical figure who most inspired Akca at the school, a female administrator at a time when that was rare, had been directly involved in a pivotal point in the history of Simpson, the person who most inspired her friend. "That was an amazing moment," Akca said.

Despite Talbot's attempt to help Simpson, Harry Pratt Judson, the president of the university in 1907, decided Simpson must live off campus.

Simpson continued her education despite that, earned her doctorate and went on to join the faculty of Howard University.

The two friends created the Monumental Women Project, hoping to honor Simpson and Talbot, starting with Simpson.

Monuments matter, they argue; leaving something behind, a lasting legacy, means stories aren't hidden, and a more complete history can be told.

After raising nearly $50,000, selecting an artist and earning support from administrators, Akca and Omonijo chose a location for the sculpture. The bust of Simpson now stands in the former men's club of the university, facing a sculpture of the president who chose to exclude her, Judson.
. 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.

Scientific notation is a way to express very large or very small numbers. It is used in physics, chemistry and other fields where large numbers are common. Those numbers are written as a power of 10 followed by a number with an exponent. For example, 1,000,000 (one million) is written as 1  103. The exponent shows how many zeros are after the first digit. For example, 1,000,001 is written as 1  102. Scientific notation is a useful tool for making calculations easier. You can use it to write down very big or very small numbers in one step instead of writing out both the large and small numbers separately. You can also use it to express large or small numbers in terms of other units like centimeters or millimeters.

Scientific notation solver is an online tool that can be used to convert any number into scientific notation. Simply enter any number to the left of the decimal point and it will automatically convert it into a scientific notation equivalent. This web tool can be very helpful when you need to convert a large number into scientific notation. However, please note that this online tool can only convert numbers that are in scientific format. For example, it cannot convert a non-scientific number like "1,085" into a scientific notation equivalent. It is also important to keep in mind that this web tool only works when converting numbers from one particular format to another. For example, if you want to change a non-scientific number like "1,085" into standard format, then you will have to use another online tool like NumberFormatting.com.
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Before she was killed by Bexar County sheriffs deputies in a confrontation last week that also led to the death of a 6-year-old boy, Amanda Lenee Jones loved R&B and rock music, her pet dogs and her friends, some of whom she met in prison and stayed connected with for several years.

Friends and family members remembered Jones as a troubled yet loyal person whose extensive criminal history, they say, gives a false account of her true character. They said her behavior was being unfairly conflated with a childs death, saying she loved spending time with children.

All this hype about her criminal history, said Priscilla Espinosa, a close friend, referring to early media reports and statements from the sheriffs office. Theyre talking badly about her, but they dont even know her. She would never hurt a child or put harm in a childs way. She loved kids so much.

RELATED: Before Schertz gunfire started, neighbors saw a desperate fugitive

Meanwhile, the family and friends of 6-year-old Kameron Prescott also continue to mourn his death. A neighbor, Jennifer Chafin, 39, said Saturday she remembered Prescott happily playing with her son and other children in the Pecan Grove Manufactured Home Community where the deaths occurred.

Last year on Christmas Eve, it was crawling with kids, she said, waving toward the area outside the homes, where her children were playing under her watchful eye. These are the only kids youll see outside right now.

A funeral for the child is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, 90 Winn Ave. in Universal City. There will be a public visitation from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 7735 Gibbs Sprawl Road.

Jones funeral has not been set; family members are raising money for the burial on the crowdfunding website youcaring.com.

RELATED: Family identifies woman killed by Bexar County deputies in San Antonio suburb

Rough life

Jones, 30, grew up in a household without much money, several friends said, describing her as having a rough life, though she still made time for her family and stayed positive in between arrests and difficult periods in her life.

Records show Jones had been arrested at least 14 times for various offenses, starting with a charge of possession of a controlled substance in 2006. The arrests, Espinosa said, had nothing to do with who she was as a person. Another friend, Esperanza Garza, 29, recalled meeting Jones in prison and having conversations where Jones would express regret about how things turned out.

Anybody that does anything wrong wishes that they could take it back, but they cant, Garza said Saturday. Shes had a very troubled life, and not just in getting in trouble with the law.

Espinosa, 29, also spent time with Jones in prison, where she said Jones was always there to listen to me, even when Jones was struggling herself. She called Jones a very giving person with a huge heart.

Any time I had a problem she was there to wipe my tears, Espinosa said.

RELATED: 6-year-old boy killed after deputies opened fire in Schertz identified

Added Garza: She was one of those who didnt have much but appreciated what she did have. She would give you the shirt off her back.

Espinosa recalled how much Jones loved animals, saying she once cried after the death of her pet dog. She used to tell me, if you ever live with me, you have to deal with my babies, my dogs, Espinosa said.

Espinosa last talked to Jones about a week ago, she said, describing her as going through a rough patch. Jones talked about going back to jail, Espinosa recalled, but said she gave off no impression of wanting to steal a car, as Jones is suspected of doing Thursday.

Amanda Joness sister, Alley Jones declined to comment Saturday. On Friday, she wrote on Amandas Facebook profile: Im so heart broken. I dont know what Im going to do without my big sister. Watch over my babygirls and fly high.

During the confrontation, which took place in Schertz on Thursday, sheriffs deputies accidentally killed Prescott, who lived in the mobile home Jones had been trying to enter.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said Jones was unarmed but held an 8-inch-long tube in her hands that looked like a handgun. Jones had acted belligerent, Salazar said, threatening the officers several times.

Kristina Atkins, 36, a longtime Schertz resident, backed the sheriffs deputies Saturday, saying Jones tried breaking into numerous trailers.

Chafin, who lives across the street from the Prescotts, echoed the sentiment, saying Prescotts death was not the cops fault.

I trust my life with them Chafin said. It was a horrible accident ... Its going to take a long time for this community to recover.

Jasper Scherer is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jscherer@express-news.net | @jaspscherer
Javier Mendoza/HONS

The people of Los Angeles can be forgiven if they were a little quick to jump to extraterrestrial conclusions.

The government did, after all, just admit that it had spent $22 million to investigate unidentified flying objects. And after 70 years of keeping the government installation known as Area 51 under wraps, Uncle Sam conceded that, yes, it did exist, and yes, some super-secret stuff went on there.
MANILA, Philippines - A tropical storm in the Philippines cut through a swath of the main southern island of Mindanao, killing at least 103 people and burying many in remote areas by landslides and mudslides just as families were preparing for Christmas, officials said Saturday.

The storm, called Tembin, slammed into the eastern portion of Mindanao late Thursday, dumping torrential rains that unleashed floods into the next day. It was expected to blow out of the country by Monday.

Heavy rains caused the banks of the Cagayan de Oro River to overflow, forcing the evacuation of nearly 20,000 people. Streets turned into virtual rivers as rescuers plucked residents from their roofs.

In Lanao del Sur province, Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo said at least 39 people had drowned or were killed by mudslides. Soldiers and emergency crews rushed to the remote village in the region of Tubod to try to save lives, said Roy Secuya, a local disaster official.

"We could not reach village officials because power and communications lines have been cut by the storm," Secuya said.

Quibranza-Dimaporo said at least 64 people were still missing on Saturday.

Rodel Maghinay, a municipal development planning officer in the town of Salvador, said at least 15 villages were engulfed by mudslides and cut off from nearby communities after a steel bridge was damaged.

"These areas have remained isolated," he said. "Floodwaters came as the Salug River system overflowed its banks. The water rose too fast."

Rocks and boulders, some as big as cars, were washed down by flash floods that buried scores of wooden homes in the town of Piagapo, leaving at least 10 residents dead, police said.

In Cagayan de Oro city, Kim Domingo, a volunteer rescuer, said her crews used lifeboats as they went house to house on Friday to save people. But others refused to leave their homes, she said.

"We tried hard to reach everyone," Domingo said. "But there were many who opted to stay at home and waved us on to the next home where people needed us more."

"We don't know what had happened to them, but I hope to God they were OK," she added.

Floodwaters had receded in the city by Saturday, leaving a thick sludge of mud and debris.

The bad weather in the south did not spare Quezon province, in the country's north.

Tembin came days after Tropical Storm Kai-Tak caused widespread destruction in the central Philippines, killing at least 30 people and displacing more than 240,000.
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By PTI: Karachi, Dec 24 (PTI) At least 10 people, including six children, were killed today in Pakistan when two buses and a pick-up van collided on a highway in the countrys Sindh province, according to a media report.

All 10 deceased were passengers of the pick-up van, which was travelling from Larkana to Sehwan in Sindh province, police was quoted as saying by Geo News.

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The accident took place on the Indus Highway in Sindh province.

The deceased were shifted to nearby medical facilities for autopsy, the report said.

Drivers of both the buses fled after the accident. The police said the search of the suspects is underway.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan. Most of them are caused by careless driving, bad roads and faulty vehicles.

On November 9, a total of 27 people were killed and around 60 injured after a speeding bus fell off a bridge in Dhok Pathan area of Talagang.

The bus fell from a height of 150 feet, rescue officials said, adding that as many as 69 people were injured in the accident.

The bus, which was carrying nearly a hundred passengers, was on its way to Lahore?s Raiwind from Kohat, said rescue officials.

On October 7, fourteen people died and 30 were injured when a passenger bus collided with a van in the Dasht area of Mastung district, they said. PTI UZM

--- ENDS ---
The feature film premier of No Party for Billy Burns will take place at the Odeon Cinema in Cavan on Thursday, December 28 next at 8pm.

The film which has been written and directed by Loch Gowna native Padraig Conaty has grown in popularity since its general release during the summer.



The much anticipated independent feature film will no doubt have local audiences bowled over when it premieres next week.



Shot mostly on location around Arva, Loch Gowna and north Longford the production eerily highlights the beautiful landscape of the area.



It also draws on a wealth of local talent on both sides of the camera.



Produced on an incredibly small budget, this crowd funded film was made possible by the huge rally of support of the local communities and centers around Billy (Kevin McGahern), a simple good natured lad and would-be-cowboy, lost in the lonely fields of Cavan and his own imagination.



Having led a sheltered existence living with his difficult grandfather (Shane Connaughton), Billy happily ambles along despite being mocked around the town and referred to by locals as only being half solid.



All too soon an unfortunate chain of events triggers Billys loss of innocence, where the lines between reality and fantasy begin to blur.



My intention with the film is to present the mundanity young people experience in a rural town and the various methods they use to find catharsis, added Mr Conaty.



Through the main character Billy, I want to show how the imagination can both struggle and thrive under such conditions, with a little help from our obsession with American culture!.



Meanwhile, Cinematography is by Tommy Fitzgerald and produced by Lisa McNamee, while Production design comes from Moyne native Siobhan Cassidy and the production is edited by Phil Ronayne, with David Harte as First AD. Production Manager was Siobhan Harton (Mullahoran), while sound was recorded by Lorraine McCarthy and Barry Connolly; makeup by Terri Pinnell and Michelle Leggett.

You may also like to read:

Gowna native to star at Galway Film Fleadh

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Novel comedy night set for Arvas Breffni Arms Hotel












Dr Laura Noonan will be travelling to Russia early in the New Year for chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation treatment and in a heartfelt Facebook post, she thanked the people of Longford for their generosity and kindness.

Dr Noonan wrote, I will be traveling for treatment early in the new year and that is really the best Christmas present I could ever ask for.



Numerous fundraisers have been organised as part of the Lauras Russian Lifeline campaign and here is Dr Noonans Christmas update;



Hi all, I just wanted to give you an update as so many of you have been so thoughtful and asking how we are all doing for Christmas.



I had a very eventful week starting with losing my central access on Sunday night (for those of you who are lucky enough to have no idea what that means basically the thin tube that sits in the top of my heart through which I receive my medications, infusions, transfusions etc became dislodged and actually slipped out when I was at home causing a bit of drama) thankfully the hospital got me sorted pretty quickly and arranged a procedure to have a new device inserted in time for my scheduled treatments.

After treatments which make me sick and exhausted I was discharged home and will get to spend Christmas with my family (once no further complications arise!) I do have to go back in next week (no week off as I had hoped) but I will be home again to ring in the New Year all going well.

Obviously I am thrilled to be home to spend Christmas with my nearest and dearest and most importantly Freya, but it is hard to really enjoy this time as much as I should due to feeling quite unwell. The hospital can only do their best to get me home but cant wave a magic wand to automatically grant me a few days break from being sick. If only it were that easy!!

Being home is wonderful but that feeling of everything having to be perfect is hard and pressurizing. I know plenty of people find Christmas time hard for a variety of reasons and I can really empathise.

I wanted us to have a picture perfect Christmas, the type we see on TV and aspire to having where everyone will have the best Christmas ever and we will make wonderful family memories BUT tonight I realise that wanting that is actually making me feel worse!

Instead this year I wish to be able to get up to open Santa presents with Freya (she truly deserves any presents she gets this year) and then take the day hour by hour, or minute by minute even and enjoy the little things.

If Im having a good day I may even make mass, if Im not I might just make it to the graveyard to visit my dads grave who we lost 25 years ago this Christmas. If I can eat some Christmas dinner (prepared by my wonderful mother) that would be a bonus - but if I end up having toast instead it really doesnt matter so long as I can be at the table for some part of the meal and pull a cracker and listen to Freya telling all the terrible cracker jokes!

Spending time with the ones I love is all that matters.

Having me home will ensure the rest of my family have a better day than if they had to visit me in Dublin. I just cant expect too much. Realising this has actually made me much happier and reduced my stress levels hugely. I wont be better just because its Christmas. Right now Im just hoping for a day at home celebrating being at home and looking forward to what I hope will be a very different Christmas next year.

Each and every one of you who has donated or helped in any way has given me hope for better years ahead with my family. I will be traveling for treatment early in the new year and that is really the best Christmas present I could ever ask for.

Be proud of what you did for us this year.

Every donation, every fundraiser, every raffle, every quiz, every concert, fancy dress and fun run (and any other events I have left out) have given us the best gift of all - hope! The last few years have been harder than most can imagine and every failed treatment and hospital admission left us more desperate for some chance of recovery.

This Christmas I may not have shopped til I dropped or enjoyed a Christmas night out with friends and colleagues but instead I received the generosity and kindness of an entire community and that is priceless.

Thank you all for giving us this Christmas present - this is one not even Santa could deliver but you all have. Together.

Happy Christmas to all, however you celebrate. Low key sounds quite perfect to me right now. I hope for Freya, Christmas is all she is dreaming of and more. Never did a little girl deserve to be on Santas nice list more than she does this year.

Laura xxx

Check out the Longford Leader Christmas web page HERE
The recent assembly for review of the eighth amendment made for a very interesting list.

First off I would say that most, if not all, of the people on the committee are very genuine and sincere in their respective points of view.



For example Clare Daly is someone for whom Id have great regard. A terrific politician, and committed in everything she says.

But like all of us who arent afraid to say what we think, Clare didnt come to state her case today or yesterday.



She, like several others, arrived into the committee with a skewed point of view as a starting point.

I respect that.



Its impossible to avoid people who have their own view.

Nobody can park personal feelings.

However, Im not sure if there was a problem with the choice of committee members.



Maybe its as balanced as its possible to achieve, with humans involved!

Obviously, because I come from there, I was struck by the omission of anybody from county Longford on the committee. Thats by the way.

The vast majority of the committee seemed sincere and genuine.

Yet, everyone had an agenda. This is a simple fact.



Its called human nature.



However, theres no way of guaranteeing the committee was balanced. This isnt some irrational or reactionary response. Its simply the truth.

It was no wonder that the committee issued a report that recommended allowing abortion up to twelve weeks into pregnancy; this was the anticipated outcome.



I would really respect the outcome, and the report, if the committee had been openly balanced, with hearings from all parties.



Its a bit like something I recently wrote when I said that the liberals shout loudest on every issue ......including this one!And that they cause a feeling close to subordination amongst those whose voices are meeker, more respectful, and gentler.

Gentle pro life people.



Not all of the pro life people can be accused of this of course, many of them do their cause no good at all, and indeed cause the balanced thinkers among us to feel inclined to become angry at the silly - and really outrageous - things they assert as facts.



In any case, I spent most of Friday reading up on the discussions, and the reports of the committee. Justice Laffoy was the chairperson, and in fairness (to her) from the outset she said that in her view the Eighth Amendment should be repealed, or abandoned, in favour of a fairer system. No matter what was reported, at the end of the day the people of Ireland will make the ultimate decision.



The Government may make its feelings known, maybe not. Ditto with Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, Labour and others.



But ultimately, what anyone says is irrelevant, barring the influence of others who will speak before the referendum, and without a doubt it will be an unpleasant, tempestuous affair.



Its good that Irish people have a genuine feeling for this, and lets hope every person votes.

By not voting, you could swing the decision one way or another.



Why would the rulers in this society not take the view that doctors would be protected from legal challenge, and on that basis allow them to conduct an abortion if they considered it genuine, compassionate, and for the good of, and with the input of, the mother?



Would that be so terribly bad?



We could try it for a period of time, during which sincere, balanced people could be charged with constant review but not interference.

We all know those who are rampant and strident, and these we do not want to run, or be in any way in charge of, any public forum. But there are plenty of well known, proven observers to take on such a task.



I suggest it wouldnt be a bad idea, and maybe wed be pleasantly surprised at the outcome? Of course some doctors have their own views and this course could cause occasional blips in the picture.

Everyone has an agenda!



Better have three mistakes, than twenty travellers to the UK.

At the end of day, its our decision, that will inform the future, and Ireland shouldnt be too bothered about being fashionable.



I wouldnt make any decision of importance based on the cool thing.

Nor would I be influenced by what anyone says.



The decision is far too important for that.

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Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > RIC Triangle and Tibets Political Aspirations

by Pradeep Nair and Sandeep Sharma

Look East is a phrase which pops up occasionally among the Asian nations whenever they seek to counter Western dominance and the Wests vested agenda. The possible reason for this East-ward inclination could be the internal geo-polity of Asia and the domestic situation of a particular nation. Whatever may be the case, the regions like Tibet, Taiwan and Xinjiang which are fighting a battle for autonomy under the Chinese regimen, are pushed to redraw their strategy in the light of the changed geo-political environment. Their political aspirations, at the same time, can be perceived as a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of a nation and a blessing for others. This commentary explores the emerging political aspiration of Tibet by triangulating the territorial ambitions of both Beijing and Moscow in view of the RIC (Russia-India-China) relationship.

The analogy of a triangle always has a strong conceptual premise to bring in new perspectives and fresh debates regarding the political aspirations of Tibet whenever it is looked from an RIC perspective. The nature of this triangle is unstable and unpredictable, but had always shown its presence consistently with the changing world political order and regional conditions. Chinas emergence as a world power and regional dominance may push this triangle to become more unilateral which may seriously harm the political aspirations of Tibet by suffocating the free-Tibet movement to a permanent death. But contrary to this, the emergence of India as a political power in Asia and its closer ties with the US have a possibility to make this triangle bilateral or unilateral having Indian dominance thus leaving a scope for Tibet to exploit the regional political conditions in its favour.

The Russian Dominance and Tibet

Historically speaking, since the birth of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, this triangle has never been unilateral even though Russia was a dominant world power before it collapsed in 1991. Russia never used her international stature to permanently defeat and dislodge Chinas expansionist policy, especially in the context of Tibet. Russia might have done this by collaborating with the USA as the both countries once appeared to have similar stances over the Tibet issue. But that also was beyond all possibility for two valid reasons: one, Russia was involved in a Cold War against imperialist forces, notably the USA itself, and second, Russia shared about 2600 miles border with China. Tibets independence with Russian intervention would have meant creating serious security situation at the Russia-China border area.

Before the Soviet collapse, Russia appeared quite inconsistent in dealing with the Tibet question. (Wersto 1983) In November 1950, when for the first time the Tibet question came before the United Nations, Moscow argued that Tibet was an integral part of China and any interference would mean an insult to the Chinese people. It termed Chinese incursion as the liberation of Tibet from the international imperialistic forces, feudal lordship and high priesthood. Russia was quite convinced of Chinas claim of terming the revolt as an attempt by reactionary Tibetans influenced by imperialist circles. Interestingly, Russia never reacted on Indias action of granting asylum to the Tibetan religious head, the Dalai Lama, and allowing the Tibetan refugees to settle in India.

Sino-Russian relations became strained over Russias increasing closeness with India. From the 1960s upto Maos death in 1976, Russia remained critical of Chinas Tibet policy. Moscow charged Beijing with the allegation of violation of human rights in Tibet. It criticised Beijing for disavowing the Marxist-Leninist principles of minority rights. Russia alleged that China was trying to change the demography of Tibet by installing the Han Chinese in the Tibetan region.

In 1976, after Maos death, Russia tried to improve its relationship with China. But these efforts could not produce substantial results owing to each others counter-position on the Afghanistan and Vietnam crisis. In 1979, surprising everyone, Russia completely reversed its stance on Tibet and for the first time described the Chinese activities in Tibet in the 1950s as aggression. In the 1980s, the Russian-Tibet relations grew even more firm. During the first half of the decade, the Dalai Lama twice visited Russia. China noted the political overtone of this development and denounced the visits as an attempt by Russia to organise subversive activities. It was said that during the last visit of the Dalai Lama, Moscow offered military aid to the exiled leader. This move of Russia forced China to call it Russias Tsarist intention toward Tibet. However, Moscows offer was turned down by the Dalai Lama himself in view of the ongoing dialogue with Beijing. The 1970s and 1980s were the decades when Russia at various political and diplomatic forums addressed Chinese activities in Tibet as oppressive, colonial, against human rights, and described Beijing as an aggressor.

After the disintegration of the VSSR in 1991, Russia lost its political prestige and power of regional and international dominance. This led Russia to change its stance on the Tibet issue. Russia strategically started disintegrating herself from the Tibet question. Although in March 2008, when riots took place in Lhasa, the Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Russia hoped that the authorities of the Peoples Republic of China will take all the necessary measures to curtail unlawful actions and ensure the speedy normalisation of the situation in the autonomous region (Faulcon-bridge 2008), the tone was mellow. In the aftermath of the Ukrainian crisis, Russias closeness with China and acceptance of its sub-status under China brought both the countries to similar positions on the Tibet issue. And this was what Tibetans and their supporters all over the world never wished to happen.

The Indian Side

Even though India gave political asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959 and facilitated him to establish the Tibetans-in-Exile Government in Dharamshala, it under Nehrus regime mostly worked to build closer ties with China. Thats why the Indian Government, led by Jawaharlal Nehru at that time, accepted the Chinese seizure of Tibet without any quidpro quo. India in a formal document recognised Tibet as an integral part of China. (Kalha 2017) By saying this India accepted that there was no invasion of Tibet by China in 1950 and it was just a territorial consolidation. That happened because India at that time was more comfortable to continue with the colonial understanding that Tibet is a neutral buffer between Britain and China. Rather than taking a stand on Tibet by joining hands with Moscow, New Delhi preferred to be a part of the communist crusade and to support the Soviet side. India never opposed China directly on the issue of Tibet.

On the other hand, Russia was also suspicious about the Chinese interest in holding control over Tibet and perceived it as a check against Russian expansion. But China claimed that India was interfering in Tibet. All these suspicions and ill-faith towards each other ultimately resulted in the Sino-Indian break-up and Sino-Soviet split. The triangle in the first edition of the RIC thus turned bilateral with the strengthening of Indo-Soviet ties. But this bilateral tie never benefited the Tibetan cause in the 1970s as Russia later got involved in the Cold War with the US and India struggled with political instability and war against Pakistan.

The Triangulation

The unipolar order emerged after the Cold War in the 1990s scrambled the international politics of both the East and West to re-evaluate their strategic choices of alignments. Since a number of countries in Europe and Asia had developed their political relations with the United States at the time of the Cold War; no choice was left for Russia, India and China except to revive the second edition of the RIC again despite the fact that the first edition had miserably failed. By this time the global geo-politics was quite changed and the American economy emerged as the largest economy of the world. Instead of countering the US dominance by having closer trilateral ties, the second edition of the RIC, especially Moscow and New Delhi, worked more on bettering their own ties with Washington. Meanwhile, the Soviet collapse put a deeper dent on Asian and global politics and the power in Asia gradually shifted from Moscow to Beijing. In the 1990s, the change in the power regime in India from the Congress to NDA started working towards closer ties with the US. This made Russia the weakest corner of this trilateral and thus put pressure on Moscow to depend more on Chinese support. Both Moscow and Beijing decided not to interfere in each others territorial ambitions and the trilateral thus became bilateral again. This gave a huge jolt to the Tibet question.

While studying the political allies formed due to territorial invasion and expansion, Lord Palmerston in the 19th century observed that countries do not have permanent allies, only permanent interests. (Lipson 2013) This became true in the case of China and Russia. Russias own territorial ambitions and its approach to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia pressed hard to look for new allies who could not be judgmental at any time. For this China was quite eligible as it had no reason to cast aspersions on Russia so far as its own regional aspirations in Tibet and South China Sea were not questioned. Even though China is disturbed by the Russian action in Ukraine and its consequence in the form of referendum in Crimea which can create trouble in Tibet and Xinjiang as they may attempt to leave the Peoples Republic, its abstention in the UN vote condemning the Russian annexation of Crimea displayed Beijings clear support to Moscows Ukrainian policy. Further, the way Chinese diplomacy mostly responds on Russias military incursions clearly indicates that Beijing prefers to refrain itself on the issue of Russias invasions. At the same time, Chinese diplomacy responds promptly on the imposition of sanctions by the EU on Russia. Interestingly, Beijing was always interested to strategise a triangulation between Moscow and Washington on the basis of its own calculations of the emerging geo-political position of the RIC.

Conclusion

Today, if China supports Russia because it suits its own political interests, tomorrow there is a possibility that it may collaborate with the US when its own territorial disputes will be questioned by Moscow. Thats why, the road to resolve the Tibet problem only passes through the Indian soil. Indo-Russian close ties since the 1960s was one of the reasons which pressurised Russia to change her tone and take a reverse stance on the Tibet question in 1970s and 1980s. Presently, the Indo-US relationship, which is coming closer day-by-day, has a probability to serve the same purpose with regard to the Tibet question. India always remained a significant dimension of the RIC triangle: even though having lesser regional dominance than China, India, with its Western allies, has the potential to hinder the Chinese aspiration to push the triangle to become more unilateral. Moscows increasing proximity to Beijing may temporarily work as a booster for China, but in the long run Moscows definitive stand on Tibet is not guaranteed. History reminds us that Moscow has always been inconsistent, unstable and even unreliable on its stance over Tibet. This is the reason why China, with its newly discovered partner, cannot stretch this triangle to become more unilateral. So, Chinas emergence as a world power is not the answer to the Tibet Question especially because India too will work as a counter-force in the Asian region to resist the Chinese agenda on Tibet.

References

Faulconbridge, Guy (2008): Russia wants China to curtail unlawful acts in Tibet. Available at http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-tibet-russia/russia-wants-china-to-curtail-unlawful-acts-in-tibet-idUSL1712670020080317

Kalha, Rajit S. (2017): There is no Tibet Card for India to Play. Heres why, published on January 13, 2017. Available at http://thewire.in/99468/india-has-no-tibetan-card-to-play-heres-why/

Lipson, Charles (2013): Reliable Partners: How Democracies have made a separate peace, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Wersto J. Thomas. (1983): Tibet in Sino-Soviet Relations, Asian Affairs, Vol 10, No 3, pp 70-85.

Pradeep Nair, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor and Dean, School of Journalism, Mass Communication and New Media, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India. His research interests include media and civic engagement, political communication and practicing participatory communication approaches for development. Email: nairdevcom[at]yahoo.co.in

Sandeep Sharma, Research Scholar, Department of Mass Communication and Electronic Media, School of Journalism, Mass Communication & New Media, Central University of Himachal Pradesh.
By PTI: Beijing, Dec 24 (PTI) Chinese police have detained more than 11,000 suspects during the past two years for alleged misuse of citizens personal information.

Wang Shengjun, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), called the task of protecting Internet users personal information "grim."

"Illegal industrial chains have taken shape in some places, which involve illegal collection, theft, sale and use of Internet users personal information," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying today.

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Some Internet companies and public service agencies have stored large amounts of personal information, but security protection lags behind in a major way, making them easy targets, according to the report.

"Serious leaks of personal information have led to an increase in fraud targeting victims with high precision," Wang noted.

More than 11,000 suspects in over 3,700 cases have been detained during the past two years for alleged misuse of citizens personal information.

The report was based on investigations between August and October to assess the Cybersecurity Law that took effect on June 1, and a decision on protection of online information introduced five years ago.

The decision includes an identity management policy requiring users to use their real names to identify themselves to service providers, including Internet or telecommunications operators.

Over the past five years, telecommunications operators have suspended services to more than 10 million users who refused to register their real names.

Wang proposed speeding up work on a new law, standardising the scope and means of verifying identity, better supervision and harsher penalties.

Chinas Internet users increased at the fastest pace in three years as the abundant availability of Internet-enabled smart phones spurred usage and increased the penetration rate, according to a media report.

As of June, there were 3.89 billion Internet users around the world, of which 751 million were in China, the worlds most populous nation, it said.

The enormous number of web users has created room for risk takers in e-commerce, mobile payments and other emerging areas to stretch their wings. PTI KJV AMS

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Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Paris Climate Agreement and the US Withdrawal: The Way Forward

by Prashant Kumar Sharma

Background

Climate change has become a global challenge that does not respect any national or international boundary. Every nook and corner of the globe is facing the irreversible impacts of climate change. The impacts of climate change are palpable in terms of changes in extreme weather events, increases in temperature and sea-level rise. All anthropogenic activities, including greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, are driving climate change and these continue to rise. It is a noted fact that emissions anywhere affect people everywhere. This issue requires solutions that need to be co-ordinated at the international level. It further requires international co-operation to help the developing countries move ahead to achieve a low-carbon economy.

International efforts have been continued under the auspices of the United Nations to forge a collective action to combat the daunting challenges of this global problem. Since 1992, all the worlds governments had been pledging to take preventive measures that could avoid dangerous warming of the earth. However, those attempts were marked by discord and fiasco, the refusal of the biggest emitters to take part, ineffective agreements and ignored treaties.1 Due to these dominant reasons, the Paris talks were largely seen as a make or break for the process of the United Nations. The collective global action to forge an agreement would have been at an edge, if the Paris talks had failed, and the world would have been left without any just and robust means of dealing with climate change.

Paris Climate Agreement 2015

The Paris Agreement, which has been signed by almost 200 countries, was adopted in COP21 on December 12, 2015. This agreement came into force on November 4, 2016. The adoption of the climate deal was hailed as historic, durable and ambitious, with the world leaders calling it a major leap for mankind. French Foreign Minister and President-designate of the COP21 Laurent Fabius, the United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres and Special Ambassador on Climate Change Laurence Tubiana played a vital and pivotal role in facilitating the successful outcome of the Paris talks. This event witnessed the biggest ever gathering of the world leaders, whose presence was, in fact, significant to boost the morale of their negotiators to move out of the positions deeply rooted for more than 20 years. Eventually, the Paris deal proved that compromise could still be worked out to uphold the sustainability of the planet if firm determination exists and prevails on the part of the nations.2

The Paris Agreement3 constitutes 29 Articles, which stipulate in details the measures to be taken to deal with climate change. Article 2 of the said agreement aims as follows:

1) To strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change: a) by holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels; b) by increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development; c) and to making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilient development.

2) In addition, the implementation of this agreement would reflect equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.

The US Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

The US is the worlds second largest emitter of greenhouse gases and largest per capita emitter among industrialised countries.4 The US officially entered the Paris Climate Agreement along with China on September 3, 2016. The US under the presidency of Obama committed to reduce its carbon emissions, by 26 to 28 per cent from the 2005 levels, by 2025.5 The move taken by these countries, most responsible for climate change, was immediately termed as a significant advancement in the battle against climate change.6 US President Obama, on the eve of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, 2016, expressed his belief that the Paris Agreement would definitely prove to be a turning-point for the planet and the efforts they have made would be judged by history as pivotal.7 In addition, he stated that the US and China are leading by example when it comes to fighting climate change.8

Nevertheless, the euphoria of leading the world by example could not last longer. While the Paris Climate Agreement was meant to bind the world community in the global fight against rising temperatures, the withdrawal of the worlds second largest polluter is a major blow.9 President Trump announced that the US would withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. Now, the question is: why did President Trump decide to pull the US out of the accord? What were the factors behind influencing Trumps decision to quit from the accord?

What President Trump did with regard to the Paris Climate Agreement had support from some of the Senate Republicans who were calling for an exit. Those Republicans were Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel of Kentucky and Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas, among others.10 In addition, the decision taken by the President Trump was considered a victory for Stephen K. Bannon, the chief strategist of Trump, and Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator. It is noted that these officers spent months quietly to make their case before President Trump about the inherent dangers that the Paris Climate Agreement carries. These officers endeavoured to overcome all the intense oppositions from the other top aides, encompassing Gary D. Cohn, the Director of the National Economic Council, and the Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.11

What President Trump is doing is not a new phenomenon. It also has its precedents in the past. For instance, in 1992 at the Earth Summit, US President George H.W. Bush had opined that the Americans way of life is non-negotiable.12 Moreover, the same statement stands true today. President Trump believed that the Paris Accord is very unfair to the US at the highest level.13 Trump called the Paris Agreement a draconian international deal,14 and opined that the landmark 2015 accord imposed wildly unfair environmental standards on American businesses and workers.15 For Trump, the Paris Accord was an attack on the American sovereignty and a threat to the ability of his Administration to reshape the nations environmental laws in ways that benefit everyday Americans.16 Moreover, Trump thinks that the Paris Accord is a way of massive redistribution of the United States wealth to other countries.17 Hence, the deal would fundamentally induce disadvantages to the US economically, relative to other countries. Eventually Trump declared: The United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris accord.18

The Way Forward

The Paris climate deal, which is widely understood as a victory for climate diplomacy, was considered to be the end of a long negotiation to find a working formula for halting arguably the biggest threat to the 21st Century human society emanating from climate change.19 The countries national commitments under the Paris Agreement, as research shows, do not meet the trajectory needed to limit global warming to 2 or 1.5C.20 The current commitments, as far as the caps on emissions are concerned, are likely to lead to warming of 2.7 to 3C above pre-industrial levels, breaching the 2C threshold. Scientists believed that 2C is the limit of safety beyond which the effects would be highly catastrophic and irreversible.21

Recently, the World Meteorological Organi-sation said that concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surged at a record-breaking speed in 2016. It further clarified: Globally averaged concentrations of CO2 reached 403.3 parts per million in 2016, up from 400.00 ppm in 2015 because of a combination of human activities and a strong E1Nino event. The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, annual flagship report of the UN weather agency, traces the continent of dangerous gases in atmosphere in the post-industrial era (since 1750). It is also noted that the earth experienced similar concentrations of CO2 rates in the atmosphere the last time three to five million years ago, at a time when the sea level was up to 20 meetrs (66 feet) higher than now.22

Nevertheless, it has been observed that the lacuna between the climate promise and the emission reduction pledges is alarmingly high. Most Carbon dioxide, the main gas behind the warming, once emitted stays in the atmosphere for centuries. Therefore, to stop the warming, the world has to bring emissions down to zero as soon as possible. It is due to the fact that how much we emit now and then is going to decide where global temperatures end up. Power stations and other industrial activities continue to add up around 36 billion tons of Carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year. Most notably, every ton of emissions will count for further warming.23

Against this backdrop, the departure of the US from the Paris Agreement is a setback to the efforts at building a climate resilient world. However, it is opined, the world should not be held to ransom because the domestic political process of five per cent of the worlds population cannot treat the problem seriously.24 All major countries have reflected their firm determination to turn the tenets of the Paris Agreement into practice. Countries like India and China have also reaffirmed their commitment to meeting their targets. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an ecological civilisation reforms25 to account for the environmental ramifications of Chinas development. Moreover, India believes that for the past 5,000 years, it has been the tradition in India to protect the environment.26

At the COP22 in Morocco, negotiators had decided to fix the year 2018 as the deadline to finalise the guidelines for various processes and requirements needed to implement the Paris Agreement.27 It was also noted that in 2018, parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will come together to take stock of the progress made and ascertain where they can move ahead faster to keep the goals of the Paris Agreement within reach. To make the move in this regard, the COP23 convened in Bonn, Germany, in continuation with the agenda of the previous COP22. The COP23 convened under the Presidency of Fiji that took place from November 6 to 17, 2017 at the World Conference Centre in Bonn. This event made history as the first-ever small island state to hold the Presidency and organise the negotiations.28

The World Resources Institute (WRI) opines that the parties to the agreement must continue to accelerate their effort to deter the worst impacts of climate change. Moreover, the WRI released a paper titled, Enhancing NDCs by 2020: Achieving the Goals of the Paris Agreement,which highlights a menu of options for the parties to enhance their climate commitment by 2020 also known as NDCs. Enhancing NDCs would be a chance for the parties to strengthen their mitigation contributions. This will help the parties not only by accelerating their emission reduction targets, but also by incorporating key sectoral, technological and policy developments that have transpired since 2015.

The UNEPs Emissions Gap Report, which has been recently released, finds that faster switching to solar and wind energy, and more energy efficient appliances and cars, coupled with a switch from deforestation to reforestation, could together cut emissions by 22 billion tons of CO2 a yearenough to close the emissions gap and put the world back on track to halt warming at 1.5 degrees. This report further mentions, between 80 and 90 per cent of coal reserves worldwide will need to remain in the ground if the set goals are to be met, compared to 50 per cent of natural gas reserves and 35 per cent of oil. In addition, the report says that strict control on methane emissions and other short-lived GHGs could avoid 0.6 degrees of warming by the mid-century.29

In a nutshell, even if plugging methane emissions and growing switch to reforestation can buy time, stabilisation of the changing climate would require bringing emissions of Carbon dioxide down to zero as swiftly as possible. This is not possible without a strong political will and commitments on the part of the countries. Erik Solheim, the head of UN Environment, also exhorted to the Parties to display a new sense of urgency to achieve the ends of fighting the negative impacts of climate change.

Endnotes

1. Paris climate change agreement: the worlds greatest diplomatic success, The Guardian, December 13, 2015, [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/13/paris-climate-deal-cop-diplomacy-developing-united-nation.

2. Ibid.

3. Paris Agreement, United Nations: 2015.

4. Nair, Chandran (2017), India, China-not US- Must lead the fight on Climate Change, Hindustan Times, June 22, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed October 23, 2017 URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/india-china-not-us-must-lead-the-fight-on-climate-change/story-NNxQ5k4MkecCxtZIbIbDFM.html.

5. Trump withdrawing US from Paris Climate Agreement but open to returning, [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-withdrawing-us-paris-climate-agreement/story?id=47767077.

6. Breakthrough as US and China agree to ratify Paris climate deal, [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/03/breakthrough-us-china-agree-ratify-paris-climate-change-deal.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. Shear, D. Michael (2017), Trump Will Withdraw U.S. From Paris Climate Agreement, The New York Times, June 1, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/climate/trump-paris-climate-agreement.html.

10. Trump withdrawing US from Paris Climate Agreement but open to returning, [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-withdrawing-us-paris-climate-agreement/story?id=47767077.

11. Shear, D. Michael (2017), Trump Will Withdraw U.S. From Paris Climate Agreement, The New York Times, June 1, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/climate/trump-paris-climate-agreement.html.

12. Nair, Chandran (2017), India, China-not US- Must lead the fight on Climate Change, Hindustan Times, June 22, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed October 23, 2017 URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/india-china-not-us-must-lead-the-fight-on-climate-change/story-NNxQ5k4MkecCxtZIbIbDFM.html.

13. Carter, Brandon (2017), Nicaragua signs Paris climate deal, leaving US, Syria as only countries out, [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: http://thehill.com/policy/energy environment/356809-nicaragua-signs-paris-climate-deal-leaving-us-syria-as-only.

14. Shear, D. Michael (2017), Trump Will Withdraw US From Paris Climate Agreement, The New York Times, June 1, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/climate/trump-paris-climate-agreement.html.

15. Ibid.

16. Ibid.

17. Trump withdrawing US from Paris Climate Agreement but open to returning, [Online: web] Accessed October 24, 2017 URL: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-withdrawing-us-paris-climate-agreement/story?id=47767077.

18. Ibid.

19. Pearce, Fred (2017), Why the Post-Paris Climate Challenge Is Even Harder Than We Thought, Yale Environment360, November 7, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed November 12, 2017 URL: http://e360.yale.edu/features/why-post-paris-climate-challenge-is-even-harder-than-we-thought.

20. An email to the Author from World Resources Institute <beth.elliott@wri.org> on November 7, 2017.

21. Bradsher, Keith (2016),The Paris Agreement on Climate Change Is Official: Now What? The New York Times, 3 November 2017 [Online: web] Accessed 24 October 2017 URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/04/business/energy-environment/paris-climate-change-agreement-official-now-what.html.

22. PTI (2017), Co2 Levels hit record high, The Hindu, Delhi, October 31, 2017.

23. Pearce, Fred (2017), Why the Post-Paris Climate Challenge Is Even Harder Than We Thought, Yale Environment360, November 7, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed November 12, 2017 URL: http://e360.yale.edu/features/why-post-paris-climate-challenge-is-even-harder-than-we-thought.

24. Nair, Chandran (2017), India, China-not US- Must lead the fight on Climate Change, Hindustan Times, June 22, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed October 23, 2017 URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/india-china-not-us-must-lead-the-fight-on-climate-change/story-NNxQ5k4MkecCxtZIbIbDFM.html.

25. Dembicki, Geoff (2017), The Convenient Disappearance of Climate Change Denial in China, [Online: web] Accessed October 23, 2017 URL: http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/31/the-convenient-disappearance-of-climate-change-denial-in-china/.

26. Ibid.

27. Dagnet, Yamide, Cynthia Elliott and Eliza Northrop (2017), Insider: Negotiating Paris Agreements Implementation Guidelines at COP23, World Resources Institute, November 2, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed November 9, 2017 URL: http://www.wri.org/blog/2017/11/insider-negotiating-paris-agreements-implementation-guidelines-cop23.

28. The World Bank (2017), A Small Island Country Steps Forward to Unite the World Behind Climate Action, [Online: web] Accessed November 9, 2017 URL: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/11/06/a-small-island-country-steps-forward-to-unite-the-world-behind-climate-action?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_ EN_EXT.

29. Pearce, Fred (2017), Why the Post-Paris Climate Challenge Is Even Harder Than We Thought, Yale Environment360, November 7, 2017 [Online: web] Accessed November 12, 2017 URL: http://e360.yale.edu/features/why-post-paris-climate-challenge-is-even-harder-than-we-thought.

The author is a Visiting Research Scholar, Institute of South Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Sichuan University, China. He can be contacted at prashant.krsharma[at]yahoo.in
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Decertification of Iran Nuclear Deal: Will India face Trouble?

by Nasima Khatoon

The uncertainty over the Iran-US nuclear deal not only has implications for the Arab world and US but also for South Asia, especially India. Until now New Delhi has not issued any official statement on this issue, but this could undermine Indias larger interests in West Asia. If the US Congress decides to impose the economic blockade again, it will be a major setback for Indias West Asia policy, considering some ongoing and upcoming projects between Iran and India and Indias continuous effort to balance among the emerging West Asian blocs.

A Few weeks ago, in a major foreign policy shift, US President Donald Trump announced to terminate the landmark US-Iran nuclear dealalso known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Describing the deal as one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the US has ever entered into, he left the fate of the deal on the US Congress, which has 60 days to decide whether to reimpose the sanction on Tehran that was lifted under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

In this context, some questions are becoming increasingly significant: how would India pursue her larger diplomatic goals in the region specially in the context of Iran? And what role should India play in this nuclear negotiation, being a second-tier nuclear weapon state? Would better Iran-US ties help improve Indo-Iran relationship?

Pivot to Indias interest in West Asia

To pursue its interest in West Asia, India is constantly balancing among Iran, Israel and the rest of the Arab world while fine-tuning its policies. Lack of trust among the countries is a major impediment to achieving nuclear stability in the region. Presence of a nuclear-powered country like Israel (although unrecognised), essentially creates a security dilemma, which demands Iran to build a credible deterrence by producing nuclear arms. But Irans evolving nuclear development, beyond a limit, has led other states to question its true intentions.

Implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has offered an unprecedented success for the international inspectors to access the Iranian nuclear sites. Iran no longer has the capability to develop a nuclear weapon without their knowledge and this was in full compliance with the terms of the deal. By decertifying the agreement, the US and international community will miss the chance of negotiating regional understanding to avoid a developing threat of uncontrolled nuclear arms race in West Asia.

The development will have the potential to jeopardise Indias interest in the region, as a disturbed West Asia will not only affect the energy trade between India and the region, it will also impact on Indias Look West policy or Link West Policy. Indias emerging relationships with the main three regional powers, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iranin terms of defence cooperation and arms trade, remittances and tradewill be largely hampered. Most importantly, a troubled West Asia will have the capability to interrupt Indias strategy towards its neighbours in South Asia, mainly Pakistan and China. Iran is vital for China. China would not like to be heavily reliant on Saudi Arabia for oil and Iran is a potential alternative. Moreover, Irans strategic position and geopolitical values are immense for any country that seeks an ambitious role in West Asia. In this respect, good relations with Iran will help India to curb Chinese dominance in the Persian Gulf and energy trade.

Will Chabahar face the heat?

According to New Delhi, change in the deal wont affect Indias long standing ties with Iran. But India-Iran relations could be jeopardised if the US compels New Delhi to reduce ties with Tehran, as it did during the 2013 JCPOA negotiation.

Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that India is facing no difficulty in the development of the Chabahar deep water port, for which India has planned to invest $ 500 million. The government has already provided $ 85.21 million to operate multipurpose terminals and US $ 121.5 million for maintenance for a period of 10 years.

The port is strategically important as India looks to bypass Pakistan and move goods to Afghanistan and further to Russia and Europe via the North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC). New Delhi can exploit the port to connect with the NSTC and bypass Bandar Abbas of Iran: a highly congested port that has less capacity to handle large cargo ships than Chabahar. The Chabahar port is also less than 100 km from the Chinese-run Gwadar port in Pakistan. Development of the Chabahar port would benefit India to counter the influence of Pakistan and China in seaborne trade through the Persian Gulf. However, full exploitation and progress of the Chabahar port could be trimmed if the sanction is reimposed. According to a report, large international bankers with exposure to the US remain unwilling to facilitate the port project. The fear of uncertainty over imposition of economic embargo could be a major reason. Some Western manufacturer also refused to supply equipments due to uncertainty over the US policy. Along with that Indias outreach to extended neighbourhood and the Look West policy which envisions to reach Persian Gulf through the trade route could also face restrictions.

Further Sanctions and Implication on Energy Trade

Indias oil imports from Tehran have declined significantly since June, 2016. It is expected to further decline as New Delhi is planning to order about a quarter less Iranian crude in the fiscal year of 2018 due to a snub over the development of Irans Farzad B gas project. ONGC Videsh, Oil India and Indian Oil Corporation discovered the gas field under an exploration contract, signed in 2002. Since 2009 India has been pursuing the contract with Tehran, but poor quality of gas remains an issue for India. Sanction could worsen the situation further, as India would have to limit the energy trade with Iran to abide by the international sanction.

The multibillion dollar project like Farzad B offshore gas field, proposed by ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), could feel the gravity of the latest turmoil. The most recent development in this field indicates that the future of the project is uncertain. According to Iran, India may lose the bid to Russia due to its inflexibility on pricing. India accuses Iran over prolonged negotiation and altering offers several times. Although commer-cially losing the bid would not be a big problem for India as the Indian Consortium of Investors is not getting good return for their investment, but considering Indias gas requirement, Iran remains one of the best options due to its relative proximity to India than other West Asian neighbours.

While India is one of the largest crude oil importers from Iran, it is essentially in the field of natural gas that the countrys energy relationship is significant. There has been no significant progress in the project like the TAPI gas pipeline, due to the regions complex geopolitics and contract disagreements. In this context, the possibility of a new undersea gas pipeline from Iran to India, sidelining Pakistans exclusive economic zone (EEZ), could be a good opportunity for New Delhi to satisfy the requirement of natural gas. Being cost-effective and one of the most convenient routes, as it could connect Irans gas field directly with Indias gas grid via the Chabahar port, the proposed project opens a new avenue in Indias energy sector. Former Oil Secretary T.N.R. Rao, who is the Chairman of Advisory Board of South Asia Gas Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. (SAGE), has suggested the undersea gas pipeline from Iran to Porbandar, Gujarat. The proposed gas pipeline can import gas at a rate cheaper than the rate at which some of the domestic fields supply liquefied natural gas. The study said the cost of the undersea pipeline would save about $1 billion annually. Also gas from Qatar can be pumped into the proposed gas pipeline. But the recent tension over the Farzad B gas field and economic sanction are actually clouding the possibility of this future project.

Policy of Impartiality

The future of the nuclear deal is significant for India-Iran relations. Development of new deals with Iran could affect India-US relations, but having a say on Irans nuclear development programme, which is necessary for the regional balance and to curb Israels nuclear hegemony, is worth the risk, considering Irans strategically important location: gateway to the Persian Gulf and Central Asia. Also, Iran is a valued partner of India in West Asia, which impacts the dynamics of India-Pakistan relations. Trumps misguided action can undermine all the positives listed above and can lead West Asia to an era of more uncertainty and even war, if on the withdrawal of the deal Iran increases the pace of its nuclear development. It is still to see if the US can risk the potential development of another North Korea. The recent ballistic missile, fired by Iran supported Houthi rebels of Yemen towards Riyadh, indicates the emerging tension. If war broke out, things could be worse as oil and gas supply from the region would be hampered. Moreover, the Indian diaspora, a large source of remittance, will be forced to come back home, posing a loss to the Indian economy.

Therefore, at some point, India has to make a rational diplomatic choice rather than being influenced by unreasonable decisions of another country like the US, whose actions will jeopardise the relationships between India and its distant neighbours in West Asia. The passive foreign policy towards West Asia, specially Iran, has to be upgraded to a pro-active approach to retain Indias big-power ambition in South Asia.

The author is a Research Associate, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore, India. She can be contacted at e-mail: khatoon.nasima15[at]gmail.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Indias Outreach to the African Continent

by Rajaram Panda

Indias engagement with the African continent registered a new milestone when President Ram NathKovind made a visit to two African states Ethiopia and Djiboutiin the first week of October 2017, during which many agreements, including on institutionalisation of foreign office consultations and greater economic cooperation, were signed. This was the Presidents first trip abroad since taking office and the visit to Ethiopia was the first by an Indian President after 45 years. The last visit was by President V.V. Giri in 1972. Many Indian heads of state have visited this country since 1952, probably the most to any African nation. Among the past high-level visits to Ethiopia include the visit of Presidents Radhakrishinan, V.V. Giri, Vice President Zakir Hussein and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2011 when he led India at the Second India-Africa Forum Summit.

In particular, the choice of Djibouti was significant because it is an important Indian Ocean partner, a region which is central to Indian foreign policy, and with whom Indias bilateral trade stands at $ 284 million in 2016-17. India has extended a line of credit of $ 49 million to this strategically located tiny state just off the Gulf of Aden, mainly for constructing a cement plant. President Kovind appropriately observed: Djibouti is a strategically located country, just off the Gulf of Aden. It is an important Indian Ocean partner for India. Therefore, choosing Djibouti for his first visit abroad was a conscious decision. India is also appreciative of the fact that the tiny country, Djibouti, was the hub of operations and supportive of Indian efforts to evacuate its citizens during the Yemeni crisis of 2015 and helped in rescuing Indian citizens fleeing the civil war from Yemen in Operation Rahaat. That time, Djibouti extended India all facilities required to move thousands of people by air and sea and India acknowledges the strategic importance of Djibouti.

Similarly, links with Ethiopia date back centuries. Bilateral trade with Ethiopia in 2016 stood at $ 1 billion. Ethiopia is among the top three foreign investment receiving countries with an approved investment of $ 4 billion. As many as 540 Indian companies have a presence there. Most of the Indian investments are in agriculture, engineering and textiles. The sizable number of Indian community in this country is also facilitator for promising and closer relationship between the two countries. Ethiopia continues to be the largest recipient of Indias concessional Lines of Credit in Africa. The concessional loans to Ethiopia total around $ 1 billion.

The geographic location of Djibouti provides it with a kind of strategic advantage because of which many countries, such as the US, France, Japan and more recently China, have established bases there. India too is looking for an oppor-tunity to get a strategic toehold there, perhaps to set up a base for anti-piracy monitoring and also as a counter to Chinas increasing maritime footprint in the Indian Ocean area and beyond. The recent geopolitical developments have endowed both Ethiopia and Djibouti with strategic significance and hence saveral countries are keen to engage with them.

Ethiopias place in Africa is unique. Formerly Abyssinia, Ethiopia hosts the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is the only country in the continent never to have been colonised and therefore kept its African identity and culture unpolluted. This is reflected in its use of Amharic as its official language and script unlike other countries in the continent which lost theirs and use only the Roman script.

Djibouti is a small county with an estimated population of less than a million. It is one of the least populous in Africa and was colonised by France, which named it French Somaliland. It gained independence on June 27, 1977 from France and was the last of Frances colonies in Africa and assumed the name Djibouti. Since then it has acquired so much strategic importance that it has been many outside powers favourite.

The emergence of petroleum as an important strategic product raised the importance of the Persian Gulf region, which led to threats of disruption to maritime commerce because of increase in piracy and maritime terrorism since oil from the Middle East was transported by sea. This led to new global rules governing maritime trade in accordance with the UN rules, that are in constant threat. In order to secure safe transport of cargo, naval and military operations in the Gulf region became necessary. Djibouti emerged as an important strategic base because of this necessity.

The US negotiated with Djibouti to have a permanent naval expeditionary base, Camp Lemonnier, at the Djibouti airport for providing military support, forming a reconnaissance hub for drones across Africa and supporting aerial surveillance of the Persian Gulf. China was not to be far behind. It recently successfully negotiated a base facility with Djibouti ostensibly to provide logistical support for Chinese interests in the region as well as to start a base for its submarines. Djibouti is also important as its port handles heavy traffic since Ethiopia relies on it for all its trade after Eritrea broke away and left the country landlocked without access to the Red Sea.

As regards India, though it has historical relations with Africa and a number of high dignitaries visited the continent, the nature of that relationship was limited to education and social sectors. The strategic dimension gained prominence as the geopolitical situation underwent perceptible churning. The economic component of Indias relationship also remained low key. In case of French-speaking Djibouti, ties were not even noticed. Though Djibouti opened its embassy in New Delhi in 2004, India did not have diplomatic presence till the Yemen crisis erupted, leading India to shift its Consulate office to Djibouti in 2015. Besides the limited economic links from ancient times, its presence in that country is mainly through a handful of diaspora of Indian origin. The economic rise of India has thrown up opportunities for collaboration in which the role of diaspora can have an important role in building bridges between India and the world. India in a high growth trajectory path comes at an opportune moment when the world sees it with hope and as a stabilising force in a turbulent international environment.

As an aspiring power, and unlike a threatening power such as China, keen to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council, India does need the support of 54 African nations, which also makes compelling reason for it to engage with the African continent. President Kovinds recent visit could also be seen from this perspective, besides recognition of Djiboutis strategic importance in geopolitical terms.

Indians who migrated centuries ago to different continents under trying conditions, be it the Caribbean island countries, Africa, Fiji, South-East Asian countries or elsewhere, have consciously contributed to the economies of the countries of their adoption and smoothly got assimilated into the local cultural milieu. This can be testified in the remnants of Hindu architecture and cultural practices as in Vietnams Cham City, Indonesias Bali Island, Thailand, the Caribbean, and elsewhere in the world. These people went as traders or as skilled workers or even plain labourers but all of them worked selflessly with dedicated service to the countries of their adoption.

In view of Indias recognition of the importance of Djibouti present strategic relevance in the wake of the changing geopolitical situation, India is keen to develop economic and developmental partnership, especially in the fields of education, health, IT, agriculture, small scale industries, portable electricity generation, fisheries, and water resource development. From its side, Djibouti is also keen to forge partnership with India in these sectors. The response has been positive demonstrated by the increase in bilateral trade. The balance of trade is at present in Indias favour with Indias exports to Djibouti in 2012-13 accounting for $ 411.86 million while imports accounted for only $ 5.44 million. Most of the trade with Djibouti actually serve the growing market in Ethiopia. India needs to keep in mind to correct this abnormal situation by giving market access to more products from Djibouti.

But what lies behind President Kovinds choice of the two countries as his first overseas visit is the intent to expand Indias footprint across resource-rich Africa against the backdrop of its strategic and economic rival, China, rapidly expanding its influence across the resource-rich African continent and in the Indian Ocean region. This does not mean to suggest that India neglected to engage with Africa in the past. What it seeks now is to re-fashion its ties with Africa. After the high of 1950s to the early 1980s, its influence waned through the 2000s. India then woke up to restore its healthy past when it hosted the first India-Africa Forum Summit with the aim of recasting its ties with the continent. This was followed up with new initiatives when it hosted more such summitsin 2011 in Addis Ababa and in New Delhi in 2015. Subsequently, as many as 16 visits by top political leaders including the President, Vice President, Prime Ministers and senior Ministers, have made the African continent as the destination to keep the engagement ongoing. The next India-Africa Summit is scheduled in 2020.

The contours of changing geopolitical dynamics can be explained when the US interest in Africa is on the wane and Chinas strategic and economic footprint is on the rise. India appears to strike a balance, in fact check Chinas advance in an area that it considers its sphere of influence and thereby seeks to underline its credentials as the dominant regional power and net provider of security.

With this view, President Kovind held wide-ranging discussions with his Djibouti counterpart, Ismail Omar Guellehon, on how to eradicate the menace of terrorism. The agreement to establish regular Foreign Office-level consultations underlined the need to engage jointly on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Both agreed that terrorism is a greater threat to mankind and global peace and stability. Both leaders agreed to work closely to intensify their cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral fora in order to address current global challenges such as climate change and to foster international and regional peace and security, and sustainable development. An invitation by President Kovind to Guelleh to visit India at the earliest is likely to be reciprocated soon. Issues such as Djiboutis support for Indias membership of the International Solar Alliance, maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and technical and capacity building assistance by India to enhance employment opportunities for Djiboutis young people figured in the discussion.

In Ethiopia, President Kovind was received by his counterpart, Dr MulatuTeshame, at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. President Kovind invited business stakeholders from Ethiopia and the region to partner with India and benefit from them. Addressing the India-Ethiopia Business Dialogue, organised to commemorate the 12th Anniversary of the India Business Forum, Kovind observed that India and Ethiopia had been trading with each other for centuries, and this trads flourished during the ancient Axumite Empire from the 1st century AD. The nature of economic ties have been widened now covering trade, private investment, concessional loans for infrastructure projects and development assistance, largely for capacity building.

India is at present among the top three foreign investors in Ethiopia. This has helped the manufacturing sector and value addition to local resources, besides creating jobs and contributing to the prosperity of Ethiopian families. Like in Djibouti, Kovind also had delegation-level talks with his Ethiopian counterpart, Mulatu Teshomo. Two major agreements were signed on Trade Facilitation and Information Communication and Media sector. India is also considering a fresh credit of $ 195 million for development of Ethiopias power transmission.

During the Third India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi in 2015, India had announced the offer of concessional credit of $ 10 billion over the next five years to Africa. Subsequently, India also committed a grant assistance of $ 600 million, which included an India-Africa Develop-ment Fund of $ 100 million and an India-Africa Health Fund of $ 10 million. The Asia-Africa Growth Corridor is another initiative that India has joined hands with Japan brimming with potential. Both India and Japan are pursuing this AAGC as a counter to Chinas One Belt One Corridor (OBOR), which is suspected to have an expansionist agenda.

While delivering a lecture at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a top American think-tank, in Washington on October 18, 2017 ahead of his maiden visit to India, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson openly supported New Delhis stand on Chinas OBOR initiative, saying Chinas financing of infrastru-cture projects results in enormous level of debt and underscored the need for an alternative financing model. Tillerson described Chinas development model by pursuing OBOR as predatory economics.

What transpired from Kovinds African sojourn was that the Modi Government is keen to expand Indias profile in Africa by invoking shared historical links at a time when major powers are scrambling for influence in the continent. Both India and Japan find common ground to cooperate on the AAGC as a counter to Chinas OBOR whose agenda seems to be hidden and suspect. If China succeeds in building a robust military profile to back its increasing economic footprint in the African continent, it would be a matter of concern for the rest of the world. It is a happy situation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has found an ally in Abe Shinzo of Japan to address this common challenge. It is timely and appropriate that the Modi Government in cooperation with Japan and the US assumes more international security responsibilities, while committing to contribute to the economic development of the African nations. President Kovinds recent visited to the two African states should be viewed from this larger perspective.

Dr Panda is currently Indian Council for Cultural Relations India Chair Visiting Professor at the School of Economics and Business Administration, Reitaku University, Japan.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > An Ever Vigilant Swamy

by Sardar Amjad Ali

Dr Subramanian Swamy, a Tamil-born highly qualified person and Harvard economist, an eloquent speaker in my estimation, might have failed in his memory. In this age of 78 years (just one month and 15 days older than me), he seems to have forgotten this writer who had the privilege of being the first speaker from the ruling Congress party in the Rajya Sabha when in the year, 1976, Shri Om Mehta, the then Minister of State in the Department of Home Affairs, moved a motion for the appointment of a committee consisting of the members of the Committee on Privileges of the Rajya Sabha to consider if the actions and conducts of Swamy were unbecoming of a member of the Rajya Sabha during the Emergency (1975) days in and outside the country, and to make appropriate recommendation for his expulsion from the House. Yes, it was Dr Swamy emitting his rancour against the government and Parliament, at Canada and in the United States, and resolving to raise an army of lakhs of Indians abroad to fight the Indian autocrat, namely, Indira Gandhi, bent upon killing Indian democracy. In the process Dr Swamy wanted to demonstrate his pure and sacred Nationalism.

I was then too naive and a half-literate stupid with a scanty or no sense of Agmark nationalism as Dr Swamy had, to have jumped into a parliamentary debate in support of the motion. In fact, at the end of the entire exercise, the committee, appointed by the House of Elders of the Indian Parliament, had unanimously recommended a censure against his activities and conducts being not commensurate as a member of the august House of Elders of the Indian Parliament, seeking to undermine the institution of Parliament and the national government in the estimation of the people abroad. Dr Swamy was dismembered from the House. Members of all the political groups in the House, excepting the Communist Party of India -Marxist, headed by the Honble Member Shri Viswanath Menon from Kerala, supported the motion. It was a queer matrimony of the then Jana Sangh, the party to which Dr Swamy belonged, and the CPI-M; of course to save the brilliant Swamy from being scathed and dismembered.

But Dr Swamy by no means can be humbled given his zeal and stamina in treading into a volcano where the less prudent will dare to tread. He knew a bearded Chandra Shekhar as a Congress bandmaster but in an odd Indian winter, found in the same Chandra Shekhar the vanguard of a real Indian renaissance in the year 1990, and preferred to form a coalition with his outfit, called Janata Party, and glorifying himself as the Honble Minister in Charge of Law and Justice. We must shower our encomiums on Dr Swamy of course for giving us a golden opportunity to appreciate his talent in a theatre which is the last resort of the God- sent Saviours. The government where Dr Swamy was a Cabinet Minister drafting law and defending the mantle of justice was a government having its limping leg to stand upon only with the support of a party Dr Swamy knows and believes to be a party of dynastic clones which heralded in our national life nothing but corruption.

Dr Swamy, though not a professional, but even as an amateur has also high skills of a lawyer and takes unbound enthusiasm in lodging complaints of the nature of Public Interest Litigation on various subjects. The Honble Judges of our Apex Court as well as the State High Courts also do not register their Lordships intolerance or indignation when Dr Swamy appears in person with a brief in which a public interest aka a private interest is writ large in the proposed lis.

For instance, as a Janata Party Member of Parliament Dr Swamy took up the cause of the Hashimpura murder case where 42 Muslims were shamelessly butchered by the Uttar Pradesh Armed Constabulary. A cold-blooded genocide in the Indian Republic was brought to the public domain so vigorously because of Dr Swamy fasting in the Boat Club of Delhi for a good many days. Dr Swamy, it is understood, was persuaded by another Janata MP, Syed Shahabuddin, to take up the cause when a Delhi Court acquitted all the 16 accused persons out of 19 (three having died during the trial) and an Appeal was preferred by the victims relatives. Dr Swamy took out a craftily drafted petition before the Appellate Court and asked for a further probe into the case regarding the role of Shri P. Chidambaram, the then Minister-in-Charge of Internal Security. A Bench of Justices G.S. Sistani and Sangita Sehgal, however, could not help Dr Swamy to get an order for a retrial of the case. An incident that occurred in 1987 ended in acquittal on March 21, 2015. On an appeal preferred by the victims relatives for justice if an order for a further probe to book P. Chidambaram was made, could not possibly have found any of the accused persons or the witnesses alive.

Dr Swamy took keen interest to get the former Congress Minister, Sashi Tharoor, booked for the mysterious death of his wife, Sunanda, that took place in a posh Delhi hotel on the night of January 17, 2014. The police was in sesin of the investigation, but even then Dr Swamy, now a presidential nominee in the House of Elders in Parliament from where he was once expelled for his proven misconduct, could not resist the temptation to move yet another public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court along with another Court seeking a Court-monitored enquiry into the mysterious death of Sashis spouse, leaving aside the next of kins of Sunanda, the victim, alleging that he was sure of Sashi seeking help of his party, the BJP, to save his skin. Much to their distress the Delhi High Court could not oblige the champion of public interest and delivered a verdict terming the PIL as a text book example of a political interest litigation. Be that as it may, we, the common people, may very humbly ask the Honble Dr Swamy to let the country know who those benevolent souls in his party were available for rendering their helping hands to Sashi, an alleged killer. Additional Solicitor General Sanjoy Jain also could not come to the aid of Dr Swamys jibe that the Congress leader (Sashi Tharoor) continued to interfere in the investi-gation.

Dr Swamy is by no means a zealous prota-gonist of honesty in public life. The Gandhi dynasts were, he believed, indulging in syphoning public money in a circuitous manner by transferring the shares of National Herald, a Congress newspaper established by Jawaharlal Nehru. The mother and son, along with some other cronies, were fattening their personal coffers, he alleged. In this country of 135 million boozed citizens, Dr Swamy was the only conscious puritan who knocked the doors of the temple of justice to get the mother and son duo hauled, according to law. Fair enough!

The Honble Judges questioned his locus in the lis. Dr Swamy tends to prove that he is more knowledgeable than Mr Raghuram Rajan, the former RBI Governor, and Mr Arvind Subramaniam, the Chief Economic Adviser to our respected Prime Minister, to understand public finance vis a vis corporate laws of the land. Poor Rajan had to leave his realm and Arvind to swallow the bitter pills of criticism. Should not the entire credit go to Dr Swamy! Poor Jaitley may try to learn the art of managing his Finance Ministry from a Harvard economist.

Dr Swamy is also a good adviser to erring Mehbooba, the Honble Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, advising her to go back to the school to study the real object of Article 370 of the Constitution when she made a statement that the Article is the nations commitment to the people of J&K and should be honoured. I would suggest to Mehbooba to be an attentive pupil to the Harvard Professor.

But when the nation was approaching the last month of the year, the Cold December, a month when the pious deed of the kar sevaks of 1992 was acclaimed as an achievement no less than the conquest of the Antartica, should Dr Swamy not shower his Nostradamusian prophesy as to when and where Ramlalas shrine will be built? After the wisdom of the Allahabad High Court to impart a verdict of share-cropping the disputed estate between the Sunni Wakf Board and Nirmohi Akhara on a two-third and one-third basis found an entry in the register of lis of the Apex Court, Dr Swamy had promptly shown his keen interest in impleading himself as the most pious Hindu of the country in that auspicious legal battle keeping far behind Shri Mohan Bhagwatji. As an astute lawyer Dr Swamy pleaded for a religious, not a legal, solution of the problem. He was, even before the Court sits for judgement, certain that they (the Hindus) are winning the case and will celebrate the next Diwali in October next at Ayodhya. Dr Swamy gives his verdict that the Masjid can be built anywhere but not at Ayodhya. As a no-match historian Dr Swamy knows it for certain that the 40,000 temples (the list of such temples with location must be with him) that were demolished are not in his demand but lists only three, namely, Krishnas Mathura, Rams Ayodhya and Kashi Viswanath at Varanasi. And Dr Swamy, before the Apex Court begins to hear the case on February 8, 2018, has given his edict: of shifting the Babri to the Ambedkar district where lots of Muslims live. Muslims in India must express their gratitude to Dr Swamy that he at least has given some place in India to get their Babri located. Thank God that it is not in Iran or Iraq or Saudi Arabia.

Dr Swamys colleague in the Ministry of External Affairs, if not the Honble Narendra Bhai, ought to have lend her ears to his advice to shift the Indian Embassy to Jerusadem. After all, a parallel waivelength of understanding about Israel with Donald Trump, the American President, is seldom a perception as we find no Indian expert on international issues other than Dr Swamy.

Instances are galore to cite Dr Swamys excellence in multiple subjects. And simply for this reason I could not ignore my enthusiasm to recall a friend of mine in the Rajya Sabha long ago and regret what brand of stupid I was to have supported the motion to expel him from the House of Elders.

A practising senior advocate of the Calcutta High Court, the author is a leading figure in the West Bengal Congress. A former member of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the seventies, he was the Secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Centenary of Patna University, Bihar: Patna Gained at Dhakas (...)

by A.K. Biswas

Bihar was euphoric over the centenary cele-brations of the Patna University graced by the presence of the Prime Minister of India. After the universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras, the nineteenth century saw the birth of two more universitiesthe fourth, Punjab University at Lahore (now in Pakistan) in 1882, and the fifth, Allahabad University in United Provinces (now UP) in 1887under the colonial masters. The University of Patna, with jurisdiction over Orissa and Nepal, was the sixth one of higher learning established in 1917. Speaking candidly, Daccas (Dhakas) loss went to benefit Patna. To make it more explicit, the envy of the savants of Calcutta benefited Patna.

The annulment of the partition of Bengal brought the curtains down on the anti-partition agitation coupled with swadeshism between 1905 and 1911 over the creation of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam with the capital at Dhaka. The partition was warmly welcomed by Muslims and the populous low castes who were in overwhelming majority in Eastern Bengal. Its annulment, therefore, sorely disillusioned them. To assuage the grievances of the majority, Governor-General Lord Hardinge declared in 1911 his plan to establish a university at Dhaka.

The brahmanical forces bared their fangs against Bengals second university in Bengal. Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee (June 29, 1864-May 25, 1924) and Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea (November 1848-August 1925), both educationists among others, fomented a campaign! The Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University for four consecutive two-year terms (1906-1914) and a fifth two-year term (1921-23), Sir Ashutosh was fondly nicknamed the royal Bengal tiger whereas Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea (November 10, 1848-August 6, 1925), on the other hand, was the uncrowned king of Bengal as well as the rashtraguru, father of Indian nationalism for his role in the anti-partition struggle in Bengal and swadeshi movement. Rarely in history do saboteurs of the establishment of a university occupy as high a stature as educationists or patrons of learning as Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee and Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea. Of course, they had, as an accomplice, Provash Chandra Mitra, the Education Minister of Bengal, in the sinister game.1 According to one account,

Many Hindu leaders were not happy with the governments intention to set up a university at Dhaka. On February 16, 1912, a delegation, headed by advocate Dr Rashbehari Ghosh, met the Viceroy and expressed the apprehension that the establishment of a separate university at Dhaka would promote an internal partition of Bengal. They also contended, as was recorded in the Calcutta University Commission report later, that Muslims of Eastern Bengal were in large majority cultivators and they would benefit in no way by the foundation of a university. Lord Hardinge assured the delegation that no proposal, which could lead to the internal partition or division of Bengal would meet the support of the government. He also expressed that the new university would be open to all and it would be a teaching and a residential university. At one stage, Lord Hardinge told Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, that he was determined to establish a university at Dhaka in spite of all their opposition.2

The Governor-Generals determination under-lines the stubborn opposition he encountered from the royal Bengal tiger and the uncrowned king against the establishment of the university at Dhaka. This drives home the essence of what Plato said centuries ago: We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. The Greek philosopher perhaps did not have the misfortune to see men, who, though there flashed angelical glow on their faces, were afraid of the light Here Bengals talented and gifted men turned sworn enemies of the masses of their motherland! This was indeed a great tragedy.

They had, however, their cheerleaders to shower praises on them notwithstanding the subversion they inflicted on their targets. Lest we forget, it is noted, the more equipped and accomplished such men were, the damages to their victims were more irreparable and exacerbating. The university at Dhaka ultimately came into being a decade later in 1921! The delay and opposition from these men of high standing, understandably, drove the people of Eastern Bengal and Assam to deep sullenness. This only exemplified that the famous and celebrated had little love for the unlettered, underprivileged and deprived when their education was concerned.

A biographer of Gopal Krishna Gokhale recorded why the uncrowned king of Bengal, in league with others, opposed and sabotaged his Compulsory Primary Education Bill in 1911 in the Central Legislative Council. According to him, Surendra Nath Banerjea opposed it (Compulsory Education Bill), fearing that it would divert funds for elementary education from higher education.3 Sir S.N. Banerjea was the founder of Ripon College, Calcutta (renamed after him in post-independence India). Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Madan Mohan Malavyiya, notably, were two of the most promi-nent supporters of Gokhales Bill. The true colour of the rashtraguru was exposed when we see him jointly with Sir Ashutosh torpedoing the proposal for the foundation of the university at Dhaka as it aimed at addressing the higher educational needs and aspirations of the preponderantly Muslims and the untouchable population of Eastern Bengal. Wolves in sheeps clothing have mostly posed real and unfailing dangers as they catch their targets unawares. Essentially Banerjea was against any form of education, primary or higher, to benefit the illiterate from the lower and neglected social hinterland. In 1907, the Chief Secretary, Eastern Bengal and Assam, conveyed the perception of the Lieutenant Governor to the Government of India the present great keenness for education among the Muhammadans and Namasudras who practically comprised almost the whole of the peasantry of the new province.4

History bears ample testimony of attitudinal hostility of the upper-caste Hindu leadership and gentry against the educational aspirations of the low castes and Muslims in Bengal. The careful chronicler of the British empire, William Hunter, traced the thread of prejudice in the nineteenth century. The upper classes are opposed to the lower orders being taught at all. If this left any gap or grey area, he filled that up by adding: The Brahmans and Kayasthas deem education to be strictly their inheritance; and in losing the cooperation of the wealthy classes, the Government unavoidably fails to reach the ordinary cultivator; for however much the latter may be oppressed, he looks to the former to interpret every action of the foreign race which rules them.5 The menace against mass education was known to the country long backin the high noon of the overrated renaissance of nineteenth century Bengal! But the Young Bengal could not bulldoze the menace as they sprung from the same vicious stock.

Kayasthas opposed unsuccessfully High School for Chandals: a Sad Historical Record

In Bengal, the first ever English high school by and for the untouchables was established in 1908 at Orakandi in Faridpur of Eastern Bengal under the initiative of the crusading Namasudra socio-religious reformer, Guru Chand Thakur (1847-1937), with the aid and encouragement of the Australian Baptist missionary, Dr Cecil Silas Mead. They were immensely exploited and oppressed by the high-caste landlords and moneylenders who tricked the illiterate peasants in everyday matters of rent or debt-payment receipts. In this noble mission, they encountered stiff opposition from high caste Kayasthas who were afraid that their share-cropper and servants would no longer work for them if they became educated. 6 [Emphasis added by this writer] One of the torchbearers of Bengali bhadralok class was in the forefront of this opposition being afraid of the light for the illiterates!

We now know, who and why they disliked the spread of knowledge over a wider spectrum. It is in India alone where people hate their educated neighbours and countrymen either because of religion or caste. Out of the darkness of insanity they blocked the roads of new learners. Here is an illustration. Guru Chand Thakurs son, Sasi Bhusan, and his friend, Bhishmadeb Das, were sent from their village Orakandi, Faridpur, to Calcutta for education. There the former matriculated and the latter cleared his entrance examinations (then equivalent to Intermediate standard). Both the young men were keen to pursue their studies in law at Calcutta. In a letter they informed Dr Mead that at this stage our caste was discovered and we were barred from proceeding any further. We returned to Orakandi feeling completely crushed.7

Interestingly, Sasi Bhusan Thakurs father was invited around this time by Sir Surendra Nath Banerjea to join anti-partition agitation of Bengal and boycott of foreign goods. Guru Chand Thakur had turned down the invitation of Banerjea who, in league with Ashutosh Mukherjee and others, foiled the University at Dhaka. This happened in 1907 at Calcutta in the immediate post-renaissance Bengal. The Bengali intellectual class, however, is tireless in feeding us glowing accounts of the renaissance with Calcutta as the focal point. Two Chandal boys were shunted out from pursuing their dreams when their caste was discovered! Calcutta, the most shining city of the Anglo-Saxon Empire, was full of opportunities for education but the doors were open with stretched arms only for the upper castes! This was the essence of the over-hyped and overrated renaissance of nineteenth century Bengal.

About this time the Government of India was contemplating with the idea of abolishing fees in primary schools. A cross-section of opinions from various walks of life was consulted. H. Savage, the first member of the Board of Revenue, Eastern Bengal and Assam, made a striking observation in a letter dated January 12, 1907 to the Chief Secretary of Eastern Bengal and Assam:

At present in the Dacca Division (at least) there is a system under which the grant-in-aid is in part contingent on the attendance of Muhammedan pupils or pupils of the lower caste Hindus. This system should be maintained and extended. There is a widespread feeling against pupils of these classes among the ordinary gurusmuch more widespread than appears on the surfaceand unless strict measures be taken under either European or Musalman supervision in each district, boys of the Musalman and lower Hindu classes will be shouldered out of the Pathshalas and the benefit of the abolition of fees will accrue solely to the high caste Hindus. Probably no amount of inspection will avail to prevent this, unless it be distinctly ruled that the teachers pay will, to certain extent, depend on the number of pupils of these classes who pass a certain examination.8

Powerful upper castes used all their acquired scholarship and acumen in suppressing the vast section, though far numerous, considering them potentially dangerous to their own happiness and well-being. The enlightenment of the progressive Bengalis did not necessarily endow them with commensurate large heartedness and catholicity towards their less fortunate countrymen over access to education. Actually their character and action were marked by craftiness, deviousness and trickiness. It is a sheer catastrophe for millions of Indians that they have in drivers seats men who are enemies of their moral and material progress and prosperity. Lord Macaulay described them rather unflatteringly:What the horns are to the buffalo, what the paw to the tiger, what the sting to the bee, what beauty, according to the old Greek song, is to woman, deceit is to Bengalee. Large promises, smooth excuses, elaborate tissues of circumstantial falsehood, chicanery, perjury, forgery are the weapons, offensive and defensive, of the people of the Lower Ganges.9 Do those people of the Lower Ganges need identification? The countrymen, who have suffered the falsehood, chicanery, perjury and forgery, would instantly cheer Macaulay for talking, at least, the plain truth in so many words.

Sadly India never boasted of a man of the stature of Lord Richard Temple, a former Lieutenant Governor of Bengal (tenure 1874-1877). In November 1882, while addressing the Board of Foreign Mission of the Presbyterian Church, New York, he was confronted with the inevitable question whether Britain should give education to Indians and face disloyalty and rebellion or keep them submerged under the deluge of illiteracy and ignorance for the sake of loyalty and obedience to the Empire. His replies were classic:

As to the loyalty or disloyalty, England will do her duty without fear. I believe education will produce loyalty. But, be the political consequences what it may, we must be just and fear not, and give India the education in those arts and sciences which have made England herself what she is. Even if certain sort of disloyalty were to be the consequence, we must persevere, for we could not consent to keep the people ignorant in order to keep them loyal.10

Did we ever hear any Indian speak in such noble language and sublimity as this? Make no mistake that our celebrated savants are the bitterest enemies of illiterate India the whole of which they want tightly under their boots. They speak in patriotic veneer from public platforms only. We have not recognised the wolves in sheeps clothing even after 135 years of such sane warning.

Tailpiece

Let me, before I conclude, have a glimpse of the harrowing experience of a Negro, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) who fought and made a spectacular name in America in the nineteenth century. He wrote himself the Narrative of the Life of An American Negro which in 1845 was published in Boston. Separated in infancy from his mother, Douglass was transferred from master to master. At 12, he became a property of Hugh Auld and his wife Sophia, a kind and tender-hearted woman, who treated him as she supposed one human being ought to treat another. Education was the most precious wealth that was then denied by law to the Negroes in America. Douglass recorded in his autobiography, ...... she very kindly commenced to teach me the A B C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Sophia to instruct me further, telling her, among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. To use his own words, further, he said, If you give the nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his masterto do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. Now, he said, if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy.

His masters peremptory behaviour stirred up in Douglass an entire new train of thoughts. It was new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficultyto wit, the white mans power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. Prophetically, Douglass noted that from the moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was what I wanted, and got it at a time when I least expected. Every dark cloud has a shining streak. He was positive in his thinking and approach for his future.

Then he recorded that Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the inevitable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read and write. His sublime goal, thus, was defined. What he most dreaded, that I most desired. A realisation dawned on him, what his master most loved, that I most hated. They stood on direct line of fierce confrontation. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great god, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn. In conclusion Douglass wrote in his memoirs, In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both.11

The stubborn opposition of the Bengali Hindu intelligentsia against the university at Dhaka was precisely out of the consciousness that prompted the White Americans against the black African-Americans acquiring education and knowledge for all in the nineteenth century. The upper-caste minuscule Hindus did not want educated ryot/tenants and masses whom they treated no better than slaves. A decade that elapsed between 1911, the year when the Dhaka University was proposed by the highest colonial authority, and 1921, the year it ultimately came into being, starkly stands out as a shameful chapter in the history of education in Bengal marked by conspiracies of the bhadralok against the people of the new province.

Frederick Douglass rose to be an African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writings. In his time, he was described by abolitionists as a living counter-example to the slaveholders arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. The same argu-ment is dished out almost everyday from various corners of accursed India with glee against Dalit and tribal communities as did the Americas white racist counterparts a century-and-a-half ago!

Footnotes

1. Biswas, A.K., Universalisation of Education: India in a TrapBane of Negligence Portends National Disaster, Mainstream, Vol XLVII, No 38, September 5, 2009.

2. http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=University_-of_Dhaka University of Dhaka.

3. Nanda, B. R., Gokhale, Oxford University Press, 1977, p. 389.

4. Letter of H. LeMesueier, Chief Secretary to the Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam bearing no. 11053C, dated September 30, 1907 Selections From The Records of The Government of India, Home Department, No. CCCCXLV. Home Department Serial no. 33, Papers Regarding The Question of The Abolition of Fees in Primary Schools, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1910, p. 255.

5. Hunter, Statistical Account of Faridpur, London, 1876, p. 349.

6. Sarkar, Sumit, Beyond Nationalist Frame, Permanent Black, 2002, Delhi, p. 236.

7. Elva Schroeder, Doctor Sahib: The Story of Dr Cecil Mead, Even Before Publishing, second edition, 2006, p. 68.

8. Records of the Government of India, Home Department Serial no. 33Paper Regarding The Question of the Abolition of Fees in Primary School, Calcutta, Superintendent, Government Printing India, 1910, p. 314.

9. Lord Macaulay, Thomas Babington, Critical, Historical and Miscellaneous Essays, Boston, 1860, pp. 19-20.

10. Biswas, A K, Social and Cultural Vision of India: Facts against Fiction, Pragati Publication, Delhi, 1996, p. 214.

11. The Classic Slave Narratives, edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., First printing September 1987, pp. 174-275.

The author is a retired IAS officer and former Vice-Chancellor, B.R. Ambedkar University, Muzaffarpur (Bihar). He can be reached at biswasatulk[at]gmail.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Does Misuse of Law prevail over the Non-existence of Evidence in its (...)

WOMENS WORLD

by Abha Yadav

In a first against its own order, Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra has stated in October 2017 that the Apex Court of the country was not in agreement with its earlier judgement on the Anti-Dowry Law. The court was hearing the petition filed by an NGO seeking to include two women in the three-member family welfare committee stipulated by the July 2017 judgement of the Supreme Court.

We are not in agreement with the earlier judgment diluting the rigour of Section 498A. We think it curtails the rights of women. We cant scuttle the sphere of IPC Section 498 A (dowry prohibition). Laying down guidelines appears to be an exercise solely in legislative domain, Justice Misra said. (https://www.q8india.com/blog/2017/10/14/supreme-court-review-verdict-diluted-anti-dowry-law)

The landmark directive of the Supreme Court in Rajesh Sharma and Others v. State of UP and Another in Cr. Appeal no. 1265 of 2017 in July, which has denied automatic arrests in cases filed under Section 498A, IPC, has certainly made waves throughout the legal fraternity and womens rights organisations for the manifold implications it is the precursor of. The Bench, comprising Justices A.K. Goel and U.U. Lalit, has promulgated the milestone order and wishes to adjudicate on the analysis of the changes and result, if any, brought about in the form of a report from the National Legal Services Authorities by March 2018with the matter listed for hearing in the summer of April 2018. The instant case was filed to identify if there arose a need to check the tendency to rope in all family members to settle a matrimonial dispute such as in case of Section 498A, IPC.

Another Delhi High Court order (in X v. State NCT of Delhi and Another, CR.L.P. 137/2017 and CRL.M.A. 4027/2017), promulgated on similar lines of the aforementioned Apex Courts pronouncement, has only added to the severely misbalanced notions of gender the judiciary has taken to follow in recent times. Justice Pratibha Rani reiterated the Benchs opinion of women severely misusing law as a weapon for vengeance and personal vendetta while dismissing the womans leave to appeal against acquittal of her live-in partner whom she falsely accused of rape on the pretext of marriage.

The Order of the Supreme Court as well as other similar orders have to be viewed in the light of the fact that there is always and certainly bound to be some or the other amount of misuse or arm-twisting of any law that is promulgated. The test for the continuance, dilution and amendment of any existing legislation is when the misuse of the existing law has deeper detrimental effects than the negative repercu-ssions of the non-existence of the law. In the case of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, it is seen that despite government legislations, interventions by agencies, women have continued to suffer due to the ancient and deeply embedded practice of dowry deaths and harassments in the Indian society. This is a disturbing norm plaguing our nation, irrespective of the social strata one associates within our society.

The scourge of dowry is seen in the power corridors, wealthy families, in middle class homes as well as in urban slums. It is obvious that the problem is rampant in rural India where it is tied with customs and traditions that the law has not been able to sway. Indian society has not been able to break the shackles of dowry harassment even as it enters the age of globalisation and digital India. It has only transformed and manifested itself in the form of glitzy and sophisticated gifts that the bride is expected to bring with her in the modern Indian family. The dilution of the so-called draconian Section 498A which previously allowed for the immediate arrest of family members, relatives including the husband has been reduced in its effect by the formation of the Family Welfare Committees which shall scrutinize the matter instead. In the Indian context the processes and procedures that the FWCs will evolve will only add to the delay in justice meted out to the genuine and actual dowry harassed woman.

In its bid to be gender-neutral, what the SC has done is inflict grave harm upon those whom Section 498A deemed to protect in the first place. The protection that the Section provided to every harassed and abused woman; the fear it evoked in the families and kept them in check from committing such abusehave all been done away with by the SCs gender insensitivity.

In the current judgment, the SC has quoted the National Crime Records Bureau 2012 data which stated that while charge-sheets were filed at an exponentially high 93.6 per cent of cases, only 14.4 per cent ended in convictions. The report further projected that out of 3,72,706 cases pending in trials in 2012only 3,17,000 would lead to acquittals. The above figures certainly do not take into account the various factors that come into play, such as the inevitable delays in the judicial process while adjudicating upon such cases, the pressure or threats such victims receive to weaken the case, the fear of social stigma, costs of litigation etc. While the SC has simply boiled down the social evil by stating many disgruntled women have misused the law, it may also be pertinent to note as to how many actual victims of dowry harassment have been able to get relief from the stipulations in the Act. It cannot be ignored that when a woman files such a case, she faces the wrath of many and is constantly at edge while the case draws out. Insufficiency of actual evidence and pressure from her husband and inlawsare easy enough factors to make a married woman weaken her resolve to go through with such cases. Even so, when a woman has a child from the marriageit can easily be used as an emotional exploit by the perpetrators and thus lead to acquittals. The Court cannot turn a blind eye towards such social and cultural practices in a bid to appease harassed and innocent relatives and husbands.

Rather than diluting the Section, the Court could have, with the aid of womens organisations, the National Commission of Women etc., focused upon fine-tuning the processing mechanism followed in such cases, the functioning of the CWCs, the causes behind the low convictions and grassroot methods employed by police officials and other authorities involved in the hierarchical chain. The statement of the Apex Court, which has branded women as liars, is nothing but living proof of the infiltration of misogyny within the judicial bodies. There is no liability accorded for incomplete investigations and inquiries by the law enforcement agencies at the ground level by the Court, which goes against the very principles of natural justice and criminal investigations as outlined by the letter dated 31.07.2017 by womens rights organisations to the Chief Justice of India in lieu of the judgment dated 27.07.2017.

Mandatory counselling machinery for the complainant should be made available and mandatory along with the presence of hand-holding mechanisms to ensure that the complainants are able to cope with the process and successfully stick through the entire judicial process until its end. It has to be seen that victims are not easily manipulated or forced out from such cases. The Court cannot in any sense neglect the fact that such women have gathered all their strength and wit to lodge a case in the first place. To undo the previous defences at their expense, only further deteriorates their situation.

The lack of compliance of authorities or their non-acknowledgment of the procedural guidelines as issued by the Apex Court in regard of the section, in cases like Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar, (2014) 8 SCC 273 and such others is said to be the tipping point for this landmark order, along with the Reports of the 243rd Law Commission (August 2012), 140th Rajya Sabha Committee on Petition (September 2011) and judgments of various High Courts. It is disappointing to note that the inadequacy and incompetence of police officers and those involved in this process has been ignored, which is in fact the root of the problem. If such officers disregarded the previous orders and guidelines for arrests, it would have certainly differentiated the real complaints from those which were sham at the ground level. The blame women receive for this order is improper and misplaced; and to have them suffer for iteven worse. Furthermore, the atrocities suffered by men and their relatives, as the judgment proclaims, are by the police authorities and not at the hands of the women who institute the complaint. Therefore, liability has simply been placed upon one party whilst it is indeed the law enforcement agencies themselves who are guilty. If there is a failure to identify whether a complaint is bonafide at the first instance, the role of the authorities cannot be discounted.

Misuse of law or insensitive investigation cannot, in any rational or prudent scenario, outweigh the positives or benefit it emanates, especially when it comes to the security of disadvantaged sections of the society. Married women certainly qualify in this sense, for they are in fact living with a house of strangers putting them at a stark disadvantage from the very beginning. The strongest weapon in their arsenalSection 498A of the Indian Penal Codehas now lost its significance for them. This affirmative discrimination that the section reflected in their favour, as enabled by Article 15(3) of the Constitution of India, 1950, is now taken away.

The Supreme Courts order goes on to allow automatic arrests only in cases where there are visible signs of injury upon the complainant or likelihood of death faced by herdespite the very section itself defining cruelty as grave injury of physical or mental nature.

Additionally, disregarding lack of tangible evidence of physical abuse over time coupled with mental agony and emotional torturewhich are viable signs of crueltyshows the Courts incorrect surmising. The mental pressure along with psychological ordeals a victim suffers are of no consequence as per this directive; coming at odds with the fact that mental wounds are at times more severe and have prolong effects than physical scars which tend go away with time.

The Court has erroneously failed to pursue this line of thought or neglected to consider this aspectwhich shows that the matter has probably not been thought through as well as one would like to believe. It is also surprising to note that the Court arrived at such an important decision, which has caused a major blow to married womens rights, without being assisted or vetted by womens organisations or such other qualified agencies.

Furthermore, although the formation of Family Welfare Committees in every district (found in para 19 of the judgment) can be touted as a positive outcome from the midst of all this; it can however as easily be misused and fail its purpose by the participation and involvement of members who bring to the table their own toxic mix of biases and societal perceptions. The time period of one month given to these Committees for profiling and ensuring the reliability of the complaints allows abused and harassed women to change their minds or the guilty parties to escape on one pretext or the other.

On the contrary, handing over such powers to non-legal/extra-judicial bodies entities such as the FWCs is an incorrect delegation of powers since they shall be incompetent to deal with such sensitive and technical matters. It cannot be ignored that the role that these Committees are set to play, were previously accorded for within the procedural safeguards given under Section 498A in Lalita Kumari v. Government of UP, (2014) 2 SCC 1.The SC had held in the case that the registration of FIR is mandatory under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure , if the information discloses commission of a cognizable offence and no preliminary inquiry is permissible in such situations. Preliminary inquiry may be made in matters of matrimonial or family disputes as per the guidelines issued by the Apex Court in the instant case.

Mere training of a few days without specification of qualifications of the members of the Committees only signifies how little thought has been given to the matter; when womens organisations fought relentlessly for the inclusion of such provisions within the Indian laws.

The very distinction between civil and criminal law originates from the fact that in the former, the burden of proof falls upon the individual who institutes the case; whilst in the latter, the onus in special cases falls upon the alleged perpetrator, allowing ease in some form to the victim(s). One of those cases was the situation Section 498A dealt with. However, this privilege has now been usurped from the women because of disgruntled women rampantly misusing the section and men acting as sitting targets in the name of feminism.

There is no doubt that false and frivolous allegations deny and impair justice, but this cannot be considered as the only facet while coming to such an abrupt and damaging order. What can be done instead in such a context, keeping in mind the absolute sensitivity of the matter, is that Family Welfare Committees can be created once such complaints are instituted to look into the veracity of the matter while arrests are also made simultaneously. If the complaints are found to be bogus, the arrested individuals can be let off in a timely manner while the woman can be dealt with accordingly as seen fit by the Court. To deny such protection and leverage certainly punctures any hope women harboured to escape from their abusive domestic set-ups. It only leads to strengthening of the family-positive approach the Court has had, in line with their resolve to not outlaw marital rape.

This is neither a step in the direction of creating equality nor true affirmation of mens rights in a women-dominated world as many today have come to perceive. It cannot even be considered a win for protection of family set-upsit is only a re-affirmation of the patriarchal norms prevalent still in modern India that have so severely seized onto womens freedoms and safety. In a severely gender-misbalanced society, it is a step far from womens empowerment and even further from the development of a modern civilised society. Hopefully the progressive intervention of the Supreme Court will bring this debate to its logical conclusion and also benefit the women whom it sought to help from its pronouncement.

Dr Abha Yadav is the Deputy Registrar (Legal), Central Public Information Officer and Labour Welfare Officer, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > A Forgotten Episode in Contemporary India

BOOK REVIEW

Kandhamal: Introspection of Initiative for Justice 2007-2015 by Vrinda Grover and Saumya Uma; Media House and United Christian Forum; 2017; pages 304.

Being a member of the majority community it is difficult for this author to assess the inner threat that the members of the minority groups and communities feel living among the vast mass of the majority community. We are really oblivious of their threat perception and their inner feelings. With such a blockage of mind, how could one appreciate what the minority groups feel and think? This becomes apparent to me whenever I travel though the Park Circus area of Kolkata though I consider myself a secular person bearing no adverse feelings against any minority group.

The normal majority thinking is that everything is hunky-dory. The minority groups are living happily along with the majority group. This mental attitude pervades the entire administration. The authors rightly refer to certain instances to explain this point. They write: In the anti-Muslim violence in Muzaffar-nagar in 2013, the Uttar Pradesh Police refused to register FIRs regarding gang rape of seven women under the new provision of the IPC for rape during communal violence which constitutes aggravated form of rape until the lapse was brought to the attention of the Supreme Court. This indicates the institutional bias embedded in the police. Acquittal of accused persons in a murder and gang-rape cases before the Fast Track Court, Muzaffarnagar in 2015-16 was due to key witnesses turning hostile. This was ostensibly because of severe threat to witnesses and absence of protective measures for them. There is a dire need for an effective law on witness protection. (p. 22) The authors correctly state with the reluctance to acknow-ledge that shoddy police investigations betray an institutional bias against religious minorities, the nature of evidence placed before the court remains severely compromised. The States abdication of its constitutional obligation is complete when reparative justice is whittled to compensation and a few crumbs given to the victims. (p. 23)

Some figures need to be quoted to indicate how severe was the damage to life and property of the Christian community living in the affected Kandhamal area. According to the government figures, during the violence from August to December 2003 in Kandhamal district, a total of 39 persons were killed and they included two police personnel and three rioters. (p. 26) But the human rights groups estimated that around 100 persons were killed, including disabled and elderly persons, children, men and women. More than 600 villages were ransacked, at least 5600 houses were looted and burnt, and not less than 54,000 persons were rendered homeless, 295 churches and other places of worship were destroyed, 13 schools, colleges, and philanthropic institutions including leprosy homes and TB hospitals along with other properties belonging to the Christian community were looted, burnt and/or damaged. About 30,000 persons were displaced and had to stay in relief camps. More horrendous was the fact that about 2000 persons were forced to renounce their Christian faith. I would not like to burden the reader with figures but some statistics have to be recorded to indicate the gravity and magnitude of the crime. According to a reliable non-official estimate, the small Christian community in the area suffered property and livelihood-related loss of Rs 2.28 crores and the affected families suffered on an average loss of property worth Rs 1.86 lakhs. (p. 27) Further, the attacks against Christians were part of a concerted campaign of the Right-wing Hindu organisations collectively called the Sangh Parivar. Their main aim is to promote and exploit communal clashes to increase their political power base.

State governments in India are quite prompt to establish Commissions of Inquiry soon after any incident of major riots and/or violence. It serves the purpose of smoothening the ruffled feathers. Such Commissions take their own time to complete the task. Since most of such Commissions are headed by either serving or retired judges of a High Court or of the Supreme Court, they follow the usual procedures of such organisations, which are time-consuming. Public memory being short, the public in general tend to forget the issue and get involved in their day-to-day pressing matters. That suits everybody except the victims.

Six months after the incidents, the State Government of Odisha set up the Panigrahi Commission dated July 14, 2008. The Commission did not submit any report till February 2015. In February 2015 the Commission sent a request to the State Government for extension of one more year to submit its report.

This is not the end of the story. Key witnesses were unable to tender evidence, because of fear of their life. John Dayal, a key applicant before the Panigrahi Commission, sent a petition by speed post from Delhi expressing his inability to appear before the Commission for fear of his life. He wrote in his petition to the Commission stating, inter alia, the assilants are scot free and the few arrested may be out on bail.... I apprehend serious threat to my security and to my life and limb and to my freedom of movement.... I pray that my deposition be deferred to such further dates as and when the environment is conducive and my security is guaranteed. (p. 45)

Threat of life prevents and, in fact, prevented many victim-survivors to come forward and tender evidence. Advocate Divya Singh Parichha, who regularly appeared before the Commission on behalf of the victims recorded, inter alia, that the Commission paid no heed to the difficulties faced by the victim-survivors. It was stated that very few victim-survivors filed affidavits due to the cumbersome and lengthy proceedings. The Commission has given no thought to how the poor victim-survivors would travel to Bhubaneswar to participate in the proceedings. They made no logistical arrangements for the victim-survivors whatsoever. This reflects a callous attitude of the Commission as well as the State Government which established the same.

The peculiar behaviour of different Commissions of Inquiry set up by State governments creates an impression that these are set up promptly by many State governments to divert the attention of the public from such gruesome incidents. The subject matters of any such Commission are not discussed in the media, either print or electronic. After a while, public memory being short, it would disappear from the public view. Authorities would live happily thereafter, till another such horrendous incident occurs and shakes the conscience of the nation. But that is a temporary matter. And the same procedure would follow till the matter goes out of public gaze.

I may be allowed to mention about the State Commission set up to enquire into the excesses of the Internal Emergency promulgated by the then Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi. How many persons today know about it? One of the main actors, against whom there were a large number of complaints of excesses, is now a valued member of a prestigious organisation in New Delhi which he visits regularly. Neither he nor anybody else cares anything about what happened during those dark days of contemporary India.

One of the sordid aspects of the whole episode was the blatant attempt to manufacture incorrect statements by the government officials. One can understand that those directly involved would try to escape the liability by such ignoble attempts. But why should others not involved in the matter do so? It appears that there is some truth about the allegation of trade union of civil servants which results in hiding the truth to help a fellow trade unionist when he is in trouble. This affliction creates problems for any independent authority to assess the correct event. It is not the lower level officials that suffer from it, even sometime the national level organisations have the same problem. This, to say the least, is deplorable. I would like to narrate an incident recorded in the book.

The National Human Rights Commission painted a hunky-dory picture of relief camps. A diametrically opposite picture was presented by the National Peoples Tribunal on Kandhamal headed by Justice (Retd.) A.P. Shah. It spoke about unhealthy surroundings, overcrowding, lack of basic amenities, lack of medical facilities etc. in the relief camps.

This reviewer highly appreciates the conclu-sions in page 82 of the book. It is difficult to resist the temptation to quote a few lines. The National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) are guided in their work by the Paris Principles. The Paris Principles emphasise the importance of independent functioning of such institutions. In the case of Kandhamal violence, the NHRC did not appear to have inquired and assessed the situation in an independent, non-partisan manner, contrary to the Paris Principles. The National Commission for Minorities, however, expressed its continued concern with the issue, by making three visits to Kandhamal in 2007-08. It made an independent assessment of the situation at the ground level and gave various recommendations with facts, aimed at restoring peace and ensuring accountability for the violence. (p. 82)

This book is a valuable contribution to the state of current affairs of India. Behind our civlilised facade there lies hidden the primeval hunter-gatherer man. In case of communal violence that hunter-gatherer man comes out with all his ugliness. Those who are interested to know about the current situation in India should read this book. Those who hold a contrary view based on facts should also come out and contribute creating a lively debate, out of which the real truth may emerge.

The reviewer, a veteran civil servant, was a Member of the Rajya Sabha (2011-17). A former Secretary, Department of Land and Land Reforms, Government of West Bengal, he was the architect of Operation Barga launched by the Left Front Government in the State. Subsequently he was in the forefront of public support to the land struggle by the peasantry of Singur and Nandigram.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Appointment of CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana

by Gautam Sen

The appointment of Shri R. K. Asthana as the Special Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was challenged recently in the Supreme Court of India through a public interest litigation petition filed by the NGO, Common Cause. The ground for challenge was purportedly the reservation expressed by the incumbent CBI Director on Asthanas selection owing to some investigation and vigilance cases pending against him with the same agency. The Union Government contested the petition stating to the effect that, no view formally conveying opposition to the selection of Asthana as the Special Director of the CBI, was formally recorded by the incumbent CBI Director, when he was consulted by the designated statutory committee concerned with the appointment process.

The government of the day had always appointed officers as CBI Directors, reckoning their proclivities towards the political executive though after considering their suitability from efficiency, fitness and seniority angles. When the use of the instrumentality of the CBI in pursuing cases politically rewarding for the ruling party or combine became manifestly too evident and consequently inconvenient for those in the Opposition, the present system of a vetting process by a committee, headed by the Central Vigilance Commissioner, was adopted. It is, however, interesting that, now, even the appointment of the Special Director that is, the officer at the second highest echelon, has become a matter of controversy.

Asthana incidentally, an Indian Police Service officer of the 1984 batch of the Gujarat cadre, had served in the Gujarat Government under the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. Though not proven through any trial, there have been allegations in the past against Asthana, on account of his less-than-impartial official behaviour while pursuing sensitive cases inconvenient to the ruling party in the State, including as a member of the Special Investigation Team set up by the Modi Government on the 2002 Godhra kar sevaks burning case. In this backdrop, the filing of the public interest litigation petition, against Asthanas appointment as the Special Director of the CBI, is understandable. The moot point is that the premier internal investigation agency is presently being viewed as so subservient to the political party in power, warranting a legal challenge to the appointment of even a senior officer in the second topmost hierarchy.

The time has come to drastically overhaul the status of the CBI, its structure and modality of appointment of its officers from the rank of Superintendent of Police and above, and move it out of the ambit of the Union Government. First and foremost, the premier internal investigative organisation should be given the status of a constitutional entity like that of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The eligibility criteria for appointment of the Director and Special Director of the CBI and the appoint-ment process should be codified through a constitu-tional provision. The duties, powers and conditions of service of the functionaries of the organisation may be specified through an Act within the ambit of the above-mentioned constitutional provision. The entire budgetary resources for the organisation should be obtained as a charge on the Union Budget which will not require voting by Parliament. This will obviate the possibility of the executive, in concert with the legislature, undermining its operational freedom by constraining its financial resources through a voted budget process, should these politically dominated organs of state try to influence or constrict the functioning of the CBI.

The prerogative or scope for entrusting cases to the CBI may remain with the Union Government. However, once a case has been entrusted to the CBI, there should no interference or influence, tacit or explicit, from any governmental quarter. This can only be possible if there is total independence and not functional independence only, of the government. A sine qua non to achieve such a mode of functioning for the CBI, is to empower it with a special committed cadre of officers of impeccable integrity and professional competence. This can be achieved if the placement of personnel from the cutting edge level to the highest tiers, say, Deputy Inspector General and above, are on a long-term basis. The appointment process should involve the UPSC also, and the term of service in the CBI should not be for less than ten years, for continuity and avoidance of apprehension among those reverted after deputation (for deputationists) of political consequences of their investigative activities when on deputation, after reversion to their parent state cadres and departments from service with the CBI for five years or so. The unseemly situation which has arisen regarding Asthanas appointment, could have been avoidable under the institutional arrangements outlined above.

There is also a need to involve the State governments in the selection of officers for the CBI. In many cases, the CBI is tasked to probe on events which have arisen in the domain of the States. The CBI is entrusted with such investigations by the Union Government in a pick and choose manner, which tends to erode public confidence and also creates an ambience of latent non-cooperation on the part of the States. A joint reinforcing endeavour in a spirit of cooperative federalism would be feasible, if the selection of officers for the CBI can be organised in a transparent and well-defined manner from a common pool of officers created with the consent of the States, with final vetting by the UPSC as proposed above. Staffing of personnel in the CBI may also be based on a rotational formula so that a particular group of officers, or officers from some States or regions only, do not predominate in the investigative organisation. If such a system can be instituted within a constitutional and statutory frame-work, lurking suspicion on appointments of Directors and Special Directors can be obviated. The selection of cases for probe by the CBI should also be by a committee, with the involvement of both the Union and State governments. This could be achieved if a consensus-based mechanism could be put in place under the Union and State Home Ministers or a group of States Home Ministers, or even a Standing Committee of the Inter-Council Secretariat.

The Indian political system is being buffeted by a contentious environment. Many of the existing institutions are under threat, owing to attempts by the executive to politicise certain appointments, use them for partisan ends or reduce the status of key constitutional functionaries. Lowering the status of the Chairperson and members of the UPSC to that of the Cabinet Secretary and Secretary, respectively as against that of High Court judges earlier, is another example. In this backdrop, it is all the more necessary to undertake transformational changes pertaining to the CBI, as opined above. Mere tinkering with certain attributes of the existing institutions like that of the CBI, will not yield proper outcomes towards revitalising the Indian state and its polity.

The author is a retired IDAS officer who has served as a Special Secretary equivalent under the Government of India, and an Adviser to a State Chief Minister.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > The Rise and Fall of Socialism

by Samit Kar

On November 7, 1917, the world could experience an alternative form of governance when socialism came into being in the Soviet Union. But despite an incredible sacrifice of crores of human lives, socialism was unable to deliver and soon it suffered its eclipse. Why did it happen? There are, no doubt, many reasons behind the failure of socialism. The present paper highlights one of the fundamental causes without taking into consideration the entire range of causes due to obvious reasons on the occasion of 100 years of socialism.

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels said in the opening words of The Communist Manifesto (1848): The History of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle. To Marx and his associates, the dynamics of class struggle had been the principal driving force towards the onward march of social evolution leading to the transition of socio-economic formations. Karl was born on May 5, 1818 in Trier, a town in Germany. His father was a well-to-do expert in jurisprudence and a Privy Councillor. He wished to see Karl succeed him and take up the profession of a lawyer. But since early childhood Karl was known to be a different type of lad who was always interested to cook up fantastic stories and indulge in a spate of infantile mischiefs. He was very lovable and used to earn enormous affection due to his sweet and enjoyable dispensation. He was also known to be very simple, kind hearted whose heart always used to bleed for those whom he believed to be impoverished and exploited. Thus, he was naughty since early childhood but never ill-mannered and harsh.

When Marx was about to shed his teens, he became rather pained to come across the grave miseries of modernity in the then emerging Capitalism during its sunrise days. He began to realise that something needs to be accomplished in order to allay the sufferings of the teeming millions afflicted by the new industrial order. The German ghettos inhabited by the industrial working class put forth a pathetic image as they had to lead a sub-human life. He could know that the life and livelihood of this class of men and women living in other countries of Western Europe were in no way better. While witnessing this appalling servitude of the industrial working class, he began to prepare his mind and soon pledged to work tirelessly to alter the power dynamics of the capitalist world order. Resultantly, he disagreed to follow the footsteps of his father to become a lawyer and instead, became a die-hard follower of Georg Hegel.

Georg Hegel during the mid-19th century had become an iconic figure among the German youth as he could successfully drive home his theoretical premise: Every phase in the course of social evolution is destined to suffer its doom by virtue of the power of the negativeimpregnated in each and every social formation. Hegel clarified in terms of his famous Philosophy of Dialectic that each social formation, ever since the human history could find expression, had to undergo the triadic schema thesis, anti-thesis and synthesis. In this way, the rise and fall of each social formation may lead to the genesis of the new social formation from the debris of the old. But it needs to be borne in mind that the birth of the new is indeed not completely bereft of the old. This means, the rise of the new social formation does contain enough rudiments of the earlier social formation(s). This revolutionary and path-breaking philosophical insight of Hegel was able to make a significant mark in the annals of philosophy and a large number of German youth joined the fray called The Young Hegelian Circle. Marx was indeed of no exception and not only did he become an ardent follower of the Hegelian philosophical discourse, he even became one of the leading organisers of the Circle.

Marxs intellectual association with Hegel later proved to be short-lived and soon he began to distance from his mentor believing that the Hegelian social philosophy had been a representation of one-sided accentuation. Marx said, Hegel attached his entire attention to explain change in terms of the power of the intellectuals, the elites and those who hold the vantaged position in society. But he could not comprehend the power of the real, living men, that is, the down-trodden and the marginal men. Thus, he arrived at his concluding point: Hegelian Dialectic is standing on its head. My task is to put it on its feet. Marx after severing his relation from Hegel showed his intellectual allegiance to yet another great German social philosopher of his timeLudwig Feuerbach. Marx said, unlike Hegel, Feuerbach could correctly comprehend the practical activity of mankind.

However, soon Marx became disillusioned with Feuerbach too and said if Hegelian dialectic was idealist, Feuerbachs materialism was mechanical. He gave up the idealistic and the mechanistic aspects of social philosophy of Hegel and Feuerbach, respectively. In this way, he borrowed dialectic from Hegel and materalism from Feuerbach and developed his philosophy of Dialectical Materialism while incorporating his famous thesis on Totality.

The philosophy of Dialectical Materialism is known to be the methodology of Marxs social thought. In his entire understanding, Marx focused on the imperative of contradiction as the midwife of change. He adhered to the Hegelian philosophy in the early part of his life as the latter always insisted that every phase of social formation is always in a state of flux. Incessant change is a ubiquitos social phenomenon. Marx was heavily drawn to this concept as he understood, had this been a reality, capitalism was bound to face the nadir as it possess the inherent seeds of destruction. As a matter of fact, each phase of social formation thus possesses a similar property.

If capitalism is bound to suffer its own decimation, how can socialism remain beyond a similar purview?

Marxs social philosophy was indeed emancipatory and revolutionary. But it was perhaps too much passionate and humanist. Therefore, he only believed in the doom of capitalism and failed to reconcile whether socialism may face a similar onslaught. As a staunch humanist, he propagated the theory of Social Revolution in order to artificially expedite the processes of social evolution from a class-based to a classless society. He wss uncompromising and indeed restless to see a rosy image of society while putting the hitherto subjugated masses at the helm of affairs.

But after the withering away of socialism within the span of several decades in the Soviet Union and numerous East European countries, there arises a pertinent question: whether social evolution is perhaps the only way to attain social progress. The concept of social revolution, however romantic it may sound, is perhaps not consistent with the dynamics of modernity wherein the modern state power does have the brutest form of repressive machinery in possession. The death-knell of socialism was sounded due to the intrinsic logic of change as the genesis of contradiction is ubiquitos in nature and does not refrain to be in vogue selectively as Marx believed that the same might remain operative only in capitalism for the cause of the greater good of mankind. Thus, socialism broke into bits and pieces even after the sacrifice of crores of human lives.

The author is an Associate Professor of Sociology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Agrarian Crisis that Killed Farmers in Odisha

by Suranjita Ray

This Kharif season, Brown Plant Hoppers (BPH) have been particularly pestilent towards destroying paddy crops in most of the districts of Western Odisha. Twentyfour of Odishas thirty districts are affected. Experiences of drought and unseasonal rain followed the pest attack, adding to the debt burden and distress of the farmers that is beyond comprehension.

Bargarh district, known as the rice bowl of Odisha, has experienced the worst crisis. Huge acres of crops have been damaged by pests. The destroyed crops have been set on fire by many farmers. With the crops damaged, the burden of loan added to the distress of the farmers leaving them with no option but to commit suicide.

The enormity of the farmers suicides is not new in Odisha. As per the official reports, between 1997 and 2008, 3500-odd farmers had committed suicide. In Sambalpur and Bolangir districts, 40 farmers had committed suicide in 2009. Between 2001 and 2010, over 2600 farmers had committed suicide in Odisha. Between 2005 and 2014, as many as 1895 farmers had committed suicide in the State. During the drought in 2015, 138 farmers had committed suicide across the State, of which 40 deaths were in Bargarh district alone. Around 150 farmers committed suicide in Bargarh in the last one year. In fact, the last few years have seen an increase in the number of farmers suicides due to crop loss, increasing indebtedness, and utter distress. The Right to Food campaign also ascertains that of the 30 suicide cases which were investigated in 12 districts of Odisha in 2016, 25 farmers had committed suicide due to crop failure and debts. (Joshi, 2016)

The prolonged agrarian crisis has reached a torrid point as the total number of farmers suicides rose to 13 in the last one month. In Bargarh district, seven farmers have committed suicide by consuming pesticide/some poisonous substance, as the paddy grown by them was damaged by BPH. However, to view the increasing farmers suicides as merely a situation of crop loss due to pest attack and indebtedness, is to have only a glimpse of the problem which is much deeper.

The experiences of landlessness, hunger, deprivation and distress of farmers in Western Odisha, need to be understood as sites of conflicts that are constant, palpable, and unceasing over time. They explain a genealogy of the historical, social, economic, political, and cultural reality that has witnessed the establishment of institu-tions/structures of dominance and practices of control. Certain sections/communities of society are subject to systemic deprivation, alienation, marginalisation, impoverishment, exclusion, underdevelopment, and distress. Denial of rights of basic productive resources to the former has made the strategies to cope with crop loss, indebtedness, loss of land, and landlessness, difficult. While an increasing number of farmers suicides aroused public outrage, we also see complicity with the incompetent state.

Farmers suicides are not occurrences that are abrupt and unforeseen. They need to be explained in terms of their continuity. Several studies on the causes of farmers suicides reveal that the intensified crop loss, indebtedness/ debt trap, acute poverty and illness, alienation of land and landlessness, land transfers and distress sale of land to the money lenders and landlords are important determining factors for generating and sustaining conditions of the farmers deprivation and distress.

Farmers Suicide: A Recurring Phenomena

In different districts of Western Odisha, three farmers committed suicide within 24 hours during the fourth week of November. Pradeep Khamari of Behera village under Khuntapalli panchayat of Bargarh, Kanhu Munda of Mundapada village under Maneswar block of Sambalpur district, and Manoj Singh form Kuanrkela village under Hemgir block in Sundargarh district, committed suicide by consuming pesticide/ some poisonous substance due to damage of crops by pest attack. (The Hindu, 2017: 3) A day after, Jitendra Biswal of Bhanupur village of Balasore district also committed suicide allegedly due to crop loss caused by unseasonal rains.

In Bargarh district, Indra Bariha of Mala-munda village in Gaiselet committed suicide on October 25 and Jagdish Budek of Jalagarh in Paikmal committed suicide on October 27. Akshaya Dharai of Sadashib Nagar in Tora also killed himself by consuming pesticide on October 30 as the paddy crop cultivated in nine acres of land was damaged due to pest attack. Subash Dharei, the deceased farmers son, stated that his father had taken an agricultural loan of Rs 2 lakhs besides a loan for a power tiller. After the crop was affected by chakada/Matia Gundi (brown insect that reduces crops to dust) (BHP), he was depressed and thus killed himself. Damaged crops and alleged debt burden also forced Brunda Sahu to set his paddy field on fire a day before he consumed poison on November 1. He had taken a loan of around Rs 5 lakhs to cultivate an area of 15 acres. (Mohanty, 2017) His daughter said that the pesticides, which failed to kill the insects, killed her father. During the last few days, several farmers in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Nuapada, Ganjam, Sambalpur, Rayagada, Kalahandi and Gajapati districts set fire to their pest-infected crops.

Earlier on November 3, unable to bear the crop loss due to pest attack in his 2.5 acres land, Alaya Jena of Arendra village under the Sanakhe-mundi block of Ganjam district, consumed poison. He died while undergoing treatment on November 4. Rajendra Bhuyan of Baulajholi village in the Kukudakhandi block of Ganjam district also committed suicide by consuming pesticide allegedly over crop loss due to the damage caused after incessant rainfall. As a sharecropper, he had borrowed a large sum of money from private lenders and was reportedly under pressure of repaying the money.

In the past, Tarini Bariha, a landless cultivator from Barihapaali village of Bargad district, had killed himself by consuming pesticide as his crop had failed. He was under enormous debt and was unable to pay Rs 2000 for his sons class XII exam. A few kilometres away, in the Sohela block, Makardwaj Wag also killed himself over debts from crop failure. These narrations are an everyday living experience for the landless, marginal and small farmers. The increasing dependence on the money lenders for credit are the consequential effects of enduring structural deprivation and oppression.

In fact, the narratives provide insights to understand distress as sites of continuous oppression, conflict, and paradox. The experiences of distress, memorised by the victims in a few words, trace the lineage of their oppressive living conditions since colonial times, and thereafter. Narratives not only uncover the wide gap between the terms of cognisance of the victims of distress and deprivation and those of the state, but also expose how experiencing distress is entrenched in the cumulative depri-vation of the basic productive resources, in particular land, water, and money.

The narratives of the distressed farmers contest the systematised understandings of the agrarian development that suppress, conceal and silence the genealogy of the subjugation and oppression of the marginal and small farmers. These repose the question of the develop-ment strategies that integrate the dispossessed, disadvantaged and disempowered class into the development processes in exchange for reliefs/subsidies that are short-term and non-structural and often result in the dependency syndrome.

Farmers suicides are not merely individual attributes but are produced in historically evolved social, economic, and political realities. The persistence of farmers suicides and their recurrence must be seen as morally outrageous and politically unacceptable in the context of the democratic transformations that have seen an unprecedented expansion of the social welfare state and its constitutional responsibilities to secure basic rights to the people. The social, economic and political marginalisation of the farmers raises several troubling questions concerning their exclusion from the much publicised development processes in the agrarian economy of the State.

Mapping Agrarian Crisis

While three-fourth of Odishas population depends on agriculture in the wake of a fast- declining forest resource, there has been little attempt to empower the landless to regain their ownership rights over the basic productive resources. A comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic history of Odisha illustrates that the various Land Settlement Acts have failed to change the exploitative land relations. Over the years, an increase in the marginal and small land-holding households without much increase in the operational areas has resulted in smaller operational holdings.

Around 84 per cent of the total operational holdings belonged to the marginal and small farmers. The marginal farmers owning one hectare or less of land comprised almost 60 per cent of the total holdings and small farmers comprised around 24 per cent of the holdings. (State of Environment Report, Orissa 2006: 23-24) On the other hand, decrease in medium and large holding households without much decline in the operational area, resulted in the increased size of operational holdings in fewer hands. Distribution of land is more unequal in the southern and northern regions of the State as compared to the coastal region.

Long-term trends of transfer of land, patterns of land encroachments, and land seizures resulted in the concentration of land with better water coverage amongst the large landowners who established their dominance with sub-stantial extractive power. Alongside, the rising incidence of money lending, land mortgage, and labour bondage, created a class of landless, marginal and small farmers, who became vulnerable to the processes of depri-vation and distress.

While the Orissa Scheduled Areas Money Lenders Regulation Act, 1976, aims at controlling and regulating money lending operations in the scheduled areas, the intricacies and complexities of processing the loans by the local banks forced the marginal and small farmers to take loans from the private money lenders against land mortgage. Despite high rates of interest, a large section of the subsistence producers depends upon borrowings from money lenders to resume the cropping practices. The marginal and small farmers, who borrow seeds to sow, lose out again, as they pledge much of the crop to the money lenders. (See also Sainath 1996: 214-223) Thus they are trapped in the enduring debt.

While the State Government has asked all District Superintendents of Police to strictly implement the Odisha Money Lenders Act, 1939 so that no person can carry on a money lending business after November 22, 1975, without being registered under the Act, nor can any person be employed by any money lender for the purpose of demanding or recovering any loan due to him unless such person has a certificate authorising him to act as a debt collector, the farmers are subject to constant pressure to return the money with extortionate rates of interest charged by money lenders, at times up to 40 per cent. The Orissa Debt Relief Act, 1980, which aimed at providing relief to the ST debtors, in particular the small farmers, rural artisans and agricultural labourers, has failed to prevent mortgaging of land and other productive assets, resulting in losing them to the money lenders. An uphill struggle of the farmers is to free themselves from the exploitation by the landlords and money lenders.

Several studies reveal that the marginal and small farmers consistently take loan from banks, self-help groups and private money lenders. Rising prices of agricultural input have forced them to take loans alongside pest management. Borrowing from the money lenders and land-owners remains a regular practice in the agrarian economy of Western Odisha. More than 50 per cent loans are from non-banking sources. The cultivation costs have increased with small-size holdings. Many farmers have switched to a high external input-based system of farming encouraged by the government as it promises a higher yield and greater earning. However, even though the cost of production has increased year after year, incomes have failed to show a corresponding growth. (Sahu, 2017) Alongside, vast quantities of chemical fertilisers have robbed their fields much of their fertility. (Ibid.)

On the ground, the farming reality tells us that loan waiver is not the solution as marginal and small farmers should have low cost production. Lowering the cost of production needs to be prioritised. It is incongruous that the government has failed the need for reform to lower the cost of production. On the other hand, it focuses on growth in both agricultural production and exports.

Flaws in the implementation of minimum support price, and lack of institutional credit, results in increasing informal loans and distress sale of paddy. Procurement of labour in exchange for subsistence, transfer of land, and productive as well as non-productive assets to the money lenders and landowners remains a regular practice.

In fact, the governments price support and input subsidies benefited the rich farmers and industrial capitalists and have been of little help to the marginal and small farmers. Because the Orissa Land Reforms Act, 1974 explicitly bans tenancy, sharecroppers dont get any benefits announced for farmers. This has further strengthened the structures of deprivation and exclusion of certain sections of society, who are left with little choice but to adapt to the adverse conditions through several coping strategies. The Odisha experience explains in many ways the processes of increasing alienation of land rights that create conditions of deprivation, exclusion, marginalisation and impoverishment for the landless, marginal and small farmers.

The economic dominance of the landowning class strengthens their social and political dominance. They hold sway over land, labour, credit and produce markets, and common property and village level institutions. Thus the agrarian economy, characterised by abysmal poverty, landlessness and extreme inequality in the land structure, reflects the failure of the state. The state policies have made no attempts to intervene to alter the structures of domination and control. The transformations in rights of land ownership, extraction of revenue, industrial policies, forest policies, strategies of trade and market economy, and forms of expansion of its regulation, control and alliances, unfolds the structures and processes of hegemony and dominance. The doctrine of eminent domain that empowers the state to use common property for public interest, and public purposehas, in practice, enabled the state to protect the interests of the dominant class. The colonial legacy of acquisition of land therefore continues and the state in alliance with the corporate sector plays a vital role in acquiring land for public purpose.

While the last decade has seen Odisha as an emerging economy, the paradox of development has become more conspicuous today than in the past. The new symbols of prosperity and growth have remained confined to the urban cities of the coastal region of Odisha and its benefits have largely been cornered by the dominant class. The western region continues to remain backward and underdeveloped for certain communities and groups.

The prolonged phase of stagnation with continuing dominance of the big landowners in the western region, its economic backwardness and tribal composition alongside the eastern-based character of the political parties, and its factional and personality-oriented politics, left the districts of Western Odisha in a state of uncertainty, instability, poverty and inequality as compared to the districts of Coastal Odisha.

Feat of the State

The Naveen Patnaik Government (Biju Janata Dal-BJD) has come to power for successive years now promising a transformation of the economy. Odisha has witnessed a steady drift from poverty reduction and employment generation development strategy to a massive programme of mine-based mega projects with support from the Centre. The focus on removing obstacles to mining, reviving growth in the manufacturing sector, encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in critical sectors, and development of smart cities, conspicuously reflects the class character of the state. However, in spite of favouring the industrial and educated middle class, the states campaign for inclusive growth and the rights-based approach has gained popular support.

Odisha has been hailed as a growing economy and agriculture has been accorded the highest priority both by the Centre as well as the State. However, the ground reality explains that the policies of the government which stress on doubling the farm income and farm loan waivers have not only failed in arresting the alarming rise of the debt burden, but also in securing a stable income. Further, it has failed in preventing the loss of productive resources and the produce resulting in recurrences of farmers suicides. Since the State had declared its success in agrarian growth, it was determined not to acknowledge the agrarian crisis till the news of farmers burning their crops and committing suicide hit the headlines recently. Denial by the public officials of farmers suicides due to the agrarian crisis places insuperable obstacles to resolve the crisis.

Ironically, Anjan Kumar Manik, the District Collector of Bargarh, claims that the Bargarh district is known for bumper paddy production as 25 per cent of the States paddy is procured in Bargarh which is almost 10 to 11 lakh tonnes every year. A part of the district falls under the Hirakud Command area and is well irrigated. However, the remaining blocks often face droughts. Being a beneficiary of the Hirakud Dam irrigation system has not helped Bargarh much because of the high investment in paddy cultivation in recent years. These are depressing contrasts.

We see an absolute lack of political will to arrest the problem. The tragic events of suicides of farmers have led the government to go into defensive mode. The Opposition parties have also fallen into the same trap as their counterparts of blaming the ruling party for its anti-farmer policies. The government at present is facing an uphill task of mitigating opposing claims rather than behaving pragmatically and sensibly by intervening to reform the investment costs which are basic to increase the farmers income. The farmers suicides have taken a political turn as Susanta Singh, the Labour, Employment and State Insurance Minister, alleged that farmer Brunda Sahu took the extreme step after getting provoked by a group of BJP leaders who met the latter once the news that he set the damaged crops on fire was flashed on news channels. On the contrary, refuting the allegations levelled by Singh, BJP MLA Pradip Purohit counter-alleged that the ruling BJD was so perturbed by Sahus suicide that their leaders were trying to cook up fake stories to defame the BJP.

Both the ruling party and the Opposition want to create the ground for their political projects. What is worrisome is that the need to see what is a failure of the callous state is passed off as a normal phenomenon that farmers experience. Increasing farmers suicides did not come across as shocking to the state. In fact, the government remained unmoved despite the increasing number of farmers taking their lives. The ruling and Opposition parties should move beyond such political squabbles.

The government has been driven by political calculations rather than a realistic assessment of the situation. In fact, when the government was criticised for the recent suicide of a farmer in Bargarh district, Pradeep Maharathy, the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister, asserted that the farmers die due to other causes, in particular domestic discord and not farm distress. (Bisoyi, 2017) His statement soon snowballed into a severe public agitation. It forced the government to send the Collector to the village for a recheck of the facts. The government has also chosen to stick to its stand to deny any farmers suicide in the State. It stated that the incidents could be due to anything but crop loss and debt.

In the past, the State officials have argued that suicides were mostly due to personal, domestic, health-related and other reasons, but not due to crop loss or debt burden. The Collector of the Bargarh district in his reports on farmers suicides in 2015 attributed family dispute, marital discord and consumption of liquor by the farmers as the possible reasons for the suicides. He further stated that since Odisha has seen droughts, cyclones and floods for several decades, people have developed the resilience. (Joshi, 2016)

Similarly, the former Hemgir Block Chairman, Gopal Chandra Pradhan, claimed Manoj Singhs crop was in good condition. Refuting the statement of the daughter of the deceased that he was disturbed as his name wasnt listed in the report on the farmers whose crops had been infected with pests and that he would miss out on compensation and therefore fail to repay the loan. Vineet Bhardwaj, the Collector of Sundar-garh district, argued that according to the inquiry report, allegations of debt burden and crop loss were not the reason behind the farmers suicide.

The apathetic attitude of the government to prevent farmers from taking their lives is also reflected in the blame the political class imposes on the farmers for the incorrect application of pesticides. They argue to convince that the farmers are responsible for the crop loss as the pest that strikes annually can be easily controlled. (The officials at the Agriculture Department) On the contrary, the farmers in the villages of Odisha where farmers committed suicide complain that the Village Agriculture Workers (VAW), Gram Sebaks and Krusaka Sathis, who are supposed to advise the farmers regarding the use pesticides, have never done so. (Patnaik, 2017: 4) The crop loss from attacks by BPH also aggravated as there was acute shortage of government-distributed pesticides. Moreover, the pesticides used by the farmers failed to protect the paddy crop from BPH. It was two weeks after several farmers had committed suicide that the government banned 11 pesticide companies, which failed the quality check, from selling their products in the State. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, who visited areas in Bargarh, Boudh and Sonepur districts affected by BHP, said the pesticides many farmers had used actually helped proliferate the pest. In fact, the governments efforts to regulate toxic chemicals used in agriculture have failed miserably. We have seen this in the recent past, in Maharashtras cotton belt in Yavatmal, where farmers died from pesticide exposure.

Damodar Rout, the Agriculture Minister, has been criticised by Anant Padhi, President of the Bargarh District Congress Committee, for not supplying the pesticides on time. The Minister has also declared that the government would not extend aid to farmers who set fire to their crops. The Special Relief Commission officials and Revenue Disaster Management (Agriculture and Home) are tightlipped on the suicides and their numbers.

Nevertheless, under fire from Opposition, the Chief Minister had announced a package of Rs 1000 crores for providing subsidies for agricultural inputs, fresh loans and tuition fee waivers for students in drought-hit areas. But, despite the governments assurance of financial assistance to compensate for the crop loss caused by drought, pest-attack and unseasonal rain, suicides by farmers continued.

A farmer committing suicide under any circumstances is a matter for serious conside-ration. Every time a farmer commits suicide it attracts wide publicity and discussion. It is sad that a farmer had to sacrifice his life to draw attention to a problem that has been present in India for long and is endemic.

While the government at the Centre claims that the increase in credit facilities have gone a long way in preventing farmers from falling prey to usurious money lenders, we do not see much change in the vulnerability of the farmers to processes of manipulation and exploitation by the money lenders and landlords. Agriculture is in crisis. This is far from normal as the tragedy of farmers killing themselves challenges the basic agricultural policies of the state, even after 50 years of Green Revolution.

Farmers should have money to meet the challenges of unfavourable season. Most farmers said that steady rise in the cost of inputs like fuel, pesticides, fertilisers, and even water, and slashing of subsidies were putting increasing burden on them. Horror stories of women from the families of farmers who committed suicide (shared with Medha Patkar in the gathering at the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee) reveal how due to crop failure and loss of land, farmers took their lives. Farmers have been working as labourers in their own land as they have mortgaged their land for money. (Rajput, 2017: 3; Pillai, 2017: 1)

The daunting challenge before the State is to implement M.S. Swaminathan Committees recommendations (2006) to secure farmers income. The committee was set up by the National Commission on Farmers in 2004 to address the nationwide calamity of farmers suicides. It was at the height of the Vidarbha farmers suicide crisis that the committee suggested a Minimum Support Price (MSP) which should be 50 per cent more than the average cost of production classified as C2. (Agricultural Costs and Prices) The recommen-dations have not been implemented by both the UPA and the NDA governments even after 11 years. While the present government stated that it wants to double the farmers income by 2022, and the Prime Minister in his address at the World Food India (WFI), 2017 emphasised the need to connect Indias farmers with markets around the world and asked the private sector to invest more in contract farming creating agri-linkages, it has failed to secure a stable income to the farmers, in particular marginal and small farmers. Though programmes and schemes such as the Pradhan Mantra Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) and Electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) have been publicised promising the farmers a good yield and good price for their yield, they have made little difference to the lives of the farmers in Odisha as States are subject to several conditions to receive the Central Governments share under PMFBY. The insurance schemes do not cover tenant farmers/sharecroppers and landless farmers even though they constitute half of the farmers who commit suicide. Without a structural intervention these schemes will fall far short of their promises and claims.

Though over the years there has been a decline in the political culture of resistance and State actors have mobilised a large mass of support for their rule, the gathering of thousands of farmers at the Ramlila Maidan on November 20, 2017, as part of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, is significant. They demanded to create a permanent institutional mechanism to confer farmers freedom from debt, a one-time complete waiver of all farmers loans, and fair prices for their produce. Reminding the government of not fulfilling its pre-poll promise made to farmers to give the entitled cost for their produce which would include at least a 50 per cent profit margin, thousands of farmers gathered to pass two bills regarding debt and remunerative prices for their produce.

The Centre needs to take the steps suggested by the Swaminathan Committee to avert the agrarian crisis. Loan waiver is not the solution and the government must correct the minimum support price or else farmers will be trapped in debt again. (Yogendra Yadav, Swaraj India leader) The minimum support price might have a moderating effect but much work needs to be done to streamline the processes to reduce the cost of production. This should receive top priority. Whether it is bad harvest or bad prices, the farmers lose.

The Way Forward

In an agrarian economy, when markets and monsoon determine the fate of farmers, besides land, they should have the money to sustain their lives in case of a failure in the crop or fall in prices. Where bumper harvests also do not ensure reasonable profits, it is important to devise ways to lower the cost of production and reduce the risk of pests and weeds. Since a majority of farmers are marginal and small farmers and depend on rain-fed farming, a policy to protect farmers against the vagaries of nature is important. The state-supported insurance should have universal coverage.

Long-term steps to ensure the economic viability of farming is important and not just farm loan waiver. It is not just the inability to pay off the debts. Paying compensation is not the solution. In fact, farm loan waivers will pose a bigger burden on the government exchequer than what higher pay for farm produce will incur. (Swaminathan, 2017: 16)

Some serious thought is to be given to reducing the cost of production, minimising risks and maximising returns. M.S. Swamina-thans work on Evergreen Revolution 2016, where he recommends rainwater harvesting and rotation of crops to ensure sustainability of farming, is important. Farmers must have the capacity to control pests and diseases and should have agronomical methods of sowing such as rotation of crops in Special Agricultural Zones (SAZ).

Swaminathans suggestion to take several steps to promote land care in its totality and to measure agricultural progress in its human dimension rather than in statistical terms is therefore valid. It is important to extrapolate that growth in the economy can ensure social justice only when the deprived and excluded have the freedom to exercise their entitlements, empowerments and rights. While it is critical to plug the loopholes in the implementation of development programmes, structural change in an agrarian economy demands intervention by the state in land rights and land relations, to ensure that the deprived have access to the means to cultivate land and make provisions to check land encroachments and prevent alie-nation of land. Besides ownership of land, they should have access to market and credit system, which will save them from money lenders, landlords, middlemen and traders. Elimination of destitution needs to be considered in the context of three objectivesregaining control over land and other productive resources, regaining control over ones labour, and regaining control over the produce of labour.

Prevention of the agrarian crisis should not just be concerned with containing farmers suicides. It should ensure right to access, ownership and control over the livelihood resources to secure the people a certain normality of livelihood, and the right to live with dignity. It needs to assess the continuum of distress beyond the period of extreme conditions of agony.

The constitutional responsibility of the democratic state to secure basic rights to its people must not become the prerogative of the state. Failure of the state to secure the basic needs to its citizens not only illustrates failure of democracy but also undermines equal citizen-ship.

While the farmers are the strength of the country, their voices have been marginalised in the mainstream discourse on development of agriculture. This needs to be reversed. The state should intervene to create conditions to enable the deprived and marginalised to voice their concerns and participate in the development plans that impact their lives and livelihood.

References

Bisoyi, Sujit Kumar (2017), 1895 Farmers committed Suicide in Odisha between 2005 and 2014 timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/(acessed on November 20, 2017).

Government of Odisha, (2006), State of Environment Report, Orissa 2006, Chapter XI Socio-Economic Issues, Orissa, State Pollution Control Board, Bhubaneswar.

Joshi, Hridayesh (2016), More Farmer Suicides in Odisha, Government says Not Due To Crop Failure January 30. https://www.ndtv.com  All India (assessed on November 20, 2017).

Mohanty, Debabrata (2017), Odisha Farmer Suicides: Pesticides Failed to Kill Pests, they Killed my Father in Hindustan Times, November 6, www.hindustantimes.com/. (acessed on November 20).

Patnaik, Sampad (2017), Pest Strikes Odisha Fields: State Absent, Farmers Helpless in The Indian Express, November 17, pages 1 and 4.

Pillai, Soumya (2017), Farmers Seek One Time Full Waiver of Loan in The Hindu (Delhi Metro), November 20, page 1.

Rajput, Abhinav (2017), Farmers Arrive in City with 2 Demands: Loan Waiver, Better Prices for Crops in The Indian Express, November 21, page 3.

Ray, Suranjita (2015), Politics of Poverty in Odisha in Journal of Rural Development, by National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) Vol 34, No.4, October-December 2015. ISSN 0970-3357.

Sahu, Priya Ranjan (2017), Drought and now Pest Attacks: Double Danger Stalks Odishas Rice Fields, its Farming Mainstay Https://Scroll.In  India  Farm Distress (assessed on November 22, 2017).

Sainath, P. (1996), Everybody Loves a Good Drought, New Delhi, Penguin.

The Hindu (2017), Three More Odisha Farmers Commit Suicide, page 3.

Venkat, Vidya (2017), Interview of M. S. Swaminathan with The Hindu Why Cant the Government Provide a Higher Income for Farmers?, The Hindu, August 16, page 9.

Suranjita Ray teaches Political Science in Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi. She can be contacted at suranjitaray_66[at]yahoo.co.in
By PTI: tomorrow

Lucknow, Dec 24 (PTI) The birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tomorrow will bring cheers to 93 prisoners as the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to set them free.

These convicts are lodged in different jails of Uttar Pradesh and their names were chosen from a list of prisoners who have completed their tenure in jail.

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"It has been decided to set free 93 prisoners convicted in different cases on the 93rd birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. These prisoners have completed their tenure in jail but could not be released due to non- payment of fine imposed on them," Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said in an order issued here.

He directed the prisons department to ensure the fine is paid by NGOs, trusts and others, after verifying their credentials.

"The names of convicts to be set free have been picked up in a random manner from a list of 135 such prisoners who are not named or are serving imprisonment in another case," a senior Home department officials said.

Vajpayee had represented Lucknow in the Lok Sabha five times -- 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004.

His legacy was taken forward by BJP leaders Lalji Tondon and Rajnath Singh, who won Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and 2014.

"Vajpayee is the first and the only non-Congress leader who completed his full term as prime minister. He means a lot not only in Lucknow seat which he served but for the entire state and in his regime a number of historic schemes were launched," UP BJP spokesman Shalabh Mani Tripathi said.

On the government decision to set the prisoners free, the BJP leader said, "It is a good decision and based on humanitarian approach. Releasing those who served their sentence by ensuring payment of their fine is a welcome step and shows the people-friendly approach of our government".

Born in 1924, Vajpayee had his baptism in politics during the Quit India movement in 1942.

He was also the first External Affairs Minister to deliver a speech in Hindi in the UN Assembly in New York. PTI ABN SMI CHT

--- ENDS ---
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Middle East in Renewed Turmoil

by Harish Chandola

With the killing of a few Palestinians on the West Bank on December 8, the Middle East has again been thrown in a turmoil after the announcement by the US President, Donald Trump, on December 6, declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Demonstrations broke out almost all over the Moslem world, from Turkey to Malaysia and Indonesia, against that announcement and clashes broke out in Israeli-occupied West Bank of the Jordan River between Palestinians and Israelis forces, with Palestinians firing rockets and Israelis shooting at Palesti-nians with rubber bullets and pellets.

The alliance of the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council broke down the same day, on December 6, and a new alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates took shape.

The former Yemen President, AbdRabbo Mansour Hadi, was assassinated a few days earlier by Houthi fighters in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, with no hope of the cruel war in the region, famine and cholera epidemic coming to an end in that impoverished Gulf country.

Yet another surprise possibility that is emerging is the likelihood of Saudi Arabia moving closer to Israel to oppose Iran.

All these are likely to change the situation in the region.

President Trumps announcement has been opposed by his allies like Britain, France, Germany, the European Union, Turkey, Moslem countries, the Soviet Union and China and others. There was no requirement for him to announce the decision to move his embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which has caused these developments in the region. There was universal agreement to let Jerusalem remain the centre of three religions, Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

The Gulf Cooperation Council, a Sunni alliance, had not achieved much, except providing help to the Islamic State rebels in Syria and Iraq. The likelihood of Saudis moving closer to Israelis has the support of the United States.

Earlier, there was a boycott of Qatar by the Gulf countries and Egypt on the suspicion that it had links with Iran.

Scuffles broke out between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank of the Jordan River following President Trumps announcement of declaring Jerusalam as Israels capital, continuing the conflict in the region.

The Shia Houthis in Yemen, supported by Iran, are being heavily bombed by Saudi Arabia with the help of the United States and Britain and they have imposed an embargo on them, causing a terrible famine and a cholera epidemic in Yemen.

The Islamic States war in Iraq and Syria has almost come to end and UN-sponsored talks on the future of Syria are to begin in Geneva.

The region is in greater turmoil than it ever has been. Yemen will elect or choose a new President following the killing of AbdRabbo Mansour Hadi by the Houthis.

It is a country where things move terribly slowly. I had gone there during its civil war towards the end of last century and given a report or news dispatch to my newspaper in India at its cable office at Sanaa. A week later I went there to see if it had been sent. It had not. The official in charge of the cable office was sitting outside, smoking a hubble-bubble, unconcerned about the unsent cables in his office. I wonder if my cable is still lying there!

The Gulf countries have all opposed President Trumps announcement declaring Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel. Given their differences over Qatar, it is to be seen if the Gulf unity continues. The US maintains a large air base in Qatar. On December 7 Qatar signed an agree-ment with France to buy military aircraft from it and possibly set up an air base there.

The region, always volatile, has become more so now. India has a very large number of people working in the Gulf region, some of whom it helped come home recently from Qatar.

The danger of an Iran-Arab conflict growing in the region has increased. Iranian troops or militiamen have been fighting in Syria and Yemen, and are stationed in Lebanon and Iraq. These will become more active if the Arab Gulf countries take a fight with them with increasing hostility between Iran and Arabs.

The Soviet Union, besides opposing President Trumps announcement declaring Jerusalem as Israels capital, has not made any new move in the region. It has become a major participant in the regions developments after its partici-pation in the Syrian conflict.

It will take years for the United States to build its embassy in Jerusalem to function from there. What happens in the meanwhile will be something to wait and see. The region is rapidly changing and what may happen there in the coming years will be something to wait for and see.

The author is a veteran journalist with wide knowledge of developments in West Asia and the Arab world.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Everyday Agnipariksha of UP Madrasaas to prove Patriotism: Hindutva Attack (...)

by Shamsul Islam

On the eve of the 70th anniversary of Indias independence, the Government of UP led by a senior leader of the Hindu Mahasabha and RSS, Mahant Adityanath Yogi, came out with a stunning order for madrasaas (Islamic semi-naries). They were ordered to compulsorily observe the Independence Day, August 15, and the same had to be video-graphed to be sent to the administration as proof. The order was issued by the Registrar of UP Madrasa Shiksha Parishad, Rahul Gupta. The circular directed all madrasaas to hoist the tricolour and sing the national anthem at 8 am. The madrasaa gatherings were also asked to be told about the sacrifices of the freedom fighters. The flag-hoisting was to be followed by a speech on the importance of the freedom struggle and the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters. It was also ordered that students would have to pay tributes to freedom fighters on the occasion.1

When asked why only madrasaas were ordered to celebrate independence with a list of dos and provide proof of the same and this order was not applicable in government schools, the Basic Education Board Secretary, Sanjay Sinha, crossing all norms of fair-play, justice and equal treatment to all citizens, made a shocking statement: We trust our schools. They are our teachers, our students and so why should we seek any evidence. 2So making it clear that madarsaa students and teachers were others whose loyalty was suspect. This statement not only doubted the loyalty of Muslims attached to madrasaas but also aimed at creating hatred towards the largest minority community of UP. Such a statement coming from a senior UP official could lead to violence against Muslims in general and was a criminal act under Section 153 A. The police should have filed FIR under it.3

No action was taken by the State which was expected but more shameful was the indifferent attitude of prominent Muslim organisations of UP who slept over it, instead of taking recourse to judicial redressal.

Madarsaas played a Great Heroic Role in Indias Freedom Struggle

The madrasaas under communal attack in UP and elsewhere have been part of Indias glorious freedom struggle. The renowned historian R.C. Majumdar, who produced tremendous research- based works on the Cellular Jail, found out that the first batch which was incarcerated there consisted of leaders of the 1857 Uprising like Maulana Fazle Haq Khairabadi, Maulana Liaqat Ali and Maulana Jafar Ali Thaneshwari who died there while serving life sentences. The second batch of prisoners were the Wahabi maulvi revolutionaries who had continued waging the 1857 liberation struggle.4 V.D. Savarkar, before turning into an apostle of Hindu separatism, in his monumental work on the 1857 Uprising, The Indian War of Independence 1857, hugely praised maulvis like Ahmed Shah who had woven fine and cleverly the webs of the Jehad.5

According to the contemporary documents of the British military archives, in Delhi itself the British Army after capturing the city in September 1857 hanged more than 3000 teachers and students of madrasaas. Muslims were not allowed entry into the city till 1859.

During the anti-colonial freedom movement, there were madrasaamaulvis (teachers) like Maulana Shibli Nomani, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Maulana Mohammed Ali, Maulana Hifzur Rehman, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Hafiz Ibrahim, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Habeebur Rehman Ludhianvi and Maulana Madani whowith Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patelbore the brunt of the repression for being a part of the freedom movement. Some of these maulvis were incarcerated at Malta and spent half of their lives in British jails. It is to be noted that these maulvis refused to accept Partition of India on the religious basis despite the Congress accepting it.

Madrasaas, with such a glorious role in the freedom struggle of India with countless martyrs from their past fraternity in the cause of the freedom of India, are being ridiculed and harassed today for being disloyal. The state is out to teach the anti-national Muslims patriotism. Lets compare this fundamental character of madrasaas with the role of the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha in the freedom struggle whose children rule India presently.

RSS Hatred for Tricolour

The RSS, since its inception in 1925, hated anything which symbolised the united struggle of the Indian people against British rule. The case of the Tricolour is the most pertinent one. In December 1929 the Congress, at its Lahore session, adopted Purna Swaraj or complete self-rule as the national goal and called upon the people to observe January 26, 1930 as Indepen-dence Day by displaying and honouring the Tricolour (the Tricolour was by consensus considered the flag of the national movement by this time). In response to this Hedgewar as the chief issued a circular to all the RSS shakhas to worship the bhagwa jhanda (saffron flag) as the national flag.

Golwalkar, the most prominent ideologue of the RSS and Guru of many of the present lot of RSS/BJP leaders, while addressing a Guru-purnima gathering in Nagpur on July 14, 1946, stated that it was the saffron flag which in totality represented their great culture. It was the embodiment of God: We firmly believe that in the end the whole nation will bow before this saffron flag.6

Even after independence when the Tricolour became the National Flag, it was the RSS which refused to accept it as the National Flag. Golwalkar, while discussing the issue of the national flag in an essay entitled Drifting and Drifting in the book Bunch of Thoughts, an RSS publication and collection of writings of Golwalkar, decried the Tricolour in the following words: Our leaders have set up a new flag for our country. Why did they do so? It is just a case of drifting and imitating....Ours is an ancient and great nation with a glorious past. Then, had we no flag of our own? Had we no national emblem at all these thousands of years? Undoubtedly, we had. Then why this utter void, this utter vacuum in our minds? 7 The most shocking denigration of the National Flag by the RSS came just on the eve of Indias independence. The RSS English organ, Organiser (August 14, 1947), while demanding hoisting of the saffron flag at the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi, openly denigrated the choice of the Tricolour as the National Flag in the following words: The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it will never be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.

RSS/Hindu Mahasabha shamelessly betrayed Freedom Struggle

The RSS/BJP Governors of UP by enforcing celebration of Independence Day on the madrassas of UP are, in fact, attempting to cover-up their betrayal of the glorious united freedom struggle of the Indian people. The RSS never participated in the freedom struggle and it was confessed by Guru Golwalkar who was the boss of the organisation from 1940 onward. The Non-cooperation Movement and Quit India Movement were two great milestones in the history of the Indian freedom struggle and here is how he decried these movements:

Definitely there are bound to be bad results of struggle. The boys became unruly after the 1920-21 movement. It is not an attempt to throw mud at the leaders. But these are inevitable products after the struggle. The matter is that we could not properly control these results. After 1942, people often started thinking that there was no need to think of the law.8

Thus, Golwalkar wanted the Indians to respect the draconian and repressive laws of the inhuman British rulers! Guruji also confessed how the RSS kept away from the freedom movement:

In 1942 also there was a strong sentiment in the hearts of many. At that time, too the routine work of Sangh continued. Sangh vowed not to do anything directly. However, upheaval (uthal-puthal) in the minds of Sangh volunteers continued. Sangh is an organisation of inactive persons, their talks are useless, not only outsiders but also many of our volunteers did talk like this. They were greatly disgusted too.9

The Hindu Mahasabha led by the RSS beloved, Savarkar, ran coalition governments with the Muslim League in Bengal, Sind and NWFP when the Congress was banned due to the launch of the Quit India Movement. Shockingly, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, another Hindutva icon of RSS/BJP was the Deputy Chief Minister in the Muslim League Ministry of Bengal.10

It must have been due to the ideological reason that Golwalkar (RSS chief since 1940), Deendayal Upadhyay (prominent RSS cadre since 1937) and L.K. Advani (RSS activist since 1942) never participated in the freedom struggle.

Even the greatest Hindutva icon of the RSS/BJP, Savarkar, wrote four-five mercy petitions to the British masters for release from the Cellular Jail. Ultimately, he was released after 10 years while he had been sentenced for 50 years.

This discriminatory order, doubting the patriotism of Muslims imposed by the RSS/BJP rulers of UP for madrasaas, has, naturally, terrorised Muslims of UP and a strong sense of despair prevails amongst them. They are scared that this issue like cow will be used to physically target them and another spell of lynching and destruction will follow.

The saddest point is that the Muslim organisations, which mushroom in UP and elsewhere, have kept mum on this brazen attack. The discriminatory order was not challenged for being a serious cause of spreading hatred against the common Muslims. Apart from challenging it, madrasaa administrations should have used this opportunity to equip the Muslim audiences with the anti-national history of the RSS/BJP rulers. If they announce that during the next August 15 (2018), the madrassas would discuss the treacherous anti-national role of the Hindutva gang while following this order, the latter may be consigned to the dustbin. But for it the madrasaas will have to prepare documents in Urdu specially focussing on the betrayal of the freedom struggle by the Hindutva gang. The next August 15 is not too long away, the preparations must start now.

Endnotes

1. http://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/up-madrasas-told-to-celebrate-independence-day-videograph-event/story-RgKM1mPcBLnn2TdjgaHprL.html

2. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/independence-day-celebrations-no-video-proof-for-primary-schools-in-up/articleshow/60036015.cms

3. Ingredients of Section 153A:

 The act of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, community or any other group.

 Acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different groups or castes or communities, if the acts disturb public tranquillity.

 Acts causing fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity among members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community by use of criminal force or violence against them.

4. R.C. Majumdar, Penal Settlements in Andamans, Government of India, Delhi, 1975, 143.

5. V.D. Savarkar, The Indian War of Independence 1857, Rajdhani, Delhi, 88.

6. M.S. Golwalkar, Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan (Collected Works of Golwalkar in Hindi), Bharatiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd., volume I, p. 98.

7. M.S. Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, pp. 237-238.

8. SGSD, volume IV, 41.

9. Ibid., p. 40.

10. Samagar Savarkar Wangmaya (Collected Works of Savarkar), Hindu Mahasabha, Poona, 1963, 479-480.

Shamsul Islam, a well-known theatre personality, is a former Associate Professor (now retired), Department of Political Science, Satyawati College, University of Delhi. For some of the authors writings in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Gujarati use the following link: http/du-in.academia.edu/Shamsullslam
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Supreme Court reopens Gandhis Case

I think the Supreme Courts order to appoint an amicus curiae in Mahatma Gandhis assassi-nation is important. More about how it happened and whyare the two points which need to be pursued. The plea filed by Dr Pankaj Phadnis, a trustee of Abhinav Bharat, however, suggests a foreign hand. But that remains to be proven.

I recall that the assassination was the biggest security lapse. I was working at the news desk of Anjam, an Urdu daily, when the PTI teleprinter rang the bell which a news agency would do only in rare cases. I jumped from the desk to see the story. It said Mahatma Gandhi had been shot. There was no other detail. I asked my colleague, who had a motorbike, to drop me at the Birla House where there was practically no security. One person manned an apology for the door.

Today, when Mahatma Gandhis assassination is recalled with a sense of loss and sorrow, the point forgotten is that it was the biggest lapse of security. The government had ample evidence to infer that a radical Hindu group was out to kill the Mahatma. Yet very little security was provided to counter the plot.

Only 48 hours earlier, Madan Lal of the radical group had placed a bomb at the back wall of Gandhijis prayer meeting platform. I used to attend the prayer meeting. I was there on the day the blast took place. The Mahatma showed no concern and conducted prayers as if nothing had happened. I too thought that it must be a cracker. Only when I read newspapers the following day did I realise how close was Gandhiji to death.

Sardar Patel was then the Home Minister. He submitted his resignation to admit his failure. But Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru told him that the Mahatma wanted both of them to build the modern India. Even the ban on the RSS was lifted.

The Home Ministry at that time should have probed more to understand how deep the Hindu Right had spread. Even Sardar Patel had remarked at that time that the RSS had created an atmosphere where something like this could happen. When I joined the Ministry in 1955 as the Information Officer and served there for nearly 10 years, I tried to find some leads. There was not a shred of evidence to make me infer that the case was thoroughly probed. Or, maybe, there was something incriminating involving some persons in the government that the government did not want to disclose. The Archives of India has not yet got from the Home Ministry even the papers on the Transfer of Power, a title which the British used to bring out a three-volume book within two or three years of their departure to tell their side of the story.

Soon after the Mahatmas assassination, when I reached the Birla House, I did not see anybody guarding the place where Gandhiji fell after having been shot dead. Some blood was on the path leading to the prayer platform. There was no policeman around to ensure the preservation of blood, an important evidence.

Why has no government gone back to those days to reconstruct the events? I can understand the BJPs diffidence because its mentor, the RSS, did not want any probe even to begin with. But the Congress governments should have perhaps dug deeper.

The only piece of information is the trial and the judgment delivered by the then Punjab High Court at Simla. It is an open secret that some ladies of civil society knitted pullovers for Godse. The government, for reasons known to it, has been reticent on these things.

The 132-year history of the Congress hardly brings out what the followers of Gandhiji went through after his assassination and what they are going through today. The government looks at them with suspicion as if they try to oust the government. The power which the BJP wields, is unchecked. In a democratic set-up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cornered all the power and rules the country by himself. The party pays lip-sympathy and put up his photo at the meetings and that too because it attracts votes. Even otherwise, the Mahatma hardly fits into the free-market economy and the inequitable growth.

No doubt, the law and order machinery at that time bungled. But it is strange that no police officer of that time has left a plausible account of the events leading to the assassi-nation. It is true that a few Hindu extremists were arrested. Yet I believe that the plot was larger, involving scores of people at high places. The confession of Swami Aseemanand, connected with the Malegaon bomb blasts, has shown that the network of Hindu ultras was quite wide. So must have been the case when Gandhiji was shot dead.

Tushar Gandhi, who moved for the first time in the Apex Court, said he can explain his locus in the case and opposed the plea, saying there was no point in reopening of the case. The Apex Court, which has appointed a senior advocate as an amicus curiae in the matter, said it would wait for his report before going ahead with the case.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Ray of Sunshine / Pakistan: Reporters Jottings

From N.C.s Writings

Against the backdrop of the recent anti-Pakistan tirade resorted to by the PM in the context of the Gujarat Assembly elections in order to corner the Opposition and gain electoral advantage, we are reproducing here two pieces by N.C., written and published twentytwo years ago in 1995, highlighting the importance of people-to-people interaction between Indians and Pakistanis for removing misunderstandings between the two neighbours and bringing about India-Pakistan amity.

Ray of Sunshine

The enthusiasm generated by the two-day India-Pakistan Peoples Convention, which was held last week in New Delhi, is certainly not a government-sponsored outfit.

The organisers on the Indian side are well-known for their severely critical stand on many issues pertaining to the handling of the crisis in Punjab and Kashmir. In the understanding of the average newspaper reader in the Capital, many of those who were responsible for arranging the meeting are highly critical of the role of the security forces in the Kashmir Valley and to that extent are not in the good books of the government and the ruling political establishment.

In this background, the success of the get-togetheras reflected in the coverage of the event in the Indian pressbrings out the growing public urge in this country for an end to the angry confrontation that marks the official-level relations between the two neighbours in recent years. In short, one may venture to say that while at the official level the governments of the two countries have been drifting to an eyeball-to-eyeball acrimony, the popular mood is veering round towards a relationship of friendly neighbourhood.

In the deliberations of the meeting, obviously there were divergent perceptions, though these differences were not along the lines of the frontier that divides the two countries. Within the Indian side, there were different perceptions on how to handle the vexed nuclear question and how to go about settling the Kashmir crisis. Similar divergences could be discerned on the Pakistani side as well.

It is therefore not surprising at all that there has been a tinge of disappointment when media reports from Pakistan were found to be critical of the deliberations of the New Delhi meet. The burden of the press criticisms in Pakistan has been that the stand of the New Delhi get-together has been such as would weaken the official stand of the Pakistan Government. In other words, the press critics in Pakistan seem to suggest that the friends from Pakistan who attended the New Delhi meeting should have dittoed only the official line of their government.

This line of approach cuts at the very basis of the people-to-people initiative for bettering relations between the two neighbouring countries. It is precisely because of the bitter deadlock which has beset the relations between the two governments that this people-to-people initiative has become significant, urging the public in both the countries not to lose hope but to strive harder to explore fresh avenues for mutual understanding. In other words, the message of the New Delhi conventionas was of the previous one at Lahorehas been a message of hope instead of the message of despair that comes out of the official postures of the two governments.

Further, the message of hope and confidence that the people-to-people diplomacy has generated at the New Delhi meeting is expected to serve as a spur for bold and imaginative Indo-Pak diplomacy by the two governments. In the democratic set-up through which the governments of both the countries function today, the manifestation of the will of the public helps to refashion diplomacy to faithfully reflect that will of the people.

This positive trend needs to be nurtured by all forces of democracy and peace in both the countries. Pakistan today is beset with serious problems of sectarian Shia-Sunni violence as has erupted on a large-scale at Karachi necessi-tating the imposition of emergency measures by the government. Further, the Afghan imbroglio has its inevitable repercussions on the body politic of Pakistan. The emergence of Taliban irredentists asserting armed fanaticism is bound to undermine the foundations of the democratic polity in Pakistan. The recent upsurge of bigotry in the name of Islam, as demonstrated over the case of the Christian youngster charged with blashphemy of Islam, is an ominous signal which the courageous band of human rights activists in Pakistan have boldly sought to thwart. In this case too, the fact that a negative development is being resisted by the positive elements is a sign of democratic assertion.

Much the similar task faces the adherents of democracy in India as well. The fanatic move of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal to attack the mosque at Varanasi has been thwarted by timely action on the part of the administration backed by the overwhelming public disapproval of the insane move. What is particularly heartening in this episode is the bold and unequivocal condemnation of the VHP stand by BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee. Not only as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mr Vajpayee commands eminence as a national leader by his wise and statesman-like stand. It is worth recalling that Mr Vajpayee was the one BJP leader who unhesitatingly disapproved the demolition of the Babri Masjid by the fanatic fringe of his own party in 1992. It may further be noted that when he was the Foreign Minister in the Janata Party Govern-ment in 1977-79, Indo-Pak relations showed definite signs of improvement largely at his initiative.

In the midst of gloom all around, one can detect unmistakable streaks of sunshine in Indo-Pak relations. Here lies hope for the future of South Asia as a whole.

(Political Notebook, Mainstream,

March 4, 1995)

Pakistan: Reporters Jottings

A weeks trip to Pakistan to attend a workshop on South Asian problemspart of the emerging people-to-people movementmay not have been adequate to get a comprehensive view of Pakistans problems and prospects, but it did provide an insight into many facets of life in Pakistan today which is valuable for a reporters notebook.

Kashmir is the talking point in almost every circle one meets, much more than what the present writer noted during his last visit there to monitor the general elections as part of a SAARC team nearly two years ago. It is worth recalling that at the general elections, neither India nor Kashmir figured at all as a major item for electioneering by any party. This cannot be said of today when Kashmir has become the headline news all over.

For an average Pakistani, it has come as a surprise that practically all sections in the Kashmir Valley have become estranged from New Delhi. The continued use of the govern-ments armed forces has created the impression that the urge to break away from the Indian Union has become almost irreversible in the Pakistani eye. Practically nobody in Pakistan believes that India would ever recover even the semblance of authority in the Valley.

Reactions to the large-scale use of the Indian security forces in the Kashmir Valley have been varied. For one thing, the news about every attack or killing by the government side got a lot of publicity and many friendly elements wonder how Nehrus India could permit such brutalities. The fact that the human rights activists in India have themselves been campai-gning against excesses by the Indian security forces has had a sobering effect, but the question widely asked is: how does the Indian Govern-ment expect to end this veritable armed conflict?

One gets the impression that the present crisis in Kashmir evokes diverse response in different segments of Pakistani public opinion. For instance, some people look upon the present Indian predicament over Kashmir as a rebuff, if not revenge, for Indias help to the Bangladeshis in 1971 which led to the slicing off of the eastern wing of Pakistan. This is natural in the case of the old Army hands who still seem to smart under the defeat in 1971. At the same time, it needs to be emphasised that in all circles that one met, the prospect of a full-scale war with India is ruled out. The continuation of the low-intensity proxy war is more or less taken for granted.

In this context, there is reticence to discuss the question whether at any stage Pakistan would accept independence of Kashmir instead of its annexation to Pakistan as the Azad Kashmir leader Qayyum elaborated quite openly. There was curiosity to know if New Delhi has been making any efforts to placate Shabir Shah and his supporters, to isolate the aggressive pro-Pak Hizbul elements.

The more intransigent elements do not seem to trust India. They say that it was India which on its own took the Kashmir case to the UN Security Council, and then when the Security Council diplomacy indicated the solution through plebiscite, India backed out of it. In Simla, it was a defeated Pakistan on which India imposed its terms that henceforth all outstanding problems with Pakistan would have to be solved on bilateral basis. Hence, today Indias insistence on talks is taken by this angry old group as just stonewalling and not an earnest move for settlement. Incidentally, there was curiosity as to what Prof P.N. Dhar, who was Indira Gandhis Secretary, had to say about what had transpired at Simla. Not unexpectedly, the old bureaucrats deny Bhutto had given any oral assurance to Indira Gandhi, while others are non-committal. However, there is a lot of curiosity as to what Prof Dhar had written an the subject. One could detect an urge to discuss the subjectas a sort of joint post-mortem between the Indian and Pakistani participants at the Simla talks. An idea which is certainly worth exploring.

The need for talks with India is not denied but the initiative, they say, must come from India. Also, there is expectation that India could take some initiatives preparing the right ambience for talks between the two govern-ments. Withdrawal from Siachen is mentioned as one such item. It is interesting to note how different leaders view the question of breaking the ice with India. Nawaz Sharif, for instance, emphasised its need and took the credit for himself having held discussions with Chandra Shekhar and Narasimha Rao. As for Mrs Benazir Bhutto, she had met only Rajiv Gandhi about whom one can detect a special feeling in her circle.

Incidentally, all Pakistan leaders appear to have a soft corner for V.P. Singh about whose health they all enquired. This is because they look upon V.P. Singh as one who risked his tenure as the Prime Minister but did not give in to the communal clamour over the Babri Masjid. In contrast Narasimha Rao, in the Pakistani perception, suffers from the handicap that the Babri Masjid was dismantled without his having taken any steps to save it. This is an aspect of Indian politics which baffles Pakistani observers. Quite a few of them have a good impression of Atal Behari Vajpayee as the Foreign Minister, but they are disturbed that the BJP could gang up with the Shiv Sena for the purpose of election politics.

A striking aspect of the present Pakistani scene is the widespread feeling against the USA today. There are many reasons for that. The denial of US arms and aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment has offended the sentiments of the Pakistani publica development that needs to be clearly understood. The Pakistani argument is that throughout the Cold War Islamabad had remained loyal to Washington, and after that threat was over, the USA has been ditching Pakistan. Secondly, the US pressure on Pakistans nuclear weapons programme is resented, as the bomb has become a symbol of power in world affairs since Bhuttos days. Thirdly, it is mentioned that the US side had contracted to sell a number of F-16 aircraft for which payment was duly made by the Pakistan Government, but not yet delivered on the excuse of the Pressler Amendment ban. There is also a feeling of resentment that the US authorities had made use of Pakistan as their base of operation against the Russians in Afghanistan which has led to the notorious injection of Kalashnikovs and drug traffic into Pakistani life breeding anti-social elements on a monstrous scale. One hears such grudges even among those who are at home in the American intellectual circles. There is also a feeling in Pakistan that the USA is now tilting towards India which, in their view, has been assiduously cultivating the USA, parti-cularly the American business circles and the Fund-Bank high-ups, for large-scale investment in Indiathereby the advantage that Pakistan had in the past vis-a-vis the US over India is now negated, and as the bigger supplicant India would get more from the US.

It is in this background that Prime Minister Benazirs recent elaborate visit to the USA is viewed by different sections of Pakistani society. Her own circle of admirers and supporters think that she is the one leader who has kept open the window to the world for Pakistan. They say that her campaign in the USA would help to soften the rigours of the Pressler Amendment and perhaps the F-16 aircraft which Pakistan had bought might be delivered. It is also generally conceded that Benazir has an active lobby in the Democratic Party, but the recent Congressional election has negated that advantage with the Republicans being now on top in the Hill. Benazirs supporters say that it was to rectify this position that her extensive public-relations campaign in the USA this time was necessary and has been useful. Generally it is known that the Pak military brass enjoys a special relationship with the Pentagon, and it was because of this that she, with her old ties in Washington, has been able to enlist friendly support from the military bosses in Pakistan, as could be seen from the days of the elections.

In this context, it is worth noting that Nawaz Sharif is more or less a persona non grata with the Generals. While he gets the support of all the anti-Benazir forces including the influential religious lobby, it would be a mistake to think that his influence is confined to Punjab alone. One has to look at the poll figures to note that Nawazs Muslim League has made a sizeable dent even in Sind politics.

Even a brief visit to Pakistan makes it abundantly clear that the old euphoria for Benazir Bhutto, which was evident at the time of the general elections, has gone. Apart from other reasons, the crisis in Sind, particularly Karachi, accounts for it. The sustained Army operation against the Mohajirs has brought her no kudos, while in the interior of the province, the Sindhi landlord community is not infatuated with her. In fact her mother, Nusrat Bhutto, seems to have more possibilities in that constituency. To some extent, the taint of corruption associated with her husband has become a sort of liability for Benazir.

The impression that one carries back from Pakistan is that although Benazir Bhutto still commands the support of her fathers followers, she has the rather difficult job of keeping in good humour the very Army junta which had killed her father. This is sometimes rationalised by the rather unconvincing distinction sought to be made between the image of the villain in General Zia-ul-Haq and the rest of the top brass who are presented as decent chaps. Benazir has supporters among the educated intelligentsia, for standing up to the mullahs, particularly with regard to womens rights. On the other hand, she has hardly consolidated the huge mass support that her father had whipped up with his strident call for roti, kapra aur makanthe euphoria that she had inherited but had not been able to sustain. Nor has she been able to reconcile the contending interests of the diverse regions that constitute Pakistan. The Pakhtoon area has been badly messed up with the aftermath of the Afghan civil war in which Hekmatyar has been playing a major role but totally negative. The Balochis have never been admirers of the Bhuttos after the military operation that Benazirs father had ordered against them in 1973-74the fatal flaw that undermined his democratic standing and made him dependent on the Army which led ulti-mately to his imprisonment and execution at their hand.

Benazirs efforts at building a constituency abroadon a number of occasions this reporter was reminded how many days she had spent in overseas trips in the last two yearsdid not fetch dividends within the country. Bouquets abroad cant stave off brickbats at home. Rather she has come to be known as being more anxious to cultivate her American connections. But in Pakistan today, the reputation of being a favourite of the Americans is hardly an asset for any political leader.

The Pakistan Governments forays into the Central Asian republics have hardly scored any point. For one thing, the situation in that whole belt stretching from the Caspian to the Kara-koram is fluid, and Pakistan possesses no special credentials for establishing a niche in the region. Rather its record as providing the jumping off ground for the Americans in their superpower rivalry with Moscow during the Cold War, has earned Pakistan no passport to Central Asia. However, Benazir has not abandoned the adventure as could be seen from her forthcoming visit to Tashkent. Pakistans relations with Iran are at a low key, and it is understandable there is curiosity everywhere to assess the impact of Presidnet Rafsanjanis visit to India and the tripartite accord between Iran, Turkmenistan and India.

In the coming days with Washingtons blatant provocations to bully Iran, there is a danger of the country developing into an international crisis-point. The impact of such a crisis inside Pakistan may turn out to be imponderable. Benazirs position certainly would not be rein-forced as a result, because to be marked out as an ally of the US does not make a leader popular in Pakistan today, while Iran standing up to the American bullying may get the applause of a large section of the Pakistani public, much beyond the Shia community. Nawaz Sharifs party is bound to make hay in the circumstances. Can any government in Islamabad afford to side with Washington against Tehran?

Pakistans economy, on the face of it, carries no signs of an impending crisis. The social polarisation is obvious, but it has not yet created any tension. At the same time, few will vouch for its durability in the event of a war. The opening up to the market forces has taken place stightly earlier than in India, and the widening of disparites as a result, is acknowledged on all hands.

Which way would Pakistan ultimately turn? Geographically it is certainly an important limb of South Asia. But after the collapse of East Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh, Bhuttos mandate for his countrymen was to go westto the Gulf and the Middle East. This is a strategy which has certainly helped Pakistan through the Afghan misadventure but it has had a negative effect on the country. The Islamic attachment was more in the nature of a political ploy as could be seen in the persistent refusal to take back the thousands of hapless Urdu-speaking Biharis from Bangladesh. Even during her latest visit to Islamabad, Begum Khaleda Zia could not persuade Benazir to even hold any hope on this score. For Pakistan, these brothers-in-faiththe so-called Bihari Muslims stranded in Bangladeshare as good as having been written off.

In this context, it is interesting to find among a section of intellectuals an effort to identify the ideological roots of Pakistan as a nation. They do not depend on Islam as the binding force for the nation, since today Pakistan has less number of Muslims than India or Bangladesh. They reject the view that Pakistan is just a split-away part of India. By this view, the homeland of the Pakistani nation stretches along the catchment and basin of one of the worlds greatest rivers, the Indus. It is argued that although the British imperial administration put this region under the Raj in Delhi, it has throughout retained an identity of its own. From Mohenjodaro this ideological descent of Pakistan is stretched. Its protagonists are confined to some of the brightest intellectuals of the countrynot just arm-chair scholars, but even such people who have been in the thick of politics, have suffered prison terms during the Martial Law regime, and became part of active politics under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. One of them has just signed a contract with a well-known publisher of international reputation, and the bulky tome is expected to be published before the end of the year.

While a thesis like this needs to be discussed in detailwhich its author is very keen to holdone realises that through five decades of tension, prejudices and misinformation we have ourselves built a high wall of quarantine between our-selves. There is the almost total lack of media interaction, the absence of exchange of news, the virtual embargo on exchange of books and publications, while an intense Cold-War propa-ganda is conducted by those who have made a vested interest in spreading misunderstanding. Irrespective of the views held, the appalling lack of information about our next-door neighbour is something grotesquely absurd and a total misfit in civilised society. The Partition has not only divided the country between two territorial entities but has succeeded in instilling into us with amazing emphasis the fear and hatred of the image of a monster living across the frontier. Whatever the politicians may say or do, it is time that at the level of the common people, there must spread the fresh air of freedom. Its time indeed for people-to-people diplomacy between Pakistan and India.

(Mainstream, May 13, 1995)
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Gujarat Results, Off the Cuff

COMMENTARY

However Mr Modi might flash the victory sign, in the heart of his heart he knows that he lost in Gujarat.

The steady, strenuous, and well-thought-out campaign mounted by Rahul Gandhi was a bold and unrelenting buzz in the elephants ear; and the buzz drew echo from far and wide in the Gujarat hinterland. Rahul Gandhis elegant refusal to be provoked by the mud thrown at him, and the decency of his articulations and advisements has clearly raised him to the stature of a leader who promises a new politics of manners and non-abrasive commitment. The prompt decisiveness with which he dealt an unfortune but ill-advised intervention sends ample message to this effect.

That more than eighty per cent of the rural voters preferred the Congress is testimony to the credibility of Rahul Gandhis policy-concerns with respect to agrarian distress; as is the fact that a substantial section of the intermediate castes and Dalits, as well as Adivasis came over to his side.

That this happened in the teeth of the overwhelming organisational strength of the RSS/BJP throughout the State speaks for the acumen with which Rahul Gandhi and his team of thinkers assessed the ground situation in Gujarat.

Mr Modi, who returned to his State, much like Coriolanus, displaying his nativity with a rather pathetic urgency of appeal, must wonder that in his very own homeground on the back of more than two decades of rule he should have to unleash such an artillery of sentiment to defeat a practically non-existent Congress in the State. This clearly bodes ill for future contests in Madya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajastahn where the objective conditions are far worse than they might have been in Gujarat.

Mr Gandhi now has a task on his hands. having established his leadership credentials among his partymen at large through an unfazed and successful struggle with inimical forces, he has to translate this new energy of hope into credible organisational structures, to put in place, through transparently democratic decisions, credible leaderships in the States, to generate strenuous research into the objective social and economic conditions and requirements in the States which are due to go to the polls soon, to engage in dialogue with local groups about ground-level perceptions of what needs to be done, and to formulate policies that can be shown to be translatable into viable and beneficial programmes on the ground without damaging the macro-economic health of the country. The challenge will be to show that great leaps of progress can be made in reaching quality education at the primary and secondary levels to every child as per the promise of the Right to Education, and free health care in the remotest parts of the mofussil. Policy-makers will need to demonstrate how these measures, far from debilitating growth, contribute to accelerating it in the long term.

Those that cannily seek to collar the Congress into a fake form of guilt about catering to marginalised and minority sections of the population, will need to be shown that if the world indeed is a family, and if all religions must be given equal respect, then a true Hindu cannot be an exclusivist but an inclusivist. That Hindutva and Hinduism are not the same is by now obvious even to the yuppy admirers of Mr Modi. The former can now especially be distinctly seen for what it isa recipe for totalitarian majoritarianism as the politics of a dominant cultural form. It will be well worth to do hard work on this issue over the months so that those that claim proprietorship of the majority faith are justly dislodged from their self-assigned perch. If Gandhi was the greatest Hindu of our times, then it should not be so hard for the Congress to carry that message forward through word and deed, however nasty the onslaught on the Gandhi/Nehru traditions. From Ambedkar must be learnt how and wherefrom to adduce unanswerable critiques of Brahminical orthodoxy from within Hindu thought itself. That this is an agenda on which the long-term shape and health of the Republic will depend should now be obvious enough. Nor need the Congress answer the charge of minority appeasement by recourse to a guilt-ridden abjuration of Muslim Indians This would be both tragic and fatal. Muslims must be engaged to embrace the promise of the secular Republic as their foremost obligation like all other citizens, and to infuse with equity and justice aspects of the faith that seem at odds with modern citizenship.

The Gujarat odyssey has raised Mr Rahul Gandhi visibly to a new level of unselfconscious public confidence, and his conviction in his own sincerity and steady egalitarian purpose lends him now a force of leadedrship that communi-cates itself to his cadres. He is likely to find great goodwill from wide segments of the polity so long as his new moral stature continues to be the informing drive behind the overall conduct of his partymen and of the prospects of Congress programmes and policies.

In the Gujarat elections, thirteen seats were lost by the Congress with margins that were less than the votes polled by other Opposition parties.. This must be a pointer to the virtues of Opposition unity. Although the Congress as the largest Opposition force will have the main obligation to ensure such unity, let not the other parties think they will be best off pushing the Congress to the wall. That is a course that helps neither them nor the cause of restoring democracy to the Republic. Many sectarian and narrow considerations will have to yield to broader requirements. All Opposition forces ideally ought to work to ensure that there are one-on-one contests in the General Elections of 2019.

Gujarat Results are a revealing watershed moment. It must not be wasted for want of political will and selfless dedication to the founding principles of the Republic.

The author, who taught English literature at the University of Delhi for over four decades and is now retired, is a prominent writer and poet. A well-known commentator on politics, culture and society, he wrote the much acclaimed Dickens and the Dialectic of Growth. His book, The Underside of ThingsIndia and the World: A Citizens Miscellany, 2006-2011, came out in August 2012. Thereafter he wrote two more books, Idea of India Hard to Beat: Republic Resilient and Kashmir: A Noble Tryst in Tatters.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > We Shall Overcome!

EDITORIAL

With this issue Mainstream completes fifty five years of its long, arduous, modest yet purposeful existence.

Affirming that what we face today in this country has no parallel, it was written in these columns a year ago on December 20, 2016:

From the time the present dispensation at the Centre seized the levers of power in mid-2014, the attack on the minoritiesin order to distort the face of India and transform the country into a Hindu Pakistan by subverting the Constitution carefully crafted under the inspiring leadership of Dr B.R. Ambedkar .....has been unabated. (This has been lately reflected in the preposterous public statement by a BJP MP from the Capital that Muslims have never voted for us and never will as the BJP is a patriotic party; it should not also be ignored that the body of one of the alleged killers of Mohammad Akhlaquewho was lynched to death for the crime of having stored beef in his fridgewas draped in the national tricolour on his death, an honour bestowed only on national heroes.) Of course, one should not minimise the resistance to such an attempt from the civil society in general and leading intellectuals, writers, artists in particular, even if the pressure from the political parties in the Opposition was of limited value. Yet it must also be acknowledged in all candour that those currently in power in South Block are having their way as latest events conclusively prove.

Since then the outcome of the UP Assembly elections this year found Narendra Modi and his team improving their performance in the State over the 2014 UP Lok Sabha poll results wherein the BJP and its allies had won an incredible 73 out of 80 seats. That came as a major blow to all secular democrats who had expected at least some resistance to the electorates hardships, especially after the move of demonetisation, to be reflected in the poll outcome. On the country those in power at the Centre took the results as public endorsement of the demone-tisation drive by the PM that was unequivocally opposed by all distinguished economists across the globe. It was then that a campaign against the use of EVMs began in the social media in a big way even if the electronic media by and large took a pro-BJP stance approving Modi all the way.

However, what is significant lately is that the Gujarat Assembly election results have given a definite jolt to the ruling party at the Centre. Even if the BJP has returned to power once again, its victory has not been a thumping one this time. This consequence in the State which saw the genocide of Muslims in 2002 was doubtless noteworthy. What is more, it was a rare spectacle of the PM (who hails from the State and was its CM for a considerable length of time before coming to the Centre) bending over backwards in a strenuous endeavour to secure victory in the face of heavy odds marked a setback, however partial, for the Hindutva project. Additionally the results underlined the complete failure of the much-touted Gujarat model of development.

As a perceptive analyst, well-known diplomat M.K. Bhadrakumar, has written today, BJP President Amit Shahs promise of winning 150 out of 182 seats for his party in the State Assembly remained unfulfilled and the party had to strain its utmost to secure the 99 seats it eventually won. He then observed:

The BJP tried all the tricks in the trade. No Prime Minister in India ever before wore on his sleeve his ethnic identity and openly spoke about it to plead for votes in his home State. No Prime Minister ever stoked the fires of slumbering anti-Muslim feelings so daringly. No Prime Minister put the fear of Pakistan into the Hindu mind to frighten the voters. No Prime Minister ever flew a seaplane or charioted a roadshow on voting day to impress awe-struck natives. But the PM still couldnt get for the BJP anywhere near a political knockout hed aimed at.

That development in Gujarat alongside Rahul Gandhis indefatigable campaign in favour of the countrys secular democrats offers a real silver-lining in the present dismal scenario all around us. It throws up hope in the midst of despair. But there is a precondition: the unity of all secular, democratic, progressive forces against the ruling party at the Centre which, alongwith its so-called fringe elements, has repeatedly bared its fascist fangs.

Three years ago it was written in these columns on December 23, 2014:

In the first issue of this journal (which came out on September 1, 1962) it was pointed out in the editorial that it shall be our endeavour to try relentlessly to demolish the wall of misundersanding, mutual suspicion and even personal pique that divides progressive sections in the country from one another.

That remains the policy-perspective of this periodical even today.

In fact when dark clouds of uncertainty and chaos are hovering over the Indian horizon with the setting turning ominous as never before, that policy-perspective assumes greater significance than at any time in the past.

Against the backdrop of what we have lately experienced in this country, it is time to reiterate once more: come what may, we shall overcome!

December 19 S.C.
On December 4, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly had passed a Bill, becoming the first state in India, to award capital punishment to those convicted for raping girls below 12 years.

By India Today Web Desk: Taking a cue from Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the state government is planning to frame a law enabling capital punishment to rapists of minor girls.

"The Karnataka Government is planning to frame a law enabling capital punishment to rapists of minor girls. I have asked the officials to get details of a similar law passed by the Madhya Pradesh Government," Reddy told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Crime Prevention Month, organised by the city police here yesterday.

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The home minister said that he would be taking up the matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

On December 4, the Madhya Pradesh Assembly had passed a Bill, becoming the first state in India, to award capital punishment to those convicted for raping girls below 12 years. The move came in after a rapid increase in the recent rape incidents in the last decade.

(with agency inputs)

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BOSTON -- Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown plans to return from a one-game absence Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls.

Brown has dealt with Achilles soreness over the last couple of weeks. He said the issue flared up during a win against the Indiana Pacers earlier this week.

"It's never been as severe as it was this past week or two," Brown said Thursday night before missing a game against the New York Knicks. "It's just been caused by tightness in the glute, the calf, and just your Achilles is taking all the banging for it just because of overload, a lot of games being played. But it kind of flared up in the Indiana (game) and then that's when I was like, OK, this is the worst it's ever been."

"But I don't think it's anything to worry about," Brown continued. "Just wanted to be cautious. I'm not an expert on Achilles but I know it's nothing to play with so I'm just trying to make sure I get all the ins and outs and hear everything the medical staff has to say because they have the expertise and go from there."

Other injury notes:

-- Stevens said Shane Larkin (knee) will be a game-time decision.

"Going through some testing to see if he's available, but feeling way better," Stevens said.

-- Marcus Morris has targeted a Christmas Day meeting with his brother Markieff's Washington Wizards for a return from a lingering knee issue, but Stevens wasn't sure whether the veteran will make it back for that game.

"Haven't gotten any confirmation one way or another," Stevens said.
Police in one Massachusetts town issued an all-points bulletin for a Miss Betty Miller, but it was not because she is a suspect in any case.

Greenfield police were searching for the woman or any of her family to return a 1944 love letter found inside a home recently. The search paid off.

In a sweet Facebook post, the department said it was issuing a challenge to followers this holiday.

"A friend of ours is doing a home remodel and found a love note in the walls! It was written on April 19, 1944 by 'Walter' for 'Miss Betty Miller' who lived on 360 Chapman St.," the Facebook post reads. "We would love to be able to get this letter back to Betty or her family. Please let us know if you know how to find her."

The search for Betty began in a post by Francesca Passiglia, based on her Facebook post. Her family owns the Chapman Street home in town. Passiglia has a friend at the police department who asked to share the message.

"Lost and found love letter alert! We found a letter from 1944 in our kitchen wall yesterday while doing some electrical work," she wrote.

Passiglia asked if any knew Betty Miller or the Walter who said in the letter, "I will not go to any dance or movie unless you go with me?"

Over the weekend, Passiglia posted she found Betty's youngest sister, an Irene Fournier and gave her the letter. Fournier said Betty was 14 in 1944, according to Passiglia's post. Fournier lives two blocks away from the Passiglia family. Passiglia believed Fournier was in her 90s, but didn't know her exact age.

"Irene told us Betty dated two Walters in high school. They were both good dancers so she can't tell which one wrote the letter," Passiglia posted on Facebook. "Betty went on to marry someone else and lived a long and happy life. She passed away several years ago from cancer."

Here's the Christmas Mystery update for anyone who missed it at the bottom of my original post: Mystery solved! We just... Posted by Francesca Passiglia on Saturday, December 23, 2017

Fournier grew up in the Chapman Street home with five siblings and the letter to her sister made her smile, Passiglia wrote. Fournier shared stories about growing up in the Chapman Street home.

"We've made plans to have Mrs. Fournier over next week to visit her childhood home and are so happy to have made a new friend," she wrote. "Hurray for Christmas mysteries!"
A man authorities say was trying to run from police was struck and killed on Route 195 in Seekonk after he ran onto the highway.

Massachusetts State Police troopers were called to Rte. 195 westbound near Exit 1 in Seekonk around 8:25 p.m. Saturday for a report of a pedestrian struck on the highway.

"Upon arrival, troopers learned that a Honda Odyssey van traveling westbound and being operated by a woman from Rhode Island had struck a pedestrian in the left travel lane," state police said.

A preliminary investigation shows the man tried to flee from Seekonk police after an officer tried to stop his vehicle. The man drove behind a Motel 6 and then ran from his vehicle, authorities said.

"The suspect ran onto Route 195," State Police said. "He ran across the right and middle travel lanes and was struck by the Honda Odyssey as he crossed into the left lane, according to a preliminary investigation."

The driver of the van and the two people inside her vehicle were not hurt. The man was taken to a hospital in Providence, Rhode Island where he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released.

The crash remains under investigation.
By PTI: Lucknow, Dec 24 (PTI) The triple talaq bill is against the provisions of the Constitution and violates the rights of women, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said today, demanding its withdrawal.

Describing it as a "conspiracy", the AIMPLB also accused the government of snatching the right of divorce from men.

The chairman of the board, Maulana Rabe Hasani Nadwi, will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withhold or withdraw the proposed bill that criminalises the practice of instant divorce, an official spokesperson of the Muslim body said.

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"The board is of the view that the triple talaq bill is against the Constitution, rights of women and Shariah (Islamic law). Apart from this, it is also an an attempt to interfere with the Muslim personal law. If this bill becomes a law, then women will face a host of difficulties," said Maulana Khalil- ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani, the spokesperson of the AIMPLB.

"The proposed bill is against the basic principles of the Constitution. It is highly objectionable that the Centre did not consult the AIMPLB, any Muslim organisation or any stakeholder before preparing the draft of the bill," he alleged.

The Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by home minister Rajnath Singh, will be introduced by the government in Parliament next week.

Nomani claimed that triple talaq, which has been termed "unconstitutional" by the Supreme Court, has been thrown into a web of "criminal procedures" by the Centre.

"We request the Centre not to present the bill in Parliament. If the government feels that it is very important, then it should first speak to the Muslim Personal Law Board and Muslim women organisations," the spokesperson said.

"Seeing the provisions of the bill, it seems that the government wants to snatch the right of divorce from men. This is a big conspiracy. The draft of the bill also states that triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) and other forms of talaq will be banned," Nomani said.

Senior woman member of the board Asma Zehra said, "The proposed bill of the Centre is against the interest of Muslim women. If a husband gives triple talaq to his wife, and is jailed for three years, then how will the woman make her ends meet and look after her children."

The proposed law would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking "subsistence allowance" for herself and minor children. The woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue. PTI NAV SNE BDS SNE

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SPRINGFIELD -- It's become a Christmas tradition for members of the Massachusetts Senate to exchange gifts each year.

"We usually give each other things that represent our districts. One year I gave everyone Dr. Seuss books," said Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield.

For the past few years Welch has opted to make a donation to a local charity on behalf of each senator. This year he chose the Western Massachusetts Puerto Rico Relief Fund at Freedom Credit Union. He donated $400, $10 on behalf of every senator.

"I think we all have seen the impact to the people of Puerto Rico because of the hurricane, but also to this area with so many Puerto Ricans living in Western Massachusetts," he said.

Welch was joined by Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos, who also serves as the district director for Welch's district office, as well as Waleska Lugo De Jesus, spokesperson for the Western Massachusetts United for Puerto Rico coalition which started the fund in the wake of Hurricane Maria in September. Currently the fund has about $160,000.

"We were talking about where to make the donation this year and Orlando suggested the fund," Welch said. "I thought it was a great idea."

A majority of the proceeds will be going to organizations working directly with the people affected by the hurricane in Puerto Rico, while some funds will remain here to assist the thousands of families moving to Massachusetts to flee the damage. Welch said he hopes people will consider giving to the fund.

"There were so many events right when the hurricane happened, but I hope people won't forget that the people of Puerto Rico will be dealing with this for a long time and so will the region," he said.

State officials said last week that more than 2,000 students from Puerto Rico have enrolled in Massachusetts schools since the hurricane. Nearly 800 of those students are registered in Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee and West Springfield schools.

"We want to make sure that we do everything we can to make this a welcoming area, but we also realize there are challenges that come along with that, especially financial," Welch said. "This felt like the right place to make a donation on behalf of the senate this year."

Donations can be made at any of the credit union's 10 locations or online here.
WAMC Northeast Public Radio, based in Albany, N.Y., has secured the future of its broadcast signal by purchasing a tower that houses its powerful FM transmitter on top of Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts.

The tower in Berkshire County had been owned by WTEN Channel 10 in Albany, and the $1 million-plus deal was completed Friday after months of negotiation, WAMC President and CEO Alan Chartock told the Berkshire Eagle.



Chartok made the announcement on WAMC's mid-morning "Roundtable" program. He called it "huge news" and said the purchase has been a priority for decades. For years, WAMC has used space and capacity on the Berkshire County tower.



Chartok said the purchase tapped the station's operating funds. On Friday he sent a "save our station" fundraising appeal to members, saying the loss of the tower would "spell the end of WAMC as we know it." The station plans to supersize its February fund drive to help underwrite the cost.



The tower is located at Mount Greylock Reservation, elevation 3,491 feet. The land is owned by the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation. WAMC negotiated a lease to 2025.



The transmitter sends WAMC's signal 100 miles in all directions. The public radio station, with 400,000 monthly listeners, has additional smaller transmitters across the region.
Christine was pregnant when her 6-year-old son was taken to the emergency room at Berkshire Medical Center.

It was not unusual. Her son, now 9, has been diagnosed with multiple behavioral disorders. He can be aggressive and violent, threatening to harm himself.

But the hospital was unable to find an inpatient bed for him -- for three days.

"I had to stay in the hospital with him and sleep on a gurney for three days, because they didn't want to provide him with a sitter," Christine said. "I had a combative security guard ready to take him down, instead of dealing with him as a child."

Christine, who lives in Pittsfield, asked that her last name be withheld because of safety concerns.

The practice of "boarding" -- keeping mental health patients in a hospital emergency department for more than 12 hours because of a lack of a treatment placement -- is a known problem in Massachusetts. Teenagers are the most at risk, and younger children also face difficulties.

One state health expert said boarding is a symptom of other problems throughout the mental health system.

"Boarding is the canary in the coal mine of a broken system," said Kate Ginnis, director of behavioral health advocacy and policy at Boston Children's Hospital and part of the leadership team of the Children's Mental Health Campaign, a statewide advocacy coalition for children's mental health.

According to 2015 data from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, 21 percent of teenagers who showed up at an emergency room with a behavioral health diagnosis spent more than 12 hours there, compared to 14 percent of adults and 12 percent of children. Among those who boarded, approximately 20 percent of children and teenagers under 17 were kept for two days or longer, compared to just 9 percent of adults.

Research by the Parent/Professional Advocacy League, which helps children and their families who are dealing with mental health problems, found that only 30 percent of children whose families they surveyed waited for treatment for less than 12 hours. And 13 percent reported waiting at least a week. Not all remained in the emergency room that entire time -- 31 percent of families were told their child needed inpatient care but could wait at home.

"There are a large number of kids who are in need of acute psychiatric care, and for a host of reasons, can't access care in a timely manner," Ginnis said.

The children and their families end up waiting for days in environments that are not always conducive to treatment. Christine recalled a time when her son was stuck in a loud psychiatric ward with adults. "People are screaming at night," she said.

He was fed pizza and French fries and sat watching TV most of the day.

Ginnis said one problem is it is less profitable for a treatment facility to have an adolescent bed than an adult bed. Fewer children are admitted to treatment during the summer and school vacation, since school often causes stress in children. Advocates say reimbursements rates from insurers are not high enough to cover the costs if beds are unfilled for one-fifth of the year because children do not need them at those times.

A child who cannot get outpatient care is more likely to end up in the emergency room. A study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation looking at outpatient mental health treatment found especially long waits for appointments for children and adolescents, due to the difficulty in finding a clinician who treats children, who takes a child's insurance, who is a good match for that child and who can see a child when they are not in school.

"You get down to a narrow window of finding someone who has the right kind of expertise, who will see a child when I can get them in," said Audrey Shelto, president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation. "That's most likely going to take a while to find someone."

Ginnis said children on MassHealth can access a range of community-based services to help them with mental health problems, but private insurers do not offer those extra services.

"Kids can't get outpatient services, they can't get access to community-based services, so they end up in the ER," Ginnis said.

Once a child lands in an emergency room, the hospital must find an appropriate placement. Only specific facilities are equipped to take children or adolescents. According to 2014 figures, there were around 230 psychiatric beds for children and adolescents in Massachusetts -- around 10 percent of all of the state's psychiatric inpatient beds.

Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke, which has a 24-bed unit for children and adolescents, is the only inpatient psychiatric unit for children in all of Western Massachusetts.

"A young child could wait for awhile if all those beds are full," said David Matteodo, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems.

Ginnis said for some children -- such as children who have both autism and a severe mental health problem -- there are no facilities in the state with specialized enough care.

Breanna Santiago, of Pittsfield, has a 7-year-old daughter with severe mood disorder, ADHD and other behavioral health problems. She gets physically aggressive and has tried to hurt herself and others.

Santiago said her daughter was once kept in an emergency room for nearly a week waiting for a placement. She said hospital clinicians have been rude to her and her daughter and have watched her daughter attack her without intervening.

There is different staff each time. Once, she said they kept her daughter in bed all day with a heated blanket watching television, then sent her home because she was no longer in crisis, without offering further treatment.

Santiago said hospital clinicians have tried to send her daughter home when she is in crisis -- even after an incident in which she stabbed her sister -- because there is nowhere else for her to go.

"Nine out of ten times, it's bed availability," Santiago said.
Could smartphones and cameras be our most powerful weapons for social justice? Through her organization Witness, Yvette Alberdingk Thijm is developing strategies and technologies to help activists use video to protect and defend human rights. She shares stories of the growing power of distant witnesses  and a call to use the powerful tools at our disposal to capture incidents of injustice.

TED video: https://ted.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=07487d1456302a286cf9c4ccc&id=a617cf0eda&e=d3135666a2
Research scientist Stephanie Seneff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a widely published author on topics ranging from Azlheimers Disease to autism and cardiovascular disease, raised plenty of eyebrows recently with a bold proclamation on autism at a special panel in Massachusetts about genetically modified organisms and other topics.

"At todays rate, by 2025, one in two children will be autistic," Seneff said last Thursday in Groton, MA at an event sponsored by the holistic-focused Groton Wellness organization.

Nick Meyer

Full Story: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/10/mit-researchers-new-warning-todays-rate-half-u-s-children-will-autistic-2025.html
Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.
By India Today Web Desk: Be it promoting Padman, or wrapping up Gold , Akshay Kumar has been very busy, for the past few months. The actor is now taking it easy, with his wife, Twinkle Khanna, and daughter Nitara in Capetown, South Africa.

While Akshay and Twinkle enjoy the beach, Nitara has been catching up with an old friend, Valentino.

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In 2016, Akshay had introduced Valentino, his house help's son in a tweet. He wrote, "Meet my house help's son here in Cape Town. Everyone's favourite in the house, he's blessed with an infectious spirit!"

Boys & girls,meet Valentino,my house help's son here in Cape Town. Everyone's favourite in the house,he's blessed with an infectious spiritA??A pic.twitter.com/5cietThAO2- Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 30, 2016

And now, he tweeted a picture of Nitara with Valentino. "Happiness Is... meeting an old friend and starting exactly where you left off :) Nitara meets Valentino 2.0."

Happiness Is... meeting an old friend and starting exactly where you left off :) Nitara meets Valentino 2.0 A??? pic.twitter.com/geGFyH1h72- Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 24, 2017

Akshay and family are in Capetown, to celebrate Twinkle's birthday. The actress had celebrated her previous birthday in Capetown too, with close friends and family.

Akshay is on a break from his promotional duties of Padman , which is all set to release on January 26, 2018. The film is directed by R Balki, and also stars Sonam Kapoor.

ALSO WATCH: Toilet Ek Prem Katha: Did Akshay Kumar ever jump off the 20th floor? Find out

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Alexei Navalny has been campaigning on the ground since the past one year, around 800 people gathered at an public event in Moscow to lend their support to Navalny's nomination for the upcoming presidential elections.

By India Today Web Desk: Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition leader has cleared the first step to contest in the Russian elections to be held next year in March.

On Sunday, Navalny said he has secured enough nominations to challenge Vladimir Putin in the Russian presidential elections which will be held in March 2018. Navalny won the initial support of 742 people at a gathering in a district in Moscow crossing the minimum 500 required to contest the presidential bid, the Reuters reported.

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Navalny is considered as the only contender who can challenge Putin, who will be running for a fourth term as President. He is barred to run in the presidential elections because of a criminal conviction which is considered to be politically motivated.

Russia will be holding presidential elections in March next year. Russian law requires a candidate to submit an endorsement from just 500 people before he or she is allowed to collect the 1 million signatures required to get a place on the ballot paper.

Though polling agencies in Russia predicted that Vladmir Putin will win the 2018 Presidential elections, Navalny's year long ground campaigning has enabled him to galvanize some of Russia's sleepiest regions.

"We are not going to recognize this election but we're not going to step aside either: there will be an all-Russian strike of voters," he told The Associated Press.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A non-election year in Flagstaff can be a mixed blessing when it comes to sorting out the top news stories of the past 12 months. On the one hand, there are no ballot tallies to lend some quantitative authority to the choices. But on the other, once the candidates have settled in and the airwaves are clear of electoral hyperbole, the focus shifts back from personalities to core issues that dominate the public conversation.

And in Flagstaff, those issues continue to be the affordability gap between income and the cost of living, exacerbated by post-recession growth that threatens to overwhelm existing road capacity and crowd out the blue skies and green landscape. For many small cities, those would be good problems to have; for Flagstaff in 2017, they offered opportunities for collaborative problem-solving even if the solutions are likely years away.

Despite the upheavals on the national political scene brought about by the election of Donald Trump, Flagstaff continued to lead a fairly sheltered life  so far. The coming year may see some of the changes in Obamacare, federal taxation, environmental regulation and immigration come home to roost locally, but 2017 was more about getting up to speed on the new politics inside the Beltway and, in some cases, resisting and organizing for the elections in 2018.

So without further ado, here are those top local and regional stories of 2017:

1. Higher Flagstaff minimum wage takes effect, but amended. Flagstaff voters approved an immediate hike to $10 an hour on July 1, 2017, or $2 more than state minimum. So when state voters raised the minimum to $10 beginning on Jan. 1, Flagstaff faced the prospect of a $12 minimum  a 50 percent jump from the old minimum of $8.05. Disability care providers said their state subsidies would never cover the higher payroll and force them to relocate to Prescott or Phoenix. So the council, rather than waiting to return the measure to the voters, removed the $2 escalator clause for five years and reset the July 1 minimum at $10.50, with another raise to $11 on Jan. 1. Several groups are looking to go back to the voters with new wage proposals in November 2018.

2. Judge denies appeal of Hub city approval. The Flagstaff Board of Adjustments voted 3-2 to uphold the staff approval of the controversial 591-bed student housing project in Southside, and a visiting judge said the ordinance, although containing conflicting language, allowed the massive project to proceed. The decision lent urgency to two city initiatives to amend the zoning laws pertaining to high-occupancy housing and the transect zoning that allowed massive commercial block buildings next to low-rise residential neighborhoods.

3. Steven Jones jury cant reach verdict in NAU homicide trial. The 2015 shooting left one student dead and three wounded, but attorneys for the defendant argued their client was acting in self-defense. Prosecutors emphasized that Jones went to his car after he was first attacked, then returned to the fray rather than drive away, but there was enough doubt among some jurors to prevent a unanimous verdict. A new trial is scheduled for March.

4. Snowplay gridlock continues; Highway 180 parking ban set. As with the Hub verdict, last winters traffic jams in Fort Valley and Flagstaff set in motion an ad hoc committee led by county Supervisor Art Babbott that settled on parking enforcement in the corridor as a way to control overuse. But with no snow in the region so far this winter and the Wing Mountain tubing area closed, theres been no opportunity to test the plan. Meanwhile, a different group has proposed a multi-year plan for hundreds of millions of dollars in road and transit improvements primarily along Milton and Lone Tree roads, and the Mountain Line system has a grant to study the role of expanded mass transit and dedicated busways in improving Flagstaffs mobility.

5. NAU continues record growth as Southside neighbors complain of overdevelopment. The Mountain Campus is on its way to 23,000 students, with enough beds on campus for less than half of them. That has put pressure on adjacent neighborhoods, where developers are converting single-family houses into duplexes and triplexes with six or nine students and nearly as many cars. A new town-gown liaison position was filled in December after a years vacancy, and NAU is set to open a new Honors College dorm next September. A new downtown pay parking district will help decongest some parts of Southside.

6. Affordable housing taking two steps forward, one back. The City Council is moving forward on a plan to redevelop three parcels into up to 60 units of affordable housing. But 54 low-income households in the Arrowhead Village trailer park are facing eviction early next year, and holders of Section 8 housing vouchers report they are having trouble finding apartments priced low enough to qualify for the vouchers. Meanwhile, single-family homes are selling at prices that finally have returned to the pre-recession highs of a decade ago.

7. No Grand Canyon watershed monument from Obama as Trump signals plans to remove the moratorium on new uranium mining. Conservationists were hopeful the outgoing Obama administration would expand the development buffer zone around Grand Canyon National Park and the Colorado River by a million acres. But no monument designation was forthcoming, and the Trump White House is reportedly ready to rescind a 20-year moratorium on mining that was put in place pending more studies of uraniums impact on area seeps and springs.

8. Development and overall Flagstaff economy pick up speed. Despite the closings of Grannys Closet and the venerable Museum Club, the city saw the opening of a new downtown Marriott Hotel and two new student housing complexes in the Woodlands Village area. A new, 1,100-unit residential subdivision was approved for West Route 66 at Woody Mountain Road, and airport officials announced that American Airlines will offer two new destinations next year to Los Angeles and Dallas one day a week. SCA Tissue and its 60 high-paying jobs closed, but W.L. Gore and Associates, with some 2,000 employees in Flagstaff, celebrated 50 growing years. Biotech firm Senestech went public as it announced new pest control contracts, and NAU drew in more research contracts than ever before.

9. Violent youth crime on the rise. Two of Flagstaffs four homicides in 2017 were committed by teens  one just 15 years old. Fernando Enriquez, 15, pleaded guilty to killing Jacob M. Allen, 20, during a drug deal in a rec center restroom and received 17 years in prison. Over at the L Motel, four teens were charged with beating to death Jaron James, 23, during a late-night party. Flagstaffs overall serious crime rate was down 2 percent, even though car thefts and robberies were up  the latter primarily by the citys transients victimizing each other.

10. Rural development has setbacks. In Page, the owners of the Navajo Generating Station announced they would close it in 2019, costing 500 jobs and major tax subsidies to the Navajo and Hopi tribes. Closer to Flagstaff, the 4FRI forest restoration project was reorganized by the Forest Service, but there was little progress in 2017 in the number of acres thinned. On the Navajo Reservation, the tribal council voted down a plan to develop a tourist resort at the confluence of the Little Colorado and Colorado rivers, including a mechanized tramway down to the rivers edge.
Locker or insurance: what should you do to secure your stash of gold?

If you thought bank lockers are safe, here's some shocking data: According to the Union ministry for finance, nearly Rs 180 crore was lost in 2,632 cases of robbery, theft and burglary across India's 51 banks in the past three financial years (from 2014-15 to 2016-17).

In November, for instance, robbers dug up a 25 feet tunnel into a Bank of Baroda branch in Navi Mumbai and stole cash and jewellery from 27 lockers.

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Bank lockers are supposed to be safe. That's the reason we pay fees to banks, invest in fixed deposits. But if the locker is burgled, does the bank compensate the customer? Here's a look at the Reserve Bank of India guidelines and what you can do to ensure the safety of your gold and valuables.

BANKS NOT LIABLE FOR YOUR LOSS

The relationship between a bank and the person who avails of its locker facility is similar to that between a landlord and a tenant.

As per the RBI guidelines, banks have to ensure the safety of lockers by properly documenting the security process, and the internal auditor has to see to it that the procedure is strictly adhered to.

However, as the bank is not aware of the contents of a locker, it is not responsible for any loss caused due to theft or natural calamity. The bank does not take out an insurance on its lockers.

TAKE INSURANCE COVER

There are insurance policies/products that provide cover for gold kept in bank lockers or at home under home insurance policies. The home insurance policies cover gold and jewellery along with the other contents of the house.

You don't need to buy the cover for the structure of your house and can get only the jewellery, gold and other valuables insured.

In case the jewellery is worth more than Rs 2.5 lakh, you have to get a valuation certificate from a government-recognised valuer and give it to the insurer along with a list of jewellery items insured. If the gold is kept in a bank locker, you have to give the address of the bank branch to the insurer.

If you travel with your jewellery outside the country, insurance companies cover the risk of theft during the journey and charge a higher premium for it.

Though insurance premium varies from insurer to insurer, it is generally in the region of 0.8-0.9 per cent of the sum insured. Thus, the premium for Rs 10 lakh insurance cover will be around Rs 9,500, including taxes.

In fact, one may even consider insuring one's jewellery rather than paying the rent for a bank locker. However, taking an insurance cover as well as a locker on rent may ensure 'double safety' for your jewellery, some of which may be family heirlooms.

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TTV Dhinakaran is commanding the RK Nagar by-poll, whereas BJP wins in Arunachal Pradesh's Pakke-Kessang and Uttar Pradesh's Sikandra. However, TMC bagged the West Bengal's Sabang assembly seat.

By India Today Web Desk: While Chennai's Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) by-poll grabs major attention today, counting in Assembly by-poll in Uttar Pradesh's Sikandra, Arunachal Pradesh's Pakke-Kessang is still underway with TMC already registering a win West Bengal's Sabang.

Gita Rani Bhunia of Trinamool Congress has won the Sabang constituency by nearly 19,000 votes. The respective winners in Pakke-Kessang and Sikandra constituencies will be announced anytime now.

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TMC had been riding on a victory wave, ever since the counting began this morning.

After the final counting, TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured almost 60,000 votes.

The by-election took place on December 21. Manas Bhunia is presently TMC MP in the Rajya Sabha.

TTV TAKES LEAD

TTV Dhinakaran is commanding the RK Nagar by-poll with 24,132, votes, whereas BJP is leading in Arunachal Pradesh's Pakke-Kessang and Uttar Pradesh's Sikandra.

PAKKE-KESSANG ASSEMBLY BY-POLL

The BJP successfully bagged Arunachal Pradesh's Pakke-Kessang Assembly seat.

BJP was already leading in the Pakke-Kessang Assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh with almost 1,247 votes, while the Congress is trailing with 1,143 votes. Meanwhile, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor has won the Likabali constituency in Arunachal Pradesh.

Former deputy chief minister Kameng Dolo (Congress) is contesting against BJP nominee B R Waghe in Pakke-Kessang.

The polling which began at 7 AM in the morning was largely peaceful except for an incident of damage to EVM by miscreants at Siberity, a booth in Likabali constituency where polling was suspended, Bhatacharjee informed.

The Pakke-Kessang assembly seat has 7,455 voters including 3943 women, while Likabali has 10608 electorates including 5331 women voters. The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after the death of state health and family welfare minister Jomde Kena in September.

The Pakke-Kessang fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared null and void the election of Kameng Dolo from the seat in 2014 following an election petition filed against him by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly.

SIKANDRA BY-POLL

The BJP candidate Ajit Pal Singh has won the by-election, defeating the Samajwadi Party candidate by around 7,000 votes. Sikandra constituency falls in Kanpur Dehat district. Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party and Prabhakar of the Congress party were other contenders for the seat. In the 2017 Assembly polls, Mathura Pal had polled 87,879 votes, defeating the nearest Bahujan Samaj Party rival Mahendra Katiyar (Bablu), who got 49,776 votes.

Initially, not only in Arunachal Pradesh, but BJP was also leading firmly in Uttar Pradesh's Sikandra assembly by-poll with 16,605 votes, while the Samajwadi Party is at the second spot with 12,917 votes. The Congress is trailing at the third spot with 2,237 votes.

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The BJP today exuded confidence that it will improve its electoral performance in the Sikandra Assembly bypoll scheduled for December 21 and end the year on a winning note.

The assembly seat in Kanpur Dehat district fell vacant after sitting BJP MLA Mathura Prasad Pal died on July 22 after a prolonged illness.

The BJP had fielded Ajit Pal Singh from the assembly constituency, while the Samajwadi Party had given ticket to Seema Sachan. The Congress had fielded Prabhakar from this assembly constituency.

In all, there were 12 candidates in the fray. Out of this, there are five independent candidates.

(with PTI inputs)

Watch the video | RK Nagar bypoll: People have decided to elect me, says TTV Dhinakaran

--- ENDS ---
Gosavi allegedly robbed the victim of money, mobile and purse, and then raped her in the car at an isolated spot. His friend, who was also sitting in the cab, allegedly helped him, police said.

By PTI, Press Trust of India: A cab driver and his friend were arrested for allegedly raping a 32-year-old woman in Thane district, police said.

The duo allegedly raped the woman while she was travelling from Kashimira to Thane near here on the night of December 19, they said.

The accused have been identified as Suresh Pandurang Gosavi (32), formerly employed with app-based cab service Ola, and Umesh Jaswant Zala (31), police said.

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The duo was produced in a court and remanded into police custody till December 26, they said.

Gosavi had been off duty for over a week, but the car still had a sticker of the app-based service, police said.

According to the complainant, she boarded Gosavi's cab on the evening of December 19 to travel to Thane from the Kashimira area.

However, Gosavi drove to Vajreshwari where he allegedly robbed her of money, mobile and purse, and then raped her in the car at an isolated spot. His friend, who was also sitting in the cab, allegedly helped him, police said.

Later they took her to a lodge where the woman narrated her ordeal to the lodge manager.

When the manager questioned the duo, they fled the spot, police said.

Following woman's complaint, Gosavi and his friend were arrested yesterday, they said.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued late tonight, Ola said the company had no connection with the incident.

"At Ola, we condemn any act of crime. We can confirm that this incident has not occurred on the Ola platform. We have extended all support to the authorities to share any information that will help support their investigation," the statement said.

An Ola spokesperson told PTI that the driver was not logged on the Ola platform when the incident took place.

"He was not logging on our platform from around three- four days before the incident," he said.

--- ENDS ---
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Last year, Santa's House at the North Pole was put on the market $656,957.

Although the house is not for sale, Santa was able to update his home's description and add photos, which can enhance the "Zestimate" value, Zillow said.

As it turns out, real estate is booming in the north pole: The home has appreciated more than $50,000.

MAIL CALL: How your child can get a letter from Santa

Built in 1822, the home looks great, thanks to a 2013 update with modern amenities.

The gourmet kitchen, for example, features an oven with 12 different cookie settings. The living room retains its Old World charm with a floor-to-ceiling river rock fireplace for roasting chestnuts.

In Santa's study are a writing desk and sewing table where Santa made the original teddy bear, according to Zillow.

"Santa's home at the North pole is one of the most famous homes in the world, so we're thrilled it's now on Zillow," said Zillow spokesman Jeremy Wacksman.

ELVES AT WORK: Hilarious, mischievus ideas for your Elf on a Shelf

Also, at the Santa's house listing on Zillow, children can start following Santa's Christmas Eve trek to deliver presents around the world through the official NORAD Santa tracker. Type "Santa's house" into the search bar on Zillow.com and click on "Locate Santa" in the lower right corner of the page.

The 25-acre property includes a workshop that is, of course, state of the art with work stations for 50 elves. The garage houses Santa's all-weather sleigh, and the stables have space for eight live-in reindeer.

With all these features, this property would be snatched up if it were for sale, but for now, we can all hope it goes up for rent.
The finance minister alleged that Congress changed their stance on Aadhaar after they sat in Opposition.

By PTI, India Today Web Desk, Press Trust of India: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has alleged that the previous UPA regime had divergent views on Aadhaar and the Congress-led government changed its position to oppose the legislation after assuming the role of Opposition in Parliament.

Also, the initial legislation related to Aadhaar during the UPA regime was a "bald" one, Jaitley said.

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The finance minister recalled that Nandan Nilekani gave a "forceful and persuasive" presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who decided to go ahead with it, soon after the NDA government came to power.

However, he said, when the Act was reworked by the present government, "one thing which was clear that the privacy provisions were required".

"The UPA government had two clear schools of thought. One which was not enthused by Aadhaar at all and therefore raised issues relating to national security. And the other (school of thought) which was pushing it. As a result, (it) was a very bald legislation," said Jaitley.

He further said that when the present government decided to go ahead with Aadhaar, the UPA, now in Opposition, almost made it clear that they were opposed to this idea.

On Congress stance on the legislation, Jaitley remarked, "Where do you stand now literally depends upon where you sit in the House."

Jaitley was speaking at the launch of a book Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12-Digit Revolution written by Shankkar Aiyar here.

-with inputs from PTI

Gujarat election is a victory against a vicious caste campaign: Arun Jaitley

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Drug kingpin Pablo Escobar was gunned down by Colombian authorities in 1993, but the location of a portion of his vast wealth remains a mystery.

A pile of Escobar's cash is rumored to be located on the grounds of the Miami Beach, FL, property he once ownedin fact, two safes were found when the residence was razed in 2016.

"But we've only excavated a portion of the 30,000-square-foot lot," says Christian de Berdouare, who recently put the now-vacant lot up for sale for $15.9 million.

Escobar was notorious for hiding his loot in the walls of his houses, and also burying it under the floors and on the grounds of his various estates. De Berdouare says he's had professional treasure hunters take a look at the lot, and they detected plenty of subterranean "activity," especially under the giant 100-year-old banyan tree.

But potential treasure isn't the sole reason for the lot's premium price. There are plans to build a 14,000-square-foot mansion in place of the pink 7,336-square-foot home Escobar bought in March 1980 for $762,500. De Berdouare says the current vacant lot listing is a sort of teaser to get people interested in the property.

As if the two safes found on the lot weren't enough to grab attention. In fact, the property's generated enough curiosity that de Berdouare signed a contract with Lincoln Square Productions, which plans to make a documentary on the former Escobar property. The deal he signed with the production company prevents him from saying anything about the contents of the safes.

Miami Beach, FL, property once owned by Pablo Escobar realtor.com

What we do know is two safes were found on the property, and one was stolen. The one still in de Berdouare's possession weighs between 600 and 700 pounds and has yet to be opened. There's speculation that the contents might be revealed on television.

It isn't known how much time Escobar spent on the property, but it's likely the waterfront property was used as a hideout by Escobars henchmen and as a landing point for extraordinary amounts of cocaine. Some of the wealth generated by these illicit dealings is still unaccounted forhence the interest in this lot.

Treasure hunters reportedly detected a lot of "activity" under the 100-year-old Banyan tree, on the left. realtor.com

Escobar owned the property until 1987, when U.S. authorities confiscated it along with $20 million in properties the Colombian drug dealer owned across Florida. An attorney bought the home from the U.S. government in 1990 for $915,000, and left the mansion pretty much as he found it. In 2014 he sold it to de Berdouare for $9.65 million. Left uninhabited, the property was burned and vandalizedwith large holes gouged in the walls.

But de Berdouare knows the value of the property isn't tied to potential buried treasure, or even in its connection to Escobar.

According to de Berdouare, the true value lies in its location, which offers sunset and city views; its 160 feet of waterfront; and its proximity to downtown Miami, South Beach, the design district, and the airport. "It's one of the premier streets in Miami Beach," he says. "They call it 'Millionaires Row.'"

The Escobar property sits on Miami's "Millionaires Row." realtor.com

De Berdouare, who founded the Chicken Kitchen fast-food chain, told us his interest in real estate and design came out of his experience as a restaurateur, because he designed each one of his 25 locations.

If the Escobar lot doesn't sell, de Berdouare intends to build perhaps his most ambitious project yet: a seven-bedroom modern home with a gym, library, and movie theater, among other luxury features. If he builds it, he plans to list the place for around $36 millionand he'll consider throwing the Escobar safe in as part of the deal.

We asked him if he'd be sorry if the safe wound up holding cash, gold, and jewels.

"Oh I'll keep the safe's contents," he says with a laugh. "The buyer would just get the safe."

The post Site of Pablo Escobar's Miami Mansion Up for SaleTreasure Hunter Alert! appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
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"Full House" fever is in full swing now that the Netflix spinoff "Fuller House" is slated to return for the second half of Season 3 on Fridayjust in time for a holiday binge-a-thon!

And that got us wondering: What's up with the real "Full House" house?

We checkedand it turns out it's stirring up a truckload of trouble.

'The worst thing that's happened'

We're talking, of course, about the gorgeous Victorian whose exterior appears in the opening credits of "Full/Fuller House," located at 1709 Broderick St. in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. Even though the show is filmed in a studio elsewhere, this 19th-century beauty has gained pop culture status, drawing throngs of fans over the years.

And that hubbub has apparently gotten worse ever since the 3,125-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home was sold for $4 million to none other than Jeff Franklin, the producer of both "Full House" and "Fuller House." After purchasing the place in April 2016, Franklin said he planned to renovate the interior so it finally matches the setpossibly so that he could use it to film some new footage of "Fuller House," or stage a sleepover for the cast. Or, just maybe, rent the place out for big bucks.

Now Playing: "It ain't going away, so I better embrace it," the actor says Video: Entertainment Weekly

Since then, the renovation permits have been granted, but at least two of Franklin's neighbors have recently filed a request for a "discretionary review" hearing, which could throw a wrench in moving forward. The reason they're fighting Franklin's reno plans? They're worried that they might make their neighborhood even more overrun than ever.

Franklin is a Hollywood producer who has bought the house for commercial purposespromoting it as a fan destination, using it for promotional events and filming at the house, complained neighbor Carla Hashagan in the San Francisco Examiner. According to Hashagan, at peak times, the block is now teeming with 150-250 or more visitors and 50-75 cars per hour, with 1,000 visitors or more on weekend days. All this attention, she asserts, has wreaked havoc on our neighborhood.

As a result, locals say the sidewalks are littered with trash, and parking has become next to impossible.

Weve lived here for 46 years, and weve seen a lot of things go on. This is probably the worst thing thats happened," area resident David Natcher told CBS news. "Its brought a lot of people from all over the country, and it becomes a mob scene."

According to locals, appealing directly to Franklin to address these concerns has had little effect.

We arent getting anywhere dealing with him directly," said Natcher. "So now we have to go to the city and try to get them to do something about his requests and have him scale back what he's doing and maybe listen to our concerns."

What rights do neighbors have?

Franklins spokesperson, Evette Davis, said the producer is trying to work with neighborsby, say, going on social media to remind fans to be respectful when visiting the house. However, we cannot deter tourists from visiting, she said. We genuinely tried what we could to help.

But what happens if Franklin decides to turn on the cameras to film "Fuller House" here? Is that even allowed?

It turns out, it is allowed, to a degree. "I actually know this because I've done it," Los Angeles developer Tyler Drew tells realtor.com. "A few years ago, I renovated a large abandoned loft in Los Angeles. Once renovated, I put the home onto various film location scout websites.

"The IRS allows 14 days of tax-free filming a year," adds Drew. And you can film beyond that if you pay taxes on any income generated, and apply for the right permits before the cameras start rolling.

"Can you do it? Yes," says Drew. "Only should you all the time as a homeowner? Eh, that's where it gets tricky. [Franklin's] neighbors obviously have legal rights to quiet use of their homes."

As for what the neighbors can do, "they have the option to change the zoning's use for filming, but that could be a long and costly process," explains Jeff Miller, a Baltimore-based real estate agent at AE Home Group. "It would be better for the neighbors to take a short-term approach to minimize the impact of visitors until the hype fades away. Neighborhood-provided public trash cans can help alleviate the litter, and pooled funds to hire an off-duty police officer during peak hours could help deter loitering and illegal parking."

Even at the worst, neighbors should find some comfort in that the hubbub won't last forever. "Given a few years time, the home will likely lose its appeal as a tourist attraction," Miller says.

Sooner or later, those "Full House" fans will binge-watch their way into indifference. Or here's another upside noted by Samuel Pawlitzki, a real estate agent with Beach Cities Real Estate in Malibu, CA.

"On the one hand, it's a nuisance to have the home next to you be a tourist attraction," Pawlitzki says. "On the other, it does raise property value considerably."

The post The 'Full House' Home Faces Its Biggest Scandal Yet appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Whether he is tinkering with any number of "outdated" tools in his work shop or providing lessons for his thousands of YouTube followers, David Collins lives in the past and present.

Collins, 41, and longtime business partner Hesh Breakstone, 61, will soon celebrate the fifth anniversary of the grand opening of their shop -- Ann Arbor Guitars.

Located at the corner of Liberty Street and Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor Guitars opened one day after the closing of the Herb David Guitar Studio, a centerpiece of the Ann Arbor music culture for over 50 years.

While Herb David's shop was focused primarily on selling new guitars, Collins and Breakstone work on fixing and refurbishing old ones. Since opening in 2013, Ann Arbor Guitars has earned a national reputation and following.

Becoming a master

Guitarists travel from across the country, and Canada, to deliver their guitars for repair or to take part in one of Collins' classes, Breakstone said.

Collins is considered a master luthier - someone who repairs string instruments. He said the craftsmanship he puts into his work took years to learn and he enjoys helping musicians get back to performing.

"It's historical artifact preservation, mixed with fixing tools for working, full-time musicians," he said. "This is what they do for a living and we are preserving their ability to make that living."

Growing up in Flint, Collins has been working on guitars since he was 9 years old and built his first one when he was 15. After going to a special school when he was 18, he worked as an apprentice before going off on his own.

Perfect partnership

Breakstone, of Tecumseh, worked as a programer at General Electric for nearly two decades before retiring in 2006.

After picking up guitar repair as a hobby, he met Collins on an online forum and figured his business background would be the perfect match for Collins' work.

Collins helped out at Herb David's studio before it closed in 2013 and was a close friend, which made the transition smooth, Collins said.

What got customers in and kept them coming back was Breakstone's promise of a quick and efficient turn around on their repairs.

"If you take a Les Paul guitar to most shops, you won't get it back for two to three weeks," he said. "Bring it to us and you'll have it back in two to three days."

Due to their timely and quality work, Breakstone said Ann Arbor Guitars has had double-digit profit increases every year.

Top floor of the old Herd David Guitar Studio will become repair shop

Longtime Herb David Guitar Studio sells inventory quickly as it prepares to shut its doors

"We started this at the tail end of the recession and people thought we were nuts," he said. "It has been good for us and Ann Arbor is a great musical town. We have anybody who is anybody you would pay to go see come to us regularly."

The duo said business has been so good, in fact, they have to turn down some potential customers.

The two discourage having guitars delivered to them because they prefer to meet customers face to face. Shipping guitars also risks further damage if mishandled, Breakstone said.

"That's how we want to do business with our customers," he said. "If we're not able to be in the same room with someone and interact with them personally, we feel like we are at a disadvantage. And so are they."

Old school methods

Collins has pioneered many of his own techniques for repairing guitars, which he said are used around the world by people who have watched his videos or taken his classes.

Some of his other methods date back hundreds of years. Collins said his old school techniques vary depending on the model and age of each guitar.

"We have to use traditional techniques on certain parts," he said. "The old varnishes, adhesives we use for restorations have to be done by traditional methods. We want to use what would have been used for an original part and want it to work that way."

Collins and Breakstone said they even repair donated guitars and give them to homeless shelters, military veterans and local schools when possible.

While its reputation has grown over the last five years, Collins said he will never use services like Yelp to sell his work.

It will continue to speak for itself.

"We let our market filter itself to the instruments we work with by letting it grow organically and naturally through our established clients," he said.

Both Collins and Breakstone keep in frequent contact with David and still have old signs of his up in the work shop. Breakstone plans on sticking around for four to five more years before retiring as a luthier.

Collins said he hopes to keep the business going for many more years and is training his daughter the craft as well.
DETROIT - Authorities are searching for a man wanted in connection with a failed armed robbery attempt at a fast food restaurant in southwest Detroit.

Police say a masked man attempted to rob a McDonald's in the 6800 block of Michigan Avenue at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22.

Police are asking for help in identifying the suspect.

The suspect entered the location, approached the counter and demanded money from the register, according to police.

As the cashier alerted her supervisor, the suspect once again demanded money and then pulled out a weapon.

After the supervisor and employees failed to comply, the suspect fled on foot in an unknown direction, according to police.

No injuries were reported.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information to share with investigators can contact the Detroit Police Fourth Precinct at 313-596-5440, or provide tips via CRIMESTOPPERS at 1800-SPEAK- UP.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor has completed a review of the city's crosswalk ordinance and pedestrian infrastructure improvements since the debated ordinance was first adopted in 2010.



As directed by the City Council, that information was compiled and presented to the city's Transportation Commission, which recommended last month that the City Council maintain the crosswalk ordinance in its current form.



The information was shared with the council this past week in a package of reports responding to the council's resolution from September, which called for, among other things, a review of the city's crosswalk ordinance by a professional engineer.



The Minnesota-based Toole Design Group, contracted by the city, provided a three-page memo on Nov. 13 after completing an independent engineering review of Ann Arbor's ordinance, which differs from state law by requiring motorists to stop not only for pedestrians in crosswalks but also those waiting to cross.



Ann Arbor approves $100K for safety updates at 4 crosswalks

Ann Arbor's crosswalk law has been the subject of debate and calls for repeal since enforcement began six years ago.



"Michigan law differs from neighboring states in allowing certain rules of the road to be codified at the municipal level. There is concern that Ann Arbor's crosswalk ordinance may be more stringent than expectations in other Michigan communities, leading to uncertainty among drivers over when they are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians," the TDG memo states.



"TDG's review has found that the requirements for driver yielding behavior at crosswalks encoded in Ann Arbor's crosswalk ordinance is within the range of regional variation in norms and practices and is consistent with driver instruction in Michigan."



TDG's memo further states that laws governing driver yielding at crosswalks elsewhere in the United States are generally less explicit than Ann Arbor's ordinance, more closely matching the language found in Michigan's Uniform Traffic Code.



"Regional variability in driver yielding behavior usually stems from factors other than the letter of the law, such as social norms, driver education, and enforcement practices," the memo states.



"Given the city's stated goal of increasing walking and their broader efforts to ensure that walking remains safe and convenient, Ann Arbor's crosswalk ordinance is reasonable. The ordinance formalizes existing expectations for driver behavior."

City records show TDG was paid $1,975 on Nov. 17 and $2,375 on Dec. 14.

City Administrator Howard Lazarus told council members the Transportation Commission plans to provide additional recommendations related to application of the ordinance.

"Recommendations may include education and enforcement, among other topics," Lazarus wrote in a Dec. 6 memo.



"The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council's Policy Agenda Committee is in January 2018, and the materials and matters related to the city's crosswalk ordinance will be presented at that time."



The reports provided to the council show many locations where Ann Arbor has taken steps to improve safety at crosswalks over the last six years by installing pedestrian-activated flashing signals, as well as pedestrian islands and other treatments.



See the Transportation Commission's 2018 work plan.




THETFORD TWP, MI - Two township officials may face a recall election because they raised concerns over a program that brings surplus military equipment to the police department.

While township Trustee Stan Piechnik and Supervisor Gary Stevens both previously said they want to know exactly what military equipment the police department has and where the it is stored, one resident says he hopes they're both booted from office because of the rift.

"We're going to recall them," Eugene Lehr said of Piechnik and Stevens. "The chief has done nothing wrong and I've done nothing wrong." Lehr has stored some of the military gear on his property at the request of the police department.

There will be a hearing Dec. 27 to consider recall language for Piechnik and Stevens, according to Genesee County Clerk-Register John Gleason.

At the center of it all is program that has been used by Thetford Township police Chief Robert Kenny since 2008 to bring used military equipment to local municipalities at no cost.

The Department of Defense turns over the property to local law enforcement agencies after it's determined the items might otherwise be destroyed because they were held as part of reserve stock and are no longer needed, according to the federal Defense Logistics Agency, which oversees the program.

Thetford Township police have obtained nearly 2,000 items through the program, according to information obtained in a Freedom of Information Act Request by MLive-The Flint Journal.

Some of the gear includes 1,000 "kitchen items" that have already been consumed, mine-detecting sets, rugged-terrain forklifts, hydroseeders and musical instruments.

While some of the items are stored on Thetford Township property, according to the documents, others are stored on private property and businesses throughout Genesee County.

Records obtained by MLive in 2015 from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency show the Thetford Township Police Department has obtained 450 items through the program at a value of more than $1.1 million.

More than 8,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide have enrolled in the program, according to the agency. Items distributed to local departments range from clothes and office supplies to vehicles, rifles and other small arms.

Piechnik has claimed the township board hasn't gotten details on what specific items Thetford Township has and where the equipment is being stored.

"We're not sure because we really have not seen a complete inventory," he said. "We're really not getting much information about what's happened. There's never been a policy of how to manage it or anything."

More than 20 items are stored at Lehr's property.

He showed two of the generators Thetford police received to MLive-The Flint Journal. They're stored in his barn under a large tarp.

One a has personal watercraft sitting on top of it.

Another has a pallet with a transfer casing sitting on top of it and a label on the side said the U.S. paid $26,705.20.

Neither of the diesel generators appear to be in working order.

"They're not going to give good stuff away - they'll sell it," Lehr said, adding that the value of the items stored on his property is between $600 to $800. "I own all my own stuff. There ain't a damn thing I got from the military."

Piechnik said auditors told the township it needs to list the items as assets and provide an inventory.

When Piechnik couldn't get answers to questions he said auditors raised, he took his case to Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell.

Pickell confirmed earlier this month his office's investigation into Thetford Township centers around the police department getting equipment from the Law Enforcement Support Office.

"That organization sent an email to the township board informing them this is an investigation going on and directing them not to dispose of any equipment given to Thetford Township from LESO," Pickell said. "It's an ongoing investigation. There's just so much involved in it."

Pickell would not provide specific details about what his office is looking for.

Law enforcement agencies can dispose of the property as they wish after it is demilitarized, according to Larry Goerge who oversees the LESO program in Michigan.

That happens for a majority of items after a year, Goerge said, although certain items such as armored vehicles, weapons, aircraft and equipment with sensitive material like night vision googles are never demilitarized.

Items that aren't demilitarized or things a department can't use should be returned, Goerge said.

"They're encouraged to return stuff that they have no use for in a timely manner, but there is no set standard for that," Goerge said.

Agencies that don't follow the rules of the program could get suspended or removed from it.

Goerge said he has not had any problems or complaints from Thetford Township prior to Piechnik and Stevens.

"There's been allegations with the department for misuse of the program," he said. "It's currently being looked at by the county sheriff's department. Once they report the findings to me, LESO will make a determination on what type of penalties, if any, they will put in place."

A majority of the items collected over the years are listed as "off-site," according to documents obtained by MLive-The Flint Journal earlier this month.

Those items are stored inside a semitrailer at Saginaw and Dodge roads.

Other items are stored at Mike Walther's property in Montrose, Great Northern Transportation or Louie's Towing.

All have explanations and are allowed under the LESO program, Kenny said.

"It's basically trade for service," Kenny said. "Great Northern was doing some of the trucking for us. If it was inoperable or was going to cost more money for us to fix than it was worth - it was offered to them if they could fix it."

That includes items such as a scoop-type loader, rough terrain forklift, a transport trailer and a K-9 container.

MLive-The Flint Journal could not reach Great Northern for comment.

"I believe it's a worthwhile program for any department to belong to, but that is at the total discretion of the township board," Kenny said. "It's just a shame that two of my board members have turned a mole hill into a mountain simply just because they don't understand how the program works and neither of them want to come and talk to me."

There are more than 20 items listed as being stored at Walther's property. The equipment includes a utility truck, recovery trailer, wheeled tractors, flatbed trailer, passenger motor, utility truck, gas engines, a floodlight set, a riding lawnmower, vehicle loading ramp and trailer chassis.

"We've never charged them anything for storage," Walther said. "We did that as a favor for the police department."

He said he may have gotten a spare part here or there from the equipment, but it was mainly junk.

"It's very, very rare that any of (it has) run," he said. "We've never really used any of it."

For example, Walther said, a drop-deck trailer on Lehr's property has been used one time to move some concrete blocks.

"You really couldn't put nothing on the back - the bucket would sit too high on it - you would hit an overpass," Walther said. "It's kind of useless."

Piechnik said Thetford's board is not informed and information about the surplus equipment is not being shared in an open and transparent manner.

"Some of this stuff could be anywhere," he said.
Photos and text by Cory Morse | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Remember the Westside crossing guard Brenda Dobbs?

In November, We Are Westsiders Facebook group members decided to repay her warm smiles with some brand new winter boots.



The group was inspired by Dobbs' enthusiasm for her job as she helps students and pedestrians cross the intersection of Alpine Avenue and Leonard Street.

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"Smiles and waves can do a lot," We Are Westsiders member Marie Cimochowicz said at the time.

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Now that Dobbs has had the opportunity to test her new boots in blustery winter conditions, we wanted to check in to see how they're working out.

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Dobbs said they have indeed been "nice and warm."

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Often outside in cold and snow, she's very thankful for the gift. It turns out she doesn't care for winter, wishing West Michigan's climate was a little more like the Bahamas.

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Of course, most people wouldn't realize Dobbs' disdain for cold weather because, as usual, she is still smiling and waving.

"It's in my heart and I'm going to do my job," she said. "It's out of love."

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When Dobbs was presented with the boots, Kent County Commissioner Carol Hennessy said Dobbs spreads happiness amid the hustle and bustle of city traffic.

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"Even drivers often grumping along on their daily routes have their moods turned around finding they can't help but smile as they pass her," Hennessy said. "She smiles and waves and you forget all about the red light."

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"You have to keep on and hoping for the better because some days are harder than others," Dobbs explained. "You have to keep putting out your heart."

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When Dobbs isn't cheerfully guiding children across busy streets, she works two other jobs as a caretaker.

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She has been caring for Barbara Adams (above) for about three years through Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.



Adams said they clicked right away.



"I opened the door and here is this itty bitty woman standing here with a big smile on her face," she said of Dobbs. "I hired her right on the spot."



If Adams is feeling down Dobbs, works to spread her smile.



"That laugh, you know, it's just an infectious laugh," Adams said. "We're very close, we're very good friends.



"She's just a blessing. She's one of God's gifts to me."

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Over the last year, Dobbs has also been helping Glen Richards, 82, (above) through Great Lakes Caring.

"I think I went through about six girls," Richards said of her previous caretakers. "Then I got Brenda and she just fell right in.



"She's a good friend. I feel like I could ask her to do anything."

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Grand Rapids Public Schools' winter break means Dobbs will take a rest watching her intersection.

"I still miss my kids," she said. "I pray for them when I'm not there to keep them safe."

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In the meantime, she's thankful this Christmas for her new boots.



"I appreciate everyone," said Dobbs. "I'm just humbled. It's really awesome."
HOLLAND, MI -- Samantha Hill is glad she accepted an invitation to attend a "Drinks and Digital" meetup in Holland in early 2017.

She left the event with a job offer to do photography for Next Door Photos, a real estate photography firm.

"It's nice because it worked around my class schedule," said Hill, a Grandville native and Hope College senior finishing up a degree in sociology and communications.

Hill isn't the only person who has landed work from the free gatherings held across West Michigan in brew pubs and bistros.

Tim Haines, owner of Symposia Labs, has heard of other people making similar connections. His firm hired three people from the events.

"We want people invested in the community to be part of our team and if they are coming to these events that is a sign," Haines said.

His 5-year-old digital marketing firm specializes in email marketing, Facebook advertising and Google Adwords. The staff includes seven employees and two contractors.

Symposia Labs operates out of a second floor office in downtown Holland office, at 35 1/2 W. 8th St., and plans to open a second location in Grand Rapids' Heritage Hill neighborhood in February.

Symposia Labs started the Drinks and Digital meetups three years ago as a way to connect with other digital marketing professionals in West Michigan.

The monthly gatherings began in Holland, then expanded to Grand Rapids, Grand Haven and Lansing. In 2018, there are plans to add them in Kalamazoo and Chicago.

The focus of the event is creating community for those in or interested in breaking into the digital marketing industry.

"We've decided a casual format works best," Haines said. "Usually, we'll have a discussion topic. It's very informal. We have a topic and just chat."

Not only are the meetups free, they are no sales zone.

"We try to keep them commercial free as well. It's meant to be a community. No one is there to sell anything," Haines said.

While Drinks and Digital's membership list snowballed to more 1,000 people, the monthly meetups have remained intimate, with 15 to 25 people attending each one.

It's organized through Meetup.com, which manages the informal membership. There is also a Facebook page where members discuss issues and share job opportunities. A list of the upcoming meetings is on Drinksdigital.com.

"The goal is to stay small," said Haines. "The loose format and passionate attendees make for an untraditional networking experience fostering more organic connections."

The gatherings tend to attract primarily marketers, social media managers, photographers, videographers and designers.

Usually, the focus at the gatherings is on sharing best practices in digital marketing.

"We are in the midst of a major transition in the way we shop and sell," said Steve VanderVeen, a Hope College business professor, who encourages his students to attend.

Some of his students recently completed a project on how to draw more students to the meetups.

"One of their key findings was to mention that drinks don't always refer to alcohol," Haines said. "They had a list of suggestions at the end of the semester. I was kind of blown away."

Along with adding new locations, Haines wants to see the meetup community create an educational conference or something similar.
By PTI: Chennai, Dec 24 (PTI) Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll, the outcome of which can have a bearing on political equations in Tamil Nadu, began here today.

The seat was represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The counting began by 8 am at Queen Marys College here and the process is expected to be completed in 19 rounds. As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise. Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security. The outcome of the result is crucial for all key contenders - the ruling AIADMK, rival leader T T V Dhinakaran, and the main opposition DMK.

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Unfazed by some exit polls indicating an edge for rival AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, both AIADMK and DMK have expressed confidence that they would win the seat.

For the ruling regime helmed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, it will be seen as an acid test of whether voters prefer them after the demise of their formidable leader late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. For Dhinakaran, who claims to represent the welfare legacy of Jayalalithaa, the bypoll success is a veritable springboard for his future political aspirations. Success for an aggressive DMK is critical as it would lend credence to its campaign line that the people were fed up with the incumbent "horse-trading" regime and wanted to bring it to the seat of power for dispensing good governance. The DMK has been bolstered with the support of some more parties, including the Left, MDMK and VCK. A win in this bypoll could help it project itself as a much more redoubtable key opposition party. While there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities. The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round. The bypoll held on December 21 had seen a record 77.68 per cent voter turnout. There are 59 candidates in the fray, but the fight is essentially a triangular one, with key contenders being ruling AIADMKs E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent. The ruling AIADMK got back its Two Leaves election symbol back following merger of factions led by Palaniswami and former rebel O Panneerselvam. The 2015 R K Nagar bypoll in which Jayalalithaa was elected by a huge margin of 1.5 lakh votes for the first time in this segment had witnessed a record 75 per cent turnout. R K Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders. PTI VGN SS APR DV

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MICHIGAN -- The Michigan League of Women Voters has filed a federal lawsuit targeting gerrymandering and wants state and federal legislative districts redrawn.

The lawsuit was filed Friday, Dec. 22 in U.S. District for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit.

In a statement, LWV administrators said they joined with 11 Michigan residents to pursue the lawsuit against Secretary of State Ruth Johnson.

"Michigan's current electoral maps were drawn in a secretive partisan process with little discussion or debate before being quickly passed through the Legislature," LWV officials wrote in statement.

They say Democrats have been the losers after districts were redrawn in both 2001 and 2011 following the federal census.

"The Michigan Legislature intentionally tilted the Current Apportionment Plan heavily against Democrats and in favor of Republicans. In each of the state legislative bodies and the congressional delegation, Democratic candidates now have to win many more votes statewide than Republican candidates in order for their party to win the same number of seats," a paragraph in the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit asks for a three-judge panel to be created and seeks a ruling to declare the current apportionment plan as unconstitutional and invalid.

LWV officials also want a process established to redraw the districts in a "fair" manner.
A short-circuit is said to have caused the fire.

By Ajay Kumar: Around 100 patients and hospital staff narrowly escaped a major fire that broke out in a private hospital in east Delhi's Preet Vihar on Saturday.

The fire broke out in the second floor of upscale Metro Hospital and Cancer Institute at 3.28 pm, and one patient received burn injuries.

Sources said that a short-circuit could be the reason for the fire mishap. Major portions of the hospital, including the ICU, were engulfed in few minutes.

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According to a senior official of the fire department, hospital staffers initially swung into action and rescued 84 patients. They have been shifted to Max hospital at Noida.

Delhi fire service pressed 15 fire tenders, which took two-and-a-half hours to douse the flame. Besides, one sky lifter, 15 CATS ambulance, and a team of QRT were used in the rescue operation.

The operation was supervised by DCP, east, Ombir Singh Bishnoi and deputy commissioner Kulanand Joshi.

"The intense fire has damaged medical equipment installed in the ICU and other sections of the building. There were two patients in the ICU who were caught in the fire, and they ran out towards corridor to save their lives," said an eyewitness.

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British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson poses for a picture in front of St. Basil's Cathedral as he visits Red Square in Moscow, Russia (REUTERS)

India and Russia on Saturday decided to actively promote inter-regional cooperation as the two sides undertook a comprehensive review of economic cooperation in key areas, including energy, trade and investment, during a meeting of the inter-governmental commission in Delhi.

The meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

"Deepening the special and privileged strategic partnership, Swaraj welcomes Rogozin," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Apart from raising the level of the Joint Working Group on trade and economic cooperation to that of Deputy Minister/Commerce Secretary level and creating a mechanism to discuss and remove barriers to trade, if any, the two sides also created working groups to boost ties in agriculture and pharmaceuticals, an MEA statement said.

Kumar said that External Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Rogozin undertook a comprehensive review of economic cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, transport, energy, agriculture, industry and space under IRIGC-EC (framework).

"Agreement to actively promote inter-regional cooperation which has significant untapped potential for cooperation" was among some of the concrete outcomes of the meeting, the ministry said.

Noting the impressive growth of 22 percent in bilateral trade in the year 2016-17, the Commission assessed the progress on issues concerning the most significant aspects of our bilateral economic cooperation.

The discussions also brought out action points for both sides, implementation of which would assist in early realization of the full potential of this important relationship, it said.

The two sides also decided to expedite implementation of the Green Corridor for exchange of pre-arrival data between the customs administrations of the two countries, the ministry added.

Rogozin also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and met the defence minister and the national security adviser.
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Budget carrier IndiGo has become the first Indian airline to operate over 1,000 daily flights across its domestic and international network.

Besides, the Gurgaon-based airline has also attained a fleet size of 150 aircraft with the induction of one more A320 Neo plane, it said in a release on Saturday.

The dual feat was achieved on Friday, it said.

Flight 6E 185 from Mumbai to Cochin took off on December 22 at 2315 hours to become 1,000th flight for the first time in the history of Indian civil aviation, the airline said.

IndiGo also took the delivery of its 31st Airbus A-320 Neo aircraft on the same day, which raised its fleet size to 150 aircraft, it said.

IndiGo is the second airline in the country with a fleet size of 150 planes after disinvestment-bound flag carrier Air India.

Air India Group, which comprises Air India, its international budget arm Air India Express and regional arm Alliance Air, has a combined fleet size of 155 planes.

"We are truly excited to achieve a 1,000-daily flights landmark," IndiGo president and Whole Time Director Aditya Ghosh was quoted in the release as saying.

IndiGo currently commands 39.4 percent market share but its on-time performance (OTP) slipped to the second position after rival SpiceJet clocked 81.9 percent OTP from four airports in November.
Children dressed in Santa Claus costumes sit inside a classroom before participating in Christmas celebrations at a school in Chandigarh, India, (REUTERS)

The week gone by was great for the market as not only equity benchmarks, but also broader markets ended at fresh record closing highs, driven by technology, metals, auto, FMCG and PSU banks stocks. The BJP's victories in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections lifted sentiment. Global cues also lent support after the US passed a bill that slashes the corporate tax rate in the country to 21 percent from 35 percent.

Benchmark indices added more than 3 percent gains in three consecutive weeks while for the passing week, the 30-share BSE Sensex gained 1.4 percent; and the 50-share NSE Nifty rallied 1.55 percent to close a tad below the psychological 10,500-mark ahead of expiry of December futures & options contracts next week. The index hit an intraday record high of 10,501.10 on Friday.

Short covering could be one reason for rally as the rupee has been rangebound around 64-64.50 against the US dollar during the month despite FII selling, and rising bond yields and crude oil prices.

The broader markets outperformed frontline indices, with the Nifty Midcap index surged 4.4 percent and BSE Smallcap gained 4.5 percent. On the other side, the volatility has also gradually been reduced especially after the Gujarat elections, with India VIX falling to 11.5875 from 16.4075 in previous week.

After big gains, the rally might continue in the coming truncated week but largely there could be volatility and rangebound trade, experts suggest.

One reason for consolidation would be the December F&O expiry on Thursday and second would be the low volumes expected at FIIs desk and lack of cues due to Christmas holidays.

Experts expect stock-specific action to continue.

Overall, 2017 is expected to end with around 28 percent gains on the Nifty, though there could be consolidation in the last week of the year.

Amar Ambani of IIFL Private Wealth feels with FIIs now in vacation mode, subdued index action is likely and the focus on broader markets is expected to stay.

Dilip Bhat, Joint MD, Prabhudas Lilladher said, "The momentum that has been built up following Gujarat Elections has been complemented by global factors as well. So, the momentum is expected to continue. However, for the Nifty to move above 10,700 and 10,800, it will need support of strong earnings growth as well as GDP growth."

Indian and global markets will remain shut on Monday for Christmas.

Here are 10 things to watch out for in the coming truncated week:-

F&O Expiry

The Nifty futures and options contracts will expire on Thursday and trading positions will be rolled over to January the series.

On Friday, Maximum Put open interest was seen at 10,000 strike followed by 10,400 while maximum Call OI was at 10,500 strike followed by 10,600 strike.

Fresh Put writing was seen at 10,400, 10,450 and 10,500 strikes while fresh Call writing was seen at 10,550 and 10,650 strikes.

As volatility is largely expected in the coming week, the 10,400 levels on the Nifty could be key to watch out for and the expiry is likely around 10,400-10,500 levels.

Amit Gupta of ICICIdirect said, "The Nifty50 is expected to consolidate above 10,400 in the coming week. Eventually, it should be able to move towards 10,600."

Shift in Put writing, as well as Call writing to a higher strike, suggests shifting of the support. Option band signifies a broader trading band between the range of 10,400 to 10,600 for next coming sessions, Chandan Taparia, Derivatives, and Technical Analyst at Motilal Oswal Securities told Moneycontrol.

Winter Session of Parliament

The ongoing winter session of Parliament will be important to watch out for. The Rajya Sabha has been in a deadlock since the beginning of session as the Congress is demanding that Narendra Modi apologise for allegedly insulting his predecessor Manmohan Singh during the Gujarat election campaign. So all eyes will be on how the government is able to pass the important Bills listed on its agenda.

The Goods & Services Tax (Compensation to States) Ordinance, 2017, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, and Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 are some of the important bills expected to be taken up.

Auto Sector

Auto stocks will remain in focus in the coming week, especially on Friday ahead of December sales data due on January 1.

Sales data have been good so far and there was no disruption due to GST rollout.

The Nifty Auto index rallied more than 30 percent in 2017 and gained over 4 percent in the passing week.

Oil Sector

Oil stocks will be in focus on Tuesday as crude oil prices are near their highest levels since 2015 after comments from Saudi Arabia and Russia stating that any exit from crude output cuts would be gradual.

Oil marketing companies (HPCL, BPCL and IOC) might be under selling pressure but oil exploration firms (ONGC and Oil India) may strengthen further.

ONGC rallied 3 percent on Friday following an increase in crude oil prices. Brent crude oil futures ended above USD 65 a barrel last week.

If crude oil rises further from here on then that will have major impact on fiscal deficit and economic growth as India imports around 80 percent of oil requirement.

Macro Data

On Friday, infrastructure output data for November (which was at 4.7 percent in October) and foreign debt for Q3 (USD 485.8 billion in previous quarter) will be released.

Foreign Exchange Reserves for the week ended December 22 (which was at USD 401.39 billion in the previous week) will also be announced on Friday.

Technical Outlook

The Nifty50 formed a robust bull candle after two bearish candles which is a bullish sign, experts said. Investors should remain long with a stop loss below 10,426 levels, they advised.

"The near term trend of Nifty is positive as per smaller and larger timeframe (like daily and weekly) and more upside could be expected in the next couple of weeks. However, due to year end, there is possibility of gradual up move amidst range bound action for next week," Nagaraj Shetti, Technical Research Analyst of HDFC Securities said.

Mitessh Thakkar of mitesshthakkar.com said the hope is that on Tuesday the market is expected to open with a gap-up and continue with the momentum. If that happens, then 10,700-10,750 should be immediate targets.

"However, if there is a gap-down then we will back to the range of 10,400-10,500, which might last for 1-2 sessions," he added.

FIIs and DIIs Flow

The money flow from foreign institutional investors could be slowed down in the coming week as FIIs generally go on leave during the last week of the year because of the Christmas holidays. However, domestic inflow is expected to continue.

"The market optimism is expected to continue due to expectation of NAV-based buying till December end," said Anita Gandhi, Whole Time Director at Arihant Capital Markets.

Domestic institutional investors were net buyers to the tune of around Rs 3,500 crore in the passing week while FIIs have net sold nearly Rs 3,000 crore worth of shares.

Corporate Action

Stocks in Focus

Prakash Industries may react to the news that SEBI has revoked its order regarding suspected shell companies.

Corporation Bank will also be in focus as its board of directors has approved additional fund raising of Rs 300 crore in one or more tranches with greenshoe option.

EID Parry may react positively as the board has approved sale of its bio pesticides business as a going concern by the way of slump sale to Coromandel International for Rs 303 crore. It also approved sale of entire stake in Parry America Inc for Rs 35.4 crore.

Reliance Communications will be in focus as a media report indicated that Reliance Jio emerged as highest bidder for the company's assets.

(Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.)

Global Cues

The minutes of the Bank of Japan monetary policy meeting will be released on Tuesday. On Thursday, Japan's industrial production data for November and US initial jobless claims for the week ended December 22 will be announced.
Former telecom minister A Raja reacts as he leaves the Patiala House Courts after he was acquitted by a special court in the 2G scam case, in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI)

Two days after their acquittal in the 2G scam case, former Union minister A Raja and DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi on Saturday arrived here to a rousing welcome by party workers.

Led by DMK Working President M K Stalin, a host of party leaders, including Duraimurugan and former Union minister TR Baalu, welcomed them at the airport.

Stalin and others presented shawls to the duo. Cadres showered flowers, burst firecrackers and played traditional music. They also performed folk dances like 'Karagattam' and 'Kavadi'.

Raja and Kanimozhi visited party patriarch M Karunanidhi at his residence here and took his blessings. Upon their arrival at the Gopalpuram residence of the nonagenarian leader, Raja touched the top leader's feet as a mark of respect and presented a shawl. The former Union minister told Karunanidhi "I have been acquitted in the 2G Spectrum case" and shook his hand.

Kanimozhi took the blessings of her father and party chief and reportedly told him that she and the party stood vindicated in the case.

Karunanidhi smiled and later waved at the party cadres. Since October last year, the nonagenarian leader has been inactive in politics due to ill health.

The party workers erupted in cheers when the wheelchair- bound leader waved at them, which is not an everyday gesture nowadays in view of his health. Raja, Kanimozhi and 15 others accused were on Thursday acquitted in the politically-sensitive 2G spectrum allocation scam cases by a special court in Delhi, which held that the prosecution "miserably failed" to prove the charges.
India's first low-cost carrier Air Deccan, which ceased operations after being acquired by erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines in 2008, took wings again as a commuter airline on Saturday with its maiden flight taking off for Jalgaon from Mumbai.

The flight, DN 1320, got airborne at 2.55 pm for Jalgaon in North Maharashtra, around 400 km from Mumbai, where it landed at sharp 4 pm amid the traditional water cannon salute.

The flight was inaugurated by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil along with Air Deccan chairman Captain G R Gopinath.

Air Deccan's strategic partners Shaishav Shah of Ahmedabad-based GSEC Ltd and Himanshu Shah of Monarch Networth Capital as well as senior DGCA officials were on-board the 19-seater Beechcraft 1900 D aircraft.

The flight took off the ground around 2.55 pm instead of the scheduled departure of 1.20 pm due to some airport- related issues.

Addressing a small function at the Jalgaon airport to mark the arrival of the first scheduled flight, Gopinath said the objective of the relaunch of Air Deccan was to realise an unfulfilled dream, and to provide connectivity to all parts of Maharashtra as well as other regions of the country.

"We plan to connect Satara, Solapur, Latur and many many more cities of the state with Mumbai," he said.

Air Deccan, which was granted the scheduled commuter operator's permit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to launch air services under the Government's regional connectivity scheme, Udan, has started flights to Jalgaon and Nashik from Mumbai and Pune, and will soon connect Kolhapur as well, Gopinath said.

In the first phase, it will operate 36 flights per week.

Earlier, talking to PTI at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Gopinath said he was feeling fortunate to see Air Deccan taking to skies again. "It's a sense of great beginning. A sense of being fortunate that Air Deccan is taking off again," he said.

There was a dream of taking flying to every possible corner of the country, which did not come to fruition because of Air Deccan's merger with the Kingfisher Airlines in 2008, he said.

"Now I have the opportunity to rebuild operations across the country," said the pioneer of low-cost aviation in India.

Later, the flight took off for Nashik via Mumbai after a brief halt at the CSIA airport here and then to Pune.

Air Deccan bagged 34 routes in the first phase of bidding for Udan scheme, which caps fares at Rs 2,500 for a flight of under-hour duration.

For the Jalgaon flight, the airline has pegged fares at Rs 2,250 for 50 per cent of the seats, to be operated under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, while the price for the remaining nine seats will be Rs 4,500, an official said.

Under Udan, operators have been allowed to sell 50 per cent of the seats at market rates while the remaining seats are to be sold at subsidised rates.
Five more girls were rescued from Virendra Dev's ashram at two places in Vivek Vihar and Uttam Nagar.

By Ajay Kumar: Five more girls were rescued from Virendra Dev's ashram at two places in Vivek Vihar and Uttam Nagar.

Following public outrage, the Delhi Police along with Delhi Commission for Women jointly raided these places and rescued the girls on Saturday.

They were then sent to Minda's children observation home for counselling.

The 41 girls rescued from different centres of the ashram are staying in the same observation home.

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Raids were conducted on a tip-off by locals that girls were being shifted to undisclosed locations in night.

When the police and DCW team tried to enter the premises, they faced stiff resistance from the security personnel.

Locals protested outside the ashram and demanded for its complete sealing.

Sources said the observation home staffs were facing problems in counselling the rescued girls.

"The girls rescued from Vivek Vihar ashram are not cooperating with us. They neither cook food at the observation home, nor wear clothes provided by us. They do not come out of their rooms and insist on wearing only ashram clothes," an official said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan police on Saturday visited Uttam Nagar ashram following a complaint registered by one Durgesh in Jhunjhunu police station.

However, Durgesh's daughter refused to go with him. Similarly, daughter of a Nepal national too refused to meet him.

The issue had come to light due to a PIL filed by an NGO before the Delhi High Court.

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Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers, along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Saturday, officials said.

The latest violation of the ceasefire agreement took place at a time Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was camping in Rajouri district headquarters to address people's grievances, they said.

A defence spokesman said Pakistani troops targeted the Army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector at around 1215 hours.

"We suffered three fatal casualties including one officer in the incident. Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh were grievously injured during the ceasefire violation and succumbed to their injuries. Two other personnel also sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment," the spokesman said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Rajouri Yougal Manhar added that one of the two injured personnel died later.

The Army, in a statement, said that Indian troops retaliated "strongly and effectively" to the "unprovoked" firing.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh paid rich tributes to the slain soldiers and condemned Pakistan for the ceasefire violation.

"Pakistan is indulging in such cowardly actions and is being given a befitting response, but it does not desist from such cowardly acts," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Major Ambadas (32) belonged to Bhandara district in Maharashtra and is survived by wife Avoli Moharkar, while Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (34) belonged to Amritsar district in Punjab and is survived by wife kuljit Kaur and a daughter.

Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) belonged to Karnal district in Haryana and is survived by wife Ramanpreet Kaur and a son, the Army said.

"Major Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail and Sepoy Pargat were brave and sincere soldiers. The nation will always remain indebted to them for their supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the Army statement said.

The deputy chief minister said Pakistan has got isolated at the global stage, especially on the issue of terrorism.

"Pakistan is a terrorist state and it will not be too long before the country is declared a terrorist state by the world. It does not only support terrorism but also provide state sponsorship," Singh said.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday alleged that the previous UPA regime had divergent views on Aadhaar and the Congress-led government changed its position to oppose the legislation after assuming the role of Opposition in Parliament.

Also, the initial legislation related to Aadhaar during the UPA regime was a "bald" one, Jaitley said.

The finance minister recalled that Nandan Nilekani gave a "forceful and persuasive" presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who decided to go ahead with it, soon after the NDA government came to power.

However, he said, when the Act was reworked by the present government, "one thing which was clear that the privacy provisions were required".

"...the UPA government had two clear schools of thought. One which was not enthused by Aadhaar at all and therefore raised issues... relating to national security. And the other (school of thought) which was pushing it. As a result, (it) was a very bald legislation," said Jaitley.

He further said that when the present government decided to go ahead with Aadhaar, the UPA, now in Opposition, almost made it clear that they were opposed to this idea.

On Congress' stance on the legislation, Jaitley remarked, "Where do you stand now literally depends upon where you sit in the House."

Jaitley was speaking at the launch of a book 'Aadhaar: A Biometric History of India's 12-Digit Revolution' written by Shankkar Aiyar here.
20:04

work on gunpoint', so we think PM can be our best representative" tweets ANI 20:00 Uttar Pradesh Minister alleges that UPA government had put pressure on CBI in 2G case Uttar Pradesh minister of state (independent charge) for water supply and water resources Upendra Tiwari today alleged that efforts were made to save the accused persons in the 2G scam during the Congress-led UPA regime. "It was during the regime of the Congress-led UPA government that the 2G spectrum scam took place. The then government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made efforts to save its own minister and other accused," Tiwari told reporters here today. He alleged that the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in order to save the accused, had put pressure on the CBI. "In this case, the acquittal of the accused was quite natural," Tiwari said attacking the UPA leadership. 19:45 World economies need single currency: Anil Bokil 'One currency, one world' is needed for the sustainable progress of economies, Anil Bokil, founder of the Pune-based think-tank Arthakranti, said here today. Bokil, the man behind the demonetisation move in India, said if the economies were to progress sustainably then there should be one currency driving the world. He also said there should be transparency in transactions, which is possible only through banking services. 19:15 LIC increases stake in PNB to 14% The country's largest insurer LIC has increased its stake in public sector lender Punjab National Bank to 13.93 percent through qualified institutional placement. Post the acquisition of shares, Life Insurance Corporation's stake in the bank, which earlier stood at 9.89 percent, increased by 4.04 percent to 13.93 percent, according to a regulatory filing. The mode of acquisition/sale was qualified institutional placement, the filing revealed. 19:02 China warns companies against reliance on foreign technology China today warned manufacturers of industrial control systems against heavy reliance on foreign technology and asked them to increase localisation. Vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wang Shengjun, while briefing lawmakers on cyberspace in an official report, said some key industrial control companies not only have their production control systems built by foreign companies. They also allow related cyberspace security equipment to be foreign-produced and controlled. And worse, even Chinese staff have no permission for configuration and administration, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. "The localisation rate of equipment and control systems in major industrial companies should increase," Wang said. 18:50 India have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the third T20i in Mumbai, tweets ANI 18:45 First AC suburban service in Mumbai to commence tomorrow

Briefing about the fare, a statement said that the base fare of the single journey of AC local shall be 1.3 times of the base fare of existing fare of the single journey first class ticket. Read the full story here.

17:39 TTV Dinakaran wins RK Nagar bypoll by wide margin

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.AIIMS doctors write to PM Narendra Modi urging him to understand the stress they are working under, Association President DR. Harjit Singh Bhati says, "Rajasthan Health Minister said 'will make doctors

AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran won the RK Nagar bypoll as an independent candidate. Dinakaran's victory over Jayalalithaas erstwhile seat might spell choppy waters for the EPS and OPS factions. After nineteen rounds of counting, Dinakaran got 89,013 votes, while AIADMK's Madhusudhanan got 48,306 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh got 24,651 votes.

In a major leg-up to fund-raising activities, Indian companies are estimated to have mopped up a whopping Rs 8.5 lakh crore from capital markets in 2017, rising by about a quarter with debt instruments remaining the most preferred route for financing business needs.

However, corporates may face increased pressure in 2018 in terms of availability and cost of debt capital in domestic markets and they may favour borrowing money from overseas markets or raising money from equities in the new year.

Out of the cumulative Rs 8.5 lakh crore garnered this year from capital markets, a large chunk or over Rs 7 lakh crore has been mopped up from the debt market, data compiled by analytics major Prime Database showed.

In 2016, firms had raised Rs 7.7 lakh crore and most of the funds were mobilised through debt markets that year too.

17:05 Natural gas to soon come under GST ambit

The new goods and services tax (GST) will likely include natural gas under its ambit soon.

On July 1, when the new national sales tax was implemented, it was decried as technologically tedious and expensive and had potential to torpedo political prospects of the ruling BJP.

However, the government made numerous changes, including easing the tax filing process and reducing rates on over 200 items, to save the day for the party in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat.

16:50 Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 68392 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan at 36217 votes, DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh at 18924 , BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1126 votes at the end of counting round 14 , tweets ANI.

16:31 Plan for all-electric cars by 2030 not viable, says Mercedes chief

Luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has urged the government "not to rush with the all-electric vehicles push" and thus "foreclose better technological options" for future generations as the rest of the world is racing to run on hydrogen and not electricity.

The car manufacturer also called for adopting a less ambitious plan of promoting e-cars arguing that a nationwide electrification of the auto industry is just not commercially and technologically viable.

Mercedes-Benz India managing director and chief executive Roland Folger said, " By 2040, the whole world will be driving home hydrogen cars. To me the whole plan to go electric nationwide looks like a rushed with idea."

More importantly, he added, with such a rush we are foreclosing options for better technologies for the future generations.

The auto industry in the country was taken by surprise after the Narendra Modi government announced last year that the entire auto industry would go electric by the turn of 2030.

16:00 TMC wins Sabang Assembly constituency by-poll by 64,192 votes.

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday won the Sabang Assembly constituency by-poll by a massive margin of 64,192 votes.

Trinamool candidate Gita Rani Bhunia got 1,06,179 votes while her nearest rival Rita Mondal of the Left Front backed Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) secured 41,987 votes.

Biplobi

Bangla

15:40 IRFC hopeful of raising Rs 1,000 crore from capital gains bonds

Amid a continuous downslide popularity over the past few years,the by-poll offered an opportunity for the CPI-M, which contested the seat for the first time as the Left Front, during its 34 year rule, had fieldedCongress candidates.

Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) is hopeful of raising Rs 1,000 crore from the recent issue of capital gains bonds, its Managing Director S K Pattanayak said today.

With an aim to raise Rs 500 crore with the green shoe option to retain over-subscription, IRFC is looking at mopping up Rs 1,000 crore from the capital gains bonds, he told PTI here.

Stating that IRFC opened the issue on November 10, Pattanayak said the bonds have a lock-in period of three years and presently yields an interest of 5.25 per cent per annum, payable on October 15 every year.

The bonds have benefits under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act, 1961, he said.

IRFC is among the four institutions authorised by the Union Finance Ministry to issue such bonds. The other three non-banking financial companies are NHAI, REC and PFC.

15:07 PM Modi likely to attend WEF Davos Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make his debut at the World Economic Forum's annual jamboree of the global elite in the snow-laden Swiss resort town of Davos next month, where he is also expected to address a special plenary session.

While the final list of participants would be released next month itself for the five-day Davos Annual Meeting of Geneva-based WEF beginning January 22, 2018, sources familiar with the programme said Indian presence will be really big this time with over 100 CEOs including Mukesh Ambani, Chanda Kochhar and Uday Kotak, as also Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and top filmmaker Karan Johar expected to participate.

Modi is expected to be accompanied by some union ministers and top government officials, while a large India Inc delegation led by apex industry chamber CII will also be present at the meet, whose theme will be 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World'.

14:40 Narayana Murthy trashes AI as hype, asks IT leaders to be less greedy

Corporate thought-leader and Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has flayed the high wage hikes that senior managements have been apportioning to themselves when the software industry is in trying times and has advised them to make "sacrifices" to maintain common man's faith in capitalism.

Conceding that times are difficult for the IT services sector, Murthy dismissed the commonly attributed threats of artificial intelligence and automation as "more hype than reality".

Terming the trend of no hikes for juniors and freshers as "worrisome," Murthy rued that the senior level people have been taking handsome hikes.

14:11 Jai Ram Thakur to be Himachal Pradeshs next Chief Minister

Five-time MLA Jai Ram Thakur will be Himachal Pradeshs next chief minister. The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP legislators on Sunday.

Earlier, a lack of consensus among the newly elected MLAs had resulted in the two central observers - Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar - returning to Delhi from Shimla to hold fresh consultations with the central leadership.

Union Minister JP Nadda was also believed to be in the fray.

The leadership issue cropped up following the shocking defeat of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who was defeated from the Sujanpur constituency by Rajinder Rana of the Congress.

Dhumals defeat came even as the BJP comfortably won the Assembly elections in the state with victories in 44 out of 68 seats.

14:08 Latest leads as counting continues for the RK Nagar bypoll in Tamil Nadu:

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 39,548E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 19,525

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 10,292

14:03 Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, mother to visit Pakistan on Dec 25

Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office has said.

They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. The Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

13:34 Govt empowers I-T dept to get defaulters addresses from banking, municipal authorities

The government has amended rules and empowered the taxman to use banking, insurance and municipal corporation's database to obtain address of a 'hiding' or an 'untraceable' income tax defaulter for issuance of notices or summonses to them and extract due taxes.

Till now, tax authorities could only issue notice to a defaulting or erring taxpayer as per the address provided by them in their PAN (Permanent Account Number), the ITR (income tax return) or any tax-related communication.

13:03 Railway mulls extra charges during festivals, discounts for odd-hour travels

Premium charges during festivals such as Diwali, Durga Puja and discounts for travelling odd-hours, choosing a less popular route or train or one having no pantry services, are some of the proposals the Railway Board is considering on dynamic-pricing.

During a meeting with senior officials last week, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal as well as the board underlined the need for flexible dynamic-pricing in order to offer competitive fares vis-a-vis airlines.

12:30 India's GDP to grow at 7.5 percent in 2018: Nomura

The Indian economy is expected to witness sharp recovery in the January-March quarter and its GDP growth likely to be around 7.5 percent for 2018, says a Nomura report.

According to Japanese financial services major Nomura's Composite Leading Index (CLI), some growth consolidation is likely in Q4 (October-December), followed by a sharp recovery in Q1 (January-March) 2018 due to ongoing remonetisation and improving global demand.

12:05 Triumph targets more sales from India's smaller cities

British premium motorcycle maker Triumph is training its sights on India's smaller cities as it targets around 15 percent of its total sales in the country from those markets next year.

Aiming double digit sales growth for 2018, the company has also lined up at least four new product launches for next year, by when it will locally assemble 90 percent of its products sold here.

"Our target for next year is that 10-15 percent of our total sales should come from tier-II cities," Triumph Motorcycles India MD Vimal Sumbly said.

11:40 North Korea slams new UN sanctions as an 'act of war': state media

North Korea on Sunday slammed the latest UN sanctions imposed on it over the isolated country's widely-condemned intercontinental ballistic missile tests, describing the move as an "act of war".

"We fully reject the latest UN sanctions... as a violent breach of our republic's sovereignty and an act of war that destroys the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and a wider region," Pyongyang's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency.

11:15 Dhinakaran widens lead: After the third round of counting, Independent candidate TTV Dinakaran is leading with 15,868 votes in the RK Nagar bypoll, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 7,033 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 3,750 votes.

11:00 Philippines storm death toll climbs to 182, hundreds still missing

The death toll from a tropical storm in the southern Philippines rose to 182 early on Sunday, with 153 people still missing, police said, after rescuers pulled dozens of bodies from a swollen river.

Tropical Storm Tembin has lashed the nation's second- largest island of Mindanao since Friday, triggering flash floods and mudslides.

10:30 Air Deccan takes wings again

India's first low-cost carrier Air Deccan, which ceased operations after being acquired by erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines in 2008, took wings again as a commuter airline on Saturday with its maiden flight taking off for Jalgaon from Mumbai.

The flight, DN 1320, got airborne at 2.55 pm for Jalgaon in North Maharashtra, around 400 km from Mumbai, where it landed at sharp 4 pm amid the traditional water cannon salute.

The flight was inaugurated by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil along with Air Deccan chairman Captain G R Gopinath.

10:05 Tejashwi Yadav defiant after father Lalu Prasad's conviction

Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said his father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad's conviction in a second fodder scam case was a "conspiracy" against their family and they would move the Jharkhand High Court against the special CBI court's verdict.

The RJD was not worried and it would fight against any such conspiracy, he said.

"It is a conspiracy against Laluji and his family. We will move the High Court and we are confident that we will get justice there," he said.

09:50 After the second round, TTV Dinakaran is leading with 7,276 votes in the RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 2,737 votes, while DMK's Maruthu Ganesh has received 1,181 votes so far.

09:40 What does the truncated week ahead hold in store for the markets? Here are 10 things to track.

09:20 The rebel has taken a big lead in RK Nagar. Here's the latest from the counting:

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 1,891

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 646

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 360

K Nagarajan (BJP): 66

NOTA: 102

09:15 Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll, the outcome of which can have a bearing on political equations in Tamil Nadu, has begun.

The outcome of the result is crucial for all key contenders - the ruling AIADMK, rival leader TTV Dhinakaran, and the main opposition DMK.

Unfazed by some exit polls indicating an edge for rival AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, both AIADMK and DMK have expressed confidence that they would win the seat.

For the ruling regime helmed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, it will be seen as an acid test of whether voters prefer them after the demise of their formidable leader late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The bypoll held on December 21 had seen a record 77.68 percent voter turnout.

Good morning. It's Christmas eve and the big news this morning is from Tamil Nadu, where counting has begun for the bypoll in Chennai's RK Nagar, the Assembly constituency once held by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. We'll bring you the latest on that and the other big news stories as the day progresses.
FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe speaks during a news conference announcing the takedown of the dark web marketplace AlphaBay, at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein - RC13079B3E30

The FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe plans to retire next year, after months of criticism from Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

The newspaper said McCabe plans to retire in a few months after he becomes eligible for his full pension, citing "people familiar with the matter." The Post reported that McCabe will not become eligible for his full benefits until early March, and that he plans to retire as soon as he does.

A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment.

Republicans in Congress have criticized McCabe and accused him of harbouring bias against Trump. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, told reporters this week that he would like McCabe out of the FBI.

McCabe was interviewed behind closed doors on Tuesday by the House Intelligence Committee, which is conducting one of the main congressional investigations into Russia, the 2016 U.S. election and whether Trump's election campaign colluded with Moscow.

He also appeared for a closed-door interview on Thursday with the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees after Republicans asked him to discuss the bureau's handling of a probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state.

McCabe served as acting director of the FBI after Trump fired former FBI director James Comey in May. In a tweet in July, Trump asked why his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, did not replace McCabe, who Trump described as Comey's friend. The FBI is part of the Justice Department. Trump tweeted this month that the FBI's reputation "is in Tatters."

"FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!" Trump tweeted on Saturday.

The Republican-led House Judiciary and Oversight committees announced in October they were launching new investigations into a number of long-standing political grievances, including concerns over the FBI's handling of the Clinton email investigation.

Republicans have said they want to get to the bottom of why Comey publicly discussed the Clinton investigation and announced that the bureau would not seek to bring charges.

Critics say the Republicans' focus on Clinton is merely a tactic to distract from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Moscow has denied any such activity, and Trump has dismissed talk of possible collusion as a "witch hunt" led by Democrats disappointed about his election victory.
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,
Jarrett Coleman goes from school board to statehouse with win in 16th Senate District race
State officials announce $2.85M for new police station in Upper Moreland
By PTI: Ahmedabad, Dec 24 (PTI) Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani today said even if Congress president Rahul Gandhi were to live in the state for the next five years, his party wont be able to wrest the power.

The Congress president had exuded confidence yesterday that after increasing the tally in the elections earlier this month, his party would come to power in Gujarat in the 2022 Assembly polls.

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"I want Rahul Gandhi to camp in Gujarat from today to ensure Congresss victory in the 2022 Assembly polls. I am confident that even if he does that, the Congress will lose that election too, because the people of Gujarat know them well," Vaghani said, speaking to reporters here.

"It is my humble request to the Congress that it should shun its power-centric and caste-based politics. The Congress will never be able to defeat the BJP if it does not embrace positive politics," Vaghani added.

Gandhi held "introspection meetings" here yesterday to ascertain reasons for the partys defeat in Gujarat.

Vaghani said the Congress will always end up doing introspection.

"The Congress loses wherever Rahul goes for campaigning. It also lost in Himachal Pradesh. If its wants to do introspection on that defeat too, I am ready to provide them with a place if they cant find one," Vaghani said.

"The Congress will end up doing introspection only while people will keep on electing BJP to power," the Gujarat BJP chief said. PTI PJT KRK

--- ENDS ---
December 24, 2017

Christmas

Roman Christianity moved the day to commemorate the birth of Jesus to the winter solstice. It thus replaced a holiday of older religions that celebrated the end of the dark times and the coming of more light. The deeper meaning stayed. Hope for new beginnings, needed as much today than ever. Hope for walls of darkness to come down.



Picture courtesy of the Bethlehem Association

Like every year I am visiting my larger family and enjoy to cook for the whole crowd. The challenge is to meet everyone's taste. The kids seem to change theirs each year. I try to come up with stories to make them like those odd side dishes. It works with the younger ones. The older folks, just like myself, are a bit less flexible. It does not have to be this way. We can and should stay open for new insights and challenges.

I wish you all a contemplative, hope- and peaceful Christmas.

Bernhard

Posted by b on December 24, 2017 at 10:42 UTC | Permalink

Comments
The ceremony was so lovely that even one of the stone-faced U.S. border guards cracked a smile as they held a gate open while an American groom and his Mexican bride took their wedding vows last month.

From the Tijuana side of the wall: Evelia Reyes and her young daughter, each with white gowns but no visas.

From the California side: a beaming Brian Zachary Houston, who earlier this year had been caught smuggling 133 pounds of meth, cocaine and heroin across this very same section of the border, and was out on bail.

They wed and kissed inside the gate on Nov. 18. Cameras clicked, the crowd cheered. Then bride and groom returned to their respective countries and agents shut the metal door  as they do each year after letting a select few families briefly unite at a border theyre forbidden to cross.

Usually, there are no weddings at the annual hour-long border opening.

Certainly, there isnt supposed to be a convicted drug smuggler.

Now U.S. officials are struggling to explain how they failed to spot Houstons criminal record before allowing him to become the public face of a federally sanctioned open-border ceremony  a high-profile embarrassment when immigration tensions are already sky-high amid the Trump administrations crackdown.

Turns out we provided armed security for a cartel wedding, a spokesman for the local Border Patrol union told the San Diego Tribune.

Houstons lawyer denied that the 26-year-old San Diego resident had been working for a cartel when he drove a Volkswagen stuffed with narcotics from Mexico to the San Ysidro border station in February.

He was basically a drug mule, defense attorney Russell Babcock said. Hes certainly not a cartel individual.

He declined to say for whom his client was muling. In any case, the Jetta was so loaded down with drugs that a border agent could smell them wafting out of the trunk, according to court records.

Houstons hands shook as he handed over the keys. Agents found package after package of heroin, cocaine and meth  inside the spare tire, the panels, all four doors.

Houston pleaded guilty to three counts of smuggling in May, and expects to go to prison when hes sentenced early next year, his lawyer said. In the meantime, he had to surrender his passport and agree not to visit Mexico, where his longtime partner Reyes lived.

He was supporting her. They were separated by this unfortunate event, Babcock said. Someone suggested, get married. He had no idea this was going to become an international story.

And border guards had no idea what Houston had done when he showed up at the gate in Friendship Park, California, last month  with a tuxedo, priest and ring, and federal approval to walk through.

Houston and his bride-to-be were one of 12 estranged families selected by the Border Patrol to meet inside the gate, which for the past six years has been opened for an hour before International Childrens Day so loved ones can embrace under federal supervision.

Border Patrol officials selected Houston from among dozens of applicants, according to Enrique Morones, whose nonprofit group partners with the agency to coordinate the annual event. He said his group, Border Angels, simply sends in a form listing the name and birth date of each applicant; Border Patrol is supposed to vet each one and come up with a shortlist.

Border Patrol has told us we dont want anybody with a criminal record to be allowed to do this, Morones said. Houston hadnt mentioned his, and he assumed the man had none when the government selected him.

The government has not explained how Houston passed a background check. Its possible no one would have noticed had his surprise wedding at the border gate not created a media spectacle.

A wedding is outside the purview of why this partnership was established, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection in San Diego said in a statement to The Washington Post. It is also highly unlikely if the ceremony was requested that it would have been permitted.

Morones had been as surprised as anyone, he said. The couple had merely planned to exchange rings inside the gate, he said, and then marry a few weeks later on opposite sides of the wall.

A Border Patrol agent said, Why is she in a wedding gown?  he said. Brian said, Were going to do it now. 

He said the agent walked off and spoke on the phone to someone, then came back and said the wedding was OK.

So after the other estranged families had taken their turns to hug, a row of border guards held the door open as Houston said his vows and embraced his new wife and her daughter.

A press gaggle was on hand, and The Washington Post was among many national news outlets that covered the story.

I cant go there and she cant come here, Houston told reporters after the ceremony. Hopefully very soon she can get a visa to come here, and we can be together.

Only after the ceremony, the Border Patrol spokesman said, did officials discover Houstons conviction.

The surprise wedding aroused agents suspicions, he wrote. As a result, database queries were completed after the ceremony that revealed Mr. Houstons arrest for drug smuggling.

This unauthorized event has now jeopardized future events and the continued opening of the border wall door, the spokesman wrote.

Immigration officials have told Morones the same thing, he said, and hes now trying to persuade them not to end the gate opening tradition.

Houston, meanwhile, had no idea his little wedding had caused a furor until the San Diego Reader published a story about his criminal background over the weekend, his defense lawyer told The Post.

Hes very sorry the Border Patrol was put in this position, but he had no reason to believe they wouldnt know about this, Babcock said. We thought it would be as simple as if they didnt want him to have this wedding or ceremony, hed get a phone call.

Now, Babcock said, both husband and wife are facing public backlashes in their respective countries, where immigration politics were already fraught over President Donald Trumps promise to wall off the entire border.

The couple hasnt seen each other since the ceremony, and Houston is preparing to begin a prison sentence next year while his wife begins the long process of applying for a U.S. visa.

The whole point of the wedding had been to ensure they could be together once Houstons drug bust troubles were behind him, Babcock said.

Now its unclear when and if theyll end.

It was supposed to be a story about love and his responsibility, Babcock said. Now everyones pointing the finger.
TTV Dhinakaran has won the RK Nagar bypoll, by a handsome margin (File photo for representation: PTI)

By India Today Web Desk: In RK Nagar bypoll, TTV Dhinkaran's resounding win and claim to Jaya's legacy humiliates EPS-OPS government

We can now confirm what has looked fairly obvious for most of the day: TTV Dhinakaran will represent RK Nagar, J Jayalalithaa's constituency in Chennai, in the Tamil Nadu assembly.

North Korea: New UN sanctions act of war

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The new resolution was tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

Virat and Anushka Mumbai reception: When, where and all you need to know

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma will host a lavish wedding reception in Mumbai, on December 26.

AB de Villiers ready for challenge of day-night Tests, says 'it is still cricket'

AB de Villiers is set to return for South Africa in their first-ever day-night four-day Test match against Zimbabwe at St George's Park from Tuesday.

--- ENDS ---
Permian Basin oil and gas producers are being cautioned that their future prosperity will increasingly be shaped by global influences.

Sandy Fielden, director, oil and products research at Morningstar said in his recent The Permian Makes, The World Takes? report, With worldwide demand pulling new production overseas, U.S. crude analysis now requires an outward-facing window on the world. That places greater importance on international fundamental factors, such as last weeks major North Sea pipeline shutdown.

The additional production coming from the nations shale basins  primarily the Permian  is being increasingly exported to help fill the gaps left by OPECs organized production cuts and increased demand as worldwide economic activity increases, Fielden said.

Said Fielden in his report, The message from shale producers and midstream operators alike is clear: Expect increased U.S. crude production  led by the Permian  to find takers in world markets. That intention sets up battle lines for market share with OPEC members and other producers in coming years.

As U.S. producers and nations in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries go head-to-head. Fielden told the Reporter-Telegram by e-mail, OPEC are the losers long-term because they want higher prices and market share and you can't have both. As soon as they restrict production to keep prices up, then they are surrendering market share to others like U.S. producers. But if they open up the taps again, then prices will fall and while OPEC may regain market share they lose out because of low prices.

He said the export market for U.S. crude is sustainable as long as demand sustains prices at high enough levels - meaning that we do not get the same oversupply that caused prices to start falling in 2014. If OPEC keeps the lid on production, that will help. If the U.S. wins market share and keeps it for a couple of years, then we should see more long-term contracts for supply emerging where, for example, refiners in India and China place regular orders for U.S. crude once they are comfortable with the quality.

He called 2017 a good year for U.S. crude, with output rising over a million barrels a day through early December, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. Much of that growth came from shale basins, primarily the Permian, and conventional plays, such as the offshore Gulf of Mexico.

But, Fielden, noted, that production is largely unwanted by U.S. refiners, who are already processing all the light shale crude they can handle. As a result, he said, that new production is being exported overseas, and crude exports have averaged 945,000 barrels a day through early December, according to the EIA. He noted that that amount nearly matches the additional output.

Export volumes began to increase as the premium for the international benchmark crude Brent widened over West Texas Intermediate beginning in August, rising to more than 2 million barrels a day at the end of October before retreating to 1.1 million barrels a day in early December.

Fielden is upbeat about the coming year, noting that most analysts expect crude prices to remain above $50 a barrel and that most producers have already hedged a good deal of their 2018 output at prices above that level. A second reason for his optimism is the fact OPEC has extended its cuts through the end of next year and the EIA forecast that U.S. output will rise to 10 million barrels a day next year.

His third reason for optimism is the number of new projects planned by midstream companies to expand or build pipelines to move more Permian production to Gulf Coast refineries or export facilities.
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A better look at what lies beneath the surface continues to be a target for oil industry research and development efforts.

A stronger grasp of the subsurface will lead operators to the best spots in the reservoir, better understand the rocks fractures to allow them to more effectively hydraulically fracture the well, and better produce the well. And companies are working to not only provide that information but provide it as quickly as possible.

Thats been our focus  to get answers as quickly as possible to the operators so they can make intelligent decisions, so they can make adjustments, Sudhendu Kash Kashikar, chief executive officer of Reveal Energy Services, told the Reporter-Telegram by telephone from his Houston office.

His company is celebrating the delivery of its first near real-time DiverterSCAN technology results, allowing its customer to identify a diversion design that enhances hydraulic fracturing fluid distribution.

Diverters are designed to distribute the hydraulic fracturing fluids through perforation clusters. The goal is keep one perforation cluster from taking most of the fluids, creating a dominant fracture by forcing the fluids to all of the perforation clusters and stimulate the entire fracturing stage.

An operator had asked Reveal Energy to determine if the diverter design was successful in distributing the fluids.

In such operations, the challenge wasnt the ability to make decisions, it was having the information needed to make a decision, Kashikar said.

With older technology, operators had to wait weeks to find out how the fracking operation worked and for 60 to 90 days of production data to see how the well produced, he said.

Kashikar continued, The key here is to do analysis on a stage-by-stage basis so if you understand how a stage worked, you can adjust inside the well.

Yet another key was simplicity, he said. DiverterSCAN is comprised of simply a pressure gauge placed on the wellhead of a well offsetting the well being fractured and using the pressure data to quantify the results.

When you create new fractures in treating a well, that generates stress in the rock around the fracture, so that gives us a response. By observing the pressure response, we can model and quantify the size of the fracture being created, he explained.

Its also simple in that, by only relying on pressure data, no additional personnel are required at the well site, he added.

DiverterSCAN joins Reveal Energys suite of four other technologies that are also based on pressure data: FracSCAN, which quantifies 3D fracture maps; DepletionSCAN, which identifies the depletion boundaries surrounding a parent well; PerfSCAN, which lets operators understand pumping rate effects on fluid distribution; and ProppantSCAN, which lets operators understand the fluid system and pumping schedule.

Kashikar said the technology has its roots in research and development at Statoil and his company was formed in January 2016 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Statoil Technology Invest. It is now funded by Statoil and Lime Rock Partners.

Since this was started by Statoil, some initial work was done in the Bakken in 2015, he said. Since we began the company last year, weve done work in both the Midland and Delaware basins.

The company has sales representatives in Midland and he anticipates opening an office here next year.

Every customer we have done projects for has come back to us for additional work, he said. Im very excited about that.
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Some Midlanders this month may have noticed a festive vehicle traveling through their neighborhoods. While sitting in his vintage sleigh, Vic Brenon continued his tradition of dressing as Santa and making deliveries to children.

When its warm, sometimes youll see cars stopped all the way around and people running up the streets to get some toys, he said. Were always glad to give them toys.

Brenon, who sometimes wears his Santa outfit at local churches, also greets children in residential areas in the eastern part of Midland. This season, he planned to distribute or donate toys, including 432 items he received from a toy drive at My Community Credit Union.

Brenon has volunteered at the credit union for a few holiday seasons. In past years, he dressed up and took photos with children in its lobbies.

Randy Stolp, chief information officer for MCCU, said theres value in having Brenon as a local partner.

We like to encourage involvement with our members and have that interaction and that relationship with them, Stolp said. Its just the culmination of that kind of philosophy to see somebody like Vic that wants to do this with us.

For the first half of this month, the credit union welcomed small toy donations. Employees later helped Brenon load dolls, stuffed animals and sporting goods into his sleigh, which was resting on a trailer in the parking lot of MCCUs West Louisiana Avenue location.

Stolp said credit unions fulfill social and business purposes and thinks MCCUs emphasis on local involvement motivated people to participate in the donation process.

It just speaks volumes to us of the generosity of our employees and our members, that they feel a part of our community and that they want to do something to give back to the community, Stolp said.

Brenon spoke to the Reporter-Telegram the day he picked up the toys, and he said this years donations exceeded his expectations. At age 83, he was happy to continue his efforts.

I think its great to volunteer, and I believe now Im still young because of volunteering, he said.

Brenon has called West Texas home for more than three decades. He previously donated his time to Christmas in Action, Helping Hands of Midland and St. Vincent de Paul Society, and he now regularly volunteers at Midland Memorial Hospital.

In the days before Christmas, he distributes toys independent of an organization. He and his children drive through local streets, waiting for parents to see them outside of their homes.

Towing around the sleigh has significance for Brenon, who was raised in upstate New York. His family farm received enough snow for his siblings to use the vehicle, which has since been reupholstered.

They are very happy to understand that a sleigh that they went to school in years ago, that I put [it] to use now, he said.

Through his work as a Santa volunteer, Brenon said he appreciates hearing families reactions and passing out gifts that they may not be able to afford.

I want to get it to the kids this year, he said. Its new. Its unused. A lot of these kids arent going to get new toys.

MCCU is proud to be a part of community initiatives, according to Stolp. He said the credit union hopes to convey its presence, no matter the ups or downs in the oil industry.

We like to stand strong with our members and stay involved in these kinds of ways to make sure that when times are a little bit tougher, were still there for them and that these kids can still have a great Christmas, he said.
AUSTIN -- Honeybees usually take winters off. But when it's 50 degrees and sunny, the bees are flying -- and dying faster.

Beekeeper Blake Shook raises bees commercially in the Collin County town of Blue Ridge. The 27-year-old has been beekeeping since he was 13. He's seen firsthand the decline in the insects' health since 2006, when the great bee die-off from Colony Collapse Disorder was first reported.

"It's hard to get the crops pollinated in the United States, and that's getting worse and worse," Shook said. "Unfortunately, I don't think most folks will pay attention until we start running out of food. As soon as we can't get almonds anymore, that's when they'll start noticing."

Every year, billions of bees are sent to almond farms in California to pollinate the trees. Without them, almond production would take a nosedive.

The U.S. bee industry lost 44 percent of its bees from 2015 to 2016 and 40 percent the year before that. This year, there were reports from south-central Texas of honeybees waking up early in January, when temperatures rose higher than usual, according to Agrilife Today, a Texas A&M agriculture publication. Whenever bees look for food and can't find any, they end up eating stored honey and wear their bodies out faster.

"We certainly are not having any cold weather to speak of," Shook said. "In the D-FW area, it's shaping up to be a warm winter that isn't good for the bees."

While beekeepers have developed methods to restore the numbers lost during the winter, it's not a perfect system. At the current industry rate, bees will not reproduce at a fast enough rate to keep up with demand, Shook said.

So the Texas Beekeepers Association plans to urge lawmakers to protect major nectar sources for bees so the bees can thrive. Shook, a board member, said the group has other ideas in the works, such as trying to get a honeybee license plate to fund research and lobbying during the 2019 legislative session to update the bees and honey chapter of the Agricultural Code.

Texas takes a relatively hands-off approach with the beekeeping industry. The bees and honey chapter in the Agricultural Code hasn't been updated since the 1990s. The most recent legislative action regarding honeybees came in 2015, when the Texas Legislature exempted small honey producers from needing a "honey house" for inspection and a state license to operate. The Legislature also officially designated the western honeybee as its official state pollinator that year.

Texas beekeepers did try to pass a bill during this year's legislative session. House Bill 1293 made several changes to the Agriculture Code, including giving beehive inspectors the ability to control "unwanted species or pests," and requiring beekeepers selling bees or hives to have a certificate stating the product is pest-free, unless they sell fewer than 25 hives a year. Shook said the association pulled the plug because of objections from some members _ mostly small-scale beekeepers who did not want their operations regulated.

Although he keeps an eye on weather reports and the almanac, they're not the most reliable, Shook said. Beekeepers can adjust their management techniques as necessary, but with small-scale beekeepers, it's often unrealistic to add on the extra expense of buying supplemental protein or keeping bees in a refrigerated climate.

"I can't tell you how many beekeepers have told me this isn't a viable business anymore and got out," Shook said.

Chris Moore, president of the Texas Beekeepers Association, has 2,500 hives as part of his commercial operation in Kountze. Like most beekeepers, Moore feeds his bees supplemental sugar syrup or honey to keep them alive through the winter. But sugar isn't enough to sustain the whole hive, so Moore also gives them a protein supplement, which he estimates costs an additional $20,000 a year.

"We always had to go back and feed them sugar syrup but we never gave the protein supplements we are now," Moore said. "We give them a protein patty, a pollen patty to help get them through the winter."

It's not only weather that throws bee reproduction rates off, he said, but also insecticide use, pests and dwindling natural nectar sources.

"It's a complex issue, with these bees," Moore said. "Property is sold and developed every day. All your habitats for birds, deer, for bees _ everything's diminishing, dwindling every day."

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
In a fresh trouble to Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, the Delhi Medical Council has issued a notice to nine doctors, including a medical superintendent and two nurses, for alleged medical negligence in connection with the case of wrongly declaring new-born twins as dead.

By Ajay Kumar: In a fresh trouble to Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, the Delhi Medical Council has issued a notice to nine doctors, including a medical superintendent and two nurses, for alleged medical negligence in connection with the case of wrongly declaring new-born twins as dead.

The notice was sent on December 20 and a reply has been sought from them in 15 days.

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According to an official, this was the second time the DMC had served notice to the hospital management after it was not satisfied with the management's response, and also because they filed their response a week late.

"We have sought individual responses this time from the doctors and nurses in a time bound manner. The medical body also said that it is examining the alleged negligence.

"We want to check the role of every doctor involved in the case, including the gynaecologist when the baby was delivered. We want to know what exactly happened," he said.

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WASHINGTON  By designating Jerusalem as Israels capital, President Donald Trump is telling the world that when it comes to Israel, might makes right.

Washingtons explicit endorsement of Israels illegal annexation of East Jerusalem strikes a blow to the Palestinians and Israelis nonviolently working to end Israels military occupation and push for lasting peace.

Less than two weeks out from this fateful decision, Palestinian and Israeli blood has already been shed, and undoubtedly the death toll will mount as Israel further entrenches its military occupation and violent extremists continue to draw validation.

In the U.S. media, the violence of Israels military occupation is largely ignored, while the absence of deadly attacks against Israelis or at U.S. embassies worldwide has been cited as evidence that the impact of Trumps decision was merely symbolic.

It may be merely symbolic for Trumps billionaire donors, including Trumps top campaign contributor Sheldon Adelson, who shelled out millions for this policy change.

However, on the ground, Trumps decision has flesh and blood consequences.

In its aftermath, Israeli attacks have killed at least eight Palestinians, two Israelis were stabbed by Palestinians, and Israeli forces have arrested hundreds and injured more than 800 during protests against Trumps decision. Israeli airstrikes have pounded the Gaza Strip, and Hamas launched several rockets at Israel.

One of the Palestinians killed was a paraplegic activist named Ibrahim Abu Thuayeh. He joined thousands in protesting on Gazas border, and Israeli soldiers shot him in the head.

Following his killing the Israeli armys spokesperson did not claim it was a mistake, writing during the violent riots, IDF soldiers fired selectively toward the main instigators.

After global condemnation, the Israeli army announced that Abu Thuayehs killing is now under investigation.

Trump called his Jerusalem decision a recognition of reality. Yet he failed to acknowledge the reality of a military occupation that makes it possible for Israel to kill a Palestinian who doesnt have legs, is blind in one eye, and is trapped behind a fence in the cage of the Gaza Strip, while he was, by all accounts, nonviolently protesting Israels continuing theft of Palestinian land.

Trump and most Republicans and Democrats in Congress fail to recognize the reality of Palestinian life in Jerusalem and Israeli violations of international law.

Today, Israel controls all of Jerusalem, and while Israelis there enjoy full citizenship, the vast majority of its Palestinians residents have no political rights and are citizens of nowhere. When I lived in Jerusalem, I met Palestinians dragged out of their homes at gunpoint by Israeli forces to make way for settlers.

By conferring U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, Trump has exposed his peace plan as a farce. Prescribing an ever-diminishing Palestinian presence in Jerusalem and ever-intensifying Israeli subjugation of Palestinians is a plan not for peace, but for endless bloodshed.

Just months ago, a more hopeful vision was broadcast in Jerusalem. Tens of thousands of Palestinians  Muslim, Christian and secular East Jerusalemites  took to the streets to pray and non-violently protest Israels imposition of a new security arrangement on Palestinians going to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque.

These peaceful protests endured a brutal Israeli crackdown, and ultimately won the day, with Israel reversing its decision to install metal detectors outside the compound.

U.S. citizens, as major funders of Israels half-century-old occupation, have a responsibility to support such courageous manifestations of nonviolence.

With taxpayers now asked to fund a fortress-like embassy at Trumps behest, it is incumbent upon Americans to urge Congress to oppose this funding.

Trump has committed a major foreign policy mistake that legitimizes past and present violence. We must press U.S. policymakers to block Trumps embassy move, and insist that legitimizing nonviolence should take center stage in U.S. policy toward Israel-Palestine, and in U.S. engagement around the globe.
Considering increase in road accidents in state, Goa Police took this initiative to educate tourists and locals about road safety and security.

By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Santa Claus, which brings happiness and joy for all, was seen educating Goans on the eve of Christmas along with Goa Police.

Considering increase in road accidents in state and keeping Christmas and New Year celebrations in mind, Goa Police took this initiative to educate the tourists and the locals about road safety and security.

Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi of Calangute said, "It was with regard to educating people about the traffic rules and safety that we carried out a drive near the police station during evening."

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Dalvi and his team of sub inspectors and constables stopped various people violating traffic rules and a police staff dressed as Santa Claus explained them how they have violated the rule and what would be the fine for it.

Stan Claus also distributed pamphlets about traffic safety to violators and chocolates, and requested them to follow rules. Almost 500 vehicle riders and drivers were distributed pamphlets and given the chocolates.

Police officers also took keen interest in telling children of various violations, safety rules and asked them to inform their parents. Most of two-wheeler riders were found to be keeping the helmets off. Police personnel were seen informing people about wearing helmet and its importance while riding two-wheeler.

The drive went on for more than two hours. It's one of a kind initiative as police wanted to spread message about safety rules without spoiling the festive mood of the public.

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MERIDEN  As the winds whipped outside their home in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, Soangelly Vasquez-Ortiz and her family ran from room to room to keep safe.

There was a lot of wind and the roof came off the house, Vasquez-Ortiz said through a translator. We were trying to figure out which room would be the safest. I was afraid. It felt like the hurricane was going to take the windows out.

After the hurricane passed, the misery began.

It was a nightmare, Vasquez-Ortiz said. There was no water, no ice, gas prices were horrendous. People pulled together.

Curfews prevented island residents from leaving their homes to find gasoline, phone reception, or to check on neighbors and families. Vasquez-Ortiz finally contacted her parents on the island two days after the hurricane. After a few more days, she got a cell signal strong enough to text a sister in Georgia.

A strangers generosity keeps Vasquez-Ortiz and her daughter secure in a roomy home in Meriden with new beds on the way. Her family, still separated, anxiously awaits a reunion in the days leading up to the holiday. Their Christmas wish is to be together and build new lives.

She wants new opportunities and a brighter future for her children, said Elizabeth Webster, who opened her East Main Street home to the family.

In the days following the hurricane, the family struggled along with millions of others. Without electricity, the schools didnt reopen and Vasquez-Ortiz and her husband Jorge Morales were concerned about the childrens education. Gabriella, 14, and Diego, 7, who has autism, were living in a third-world environment with educational opportunity not returning any time soon. With the help of family members, Vasquez-Ortiz, and her husband decided to split up. She and Gabriella would move in with relatives in Meriden, Jorge and Diego would join them later.

I wanted a better life for my children she said. There are no lights for the school.

Mother and daughter boarded a flight out of San Juan International Airport two weeks ago and clapped with the other passengers when it touched down at Bradley International Airport. They were greeted by relatives and went to their new home only to discover they couldnt stay. The relatives were Section 8 recipients who, by the terms of their lease, could not allow Vasquez-Ortiz and Gabriella to live with them.

A hurricane-relief worker reached out to Webster, who had notified agencies in Meriden and Hartford she was willing to help Puerto Rico evacuees.

Puerto Rico is my home, Webster said. God has been good to me. I have a huge house.

Webster is a mental health caseworker for young adults in a program in Bridgeport. She lived in Puerto Rico through two Category 3 hurricanes and instinctively knew a Category 5 hurricane would devastate the island. Her husband Mark Webster and eight-year-old son Dylan Webster shared her generosity.

We help each other out, Webster said. Thats how I was raised.

Most of the people arriving from Puerto Rico are shy and humble, advocates said. They are also reluctant to share their stories and are fiercely protected by those wishing to help. They fear criticism and false perceptions that Puerto Ricans arent citizens entitled to the same rights and opportunities as other U.S. citizens, advocates said.

Family members in Puerto Rico contacted Webster about Lilian Cabrales who lost her home in Ponce, Puerto Rico to a mudslide caused by the hurricanes heavy rains. As Cabrales, 52, made her way to a neighbors home she was badly hurt trying to cross a tree that had blocked a neighbors door. She was also sick. Webster bought her a plane ticket.

She had just enough time to grab her medication, Webster said.

She met Cabrales at the airport and brought her to Midstate Medical Center for treatment for her high-blood pressure and a physical.

She was afraid to leave her belongings in the car, she didnt want what was left to be stolen, Webster said.

Cabrales declined to be interviewed for this story.

Webster took three days off from work to get Cabrales settled. She took her to the non-profit Casa Boricua de Meriden, which provided groceries, a winter coat, and got her signed up with the Department of Social Services for benefits, and the Meriden Housing Authority for Section 8 housing assistance.

I hope they get on the waiting list, Webster said about her new housemates.

Webster said there is no deadline for the families to leave, but she recognizes they want and deserve their own homes.

Casa Boricua has been the central location for disaster relief efforts in the area. The influx of evacuees has strained resources at a time when the agency is waiting on state funding from Department of Social Services to pay staff and provide assistance. The delay has forced the agency to reduce its hours and the executive director and staff members have been volunteering their services since September. According to state lawmakers, the agency should be receiving funding this month. Casa Boricua also receives a small amount of block grant money from the city.

Executive Director Anabel Beltran Roman and other staff members are struggling to meet the needs of the incoming evacuees. The schools have reported upwards of 140 new students and an event hosted for families this month drew 250 people from the island. She is trying to convert a room into a donation center where clothing and household goods can be sorted. She is also starting a small food pantry. She is looking for construction materials in addition to clothing and personal items for the evacuees.

She knows its not enough, but it can help a struggling family. She and other staffers help newcomers register for services, transfer Section 8 vouchers from Puerto Rico to here and file applications for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. To date, Casa Boricua has placed two women in jobs, and got two families hotel stays paid by FEMA.

Vasquez-Ortiz and her daughter arrived at Websters home several weeks after Cabrales and, because they have relatives in the city, Webster doesnt have to provide as much assistance. They have never lived outside of Puerto Rico and needed winter coats, boots and scarves.

Webster worked overtime to cover the needs of Vasquez-Ortiz, her daughter Gabriella and Cabrales. She paid more than $1,500 for new beds in anticipation of Jorge Morales and Diegos arrival.

Gabriella enrolled in Meriden Public Schools and will be attending Maloney High School. Vasquez-Ortiz said her husband, an auto body specialist, will be looking for work when he arrives Dec. 30.

Vasquez-Ortiz choked up when she asked what she wants for Christmas.

My son and my family, she said.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @Cconnbiz
A chunk of Sempra Energy's natural gas pipeline sits in the dirt behind a community center in the village of Loma de Bacum in northwest Mexico. Guadalupe Flores thinks it would make a great barbecue pit.

"Cut it here, lift the top,'' he says, pointing to the 30-inch diameter steel tube. "Perfect for a cook-out.''

It would be an expensive meal. The pipeline cost $400 million, part of a network that's supposed to carry gas from Arizona more than 500 miles to Mexico's Pacific coast. It hasn't done that since August, when members of the indigenous Yaqui tribe - enraged by what they viewed as an unauthorized trespass their land - used a backhoe truck to puncture and extract a 25-foot segment. They left the main chunk about a mile from the community center, perpendicular to the rest of the pipeline, like a lower-case t.

The impact extends far beyond Loma de Bacum and its 4,500 residents. Arizona's gas exports to Mexico have plunged 37 percent since the shutdown, hitting an eight-month low in December. Mexico's state utility is having to burn fuel oil instead to generate power, raising costs.

It's not an isolated case. Mexico's opening of its energy industry has succeeded in attracting capital, but it's also been beset by territorial or environmental disputes, often involving the country's myriad indigenous groups. When protest turns into sabotage, there's a risk that investors will be put off from future phases, like an extensive shale development. It's also grist to the mill of the leftist frontrunner for next year's presidential election, who's vowing to reverse some of the reforms.

The Yaquis of Loma de Bacum say they were asked by community authorities in 2015 if they wanted a 9-mile tract of the pipeline running through their farmland -- and said no. Construction went ahead anyway.

The Energy Ministry acknowledged that account is true, in a statement that highlights the difficulties its officials confront. Consultation of the eight Yaqui communities along the route was carried out, as required by law. Seven of them gave a green light, the ministry said by email, "while the town of Loma de Bacum refused consent.''

The project is now in a legal limbo. Ienova, the Sempra unit that operates the pipeline, is awaiting a judicial ruling that could allow them to go in and repair it -- or require a costlier re-route. "If they want to build a pipeline, that's fine,'' said Flores, the would-be barbecue designer who's a local community leader. "But it won't pass through here.''

At the Energy Ministry in Mexico City, that's becoming a familiar refrain.

As many as four pipelines have been stalled or temporarily suspended -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg, according to Jesus Reyes Heroles, a former energy minister. "I can't quote the number but it's more than that," Heroles said in an interview. He said the stalled projects go beyond pipelines; in some cases, opposition comes from ranchers who are "abusing the situation to make some money off of it."

Still, it's indigenous peoples who've been at the forefront of resistance. In June, their protests in Chiapas state led the ministry to scrap an auction of two onshore blocks for oil exploration. In neighboring Oaxaca, communities have stalled development of wind energy projects, claiming a lack of consultation.

Mexico recognizes about 70 indigenous groups, numbering more than 12 million people. The task of consulting those communities falls to the ministry's Social Impact Evaluation team - which has just six members.

Its mandate, which includes ensuring that there's no damage to water supplies or other natural resources, is a key element of the energy reforms, says Aldo Flores, the deputy minister.

"Could the Energy Ministry become even more efficient in the procedure of consultation? Yes, it could,'' Flores said in a Dec. 8 interview. "It's part of our homework to improve.'' The ministry says it's contemplating a significant expansion of the team early next year.

That would be in time for Mexico's planned shale offensive. It's promising to lease swaths of land for development, much of it in states like San Luis Potosi and Veracruz that numerous indigenous groups call home. Shale accounts for "more than the half of the new oil potential in Mexico,'' and the Burgos Basin alone may hold 50 percent more reserves than Texas's famed Eagle Ford, Flores said.

It's politically sensitive too. Leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has vowed to revise energy and oil contracts if he's elected in July. That could put deals signed by oil majors from ExxonMobil to BP at risk. Amlo, as he's known, is ahead in early polls, but most analysts expect a tight three-way race. Indigenous votes could be vital.

It's not just in Mexico that pipeline projects have revivified old tribal claims. It's happening across North America. In Canada, Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline has encountered legal challenges led by indigenous groups. In the U.S., the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline faced months of protests from members of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation.

Like many such groups, the Yaquis have a history of fighting to defend their land from intruders, starting with Spanish colonialists in the 1500s. In the last 200 years, the tribe has frequently clashed with the Mexican government, suffering massacres and losing land. "Little by little, their territory has been taken away,'' says Rodrigo Gonzalez-Enriquez, a professor at the Technical Institute of Sonora and consultant for the Loma de Bacum community.

The Yaqui language predominates in homes, though local schools teach only in Spanish after kindergarten. The tribe is famous for its deer-dance ritual. Throughout southern Sonora, you can find statues of the Yaqui dancer -- shirtless, holding gourd rattles, with an antlered deer perched on his head.

The pipeline has caused tensions within the tribe. Last year, there was a clash at the community center, leaving one person killed and several injured. Townspeople say it was an attempt by neighbors to get rid of local leaders who resisted the pipeline.

Just off the central plaza, there's a row of 12 charred vehicles. "The cars are witnesses to what happened here,'' said Juan Antonio Maldonado, an 81 year-old resident.

He had a message that could have been meant for other Yaqui towns - or for the energy companies. "We are a peaceful community and we don't like intruders,'' Maldonado said. "Don't come here anymore. Please leave.''

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Bloomberg's Ryan Collins contributed.
Critics are demanding that Myanmar's de facto leader San Suu Kyi's name be removed from one of most popular book for children- Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Critics have demanded that Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's name should be cut from one of the most popular children's books of 2017, a collection of stories about female role models inspiring girls and challenge the status quo.

When "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" was written last year, Suu Kyi was deemed a worthy subject: Winner of the Nobel peace prize and epitome of courage in the face of oppression.

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But widespread criticism over her response to violence against the Rohingya Muslims, described by the UN as "ethnic cleansing", has triggered calls for her to be taken out of future editions.

In response, the authors, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo said, "We're monitoring the situation closely and we don't exclude the idea of removing her from future reprints."

The book devotes two pages to each of its role models including Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Hillary Clinton, Serena Williams.

It quotes Suu Kyi as saying, "Since we live in this world, we have to do our best for this world."

It charts her story from her protests against the junta through 21 years of house arrest to her release and leadership.

On the book's Facebook page, a critic wrote: "As much as 99 per cent of book is inspiring, I found it absolutely disgusting that you have included someone suspected of genocide in the book... Suu Kyi has no place between those women. Someone who does nothing and perhaps is directly involved in massacres, rapes, burning of kids alive... I am speechless she is in the book."

Another parent said, "I bought this book for my three-year-old daughter as an antidote to the tyranny of 'pink princess publishing'. It is filled with inspiring female role models who don't rely on a prince to sort their lives out. I was dismayed to see this page effectively canonising Suu Kyi. I hope the publishers issue another edition..."

Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi, who has raised concerns in parliament about the Rohingya crisis, said, "I often wonder how it can be possible to go from being one of the most admired and respected civil rights champions, a symbol of courage, patience and principle, to someone who shows such lack of compassion."

Suu Kyi, who has won more than 120 international honours, including the Nobel prize, was last week stripped of her Freedom of the City of Dublin award and earlier lost her Freedom of Oxford accolade, the Guardian reported.

The Dublin decision came after musician and activist Bob Geldof returned his own Freedom of the City in protest. St Hugh's College Oxford, where Suu Kyi studied, has taken down her portrait.

It is estimated that 650,000 Rohingya Muslims have been forced to flee to Bangladesh since the crackdown by Myanmar's security forces began.

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BRANFORD  To understand why the imminent closing of Branford Book & Card Shoppe is hitting so many locals so hard, ask Arlene Crismale.

This family is such a big part of what Branford is, said the owner of Lobster Shack on a brisk mid-December afternoon as bundled-up customers bustled in and out, greeting Rose Baroncini behind the counter and trading conversation with Sal Esposito amid the festive jingle of Christmas carols.

Im sad to see them go, but Im happy for them because now they wont have to get up before sunrise. They deserve to rest.

Specifically, Bobby Esposito. When the owner, along with his wife, Maria, of Branford Book & Card, first cut the twine on the morning papers at 4:45 a.m. in February 1974, the headlines showed President Richard Nixon in the process of being impeached, Dorothy Hamill as the U.S. female figure skating champion and Cher filing for separation from husband Sonny Bono.

Since then, the 77-year-old East Haven resident has arranged those newspapers on the stands on the corner of Park and Main roughly 16,040 times through the breakup of the Beatles, Monica Lewinsky, Y2K, 9/11 and the capture of Osama bin Laden, in driving rain, on sheets of ice and in waist-high banks of snow.

Its time, said the son of an immigrant from Italy, who got his start as an eighth-grader hawking the New Haven Journal-Courier in Wooster Square and making $50 a week, considered a kings ransom for a teenager in those days.

That job gave him a sense of business and street smarts, he told Rich Biondi, author of Wooster Square: A Pictorial History. It also refined his way of relating to customers as family and friends, an attitude assumed by his son Sal, and Rose, and the rest of his family, according to Sis Kerrigan, a Branford lifer.

I was here when they first opened, said Kerrigan, whose family settled in Branford in 1873 and who still stops each day after morning Mass and coffee. And I can tell you, Bobby and his family dont do cold and impersonal, never have. Im going to miss them terribly.

Dr. Ryan Finnegan, a dentist at Branford Dental Care on Montowese, agreed. Its the last of the iconic downtown stores, he said, recalling how he would walk with his friends from Sliney School to Book & Card for candy on his way to Catholic school at St. Marys in the 1980s.

All these years, its been the unofficial social center of town.

And thats not only on Sunday mornings, when the renowned Branford Book & Card Club, a collection of lifelong friends and longtime locals, meets, as if gathered around a pot-bellied stove, as Kerrigan put it, to tell stories, reminisce, and solve the problems of the world.

Its also Gretchen Schmidt, who stops in each day to talk Mets and Huskies with Bobby. And Rick Sicignano, for whom Book & Card is the reason to come to town because theyre the only ones that carry Sky Bars, he said, as Maria Ciccone, from P&M Deli up the road, rushed in, nodded to Sal, and ducked behind the counter, leaving a bag of salad dressing.

Close friend of the family, Sal said. Thats my favorite dressing.

Over in the second aisle, Mary Smith was browsing through the extensive selection of birthday cards. If you need something, you check here first, she said. Theyve been around long enough to stock whatever their customers might need and if they dont have it, theyll get it within the week, and when they get it, theyll call.

That kind of customer service, according to Leighton Davis, you cant find on Amazon or at Walmart.

In our increasingly impersonal world, said the long-time Branford resident, theres comfort in the homegrown. Im going to miss that.

Alberta Conlin, manager of A&A Cleaners over on North Main, who was standing near arguably the largest magazine collection on the Shoreline, agreed. Ive been coming here for more than 30 years. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, she said.

This family did it right. They worked hard and they gave us a place to go where we would feel welcomed and where we knew wed get what we needed plus a little something special.

For Bobby Esposito who, along with wife Maria, started it all, its been a good run. This was a family enterprise. We could never have done this without their help and support, he said. We tried to be good to our customers. We think we were. No regrets.

His first priority, after he brings in the newspapers for the last time, is to relax and enjoy my family.

Then, he said, maybe some travel, to see our cousins in Italy. In any event, he added, he and his family look forward to seeing customers around town and stopping in at P.S. Fine Stationers, which is owned by Sal and daughter Tami Tiboni, and will continue offering a tasteful array of items for special occasions.

Asked about her plans, Rose, the treasured presence behind the front counter, shrugged.

Dont know. See what happens, she said, returning to another customer.

Thatll be $5.31.

Branford Book & Card is located at 1024 Main Street. Phone: 203-488-5975.

Email Lisa Reisman at lisareisman27@gmail.com.
Sheep farmers around Williston, a rural town in South Africa's drought-hit Northern Cape, face a tough choice: either truck in costly feed to keep their animals alive or slaughter much of their stock.

After at least three years of dryness in the country's largest province, many have chosen the second option.

"Everyone has cut back their flocks of sheep to the bare minimum needed to start again when it rains,'' said local farmer Willem Symington. "There are old men in their 80s saying they've never seen anything like this, and they've seen a lot of droughts.''

While much of South Africa is enjoying good summer rains, its two western provinces have been hit by a persistent drought. In the far southwest, taps in Cape Town, the country's second-largest city, are forecast to run dry as soon as March. Producers of crops ranging from peaches to wheat are coming under pressure and winemakers estimate the grape harvest could shrink to the smallest in 13 years.

"It'll take many years to recover because it's affected the entire value chain,'' said Christo van der Rheede, who runs the drought program at the country's biggest farmers' group, AgriSA. "There are places which haven't seen rain, or seen so little rain as to make no difference, for four years.''

To be sure, the Northern and Western Cape only represent a part of South Africa's agricultural production and exports. The country's corn crop, which reached a record this year, comes mainly from the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces. Citrus fruit is largely produced in the east of the country, said Wandile Sihlobo, head agricultural economist at South Africa's Agricultural Business Chamber.

Agriculture has become an increasingly important contributor to South Africa's economy, growing by an annualized 44 percent in the third quarter, and helped pull the country out of a recession in the three months through June.

Still, the drought has cost about 50,000 permanent farm jobs so far in the Western Cape alone, Van der Rheede said.

Water resources for wine-grape producers, which are concentrated in the Western Cape province, have been reduced by as much as 60 percent, which means they couldn't meet their vines' water demand, according to industry group VinPro.

The province received 345 millimeters (13.6 inches) of rain this year through November, compared with an annual average of 520 millimeters from 1900 to 2016, according to South African Weather Service data, and is poised for the fourth consecutive decline.

While a smaller area under vines and some frost damage also hurt the outlook for the harvest, the low dam levels and lack of available water will have the biggest effect, it said in a statement Dec. 8, citing a late-November survey conducted by SA Wine Industry Information and Systems. South Africa is the world's ninth-largest wine producer and exports 440 million liters (116 million gallons) every year, according to VinPro.

The country lasw week lowered its forecast for the 2017-18 wheat crop to 1.48 million tons, citing lower-than-expected yields, especially in the drought-hit Western Cape. That compares with a 20-year average of about 1.9 million tons, according to South African Grain Information Service data and Bloomberg calculations.

South African fruit producers have also come under pressure because of the localized drought, said Vuyo Gxotiwe, industry affairs manager at Fruit South Africa. Exports of peaches will probably fall 4 percent in the 2017-18 season, while plums are seen 7 percent lower, she said.

Some farmers in the Western Cape have had available water slashed by as much as 91 percent, according to Carl Opperman, who heads AgriSA in the province.

Back in Williston, farmer Koos Louw gestures at a parched river bed that he says hasn't flowed in more than four years. Fields that were once green with alfalfa for grazing are now withered.

Deliveries to the town slaughterhouse have dropped by about half from three years ago, threatening the viability of the operation, said co-operative manager Coetzee Reitz.

"An abattoir is like a crocodile,'' he said. "If you don't feed it, it eats you.''

---

Bloomberg's Rene Vollgraaff and Samuel Dodge contributed.
President Donald Trump on Christmas Eve retweeted a doctored image with the CNN logo imposed on a bloodlike splatter under his shoe, prompting an outcry - with critics deeming the picture and its timing offensive.

The image had originated from a Twitter account named "oregon4TRUMP," as a reply to one of Trump's tweets boasting about his first-year achievements.

"So many things accomplished by the Trump Administration, perhaps more than any other President in first year," Trump had tweeted Saturday afternoon. "Sadly, will never be reported correctly by the Fake News Media!"

"Thank you President TRUMP!!" oregon4TRUMP replied, adding an apparently altered image of Trump in the back of a car with the crushed CNN logo on the sole of his left shoe. The image had additional text superimposed on it that read, "WINNING."

On Sunday morning, in between tweets promoting a conspiracy theory about FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and attacking "Fake News" and "Fake Polls," Trump retweeted the image to his more than 45 million followers.

The tweet compelled Walter M. Shaub Jr., former director of the independent Office of Government Ethics, to again break a self-imposed holiday Twitter hiatus to admonish the president. Shaub resigned from his post in July amid clashes with the White House, and he has since been an outspoken critic of Trump on social media.

"The wannabe autocrat just retweeted an image depicting CNN's blood on the sole of his shoe," Shaub tweeted Sunday. "These colicky tweets reveal he's hurting this weekend. They make him (and our country) look weak."

Joe Walsh, a conservative radio host and former Republican congressman from Illinois, also criticized Trump for attacking CNN - and the FBI - on the morning of Christmas Eve.

"Mr President, put your phone down. It's Christmas. Quit attacking people on Twitter," Walsh tweeted. "Grow up sir. Have you no sense of decency? Go spend time with your family."

CNN anchor Jake Tapper noted Trump's tweet with a simple observation: "CNN-labeled blood on the sole of his shoe. Retweeted by the President of the United States on Christmas Eve."

In response to Tapper, Jason Osborne, a former Trump campaign adviser, defended the image and accused Tapper of "(making) everything about your network."

The image was of a bug because it "clearly has eyes," Osborne insisted. He also argued that Trump may not have noticed the CNN logo at the bottom of his shoe and retweeted the picture because he liked the way he looked in it.

Tapper replied: "The president retweeted an image of blood labeled 'CNN' on the sole of his shoe. I noted it. Trump Adviser now faults *me* for 'making this about' CNN. God bless us, everyone."

Trump has had a contentious relationship with the press since his campaign, regularly lashing out at certain media outlets - even individual journalists - and accusing many publications and news stations of being "fake news." CNN has regularly been the subject of Trump's attacks, on Twitter and in speeches. Earlier this month, after CNN apologized for mistakenly reporting the timing of a WikiLeaks-related email, Trump used the error as an opportunity to attack the network again.

"CNN apologized just a little while ago," Trump said at a rally in Pensacola, Florida. "They apologized. Oh, thank you, CNN. Thank you so much. You should've been apologizing for the last two years."

Sunday's tweet was not the first time that Trump has shared a doctored image on Twitter, particularly related to CNN. In July - on another Sunday morning, just before Independence Day - Trump tweeted an edited video clip that showed him slamming a man with "CNN" superimposed on his head to the ground. In the video, Trump then throws punches at the man's head, before walking away.

Trump appended the tweet with two hashtags: "#FraudNewsCNN" and "#FNN."

That tweet prompted a round of condemnation from mostly Democratic lawmakers, who blasted Trump for being "crude, false, and unpresidential." A little-known Reddit user claimed credit for the doctored CNN video; the fact that the president had sent it out to his millions of followers soon reverberated across r/The_Donald, a pro-Trump Reddit subgroup, as The Washington Post's Avi Selk reported:

"Han-------Solo: 'Holy s---!! I wake up and have my morning coffee and who retweets my s--- post but the MAGA EMPORER himself!!! I am honored!!'

"Joy echoed across r/The_Donald, which a day earlier had been more interested in conspiracy theories about the Clintons killing people and stick-figure drawings of Californians embarrassing themselves.

"'TWEETED by the PRESIDENT,' one of many admirers wrote. 'Now it's confirmed that Trump sees our memes.'

"'We all wish for such validation.'"

In September, a few days after the racially charged unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a car plowed into counterprotesters rallying against white nationalists and killed a woman, Trump retweeted an image of a train running over a CNN reporter. "Fake news can't stop the Trump train," the image read. It was later removed from Trump's account.
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A woman who waited five years for charges to be filed against her alleged rapist is suing the city of Houston, accusing authorities of showing "deliberate indifference" by failing to investigate a backlog of rape kits that could have identified her attacker much earlier.

Beverly Flores last week joined a federal civil rights lawsuit filed in September by another former Houston resident, DeJenay Beckwith. The two women seek damages, saying officials violated their due process and equal protection rights.

Police records show that Flores was sleeping in her home on Sept. 20, 2011, when a man she did not know assaulted her in the bed she was sharing with her two children. The man, later identified by police as Domeka Turner, hid his face with a T-shirt, then stole Flores' cellphone to prevent her from calling for help, according to court records.

Flores, who now lives in Texas City, said Houston Police officers did not gather DNA evidence from her home, and instead indicated that they believed her boyfriend at the time was responsible for the attack.

STATE ISSUE: Concerns over untested rape kits abound

"They didn't ask a lot of questions. (The responding officer) acted like I was just bothering him - like I was a nuisance," she told the Chronicle. "I did everything I could. I was just so in shock that (police) were just dismissing it."

DNA for Turner, who was convicted of burglary in 2006, should have already been filed in the state's databank at the time of the 2011 attack, according to Randall Kallinen, the lead attorney for the suit. "His DNA was sitting there, ready to be matched at any time," he said.

Turner was charged in Flores' rape last December - five years after the attack and two years after police matched his DNA to the rape kit conducted on Flores. He was also indicted by the Harris County District Attorney's Office last January for another assault that occurred nine days before the attack on Flores.

The suit filed on behalf of Flores and Beckwith is one of several recent actions brought by rape victims across the country regarding untested rape kits and what plaintiffs say were failures to investigate their attacks.

"Police discouraged women from reporting rape and berated rape victims," Kallinen said. "They took the DNA evidence and clothes from the victims and did nothing with it. The victims could have had it tested themselves had they known the city of Houston was doing nothing to test the DNA evidence."

In Texas, there were at one point roughly 19,000 untested rape kits, according to the Joyful Heart Foundation, a nonprofit group that focuses on such backlogs. Houston, meanwhile, tackled its backlog in 2013, using a $4 million federal grant to outsource testing to private forensic labs.

The city also moved forensics testing in 2014 from the Houston Police Department to the Houston Forensics Science Center referred comments to a statement released in the fall when the initial lawsuit was filed.

'Legacy backlog'

Peter Stout, the Forensic Center's president and CEO, said at that time that "high-quality, efficient forensic testing is an important part" of the forensic center's operation.

"Since taking over management of the Houston Police Department's forensic operations in 2014, HFSC has eliminated legacy and incoming backlogs of sexual assault evidence," he said. "A legacy backlog inherited from HPD that dated back to the 1980s has been eliminated. HFSC's goal is to have a sustainable, average 30-day turnaround time for all evidence, including that which is related to sexual assault."

The Houston Police Department also could not be reached for comment for this story.

Beckwith was raped in April 2011 by a man pretending to be a mechanic, according to court documents. Her attacker - named by police in 2016 as David Lee Cooper - lured her into his home after her car broke down, court records show.

Like Flores, Beckwith said police were dismissive of her attack and told her it was unlikely her suspect would be caught, according to the lawsuit. Five years later, she was contacted by Houston police, who told her they'd matched Cooper's DNA to her attack, according to her suit.

Cooper had already been convicted for sexual assault, including one from 2002 involving a minor. His DNA had been in the Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS and managed by the FBI, since 1991.

A previous rape charge against him was dismissed in 1991, according to the lawsuit. In 1994, he was found not guilty in another rape.

On Dec. 14, 2016, Cooper pleaded guilty to a 2002 sexual assault of a child, a 2009 sexual assault and the 2011 sexual assault of Beckwith.

"To not test the rape kits of a serial rapist who also raped children is beyond unconscionable," Kallinen said in September. "It didn't take them long once they knew who he was."

Testing lacks funding

The suit also comes as Texas lawmakers confront a dearth of funding to test DNA samples, which can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000.

In 2011, the state passed reforms that require law enforcement agencies to send all newly collected kits to a crime lab for testing within 30 days.

Funding that effort has been more difficult, however, forcing lawmakers and advocacy groups to get creative.

In May, state lawmakers approved a measure that allows for donations on Texas drivers' license application forms, which they predict will raise $1 million to address the rape kit backlog. In 2017, Texas allocated $4.2 million to the Department of Public Safety to cut down on the backlog.

But Flores and Kallinen said the failure to test rape kits is only one of many problems.

"This lawsuit is about rape kits, that's for sure," Kallinen said Friday. "But in a bigger sense, it's about the treatment of women in regards to sexual assault investigations and discrimination. That has to end."

"It's about priorities," he said.
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Earlier this year, Chron.com told you about the sprawling Flat Creek Estate, an award-winning winery in the Texas Hill Country that was for sale.

Back in March 2017 there was a sale pending on the property, but now according to real estate agents handling it, it's back on the market.

RELATED: The bars and restaurants in Houston with the oldest TABC liquor licenses

Barbara Van Dyke, with Kuper Sotheby's International Realty, said Tuesday that the company went through a long process with two different potential buyers, but Flat Creek winery in Marble Falls is now back on the market.

With a $3 million discount to sweeten the deal, down from $10 million earlier this year.

"We have adjusted the price for Flat Creek and it is now $6.95 million plus the cost of inventory," Van Dyke says. "Since inventory fluctuates, it will depend on when a buyer would close as to how much inventory there is."

Van Dyke sees the winery as a project for someone looking to go on an adventure of sorts.

"I think Flat Creek is ideal for someone who dreams of owning a winery, but I also think the opportunity is ripe for someone who wants to operate an event venue, or potentially add lodging, such as a boutique hotel. There is plenty of room for expansion on this property."

Van Dyke has said previously that the former owners were looking to retire and hand the vines and reins over to younger hands.

Now Playing: Rebel Coast Winery will soon be rolling out an alcohol free, marijuana infused wine. Tony Spitz has the details. Video: Buzz 60

In addition to 20 acres of vineyards, the property includes a wine-production facility, tasting room, restaurant and events building, covered outdoor pavilion, office building, workout space and guest house. Flat Creek Estate is about 50 miles northwest of Austin on the north side of Lake Travis.

RELATED: Ring in 2018 with Texas sparkling wines

Each year, the winery produces more than 10,000 cases of wine.

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.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Alexandro Luna / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Alexandro Luna / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Alexandro Luna / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 5 of 5









A deaf man was shot Saturday evening in an attempted robbery on the North Side, police said.

San Antonio Police Sgt. Sean Johnson said authorities were called for a shooting in a Churchs Chicken parking lot in the 2400 block of Basse Road around 6:35 p.m.
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A miniature pair of bright pink boots. A framed black-and-white sonogram. An image of Jennifer in white, and Danny in a tux, preserved in a clear orb.

The fragmented moments encapsulated in these ornaments hang on Jennifer Holcombes Christmas tree  mementos of a life she will never get back.

A life with Noah Grace, her 18-month-old daughter, and Danny Holcombe, her laughing husband. Of large Holcombe family gatherings during Christmastime. Of a First Baptist Church filled with people shed known for years.

In a new world with those closest to her now gone, Jennifer, 38, pushes herself to find meaning, to discover her purpose, to try to make something good of her loss. But the holidays leave her searching for a new tradition to lessen the pain.

RELATED: Sutherland Springs tree pays homage to victims of church attack

For the tight-knit community of Sutherland Springs, the holiday season this year is like none other. On Nov. 5, Devin Kelley stepped into the church and killed 26 people, including an unborn child, with a military-style rifle before he was shot and then died in a car chase. It was the largest massacre in Texas history.

Almost everyone had a relative or friend who was killed or wounded. The Christmas-themed church services last Sunday reminded families of their love for one another, but also of the love they can no longer share with those who were killed.

The psychological wounds in the small town south of San Antonio remain raw, and families are met each day with reminders large and small of their loved ones.

Stockings of Jennifers deceased husband and child hang above the fireplace, and baby toys are scattered across the floor in her home. A cup on the sink still has a small toothbrush, and childrens bath toys are stuck to the bathtub walls.

This is my home. All my memories are here. I couldnt just pack up and leave, she said, casting her eyes around her living room.

Thats what I have now, the memories. I need them.

RELATED: Sutherland Springs family sues outdoors store where church shooter purchased gun

John Holcombe, her brother-in-law, has ornaments filled with memories, too.

John, who was wounded in the shooting, lost nine family members: two daughters, his son, his wife, a baby  yet to be born  his mother, his father, his brother  Danny, Jennifers husband  and his niece, Noah Grace.

In a box full of Christmas ornaments hes trying to preserve, theres the pink My Little Pony that was 8-year-old Megans favorite. Theres 11-year-old Emilys unfinished ornament, a gift to her mother, with beads only glued to a quarter of it. And theres the seven gingerbread men, a gift to the family in 2013, each with the names of Johns family members.

Now only three are left.

Its a lot more quiet then it used to be, he said.

Sometimes the victims friends and family sob with uncontrollable grief. Other times, they quietly go through the motions of their day  a silent suffering. Confronting the tragic loss is almost unbearable. The Holcombes and other families lost their spouses, their best friends, the children in whom they placed so much hope for the future. Destroyed in an instant by a madman who showed no mercy for the innocent victims. How does one fill such a void?

Theres this knot in my chest, said John Holcombe, his voice wavering as he described the feeling of losing so many loved ones. Theres a spaceyness.

RELATED: Another Sutherland Springs family files civil claim against Air Force

Jennifer Holcombe described her loss succinctly: Everything I did, Im not doing anymore. Everyone I had, now I dont.

Sometimes the empty space inside threatens to swallow them. When they feel this way, the surviving congregants of the First Baptist Church turn their gaze upward and think of God. Religion has helped shape their lives, and God is one thing that cant be physically taken away from them.

Little Noah Grace wore bright pink boots almost every day, including the day she died.

We decided (the boots) belonged to her. I couldnt pass them on to somebody else, Jennifer said.

They went to the grave with her. Now two tiny pairs of bright pink boots hang on Jennifers tree, inscribed with the words Like mom, like daughter.

Noah Grace and her father Danny Holcombe died beside Jennifer as they hid underneath a pew. Jennifer inexplicably survived, unwounded.

I was just praying for (God) to protect Noah and keep her safe. Danny and I were just trying to keep Noah safe, she said, clasping her hands together.

When the shooting was over  when the screams had stopped, when the smoke was clearing, when the ambulances had arrived and the gunman was gone  Jennifer Holcombe climbed up from the floor and exited the church.

She cant remember doing this. She cant remember much of what she did that day. But she does remember knowing this: her family was dead.

I think thats the only reason I was able to get up and walk out of there, because I didnt have to get up and wonder about them. I knew they were gone.

The gift of a child

Jennifer has a willowy frame and long thick hair that she frequently lifts into a ponytail. Her face is clear of makeup, and the smile below her rectangular glasses comes easily, even now.

As she sat near her Christmas tree one recent morning, she watched her niece, 2-year-old Elene, with the eyes of a mother: alternately smiling and monitoring for signs of danger. When Elene got fussy, Jennifer pulled out Noah Graces books and toys for her.

What about this? she said at one point, holding up one of Noah Graces picture books. Elene eagerly stretched her hands out. Jennifer smiled.

Jennifer and Danny Holcombe had gone through multiple fertility treatments to conceive Noah Grace. They wanted a child of their own so badly.

We knew having her was a blessing in that, Jennifer said. So we figured we could use that (experience) to help somebody else get through that. I guess God was almost preparing us for now, because I knew what it was like not to have what I wanted. And now I dont have it again.

She drew deep, shuddering breaths and began to sob. Sarah Slavin, her sister-in-law, reached out her hand and squeezed Jennifers tightly. For a minute, they suffered their grief together.

Noah Grace got her name from a story in the bible. She was one of five daughters in a family with no sons and, as the story goes, when their father dies, Noah and her sisters petition Moses for the right to inherit his land, in the absence of a male heir. God grants them their wish.

Noah means standing up for what you believe in, taking a stand, and that was something we wanted to teach her. And Grace because she was a gift, Jennifer said. Danny would tell anyone that story.

Jennifer and her in-laws thought of having a small get-together at the home of Dannys parents, Bryan and Karla Holcombe, who were also killed, but theyre still not quite sure if thats going to happen. Plans are painful to think about. Its hard enough getting through the day, much less the holidays.

Anything we can do to put it off until after the New Year, after the holidays  we dont want to make it any harder, said Slavin, 33, daughter of Bryan and Karla. She said the holidays will be different and challenging.

Already, Jennifer has had to put up Christmas decorations without her husband and daughter. Across town, Frank and Sherri Pomeroy couldnt bear to decorate their tree. Their daughter, Annabelle Pomeroy, 14, was killed inside their church, where Frank is the pastor. Frank and Sherris children came from out of town to decorate the tree.

The Pomeroys used to always watch Annabelles Wish together. The 1997 movie is about a mute boy and his friendship with a calf who wants to be a reindeer.

She just loved that her name was in a movie, said Sherri Pomeroy. It was about a special Christmas wish and the hope of Christmas. It was about giving.

Rita Brown, Frank Pomeroys mother and Annabelles grandmother, said shes not quite sure how theyll all pull through the holidays.

Ive been to the house one time since Annabelles death, and just being there that one time was just, Brown searched for the words, her mouth clamped shut as if willing her urge to cry to go away. Its just going to be very hard.

Bryan and Karla Holcombe used to always quote Matthew 6:34 from the Bible: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

Their children have lived and breathed that phrase ever since Nov. 5.

We dont have to waste time thinking about tomorrow because the day is filled with something to do, said their son Scott Holcombe, 30. They always quoted (Matthew 6:34) and I see why, now.

Missing faces

Last Sunday, residents of Sutherland Springs bundled up in scarves and hats and passed by a wreath with a ribbon reading LOVE NEVER FAILS in cursive on their way into the First Baptist Churchs new sanctuary.

Inside, lit-up trees and wreaths decorate the new temporary building for their annual Christmas-themed Sunday services. John Holcombe arrived by himself and sat near the back.

He stared glassy-eyed out the window, looking at a small fig tree, which was rescued from destruction when workers were setting up the new building.

I was wishing they were here, he said in an unsteady tone hours later. His wife Crystal and their daughters had picked figs from that tree.

When he talked of them, tears filled his eyes and he had to clamp his mouth shut, and take a deep breath, to stifle the grief that threatens to take over.

They were such a blessing, he said.

Kris Workman, 34, who was shot in the massacre and is paralyzed below the waist, wheeled himself up the wooden ramp to the temporary building to attend the services. It was the first time he visited these grounds since Nov. 5.

Congregants pushed their chairs to the side to make room for him. His wife, Colbey Workman, 24, was dressed as the human embodiment of Christmas, with a thick ugly sweater, red stockings, and socks striped like a candy cane. She guided him, asking him if he needed anything, tending to him as a wife and, newly, as his caretaker.

Later, she won first place at the churchs annual ugly sweater contest  her fourth straight win. They played a game of white elephant, which was slightly more disorganized than usual because Karla Holcombe always used to lead it.

Colbey and Kris won a new furry piggy bank for Eevee, their 3-year-old daughter. Deck the halls with bows of holly, oink oink oink, oink oink oink Colbey joked, poking the pig into her daughters chin. Eevee, all dimples and blonde curls and large blue eyes, giggled and shrieked in delight.

But the day began on a more somber note. Kris Workman, wearing a black and white Sutherland Springs Strong T-shirt and a thoughtful expression, quietly observed the services before him: The new building, decked out in Christmas decor, is beautiful, he said, but the services are not the ones he knows.

This feels very foreign, to see this many people in a building thats brand new and unfamiliar, he said. Its a sea of new faces  and a lot of missing faces.

He used to sing on stage at the church, and he wondered when hell get back to doing that. He gets shooting pains in his legs that can be debilitating, and he still needs help doing basic functions like going to the bathroom. But beyond all that, what worries him the most about leading worship isnt the physical obstacles.

Its a heart issue, he said.

Workman sees the world differently now. Its not safe and set  its an unsteady, unfair, unpredictable place. No one is immune from its hardships, he realized. You just have to hope, or pray, that something like this doesnt happen to you.

Life is fragile. Were in a world thats full of dangers, he said. Weve been sent into a world thats a crazy place. Anything can and will happen. So cling to God.

So Workman will rely on his faith, and the sheer fact that life goes on. And hell rely on the unpredictable, unimaginably beautiful moments that can happen, too.

Bring them peace

At 6 p.m., the Pomeroys, the Holcombes, the Greens and their friends and families climbed on flatbed trailers lined with hay. Kids sat on laps and on the floor, and a poodle mix with a Santa hat sat on its owners lap, its scruffy face resembling Santas beard.

The congregants wore head flashlights and held pages of Christmas song lyrics. Led by a firetruck with flashing lights and a speaker, they caroled through the town.

The firetrucks blue and red lights reflected on the carolers glasses and watches and on the windows of Sutherland Springs homes. Alerted by the colors and sound, some residents came out, and the truck stopped as the carolers sang Joy to the World and yelled Merry Christmas!

Stephen Willeford, the man lauded for shooting at the gunman outside the church  and a reluctant hero who has largely avoided media attention  emerged from his home beaming. The lights reflected off his glasses and almost concealed his eyes, wet with tears. He walked around the flatbeds squeezing shoulders. They told him Merry Christmas and also: Thank you.

I was overwhelmed, Willeford said later. After everything everyones been through, and theyre out there singing. God is beautiful.

The speaker wasnt quite loud enough this year, and Frank Pomeroy wondered out-loud if the FBI might still have the large one that was in the church.

Its a quiet one this year, he said

The carolers continued on, from neighbor to neighbor, at one point driving past the ballpark, where the lights of the truck illuminated the 26 crosses  still there, still decorated with stuffed animals and flowers, love cards and small crosses.

We dont know when our next breath may end, what our tomorrow will be, Frank Pomeroy had said earlier at the services.

He then pleaded to God: Feel the hearts that are breaking and bring them peace.

As Workman wheeled himself out of services earlier that day, he found John Holcombe. It was the first time they had seen each other since the shooting. John reached over and hugged him fiercely.

Youre hanging in there, right? Workman said.

Well, Holcombes voice trailed off, the silence saying more than his words. For a moment, he was undone. And then: Yes.

They clung together for one beat more.

Well talk more, okay? Workman said.

Absolutely, Holcombe answered. Well talk more.

Workman wheeled himself to the church hall, where a game of white elephant with the congregants awaited.

Holcombe spoke briefly with his pastor, and then walked away from the church to find his children.

sfosterfrau@express-news.net | @SilviaElenaFF
By PTI: Hyderabad, Dec 24 (PTI) Griffin Coal Mine in Australia is no longer a Lanco Group company as the ICICI-led lenders took over the pledged shares as a result of default of payment, a senior official of the debt-ridden Indian infra firm said.

Lenders of Lanco Resources International Pte Limited (LRIPL), a Lanco Infratech subsidiary, which owns Griffin Coal Mine, have earlier appointed PWC as receiver and manager to look for an investor as the Aussie company defaulted payment.

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"Griffin Coal is no longer our subsidiary. The total debt of the entity was close to USD 900 million. We are not showing its (Griffin Coal) results also in our financial reports. The total loss incurred by the group on account of Griffin Coal would be USD 300 million," T Adi Babu, chief operating officer-finance, Lanco Infratech told PTI.

Lanco Infratech, through its Australian subsidiary, acquired Griffin Coal Mining Company and Carpenter Mine Management for AUD 740 million in March 2011.

Though the transfer of shares was to have legal title on the shares to the lenders, the beneficial interest continued to be with with the company, as part of "perfection" of security under the Singapore laws, Lanco had earlier said.

The sale process of Griffin Coal in 2011 was overseen by Kodramentha- administrator of Carpenter Mine. The Australian mine is continuously making cash losses ever since its acquisition.

Production at the mine during the FY17 was 2.50 million tonnes with sales of 2.45 MT. Production was less than optimal as the fall in international coal prices did not economically justify exporting a part of the production.

In 2015, Lanco alleged that Kordanentha misled the bidders by withholding two reports suggesting the Griffin coal deposits were smaller than disclosed first. Denying Lancos allegation, Kordamentha in turn made a counter allegation that Lanco defaulted its instalment to the tune of USD 150 for the mine.

Adi Babu said the issue has been settled out of court as the Australian advisory and investment firm agreed to pay about USD 10 million as expenses and also waive USD 150 million payment instalment by Lanco.

"The case was settled. We were to pay USD 150 million. (as part of the settlement). We dont have to pay that amount. It was waived. The advantage of the settlement will also go to the bank (lenders). They have also agreed to pay about USD 10 million towards damages," Adi Babu said.

Lanco Infratech currently is under insolvency proceedings and on August 7, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) suspending the powers of the Board, appointed Savan Godiawala as Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) as part of the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) for the company. PTI GDK NP

--- ENDS ---

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An argument between two North Side H-E-B employees escalated during an overnight shift early Sunday morning when one worker cut the other with a box cutter.

San Antonio police responded to H-E-B around 1:45 a.m. at the 300 block of Olmos Drive where the two employees began to argue over a bottle of water while they were stocking shelves during their overnight shift.
AP-US-Secret-Santa,316

Secret Santa hands out $100 bills to strangers in Topeka

Eds: Updates with background and quotes from Secret Santa, Schmidt and a recipient of money. New to some points. AP Photos pursuing.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas City's Secret Santa is at it again, this time focusing his annual good cheer on Kansas' capital city.

A reporter for the Kansas City Star tagged along recently as Secret Santa followed his long tradition of handing out $100 bills to strangers in Topeka places where the hurting and downtrodden gather, including a shelter and thrift store.

At each stop, the arrival of Santa and his "elves" was met with quizzical stares. By the time they left, there were tears of joy and shouts of "praise Jesus."

Local police and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt accompanied the Secret Santa.

"This is such a heart-warming experience," Schmidt said. "Such raw generosity."

The Secret Santa tradition began years ago with a man named Larry Stewart. Stewart was touched by a stranger's kindness at his lowest point. He later became wealthy and decided to share his good fortune with strangers.

When Stewart was dying of cancer, he asked the current Santa to carry on the mission. He has done so for 11 years.

Today's Santa has always remembered what Stewart said on his death bed: "I wish I could have helped more people."

The current Santa insists on anonymity.

"It's not about the person," he said. "It's about the deed."

But occasionally, reporters are invited along in hopes of inspiring kindness in others. And sometimes, Santa has kindness shown to him.

Debi Widman of Topeka was shopping at a thrift store when a man she didn't know walked up and told her he liked her coat. The stranger offered her $50. Then $75. Then $100.

"I don't want any money," she told him. "I'll give it to you."

That's when Santa revealed himself. He gave Widman $100 and she kept her coat.

"God bless you," she told him.

Widman's gesture helped make Santa's day.

"Those with the least," he said, "are always willing to give the most."

---

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com
All parents want their child to have a skilled, knowledgeable teacher  but action under consideration in the U.S. Congress could make that much harder for us to achieve in San Antonio schools. Congress is currently determining whether to eliminate the largest federal resource dedicated for the development of teachers and school leaders.

The funding, called Title II-A, goes largely to help teachers strengthen their skills. If Congress zeroes out the funding, as it is now considering, San Antonio would lose crucial funding for unique and innovative teacher development programs that have actually led to positive outcomes for kids.

Recently, members from Chiefs for Change  a nonprofit, bipartisan network of educators dedicated to educational equity  have used Title II funds to support the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD)/Relay Teaching Residency. Through our partnership, were pulling together several proven approaches to teacher development to drive results for students. One exciting component of our partnership is that a cohort of 25 resident teachers are placed in one SAISD school. This provides unique opportunities for prospective teachers to receive on-the-ground training while fully immersed in one school environment.

Research has shown that teacher residencies like ours develop teachers who produce results for students earlier in their careers and who stay in the profession longer. Placed in the classrooms of expert teachers, residents get the chance to observe experienced educators modeling best practices. Residents also co-teach lessons and receive targeted feedback from these mentor teachers, as well as from Relay faculty.

Importantly, we have prioritized recruiting diverse candidates to join the Relay Teaching Residency program. In San Antonio, 92 percent of Relay residents identify as a person of color. A combination of forgivable loans, scholarships, and AmeriCorps Segal awards also make this residency program affordable for people from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Another important component is the written commitment of residents to continue teaching in the district after completing the program.

To help address additional specific goals and needs of SAISD, we have also expanded our partnership beyond the residency to include a masters program. Over 50 experienced SAISD teachers are pursuing masters degrees through Relays program. This enables these teachers to gain the qualifications needed to teach advanced courses, such as advanced placement or international baccalaureate classes. By the 2018-2019 school year, SAISD aims to have 90 percent of its students complete an advanced course. Through our partnership, teachers can become the content experts students need when taking advanced classes that better prepare them for college.

Last year, 87 percent of Relay residents who completed their first year were hired for lead teaching roles nationally. Centro San Antonio, a local nonprofit, also recently recognized schools that participated in our Masters program  the Advanced Learning Academy and CAST Tech  for helping transform the educational landscape of downtown San Antonio.

Relay has a strong track record of providing professional development for teachers that actually works. While the SAISD/Relay partnership is still new, it has already begun showing how Title II funding can reinvent what teacher development looks like. We believe that over time, this residency will help build a strong pipeline of effective, diverse teachers who stay in the profession and help all students reach their full potential.

As we move forward, we should continue focusing on transforming teacher development, not eliminating it entirely.

Pedro Martinez is superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District and a member of Chiefs for Change , a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for todays world and tomorrows. Senior Dean Chris Fraser oversees Relay Graduate School of Educations high-impact teacher training programs in Texas  including its new campus in San Antonio  and Colorado.
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When architect Wallace Cunningham presented the plans for 243 Highway 1 in Carmel to county staff and neighbors, he was nervous the modern design of concrete, glass and steel wouldn't pass approval in an area known for its rustic homes.

But Cunningham hoped the community would embrace his vision for a home built to complement its location on the cliffs overlooking a private cove on Monterey Bayand they did.

"One of the neighbors stood up and said, it may not meet the regulations but it's beautiful and we love it. And then approved it," he said. "How often does that happen?"

Cunningham was hired by Joan Murray, an international philanthropist, to design the home, and she provided inspiration through her love of beauty, nature, simplicity and conservation.

"She would say things like I want to see the moon and the stars and so the ceilings are tall to get that upward view through the windows," he said. "She loved tai chi and there's a stone perch to do tai chi."

Now Playing: The listing agent provided video footage of this stunning modern masterpiece built in 2017 right on the Ocean in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It's on the market for $11.4 million. Video: Estate Film Production by Michael Buffo of House of 8 Media, Monterey, CA

Murray passed away before the home, which took 10 years to build, was completed in 2017 and never lived there. Now her estate is selling the property for $11.4 million.

The 2,667-square-foot home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, an arched roof and floor-to-ceiling windows in both the rear and front. In the living room, facing an expansive wall of curving glass, you feel like you're sitting outside next to the ocean.

Murray lived in Japan for many years and wanted her home to be in the Japanese style where the purpose of rooms was flexible and interchangeable. "The furniture can be moved around to create whatever purpose you want in a room," said Cunningham.

She also wanted a home where the community could gather and her family, neighbors, artists and scientists could enjoy.

"The upstairs hall isn't an upstairs hall," Cunningham said. "It's a balcony for a concert or a lecture."

Outside, two stone staircases lead to the water's edge and a patio hangs right over the ocean. "She loved the property and the rocks and the sea," Cunningham said. "There's something enchanting about the site. It's like a family with the seals, baby whales, otters."
The suspense ends, BJP announces Jairam Thakur as the new Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister.

The race to become the Himachal Pradesh CM ends today.

By India Today Web Desk: Jairam Thakur, Himachal Pradesh's new chief minister, thanked BJP cadres and leaders for their support after party observers and legislators picked him over Jagat Prakash Nadda, another contender for the top post.

The BJP won comfortably in the recently concluded assembly election in Himachal Pradesh, a swing state which is currently governed by the Congress.

As Thakur prepares to take charge of the Himalayan state, here are five things you should know about him.

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A FIRST: Jairam Thakur is strong leader from the Mandi belt, and is the very first chief minister from the region. The BJP's performance in the Mandi belt was impressive: It won 9 out of 10 seats

FORMER MINISTER: Thakur has been a minister in the previous BJP Government.

STATE PRESIDENT: He was also the state unit president between 2006-2009.

EXPERIENCE: He has experience both in administration as well as in organisation.

CLOSE TO NADDA: Jairam Thakur is considered close to JP Nadda and hence enjoys support of the BJP top brass.

WATCH | Jairam Thakur declared Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister

--- ENDS ---
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has issued a statement on the use of virtual currencies in Zimbabwe at a time when Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency is trading at a premium in Zimbabwe.

Previously, in July, the RBZ had warned Zimbabweans against using Bitcoin as the central bank could not regulate it. Then in November the RBZ jut came out and plainly said bitcoin is not legal.

Now the central bank has issued a press statement encompassing all virtual currencies:

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PRESS STATEMENT: USE OF VIRTUAL CURRENCIES IN ZIMBABWE

The use of virtual currencies or cryptocurrencies is on the increase both locally and globally and there are entities that are facilitating the purchase and sale of virtual currencies in and outside the Zimbabwe. There are many virtual currencies in circulation, with Bitcoin being one of the most popular.

Virtual currency is defined by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF ), as a digital representation of value, that can be digitally traded and functions as (1) a medium of exchange; and/or (2) a unit of account; and/or (3) a store of value, but does not have legal tender status.

Virtual currency is different from fiat currency (also known as real currency, real money or national currency) which is the coin and paper money of a country that is designated as its legal tender. Virtual currency is also not the same as e-money, which is used to electronically represent and transfer value denominated in fiat currency.

Virtual currencies are not only unregulated but are also neither issued by public authority nor guaranteed by the State. In this regard virtual currencies are not in any way attached to notes and coins circulating in the country. Virtual currencies do not have legal tender status in Zimbabwe or in any jurisdiction in the world.

Virtual currencies are attractive to money launderers and other criminals because of the supposed anonymity and ease with which transactions can be conducted, on the internet and across borders.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wishes to advise members of the public that the use of trading in cryptocurrencies or virtual currencies is not regulated by the countrys laws and presents risks such as money laundering, terrorism financing, tax evasion and fraud. Under the existing legal and regulatory dispensation, any person who invests in virtual currencies or participates in any transaction involving virtual currencies, does so at own risk and will not have legal protection from, or recourse against, any regulatory authority.

Dr J P Mangudya

Governor

20 December 2017

TechZim

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Power struggles in the opposition MDC-T escalated yesterday, with party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai lambasting one of his lieutenants for endangering electoral co-operation in the MDC Alliance.

Party secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora told a local daily that MDC-T will field candidates in all parliamentary constituencies in 2018 harmonised elections.

This drew fire from MDC Alliance members who argued that this was contrary to a seat allocation matrix agreed upon by their principals.

The alliance comprises Transform Zimbabwe, Multi-Racial Christian Democrats, MDC-T, ZimPF, Peoples Democratic Party, MDC and Zanu Ndonga.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Tsvangirai fumed: The statement published in the NewsDay of today (yesterday) purportedly under my authority but issued by our secretary-general is unfortunate, misleading and grossly false.

I would like to state categorically that the MDC-T entered into an electoral alliance agreement in good faith with its partners on August 5, 2017. That agreement includes seat allocation and is binding on all parties. The MDC-T Election Directorate will issue guidelines on candidate selection for seats allocated to it, and such guidelines are yet to be issued out.

The agreement is informed by our National Council resolutions of December 2016 and August 2017 and cannot, therefore, be rescinded by a personal opinion of a leader . . . In addition, our secretary-general or any other leader other than the president has no authority to speak on matters pertaining to the alliance unless authorised to so by myself and such authority was not given to him. In the NewsDay report, Mr Mwonzora revealed that his party was selecting candidates as the alliance was yet to agree on constituency selection.

MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube, however, reportedly claimed an agreement on the matter had been reached, while Transform Zimbabwes Justin Makota labelled MDC-T dishonest.

Commenting on the escalation of power struggles in the MDC-T, a political analyst at the University of Zimbabwe who spoke on condition of anonymity said: Clearly, there are some criminals surrounding Mr Tsvangirai. It looks like the MDC-T needs their own Operation Restore Order, except that they dont have generals. Sunday Mail

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THE President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has appointed Retired General Constantino Guvheya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga and Cde Kembo Mohadi as Vice-Presidents and Second Secretaries of the ruling party.

In a statement yesterday, Presidential Press Secretary, Cde George Charamba said the appointments were with immediate effect.

The President and First Secretary of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, Zanu-PF, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has today made two senior Party appointments, said Cde Charamba.

General Constantino Guvheya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga (Rtd), as Vice-President and Second Secretary of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).

Hon Kembo C D Mohadi, MP, as Vice-President and Second Secretary of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF). The appointments are with immediate effect.

Cde Charamba told Sunday News through the telephone that the appointments were made following extensive consultations with the political, traditional, security arms and war veterans.

Kembo Mohadi

Cde Charamba said as for the issue of the partys Vice-President and Second Secretary from Matabeleland, President Mnangagwa sought to get a consensus figure and therefore was guided by sentiments from the Matabeleland region.

With regards to the issue of the partys Vice-President and Second Secretary from Matabeleland, which is a creature of the Unity Accord, it was important that the President be guided by sentiments from the region. He got quite a number of deputations from Matabeleland, he said.

Because of the representations, the President decided to get a consensus figure. So, he had to consult war veterans, the political leadership in Matabeleland, security structures in Government and the traditional leadership in Matabeleland. From these four levels, he was then able to get an idea of the consensus figure that the region was comfortable with.

He said it was important to note that these were appointments to the party.

As regards the Governmental side, thats a constitutional issue and announcements must be done at an appropriate level and by an appropriate person who happens to be the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda.

As things stand, the Chief Secretary is out of the country on an urgent assignment. Once he is back, I am sure the announcement will be done, said Mr Charamba.

Sources, however, said following extensive consultations, five names were raised from Matabeleland and those were Cdes Mohadi, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Cabinet Ministers Cdes Simon Khaya Moyo and Obert Mpofu.

Initially five names were tossed around being that of the Speaker of Parliament Cde Jacob Mudenda, Cde Mohadi himself, Cabinet Ministers Simon Khaya Moyo and Obert Mpofu as well as former Minister, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, said the source.

While the five names were forwarded, the war veterans, the political leadership and senior traditional leaders from Matabeleland expressed reservations on each of the candidates.

However, despite the reservations, it is understood Cde Mohadis name came up tops, leading to his appointment by the President.

Cde Mohadi was born on 15 November, 1949 in Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South Province.

He did his Sub A up to Standard One in Beitbridge, including at Mtetengwe Primary School, before proceeding to Gwanda Primary School for Standard 2.

He was at Beitbridge Boarding School up to Standard Six before proceeding to Manama High School in Gwanda for secondary education and then Goromonzi High School in Mashonaland East where he was kicked out while doing Form 3.

Cde Mohadi joined the liberation struggle in the early 70s when he left the country for military training in Zambia via Botswana.

He later went to Russia for further training and on his return was attested to a department within Zapu called Zimbabwe Intelligence Services under the command of the late Cde Ethan Dube but was detained at Khami Maximum Prison in 1976 until his release at Independence in 1980.

He was appointed Defence, Security and War Veterans Minister last month.

He had served as the Minister of State for National Security in the Presidents Office (2015 to 2017) and Minister of Home Affairs from 2002 to 2015.

Rtd Gen Chiwenga was born on 25 August, 1956 in Hwedza, Mashonaland East. Sunday News

He did his secondary school at St Marys Mission in the same district before joining the liberation struggle as a 17-year-old and received military training in Zambia and Tanzania.

In 1974, he was appointed a member of the Zanla General Staff and rose to become a member of the Zanla High Command as deputy commissar in 1978.

During the ceasefire period, Rtd Gen Chiwenga was appointed to the ceasefire monitoring team assigned to Manicaland in 1980 and later moved to Masvingo the same year.

He was commissioned a Brigadier on 16 April 1981 and within the same year was appointed Commander of 1 Brigade.

In 1984, he was appointed Commander of 5 Brigade and later as Brigadier-General based at army headquarters until his promotion to Major-General, becoming Chief of Staff (Administration and Quartermaster).

Another promotion in 1994 saw him assume the rank of Lieutenant-General and Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army on the formation of the Zimbabwe Defence forces.

In 2004, he took over as ZDF Commander upon retirement of General Vitalis Zvinavashe. Sunday News

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He has the demeanour of the perfect gentleman  stern, firm and assuring.

Nicknamed Mr Perfect in military circles, a few can deny that as General Constantino Chiwenga pursues his new assignment, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces could not have been left in better hands than those of General Phillip Valerio Sibanda.

Those who worked with him during the liberation struggle and have acquainted themselves with him post-Independence know the qualities he brings to his latest appointment.

A senior ex-Zapu cadre who spoke to The Sunday Mail last week was all smiles as she gave insights into the Generals early life in the struggle, including his inclination to become a pastor.

Cde Jane Lungile Ngwenya, one of Zimbabwes most senior surviving nationalists, said she was proud of Gen Sibandas elevation and his role in fostering national cohesion.

. . . I particularly recall Sibanda because I had known him earlier as a Zanla combatant. And now that he is General of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, memories of his younger days are now flooding back to me.

He was a pure gentleman. Even at a young age, you could tell that he was destined for leadership. His demeanour and countenance made him stand out among others.

I also know that during his younger days, he had aspired to be a pastor. This showed that he had qualities of diligence and leadership.

Cde Ngwenya said soldiers such as General Sibanda are some of the unsung heroes, who played a key role during the 1987 unity talks.

I know that during these talks, the military were crucial in ensuring that there was peace at the end, she said.

There were commanders such as Valerio Sibanda, who were very sober during these talks and stood firm in telling our leaders that they needed to sign the accord. It was not only him; there were others too.

Gen Sibanda is a decorated liberation fighter, who joined the armed struggle in 1973.

His Chimurenga name was Ananias Gwenzi and he rose to become one of Zipras commanders.

He also served as a member of the Zipra High Command and also as Chief of Reconnaissance for the wings military intelligence.

At Independence in 1980, Gen Sibanda joined the army and rose through the ranks, becoming Major-General in 1994.

Gen Sibanda headed the United Nations Mission in Angola as the Force Commander in charge of peace and national reconciliation (1995-98).

He was elevated to Zimbabwe National Army Commander in 2003. Sunday Mail

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President Emmerson Mnangagwas government wants to enlist the services of Interpol to hunt down his predecessor Robert Mugabes allies who skipped the country when the military toppled the veteran ruler last month.

Former ministers Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Paddy Zhanda are believed to be the prime targets because of alleged corruption-related crimes.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) pursued Moyo during Mugabes era for the alleged theft of Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund money. Moyo used to argue that Mnangagwa was using Zacc to pursue a personal vendetta linked to the fight over Mugabes succession.

Zacc has already arrested four close Mugabe allies namely Joseph Made, Walter Chidakwa, Ignatius Chombo and Jason Machaya. Former Zanu PF youth leaders Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe were also arrested on criminal charges linked to the army takeover.

Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu confirmed in an interview with The Standard that the government would use Interpol to hunt down those outside the country.

We are doing everything possible to ensure that those that have committed crimes within Zimbabwe and are outside Zimbabwe are brought to book. If it means engaging Interpol, we will go that route, he said.

The process is two-pronged, we are looking at the local investigations and outside investigations and outside investigations, they involve Interpol.

However, Mpofu refused to single out Kasukuwere, Zhanda and Moyo as the prime targets of the investigation.

We are talking about all those that committed crimes in Zimbabwe and if they committed crimes, they will be involved in this exercise, he said.

If those three are involved in crimes committed in Zimbabwe they will definitely be part of our investigations.

On Friday, Mnangagwa said he had forgiven G40 members, including those that had escaped to other countries, but said three of them remained defiant. He did not mention anyone by name.

The government early this month froze Kasukuwere and Moyos bank accounts. Meanwhile, besides Mnangagwas public pronouncements that Zimbabweans must let bygones be bygones, indications are that state institutions are pursuing G40 members.

According to reports, Chipanga is set to lose his farm in Rusape as punishment for supporting former first lady Grace Mugabes campaign against Mnangagwa.

The former farm owners have already been assured that they would get their farm back, sources said. Another farmer in Rusape, Robert Smart has since moved back to his farm after Mutare-based clergyman Bishop Manhanga was removed. Manhanga was a staunch Mugabe ally.

Human Rights Watchs southern Africa director Dewa Mavhinga said the government must prove that the spate of arrests was not a form of revenge by the Zanu PF Lacoste faction, which won the battle to succeed Mugabe.

Mnangagwas government has a challenge to demonstrate that recent arrests of former ministers are not driven by vengeance and political witch-hunting and that there is total commitment to rooting out corruption, he said.

Will the government target some current ministers who have in the past been publicly accused of corruption like Obert Mpofu, who was accused of demanding a $10 million bribe by Lovemore Kurotwi?

There is an urgent need to build public confidence that the government is serious about ending corruption regardless of factional affiliation.

Human rights activist Patson Dzamara said the arrests had nothing to do with corruption but were an extension of Zanu PF factional wars.

There is absolutely no way these arrests can be about corruption, he said.

Its no brainer appreciating that Zanu PF is a den of corruption, but when you see one corrupt individual arresting another then you must know its not about corruption.

The arrests of G40 members is becoming a nauseating charade. For them to want us to believe that only those who were/are in G40 are corrupt is an unpalatable and unamusing childish joke.

Mnangagwa has vowed to eradicate corruption, saying it was one of the reasons Zimbabwes economy was in the doldrums. The Standard

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President Emmerson Mnangagwas brief visit to South Africa last week attracted an unwanted sideshow.

A handful of people held a protest outside the Zimbabwean embassy in Pretoria demanding justice for victims of the countrys worst post-independence conflict code-named Gukurahundi.

Mnangagwa, in power for less than 30 days after taking over from his mentor Robert Mugabe who was toppled by the army last month, has been urging Zimbabweans to forget about the past and forge a new trajectory.

His special advisor Christopher Mutsvangwa went as far as describing those calling for redress as simply unhelpful.

However, those who bore the brunt of the atrocities where more than 20 000 civilians were murdered in cold blood in the Midlands and Matabeleland feel otherwise.

Gogo MaNcube, who relocated from Tsholotsho to Nkayi after the disappearance of her husband in 1983 at the peak of Gukurahundi, said she still hopes that she will get to know where he was buried before she dies.

MaNcube says her dream of a blissful marriage was cut short one afternoon when her husband left home for a regular errand at the nearby shops.

He just got out and said he was going to the shops. That was the last time I saw him, she said, looking into the air as if searching for answers.

Later, as we looked for him, I was told by a friend that he could have been abducted by soldiers who were on a rampage in the area.

I was forced to flee as I also now feared for my life, she said, adding that the memories were still fresh in her mind.

I just hope to see my husband again, or at least know where he is buried.

Her story, just like that of many other witnesses and victims of Gukurahundi, is that life has never been the same since the day the then prime minister Mugabe ordered the deployment of the North Korean Fifth Brigade to Matabeleland and Midlands to deal with what he called dissidents.

As a result, 20 000 people were killed, with some of their remains still lying in unmarked graves, mass graves, or in the bush as Mugabe himself never got to take full responsibility for the massacres, only casually dismissing them as a moment of madness.

Because of this failure by government to own up, or at least institute a truth, reconciliation and healing process, parts of the affected Matabeleland regions, especially in the marginalised and underdeveloped Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Lupane, have, for over three decades, carried glaring scars of the atrocities.

The scars have been passed on from generation to another.

Neglected by the Zanu PF regime, the region has poor roads and erratic telecommunications network.

Somewhere between Nkayi and Lupane, 22-year-old Bongani sat alone on a shop front bench with a container of opaque beer between his legs

He was not keen to speak to our news crew when initially approached, but at the mention of the word Gukurahundi, he snapped and in a voice that betrayed his anger, he shouted, Before he died, my father told me about my grandmothers painful death.

According to Bongani, his grandmother was one of over 20 women who were burnt alive in a hut in Tsholotsho and their remains now lie in a mass grave.

Without any healing process, the pain of Gukurahundi is getting passed from one generation to another. Mnangagwa was State Security minister at the time and many feel that he knows about what happened at the time and could be the right man to address the problem once and for all.

He is equally complicit and must simply accept responsibility for the death of my grandmother and everyone else who died during Gukurahundi, Bongani said.

My father told me stories of the murders and I think someone must come out in the open and tell us the full story.

In what further confirmed the generational passing on of the anger over the unresolved issue of Gukurahundi, a National University of Science and Technology student, who is from Tsholotsho, had no kind words for the current administration.

Inasmuch as Mugabe was the bad guy, he was not alone in the execution of Gukurahundi, and if Mnangagwa is ushering a new era as he says, then he must come forth and apologise to all of us and at least compensate the affected families, or at the very least, say something about this because for us who grew up hearing the stories, it will remain a source of trauma, she said.

We cannot just forget or wish away the existence of such a significant part of our history.

Sithabile Dewa of Heal Zimbabwe Trust, believes Mnangagwa must come clean on Gukurahundi.

There can only be genuine unity and forgiveness if government, especially the president, comes out in the open and publicly apologises and acknowledges all wrongs and the president should fully operationalise the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to deal with past injustices, said Dewa.

The NPRC, a part of the 2013 constitution, culminated from the need to have Zimbabwe deal with the past injustices, but due to government dithering, it is yet to fully function, four years later.

Although Clever Nyathi, advisor to the president on national healing, could not give detailed information about the governments plan on healing and reconciliation, he said, We are fully in the planning phase. Healing and reconciliation is a very serious matter that needs to be dealt with, but this needs to be properly planned.

Academic Bhekimpilo Sibanda, a victim of the atrocities, took to Twitter to lay out his expectations from the Mnangagwa presidency soon after the Midlands politician took over from Mugabe. One of the expectations was that Mnangagwa would help the victims of Gukurahundi to find closure.

My home is 1km from an unrecognised mass grave, which is surrounded by three other graves, he said.

The academic from Lupane said he could only judge the new president when he revealed his plans, especially on how he intends to atone for the Zanu PF governments excesses.

I believe that Mnangagwa has some choice to help me heal, he said.

I was with Joshua Nkomo in the afternoon before he fled to Botswana. I truly sympathise with Mnangagwa.

Nkomo was forced to escape into exile after an attempt was made on his life by the fifth Brigade. He was instrumental in ending the conflict in 1987 after agreeing to join Zanu PF under Mugabes leadership.

In his presentation to the Zimbabweans in South Africa, Mnangagwa spoke of forgiveness and said: we will never make the same mistakes again. The Standard

Breaking News via Email
The number of calves born on Irish dairy farms has increased by almost 300,000 over the past decade to an estimated 1.3 million in 2018.

In addition improving dairy herd fertility is resulting in a more concentrated calving season.

With this in mind, Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland in conjunction with the dairy milk processors Arrabawn, Aurivo, Centenary, Dairygold, Glanbia, Kerry Agribusiness, Lakeland Dairies and Tipperary Co-op supported by Volac, have joined forces to organise a series of ten CalfCare events.

Two will be taking place in Tipperary.

David Graham, CEO, Animal Health Ireland said: AHI is delighted to be working in partnership with Teagasc and the eight Dairy Coops involved in the running of these CalfCare events. This is the sixth year of organising the events and interest continues to grow each year. I would sincerely like to thank all the host farmers for agreeing to host the events on their farms. Without this cooperation and assistance, it would not be possible to hold these events.

Speaking at the launch of the events, George Ramsbottom, Teagasc said: Our research shows that well reared calves are more productive and profitable during their lifetime. While things are improving, only 60 of replacements born in 2014 calved at two years of age and one in five never calved. So, further improvement in the standard of calf rearing is essential.

According to Dr. Tom ODwyer Teagasc, With specialisation and expansion in dairying continuing to occur, more calves will be sold at an earlier age from dairy farms. All newborn calves should receive the same high standard of management around calving time whether they remain on farm or are sold shortly afterwards.

Pat Cahill of Volac who are sponsoring the series of events said: We are delighted to be supporting the events for the sixth year in a row. They serve as a timely reminder to farmers of the important things to do around calving time. Interest in the events has been huge with last years events attracting over 2,200 farmers.

Johnes disease control continues to be an issue of concern according to Lorna Citer, Johnes disease Programme Manager with Animal Health Ireland said: One of the topics presented at these events will focus on preventing and controlling this disease in young calves when this disease is picked up.

Each of the events will focus on four topics:

* Johnes control in the young calf;

* Disinfection of calf housing and equipment;

* An update on calf housing specifications;

* Saving labour during the calving season.

Schedule

All events start at 11am and will take place at the following venues and dates in Tipperary:

Centenary Co-Op Event on January 11 at the farm of Rory & Mairead ORegan, Knockroe, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Tipperary Co-Op event on January 19 at the farm of Tom & Patricia Moran, Ballygriffin, Golden, Co. Tipperary
By PTI: Hyderabad, Dec 24 (PTI) The family of a 29-year-old man from Hyderabad, who died in a road accident in New Zealand, has requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to help bring his body back.

Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad, who was studying in Auckland, New Zealand, also worked as a part-time taxi driver there, his family members said.

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A relative living in Australia informed them yesterday morning that a drunk driver jumped a traffic signal at a high speed and rammed into Fahads car, killing the latter on the spot, the deceaseds cousin, Faizal, told PTI.

The family, which lives in the Chanchalguda area here, has appealed to Swaraj to help bring Fahads body to Hyderabad at the earliest and also for financial assistance, he said.

"We have contacted the officials at the Indian embassy (in New Zealand) also," Faizal added.

Telangana BJP president K Laxman also requested Swaraj for help in this regard.

"Madam @SushmaSwaraj Ji, Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad aged 29 years R/o Hyderabad died in a road accident in Auckland, New Zealand. Kindly help to bring back body to India. Thank you (sic)," he wrote on Twitter. PTI VVK KRK RC

--- ENDS ---
By Online Desk

Sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V.Dinakaran on Sunday took an early lead in the by-election for the Radhakrishnan Nagar (R.K.Nagar) constituency that fell vacant after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. [FULL REPORT]

Political parties in Tamil Nadu, particularly the ruling AIADMK, main opposition DMK and ousted AIADMK deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran are eagerly awaiting the result of the RK Nagar Assembly by-election today.

The counting will be held in 14 tables in 19 rounds. Since only four postal votes had been polled, the actual counting will start soon.

HERE ARE THE UPDATES:

6.00 PM:

Percentage of votes polled by key candidates in #RKNagar by-election: #TTVDhinkaran (50.32); #EMadhusudhanan (27.30) and #NMarthuGanesh (13.93); all other candidates including BJP, Naam Thamizhar secured 8.45 per cent of votes @NewIndianXpress  T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) December 24, 2017

5.10 PM: TTV Dhinakaran wins the RK Nagar bypoll by a massive margin of over 40,000 votes.

The final vote share after the end of 19 rounds of counting

TTV Dhinakaran 89013 AIADMK 48306 DMK 24651 NTK 3,860 NOTA 2373 BJP 1417

4.50 PM: Vellore MP B Senguttuvan, who shifted his loyalties to the ruling AIADMK a month ago, met TTV Dhinakaran at his residence a while ago just ahead of the official announcement of Dhinakaran's victory.

4.45 PM: It's almost official. TTV Dhinakaran will be winning the RK Nagar bypolls as he exerts dominance over AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who is at a distant second with the vote difference almost 40,000 at the end of the 18th round.

18th Round | TTV: 86472, AIADMK: 47115, DMK: 24075

4.40 PM: Watch | TTV Dinakaran supporters celebrate R K Nagar bypolls counting results

4.35 PM: At the end of the 17th round, TTV Dhinakaran has crossed 80,000 mark and leads over AIADMK's Madhusudhanan with more than 35,000 votes.

17th Round | TTV: 81315, AIADMK: 44522, DMK: 22962, BJP: 1236, NTK: 3645

4.25 PM:

BJP leader L Ganesan on #RKNagar by-poll result: Two candidates who had sought votes in the name of late CM #JJayalalithaa have secured over one lakh votes; Actually, #JJayalalithaa has won in RK Nagar; So, AIADMK leaders have still have time to rethink on unity @NewIndianXpress  T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) December 24, 2017

4.20 PM: At the end of round 16, TTV Dhinakaran takes an unassailable lead garnering 76,701 votes. AIADMK's Madhusudhanan has got 41,529 votes.

16th Round | TTV 76,701. AIADMK at 41526, DMK-21827, BJP-1236, NOTA- 2203

4.10 PM:

3.45 PM: 14 rounds of counting votes is complete and TTV is leading the race with 68,302 votes. AIADMK candidate Madhusudhanan is trailing behind with 36,211 votes. DMK's Marudhu Muthu has garnered 18,928 votes.

3.30 PM:

3:10 PM: At the end of the 12th round, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 60,286 votes, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has managed to get 27737 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh who got 14,481 votes.

2:55 PM: After the eleventh round of counting, TTV Dinakaran is ahead with 54,316 votes, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 27,737 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 14,431 votes.

2:50 PM: TTV Dhinakaran returns home to joyous celebration and revelry. He is expected to address the media shortly.

2:45 PM

TTV Dhinakaran pays floral tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at MGR memorial in Marina Beach #Chennai pic.twitter.com/mcMp9jiHoH  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

2:35 PM: After Round 10, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 48808 votes, followed by AIADMK candidate getting 25367 and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh garnering 13015 votes.

2.30 PM After round 9, Independent candidate TTV Dhinkaran is leading the poll race with 44,308 votes while AIADMK's Madhusudhanan has managed 21,972 votes. DMK is third with 11,431 votes.

1:55 PM

Fresh posters being stuck up on the walls right outside #TTVDhinakaran 's residence in anticipation of his return ahead of the #RKNagarElectionResult #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/xfVXONGB9I  Dia Rekhi (@diarekhi) December 24, 2017

1:35 PM: After round eight of counting, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 39,940, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan with 19,799, and DMK finally crossing the 10K mark with 10,307 votes.

1:25 PM

Round 7 and the gap widens between BJP (519) and NOTA (925) #RkNagar @NewIndianXpress  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017

1:10 PM: After round seven, TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 34,346 followed by AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan getting 17,471 votes and DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh getting 9,206.

1:00 PM

I am an independent candidate for namesake but all Party (AIADMK) workers are with me. I also have Amma's wishes: TTV Dhinakaran in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/VqF9cvM0qx  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

12:45 PM: At the sixth round of counting, TTV Dhinakaran has 29,255, AIADMK 15,181, DMK 7,986 and BJP candidate has 408 votes.

READ HERE: TTV Dhinakaran is top choice of voters, says survey

12:30 PM: Naam Thamizhar candidate Ka. Kalaikottuthayam gets 1,245 votes.

12:20 PM

Round 5 updates put TTV at 24,132, AIADMK at 13,057, DMK at 6606 #RkNagar @NewIndianXpress  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017

12:10 PM: Official EC trends | TTV Dhinakaran leads with 4430 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan 2639 votes and DMK's N. Maruthu Ganesh 1341 votes at the end of counting round 4.

11:50 AM: NOTA has reportedly received 333 votes at the end of third round.

11:45 AM

Supporters parade a cooker in support of #TTVDhinakaran, celebrating his lead in the #RKNagarByPoll #RKNagarElectionResult pic.twitter.com/kLeEUGUtzI  Dia Rekhi (@diarekhi) December 24, 2017

11:40 AM: With the fourth round of counting coming to an end, Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran has 20,298 votes followed by AIADMK getting 9672 votes and DMK with 5032 votes.

11:30 AM

TTV blazes ahead with 19,351 votes. AIADMK at 7033, DMK at 3691 #round4 @NewIndianXpress #RkNagar  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017

11:00 AM: With the third round of counting concluding, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 15868, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhan who has 7033 and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh who got 3750 votes.

10:55 AM

10:50 AM: Third round of counting gets underway.

10:45 AM: The people of RK Nagar have reflected the mindset of the 7.5 crore people of Tamil Nadu through their verdict, says TTV Dhinakaran at Madurai airport. [FULL REPORT]

10:35 AM: After the second round, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 10421 votes, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 4520 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 2321 votes.

10:25 AM

Dinakaran seems to have won the R K Nagar election caused by JJ death. I expect to see the two ADMK factions now to unite for 2019 LS poll  Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 24, 2017

10:15 AM: TTV Dhinakaran maintains lead with 10391 votes followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 4520 votes, while DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 2323 votes.

10:00 AM

Chennai: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/0o291trIQI  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

9:55 AM: Chennai district Electoral Officer says "Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on"

9:50 AM: AIADMK men reportedly create ruckus at a polling station, attack TTV Dhinakaran's supporters. Para forces from Raj Bhavan sent to control situation.

9:40 AM: TTV Dhinakaran supporters celebrate outside a counting center as early official EC trends indicate his lead, reports ANI.

9:35 AM

TTV supporter claims to have been attacked by AIADMK men #RKNagar @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/vPFbjaqN1X  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017

9:30 AM: As the second round of voting gets underway, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 7276 votes.

9:25 AM: Counting is temporarily halted owing to an argument that broke out between supporters of AIADMK and TTV Dhinakaran.

09:20 AM: With BJP so far garnering 66 votes, NOTA is at 102, reports News18.

09:15 AM: Official Election Commission trends | Early trends indicate TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5339 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 2738 votes, DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 1181 votes, reports ANI.

Tight security arrangements at Queen Mary's College at Marina in Chennai. (P Jawahar | EPS)

09:00 AM: According to PTI, while there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities. The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round.

8:50 AM: TTV Dinakaran is leading with 1891 votes in RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 646 votes, while DMK's Maruduganesh gets 360 votes.

8:35 AM: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at Marina Beach memorial.

#Visuals from late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran memorial at Marina Beach in #Chennai on his 30th death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/bFFEK1pHTg  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

8:30 AM: An estimated 60 per cent of the 2,28,234 voters in the constituency had exercised their franchise. [FULL REPORT]

8:25 AM: TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 598 votes in RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 243 votes, while DMK's Maruduganesh gets 120 votes, reports News 18.

8:20 AM: The DMK has reportedly bagged one postal vote, according to TV reports.

8:15 AM

#RKNagarByPoll Counting of votes underway ; Visuals from a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/00fT9mYX4Q  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

8:00 AM: Counting of votes begins in Chennai's Queen Mary's College at Marina, reports ANI.

7:30 AM: Speaking to the reporters outside a vote counting center in Chennai, BJP candidate Karu Nagarajan said, "Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way."

7:25 AM

#RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/ORKYAc9LF7  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

With the exit polls reportedly indicating a close contest among the candidates of the AIADMK, DMK and Dhinakaran, who contested as an independent, a clear trend on the result is likely to emerge only around noon on Sunday.

The R K Nagar by-election is crucial for the AIADMK, DMK and Dhinakaran. While the ruling party faced the by-election just after retrieving the Two Leaves symbol, it is in a need to prove its popularity among the people by winning the poll. Winning is inevitable for the DMK also because almost all opposition parties rallied behind it in facing the by-election. [FULL REPORT]

READ HERE: Jayas clip ploy to swing votes for TTV in RK Nagar Assembly bypoll

For Dhinakaran, this by-election would be a litmus test to prove that he had the support of AIADMK cadre since he was facing this election after being thrown out of the party.

A record number of nine Central observers, 385 sub inspectors, 2,915 head constables, five police deputy commissioners, one joint commissioner and nine IAS officers monitored the election process.

R K Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.

Sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V.Dinakaran on Sunday took an early lead in the by-election for the Radhakrishnan Nagar (R.K.Nagar) constituency that fell vacant after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. [FULL REPORT] Political parties in Tamil Nadu, particularly the ruling AIADMK, main opposition DMK and ousted AIADMK deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran are eagerly awaiting the result of the RK Nagar Assembly by-election today. The counting will be held in 14 tables in 19 rounds. Since only four postal votes had been polled, the actual counting will start soon. HERE ARE THE UPDATES: 6.00 PM: Percentage of votes polled by key candidates in #RKNagar by-election: #TTVDhinkaran (50.32); #EMadhusudhanan (27.30) and #NMarthuGanesh (13.93); all other candidates including BJP, Naam Thamizhar secured 8.45 per cent of votes @NewIndianXpress  T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) December 24, 2017 5.10 PM: TTV Dhinakaran wins the RK Nagar bypoll by a massive margin of over 40,000 votes. The final vote share after the end of 19 rounds of counting TTV Dhinakaran 89013 AIADMK 48306 DMK 24651 NTK 3,860 NOTA 2373 BJP 1417 4.50 PM: Vellore MP B Senguttuvan, who shifted his loyalties to the ruling AIADMK a month ago, met TTV Dhinakaran at his residence a while ago just ahead of the official announcement of Dhinakaran's victory. 4.45 PM: It's almost official. TTV Dhinakaran will be winning the RK Nagar bypolls as he exerts dominance over AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who is at a distant second with the vote difference almost 40,000 at the end of the 18th round. 18th Round | TTV: 86472, AIADMK: 47115, DMK: 24075 4.40 PM: Watch | TTV Dinakaran supporters celebrate R K Nagar bypolls counting results 4.35 PM: At the end of the 17th round, TTV Dhinakaran has crossed 80,000 mark and leads over AIADMK's Madhusudhanan with more than 35,000 votes. 17th Round | TTV: 81315, AIADMK: 44522, DMK: 22962, BJP: 1236, NTK: 3645 4.25 PM: BJP leader L Ganesan on #RKNagar by-poll result: Two candidates who had sought votes in the name of late CM #JJayalalithaa have secured over one lakh votes; Actually, #JJayalalithaa has won in RK Nagar; So, AIADMK leaders have still have time to rethink on unity @NewIndianXpress  T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) December 24, 2017 4.20 PM: At the end of round 16, TTV Dhinakaran takes an unassailable lead garnering 76,701 votes. AIADMK's Madhusudhanan has got 41,529 votes. 16th Round | TTV 76,701. AIADMK at 41526, DMK-21827, BJP-1236, NOTA- 2203 4.10 PM: Round 15: TTV:72,413, AIADMK:38966 , DMK:20,388 , BJP:1185 , NTK:3535 , NOTA:2096 #RkNagar @NewIndianXpress  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017 3.45 PM: 14 rounds of counting votes is complete and TTV is leading the race with 68,302 votes. AIADMK candidate Madhusudhanan is trailing behind with 36,211 votes. DMK's Marudhu Muthu has garnered 18,928 votes. 3.30 PM: Round 13: TTV: 64,984 , AIADMK:33,436 , DMK: 17,145, BJP: 944, NTK: 3083, NOTA: 1663 #RkNagar @NewIndianXpress  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017 3:10 PM: At the end of the 12th round, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 60,286 votes, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has managed to get 27737 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh who got 14,481 votes. 2:55 PM: After the eleventh round of counting, TTV Dinakaran is ahead with 54,316 votes, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 27,737 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 14,431 votes. 2:50 PM: TTV Dhinakaran returns home to joyous celebration and revelry. He is expected to address the media shortly. 2:45 PM TTV Dhinakaran pays floral tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at MGR memorial in Marina Beach #Chennai pic.twitter.com/mcMp9jiHoH  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017 2:35 PM: After Round 10, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 48808 votes, followed by AIADMK candidate getting 25367 and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh garnering 13015 votes. 2.30 PM After round 9, Independent candidate TTV Dhinkaran is leading the poll race with 44,308 votes while AIADMK's Madhusudhanan has managed 21,972 votes. DMK is third with 11,431 votes. 1:55 PM Fresh posters being stuck up on the walls right outside #TTVDhinakaran 's residence in anticipation of his return ahead of the #RKNagarElectionResult #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/xfVXONGB9I  Dia Rekhi (@diarekhi) December 24, 2017 1:35 PM: After round eight of counting, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 39,940, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan with 19,799, and DMK finally crossing the 10K mark with 10,307 votes. 1:25 PM Round 7 and the gap widens between BJP (519) and NOTA (925) #RkNagar @NewIndianXpress  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017 1:10 PM: After round seven, TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 34,346 followed by AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan getting 17,471 votes and DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh getting 9,206. 1:00 PM I am an independent candidate for namesake but all Party (AIADMK) workers are with me. I also have Amma's wishes: TTV Dhinakaran in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/VqF9cvM0qx  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017 12:45 PM: At the sixth round of counting, TTV Dhinakaran has 29,255, AIADMK 15,181, DMK 7,986 and BJP candidate has 408 votes. READ HERE: TTV Dhinakaran is top choice of voters, says survey 12:30 PM: Naam Thamizhar candidate Ka. Kalaikottuthayam gets 1,245 votes. 12:20 PM Round 5 updates put TTV at 24,132, AIADMK at 13,057, DMK at 6606 #RkNagar @NewIndianXpress  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017 12:10 PM: Official EC trends | TTV Dhinakaran leads with 4430 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan 2639 votes and DMK's N. Maruthu Ganesh 1341 votes at the end of counting round 4. 11:50 AM: NOTA has reportedly received 333 votes at the end of third round. 11:45 AM Supporters parade a cooker in support of #TTVDhinakaran, celebrating his lead in the #RKNagarByPoll #RKNagarElectionResult pic.twitter.com/kLeEUGUtzI  Dia Rekhi (@diarekhi) December 24, 2017 11:40 AM: With the fourth round of counting coming to an end, Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran has 20,298 votes followed by AIADMK getting 9672 votes and DMK with 5032 votes. 11:30 AM TTV blazes ahead with 19,351 votes. AIADMK at 7033, DMK at 3691 #round4 @NewIndianXpress #RkNagar  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017 11:00 AM: With the third round of counting concluding, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 15868, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhan who has 7033 and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh who got 3750 votes. 10:55 AM Ecstatic supporters burst crackers amidst fervent cries supporting #TTVDhinakaran ahead of #RKNagarElectionResult #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/vJXmYuIw8X  Dia Rekhi (@diarekhi) December 24, 2017 10:50 AM: Third round of counting gets underway. 10:45 AM: The people of RK Nagar have reflected the mindset of the 7.5 crore people of Tamil Nadu through their verdict, says TTV Dhinakaran at Madurai airport. [FULL REPORT] 10:35 AM: After the second round, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 10421 votes, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 4520 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 2321 votes. 10:25 AM Dinakaran seems to have won the R K Nagar election caused by JJ death. I expect to see the two ADMK factions now to unite for 2019 LS poll  Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 24, 2017 10:15 AM: TTV Dhinakaran maintains lead with 10391 votes followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 4520 votes, while DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 2323 votes. 10:00 AM Chennai: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/0o291trIQI  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017 9:55 AM: Chennai district Electoral Officer says "Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on" 9:50 AM: AIADMK men reportedly create ruckus at a polling station, attack TTV Dhinakaran's supporters. Para forces from Raj Bhavan sent to control situation. 9:40 AM: TTV Dhinakaran supporters celebrate outside a counting center as early official EC trends indicate his lead, reports ANI. 9:35 AM TTV supporter claims to have been attacked by AIADMK men #RKNagar @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/vPFbjaqN1X  Nirupama Viswanathan (@NirupamaViswa) December 24, 2017 9:30 AM: As the second round of voting gets underway, TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 7276 votes. 9:25 AM: Counting is temporarily halted owing to an argument that broke out between supporters of AIADMK and TTV Dhinakaran. 09:20 AM: With BJP so far garnering 66 votes, NOTA is at 102, reports News18. 09:15 AM: Official Election Commission trends | Early trends indicate TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5339 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 2738 votes, DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 1181 votes, reports ANI. Tight security arrangements at Queen Mary's College at Marina in Chennai. (P Jawahar | EPS) 09:00 AM: According to PTI, while there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities. The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round. 8:50 AM: TTV Dinakaran is leading with 1891 votes in RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 646 votes, while DMK's Maruduganesh gets 360 votes. 8:35 AM: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at Marina Beach memorial. #Visuals from late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran memorial at Marina Beach in #Chennai on his 30th death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/bFFEK1pHTg  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017 8:30 AM: An estimated 60 per cent of the 2,28,234 voters in the constituency had exercised their franchise. [FULL REPORT] 8:25 AM: TTV Dhinakaran is leading with 598 votes in RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 243 votes, while DMK's Maruduganesh gets 120 votes, reports News 18. 8:20 AM: The DMK has reportedly bagged one postal vote, according to TV reports. 8:15 AM #RKNagarByPoll Counting of votes underway ; Visuals from a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/00fT9mYX4Q  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017 8:00 AM: Counting of votes begins in Chennai's Queen Mary's College at Marina, reports ANI. 7:30 AM: Speaking to the reporters outside a vote counting center in Chennai, BJP candidate Karu Nagarajan said, "Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way." 7:25 AM #RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/ORKYAc9LF7  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017 With the exit polls reportedly indicating a close contest among the candidates of the AIADMK, DMK and Dhinakaran, who contested as an independent, a clear trend on the result is likely to emerge only around noon on Sunday. The R K Nagar by-election is crucial for the AIADMK, DMK and Dhinakaran. While the ruling party faced the by-election just after retrieving the Two Leaves symbol, it is in a need to prove its popularity among the people by winning the poll. Winning is inevitable for the DMK also because almost all opposition parties rallied behind it in facing the by-election. [FULL REPORT] READ HERE: Jayas clip ploy to swing votes for TTV in RK Nagar Assembly bypoll For Dhinakaran, this by-election would be a litmus test to prove that he had the support of AIADMK cadre since he was facing this election after being thrown out of the party. A record number of nine Central observers, 385 sub inspectors, 2,915 head constables, five police deputy commissioners, one joint commissioner and nine IAS officers monitored the election process. R K Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.
On December 23, 84th birthday celebrations of Emperor Akihito of Japan continued with various events throughout the day. A reception and a tea party were held at the Imperial Palace in the afternoon. Accredited ambassadors in Tokyo and Japanese politicians who attended the reception congratulated 84th birthday of Emperor Akihito. A banquet was held for Imperial family members in the evening. Imperial Household Agency released new photos on the occasion of 84th birthday of the Emperor.
Pakistani troops reportedly targeted the Indian Army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

By Mail Today Bureau: A major and three Army jawans were martyred on Saturday when Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keri sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh were grievously injured during the ceasefire violation and succumbed to injuries. Two other personnel also sustained injuries and are under medical treatment," an army spokesperson said.

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"The incident started when Pakistani troops targeted the Army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector at around 12:15pm in which the three soldiers were injured fatally," he said.

Army sources said soon after the attack took place, the Indian side retaliated on the Pakistani posts along the LoC strongly.

Two other personnel also sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment, the spokesman said.

Major Ambadas, 32, belonged to Bhandara district in Maharashtra and is survived by wife Avoli Moharkar, while Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, 34, belonged to Amritsar district in Punjab and is survived by wife Kuljit Kaur and a daughter.

Sepoy Pargat Singh, 30, belonged to Karnal district in Haryana and is survived by wife Ramanpreet Kaur and a son, the Army has informed.

"Major Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail and Sepoy Pargat were brave and sincere soldiers."The nation will always remain indebted to them for their supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," an Army statement said.

In the last six months, the Army patrols along the LoC have been asked to take measures to avoid getting caught in ambushes or Border Action Team (BAT) actions by the Pakistani Special Forces.

A number of BAT attempts have also been foiled by the forces even as the Army has issued clear instructions to the units on the border that they should strike Pakistani posts trying to push terrorists into India or preparing for any ambush against Indian soldiers.

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: Each new year holds the promise of a fresh beginning. And a fresh start is exactly what the $10 billion revenue Infosys -- once considered the IT bellwether -- and its two lakh workforce now need after a stormy 2017.

With its new CEO Salil Parekh taking charge on January 2, Infosys will certainly hope to turn the page in the coming year as it seeks to move on from the year-long, public standoff between its high-profile promoters and the past leadership that kept it in the spotlight for most of 2017.

The initial cracks between the founders and past leadership emerged when co-founder N R Narayana Murthy raised questions about severance pay promised to former key executives like Rajiv Bansal and flagged irregularities in Infosys' $200 million Panaya acquisition.

Murthy, the man who put India on the global outsourcing map, alleged that Infosys had strayed from the path of the golden governance that it was once known for.

Joining the chorus were former Infosys honchos T V Mohandas Pai and V Balakrishnan, who added further pressure, questioning the IT major on its capital allocation policy.

To address concerns around capital allocation, Infosys announced a mega buyback plan of up to Rs 13,000 crore, a first in its over three-decade history.

Things took an ugly turn as early as February, when an anonymous letter was received by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission that alleged irregularities in the Panaya acquisition by Infosys.

The letter hinted that the deal was overvalued and that some Infosys executives may have benefited from the transaction.

While allegations and counter-allegations flew thick and fast in the next few months, it was in August when the then CEO Vishal Sikka put in his papers citing slander.

Sikka refrained from naming anyone but said the decision stemmed from the "malicious" and "personal attacks" on him.

The Infosys Board, at that time, rushed to Sikka's defence but it was a matter of one more week that R Seshasayee (then Chairman) and two other Board members also relinquished their positions.

This set the stage for the return of co-founder Nandan Nilekani at the helm of affairs at Infosys that has over 2 lakh employees.

Nilekani, who had himself served as the CEO between 2002 -2007, this time took on the mantle of non-executive chairman to steer the company away from the controversies that had impacted investor sentiment.

Interestingly, Infosys' Board -- under Nilekani's leadership -- gave a clean chit to the Panaya deal saying there was no merit in the allegations of wrongdoing.

The company has also filed a settlement application with the capital markets watchdog SEBI to resolve the charges arising out of alleged disclosure lapses on the severance package paid to Bansal (former CFO).

Nilekani was also mandated with finding a new CEO for Infosys, a task that was completed earlier this month.

Industry watchers say that Parekh is someone who not only has the experience of handling a global tech enterprise but is also known as a 'turnaround manager'.

The fact that Murthy has welcomed Parekh's appointment shows that the former Capgemini executive is a leader acceptable to the founders.

Infosys seems to have found an ideal match in Parekh against all odds. He has in-depth experience of the North American and European market and is also adept in handling large acquisitions, making him the perfect candidate for the role.

Experts believe he may have to work overtime to ensure that order is restored at the over USD 10 billion revenue company that was once the poster boy for the Indian outsourcing industry.

While ensuring that peace prevails between the founders and new management, Parekh will also have to tackle external challenges like increased visa scrutiny in key markets like the US and a tougher macro environment.

It will also be a tightrope walk for the 53-year old executive, who will have to drive the innovation agenda at Infosys as words like automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning become a part of everyday parlance.

Under Sikka, Infosys had set its eyes on achieving USD 20 billion revenue by 2020.

While the previous management did refer to the target as "ambitious", it was confident of reaching the milestone on the back of acquisitions and investments in new-age technologies.

The roadmap that Parekh sets on would be keenly watched, not just by investors but the industry as a whole as Infosys reboots to bring back its lost glory.
Lucknow/New Delhi: New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has asked the government to not table a bill in parliament criminalising instant triple talaq.

The board at an emergency meeting held in Lucknow on Sunday decided it would urge the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withhold and withdraw the Muslim Women (Protection of Marriage) Bill, 2017, as it is not only against Shariah but also goes against the verdict of the Supreme Court.

The organisation claimed that the triple talaq bill will ruin Muslim families and that it is against women welfare. The opposition to the bill stems from the fact that while making and drafting this bill, no Muslim organisation or scholar was consulted, AIMPLB said.

This law will destroy families if implemented and the government should not table this bill in the government. If the government is really serious about the rights of Muslim women then the government should consult Muslim organisations. The board will hand over a memorandum to the President of India to stop this bill as it is very dangerous. The motive of this bill seems to interfere with the Sharia. said Sajjad Nomani, spokesperson of the AIMPLB.

The board is also against instant triple talaq and agrees there should be a strong law against it and it should be made in consultation with senior clerics, he added.

The government had proposed the bill after a verdict by the Supreme Court nullified the practice of instant talaq. It had informed the Lok Sabha that almost 66 cases of instant talaq had happened post the verdict.

The bill proposes to make the make the practice of instantaneous triple talaq a non-bailable criminal offence with three years jail term and fine. The bill which will be taken up the coming week in Lok Sabha also ensures that the women is given maintenance after instant talaq and that custody of minor children also remain with the mothers automatically.

The board called the bill unwarranted due to the presence of existing laws and that it is against the constitution. Laws relating to guardianship, domestic violence and civil procedure code are already in place. The bill is against the guarantees set out in the Constitution of India for the religious denominations. It is against the judgment rendered by the Supreme Court on August 22, 2017," stated the board.

The government had recently informed the Parliament that it had not consulted any Muslim organisation for drafting this bill and this point was taken up by AIMPLB. "While drafting the law, parliamentary procedure has not been followed and none of the affected parties or stakeholders or women organization have been consulted to enable them in placing actual position on the ground, correct position of law and adverse consequences of the proposed law," stated the board.
Srinagar: The number of young Kashmiris joining militant groups has witnessed a sharp spike and crossed 100 for the first time since such data started being collated in 2010, officials said on Sunday.

By the end of November this year, 117 youths had joined militancy as compared to 88 in the whole of 2016.South Kashmir emerged as the main hub that provides cadres to militant groups such as Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e- Taiba, reports of security agencies said.

The reports are based on technical and human intelligence besides interrogation reports of militants arrested during various counter-insurgency operations in the Valley.

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police S P Vaid contended that the numbers are much lesser. However, a senior security officer said the figures of the police only take into account the cases registered in the police stations whereas the actual figures are always on the higher side as many parents do not report the matter to the law enforcing agencies due to fear.

According to the reports, the number of local youths who joined various militant groups this year include 12 from Anantnag, 45 from Pulwama and Awantipora, 24 from Shopian and 10 from Kulgam.

The figures for North Kashmir are -- four youths joined militant groups from Kupwara, six from Baramulla and Sopore, and seven from Bandipore, according to the reports. From central Kashmir, Srinagar district accounted for disappearance of five youths while Budgam for four.

According to the data laid on the floor of Parliament in March this year, there has been a steady increase in the number of youth taking up arms in the Valley from 2014 onwards as compared to 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2010, 54 youths joined militancy while in 2011, the number came down to 23 and further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013.

In 2014, the number shot up to 53 and in 2015, it reached 66 before touching the highest mark of 88 in 2016, the data showed.

The spurt in locals joining militancy began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group's poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8 last year. Security officials feel that there is a difference between the present day militants compared to those of early 1990s. The ideological conviction of the present lot of militants is far more superior to that of the terror groups during the early days.

The worrying trend in the Valley is that it is witnessing a trend of 'Pan-Islamisation' where young boys are opting for the path of terrorism knowing fully well that they are at the risk of being killed, the officials said.

Militants infiltrating from Pakistan are equally distributed among the various local militant groups who make them aware of the topography and escape routes besides providing them the mobile numbers of overground workers in the region.

While a majority of the missing boys mainly belong to the average middle class and described as the new face of terrorism in Kashmir, militants like Owais Ahmed Shah from Kokernag in south Kashmir and Eisa Fazli hailing from Soura in Srinagar show a trend that literate students from well-to-do families are also picking up arms with conviction.

Both Shah and Fazli were extremely brilliant in their studies, an official said, adding that if such people were also brainwashed, then there is a need to revisit the drawing board and examine policies of the state government at the earliest.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: The CBI's projection of the 2G spectrum allocation matter as a case of "high political corruption" did not impress the special court which held that high-profile nature of a case cannot be used as a ground for holding people guilty without legal evidence.

Special CBI judge O P Saini, who acquitted former telecom minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others in the case, said the CBI cannot absolve itself of the burden to prove its case by "piggy riding on the so called high magnitude" of the case and the media hype.

"The trope of high magnitude of crime does not work at the final stage of the case. At the final stage, legally admissible evidence is required," the court said in its 1,552-page judgement.

The court, while noting the CBI's submission that it was a case of high political corruption, said that it was unmoved by the nature of the case due to "nil evidence".

"However, in view of deficient, or I may say nil evidence on record, I find myself unimpressed and unmoved, whatever may be nature of the case," the judge said.

"High profile nature of a case cannot be used as a ground for holding people guilty without legal evidence. Lack of commercial prudence in execution of documents cannot be used as a ruse to hold people guilty of corruption," the court said.

It said that there could hardly be any direct evidence, oral or documentary, in the case of high political corruption but accused cannot be held guilty without legally admissible evidence.

Besides Raja and Kanimozhi, the court also acquitted 15 other accused, including three companies.

The other accused allowed to walk free include -- former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura, Raja's erstwhile private secretary R K Chandolia, Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Usman Balwa and Vinod Goenka, Unitech Ltd MD Sanjay Chandra and three top executives of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group -- Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair.

Directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal, Kalaignar TV director Sharad Kumar and Bollywood producer Karim Morani were also acquitted in the case along with three firms -- Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd, Reliance Telecom Ltd and Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd.

The CBI had alleged in its charge sheet that there was a loss of Rs 30,984 crore to the exchequer in allocation of licences for the 2G spectrum which were scrapped by the top court on February 2, 2012.
Islamabad: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office said on Saturday.

They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
Bengaluru: When Bengaluru-based tech entrepreneurs Prashant and Niti decided to tie the knot, they knew they wanted to do something unique that their friends would remember for a long time. So, when the invited guests were scrambling for gifting ideas for the techie couple, the groom and bride chose to make it easier for them and asked for gifts in Bitcoins!

While the couple has themselves invested in the unregulated cryptocurrency, they showed their friends an easy and unique gifting option, much to the latters relief.

"Most of our friends attending the wedding were people from the technology sector, start-ups, investors and the likes, so we thought why not do something that is innovative, has some technology in it and is also the future, and thats where bitcoin fits perfectly," said Prashant.

The couple realized that this would be a great opportunity to create awareness about the technology behind bitcoin, i.e., Blockchain. Prashant and Niti then partnered with Zebpay, an Indian cryptocurrency exchange platform to make the process easier.

When they sent out their wedding invite, it was nothing like a traditional wedding card. Instead, the card had a QR Code with powered by Zebpay printed at the bottom.

It also came with a post script that read, Help us define a new standard for wedding gifting, we believe gifting hasn't been disrupted and if you are thinking about conveying your best wishes through gifts, why not ride the new age tech wave for this start-up wedding.

The back of the card had further instructions for the guests who were being introduced to the world of cryptocurrency with this invite, on how to own their first bitcoin.

"We had a Coinbase account, which is a San Francisco-based exchange. To make it easier for our guests, we decided to tie up with Zebpay. Now even our parents who live in Patna and Jamshedpur, have come to know about this new age technology and were excited to gift us in bitcoin," Niti said.

"On the day of the wedding, i.e., December 9, at least 95% of the 200 guests in attendance chose to gift us in bitcoin. We just received 10 odd traditional gifts," Prashant boasted.

Meanwhile, the "cryto" theme wasnt just restricted to gifts as the bar at the wedding, too, had a cryto currency-based theme. The different drinks were named after various virtual currencies like Etherium, Ripple, Dash etc. Not just that, the venue also had quirky posters that read "showing our love with a gift that grows" or "I am Satoshi Nakamoto", Satoshi Nakamoto is the unknown inventor of bitcoin.

The wedding invite that was sent out by Prashant and Niti with a Zebpay logo on it. (Image: News18)

However, with the Reserve Bank of India raising a red flag against the sudden growth of the virtual currency, this party may not be long lived. But Prashant and Niti have no qualms about that just yet.

"It is not like the government can ban bitcoin over night, they will have to come up with a policy, which will take time. For now, we do not want to miss the bus and regret it later," the couple said.

While people are scrambling to get a piece of the bitcoin pie, this Bengaluru-based couple quiet literally got to cut the cake and ate it too.
There are many castes among marginalised communities whose traditional skills have no place in the new system. They do not want to work as labourers because they are skilled.

When, after 1990, the era of liberalisation came and the market was freed of socialist compulsions, some of us welcomed it and others opposed it.

Many termed it the era of market. This market proved to be Mina Bazar for some and Maya Bazar for others. While the market gives prosperity to few, it makes others realise that they are deprived. To control this, the image of nation-state was formed.

We are approaching 30 years of completion of neo-liberal economy in India. This relationship of state and market was to increase equality and produce less discrimination in society. This idea is yet to be fulfilled.

While the numbers of service providing institutions and civil societies aiming to make the relationship of state and market less conflicting have risen, their ability to make qualitative interference is yet to be strengthened.

Many of these civil society NGOs are either not understanding the relationship of market and critical relations of discrimination or are ignoring them for various reasons despite understanding them.

Here we would like to analyse the relationship of Dalit groups of India with newly emerged market in a special context. For a section of Dalits, those who have acquired the capacity to dream better lives and achieve them, market has provided the way to move forward.

Some of them have acquired some amount of happiness, comfort through trade and jobs generated through liberal economy. Such Dalit groups have joined themselves with education and desire to develop and established themselves as an aspirant communities.

A larger population of Dalits is standing on the door front of market as confused about occupation. Such groups can be called communities in confusion. They are unable to join themselves with new projects of social groups proposed by government like skill development projects and new entrepreneurship programmes, microfinance schemes etc.

Basor, Hari, Begar, Musahar, Sanpere, Nat, Sarvan are such smaller Dalit communities who have not been able to join in enough numbers with the microfinance projects running in the villages. The reach of self-help groups of microfinance has been limited to visible Dalit communities living on the margins of society and backward farming communities.

Power to save has not been developed in smaller Dalit communities. They have to dig the well daily. Drink daily. Earn daily. Eat daily. The earnings of everyday sometimes isnt often enough to feed twice a day. Such communities have generally been artisanal communities of pre-modern social system.

These communities were considered artists and skillful in earlier systems. In the system of new market and modernism, their skills became useless. In the system arising out of economical liberalism there is no other option left for them other than to be labourers in the expansion of market, real estate, building development projects. They dont want to become labourers. They believe that they are skilled community.

As a result, they cant establish themselves in an expanding market. They are feeling uncomfortable in such market system.

Bansfod (Basore) living in different states of Northern India is such a dalit community. In the traditional system they earned their livelihood by cutting bamboo and making products of it. Mauni people used to make and sell SOOP for livelihood. Now, the presence of bamboo has decreased, there is an indirect stop on cutting bamboo as well, so they have no other option than to be labourers in building or another construction projects. Sarvan is a community which has worked as ear cleaners. They used to make medicines for this from herbs and shrubs growing in villages. But now this livelihood is becoming useless. Doctors of ears are everywhere now. There are English medicines to clean the ear. Due to this their livelihood has become problematic. What should they do now? They consider themselves skilled community therefore they cannot accept the condition of their transformation in labourer community.

While the livelihoods of social communities like launderers and barbers are adjusting in the market, many social communities which know traditional livelihoods are feeling helpless and troubled at the gates of market. Such is the story of Sapera community.

This community is spread in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and many states of South India. This community used to catch snakes, take their teeth out, make them dance, make medicines of different kinds from their poison. Now in modern social structure under animal security laws their livelihood is almost banned. As such, this whole community is deprived of their traditional livelihood. Now they have no other option than to be laboureres at construction projects or brick factory.

Kuchbudhiya is such a dalit community which lives in different districts of Uttar Pradesh. Their numbers are mostly in Bundelkhand. This community used to make ropes of rural products like mooj, sarpat, and weaved the bed. With the coming of plastic rope even their livelihood is in danger. They have reservations in being transformed as labourers in the idea of smart city.

As such, how would state and market respond to such smaller dalit communities to them, remains to be seen. This too remains to be seen that how our state, power and market manage to create a dignified livelihood for them.

(Badri Narayan is a Social Scientist at GB Pant Social Science Institute in Allahabad. Views are personal.)
New Delhi: What an irony! It took 2G special court judge OP Saini about seven years and more than 1,500 pages to conclude that there was not a single piece of legally admissible evidence against any of the 17 accused in what was touted as one of India's biggest scams.

One would question  and rightly so  on what basis the charges were framed in this case, which culminated into a protracted trial spanning over six years. Principles of criminal trial enunciate that charges are framed only after the trial court is satisfied about the prima facie case against the accused.

In his 1,552-page judgment, 2G judge Saini talks about how he waited for around 7 years from 10am to 5pm everyday  with a special emphasis on summer vacation  for someone to approach his court with legally tenable evidence, but to no avail.

This statement, which may remind many of a popular scene from the Bollywood comedy Jolly LLB, would have displayed the judges anguish but for one exception that it was the same judge who had found sufficient legally admissible evidence available on record to kickstart the trial on a day-to-day basis after framing charges in October 2011.

The entire case should have collapsed on that very day when the order on the charges was to be pronounced, with a direction to exonerate all accused, if what the 2G verdict now holds is the correct view  subject to its fate in appeal.

If six years of trial, which was being monitored by the Supreme Court and in which the chargesheets were vetted by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), eventually determines that the premise of the whole case was rumour, gossip and speculation, this was not only a fragrant violation of the rights of the accused who were made to stand trial and their bail pleas were repeatedly dismissed, but also an avoidable waste of public money and human resources  and for this, only and only the trial court is answerable.

Judge OP Saini described the chargesheet as orchestrated but it was his decision to order trial against the accused based on the same orchestrated chargesheet.

Alternatively, if we tend to reasonably construe it as a case of late realization by the trial court, then also the judge, being the master of the trial, should explain why a trial would run for six years without any evidence against the accused; why the judge would not exercise his powers under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to demand evidence from the prosecution during the trial; why it is only at the stage of writing the judgment the court acknowledged that the prosecution had no case at all and finally, why did it take the judge eight months to author the judgment of acquittal in a case that was bereft of any merit.

Section 311 of the CrPC empowers the trial court to summon and examine any such person if his evidence appears to it to be essential to the just decision of the case.

There have been several instances quoted in the judgment where the judge drew inferences to reach conclusions that former Telecom Minister A Raja was not guilty of manipulating the process of 2G license allocation so as to illegally benefit some companies or to loot the public exchequer.

Consider this portion of the judgment: It is clear that somebody from the PMO had given a go ahead to the DoT for issue of new licences and most probably it was Sh. Pulok Chatterjee himself It was not A Raja, but Pulok Chatterjee, in consultation with T K A Nair, as he had suppressed the most relevant and controversial part of the letter of A Raja from the then Prime Minister.

But Pulok Chatterjee was never called as a witness during the trial. The prosecution did not make him a witness and the judge, finally condemned both Chatterjee and Nair, without feeling the need to call them to the court first.

Was it not proper for the trial court to invoke its powers under Section 311, CrPC and call Chatterjee and Nair as witnesses before arriving at the conclusion that "most probably" Chatterjee gave a go ahead for the grant of 2G licenses and thus it was he who misled then PM Manmohan Singh?

If the accused has a right to earn freedom for want of proof, why should a man be declared guilty of suppressing facts in a case like this, without giving him an opportunity to explain? Is this not declaring a man guilty without giving him an audience first  one of the principles of natural justice i.e. audi alteram partem?

Read this too: Prime Minister is a busy executive. Wherefrom would he find time to read such lengthy notes. Prime Minister is not expected to be immersed in files. It was much easier and better for him to read and understand the letter of Sh. A Raja rather than this note of Sh. Pulok Chatterjee.

Another part of the judgment stated: There is no material on the record to show if this letter was taken note of in the PMO. Hon'ble Prime Minister may even not be aware of this reply.

This also forms a part of the verdict: When the letter was duly discussed and considered by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, and no one from the PMO has been examined as a witness nor the relevant files with processing notes have been produced before the Court, how can one say that the facts were misrepresented or that the Hon'ble Prime Minister was misled regarding the opinion of Law Minister for referring the matter to EGoM?

Here again, if the letters between the PM and A Raja and the consequent actions held the key to determine whether there was a conspiracy or not, what prevented the trial court from summoning the PM and/or other officials from the PMO as witnesses instead of drawing inferences by citing lack of prosecution witnesses and using phrases such as may and is not expected?

The trial court harped upon the same formula when it indicted the then Law Minster and the Law Secretary but never summoned them as witnesses to ascertain why they objected to the Raja's mandate on 2G license allocation.

If the Law Minister felt so strongly about the matter to be referred to the EGoM, he should have written either to the Prime Minister or to Sh. A Raja, instead of recalling from DoT, a reference which had already been returned the conduct of the Law Secretary and the then Law Minister was against all established canons, discipline and protocol of Government working, read the judgment but did not state why these high functionaries were being reproached without letting them take the witness box.

Undoubtedly, the prosecutions case has to stand on its own feet and the judge is absolutely right when he says that the high profile nature of a case cannot be used as grounds for holding people guilty without legal evidence.

But it is an equally important principle laid down by the Supreme Court in a body of judicial precedents that a criminal trial is meant for doing justice to all, the accused, the society and a fair chance to prove to the prosecution, since then alone can law and order be maintained and therefore, the presiding judges has a duty to find out the truth, and administer justice with fairness and impartiality both to the parties and to the community.

The question therefore looms large whether the prosecution was given a fair chance to prove the case and also if the trial court did its best to find out the truth apart from following the golden rule of proof beyond reasonable doubt.

It is also intriguing that the trial court allowed the defence, including the prime accused Raja, to lead evidence and examine witnesses under Section 313 of the CrPC even though the judgment now appears to have ruled that prosecution had no case at all. What was the necessity to hear the arguments of the defence if the prosecution's case was without any "legally admissible evidence" against them?

Further, if the judge is correct in holding that a huge scam was seen by everyone where there was none, what is the mess the judge is talking about?

The trial court noted that a mess and some confusion got created due to action and inaction of some bureaucrats in PMO, DoT and Finance Ministry. However, if Rajas note to the PM was unambiguous and that there was nothing wrong in the method of granting of 2G licenses as proposed by Raja, where is the question of these officials creating a mess by surreptitiously approving this method?

About routing of Rs 200 crore from Dynamix Realty to Kalaignar TV (P) Limited, which was run by the DMK family, including Kanimozhi, through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables (P) Limited and Cineyug Films (P) Limited, the trial court agreed that the transaction may have some unusual features and the documentation created for the same may suffer from deficiencies". But it held that these factors alone did not make it out a "transaction of payment of illegal gratification.

The prosecutions case of the money trail was dismissed on the ground that it could not establish a link of the money with public servants and that there was also a problem of chronological proximity because the first transfer of money began four months after the licenses were given. Thus, no upfront or transfer of money in quick succession prompted the judge to rubbish the prosecutions claim, thereby ignoring the possible criminality of the transaction although under the Prevention of Corruption Act, it is not required to prove pecuniary benefits.

While cancelling the telecom licences, the Supreme Court had fined three companies of Rs 5 crore each, and five others of Rs 5 lakh each, for earning the benefits of the wholly arbitrary and unconstitutional action in grant of 2G licenses. But with the trial court now deciding that there was no scam and no illegality, the companies would do well to demand a refund, along with interest and damages on account of loss of reputation etc.

The Supreme Court, in its main judgment, indeed clarified that investigation and the criminal trial will not be affected by its order of cancellation of licenses but the truth of the matter remains that CBI and ED were directed to file reports on status of probe in the top court after vetting by the CVC.

So does it now mean that all these status reports lacked complete substance and "legally admissible evidence" but the CVC as well as the Supreme Court silently accepted these reports?

One of the finest legal minds, Justice Krishna Iyer had in Inder Singh v/s State (Delhi Admin), 1978, emphasised that if a case is proved perfectly, it is argued that it is artificial; if a case has some flaws, inevitable because human beings are prone to err; it is argued that it is too imperfect.

Proof beyond reasonable doubt is a guideline, not a fetish, he had further emphasised. The final word by the trial court in 2G case seems to be a precise illustration of the apprehensions that were raised by Justice Iyer four decades ago.

Author is the Legal Editor of CNN-News18.
Chandigarh: A day after Pakistani troops killed Sepoy Pargat Singh, his father today exhorted the Centre to avenge the killing of his son and other Indian soldiers.

Pargat Singh was one of the four soldiers killed in a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

"Our government must give a befitting reply to Pakistan. Why is our government not taking any action? They must teach them a lesson," Pargat's father Rattan Singh said.

Pargat Singh's mother Sukhwinder Kaur was distraught, so was his widow Ramanpreet Kaur.

"He telephoned me yesterday but disconnected the call abruptly.. later on, this news (about his killing) came," an inconsolable Ramanpreet Kaur said.

Rattan Singh said his son wanted to join the Army from an early age.

"Our entire family is proud of his sacrifice," he said.

The soldier leaves behind a five-year-old son, whose photograph in Army-like fatigue adorns one of the room of the house where the family lives in Ramba village in Haryana's Karnal district.
Army is now planning to locate and eliminate terrorists who have been forced to come down from their hideouts in the higher reaches to localities in towns and villages due to harsh winter and heavy snowfall.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey, Manjeet Negi: Having killed more than 200 terrorists this year, the Army is now planning to locate and eliminate terrorists who have been forced to come down from their hideouts in the higher reaches to localities in towns and villages due to harsh winter and heavy snowfall.

"The units in the Kashmir Valley have been told to maintain the tempo of operations and continue their relentless operations there as a large number of terrorists have now come down to villages and small towns for hiding," Army sources told Mail Today.

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The Army has been working as per a strategy throughout the year to force the terrorists to take shelter in places of their choice.

"In summer months, when crowds would gather to pelt stones at troops, the formations in Kashmir would start carrying out massive cordon-and-search operations across the state, forcing the terrorists to run away to the forests where we could hold encounters in open," they said.

Currently, the Valley and the higher reaches in the state have already seen heavy snowfall but the Rashtriya Rifles troops and other regular Army units are carrying out their counter-terrorism operations in a high tempo and venturing out for search and destroy operations.

The troops deployed on the Line of Control (LoC) are also maintaining the same level of vigil and patrols as they continuously look for foiling any bid by the terrorists to infiltrate into the Indian territory.

Sources said the success of the winter operations would also be important in determining the condition of terrorist infrastructure in the state.

"During winters, the traditional routes of infiltration for the terrorists get choked and it becomes very difficult to cross over from the PoK side to our areas. That is why, if we are able to eliminate a significant number of them operating in Kashmir, it would make it difficult for Pakistan to sustain the terrorists infrastructure here," they said.

During the summer months, the Indian security forces thwarted majority of the infiltration attempts from Pakistan with 68 Pakistani terrorists getting killed near the fence itself.

In the first 11 months itself, more than 200 terrorists had been killed in different encounters across the state while more than 20 terrorists were killed in November itself by the South Kashmir-based Victor Force of the Rashtriya Rifles counter-insurgency force.

The security forces have been backed by the top brass of the government which feels that its hard-line policy in Kashmir against talking to the separatists and giving free hands to the security forces is paying dividends and the situation would improve significantly by the coming winter.

Senior government sources said the strategy of blocking infiltration and going all out against terrorists in Kashmir has also started paying dividends as a large number of terrorists have been killed and there is fear in terrorist ranks trying to cross the LoC.

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Soon after the Modi government came to power, the security apparatus under NSA Ajit Doval had decided against giving any importance to the separatists of the Hurriyat conference in the Valley.

The government has lauded the significantly improved co-ordination among the security forces.

The increased role of the Jammu and Kashmir police in tracking the terrorists' leadership in the state has also been credited to the increased number of elimination of commanders of these jihadi groups.

In the last one year, 25 terror commanders including dreaded Abu Dujana, Abu Ismail, Bashir Lashkari and Sabzar Bhatt have been killed by the forces.

The operations of the security forces against terrorists are now likely to further intensify with present Director General Military Operations Lt General Anil Bhatt taking over as the Srinagar-based 15 Corps commander.

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: Unicef Global Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra on Saturday said she is a just an "instrument of change" and the real job of empowering women is supposed to be done by the government and society.

At a Unicef event, the Bollywood and Hollywood star said though there is nothing wrong with becoming a homemaker, young girls must be given their rights and be allowed to choose their career path.

"I am just an instrument of change. I am neither government nor am I Unicef. But I have a voice, I have a platform which you people have given me... Some change will be done I am sure when so many of you who are here will write about it," Priyanka said.

The international star said she was privileged in her upbringing, with her parents being educated enough to allow her to carry on with her desires, but not everyone shares a similar destiny, and society must give the young girls their say and allow them education.

"Some people say 'what change I can make alone', some say 'we ourselves don't have enough to eat, how can we contribute to this cause'... To them I would say, if you can't donate money, then donate your compassion," she said.

Emphasising on the role of girls in a household, Priyanka remarked on the "increasing number of old age homes", which, she said "might not happen if there are more daughters in the society".

"The sex ratio in some states, I got to know about, is so low, which is so dangerous."

The actor also praised government initiatives like 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' -- the Central government's flagship scheme -- and said if everyone lends his and her support such a movement can become very big.

"It's our house and it is our responsibility to clean it. We have nothing to learn from anyone. We are such a logical people. We run the tech for the entire world. We can change our society on our own," the "Quantico" star said when asked by a reporter if she has any changes to suggest for India, something she noticed abroad.

"Adolescents today face a unique set of challenges. Giving them the tools to improve their lives will help create a generations of economically-independent citizens who will actively contribute to their communities. Investment in adolescents can lift millions out of poverty by creating a constructive and skilled workforce," she said.
New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah hailed's win in assembly bypolls on Sunday to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the opposition's anti-development politics.

Shah also took a dig at the Congress who did not win any of the five seats in the bypolls, saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

After putting up a strong fight in Gujarat, where the BJP won its sixth consecutive Assembly election, the Congress had claimed moral victory last week.

He, however, remained silent about the party's performance in RK Nagar bypoll where the party's candidate lost his deposit and polled less votes than NOTA. Further, ally AIADMK finished a poor second in the constituency that elected their chief, the late J Jayalalithaa.

Shah, in a series of tweets, said that his party's winning spree has continued after the victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls as it won three of the five by- elections, PTI reported.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district.

The result in Sikandra underlines the support of farmers and villages to the BJP, Shah said, claiming that the BSP's "tacit support" to the SP did not help the opposition.

"BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the opposition," he said.

The win in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East policy", Shah said.

The BJP will continue to serve the northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen, he said.

"I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of Congress," Shah said.

He also took heart from the rise in BJP's vote share in Sabang in West Bengal, where the party's candidate came third.

Shah claimed that the BJP is fast emerging as an alternative to the "anti-people" Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left front, which he alleged has "ruined" West Bengal.

The TMC, in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In the crucial RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu suffered a major setback with rival faction candidate T T V Dhinakaran winning the prestigious seat, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Caste considerations, apart from other issues seems to have been key factors which tilted the scales in favour of Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Himachal Pradesh Chief Ministerial race.

After a protracted battle within, Nadda is inching closer to the finishing line, pipping other contenders to head the next BJP government in the state.

The suspense over the appointment of the new Chief Minister in HP extended for almost a week since BJP won a two-thirds majority in the hill state earlier this week.

Reports from Shimla now suggest that former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal  a strong contended despite defeat in the elections has finally conceded.

Five-time party MLA Jairam Thakur was also in the CM race, but lost out to Nadda who is seen to be close to the BJPs current central leadership.

Electoral politics in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh  as in Uttarakhand  is dominated by the upper caste. And within the upper caste, faultlines run deep with the numerically and socially dominant Brahmins and Rajputs vying for a larger share in the spoils of power.

Earlier this year, Trivendra Singh Rawat, a Rajput by caste, was nominated by BJP as the Uttarakhand Chief Minister. Rawat's elevation was seen as an indication that the party might choose to do the same in Himachal Pradesh and hand over the leadership baton to a Brahmin, if it were to win in the otherwise Congress-ruled state.

This guiding axiom in CM selection has been referred to by both the national parties in equal measures in the past. The attempt is to maintain a delicate power balance between the dominant social groups.

In fact, intra-party politics in both states is also guided by the same principle. As a derivative of this caste calculus, both Congress and BJP, over the years have projected one Brahmin and one Rajput face. They always come in pairs  Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal, Virbhadra Singh and Sukh Ram.

With Sukh Ram facing the corruption taint, Congress sought to replace him with Anand Sharma. In the case of BJP, Union Health Minister JP Nadda has emerged as a strong contender to take the baton from Shanta Kumar.

Nadda, who is the former BJP Yuva Morcha President, has risen up the ranks from student union politics. He's also served as a minister in Dhumal government earlier.

In the prevailing caste matrix, Nadda was thus seen as a clear challenger to stake claim for the top post.

Naddas name was also considered when BJP elected its National President after 2014 elections victory after Rajnath Singh had joined the Modi government.

The party instead chose Amit Shah. Nadda was accommodated in the union cabinet and made member of the all powerful Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee.

With his nomination as HP chief minister, he seems to have been adequately compensated.
Madurai: Riding high on the early trends of RK Nagar bypoll results favouring TTV Dinakaran, the sidelined leader on Sunday said it showed that people want a change of regime and they have elected Ammas successor.

The sidelined AIADMK leader who fought as an Independent candidate said, "We are the true AIADMK... people of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor."

He also sought to make light of the K Palaniswami-O Panneerselvam camp winning the Two Leaves symbol after they staked claims for it before the Election Commission.

The prestigious RK Nagar seat that fell vacant after the demise of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was being touted as an acid test for the merged AIADMK faction. With a positive outcome of the 2G spectrum verdict, the DMK, too, was hopeful of doing very well in this seat. However, TTV, Sasikalas nephew who has been sidelined from the party ranks has emerged victorious, much to the embarrassment of many.

"During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the pressure cooker (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," he said.

Dinakaran's statement to reporters here came in response to the early leads he had taken against his AIADMK rival E Madhusudhanan and DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh.

Claiming victory, he said "this is the best gift for the 1.5 crore party supporters" on the 30th death anniversary of party founder, the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR.

On the symbol issue, with the Election Commission awarding it recently to the Palaniswami-led camp, Dinakaran said only a candidate determines the symbol.

"We are the true AIADMK. A candidate determines the symbol. I have already said the 'Two Leaves' will be a success symbol only if it was with Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Amma (Jayalalithaa). Will the people vote if it is handed over to MN Nambiar and PS Veerappa," he asked, amidst chuckles from his supporters.

Nambiar and Veerappa are famous yesteryear villains, with the former being cast against MGR in many of the matinee idol's films.

Dinakaran said the Palaniswami government will "end in three months."

Meanwhile, jubilant supporters of Dinakaran celebrated by distributing sweets and bursting crackers, while exuding confidence that their leader would triumph with a thumping margin.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre over the killing of four Indian soldiers along the LoC by Pakistani troops, saying the incident raises questions over the government's ability to protect the country's borders.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said yesterday's incident along the Line of Control (LoC) was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "flip-flops and somersaults" on Pakistan.

Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, yesterday.

Tewari claimed that there have been 900 attempts of incursion by Pakistan this year, out of which 780 cases have been reported along the LoC and 120 along the International Border (IB).

"There were 583 major ceasefire violations in 2014 (between June-December), 400 in 2015, 450 in 2016 and 900 this year. The prime minister points fingers at others, accuses people who have occupied top posts of committing treason but this government seems incapable of protecting our borders," the former union minister told reporters.

Modi, during the Gujarat assembly polls campaign, had suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the Assembly polls in the state.

The government and the Congress are involved in a face-off over prime minister Modi's 'conspiracy with Pakistan' remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

Tewari said that the BJP government's Pakistan policy is driven by "flip-flops, somersaults and adhocism" and demanded that the prime minister comes clear on his agenda behind his 2015 stopover in Lahore or the Centre's decision to allow ISI personnel at the Pathankor terror attack site.

He said India's neighbourhood policy was in tatters under the BJP dispensation as apart from the "frequent" Pakistani shelling along the border and incursions, the new Nepalese government was overtly tilting towards China.

"In Sri Lanka, growing Chinese influence is a matter of concern. Maldives has signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China disregarding India's position. China has constructed permanent structures in Dokalam," he said.
New Delhi: It was July 2003 and a rainy day in Shimla. The entire top brass of the Congress party had descended over Queen of the Hills for the partys national conclave.

Party chief Sonia Gandhi was chairing the session and top chief ministers SM Krishna, Digvijaya Singh, Ashok Gehlot, Sheila Dixit, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Amarinder Singh were in the erstwhile summer capital of the British Raj. Virbhadra Singh, who had just won his fourth term as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, was hosting the mega event.

Less than a kilometer away from the grand venue, a young BJP MLA was stuck in his small flat facing the state Assembly building. He was not allowed to drive towards Mandi as the convoy of Sonia Gandhi, escorted by Virbhadra himself, was to pass through.

After patiently waiting for over 30 minutes, he said, It is a democracy. Why do they still behave like kings? Something has to be done to end this culture. This reporter was also at his house that day.

Someone from his family said, It can happen only if you become the chief minister one day.

The young man just smiled.

That young MLA is now 52 years old and the new chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur.

Like many of Indias politicians, Thakur also hails from a humble background. He was born into a farming family in Mandi district in 1965. His father was poor and it was tough for him to feed the family of three sons and two daughters. Being the last child helped Jai Ram. His father and brothers worked in the fields to get him a better education.

Thakur did not disappoint them. Known for academic excellence, he did MA from Panjab University in Chandigarh. His family wanted him to take up some job or to help out with farming, but Thakur had his heart set on something else.

Despite severe opposition from his family, Thakur contested the 1993 Assembly polls from Seraj on a BJP ticket. He was just 28 years old and had no money. After giving a good fight, he lost.

Everybody thought it was the end of his political career. But the young man had decided to stay in politics. He waited till the next election and managed to secure a BJP ticket once again in 1998. This time he won comfortably. Thakur repeated the feat four more times on the trot from the same constituency.

He, however, lost the Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll to Virbhadra Singhs wife Prathibha Singh in 2013.

In 2008, he was made Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister in the Dhumal government. He also held the post of Himachal Pradesh BJP president between 2007 and 2009.

Considered a consensus builder in faction-ridden unit of the BJP, Thakur is said to be a favourite among local BJP workers in the Himalayan state. This time, he ensured that the BJP won 16 seats in his region.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday evening after being chosen as the legislature party leader, Thakur thanked the BJPs central and state leadership. I thank everyone who supported me. Himachal is Congress-mukt now.

Thakur is married to ABVP colleague Sadhana Thakur and they have two daughters. Sadhana is a doctor and a Kannadiga who was born and brought up in Jaipur.

Speaking to News18 from Shimla, she said, It is a great honour for us. I am extremely happy that my husband has made it to the highest post in the state. We are from a humble background and we still lead a normal life. I am sure that my husband will do well as the chief minister of HP. I thank the voters and the BJP for this.

Apart from Thakur, Union Minister JP Nadda was also considered a front-runner for the post. The BJP ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 of the 68 seats in fray.
Chennai: The big win for the TTV Dinakaran faction in the prestigious RK Nagar bypoll was not unexpected. Many grass root level political workers had predicted it. BJP MP and former Union Minister, Dr Subramanian Swamy, had also foretold a big win for TTV camp in an exclusive interview to News18 a few days before the voting.

It was not an ordinary by election. It was a one of a kind election, one that can change the dynamics of Tamil Nadu politics overnight. This victory endorses Sasikala faction's claims that she is the real inheritor of Jayalalithaa's legacy and her faction is the 'real' AIADMK.

After Sasikala's jailing and expulsion from the party, her nephew TTV Dinakaran has kept the party alive despite facing extreme hostility from the ruling EPS-OPS faction and the BJP government at the Centre.

Even though most of the MLAs are Sunday's verdict they might change their mind. After seeing the writing on the wall, most of them may not want to risk their political future by staying with charmless and rudderless EPS and OPS camp.

It is a well-known fact that during Jayalalithaa's regime, the all-powerful Sasikala and her nephew Dinakaran were running the party. Most of the local level leaders and office bearers have been appointed by them and they still have a soft corner for them. As Dinakaran himself puts it, he has many sleeper cells in the ruling faction of AIADMK and they can "bomb" it anytime.

After the RK Nagar bypoll, these district level leaders might openly come out in support of the Dinakaran faction, threatening the existence of EPS and OPS-led shaky government at Fort St. George. If that happens, the BJP at the Centre will have to face a lot of flak for its handling of TN affairs.

Just to keep the belligerent Sasikala and Dinakaran away from the power, the BJP gave tacit support to EPS and OPS camps. Sasikala's own appointee EPS ditched her to go with the BJP after her jailing. OPS came back and joined him a few months later. Together they ousted Chinnamma from the party calling her the queen of Mannargudi Mafia.

A strong Sasikala would be a nightmare for the BJP, which is trying to make inroads into the state politics keeping 2019 polls in mind. Striking a bargain with the DMK would also become difficult in this scenario.

What may have led to this turn of events is Tamil pride and lack of understanding of Tamil politics by the BJP. Tamil politicians and voters always maintained their self-pride and never surrendered themselves to Delhi parties.

After Jayalalithaa's death, the BJP started poking nose into TN politics through some Delhi leaders. Though anti-Sasikala leaders in the party played along, it was resented by majority of the voters and local leaders. This bypoll gave them an opportunity to reassert their pride sending out a strong message to the Centre not to mess with the Tamils.

Echoing these sentiments an auto driver in Chennai, Velayudhan, said, "Both EPS and OPS are behaving like the vassals of Delhi rulers. They have ruined the image of Tamil people. Only TTV Dinakaran and DMK can restore our pride".

If it leads to the collapse of EPS and OPS government, Dinakaran may emerge as the real challenger to DMK in TN.

Soon after it became clear that Dinakaran was set for a huge victory, Swamy said, "I knew this was going to happen. I will try to EPS and TTV factions of the AIADMK together to take on the DMK. DMK is an anti national party. It should not come to power in TN again."

MK Stalin-led DMK also has a lot to worry about. A clear division in the AIADMK and even the acquittal in 2G scam have not helped him to wrest the seat from Amma's men and women. He needs to rework his strategy.

Tamil Nadu politics has always been too complex and it has sunk many outsiders even without a trace in the past.
For a state that holds only 5% of Indias population, the attention that its recently concluded state elections commanded was disproportionate, but for a good reason. This is a state that propelled its former Chief Minister Narendra Modi to the national stage based on his performance in the state, popularly referred to as the Gujarat Model.

A basic fault-line underlines the Gujarat Model if one looks at the very basic economic indicators. Its one of the top states in terms of average income levels as well as growth rate, however, in terms of poverty alleviation and social indicators, it ranks average or below average, depending on which specific indicator you look at.

There is also a clear rural-urban divide on these parameters  with the urban areas pushing up the income and growth indicators consistent with the business and industry-friendly image and the rural areas pulling down the social and poverty-alleviation indicators.

The recent election results reflect this contrast quite clearly  the BJP won 45 of the 53 urban and mostly urban constituencies, while the Congress won 72 of the 129 rural and mostly rural constituencies.

Now, to understand the outcome of elections, we should not look at the groups whose voting pattern is steady. For example, BJP has had an edge in the urban areas and the Congress in the rural areas in the previous state elections as well. Moreover, its vote share has remained 48-49% since 2007, after almost touching the 50% mark in 2002.

We should rather look at the three groups of voters that can potentially change this set pattern. The first is turnout  high turnout usually means bad news for the incumbent government. The second is swing voters who move from one party to the other and the third factor is the voting behaviour of first-time voters.

Given the available facts, a comprehensive analysis along these three dimensions is not possible at this stage but some interesting observations emerge.

A constituency-wise analysis shows that BJP has lost whenever the voter turnout has approached 75%. The overall turnout this time was about 68%. Therefore, Congress improved performance does reflect constituency-specific increase in voter turnout, while the overall turnout remained insufficient for a reversal of electoral fortunes.

Interestingly, in the urban areas the sharpest drop in voter turnout occurred  from 72% in 2012 to 65% in 2017, while in rural areas it has seen a slight decrease. Clearly, lower turnout reflects dissatisfaction with the BJP among urban voters, but these voters were not sufficiently driven by anti-incumbency to show up and vote against the BJP.

It is impossible to quantify voters who switched their votes from the BJP to the Congress or other parties, except for anecdotal evidence suggesting fissures within the Patidar community.

An imperfect measure would be to look at how close the electoral margins. Another analysis shows that in 57 constituencies, the victory margin was 5% or less, and in 29 seats, it was less than 2%.

These were easily more hard fought elections than what the final seat tally suggests.

Interestingly, Congress won in 30 of the 57 seats with victory margins of 5% or less, while the BJP won 25. Another notable factor is the rise of the NOTA voters  nearly 2% of voters opted for NOTA in Gujarat and it appears that if they had gone to Congress instead, there could have been a reversal of electoral fortunes.

While no figures for the voting behaviour of first-time voters are available, a reasonable (but not perfect) proxy would be the voting pattern of young voters. A surprising trend that has been noted is that in constituencies with a high percentage of youth voters, who are normally considered to be more likely to vote for the BJP, the Congress has increased its vote share in this election.

Clearly, Narendra Modis energetic campaigning made a difference to the overall outcome, making it effectively a mandate for his rule at the Centre. This allowed the BJP to fend off a rising anti-incumbency wave which a newly energized Congress took advantage of. But it also put to rest delusions of grandeur in projecting the possibility of winning 150 seats. The supposed success of the Gujarat Model catapulted Narendra Modi to the national stage.

This time he had to come back to Gujarat to fight hard to hold on to what is considered to be a BJP stronghold. The euphoria of the massive 2014 victory is officially over and a gripping new chapter in Indian politics has just started.

Prof. Maitreesh Ghatak is a Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics.
In Asia's biggest industrial-cum-residential area, New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, popularly known as NOIDA, there is a new war underway. The war to make Noida a symbol of "Vikas".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath both are descending into the town to inaugurate the Noida-Greater Noida metro link.

Already, it has become a bone of contention, with claims that it was already inaugurated, as this tweet of former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav seems to suggest.

But as a citizen of Noida, who often goes through the harassment of living in any township bursting at its seams may be confronted with, these are the scenes that upset me the most.

What's the possibility of you ever seeing "road cleaners, rubble removers and bridge painters" on a Sunday afternoon, working feverishly? Through the year, you will never see so many people tirelessly working to make a flyover look spic and span.

(Mind you, in course of our election coverage in Gujarat, we did see how Surat City has been turned into India's cleanest city number 1 only and only because civic administration there took it upon itself to actually change the face of the city. Not just some temporary 'jugaad').

That's why this Christmas eve, when Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath comes to town, he would be well advised to go beyond the route which has been fixed for him by the babus in town.

Vikas can never be "24 hour shelf life issue". It needs to be beyond this temporary face lifting of a city if it has to go beyond a mere jugaad.
BJP candidate BR Waghe won the by-election to Pakke-Kessang Assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh by a margin of 475 votes.

The Pakke-Kessang fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared null and void the election of former deputy chief minister Kameng Dolo (Congress) from the seat in 2014 following an election petition filed against him by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly.

Welly had alleged that a fraudulent move had thrown threw him out of the election as the Election Commission had accepted a forged letter of withdrawal of his candidature that led to election of his lone opponent.

Welly, in his election petition earlier, had said that his signature was forged in the letter.
By India Today Web Desk: Around 200 Kung Fu nuns are trekking from Nepal through India on bicycles to raise awareness about gender equality and human trafficking. Trained in martial arts, these nuns belong to the DGK nunnery in Kathmandu.

This trip will be their fifth such trip across the region. These nuns will cover a distance of approximately 3,000 km and will also demonstrate and meet with local leaders about gender equality initiatives.

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The nuns will be accompanied by Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual leader of Drukpa lineage of Buddhism. He was the one who initiated the cycle yatra 5 years ago.

The introduction of Kung Fu into Buddhism can be attributed to Gyalwang Drukpa as well.

Buddhism is an inherently patriarchal society, but Gyalwang Drukpa changed that in 2008. During a visit to Vietnam, Gyalwang saw women receiving combat training and decided to bring that to Nepal.

Kung Fu nuns are Nepal's only female group to practice the martial art where everyday, around 400 nuns take part in intensive training sessions where they are taught Kung Fu techniques.

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LIVE HIGHLIGHTS: TTV Dinakaran has declared himself as the true political heir of the late J Jayalalithaa after winning the by-election to RK Nagar assembly seat in Tamil Nadu. Thanking voters, the sidelined AIADMK leader has vowed to bring down the EPS-OPS government in the state within three months. The bypoll was primarily a contest between Dinakaran and the merged faction of chief minister E Palaniswami and deputy CM O Panneerselvam, with the result deciding the battle for Jayalalithaas legacy. While Dinakaran contested as an Independent candidate, the EPS-OPS faction had fielded Madhusudhanan. The DMK, too, tried to make it a triangular contest, fielding N Maruthu Ganesh. The bypoll was first scheduled to be held in April this year, but was cancelled due to complaints of large-scale voter bribery. This round of voting was also not devoid of controversy. A Dinakaran loyalist released a video on the eve of the by-election purportedly showing Jayalalithaa in a hospital few days before her death.

Final Tally

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 89,013

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 48,306

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 24,651

Stay tuned as Aakarshuk Sarna brings you LIVE updates:

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
Chennai: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran declared himself as the true political heir of late J Jayalalithaa on Sunday after winning her old assembly seat RK Nagar by trouncing his nearest AIADMK rival E Madhusudhanan by a margin of 40,707 votes.

Contesting as an Independent candidate in the bypoll, Dinakaran got 89,013 votes as against Madhusudhanan's 48,306 votes. The DMKs' Marudhu Ganesh was a distant third. He secured 24,681 votes and forfeit his deposit, along with 57 others.

From the start, Dinakaran was in the lead and the gap between him and the rivals kept on widening as the counting progressed. At the end, he bettered the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls.

The bypoll was an acid test for all the three sides, and especially the EPS-OPS faction, whose government is on shaky ground in the state. Speculation is rife that Dinakaran is planning a coup and has the support of many MLAs.

When asked about the future of the government, he remained coy, and said the government would die its own death. I do not have to do anything. They would fall on their own in the next three months. You will see is all he had to say.

To celebrate his victory, he visited the memorials of party stalwarts - the late MG Ramachandran (party founder) and Jayalalithaa - at the Marina Beach and paid floral tributes. He also prostrated at Jayalalithaa's mausoleum.

We are the true AIADMK...people of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor, a beaming Dinakaran told reporters. The result shows that people want change of regime, he said, taking a dig at the AIADMK government headed by Chief Minister EK Palaniswami.

Supporters of TTV Dinakaran celebrate outside the counting centre in Chennai on Sunday. (PTI Photo)

During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the 'pressure cooker' (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," he said.

On the AIADMK party symbol issue wherein the Election Commission awarded it to the Palaniswamy-led camp recently, Dhinakaran said only a candidate determines the symbol.

"We are the true AIADMK. A candidate determines the symbol. I have already said the 'two leaves' will be a success symbol only if it was with Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Amma (Jayalalithaa). Will the people vote if it is handed over to M N Nambiar and P S Veerappa," he asked, amidst chuckles from his supporters.

Nambiar and Veerappa are famous yesteryear villains, with the former being cast against MGR in many of the matinee idol's films.

His supporters celebrated the victory by dancing, distributing sweets and bursting crackers.

The RK Nagar constituency had fallen vacant after the death of its sitting member, late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa, on December 5, 2016. The bypoll was held on December 21 and around 1.77 lakh voters exercised their democratic right.

While 2,373 voters have voted for 'none of the above' (NOTA) option, BJP candidate K.Nagarajan has got 1,417 votes and Naam Tamizhar party's Kalaikotudhayam got 3,860 votes.

Dinakaran is the first Independent legislator since the 2001 win of M Appavu from Radhapuram constituency. But he said that although he fought as an Independent, AIADMK's party cadres were with him.

Meanwhile, leaders of several parties have termed Dinakaran's victory as the victory of cash play. DMK leader M.K. Stalin, in a statement, said the party's defeat in the bypoll is actually a Himalayan defeat for the Election Commission, claiming it or police did not do anything to ensure that the poll was held in a free and fair manner.

He said the Election Commission remained silent when voters were bribed even when the polling was under progress.
New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress has won the Sabang Assembly seat by-election in West Bengal with 1,06,179 votes, wresting the seat from the Congress.

The Trinamool had fielded Gita Rani Bhunia, wife of Manas Bhunia, a former Congress MLA who had defected to the Mamata Banerjee-led party earlier this year necessitating the by-election. Bhunia had won the seat in last year's assembly polls.

The BJP had nominated Antara Bhattacharya, while the Congress has fielded Chiranjib Bhowmick, a local leader. Rita Mandal of the CPI(M) is contesting as a Left Front candidate.

Gita won by by a massive margin of over 64,000 votes. Her closest rival was Mandal with 41,987 votes. Bhattacharya bagged 37,476 votes to come third while Bhowmick only secured 18,060 votes. Sabang has been a Congress stronghold since 1957.

Manas, who had fought the Assembly polls as an alliance candidate of the Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front, had won the seat by a margin of over 50,000 votes.

The TMC, which had secured the second position in Sabang in the Assembly election with 36 percent votes, increased its ballot share by 15 percent this time, bagging 51 percent of the total votes polled. The BJP, which had received only 5,610 votes in the Assembly election, also increased its vote share by securing nearly 18 percent of the total votes polled, PTI reported.

The bypoll results brought some relief to the beleaguered Left Front, which has been losing its ground in the state to the BJP.

Voting on December 21 witnessed 74.89 percent polling. The opposition CPI(M) and BJP had accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of driving away their election agents from the polling booths, which was denied by TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manas Bhunia. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh criticized TMC for resorting to terror during the polls.

(With PTI inputs)
The BJP has won the by-election to the Sikandra Assembly seat of Uttar Pradesh, defeating the Samajwadi Party candidate by around 7,000 votes.

Braving cold weather, nearly 53 percent of the total 3.21 lakh electorate had cast their votes in the Sikandra Assembly seat of bandit Phoolan Devi fame.

Sikandra constituency falls in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by Phoolan Devi and her gang to avenge her rape.

The by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP MLA Mathura Prasad Pal on July 22 due to illness. The BJP had fielded Pal's son Ajit Pal Singh, who fought mainly against Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party and Prabhakar of the Congress party.

A total of 12 aspirants were in the contest, including five independent candidates.

In the 2017 Assembly polls, Mathura Pal had polled 87,879 votes, defeating the nearest Bahujan Samaj Party rival Mahendra Katiyar (Bablu), who got 49,776 votes.

In Behmai village, Phoolan Devi and her gang allegedly killed 21 Rajput men in 1981 to avenge her rape. She surrendered to the police in 1983 and went on to become an MP from Mirzapur. She was shot dead outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.
By PTI: Noida, Dec 23 (PTI) A man was arrested and 22 cartons of illicit liquor was seized from his possession, the police said today.

The man, identified as Naresh Pal, was arrested by sub inspector Ajit Singh, they said.

The man has been booked under the Excise Act and sent to jail, the police said. PTI CORR KJ

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Davao: At least 37 people, including call centre staff from an American firm, are believed to have perished in a fire that tore through a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, local authorities said on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte, himself a Davao native, visited distraught relatives outside the burning building overnight but told them there was "zero" chance their loved ones had survived, witnesses told AFP.

Firemen found one body as the blaze was finally extinguished today, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte -- the president's daughter -- told reporters.

Firemen have concluded that all those trapped in the building are dead, she said, adding: "They assessed that no one would survive in that heat and with that thick, black smoke."

The deadly fire adds fresh misery for the mainly Catholic Philippines at Christmas as the death toll from a tropical storm that hit the south of the country Friday crossed 200 and with tens of thousands displaced by severe flooding and landslides.

The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall Saturday morning, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky over Davao.

With low wages but strong English language skills, the Philippines is a popular destination for international companies to set up customer call centres.

The building's top floor housed a 24-hour call centre for the US-based market research company SSI.Jimmy Quimsing, a retired seaman, was one of the relatives desperately waiting for news.

His 25-year-old son Jim Benedict worked at the call centre and had not been in contact since the fire broke out. Quimsing said he spoke to President Duterte and had been told to prepare for the worst.

"He told us ... no one would survive under these circumstances," he told AFP.

Duterte's special assistant Christopher Go confirmed the bulk of the president's comments to AFP.

Paolo Duterte, the president's son and the vice mayor of Davao, also wrote on Facebook that fire officials had told him there was "zero" chance of anyone trapped surviving the blaze.

In a statement on its local Facebook page, SSI said it would set up a "command centre" for the relatives of those missing.

"Please continue to pray for everyone's safety," the firm added.

Davao fire marshal Honeyfritz Alagano said the blaze may have started by a spark on the third floor of the mall, which had a furniture section.

"One of our firemen here has a kid who is (a call centre) agent in there. He told us some of them went to collect their stuff at their lockers and were trapped," Alagano told AFP.

"The mall is an enclosed space with no ventilation. When our firemen tried to enter they were pushed back by smoke and fire."

Mayor Duterte said she told the fire-fighters to retrieve all the dead, stressing: "you do not stop until you find 37."

She also said the circumstances surrounding the fire would be investigated but added that it was too early to say who was at fault.

Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards.

"It's possible that while they were working, they did not immediately notice the fire spreading," Davao police officer Ralph Canoy told AFP, referring to the call centre workers.

Davao, with a population of about 1.5 million people, is the biggest city in the southern Philippines. It is about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) south of Manila, the nation's capital.

President Duterte served as mayor of the city for more than two decades and continues to visit on weekends.

His daughter succeeded him when he ran for president, with one of his sons winning the vice mayoralty post. Most of those killed by the recent tropical storm were also in the southern region of Mindanao.

There have also been horrific fires in bigger buildings and factories, where corruption and exploitation mean supposedly strict standards are often not enforced.

In 2015, a fire tore through a footwear factory in Manila, killing 72. Survivors of that blaze blamed barred windows and other sweatshop conditions for trapping people inside the factory.

In the deadliest fire in the Philippines in recent times, 162 people were killed in a huge blaze that gutted a Manila disco in 1996.
Washington: A federal judge in Seattle partially blocked US President Donald Trump's newest restrictions on refugee admissions on Saturday, the latest legal defeat for his efforts to curtail immigration and travel to the United States.

The decision by US District Judge James Robart is the first judicial curb on rules the Trump administration put into place in late October that have contributed significantly to a precipitous drop in the number of refugees being admitted into the country.

Refugees and groups that assist them argued in court that the administration's policies violated the Constitution and federal rulemaking procedures, among other claims. Department of Justice attorneys argued in part that US law grants the executive branch the authority to limit refugee admissions in the way that it had done so.

On October 24, the Trump administration effectively paused refugee admissions from 11 countries mostly in the Middle East and Africa, pending a 90-day security review, which was set to expire in late January.

The countries subject to the review are Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. For each of the last three years, refugees from the 11 countries made up more than 40 percent of US admissions. A Reuters review of State Department data showed that as the review went into effect, refugee admissions from the 11 countries plummeted.

Robart ruled that the administration could carry out the security review, but that it could not stop processing or admitting refugees from the 11 countries in the meantime, as long as those refugees have a "bona fide" connection to the United States.

As part of its new restrictions, the Trump administration had also paused a program that allowed for family reunification for refugees, pending further security screening procedures being put into place.

Robart ordered the government to re-start the program, known as "follow-to-join". Approximately 2,000 refugees were admitted into the United States in fiscal year 2015 under the program, according to Department of Homeland Security data.

Refugee advocacy groups praised Robart's decision.

"This ruling brings relief to thousands of refugees in precarious situations in the Middle East and East Africa, as well as to refugees already in the US who are trying to reunite with their spouses and children," said Mariko Hirose, litigation director for the International Refugee Assistance Project, one of the plaintiffs in the case.

A Justice Department spokeswoman, Lauren Ehrsam, said the department disagrees with Robart's ruling and is "currently evaluating the next steps".

Robart, who was appointed to the bench by Republican former President George W. Bush, emerged from relative obscurity in February, when he issued a temporary order to lift the first version of Trump's travel ban.

On Twitter, Trump called him a "so-called judge" whose "ridiculous" opinion "essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country".

Robart's ruling represented the second legal defeat in two days for the Trump administration. On Friday, a US appeals court said Trump's travel ban targeting six Muslim-majority countries should not be applied to people with strong US ties, but said its ruling would be put on hold pending a decision by the US Supreme Court.
The commandant of the US Marine Corps warned soldiers stationed in Norway that "there's a war coming" and they should prepare for a "bigass fight".

"I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming," General Robert Neller told around 300 Marines stationed at the Norwegian Homeguard base. A spokesman later said that the statement was not in reference to any specific adversary, but rather intended to inspire the troops.

The US troops are in intended to support operations by NATO and the US-European Command. Speaking to them about the importance of readiness even during peacetime missions, he said they should always be prepared for a change.

"You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence," he said, in comments reported by Military.com.

Neller made the remarks while fielding questions from soldiers in a town-hall style forum.

He told the troops stationed there that military planners were focused on Russia and the Pacific as possible future flashpoints of conflict.

"I think probably the focus, the intended focus is not on the Middle East. The focus is more on the Pacific and Russia," he said.

"They're watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We've got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar."
Beijing: China's home-grown AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft in production, took to the skies on Sunday for its maiden flight.

The plane, codenamed "Kunlong" according to state news agency Xinhua, took off from the southern city of Zhuhai and landed after roughly an hour-long flight.

With a wingspan of 38.8 metres (127 feet) and powered by four turboprop engines, the aircraft is capable of carrying 50 people and can stay airborne for 12 hours.

"Its successful maiden flight makes China among the world's few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft," chief designer Huang Lingcai told Xinhua.

The amphibious aircraft has military applications but will be used for firefighting and marine rescue, with at least 17 orders placed so far with state-owned manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China, state media reported.

While it is around the size of a Boeing 737, the AG600 is considerably smaller than billionaire Howard Hughes' flying boat, better known as the Spruce Goose, which had a wingspan of 97 metres and a length of 67 metres but only made one brief flight, in 1947.

The AG600's flight capabilities put all of China's island-building projects in the South China Sea well within range.

"Its 4,500-km operational range and ability to land and take off from water makes it well-suited for deployment over China's artificial islands," said James Char, a military analyst at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

The aircraft can fly to the southernmost edge of China's territorial claims -- the James Shoal -- in just four hours from the southern city of Sanya, state-owned Global Times reported.

The shoal is also claimed by Taiwan and Malaysia, and is currently administered by Malaysia. The collection of submerged rocks lies roughly 80 kilometres from Malaysia's coastline and about 1,800 kilometres from the Chinese mainland.

"The plane's capacity and maneuverability makes it ideal for transporting materiel to those maritime features that are too structurally fragile to support runways," Char said.

Beijing's buildup in the South China Sea, through which some $5 trillion in annual trade passes, is hotly contested by other nations.

The Philippines for many years was one of the region's strongest opponents of Chinese expansionism, and brought a complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal.

The panel ruled last year that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis, but the Philippines has backed away from the dispute under its new president Rodrigo Duterte.

The launch of the new amphibious aircraft further strengthens China's rapidly modernising military.

Earlier this year, it launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Type 001A. This complemented the Liaoning, a second-hand Soviet carrier commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.

China's military expenditure in 2016 was an estimated $215 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, putting it in first place in Asia, well ahead of India ($56 billion), Japan ($46 billion) and South Korea ($37 billion).
Reliance is the creation of the vision of one individual -- my father, and our founder, Dhirubhai," Ambani said. "My father is a timeless legend, an Indian icon and eternal inspiration to all Indians of all generations -- "Kal, Aaj aur Kal" -- We shall forever remain true to his vision, his ideals and his principles... On this happy occasion, I on behalf of everyone offer "koti koti pranam" and seek his blessings," he said. (Photo: RIL)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath ahead of its closure for the next six months. This is his second visit to the shrine this year. (Image: PTI)
Its not easy to summarize a year in a single word, especially a year as tumultuous and polarized as this one.

Maybe thats why lexicographers choices for the Word of the Year 2017 all have a political hue.

Collins Dictionary chose one of President Donald Trumps favorites  fake news  as its word for 2017. Definition: false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news.

Merriam-Webster picked feminism. Youd think everybody would know it means the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes and organized activity on behalf of womens rights and interests.

But when Merriam-Webster analyzed lookups of words online to gauge public interest, feminism was a top lookup of the year, first spiking after the Womens March on Washington in January. As discussions of feminism evolved with the news, interest in the word kept spiking, the dictionary said.

Dictionary.com went for complicit after lookups surged following a Saturday Night Live parody commercial featuring Scarlett Johansson as a sultry Ivanka Trump. The fake ad was for Complicit, the fragrance for the woman who could stop all this ... but wont.

Lookups of complicit surged again after Trump said she didnt know what it meant to be complicit.

The esteemed Oxford Dictionaries chose youthquake, a 1965 creation repurposed to reflect the significant influence of young voters in the UKs snap election last June.

It is a rare political word that sounds a hopeful note, said Casper Grathwohl, president of the dictionaries of the Oxford University Press, although he acknowledged: Its true that its yet to land firmly on American soil but strong evidence in the UK calls it out as a word on the move.

Talking about words on the move, wheres covfefe when we need it?

Covfefe epitomized President Donald Trump and his tweet machine. Its a made-up word he used in a truncated tweet a little after midnight on May 31: Despite the constant negative press covfefe

The tweet was later deleted, but then-Press Secretary Sean Spicer, in an explanation worthy of the Alice in Wonderland School of Spin, told reporters, The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant.

Instead of trying to settle on one Word of the Year, perhaps we should think of 2017 as the Year of Words. Plural.

No president ever word-bombed the nation the way Trump does, instantly sharing his mood swings with the masses.

Trump weaponized words, but he wasnt the only one. North Korea President Kim Jong Un must have been thumbing through an old thesaurus when he called Trump a mentally deranged U.S. dotard. A dotard is someone whos elderly and senile.

The year began with Trumps dystopian vision of America. Inaugural addresses typically play to the nations hopes and dreams; his stoked fears with words like carnage.

The new administration delivered alternative facts, White House aide Kellyanne Conways infelicitous phrase for Spicers lies about the size of the crowd at the inauguration.

The year is ending with the administration denying a Washington Post report that the Department of Health and Human Services had banned the Centers for Disease Control from using seven words in its 2019 budget request. The words are: diversity, entitlement, evidence-based, fetus, science-based, transgender and vulnerable.

HHS strenuously denied the prohibition, and CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald tweeted, I want to assure you there are no banned words at CDC.

An analysis by Science Insider, though, found the words already had been used far less in CDCs 2018 budget request earlier this year than in the three previous Obama CDC requests.

The New York Times subsequently reported it wasnt a ban so much as a recommendation to avoid language that might slow or derail approval of the budget by Republicans. So it appears red-flag words were banned as a political strategy.

A firestorm ensued, of course, as free speech still matters.

The American Dialect Society, a group of linguists and other academics, will vote for its Word of the Year Jan. 5.

It would be nice to think its word describing this rancorous year could be hopeful for the future.

But thats unlikely. Its choice last year was more prophetic than anyone thought. Remember dumpster fire?

Mercer writes from Washington. Email her at marsha.mercer@yahoo.com. 2017 Marsha Mercer. All rights reserved.
By PTI: By Aditi Khanna

London, Dec 24 (PTI)ABritish Prime Minister Theresa May today paid tribute to the countrys "heroes" who helped victims of terrorist attacks and the fire at Grenfell Tower in London in her annual Christmas message.

She also urged Britons to take pride in the countrys Christian heritage at Christmas.

"As we gather with our friends and family, I want to say thank you to all those whose service to others means they will be spending time away from their loved ones this Christmas," she said.

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"The heroes in our emergency services, whose courage and dedication so inspired the nation in response to tragedy at Grenfell Tower and the abhorrent terrorist attacks in Manchester and London. But whose service saves lives in our communities every day, including Christmas Day," she added.

The British Prime Minister, a regular church-goer and daughter of a vicar, also made a specific reference to the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

She added: "Let us take pride in our Christian heritage and the confidence it gives us to ensure that in Britain you can practice your faith free from question or fear.

"Let us remember those around the world today who have been denied those freedoms ? from Christians in some parts of the Middle East to the sickening persecution of the Rohingya Muslims.

"This Christmas, whatever our faith, let us come together confident and united in the values we share."

In contrast, Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyns Christmas message made little mention of religion as he said that Christmas was "a time of the year when we think about others".

He said: "We think about those who feel cut off and lonely. Many older citizens to whom we owe so much will be spending what should be a time of joy alone.

"We think of others such as carers who look after loved ones, people with disabilities or dementia."

Corbyn added that his thoughts were also with those "living in nations like Yemen, Syria and Libya in fear of bombs and bullets, of injury and death". PTI AK ZH

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THOUSANDS of desperate Zimbabweans from Mutare and other cities across the country are flocking to Manicaland Chimoio in Mozambique to buy groceries, which are far cheaper than those found in local supermarkets.





Prices of most goods in Zimbabwe went up drastically recently, sparking outrage from long-suffering consumers.





A visit by The Standard People last Thursday showed that Zimbabweans had become the biggest shoppers for groceries in time for Christmas.





Zimbabweans were swamping shops in Manica and Chimoio like Shoprite, VIP and Jumbo Cash & Carry where basic commodities and canned beer were being loaded onto vehicles.





Fish and chicken have also become popular with the Zimbabwean shoppers. Shop owners in Manica and Chimoio were working overtime and on many occasions unable to cope with the demand created by Zimbabwean shoppers.





The shoppers were exchanging the Zimbabwe bond notes for Mozambican meticals.





In interviews, the Zimbabwean shoppers said they had no option but to cross the border to do their shopping in Mozambique. The pricing system in Zimbabwe is pure madness. We have no option but to come here to do our Christmas shopping.





The prices are far much cheaper than those in Zimbabwe, said Emmanuel Chinhema. Things should not be like this at a time when we have a new government in place.





We never thought that with this new leadership, Zimbabweans would end up going to Mozambique to buy groceries like we are doing, said another shopper, Lucia Mandiopera.





The average price of a full chicken in Zimbabwean supermarkets is $15 while in Mozambique it is going for $7.





Basic commodities fetch almost half the price of those in Zimbabwe. Unemployed youths have joined the great trek to Mozambique to become porters, lugging consignments of commodities belonging to traders for a fee.




Sheriff's deputies shot and killed a 6-year-old boy Thursday in Texas, WOAI reports. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says four deputies opened fire on 30-year-old Amanda Jones, a suspected car thief, after they "cornered" her outside a mobile home occupied by Kameron Prescott and his family in the town of Schertz. One of the bullets went through the mobile home and hit Kameron in the abdomen. According to CNN, Salazar says deputies performed first aid on the boy, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Jones was also killed. "The deputies are, of course, understandably shaken up," Salazar says. He says the shooting is under investigation, but in his opinion the boy's death is "a tragic accident."

Salazar says one deputy is "adamant" he saw Jones with a gun and that she threatened to shoot him. He says Jones threatened both police and Kameron's family, who didn't know her, just before deputies opened fire. But investigators haven't been able to locate a gun despite the use of a helicopter and dive team. Salazar says they have found a pipe with Jones' blood on it near the scene of the shooting. One deputy at the scene was wearing a body camera, but he blocked it with his rifle during the shooting. Meanwhile, Kameron is being remembered by those who knew him. "Kameron was a ball of energy, happy, smart, and could strike up a conversation with anyone, school counselor Maria Morales tells KSAT. He also had a great sense of humor and caring heart." (Read more police shooting stories.)
iPhone owners from several states sued Apple Inc. for not disclosing sooner that it issued software updates deliberately slowing older-model phones so aging batteries lasted longer, saying Apple's silence led them to wrongly conclude that their only option was to buy newer, pricier iPhones. The allegations were in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Chicago federal court on behalf of five iPhone owners who say they never would have bought new iPhones had Apple told them that simply replacing the batteries would have sped up their old ones, the AP reports. The suit alleges Apple violated consumer fraud laws. A similar lawsuit was filed Thursday in Los Angeles. Both suits came a day after Apple confirmed what high-tech sleuths outside the company already observed: The company had deployed software to slow some phones.

Apple said it was intended as a fix to deal with degraded lithium-ion batteries that could otherwise suddenly die. The Chicago lawsuit suggests Apple's motive may have been sinister, though it offers no evidence in the filing. "Apple's decision to purposefully ... throttle down these devices," it says, "was undertaken to fraudulently induce consumers to purchase the latest" iPhone. Plaintiff Kirk Pedelty, of North Carolina, contacted Apple as his frustration grew. However, the lawsuit says: "Nobody from Apple customer support suggested that he replace his battery to improve the performance of his iPhone. ... Frustrated by slowdowns and intermittent shutdowns of his iPhone 7, Pedelty purchased an iPhone 8." The lawsuit seeks class-action status to represent thousands of iPhone owners nationwide.

(Read more iPhone stories.)
North Korea now considers itself at war with all 15 members of the United Nations Security Council, according to a blistering statement issued after the council unanimously approved tough new sanctions. The country's foreign minister described the latest round of sanctions as an "act of war" that was " rigged up by the US and its followers," CNN reports. "Those countries that raised their hands in favor of this 'sanctions resolution' shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the 'resolution' and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay a heavy price for what they have done," the statement said.

UN Resolution 2397, issued in response to Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests, slashes North Korea's fuel imports by around 90% and requires the return home of all North Koreans working overseas within 24 months. North Korea's statement said the sanctions were introduced because the US is frightened of its power. The US is "completely terrified at our accomplishment of the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, is getting more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country," it said, per the BBC. "We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the US nuclear threats, blackmail, and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US." (Read more North Korea stories.)
The deputy director of the FBI has been fighting off Republican attacks for more than a yearand sources say he plans to hold out until early March, when he qualifies for a full pension. Andrew McCabe, 49, who has been under attack for his role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation, has "got about 90 days, and some of that will be holiday time," one insider tells the Washington Post. McCabe "is racing the clock to retire with full benefits," President Trump tweeted. "90 days to go?!!!" McCabe's GOP critics have highlighted the fact that before he was appointed as James Comey's deputy, McCabe's wife, Jill, received $700,000 in donations from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a run for the state Senate in 2015, the AP reports.

In another tweet, Trump asked: "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?" After Trump fired Comey in May, McCabe became the agency's acting director until Christopher Wray was confirmed in August. McCabe was grilled for a total of 17 hours last week by two House committees investigating the FBI's actions and its alleged anti-Trump bias. The Post's sources say that even though Trump and his allies want McCabe removed, he can't be fired without evidence of wrongdoing, and the FBI believes reassigning him would be seen as bowing to political demands. (Read more Andrew McCabe stories.)
Peace on earth and goodwill once again seem to be in short supply in Bethlehem, where Palestinian protesters dressed as Santa Claus clashed with Israeli security forces in the historical birthplace of Jesus Saturday. Israeli soldiers used tear gas and stun grenades to push back the Santas, who were protesting President Trump's decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports. Ahead of midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Jesus is believed to have been born, the decorations around the town Christmas tree include a banner protesting Trump's decision, the AP reports.

Anton Salman, mayor of the West Bank city, says he wants this Christmas to be especially festive so that people can see Palestinians are people who "deserve our freedom, deserve our independence, deserve Jerusalem as our capital." Jack Giacaman, a Christian Palestinian who owns a shop selling wood carvings, says visitor numbers went down sharply after Trump's announcement. "Trump made a big mistake. He said that Jerusalem is for one religion. For the Jewish people. But Jerusalem is not just for one religion. It is for Muslims and Christians as well," Giacaman tells the Guardian.

(Read more Bethlehem stories.)
Police say a pregnant teenager was shot dead while asleep in a southern Arizona home early Saturday, but that doctors were able to deliver her unborn child. 19-year-old Jasmine Vega was found unconscious by officers responding to a 911 call from inside the residence, Fox News reports. Vega was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, but doctors managed to save her son. "Hospital staff [was] able to successfully deliver her unborn child, who is currently being treated at the hospital," Tucson Police Department wrote on Facebook. Per Tucson News Now, the childs father, Anthony Rivera, says the baby boy is in critical condition and on life support.

Vega was six months pregnant, and loved ones described her to Tucson News Now as kind, compassionate, and so excited to be a mom. No other other occupants were injured during the shooting. Authorities say multiple gunshots were fired toward the home from outside, and that there were several bullet holes found in the walls, but it is still unknown whether the gunfire was targeted specifically at anyone in the household. Tucson police are asking for anyone with information to come forward. You can remain anonymous, they said on Facebook. (Three St. Louis women were killed as they tried to escape a home invasion.)
Just hours after signing a tax reform bill into law, President Trump told friends at his so-called "Winter White House" estate of Mar-a-Lago that "You all just got a lot richer," reports CBS News, citing "two friends at a table near the president's." The comment came Friday night as Trump began his holiday weekend in Florida. The White House on Saturday re-emphasized the tax bill's benefits to the middle class, but not everyone is buying its blue-collar boosts: "At least Trump is finally telling the truth about his tax bill," tweeted Sen. Bernie Sanders, per the Hill. Sanders complained on CNN that "What the Republicans did is made the tax breaks for corporations permanent, the tax breaks for the middle class temporary." On Christmas Eve morning, Trump held a video teleconference with American troops, notes the AP, in which he told them they're "the greatest people on Earth." (Read more President Trump stories.)
WASHINGTON  In foreign policy, conventional wisdom has an almost biblical force. Gospel-like, practitioners intone the commandments: Never get involved in a land war in Asia. Terrorism and religion are unrelated. And, holy of holies, do not appear to prejudge the outcome of peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Clearly, the gospels are not for Donald Trump, who last week declared that Jerusalem is indeed the capital of the State of Israel, and that the United States will move its embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Predictably, the president was denounced by the usual complement of opinion leaders, journalists and political opponents. And since Donald Trump is so often wrong, it is tempting to succumb to the opprobrium of polite society and agree he was probably wrong again. Except he wasnt.

Starting with the purely factual, Jerusalem has the virtue of actually being the capital of Israel. It is the seat of the Israeli prime minister, its parliament, its Supreme Court and its president.

Notwithstanding the objections of other countries, it is established practice for sovereign nations to choose their own capitals.

Dissenting savants will insist that Jerusalem is disputed territory, and therefore must be off limits to the Jews when it comes to capital-choosing.

But for most polite society  excluding Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorists  the question of Jerusalem relates to its Old City and Eastern portions.

Not to all of Jerusalem. And Donald Trump made clear that the United States does not intend to place its embassy on disputed land or prejudge the outcome of a successful negotiation between Israel and Palestinian representatives.

Opponents will add that acknowledging Jerusalem as Israels capital will enrage the Arab world. Perhaps thats true  though most Arab states have been surprisingly perfunctory in their condemnations  but its not a reason for the United States to avoid acknowledging reality. It should certainly be a factor. But it should not be decisive.

But what about the so-called Arab street? And the Palestinians? Yes, they are cross. Hamas and others promptly declared Days of Rage to do what they do on most days that end in y, terrorize civilians and destroy property.

Threats of violence are unacceptable, and should not be recognized with sage nods and murmurs about what-we-should-expect. Moving a building is not a pretext for violence, and all who accept the notion that terrorism has a justification are part of the problem.

Finally, there is the peace process. Successive secretaries of state have winded themselves in their breathless pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize, all to no avail.

But the truth is that the Israelis have had their capital in Jerusalem for almost 70 years, and Washington has maintained an embassy outside Jerusalem for the same time period, and none of that has led to a resolution between the Arabs and the Jews.

There is no reason to believe that acknowledging reality will prejudice that particularly hopeless cause. Perhaps it will have the opposite effect.

Some suggest that behind the Trump administrations thinking on Jerusalem is the notion that upending the status quo, shaking the parties out of their worn-down shibboleths and going back to the table on the basis of reality could be a path forward.

Maybe. Certainly, the status quo has resulted in little more than dazzling prosperity for Israel and growing misery for Palestinians trapped under an unelected gaggle of octogenarian kleptocrats and more youthful terrorists.

Ultimately, it will be the Israelis and the Palestinians who decide the future for themselves. And it will not be the location of the United States embassy that will shape the fate of the region.

Rather it will be the birth of a partnership between the two sides in the belief that all will be better off at peace.
Facing similar demographic challenges and widening skill gap, African nations now look up to India for entrepreneurship tips.

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma gestures next to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) during his state visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa (Photo: Reuters)

By Maneesh Pandey: Call it a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "skill diplomacy". Nearly eight countries from the African continent are seeking help and guidance from the Union skill ministry to impart entrepreneurship training and create jobs in their respective homelands.

The move comes at a time when 'dragon' China is drastically expanding its political and economic influence over the continent.

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As recently as late last month, the Indian High Commission in South Africa wrote a letter to the skills ministry for setting up a training institute in its coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal.

The letter from the deputy high commissioner says, "The proposed skills training institute will be similar to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in India and will cover training in key skills. It will support infrastructure traits and also give training in hardware, software, machinery, tools and provide teachers and trainers."

South Africa has offered to provide land at no cost to set up this training hub proposed to be run by Indian experts and entrepreneurs.

It will be a first of its kind hub to be set up by any foreign country in South Africa.

"I see this as a great opportunity to engage with African nations and share our knowledge and experience in skills and entrepreneurship," union minister for skill development and entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan told Mail Today.

"This skill centre initiative in South Africa will be a big push for Indo-African relations," said Pradhan.

"India and Africa have long historic relations and we're facing similar challenges, including finding suitable employment opportunities for our youth, keeping that in mind, the Indo-African Summit under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a perfect beginning to strengthen our bilateral ties," the minister said, adding that Modi himself had said that the 'future belongs to India and Africa.'

Before South Africa's offer, six African countries - Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania, and Ghana had participated in a knowledge exchange workshop with the skills ministry and National Skill Development Corporation in New Delhi in October, where World Bank South Asia office played a major role in engagement between the two continents.

The participating African countries had engaged with their Indian counterparts in long deliberations on skills development, training, placements and state of vocational education in India.

Interestingly, the African delegates also expressed their willingness to visit Maharashtra and Rajasthan, two major players in the field of skill and training.

Some of the proposed joint initiatives include: recruiting Indian trainers and entrepreneurs to provide skills to African youth and making skills an integral part of school curriculum in African schools, where by 2025, a large demographic of under 27-year-olds will be looking for employment opportunities.

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Rajesh Agarwal, joint secretary at skills ministry said, "With a young population, Africa faces similar challenges to that of India in finding employment opportunities for its youth. They want to learn from India's skill development experience."

"African nations have shown deep interest in recruiting Indian trainers to train its youth, besides setting up industries to provide jobs," he said.

According to Agarwal, African countries are also impressed by the private sector's participation in Indian government's skills and training initiative.

"The PPP (public private partnership) model followed by us is something which the visiting delegation wanted to understand deeply and I see an opportunity in agriculture, manufacturing, IT training and infrastructure sectors, where our trainers can deliver the best to the needs of African countries," he said.

Highlighting the significance of the cooperation between the two continents, Manish Kumar, managing director and chief executive of NSDC, felt that India's varied experience could be adapted to the benefit of African countries.

"In our informal discussions with international financial institutions, I was told that Africa will be having a large young population in the age group of 25-29 years and they need to be trained for future jobs," said Kumar.

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"Africa looks up to India model, where lakhs have been trained and placed through private partnership in jobs," he said.

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Before we get started, I need to alert @FoxNews and someone in DC that this is NOT a war on Christmas. Its a war on everything else. Sen. Rand Paul opened his yearly Festivus Twitter rant with this poke at Fox News, then continued to air his grievances Costanza-style. Made popular in the 1997 Seinfeld episode The Strike, Festivus is a parody holiday aimed at the commercialism of Christmas. The Kentucky senator has made it a Festivus tradition on December 23 to partake in the "Airing of Grievances," but with a focus on government spending. Per the Lexington Herald-Leader, the libertarian took shots at everyone from Hillary Clinton to President Trump to UFOs, but focused most of his 20-minute tweetstorm on government spending.

It may not seem like a lot of money, but we spent just under $100k to make sure Kenyan farmers knew how to use Facebook, he wrote. Along with his takedown of spending, the Kentucky senator made time for a few playful jabs at Trump: I want to pause to wish @realDonaldTrump a Happy Festivus. We told him to take today off, since he airs his grievances on here every day. According to NPR, Paul also tweeted about Harry Reid ("HOW IS IT YOU NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE ALIENS, HARRY??!!), Hillary Clinton, and Ted Cruz. Paul capped off his rant with a link to a 42-page document detailing this years grievances. (Read more Rand Paul stories.)
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Seeking US President Donald Trump's intervention against violation of human rights of Muhajirs in Pakistan, the community held protests outside the White House and Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC.

The Mujahirs protest peacefully outside the White House and Pakistan Embassy in Pakistan

By India Today Web Desk: Members of a Pakistani Muslim community protested against Islamabad's alleged human rights violations against their brethren outside the White House and their country's embassy in Washington.

One worker from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), who joined the protest said the Muhajirs were considered Indians.

Muhajirs are Muslim immigrants of multi-ethnic origin who migrated to Pakistan during partition.

Muhajirs are people who migrated to Pak at the time of partition, we don't get accepted there as Pakistanis. We are still considered Indians.We have many people who have lost their lives in Karachi,we don't have jobs,no financial stability&there is clear discrimination:MQM worker pic.twitter.com/OXIBnZfl5P- ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

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He said many Muhajirs had lost their lives in Karachi, and complained of a lack of jobs and financial stability.

The protesters are seeking US President Donald Trump's intervention.

#WATCH: Muhajir community & workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement held a protest in front of the White House & outside Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC seeking intervention of Trump administration over human rights violations against the Muhajir community in Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/3JU7RpbFQJ- ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

Muhajirs living in and around the Washington area have been meeting influential legislators and officials from the Trump Administration to inform them about the ground realities in Karachi, PTI reported.

An influential Republican Congresswoman has already said witnesses of human rights violations "can come in to (Congressional) hearings, go to different think- tanks," the news agency said.

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New Delhi:

In a blow to the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, rival faction candidate T T V Dhinakaran on Sunday won the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin, while the BJP wrested two seats from the Congress in Arunachal Pradesh and retained one in UP.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by a gang led by bandit Phoolan Devi.

Dhinakaran, the 54-year-old nephew of jailed leader V K Sasikala, defeated his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK by 40,707 votes, election officials said.

Polling for the five seats was held on December 21.

The bypoll in the RK Nagar Assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of J Jayalalithaa in December last. The late Tamil Nadu chief minister was elected twice from the north Chennai seat.

Dhinakaran surpassed the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. While he polled 89,013 votes, Madhusudhanan secured 48,306. DMKs N Maruthu Ganesh came a distant third with 24,651 and lost his deposit, as also 57 others, including the BJP nominee.

He contested as an independent on the pressure cooker symbol after the Election Commission allotted the two leaves symbol to the factions led by K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The two factions had merged in August this year after deposing Dhinakaran and Sasikala, who is serving a four-year jail term in a Bengaluru prison in a corruption case.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed BJP victories in UP and Arunachal Pradesh and said his party is committed to serving the countrys villages.

He also expressed happiness over the partys improved performance in the West Bengal by-election.

BJP chief Amit Shah cited his party's win in the assembly bypolls to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the oppositions "anti-development" politics.

With the Congress not winning any of the five seats in the bypolls, Shah took a dig at it, saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent.

B R Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy chief minister, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali, BJPs Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after state minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4. The bypoll in Pakke- Kessang was held after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency polls null and void.

In West Bengals Sabang seat, while TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP polled 37,476 votes and the Congress Chiranjib Bhowmick got 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll came in the wake of former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defecting to the TMC earlier this year. He is a Rajya Sabha member.

The biggest jolt was to the Congress, which not only lost one of its citadels to the TMC, but also finished a distant fourth in the bypoll. Sabang had been a Congress stronghold since 1957.

The results came as a booster for the TMC and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, ahead of the panchayat polls and two by-elections in Noapara Assembly constituency and Uluberia Lok Sabha seat due early next year.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officers office, BJPs Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party, bagged 61,423 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

The Sikandra bypoll was held following the death of sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22.

While the SP and the Congress had allied for the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, they had parted ways in the bypoll.

Phoolan Devi, who had surrendered before the police in 1983, had successfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket and became an MP from Mirzapur. The bandit- turned-politician was shot dead by masked gunmen outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.

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New Delhi:

Jairam Thakur is the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, announced Union Minister and central observer for the hill state Narendra Tomar on Sunday.

Central observer Tomar during a press conference at BJP headquarter's in Shimla announced, Jairam Thakur to be the Legislature party leader in Himachal Pradesh.

Tomar further added that Thakurs name for the Legislature party leader was proposed by former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.

Also read: Vijay Rupani continues to be Gujarat CM; assures to work for the welfare of people



The former chief ministers proposed name was supported by Shanta Kumar and JP Nadda, added Tomar.

Soon after being announced Legislature party leader, Thakur said, I thank everyone including central leadership, Prem Kumar Dhumal who proposed my name and JP Nadda and Shanta Kumar for supporting my name.

52-year-old Thakur has won his fifth straight assembly poll from the Seraj Assembly constituency. The newly elected chief minister has been a minister in the previous BJP Government in the hill state and state unit president between 2006-2009.

Also read: Himachal Pradesh Election 2017 results: BJP ousts ruling Congress; CM candidate Dhumal loses seat



The saffron party bagged 44 seats, falling short of a two-thirds majority by two seats in the 68-member house. The BJP, which had won 26 seats in 2012, recorded a 10 per cent jump in vote share that touched 48.7 per cent.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Ranchi:

Almost two decades back former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad was party to the Rs. 950-crore fodder scam. In 2017, the law has finally caught up with the RJD supremo, now his identity will be Qaidi No. 3351.

The RJD supremo was taken to Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi, also known as Hotwar Jail soon after a special CBI court on Saturday convicted him and 15 others in a fodder scam case.

The former Bihar chief minister being a VIP prisoner of Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi, may not have to don the jail uniform  black and white  but has already been assigned a number  Qaidi No. 3351. The number will be his only identity for all purposes during his jail term.

He was earlier assigned identity of Qaidi No. 1528 during his jail tenure in 2013.

Also read: CBI court convicts RJD chief Lalu Yadav in fodder scam case, clears Jagannath Mishra



Lalu Prasads new neighbours are Jharia Legislator Sanjeev Singh and a former Jharkhand minister Raja Patar. Singh is serving jail term for murdering Congress leader Neeraj Singh, while Patar is accused of plotting murder of former Minister Ramesh Singh Munda with help of CPI-Maoist.

However, the RJD supremo will not be allowed to interact with other convicts as jail manual bars VIP prisoners from interacting with non-VIP inmates due to security reasons.

Also read: Lalu Yadav back in jail after conviction in fodder scam case, says 'in end Truth will win'



According to sources, Lalu Yadav will be assigned task in jail (as per rules) and he will earn Rs. 46/day. A portion of his daily earnings at the Birsa Munda Central Jail would be deposited with the Victims of the Offence Welfare Trust.

A senior jail official not willing to be quoted said, We will observe him for the next few days and how he adopts to the jail environment. Accordingly, a job will be assigned.

The RJD Supremo has a bachelors degree in political science, a law graduate from Patna Law College and an honorary doctorate from Patna University.

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Jammu:

Pakistani troops on Sunday resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, a day after a similar incident took the lives of four Army personnel in nearby Rajouri district.

The Pakistani troops started firing from heavy and light weapons from across the border, targeting forward posts and villages in Shahpur sector around 12.55 pm, a police official said.

He said the Indian troops guarding the LoC retaliated effectively and that the firing between the two sides was going on when the last reports came.

However, there is no immediate report of any casualty in the skirmishes, the official said.

The latest ceasefire violation comes a day after the Pakistani troops killed an Army Major and three jawans and injured another in Keri sector of nearby Rajouri district.

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along the LoC and the International Border (IB), resulting in the death of 34 persons.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end this year.

Thirty persons -- 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel -- were killed in such incidents.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November, 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations wherein 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations was 405; 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

Scientists have developed a new type of neural network chip that can dramatically improve the efficiency of teaching machines to think like humans.



The network, called a reservoir computing system, could predict words before they are said during the conversation, and help predict future outcomes based on the present.



Reservoir computing systems, which improve on a typical neural network's capacity and reduce the required training time, have been created in the past with larger optical components.



Researchers from the University of Michigan in the US created their system using memristors, which require less space and can be integrated more easily into existing silicon-based electronics.



Memristors are a special type of resistive device that can both perform logic and store data.



This contrasts with typical computer systems, where processors perform logic separate from memory modules.



For the study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers used a special memristor that memorises events only in the near history.



Inspired by brains, neural networks are composed of neurons or nodes, and synapses, the connections between nodes.



To train a neural network for a task, a neural network takes in a large set of questions and the answers to those questions.



In this process of what's called supervised learning, the connections between nodes are weighted more heavily or lightly to minimise the amount of error in achieving the correct answer.



Once trained, a neural network can then be tested without knowing the answer. For example, a system can process a new photo and correctly identify a human face, because it has learned the features of human faces from other photos in its training set.



"A lot of times, it takes days or months to train a network. It is very expensive," said Wei Lu, a professor at the University of Michigan.



Image recognition is also a relatively simple problem, as it does not require any information apart from a static image.



More complex tasks, such as speech recognition, can depend highly on context and require neural networks to have knowledge of what has just occurred or what has just been said.



"When transcribing speech to text or translating languages, a word's meaning and even pronunciation will differ depending on the previous syllables," Lu said.



This requires a recurrent neural network, which incorporates loops within the network that give the network a memory effect. However, training these recurrent neural networks is especially expensive, Lu said.



Reservoir computing systems built with memristors, however, can skip most of the expensive training process and still provide the network with the capability to remember.



This is because the most critical component of the system - the reservoir - does not require training.



When a set of data is inputted into the reservoir, the reservoir identifies important time-related features of the data and hands it off in a simpler format to a second network.



This second network then only needs training like simpler neural networks, changing weights of the features and outputs that the first network passed on until it achieves an acceptable level of error.



"The beauty of reservoir computing is that while we design it, we don't have to train it," Lu said.



The team proved the reservoir computing concept using a test of handwriting recognition, a common benchmark among neural networks.



Using only 88 memristors, compared to a conventional network that would require thousands for the task, the reservoir achieved 91 percent accuracy.
Before the rally, the residents prayed to Ganesha and conducted an arti seeking his blessings for Jadhav's early release.

By Divyesh Singh: Residents in the Lower Parel area of Mumbai, where former Indian Navy commander Kulbhushan Jadhav was born and grew up, organised a bike rally and human chain alongwith a signature campaign to express their support for the former naval officer.

"We have organised this bike rally and human chain to send a message to the family of Jadhav who is in custody of Pakistani government since his arrest last year. We will always be with the family and support them till Jadhav is released", said Arvind Singh, Jadhav's childhood friend.

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Men, women, children and people of all age groups participated in the rally held on Sunday evening. The participants wore T-shirts with picture of Kulbhushan and message reading 'Justice for Kulbhushan'.

Sushanker Mukherjee, a seven-year-old, carried a placard with Jadhav's picture. Speaking to India Today, he said, "Kulbhushan uncle is my father's friend and he is presently lodged in Pakistan prison. Pakistan please let him go".

Before the rally, the residents prayed to Ganesha and conducted an arti seeking his blessings for Jadhav's early release.

"This if for the first time since his arrest that his wife and mother would be meeting him. It will help us know his mental and physical health. The last video in which he appeared, it felt as if he was tortured and forced to give statements", said Jadhav's friend Shubroto Mukherjee.

Kulbhushan's wife and mother along with an Indian envoy would be travelling to Islamabad to meet him on Monday. They will return the same evening after the scheduled meet.

ALSO WATCH | India's full argument of Kulbhushan Jadhav's case in ICJ

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Now you can track Santa through US military's Santa tracker, NORAD.

By India Today Web Desk: As the world awaits the arrival of a saint dressed in red, US military helps children track Santa Claus through NORAD.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is ready to track an old man on a sleigh and his eight reindeers as they make their way across the world to distribute presents.

The public can access Santa's whereabouts on NORAD's official website and watch Santa Claus undertake his journey.

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Marine Col. Bob Brodie of the 601st Air Operations Center also said that fighter jets will "fly along (Santa's) wing" in a "close escort", the CNN reported.

A tweet on NORAD's official Twitter account also reveals the way NORAD keeps a track of Santa's movements.

People always ask how #NORAD tracks #Santa on Dec 24th! We use infrared sensors from Rudolph's nose to determine Santa's exact location throughout the night! To talk to a NORAD Santa Tracker, call 1-877-HI-NORAD. https://t.co/gSvRD6ezKo #NORADTracksSanta (Desktop browsers only)- NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017

This tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955, when a newspaper advertisement misprinted the phone number of commander in chief's operations hotline at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) as the number which children can call to find out about Santa's whereabouts. CONAD was NORAD's predecessor.

On duty that night was Col. Harry Shoup, who instead of hanging up on kids, answered hundreds of calls and updated the children about Santa's location. The tradition still continues 62 years later. NORAD has also shared a helpline number (1-877-HI-NORAD or 1-877-446-6723) where children can call and know about Santa's location.

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BETHEL  Peggy King recalls walking  even on snowy days  to Plumtrees School, the one-room schoolhouse where she attended first through seventh grade in the 1930s.

Kings aunt, Anne Rockwell  the woman Rockwell Elementary School is named after  taught at the one-room building for 43 years, and her young brother, Ed, also attended the Plumtrees Road school.

Every morning, Kings uncle started a fire to warm up the schoolhouse, much to the students relief on chilly days.

Some mornings you had frost on your legs, said King, an 88-year-old former Bethel resident who now lives in New Mexico. It would be dripping when you sat in the seat and it would be melting, and, of course, the kids would harass you like, Oh you peed your britches. That was something that made us a little bit aggravated that they would say that, but they did it just to be ornery.

Former students said they have only fond memories of their old school.

Id do it all over again if it was possible, said Don Taylor, 84, who attended the school from first through seventh grade and was present at a holiday party held there recently.

The schoolhouse, which is open to the public, this year celebrated its 150th anniversary. Some of its former students, including Taylor, are now nearly finished with a restoration project that began about 10 years ago.

Leroy Staib, 87, attended the school in the mid-to-late 1930s and was involved in the renovations.

I hope [people] realize that Bethel has got a part of history, said Staib, who is a former president of the Plumtrees Schoolhouse Association. There arent many one-room schoolhouse left and weve got one of them.

He said Bethel used to have four one-room schoolhouses: Plumtrees, Wolfpit, Elmwood and Stony Hill. Elmwood has been turned into a private home and the others are gone, Staib said.

When Plumtrees Schoolhouse was built in 1867, the school served students in the first through eighth-grades, but when Staib attended it stopped at seventh grade and had about 25 students. There were three to four students in his grade.

Each day began with Mrs. Rockwell ringing a bell.

When she rang that bell, you knew you had about five minutes to get there without being scolded, said Taylor, who has also served as president of the Plumtrees Schoolhouse Association.

But the former students said they adored Mrs. Rockwell, describing her as both firm and loving.

She had no children of her own, so she fostered all her care on her students, said Ed Rockwell, her nephew. Everyone was happy to go there.

But that didnt mean her niece and nephew could call her Aunt Anne during class.

We werent able to show any favoritism to her at all, so she was Mrs. Rockwell, King said.

When Mrs. Rockwell taught the second-graders, the first-graders could pick up on the lesson. When she taught the first-graders, the second-graders got a refresher.

The statistics showed the children who came out of rural schools, they did better when they got to high school because they kept getting reinforcement on their lessons, Ed Rockwell said.

Students used a hand water pump and outhouses for the bathrooms until 1957 when electricity and outdoor plumbing was added. The school closed in 1970, and the Visiting Nurse Association then used the building as a children's health care clinic.

After the VNA moved out, Staib, Rockwell, Taylor and other former students began to renovate the building to turn it into a museum.

Since 2008, they have added a shingle roof to the building and replaced the original bell with an 1896 bell, among other work.

The former students said the building now looks how it did when they went to school there. Once the doors are fixed, the project will be complete.

Its amazing to have a building of this age that people cared for and kept in such great condition, said Doug Cuny, current president of the Plumtrees Schoolhouse Association. For the older members, it was really a labor of love. It was what they grew up with.

Cuny did not attend the school, but has lived nearby for 25 years. He said the association plans to continue to ask for donations and work with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, who maintain the propertys grounds.

Other than building maintenance and doing things that continue to keep the building in good shape, the goal would be do to nothing...and have it continue the way it is and the way it looks and be accessible to the community, Cuny said.
Operation Fuel recently received a $5,000 donation that will help the nonprofit keep low-income Connecticut families warm this winter.

The organization might also receive another $10,000 through its new partnership with GoodWorks Insurance, the Arbella Insurance Foundation and the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association.
If you have been a victim of crime, or wondering about crime in general, here is a number for you.

Right now, there are nearly 45,000 outstanding arrest warrants in the state of Connecticut for crimes ranging from failure to appear to violation of probation.

More than 16,000 of them are for people who committed felonies and there is an order to incarcerate 138 of them immediately upon arrest.

That is a lot of felony arrest warrants for people who are out here walking the streets.

Or maybe a better way of putting it is, that is an awful lot of victims.

Regardless as to whether those outstanding warrants represent serious felonies or minute misdemeanors, they tell the tale of crimes and where there is crime, there is a victim. Sometimes, there is more than one victim.

The FBI reports crime is down across the board nationwide. The Malloy administration agrees, stating it has dropped so drastically in Connecticut, prisons have to be shuttered.

And in terms of statistics, they are right. In 2016, property crimes fell by 1.4 percent, burglaries were down 2.3 percent and so were larcenies at 2.8 percent.

But statistics dont mean anything when ordinary citizens are arming themselves against the possibility of being mugged, robbed or carjacked. They dont mean anything to people who are investing in expensive alarm systems to secure their homes, cars and personal property.

Statistics are not human. They dont see people, they dont feel pain, they dont cry over loss or grieve emptiness.

Most of all, they dont experience fear.

I have a reader who lives in Meriden I speak with often. She tells me she doesnt leave her home without protection.

The Bridgeport Police Department is cheering a grant that will put 15 more cops on the streets. I dont think they would be do cartwheels if more cops werent so desperately needed.

Everybody is talking about crime, safety and security.

And when it comes to crime, a lot of people here in the Nutmeg State and most Americans agree with me and my columns, Prisons? Theyre out here, not in there. and 2nd chances? Its the 3rd, 4th and 5th that are the problem and not officials that criminals are running amok on the streets.

The Washington-based Pew Research Center reports that public perceptions about crime in the U.S. often dont align with the data.

In 21 Gallup surveys released since 1989, a majority of Americans said there was more crime in the U.S. compared with the year before and in 2016, 57 percent of registered voters said crime had gotten worse since 2008.

So, the stats are not bringing people much comfort or security.

But speaking of stats, I do wonder if there are official stats on the pain, loss, grief and anger victims experience when criminals steps into their lives and disrupts it? Would that stat be declining or rising?

I guess when you have been a victim of a crime, you begin to look at crime  and the people who commit it  a little differently. Mainly, because you are forced to because not much attention is paid to victims unless theyve been killed, kidnapped or some other horrendous act has happened.

Then, its front page news before being relegated to the back pages.

But all those little crimes  a snatched purse, a stolen car or scooter, a home break-in, a store robbed, tips taken from the waiter or waitress jar  that dont scream headline is where crime is often forgotten. In this new modern era, if a person is not shot and killed, maimed or physically harmed, the crime just doesnt rate much attention. It barely generates paperwork.

And now that they have faced the consequences, many of the people who have committed these crimes want their victims and everyone else to give them a second chance. They want us to look past the hurt they caused, the damage they left behind and the money or items they stole, used and enjoyed.

And not only do they want forgiveness, they expect us to smooth the road back for them by funding the services they need to, hopefully, go on to lead productive lives.

Somehow, they have become the victims with a team of supporters around them including government officials, programs, social workers and counselors.

And that leaves us, the real victims, on the sidelines watching as their lives are made whole while our lives are left empty with holes.

The sad part is we have no choice but to support them if we are to live as a society. We have to swallow their bad decisions, and give them a break even though they didnt give one to us.

But giving someone a second chance doesn't always mean it comes with love.

Forgiveness is separate thing.

Victims dont forget. And what criminals asking for a second chance must recognize and remember about their victims.

Forgiveness is an option. It is not a requirement.

James Walker is the Registers senior editor. He can be reach at 203-680-9389 or james.walker@hearstmediact.com. Follow him on Twitter @thelieonsroars
A recently released University of Connecticut report says between 2007 and 2015, the states shellfish industry saw sales increase by nearly 100 percent.

Direct sales of oysters and clams in 2015 were valued at just under $30 million, according to the report. And according to Tessa Getchis, an aquaculture extension specialist at Connecticut Sea Grant, which is located on UConns Avery Point campus, even better days are ahead for the industry..

Theres been a resurgence of the industry, Getchis said. We're still at a fraction of historical harvests. Long Island Sound has absolutely turned around, especially the eastern portion of it.

Historically, much of the volume of Connecticuts shellfish harvest has come from the western part of Long Island Sound, particularly off the coast of Norwalk, she said. But Getchis said the industry is seeing an increase in shelling fishing operations in eastern portions of Long Island Sound, near the mouth of the Thames River.

We are seeing a lot of growth in smaller operations, businesses with one or two people, she said. They are producing a boutique type of oyster that cant be found elsewhere. Because what they are producing is unique, the oysters are fetching a higher price, which is economically significant.

The aquaculture industry has a significant multiplier effect on the economy in direct jobs on boats, aquaculture farms and in processing facilities, as well as indirect jobs in sales and distribution, according to the UConn report. More than 350 workers are employed in direct jobs at shellfish farms.

Getchis said Connecticut shellfishing operations are diversifying into new crops such as kelp, which is sold to make noodles.

Once, most Connecticut-grown aquaculture products were shipped to out-of-state markets in New York, Philadelphia and elsewhere. But now, more of the product is marketed locally here in Connecticut, she said.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
WEST HAVEN  Mayor Nancy Rossi has returned former Tree Warden Leo Kelly to the position, undoing former Mayor Ed OBriens controversial 2014 decision not to reappoint Kelly.

A licensed arborist since 1979 and certified tree warden since 2010, Kelly served in the part-time position from Jan. 28, 2013, to Dec. 1, 2014.

He was sworn this time in by Assistant City Clerk Sharon Recchia  as Rossi stood by  during a brief ceremony last Wednesday in City Hall.

Kelly, 65, succeeds Bob Herrington, also a licensed arborist and certified tree warden, who succeeded Kelly when OBrien opted not to reappoint him.

Kelly, a lifelong West Haven resident, will receive a $4,999 stipend for the job, which falls within the Department of Public Works, currently headed by acting Commissioner Louis P. Esposito Jr. (who also is Rossis executive assistant).

Kelly is a former firefighter and paramedic with the West Shore Fire Department. He retired in 2009 after 28 years on the job.

OBrien chose not to reappoint Kelly  essentially firing him  after Kelly didnt go along with a decision to remove an 80-year-old sugar maple on the Green just days before the city put a merry-go-round in the trees former spot for the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.

The decision came after Kelly failed to find that the maple was an immediate hazard that must come down. OBrien has said that the tree was not removed for a carnival ride, as Kellys backers had claimed. The tree was diseased, OBrien said.

As tree warden, Kellys responsibilities include overseeing the maintenance, removal and replacement of public trees. Only city trees that are deemed hazardous are removed, he said.

Kelly, who sits on the board of directors of the Tree Wardens Association of Connecticut, said in a news release that he will work with city departments, tree contractors and utility companies to ensure that public trees are made safe and future tree planting is done under the right species, right site practices.

Anyone with questions or complaints about city trees and shrubs can call Kelly at 203-937-3585.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
The new resolution was tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

By Reuters: The latest UN sanctions against North Korea are an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against it, North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad.

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The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The US-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea's foreign ministry said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting "more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country".

The new resolution was tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

"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.

"There is no more fatal blunder than the miscalculation that the US and its followers could check by already worn-out 'sanctions' the victorious advance of our people who have brilliantly accomplished the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force", the ministry said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Nov. 29 declared the nuclear force complete after the test of North Korea's largest-ever ICBM test, which the country said puts all of the United States within range.

Kim told a meeting of members of the ruling Workers' Party on Friday that the country "successfully realized the historic cause of completing the state nuclear force" despite "short supply in everything and manifold difficulties and ordeals owing to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the enemies".

North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

South Korea's foreign ministry told Reuters it is aware of the North Korean statement on the new sanctions, again highlighting its position that they are a "grave warning by the international community that the region has no option but to immediately cease reckless provocations, and take the path of dialogue for denuclearization and peace".

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BALANCE OF FORCE

The North Korean foreign ministry said its nuclear weapons were a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law.

"We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the U.S. nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US," it said.

"The US should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the US mainland," it added.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face its wrath.

"Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this 'sanctions resolution' shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the 'resolution' and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done."

The North's old allies China and Russia both supported the latest UN sanctions.

Tension has been rising over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of UN Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.

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In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called "brutal sanctions", saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 constituted genocide.

US diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Korea's leader.

China, with which North Korea does some 90 percent of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint from all sides.

China said on Saturday the new resolution also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution via talks and that all sides needed to take steps to reduce tensions.

Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said on Saturday the tougher resolution was aimed at preventing war.

It suggested the United States had wanted an even harsher resolution, and noted there was no indication in the resolution that the United Nations could grant the United States permission for military action.

"The difference between the new resolution and the original US proposal reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the US proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable," it said in an editorial.

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Trump urges UN member states to isolate Kim govt until it ceases its hostile behavior

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NEW HAVEN  One thing is certain: We are all aging.

Aging gracefully and with dignity is not so certain, but Aging2.0, a network of entrepreneurs, agencies and individuals, has a mission to improve out odds of enjoying the latter part of our lives.

The 5-year-old group recently added New Haven to its network of more than 50 chapters worldwide, bringing together adults, young and old, to talk about and demonstrate ways to make growing older easier and more enjoyable.

Globally speaking, the main mission of the organization is to bring together innovators in aging, senior care and the longevity space to create a better world for older adults through innovation and technology, said Brian Geyser, the New Haven chapters ambassador. Geyser is vice president of clinical innovation and population health for Maplewood Senior Living, based in Westport, which has seven locations in Connecticut, as well as facilities in Massachusetts, Ohio and New York City.

As baby boomers grow older  Geyser called it the silver tsunami the market for innovative products and services is growing ever larger and Aging2.0 is helping to lift up the best ideas and products. Geyser said the networks aim is to create an aging innovation hub in the state  with the goal of identifying new and emerging technologies that are designed specifically for older adults and also accelerating innovation in those startup companies and also to share best practices in aging senior care.

At its New Haven launch party on Nov. 8 at Kitchen Zinc, the group held a Shark Tank-style event, in which three companies pitched their senior-focused products:

Valisure, based at 5 Science Park and founded by Yale University alumni, which analyzes the quality of the ingredients in prescription medications.

Jamber, founded by Allen and Diana Arseneau  she grew up in Milford  which makes mugs, plates and bowls that are designed for comfort and reduced strain on joints, ligament and tendons.

Rendever  the nights winner  which enables seniors, through virtual reality, to visit places in their past or have new experiences. Geyser said Maplewood is working with Rendever.

The residents who live in assisted living are kind of confined to the assisted-living community. They cant travel anymore, Geyser said. We can take them on tours and trips anywhere in the world with their friends  and its so realistic that you really feel that youre there.

The VR goggles also can help people who suffer from anxiety or depression, often brought on by dementia, he said.

Geyser said the New Haven kickoff attracted more than 60 members.

It can take a year or so to get to the level were at now in one month, he said.

In addition to individual members, more than 150 organizations are part of the Aging2.0 Alliance, including Maplewood and AARP.

Tia Murphy, the volunteer state president for AARPs Connecticut chapter, said, One of the things that Aging2.0 brings to the table that we really like is it brings entrepreneurs and people in the technical (field) together, she said. And its also people who might be interested in investing in people doing that, so you might have some angels who will support the innovators.

Aging in place is obviously a big focus for AARP, as is livability, Murphy said. Were really offering a population that can really test these things out. She said the multigenerational aspect of Aging2.0 is also attractive.

How do we break apart the stereotype of aging as a time of decline? Murphy said. What were saying is its really a growing opportunity  a time for people to give back to their community.

Geyser said the group has identified eight topics that need energy and focus: engagement and purpose, financial wellness, mobility and movement, daily living and lifestyle, caregiving, care coordination, brain health and end-of-life concerns.

He said Aging2.0 plans to focus on brain health and caregiving in 2018.

Brain health is basically maximizing cognitive ability.  As we get older, were all going to face brain health issues, theres no question, he said.

As for caregiving, the issue there is its simply supply and demand. We have more demand for caregivers than we have supply  and that will explode over the next 20 years. In Maplewood, one of my biggest challenges is recruiting caregiving staff.

Geyser said in 2018 we will be searching the globe for companies that are addressing one of those eight challenges, and the best will be brought together at Aging2.0s annual conference in San Francisco.

Crispin Baynes, leader of the New York City chapter and an investor, said, A group of young co-founders (who) visited about 60 nursing homes and came back and said, Theres a problem we would like to tackle  adult incontinence.

The result was Sensassure, which creates undergarments with a moisture-activated sensor that notifies the caregivers. They managed to reduce the times people were woken up by 50 percent, Baynes said.

Following a successful trial that was hosted by an Aging2.0 Alliance partner, the company was acquired by a large Swedish health care conglomerate, he said. That company, SCA, is a global leader in incontinence products.

Another startup, which addresses social isolation, is the Freebird Club, an Airbnb-type hosting platform for the 55-plus community, Baynes said. If youre a host you agree to meet your guests who are coming to stay  to provide social contact for guests who are traveling. The win-win there is the person who is traveling gets to make a new friend in a new city and the host gets to make friends with like-minded (people) who are traveling in their city.

The main message for Aging2.0 is that all of the events and design work that we do, we do it with older people, Baynes said.

What we realized early in the journey is you have to spend time with the customer  and only when you do that can you really design for them.

Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@

hearstmediact.com or 203-680-9382.
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NEW HAVEN  In more than 12 years of welcoming refugees to new homes in Connecticut, Chris George and his staff at Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services have never had to navigate a more difficult course than they did in 2017.

In the midst of tight restrictions placed on refugee immigration, IRIS continued to resettle those refugees allowed into the country  mostly Afghans and Iraqis who assisted the U.S. military and who have been exempt from the bans  and to build on a network of more than 50 community support groups across Connecticut. Those groups, formed by faith communities or even by a neighborhood, are a relatively new model George hopes to export to other states.

The first year of Donald Trumps presidency brought a series of obstacles for George and IRIS to overcome.

In 2016, we resettled an all-time high of 530 refugees, George said. This year it will probably be around 330.

Recognizing Georges tireless and legal efforts to resettle persecuted families from Syria, Iraq and other war-torn nations and for his singular focus on the task in the midst of stricter rules, the New Haven Register has named Chris George its 2017 Person of the Year.

A different kind of year

Saying he was safeguarding Americans from terrorism, Trump signed executive orders, beginning shortly after he took office, that would ban nearly all refugees. While the courts intervened, Trump was finally able to halt refugee arrivals for 120 days and reduce the annual number allowed from 110,000 to 50,000 this year and 45,000 in 2018.

The refugee program has resumed, but with so many new restrictions plus with a ban on 11 countries [and Palestinians] for three months, very few people are coming, George said. The restrictions include enhanced vetting capabilities, according to the refugee-assistance organization HIAS. Those groups made up almost half of all refugees resettled in the United States in fiscal 2017, according to HIAS.

Also, George said, refugees undergo the most rigorous screening process of any immigrant, with two-year waits common. We really put them through the wringer, he said.

The result of this is just a tiny trickle of refugees are now coming to the United States and we will probably end the fiscal year 2018 having welcomed fewer than the 45,000 that Trump set as a goal, George said.

All of this is happening with a backdrop of the worst refugee crisis the world has ever seen, with 23 million refugees worldwide.

The refugees IRIS is bringing into Connecticut are composed almost entirely of those Afghans and Iraqis who have worked with U.S. troops as interpreters, translators, drivers and in logistics support, as well as some from the Democratic Republic of Congo. All the refugees legally enter the country after extensive screening by the Department of Homeland Security.

The 45,000 cap for 2018 is the lowest refugee arrivals goal that any president has set since the early 80s, when the Refugee Act was passed by Congress, George said. That law established the partnership between the federal government and nonprofit resettlement agencies. Since 1975, more than 3 million refugees have been resettled in the United States, according to the Refugee Council USA.

George, 64, knows the work will not get easier, but he is prepared to meet the challenge.

There will be funding cuts that will weaken the entire refugee-resettlement infrastructure, he said. Thats not irreparable, because were resilient nonprofit groups, were flexible, we can shrink, and we can expand. The worst crisis is for the refugees whose lives were not saving by not bringing them here to the United States.

A shot of energy every day

George said the efforts to exclude refugees and certain other immigrants from entering the country, one of Trumps major campaign pledges, fail to darken his mood. What keeps him going, he said, is daily contact with amazing refugees that give me a shot of energy every day, and daily contact with supporters who walk in off the street, who volunteer in our English language program, who carry in mountains of winter coats, who come in huge numbers to the Run for Refugees.

This years run, held Feb. 5, was symbolic of the roller coaster that 2017 turned out to be. Held shortly after Trumps first attempt to ban refugees, a record 2,500 runners signed up for the 10th annual 5-kilometer run, donating more than $150,000, surpassing the total from the previous nine races combined.

The crowd then marched from Wilbur Cross High School to the Green, where a pro-immigration rally was held. They wanted to come out in the cold, stand up for refugees. That really blew us away, George said.

It was a combination of a great mission  welcoming refugees  great weather and a horrendous executive order, he said. It all came together and it resulted in this amazing expression of support.

George said the sold-out run and rally demonstrated the bond between IRIS and its host city.

IRIS is New Havens refugee-resettlement agency, George said. We belong to you; we feel responsible for this task of welcoming refugees; were doing it on New Havens behalf. New Haven has a long historic tradition of welcoming people from all over the world. We are the agency that has that responsibility and we take it very seriously.

And he is buoyed by New Havens resistance to the administrations mistrust of refugees. He said the citys residents responded: Youre messing with our refugee-resettlement agency and were going to stand up and support it. If youre going to cut federal funding, were going to replace it with private funding.

According to Mayor Toni Harp, New Havens unshakable reputation is that of a welcoming, accepting community; the laudable work of Chris George has been instrumental in building that reputation.

As mayor, Im so proud to showcase IRIS  and its director  as the citys best example of a welcoming, diverse community, Harp said. I think its the respectful, soft-spoken quality in Chris I admire most; he embodies the way human beings are supposed to treat one another.

Trump limits immigration

The crowd on Feb. 5 was responding to Trumps Jan. 27 Executive Order Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, which stated that Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since 9/11, including those with visas and refugees. Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States, the order said.

In a second executive order issued March 6, after the first order was struck down by the courts, Trump gave examples of refugees who had been convicted of terrorist crimes and stated, more than 300 persons who entered the United States as refugees are currently the subjects of counterterrorism investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, lifting the refugee ban for those with a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States. The Trump administration interpreted that provision narrowly, excluding grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, in-laws and others, according to HIAS.

Rejection and sacrifice

As grateful as they are to come to America, refugees face major sacrifices, even after many have spent months or years in neighboring countries offering safe haven from a country torn by civil war.

Fatema, who immigrated from Syria, said, I was supposed to go to Indiana and the governor of Indiana said no. That governor was Vice President Mike Pence. Gov. [Dannel] Malloy said, I will welcome this family in my state.

At the beginning its a little bit [of] suffering  everything new, everything changing, hard to find a job, hard to learn the language, Fatema said in English. Over time, however, It became better and better and now were happy.

Haitham, also from Syria, is happy to be in the United States but is upset because, just as he and his wife were to leave Lebanon, where they had taken refuge, they were told his daughter and four grandchildren would not be allowed to join them.

Every day she calls us and she cries and her mother cries, Haitham said. His grandchildren refuse to talk to me, accusing him of lying to them.

Also, all my documents and certificates were destroyed because my villa was bombed, Haitham, 65, said. Thats why I couldnt find a job as a laboratory technician. This is the first time in my life I work as a laborer. He recently was hired part time cleaning in the kitchen at Whitney Center.

George said IRIS has earned a high profile partly because we have gotten out and promoted it more than the average resettlement agency. A lot of resettlement agencies work under the radar.

A start in the Peace Corps

George, who speaks fluent Arabic, has long been involved in humanitarian work, starting with the Peace Corps in 1977 and then working in postwar Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied territories of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. He rejects the objection he sometimes hears that Americans should not focus on other countries but on helping their fellow citizens.

Our mantra has been, Of course we have to help Americans, everyone born in this country, George said. For every refugee agency, there should be a thousand nonprofits helping Americans. We can do both. We have to do both: Help people born in this country and at the same time welcome persecuted people from all over the world. Its a false choice.

There are synagogues and churches and mosques and Rotary Clubs that do both. They get it.  We need to resettle refugees. Its one of our finest foreign policies, its popular around the world and its respected.  It gives us clout in urging other countries to help refugees, clout that we are now losing because of the Trump administration.

George said research has shown that, 10 to 20 years after they arrive, refugees are contributing billions to the economy. He said refugees receive their Social Security cards when they arrive, are authorized to work in the United States from Day One, and get their green card to become legal permanent residents in a year. And they apply for citizenship five years after arrival, he said.

They come here to build new lives, to become Americans  They want to enjoy our freedoms and our opportunities and they want to give back.

Community support vital

While the Afghans are usually resettled by IRISs staff in New Haven because they have close ties with others in New Haven, many of the Iraqis and Syrians who have come to Connecticut have been sponsored by groups brought together to welcome refugee families.

This is really the year  of the volunteers, George said. Its really taken off here, and wed like to see it replicated across the country. Its better for the refugee family to have a community group working with them that knows the schools and knows where to shop and knows where the jobs are.

It also brings together people from different religious and social backgrounds.

Its a rare and valuable way for people to work together, George said.

The Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement, composed of five Greater New Haven congregations, has resettled three families  two from Syria and one from Congo. The first arrived on Election Day 2016 and a second on the day of Trumps first executive order, according to Jean Silk of New Haven.

Before it was just helping refugees. Now its symbolic, she said. These little gestures, this personal relationship that I have with some families lifts my spirits.  Youre confronted with these stories of fear and tragedy  I want to be with the people who do want to be here.

George asked Silk to represent IRIS at New Havens meetings held to respond to the hurricane in Puerto Rico. Ive really come to know that Chris George is a person who says, We can do this. He doesnt see the obstacles. He sees theres a need and [says,] Lets do this.

Lurline deVos of Hamden is a member of the Refugee Resettlement Coalition at the Unitarian Society of New Haven, which also includes St. Peters Episcopal Church in Cheshire and staff in the immunology lab of Dr. Stephanie Eisenbarth at Yale University. The five-member Iraqi family they are sponsoring, which includes three young children, arrived April 26.

Chris has been consistently warm and supportive and confident that we would find a way to manage this crisis, said deVos, whose son, Pablo deVos-Deak, 16, is the leader in pledges for the 2018 Run for Refugees, which will be held Feb. 4.

She said this years run bolstered peoples optimism. Its a real help to know that you have the funding you need to go forward. We have a lot of refugees already settled and we need to know that were committed to them if things come up.

George always makes us feel welcome, which I think is the way hes been with the refugees throughout, deVos said. I dont know how anybody works as hard as he worked last year. Hes got an amazing amount of energy and commitment to the work.

In what was a very stressful year  I never saw him interact in an abrupt or unkind way with anybody, deVos said.

Jessica Van Denend of Hamden is a member of the Spring Glen Alliance for Refugee Resettlement, which was modeled on JCARR, but is more of a neighborhood group, although we have a strong relationship particularly with the church down the street from us, Spring Glen Church.

When I first got involved in IRIS in a really intentional way after the election  people were feeling fearful and she said she found the agency a really practical, diligent, really hands-on place, but  its intent on seeing the best in people. She attributed that to Georges leadership.

Sponsoring a family from Syria, who arrived Feb. 7, is really a fairly big undertaking, she said, helping the family find housing, social services, enroll in school and learn how to take the bus.

Weve been very focused on the practical hands-on of supporting them, she said.

Ann OBrien, director of community engagement at IRIS, said George has always been the one to always be inclusive, reaching out, pulling disparate groups together.

She said that before this year, refugee resettlement had unequaled bipartisan support  and that changed this year.  But Chris just tried to reach out more to those people whose minds had changed and to understand their point of view.

He wasnt necessarily seeking to change minds but to understand and in so doing you cant help but be changed. And if humanly possible the man tripled his effort this year.

Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com or 203-680-9382.
NEW HAVEN  About 50 people got tips on avoiding scams and personal thefts over the holidays at the recent Safe-Tea, presented by the Police Department, the state Department of Banking and Peoples United Bank.

All of us can unknowingly fall prey to scams throughout the year, particularly during the holiday season, Continuum of Care President and CEO Patti Walker said in a release.

The event at the nonprofit Continuum of Care on Legion Avenue included tea and sandwiches. Continuums mission is to enable people who are challenged with mental illness, intellectual disability or other disability, and/or addiction, to rebuild meaningful lives and thrive in the community.

Seniors, individuals with disabilities, and individuals challenged with mental health issues  these populations are particularly vulnerable to people taking advantage of them, Walker said in the release.

According to the release, Kathleen Titsworth, of the state Department of Banking, led a game called F-R-A-U-D that provided such safety tips as:

 Anything risk-free is a red flag. When it comes to investing, theres always risk.

 Identity thieves steal information such as name, address or date of birth to apply for credit or Social Security.

 Check bank statements regularly and immediately for accuracy and for unexpected charges.

New Haven police Lt. Jason Minardi, along with detectives Rosealee Reid and Fred Salmeron, shared tips for avoiding the perils caused by identity predators, the release said.

Reid emphasized the importance of shielding your debit card pin number by closely hovering one hand over the other hand while entering it on a machine.

It doesnt matter whether its an ATM or a store machine, she said in the release. Make sure you cover your fingers as you enter a pin so that numbers cannot be seen or detected by anyone or anything, including any tiny camera that may have been slyly inserted into the machine, she said. Also, wipe all the keys when you are finished so that heat sensors cannot determine what key strokes you have made.

Women were warned to keep their purses closed and inside their coats, if possible, and men were advised to keep wallets in their front pockets and guarded.
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NEW HAVEN  On and off, there was a whole lot of crying going on at this birthday party, where the 1-year-olds were acting, well, like 1-year-olds.

Some dozed in their mothers lap. A few showed how well they could crawl and had no fear of strangers. Other classmates wanted nothing to do with unfamiliar faces.

It was all normal behavior at the well-baby checkup at the Yale Clinic for Hispanic Children.

It was a graduation day of sorts as the children and their mothers marked the end of a series of visits over 12 months, where not only did the babies receive medical care, but their mothers also developed bonds with each other that extended beyond the clinical setting.

An estimated 112 families have come through Y-CHiC, which was started five years by Dr. Marietta Vazquez and three pediatric residents.

In the past year, Vazquez has been joined by Patricia Nogelo, a clinical social worker for pediatric primary care at the hospital and a psychologist. A native of Venezuela, she first came to the country to work at the Clifford Beers Clinic 15 years ago and has since become a citizen.

The mission of this clinic is to provide a group setting in Spanish for the growing Hispanic community in New Haven, as well as to introduce pediatric residents to the range of cultures these families represent and the issues they are facing.

It is a test by fire to be in here with different accents and as many as six to eight families together, Vazquez said of the residents.

The two-hour sessions cover the babies checkups, but then there is general talk by a resident or clinic leaders on topics that cover such things as sleep problems, teething, when to start solid food and why suddenly their children are afraid of people they dont know.

Mostly, however, they respond to the immediate concerns of the families and encourage everyone to participate, touching on other resources in the community that could be of help, from food pantries to legal services and advocacy groups.

Cristina Ortiz, 38, was at the clinic party with her 1-year-old son, Aldo Zempoaltecatl; her husband, Francisco Zempoaltecatl; and Alexander Zempoaltecatl, their 3-year-old.

She wanted to be part of a group given that the visits with the regular clinic last only around 15 to 20 minutes.

We like this group. It is special. Every parent talks about their country, which she found educational. And I have made good friends. The clinic should let all the parents know about the group.

Elena Martinez was equally impressed by the different approaches to caring for babies that she learned from the participants.

She also appreciated watching the children interact and meeting other mothers, rather than being alone with a clinician.

Martinez said she learned that her concerns for her children were universal to the group.

The 2010 census estimated 27 percent of New Havens population was Hispanic, a number that is likely higher now. In the Hill neighborhood where the hospital is located, 45.8 percent of the residents are Hispanic, representing multiple cultures, as well as legal and undocumented immigrants.

There is a lot of community and bonding involved and some medicine, Vazquez said. Rather than a sterile clinic environment, here it is more of a family dynamic.

Another factor important to its success, Vazquez said, is the buy-in from the mothers that what they have to say is important. Everybody here is encouraged to talk, to say how they would manage a problem, she added.

At the most recent clinic, there were several grandmothers in attendance, as well as fathers and older siblings.

We have an open-door policy. Not all the groups do, but for us it is very important, the clinic leader said.

Often, there is a variety of home-cooked ethnic foods shared among the group. We want to celebrate where everybody is from, Vazquez said.

The hospital has other groups conducted in English, but Y-CHiC has a different flavor. We talk about immigration. We talk about language classes. Moms talk about what it is like to have children in other countries and then having a baby here.

She said if a mother presents a sad personal problem, such as missing those children left behind with relatives, the others are quick to empathize and hug the speaker. That dynamic you would never find except in these groups. We really are a community, Vazquez said.

A particularly vulnerable part of the population are undocumented immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Central America, said Nogelo. There is also a separate refugee clinic, but refugees have more resources and importantly have legal status.

Especially after the presidential election., Nogelo said they found that undocumented families were staying away from the clinic for fear of being deported.

We had a few moms that we had to work closely with because they were only leaving their homes to bring their kids to school and pick them up, Nogelo said.

She said they want to get the word out that people are not at risk if they come to the clinic. Vazquez credited Nogelo with filling out the total picture of what the families are experiencing.

Definitely, Patricia is at the forefront of helping us and guiding their overall wellness in terms of psycho-social stressers, in terms of housing and food security. Legal assistance is a huge one for our families and emotional support. We do that in this family setting, Vazquez said.

She said they also feel very strongly that for the other providers, who dont always see this population, it is important that they know what is going on beyond the clinic walls and how best to support these families, as well as DACA students who are now in limbo as their protections start to evaporate.

DACA is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which gave young people brought here by their parents the ability to work and go to school without fear of deportation. The Trump administration has begun to halt renewals of that status.

Vazquez said they consider themselves advocates for these immigrants, but they dont dispense legal advice, rather they help them find other resources.

She said the patients they care for are just like the documented refugees, but with an entire set of additional problems. They share all the issues, but they have no resources.

Vazquez would like to add more groups year-round and spread the word among the community.

We learn from every single group that we have held. I have learned a lot about their language and customs. We would like to serve older groups and I hope more trainers will come to perfect their language skills, Vazquez said.

This group was committed to staying together for another three months if it can be arranged.

This clinic is the best, Ortiz said.
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GUILFORD  With wrenches in hand and bike frames, handle bars, pedals and brakes scattered on tables, over 100 Shoreline residents diligently worked to assemble new bikes for needy children.

Christmas music played and hot coffee, apple cider doughnuts and holiday cookies were served as Bishop's Orchards Farm Market & Winery Little Red Barn was transformed into a holiday workshop for the Wishing Wheels Holiday Bike Drive.

As 87 new, boxed childrens bicycles, 12-inch, 16-inch and 20-inch, were unloaded from a Zanes Cycles truck, children as young as 3 joined in the event. Once assembled, the shiny, new bikes were lined up outside the barn to await pickup.

For Guilford resident Michael Tyre, working alongside his 7-year-old daughter, Elodie, it was a perfect project to get involved with on a Saturday morning before Christmas.

Were both big bike fans, my daughter and I, so its not only a chance for us to do some volunteering, but have a little daddy/daughter time, too, he said. Its a pretty cool opportunity.

The event, under the auspices of the nonprofit group Roots4Relief, was in keeping with a childhood tradition started in John DellaVenturas family.

When I was young, my parents basically taught us to give back to those in need around the community, said DellaVentura.

The 38-year-old remembers his family gathering Christmas Eve morning at their Guilford home to assemble bikes before delivery to those in the community who were less fortunate. Now, after 30 years, he is passing on this tradition to his own children, Grace, 9, and Abigail, 7, and their cousins, Addison and Nora Healy, 4 and 1, respectively.

Roots4Relief was established in 2016 for the seventh generation Bishop children, the cousins, to give back to their community. It was started by their parents, DellaVentura, his wife, Sarah Bishop DellaVentura and Matt and Carrie Bishop Healy.

We know the parents of this community want to get involved, want to get their kids involved, and we want to be that avenue for them to get their kids involved, DellaVentura said.

In his youth, DellaVenturas family, along with the Smith, Williams and Wiegner families, would pool their money and purchase bikes in bulk from the former New Haven Toys R Us.

Wed assemble them by the fire, as a family, actually there were four families involved, and then wed all get into a giant minivan, a Born Free van, and wed drive around the community, drive around the neighborhoods, and give out bikes, DellaVentura said.

Thanks to the generosity of community donations, this years bikes, plus 87 helmets, were purchased in bulk and delivered to the makeshift workshop by Zanes Cycles.

Zanes employees milled around, helping tighten bolts, realign pedals and level training wheels.

Its just a wonderful thing, to teach your kids  look at all the kids here  teach all your kids how to do something like this, said Thomas Girard, a Branford resident who has worked at Zanes for 28 years. Youre giving a gift for the holiday, which is what the holiday was meant for.

For DellaVentura this is exactly what the project is all about. His daughter, Abigail, who assembled two bikes, wholeheartedly agreed. She believes the bikes will be appreciated by those who receive them.

Its good, she said. I think theyre really sad, so I think when they get their bike theyre going to be happy.

DellaVentura was heartened, but not surprised, to see so many local families at the event. For Tom and Maggie Ferrell and their children, Elizabeth, 9, Bruen, 4, and Miles 2, it was a wonderful way to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.

This is such an easy way to empower parents to bring magic into their childrens Christmas that otherwise wouldnt be able to, said Maggie Ferrell.

Sure, a child could come here and pick up a bike and that might be very nice, she said, but I think what were going to see more of is, parents coming here and picking up a bike that then they can put under the Christmas tree on the 25th that otherwise they wouldnt be able to do.

The bikes will be discreetly distributed to Guilford families, through Guilford Social Services, Clinton Social Services Department, Children & Families Department in Middletown and New Havens New Reac, Inc., Arte Inc. and New Haven Board of Education.

This is a very public event, what were doing here, DellaVentura said, but the distribution of the bikes is very private.

More than 40 of the bikes will be distributed to children in New Haven on Three Kings Day, Jan. 6, at the John C. Daniels School.

Arte Inc.s David Greco was emotional, talking about the effect these gifts would have on the children who moved to New Haven in the wake of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

These kids are traumatized, Greco said. Theyve come here, theyve been uprooted from their families, their friends, their schools, just completely yanked out and its nothing that the families planned for, so they could prep the kids.

This is going to be something of some normalcy for them, to help them settle, he said, choking back tears.

Standing amid the activity going on in the Little Red Barn, DellaVentura said this is the true meaning of the holiday.

Its exactly what Christmas is about, and that kind of brings it all back to this, DellaVentura said. I think everybody here would rather give a gift than get a gift, and thats what its about.

Sarah Page Kyrcz can be reached by email at suzipage1@aol.com.
By PTI: too

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) The CBI in a number of high- profile and politically sensitive cases has not been able to cross the hurdle of judicial scrutiny as was evident in the 2G spectrum allocation matters.

The investigating agency, which was once termed as a "cagged parrot" by the Supreme Court, had been left red-faced by the courts in many such cases, putting a question mark over the probe conducted by it.

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From the alleged corruption cases in the 2G spectrum allocation to criminal matters such as the sensational Aarushi murder case, the probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has come under sharp criticism not only from the trial courts and high courts but also from the apex court.

The 2G spectrum cases, which had rocked the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-II government, led to filing of charge sheets by the CBI in four different matters along with documents running into lakhs of pages but the agency could not secure even a single conviction.

In two cases dealt with by the special 2G court -- the Aircel-Maxis deal and the additional spectrum allocation matter -- the accused were discharged while in the main case involving former telecom minister A Raja and others, all the accused were yesterday acquitted.

Special CBI Judge O P Saini, who adjudicated all the 2G matters, had also let off the promoters of Essar Group and Loop Telecom.

The theory of the CBI in the murder case of Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj had came under sharp criticism in October from the Allahabad High Court which had termed it as "impossible hypothesis" and "patently absurd".

The high court had acquitted Aarushis parents, dentists Nupur and Rajesh Talwar, holding that the prosecution had "miserably failed" to prove that the Talwars had destroyed material evidence. The dentist couple were convicted by a Ghaziabad court in 2013 and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The CBIs investigation in the politically sensitive Bofors payoff case was also unable to withstand judicial scrutiny with the Delhi High Court on May 31, 2005 quashing all the charges against the Hinduja brothers -- Srichand, Gopichand and Prakashchand -- and the Bofors company.

The high court had also castigated the CBI over its handling of the Bofors case, saying it had cost the exchequer about Rs 250 crore.

The CBIs Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency probe into the larger conspiracy aspect in the assassination case of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi has recently come under the radar of the top court.

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In scathing remarks, the apex court had observed that the investigation does not appear to have achieved "much headway" and could be "endless".

In the coal scam, the CBI was time and again caught on the wrong foot by the apex court and the special trial court over its investigation.

The Supreme Court had in May this year slammed the CBI for "failing to live up to its reputation" in a fodder scam case involving RJD chief Lalu Prasad, saying there was "intolerable lethargy" in filing an appeal.

The CBIs case relating to alleged illegal mining in Bellary in which the agency had chargesheeted former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and others, also fell flat with the trial court discharging all the accused. PTI ABA RKS SC

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Less than 24 hours to Christmas, it has been lamentation galore for holidaymakers crisscrossing the country to spend the Yuletide with their loved ones.

Airports and motor parks in many cities were replete with forlorn passengers and families, who have either been disappointed by checkered flight schedules, or who have had to spend way beyond their budget on transport fare.

Not only have travellers been forced to pay nearly thrice of the usual fare, they have also had to cough out large sums as luggage charges, as the petrol crisis worsens.

In parts of the country, black market operators, including the very shrewd at Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Council of Lagos State, sold a four-litre gallon of fuel for as high as N2, 000, that is, N500 per litre.

In Kano, the product was sold at N250 per litre, and was unavailable in most filling stations in the metropolis, while black marketers had a field day plying their trade.

Apart from selling above the regulated pump price, most petrol stations along Murtala Mohammed Road, dispensed the product from just one or two pumps, forcing queues to run for kilometers. At A. A. Rano, along Sharada Road, where a litre went for N145, hundreds of cars queued patiently for their turn.

It was no surprise when the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), within three days of routine monitoring sanctioned eight filling stations in the state for defaulting, out of the 166 that were inspected, according to the acting Operations Controller, Kano Field Office, Mr. Paul Jehzi.

Jehzi, who claimed there was improvement in the supply of the product, said, ...we were getting between 20 to 24 trucks of the product daily. But now we get the supply between 39 to 40 trucks, he revealed.

From Port Harcourt to Benin City, to Abuja and Lagos, travellers were forced to weigh their options after fare on some interstate trips were increased by nearly 300 per cent by transporters.

As Paul Osayande lamented having to pay N6, 500 to get back to Lagos from Port Harcourt, a student of Rivers State University of Technology, Roland Laba, was in pains after coughing out N8, 000 on the same trip on Friday.

I had to pay N8, 000 to Lagos from Port Harcourt on Friday, using Agofure Motors, a journey I usually pay N4, 500. But it was one of the cheapest I could get. The other transport company that I went to, God is Good Motors, charged N14, 000 to Lagos on Friday.

Mr. Kayode Akin, who was travelling from Port Harcourt to Lagos, with four members of his family, lamented the increment, adding that he felt like he was being fleeced.

Virtually all the filling stations along the busy Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway; Ikwerre Road; Old Aba Road; East-West Road, were under lock and key. Those selling petrol sold the product at N250 per litre.

The shylock dealers argued that since they have been buying the product at a high price, and it would be preposterous for them to sell at regulated pump price of N145 per litre.

Most travellers leaving Abuja for other parts of the country at major motor parks were disappointed, yesterday, as limited vehicles were available, with a swarm of travellers on ground.

A traveller, Alaribe Grace, who usually pays N7, 000 to Lagos from Abuja, ended up paying N10, 500 to book ahead on the online platform of a major transport company.

Most commercial operators, blame the situation on the shortage of fuel across the country.

Ikenna Gorge, a transporter said he resorted to buying from black market, as long queues linger across the FCT.

In Edo, the scarcity lulled preparations for Christmas celebration, as transport fares shot up by over 50 per cent. As at Friday, a litre of petrol at the black market sold for between N250 to N300.

Very few major marketers like NNPC Mega Station and Total service stations sold the product at the normal price, while virtually all independent marketers in Benin City, were shut.

At Ameosa Transport Company, located at the popular Igun Street, a trip that usually cost N500, from Benin to Warri, in Delta is now N1, 200; Benin to Port Harcourt that used to be N3, 500, has now jumped to N4, 500.

Some of the passengers agreed that the increment was unjustifiable by whatever means saying: This increase is uncalled for. They are just exploiting us. We appeal to the President to do something fast before we experience more pains and hardship.

At Faith Motors, Benin to Enugu, a trip that usually cost N3, 500 is now N5, 000, while Benin to Uyo, is over N6, 000.

In Lagos, travellers going to Asaba, Onitsha, Enugu, Aba, Abakiliki and Port Harcourt lamented the fare hike.

When The Guardian visited Ojota and Mazamaza motor parks, it was gathered that some transporters charged as high as N12, 000 per South East-bound passenger.

At the Ojota Motor Park in Lagos, a passenger, Mr. David Ochigbo, said the increase in fare every Yuletide remains an ugly development in the country.

At ABC Transport Limited Park in Ijesha, Lagos to Calabar, in Cross River State, was priced at N12, 000 against previous N6, 000, while at God Is Good Motors Park, Mazamaza, Lagos to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State also goes for N12, 000 as against N5, 000.

A commercial vehicle driver, Mr. Obinna Jonathan, said, We dont know where this country is heading because we experience fuel scarcity every year, especially in December. Since morning, I have been looking for fuel. I know how I struggled to get N3, 000 worth of fuel, which I used to convey passengers.

A motorist, Mr. Henry Isong, said the struggle to get petrol had disrupted his plan to travel to Cross River.

He stated, I am very confused and tired; I have been running up and down the whole day to get fuel. I started moving up and down with a jerry can looking for fuel. I was eventually able to buy only five litres of fuel for N2, 000, which I poured into my vehicle.

However, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has described the fuel scarcity as deliberate effort by the Federal Government to punish Ndigbo, even as it urged the people to intensify their prayers for peace in the country, and never forget to bring back their wealth to their homeland.

President-General of the body, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, in his Christmas message said knowing what Christmas means to Ndigbo the Federal Government is very uncharitable to the people by allowing fuel scarcity in the country during the Yuletide.

He said Christmas provides a good opportunity for the Igbo to pray more to God to send a succour to alleviate their sufferings in the country.

He urged Ndigbo not to allow the hardship occasioned by the anti-people policy of this administration to affect them about thinking home, and ploughing fractions of their wealth home.

Indigenes of Enugu State who returned to the state through the free transportation service provided by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyis administration have commended the governor for the kind gesture, kindness and commitment to their wellbeing.

The returnees thanked the governor for making it possible for them to return home to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with their loved ones, saying it was the first time they had experienced such gesture.

The visibly excited indigenes, who spoke after they were formally received on arrival by the Managing Director of Enugu State Transport Company Limited (ENTRACO), Bob Itanyi and other top government functionaries at the companys former main depot in Enugu, noted that they experienced a smooth journey and expressed gratitude to God for the safe trip.

The returnees from Abuja, Jalingo, Kaduna, Makurdi, Lagos, Minna, among others, said that if not for the magnanimity, kindness and caring spirit of the governor, who offered them free transportation, they could not have returned home, especially during this period of fuel scarcity, and attendant high transport fare.

Meanwhile, normalcy, yesterday returned to local flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, with more passengers now travelling on schedule.

Hundreds of passengers that had their flights rescheduled, cancelled, or unable to get travel tickets on Friday, freely travelled from the busiest airport on Saturday.

It would be recalled that flight services were partially paralysed Friday, when Arik Air crew embarked on a strike in protest of unpaid wages, leaving all its flights grounded and passengers stranded nationwide.

The dispute was, however, resolved and operations resumed by afternoon. But the backlog of flights either had to be rescheduled or cancelled, much to the pains of passengers travelling for the yuletide season.

Other airlines like Air Peace and Med-View also had operational issues that resulted in flight delays, rescheduling and cancellations.

But at the time The Guardian visited the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and Murtala Muhammed Airport II (MMA2), both in Lagos, yesterday afternoon, all scheduled flights on high-traffic Abuja and Port Harcourt routes were going seamlessly. Other routes like Enugu, Calabar, Uyo among others experienced about an hour delay before take-off.

Price of tickets across the counter (where available) spiked by about 50 per cent for the economy class and about 30 per cent for the business class. The hike is due to high volume of travellers heading for the South and East. Almost all flights were fully booked, The Guardian learnt.

The airlines also apologised for the delays, pledging to improve on their services. Spokesperson of Arik Air, Banji Ola, assured customers, especially those traveling during this festive season that the airline will do its best to ensure they get to their destinations safely and on time.

Spokesperson of Med-View, Obuke Oyibotha, also apologised to passengers following flights delays, and rescheduling experienced in the week.

The airline attributed the delays to adverse weather conditions and unscheduled aircraft maintenance, which are critical to flight operations.
An armed robber died from his partners bullet during a foiled robbery attack on one Francis Chibueze, along Bakery road, Azikoro villag...

An armed robber died from his partners bullet during a foiled robbery attack on one Francis Chibueze, along Bakery road, Azikoro village, Yenagoa.Confirming the incident on Sunday, the spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Asinim Butswat, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the armed robber mistakenly shot and killed his partner.On Dec. 22, at about 8 p.m., a gang of two armed robbers attacked one Francis Chibueze of Bakery Road, Azikoro Village, Yenagoa.As they were trying to attack their victim, one the robbers mistakenly shot and killed his partner, while the victim, Chibueze, escaped unhurt.The deceased armed robber was identified as Thankgod Smith, a 25 years old man, and the partner who shot him is Peter Napoleon, 23, Butswat told NAN.He said the suspect came to the Azikoro Police Station on Dec. 23, and turned himself in.The spokesman said the suspect confessed to the armed robbery and killing of his gang member.The suspected armed robber led Police detectives to an uncompleted building on Bakery Road, Azikoro Village, where the gun was recovered, he said.
Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has dismissed assertion that the timing of the airing of 55-minute documentary on President Muhammadu...

Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has dismissed assertion that the timing of the airing of 55-minute documentary on President Muhammadu Buhari is faulty considering the hardships being experienced by Nigerians occasioned by fuel scarcity.Adesina, who was responding to reactions online over the planned airing of the documentary on NTA and Channels Television on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, observed that some of the comments were borne out of genuine concern.The aide, who is the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, however, condemned other comments which he said were virulent, coming from inveterate complainers.I have read a lot of reactions, particularly online, on the timing of the airing of the documentary on President Muhammadu Buhari, slated for Dec. 24 and 25, respectively, by 8 p.m on NTA and Channels Television.Some of the comments are borne out of genuine concern, which we appreciate, while others are virulent, coming from inveterate complainers.Fault finding is the stock-in-trade of such people, and if they mistakenly find themselves in Heaven, they would even complain against God. They have no other pastime.The reactions mainly dwell on the fact that a documentary showing the human side of the President (as against the well-known iron and steel) is coming at a time there is severe fuel scarcity in the country.And I say, why not? Is life all about doom and gloom? Must we sit in ashes and wear sackcloth perpetually, and ignore the brighter side of life? God forbid!Adesina attributed the ongoing fuel scarcity to what he described as a combination of SNAFU (Situation Normal All Fouled Up) in the distribution process of petrol, and deliberate mischief and sabotage by some marketers, who want to force the hands of government to increase the pump price.He stated that the situation was further compounded by hoarding of products, and panic buying.He, however, reassured that the Federal Government was working round the clock to restore normalcy in the oil sector.Should we then be perpetually like King Lear at his worst, and consign ourselves to the doldrums occasioned by fuel scarcity at a festive period? No.Despite the temporal pains, life must continue, and we must look at the cheery side, while government works hard to bring succour.That is why I disagree with armchair critics, who wail at the drop of a hat. Millions of Nigerians appreciate President Buhari, love him passionately, and would watch the airing of the documentary, which shows the President in a perspective not very well known before.Its a spice for the holiday season, and not even ephemeral fuel crisis would dampen the enthusiasm of positive minded Nigerians, he added.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is not contemplating an...

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is not contemplating any form of hike in the pump price of petroleum products.Mustapha disclosed this on Saturday at the handing over ceremony of the mantle of leadership as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Inland Waterways Authority at the authoritys headquarters in Lokoja.He said that the fuel scarcity being experienced in the country over the last two weeks was being addressed by relevant agencies of government adding that the long queues would ease off soon.The SGF attributed the scarcity to greed on the part of the marketers who created artificial shortfall to make profits.Mustapha lamented the attitude of some Nigerians who derive pleasure from seeing others suffer by inflicting pains on the people adding that it was unfair and ungodly for marketers to take advantage of the rush by the people to celebrate Christmas and New year.I can assure the people that a day or two after the yuletide, the queue will ease out. The marketers created the scarcity but we have engaged all the relevant stakeholders and we are confident that it will soon normalise.We are not thinking about increase in the pump price. We have not discussed it and we will not increase the price he said, adding that panic buying was unwarranted as there was much product available.
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru, on Sunday disclosed that the curre...

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru, on Sunday disclosed that the current Landing Cost of petrol is N171 per litre, meaning that at N145 per litre, the Federal Government is currently paying a subsidy of N26 on a litre of the commodity.Speaking with reporters in Abuja, he said that the normal consumption of PMS in Nigeria had risen to over 50 million litres per day, due to hoarding and diversion, mainly as a result of cross-border smuggling, due to the PMS price disparity that exists between Nigeria and its neighbours.Commenting on the Landing Cost of PMS, Baru said the Cost, Insurance and Freight price of PMS was $620 per metric tonne, adding that at N305 to a dollar, the landing cost translates to N171 per litre.Baru said the Federal Government has given approval for preferential and speedy treatment to be given to vessels carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also called petrol, to end the lingering crisis in Nigeria.According to him, the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Customs and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA are currently expediting the clearance of fuel vessels and anchorage services to facilitate speedy product transfers to various depots including during weekends and public holidays.The NNPC helmsman noted that President Muhammadu Buhari is deeply concerned about the fuel crisis and had ordered al stakeholders involved, including security agencies to ensure a speedy resolution of the situation.In addition, he disclosed that the NNPC had commenced a 24-hour loading and sales operations at all depots and its mega stations across the country.Major marketers were also advised to carry out 24-hour operations, most of whom have been complying. This has increased load-out from the Depots significantly and continuous sales at the filling stations nationwide, Baru noted.He affirmed that in addition to the regular supply circle, the NNPC had programmed the delivery of additional 300 million liters in December 20l7 and January 2018 to beef up national reserves to 45 million liters per day, well above the normal consumption requirement of between 27 and 28 million liters per day.He also declared that over the last two weeks, the national truck-out capacity has been beefed up to an average of l,500 trucks, about 52 million litres per day, which he explained, was higher than the normal consumption of 850 trucks per day.Furthermore, the NNPC boss stated that currently, 13 vessels, with an average capacity of 650 million litres, are discharging the commodity at different ports across the country, while noting that three vessels with the commodity are coming in before the end of the week, bringing the combined quantity of the product in depots to 814 million litres of petrol till the end of the month.He added that 14 shuttle tankers, with a combined capacity of 187 million litres of the commodity would also be discharging the product at various destinations across the country in the next three days.In addition to the importation of the product, Baru noted that the Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries are currently contributing about one million litres per day and 2.8 million litres per day of PMS to the countrys fuel supply respectively, adding that since the fuel crisis began, both refineries had contributed a total of about 61 million litres.Also, to ensure the speedy resolution of the crisis, Baru disclosed that the NNPC had activated the Fuel War Room, comprising the NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF.He said the team is tasked with the responsibility of coordinating all intervention activities for supply and distribution of PMS nationwide, adding that with the support of security agencies, the team, with the support of Security Agencies, is already working round the clock to ensure a speedy resolution of the current fuel situation.He explained that with all these measures, and if full compliance is achieved, the crisis would end within the next two days, adding that efforts have been put in place to ensure the crisis did not go beyond this week.Baru also accused black marketers of sabotaging efforts to end the fuel crisis, stating that most of the peddlers, permanently put their vehicles in queues at petrol stations, and after purchasing, discharge the products into containers and return to join the queues.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the federal government as it addresses the ...

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the federal government as it addresses the biting fuel scarcity in the country.The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi in Abuja, acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians are currently experiencing as a result of the unfortunate fuel scarcity across the country; especially at this Yuletide period.It said it was also aware of governments efforts to improve the situation and bring succour to the people as soon as possible, and fully understood the unhappiness of Nigerians at this situation, which is happening for the first time in the Christmas period since the APC administration came to power.Noting the choice of the PDP to make political gains out of the difficulties that Nigerians are experiencing as a result of this fuel scarcity, the APC however condemned what it called the opposition partys desperation to make the government and our party look bad by maliciously fabricating and circulating fictitious statements in the names of our government and party officials and then attack us on the basis of those same statements that they fabricated in the first place. This is bad politics.Abdullahi said the problem of fuel scarcity has bedevilled every administration in our country, including the PDP administration under whose government, Nigerians would recall, the oil cabal enjoyed unprecedented prosperity.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said it has carried out more air strikes against the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) at the fringes o...

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said it has carried out more air strikes against the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) at the fringes of Borno state, near Lake Chad, Killing scores of the insurgents and damaging their structures.It said the bombardments were conducted with fighter jets and helicopter gunships with the aim of weakening the will of the insurgents and neutralising them from carrying out their deadly activities.The Director of the NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement issued in Abuja asserted that the air interdictions were conducted after a routine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission had been carried out indicating the strong presence of the Boko Haram Terrorists in Tumbun Rago and Bogumeri, Borno state.AVM Adesanya said: The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its air operations in Northeastern Nigeria and in the process, neutralized scores of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in TUMBUN RAGO, a settlement at the northern fringes of BORNO State bordering Lake Chad.During a routine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission on 20 December 2017, a NAF ISR platform sighted BHT activities at TUMBUN RAGO, occupied by Albarnawi faction.Accordingly, fighter aircraft and helicopters were detailed for air interdiction over the location on 21 December 2017.The fighter aircraft took turns to unleash their armament on the location. Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) of the attacks revealed that the targeted BHT structures were destroyed, causing fire within the location and neutralizing scores of insurgents in the process.Thereafter, the recently acquired helicopter gunships carried out mop-up attacks on a few fleeing insurgents.Furthermore, the following day, on 22 December 2017, the NAF neutralized a large gathering of BHTs Southeast of BOGUMERI, also in BORNO State, after a convoy of BHTs on motorcycles had been trailed to the location.The intensification of air operations by the NAF is aimed at further reducing the will of the BHTs to continue their nefarious activities while also creating the needed advantage for own surface forces to effectively operate.
The Peoples Democratic Party has described this years Christmas as the worst to be celebrated by Nigerians. The party, however, calle...

The Peoples Democratic Party has described this years Christmas as the worst to be celebrated by Nigerians.The party, however, called on Nigerians not to despair but to use the occasion to show love, care and encourage one another regardless of religious, ethnic and political inclinations.The party said it was disheartening that Nigerians could not merrily celebrate the yuletide due to the current biting economic hardship worsened by the acute fuel shortage, all due to the alleged shambolic policies, sheer incompetence and gross insensitivity of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, described the nations economic situation as a national embarrassment which cannot be glossed with deceit, lies and propaganda, urging Nigerians to overcome this very sordid situation by rallying around one another in true love as epitomized in the birth and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.He said, Indeed, this is the worst Yuletide ever. There is no way one can sugarcoat the fact that the anguish Nigerians face today is because of the incompetence of the APC Government, which has also amply demonstrated that it does not care about the welfare and happiness of the citizens.Our countrys economic situation has astronomically gone from bad to worse in the last two years and painfully, there is no hope in sight under this APC regime.As we speak, many families are completely stranded; many more can no longer afford their basic needs.Nigerians have become ravaged by economic hardship because the APC-led Federal Government has abandoned them and refused to channel the abundant resources available in the nation for the good of the people. Instead, they are heartlessly diverting such resources for their selfish political purposes while the people suffer.These horrendous realities imposed on us by the APC notwithstanding, we must not become despondent. Nevertheless, he said that the Christmas season presents Nigerians very strong lessons in hope and their collective triumph over adverse situations as exemplified in the birth and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.He also called on Nigerians to join hands with the main opposition party to rescue the country in 2019.According to him, Now that it has become manifest, even by their speeches this season, that those who promised Nigerians El Dorado do not have the littlest capacity to fulfil the smallest of their promises, we as a people must not also abandon ourselves.We must, therefore, rise above all divisive ethnic, religious and political considerations and make this season merry by helping and encouraging one another in love.The ugly situation we all confront today as a people must, therefore, serve as the catalyst for a prosperous tomorrow as Nigerians join hands with the PDP to restore our dear nation to the path of good governance and national prosperity come 2019.Ologbodiyan further urged Nigerians to use this period to pray for the prosperity and unity of the nation.
By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: The dark clouds hovering over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film, Padmavati, starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Shahid Kapoor, won't be ebbing anytime soon.

After prolonged protests by members of Rajput community over the depiction of Rani Padmavati in the film, only time can tell whether Central Board of Film Certification or the CBFC will allow the release of the film without any cuts or not.

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The film tells the tale of the beautiful Rani Padmini of Chittorgarh, who committed jauhar to avoid falling into the clutches of Turkish invader, Alauddin Khilji. The story is based on the poem Padmavat, written in the 15th century by sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi.

The CBFC, entrusted with the task of looking into the film, has formed a Committee to examine the matter. They have invited Vishvaraj Singh, a member of the former royal family of Mewar, to be a part of the Committee, and who claims to be an heir to Rani Padmavati.

CBFC Chairperson Prasoon Joshi invited Vishvaraj Singh, to be a part of the Committee. However, the former royal family member is yet to decide on it. Singh had written couple of letters in the past seeking answers to his queries about the film, but is yet to receive a reply to them.

"I got a call that a committee is being formed for the certification of the film, Padmavati, and that it would be fine if I take part in that committee. That phone call came. In reply to that, I have sent a letter. Am waiting for a reply to that letter. Post that, it will be decided whether have to join the committee or not. I have earlier sent two letters to the CBFC but there has been no reply to that. Have asked for information about the gist and the incident that has happened. When information is received, then can decide about the three - part film, about the ways of working of filmmakers and about a committee. As far as the film is concerned, earlier even this was propagated that the film is a historical film and later on, it was mentioned that this film is a fictional film. When application was put forth for the film's certification, then whether this film is a fictional one or historical one was kept blank. This should be disclosed. . My letter is on the part of film which has been released there and not about this can happen, this can happen. The letter is on what we have seen. It felt bad after seeing the song of the film that has come to the fore. Neither did it have history nor culture. Then, what will be rectified? First, the five minute portion should be rectified, thereafter, the film should be rectified." Vishvaraj Singh, member of the former royal family of Mewar, mentioned.

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Padmavati was initially supposed to release on December 1, but was indefinitely postponed. Fringe Rajput groups like Karni Sena were convinced that there was a romantic dream sequence between Alauddin Khilji ( Ranveer Singh) and Rani Padmini (Deepika Padukone)

ALSO WATCH| Exposed: Karni Sena thugs holding Padmavati hostage

--- ENDS ---
A subtle move by marketers for the federal government to increase fuel price appears to have failed. President Muhammadu Buhari is not...

A subtle move by marketers for the federal government to increase fuel price appears to have failed.President Muhammadu Buhari is not disposed to the proposal.He is also saying No to the re-introduction of fuel subsidy, sources said.The pressure on government to effect a rise in petroleum price from N145 per litre is coming amidst the current acute fuel scarcity across the country.Hundreds of thousands of motorists, for the fifth day running yesterday, kept searching for petrol wherever they could get it at any cost.Commuters, many of whom went shopping for Christmas, were made to pay high fares for transport to their destinations.Many others had to walk long distances.Well placed government sources said the administration is concentrating on finding permanent solutions to the recurring fuel crisis including checkmating sabotage by some marketers and stakeholders, and putting all the nations 23 depots in 100 per cent shape.It was gathered that marketers are still unwilling to import products because of low or insignificant profit margin.They are seeking full deregulation of petroleum products.Key players in the petroleum industry attribute the fuel crisis in the country to agitation for price hike by marketers, disruption of the supply chain, and sabotage by some stakeholders to force the government to deregulate the sector further.One of the sources said: The key issue is price war. The marketers have made representation to the federal government and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to allow price hike of petroleum products and leave the sector to market forces.The President and senior government officials are however opposed to price hike because of its spiral effects on the socio-economic life of the nation. It also has grave political implications for the survival of the present government.In the last few months, the government has been trying to cope through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) until there was stress in the supply chain following threats by PENGASSAN and the challenge in Lagos.Another stakeholder, speaking on the price war, said: We import refined products as a nation. Once the prices of crude increase at the international market, they have effects on the cost of refined products being brought into our country.The landing cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is between N165 and N170 per litre. The marketers are claiming that the profit margin is insignificant and they cannot recover cost, they say they need to top up prices since they no longer enjoy subsidy.Initially, the same marketers said they had subsidy arrears to collect from the government and they will not import products. The arrears have not been appropriated for by the National Assembly and there was nothing the government can do.But a government source said: To mitigate the issues raised by the marketers, this administration put some measures in place. For instance, the government created a special foreign exchange window for the marketers to enable them to import products.Instead of using the forex, some of them diverted it to other use. In order not to hold the nation into ransom by the marketers, NNPC in the last one and a half years has been importing 99.9% of products. This sole importation also drains the resources of NNPC but it has to sacrifice to ensure availability of products.And if NNPC imports, it sells to marketers but they are still complaining of low profit margin. The importation chain has its own stress because for the storage of the products, NNPC can only accommodate 55% of the products. The oil majors cater for 30% and independent marketers take charge of about 15%. So, at any point, these marketers are still needed.The alternative is for all the nations 23 depots to be operating at maximum capacity to check the antics of the marketers.A minister, who should know, also said the government was suspecting sabotage by some stakeholders.His words: Before the present crisis, the nation used to consume between 30million to 35million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily but since this current challenge started, the consumption has shot up to 80million litres per day.Without a soothsayer, it is obvious that something had gone wrong. We cannot just rule out sabotage including diversion of products.
Trump The American President, Donald Trump surely does not have much regards for Nigerians? Going by a special report yesterday by th...

Trump

The American President, Donald Trump surely does not have much regards for Nigerians?Going by a special report yesterday by the authoritative New York Times on the style of the American leader.The newspaper, in the report on Trumps harsh immigration policy, described how he denigrated Nigerians at a meeting with his officials at a meeting in June.The meeting had been called to discuss the immigration policy which he had introduced to stop travellers from several Muslim countries from entering the United States in a dramatic demonstration of how he would deliver on his campaign promise to fortify the nations borders.The policy was later voided by the court.Trump was said to have hit the roof after he was handed a list of foreigners who had been granted visas to enter the U.S. in 2017.Forty thousand of such were Nigerians.A fuming Trump, according to officials present at the meeting, said once they had seen the US they would never go back to their huts in Africa.He also had unkind words for Haitians who had sent 15,000 people.They all have AIDS, he reportedly grumbled.He branded Afghanistan, which had 2,500 of its citizens getting US visa, a terrorist haven.The NYT said: As the meeting continued, John F. Kelly, then the secretary of homeland security, and Rex W. Tillerson, the secretary of state, tried to interject, explaining that many were short-term travellers making one-time visits. But as the president continued, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Miller turned their ire on Mr. Tillerson, blaming him for the influx of foreigners and prompting the secretary of state to throw up his arms in frustration. If he was so bad at his job, maybe he should stop issuing visas altogether, Mr. Tillerson fired back.Tempers flared and Mr. Kelly asked that the room be cleared of staff members. But even after the door to the Oval Office was closed, aides could still hear the president berating his most senior advisers.The White House swiftly responded to the publication yesterday, saying Trump had not used such language although it did not dispute the thrust of the conversation in question.Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said : General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims. Its both sad and telling The New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous sources anyway.
An Evesham Township council member is suing the local Municipal Utilities Authority for wrongfully releasing his Social Security number in response to a public records request.

The lawsuit, filed Friday by Robert DiEnna and his wife, Virginia, in Burlington County Superior Court, was obtained by open government advocated John Paff, who runs the blog NJ Open Government Notes.

DiEnna was hired by the Evesham Municipal Utilities Authority (EMUA) in 2012, according to the complaint. At the end of 2015, an Evesham resident named Phil Warren filed a request under the Open Public Records Act for personnel information, and allegedly received records regarding DiEnna from Laura Puszcz, the EMUA's public records custodian.

Warren runs a blog called Move Evesham Forward, and narrowly lost a race for the council seat in 2016 to DiEnna.

The forms provided to Warren, DiEnna's suit states, were not redacted to shield personal information about DiEnna, including his Social Security number.

The DiEnnas only became aware of the leak in 2016, when they saw copies of the un-redacted forms, according to the complaint.

DiEnna, who won a seat on the council in 2012, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. He is the township council's liaison to the EMUA, according to his campaign site.

His suit seeks damages for invasion of privacy, emotional distress and money for past and future expenses intended to protect them from identity theft.

Anthony Drollas, an attorney with the firm Capehart and Scatchard, which serves as general counsel to the EMUA, said the authority has not yet been served with the lawsuit, and could not comment on the allegations in the complaint.

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
One man was taken into custody Friday morning when he tried to rob an electronics store in Newark Airport, authorities said.

Ernesto Rodriguez-Zazueta, 46, who authorities said was a fugitive from the Drug Enforcement Agency, was arrested by Port Authority Police inside the airport.

Ernesto Rodriguez-Zazueta

Rodriguez-Zazueta allegedly entered a Blue Wire Electronics store in Terminal C of Newark Airport Friday around 7 a.m., authorities said. He went behind the counter, and used a pen to mimic a weapon while demanding cash from a shop worker, they said.

The worker struggled with Rodriguez-Zazueta, but was able to call Port Authority Police.

Officers apprehended and arrested Rodriguez-Zazueta. One officer sustained minor injuries while in a struggle with Rodriguez-Zazueta, but was quickly treated, authorities said.

During processing, police said Rodriguez-Zazueta gave several false names before officers discovered his true identity.

Records show that Rodriguez-Zazueta was the subject of a federal arrest warrant for illegal drug sales, and was listed on the DEA's most wanted list. The report was filed by St. Louis DEA officials, but Rodriguez-Zazueta's last listed address was in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Rodriguez-Zazueta was charged with robbery, resisting arrest and for hindering apprehension.

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- For 35 years, a local nonprofit composed almost entirely of volunteers has been quietly doing all it can to help the unfortunate in the community.

On the last two Saturdays of every month since 1982, those in need of food know that help can be found in the parish hall in the back of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, thanks to the work of The Sharing Place.

"In 1982, a couple of members started giving out whatever was needed from the church basement, and that's how it all started," said Rev. Jessica Lambert, a pastor at the church and the president on the nonprofit's board of directors.

The nonprofit entity runs out of the church on Hoboken Avenue and gives bags of groceries or ready-made meals to those in need.

All residents are welcome to receive food: the organization requests only documents proving identity, an address -- if any -- information on members of the household, and proof of income. No referral is necessary.

Lambert estimates that The Sharing Place serves over 500 households in Jersey City a month, while meeting new recipients each time they hold an event.

"I've already entered five or six new people this morning," she said.

Since its inception, the group has used a pool of volunteers, young and old, to help distribute the groceries.

Some are there for their first time, while others are part of a core group of volunteers who come as often as they can and stay for as long as possible.

"We have this core group that is literally here from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. every single Saturday we're open," Lambert said. "Many of them are from the church and some are just from the community, and they're here each week no matter what -- no matter if it's Christmas or Thanksgiving, no matter the weather."

A woman who identified herself only as Karla said she started volunteering after being a recipient of the group herself.

"Before I started volunteering, I used to be here to get stuff myself, and when they didn't have enough help I just came in and started helping them," she said.

But the group is not without its constraints.

The 501(c)(3) receives only $19,000 in block grants from the city from through CDBG funding -- money that can fluctuate depending on the federal government.

"We did get a small cut (in the last few weeks) and I anticipate more cut to come... everything is kind of up in the air," Lambert said.

And with only one part-time paid employee to handle the administrative work, processing information of recipients can be "burdensome."

But regardless, it's the volunteers, Lambert said, that keep the organization successful.

"They're the best," she said. "I'd say we get five or six calls a week from community members, students doing community service hours... Some come a few times a year, some come once a month, some come every single Saturday open to close."

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- Natasha McKnight opened her heart to seven adopted children. It's only fitting someone opened their heart up to her and her children.

McKnight, mother to 11 children -- seven of who are adopted -- has been raising them by herself for the first time in years, and when she factored in other expenses, she didn't know if she would be able to buy Christmas presents for them.

So Tamika McReynolds, the youth opportunity coordinator with the Jersey City Department of Recreation, reached out to see if she could help in any way.

"I'm by myself with the kids this year for the first time in a long time and I was having a little trouble," she said. "And I just wanted to see them smile."

An anonymous police officer with the city department was inspired after seeing a charitable event at the Mt. Olive Baptist church, and wanted to help in any way he could.

"He saw something being done at the church and he got overwhelmed, compelled," McReynolds, the first lady of the church, said. "He came to me and said 'I want to be able to help; I have some extra money, and I want to be able to make a difference.'"

Earlier this week, while McKnight was volunteering at Public School 14, McReynolds and the officer surprised her at the school and told her he planned on helping in any way he could.

"I was crying when I met him," McKnight said.

The anonymous officer ended up donating more than $500 worth of Christmas presents for the family -- which McReynolds brought to the McKnight family's Oak Street home on Saturday.

"That was nothing but an Elf from our Jersey City Department that made Christmas for the McKnight family," McReynolds said.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
There are nearly two-dozen cold cases in Monmouth County since 1990. But for the authorities here, the death of Cesar Torralba in 2007 stands out.

"Some cases are just so senseless and gut-wrenching that it demands special attention," Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said.

Cesar Torralba, 35, was gunned down outside his Asbury Park home on Christmas Eve in 2007. Ten years later, authorities and his wife are urging anyone with information to come forward. (Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office)

Torralba, 35, left his home on Sixth Street in Asbury Park in the afternoon on Christmas Eve to get some last-minute items from the grocery store for dinner that evening.

When Torralba returned around 12:40 p.m., he was confronted by a man with a gun, who demanded money from him outside his front door.

Torralba's wife, Minerva, heard voices outside and assumed it was her husband greeting neighbors, something he often did. When she looked out the peephole, she saw an image far worse than she could imagine: a gun pointed at her husband.

She ran to get her cellphone to dial 911. But it was too late.

Authorities say Torralba, a father of two young children, was shot and killed just 16 days before his 36

th

birthday.

Ten years later, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and Minerva Torralba are asking anyone with information to come forward to help bring justice to the man responsible for Cesar Torralba's death.

"Please do not let your fear get in the way of justice for the person who killed my husband," Minerva Torralba said. "Not a day goes by that my daughters and I do not think about my husband and their father. It's hard to explain just how hard it has been for my daughters to grow up not having a father to guide, love and cherish them."

Torralba was one of six homicide victims in Asbury Park in 2007, according to crime statistics from the New Jersey State Police. But Torralba's death was highly-publicized, setting off a wide outcry and prompting pledges from community leaders to stem crime in the city.

People marched through the streets. The Guardian Angels handed out flyers in the city and urged residents to come forward with information.

But as time went on, the flow of information to the authorities slowed down.

"Cesar Torralba's widow and his two, now-teenage daughters deserve answers and they deserve justice," Gramiccioni said. "Ten years later we simply cannot forget the reality and facts of the case: Here's a man who left his two young children and his wife to go buy groceries for Christmas Eve dinner. Then, just prior to reuniting with them, he was senselessly gunned down with only his front door separating him from his family. On behalf of his loved ones, we urge anyone with information to please reach out to police."

Gramiccioni said anyone with information regarding the death of Cesar Torralba can contact Detective Jose Cruz of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Gabriel Carrasquillo of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300.

Anonymous tips can also be left through the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers.

For Minerva Torralba, the time passed hasn't made coping with her husband's death any easier.

"While many days are difficult, things like father-daughter dances are unbearable. It's just not fair to them," she said. "They have grown up waiting for the person responsible to be arrested. Cesar, their father and my husband, was a great man who worked hard every day to provide for us. I plead with anyone who knows anything to contact police so my children do not have to wait any longer for justice."

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
An explosion Saturday inside Ocean County's first rum distillery, which opened in August, left its owner hospitalized with burns, police said.

Peter Martorelli, 38, suffered multiple burns as a result of the explosion and had to be flown to the Burn Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Lacey police said.

His wife, Tina, wrote on Facebook that Peter Martorelli suffered some first- and second-degree burns on his legs and was not severely injured. She also said the explosion caused "minimal damage" to the business.

Police responded just after 2 p.m. to the Island Beach Distillery on Old Shore Road in Forked River after receiving a report of a fire with someone trapped inside.

Officers at the scene learned that a distillery inside the building exploded, according to police.

Members of the Forked River Fire Department and the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department responded and extinguished the blaze.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office also responded to the fire.

The fire remains under investigation by the Lacey Police Detective Bureau and the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office.

Island Beach Distillery opened in August as Ocean County's first rum distillery, according to a report from WOBM. The distillery was named after Martorelli's favorite beach spot at the Jersey Shore, Island Beach State Park.

Martorelli specializes in Caribbean style rum, he told the radio station.

The business was not destroyed and will be closed for a few weeks, Peter Martorelli said on Facebook.

"I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this trying time," he said. "We will be back and open as soon as we are able."

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
By PTI: Kolkata, Dec 24 (PTI) Former President Pranab Mukherjee today said free thinking and exchange of ideas can create a scientific temper and cultivate a spirit of curiosity in young minds.

Mukherjee, who was conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) at the 62nd annual convocation of the Jadavpur University, said the institution has time and again participated in various activities for the welfare of the society and its people.

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"It (the university) has championed the cause of many a social and political challenges and it should not waver from the path while pursuing academic excellence," he said.

Mukherjee said a holistic education plays a major role in shaping up a good human being.

"A good education system is one that empowers and enables an individual with social responsiveness," he said.

The former president also said that emerging economies like India should meet the development aspirations of its citizens and must build "an educational eco-system comparable with the best in world".

"There has to be sincere deliberations on various fora towards this end and the higher education sector must align itself with the global education sectors," Mukherjee said.

Institutions need to provide better emphasis on quality research work to get global recognition, the former president said.

"Aspiring universities should encourage mobility of persons and ideals across the globe. Adopting a world view would help institutions in getting accepted by the global community of higher education and it will add to their academic repute?" he said.

West Bengal Governor and the Chancellor of JU, K N Tripathi, on this occasion, advised students to put their knowledge to practical use.

"Let us remember a degree from an institution of higher education by itself is not the end... One has to put knowledge for practical use?" he said.

Giving a brief history of the universitys establishment, Vice chancellor Prof Suranjan Das said JU has always strove hard to achieve excellence.

The JU has secured the top ranking among state universities in National Institutional Ranking Framework of the Ministry of HRD. It had secured the 5th position among all universities and the 9th rank among all engineering institutions in the country, Das said.

A total of 1698 graduate students, 1402 post-graduate students, 168 M.Phil students and 397 PhD students were awarded degrees on this occasion. PTI SUS RMS

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Former President Donald Trump is preparing to launch his third campaign for the White House with an announcement Tuesday night. Trump is looking to move on from disappointing midterm defeats and defy history amid signs that his grip on the Republican Party may be waning. The former president had hoped to use the GOP's expected gains in last week's elections as a springboard to win his party's nomination by locking in early support and keeping potential challengers at bay. Instead, Trump now finds himself being blamed for backing a series of losing candidates in last week's midterm elections.
By PTI: health dept

Jaipur, Dec 24 (PTI) Striking government doctors in Rajasthan continued to abstain from work for the ninth consecutive day affecting healthcare services in the state.

Aiming to break the deadlock, the state health department had invited striking doctors for talks today. But the agitating doctors did not turn up.

"A meeting can be held when there is no fear among doctors," Mahesh Sharma, an advocate representing agitating doctors said, adding he will put up matter of fact of the issue before the court.

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A special bench of the Rajasthan high court will hear the matter on Monday.

The doctors are accusing the government of not executing the promises made to them last month and taking vindictive action against them.

The in-service government doctors went on an indefinite strike on December 16 against the arrest of some of their fellow doctors under the Rajathan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA). The act was invoked after the doctors threatened that they would go on strike.

As many as 86 doctors had been arrested before the high court On December 19 directed the agitating doctors to resume their duties and assured them that no doctor would be arrested.

Sharma alleged that the government has failed to implement the demands were mutually agreed upon in the previous meeting and is bent on taking vindictive action against the doctors.

He claimed that there will be a medical emergency in government and private hospitals tomorrow as the in-service doctors have the support of private doctors association and medical teachers association.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Medical Teachers Association (RMTCA) secretary Dr Dhananjay Agrawal said they will wear black armbands on arms to lodge their protest and demand that the government amicably resolve the issue. PTI AG NSD

--- ENDS ---
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CLARINDA  What started here is expected to give other children across the country and on other continents a Christmas surprise.

And a few Clarinda people helped make sure it will happen.

Earlier this month, five Clarinda-area women helped prepare Operation Christmas Child gift boxes to be sent to underprivileged children and those living in civil-unrest countries, The Clarinda Herald-Journal reported.

Laura Tally told the Hillside Missionary Church congregation Dec. 17 about how she and others spent a few days in a Minneapolis, Minnesota, suburb organizing the boxes for shipment. Pam Anderson, Chris Bontrager, Ellen McClure and Susan Cavin were the others.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritans Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate Gods love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share Jesus Christ.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories. Hillside has volunteered with the shoeboxes for several years.

In November, about 5,000 U.S. locations were drop-off sites for the Samaritans Purse project. During the projects National Collection Week in mid-November, people turned empty shoeboxes into gifts filled with school supplies, hygiene items and small toys. Operation Christmas Child will deliver the boxes to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.

Lakeville, Minnesota, is one of eight places in the U.S., Tally said about the preparation site.

They made their reservations for the volunteer work earlier this year, since the slots usually fill up quickly. Shoeboxes are collected in mid-November and sent to preparation sites.

After a training session, the volunteers were divided among 18 work stations, with six people at each station plus staff.

More than 100,000 volunteers including families, churches and other groups donated to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In the United States alone, 9.6 million boxes were donated, but each one must be inspected to make sure it meets all requirements. Those 9.6 million boxes were distributed among the eight locations.

We opened the boxes and removed any loose money and made sure the label matched what was inside  if the gift was for a boy or girl and age, Tally said.

The inspection also includes removing items that are not allowed, from small pieces of candy, which may melt and damage the other items, to small toys that symbolize war.

Those things can be replaced, Tally said as she explained how others across the country donated items to make the boxes.

There was plenty of teaching times, Tally added. There was lots of prayer.

Staff members who have volunteered multiple years told others of their experiences. One staff member told Tallys group a boy who received a box found a girls dress inside. Rather than be upset over a gift he didnt want to use, he gave the dress to his sister.

Boxes that were damaged during transportation to Minnesota were repaired if possible. The Minnesota site averages 28,000 boxes a day for preparation. After all the boxes were ready, they were put into another, larger box and placed in semi trailers. Tally said about 12 boxes filled one, larger box.

The trucks were then driven to other locations to begin distribution around the world. Tally said shoeboxes from Iowa are expected to be sent to Native American reservations in the United States, South Africa and countries with oppression or persecution toward those who practice the Christian faith.

Tally said organizers do not reveal the name of all the countries to protect those involved.

The shoebox gifts donated throughout the country at these drop-off locations will shine a light of hope to children living in poverty overseas, said Randy Riddle, senior director of Operation Christmas Child in the United States. Anyone is welcome to pack a shoebox and help a child facing difficult circumstances to feel loved and not forgotten.
DENISON  Among the Christmas gift wishes of fourth- and fifth-graders are tech gadgets, video games, gift cards, musical instruments and anything with wheels they can ride.

Students at Broadway Elementary School in Denison learned that their counterparts from 150 years ago had much less to look forward to on Christmas but were thrilled with gifts that today might not bring forth smiles, The Bulletin & Review reported.

Laura F. Keyes, portraying the character of Laura Ingalls Wilder, told her story of Christmases that were filled with joy, and one that she called horrible, from the time she was 3 years old until she was about 17 and engaged to Almanzo Wilder.

Keyes is from northern Illinois, where she works as a librarian. She has been portraying women from history since 2008. She researches her subjects thoroughly to present a true representation of that person in period clothing and with artifacts as true to the period as possible (including antiques) to audiences of all ages.

Other historical persons Keyes portrays are Mary Todd Lincoln (whom history has maligned, she said) and her daughter-in-law, Mary Harlan Lincoln. Keyes also takes on the role of a fictional character, Irene Adler, the only woman to outsmart Sherlock Holmes in the Arthur Conan Doyle stories.

Her Dec. 11 presentation at the Denison school was made possible by Norelius Community Library, Denison Library Friends Inc. and Broadway Elementary through the Denison Community School District.

Keyes, speaking as Laura, told students about the first Christmas she could remember, when she and her parents, Charles and Caroline, and older sister, Mary, lived in Indian territory, far away from her aunts and uncles in Wisconsin.

She was worried that, with no snow on the ground, Santas reindeer would not be able to pull the sleigh, and their only neighbor, Mr. Edwards, could not join them on Christmas Day because of the flooded creek that separated them.

But Edwards did arrive. He had walked to Independence, Kansas, where Santa gave him toys for Mary and Laura. Edwards told them that, west of the Mississippi, Santa travels by horse and pack mule.

In her stocking, Laura found a shiny tin cup, a peppermint stick and a penny. She was excited about the gifts because she previously had to share a cup with Mary, and she had never had money of her own before.

The following year, the Ingalls family lived in Wisconsin, where Laura was excited to have snow for Christmas and have aunts and uncles come to her house and cousins to play with.

Laura and Mary received bright red mittens and peppermint sticks. Laura also received a doll with shoe-button eyes and black hair made of yarn. She named the doll Charlotte. Before, she had to play with a doll made by wrapping a handkerchief around a corn cob.

Laura told stories about many Christmases that followed.

Living in a sod house on the banks of Plum Creek in Minnesota: How could Santa deliver gifts when there was no fireplace and no chimney? Mary and Laura didnt ask for any gifts; they wanted Santa to bring their father a team of horses to plow a field of wheat in the spring. He did.

Living in a hotel in Burr Oak, where Charles Ingalls went into the hotel business, Mary, Laura and Carrie all came down with the measles. It was a horrible Christmas.

The next Christmas, when they lived in a red brick house in Burr Oak, Laura saw a little brown fur muff and cape in the tree at church and hoped it would be hers. Gifts were given out at the end of the sermon. Carrie received a doll with a china head and hands, and when Laura looked up, someone was presenting her with the muff and cape.

Back in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, Mrs. Nelson came over with baby Anna. Laura was told to give Anna her doll, Charlotte, to play with. When it was time for Mrs. Nelson and Anna to go home, Anna wouldnt give up the doll; both she and Laura ended up screaming and crying.

Anna was allowed to take Charlotte home. Not long after, Laura was sent to the Nelsons to get something and saw Charlotte in a puddle of ice where Anna had thrown her. Her hair was gone and her dress was ripped, but Caroline made her as good as new and sewed the doll a new dress.

For her 12th Christmas, the family lived in Dakota Territory, where Charles had a job with the railroad; they had no neighbors and no stores and had to make gifts. Late on Christmas Eve, one of the men that worked with Charles returned with his new wife.

During Christmas 1880, living in De Smet, South Dakota, the train had been unable to bring supplies and mail when one blizzard after another came from October to April.

Laura hand-knitted some lace, and she and Mary bought their father blue suspenders from the dry goods store. The Ingalls family had their Christmas dinner in May when the train was able to get to town.

The following Christmas, Mary was at the school for the blind, located in Iowa, and was unable to come home for Christmas. Grace received a doll with china head and hands, and Mary sent a long letter.

Two years later, Mary was still unable to travel home from Iowa, and Laura was stepping out with Almanzo Wilder. That Christmas, after the sermon in church, Laura received a brush and mirror set from Almanzo. They were engaged that summer.

The very next Christmas, Almanzo and his brother were working all winter on their parents farm in Minnesota. Laura and Almanzo sent letters back and forth, but by the time Christmas arrived, Laura hadnt received a letter in three weeks. She was worried he would forget her, but then heard a rap on the door: Almanzo had returned to spend Christmas with her.

Students were wrapped up in Keyes portrayal of Wilder, and after the presentation asked Laura a number of questions, including how old she was (150 years) and when she began writing her books (at age 65).

Keyes, as Laura, told students about the gifts she had received, but in each account she emphasized what was best about all those holidays through the years:

 Mr. Edwards arriving on Christmas Day when he wasnt expected.

 Playing with cousins on Christmas Day in Wisconsin.

 Learning from her mother, during the Christmas in the sod hut, that whenever anyone is being unselfish, they are being Santa Claus and, if everyone wanted everyone else to be happy all the time, it would be like Christmas all year long.

 Christmas dinner in May after the winter of 1880-81: Christmas is such a special time. As long as you have love and joy in your heart, it can be Christmas at any time.

 Almanzo traveling all the way back from Minnesota to spend Christmas with her.

Every Christmas was good, Keyes, playing Laura, said during the presentation, but the best Christmas of all is when you spend time with family and friends.
The cow smuggler, Zakir Khan, was beaten up black and blue after he was caught with a truck carrying eight cows.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: A cow smuggler was thrashed badly by villagers in Ramgarh area in Alwar district after he was caught with a truck filled with eight cows on Saturday.

The cow smuggler has been identified as Zakir Khan, who hails from Nuh district in Haryana, an area that has become notorious for cow smugglers.

The cow smuggler has sustained injuries due to the beating received at the hands of the villagers. He sustained head injury and was left a fractured foot. At first, the police rushed him to a hospital in Ramgarh, but given the seriousness of his injuries, he was later referred to another hospital in Alwar city.

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"I was taking cows from 20-30-km away from Alwar towards Haryana when villagers in Ramgarh area beat me up," said Zakir Khan.

There were three cow smugglers who were trying to escape in the dark of the night. However, the villagers caught hold of one of them while two others managed to flee.

They were travelling in a truck with eight cows, two of which were found to be dead. The police has seized the truck and sent the six cows, which were found alive, to the cow shelter after getting their medical test done.

Police had received information late in the night that vehicles of four cow smugglers were arriving from Chikani which were filled with cows.

The police got the barricading done. Later, a truck filled with cows was coming from Chikani Bahadurpur route towards Ramgarh. When the cow smugglers did not stop, the police tried to lay siege to the area to prevent the smugglers from escaping.

In a bid to escape, the truck was taken into the field due where it got stuck.

"Three rounds were fired by the cow smugglers but the police managed to catch hold of him with the help of villagers without firing," informed Ajit Singh, SHO, Ramgarh police station.

--- ENDS ---
LINCOLN  At Robinette Farms, funds from the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program help pay for processing, marketing, distribution, and sales of pasture-raised chickens, eggs and microgreens.

This year, $18 million in funding is available through the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) VAPG program. Paper applications are due Jan. 31, 2018, and electronic applications through www.grants.gov are due Jan. 24.

Robinette Farms is a small farming operation near Lincoln that received a working capital grant in 2015, and now sells meat and produce at local grocery stores. They were able to develop new products and access higher-value markets with the assistance from the VAPG program.

Administered by USDA Rural Development, the VAPG program provides grants to producers for working capital, feasibility studies, business plans, and marketing efforts used to establish value-added businesses. Value-added grants can also be used to develop new product lines from raw agricultural products or promote additional uses for established products.

Independent producers, ag producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled, producer-based business ventures are all eligible to apply for these grants.

The program prioritizes funding for applicants who are beginning, veteran, or socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches; farmer and rancher cooperatives; and majority-controlled, producer-based business ventures whose projects best contribute to creating or increasing marketing opportunities for the aforementioned groups of farmers.

Interested producers should contact their local USDA Rural Development office or go online to www.cfra.org for more infor-

mation.
The Nebraska Corn Board will have its next meeting on Jan. 11, 2018, at The Cornerstone Bank, 529 N. Lincoln Ave., in York.

The board will address regular board business. These meetings are open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment. A copy of the agenda will be available by writing the Nebraska Corn Board, P.O. Box 95107, Lincoln, NE 68509 or emailing susan.zabel@nebraska.gov or calling 402-471-2676.
As controversy swirled at the national level of the Miss America Organization on Saturday, Rachel Daly, the executive director of the Miss Nebraska Scholarship Program, responded.

Three Miss America officials resigned Saturday amid an email scandal that targeted past pageant winners for abuse based on their appearance, intellect and sex lives. The emails were revealed Thursday by the Huffington Post. Among those implicated was CEO Sam Haskell, who resigned Saturday along with President Josh Randle and Chairman Lynn Weidner.

I, like countless other Miss America Organization volunteers and titleholders, past and present, was disgusted and ashamed at the alleged email communication between CEO Sam Haskell and multiple members of the Miss America Board of Directors, Daly wrote in a statement on Saturday.

Haskell visited North Platte in June during the annual Miss Nebraska Scholarship Pageant. Daly said the Nebraska organization communicates with young women daily and continues to be committed to empowering and inspiring women. The remarks made in emails by Haskell, Randle and Weidner, she said, run counter to the groups mission.

At a time when, more than ever, it is clear that derogatory and disrespectful rhetoric should not be tolerated in our society, this behavior is simply not acceptable in any forum by any person, certainly not by the leaders of a historic organization that encompasses thousands of women, volunteers and generous donors across the country, she wrote.

Randle told the Associated Press that his comment responding to an email to his private account about the physical appearance of 2013 winner Mallory Hagan came months before he started working for the Miss America Organization in 2015. But he said it was wrong.

I apologize to Mallory for my lapse in judgment, Randle said Saturday. It does not reflect my values or the values I worked to promote at the Miss America Organization. Although this terrible situation was not caused or driven by me, in light of recent events and new developments, I am no longer willing to continue in my capacity as president and earlier today offered my resignation to the MAO Board of Directors.

Randle said his resignation was voluntary and had not been requested by the board of Miss America, which is based in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Hagan did not respond to a message seeking comment on the resignations.

Weidner told the AP Saturday night she has nothing but love for the Miss America Organization and the incredible women it comprises.

Although I have certainly been vilified unjustly by some in recent days, I know that all will be made more clear with time, she said. My 46 years of involvement and my past 10 years on the board as a full-time volunteer have been a gift. It is amazing how most of the greatest blessings in my life can be traced back to that summer day when I was 16 years old and entered my first local Miss America Pageant.

The scandal began Thursday, when the Huffington Post published leaked emails showing pageant officials ridiculing past Miss Americas, including crass and sometimes vulgar comments about them.

The emails included one that used a vulgar term for female genitalia to refer to past Miss America winners, one that expresses a wish that a particular former Miss America had died, and others that speculated about how many sex partners Hagan has had.

Randle noted that the worst communications were exchanged in 2013 and 2014, years before he joined the Miss America Organization, and said the articles implication of complicit participation on my part in a yearslong array of inappropriate email communication is untrue.

Haskells resignation is effective immediately, while Randle and Weidner will remain for a few weeks to help with a leadership transition. Dan Meyers, who had been vice chairman of the board, was named interim chairman.

The organization announced the resignations a day after dozens of former Miss Americas, including Hagan, signed a petition calling on the groups leadership to step down because of the emails.

The emails already cost the pageant its television production partner and raised questions about the future of the nationally televised broadcast from Atlantic Citys Boardwalk Hall the week after Labor Day each year. Dick Clark Productions told the AP on Thursday that it cut ties with the Miss America Organization over the emails, calling them appalling.

Also on Saturday, one of the main recipients of fundraising from the Miss America Organization said it was reviewing its association with Miss America. The Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals said it was conducting an immediate review of the situation and will take appropriate actions.

And New Jersey officials are reviewing their Miss America Organization contract, in which the state still owes $4 million toward the cost of next years pageant.

 Associated Press writer Wayne Perry contributed to this report.
Work has begun on the second phase of a $90 million joint effort between the University of Notre Dame and Indianapolis-based Kite Realty.

The university says Phase II of the Eddy Street Commons mixed-use development is slated to be complete by mid-2020. The project features 8,500 square feet of restaurant space, 17 flex units, 433 apartment units, 22 single-family homes, a new Robinson Community Learning Center and a stand-alone grocery store.

IU prof says tax bill good for business

A professor of finance with the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis believes a major tax overhaul that was approved by Congress and signed by the president will be good for Hoosier businesses "across the board."

Steve Jones says benefits for small business owners that have been added through the legislative process, would alleviate "somewhat of a concern" in earlier versions. The changes, he says, are focused on making the country more globally competitive.

Investment aims to transform Wabash region

The board chair of the newly launched Wabash Heartland Innovation Network said a nearly $40 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. offers a "once in a lifetime" opportunity for the 10-county region.

The funds are designed to help the region parlay strengths in agriculture, manufacturing and technical training through Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College into what Gary Henriott says could be a globally-recognized hub for Internet of Things innovation.

Henriott said the high-tech focus will have ripple effects for years to come.

Honda's Greensburg plant to add model

Honda will debut its newest Indiana-built model Jan. 15 at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

American Honda Motor Co. Inc. said the Honda Insight was introduced in 1999 as the country's first hybrid vehicle. It will be produced by Honda Manufacturing of Indiana in Greensburg, along with the Civic sedan and the CR-V.

Unemployment drops in November

Indiana's unemployment rate decreased to 3.7 percent in November, down from 3.9 percent the previous month. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development said that while the state lost 4,200 private sector jobs last month, the unemployment rate remains below the national average of 4.1 percent.

Sweetwater still growing, attracting talent

The founder of Fort Wayne-based Sweetwater said the company he started in his old VW Bus and now employs close to 1,300 is continuing on a growth trajectory.

During a special edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick focusing on the state's second-largest city, Chuck Surack discussed the steps the music industry supplier and producer has taken to attract and retain talent.

The 400,000 square-foot campus has been described as Google-like and includes onsite salon and exercise facilities, a cafe and a slide connecting floors.

Demolition of former Reid Hospital to begin

City and county officials are celebrating the pending demolition of the former Reid Hospital campus in Richmond. Mayor Dave Snow said Reid Health has pledged an additional $1 million toward the project, which contractors say will begin immediately.

Noblesville severs ties with museum

The Noblesville Parks Board said it will not renew its lease with Nickel Plate rail line operator Indiana Transportation Museum Inc. Its contract ends in March and ITM will be required to turn the premises back over to the city.

ITM, which has operated the route and trains since the early 1960s, has been the focus of several state investigations and a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspection for environmental issues at its Noblesville site.

In a statement, ITM President John McNichols said news of the city board's decision came via email Wednesday morning and that the organization is "profoundly disappointed but not surprised."

IoT lab progressing in Fishers

The Indiana IoT Lab in Fishers will hold its grand opening in the first quarter of next year. The lab, unveiled in February, is located in the city's state-certified tech park, which includes the Nickel Plate District  home of Launch Fishers  and North East Commerce Park.

Launch Fishers founder John Wechsler said it will be home to "in-resident" companies, innovation teams from larger corporations and "backpack-and-an-idea" entrepreneurs.

School launches manufacturing company

Officials at Perry Central Junior-Senior High School in Leopold are celebrating the opening of a new student-led manufacturing company.

The school announced that Commodore Manufacturing will provide "opportunities for students to gain valuable skills in the advanced manufacturing field."

Zimmer Biomet names CEO

The board of directors for Warsaw-based Zimmer Biomet Holdings has appointed Bryan Hanson president and chief executive officer. Hanson, who also joins the company's board, succeeds David Dvorak, who stepped down in July.

ISU unveils $64M project

Indiana State University has cut the ribbon on its $64 million Health and Human Services facility, the largest state-funded project in school history. The university has also announced it is transitioning the existing University Honors Program to an Honors College.

Outgoing ISU president discusses transition

With two weeks until Indiana State University transitions to its 12th president, current President Dan Bradley said his successor is poised to "hit the ground running."

Deborah Curtis, confirmed last month by the Board of Trustees, will return to her alma mater during a period of growth and significant changes to the appearance and footprint of the Terre Haute institution.

Bradley said some $300 million has been invested into facilities and housing over the last nine years, changing the "look and feel" of the campus. Bradley said a significant portion of the focus is connecting ISU and downtown Terre Haute.

Fishers lands $7M Auto tech center

An automotive supplier has announced plans to invest $7 million into a new technology center in Fishers.

Thyssenkrupp Presta North America said the location will result in up to 64 new jobs over the next two years. Current engineering operations in Indianapolis, which include 86 employees, are expected to relocate to the Hamilton County facility by the spring.

In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Mayor Scott Fadness discussed the factors that helped Fishers attract the company.

CEO: River Ridge continues to be big

The chief executive officer of One Southern Indiana said industrial growth at the River Ridge Commerce Center is triggering retail and commercial growth around the 6,000-acre park.

Wendy Dant Chesser adds that leaders in communities like Jeffersonville, New Albany, Clarksville and Charlestown are taking steps to assess and improve quality-of-place in their respective downtowns.

Fort Wayne joins opioid fight

The city of Fort Wayne is the latest Indiana community to take legal action in the wake of the opioid epidemic. Mayor Tom Henry announced Monday the city will file a public nuisance lawsuit against the three largest wholesale opioid distributors in the country.

Nix Metals to acquire Rockport company

Poseyville-based Nix Metals has announced plans to acquire Superior Fabrication Inc. in Rockport. Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed, however the company expects the deal to close by the end of the month.

Northeast Indiana important 'test case'

The chief executive officer of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership says continued progress at the massive Electric Works project at the old General Electric campus in Fort Wayne demonstrates the power of public-private partnership.

The Allen County Capital Improvement Board and the Allen County Commissioners have just approved a combined $3 million in loans for the project, further backing John Sampson's assertion that the area is a "test case" for private investment following public buy-in.

Anthem completes HealthSun acquisition

Indianapolis-based Anthem has completed its acquisition of Florida-based Medicare Advantage health plan provider HealthSun. The company is not providing financial details of the deal, but said its affiliated Medicare and Medicaid plans will now serve more than 650,000 customers in Florida.

Chamber calls for Congress to stop 'HIT'

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce is urging Congress to take action on a measure it says would be a "detriment to employers."

Vice President of Federal Affairs Caryl Auslander said a provision of the Affordable Care Act is slated to kick in at the beginning of the year and could cost some business owners throughout the state an estimated $500 a year per employee.

The Health Insurance Providers Fee, also known as the Health Insurance Tax or HIT, has been on a two-year moratorium and is designed to help cover federal costs associated with the ACA.

St. Joe Rector hopes for pathway to re-emerge

The rector of Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer has discussed key milestones he is aiming for the suspended institution to reach in the new year. In an open letter on Facebook, Barry Fischer said he hopes 2018 will include a bank settlement on SJC's debt and a pathway for the school to re-emerge.

Marion, IWU partnership launches city website

The city of Marion has launched a new website after an 18-month design process with Marion Design Co. and Indiana Wesleyan University. The city said the new site will allow officials to update content without using a third party and will be easier to use.

Lilly endowment details $20M for religious grants

Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment has announced $20 million in grants. The 24 Thriving in Ministry Initiative recipients include seminaries, universities and a retreat center. Two institutions in Indiana landed grants: Sisters of St. Benedict of Beech Grove and the University of Notre Dame.
It's been a longtime tradition among many Catholics observing Christmas to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

For years, the majority of the Masses called Midnight Mass in Catholic churches and other Christian denominations actually took place right at midnight. Although many local Catholic churches still will present their Christmas Eve Mass at the stroke of midnight, there are many that now present the traditional Mass a bit earlier, sometimes at 10 or 11 p.m, or even 7 or 8 p.m.

The Rev. Martin Dobrzynski, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Schererville, and director of worship for the Diocese of Gary, will be presiding over Midnight Mass, or what's now called the Mass During the Night. St. Michael's Mass actually starts at Midnight but there are carols, lessons and other prayers that begin at 11 p.m.

Dobrzynski said the tradition of Midnight Mass revolves around the concept of "keeping vigil for significant feast days." He said a vigil or a "watch" is observed for not only Christmas but the feasts of Pentecost, Easter and others.

"There are four particular Christmas masses offered," Dobrzynski said. "There's the Vigil Mass, at 4 or 5 p.m., the Mass During the Night (Midnight Mass), the Mass at Dawn and the Mass During the Day." Gospel readings during the Midnight Mass or Mass During the Night are different from what's heard at the other masses.

The priest said the manger story or the story of Jesus' birth is what's stressed during the traditional Midnight Masses while the Vigil masses deal with the genealogy of Jesus and the anticipation of his arrival.

Through the years the moving of Midnight Mass to earlier in the evening at various churches is often due to any number of reasons, including trying to make the Mass experience easier for families to attend, more convenient for the officiating clergy who often have multiple early masses to say on Christmas Day itself and even a safety factor so people aren't out or traveling too late.

Dobrzynski said there's a certain "romanticism associated with going to church in the middle of the night." He said he remembers attending Midnight Mass with his family when he was a child.

"We would have the Polish Wigilia vigil dinner and then we'd pack up and go to Midnight Mass," he said.

Dobrzynski said St. Michael Church has good attendance at Midnight Mass, which the church has been presenting since its original founding in 1872. Attendance at the Midnight Mass, he said, has decreased a bit through the years but there are still many devoted churchgoers who attend.

"For some, there's a certain devotion to staying up late and giving praise to God," the priest said. It's a conscious effort to make that sacrifice of staying up to welcome Christmas Day, he added.

For Maria Gomez, of Dyer, attending Midnight Mass was always a highlight of her family's Christmas celebrations.

"I love Midnight Mass," Gomez said. "I don't know if it was because of the hour, but it was always special."

Gomez, who grew up in South Chicago, said she remembers one particular Christmas Eve when her father drove her family to see the Christmas lights around the neighborhood. They were all dressed in casual clothes for the fun activity.

After they looked at the decorations, her father drove them to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and suggested they go to the Midnight Mass, which was just about to start.

"My mom was embarrassed because we weren't dressed for church," Gomez said, adding that was during the 1960s when people dressed nicely for church services.

Gomez said they were standing in the back and one of the priests told them to sit in one of the front seats for the Mass. Her mother told him they weren't dressed appropriately to go up to the front.

"I always remember the priest told her, 'Jesus doesn't see how you're dressed, he sees that you're here to worship him."

Dorothy Spencer, of Chicago's Southeast Side, said she always attended Midnight Mass as a child with her family.

"I always liked the part when they carry the baby Jesus in to the manger," she said. She said that Mass was always a significant part of their Christmas celebration.

Rosario Orozco, of Orland Park, who works as the business manager of St. Kevin Church in Church, said she's long enjoyed the "peacefulness" of Midnight Mass.

"It's nice to see the peaceful setting, the Christmas lights, the nativity set and seeing all the families gathered together," she said.
The United States has become a police state in which immigrants have been vilified and blamed for our countries economic woes. No American family originated within the boundaries of the US of A unless you are a Native American. The present ICE policies of hunting down undocumented workers and deporting them is eerily similar to efforts in Germany to purify their race in the 1930s. Other federal policies that are anti-immigrant include the returning of 60,000 Haitians, who came here after the devastating 2010 earthquake, to their country , decreasing the availability of HB-1 visas, the reversal of the DREAMer policy and the well documented anti-Muslim immigration policy of the Trump administration.

There needs to be a unified bipartisan effort for immigration reform. The blue print was created by the US Senate that a committee of Republicans and Democrats help craft a few years ago. Present immigration policy continues to be piece meal and harmful to those affected. We want to make sure people wishing to enter our country do so legally, that if the law is broken, immigrants are treated humanely and that there is an expectation that our borders are secure. We also need to finally address the issue of those immigrants who have been in our country for years, both Dreamers and others, and how to determine their future status.

The most harmful policy created was Trumps travel ban. Signaling out Muslim majority countries arbitrarily only stokes the flames of animosity towards our country. It has done nothing to make us safer. Future immigration limitations need to based on facts , not fiction.

Let us not forget the past as we will be doomed to repeat it.

GREGORY JARRIN, MD

Winslow
By PTI: faction

Colombo, Dec 24 (PTI) The use of former President Mahinda Rajapaksas portrait by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has led to a tussle with its rival faction which is claiming that the picture of a member of another party cannot be used for campaigning.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) reportedly used the portrait of Rajapaksa for campaigning for the upcoming council elections.

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A senior minister representing the government from the SLFP said it is be illegal to use the image of Rajapaksa for campaigning as he is a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and not the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

"They cant use the image of a member of another party for campaigning," the senior minister said.

The Rajapaksa loyalists who are in the SLPP remain careful not to identify themselves officially with the SLPP as they run the risk of being removed by the SLFP for breach of party discipline by promoting interests of another party.

Both factions, however, say that their common enemy is the United National Party (UNP) of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The party was split with Rajapaksa loyalists who call themselves the Joint Opposition forming a new party SLPP.

The SLFPs mainstream is currently led by President Maithripala Sirisena. The two factions went separate ways after the failure of the unification talks in order to face the February 10 election for 341 local councils.

Both factions accuse each other of trying illegally to use the image of Rajapaksa, the man who ended the war with the LTTE.

"We object to the use of the former Presidents image by the SLFP," Ranjith Soysa, a Rajapaksa loyalist legislator said.

The two factions would go into coalition arrangements after the elections to gain control of the councils. PTI CORR UZM TRK

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HAMMOND  U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II recently acknowledged he is coming into office this year with a skilled staff of attorneys he intends to use to prosecute violent and white-collar criminals.

It's also an award-winning staff.

Kirsch said the team of assistant U.S. attorneys for the Northern District of Indiana and agents of the FBI and ATF regularly win awards from the U.S. Department of Justice as well as other federal agencies for their work on public integrity cases, crimes against children and violations involving fish and wildlife cases, national parks and other environment-related cases.

They are most celebrated for the prosecution of local chapters of violent street gangs.

Kirsch said they received a commendation from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Administration and won the Assistant Attorney General's Award of Distinguished Service for the prosecution of more than 40 individual members of the Latin Kings.

They also won the Assistant Attorney Generals Exceptional Service Award for work on the Imperial Gangsters case.

Much of this work was accomplished in recent years under former U.S. Attorney David Capp, who told The Times earlier this year his office teamed up with local authorities to investigate gang-related homicides to take more than 80 members of the Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters off the streets in the last five years.

The Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters are criminal organizations with thousands of members across the United States and overseas.

Chicago has been a traditional power base of the Latin Kings. Their Southeast Chicago regional leadership consider Gary, Hammond and East Chicago part of their turf.

The Imperial Gangsters chapters in East Chicago engaged in murder, assault and narcotics trafficking across Northwest Indiana.

Capp stepped down in March, and President Donald Trump nominated Kirsch as his replacement in July; the U.S. Senate confirmed Kirsch in October.

Kirsch had served previously as an assistant U.S. attorney here from 2001 to 2008, focusing on white-collar crime investigations as well as the successful prosecution of numerous elected and appointed public officials.

Kirsch said an investigation into public corruption involving public towing contracts, begun under Capp, remains active under his administration.

That investigation already has resulted in the conviction of former Sheriff John Buncich, Timothy Downs, the former sheriff's second-in-command, and William Szarmach, a Lake Station towing firm owner.

A U.S. District Court jury found Buncich guilty Aug. 24 of accepting bribes from William Szarmach and an undercover FBI informant seeking lucrative county police towing assignments.

A federal grand jury last month charged former Merrillville Town Councilman Thomas Goralczyk, 51, of Merrillville, with taking a bribe from a federal police informant in exchange for a vehicle towing contract. He is scheduled to plead guilty Jan. 31.

Portage Mayor James Snyder has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial on bribery, extortion and tax evasion charges related to the towing investigation.
CEDAR LAKE  A 20-year-old man was robbed while trying to sell his Apple Watch using the phone commerce app Letgo, but it didn't take long for police to capture the suspect.

A Cedar Lake officer was dispatched about 5:15 p.m. Friday to the 14500 block of Morse Street to take a robbery report. A 20-year-old man from Wanatah said he drove to Cedar Lake to meet someone who agreed to buy his Apple watch that was listed for sale on Letgo.

Once the man arrived, the suspect allegedly snatched the Apple watch out of his hand and took off running, according to Cedar Lake Deputy Chief Carl Brittingham.

Two officers set up their own account on Letgo and, with the help of the victim, found the same Apple watch for sale in the Cedar Lake area, according to a news release from police.

An officer "went undercover" in plain clothing, agreeing to meet with the seller in Cedar Lake and purchase the watch for $250, as a perimeter was set up in the area. The watch was delivered by two people on foot, police said.

Once the identify of the watch was confirmed, the undercover officer and others moved in and took both into custody.

The person who allegedly stole and re-listed the Apple watch on Letgo was identified as Christian Mcwhorter, 18, of Cedar Lake.

A second person was identified as a 14-year-old who was released to his mother.

Charges are pending in Juvenile Court. Mcwhorter was lodged in Lake County Jail on charges of robbery, a level 5 felony.

The property was recovered and will be returned to the owner.

"The Cedar Lake Police would like to remind the public of the risks of online selling and purchasing. The Cedar Lake Police Department front parking lot is a 'meetup spot' for these internet purchases and makes a good exchange location," Brittingham said in the release.
GARY  With Christmas Eve 2016 less than an hour away, city firefighters arrived at the Oak Knoll Renaissance Apartments confronted with catastrophic conditions  extreme heat, flames jutting out of second-story windows, and, inside, the discovery of three small children who didnt make it out alive.

Though mum on the possibility of any suspects, motives or progress made since last year, authorities say they still are seeking tips about how three children died in a blaze the night of Dec. 23, 2016, that firefighters battled into the early morning hours of Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve morning, hours after the fire was struck and crews were able to go home to their families after a long night, a makeshift children's memorial of stuffed animals circled a tree not far from the charred, boarded-up apartment unit.

Shortly after the fire, investigators ruled it arson.

Yoasha Carter, one of two adults who escaped the fire, told The Times on Saturday she doesn't personally know who may have set fire to her sister's apartment.

"There are different theories, but nothing, like, that we know for sure," Carter said.

'A glowing red line'

A Gary Fire Department report, authored by investigator Dwayne Hull and recently released to The Times, describes the harrowing details provided by firefighters as they arrived at 11:23 p.m. that night: In blacked-out conditions inside the home, firefighters saw a glowing red line leading up the stairway that turned out to be a metal hand-railing.

Inside the two-story apartment at 4492 W. 23rd Court, the stairs were completely charred from the first step to the upper landing, and high heat damaged the north bedroom, causing "blistering of the ceilings and walls.

On reaching the second floor, they found fire coming from the first bedroom and the mattress burning in the second bedroom  The victims were found during the search phase, the report reads.

One child was found at the top of the stairs. Two others were later found, together, on a burnt-out mattress.

Cousins Jayden Mitchell, 5, Alaya Pickens, 4, and Yaleah Cohen, 2, died in the fire.

Two adults escaped the fire. The Gary investigator on scene noted in the report he was able to ask one question before a man, later identified as Willie E. Carter, was taken to the emergency room with severe burns.

Yoasha Carter, Willie Carter's wife at the time and mother to Mitchell and Pickens, told investigators she had been upstairs in a bedroom when her child told her the house is on fire, and she jumped out of a second-story window, the report states.

Mother received 'death threats'

Yoasha Carter told The Times on Saturday that Willie Carter told her to jump out the window and she thought he would be able to save her kids.

I thought the other children were downstairs, where I last left them, she said.

When she went to bed that night, about half a dozen other adults were in the house, but left, apparently, before the fire tore through the apartment, she said.

When the 23-year-old was arrested this past February in Wisconsin for allegedly pointing a firearm at another person during an argument at a McDonalds, she told police she purchased the gun because she had been receiving death threats after someone burned down her sisters house, referring to the Dec. 23 incident.

Yes, thats true, Yoasha Carter said Saturday. I was receiving death threats. People were asking Why didnt you try harder to get your kids out of the house? Why did you listen to your husband?

Yoasha Carter said her son, Jayden, was always protective of his sisters, and was mature for his age. Jayden was getting ready to start kindergarten at Aspire Charter Academy, and Alaya had been attending preschool full time, she said.

Alaya, she was kind-hearted," Yoasha Carter said. "She would always walk up to you and ask Do you need a hug? Do you need a kiss?"

According to the report, Yoasha Carter "continued to cry and weep" that night and complained of neck and body pain when investigators questioned her about what happened. Family on scene pressed her to go to the emergency room. Hull made note that he did not see any soot, smoke or burns on her body or clothing.

Asked Saturday about the investigators observations, Yoasha Carter said, The injuries were there. Witnesses seen me jump from the window.

She said she suffered several facial injuries and broken eye sockets, and her position in the apartment made her far enough from the flames that she didnt suffer any burns.

Hull did not return phone call requests for further comment Thursday and Friday. Willie Carter could not be reached for comment.

Yoasha Carter, now residing in Chicago, said she hasnt spoken with investigators for some time.

No, I dont talk to them. I keep my distance. I feel like theyre not doing the best job they can," she said.

Authorities have said they continue to investigate the fire and that the case is still "open and active."

Fire started on first floor

Days after the fire, investigators sifted through the debris, finding a 5-gallon gasoline container under the table in a corner, according to the report.

Burn and pour patterns were visually noted in several areas of the home, and an arson-sniffing dog indicated multiple areas where a petroleum-based accelerant may have been used in the north living room and on two separate stairs in the stairway, according to the report.

"The area of origin is the first floor ... with the cause being incendiary by an unknown person or persons," the report concludes.

Asked about the gasoline container, Yoasha Carter said Saturday because it was her sister's house, "anything that was in it, I wouldn't be aware of (how it got there)."

Police offer $5,000 reward

A spokesman with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives declined to comment on the investigation, though noted the reward they are offering along with the Gary Police Department is still active.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security, speaking on behalf of the state fire marshal's office, declined to comment on the contents of the Gary Fire Department's investigative report. DHS deferred all questions to the Lake County Metro Homicide Unit, "as they are the lead on the case," the spokesperson said.

Emiliano Perez, a spokesman with the Lake County Sheriff's Department who spoke on behalf of the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit, declined to answer questions about the investigation, citing the open investigation.

Police are asking anyone with knowledge of events leading up to, during and after the fire to call Detective Sgt. Shauna Poirier-Peter, of the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit, at 219-755-3855. To remain anonymous, call 866-CRIME-GP.
HAMMOND  The city's Redevelopment Commission has agreed to pay $1,190.50 a month for storage space for various items.

Commission members agreed Tuesday to enter into the lease with Rami Jreisat for premises at 510 Conkey St.

According to Chief of Staff Phil Taillon, Jreisat allowed the city to move items into the space prior to the execution of the lease. He anticipated the lease would be only temporary until the items could be moved to space owned by the city.

Taillon said the items, including the old Woodmar Mall sign, were previously kept at the building now being used as the new police garage in the 5800 block of Hohman Avenue.

The city acquired that building in early 2016 for $285,000. The city then spent several hundred thousand dollars making modifications for the facility, including a new roof. Officials have said the new location of the police garage on Hohman Avenue will increase police presence downtown as vehicles regularly come in and out of the garage.
LAKE STATION  The city's Fire Department and the community quickly pulled together Saturday in hopes of saving Christmas for a mother and two small children after they lost everything in a tragic fire.

Monetary and gift donations immediately poured into the Lake Station Fire Station 1, just hours after fire crews tried to combat a trailer home fire at the Mansard Dulac Mobile Home Park.

Members of Fire Department's Ladies Auxiliary planned to shop Saturday night for essentials and Christmas gifts for the children, ages 5 and 7, said Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas.

"We want to give them the basics, clothes, toiletries, and get that to them now, and get the kids some presents. We just want to get them something so they dont think they did anything wrong or got overlooked by Santa or anything," Fazekas said.

Fire crews were dispatched about 1:23 p.m. to a trailer home, 936 Lawrence Place, and didn't leave until about 4 p.m., he said. The family lost everything  Christmas presents and essentials included.

"It's a total loss," Fazekas said.

The mother told investigators she had taken her two children -- a boy age 5 and and girl age 7 -- on a trip to a nearby park to play Saturday. While at the park, the mother told investigators they learned a trailer was on fire nearby, so they went back home and learned it was their home.

When crews got there, smoke and flames were jutting out of the windows. The fire spread quickly, having already reached the rafters, he said.

The New Chicago Volunteer Fire Department assisted the Lake Station Fire Department at the scene and the American Red Cross has been requested.

The mother and her two children are staying with a family member in the meantime, Fazekas said.

The fire is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected.

Fazekas said donations have been pouring in nonstop at the station since word got out about the fire.

"Were a small-knit community, and so right off the bat, we said let's all meet at the station and start getting some donations," he said. "Its something we do. Its a tragedy, you have to think about how you would feel if you were on the receiving end of something like this."

Several local businesses, including Ace Hardware, Tap House and JJ's Pizza Shack, have stepped up and donated money and brought it to the station, he said.

The American Legion Post 100 also donated some toys to the family.

Donations can be brought to the Lake Station Fire Station 1, 1876 Fairview Ave. The money will be used to buy the family essentials and Christmas gifts.
Purdue University Northwest has been awarded the 2018 Military Friendly Schools designation by Victory Media Inc. The list honors the nations top schools that welcome Americas military service members, veterans and spouses as students and help to ensure their success on campus.

PNW is one of more than 800 institutions nationwide earning the Military Friendly School designation. The institutions were evaluated using criteria that includes student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment and loan default rates for all students, and specifically for veterans.

This designation shows Purdue Northwests commitment to assisting veterans and their families. We strive to build a community that fully supports the transition from a military lifestyle into the academic lifestyle, said Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Dean of Students John Weber.

Through the PNW Veteran Services program, veterans and their families have a community of university personnel, students and agencies available to them that provides individual support and services increasing the likelihood of veterans and student service members achieving their educational goals.

Complete information about Purdue Northwest Veteran Services can be found by visiting www.pnw.edu/veteran-services/.
Supporting returning veterans

SOUTH HAVEN  Jim Chancellor, president/CEO of The American Veterans Collection Inc., a nonprofit corporation working to improve the lives of returning veterans, received a check from Ira Glover, director of the American Legion Riders at American Legion Post 502 in South Haven. Chancellor stated, "It's because of people like this that our organization can continue to work with our returning veterans."

Evening with Santa celebrated

PORTAGE  The Portage Township YMCA hosted its annual Evening with Santa. Cathi Srednoselac, Youth & Family Programs director for the Y, was blown away by this years attendance. This was one of our biggest years with approximately 400-425 people attending Srednoselac said. The event began seven years ago as a family-friendly fundraiser for the Portage Y's Preschool Academy.

Supporting school corporation

The Chesterton Tri Kappa donated $1,300 to the Duneland School Corp. to benefit several programs at Chesterton's high school, middle school, intermediate schools and each elementary school. The money will benefit music and art programs, Science Olympiad, speech and debate and WDSO. Suzanne Radzik, treasurer of the Chesterton Tri Kappa chapter, presented the donation to Duneland Schools Superintendent Ginger Bolinger and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Jim Goetz.

Shopping with a firefighter

PORTAGE  This year Portage Fire Department shopped for 13 children at the Meijer in Portage. Before they shopped, the children ate pizza with the firefighters. While at Meijer each child could spend $150 and each family received a full ham dinner. The shop with a firefighter program has been around for at least 20 years. Returning to the station, the children snacked on cookies and wrapped a some gifts.

Collecting, caring for others

PORTER  Discovery Charter School students held a Stuffed Animal Drive for The Villages foster care agency in Portage. The stuffed animals will be given to foster care children at their annual Holiday party.

Gathering Toys for Tots

MICHIGAN CITY  For the past two months, Paladin Inc. has been collecting new unwrapped toys for the 2017 Toys for Tots drive. It has become tradition that each December a group of individuals (enrolled in Paladins services) along with a staff member or two, go shopping to support children in need. This year, Paladin was able to collect over 100 toys for children in need. Both staff and individuals participated. Paladin Inc. is grateful for the partnership with the Marine Corps Reserve and looks forward to future opportunities and collaborations.

Paladin Inc. has locations in both LaPorte and Michigan City. For more information, call Kathleen VanGilder at 219-324-0656, ext. 2012.

Advocating for care

VALPARAISO  Blackbird Cafe hosted an art show for Rocco Schiralli to support The Caring Places new shelter campaign. A special thank you to members of the Amanda Forum Youth Task Force and the VCS LEAD Mentors who distributed candy canes and resource cards to Blackbird Cafe patrons.

Schiralli stated, "I hope people can open their minds and hearts to a great cause. The Caring Place needs to build a new shelter. I would like to thank friends and family who attended and offered their financial support."

His original art mural is called "Resurrection of Color." Names of donors who make a significant contribution to The Caring Place Capital Campaign will be represented on the donor wall.
The first-grade classes at St. Mary Catholic Community School in Crown Point are learning about the true meaning of Christmas. December began with the students collecting books for a Childrens Hospital in Chicago. With the generous support of the entire school, four large boxes of books were delivered to the hospital.

To further the Christmas spirit, first-graders celebrated with a birthday party for baby Jesus. Donations of various baby items were brought to school and, with the help of Sister Joanne Marie Schutz, the items were transported to the St. Clare Health Clinic in Crown Point, to be distributed to mothers and their babies.
MICHIGAN CITY  Those who are homeless, lonely or just in need of a good home-cooked meal have a place to go this Christmas Eve where theyll be warmly welcomed.

St. Pauls Lutheran Church is hosting a free Christmas Eve soup kitchen and community fellowship meal at the church, 818 Franklin St., from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Diners will be treated to a chef-created buffet, said Erik Tannehill, a St. Pauls parishioner and local chef who is organizing the Sunday meal.

On the menu are appetizers, tossed salad, carved meats  including roasted chicken and pork loin  lamb chops, Italian beef sliders, pasta marinara, English peas with bacon and butter, glazed carrots, Yukon gold smashed potatoes, dinner rolls and desserts, some donated by local restaurants.

Tannehill is one of several St. Pauls volunteers who take turns operating the parishs regular weekly Sunday soup kitchen. He said sometimes its difficult to find enough people to help with the weekly Sunday meal, so when he put out the call for help on Facebook for the Christmas Eve meal, he was "blown away" by the response.

More than 100 people volunteered for the days chores, which include setting up the buffet, rolling silverware, greeting and seating people, serving, pouring drinks, manning meat-carving stations, emptying garbage cans, cleaning up and washing dishes.

Tannehill, who volunteers regularly at area homeless shelters, said he enjoys the work.

"I do my best to enhance their lives, even if its just being an ear to talk to," Tannehill said.

Recently retired U.S. Army veteran Joe Munari, of Michigan City, is a volunteer on Tannehills Christmas Eve soup kitchen team.

Munari said volunteer work helps him as much as it helps those he serves.

"Military minds sit too long and can get into depressive cycles," Munari said. "So when we get out, we have to do our thing and try to stay busy. Thats what this does for me. It keeps my head in a good place."

Munari hopes to bring his daughter, Cameron, 14, on Christmas Eve to help her appreciate what she has.

"There are folks that just dont have the same quality of life," Munari said. "I hope it goes well and that everyone has a good time."

A veteran volunteer at St. Pauls soup kitchen, Kathryn Murray said the church is one of six in the area that provide soup kitchens for the citys homeless population.

"Its open to anyone who needs a meal," Murray said. "Although its geared toward the homeless and those who are struggling, we never turn anyone away. Its mostly folks in the community who are having a hard time making ends meet."

Murray is one of the volunteers who rotate the job of leading the weekly Sunday soup kitchen.

"Its a lot of hard work, but you get so much in return, Murray said. "Its the joy of being able to provide people who are struggling with a hot meal. Were able to talk to people, sometimes share whats going on in their lives, and to encourage them. Its a very rewarding thing."

Tannehill said he is thrilled to bring his skills as a chef to the Christmas Eve table.

"Besides food, this is my passion," Tannehill said. "I feel completely blessed that I can do this, and I just love it."
By PTI: Sri Anandpur Sahib (Pb), Dec 24 (PTI) The real tribute to Guru Gobind Singh would be to follow his path of harmony, religious tolerance, peace and brotherhood, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said today.

Speaking on the concluding day of Guru Gobind Singhs 350th birth anniversary commemoration celebrations here, the senior Congress leader noted that the tenth Sikh Guru never discriminated against any religion, but respected all human beings, regardless of colour, caste and creed.

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The real tribute to Guru Gobind Singh would be to follow his path and bring an end to gender discrimination, he said.

"As true Sikhs, we should not discriminate between men and women, and should provide equal opportunities of education to both genders, thus enabling them to become ideal citizens of the society," Manmohan said.

The former PM, accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was addressing a gathering opposite the Keshgarh Sahib Gurdwara.

Manmohan said the Sikh community was never in conflict with Islam and asserted that Guru Gobind Singh and other Sikh Gurus fought against social injustice by Mughal rulers and stood for human rights regardless of race, caste, religion or gender.

The economist also sought peoples cooperation to stamp out the menace of drugs from the society.

Also speaking at the event, Amarinder Singh announced the revival of Anandpur Sahib Urban Development Authority, along with his governments decision to set up Skills University at Chamkaur Sahib in the name of Guru Gobind Singh.

He said he would also request the Centre to declare Guru Gobind Singh Marg in Punjab and the rest of the country as a national highway.

Underlining the Punjab governments commitment to the upliftment of this holy place, the chief minister said the revival of Sri Anandpur Sahib Urban Development Authority would pave way for upgradation of its basic infrastructure and amenities.

Former Union minister Preneet Kaur, AICC leaders Asha Kumari, Harish Chaudhary and Ambika Soni, state Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, PPCC president Sunil Jakhar, Speaker Punjab Vidhan Sabha and MLA Sri Anandpur Sahib Rana K P Singh, among others, were also present on the occasion. PTI CORR SUN SRY

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VALPARAISO  Responding to false alarms wastes time and money and diverts staff from real emergencies, so the City Council will consider two ordinances dealing with the registration and regulation of monitored alarm systems in the community.

The council is expected to vote Jan. 8 on an alarm-regulating ordinance, along with a companion ordinance amending city codes on penalties for failure to comply with local alarm regulations.

Addressing the council Dec. 18, Police Chief Jeff Balon said officers responded to 1,460 false alarms within the city in 2016. Fire Chief Chad Dutz said his department was called to 242 false alarms in 2016 and 222 this year.

Balon estimated false alarm calls cost police $100,000 annually in staff time. Two officers respond to each call, the chief said, with 15 to 30 minutes spent at each site. Two officers also respond to fire alarms. Balon said this removes police crews from other duties, including patrols.

The proposed ordinance includes a fee structure for alarm registration and penalties. However, Balon said, the purpose of the ordinance is not to generate funds but to reduce false alarms.

Its a big problem, Balon said, citing issues with faulty alarms and outdated contact information. We dont have something to address this issue.

Much of the wording in the ordinance came from communities around the state and nation. As stated in the ordinance, an alarm system provides a signal indicating a disturbance or other activity that summons police or fire personnel.

The ordinance does not cover alarms installed in motor vehicles; smoke detectors not connected to an automatic dialing device; or a home alarm system with the only activating response an external sounding alarm that automatically stops within 15 minutes after activation.

The ordinance provides for a $25 registration fee for each alarm. The proposal also states that alarm users who permit their alarm system to emit more than two false alarms in one calendar year will be in violation of city codes.

Alarm users would receive a written warning from the city after each of the first two violations. Following any additional violations in the same calendar year, alarm users would be subject to penalties. Fines include $75 on the third false alarm, $100 on the fourth false alarm, $125 on the fifth such incident and $250 for sixth and subsequent violations.

Balon explained that city staff would not be responsible for monitoring these incidences. The police chief is recommending the city contract with PM AM, a Dallas-based information technology firm.

Greg Parks, a regional director for PM AM, said his company has 200 alarm clients nationwide, including Houston and Oakland. Under the proposal, Parks said, there would be no upfront cost to Valparaiso for outsourcing. PM AM would receive a percentage of the fees and fines.

In addition to developing a web-based alarm monitoring system linked to the city, Balon said, PM AM also would put together a robust public information campaign on why alarm users should be in compliance and the importance of training employees on alarm systems.

The City Council gave preliminary approval this week to both ordinances. When that final vote comes in early 2018, the council will be without veteran member John Bowker, R-5th, who has stepped down after 13 years.

Mayor Jon Costas, who presented Bowker with a plaque for his service to the City Council and Redevelopment Commission, noted, Youve been very consistent and dependable as a council member. Youve made our city so much stronger by your service.

Bowker said his council seat was not about me, but about the 6,500 people in the northeast section of Valparaiso.

George Douglas will fill Bowkers council seat.
Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted the week of Dec. 8 to 14. Look for this roll call report by Targeted News Service (with a week delay) regularly in Sunday Forum.

HOUSE VOTES:

THREATS AGAINST RELIGIOUS FACILITIES: The House has passed the Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act (H.R. 1730), sponsored by Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn. The bill would set out federal criminal penalties for threats of violence against churches, mosques, synagogues, and other religious facilities. The vote, on Dec. 11, was 402 yeas to 2 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

REGULATING MORTGAGE LOANS: The House has passed the Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act (H.R. 3971), sponsored by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y. The bill would exempt community banks and credit unions with less than $25 billion of assets from certain Truth in Lending Act regulations for mortgage loans. Tenney said overwhelmingly expensive regulations and a resulting decline in the number of U.S. banks and credit unions showed the need for "smart, commonsense regulatory relief." A bill opponent, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said dropping the regulations would "set the stage for a return of the harmful practices of the subprime meltdown and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression." The vote, on Dec. 12, was 294 yeas to 129 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

REPORT ON IRANIAN LEADERS: The House has passed the Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act (H.R. 1638), sponsored by Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine, to require the Treasury Department to provide Congress with a report on the assets controlled by certain senior Iranian politicians and other leading members of Iran's government, and post part of the report on Treasury's website. A bill opponent, Rep. Denny Heck, D-Wash., said the time and effort used by Treasury employees to track down the leaders' assets would take resources away from investigations into terrorist financing and money laundering. The vote, on Dec. 13, was 289 yeas to 135 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NOT VOTING: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

PRIVACY AND FINANCIAL FIRMS: The House has passed the Privacy Notification Technical Clarification Act (H.R. 2396), sponsored by Rep. David A. Trott, R-Mich. The bill would exempt banks and other financial firms that have not changed their consumer privacy policies in the prior year from having to send their customers annual privacy disclosures, so long as they adequately inform their customers of the existence and availability of their privacy policies. A bill opponent, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said the proposed exemption was far too broad given the power financial firms have to use their customers' personal information. The vote, on Dec. 14, was 275 yeas to 146 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NOT VOTING: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

IRAN AIRCRAFT PURCHASES: The House has passed the Strengthening Oversight of Iran's Access to Finance Act (H.R. 4324), sponsored by Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas. The bill would require the Treasury Department to certify to Congress that financing arranged for Iran's purchases of aircraft does not benefit Iranians who promote the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The vote, on Dec. 14, was 252 yeas to 167 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NOT VOTING: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

The House also passed the Securing General Aviation and Commercial Charter Air Carrier Service Act (H.R. 3669), to improve and streamline security procedures related to general aviation and commercial charter air carrier utilizing risk-based security standards; the Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act (H.R. 2872); a bill (H. Res. 407), condemning the persecution of Christians around the world; and a bill (H. Res. 336), reaffirming a strong commitment to the United States-Mexico partnership.

SENATE VOTES:

APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Leonard Steven Grasz to serve as a judge on the U.S. Eight Circuit Court of Appeals. A supporter, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., cited Grasz's nearly 12 years of experience as Nebraska's chief deputy attorney general, and said hundreds of people have written to the Senate in support of his nomination. The vote, on Dec. 12, was 50 yeas to 48 nays.

YEAS: Young R-IN

NAYS: Donnelly D-IN

SECOND APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Don R. Willett to serve as a judge on the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. A supporter, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, cited Willett's 12 years of experience as a Texas Supreme Court justice and his reputation for careful and meticulous analysis and fidelity to the law in his service on that court. The vote, on Dec. 13, was 50 yeas to 47 nays.

YEAS: Young R-IN

NAYS: Donnelly D-IN

THIRD APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of James C. Ho to serve as a judge on the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. A supporter, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Ho had substantial experience as a lawyer at the Justice Department, solicitor general of Texas, and as chief counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee when Cornyn was on the committee. The vote, on Dec. 14, was 53 yeas to 43 nays.

YEAS: Young R-IN, Donnelly D-IN

Along with roll call votes, the Senate also passed a bill (S. Res. 356), expressing the sense of the Senate that Members of Congress should substitute teach at least 1 day per year in a public school to gain firsthand knowledge on how to address the prevailing challenges facing educators and how to remove obstacles to learning for students; the Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act (S. 447), to require reporting on acts of certain foreign countries on Holocaust era assets and related issues; and a bill (S. Res. 357), expressing the sense of the Senate that international education and exchange programs further United States national security and foreign policy priorities, enhance United States economic
More than 90 percent of Americans will celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25 or celebrated Hanukkah from Dec. 12-20. For some, the observance will be primarily religious and for others mostly cultural. The quiz below, from the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University in Ohio, provides an opportunity to test your knowledge of the holidays history and traditions in the United States.

1. In 1659, celebrating Christmas in public was outlawed in which city?

A. Philadelphia

B. Newport, R.I.

C. Richmond, Va.

D. Boston

2. Which was the first state to make Christmas a legal holiday?

A. Arkansas

B. Alabama

C. Pennsylvania

D. New York

3. In what year was Christmas declared a federal holiday?

A. 1870

B. 1972

C. 1824

D. 1931

4. During World War II, what leader said the following on a Christmas Eve broadcast from the White House: Therefore we may cast aside for this night at least the cares and dangers which beset us, and make for the children an evening of happiness in a world of storm?

A. Winston Churchill

B. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

C. Neville Chamberlain

D. Harry Truman

5. What presidential couple was the first to spend Christmas at the White House?

A. James and Elizabeth Monroe

B. Andrew and Rachel Jackson

C. George and Martha Washington

D. John and Abigail Adams

6. Jewish songwriters wrote which of the following popular Christmas songs?

A. White Christmas

B. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

C. Silver Bells

D. All of the above

7. Which president was the first officially to recognize Hanukkah?

A. Warren Harding

B. Jimmy Carter

C. Woodrow Wilson

D. Dwight D. Eisenhower

8. Rabbi Max Lilienthal of what city is credited with hosting the first Hanukkah party for children?

A. New York

B. Charleston, S.C.

C. Cincinnati

D. Baltimore

9. Who is considered the American Mother of Hanukkah, and where was she from?

A. Penina Moise, of Charleston, S.C.

B. Bertha Beatrice Alexander Behrmanm, of New York

C. Rebecca Gratz, of Philadelphia

D. Emma Lazarus, of New York

10. Companies began advertising that their products made great Hanukkah gifts in the 1920s. What brands ad claimed their flour made the best flour for latkes, the potato pancakes traditionally served during Hanukkah?

A. Gold Medal

B. Pillsbury

C. Aunt Jemima

D. King Arthur

Answers: 1-D, 2-B, 3-A, 4-A, 5-D, 6-D, 7-B, 8-C, 9-A, 10-C
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Who among us doesnt know the first line to that classic poem? We assume all in the house are enjoying a good nights sleep before the excitement of the day to follow begins, but I saw an interview with a fascinating scientist, who should have us thinking about what is a good nights sleep.

Dr. Matthew Walker is making the rounds touting his new book, Why We Sleep. His website, www.sleepdiplomat.com, describes him this way:

Dr. Walker earned his degree in neuroscience from Nottingham University, UK, and his PhD in neurophysiology from the Medical Research Council, London, UK. He subsequently became a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Currently, he is professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science. Dr. Walkers research examines the impact of sleep on human health and disease.

In my many years, I have come to realize that if I dont get enough sleep, a headache will be the result. Because my "lack of sleep" headaches have always been quite manageable, I never gave them much thought. I now know there are far more serious ramifications to not getting at least seven hours worth of sleep nightly.

Im sure like many of you, who have reached a certain age, I am experiencing a decline in memory. What I didnt know is that lack of enough sleep each night has been scientifically proven to have a direct bearing on our memory capabilities. And thats not all.

One reviewer of the book states lack of sleep "has been making me stupider, fatter, unhappier, poorer, sicker, worse at sex, as well as more likely to get cancer, Alzheimers and to die in a car crash."

While his attempt at humor is admirable, the epidemic of sleep deprivation in this country is no laughing matter.

The good news is the problem is easily fixed, which might be the reason Dr. Walker himself puts a comical spin on it at the beginning of the book stating, Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory, makes you more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. Youll even feel happier, less depressed and less anxious. Are you interested?

All kidding aside, research has proven serious health problems caused (if not totally, at least in part) by a lack of sleep include higher rates of depression, anxiety, dementia, Alzheimers, diabetes, cancer, heart attack and stroke.

There is so much more to this story. I urge you to check out Dr. Walker and his new book.

Meanwhile, Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.
The 20th century was mankind's most brutal century. Roughly 16 million people lost their lives during World War I; about 60 million died during World War II. Wars during the 20th century cost an estimated 71 million to 116 million lives.

The number of war dead pales in comparison with the number of people who lost their lives at the hands of their own governments. The late professor Rudolph J. Rummel, of the University of Hawaii, documented this tragedy in his book, "Death by Government: Genocide and Mass Murder Since 1900." Some of the statistics found in the book have been updated at tinyurl.com/y96tqhrl.

The People's Republic of China tops the list, with 76 million lives lost at the hands of the government from 1949 to 1987. The Soviet Union follows, with 62 million lives lost from 1917 to 1987. Adolf Hitler's Nazi German government killed 21 million people between 1933 and 1945. Then there are lesser murdering regimes, such as Nationalist China, Japan, Turkey, Vietnam and Mexico. According to Rummel's research, the 20th century saw 262 million people's lives lost at the hands of their own governments.

Hitler's atrocities are widely recognized, publicized and condemned. World War II's conquering nations' condemnation included denazification and bringing Holocaust perpetrators to trial and punishing them through lengthy sentences and execution. Similar measures were taken to punish Japan's murderers.

But what about the greatest murderers in mankind's history  the Soviet Union's Josef Stalin and China's Mao Zedong? Some leftists saw these communists as heroes. W.E.B. Du Bois, writing in the National Guardian in 1953, said, "Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature... The highest proof of his greatness (was that) he knew the common man, felt his problems, followed his fate."

Walter Duranty called Stalin "the greatest living statesman" and "a quiet, unobtrusive man." There was even leftist admiration for Hitler and fellow fascist Benito Mussolini. When Hitler came to power in January 1933, George Bernard Shaw described him as "a very remarkable man, a very able man." President Franklin Roosevelt called the fascist Mussolini "admirable," and he was "deeply impressed by what he (had) accomplished."

In 1972, John Kenneth Galbraith visited Communist China and praised Mao and the Chinese economic system. Michel Oksenberg, President Jimmy Carter's China expert, complained, "America (is) doomed to decay until radical, even revolutionary, change fundamentally alters the institutions and values." He urged us to "borrow ideas and solutions" from China. Harvard University professor John K. Fairbank believed America could learn much from the Cultural Revolution, saying, "Americans may find in China's collective life today an ingredient of personal moral concern for one's neighbor..."

By the way, an estimated 2 million people died during China's Cultural Revolution.

More recent praise for murdering tyrants came from Anita Dunn, President Barack Obama's acting communications director in 2009, who said, "Two of my favorite political philosophers (are) Mao Zedong and Mother Teresa."

Recall the campus demonstrations of the 1960s, in which campus radicals, often accompanied by their professors, marched around singing the praises of Mao and waving Mao's Little Red Book. That may explain some of the campus mess today.

Now the question: Why are leftists soft on communism? The reason leftists give communists, the world's most horrible murderers, a pass is that they sympathize with the chief goal of communism: restricting personal liberty. In the U.S., the call is for government control over our lives through regulations and taxation.

Unfortunately, it matters little whether the Democrats or Republicans have the political power.
The holiday wishes from Times readers this year show the quality of residents living among us.

Earlier this month, we began asking our readers to submit letters to the editor, identifying Christmas or holiday wish lists for our greater Region.

They didn't disappoint.

Today, we're publishing a dozen of the letters we received, several with selfless pleas ranging from cures for childhood cancer to housing and financial help for ailing, elderly neighbors.

Some of the letters also include wishes for better and more ethical government in Northwest Indiana or a permanent home for one of our most important Region institutions in the wake of the Star Plaza Theatre's closing.

You can read those published letters today on this page in print or at nwi.com/opinion.

Meanwhile, The Times Editorial Board is providing some Christmas wishes for our greater Region.

Home for the symphony

In a closing act for 2017, the Star Plaza Theatre hosted its final production ever.

The nostalgic venue is being demolished, making way for other business ventures.

That demolition leaves the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra without a permanent home.

We've asked before  and are asking again  for Region leaders, planners and the public at large to pool collective ideas and resources for a future event center to serve as the chief venue for the symphony and so many other aspects of Region culture and quality of life.

Rail dream realized

We've been imploring Region leaders and transportation planners for years to get behind commuter rail expansion in our Region.

A big part of that wish was granted in 2017. Now we all need to show our support to bring it to final fruition.

Extending the South Shore Line from Hammond to Dyer and double-tracking between Gary and Michigan City has received unprecedented, unified support from our Region's local, state and national leaders.

The proposal now sits before a federal transportation agency, and Congress, as it seeks the important matching federal dollars for already pledged local and state investment.

We wish for our local, state and congressional leaders to keep this program front and center in the consciousness of federal agencies as we await a funding decision in 2018.

Generous giving

Region-based charities do a plethora of good works in our communities.

Please help them continue doing so.

Local offices of the Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, church and township food banks  and so many other organizations  need donations of materials and money year-round, not just at Christmas time.

We wish for our readers to find it in their hearts to give when they can.

Fewer political scandals

From a Lake County councilman arrested, yet again, on domestic violence charges to a former sheriff convicted of felony bribery, our Region has seen yet another year chock-full of political scandals.

Enough.

We wish for sitting elected and other public officials to turn their backs on these embarrassments, blow the whistle when they witness illegal or unethical conduct and take action to remove unsavory colleagues who aren't performing their duties.

Unity of common purpose

Finally, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We hope all can find a common purpose and humanity to last until next Christmas.

At a time of historic divisions, anger and even hatred in our country, the Region can and should lead the way through unity, charity and inclusiveness among our neighbors.

Some of that starts with proposing solutions, rather than just opposing what others suggest. The rest is just a product of realizing common humanity.
Since 2013, Kankakee Valley Historical Society President John Hodson has compiled Dear Santa letters from the past, which were sent to The Times by Region children.

This year, Hodson compiled letters from 1909, giving us all a glimpse into the desires of Northwest Indiana children and Christmas long ago.

Enjoy this view of the past, and Merry Christmas to all of our readers.

Whiting, Dec. 4, 1909

Dear Santa: How are you? I hope you will be good to us. I wish you would bring my sister some A B C blocks and a picture book. For me, a folding doll go-cart (doll baby carriage) and a fur set and a clock. I am 9 years old and like to go to school. Dont forget to bring me some nuts and candy. I am going to speak a nice piece for Christmas Eve at church. I hope you will bring us a nice Christmas tree.

Your dear little friend

Ann Fuss, (1900-1945), 534 Front St.

Hammond, Dec. 6, 1909

Dear Santa: I am a little girl of 6 years, and I am very sorry to tell you my dollys head is broken and would you be so kind to bring me one and a tea set, too. And be sure to bring my baby sister a rattle box. And bring me a go-cart for my dolly. Bring some nuts and candy and a nice Christmas tree, if you please. I would be very glad to get this if it is not too heavy for you to carry.

Goodbye, dear Santa.

Lillian Sass (1903-1999)

Hammond, Dec. 8, 1909

Dear Santa: Hope you have not quite forgotten your true, affectionate friend. For Christmas will ask you to bring me a wig for my 5-year-old doll, a story book, a gorgeous robe of satin on my doll. Would like some jewelry if you think I am not robbing you, a box of bon bons and best of all, a Christmas tree. Hope you did not forget that I live at 746 E. State St.

I remain your affectionate friend,

Helen Praunge (1899-1963)

Hammond, Dec. 7, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: I am 12 years old now. I am a poor girl. Would you please send me a little present? I will be satisfied with what I get. I have only two brothers, and they are the ones that support my mother. I hardly ever get presents on Christmas Eve.

Yours very truly,

Lucy Zimmerman (1898-1978)

Hammond, Dec. 7, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy 6 years old. I go to kindergarten. I love dear Santa Claus. My mamma is alone to support the home, and she works very hard. She tells me she cant get much for Xmas, so I ask for a sled or a box of tools.

With love to Santa Claus from,

Francis Warner, 249 Truman Ave.

East Chicago, Dec. 7, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: I saw some letters in The Times last night, and I dont want you to forget me. I would like you to bring me a magic lantern, a pair of gloves, a train of cars and a new wheel for my Irish mail, and some nuts and candy.

William Quinn (1903-1969)

Hammond, Dec. 9, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little girl 10 years old. I go to the Wallace School. I write you a letter but forgot to tell you my number. Please Santy, get the piano at Straubes. I dont care what kind it is, so you buy it there. The factory is by the Conkey Plant. I dont want everything. Give the other little children that havent got any pappas lots of nice things. Goodbye Santa from,

Clara McCoy, 736 Merrill Ave.

Hammond, Dec. 9, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: I thought I would write you a few lines and tell you what I would like to have. I would like the biggest doll and go-cart you got and a sweater coat and a pair of gloves, a story book, a post album book and some little things yet what you think are nice for me. I am going to be 7 years old, and I am trying to be a good girl, too. And please Santa, dont forget my brother Willie. He is 3 years old. He wants a drum and a horse and some building blocks. Dear Santa, I am learning my piece to speak for you when you come. Do you remember the one I spoke for you last Christmas when you were over to our house. You can find us easy; just get on the interurban car and it will take you to our backyard gate. You need not be afraid of our Sport for Papa will have him chained, and dont forget to bring a Christmas tree. So goodbye dear Santa Claus.

I remain as your little friend,

Frieda and Willie Lohmeyer, 26 W. Gostlin St.

Hammond, Dec. 7, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: Thinking that I might win the $5, so I might be able to get my mamma and papa and my little sisters some Xmas gifts, as my papa is out of work for a long time and we need the necessary things. I do not expect any gifts for Xmas. The only thing I want is a violin. Hoping this will reach you in good time, I remain as ever, your little friend,

Annie Freeman, 429 Pearl St.

Whiting, Dec. 7, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: I have been dreaming of you last night. I thought I heard your sleigh bells ringing, and I thought I heard the reindeer trotting in the snow and stopping at 636 New York Ave., but I hope this will not be a dream on Xmas Eve, but really and truly happen. I wonder, Santa, because you are a year older this Xmas if you are getting cranky. I hope not; wouldnt that be too bad for the little girls and boys if it was so. Now be sure to stop on New York Avenue and leave me a doll buggy, sled and a lot of nuts, fruit and candy...

Nellie Duff

East Chicago, Dec. 7, 1909

Dear Santa Claus: Please bring me a hat and coat, for I am 12 years old. And my little brother, who is 5 years old, would like to have a little boys suit of clothes as he never had one yet. And be so kind to bring a toy if you have it to spare. I would go to work for these things, but I have to go to school and help my mamma at nights. And wishing you a Merry Christmas and all little girls and boys, and hoping you wont forget us. Yours truly,

Beatrice Siproski, 390 S. Deodar St.
Our Christmas wish is that the moms (and dads) of Jasper County will always get their support checks from the Jasper County prosecutor's office on time.

We wish for health and stamina for their staff.

Landlords and mortgage holders do not accept excuses in lieu of payment. Being late with a house payment or rent triggers late fees, which have to be paid, leave less for the necessities and can cause an eviction.

How can you budget properly if you don't know when your next payment is coming? Our granddaughter has seen the proper, timely withdrawals on her ex's check stubs. Don't bother calling the Indianapolis number as it will only refer you back to the county prosecutor's office.

We're curious as to whom this office answers to. I'm dead sure our taxes are paying to run it.

Ray and Nancy Kanzler, Hammond
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Follow this live blog for all the latest updates on counting day in the RK Nagar by-election. | WATCH LIVE TV

By India Today Web Desk, Ganesh Radha-Udayakumar, Shalini Lobo, Akshaya Nath: Independent candidate TTV Dhinakaran won a crucial bypoll in Chennai's Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar), the constituency where J Jayalalithaa won her last two elections.

Dhinakaran crushed the AIADMK, which is led by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his deputy, O Panneerselvam, and the DMK. His margin of victory - in tens of thousands of votes - will embarrass AIADMK presidium chairman Madhusudhanan and the DMK's Marudhu Ganesh

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There was much at stake in the RK Nagar by-election: a legacy, prestige, political momentum, and of course, bragging rights. Dhinakaran will claim all of it.

The RK Nagar bypoll result, among the most-awaited of the year, should have been out as early as April. But the Election Commission cancelled it after uncovering evidence of corruption and bribery. Round Two seems to be been no different, as an India Today TV investigation found out.

Here are the highlights on TTV's famous win in RK Nagar.

RK NAGAR BY-ELECTION RESULT: THE LATEST | WATCH LIVE TV

7.08 PM: Floor test will reveal the strength of sleeper cells, says Dinakaran.

6: 56 PM: Defeat in RK Nagar is not a loss for the DMK, but a "Himalayan loss" for the Election Commission, tweets MK Stalin. Everyone should asks themselves whether giving out cash helps democracy, he adds.

A?A A .A?A?.A A?A A  A?A?A?A A A A?A A A A A  A A?A A A A  A?? A A .A A .A?A A A A A?A A A A  A?A A A . A?A A A A A  A A?A A A A A  A?A A?A A A A A A A  A?A A A A A A  A A?A A A A . A A A A A A A A A A A A  A A A A A A A A A A A A? A A A A  A?A?A?A A A A A A , A A?A A?A A  A?A A A A A?A A A A? A?A A A A A A A A  A?A A A A A  A?A A A A A? A?A A?A A A A A  A?A A A A A A  A A A A A?A A? A A?A A A?A A A . #RKNagarElectionResult- M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 24, 2017

6:46 PM: TTV Dhinakaran now has an official letter from the returning officer, which confirms his election as MLA. He told reporters he would fight to get the AIADMK's two leaves symbol. He warned police to behave properly (he believes they sided with the ruling party). And he told India Today he would speak to us tomorrow.

6:21 PM: You can read our full report on Dhinakaran's win here.

5:17 PM: We're calling it now. TTV Dhinakaran is the new MLA from RK Nagar, J Jayalalithaa's constituency. The AIADMK headquarters in Chennai's Royapettah is deserted. Dhinakaran has pulled off a famous upset.

5.04 PM: The AIADMK headquarters in Chennai's Royapettah is deserted. With over 86,000 votes after eighteen rounds of counting, TTV Dhinakaran is headed for a famous upset. But it has seemed that way all day long. Meanwhile, security was beefed up outside the counting station.

#RKNagarByPollresult: @TTVDhinakaran successor of Jayalalithaa in RK Nagar. #RKNagar gets new MLA. #TTVDhinakaran Wins with a lead of over 40k votes.- Akshaya Nath (@Akshayanath) December 24, 2017

4:23 PM: Traffic was temporarily blocked near one counting station after two factions began fighting. Police were clearing the space. 15 rounds over: TTV Dhinakaran with 72,413 votes, AIADMK 38,966, and DMK 20,388.

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4.03 PM: TREND | Thirteen rounds of counting are over. TTV Dhinakaran has 68,392 votes, the AIADMK 36,217, and the DMK 18,924.

3:08 PM: TREND | After Round 11 of counting, it's 54,315 for TTV, 27,937 for AIADMK, and 14,481 for DMK. Dhinakaran has reached his Chennai after a pit-stop at...guess where? Yes, the Jayalalithaa memorial.

Official EC trends: TTV with 48,808, AIADMK's Madhusudhanan gets 25,567, DMK's Marudhu Ganesh with 13,015.

Photo: Akshaya Nath

14:10 PM: TREND | TTV Dhinakaran's lead has narrowed, but not by much. After 8 rounds of counting, he has 39,548 votes. The AIADMK's Madhusudhanan has 19,525, and the DMK has 10,292. The BJP's Karu Nagarajan has said the RK Nagar bypoll wasn't a democratic election. "All is money," he said. Read more here.

13:34 PM: The man of the moment has reached Chennai, and he clearly thinks this election is done and dusted (It isn't: tens of thousands of RK Nagar voters haven't yet been accounted for). He claims he has 'Amma's' Jayalalithaa's wishes, and that all AIADMK workers are with him. Trends show that TTV Dhinakaran now has 29,255 votes, and the AIADMK 15,184. The DMK is yet to hit the 10,000 mark.

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12.36 PM: TREND | And the lead just grows and grows. TTV Dhinakaran has 24,132 votes, AIADMK 13,057, and DMK 6,606. "This (RK Nagar) is Amma's constituency. They have decided who should be Amma's successor. This a successor that the people have chosen," Dhinakaran said earlier in Madurai. Will he be proved right?

11.25 AM: TREND | TTV Dhinakaran now had 15,868 votes. AIADMK's Madhusudhanan has 7,033 and DMK has 3,750. Right now, it looks bad for Chief Minister E Palaniswami. The Election Commission's official trends also show Dhinakaran in the lead. The RK Nagar bypoll is beginning to look like a one-man show.

Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran leads with 5447 votes, AIADMKs E. Madhusudhanan 2512 votes and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh 1367 votes at the end of counting round 3 #RKNagarByPoll- ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

10.55 AM: TTV Dhinakaran looked amused as he spoke to reporters, while surrounded by happy supporters. Already, he appears to think he has won! The news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai quotes him: "I thank 1.5 workers and the people for victory in the RK Nagar election."

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He says only the twin-leaves symbol is with the ruling AIADMK. The people and cadre, he claims, are with him. BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, who is from Tamil Nadu, seems to think Dhinakaran has won, too.

Dinakaran seems to have won the R K Nagar election caused by JJ death. I expect to see the two ADMK factions now to unite for 2019 LS poll- Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 24, 2017

10:15 AM: TREND | TTV Dhinakaran now has 10,421 votes. That's more than 5,000 votes more than the AIADMK, which is in second place with 4,521 votes. The DMK only has 2,383. All the talk of the effect of the 2G spectrum verdict, which went in the DMK's favour, seems rather premature now! TTV's men have brought out the fireworks, and we've learned that the AIADMK headquarters is empty!

Chennai: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate, burst crackers outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead #RKNagarByPoll pic.twitter.com/qNGVnNj0Wd- ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

9:40 AM: TREND | There's now a gap of over 4,000 votes between Dhinakaran and the two major parties - the DMK and the AIADMK. Dhinakaran has 7276 votes, the AIADMK 2738, and the DMK, 1182. All others, including the BJP, have polled just 258 votes. Meanwhile, observers from the Dhinakaran camp and the AIADMK clashed at the Queen Mary's counting centre. Counting temporarily stopped (It has now begun again). TTV supporters allege they were beaten, and that an EVM was destroyed. Learn more here.

9:02 AM: TREND | TTV Dhinakaran now has a lead of over 2,000 votes. The AIADMK must be beginning to sweat. Dhinakaran has 5399 votes, the ruling party 2737, and the DMK 1181. But it's still early days: RK Nagar is a constituency with over 2 lakh voters, and the turnout on Thursday was 77.68 per cent (1.76 lakh voters), according to a Times of India report.

8:40 AM: TREND | Dhinakaran has pulled even further ahead. He has 1891 votes, while the AIADMK has 646, and the DMK, 360. Meanwhile, AIADMK leaders, inclduing Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and his deputy, O Panneerselvam, are at the MGR memorial. They're paying tributes to their founder on his death anniversary.

#Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran at his Marina Beach memorial pic.twitter.com/Q75NeOsMV0- ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

8:33 AM: TREND | Early lead for TTV Dhinarakan. The independent, who was once expelled from party by Jayalalithaa (and was later appointed the party's deputy general secretary, after Jayalalithaa's death), has 412 votes. The AIADMK has 257, and the DMK 92.

8:28 AM: There was just one postal vote, and that went to the DMK.

8:00 AM: Counting of votes has begun. If the AIADMK ends up winning this, they will have done so on the death anniversary of MG Ramachandran, the party's founder and Jayalalithaa's political mentor. The pressure is on the ruling party to defend Jayalalithaa's home turf. Meanwhile, the BJP's candidate, Karu Nagarajan, complained of his competitors' corruption.

Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way: Karu Nagarajan, BJP candidate from #RKNagar outside a vote counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/4oWQyiKruz

WATCH | TTV Dhinakaran wins crucial RK Nagar bypoll by huge margin

--- ENDS ---
There are times when moviegoing feels less like escapism and more like being held captive in a dark room while someone slowly peels the skin o
Warren Buffett again warned against investing in cryptocurrencies, this time in the Washington Post.

There are basically two kinds of assets, Buffett said last week to Roger Lowenstein, who wrote a 1995 biography of Buffett. One, you look to the stream of income it will produce; the other, you hope like hell that someone will pay you more for it.

The second type is speculative, and bitcoin  intended as a type of currency backed by computing power rather than by a national bank  is in that slot. Buffett said people are buying bitcoin because the price is going up. What happens when the price goes down?

I will say this, Buffett said. It will come to a bad ending.

Then theres the announcement by Nadex, the North American Derivatives Exchange, on its arrangement for people to trade on price changes in bitcoin.

While many brokers are restricting their customers access to listed bitcoin futures, individuals can open an account directly with Nadex and trade directly on its regulated exchange, the announcement said.

Finally, Mark Schmehl tells Bloomberg that bitcoin is among the high-risk things he chooses as manager of the Fidelity Special Situations Fund.

I focus on the stuff in the tails, really cheap, broken, horrible stories that nobody wants to buy again, and stocks that everybody is excited about but their valuation is so high they cant bring themselves to buy them, Schmehl said.

Lets see: Warren Buffett says this will end badly. Many stockbrokers limit their clients access. A fund manager who looks for horrible stories is a bitcoin fan.

Not exactly a buy signal for the average person.

Reaching $300,000

Figuring out how Berkshire Hathaways stock price reached $300,000 per share last week isnt difficult.

Lets take $7 per share, the starting point for Berkshire stock when Warren Buffett took control in 1965. Well estimate a 3 percent profit.

You hang on to that profit and invest it in the business, as Buffett does, instead of paying it out as a dividend.

If the profit grows by, lets say, 11 percent a year and the stock price by 5 percent a year, after 52 years your $7 share is worth $252,000, according to a calculator by buyupside.com.

Of course, the trick is to keep profits and the stock price growing every year so that everything compounds like crazy.

Thats where financial calculators falter and CEOs take over.

The Bermuda loophole

A group representing Berkshire and a dozen other property insurance companies won a spot in the Republican tax legislation to prohibit foreign insurance companies from avoiding taxes by shifting their U.S. profits to offshore tax havens.

Closing the Bermuda loophole has been the lobbying goal of the Coalition for American Insurance for months. (Berkshire has not taken a position on the overall tax legislation.)

The coalitions lobbying materials say the goal is to end an unfair advantage among foreign insurance companies, create the most level playing field in decades for U.S. insurance sales and enhance choices for all consumers.

But R. J. Lehmann, a senior fellow with the R Street Institute, which calls itself a free-market think tank embracing President Ronald Reagans philosophies, wrote that the measure is a protectionist measure that serves the interests of certain large domestic companies by discouraging foreign-based competitors from devoting their capital to U.S. risks.

It also is simply bad policy, in that it would tend to concentrate U.S. risks within the United States, rather than allowing the global reinsurance system to spread them throughout the globe, Lehmann wrote.

Others opposing the change include the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, the European Commission, the Risk Management Society and governments in the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland.

The other members of the coalition favoring the change: Alleghany Corp., Allstate Insurance Co., American Mutual Insurance Co., American Family Mutual Insurance Co., American Financial Group Inc., Cincinnati Insurance Cos., CNA Financial, EMC Insurance Cos., Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Hartford, the Travelers Cos. Inc. and W.R. Berkley Corp.

Tapping into Buffett

A book offering advice on achieving happiness, wealth and success taps into one of the happiest, wealthiest and most successful people around: Warren Buffett.

Author Rolf Dobelli promises 52 surprising shortcuts to such things in The Art of the Good Life (Hachette Books, 260 pages, $25), although some are not so surprising.

Buffetts ovarian lottery concept, which rewards people lucky enough to be born in the United States, to parents with good genes and with other benefits, should lead you to be humble, Dobelli writes. Your success is fundamentally based on things over which you have no control whatsoever.

He also embraces the idea of having a career firmly within your circle of competence, a life motto of Buffett and Berkshire Vice Chairman Charlie Munger.

On that subject, the book quotes Buffett (The size of that circle is not very important; knowing its boundaries, however, is vital) and Munger (If you try to succeed in what youre worst at, youre going to have a very lousy career. I can almost guarantee it).

Dobelli adds: Every hour invested into your circle of competence is worth a thousand spent elsewhere.

The Omaha World-Herald is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
Dhinakaran's election to J Jayalalithaa's former assembly seat in northern Chennai is expected to increase his clout in a party which sidelined him, after Chief Minister E Palaniswami and O Pannerselvam merged their camps earlier this year.

By Shalini Lobo, Akshaya Nath: Surrounded by smiling cadres as night fell in Chennai, TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday hailed the beginning of a new chapter for the AIADMK and vowed to win back its symbol from the government, minutes after being confirmed as the new MLA from RK Nagar.

Dhinakaran's election to J Jayalalithaa's former assembly seat in northern Chennai is expected to increase his clout in a party which sidelined him, after Chief Minister E Palaniswami and O Pannerselvam merged their camps earlier this year. Dhinakaran told reporters a floor test would reveal the strength of "the sleeper cells," indicating that MLAs who publicly expressed support for the AIADMK top brass were secretly loyal to him. It is a claim he has made before.

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Sounding cool and supremely confident, Dhinkaran also promised to take care of the work 'Amma' left behind, and said the result of the bypoll had merely confirmed his prediction. RK Nagar constituency residents had given the "cadre of MGR and Amma" a victory, he said.

What lies in store for Tamil Nadu after the election for TTV Dhinakaran, a former MP who Jayalalithaa once expelled from the AIADMK?

Here are three major takeaways, based on India Today's day-long ground reporting from RK Nagar.

1. COULD MLAs DEFECT?: After his win, Dhinakaran reminded reporters that he'd told them "many MLAs" had promised "to go (to Team EPS-OPS) and come back." What' s true that his new-found power will give the duo in government sleepless nights. As many as 18 lawmakers who supported Dhinakaran were disqualified recently, but the new RK Nagar MLA is fighting a legal battle to have them reinstated.

Meanwhile, he could attempt to woo more lawmakers from the AIADMK, and reach out to ministers. His brother, Venkatesh, claimed "some MLAs" had been in touch today, but added that he couldn't "reveal everything."

Can a man who claims to have 'sleeper cells' in the ruling faction topple the Tamil Nadu government in months? We'll have to wait and see, but it's not impossible.

For now, the government has only 116 MLAs (three of whom are believed to be fence-sitters). In a full assembly of 234 elected members (including the 18 disqualified members), that figure falls short of the halfway mark. It's certainly higher than 109, the number needed to win a confidence vote - but can TTV chip away at the government's support?

2. SYMBOL WAR: The Election Commission granted Palaniswami's AIADMK the right to use the famous 'rettai ilai' (two leaves) symbol. But could shifting loyalties help Dhinakaran retrieve the symbol, which has been associated with the party since the MGR days? He certainly intends to. An alternate possibility: He could launch a separate party.

3. CASES: TTV Dhinakaran will need to face cases like the Election Commission bribery case (in which he was arrested this year, and later released on bail), and ensure he stays out of jail.

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For now, what's true is that the 80,000-odd RK Nagar voters who elected TTV Dhinakaran were either unaware of, or didn't care about his cases - or the fact that his aunt Sasikala, to whom he and his supporters are loyal, was convicted by the country's highest court in a disproportionate assets case.

WATCH | Dhinakaran on his victory: People of RK Nagar decided in March itself to elect me as MLA

--- ENDS ---
By noon on Saturday, the parking lots at Nebraska Crossing Outlets in Gretna were nearly full. After finding a spot, shoppers pulled their coats tight against the light snow and ran into the busy stores to pick out those last-minute gifts. Many returned to their cars juggling multiple bags.

Its been a phenomenal holiday season for us, said Johanna Boston, chief marketing officer at the outlet mall. And these last few days before Christmas get very busy.

Boston said some of the shoppers who procrastinated might have done so as a strategy to capitalize on right-before-Christmas sales.

I think a lot of people were really just waiting for those deals, she said.

Ron Beck did find some good sales on Saturday, but that wasnt the motivation behind delaying his gift-buying.

Its a tradition for me to go right before Christmas, said Beck, 58. That way you have to make quicker decisions and get in, get out.

After the outlet mall, he and his 17-year-old son, Garrett, planned to stop at a couple of stores at Westroads Mall. And Ron Beck figured hed be out searching for gifts today, too.

I mean, is it even last-minute shopping if you do it before Christmas Eve? he asked.

Boston said tis the time of year to see more men at the outlet mall, searching for gifts the women in their lives might have hinted about.

Theres really no one type of shopper in these final gift-buying days, Boston said.

We see people of all ages and from several surrounding states, Boston said.

And of course there are the browsing shoppers, who arent so much looking for gifts as they are buying for themselves.

Thats the category that fifth-year University of Nebraska-Lincoln students Autumn Dunn and Nikki Musgrave put themselves in, though Musgrave said shed probably keep her eye out for a gift for her sister.

The two women had done most of their holiday shopping online this year and headed to the outlet mall just to get out of the house.

We are mostly just here for fun, Dunn said. But when we pulled up, we saw the parking lot and said Oh, God, everyone else is out buying presents. 

Ray Bohanan of Fremont had the same reaction when he saw just a handful of empty parking spots on Saturday.

But I guess what can you expect? he said. We all had the same idea.

He brought along his 14-year-old granddaughter, Mariah Tolliver, so she could pick up some presents for her family members.

With school and homework, Mariah said she barely has had time to buy gifts for everyone on her list.

I dont like to procrastinate, but thats what ends up happening, she said.

So on Saturday, while her mom and sister went to Westroads Mall to shop for her, Mariah shopped for them at the outlet mall.

If you come armed with a little patience, Mariah and her grandfather said, last-minute shopping can be pretty painless.

Its actually pretty fun, Bohanan said. It kind of puts you in the Christmas spirit.
A man accidentally shot himself Saturday at an indoor shooting range in northwest Omaha, police said.

The shooting occurred about 5 p.m. at Inner 10 Weapons and Training near 90th Street and Military Road, police said.

The man, whose name and age police had not released late Saturday, was in serious but stable condition at the Nebraska Medical Center.
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP)  Harvesting lemons and oranges, maybe even bananas.

Its been done already in Nebraska. The North Platte Natural Resources District is planning to do it in the future.

The NRD is raising funds for a solar-powered, geothermal-heated greenhouse, sunk 4 feet into the ground over a network of ducts circulating 54-degree air warmed by the earth, the Scottsbluff Star Herald reported. The greenhouse would measure 126 feet by 17 feet and stand 14 feet high, said NRD Assistant Manager Barb Cross, who is overseeing the project.

General Manager John Berge conceived the project, which will include an outdoor learning facility, to promote NRDs research and education missions.

One of the things John told me was that he wanted to put in a greenhouse, Cross said. I super-sized it.

The complex will be built on 1.6 acres leased from the Western Nebraska Airport Authority just south of the NRDs office building on Airport Road. It will cost about $75,000 to complete, with $50,000 of that dedicated to the greenhouse.

More than 20 local donors, including Platte Valley Bank, First State Bank, Oregon Trail Community Foundation, Western Nebraska Community College and 21st Century Equipment, have contributed to the project to help match a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

This is all through donations. We are not using tax dollars for this project, Cross said. The support from the community has been huge.

Work on the greenhouse is expected to begin in the spring, pending expected approval of the environmental trust grant.

If we have two weeks notice, we can put it up in two weeks, she said. The major issue is if the ground is still frozen.

Solar power will provide the $500 worth of electricity needed each year to run the fans. The greenhouse panels will be made of impact-resistant Lexan plastic, manufactured in Alliance.

The educational facility will serve students involved in FFA projects and in ag programs at Western Nebraska Community College. Scientists from the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension center will provide technical assistance.

Practical experience will be provided by, among others, Russ Finch of Alliance, who has been growing a variety of plants, including citrus trees, in his own greenhouse for about 25 years.

He raises oranges and lemons and avocados and figs and things like that, Cross said. We should be able to raise all kinds of citrus. Russ thinks were far enough south that we should be able to raise bananas.

The greenhouse will have room for up to 21 trees. I dont plan to plant that many  maybe 15, she said.

The rest of the space will be used for whatever else they can fit into it. Were going to see what we can get to grow here, she said.

The learning facility will include dozens of species of trees and grasses, as well as beehives and plantings to attract pollinators, such as monarch butterflies.

The tree and grass varieties will be labeled to help students with tree identification and range judging. Other research will focus on water usage, food production and soils.

The facility will be open to the public. Food raised will be donated to the West Nebraska Veterans Home, Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, food pantries and schools.
Those whove been dreaming of a white Christmas got their wish.

Although snowfall has been sparse this year, the powder that fell over the weekend was enough to finally provide a festive backdrop to the holiday.

It made a lot of people happy, except maybe some drivers, Cathy Zapotocny, a weather service meteorologist, said of the snow.

Snowfall totals in the Omaha metropolitan area were generally in the 2-inch range, and counts were higher in the Lincoln area, running between 3 and 4.5 inches.

Omaha officially received 1.7 inches of snow over the weekend, based on monitors at Eppley Airfield.

In Omaha, the annual probability of a white Christmas  an inch or more of snow on the ground at 6 a.m.  is 33 percent, based on 124 years of records through 2016.

During that period, Omaha had a white Christmas 41 times.

In more recent years, snowfall has occurred more often  five out of the last 10 years.

Before this year, Omahas last white Christmas was just two years ago  when 7 inches blanketed the ground on Christmas morning of 2015.

The next possibility of snow in the metro area is Monday afternoon, when theres a slight chance for flurries.

But the big story, Zapotocny said, is the cold.

Very cold conditions are forecast for Monday and Tuesday night, when Omaha will see its lowest temperatures in nearly a year.

The metros temperature is expected to bottom out at around 0 degrees tonight and minus 3 degrees Tuesday night. Omaha hasnt seen temperatures that low since early Jan. 6, 2017, when the mercury dropped to minus 3.

The rest of the week is expected to see highs in the teens and lows in the single digits, except for Thursday, when slightly warmer weather is expected.

The long-term outlook, through the first week of January, slightly favors below-normal temperatures.

World-Herald staff writer Nancy Gaarder contributed to this report.
Kedarnath director Abhishek Kapoor says that there is no friction with his producers, regarding the release date of the Sara Ali Khan-Sushant Singh Rajput starrer.

By India Today Web Desk: Recently, there has been much buzz about a fallout between Kedarnath director, Abhishek Kapoor and producer, Prerna Arora.

Kapoor was insistent on releasing Kedarnath on December 21, 2018, which is also the same day Shah Rukh Khan's dwarf film hits the theatres. According to sources, Arora found it "ridiculous" to take on SRK at the box-office, and was in the middle of negotiating with SRK, when Kapoor went ahead and confirmed the release date on Twitter.

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This did not go down well with Arora, and there were reports of the two being at loggerheads .

However, Kapoor rubbishes these reports. "This is so pointless, and senseless. We announced the release date of Kedarnath long ago. We didn't jump into it just because I wanted to compete with Mr Shah Rukh Khan's film. Our release date, December 21, was decided months ago. And my producers are very much on the same page as me."

So is there friction with Arora at all?

"There is absolutely no friction with my producers on this issue. I see no problem in releasing Kedarnath on the same Friday as the Aanand L. Rai film with Shah Rukh. Two big films being released on the same Friday is not uncommon anymore. There are only 52 Fridays to choose from."

Kedarnath stars Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan in the lead roles. Kedarnath is a love story which unfolds in the backdrop of a pilgrimage. Sara will be seen playing a rich tourist who falls in love with a 'pithu' or a tourist escort, played by Sushant Singh Rajput. The devastating Uttarakhand flood in 2013 is also an integral part of the story.

ALSO WATCH| Raees trailer launch: Shah Rukh Khan opens up on box-office clash with Kaabil

--- ENDS ---
A man suspected in the stabbing death of Ryan Hoven, 35, fled the scene of the killing and is thought to be armed and dangerous, Kelso police said Saturday.

Police believe Austin Murray, 25, stabbed Hoven to death in the 800 block of North First Avenue in Kelso.

Anyone with information about where Murray is or about the incident in general is asked to call the Kelso Police Department at 360-423-1270.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

503-294-7674; @fedorzarkhin
Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

by Jamie Hale | The Oregonian, OregonLive

When we talk about cataclysmic natural disasters in the Pacific Northwest today, we're almost always talking about the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake that's certain to come any day. Back in 1930s, however, the talk wasn't about a quake but a Biblical flood  and the ark that was supposed to withstand it.



Throughout the late 1920s and early '30s, reporters and filmmakers flocked to the Olympia Harbor to meet William Lound Greenwood, an eccentric loner who was busy building what he dubbed "Noah's Ark the Second," an extremely top-heavy, 60-foot vessel built on top of an old schooner. The ark was meant to survive a massive tidal wave he predicted would hit the northwest in 1934.



"I figured it out from the Bible," he told Oregonian reporter Edward M. Miller in 1931. "And the tidal wave will extend back to the Cascades. You see, we have a climate similar to that before Noah's time. In the old days they had no storms, just a steady, easy rain"



"An Oregon mist," Miller suggested.



"You've got it. That's it. Now the rain will be very heavy in 1932, that will be a sign, but the real flood will not be until 1934."



Greenwood, who did the interview dressed in a cutaway frock coat and silk top hat  one of many costumes he kept on the ark  said the wave wouldn't mean the end of the world, but predicted that in 1937 the battle of Armageddon would begin, ushering in a reign of 1,000 years of prosperity for all who survived.

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It's easy to dismiss his apocalyptic prophecies  which obviously didn't come to pass  but what's strange is the big event that did line up with Greenwood's predictions.



On Oct. 21, 1934, a devastating windstorm hit western Washington, blowing in with 90 mph gusts. The storm and the tide were so strong that they flooded nearby Aberdeen and other small towns along the coast, destroying buildings and killing at least 19 people. The surge didn't reach the Cascades, but locally it was a disaster.



Still, the events didn't match up with Greenwood's prophecy of end times. Undeterred, he continued to make predictions of a coming flood, pushing back the date of the big day. In 1936, he told reporters that the flood would come in 1938. When that year passed uneventfully, he said it would come in 1941.

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Oregonian Archives

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His ark, meanwhile, was fast falling into disrepair. An Associated Press reporter got a tour in 1936, and gave a vivid description, painting a sad picture of a man trying to hold on to a fading dream:



"The motor lies rusted now in the big, moldy hold. Inscriptions on the ark are dimmed by time. The painted stars are faded and the roof and upper deck caved in. In one room is an old piano, holding up a pile of junk topped by a can of dog meat  He patches diligently, buying materials with his $17 monthly old-age pension, stopping only to make additional prophecies."



In 1942, city officials finally ordered Greeenwood to get rid of the ark, in an effort to clean up the Olympia harbor. He offered to sell the boat for $300  or a trade it for an old school bus  but after no buyers came forward, the city burned it.



The prophet finally relented and moved south to the small town of Rochester, where he died in 1958.



His flood prediction might not have come true, but Greenwood was pretty spot on about that "battle of Armageddon." In July, 1937, Japan invaded China initiating war in the Pacific. Two years later, war broke out in Europe, battles on both fronts spinning off into what would become World War II  a veritable Armageddon of our time.



Meanwhile, the old prophet dutifully patched his ark, waiting patiently for a tidal wave to sweep in and swallow the world. He built his boat with a motor but no rudder to steer, because as he saw it, beyond building the ark and spreading the word, his fate was entirely out of his hands.



"The Lord will guide the ark," he said. "A man trying to steer it would only throw the ship off the Lord's course."



His fate was out of his hands, as it turned out  it just didn't involve the end the world.



--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives
By ADDY RUTTER

Last Monday, residents of the Foster-Powell neighborhood and surrounding area were informed that a "low-barrier" homeless shelter would be opening in a vacant grocery space at 6144 SE Foster Road.

The Joint Office of Homeless Services, run by the city and Multnomah County, barely gave any notice, contacting the neighborhood association mid-holiday season of its plan. Although we were previously told this was not a "done deal," we learned Monday night that it would be opened regardless of our concerns and input.

Officials at the meeting appeared to lack basic knowledge on the location and neighborhood. Their FAQ sheet boasts the shelter is near social services, but the closest ones are approximately 20 blocks away. No grocery store, pharmacy, police, or medical services nearby. It is, however, close to three public schools, across the street from an alternative high school, and down the street from a YMCA and day care. They stated that our neighborhood had a large population of homeless individuals, yet they would be bringing people from other shelters.

The explanation offered for choosing this location? Low rent for the vacant grocery store and proximity to two bus lines.

Their lack of knowledge regarding the neighborhood wasn't the only problem. The panel's demeanor was aloof, at best.

Marc Jolin, Joint Office of Homeless Services director, stated that he had no knowledge of the crime statistics related to the recently opened shelter in Sellwood. Multnomah County Commission Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury stated that she lived near that shelter, but a quick Google search reveals that her home is actually a couple miles away.

Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson quoted a statistic that 80 people died outside last year. A recent Oregonian article published that information but went on to elaborate that half those deaths were due to drug and alcohol overdoses. While tragic, it's clearly a misleading statistic. When I called her office to inquire about coordination with local police to promote the safety of the neighborhood, I was informed that our neighborhood would need to consult the police ourselves.

As for Mayor Ted Wheeler, he offered no insight as to how he plans to make the area surrounding this shelter any different from others in Portland. If a $15,000 campaign donation from Columbia Sportswear isn't enough to support the enforcement of basic human decency laws downtown - to halt stealing, harassment, public defecation, public drug use, and the like - why should our neighborhood have any confidence in him? Apparently, you can put a price on the safety of the children who attend Portland Public Schools.

The neighborhood consensus at the meeting was that this was the right idea, but the wrong location. In fact, I don't think they could have tried to pick a worse location. The shelter will be close to approximately 1,200 school children, day cares, bars, and a dispensary with no background checks or requirement to abstain from drugs and alcohol? Yet, these folks will also be isolated from the services they so desperately need access to. How do you expect this shelter to help folks transition into permanent homes and jobs and off the streets for good?

As a neighborhood and as a city, we deserve more from our elected officials and those in positions of power. We deserve communication. We deserve decision-makers who go beyond cheap rent and the local bus schedule to research their choices. We deserve to be involved in decisions that will directly affect us. We deserve to walk out of a meeting knowing that we have been heard rather than asking ourselves "Is this even legal?"

Shame on all of you. At a time when I'm worried about the fate of my neighborhood, you have at least given me something to look forward to, and that is the next election.

Addy Rutter lives in Southeast Portland.
By STEVE CALLAWAY

Next month, President Trump will decide whether to save hundreds of SolarWorld workers' jobs by imposing necessary tariffs on foreign companies that illegally dump cheap solar panels on the market and, in the process, drive U.S. manufacturers out of business.

Without such action, SolarWorld - one of Hillsboro's largest employers, and one of the last remaining American solar cell manufacturers - may not survive. We simply can't afford to lose more jobs to unfair foreign competition.

This isn't a partisan issue. This is about American workers making quality products and earning a good living. As a retired elementary school principal and mayor of Hillsboro, I personally know families who depend on SolarWorld to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.

When SolarWorld began its operations in Hillsboro in 2008, it made use of a factory building that had been shuttered. They brought it back to life and created family-wage jobs for our people. Then, they expanded the facility from 440,000 square feet to 750,000 square feet so more workers could be hired.

Since 2016, we've seen SolarWorld drop from about 1,000 manufacturing jobs in Hillsboro down to 300 jobs at the plant. We need to save those jobs. We need to protect our neighbors, their co-workers and their families.

SolarWorld is an important local customer for roughly 200 other Oregon businesses, buying about $15 million in products annually. One of those suppliers, Ulbrich Solar Technologies, closed its Hillsboro plant in August - eliminating 35 jobs - in part because of SolarWorld's struggles with illegal solar cell dumping. Even service businesses like restaurants, retail stores and hotels are hit hard when a company as big as SolarWorld cuts jobs.

In October, I joined Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici to voice our community's concerns to the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) in Washington, DC. We asked the ITC to recommend a remedy to the president that will keep SolarWorld and other American solar cell manufacturers in business. The ITC estimated that nearly 30 solar cell and panel manufacturers in the U.S. have gone out of business since 2012. But the tariffs proposed by the ITC fall short of what's needed to save SolarWorld and other American jobs. Now, it's up to the president to make the final decision on the level of foreign tariffs and import quotas.

While the president's decision should be about jobs, it's about more than that. SolarWorld's continued existence is a matter of national energy security. We would never allow America to be 100 percent dependent on foreign countries for oil production, and we cannot allow that to happen with solar energy panel manufacturing. If SolarWorld, the largest solar cell manufacturer in the United States, cannot compete on a level playing field, it will leave us vulnerable to dramatic price increases from the surviving foreign companies.

SolarWorld produces solar panels that are critical to achieving our country's long-term objectives for clean, renewable energy. SolarWorld and its employees will have a great opportunity to thrive in the future, if the president ensures a level playing field for U.S. manufacturers. Let's hope President Trump is listening.

Steve Callaway is mayor of the city of Hillsboro, home to SolarWorld's North American headquarters.
The man killed after he was hit by a vehicle Friday in downtown Portland was Robby Gibb, 28, police said Saturday.

The Portland Police Bureau found the white vehicle believed to be connected to the incident, and they've contacted the owner. Police have made no arrests thus far.

Gibb was pronounced dead at the scene. Emergency responders found him in the crosswalk at the intersection of Southwest 1st Avenue and Clay Street.

The bureau's Traffic Investigation Unit continues to investigate, and will forward its conclusions to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, police said. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office will also continue to investigate the incident.

Reporter Everton Bailey contributed to this report.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

503-294-7674; @fedorzarkhin
Portland police on Saturday seized a vehicle that witnesses say intentionally struck a pedestrian on Thursday before driving away.

Police seized the maroon Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan in Portland's Cully neighborhood as evidence, according to a news release which did not include information about a suspect in the case.

The minivan may have been connected with an incident Thursday morning near the intersection of Northeast Cully Boulevard and Northeast Shaver Street. The vehicle is believed to have struck a woman crossing Northeast Cully Boulevard and then driving from the area. The woman suffered serious, non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

A resident saw the vehicle on Saturday and contacted police, according to the news release, which said the investigation is continuing.

-- Allan Brettman
Someone trying to light a propane heater inside a Southeast Portland house started a fire that killed two dogs, Portland Fire and Rescue said Saturday.

Firefighters fought heavy fire coming from 10104 SE Harold St., the fire department said, after a call around 7:45 p.m. Most of the fire was in the living room.

The Red Cross has responded to assist the five people displaced by the fire.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Communist Party of India (Marxist) has welcomed the court's verdict in fodder scam which convicted former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Communist Party of India (Marxist) has welcomed the court's verdict in fodder scam which convicted former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

However, the CPI(M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury, hit out at the BJP claiming that the party has double standards in cases of corruption. He also claimed that the fodder scam case will go till the apex court.

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"The punishment has been pronounced by the CBI special court. We respect the verdict. The party's perspective is clear as far as cases of corruptions are concerned. Corrupt should be punished. However, there will be appeal in this case. The case will go till Supreme Court. But, the BJP is adopting double standards here. No investigation is being carried out against Jay Shah (Amit Shah's son). Nothing is being done in Vyapam scam or Srijan scam." Yechury said.

The special CBI court held former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav guilty in one of the six cases against him in the 1996 fodder scam case.

14 other people were also held guilty, whereas six others including former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra, were acquitted in the case.

The quantum of punishment in the case will be announced on January 3, 2018. After the verdict came out, Lalu was taken to Ranchi's Birsa Munda Central Jail.

--- ENDS ---
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By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Dec 24 (PTI)) Globally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik today claimed to have created the "worlds biggest" sand Santa face with message "World Peace" on the Puri beach of Odisha on Christmas eve.

Pattnaik claimed he has created the 25 feet high and 50 ft wide sand Santa face with an aim to give the creation a place in the Limca book of World record.

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A sand sculpture of Jesus Christ has also been created in front of the Santa face on the beach, he said adding about 600 tonne of sand including coloured sand had been used for creating the huge structure.

The master sculptor was assisted by 40 of his disciples at the Sudarsan Sand Art Institute of Puri and they took 35 hours to erect the mammoth structure.

The sculpture will be on display till January 1, said Pattnaik. PTI SKN RG

--- ENDS ---
The new US Ambassador to the Netherlands is apologizing for "certain remarks" he made in 2015 suggesting that the Netherlands was in chaos because of Muslims.

Ambassador Pete Hoekstra lied twice to a Dutch news crew about his 2015 comments, calling it "fake news." But on Saturday, he admitted that he "made certain remarks in 2015 and regret the exchange during the Nieuwsuur interview," and apologized.

"For the last 17 years I've been passionate about confronting the global threat of terrorism," Hoekstra said in a statement on Twitter. "This has been a long struggle. We still have much to learn."

The apology comes after Hoekstra denied comments he made at the David Horowitz Freedom Center's 2015 Restoration Weekend, blaming what he broadly described as the "Islamist movement" for the chaos, referencing a "stealth jihad."

"Chaos in the Netherlands. There are cars being burned. There are politicians that are being burned ... and yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands," Hoekstra said then.

When Wouter Zwart of CNN affiliate and Dutch broadcaster NOS asked about those comments in an interview in the US Capitol, Ambassador Hoekstra said he never said them.

"That is actually an incorrect statement; we would call it fake news," the Ambassador responded. "I never said that."

Zwart's report on NOS' Nieuwsuur program then plays the specific portion of Ambassador Hoekstra's 2015 comments. Zwart told CNN he did not play video of the remarks for Hoekstra, saying he "can't imagine he did not know of its existence," because it was widely available online.

"People including Intercept have written about it," Zwart said. "Can't imagine he did not know of its existence."

Zwart told CNN the Ambassador said, "he had always meant the [no go-zones] comments in a broader context of European problems with 'those areas,'" and that "he reiterated to me that he's never associated that with what's going on in the Netherlands."

After an additional discussion on terrorism with the Ambassador, Zwart says he discussed the comments again. His report picks back up with the exchange, with Zwart saying, "You call it fake news. Obviously."

"I didn't call that fake news," the Ambassador interjects. "I didn't use the words today. I didn't think I did."

In the video, Zwart then looks back at the camera, and says he's surprised and confused by those remarks, he confirmed to CNN.

The State Department told CNN they had no comment to make on whether Ambassador Hoekstra stands by his 2015 comments in addition to the exchange with Zwart.

CNN's Kevin Bohn contributed to this report
Editor's note: The weekly Illinois Bicentennial series is sponsored by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors and Illinois Press Association. More than 20 newspapers are creating stories about the states history, places and key moments in advance of the Bicentennial on Dec. 3, 2018. Stories published up to this date can be found at 200Illinois.com.

On July 4, 1778, the bell rang and the battered people of Kaskaskia gathered. They found themselves under new rule. George Rogers Clark explained that the revolutionary government was not interested in changing their faith, but wanted to give them liberty.

The once British-occupied territory had been liberated by Clark, who was fighting for the Continental Army. About four decades later, this small settlement flanked by the Mississippi River would be the home to Illinois first capital.

There is a lot to Kaskaskias story  a lot that wouldnt be gleaned by a visit to the sparse island on what would seem to be the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. Emily Lyons, curator for the Randolph County Archives and Museum, has spent the last 20 years working to preserve the countys history in an official capacity, but has spent her life immersed in it.

Lyons said her family can be traced in a direct line back to settlers who came to what was then the Kaskaskia peninsula in the 1700s. She explained the peninsula became an island after years of deforestation and soil erosion along the banks of the Mississippi created a perfect storm in April 1818 when an ice pack at a bend in the river finally caused what was left of the remaining ties to the mainland to give way.

Lyons explained that Kaskaskia began as one building  in 1703, the Jesuits built a chapel. Not long after, a small population of native peoples and 12 French settlers called the place home. By 1718, and several church buildings later, the chapel became a parish, the Immaculate Conception Church.

The population grew, and, in 1725, Kaskaskia was incorporated by the French. Lyons said Kaskaskias location on the Mississippi made it ideal for shipping the agricultural goods being produced in the region, but most valuable perhaps were the furs being trapped and sent to the garment trade in Europe.

Over the course of its history, the once-bustling community garnered the moniker of the Versailles of the West. In fact, the Liberty Bell of the West was gifted to the Kaskaskias Immaculate Conception in 1741 in recognition of its importance. The bell still sits among the scattered historic buildings left on the island.

Lyons said before being incorporated, the king of France sent a military detachment to build what would be Fort De Chartres, which proved to be a valuable asset in the years and conflicts to come.

After the French and Indian War ended, in 1765, Britain took the fort. Lyons said because of poor conditions there, the British moved to Kaskaskia, which is where Clark found them during the Revolutionary War. Lyons said while Clark and his men, who took Kaskaskia without a drop of blood being shed, announced they were happy to let the residents live their lives as they chose, they would need to be supplied. She said the following winter was a hard one as many larders had been raided to help with the war effort.

Lyons said after the war ended, Kaskaskia was part of several different territories. First it was part of the Virginia Commonwealth after the Treaty of 1783. Then it was in the Northwest Territory until it was part of the Indiana Territory in 1800. Finally, in 1809, Kaskaskia was part of the Illinois Territory.

When President James Monroe signed off on Illinois being admitted as the 21st state in 1818, Kaskaskia was chosen as its first capital. But this didnt last long. Within a few months of acquiring statehood, Vandalia, which was not even populated at the time, was chosen as the states new capital as many favored its more central location within the original 16 southern counties. The first meeting of the second General Assembly was held at a newly constructed statehouse in 1820.

Though at one time home to a vibrant population, Kaskaskia Island now is home to an almost startling quiet. Fewer than 100 people call the island home, with miles (in some cases) between houses. The Liberty Bell of the West sits encased in a brick shrine and the Immaculate Conception Church, its final brick building, just a few yards away.

Lyons said while Kaskaskia is not the tourism hub of, say, Abraham Lincolns estate in the current state capital of Springfield, she is happy with things they way they are. She said many who still live on the island do so for a reason  its quiet. She said her biggest struggle as curator is getting people to see the value in history, as well as seeing the value in keeping historic buildings standing when possible.

Sometimes the impression is new is better, she said, noting the irony that many buildings that replace historic structures often are estimated to last only a few decades while those that come down have lasted centuries.

She added, Its not a good feeling, seeing pieces of her countys history meet the wrecking ball.

Lyons said she wants to preserve her homes history and wants to ensure the buildings and museums can be maintained. This has been no easy task, as budgets in Illinois have shrunk in recent decades. However, she said she has to strike a balance when it comes to Kaskaskia: The grounds and buildings need to be kept up and the history should be celebrated, but not at the expense of those who still call Illinois first capital their home.

The rich and famous go off and buy islands so they can have a secluded place to live and we dont have to do that, Lyons said. We have a secluded place.
SPRINGFIELD  The state has made progress toward its legal obligation to improve mental health services for about 12,000 mentally ill inmates, according to the director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

In a statement in response to hearings last week in a federal lawsuit on mental health care, Director John Baldwin said the IDOC "has taken considerable steps to enhance the delivery of care for offenders who are on the mental health caseload."

The prison chief said the state intends to fully comply with terms of a settlement agreement reached in a federal lawsuit initially filed in 2007 by inmate Ashoor Rasho.

In two days of hearings last week in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, a court-appointed monitor laid out what he considered severe deficiencies that have not been corrected.

In response to questions from a lawyer for inmates, Dr. Melvin Hinton, chief of mental health services for the state prison system, acknowledged that major areas of the agreement remain unmet.

Baldwin pointed out that Hinton's status as an adverse witness called by the inmates' legal team barred him from elaborating on what the state has accomplished in the 18 months since the agreement was reached.

The IDOC director noted in his statement that hundreds of new mental health staff have been hired since 2015, despite recruitment challenges for the positions. Mental health training is ongoing for staff, said Baldwin.

A 45 percent reduction of segregation time for 1,100 offenders and additional programming for mental health inmates also has been implemented, according to the director.

Lawyers for the inmates have applauded the opening of a large residential treatment unit in Joliet that once housed juvenile offenders, but expressed concern that the slow hiring process has allowed only a small number of inmates to be transferred to the facility.

Residential treatment centers also are open at the Logan and Dixon correctional centers.

The hospital-level care needed for about 50 inmates will be available when the state opens a 44-bed-unit at the Elgin Treatment Center. The facility will be the first of its kind when it opens in early 2018.

According to Baldwin, the state also has "enlisted the services of an engineering firm to develop a state-of-the-art, 200-bed mental health and general medicine treatment unit" for seriously mentally ill offenders.

The state will present its case in federal court at a Feb. 26 hearing. Counsel for the state asked to postpone questioning of witnesses and testimony on behalf of the state until lawyers had a chance to review information submitted by attorneys for inmates.
CHICAGO  Illinois is no longer the nation's fifth-largest state.

New U.S. Census Bureau estimates show the population fell by 33,703 people between July 1, 2016 and July 1 of this year. The state now trails Pennsylvania in population by about 3,500 people, making Illinois the sixth most populous state in America.

Illinois was among eight states that saw a drop, and lost more people than those seven other states. The decline was a tiny fraction of Illinois' total population of just over 12.8 million.

McLean County's population has stayed relatively stable over the last several years: it rose from 169,572, according to the 2010 census, to an estimated 174,777 in 2013, before settling at 172,418 in 2016, the last year for which data is available.

California remains the most populated, followed by Texas. Florida comes in at No. 3, pushing New York down a peg to four when compared to counts from the 2010 Census. Wyoming saw the largest percentage decline.

"Domestic migration drove change in the two fastest-growing states, Idaho and Nevada, while an excess of births over deaths played a major part in the growth of the third fastest-growing state, Utah," said Luke Rogers, chief of the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates branch.

The Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative think-tank, said the data reveals the cause of Illinois shrinking population: heavy losses of Illinoisans to other states.

Since 2010, Illinois has lost nearly 643,000 people on net to other states. Thats equivalent to the population of the four largest cities outside Chicago combined: Aurora, Rockford, Joliet and Naperville, the organization said last week when the data was released.

The plunge marks the fourth year in a row of waning for Illinois. Adjacent Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Indiana reported increases.

Illinois saw a rise in population from 2010 to 2013, but then began to slide. A 2016 poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute found that 47 percent of people surveyed wanted to move out of Illinois, with taxes being the biggest factor. Government and jobs were other reasons.

People often dont feel they get good value for their tax dollars and with frequent stories of public corruption or the large numbers of governmental units, its no wonder why they feel that way, institute Director David Yepsen said at the time.

About 89,547 Illinois residents left for other states in 2016, the data showed. The migration, especially to nearby states, has been a reoccurring political issue as well.

Gov. Bruce Rauner, who faces re-election, has campaigned on a platform that high taxes and over-regulation are major causes of the exodus.

The population shifts also are closely watched nationally because they indicate possible changes in the number of congressional representatives. For example, Nebraska will probably be able to keep all three of its current U.S. House seats during the next Census in 2020, as long as the current local and national growth trends hold.

"We have a lot of room to spare and not all that much time remaining in the decade for population trends to change," said David Drozd, a research coordinator for the University of Nebraska's Center for Public Affairs Research.

Some estimates say Illinois is due to lose one of its 18 seats in the U.S. House after the 2020 Census.

The other states to lose population in the Wednesday data were North Dakota, Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia.

Overall, the United States' population reached 325,719,178 during the latest period, up from 323,405,935. That's an increase of 0.71 percent.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today lashed out at Lalu Prasad and his supporters for alleging that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief was being targeted as he belonged to a backward caste.

By PTI: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today lashed out at Lalu Prasad and his supporters for alleging that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief was being targeted as he belonged to a backward caste.

A special CBI court in Ranchi had yesterday convicted Prasad and 15 others in a fodder scam case, 21 years after it had surfaced, while acquitting six others, including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra.

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"Upon being held guilty in a case of illegal withdrawal of Rs 89.4 lakh from the treasury, Lalu Prasad has gone to jail, for corruption, for the seventh time. Yet, he is comparing himself to leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King," Modi tweeted.

He was hinting at a tweet by the RJD supremo, shortly after his conviction yesterday, wherein he had said, "Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and casteist minds. No one should expect any different treatment."

The senior BJP leader, who was one of the petitioners, on whose PIL the Patna High Court had, in 1996, ordered a CBI inquiry into the fodder scam cases, tweeted, "Wonder what type of leadership is provided by people who brazenly indulge in self-praise and amass illegal wealth."

In another tweet, he said, "Among the 16 persons convicted, eight (50 per cent) belonged to the upper castes. Among the eight who were acquitted, four (50 per cent) were Dalits or from the backward classes. RJD supporters are refusing to look at the facts and accusing the judiciary of being casteist."

Soon after the conviction of Prasad yesterday, many RJD supporters had questioned the acquittal of Mishra and alleged that the judgment smacked of an "upper-caste bias".

Modi also took potshots at RJD vice-president Shivanand Tiwary, without taking his name, and said, "A socialist leader, who gave up his vow of sanyas (retirement) to support the politics of benami property, now feels that he had committed a sin 21 years ago by associating himself with the PIL against Lalu Prasad."

Tiwary was a co-petitioner in the PIL filed in the high court. Upon his expulsion from Nitish Kumar's JD(U) just before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Tiwary had announced his retirement from active politics.

However, he joined the RJD recently and was made the party's national general secretary.

The deputy chief minister was hinting at Tiwary's statement that he felt he had "committed a sin" by filing the PIL, "which paved the way for Nitish Kumar to come to power in the state".

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"Actually, he (Tiwary) is committing a sin now. The ability to discern between sin and virtue is lost by those who do not keep their vow of sanyas," Modi said sarcastically.

--- ENDS ---
A president with no concern for veracity or consistency has assured us he is not considering the firing of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. This does not make the prospect even marginally less remote. And it has done little to inhibit the attempt by some conservatives to discredit the investigation.

On a move against Mueller and his office, the wind is thick with straws. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, warns: We do not know the magnitude of insider bias on Mr. Muellers team. Senator John Cornyn urges Mueller to clean house of partisans and wonders if the Special Counsels final report will be legitimate. The Murdoch press  lead in silly shrillness by Fox News personalities  continues to trash the reputations of Mueller and his associates.

At one level, this is whataboutism run amok. What about Bill and Hillary Clinton? Didnt they ruthlessly discredit Ken Starr and his investigation? Why should Republicans hobble themselves with scruples?

But here is a difference. Clinton and his defenders were accusing an investigator of being a power-mad prig. Some of Trumps defenders are claiming, in effect, that the FBI is engaged in a coup detat (the words of Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz)  a politically motivated attempt to reverse the results of the 2016 election. Their evidence? That some senior investigators donated to Democrats, supported Hillary Clinton and called Trump an idiot.

If that last charge were considered a disqualification, we would have the political equivalent of the Rapture (including, apparently, some of the Cabinet). But the larger point is this: Trump Republicans are willing to smear a man of genuine integrity, and undermine confidence in federal law enforcement, for reasons they must know are thin to the point of transparency. This is beyond cynicism. It is institutional arson. This is the profoundly anti-conservative strategy of Trump supporters against any institution (the courts, the media, law enforcement) that exposes the administrations deception and corruption: Burn, baby, burn.

Because Mueller is inexorable, the desperation in Trump world is palpable. We know that senior officials in the Trump campaign wanted to collude with the Russians in order to influence the election. (Donald Trump Jr. has admitted meeting with a Russian lawyer in June of 2016 to get damaging information on Hillary Clinton.) We know that Russian intelligence had the means to influence the election, hacked from a variety of sources. We know that Trump officials tried to conceal their contacts with the Russians, while seeking policy changes favorable to Russian interests. We know (on the credible testimony of a former FBI director) that President Trump tried to shut the investigation of these matters down. And it is a good bet that Mueller knows far more about all of this than we do.

As the investigation seems to be closing in on members of the Trump family, the president has a variety of options, all with serious risks. He might be able (it is debated among legal scholars) to fire Mueller directly. But unless he also abolishes the Special Counsels office, FBI officials would continue to investigate any crimes they have discovered. Other precedent would require Trump first to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (to whom Mueller reports), then (probably after a cascade of Justice Department resignations) find a stooge willing to fire Mueller. This would be a direct assault on the autonomy and integrity of the FBI, which still has defenders on Capitol Hill.

Or Trump could do a preemptive pardon of individuals being investigated. This would look deeply corrupt  like an admission of guilt written in neon  and there are serious legal issues surrounding a presidential self-pardon. This option would put the tolerance of Hill Republicans for executive lawlessness to the test. Is there any limit to their capacity for servility? The frog is in the pot, and it nears a boil.

If Trump takes any of these aggressive actions, it will define his presidency, exaggerate social division and throw America public life into chaos. At that point, he will deserve impeachment, whether he is impeached or not. (That will be determined, not by the degree of the offenses, but by which party controls the House of Representatives.)

Behind all this is a nagging fear. Other presidents would be restrained by the prospect of social division and political chaos. For Trump, these may be incentives. He seems to thrive in bedlam. But the anarchy that sustains him damages the institutions around him  a cost for which he cares nothing.
Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, following the conviction of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav by a CBI court in Ranchi on Saturday, said that they were not surprised by the verdict as the former Chief Minister got what he deserved.

"You can't expect a 'babool' tree to produce mangoes. The RJD chief got what he deserved. The evidences produced by me, Shivanand Tiwari, and Lallan Singh against Lalu Prasad Yadav in the early phase of the fodder scam trial were unimpeachable so I am not at all surprised by today's CBI court's verdict in Ranchi," Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and a long time Lalu nemesis said.

Saying a Lalu Prasad Yadav was too old to change his corrupt ways despite having been convicted in the fodder scam once.

"So far, he has been convicted in two cases; there are four other cases of corruption against him and it is my understanding that he won't be able to escape conviction in those cases as well," he said adding Saturday verdict was a warning to all corrupt politicians who have so far been hiding behind the mask of Dalits, backwards, and minorities to illegally amass properties for themselves and their family members.

"Lalu Prasad Yadav, due to his penchant for corruption, not only sunk his own political career but also destroyed the lives of his wife, sons, daughter, and son-in-law. He should stick to his mantra that 'he had full faith in the judiciary' and stopped his mouthpieces from trashing the judicial system of India," he said.

BJP state President and Health Minister Mangal Pandey also blamed the RJD chief for his current predicament saying he reaped what he sowed and the court verdict should be taken as a warning by his family members that they were not, by any means, above the law.

"Lalu Prasad Yadav learned the corruption tricks from his ally Congress Party and now he is paying the price for it. The one who survived all these years by indulging in corrupt practices has now run out of room in Bihar politics," Pandey said.
Patna: Reactions started to pour in following the conviction and arrest of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav in an offshoot of the fodder scam as senior party leaders, while putting up a nonchalant face before the media, lashed out at the NDA leaders calling the conviction a conspiracy hatched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to muzzle the voice of the backwards'.

RJD national Vice President Jagadanand Singh, who is one of the handful of leaders including Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, and son Tejaswi Yadav who have been entrusted to look after the party in the absence of the party President, said on Saturday that despite the temporary setback and the incarceration of the party chief, RJD will go on continuing its fight against social injustice and oppression against Dalits, backwards, and minorities.

"In 1995, the people of Bihar had entrusted the leadership in the hand of Lalu Prasad Yadav by a landslide. However, those who were crushed at the ballot box went on to hatch the biggest political conspiracy against our chosen leader. They knew that they did not have it in themselves to defeat Lalu Prasad Yadav at the polling booths so they chose to eliminate him by abusing the power to concoct fake criminal cases against him. However, those who think that this is the end of our struggle against social injustices then they are sorely mistaken," the RJD leader said.

Singh also said that the party would file an appeal in the Patna High Court to overturn the CBI guilty verdict against Yadav.

"If needed, we will even knock the door of the Supreme Court," he said adding come 2019 General Elections, BJP would be wiped off from the electoral map once and for all.

Mrityunjay Tiwari, Bhai Virendra, Manish Yadav, and Pramod Kumar Sinha were also present at the press conference.
Baha'is Still Misunderstood in Iran, Says Former Leader After Serving 10 Years in Prison

12/24/17

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Baha'i leader Behrouz Tavakkoli has spoken out about the Iranian government's "misunderstandings" about his minority faith. Tavakkoli spoke to the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on December 15, 2017, 11 days after his release from Rajaee Shahr Prison where he served a 10-year-prison sentence for his religious beliefs.

"Those in charge of the country knew how the Baha'i community operated but there were some misunderstandings that led to the charge of 'acting against national security,'" he said.

"For instance, just because the Baha'i international community's headquarters is based in Haifa [Israel], they accused us of spying for an enemy state," he added. "We tried to explain and get rid of these misunderstandings but unfortunately we were not successful."

Iran is 90 percent Shia Muslim and the country's Constitution does not recognize the Baha'i faith as an official religion. Although Article 23 states that "no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief," followers of the faith are denied many basic rights as one of the most severely persecuted religious minorities in the country.

Tavakkoli was one of seven Baha'i leaders known as the "Yaran" ("the friends") who were arrested in 2008 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for "collaborating with enemy states" in a mass trial.

Baha'i leader Mahvash Sabet was freed on September 18 and Fariba Kamalabadi on October 31.

"The charges against us were completely false," said Tavakkoli. "The authorities were convinced that we had formed an illegal organization. But the Baha'i community is active in 184 countries. We perform religious duties such as marriage, divorce, and burials for our followers and offer spiritual teachings. We also provide social services in various countries but in Iran we are not allowed to do so."

The Yaran were initially sentenced to 20 years in prison each for several national security charges, including "collaborating with enemy states," "insulting the sacred," and "propaganda against the state" by Judge Mohammad Moghisseh of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in August 2010.

Their sentences were eventually reduced to 10 years in prison each based on Article 134 of Iran's Islamic Penal Code, which allows prisoners to serve only the longest sentence in cases involving convictions on multiple charges.

"I served as a member of the Yaran for 18 years but it does not exist any more," said Tavakkoli. "We have no titles or responsibilities."

"In March 2009, the prosecutor general issued an order that the Yaran's operations were against national interests," he added. "The Baha'i community complied and disbanded the group and local affiliates. Officials even opposed Baha'is performing marriage, divorce and burial ceremonies."

Continued Tavakkoli: "Now there's no national leadership and if rights are violated, every Baha'i is individually responsible for themselves. Of course, international organizations such as the United Nations always follow up and mention the violations against the Baha'i community in Iran in their resolutions. But for the time being, there is no Baha'i administration in Iran."

Tavakkoli told CHRI that during his 10 years in prison, he was denied the right to go on furlough.

"There was no physical torture when I was being interrogated," he added. "But we were held in solitary confinement, which is a form of psychological torture."

"When you don't know what has happened to your family, that's psychological torture," he said. "I was not allowed to use the phone to call my family for two months after my arrest. Family visitations were banned for four months while I was held in solitary confinement."

Tavakkoli was expelled from the Iranian Welfare Organization in 1981, where he worked as a psychologist, because of his faith.

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Two Iranian Officials Publicly Break Rank and Discuss Discriminatory Policies Against Baha'is

Iranian officials are beginning to broach the previously taboo topic of religious discrimination in Iran. On the same day, two government officials publicly discussed discriminatory policies against Baha'is, one of Iran's most severely persecuted minority faiths. - 12/8/17

Iranian Baha'i Citizens, Deprived Of Higher Education, Sentenced

Three Baha'i citizens in Iran, already deprived of higher education, have reportedly each been sentenced by a notoriously hard-liner judge, Mohammad Moqisseh, to five years in prison. After being summoned to court six times, Tara Houshmand, Rouhie Safajoo, and Sarmad Shadabi were finally charged with "acting against national security through membership in the misleading Baha'i cult" and sentenced, the Human Rights Activists News reported on November 8. - 11/10/17

After 10 Years in Prison, Faith Leader Fariba Kamalabadi Says Baha'is Hope to Serve Iran

In her first interview since being released from Evin Prison on October 31, 2017, Baha'i faith leader Fariba Kamalabadi said Baha'is "love" Iran and want to "serve" their country. "There have been a lot of reports about the rights that have been denied to Baha'is," Kamalabadi told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on November 1. "But no one has talked about the right to serve Iran, which is the right of every Iranian and the dream of every Baha'i in Iran." - 11/5/17
Iran Extends Film Censorship Reach Beyond Its Borders

12/24/17

By Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL

Iran has taken its cultural censorship efforts to new levels by pressuring a filmmaker to cancel the screening of one of his films in Canada. The film, Delighted, by Abdolreza Kahani, was due to be screened last month at an independent theater in Toronto. But Kahani decided to cancel the screening after receiving a warning from Iran's Culture Ministry.



A still from Abdolreza Kahani's film Delighted

A Culture Ministry official was quoted in 2016 as saying that Delighted was "immoral."

A source close to Kahani's production team who did not want to be named told RFE/RL that the ministry "advised" the filmmaker that if he would go ahead with the screening his other film, We Love You Mrs. Yaya, which was filmed in Thailand, would not be allowed to be shown inside Iran.



"When we announced that the film would be screened [in Canada] and tickets were sold, we received a message requesting the screening be cancelled; the message said that, if not, Kahani's [other] film - [which was] was made in Thailand and was costly -- will not receive a screening permit," the source said.





Iranian director Abdolreza Kahani (file photo)

The source added that authorities had also contacted producers, including those involved in the production of We Love You Mrs. Yaya, to convince him to cancel the November 24 screening in Toronto.



Kahani has said in an interview with Radio Canada that Delighted is the story of three women who want to have a good time in Iran and are trying to meet wealthy men in order to achieve that goal.



A Culture Ministry official was quoted in 2016 as saying that Delighted was "immoral."



Last year, a member of a committee that issues screening permits said that Delighted was problematic "from the beginning till the end." He didn't provide details but said the film was "not amendable."



Film critic Khosro Dehghan says the Culture Ministry's move to block the showing of Delighted in Canada was unprecedented.



"The Culture Ministry is not likely to confirm this issue as it would prove that the ministry won't limit itself to the country's borders -- any film that is banned here will not be allowed to be screened anywhere else in the world," Dehghan said in an interview with the daily Jamee Farda.



"The ministry has now extended its reach beyond Iran's borders," Dehghan added.



Banned At Home, Lauded Abroad



Authorities routinely ban award-winning Iranian movies from cinemas inside the country.



But until now there hadn't been any known efforts to prevent the screening of controversial movies outside the country.



Dissident film director Jafar Panahi -- who received a six-year prison sentence and a 20-year ban on directing movies in 2010 -- screened his latest film Taxi, made clandestinely, at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival where it received the Golden Bear Prize.



Iranian director Jafar Panahi in a still from his acclaimed movie Taxi.

Panahi told Jamee Farda that Iran should not interfere in the screening of films in other countries.



"Domestic rules should not be enforced when it comes to screening movies in other countries," he said.



"If that was the case, Iran's cinema would have never been able to grow and be introduced to the world," Panahi added.



"[Authorities] should either shut down the cinema [industry] or find a solution," he said.



Strict Restrictions



Iranian filmmakers have to follow tight censorship rules that forbid showing unveiled women, physical contact between men and women, and criticism of Islamic principles.



The strict restrictions limit the topics that can be discussed in movies.



Yet, Iranian filmmakers have managed to produce several movies that are universally acclaimed and have won many awards.



Those banned inside the country are accessible on the black market and online.



Kahani wrote in a July op-ed piece published by the reformist Sharq daily that "filmmakers don't have the right to show the reality [of life in Iran]."



"What are we afraid of? From the current realities?! People are well-aware [of what's going on] and they're far ahead of films and managers," he wrote.



About the author:



Golnaz Esfandiari is a senior correspondent with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. She can be reached at esfandiarig@rferl.org
Seattle Federal Judge Lifts Travel Ban On Certain Refugees With Close U.S. Ties

12/24/17

Source: RFE/RL

A federal judge in Seattle has lifted a ban on certain refugees with close U.S. ties that had been ordered by President Donald Trump's administration. U.S. District Judge James Robart on December 23 ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Jewish Family Service (JFS) after they argued the policy prevented people from some Muslim-majority countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States.

A federal judge has partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after advocacy groups argued the more restrictive policy prevented their clients from reuniting with family living legally in the United States. https://t.co/mv6b8aYV5Q pic.twitter.com/1AovVxXE7w  USA TODAY (@USATODAY) December 24, 2017

The judge ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications but said the ruling only applied to people who have a "bona fide relationship" to a person or entity in the United States, so-called "follow-to-join" refugees.



The most recent ban went into effect on October 24 after Trump issued an executive order resuming the refugee program but "with enhanced vetting capabilities," pending a 90-day security review, which was set to expire in late January.



Robart's ruling said the administration could carry out the 90-day security review but that it could not stop processing or admitting refugees who had the connections to the United States.



The ACLU and JFS argued in a court hearing on December 21 that the ban causes irreparable harm and puts some people at risk.



Lawyers for the U.S. government contended that the ban is necessary to protect national security.



The ban had applied to the spouses and minor children of refugees who have already settled in the United States. The order basically suspended the refugee program for people coming from 11 countries categorized as Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) nations.



The latest ruling does not affect new potential refugees from the 11 countries, unless they also have a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.



The administration has not listed the countries, but news media reported they were Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. All but North Korea and South Sudan have Muslim majorities.



State Department figures show that citizens of the 11 countries made up about 44 percent of the 54,000 refugees admitted into the United States in the most recent fiscal year.



Of those countries, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Iran by far had the most refugee arrivals in the United States. The data also showed that 2,600 Iranian refugees resettled in the United States last year, a majority of whom were Christian.

There is no evidence that refugee resettlement poses a threat to the US. That's why we're taking Trump's refugee ban to court. Again. https://t.co/jDAIXZnAvu #RefugeeBan #MuslimBan #JewsforRefugees #StrongerAs1  HIAS (@HIASrefugees) December 20, 2017

In his ruling, Robart cited former government officials as saying the ban on family members would "harm the United States' national security and foreign policy interests."



Robart said his order restores procedures for family members to what they were before the October ban, noting that they already included thorough vetting of individuals.



In a statement, Department of Justice spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam said: "We disagree with the court's ruling and are currently evaluating the next steps."



The Trump administration has struggled to put immigration restrictions into place that can get court approval.

With reporting by AP, Politico, and Reuters
Residents of Shama Junction, Ituma and Nyanikrom, other communities in the Shama District of the Western Region are in a state of shock after a 17-year-old final year student of the Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) was allegedly shot and killed by a police constable.



The constable, popularly known in the area as Shaibu, is believed to have shot the student at about 8:30pm on Friday, December 22.



Reports indicate that he opened fire on five students when he came across them on their way to a rap concert at Shama Junction.



One of the five students Caroline Daddie narrated the incident to Citi News, stating that the police officer, without any provocation, opened fire on them while calling them armed robbers.



She explained that I had come to visit my friends to prepare for the dancing competition which was supposed to take place at the school park at 7:30pm. We were five in number so Lawrence, (the deceased) came to join us from Ituma, we then set off because we were already behind the 7:00 starting time. So when we got to his fathers house, he decided to change his dress, which he did, and even added a headset



She added that all of us set out to the Nyanikrom road. Lawrence, who was going to perform together with Kobina took the lead, whilst the three of us were also behind. But before we could get to the Nyanikrom road before we join the Shama Juntion Takoradi Road, we saw a white private car with a motor in front.



Just as we got to the point where we were entering the Road, I saw the motor rider forcefully getting off his motor. He quickly got down and shouted thieves. The white car also stopped. Just after the shout then there was a gunshot. He fired at Lawrence and Kobina who were ahead of us. Lawrence fell on the ground and Kobina also jumped into the bush with his wounds.



She stated that she couldnt move after the gunshot which compelled another of her friends who was fleeing the scene to scream at her to run.



I stood until I saw the shooter get to Lawrence who was already quiet on the ground. I saw him show a sign, which communicated to me that he realized he had made a mistake. Then I heard the person in the car say to him that he is dead so he should leave. He quickly got onto his motor a left. The car then turned around and headed back. I then rushed to Lawrence and held him. I mentioned his name but he could only respond by turning his eyes which were already white and wide open. He was bleeding so much so I did not know what to do, whether to lift him up or leave him and rush to the house. In the midst of that, the other boys also came from the bush and helped to rushed him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, she said.



A housemaster at GSTS with whom the deceased was living, said he did not understand why the police constable opened fire on the five young unarmed students.



He called on the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure that the perpetrator is brought before justice.



Lawrence could not under any circumstance be a thief howsoever. He just finished his Elective Maths papers this Thursday. He is a boarder who stays with me personally. The police hierarchy must get to the bottom of this heinous act and punish that constable according to the laws of Ghana, he said.



The father of the deceased, Emmanuel Baidoo, who was in tears told Citi News he had met the constable earlier in the evening and knew him well.



[How could] Shaibu who I met around 7:30 pm on his motor with his girlfriend in her car, go around my home and commit such a dastardly thing against me? Shaibu is someone I know, and he also knows me and my son as a boarder who schools at GSTS. So what happened within that short period? This is what I demand answers to from the police, he lamented.



Meanwhile the Shama District Police Commander, Superintendent Innocent Amemo confirmed the shooting to Citi News, but refused to give any more details.

He, however, added that the police had commenced investigations into the case.

Source: citifmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has condemned the attacks on some Journalists from GhanaWeb, TV3 and Citi FM by some Macho men of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the partys headquarters in Accra.



In a statement issued on Sunday, December 24, 2017, the umbrella organisation representing Ghanaian Journalists says that under no circumstance in Ghanas democratic dispensation must a body, whether individual or corporate ignore the rule of law and employ brute to seek redress to a problem.



The attack by the NPP security personnel was an attack on human dignity, which is guaranteed under Article 15(1) of the 1992 constitution as inviolable.



The statement further called on the leadership of the ruling party to bring the culprits to book to demonstrate its abhorrence of such dastardly act.



Below is the full statement:

Source: Ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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According to AIMPLB member Sajjad Nomani, neither did the government follow any procedure while drafting the bill, nor did they consult any stakeholder.

The Supreme Court in August banned the 1,400 year-old practice of instant triple talaq. (Photo: PTI)

By India Today Web Desk: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) today termed the triple talaq bill "anti-Muslim' and said that it is a conspiracy to snatch right of divorce from the men.

Opposing the bill, the law board demanded that the government should not table it.

According to AIMPLB member Sajjad Nomani, neither did the government follow any procedure while drafting the bill, nor did they consult any stakeholder.

No procedure was followed in drafting this bill, neither any stakeholder was consulted. President of AIMPLB will convey this stand to PM and request him to withhold and withdraw the bill: Sajjad Nomani, AIMPLB #TripleTalaq pic.twitter.com/EMa1RgBC6b&; ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

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Nomani, during a press conference in Lucknow, said that the triple talaq bill is against both Muslim women and the Shariat.

"We appeal the government not to table it in the Parliament," the AIMPLB member said.

The Supreme Court held triple talaq as unconstitutional in August this year, but the practice still continued. The government then came up with the bill.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) president Maulana Rabe Hasani Nadvi, general secretary Wali Rahmani and Khalid Saifullaha Rahmani during a meeting on triple talaq bill in Lucknow. (Photo: PTI) All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) president Maulana Rabe Hasani Nadvi, general secretary Wali Rahmani and Khalid Saifullaha Rahmani during a meeting on triple talaq bill in Lucknow. (Photo: PTI)

The Narendra Modi government drafted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 that makes triple talaq a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment up to three years and/or fine.The Union Cabinet cleared the bill on December 15.

The AIMPLB has earlier termed the bill a "direct interference in religious matters".

ALSO WATCH | Cruel joke being played on Muslim women: Asaduddin Owaisi opposes triple talaq bill

--- ENDS ---
Lauren Raja, founder of Justin Jean Pajamas. The PJs are the featured nightwear at the annual White Dog pajama brunch. Read more

Three years ago Lauren Raja's husband, Justin, died unexpectedly while the young couple was on vacation in Greece.

"For months I lived in my sad, gray pajamas and sweats," Raja said.

These days, Raja has traded in her melancholy jammies for silky sleepwear splashed with polka dots and stripes, complete with a ruffle sewn across the tush, that she designs in her New Hope apartment. She named the collection of women's and young girl's nighty-night fashion line Justin Jean Pajamas, after her husband and grandmother, two people she loved very much.

"It's my way of remembering people who meant so much to me," said Raja.

And it's starting to get some buzz.

In a little over a year, Raja has sold more than 1,600 pairs of the sleepwear, via her website, justinjeanpjs.com. Raja offers three styles of jammies for girls ($41-49.50): a onesie (with feet), and two-piece styles with long pants and capris. There are four designs for women ($67-$76): long pants, capris, a nightshirt (Raja says men are buying them for their wives and girlfriends), and a pair of ruffled shorts. Every design features the three-tiered ruffle. Hence the hashtag: #rocktheruffles.

Each pair of PJs comes in a clear zip-up makeup bag with a handmade scrunchie.

One of Raja's fans is Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice. She's touted Justin Jean as one of her and her daughter's favorite cozy sleepy-time options.

New York celebrity dermatologist Whitney Bowe wears them while relaxing in bed, and 6ABC reporter/anchor Erin O'Hearn and her daughter have matching pairs. Even celebrity blogger Perez Hilton's 2-year-old daughter, Mia #rockstheruffle.

And Justin Jean will be the featured sleepwear at the White Dog Cafe's 30th annual New Year's Day Pajama Brunch, during which she will donate 15 percent of all proceeds from online orders to Alpha Bravo Canine. This is the first time one pajama brand has worked so closely with the restaurant. (Although, no pressure. If you wear your Target specials, that's cool, too).

The local love comes just as we enter the holiday season, with its mix of modern and old-school traditions: gift-givin', brunchin', Netflixin', and, well, lounging all day, on vacay in our PJs.

"When we wear pajamas, our masks are off," Raja, 36, said. "It's a time when you are at you realest, you are laid back, and you are almost always surrounded by friends and family. Pajamas help us make these memories."

It just so happened that 2017 was the year of pajamas, according to NPD Group chief industry analyst Marshal Cohen. We donned sleepwear for way more than getting a little shut-eye. I don't know about you, but the moment I walk in the door  whether it's 2 in the afternoon, or 2 in the morning  I can't get into my PJs fast enough.

That sentiment carried into street wear. This year's trendiest tops, whether spotted in thrift stores or in mall specialty shops like J.Crew and Forever 21, were fashioned to look like vintage, striped pajamas, piping and all.

And then there are the plaid, drawstring PJs rapidly becoming the hallmark of the Christmas season as families pose in baggy flannel two-pieces. (My mother was so ahead of her time; she's been giving my sister and me matching pajamas every Christmas for decades.)

In 2013, a year before her husband died, Raja asked Justin for a sewing machine. At the time, she was thinking about the grandmother who'd raised her, "Mama" Jean Falo, a South Philly-bred homemaker and avid seamstress who died earlier that year at 80.

Raja's husband, vice president at a bank, bought her the machine. But Raja, who was working as a math teacher at Holland Middle School in the Council Rock School District, couldn't find the time to sew.

The following October, the couple went to Greece for a wedding and decided to take a day trip on a catamaran. Raja was upstairs on the boat. Justin took a dive into the water. When Raja came downstairs, she says she saw a friend dragging her husband out of the water and giving him CPR. Justin never woke up.

Raja came back home and buried her husband on her birthday. She felt lost. She quit teaching. She spent her days in her apartment in total darkness, mourning.

One day, she saw the sewing machine in the corner and thought to herself, "What would Mama Jean do?"

Slowly, she started sketching. She'd never taken a sewing class, but she started making "wacky" things: a shower cap with detachable fleece lining; a leather flower that she planned to sell on Etsy, but that cost way too much to replicate. She made a summer dress. But the world didn't need any more dress designers, did it?

Then she had a thought: Justin loved polka dots, especially on fancy socks. And when Raja thought about Mama Jean, her mind's eye took her to the ruffled knickers of her childhood. How could those items work together? Pajamas, perhaps?

Raja designed a sample. The first pair were multicolored dots in the same colors you might find on a Twister board. Three rows of ruffles stretching across the hiney. On the left sleeve she added a heart, because, Raja says, "True healing comes from wearing your heart on your sleeve." And at the center of the heart is a handwritten logo.

The tagline for her PJs: Heavenly comfort, superior style.

"This project really brought me back to life," said Raja. She designs all of the prints on the fabrics, maintains the website, fulfills orders, manages the social media, and does the packaging.

"Pajamas for me aren't about sadness anymore. They are about joy, hope authenticity, passion, and celebration."

To purchase Justin Jean pajamas especially for White Dog's New Year's Day Pajama Brunch, log on to https://www.justinjeanpjs.com/discount/ABC15. For more information, call 484-354-7858.
The typhoon, which started as a tropical storm grew in strength and caused landslides.

By India Today Web Desk: A tropical storm battered southern Philippines and caused flash floods that swept away people and caused landslides. According to reports the storm has caused a death-toll of 120. 160 other people are missing according to officials.

The tropical storm Tembin strengthened into a typhoon on Sunday. The hardest hit provinces were Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur ,according to government reports.

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It was the latest disaster to hit the Philippines, which is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, making the archipelago that lies on the Pacific typhoon belt one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.

A search and rescue operation was underway for more than 30 people swept away by flash floods in the fishing village of Anungan, Mayor Bong Edding of Zamboanga del Norte province's Sibuco town said by phone. Five bodies have been recovered so far in the village.

"The floodwaters from the mountain came down so fast and swept away people and houses," Edding said. "It's really sad because Christmas is just a few days away, but these things happen beyond our control."

Edding blamed years of logging in the mountains near Anungan for the tragedy that unfolded Friday, adding that he and other officials would move to halt the logging operations.

The rest of the deaths were reported in Lanao del Norte, where floodwaters from a mountain also swept away several riverside houses and villagers, and Lanao del Sur, police and officials said.

Lanao del Norte officials reported the highest death toll at 64 with 139 missing followed by Zamboanga del Norte province, where officials reported at least 29 storm deaths with 19 others missing. The storm left 21 dead and one missing in the lakeside province of Lanao del Sur, according to the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Thousands of villagers moved to emergency shelters and thousands more were stranded in airports and seaports after the coast guard prohibited ferries from venturing out in the rough seas and several flights were canceled.

An inter-island ferry sank off northeastern Quezon province Thursday after being lashed by fierce winds and big waves, leaving at least five people dead. More than 250 passengers and crewmen were rescued.

The storm, known locally as Vinta, strengthened into a typhoon and picked up speed late Saturday, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 145 kph (90 mph). It struck the southern section of western Palawan province and is forecast to blow away from the southern Philippines on Sunday toward the South China Sea.

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"It is unfortunate that another tropical cyclone, Vinta, made its presence felt so near Christmas," presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said, adding that food packs and other aid were being distributed in storm-hit communities.

Earlier in the week, a tropical storm left more than 50 people dead and 31 others missing, mostly due to landslides, and damaged more than 10,000 houses in the central Philippines before weakening and blowing into the South China Sea.

Among the areas battered by the latest storm was Marawi, a lakeside city in Lanao del Sur that is still recovering from a five-month siege by pro-Islamic State group extremists that left more than 1,000 people dead.

How a 7.1 magnitude earthquake devastated Mexico this week

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Emergency personnel work at the scene of the derailment in Philadelphia of an Amtrak train headed to New York in May 2015. Read more

My friends started calling as soon as the news broke about the Amtrak derailment in Washington state.

They worried I would suffer flashbacks to the horrible night in May 2015 when Amtrak 188 derailed near Philadelphia. I was one of the "lucky ones"; unlike the woman right behind me, the midshipman two rows ahead and six others, I lived. I "only" had scratched corneas, broken ribs, and a damaged knee.

In some ways, flashbacks are appropriate because the similarities between the two derailments are eerie: In both, the trains were going much too fast. In both, positive train control (PTC) safety systems could have prevented the accidents by automatically slowing down the trains. In both cases, PTC systems had already been installed on the tracks. And, in both cases, they hadn't been turned on yet  because the deadline for installing them hadn't been reached and Amtrak balked at spending money on safety until it absolutely had to do so.

I did have flashbacks, but they weren't to the accident. I flashed back to Amtrak's responses afterward, which were appalling  a combination of callous indifference and phony promises to reform. And to the response of Congress, equally appalling, which was both to delay PTC requirements that would prevent these disasters and to limit Amtrak's liability to compensate its victims when disasters occur.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been recommending PTC for 45 years, but it took a head-on train collision in 2008 in California that killed 25 people and injured more than 100 to get Congress to move. Responding to that disaster, Congress gave major railroads more than seven years, until the end of 2015, to install PTC systems. Had the requirement been in place eight months earlier, Amtrak would have turned on its PTC system, Amtrak 188 wouldn't have derailed, I would still have my knee, and eight people would be alive.

Sadly, the response of the railroad industry to the Philadelphia disaster was not to install PTC, but to delay it. Railroads complained about the costs and threatened not to run their trains unless Congress pushed the deadline to 2018. Congress caved completely, allowing railroads to defer PTC without penalty. Congress even allowed an additional loophole: If railroads "showed progress," they didn't have to start using PTC until 2020.

The first thing that Amtrak Cascades 501 victims and their families will likely learn, as we did, is that this accident didn't have to happen. But the bad news doesn't stop there, because in 1997, Congress also decided to cap at $200 million the total compensation that Amtrak and other passenger railroads must pay when their negligence leads to an accident. This means that the costs of major accidents are sometimes borne not by the negligent railroad, but by its victims. One judge applying this cruel law in another case said, "There just wasn't enough money  what was given to one victim had to be taken from another." He described the process as a daily exercise in "Sophie's Choice."

That's what happened after the Amtrak accident in Philadelphia. Congress raised the cap to $295 million, but that was far from sufficient to compensate the eight families who lost loved ones and the 200 passengers who suffered life-changing injuries. Amtrak ended up paying only a fraction of the damage it had inflicted. The victims ended up bearing a large part of their own medical costs and lost wages. Meanwhile, Amtrak's chief executive  who ran what the NTSB described as a railroad lacking a "safety culture" for eight years  retired without so much as a slap on the wrist.

My heart goes out to the victims of Amtrak Cascades 501. They deserve better than what we experienced after Amtrak 188. Sadly, the responses from Washington thus far aren't encouraging. President Trump, ignoring the sharp cuts to Amtrak's funding that he proposed this year, used the tragedy instead to talk about an infrastructure program he has yet to propose  despite the fact that the tracks had been refurbished and the train was new. Congress, for its part, now makes statements about the need for PTC, but they do not mention that they delayed requiring it and that more people have died as a result.

For the victims of the crash near Seattle, it's far too late to promise better safety controls. But it's not too late to eliminate the liability cap and to say that government-funded railroads should be responsible for their actions and that the victims of Amtrak's negligence should get the full protection of the law.

Joshua Gotbaum is a guest scholar in economic studies at the Brookings Institution. He wrote this for the Washington Post.
Peter Barsz, 60, is the Chester Upland School District receiver. He said he gave Chester Community Charter School a nine-year renewal to save the district. CLEM MURRAY / Staff Photographer Read more

For years, charter school proponents have been trying to change Pennsylvania law so that operating agreement renewals could be extended from five years to 10.

They haven't succeeded in Harrisburg. But that didn't deter Chester Community Charter School.

One year into Chester Community's latest five-year agreement, Peter R. Barsz, the court-appointed receiver who oversees the financially distressed Chester Upland School District and wields nearly all the powers of a school board, took the unprecedented step of extending the Delaware County school's term for five more years to 2026.

Barsz contends that the move was designed to protect Chester High School: In return, Chester Community, which already enrolls about 70 percent of the primary grade students in the struggling district, agreed not to open a high school.

The decision means staff and parents at the state's largest bricks-and-mortar charter  already slated to receive more than $55 million in taxpayer funds this school year  won't have to worry about its fate for nearly a decade, even if its test scores continue to fall far short of state benchmarks.

It also guarantees that CSMI LLC, a for-profit education management company that operates the K-8 school with 4,200 students, will receive millions of dollars in revenue for nine more years.

Chester Community's extension comes as school districts across the commonwealth and nation are wrestling with the growth of charter schools, more privatization in education and the impact on traditional public schools. It also renews lingering questions about the intersection of politics, government and schools.

CSMI's founder and CEO is Vahan H. Gureghian of Gladwyne, a lawyer, entrepreneur and major Republican donor the largest individual contributor to former Gov. Tom Corbett. And though CSMI's books are not public  the for-profit firm has never disclosed its profits and won't discuss its management fee  running the school appears to be a lucrative business. State records show that Gureghian's company collected nearly $17 million in taxpayer funds just in 2014-15, when only 2,900 students were enrolled.

Barsz, meanwhile, is a Delaware County Republican and accountant who has served as treasurer for multiple GOP groups, including Corbett's campaign. Over objections from the state Department of Education and at the urging of Chester Community, a judge reappointed Barsz the Chester Upland receiver in May. Weeks later, he extended Chester Community's charter to June 30, 2026.

Months after the move, state education officials have declined to discuss the matter in detail, but acknowledge they are researching a possible legal challenge to Barsz's decision.

The department, a spokeswoman said, "continues to review the documents provided by the receiver, the data reported by the charter school, and the Charter School Law to determine if any additional action is warranted."

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, whose office has scrutinized the Chester school's finances in the past and who has often called the state's charter law "the worst in the country," was unaware of the renewal until he was told this month by the Inquirer and Daily News.

DePasquale, a Democrat, said he had never heard of such a lengthy charter school renewal, and questioned whether the move limited the district's authority to demand improvements, especially at a school where test scores are so low.

"This is giving away the accountability that is so desperately needed  for nine years," he said.

David E. Clark, Chester Community's CEO, declined to be interviewed. But in a statement, he defended the renewal and said it would provide needed stability for Chester Community and the school district.

"This was viewed as an opportunity to improve our school and the instructional experience we provide, especially given the recurring financial and funding challenges faced by the Chester Upland School District," Clark said.

A closely watched district

For decades, Chester has been a micro-lab for educational experiments, including charters. The city is perennially one of the state's poorest and its public school system among its neediest.

Five years ago, then-Education Secretary Ron Tomalis designated Chester Upland a district in financial distress. That decision led to greater control and funding from the state and the appointment of a receiver to oversee the system.

Charters were supposed to be one possible savior.

The privately managed schools educate 51 percent of the students in Chester Upland. And nearly three-quarters of the younger students go to Chester Community.

CSMI, its parent company, has long been a prominent player in the charter world  and not just in Chester. The company runs a school in Atlantic County, N.J., and until last year had another in Camden  New Jersey denied its renewal because of low academic performance.

Chester Community has also struggled to succeed. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams released in September showed that Chester Community had some of the lowest scores among charter schools in the region: Less than 16 percent of students passed PSSA reading tests in the last school year; 6 percent passed math.

The scores were lower than all but one of the four Chester Upland district schools that have K-8 students.

That was the backdrop Barsz was dealing with when, in June 2016, he became the district's third receiver. The Chester Upland board recommended him for the appointment, and he had the backing of Chester Community and the other charters in the district  Widener Partnership and Chester Charter for the Arts. State Education Secretary Pedro Rivera asked the Delaware County judge to appoint Barsz for a year.

By law, a receiver takes on most responsibilities of a school board, including approving budgets and renewing charters. The elected board still levies taxes. Barsz, 60, a certified public accountant, is a partner at a regional accounting firm. His $144,000 receiver's salary is paid by the state.

But in time, his relationship with state education officials grew strained.

We all need to get better

In May, Rivera said he could not recommend Barsz's reappointment when his term expired in June, and the department asked Delaware County Court Judge Chad F. Kenney to replace him.

David W. Volkman, executive deputy secretary of the department, said in court filings that Barsz had not been able to provide the leadership needed to improve Chester Upland's academics and finances.

He alleged Barsz was distracted by other duties and was not devoting his full attention to Chester Upland. He also said that Barsz had been aware the district was delinquent in making earned-income tax payments months before the department was told, which led to the district owing more interest costs and penalties.

Barsz denied the allegations and asked to be reappointed. The Chester Upland school board sided with him. "Well, you don't change nothing that's working," Board President Anthony Johnson told the judge at a hearing May 24, according to the transcript.

Other charters, including cyber schools that enroll district students, took no position on Barsz's remaining as receiver.

But Chester Community said in a filing to the judge that Barsz had taken steps to improve the district's finances and should be reappointed. Barsz's "continued service as receiver is integral to ongoing progress," the school said.

In his May 25 decision, Kenney said that replacing Barsz would cause Chester Upland to have its fourth receiver in five years and create "a lack of continuity in leadership and direction" that would not be good for the district or its students. He reappointed Barsz for two years.

A little more than three weeks later, Chester Community submitted its charter renewal proposal. Five days later, on June 27, Barsz approved the plan, extending the school's term to June 30, 2026.

Amy Munro, acting chief of the state Education Department's charter division, said the department learned about the renewal the day it occurred  and objected to the move.

State law "expressly provides that a charter may be renewed for five-year periods," Munro later wrote in a letter to Barsz. She said there appeared to be nothing in the law that would allow an early renewal during a charter's existing period without "a comprehensive review" of its operations during its current term.

In his response, Barsz said he had conducted a detailed review of Chester Community, including examining its annual reports, yearly audits and test scores.

He said he acted because Chester Community offered to forgo opening a high school  one that had been previously approved  and instead remain a K-8 school through 2026. Approving the proposal, he said, was a way to safeguard Chester High School from a further decline in enrollment. The school, which had 1,605 students a dozen years ago, had fallen to approximately 1,100 in 2016-17.

"In short, we were presented with a unique opportunity to help secure the future of an extremely challenged school district," he wrote in his letter to Munro. "Chester High School is the flagship of the Chester Upland School District The potential creation of the charter high school in the district threatened to undermine the future of the entire district."

The two-page charter renewal Barsz signed also gave the school a green light to expand its K-8 enrollment  authorizing a fourth site in Aston and "any other added" locations in the district "as deemed necessary by Chester Community Charter School from time to time"

The fourth campus is a leased building in an industrial park in Aston that had housed the Chester Charter School for the Arts before it moved to a $30 million new campus in August.

A. Bruce Crawley, Chester Community's spokesman, said recently that CSMI supported the renewal and that the management firm provided "technical and legal support" during negotiations with Chester Upland for renewal terms. He and CSMI declined to name the company representatives or say if Gureghian was involved. Crawley said it was difficult to identify CSMI's participants because the matter was discussed at more than one meeting.

In a written response to questions from the Inquirer and Daily News, Crawley said the renewal was not tied to the charter's support in court for Barsz in the dispute over his reappointment. He said the Chester Upland board was the primary backer of Barsz's reappointment. He said the hearing transcript shows that another charter had attempted to voice support for the board's position, but that the judge said the charters had no role in that discussion.

"Clearly, therefore, there was not a connection between the renewal of CCCS's charter and Mr. Barsz continuing as  receiver," Crawley wrote.

In an interview this fall, Barsz said that while evaluating the renewal application, he reviewed Chester Community's sub-par test scores but was as concerned about student performance in the district as a whole.

"Our academics are not good  our school district," he said. "And [Chester Community] I'm concerned about as well. We all need to get better."

Barsz also said he was not sure he even knew that Chester Community had advocated for his reappointment.

"In all honestythis is the first I'm hearing that," he said. "I didn't think they took a position. It's nice to hear they supported me; I needed it."

Barsz added: "On the other side, I cannot think that the judge let one letter influence his decision  especially since he extended [the appointment] for two years."
A photo of Emily Fredricks, a cyclist recently killed by a garbage truck, is pictured on a ghost bike at the crash site, 11th and Spruce streets, on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017. The ghost bike was provided by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer Read more

A "ghost bike" was chained to a traffic light at 11th and Spruce Streets Saturday to mark the site of the tragedy that took the life of a vivacious young cyclist.

Emily Fredricks, 24, a Center City executive pastry chef, was critically injured while commuting to work on Nov. 29. She was riding in the bike lane when a private trash truck also traveling westbound on Spruce turned right onto 11th Street, striking her, according to police. Fredricks died at the scene.

In a persistent, cold rain Saturday, nearly 60 people gathered at that corner to memorialize Fredricks and to draw attention to the more than two dozen bicyclists who have died on Philadelphia streets since 2010. Several of the mourners openly wept.

"We don't want Emily to disappear, to be forgotten about," said her father, Richard Fredricks, of East Brunswick, N.J. "This dedication is just the beginning."

The ghost bike, a former junker freshly spray-painted in a skeletal white, was garlanded with a string of flashing Christmas lights. Vases of fuschia and white chrysanthemums, lilies, and a single red rose stood at the phantom bicycle's crankshaft. A bouquet of vibrant pink and white blossoms was tied to the handlebar stem. Photographs of Fredricks, along with a black helmet, were attached to the support pole of the traffic light.

The bicycle was donated by Neighborhood Bike Works of West Philadelphia, said Randy LoBasso, a spokesman for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which is agitating for protected bike lanes in the wake of Fredricks' death.

"Hopefully, the ghost bike will be here as long as the traffic light is here," said LoBasso. "It's important for people who drive by this corner to know and be reminded."

Though the total number of people who commute by bicycle citywide is relatively small, in Center City about 7 percent use the two-wheelers to travel to work, LoBasso said. In South Philadelphia, an estimated 20 percent commute by bike. Drivers distracted by their smartphones have caused the rate of accidents involving bikes to rise throughout the nation, he said.

The ghost bike phenomenon is traced to St. Louis in 2003 as a tribute to a female cyclist who was struck and seriously injured by a car. Since then, more than 630 of the stark memorials have been established throughout the world.

They're often removed after a few weeks. But some remain in silent tribute for longer periods. LoBasso said a ghost bike has stood for four years at Second Street and Girard Avenue in Northern Liberties, where it memorializes the 2014 death of Johnny Brenda's cook Tony Aparecio. Another ghost bike is chained at 19th Street and Girard Avenue in Brewerytown, where PhillyCAM filmmaker Jay Mohen was killed in 2015, LoBasso said.

Before leading those assembled at 11th and Spruce Streets Saturday in the Lord's Prayer, Richard Fredricks appealed to anyone who witnessed and/or took video footage of his daughter's accident to come forward.

"Please get in touch," he said. "Don't let her death be in vain."
Jasmine Yedra, a senior at Central High School, has met personal challenges head-on and is still on track to college. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer Read more

It was raining, and Jasmine Yedra carried the contents of her life in two black trash bags. She was a sophomore in high school, and she was homeless.

It didn't matter that she was a strong student at one of the state's top high schools or that she was a gifted musician  piano, guitar, ukulele. Family and financial complications meant she was standing on the corner of Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia with no idea what came next.

Her palms began to sweat. She began to cry. Then, Yedra did what she has done for so many years: She pulled herself together and figured it out.

"Jasmine never, ever gives up, even though she's had any number of curveballs thrown at her that most people would find debilitating," said Tim Atwood, a staffer at Philadelphia Futures, a program for promising college-bound students in the city. "They're setbacks for her, but she always comes back."

That makes her emblematic of so many city students, who triumph despite  or even because of  daunting odds.

Still, her path has included more obstacles than most: health challenges for her and her family, challenges at home, time spent in the foster care system, and doses of anxiety and depression far beyond the typical high school worries.

Yedra is 18 now, a senior at Central High School with a 3.8 grade-point average, a roster full of advanced classes, an eye on college, and a poise and wisdom that belies her age.

"I care about the things that matter, and I don't care about the things that don't, honestly," said Yedra. "What matters is how you treat people."

I had bigger problems

Yedra was born and raised in South Philadelphia, daughter of a mother from Nepal and a father from the Philippines. She is the second oldest of six sisters; her parents split up when she was 5.

Her father was strict  "a lot of rules, no playing until you finished your homework." The girls were smart and Yedra, the introspective one, took those rules to heart.

"I didn't have that many friends, but I read books," she said. She attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she thrived academically and musically, thanks to the rock band started by music teacher Chrisostomos Argerakis. Yedra, in fact, named the band "Home" after an Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros song the group learned, and for what it meant to her.

Argerakis, who remains a mentor and friend, has known Yedra since she was 7; even then, "she was mature beyond her years. She had this aura of being positive and looking toward the future."

Things at home were never perfect, but they took a sharp turn for the worse when her mother was diagnosed with cancer when Yedra was in eighth grade. There were also complications due to alcoholism in the family; Yedra would stand up for herself and her sisters, then be kicked out of the house.

Yedra dealt with anxiety and depression and moved from house to house, couch surfing with friends and relatives. By the time she was a sophomore at Central, she had lived in and left four separate homes, those black trash bags the one constant.

In 2015, a massive earthquake struck Nepal; several aunts, uncles and cousins were missing for weeks. They were eventually found safe, but had lost everything; Yedra's family cobbled together money to send them to help repair houses.

Everything felt surreal some days, especially when her classmates would fret about one teenage issue or other.

"I had bigger problems: Where am I going to sleep, what am I going to eat, where am I going to do my homework?" she said. School, always a priority, became even more important. "Between 8:30 and 3:00, I knew I would be OK. I got a free lunch and I had people to talk to."

Life became untenable when she was a junior, and Yedra and her sisters entered the foster care system. For a time, she lived with a family in Montgomery County, one of the most isolating times in her life, she said.

"It was so hard living there without my sisters," she said. (Her older sister lives with her boyfriend; two younger sisters stayed with another relative, and the two youngest girls live with her father and stepmother.)

Eventually, Yedra met Sarah Wasch and Greg Weyer, a social worker and a lawyer, who became her foster parents. From their first meeting, Yedra felt at home with them.

"They were just different," Yedra said. "They wanted me to feel comfortable."

On Sept. 5, Yedra moved her black trash bags for the last time, into Wasch and Weyer's house in South Philadelphia. It was also the first day of her senior year.

Yedra is comfortable at Wasch and Weyer's place in a way she hasn't been in a long time, she said. Her senior portraits are prominently displayed, and the family decorated the railing leading to the second floor with stockings because that's a tradition Yedra cherished from childhood.

"I like it here," Yedra said. "For a long time, I didn't have some of my basic needs. Here, I have anything I want or need, and they're sweet and loving."

For her part, Wasch is wowed by Yedra: "We love, love, love her," said Wasch. "She is kindhearted and career driven, and one of the most motivated students I have ever met."

Yedra still copes with her own health challenges, including appendicitis and lingering complications that required a recent hospital stay. But mostly, she's a normal kid  she and her boyfriend are on a mission to see all the Marvel movies, and she loves TED talks, and playing ukulele. She spends time at Jackson, mentoring the band members, when she can, and has volunteered at charity drives at Central.

Philadelphia Futures, the nonprofit college prep program that provides intensive preparation to get first-generation students to and through college, has been an enormous help since she joined as a freshman, Yedra said. And Atwood, the Futures staffer who works closest with Yedra, marvels at her grit. Even at her lowest, she was still in touch, Atwood said, strategizing about how to get past whatever she was dealing with.

Many other students have parents to get on them about taking the SATs or making college application deadlines; everything Yedra accomplished, she did on her own.

"And she has this sweet thoughtfulness about her, as well," said Atwood. "I don't think I've ever had a conversation with her that's ever been one-sided. She is always concerned about what is going on with other people."

With all Yedra has endured, Argerakis, the music teacher, would understand if Yedra dwelled on the hand she's been dealt.

"But she doesn't use it as a crutch, and she never has," said Argerakis.

These days, she's in a better place with her family. Her father works a lot, but calls her often, and she meets with her mother and sisters weekly.

Though she turned 18 in September, Yedra signed paperwork that allows her to remain in foster care  and with her current foster family  until she turns 21, as long as she remains a full-time student, so she has a place to go over school breaks. (Wasch and Weyer assured her she can stay with or without the paperwork.)

And she remains firmly fixed on what comes next  she's on pins and needles waiting to hear from a long list of colleges, including her top choice, Temple University. Lehigh, West Chester and Penn State are also considerations.

Yedra plans to major in psychology and minor in business, with a possible career as a psychiatrist. She's letting herself dream a little, too; she's never been out of the tri-state area, and wants to travel.

"I want to drive for more," Yedra said. "I want the things my parents couldn't provide. I don't care how much money I make, but my biggest dream is to create a home for myself."
Stanislaw Stan Radkowski  native of Poland, naturalized citizen of the United States, Vietnam veteran, and Air Force retiree  has been chronically homeless since the early 2000s. Read more

Just in time for the holidays, Stanislaw "Stan" Radkowski, 79, finally came in from the cold.

The retired Air Force and Army veteran had been living on the edge of the Pine Barrens, camping in the New Jersey woods when his pension and Social Security benefits couldn't cover a motel.

For Radkowski, camping behind McGuire Air Force Base "made a lot of sense. It was what I could afford. I started camping out about 10 years ago in a sleeping bag, with a poncho, in case it rained."

But that's just the beginning of his story. Radkowski  kidnapped as a child by the Nazis, naturalized American citizen, Vietnam veteran, and Air Force and U.S. civil-service retiree  had been chronically homeless since the early 2000s. After a year of talking with him and gaining his trust, the Veterans Multi-Service Center in Center City was able to house him through a cooperative effort with the Veterans Administration.

In November, Radkowski signed an apartment lease in the Wrightstown, N.J., area. The Veterans Multi-Service Center also worked to help him reconnect with his children, whom he had not seen in more than 30 years.

Radkowski was born in 1938 or 1939 in Poland, and was just a few years old when Hitler's Lebensborn program swept him into the chaos of war. Under Lebensborn, the Nazis kidnapped children considered "racially pure" in countries they occupied.

Some were already orphans; others were literally stolen from their parents' arms by the Nazis. Thousands were transferred to Lebensborn centers to be "Germanized," up to 100,000 from Poland alone. Radkowski was given a German name, Fritz Radke, and placed with an Austrian adoptive family.

By 1945, when the Allies tried to relocate kidnapped Lebensborn children, Radkowski couldn't even remember his birth parents. He and thousands of others drifted around refugee camps in Italy and Spain, until he was old enough at 18 to immigrate to America in 1957.

"I was one of the lucky ones," he said.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving for three years, then served in the Air Force for 16 years, stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines and then in Thailand during the Vietnam War. He met and married a Filipina and had two children. "She wasn't interested in moving back with me to the U.S.," he recalled, and they separated.

By the time Radkowski retired from the civil service in the 1980s, he was living in and out of motels in New Jersey, uninterested in veterans' housing benefits.

In 2016, the Center City-based Veterans Multi-Service Center provided funds to 992 veterans or veteran households to either prevent homelessness or put veterans back in homes. VMC outreach workers Javier Galindo and Douglas Woods heard about Radkowski through the grapevine.

"He didn't want any help. He's highly independent, so it took us about a year to get him to even tell us his name and show us his military ID," said Galindo.

Still, it took some convincing. Radkowski's health was failing, and he ultimately agreed to allow the VMC to assist him.

"Doug and Javier found me a place," Radkowski said recently, smiling at the two men, also veterans. The VA and VMC connected him with doctors for routine health care and several surgical procedures. And finally, in November, the VMC helped him move into permanent housing in Burlington County. He's the leaseholder for his own two-bedroom unit and will be spending his first holidays inside in more than a decade.

The VMC also located his adult children, Stan Jr. and Paz.

"My children didn't know I was living in the woods," Radkowski said. They had no idea of their father's history, or if he was even alive. They live in California and traveled here for a weeklong stay earlier this year.

The VMC has provided transitional housing to 362 veterans at the Coatesville VA Medical Center. And a drop-in service center, the Perimeter at Fourth and Race Streets, served about 3,600 vets last year, many of whom were repeat visitors.

At the Perimeter, "we give veterans a change to clean their clothes, shower, eat lunch, get connected to services, and stay warm," said Charlie Forshee, VMC's deputy executive director.

Radkowski visits the military base often, probably most days now. He's able to do his grocery shopping there, but there's also a library on base where he spends a lot of time.

"Yes, I've had a fascinating life," he said. "But really, I've had too much change in my life."
Bethlehem. A week before Christmas, there were only a handful of tourists snapping photos of the huge decorated tree in Manger Square, with its strings of red and white lights. The large plaza in front of the Church of the Nativity was nearly empty except for a handful of visiting clergy.

Chalk the absence of visitors up to President Trump's Jerusalem speech, which outraged Muslims, scared off tourists, and unnerved Christian clerics. It also bushwhacked Vice President Pence's planned (now postponed) trip to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Cairo, which was meant to express solidarity with Mideast Christians. Church leaders were refusing to meet him.

"Who was advising Trump?" one prominent Bethlehem Christian asked me plaintively. Good question. Because the backlash against Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital makes one wonder what Trump and Pence thought they would gain.

Perhaps Trump thought his move would advance the "ultimate [Israel-Palestinian peace] deal" that he tasked his son-in-law and real estate lawyer to devise. But instead, he has doomed the effort.

And then there is Pence  a fervent Christian who urged the president to keep his pledge to his evangelical base and move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. If the veep thought this move would help Holy Land Christians, he was very wrong.

For starters, the president's move wrecked a pre-Christmas tourist season that is especially important to Palestinian Christians.

"Before the Trump statement, we thought this would be the best year in the past 10 years for tourism," I was told by Maher Canawati, who, with his father, Nicola, owns the legendary Three Arches gift shops in Bethlehem, specializing in mother of pearl and carved olive wood objects. Living in Bethlehem since the early 17th century, the family has managed to navigate political challenges over time; portraits of ancestors look down on Canawati, including one of his father posing with a Bethlehem Boy Scout troop,

"The city has 50 hotels, 20 built in the last four years," says Canawati. "Everyone thought things would be better. But now there have been many cancellations after the statement." Bethlehem's economy is at stake.

On a broader scale, Trump's move brought the Jerusalem issue back into the global limelight, which stokes religious tensions here. That also unnerves local Christians.

A U.N. vote Thursday calling for Trump to rescind his Jerusalem move passed by 128-9, with 35 abstentions. And the United States was outnumbered by 14-1 when it vetoed a similar resolution from the U.N. Security Council.

Trump's promise to withdraw aid to nations that voted yes puts the president in conflict with major Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt (whose Coptic Church leaders also rebuffed a planned Pence meeting).

"After Trump's statement," says Canawati, "churches felt it was wise not to welcome someone who made such a big statement against the Islamic world."

Ordinary Christians in Jerusalem and Bethlehem worry that Trump's perceived challenge to Muslim holy sites will destabilize the city and affect them. They are a minority who have lived for centuries alongside their Muslim Palestinian brethren, and always hope for calm.

On the West Bank, Palestinian Christians do not face persecution for their religious beliefs. Christian restaurants in Bethlehem serve alcohol without any problem, and Christian women walk with hair uncovered. "In Bethlehem, we are a minority, but the Palestinian government supports Christians here," Canawati said. "The post of mayor always goes to a Christian."

But political tensions have caused a steady emigration of Christian Palestinians to North and South America. Thirty-five years ago, Christians made up at least 70 percent of Bethlehem's population and Muslims 30 percent; today the percentages are reversed. Canawati told me there are 3,000 members of his family living in Honduras and only 250 in Bethlehem.

"Most Christian Palestinians feel caught in the middle," says Franciscan Father Peter Vasko, a Brooklynite and longtime resident of Jerusalem, who heads the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land, which aims to help Christians remain there. "Israeli soldiers look at Christians as Arabs, while Palestinian radicals see them as traitors to the cause."

And the huge concrete border wall and fence that Israel has built to separate itself from most of the West Bank adversely affects Palestinian Christians, cutting them off from worshiping at Christianity's holiest sites in Jerusalem, and depriving many of jobs. Snaking around Bethlehem, it often turns what would be a 10-minute journey to Jerusalem into a lengthy ordeal, with Israeli checkpoints  if a Bethlehemite can get a permit to enter Jerusalem at all.

So what Christian Palestinians hope for most is that religious tensions will be tamped down, and they can get on with their businesses and worship.

"People are fed up with riots and demonstrations and resolutions," says Canawati. "We just want the simplest thing  freedom of movement to visit our country from north to south, pray in our churches, and definitely demolish this separation wall that separates us from friends.

"I have a lot of Jewish friends and relations with Jewish companies," he adds, and they try to overcome the political divide.

If a two-state solution ever happens, Canawati hopes it will have open borders "because we cannot separate Jerusalem from Bethlehem or East Jerusalem from West."

Trump's unilateral move on Jerusalem gained nothing for Israel, whose capital is and will remain in the Holy City. It served only to stir up religious tensions and disturb the Christians whom Pence claims he cares for.

"We pray God will give wisdom to leaders," says Canawati. "Everybody's waiting." We in America are waiting, too.
Jabir Kennedy, 21, of the 6600 block of Dorel Street in Southwest Philadelphia, is wanted on murder and related offenses in a quadruple shooting Dec. 21. He is considered armed and dangerous, police said. Read more

Police have identified the 21-year-old Southwest Philadelphia man wanted on murder, attempted murder and related charges in connection with a domestic-related quadruple shooting outside his home Thursday night that left one person dead.

Jabir Kennedy, of the 6600 block of Dorel Street, is considered armed and dangerous, police said Sunday.

According to police, Kennedy assaulted his girlfriend, with whom he has children, on the 1700 block of South 58th Street. Later Thursday, the woman went to Kennedy's home accompanied by five male family members. Kennedy confronted the group outside his home, pulling out a gun and shooting four of the men shortly before 9:30 p.m., police said. It was not clear whether anyone else was armed.

A 23-year-old man whose identity has not been released by police died 4 a.m. Friday at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Two other men  ages 22 and 32  were in stable condition at Penn Presbyterian; the fourth victim, 22, was in critical condition.

Authorities ask that anyone with information on Kennedy's whereabouts call 911 or the Homicide Division at 215-686-3334.
US' ambassador to UN, Nikki Haley, is throwing a friendship party for all those who supported US' resolution to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

By India Today Web Desk: Nations who voted against US' resolution to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel cannot attend the 'friendship party' being thrown by Nikki Haley, US' ambassador to the UN.

via GIPHY

Earlier this week, UN voted against the US resolution to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

128 countries voted in favour of the UN resolution, while 8 countries voted against it. But US' ambassador to UN, Nikki Haley, did not stop at that. After the vote, she tweeted a shoutout to the countries who supported the US.

We appreciate these countries for not falling to the irresponsible ways of the @UN: pic.twitter.com/a0hUTepD8H- Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 21, 2017

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If you think that's it, just wait.

The US mission to UN has apparently sent out a 'Save the Date' invite to the 8 nations who voted in favour of the United States, and to the nations who skipped the vote to attend a 'Friendship party' on January 3.

#US ambo Nikki Haley invites the 64 countries who voted A??noA??, abstained or didnA??t show up for #UNGA #Jerusalem resolution to A??friendshipA?A party. pic.twitter.com/ebMw5KnNYE- Margaret Besheer (@mbesheer) December 21, 2017

That means, countries like Japan, United Kingdom, India haven't been invited to the party.

It's not yet clear how many countries have RSPV'ed to the party but it will be exciting to see who turns up for Trump's friendship party.

--- ENDS ---
Buckley Kuhn-Fricker was so disturbed by what she discovered about her teenage daughter's boyfriend that she spent a tumultuous week pushing for a breakup. By Thursday, she texted a friend saying the "outspoken Neo Nazi" was out of their lives.

But just hours later, the family said that the 17-year-old boyfriend had shot and killed Kuhn-Fricker, 43, and her husband, Scott, 48 in their Reston, Virginia, home. It happened around 5 a.m. Friday, while the couple's children and relatives were inside. They had gathered to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

The teen, who shot himself and is in critical condition at a hospital, was charged with two counts of murder Saturday after police spent Friday investigating at the large, green, single-family home decorated with Christmas wreaths and snowflakes. The Washington Post generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes unless they are charged as adults. The family of the teen, who is from Lorton, declined to comment.

Fairfax County police would not offer a motive for the double slaying, but family members and friends tied it directly to the couple's struggle to keep hate out of their home, as one friend put it. They agreed to talk about the efforts because they said it was important to expose what happened.

Friends and family said Kuhn-Fricker, who owned an elder-care business, was tolerant and passionate about civil rights and social justice, so she put her foot down after discovering alarming tweets and Twitter messages she believed were connected to her 16-year-old daughter's boyfriend after looking at the girl's phone. She believed the messages were posted under an assumed name.

On Sunday night, Kuhn-Fricker alerted the principal of the Fairfax County private school that her daughter and the boyfriend attend, attaching numerous images of the account that had retweeted missives praising Hitler, supporting Nazi book burnings, calling for "white revolution," making derogatory comments about Jews and featuring an illustration of a man hanging from a noose beneath a slur for gay people.

In a series of private Twitter messages, the account Kuhn-Fricker attributed to the boyfriend responded to a photo of a candy shop that featured a display of a dreidel by writing, "ima run in there with my swastika armband right now."

"I would feel a little bad reporting him if his online access was to basically be a normal teen, but he is a monster, and I have no pity for people like that," Kuhn-Fricker wrote in the email. "He made these choices. He is spreading hate."

The Post could not independently confirm that the accounts were tied to the boyfriend. A friend with whom Kuhn-Fricker shared the email provided it to The Post.

Kuhn-Fricker wrote that her daughter told her over the summer that the boyfriend was very good at history and that her daughter asked, "Did you know that Jews are partly to blame for WWII?"

Janet Kuhn, Kuhn-Fricker's mother, said that her daughter told her she believed the boyfriend was trying to indoctrinate the girl with white-supremacist ideas. Kuhn and friends said the girl spent hours on the phone with the boyfriend, often just listening to him talk.

The pair began dating in June.

Friends described it as a passionate relationship that quickly deepened. In the email to the principal, Kuhn-Fricker said her daughter grew so upset in recent weeks when she told her to stop seeing the boyfriend the teenager refused to eat.

"We can't allow her to see someone associated with Nazis," a friend who spoke on the condition of anonymity recalled Kuhn-Fricker saying. "We don't associate with hate groups in our house."

Janet Kuhn said the family staged an intervention with her granddaughter on Wednesday, taking her to the District of Columbia to a friend's house to try to convince her to stay away from the boyfriend. There was anger, crying and a long discussion about the Nazis, she said, but the teenager eventually agreed it was in her best interests to end the relationship.

After the girl broke it off, Kuhn-Fricker texted a friend Thursday night, saying she had sent the following message to the boyfriend's mother: "[The boyfriend] was sneaking into our house at night . . . and is an outspoken Neo Nazi. These things render any legal redemption void."

Repeated efforts to obtain comments from the boyfriend's family were unsuccessful. A woman who answered the phone at one number associated with the teen's family hung up when called by a reporter. A woman who answered another number linked to the family declined to comment. A man who later answered the same number hung up when reached by The Post.

Janet Kuhn said her daughter's last Facebook post came late Thursday night. Her daughter put up a famous quote from the Irish philosopher and statesman Edmund Burke.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," it read.

Janet Kuhn thinks it was a reference to the situation with her granddaughter. Her daughter had also asked for recommendations of documentaries about World War II that the family could watch together.

Janet Kuhn said that a detective revealed that her daughter and son-in-law went to check on her granddaughter in the early hours of Friday morning, after possibly hearing a sound. The parents discovered the boyfriend in their daughter's bedroom, according to the detective's account.

Scott Fricker yelled at the boyfriend to get out of the house and to never return, Janet Kuhn said the detective told her. At that point, the boyfriend pulled out a gun and shot both parents, the detective told Janet Kuhn.

The boyfriend then shot himself in the head, Janet Kuhn said.

Janet Kuhn said her daughter grew up in McLean, Virginia. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, before getting a law degree from the University of Denver. Kuhn-Fricker became interested in elder issues because her mother was an elder-law attorney.

She started Buckley's, her elder-care company, in 2005 and wrote a book about the topic. Friends said she could have charged more for her services, but genuinely wanted to help the elderly.

She was interested in politics and had served as a precinct captain for former President Barack Obama's campaign, a friend said.

Scott Fricker had a doctorate and worked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Janet Kuhn said. Janet Kuhn described him as a "wonderful, loving and engaged father."

The pair were married in 2005.

Kuhn said that her daughter had an adult son, who lives on his own. The teenage daughter and a 10-year-old son live in the Reston home. The two older children are from her daughter's first marriage, Kuhn said.

Friends and family wondered if the resurgence of hate groups in the country, represented by events like the deadly protest in Charlottesville over the summer, have emboldened those with racially divisive ideas.

"I'm in shock," Janet Kuhn said. "I haven't been able to cry yet."

  
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, state Sen. Daylin Leach and Lt. Gov. Mike Stack III all found their way onto the naughty list in 2017. Read more

Christmas Eve is the last gasp for youngsters to review one more time whether their behavorial scales tip more heavily toward naughty or nice. "Naughty" is a fine word to use for children and, for that matter, the rest of the world, but it's a word far too mild to apply to Greater Philadelphia (and behavior) behavior. Here is our list of the bad actors, scalawags, and reprobates more deserving of coal than gifts this year.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey  After spending decades building solid credentials as a fiscal conservative, Toomey called the tax cuts a goal he has held "for 20 years." Well, what we know about "supply-side economics efforts" from previous experiences is it won't take nearly that long to drive up the national deficit. Toomey gets his tax cuts but loses his fiscal cred.

State Sen. Daylin Leach  Anyone who knows Leach knows he is a fiend for attention. His reactions to a series of revelations about his alleged harassment of women staffers are a case-study in re-victimization. Leach has scoffed and whined while telling us how hard all of this has been  for him.

Lt. Gov. Mike Stack III  A race is on for Stack to jump lists, from naughty to nice, after angry outbursts he and his wife directed toward state staffers paid to serve and protect them went public in early 2017. Gov. Wolf stripped the Stacks of their state-funded security detail. The lieutenant governor is trying to repair his image in time to save his political career in May's Democratic primary election.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie  To borrow from an old Christmas carol: "We see you when you're beaching" The outgoing pol's trip to Island Beach State Park while it was closed to the public over the July Fourth weekend was a classic example of losing touch with the people you serve.

City Commissioner Anthony Clark  It was simply perfect that Clark, who Philadelphia taxpayers paid $136,000 per year as chairman of the city agency overseeing elections, didn't show up for the meeting this month where his two fellow commissioners overthrew and demoted him. Clark has a long history of not showing up for work (or to vote in elections.)

The Philadelphia Parking Authority  The PPA's board did all it could to convince state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale that it was nice, accepting his highly critical audits of how the agency handles finances and harassment claims. Then it turned around and ditched a national search for a qualified new executive director, hiring instead a state representative with no relevant experience.

The Frank Rizzo statue  The city's Art Commission will hold a hearing on the fate of the bronze behemoth sometime in 2018 but the verdict has clearly been predetermined  retroactively naughty. Mayor Kenney's administration is clearly looking for a dignified place on the trash heap of history, far from the shadow of City Hall.

John McNesby: He called police protesters at an event for DA-elect Larry Krasner "parasites of the city." Earlier in the year, the FOP held a fund-raiser for a cop suspended for the fatal shooting of a citizen.

Former District Attorney Seth Williams  Our grandstanding former city prosecutor sits in a federal prison in West Virginia after pleading guilty to accepting bribes. But here's why he wins all the coal: After robbing his 85-year-old mother's estate, he requested he be released from prison so he could visit her.
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Andrew McCabe, whos served as director of the FBI since May after Trump fired James Comey, is retiring in roughly 90 days, according to The Washington Post. The decision comes after continual attacks from Republicans and President Trump over that past half year.

Comey responded to the news with a rare post on social media. Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain, he tweeted. James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better. He is what we should all want our public servants to be.

Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain. James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better. He is what we should all want our public servants to be.  James Comey (@Comey) December 23, 2017

According to The Post, McCabe had to face several hours worth of questioning behind closed doors from members of three committees, only to leave the Republicans interviewing him dissatisfied.

John Pistole, former deputy director of the FBI, said McCabe is in a difficult position because of the hyper-partisan environment and that hes currently weathering the storm and having to take responsibility for Comeys decisions.

Its disappointing, he said, to see how the criticism of the FBI is being used to try to undermine the credibility of the Mueller investigation. I think theyve figured out they cant undermine Bobs integrity, so theyre just going to go after whoever they can dig up any dirt on.

Criticism of the FBIs involvement in the Russia investigation has intensified over the past few weeks among Trump and others in the GOP. For obvious reasons, Trump has been the most invested in pushing the narrative that the probe into whether he colluded with Russia to sway the election is a witch hunt and a scam.

Like Comey, Trump also reacted to the news of McCabes retirement on Twitter, but he predictably chose to attack the deputy director for supposedly trying to take advantage of his retirement benefits and for having previously accepted money from the Clintons.

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? he wrote.

He followed with a second tweet reading, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!

Several Democrats, such as California Rep. Adam Schiff, have recently warned that Republicans are trying to shut the Russia investigation down. This new development about McCabe shows their efforts might be starting to work.
By PTI: greetingAA AAAA

By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Dec 24 (PTI) President Donald Trump today said that America is winning the war against terrorism as he greeted US troops stationed around the world on Christmas Eve.

In a video conference with American soldiers on Christmas Eve, Trump told the troops that Americans are thankful for them and their families. He said they are "the greatest people on earth."

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Praising them for their "incredible contributions" in the war against terrorism, he said, "We are winning."

It is customary for the US president to make calls to American troops on the occasion of Christmas.

"I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas, we say Merry Christmas, again, very, very proudly. Very very merry Christmas. We?re going to have a great year, an incredible year,? Trump said.

"I?m thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people. Today and every day we?re incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous. Always underappreciated, military families, the greatest people on earth," he said.

During the call, he commended sailors on the USS Sampson for setting "a new standard in readiness".

He thanked the Coast Guard for saving thousands of lives during a series of deadly US hurricanes.

"Many Republicans are very happy, but I have to tell you the people of Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, lots of other states are even more happy. What a job you?ve done.

"The Coast Guard saved thousands and thousands of lives, almost it?s unbelievable when I look at the charts, I saw the number of lives you saved. So I want to congratulate the coast guard for having done an incredible job,? he said.

?As we celebrate this most precious holiday, we?re grateful for each of you who spend this Christmas away from our families and defend all of our families, our freedom and our flag. Every American heart is thankful and we?re asking God to watch over you and to watch over your families,? Trump said. PTI LKJ PMS

--- ENDS ---
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Over the last July 4 holiday, in an infamous moment inspiring public outrage, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was captured on film enjoying a public beach with his family. His family were the only ones on the beach, as the beach had been closed to the public because the state, due largely to a Christie veto, had failed to pass a budget, preventing funds from being disbursed to public parks.

So, Christie was able to enjoy a private family day on the beach at the expense of New Jersey citizens, who had been given no reprieve from their state tax obligations but who, nonetheless, could not access the supposedly public services their taxes were funding.

While some have interpreted this scene as evidence of Christies simply no longer caring, we really need to understand it as more than an isolated political scandal. Rather, we need to understand this moment as emblematic of a larger GOP strategy evident not only in the current tax bill but also in other policies, such as healthcare, that involve government spending. And its not new to this Presidential administration but rather than an ongoing Republican project this administration adopted.

The dynamic we see at work might best be characterized as a feed the beast, starve the people strategy.

It is important to name this dynamic to recognize that the once dominant mantra of Americans for Tax Reform czar Grover Norquist, Starve the beast, is no longer the order of the day in conservative politics. Norquist was simply an anti-tax zealot who advocated for withering the state by starving it of revenues.

Now the order of the day is for congressional leaders to use government to enrich themselves while effectively feeding off the people who, as we see in Christies beach episode, continue to pay taxes for services they longer receive.

Sometimes this dynamic is masked by seductive tax cuts which actually end up leaving less in taxpayers wallets than if their taxes hadnt been cut, as vital services their taxes used to pay for, working collectively with others taxes, get cut.

More obscenely, though, yet more characteristic of contemporary dynamics, is that we the taxpayer to continue paying taxes for fewer and fewer services, as those funds are going to feed the greed of a political class and wealthy elite working hand in hand.

Those of us living in the state of Illinois can explain this dynamic well, having lived it. We have fed the beast and been starved.

Up until last July when Republican legislators finally rebelled against Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and passed a budget, the state had been without a budget for two years and was beyond being on the verge of disaster; the state was and is a disaster, still reeling from a near total crumbling. Social services were gutted at great human expense to seniors, children, and families; and public educational institutions, particularly public universities and colleges, were not receiving their typical allocations, leading to thousands of layoffs and, by extension, higher tuitions and less programs and services.

Keep in mind that all of this happened not because the state didnt have money. Illinois workers continued to have state taxes deducted from their paychecks, so the state had incoming revenue. Rather, because a budget had not been passed, monies could not be disbursed.

So, Illinois workers continued to pay the same taxes but received far less in public services such as education, healthcare, childcare services, and more, also leading to the unemployment of many state workers, worsening the situation.

Meanwhile, the bills the state wasnt paying, not because it didnt have money but because it didnt have budget, were accruing hundreds of millions of dollars in late fees and interest, for which the taxpayers were on the hook but for which they were receiving no goods and services in return.

Taxpayers are feeding the beast but not getting what theyre paying for. The intensified deficit spending, fueled by recent tax cuts to those least in need, will create a similar dynamic on the national level.

Following in Rauners footsteps, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez last April abused her veto power similarly, denying funding to higher education. Though later restored, the loss of funding would have resulted in higher tuitions and less programs across the board in public education.

On the national level, we can see this dynamic in the way the Federal Government has managed the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

Well before Donald Trump announced last October he would completely stop paying the Obamacare subsidies, which helped keep health insurance premiums down and allowed companies to stay in the exchanges, Congress, according to former health insurance CEO J.B. Silvers, had already reneged on its promises to pay subsidies, having paid only 12% of its pledge. The result of Congress not disbursing the taxpayer money allotted for these subsidies, according to Silvers, was severe market de-stabilization that generated higher premiums and drove companiesand thus competitionout of the exchanges.

Again, taxpayers fulfilled their obligations, feeding the beast, but the beastly herd of politicians did not disburse those funds as promised, as they were allocated. Taxpayers feed the beast, and are starved in return.

Even the modest tax cuts the recent Tax Cut and Jobs Act offers to ordinary peopleand for the some taxes will increasepromise to result, finally, in a debit. According to the Tax Policy Center, those making between $49,000 and $89,000 will pay about $900 less in taxes. But if insurance premiums rise, if states receive less federal monies causing state and local taxes to rise, if tuition rises at public colleges and universities, then taxpayers will have far less in their wallets.

Still want that tax cut? The unpopularity of the recent Republican bill suggests Americans are ceasing to seduced by tax cuts and realizing the way the Republican beast is feeding on them not just for the enrichment of special interests but for their own individual interests.

Our money collectively works more effectively and efficiently when we pool it together in the form of taxes to pay for services we share, such as education and healthcare.

It seems taxpayers are increasingly aware that they arent getting what theyre paying for, that this scam of cutting taxes means average citizens will actually have less in their wallets when Republicans are through slashing funding to our public spheres.
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Celebrants of the recent tax bill have claimed, echoing Trumps top economic advisors, that the massive corporate tax cut will indeed trickle down or, to mix metaphors, serve as the proverbial rising tide that will lift all boats.

CNBCs Patti Domm was quick to validate this exuberant claim, pointing to announcements from Wells Fargo and Fifth Third bank that they will be raising their minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour and from AT&T and Comcast that they will be showering their employees with bonuses. Other reporting on CNBC suggest its too early to tell, as many companies Fred Imbert and others reached out to hoping to forecast the impact of the corporate tax cut were more reticent about how this tax windfall will trickle down to employees, adopting a wait-and-see attitude.

Before we get too exuberant, lets keep in mind not just recent history but also the longer arc of history in terms of the relationship between corporate profits and wages as well as the most basic dynamics of capitalism. The bottom line of capitalist dynamics is that higher corporate profits do not translate into higher wages. Indeed, higher profits have typically been achieved through lowering workers wages and benefits.

First, recent history: Remember when Trump lavishly offered up seven million dollars of taxpayer money to the Carrier corporation in order, supposedly, to persuade Carrier not to re-locate factories and jobs to Mexico? Trump generated a self-aggrandizing headline, but Carrier ended up still moving jobs to Mexico and eliminating over 600 jobs from the Indiana workforce.

Thats one reason not to get prematurely rapturous about corporate trickle down.

Another reason to be skeptical about corporate windfalls translating into rising wages is that since the 1950s we have seen corporations fare better and better while worker wages, including the minimum wage, have stagnated. Indeed, last March, well before the passage of this tax cut, The Economist reported, as part of its cover story, that corporate profits in the United States were in fact enjoying record performance.

So, given this record corporate performance in terms of profit generation, we should have already seen corporations raising wages, expending monies in capital and infrastructure investment, and showering generous bonuses on its employees.

If this scenario happened, I guess I missed it. Unfortunately, I didnt miss it. It just didnt happen.

And it likely wont.

Indeed, at a meeting of the Wall Street Journals CEO council in early November, Gary Cohn asked CEOs to raise their hands if the GOP tax cut proposed at the time would spur their companies to invest more and raise wages. In a moment Business Insider termed awkward, few CEOs raised their hands, reinforcing the reporting of CNBCs Fred Imbert.

These are not left-wing anti-capitalist ideologues doing this reporting. These are business journalists.

And these business journalists are just reporting the facts validated by the history of capitalisms dynamics. The end game of corporate behavior is to increase profits, not to give money away charitably because they have it. In fact, corporations often push to lower wages and benefits to increase profits. They arent looking for any reason to raise wages.

Are we really supposed to be buying this bill of goods capitalist President Trump and the corporate bedfellows with which he has staffed his cabinet and advisors are trying to sell us?

They know full well how capitalism works. And corporations raising wages because profits and income increase aint how it works, and it never has been.

Take Trump himself. Recently Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort requested and was awarded 70 H-2B visas to hire foreign workers. According to Trump, John Bowden at The Hill reported, Its very, very hard to get people. Other hotels do the exact same thing.

Really? Is that why Bowden also cited CareerSource spokesmen Tom Veenstra as highlighting, We currently have 5,136 qualified candidates in Palm Beach County for various hospitality positions listed in the Employ Florida state jobs database.

Free-market advocates typically oppose minimum-wage legislation, believing that the market should determine wages. Capitalists understand that corporate profits dont determine wages but rather the dynamics of labor supply and demand do.

In the case of Mar-a-Lagos hiring practices, Trumps resort is deliberately trying to undermine the forces that raise worker wages by bringing in foreign workersbecause thats how capitalism works. Corporations, like Carrier and Trumps businesses, seek to pay the lowest wages possible.

So, if history is any indicator, as it typically is, the dynamics of capitalism wont change, such that we cannot expect increased corporate profits and income to translate to better treatment and higher pay for workers.

Such a scenario would defy the logic of capitalism, as Carrier and Mar-a-Lago demonstrate. And our capitalist President, his cronies, and the Republican Congress are simply lying about this reality of which they in their wealth are well-aware.
On Wednesday, Josh Rogin of the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration has for the first time approved the commercial sale of Model M107A1 Sniper Systems, ammunition, and associated parts and accessories to Ukraine, a sale valued at $41.5 million. The Obama administration had refused to issue export licenses for lethal weapons.

Initial reports, including the Posts, were that the sales to Ukraine would not encompass heavier weaponry such as Javelin anti-tank missiles. However, today the Post reports that Javelins will also be sold to Ukraine.

I guess the Kremlin has no information with which to blackmail President Trump, after all. And James Clapper  probably John Brennans closest competition for least intelligent man ever to lead an American intelligence agency  must be wrong in claiming that Russia is handling President Trump as an asset.

Russia denounced Trumps decision on sales to Ukraine. Its Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said the decision will only make the conflict more deadly and that Russia might be forced to respond. He also said the U.S. can no longer cast itself as a mediator, and is now an accomplice in fueling the war. Putin himself has warned that U.S. assistance would escalate the conflict.

In reality, Russia is behind the war. Moreover, mediation has been futile because, as Jenna Lifhits of the Weekly Standard points out, Russia has failed to implement the 2015 Minsk ceasefire agreement. It requires Russian-backed separatists to withdraw heavy weapons from the conflicts front line and create a buffer zone.

The sale of weapons to Ukraine is a response to the failure of the 2015 cease-fire and to the fact that, according the Trump administrations envoy for the Ukraine crisis, 2017 was the most violent year in the four year history of this conflict.

The sniper systems Trump approved for sale are needed to address a specific vulnerability of Ukrainian forces fighting Russian-backed separatists. A congressional aide told Lifhits:

As the conflict has ground down into trench warfare and small unit exchanges in the no-mans land between the lines, the role of snipers has become increasingly important.

The Javelin anti-tank missiles are defensive weapons. They would become particularly valuable if the conflicts escalates, as Russia threatens it will. They might also deter an escalation.

The weapon sales can also plausibly be viewed as a means of gaining leverage if Russia wants seriously to negotiate a settlement in Ukraine. Putin has proposed that peacekeepers be deployed but, not surprisingly, there are major disagreements about how and where the peacekeepers would operate. The U.S. and Ukraine want peacekeepers deployed throughout the separatist-controlled regions stretching to the Ukraine-Russia border. Russia, not so much.

In any event, its clear that President Trump has moved boldly to advance Ukraines interests at the expense of Russias, to the displeasure of Putin. I dont see how this move can be squared with the extreme anti-Trump rhetoric of the foolish Clapper and others who peddle a similarly hysterical line.
After the top three leaders of the Miss America Organization resigned Saturday in response to emails showing their disparaging comments toward former contestants, former winners are asking for more change.

CEO and Executive Chairman Sam Haskell, President and COO Josh Randle and Board of Directors Chairman Lynn Weidner all resigned after being implicated in an email scandal in which their emails showed inappropriate criticism of former winners and contestants' appearance, intelligence and sex lives.

Miss America 1998 Kate Shindle and 1989 Miss America Gretchen Carlson released a joint statement on Saturday, calling for the rest of the Board of Directors to step down.

"While it is reassuring that some of the perpetrators of the abuses within the Miss America Organization have resigned, this by no means fulfills the need for a thorough housecleaning of the Board of Directors," the statement said. "As evidenced by the thousands of voicesof contestants, former titleholders, local, state and national volunteers  being raised in support of our goals, this Board of Directors has lost the trust of the country. For the good of the organization, they must step away. The women of Miss America are determined to take back our program. This is not over yet."

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan, who turned 29 Saturday, was a subject of some of the worst of the emails between Haskell and other members of the organization.

"Happy Birthday to me!" she said, but "there is still more housekeeping to do."

Hagan said more board and staff members need to resign, including Meyers and Vice President of Field Operations Marc Angeli.

"He (Angeli) is the one who has done Sam's dirty work for a long time," said Hagan. Angeli delivered messages from Haskell about which former Miss Americas should not be spoken to or interacted with, she said.

Hagan said Randle did call her and apologize via voicemail, but she hasn't responded yet.

"I'm not really sure how I feel about that," she said. "But I appreciate the gesture. He's the first person from the organization I have heard from in any capacity."

Miss America 1984 Suzette Charles, who grew up in Mays Landing, was one of 56 former pageant winners who signed a petition demanding Haskell and the rest of the organizations board of directors step down. She would like to be a member of a newly constituted board, she said.

"It's a great holiday present for all of us," she said.

"We did it together. All of us kept texting, emailing, tweeting each other, pooling our resources," Charles said of former Misses America, contestants, volunteers and local and state organizers who pushed for new leadership.

On Saturday, Charles said she received an email from Carlson, confirming more than 2,000 state and local pageant organizers have signed another petition to remove Haskell.

They will now stay involved and work on strengthening the program, she said.

"We are ready to pull our sleeves up and get to work to build Miss America back to where it used to be and should be," Charles said.

Check back for updates.
A new law restricts how New Jersey dog owners can tie their dogs outdoors, and the law is being actively enforced, Shore Animal Control has announced.

Under the law signed into effect last week, dogs must not be chained or tied outside overnight between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., Shore Animal Control said in a news release.

Any dog tied for more than 30 minutes during the day must be on a lightweight chain or rope at least 15 feet long, with access to clean water and sufficient shelter, the release said.

Dogs must not be tied outdoors in bad weather for more than 30 minutes unless the owner is present, the release said.

Shore already has issued warnings and summonses for violations, the release said.

It is unfortunate that these outdoor dogs have been neglected this long. These new laws will help protect these former outdoor dogs, manager Linda Gentille said. The state is giving residents a grace period to come up with a solution such as a heated kennel, fencing with pet doors, etc. We are trying to work with residents on solutions that comply with the new laws.

Two of Shores animal control officers also work for the Atlantic County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

We have been out in the freezing temperatures last week looking for outdoor chained dogs with frozen water. It is a shame that people will get a dog and think that they can just chain them to a tree, Officer Chelsea Lippincott said in the release. I am very pleased with these new laws and it gives us much more ability to help these outdoor dogs. We thank all the residents who have been calling us day and night with reports.

To report animal neglect in Cape May County, call local police, who will advise animal control.

Residents of Lower and Upper townships, Woodbine, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor or North Wildwood also can call Shore Animal Control at 800-351-1822.

To report animal neglect in Atlantic County, call the county SPCA at 609-927-9059.
Anne Grunow, who recently had an Antarctic peak named after her, wasnt terribly interested in science while a student at Absegami High School in the 1970s.

I was dead set against doing anything with math or science. I loved history, said the senior research scientist at Ohio State University and member of Absegamis Class of 1977.

At Wellesley College she had to take a science class, so she chose geology.

Its basically the history of the Earth, she said. And it required a lot of fieldwork outside.

She always loved being outdoors, having grown up on a potato farm in the Pomona section of Galloway Township.

So she was hooked.

Now, shes the curator of the Polar Rock Repository at Ohio State University, which allows scientists to study rock samples from Antarctica, the Arctic, southern South America and South Africa without having to travel there.

The mountain peak in Antarctica named for her is called Grunow Peak, located in a seldom visited, pretty inhospitable spot, near the South Pole, she said. Its about 10,170 feet high.

A colleague nominated her to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to recognize her contributions to science by naming a peak for her, she said. Its located in an area where she did research.

Grunow first went to Antarctica as a graduate student at Columbia University in New York City. Her adviser had projects in Antarctica, so thats where she did her doctoral work, she said.

She ended up spending 12 seasons there, dating the age of rocks and determining at what latitude they formed. While Antarctica has been a continent for billions of years, it has moved around, and about 500 million years ago was near the equator, she said.

Grunow and a team of three other people would be dropped off with tents and snowmobiles by a big C130 Hercules transport plane. They would camp out in temperatures of -15 degrees Fahrenheit to -20 degrees all the time, as there was 24 hours of daylight.

The last time she was in Antarctica was in 1996.

My pilot, when he landed us there (in a remote area of Antarctica), said, Never again. It was so icy and bumpy. They land on skis, not wheels, said Grunow.

A season is just six weeks to two months during the warmest months. Since Antarctica is in the southern hemisphere, its summers coincide with northern hemisphere winters.

We would usually leave in mid-November and be back in mid- to late January, Grunow said. You have to like the outdoors.

Her father, Willard Grunow, still lives in Galloway, she said.
Ken Shiles & CiBon perform multiple shows each week in South Jersey, but they find one issue with every venue or show they play at: Theyre often asked to play covers rather than original music.

We get around and do our cover gig, but when we play at Harrahs and other dates around here, 99 percent of them are gigs where we play cover songs, said Shiles, of Atlantic City. There are a couple original-music venues around here, but catering to what were doing? I dont know. Its tough.

Shiles and CiBon, like other artists, are finding it difficult to find shows or venues to perform at.

The Boneyard Bar & Grill, which housed local acts and shows in Atlantic City, closed in the beginning of October. Another venue, Le Grand Fromage, closed about the same time.

Jerry Ryan is a festival organizer and the founder of the annual Elephants for Autism festival as well as the Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival, which takes place at The Watering Hole in Mays Landing.

While he said that there are still some places that house original acts, specifically in Hammonton and Mays Landing, venues are generally few and far between.

From 2012 to 2015, we had, like, five different promoters in the scene booking bands and pushing original music, said Ryan, of Smithville. (Now,) there is a lack of venues and a drought in the scene. Were reverting back to the old days where original music is being forced out.

So when South Jersey bands cant play original songs, they head elsewhere.

Ken Shiles and CiBon will travel to Philadelphia and New York to play.

In my honest opinion, we could try and put original shows here, but I almost dont see a benefit in it as much anymore as it would be to go to Philadelphia, Shiles said.

The two artists recently took a trip to Nashville to check out local acts and play some shows. The scene, they said, was like day and night with South Jersey.

CiBon said that even the hole-in-the-wall spots had multiple acts each night. And the crowds would show up not just to drink and socialize but to sit down and really listen to an artist perform.

You could hear a pin drop, she said.

The city had a real music-friendly atmosphere, with multiple artists playing in each venue every night, Shiles said. The scene was also less competitive and more accommodating.

One guy told us next time we were there to call him and that wed have a place to stay. Its heartwarming to see other musicians help one another, Shiles said.

At least one local venue is trying to create that same vibe.

Randy Beane is the bar manager for the Watering Hole in Mays Landing. He also takes care of live promotions. He has worked with Jerry Ryan to host Elephants for Autism as well as the Indie Music Festival.

Beane said its all about a bar or restaurant or venue being willing to work with promoters and to host the shows. If the shows or festivals produce, theyll host them again. And if a band wants to contact Beane to play a show, hell give them an available date and write them down.

A lot of other venues are not helping. It puts the ball in my court and I can say Hey, Im the only place available, said Beane, of Mays Landing.

Beane said that shows vary: Some are more popular than others, adding that more music should pick up around March. He expected about 10 or more bands for the Elephant Talk Music Festival.

Its great. Some bands Im like why arent these bands on tour and then some Im like you can probably stay in the garage. Some bands that were not the greatest had friends there for a night to socialize and you cant even move, Beane said.

With Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City set to open next year, Shiles and CiBon hope it can bring original music back to the Boardwalk.

Im optimistic about that but I dont know how theyre going to do it or if itll just be saturated with cover music, Shiles said.

It depends on how they work it, CiBon said. It could open up and be an awesome thing for musicians in the area.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.  The transmitter attached to a popular great white shark who makes her way to the Jersey Shore each year has fallen silent.

The research group Ocearch said the transmitter on the shark known as Mary Lee, a 3,600-pound, 16-foot great white, has not sent a signal since June 17, when she was swimming off the New Jersey coast.

Founding chairman Chris Fischer and his crew caught and tagged Mary Lee off Massachusetts in 2012. Ocearch tags each shark with a GPS device that emits a ping each time the sharks dorsal fin surfaces. The technology tracks her movements and those of hundreds of other sharks through Twitter, Facebook, a separate website and a phone app.

Overall, Ocearch has led 28 expeditions across the world and has tagged more than 300 sharks. More than 100 of them are great white sharks.

Since being tagged in 2012, thousands of people have followed Mary Lee on a Twitter page managed by Ocearch.

In late May and early June, Mary Lee pinged within 10 miles of the coast in Brigantine and parts of Cape May County.

In a Florida Times-Union report, Fischer said the transmitters batteries simply may have died, partly because Mary Lee surfaced frequently, which triggered more signals. The batteries were designed to have a five-year lifespan, which has expired, he added.

Fischer said he expected Mary Lee to live another 20 years, but is unsure if he will ever see the shark again on another expedition.

I feel like shes done so much, its hard to ask for anything else, Fischer told the Times-Union. For any individual shark, shes undone more of the damage from Jaws than any shark in history, and shes the most famous shark in history.

In a previous report, Fischer told The Press of Atlantic City that Mary Lee was the most engaging of all the sharks his team has tagged, and that he believes that she is one of the most famous real sharks in history.

An Ocearch vessel will depart Jacksonville University next month to search for additional sharks to tag.

Fischer said Mary Lee is probably off the coast near the border of Florida and Georgia, where she likes to live this time of year.

Staff Writer John DeRosier contributed to this report.
Two bills released from a state Senate committee at the end of last month both aim to strengthen policies and procedures regarding sexual assaults on college campuses in the state.

One is a bipartisan effort that would build on the good work of New Jerseys Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault and should be passed and signed into law.

The other is a partisan rebuke to the federal government for revising its short-lived guidance to colleges on how to handle sexual assault cases. That shouldnt be passed now or soon, and maybe ever.

The bipartisan bill  with primary sponsors Sen. Sandra Cunningham, D-Hudson, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, Somerset, Morris  would establish a Campus Sexual Assault Commission with a dozen mostly public members, including representatives from colleges and universities, experts in the commissions work and at least one campus sexual assault survivor.

The state task force called for the creation of the commission in its June report as a means to carry out and extend its work. The commission would study and evaluate emerging issues, policies and practices concerning campus assaults, monitor the implementation of the reports recommendations and develop an action plan every three years to respond to new issues and needs.

We liked the task forces recommendations. One was to extend communication down into middle and high schools, which would provide welcome clarity on teaching students appropriate behavioral and cultural standards. Another was to conduct campus climate surveys every three years, done by many schools already but not uniformly.

And on the most contentious issue regarding campus assault allegations, the task force said colleges should ensure that students rights are protected and that equal representation is provided to survivors and the accused.

Establishing the Campus Sexual Assault Commission is the best next step toward eliminating predatory behavior while protecting all students.

Cunningham also has sponsored a bill, with fellow Democrat Senate President Stephen Sweeney, that would require colleges to follow 2011 guidance by the Obama administration to use the lowest standard of proof when evaluating sexual assault allegations.

That guidance was rescinded in September by the U.S. Department of Education, with Secretary Betsy DeVos saying it had created a failed system that hasnt been fair to accusers or the accused.

Legislators dont have to agree with DeVos to realize that reducing campus assaults requires careful, incremental progress, not partisan dispute. American society is experiencing an awakening about unwanted sexual behaviors and developing new norms and expectations. Haste in this case could ruin lives and gain nothing.

A leader on this issue in October vetoed a bill just like the one Sweeney and Cunningham propose.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, also a Democrat, in 2014 signed the nations first Yes Means Yes law requiring affirmative agreement for college students to engage in sex  even consent for each touch each time.

Yet when his legislature presented him with a bill to put the Obama-era guidance into California law, Brown vetoed it, saying troubling concerns had arisen in recent years. In his veto letter, he said, Thoughtful legal minds have increasingly questioned whether federal and state actions to prevent and redress sexual harassment and assault  well-intentioned as they are  have also unintentionally resulted in some colleges failure to uphold due process for accused students.

Society is clearly engaged in deepening its understanding about sexual interactions with the intent to reduce unwelcome and nonconsensual acts. Related policies and procedures will need to evolve along with that emerging social consensus.

The Campus Sexual Assault Commission is designed exactly for that work and should be established soon.
Ask before hugging

Regarding the Dec. 5 story, Men wonder if hugging a woman is still OK:

The answer is simple. Ask. If she says no, dont ask again.

If she says yes, make sure it stays a hug. No groping. How difficult is that?

Meed Barnett

Cologne

Increase minimum wage

Regarding the Nov. 28 guest commentary by Michael Busler, $15 minimum wage would hurt workers:

It is rather troubling that a Stockton University professor opposes Gov.-elect Phil Murphys plan to increase the states minimum wage, currently at $8.44. With the downturn of the casino industry in recent years, working families in this area have been forced to accept low and minimum wage jobs.

These workers are struggling to pay their rent and buy their groceries. Maintaining a family on the $1,463 a month before taxes of a single minimum wage job would be stressful. Minimum wage workers are fighting to stay afloat. More than two-thirds work full-time. Every extra dollar they earn would be plowed back into the economy. They are friends and neighbors and they need a raise.

The professor argues that if the minimum wage is increased, workers would be replaced by robots or machines. This is not a new phenomenon. Two centuries of industrial history have shown that regardless of the level of minimum wages, workers are, and have always been, under the threat of job loss due to automation or mechanization by employers seeking higher profits.

There are studies that say higher minimum wages are good for the economy. A recent Huffington Post survey shows that 66 percent of the public supports raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10. Some Nobel Prize winning economists, as well as some business and corporate leaders, have endorsed raising minimum wage rates.

Bob Angelo

Atlantic City

Supports Youngblood

The U.S. is moving away from conservatism and the Democratic Party is in a fight for its life as Tom Perez, Democratic National Committee chair, alienates Bernie Sanders and justice Democrats. The Republicans have shown massive failure. We need a congressman who knows our issues and can relate to everyday people.

I am not running for Congress this year, even though Id like to. I feel there is a candidate with more energy, vitality and vision, and as the popular phrase would go, times have changed and so must we.

America has been a progressive wasteland for 40 years. We still dont have national health care, war on poverty and improved schools. We must take on global climate change and class divisions.

I believe Tanzie Youngblood is the candidate we need to ride the crest of history to change America. I will not vote for her because she is a black female candidate, or for politically correct reasons, but because I believe she is what we need for positive change. I am not the most ardent feminist, but the future belongs to the ladies.

Tino Rozzo

Vineland
Three top leaders in the Miss America Organization resigned Saturday, almost two days after vulgar emails surfaced showing officials using disparaging language and mocking former winners.

Miss America Organization CEO and Executive Chairman Sam Haskell, President and Chief Operating Officer Josh Randle and Board of Directors Chairman Lynn Weidner all resigned Saturday.

A story published Thursday by the Huffington Post exposed emails showing Haskell and other officials shamed former contestants, using vulgar and lewd language and criticizing their appearance, intelligence and sex lives.

In a statement from Dan Meyers, interim chairman of the Miss America Organization board, the board accepted Haskells resignation effective immediately, as well as the resignation of Weid-ner and Randle. Weidner will remain on the board for as many as 90 days and Randle will remain for several weeks for a smooth transition, the statement said.

The Board thanks Lynn and Sam for many years of tireless work for, and significant financial support to, both the Miss America Organization and thousands of young women who received millions of dollars of educational scholarships from the Organization as a direct result of their efforts, the statement said.

The content of the emails created questions about the future of the nationally televised competition from Atlantic Citys Boardwalk Hall.

Miss Americas television partner, dick clark productions, severed its ties with the organization Thursday night, leaving the competition with no broadcast.

State lawmakers Friday called on the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to pull a $4 million state subsidy from the Miss America Organization in the wake of lewd comments. Christopher Howard, the CRDAs executive director, said in a statement Friday it will do an immediate review of its contract to determine the next steps.

Howard could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Atlantic City Mayor-elect Frank Gilliam, currently a city councilman, said Friday the lack of a television contract was a deal-breaker and its a great opportunity to pull out of the contract.

On Saturday, Gilliam said the resignation of the top three leaders did not change his opinion. While he respects the contestants and their talent, the competition is not financially conducive to Atlantic Citys success, he said.

I dont believe that Atlantic City reached the benefit that we once did on Miss America, he said. Once Miss America left the city  she never came back with the same strength.

Former Miss America winners, after hearing about the resignations, are still calling for more change.

Happy Birthday to me! said Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan, who turned 29 on Saturday, when she heard about the resignations. Now a TV news reporter in Columbus, Georgia, Hagan was a subject of some of the worst of the emails between Haskell and other members of the organization.

She said she was happy, but there is still more housekeeping to do.

Hagan said more board and staff members need to resign, including Meyers and Vice President of Field Operations Marc Angeli.

He (Angeli) is the one who has done Sams dirty work for a long time, Hagan said, adding he would deliver messages from Haskell about which former Misses America should not be spoken to or interacted with, she said.

Randle told The Associated Press on Saturday his inappropriate response to an email about Hagans weight came several months before he worked at the organization. But he said he apologized to her Saturday, saying the comment didnt reflect his values or the organization.

Hagan said Randle did call her to apologize via voicemail, but she has not responded yet.

Im not really sure how I feel about that, she said. But I appreciate the gesture. Hes the first person from the organization I have heard from in any capacity.

Miss America 1998 Kate Shindle and Miss America 1989 Gretchen Carlson released a joint statement Saturday, calling for the rest of the Board of Directors to step down.

While it is reassuring that some of the perpetrators of the abuses within the Miss America Organization have resigned, this by no means fulfills the need for a thorough housecleaning of the Board of Directors, the statement said.

For the good of the organization, they must step away. The women of Miss America are determined to take back our program. This is not over yet, it said.

On Friday, 49 former Misses America signed a petition demanding Haskell and the rest of the organizations board of directors step down. The petition has now been signed by 56 former winners.

On Saturday, Miss America 1984 Suzette Charles said she received an email from Carlson confirming more than 2,000 state and local pageant organizers had signed another petition to remove Haskell.

Its a great holiday present for all of us, Charles said of the resignations.

Charles grew up in Mays Landing and was one of the petitions signers.

We did it together. All of us kept texting, emailing, tweeting each other, pooling our resources, Charles said of former Misses America, contestants, volunteers and local and state organizers who pushed for new leadership.

They will now stay involved and work on strengthening the program, she said.

We are ready to pull our sleeves up and get to work to build Miss America back to where it used to be and should be, said Charles. She would like to be a member of a newly constituted board, she said.

Miss America Organization board member Tammy Haddad, who was mentioned in some of the emails, announced Friday she resigned from the board. The Miss America Organization also had suspended Haskell on Friday.

In a statement late Friday, Haskell called the allegations dishonest, deceptive and despicable.

Haskell had not released an additional statement as of Saturday afternoon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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Bumuar (Bihar), Dec 22 : Sixteen-year-old Anjali Kumaris determination to study and fulfil her dream of becoming a school teacher has given her the strength and confidence to stand up against child marriage. She is one of the dozens of girls who are a part of a unique initiative to create awareness against the scourge in rural Bihar.

Anjali, a Class 11 student at the government-run Bumuar High School, looked relaxed while enjoying the mid-December sun along with other girls her age outside her two-room brick house with an asbestos roof and recalled how she refused to marry during the "lagan" (traditional marriage season during the summer). This was months before the Bihar government launched a massive campaign against child marriage on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

It was not easy for this daughter of a poor blacksmith.

"I told my mother, when she put pressure on me, that until I complete my Class 12 followed by graduation and fulfil my goal of becoming a teacher, there is no question of marriage.

"After I refused to marry and managed to convince my parents about my desire for higher education, the other villagers also supported me," Anjali told IANS. She is the second among five siblings, including three girls and two boys, all of whom are pursuing their education, except the elder brother, who is a dropout and works in Delhi.

The transformation began when she came in contact with a local organisation, Samagra Seva Kendra (SSK), which is backed by the international NGO Save the Children, that not only creates awareness about child marriage and its adverse impact on health, education and empowerment, but also gives girls an opportunity to express themselves and take a stand.

"Thanks to the training, interaction and exposure provided by SSK, girls of my age become fully aware of the evils of child marriage. I want to teach others like me and help those in neighbouring villages to understand the negative impact of social evils like child marriage," Anjali said.

"We hold special orientation camps for girls with a focus on developing their ability to resist early marriage. It has been proving fruitful," said Anjali, who is now a SSK discussion leader, adding: "This year I have attended a five-day training camp and also attended a conference in Patna."

Her elder cousin, Ashanti Kumari, has led by example as she had married this year after graduating. "Like me, she was also a discussion leader before becoming a trainer at SSK," Anjali said.

Not surprisingly, Save the Children has recognised Anjali and some others of her age as "Child Champions". Her mother Gayatri said that thanks to SSK, she was also aware of the evils of child marriage.

"We are poor people. We wanted to marry her off as my second daughter would be ready for marriage in the next two to three years. If I had one girl, I would have never thought of getting her married before she reached 24 or 25 years. I have three daughters. I regret that I had put pressure on Anjali to marry despite knowing early age marriage is bad. I am proud that she insisted on completing her higher education," Gayatri told IANS.

Gayatri works as a farmhand to augment the family income. Her husband earns a meagre Rs 100 to Rs 150 per day from his small blacksmith's shop.

"We have constructed our (two-room) house and installed a hand pump by taking a loan from a local man. We have neither got (the benefit of the now renamed) Indira Awas (scheme for providing dwellings to the rural poor) nor any help to construct a toilet," Gayatri said.

SSK Project Coordinator Shyamal Naskar said lower dowry also plays an important role in child marriages as parents have to pay a higher dowry if their daughters become adults.

"Earlier, there was no awareness of (the evils of) child marriage in the village. Now people, particularly adolescent girls, are fully aware of it. These days girls are raising their voice against child marriage, refusing to marry and talking about their rights," Naskar told IANS.

According to the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16), 39.1 per cent underaged girls are still being married off in Bihar. Even so, that's an improvement of 30 percentage points over the 2005-06 figure of 69 percent.

(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in )
United Nations, Dec 22 : In an aid programme that confounds the US policy in the region, India is partnering with Iran to send Afghanistan the assistance that President Donald Trump has said New Delhi should provide.

"Last month, the first consignment of wheat grain assistance from India reached Afghanistan through Chhabahar port in Iran," India's Deputy Permanent Representative Tanmaya Lal told the Council on Thursday.

"While it was regrettable that the denial of overland access to Afghanistan "hurts the welfare of the Afghan people," he said, "a new era of enhanced, reliable and robust connectivity" through Iran has begun.

Pakistan does not allow Indian assistance to Afghanistan pass through its territory.

This Indian aid, which predates Trump's request and is an element of India's broader international assistance policy, puts two elements of the US President's regional policies at odds: He wants India to provide aid to Afghanistan but he also wants to isolate Iran.

Announcing his new policy for Afghanistan in August, Trump said that he wanted India "to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development".

The National Security Strategy he unveiled earlier this week called upon India to increase aid in the region, but it declared that the US "was rallying the world to confront "the danger posed by the dictatorship in Iran".

Trump sees Iran as one of its greatest foes, accusing it of creating regional instability and sponsoring terrorism, even as he makes common cause with some countries from where support in men, money and materials flow to terrorists in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The US is dependent on Pakistan for ferrying supplies sent by sea for it troops and its programmes in landlocked Afghanistan.

But India will not be able to provide any substantial material assistance to Afghanistan through Pakistan and will have to rely on Iran, making Tehran by default a hidden collaborator furthering an element of Trump's policy involving New Delhi and Kabul.

The first consignment of 1.1 million tonnes of wheat India had committed to providing Afghanistan reached Zaranj through the Chhabahar port in Iran and the Indian-built Delaram-Zaranj highway from the Iran border.

India pledged a $1 billion dollar package for Afghanistan last year.

Afghanistan's Parliament costing $90 million was built by India, symbolic of its commitment to Afghanistan's democracy and it has been attacked by the Taliban, a terrorist force supported by elements in Pakistan's government.

Another key project, the 215-kilometre Delaram-Zaranj highway built at a cost of over $150 million and several Indian lives taken by terrorists was used for delivering the wheat to Afghanistan.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Chennai, Dec 23 : President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Madurai on Saturday on his maiden visit to Tamil Nadu after taking office.

The President offered prayers at the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, around 600 km from here, and also paid homage to late former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at his memorial there.

Earlier, Kovind flew in from Delhi to Madurai and was received by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit. From Madurai, he flew to Mandapam in an helicopter and then went to Rameswaram by car.

Later, the President is to participate at the valedictory function of the 32nd Indian Engineering Congress organised by the Institution of Engineers (India).

Spending the night at the Raj Bhavan here, Kovind will leave for Hyderabad on Sunday morning.
Beijing, Dec 24 : China on Saturday called for the latest UN sanctions on North Korea to be implemented in a comprehensive and balanced manner for a peaceful solution to the problem in the Korean peninsula.

The UN Security Council imposed fresh sanctions on the Kim Jong-un regime, Efe news reported.

In a statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's call for restraint and working to ease tensions while finding an appropriate solution to the conflict in the Korean peninsula.

The new resolution number 2397 increases sanctions to pressurize North Korea into stopping its nuclear program and missile tests, by banning the export of nearly 90 per cent of refined petroleum to the country.

Hua also underlined that China - a member of the UNSC with a veto power - remains committed towards achieving denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, as well as maintaining peace and stability in the region.

She also recalled China's earlier proposal of finding a solution to the crisis, which included the United States and South Korea putting an end to military drills in the region in return for Pyongyang abandoning its weapons program.

The Chinese customs authorities reported Saturday that trade between China and North Korea, very limited due to the sanctions, reached $388 million in November, which is 15.9 percent more than in October but around 36 percent less year-on-year.
Kolkata, Dec 24 : Trinamool Congress candidate Gita Rani Bhunia was leading by over 15,000 votes over the Left Front nominated CPI-M aspirant Rita Mondal on Sunday in the initial counting of the by-poll to the Sabang Assembly constituency in West Bengal.

"Trinamool Congress was leading by over 15,000 votes after the sixth round of counting," an Election Commission official told IANS.

Bhunia got around 35,000 votes while Mondal bagged over 19,000 votes after the sixth round of counting.

The BJP candidate, Antara Bhattacharyya was in the third position securing around 15,000 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick got nearly 9,000 votes.

The by-poll were necessitated by the sitting Congress legislator Manas Bhunia's resignation after he crossed over to the Trinamool. He is now a Rajya Sabha member of his new party.
New York, Dec 24 : Men under the influence of alcohol are more interested in checking out the body parts of women they perceived as unfriendly or unintelligent, finds a new study.

"Intoxicated men in the study were less likely to objectify women they perceived as warm and competent and those who were of average attractiveness," said the lead author of the study Abbey Riemer, a doctoral student in psychology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the US.

The researchers conducted a study with a group of college going men between 21 to 27 years of age to get insights into how to prevent sexually aggressive behaviour, particularly in situations where alcohol is being used.

The study tested how "alcohol myopia" -- a theory that intoxication limits the amount of information people can process, narrowing their perceptions to the most provoking stimuli -- interrelates with sexual objectification.

Few participants were randomly assigned to drink a mixture of orange juice and grain alcohol until they reached legal intoxication levels.

Other participants were given drinks that smelled and tasted of alcohol, but contained a trivial amount of liquor.

The researchers also used eye-tracking equipment to measure whether participants looked at faces, chests or waists as they viewed photographs of 80 college-age women dressed to go out to a party or a bar.

The photos previously had been screened by more than 300 men and women who rated the images based upon whether the women appeared attractive, warm or competent. Each image was categorised by high, average and low levels of each attribute.

The study, published in the journal Sex Role, found evidence that men were more likely to look at women as sexual objects after drinking.

"When women don't appear friendly, intoxicated men will spend less time looking at their faces and more time looking at their sexual body parts," said study co-author Sarah Gervais of University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Bhubaneswar, Dec 24 : Odisha's University of Agriculture and Technology and state-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) on Sunday signed an agreement to develop and promote rice straw based bio-fuel production in the state.

A 'Biofuel Chair' would be set up in the university to conduct research for screening of best agricultural crops and develop new agricultural varieties that can yield more cellulose content.

The petroleum company will provide financial support of Rs 5 crore to the university for effective utilisation of paddy straw for bio-fuel production in a bio-chemical enzymatic process.

Out of the total budget allocation, Rs 2 crore will be used as a corpus for the chair and Rs 3 crore as research contingency for development, establishment and popularization of the bio-fuel production technology, said an official.

The endeavour is in line with the policy decision for supplementation of 10 per cent straw-based ethanol for increasing fuel efficiency and reducing the pressure on fossil fuel.

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was present at the signing of the agreement, said the university would help BPCL in strengthening technical support for ensuring smooth functioning of the 2G ethanol bio-refinery at Bargarh in Odisha.

"We should promote and extend support for agri-business in Odisha and reach new markets across the globe. This would empower our younger generation and enhance the income of youths and farmers," said Pradhan.

He also proposed that the university establish an agri-business incubation centre in the campus to promote students, farmers and young entrepreneurs in Odisha.

He urged the state government to extend all cooperation for the establishment of the incubation centre. The large acreage and production of rice in the state has provided ample opportunities to excel in promotion of rice straw based bio-fuel production.

Being the staple food, rice is grown in all the agro-climatic zones of the state.

At present, Odisha has an annual rice production of 85 lakh tonnes with approximate production of 100 lakh tonnes of rice straw. Except for use as fodder and a few domestic purposes, there is almost no economic utilization of rice straw. Now, it has become a prime necessity to think of alternative economic utilization of rice straw.
Mumbai, Dec 24 : Amit Bimrot feels blessed to make his Bollywood debut as an actor in Ajay Devgn starrer "Raid".

"It's a blessing to get a debut with a big star like Ajay sir. I come from a non-filmy and lower middle class family. So, it's a blessing and a great feeling," Amit said in a statement.

"Initially, I was nervous because I joined the cast at the last minute and it's a big responsibility to play a prominent character with a very promising cast. But the way Ajay sir made me comfortable and supported, was very helpful," he added.

Amit learnt a lot from him.

He said: "He is a great actor and person. Working with him is a learning and inspirational process. The way he keeps all the technical and creative aspects of the film and then executes the scene is brilliant."

"I felt no pressure in doing intense scenes. An actor performing stress-free is the most important thing. It was a dream come true experience."

On his role, he said: "I am playing a newly recruited income tax inspector of the 1980s who is working with a senior officer (Ajay). This is the first raid of his life. He is a very hardworking, sensible, honest and enthusiastic officer."

Bagging it wasn't an easy task.

"My good friend and casting director Shivam Gupta gave me an opportunity to audition for the role. By the end of final casting, somehow I couldn't get that role but I was finalised for another one which was small but a good character," he said.

"I was happy with that because I had been waiting for a break for long. Then just a day before the shoot, while travelling to Jaipur I got a call from the casting director. He said 'Amit you are playing Satish Mishra. Block your dates for two months'."

"The actor who got finalised had refused to work. I was there in the preferred list of shortlisted actors for the role. So, it was a 'filmy entry in a realistic film'," added the Film and Television Institute of India alumnus, who has a theatre background.
Kolkata, Dec 24 : Amid the peak season during Christmas, bakeries in West Bengal have been struggling to continue their operations with stressed working capital as banks in the state were refusing to accept coins.

"The banks are not accepting coins when the bakeries are going to deposit them. We have been complaining to authorities concerned, including the Reserve Bank of India, several times," said Idris Ali, Secretary of Joint Action Committee of Bakeries in the state.

"Non-acceptance of coins by banks for the past few months has led to locking of working capital and thus, continuing operations become unviable to many bakeries."

Nearly 50 per cent of their sales of small bakeries were made through coins.

According to bakery owners in Howrah, a key district of producing bakery products, they were not able to utilise coins through their trade channels.

"Neither banks nor are our material (like sugar, flour, etc) suppliers accepting coins. Even, workers are not accepting wages in coins. Many of us stopped manufacturing cakes," a bakery owner said, adding that the costs of manufacturing have gone up after the implementation of Goods and Services tax (GST).

"Unless the situation improves, many small bakeries are expected to shut down," he added.
Mosul, Iraq, Dec 25 : More than 23,000 members of the Iraqi security forces were killed during the offensive to wrest control of the northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State, a parliamentary source told Efe on Sunday.

The chairman of Parliament's Security and Defence Committee, Hakim al-Zamili, added that almost 70,000 members of the security forces were wounded during the October 2016-July 2017 offensive.

The offensive resulting in the expulsion of IS members from Mosul caused damage and losses of $3 billion, along with the expenditure of tons of weapons and ammunition as well as the loss of a large number of military vehicles, according to Al-Zamili.

He added that civilians suffered billions of dollars in material and economic losses.

The parliamentary committee has been conducting an investigation into the reasons why the IS came to control the city in 2014.

However, he said that judicial authorities did not begin an investigation with an eye toward assigning blame for losing Mosul in first place, despite the legislative committee's report on the matter.
A teacher from Lucknow, India, Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra, known for his commitment to the field of education is live for his his deliberations on LEARNING TO LEARN AS A HOBBY at the TEDx. Mehrotra was invited to speak at the TEDx SarjapuraRoad, Bangalore.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. As per the TEDx upload, Learning in todays world has become a monotonous process especially in children. Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra teaches us on how can we make this learning process more adventure adaptive and beneficial by using simple concepts. 

Dr. Dheeraj Mehrotra is an Academic Evangelist at Next Education India, a firm that offers learning solutions to students across K-12. He has had over 27 years of experience as an academician, along with having an expertise in implementing various successful learning programmes such as TQM, Six Sigma, 5S, Kaizen, Experiential Learning and NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) in Academics. He has also published over 45 books as a National Teacher Awardee and has trained over 6000 Teachers Globally on Classroom Management, NLP, Quality Management and Six Sigma in Academics. Recently, he was recognised by the LIMCA Book of Records and INDIA Book of records for developing maximum number of Education Applications for the Google Play Store in India. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. The talk is available live at the TEDx Youtube channel at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM4_x_3n31g
Feowyn MacKinnon, Head of School at MC STEM in Cleveland, explores tools used in digital fabrication. There are opportunities to enhance traditional lessons through integrating digital fabrication that unlock doors for cohesion among disciplines and skill sets students werent previously able to access,

A coalition led by The Fab Foundation unveiled details about efforts to catalyze STEM learning in formal educational environments through digital fabrication resources, including the schools that will become laboratories for teaching, learning, and experimentation to improve teacher instruction and practices in Fab Labs and makerspaces.

STEM School Chattanooga and MC STEM in Cleveland were selected to lead a year-long leadership pilot. The experiential work will occur at these two schools. Teachers there will work with national and international experts in developing rigorous and engaging digital-fabrication curriculum, participate in interactive professional development and shepherd the growth of a community of practice of educators in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math using digital fabrication.

The Fab Foundations project is called Scaling a Community of Practice for Education in STEM through Digital Fabrication, or SCOPES-DF.

We are excited to bring new resources to the field that have the potential to help all students succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math while providing them with the tools for personalized learning and freedom in the 22nd Century, said Sonya Pryor-Jones, Chief Implementation Officer of The Fab Foundation.

Insights from the intensive work undertaken with these teacher leaders, referred to as the Leadership Cohort, would spread initially within the United States to K-12 school districts that have a school, or set of schools, interested in new techniques and models for deep learning, while tapping the Fab Lab Network of international fabricators, makers and technologists.

The SCOPES-DF Experiential Leadership Cohort launch occurred in Boston on December 18th and 19th at Dassault Systemes/Solidworks new Fab Lab and at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms.

As work progresses, educators in the Leadership Cohort will work with the international network of Fab Labs and other growing innovation spaces on the resources developed, and iterate with them for local use.

While the linear model of education works in some instances, there are opportunities to enhance traditional lessons through integrating digital fabrication in ways that unlock doors for cohesion among disciplines and skill sets students werent previously able to access, said Feowyn MacKinnon, Head of School at MC STEM, in Cleveland.

We are excited about the possibilities this brings to students and schools, said Tony Donen, Principal of STEM School Chattanooga. Our goal is not only to impact the students in our school, but also to lead the way in developing opportunities for students throughout Hamilton County, the state of Tennessee, and across the nation.

The Fab Foundation envisions a reality where school districts, embracing SCOPES-DF:

1.) Partner with their schools in the distribution and scaling of practices and resources developed to increase opportunities for students and teachers in digital fabrication.

2.) Participate with a national network of colleagues in the development of practices for emerging digital fabrication literacy.

3.) Serve as a model for other districts in the international network for 22nd Century teaching and learning.

Since the first Fab Lab was placed in a high school 10 years ago, educators have been working to integrate digital fabrication in K-12, said Sherry Lassiter, President and CEO of The Fab Foundation. Through our generous sponsors, SCOPES-DF provides us with an opportunity to dedicate time and resources to create tools and practices for transforming K-12 STEM with teacher leaders as our partners and co-designers.

SCOPES-DF is made possible through generous support of Chevron and The GE Foundation.

Chevron champions science, technology, engineering and math education in the United States, in K-12 classrooms and beyond. Through programs and strategic partnerships, Chevron helps students and teachers get the tools and access the resources they need to take advantage of every opportunity STEM offers.

GE Foundation, the philanthropic organization of GE, is committed to transforming communities and shaping the diverse workforce of tomorrow. It supports efforts to create a high-quality education pipeline for all students, bringing innovative learning in STEM education, scaling what works and building sustainable solutions.

STEM School Chattanoogas mission is to develop and share a new paradigm for world-class education using technology as a gateway to cultivate students inquisitive nature, exercise innovation, think critically and collaborate to become leaders who are self-sufficient learners with the same passion as Chattanoogas Renaissance.

MC STEM High Schools mission is to model a rigorous STEM education in a non-traditional environment through transdisciplinary curricula, hands-on projects and community partnerships. The school aims to engage and enrich students by fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and empowering them to achieve their personal, academic and community goals.

A Fab Lab is a carefully curated digital fabrication laboratory comprised of off-the-shelf, industrial-grade design, fabrication and electronics tools, wrapped in open source software and supported by programs written by researchers at MITs Center for Bits & Atoms. This platform for learning and innovation is a place to play, create, learn, mentor and inventwhile joining and engaging with a global community of learners, educators, technologists, researchers, makers and innovators. There are over 1100 labs in more than 100 countries.

The Fab Foundation was formed in 2009 to facilitate and support the growth of the international fab lab network as well as the development of regional capacity-building organizations. It is a U.S. nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization that emerged from MITs Center for Bits & Atoms Fab Lab Program. The Foundations mission is to provide access to the tools, knowledge and financial means to educate, innovate and invent using technology and digital fabrication to allow anyone to make (almost) anything, and thereby creating opportunities to improve lives and livelihoods around the world.

Contact: Sonya Pryor Jones

The Fab Foundation

email: scopesdf(at)fabfoundation(dot)org
Disability Justice continued their 25 Days of Giving this week by delivering holiday treats and gifts to local organizations, creating care packages for cancer patients in need, and donating to national charities.

Causes supported during December 16 through 22:

Day 16: The Lupus Foundation of America, the only national organization devoted to solving the mystery of lupus. The firm donated money to support research for one of the worlds most unpredictable diseases.

Day 17: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the worlds largest organization that supports research and advocacy for blood cancer treatment. The firm donated money to fund further research to find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma.

Day 18: Drueding Center, a transitional housing and support services center for women and children in Philadelphia. Attorneys and staff donated toys and household items to the 470+ residents at the North Philadelphia center.

Day 19: Smile Train, an international organization that preforms cleft repair surgeries for children in 85+ counties around the world. The firm donated money to help offset surgery costs for children born with cleft lips and/or palettes.

Day 20: Project HOME, a Philadelphia based housing and learning center helping adults, children, and families break the cycle of homelessness. Attorneys and staff brought cookies, poinsettias, and gift cards to Women of Change, one of their many nationally recognized shelters.

Day 21: Sidney Hillman Apartments, a subsidized assisted living community for older adults in Philadelphia. Staff brought coffee and holiday cookies for the 275+ residents.

Day 22: Lisas Army, a local charity that provides care packages to individuals undergoing treatment for cancer. Attorneys and staff donated items to include in packages given to patients during chemotherapy treatment.

Disability Justice looks forward to continuing to volunteer, donate, and raise money for charities this holiday season and beyond.
This December, Pond Lehocky sponsored the fifth holiday celebration with Families Forward, the largest emergency shelter in Philadelphia. The annual party provides holiday cheer for homeless and traveling families. Attorneys and staff members joined together with the shelter to throw a pizza party, decorate stockings, give presents, and even meet Santa!

63% of the shelters clients are children, so Pond Lehocky strives to make their holidays special with engaging activities and treats. The firm looks forward to continuing this traditional celebration for many years to come.

Families Forward was founded in 1915 to help immigrant families, especially women and children, arriving from foreign countries. One hundred years later, their definition of traveler has evolved to include homeless individuals and families, including men and boys, in Philadelphia.
Exam Integrity by Design. Proctorio wants to help ensure student success after a semester in which so many teachers and students carried on in the face of devastation and heartache.

Institutions and students throughout California have suffered disruptions during the crucial final exam period due to the ongoing wildfires. Proctorio announced today it is offering its online proctoring services without charge to allow students to take exams from remote locations while still protecting academic integrity.

Founder and CEO, Mike Olsen, stated, "We recognize many members of the California educational community have been affected by the recent California fires. The employees of Proctorio want to express their deepest sympathies to the many lives disrupted and endangered by this ongoing disaster."

Some schools in the affected areas have postponed finals until the spring semester. According to Higher Ed, classes were also canceled due to traffic issues that resulted from the wildfires. It is possible that the wildfires will cause classes to be canceled or delayed well into the new year due to structural damage, power issues and other disruptions.

Hardest hit are students who already struggle with getting to campus or have care-giving and work obligations. Jorge J.C. Sales, Executive Director of Program Development for the Foundation for California Community Colleges described the impact the wildfires are having on students in California, When environmental challenges emerge to provide an added hurdle to equitable access and student success; added impactful opportunities such as expanded educational technology access become even more vital. By offering students affected by the recent wildfires free access to online proctoring, we are further supporting student educational completion.

Proctorio is offering its automated online proctoring without charge to any California institution impacted by this disaster in order to help students who were prevented from taking their exams as scheduled. Proctorio's goal is to ensure fair test conditions at the convenience of students and instructors. Its proctoring solution is available anytime, day or night, without advanced scheduling or additional logins.

Jory Hadsell, Executive Director at California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative, explained the need for resources to help students complete the semester under such challenging conditions, "So many students and colleagues in California have been impacted by these devastating fires. We are thankful to have OEI partners like Proctorio that go the extra mile to assist colleges that have been impacted and are looking for every available resource to help their students complete the term."

As a partner to the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the Online Education Initiative and the Cal State System, Proctorio has been vetted for use in California and is California Student Privacy Certified for use in K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities throughout California.

Vice President of Business Development, Jon Lacivita, described Proctorio's motivation to help, "We know this is a small gesture in the wake of Californias most destructive fire season on record; however, we want to help ensure student success after a semester in which so many teachers and students carried on in the face of devastation and heartache."

About Proctorio: Proctorio is a fully automated, online proctoring service that provides a scalable, cost-effective solution to validating test-taker identities and activity during online exams. Proctorio ensures the integrity of distance learning and online certifications while protecting institutional accreditation and increasing the value of online degrees and credentials.

Proctorios customizable, secure exam settings, recording options and live ID verification allow institutions to set-up unscheduled, on-demand proctoring specific to their assessment needs. Proctorio ensures fairness for test-takers by increasing accountability, securing exam content, deterring cheating, and promoting a culture of academic integrity while improving learning outcomes.

If your school has been negatively affected by these ongoing wildfires and you would like to find how Proctorio can help students take remote online exams, please reach out to Proctorio: relief@proctorio.com

Click here to learn more about Proctorio's automated proctoring solution.

Source: Proctorio

Related links:

https://proctorio.com/
Watch the full interview on WBTVN .tv Step into seeing yourself with the best of whatever you want; now is not the time for limited thinking.

As New Years Eve approaches many people are dusting off resolutions they made earlier this year and pledging to begin anew, or crafting a new list of goals to set their sights on for 2018. Energy healer and shamanic soul guide, Anahata Ananda of Shamangelic Healing in Sedona, Arizona recently spoke with Paula Vail, host of Choices: Finding Your Joy on the Womens Broadcast Television Network (WBTVN.tv), about how to break that merry-go-round and manifest your goals into reality.

At the year end, its time to really get clear about what you are envisioning for 2018 and beyond, said Anahata. We all need a roadmap to achieve success and I am excited to share seven strategies for going for your goals and really manifesting them into reality. The interview provides viewers with a step-by-step process that they can use year round to help keep them on track.

The first step is to reflect on the past year and get really clear about what worked and what didnt. Then, with a clear intention in mind for the New Year, its time to dream big. Step into seeing yourself with the best of whatever you want; now is not the time for limited thinking, said Anahata. The key is to stretch yourself and feel the emotions of whatever you are envisioning.

Other strategies covered in the WBTVN interview with Paula Vail include writing and speaking intentions so that they work, identifying obstacles or challenges and planning strategies to face them, putting together a support team, and creating daily reinforcements to ensure success.

Shamanic healer and spiritual counselor, Anahata Ananda has trained extensively with gifted shamans, energy healers and spiritual teachers from around the world in order to artfully integrate the fields of spirituality, energy healing, self-empowerment, and shamanic teachings. Her client-base spans the globe with individuals from all walks of life who are seeking to heal and awaken to their fullest potential.

In addition to private healing sessions, Anahata offers Shamangelic Healing Sedona Courses for individuals and healing practitioners who want to empower themselves and awaken to their fullest potential. The next series begins with the Empowerment & Awakening Weekend from March 8-11, 2018, during which participants will learn concepts and tools for energy healing, chakra balancing, conscious relationships, vibrant health, quantum manifestation, working with divine guides and more. This Level I courses lays the foundation for deeper concepts and practices offered in her Healing Tools & Modalities, Level II and Shamangelic Breathwork, Level III courses.

For those who cant make it to Sedona, Anahata offers a series of self-paced Shamanglic Online Courses to support individual growth and awakening in the comfort of their own home. Her course on Meditation Tips for Relaxation & Spiritual Connection is a perfect compliment to the seven strategies for achieving goals in the New Year. Meditation calms the mind and is a useful tool for connecting with ones inner guidance, while reducing or eliminating limiting beliefs that might sabotage efforts.

Paula Vail is the owner of Wellness Inspired, an alternative medicine practice in the greater Seattle area that offers Reiki treatments, Reiki classes, and mentoring to Reiki practitioners. She is a Master Usui & Karuna Reiki practitioner and teacher, a Master/Teacher of Holy Fire Reiki, and a leading voice for alternative solutions to spiritual health and wellness. In addition to her Reiki practice, Paula is the host on multiple radio networks and her program, Choices: Finding Your Joy on WBTVN.tv.

Shamangelic Healing is a premier center for Shamanic Healing and Spiritual Awakening in Sedona, Arizona. It is nestled beneath Thunder Mountain with breathtaking views and within walking distance to a medicine wheel and healing vortexes, making it the perfect setting for healing and expansion. Clients seeking spiritual awakening, transformational healing services, conscious relationship counseling, sacred land journeys, specialized retreats, or training courses may choose from a wide variety of options to create a tailored, personal experience.

For detailed descriptions and a calendar of all training courses, retreats and spiritual awakening services offered by Anahata at Shamangelic Healing Center visit https://shamangelichealing.com/
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Republican Sen. Rand Paul unloaded his grievances on Twitter on Saturday in what has become an annual tradition in celebration of the faux holiday Festivus.

The fictional holiday, first popularized in a 1997 episode of the hit sitcom series Seinfeld, is celebrated every December 23 by people frustrated with the commercialized aspects of Christmas. In keeping with its traditions, Festivus enthusiasts like Paul participate in what is called an "airing of grievances," in which they typically vent about people or things that disappoint them.

Paul, who has been airing his grievances since as far back as 2013, took friendly digs at a number of prominent political figures, including his fellow Republicans. But first, he wanted to clear things up with Fox News.

Before we get started, I ne... @ Senator Rand Paul

Next, he took aim at former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her book, "What Happened," which is her account of the 2016 election.

@FoxNews @HillaryClinton I ... @ Senator Rand Paul

He then imagined President Donald Trump's reaction to Clinton's book while he mocked Trump's previous claims that his 1987 book, 'The Art of the Deal,' is his second favorite book, after the Bible.

@FoxNews @HillaryClinton I ... @ Senator Rand Paul

@FoxNews @HillaryClinton @r... @ Senator Rand Paul

It wouldn't be an airing of grievances without mentioning Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is often derided by his colleagues in Congress. Paul referenced Cruz's recent feud over net neutrality with "Star Wars" veteran Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the hit film franchise.

My friend @tedcruz decided ... @ Senator Rand Paul

@tedcruz @HamillHimself The... @ Senator Rand Paul

Next, Paul transitioned to extra-terrestrial life, jokingly lashing out at former Democratic Sen. Harry Reid for not telling him more about aliens. The New York Times revealed last week that Reid was behind a secret Pentagon program created in 2007 for the purpose of investigating UFOs.

@SenatorReid HOW IS IT YOU ... @ Senator Rand Paul

Paul also made sure to go after his Senate colleague Orrin Hatch for having "better pot jokes" than him. Hatch, the senior US senator from Utah, made headlines in September for introducing a bill  in an especially pun-filled manner 

@senorrinhatch Somehow, an ... @ Senator Rand Paul

And finally, Paul ended with a series of tweets criticizing the government's wasteful spending. He even managed to ding special counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, and whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the race in his favor.

We spent over $170k to buil... @ Senator Rand Paul

Oh great, now the waste rep... @ Senator Rand Paul

Paul also didn't spare Trump's campaign promise to get Mexico to pay for a wall along the US-Mexico border.

We spent $15 million to tra... @ Senator Rand Paul
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But now Adrea Owusu, popularly known as Efia Odo, has revealed in a broadcast interview how many men she has slept with.

READ MORE: Actress reveals she was born out of wedlock

Born in Ashanti Region and later grew up in the USA, Efia Odo said on the Delay show she had her first relationship aged 14 but added there was no sexual intercourse.

At age 16, going to 17, she noted, was when she broke her virginity with her then Jamaican boyfriend.

"We dated probably for seven, eight months," she disclosed.

Asked by the host, Deloris Frimpong Manso, aka, Delay, the number of men she has slept with, she responded: " less than 15, less than 12."

In the wide-ranging interview, she also debunked rumours that she was in a relationship with Juventus Midfielder, Kwadwo Asamoah.

She was introduced to Kwadwo Asamoah by a friend and from there, they became close friends, she revealed.

According to Efia Odo, she visited Italy and had to visit Kwadwo Asamoah who bought her some shoes which she posted online.
The decease's classmate, Caroline Daddie, who witness the incident, said the police officer shot at them without any provocation. According to her, the police officer had labelled them as armed robbers.

The headmaster of the GSTS, who was saddened by the incident, said Lawrence is not a thief.

According to him, the deceased stays with him on campus.

He charged the police administration to investigate the incident and punish the cop at the centre of the shooting.

READ MORE: Barbara Mahama takes to WhatsApp to mourn husband
They each show up with their own skills, and their own story.

From around the world  countries such as Ecuador, Spain, Peru and Mexico.

For a week in December, a group of friends and volunteers at Cristo Rey Catholic Church in Lincoln are only concerned with one story  one of the most well-known of all  the birth of Jesus Christ in a lowly Bethlehem manger.

The group comes together to construct an intricate, 28-foot-long nativity scene inside the church at 4221 J St.

Its like a brotherhood, said volunteer Jose Caicdeo, originally from Ecuador. We show the love we have for each other, the friendship, when were here.

The nativity encompasses the entire narrative of Christs birth, as told in the Gospel of Luke, and includes scenes from around Israel  the caves of Bethlehem, the streets of Nazareth, the walled city of Jerusalem.

Nearly 300 figurines populate houses, alleyways, temples, a marketplace and other scenes constructed on a 28-foot-by-12-foot stage. Special touches abound, such as a rock from the Sea of Galilee.

The nativity has been a Christmas tradition at the church since 2004. Thats the year Jose Pepe Herrero, a lawyer from Spain, approached the church about pulling something together. Herrero collects the Spanish figurines used in the nativity, and directs the setup each year.

But the project is far from a one-man job.

Volunteers from around Lincoln are needed each year for the project.

You know Christmas is coming when Pepe comes calling, said volunteer Martin Pella, of Lincoln. Its a good reminder to get ready.

Pella started helping build the stage and set up the nativity about seven years ago, when he poked his head inside the church and saw the work going on.

They said I had to come back at another time, unless I wanted to help, said Pella. And I did."

Jose Casarin, who moved to Lincoln from Mexico nine years ago, has helped since the beginning.

He manages the technical side of the nativity, programming the lighting  sunrise and sunset, the stars emerging  that mimics the passage of time. For viewers of the nativity, each day lasts four minutes.

Theres other technical magic as well. Smoke floating from chimneys, a rushing waterfall, a lake filled with fish that reflects the baby Jesus in its waters.

People have a hard time picturing it all, said Casarin. But when they come in, its like they have pleasant surprise. The nativity tells you a story.

Setting it up is a seven-day affair, with volunteers working from early in the morning to as late as 3 a.m.

Volunteers such as Caicdeo create the many balconies, window frames and columns out of wood, while others keep busy repainting the Styrofoam made to reflect various hills and mountains.

Herrero sees the work as an uplifting and unifying experience for not only the hundreds who come to visit every year, but for the workers as well.

The world focuses on hatred because we dont have something that unites us, he said. The moment we have something that does, we forget who we are. No matter what it is  making the world a better place, building a nativity scene, preparing for Christs birth.

Large and detailed nativity scenes are a staple in Spanish-speaking countries. There, they're called belens, which comes from the Spanish word for Bethlehem.

Spanish and other European nativities generally feature softer, pastel colors, Casarin said. Those in Mexico, on the other hand, feature ruddy colors, including purples and browns.

The nativity at Cristo Rey is more like the latter.

Mexico brought their own flavor to it, so the nativity here is really a merging of two cultures, Casarin said.

Cristo Reys nativity, which opened Wednesday, is one of the churchs biggest draws each year, according to parochial vicar Rev. Ryan Kaup.

Honestly, its the reason why a lot of people know our church exists outside the Hispanic community  which has brought a lot of blessings by bringing a lot of different people together, Kaup said.

Hundreds  both Catholics and non-Catholics  come each year to the free exhibit. Money collected from freewill donations goes to both Cristo Rey and an orphanage in Kenya where Herrero volunteers.

Volunteer Carlos Servan helps with whatever he can, whether spreading sand or adjusting the figurines.

Pepe is very detailed-oriented in terms of perspective, so well move stuff a half an inch to the left, to the right, raise it up, said Servan, an architecture student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It can be very time-consuming, but its works out in the end.

And when do they know its finally done?

Its never done, said Pella, laughing.

Maybe its when they finally put the fish in the water, suggests Herrero. Or when they bless it on the following Sunday, said Kaup.

Or maybe its when people first walk into Cristo Rey and experience the Christmas story coming to life before their eyes.

Its absolutely wonderful, seeing all these families  the parents, the grandparents, the children, said Herrero. Its like the shepherds coming to greet Jesus when he was born. Its magical.
Lawrence Joe, who is a final year student of the Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), was in the company of five of his friends heading to a rap concert when he was shot at.

The decease's classmate, Caroline Daddie, who witness the incident, said the police officer shot at them without any provocation. According to her, the police officer had labelled them as armed robbers.

Narrating how the incident happened, she told Accra-based Citi FM that on their way to the rap concert, a motor rider who had forcefully gotten off his motor shouted "thieves."

"Just after the shout then there was a gunshot. He fired at Lawrence and Kobina who were ahead of us. Lawrence fell on the ground and Kobina also jumped into the bush with his wounds.

He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The headmaster of the GSTS, who was saddened by the incident, said Lawrence is not a thief.

According to him, the deceased stays with him on campus.

He charged the police administration to investigate the incident and punish the cop at the centre of the shooting.

READ MORE: Barbara Mahama takes to WhatsApp to mourn husband
The governing party has been rocked by scandals upon scandals in the last seven days, sending fears the party may lose its goodwill.

In a Christmas message, Womtumi urged the party to use the "festive period to do sober reflection, re-planning, re-strategize and correct the 2017 mistakes, ensuring that those errors are not repeated in 2018."

According to him, "Ghanaians will not forgive us if we continue to repeat the mistakes of the NDC Government."

READ MORE: The full list of MPs who approved the 2018 budget for Ministry of Special Development Initiatives

He said the NPP "campaigned and voted for change, we have to let Ghanaians experience that positive change they voted for. Ghanaians will not take excuses from us come 2020."
"He has the tenacity and capacity to deal with issues and is so much socially oriented. I find in him a very competent and capable personality," Mr Quarshigah said of Prof. Alabi, who has declared he will contest for president on the ticket of the NDC."So if he wants to become the president of Ghana and I have no hesitation whatsoever than to lend him my support."

Mr Quarshigah, a former Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, said: Anybody who has such abilities has the capacity to transform this nationwhen he files I will throw my support behind him."

According to him, many NDC MPs support Prof. Alabi but have not been bold to declare it.

READ MORE: The full list of MPs who approved the 2018 budget for Ministry of Special Development Initiatives

In November this year, some 80 NDC MPs came together to persuade former President John Mahama to run again for president.
Temer, who has been charged with corruption himself, issued the annual decree Friday, expanding the categories of prisoners eligible for early release.

The main shift was to lift the previous exclusion on all those serving sentences of more than 12 years. Under Temer's changes, the length of sentence no longer matters and a prisoner also needs only to have served 20 percent of the sentence to qualify, rather than 25 percent as under the previous rules.

"It's a Christmas party for the corrupt," lashed out Deltan Dallagnol, one of the chief prosecutors in operation "Car Wash," as the biggest anti-corruption probe in Brazilian history is known.

"Practice corruption with only 20 percent of the consequences," he said on Facebook.

Dallagnol referred to the case of construction tycoon Marcelo Odebrecht who was released this week into house arrest as part of a steep reduction of his sentence in exchange for providing devastating testimony to "Car Wash" investigators.

Originally, Odebrecht had been sentenced to more than 19 years in prison, but saw that cut to 10 years, with only two and a half behind bars and a transfer now to his luxury Sao Paulo house.

His testimony and that of fellow company executives was used to go after scores of politicians who allegedly took bribes.

Temer's decree will undermine prosecutors' bargaining power in such cases, Dallagnol said.

"If Marcelo Odebrecht could have seen this Christmas pardon from President Temer, he'd never have struck a plea bargain!" Dallagnol tweeted.

"Open season for corruption continues. They defraud bids. They embezzle from health, education and security! Come, steal, and head off!! That's the message."

Accused of corruption, Temer is the first sitting president to face criminal charges. Congress, where many members are also facing corruption probes, twice voted against putting him on trial.

Responding to the outcry, Justice Minister Torquato Jardim held a press conference in the capital Brasilia Saturday, telling journalists that Temer's expansion of the pardons was done for completely different reasons.
Under the bill called "right of the soil" or Ius soli, children under 12 who have spent five years in school would qualify to be naturalised. The rule would also apply to children born to non-Italians.

The Senate was near empty during the vote on Sunday, newspapers said.

Currently, foreigners born in Italy can only apply for citizenship when they turn 18 and if they have lived in the country since birth.

Only 116 of the 319 Senators were present in the house and the vote was deferred to January 9, by which time parliament is likely to have been dissolved ahead of legislative elections in March.
Instead, they are spending precious hours at fuel stations waiting for fuel. When Nigerians voted for Buhari and the APC in 2015, it was believed that fuel scarcity would be a thing of the past.

Sadly, some things never go away. In December 2016, the Buhari-led government was able to ensure that there was no fuel scarcity in December. This year we are back to square one.

During his campaign, President Buhari tweeted "The countless man-hours that will be spent at petrol stations today, will reduce our productivity as a nation. This should not be so."

His words have come to haunt him as Nigerians will spend the festive period sweating and fighting at the petrol stations all across the world.

The Nigerian government has failed yet again to address the issue of fuel scarcity. For an oil producing country, fuel scarcity is a product of incompetence and corruption.

The President's silence on the issue is baffling considering the fact that he is also the Minister of Petroleum.
Kara Sheil and daughter Allie Vanek were prepared for a long day of shopping Saturday as they bought last-minute Christmas gifts.

Sheil had purchased small gifts over the last few weeks, but had a yellow sheet of paper filled with presents she had yet to purchase.

Sheil and Vanek were among those to stop at SouthPointe Pavilions on Saturday afternoon to finish their holiday shopping.

Vanek recently returned home from Sioux City, Iowa, where she attends Morningside College, so Saturday was an opportunity for her to spend time with her mother while preparing for the holidays.

"She wasn't very good about giving us a list this year," Sheil said. "So she's picking out things she wants while we shop today."

They'd trekked all over Lincoln before heading to Scheels.

Brandon Park, manager at Scheels, said the store was steadily busy all day.

"Business is good," he said. "We're really glad to be open today and tomorrow to be there for the last-minute shoppers."

Many stores at SouthPointe will be open on Christmas Eve with varying hours. Stores at Gateway Mall will be open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sunday.

While many stores will be open to accommodate shoppers, few are open on Christmas Day.

Barb Rezac drove more than 40 minutes from her farm north of Touhy to pick out gifts and find an outfit to wear to her family's holiday party. Rezac was showing her Christmas spirit, wearing a sparkling Santa hat, candy cane scarf and Christmas sweater to the mall.

Although the parking lot at SouthPointe was nearly full, it wasn't anything Rezac hadn't expected. She planned to get all of her shopping done Saturday to avoid any extra rush Sunday.

"It really isn't too busy here," she said. "Some of the stores are a little crazy, but it's not too bad."
According to the statement which was issued on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the Federal Government of Nigeria is making efforts to find lasting solution to the current situation. He said, We empathize with Nigerians at this difficult time, and appeal for patience with the Federal Government as it make efforts to improve the situation.

The APC spokesman emphasized that the party is not ignorant of the hardship faced by Nigerians as a result of the fuel crisis. Abdullahi said, Our party acknowledges the difficulties Nigerians are currently experiencing as a result of the unfortunate fuel scarcity across the country; especially at this yuletide period.

"We understand that the Federal Government is doing everything to improve the situation and bring succor to the people as soon as possible."

According to THE GUARDIAN, Abdullahi added that the party also understood the unhappiness of Nigerians at the situation, while noting that this was happening for the first time in the Christmas period since the APC-led government came to power.

He also condemned the desperate acts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) such as the production of fictitious statements, to make the APC-led administration look bad. Noting that such malicious moves by the members of the PDP is bad politics.
According to reports by PM NEWS, Boss Mustapha attributed the fuel scarcity to greed on the part of the marketers who created artificial shortfall in order to make profits. He noted that the government has engaged all relevant stakeholders and in a few days, the queues will ease out.

He said, I can assure the people that a day or two after the yuletide, the queue will ease out. The marketers created the scarcity but we have engaged all the relevant stakeholders and we are confident that it will soon normalize.

We are not thinking about increase in the pump price. We have not discussed it and we will not increase the price.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC), had earlier blamed the oil crisis issue on the oil marketers who according to them were hoarding the product. The Group Manager of NNPC, Maikanti Baru said the corporation had increased the supply of petrol by over 50 million litres per day.
The Command's spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, December 24, 2017.

He said that the command has issued a warrant of arrest for all the members of the gang.

Amaraizu urged members of the public to urgently furnish it with information that could lead to their arrest.

He also said that the command has intensified manhunt for the fleeing "Malaysian Boys" who have been a thorn in the flesh of the law abiding members of the public within Nimbo and Adani axis of Uzouwani council area.

He said, "They are advised in their own interest to report to the state Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (CIID) of the command in Enugu.

"They are Ikechukwu alias Master; Okoro Ifeanyi alias Bukar; Mathew; Marcel Ojike; Ogbobe Ajulu; Odumodu alias Asogwa, Mike also known as Anyi Anyi and Hyacinth Ugwu Julius.

"Others are John Okwelli; Anselem also known as Photo; Ikechukwu Aaron; Nnamdi Michael; Gabriel also known as Gabos as well as others known as Fela, Zero, Akwasa, Mmiri and Ratty.

"The command gathered that these group of fleeing suspected hoodlums and mischief-makers masquerading under the aegis of Malaysian Boys operating in their habitat at the dreaded Malaysian Forest, come out to unleash mayhem on residents of Nimbo community and its environs".

The police spokesman said that the command is already working with relevant stakeholders to fish them out anywhere they might be within and outside the country.

The police on March 25, acting on intelligence report, raided the said dreaded forest (Malaysian Forest) and arrested some of the suspected hoodlums.
According to reports by the Punch, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission, rtd. Justice Kayode Bamisile , said the elections were peaceful, free and fair.

He said according to results turned - in by all the Returning Officers , who were senior academic staff members from tertiary institutions in Ekiti and Ondo states, PDP swept the poll.

In Ido Osi, council, PDP s Aladedemi Tunde was declared winner having polled a total of 24, 432 votes against his closest in National Democratic Liberty Party candidate who polled 121.

Also in Emure LG , PDP s Olubayode Okeya polled 15 ,293 votes against ADPs candidate who polled 201 votes , as the winner.

In Ado Ekiti council, PDP s Bamisile Clement emerged winner by polling 43, 262 votes against ADPs candidate who polled 770 votes. Bamisile was quick to appreciate all stakeholders for supporting the states electoral umpire to achieve a peaceful, free and fair election.

In his statement gathered by *Vanguard*, Today, December 23, 2017 marked another political improvement in bringing democracy to the door step of our people. In 2015, we conducted an election that was widely adjudged free, peaceful and fair and got a befitting award for our efforts..

"We took our work seriously and put in the best, hence we have conducted a free and fair election. We had visited all LGAs, traditional rulers, security agencies, political parties and others to seek for their support and for them to mobilise their people for participation in the poll.

"They had showed readiness for election and fullfiled their promise to vote. We have protected our peoples rights in deciding cautiously their representatives.

"We particularly appreciate Governor Fayose for strengthening democracy. It is an indisputable fact that Governor Fayose always follow the constitutional dictates to conduct LG elections as at when due"
NRGs accusation is contained in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bekee Igwe.

The statement accused INEC of concocting a claim that Governor Bello registered twice.

Double registration is a criminal act.

If found culpable, it would make Bello ineligible to seek a second term. That would then pave way for the PDP to return to Kogi Government House, the group submits.

NRG stated that its stance on the ongoing face-off between INEC and the Kogi Governor was based on findings from a study on the controversy, noting that there were gaps discovered which point to possible collusion and or outright conspiracy which exonerates Bello from any likely infraction.

Acting a script

Why did INEC not react immediately the so called double registration took place? At whose instance did the indicted INEC officials carry out their nefarious act?

"Since INEC was aware that Governor Bello was registered to vote, why would he seek a second registration? Why would the electoral body wait for more than seven months before disciplining its staff or make the findings public?

The only possible conclusion to be drawn from this bizarre drama is a possible collusion and outright conspiracy, between INEC and the opposition in Kogi State which stands to benefit from the consequences arising therefrom, the statement read in parts.

NRGs spokesperson said the group was not impressed with INECs belated attempt to sanction its staff embroiled in the controversy, arguing that it was obvious that those disciplined were mere fall guys who were sacrificed just to create an impression that INEC was working; a development the group considers unsavory and highly condemnable.
Los Angeles Times, December 4, 2017

By Shashank Bengali

As U.S. warplanes flew above a cluster of villages where Islamic State militants were holed up in eastern Afghanistan, 11 people piled into a truck and drove off along an empty dirt track to escape what they feared was imminent bombing.

They did not get far.

An explosion blasted the white Suzuki truck off the road, opening a large crater in the earth and flipping the vehicle on its side in a ditch. A teenage girl survived. The 10 dead included three children, one an infant in his mothers arms.

The lone survivor of the Aug. 10 blast in Nangarhar province, and Afghan officials who visited the site, said the truck was hit by an American airstrike shortly before 5 p.m. Relatives expressed horror that U.S. ground forces and surveillance aircraft could have mistaken the passengers, who included women and children riding in the open truck bed  in daylight with no buildings or other vehicles around  for Islamic State fighters.

How could they not see there were women and children in the truck? said Zafar Khan, 23, who lost six family members, including his mother and three siblings, in the blast.



A photo of the Aug. 10 blast site provided by a victim's family, who visited the area. (Photo: Handout)

A photo of the Aug. 10 blast site provided by a victim's family, who visited the area. (Photo: Handout)

In a statement after the incident, the U.S. military acknowledged carrying out a strike but said it killed militants who were observed loading weapons into a vehicle and there was zero chance of civilian casualties.

Pockets of Nangarhar remain inaccessible to outsiders because of fighting, making it impossible to independently determine the cause of the fatal explosion. What is not in question is that in the 17th year of U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan, American airstrikes are escalating again, along with civilian casualties.

Operating under looser restrictions on air power that commanders hope will break a stalemate in the war, U.S. fighter planes this year dropped 3,554 explosives in Afghanistan through Oct. 31, the most since 2012.

American officials say the firepower has curtailed the growth of Islamic States South Asia affiliate  known as ISIS-Khorasan, which they believe numbers about 900 fighters, most of them in Nangarhar  and enabled struggling government forces to regain ground against Taliban insurgents in other provinces, such as Helmand, where a Marine-led task force has helped coordinate a months-long offensive.

But innocent Afghans are asking: At what cost?

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan documented 205 civilian deaths and 261 injuries from airstrikes in the first nine months this year, a 52% increase in casualties compared with the same period in 2016. Although both U.S. and Afghan forces conduct aerial attacks, preliminary data indicate that American strikes have been more lethal for civilians.

In the first six months of 2017, the U.N. said, 54 civilians died in international air operations, compared with 29 in Afghan strikes. Twelve additional deaths could not be attributed to either force, the U.N. found.

In the case of the blast in Nangarhar province in August, U.S. officials have continued to assert that the American airstrike that day struck only militants. But they have since offered an alternative explanation for the civilian deaths. Responding to questions from The Times, coalition officials said that a passenger vehicle  presumably the Suzuki truck  hit a roadside bomb planted by Islamic State militants slightly more than a mile from where the airstrike killed the militants. It was the roadside bomb that resulted in multiple enemy-caused civilian casualties, said Navy Capt. Tom Gresback, a spokesman for coalition forces in Kabul.

Afghans vigorously dispute that account. The district police chief, Hamidullah Sadaqat, said there was only one deadly explosion in the area that afternoon. Rozina, the 17-year-old survivor, said her memory was clear.

The plane dropped the bomb on us, said Rozina, who, like many Afghans, has only one name.

The bombing occurred in Haska Mina district, about three hours by road south of the provincial capital, Jalalabad. The victims were residents of Loi Papin, a village near the front line between government-controlled territory and the Islamic State-held village of Gorgoray.

Many left Loi Papin more than two years ago after militants arrived claiming allegiance to Islamic State. The extremists tortured locals and barked orders from mosque loudspeakers, demanding that families surrender adult sons to their ranks.

Khan, a slender laborer with close-set eyes, fled to a rented house on the outskirts of Jalalabad. Other family members made brief trips to Loi Papin to tend to their farm and flock of sheep, he said.

On the afternoon of Aug. 10, Khans mother, Malaika, left the village with three of her 10 children  12-year-old Bahadur Shah, 8-year-old Anisa and 1-year-old Mohammad  in the Suzuki truck, driven by his cousin. His uncle was on board as well as five others, including Rozina, her father and brother, who were returning to a house they had rented in the district center, still under government control.

Everyone was trying to get away, Khan said. We had recently sold our sheep and half the land. It was too dangerous to be in the village. No one wants to be anywhere close to Daesh  a colloquial term for Islamic State.

Rozina said everyone in the truck was afraid of the Americans.

Because we knew they were in the area, she said, we expected that they would bombard by the next day.

As they drove off, she recalled seeing two planes in the sky. Then the blast struck, knocking her unconscious for several minutes. When she awoke, she found that seven people were dead, including her father and brother.

Malaika and two of her children were badly wounded and yelling for help, Rozina said. But American troops in the area  probably U.S. special operations forces conducting joint operations with Afghan commandos against Islamic State  did not allow anyone to come to their aid for hours, she said.

They died because there was no one to help them, Rozina said. They were stuck and screaming.

Khan and several others set off from Jalalabad after the bombing, reaching Haska Mina in the middle of the night. They found the crumpled truck overturned in a field. Rozina was lying at a womans house with severe injuries to her face, hands and legs. Villagers had carted the bodies away in wheelbarrows and brought them to a nearby mosque.

I found a piece of a leg and a thumb next to the truck, said Mohammad Agha, 42, whose cousin, a peanut farmer also named Khan, was among the dead.

Sadaqat, the district police chief, took Agha and other family members to a former Afghan Border Police base being used by U.S. special operations troops. Speaking through an Afghan interpreter, the Americans gave the relatives until noon to bury the bodies. They worked quickly, Agha said; Islamic custom requires bodies to be interred within 24 hours, wrapped in simple shrouds.

We didnt have enough fabric to cover them all properly, he said. We had to use shawls.



An Islamic State broadcast shows Mohammad Agha, second from left, conducting a burial for the victims. (Photo: Khurasan Media)

An Islamic State broadcast shows Mohammad Agha, second from left, conducting a burial for the victims. (Photo: Khurasan Media)

When they were done, Agha and others went to inform the Americans, who dismissed the possibility that a U.S. plane had launched the strike.

They said maybe it was a mortar fired by Daesh, but a mortar wouldnt have created a 10-foot crater, Agha said. The Americans asked us: Which countrys plane did this? It seemed like they werent taking us seriously so we left.

When there were 100,000 American troops in the country, then-President Hamid Karzai frequently accused them of excessive force and wielded reports of dead innocents as a cudgel against the United States. Karzais bombast had an effect: Far fewer civilians died in airstrikes in 2012 and 2013, according to U.N. reports, when the U.S. averaged hundreds of airstrikes a month.

Experts said North Atlantic Treaty Organization coalition commanders took serious measures to reduce the risk of harm to civilians. They met regularly with the U.N. and nongovernmental agencies and dedicated a team of officers to investigate complaints.

As the foreign troop presence shrank and NATO shifted its focus to training Afghan forces, coalition officials released less information about operations. They also face less resistance from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, a stronger proponent of U.S. military action.

The U.S. military is becoming less transparent, and its a pity because they had worked really hard  and succeeded  in reducing civilian casualties, said Kate Clark, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a Kabul-based research organization.

The use of air power has surged since mid-2016, when the Obama administration approved new rules of engagement that allowed U.S. warplanes to open fire in support of Afghan operations, not just to defend coalition forces. It is expected to rise further after the Trump administration sent nearly 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan  bringing the total U.S. presence to 15,000  and grants more latitude to military commanders.

U.S. planes carried out 1,570 strikes from August through October, the most in a three-month period since 2012, according to U.S. Air Force statistics.

In October, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis testified to Congress that Trump had authorized him to eliminate the requirement that U.S. forces could fire only when in proximity to hostile fighters.

In other words, wherever we find the enemy, we can put the pressure from the air support on them, Mattis said. But he added that U.S. forces would still do everything humanly possible to prevent the death or injury of innocent people.

Military officers say every report of civilian casualties is investigated. U.S. forces attempt to interview residents and local officials and use all forensic actions available, based on the security threat, said Gresback, the military spokesman.

But just as in Iraq and Syria, where the U.S.-led coalition is accused of significantly undercounting the civilian toll of its air war against Islamic State, Afghan victims believe the U.S. military isnt being thorough or transparent enough.

Rozina and relatives of other victims in Loi Papin said American officials have not contacted them. And the U.S. has often pushed back strongly against accusations that its operations are taking a greater toll on innocents.

In early November, after reports that an airstrike killed 14 civilians in the northern province of Kunduz, American officials said they found no evidence to support the claims. That prompted a rare direct challenge from the United Nations, which said in a series of tweets that interviews with multiple survivors, medics, elders & others give strong reason to believe civilians [were] among [the] victims.

U.S. forces have also suggested that Afghans in Nangarhar are lying about civilian deaths. The militarys initial statement on the Aug. 10 blast called it the second false claim of civilian casualties in the same district within the last three weeks  after an incident in which Haska Mina residents told Afghan media that a U.S. strike killed mourners attending a funeral service.

Although public outrage over civilian casualties has softened, Clark said they continue to serve as a propaganda tool for extremists.

The basic parameters of the war havent changed: If youre killing civilians, its going to be problematic, Clark said. The bullish U.S. approach, taking the gloves off, thats all very well, but if there are more dead civilians youre not going to be better off politically or militarily.

Ghanis government has not drawn attention to the strike in Nangarhar, but officials visited from Kabul and gave families condolence payments of more than $1,000 each.

The money wont replace the loss of family breadwinners, or cover the mounting medical bills for Rozina. She now lives with four family members at an uncles house and walks with crutches while she awaits additional operations to her feet.

Khan said he has little sympathy for Islamic State but cannot support the way the U.S. is prosecuting the war.

The Americans say they are here to kill terrorists, but if they cant carry out a proper operation, it is better that they leave us alone, he said. At least we would not see our families destroyed.

Special correspondents Sultan Faizy and Mohammad Anwar Danishyar contributed to this report.
Asia Times, December 9, 2017

Despite his current role as head of a Chinese security and logistics company, Erik Prince is warning the Trump administration of the threats posed by China, and offering the companys services as part of a remedy.

In a presentation given to the Trump administration, published in full by Buzzfeed on Thursday, Prince outlined a plan to privatize US military operations in Afghanistan and mine rare-earth elements in the country. In addition, Princes Hong Kong-listed company, Frontier Services Group, would participate in the plan, providing logistics support to the extractive firms with secure transportation and camp support.

One slide of the presentation stated that China has made the control of global REEs an unstated economic policy. In addition to starving supply to Western markets, it is believed the goal was to force Western users to onshore tech to mainland China, it said.

Prince described his strategic vision for Afghanistan as an East India Company approach  a reference to the colonial-era British empire-building entity  in an editorial for the Wall Street Journal last March.

A US Defense Department spokesperson confirmed that Defense Secretary James Mattis met with Prince earlier this year, but there is reportedly little support for the plan. The Atlantic reported in August that former Trump advisor Steve Bannon and the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner were keen on Princes ideas, but Mattis, Chief of Staff John Kelly and National Security Advisor HR McMaster were not convinced.

In response to Buzzfeeds request for a comment on the story, Erik Prince declined to talk, saying youre a fucking hack.
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For the McClellands, this year's white Christmas is a once-in-a-decade opportunity.

Megan and Shane McClelland are visiting family in Lincoln with their three children this holiday. They hail from Katy, Texas.

"You're always wishing for a white Christmas," Megan said. "We only get it down there about once every 10 years."

Their children had their first sledding experience Sunday, on the dam at Holmes Lake Park.

Since they weren't expecting the snow, the family was a little less than prepared: All three kids wore sweatshirts Sunday afternoon when they were sledding. They drove to the store that morning to buy their plastic sleds and went straight to the park after.

Rosey, 13, said that although she was cold, the snow was one of the best parts about coming to Nebraska.

"I absolutely love it," she said. "I hope it snows more."

The thin white blanket fell across much of southeast Nebraska overnight Saturday, a Christmas gift for many who found little certainty in the long-term forecast.

The Lincoln Airport measured 3.6 inches of snowfall, and parts of the city saw more. Auburn and Tecumseh measured 5 inches, 4 inches fell in Seward and Fairbury, and several locations in the Omaha area reported about 2 inches of snow on the ground.

To the west, the Grand Island airport reported nearly 6 inches of snow. And in Wallace, near North Platte in Lincoln County, there were reports of 9 inches.

Here is a rough map of snowfall reports through this morning-12/24/17. Generally 1 to 5 inches of snow fell across a large part eastern Nebr pic.twitter.com/KUFNT33KvU  NWS Omaha (@NWSOmaha) December 24, 2017

In Lincoln, city and contractor crews plowed emergency snow routes, arterial streets and bus routes overnight and into the morning on Christmas Eve, also treating slick spots.

Among those contracted crews was Mr. Yards and More, owned by Dennis Stevens of Lincoln. The company plows throughout the city.

"We go in at about two or more inches of snow," he said. "Today was effortless. This was an easy snow."

The snowfall at the Lincoln Airport was below the threshold required for residential street plowing, the city said. And drivers seemed to handle it well: Lincoln police reported just 11 accidents from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, with only one involving a minor injury  caused by a vehicle striking a sign post.

Still, state and local officials encouraged people to used caution on area roads, especially rural highways and local streets. Treated roads could still be filled with slush, and blowing snow could cause slick spots. Without sunny skies, thawed streets could ice over.

"At least it's not 10 below and windy," said Nathan Godwin, who has been clearing streets and sidewalks for Stevens for the past three years. Godwin got the call to arrive at the shop at 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

"With snow, it's one of those things that's immediate," Godwin said. "Everyone needs it done fast so that they can get to where they're going."

Stevens said that the hard part of Saturday night's snowfall was that it didn't stop until 5 a.m., so his crews were working nonstop.

"I have two trucks that haven't stopped since last night," he said. "The drivers pulled all-nighters."

A chance of snow returns to the forecast on Monday afternoon, although it shouldn't cause major travel issues on Christmas Day. Temperatures will be cold, with highs holding in the teens through Wednesday.
Industry players say they have learnt from the bitter experience of 2008 and have far better checks and balances in place to avoid an encore.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com.

Mutual fund (MF) executives have assuaged concerns over risk management systems in the Rs 23-lakh crore domestic asset management industry.

Recently, senior officials of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had cautioned the sector, asking them to stay disciplined amid a gush of liquidity.

Industry players say they have learnt from the bitter experience of 2008 and have far better checks and balances in place to avoid an encore.

Earlier this month, G Mahalingam, Sebi's whole-time member, said at a CII conference, We need to bear at the back of our mind that a huge amount of liquidity gush is keeping us afloat. These are good times so let us start implementing some of the good practices, principles and good disciplinary mechanisms so that we can weather bad times easily and investors continue to stay with the industry.

Mahalingam, who was formerly with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), asked the industry to focus on metrics such as minimum capital, loss-absorbing capacity, liquidity management, leverage ratio, risk-adjusted returns and commission structures.

The signal was clear that the MF industry, which is adding up assets and investors at a fast pace, should not be distracted from basic principles.

Business Standard spoke to industry executives on the issue but none preferred to come on record.

The regulators concerns are quite legitimate. Having said that, the sector has undergone tremendous changes over the past one decade. Learnings of the 2008 financial crisis have been immense and are being well-executed wherever possible to avoid a repeat. Investors' behaviour in terms of investments has also seen a sea change. We have been cautious, given the robust influx of money pouring in and have stepped up our engagement level -- internally and externally -- with distributors and advisors, said the chief executive officer (CEO) of a large fund house.

He added that the issue of mis-selling had been significantly addressed by the sector over the years but there was more distance to cover.

Engagement with investors is the key. Efforts in this direction will continue. Im personally attending several of the investor awareness programmes across the sector. In case of a crisis like before, the sector is better prepared to deal with any such eventualities, said the CEO cited above.

Against high lump-sum investments during the 2004-2008 bull run, currently more and more investors are preferring the systematic investment plan (SIP) route to invest money in MFs.

According to top executives, when it comes to returns, these are times when investors should tone down their expectations. They said the element of risk-adjustment has always been a priority and will remain so.

We are here to offer returns which take care of the risks first. I may not like to believe that the sector is blind to the current risks and is chasing returns only. We cant afford to be reckless with investors money even if there are strong inflows per month, said a chief investment officer (CIO) of a fund house.

Meanwhile, top fund managers such as Mahesh Patil, co-CIO of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund and Navneet Munot, CIO of SBI Mutual Fund, among others, have been maintaining a view for well over a year that investors need to moderate their expectations of returns. Further, in case of mid- and small-caps exorbitant returns in recent years, quite a lot of schemes have stopped taking fresh flows -- as part of a cautionary stand.

In the previous few years, there were several cases of default in the debt instruments. In a majority of the cases, the sector was able to deal with such instances in a respectable manner.

Sebi had been warning the industry on the debt management processes as well.

It is worth noting that fund houses have strengthened their research and analysis teams, empowering their fund managers with a stronger back-up. Processes have gained importance over an individual fund manager's preference to build portfolios.

Further, impetus on asset allocation has once again gained momentum. Sector officials say a large chunk of money is coming into balanced funds, which essentially means that the degree of maturity among investors is on the rise and they understand risks. Balanced funds with asset allocation dynamics are being pushed more during such times and are being well-accepted by investors.
'If Myanmar falls to China, let it.'

'Sooner or later, the rulers of the country will have to call New Delhi,' asserts Nitin Pai.



IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's state counsellor, in Vientiane, Laos, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Summit. Photograph: MEAPhotogallery/Flickr

In part due to the political economy of British colonial rule and in part due to ethnic Bamar nationalism, Myanmar (earlier Burma) has always nursed an antipathy for Indian people and for the Indian State.

It is an old sentiment with its roots in the late nineteenth century, following the arrival of Indian moneylenders, middle-class professionals, and labourers into colonial Burma.

The antipathy was there when the British left in 1947-1948, and was reflected in the citizenship regulations of the post-colonial state.

Then, in 1962 General Ne Win came to power and sent hundreds of thousands of ethnic Indians packing with a mere 175 kyats per head in compensation.

Women were not even allowed to keep their mangalsutras. This exodus followed the ones in 1930, a particularly horrific one in 1942, and after the British left in 1948.

The contemporary expulsion of the Rohingyas is merely the latest in the series.

To this day, Indians -- regardless of their religion -- are derogatorily referred to as 'kalas' (aliens).

The Tamil community that remained in Myanmar, for instance, has been compelled to assume Burmese names, customs and language.

In 1948, 16 per cent of Burma's population was ethnic Indian. Today it is estimated at around 2 per cent.

In many respects, Myanmar is more like Pakistan (where the Hindu population fell from 15 per cent to 2 per cent in the same period) than like India, Malaysia or Indonesia.

What's worse, although Myanmar has a new constitution and a quasi-democratic system today, the dominant narrative remains one of a Bamar majoritarianism that is unwilling to accommodate even the half-dozen significant ethnic minority groups.

Notice how the Myanmarese State and society refuse to even acknowledge there being a people called Rohingya.

To be sure, none of this implies that all Bamars or Myanmarese are uniformly prejudiced against Indians. But rather, that anti-Indian prejudice is salient in a majoritarian political culture and manifests in state actions.

Realists can dismiss all this as the domestic affairs of another country,of little import to international relations.

However, at least since the Ne Win regime, Myanmar's governments have rarely perceived any congruence of interests with India.

Yes, since the late 1990s, the Myanmarese army, the tatmadaw, has cooperated with Indian security forces to act against insurgents. That should beg the question of why they were and are in Myanmarese territory in the first place.

Moreover, through the last couple of decades the junta dabbled with sheltering fugitive Pakistani nuclear scientists, running drugs and arms smuggling rackets, and playing host to Chinese listening posts.

For the past three decades, New Delhi's appeasement of Myanmar in order to promote our interests -- be it Look East, be it counter-insurgency, be it energy, be it balancing China -- has produced lacklustre results.

It is possible to list a number of 'under progress' projects in connectivity, energy and so on. But there is very little that counts as success.

India's foreign policy establishment has allowed itself to be played by the regime, between the carrots the latter dangles and FOLO, the fear of losing out (to China).

The truth is Myanmar is practically irrelevant to our Look East policy. Sea and air links are adequate, and easily expandable, to connect India to Southeast Asian markets.

Indian investors would rather invest in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam than in Myanmar with its anti-Indian bias.

This is reflected in numbers: A mere 35,000 Indians visited Myanmar in 2015 (compared to 150,000 Chinese).

In the same year, Indians invested around $730 million, constituting a mere 1.4 per cent of the foreign direct investment in the country.

In comparison, Chinese investments of $18 billion constituted 34 per cent of the total FDI.

As far as cooperation in fighting insurgents goes, the Myanmarese are doing it because and only to the extent it is in their interests. Even here, Myanmar's role is often overstated, papering over the rampant collusion between the tatmadaw and various armed groups operating along the India-Myanmar border.

Then there is the FOLO. We often hear of how 'we can't allow Myanmar to fall into China's arms', totally ignoring the fact that Myanmarese or Bamar nationalism exists.

The elite in Myanmar have always feared being swallowed by India and China, and it's not as if Chinese domination is somehow more acceptable to them today.

New Delhi should stop seeing the region from the perspective of its own geopolitical insecurities.

Current policy has gotten it wrong. It's not that India must engage Myanmar to prevent that country from coming under Chinese dominance. It's that Myanmar needs India to prevent itself from being dominated by China.

It is unnecessary to indulge the military-majoritarian regime to the extent India has been doing.

If Myanmar falls to China, let it. Sooner or later, the rulers of the country will have to call New Delhi.

The Rohingya crisis has raised tensions between Bangladesh and Myanmar. This could turn into a longer political confrontation -- and possibly involve security forces of the two countries facing off each other.

It will be tempting for India to keep equidistant from the two countries: That would be a mistake.

Some contend that the Myanmarese being Buddhist are positively inclined toward India. History and experience suggests that there is little basis for such an assessment.

Indeed, despite its bipolar domestic politics where one party is pro-India and the other isn't, Bangladesh is already far more important to India than Myanmar could ever be.

New Delhi should back Bangladesh over the Rohingya issue and rally international support for Dhaka's efforts.

The Modi government must adopt a stricter approach towards Myanmar. Contrary to conventional wisdom, India can afford to.

Nitin Pai is co-founder and director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent think-tank and school of public policy.
Looming before it is a court case filed by 18 legislators dismissed by the speaker, challenging his decision and pointing out that in a similar situation 12 members of the O Panneerselvam faction were not dismissed, reports A Ganesh Nadar.

IMAGE: TTV Dinakaran supporters distribute sweets outside the counting centre in Chennai on December 24, 2017, to celebrate his victory in the RK Nagar bypoll. Photograph: ANI on Twitter.

No surprises from Tamil Nadu as TTV Dinakaran proved to be the MK Alagiri of the day. The campaign style that was begun by the latter in Thirumangalam in 2009 is alive and kicking, the RK Nagar bypoll has showed not once but twice within this year.

Dinakaran, the rebel All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate in the fray, has defeated the official party candidate, E Madhusudanan, by 40,707 votes, bettering the 39,545 margin with which former chief minister Jayalalithaa had won the seat in 2016, which is as comprehensive a rout as can be.

Everyone else in the fray, including Marudhu Ganesh of the DMK, a party that had hoped the 2G spectrum case verdict will resonate with the electorate, has lost their deposit, effectively showing that the AIADMK votes remain with the fold.

For the official AIADMK, RK Nagar was the lesser of the battle facing it.

Looming before it is a court case filed by 18 legislators disqualified by the speaker, challenging his decision and pointing out that in a similar situation 12 members of the O Panneerselvam faction were not disqualified.

The ruling AIADMK should start praying that the court overrules the speaker and reinstates the MLAs, all Dinakaran supporters. Inside the assembly the legislators cannot go against the party whip without facing action. A byelection, on the other hand, is no guarantee that these seats will re-elect the AIADMK  Dinakaran having exposed its Achilles heel  and packs the potential to bring down the government.

Dinakaran, who made a triumphant return to Chennai on Sunday from Madurai, prayed his tribute at the MGR memorial on the occasion of the AIADMK founder's 30th death anniversary. He also announced that the state government will fall within three months.

But, perhaps not unbeknownst to him, the Edappadi K Palaniswami-led government has a secret weapon to contain Dinakaran, in the form of the Grand Master.
The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre over the killing of four Indian soldiers along the Line of Control by Pakistani troops, saying the incident raises questions over the governments ability to protect the countrys borders.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said Saturdays incident along the LoC was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modis flip-flops and somersaults on Pakistan.

Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a major and three soldiers in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district on Saturday.

Tewari claimed that there have been 900 attempts of incursion by Pakistan this year, out of which 780 cases have been reported along the LoC and 120 along the International Border.

There were 583 major ceasefire violations in 2014 (between June-December), 400 in 2015, 450 in 2016 and 900 this year. The prime minister points fingers at others, accuses people who have occupied top posts of committing treason but this government seems incapable of protecting our borders, the former union minister told reporters.

Modi, during the Gujarat assembly polls campaign, had suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the assembly polls in the state.

The government and the Congress are involved in a face-off over prime minister Modis conspiracy with Pakistan remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

Tewari said that the BJP governments Pakistan policy is driven by flip-flops, somersaults and adhocism and demanded that the prime minister comes clear on his agenda behind his 2015 stopover in Lahore or the Centres decision to allow ISI personnel at the Pathankor terror attack site.

He said Indias neighbourhood policy was in tatters under the BJP dispensation as apart from the frequent Pakistani shelling along the border and incursions, the new Nepalese government was overtly tilting towards China.

In Sri Lanka, growing Chinese influence is a matter of concern. Maldives has signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China disregarding Indias position. China has constructed permanent structures in Doklam, he said.

Image: Family of Lance Naik Gurmail Singh in mourning as his remains are brought to his village in Amritsar district. Photograph: ANI/Twitter
The triple talaq bill is against the provisions of the Constitution and violates the rights of women, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board said on Sunday, demanding its withdrawal.

Describing it as a conspiracy, the AIMPLB also accused the government of snatching the right of divorce from men.

The chairman of the board, Maulana Rabe Hasani Nadwi, will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withhold or withdraw the proposed bill that criminalises the practice of instant divorce, an official spokesperson of the Muslim body said.

The board is of the view that the triple talaq bill is against the Constitution, rights of women and Shariah (Islamic law). Apart from this, it is also an an attempt to interfere with the Muslim personal law. If this bill becomes a law, then women will face a host of difficulties, said Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani, the spokesperson of the AIMPLB.

The proposed bill is against the basic principles of the Constitution. It is highly objectionable that the Centre did not consult the AIMPLB, any Muslim organisation or any stakeholder before preparing the draft of the bill, he alleged.

The Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, will be introduced by the government in Parliament next week.

Nomani claimed that triple talaq, which has been termed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, has been thrown into a web of criminal procedures by the Centre.

We request the Centre not to present the bill in Parliament. If the government feels that it is very important, then it should first speak to the Muslim Personal Law Board and Muslim women organisations, the spokesperson said.

Seeing the provisions of the bill, it seems that the government wants to snatch the right of divorce from men. This is a big conspiracy. The draft of the bill also states that triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) and other forms of talaq will be banned, Nomani said.

Senior woman member of the board Asma Zehra said, The proposed bill of the Centre is against the interest of Muslim women. If a husband gives triple talaq to his wife, and is jailed for three years, then how will the woman make her ends meet and look after her children.

The proposed law would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking subsistence allowance for herself and minor children. The woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue.
The number is an all time high for the state with south Kashmir emerging as one of the main hubs, providing cadres to terrorist groups.

There has been a sharp spike in the number of young Kashmiris joining terrorists groups this year, with the number crossing 100 for the first time since such data started being collated in 2010, officials said on Sunday.

The figure, which stood at 88 in 2016, has already reached 117 by the end of November this year with south Kashmir emerging as one of the main hubs which provides cadres to terrorist groups such as Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Tayiba, reports of security agencies said.

According to the reports, the number of local youths who joined various terrorists groups this year include 12 from Anantnag, 45 from Pulwama and Awantipora, 24 from Shopian and 10 from Kulgam.

The figures for North Kashmir are -- four youths joined terrorists groups from Kupwara, six from Baramulla and Sopore, and seven from Bandipore, according to the reports.

From central Kashmir, Srinagar district accounted for disappearance of five youths while Budgam for four.

The reports are based on technical and human intelligence besides interrogation reports of terrorists arrested during various counter-insurgency operations in the Valley.

The reports have put the number of those joining the terrorists this year as high as 117, but Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police S P Vaid contends that the numbers are much lesser.

However, a senior security officer said the figures of the police only take into account the cases registered in the police stations whereas the actual figures are always on the

higher side as many parents do not report the matter to the law enforcing agencies due to fear.

Comparing the figures with previous years, 2017 has emerged as the year of highest recruitment of youth in various terrorists groups in last seven years. Such data is available from 2010.

According to the data laid on the floor of Parliament in March this year, there has been a steady increase in the number of youth taking up arms in the Valley from 2014 onwards as compared to 2011, 2012, and 2013.

In 2010, 54 youths joined militancy while in 2011, the number came down to 23 and further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013.

In 2014, the number shot up to 53 and in 2015, it reached 66 before touching the highest mark of 88 in 2016, the data showed.

The spurt in locals joining militancy began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terror groups poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8 last year.

Security officials feel that there is a difference between the present day terrorists compared to those of early 1990s. The ideological conviction of the present lot of

terrorists is far more superior than that of the terror groups during the early days.

The worrying trend in the Valley is that it is witnessing a trend of Pan-Islamisation where young boys are opting for the path of terrorism knowing fully well that they are at the risk of being killed, the officials said.

Terrorists infiltrating from Pakistan are equally distributed among the various local terrorist groups who make them aware of the topography and escape routes besides providing them the mobile numbers of overground workers in the region.

While a majority of the missing boys mainly belong to the average middle class and described as the new face of terrorism in Kashmir, militants like Owais Ahmed Shah from Kokernag in south Kashmir and Eisa Fazli hailing from Soura in Srinagar show a trend that literate students from well-to-do families are also picking up arms with conviction.

Both Shah and Fazli were extremely brilliant in their studies, an official said, adding that if such people were also brainwashed, then there is a need to revisit the drawing board and examine policies of the state government at the earliest.
Five-time MLA Jai Ram Thakur will be the 14th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh and is likely to be sworn-in on December 27 at a star-studded ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah among others.

IMAGE: Former CM PK Dhumal and other leaders congratulate Jairam Thakur after he was chosen as the new chief minister. Photograph: PTI Photo

The 52-year-old Thakur leader edged past party stalwarts in the race to the top office and will be the first leader from the politically-significant Mandi region to helm the hill state.

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who along with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as a central observer by the BJP, announced that Thakur was chosen to be the next chief minister as thousands of party workers began

celebrating.

The Seraj MLA, a thoroughbred Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man, emerged as the frontrunner for the top post after the shock defeat of the BJPs chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal in the 2017 assembly polls, the results of which were announced last week.

A former chief minister, Dhumal, was still in the reckoning for the chief ministers post till Saturday night, when he opted out. Union minister J P Nadda was another top contender.

IMAGE: Union Health Minister J P Nadda congratulates Jairam Thakur after he was chosen as the BJP's Legislature party leader at a meeting, in Shimla on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Thakur, a former state unit chief and rural development and panchayati raj minister in a government headed by Dhumal, was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP MLAs.

His name was proposed by senior leaders Suresh Bhardwaj and Mahender Singh and seconded by others.

It is expected that Thakur will take oath as the states next CM on December 27 at a ceremony where Prime Minister Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and a galaxy of top leaders would be present, a source said.

Thakur will be the first chief minister from Mandi, the second largest district of the state. Himachals chief ministers and political leaders mostly belong to or hailed

from Shimla, Kangra and Sirmour.

Mandi has 10 assembly seats, second only to Kangras 15.

IMAGE: BJP workers celebrate the announcement of Jairam Thakur as Himachal Pradesh's next chief minister. Photograph: PTI Photo

In this election, the BJP put up a stellar show in Mandi, winning 9 of the districts 10 seats.

Seen largely as a low-profile man, Thakur is from a farming family of Mandi. He did his post-graduation from Punjab University in Chandigarh and decided to join politics

when he was in his 20s.

Thakur contested on a BJP ticket in the 1993 assembly polls. He lost, but went on to win in 1998 from the now delimited constituency of Chachiot (Seraj) and every assembly election after that.

A soft-spoken man, Thakurs strength is that he is seen as a leader who has managed to straddle the partys warring factions in the state.

A lack of consensus among the newly elected MLAs had resulted in the two central observers -- Union ministers Sitharaman and Tomar -- returning to Delhi from Shimla on Saturday to hold fresh consultation with the BJP central leadership.

Earlier, the two-member team of central observers, which was in the state on December 21 and 22, had taken feedback from members of the state BJPs core committee, MPs and some MLAs.

The BJP ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 out of the 68 seats in the assembly polls.
WETHERSFIELD  Members of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) continued their 12-year holiday tradition of collecting for the Connecticut National Guard Service Member & Family Support Centers Operation ELF (Embracing Lonely Families) program. In addition to encouraging donations from the funeral directors and suppliers, CFDA recruited 39 funeral homes across the state to serve as community collection sites for toys and gift cards in November and early December.

Funeral directors and their suppliers carried hundreds of unwrapped toys and gift cards for Operation ELF into the CFDAs 129th Annual Convention at the Radisson Cromwell in December. The association then brought all of the items to the Gov. William ONeill State Armory in Hartford in time for the Connecticut National Guard Service Member & Family Support Centers annual holiday party.

The Connecticut Funeral Directors Association is a 129-year-old professional organization that is committed to the promotion and advocacy of high ethical standards in funeral service. The association represents funeral directors at more than 220 funeral homes in Connecticut. For more information about the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, call 860-721-0234 or 800-919-2332 or visit www.ctfda.org.

Local participants are listed below>

Bristol: Funk Funeral Home at 35 Bellevue Ave., 860-583-4107;

Torrington: Cook Funeral Home at 82 Litchfield St., 860-482-4456;

Torrington: Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home at 258 Prospect St., 860-489-4104;

Center receives grant

BARKHAMSTED  The Barkhamsted Senior Center was awarded a $300 grant from The Draper Foundation Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation. The seniors would like to thank the Draper Foundation for their generous gift.

The money was used to help the seniors enjoy a special Christmas celebration.

GoodWorks Insurance donates to Operation Fuel

Operation Fuel recently received a $5,000 donation, with potentially up to another $10,000 or more to come, as a result of a partnership among GoodWorks Insurance, the Arbella Insurance Foundation, and the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association (CEMA).

The funds will be used to help lower-income Connecticut families stay warm this winter.

GoodWorks Insurance donated $2,500 and is adding a $2,500 matching grant from Arbella. GoodWorks also will match up to $5,000 in donations from CEMAs members, so the total could exceed $15,000 by next April.

Operation Fuel does wonderful work throughout Connecticut, where one in five residents has a hard time paying for energy. Were glad to join with CEMA and Arbella to support them, said GoodWorks Insurance President Paul Brian.

CEMA is proud to join GoodWorks, Arbella and home heating oil dealers across Connecticut to contribute to Operation Fuels mission to give people in need access to energy assistance, said CEMA President Chris Herb.

The generous support from GoodWorks, Arbella and CEMA members shows that we are all in this together. Without the support of the community, we could not do what we do, said Brenda Watson, acting director of Operation Fuel.

Headquartered in Glastonbury, GoodWorks Insurance also has offices in New Milford, Avon and Columbia, Conn.; in Western Massachusetts; and in Walnut Creek, California. It offers home, auto and business insurance, surety bonds and group health insurance.

Operation Fuel, which is based in Hartford, is a statewide nonprofit organization that provides emergency energy assistance year-round to lower-income working families and individuals, the elderly, and disabled individuals who are in financial crisis. For more information on Operation Fuel, or to make a donation, visit www.operationfuel.org. For energy assistance, call 211.

Since 2005, the Arbella Insurance Foundation has been committed to supporting local, nonprofit organizations that work hard to positively impact the lives of the people of New England. More information is at www.arbella.com/arbella-insurance/why-arbella/arbella-insurance-foundation.

Library receives grant

WINSTED  The Beardsley Library has been awarded a $6,100 grant from the Draper Foundation Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, Inc. The funds will be used for renovations to make the library more accessible to the community by installing automatic door openers and widening an aisle in the section of the library housing the major portion of its collection for adults. During the past several years, the library has seen a significant increase in usage by people with mobility issues and other restrictions sometimes making it challenging to access the library and its collections.

Library Services Director Karin Taylor said, Every week we have several organizations that visit the library and bring multiple clients with wheelchairs, walkers, and other assistive devices. The automatic doors and wider aisle will make it easier for their caregivers to navigate the building. We are grateful to the Draper Foundation Fund and the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation for making it possible for us to initiate these improvements.

Although the projects primary goal is accessibility for patrons with special physical needs, the improvements will benefit a broader range of people, such as parents with strollers and people carrying items into the building.

The library expects the renovations to take place over the next few months. If you would like more information about this project, contact Karin Taylor at 860-379-6043 or email at director@beardsleylibrary.org.

CHET recognized by Savingforcollege.com

HARTFORD  Connecticuts Higher Education Trust (CHET) has been recognized as one of the top five 529 college savings plans in the nation by Savingforcollege.com, a privately-owned company with a mission to help individuals, professional advisors and providers understand how best to meet the challenge of paying higher education costs.

In a comparison of industry peers, Savingforcollege evaluated 50 college savings plans across the U.S. Among the high points of its assessment of CHET Direct, the companys website singled out three program features of note: age-based portfolios, low fees, and CHET Baby Scholars, a program that provides both seed and matching funds to babies across the state.

Savingforcollege.com notes CHET Directs high ranking with a Top Ten symbol next to the listing on its website. CHET ranks fourth in the top ten performing 529 college savings plans for one-year performance, based on Savingforcollege.com rankings through September 30, 2017.

CHET Baby Scholars gives the family of every baby born in Connecticut the chance to claim $100 for deposit into a 529 college savings account by the childs first birthday or within the first year after an adoption. Families that save an additional $150 in the first four years will receive a state match of $150, for a total of $250 in state funds.

Since its launch in 2014, at the recommendation of Gov. Dannel Malloy, the CHET Baby Scholars program has enrolled more than 6,400 babies and sent $1.56 million to their CHET accounts. Those accounts have grown to more than $18 million in assets, a positive trend for families starting early to be better prepared when their children are ready to head to college.

The program has one of the highest enrollment rates for newborns compared to similar initiatives in other states, and has emerged as a model for other states looking to build their Childrens Savings Account (CSA) programs.

CHETs three age-based options seek to match the account owners investment objective and level of risk with their individual investment time horizon, based on the beneficiarys age and the number of years before they are expected to start college.

Individuals can open a CHET account with as little as $25 per investment option, or $15 dollars per pay period using automatic payroll deduction.
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Becki Svare has made a radical decision: She won't buy any more Christmas presents.

It started a few years ago as an experiment with her extended family. The holiday season began as it often did, with a dozen family members drawing names out of a hat. But instead of buying gifts for each other, they had to come up with a meaningful experience to share with their designated person. Suggested price: $20 to $25.

Svare's children took their aunts kayaking. Her brother took his 9-year-old nephew for a ride on his Harley-Davidson, then out for sushi and a trip to the local reptile center. Others went to the zoo.

"You had to be somewhat creative with it," said Svare, a blogger who lives in DeLand, Florida, near Orlando. "But we all agreed that it was better than buying things people don't need."

Across the country, families are hearing a similar refrain: Fewer items, please. More experiences.

It's a movement that has picked up momentum in recent years, as part of a broader push away from consumerism. And even retailers are taking notice. Major chains like Best Buy, Apple and Nordstrom now incorporate cooking classes, photography workshops and even manicures inside their stores as a way to attract customers who want to do more than just shop.

This holiday season, retail analysts say there has been a discernible shift in gift-giving as Americans think beyond traditional presents. Nearly 40 percent of shoppers plan to give gift cards, event tickets or other "intangible" gifts, according to market research firm NPD Group. And although overall holiday spending is projected to rise about 4 percent to $680 billion this year, Americans say they will spend less on presents: an average of $608 on gifts for family, friends and co-workers, down from $621 last year, according to the National Retail Federation.

"We live in a world of abundance, where most of us just have too many things," said Jeffrey Galak, a professor who studies consumer behavior at Carnegie Mellon University. "People are starting to realize that items really aren't that important anymore."

Also helping the movement: the lack of novel items at the store.

"A lot of retailers are carrying the same old stuff that they've been hawking for five years," said Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia Business School. "People are saying, 'Uncle Henry's already got a black sweater - in fact he's got two that still have the tags on - so why should we get him a new one?' 'Let's do something else instead.' "

And, academics note, there has been no shortage of research in recent years to back up the idea that people derive more joy from experiences than goods. The trend has been good for the likes of StubHub. The online purveyor of sports, concert and theater tickets says sales of gift cards are up 50 percent so far over last year.

Celebrities, too, are increasingly speaking out against holiday consumerism. The actress Mila Kunis said in a recent interview that she and husband Ashton Kutcher wouldn't be buying gifts for their children this year.

But vowing to cut back on presents is one thing - actually doing so can be a years-long process. It can be tough to get family members on board, and even the most dedicated of gift-boycotters can feel a tinge of panic when, a few days before Christmas, there isn't much under the tree.

"Social norms can be a difficult thing to overcome," said Ross Steinman, a professor of consumer psychology at Widener University in Chester, Pa. "If there is an understanding in your family that there should be a tower of gifts under your Christmas tree every year, it's really hard to change that."

Some adjustment necessary

It has taken nearly two decades, but Alethea Smartt says her family has (mostly) stopped buying Christmas gifts.

The effort started back in 1999, she says, when she moved to New York to take a job as a flight attendant. She had a tiny apartment and traveled often, which meant she didn't have room for extra items.

But persuading her family in Tennessee, where she grew up receiving a whopping two dozen gifts each Christmas, was a different story. She started slowly - or so she thought - suggesting a limit of one gift per person.

"I knew we couldn't go cold turkey, but it was still a total disaster," said Smartt, 43, a travel writer in Portland. "There were a lot of hurt feelings and tears. Even though we didn't have money, it was really important to my parents to be able to buy us material things."

Her mother, in particular, was crestfallen, she says.

But lately, she said, they've found a groove - and her mother, Diane Campbell, agrees.

A few years ago, Campbell surprised the family with new luggage - and a cruise to Alaska. Last year, she took her grandsons on a four-day trip to Chicago. She makes photo books for her daughters, and bakes cookies for her son-in-law.

"At first, it almost felt embarrassing," said Campbell, 67, who works for a tour company in Nashville. "I'd always been so proud that I was able to give everyone so much during the holidays."

But it's getting easier, she said, although she does sometimes stash a couple of last-minute McDonald's gift cards under the tree for her grandsons.

"I do still worry about it," she said, "about finding ways to create that 'Oh, wow' moment."

(Smartt's husband, too, says he sometimes has trouble adjusting to the arrangement: "Around Dec. 24, I'll start to think 'Wait, do I have enough? Maybe I should go buy more,' " said Greg LaRowe, adding that he now stocks up on extra items like lavender soaps and other locally made items.)

Smartt, though, said she has no complaints.

"It's gotten better every year," she said. "We've gone from what I'd call excessive materialism to a few thoughtful gifts."

Finding a happy medium

After years of experimenting - dozens of gifts one Christmas, none another - Christi Chartrand, a home health-care worker in Brantford, Ontario, said she's finally found a happy medium for her brood of eight, which includes three biological children, four adopted children and one foster child.

On Christmas morning, each child receives exactly three presents worth a total of $100. On birthdays, they get to choose between a birthday party or a $150 outing with mom or dad.

"Almost every single time, the kids ask for a date night," she said, adding that they've gone shopping in Buffalo, visited CN Tower in Toronto, and taken a half-hour airplane ride near Niagara Falls. "They don't even think twice about it anymore."

Back in 2010, though, it was a different story. For years, she and her husband maxed out their credit cards to buy mountains of toys.

"We had to unbury the tree on Christmas morning because there were just so many gifts piled up around it," she said. "And we found that our kids were just so ungrateful. It never seemed to be enough. They would open their presents and then say, 'Now what?' "

The turning point came, she said, when her son unwrapped a present from an aunt. "He looked at her and said, 'A book? That's it?' " she recalled. "I was so mortified and said, 'This has to change.' "

The following year, she and her husband took the family on a road trip to Florida and didn't buy a single present. The kids were irked at first, she said, but quickly got over it. The following year, they settled on the three-gift compromise.

"We're not trying to be radical," she said. "We just want them to realize that it's not a life requirement to open 1,000 presents on Christmas morning."
Merry Christmas!

Donald Trump says that finally, at last, we can say that again now that he is president, which of course is foolishly not true. We always have said it.

And we can say it without insulting or harming anyone just as we, or others, can say Happy Hanukkah or any other religiously associated greeting.

It's been a rough year and there are dangerous clouds looming on the horizon in the year ahead, some of which we have created, stirred or seeded.

But that comes later.

Now it will be Christmas Day.

* * *

"Wholly inadequate," John Maisch says after looking at the recommendations coming from the Legislature's Whiteclay public health emergency task force.

"Tone deaf to several action items that have been recommended by those most familiar with the situation on the ground," Maisch said in an email following release of the report prepared by five senators who comprise the task force.

Maisch is the man behind the film, "Sober Indian Dangerous Indian," a documentary of the alcoholic tragedy at Whiteclay.

"The State of Nebraska must take immediate action to confront the increased bootlegging that appears to be emanating from Nebraska's other border towns," Maisch said.

"Nebraska must also create a 'cold case' unit to investigate the murders that occurred in Whiteclay over the past two decades.

"Nebraska must also commit funds to begin the process of diagnosing and treating the hundreds of cases of fetal alcohol syndrome that resulted from Whiteclay's beer sales," he said.

Chief among the recommendations from the task force are efforts to consider locating an alcohol treatment and detox center in the Whiteclay vicinity and construction of a cell tower in the area to enhance public safety, help facilitate distance learning and provide access to telehealth services.

* * *

Sometimes, inside baseball matters.

Legislative rules are not a thrilling topic, but efforts to reduce minority power or influence in the Legislature by reducing the threshold required to squash a minority filibuster matter.

And rules also matter if they are redesigned to increase the senatorial experience level in legislative committees.

And so a quiet meeting of the Legislature's Rules Committee last week touched on a couple of important topics.

No votes were taken and no formal action transpired, but there was a sense of general agreement that the 2018 Legislature must not repeat the time-consuming wrangle over the filibuster rule that consumed virtually one-third of the 2017 session.

"We blew 30 days," Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus said.

Under current rules, the votes of at least 33 senators are required to free legislation from a filibuster.

Some opponents of that rule have been floating the idea of a rules change that would require senators who are present to either vote yes or no on a cloture motion to end a filibuster since not voting tends to support continuing a filibuster without placing a senator on record.

But it would seem questionable whether the Legislature can really compel a senator to cast a vote.

Rules Committee members generally agreed that they should try to avoid any opening that would reignite another rules merry-go-round when the Legislature convenes next week.

And Speaker Jim Scheer of Norfolk signaled that he at some point plans to propose that in the future rules should be adopted for a biennium rather than reconsidered every year.

A major concern voiced at the meeting was the startling lack of experience now prevalent in terms of service on legislative committees.

That's the funnel through which legislative bills must pass and some knowledge or experience dealing with what can be some very complicated issues and subject matter like tax laws is important in reaching legislative results.

The average time a senator serves on a specific committee has shrunk to roughly two years.

Next year, at least five of the eight members of the tax-writing Revenue Committee will be gone.

That's partly the result of "a political agenda that decided to stack the committee" last January, Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha said.

Same sort of thing happened when a brand new gubernatorial appointee, Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, was immediately awarded a seat on the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, Krist suggested.

Finishing up

* "Every state has its own challenges and one unique to Nebraska is its powerful Legislature, consisting of a single chamber with 49 senators," writes John Miller, director of the Dow Journalism Program at Hillsdale College, in a Wall Street Journal column this month.

In addition to building relationships with state senators, "you also have to have the right people in the Legislature, people who are going to be philosophically conservative," Gov. Pete Ricketts is quoted as telling Miller.

* If you do just a little searching on the Internet, you can find plenty of planning online to take to the streets all across the country if the president fires Robert Mueller or somehow shuts down the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

* The Steve Bannon interview and profile in the current Vanity Fair is worth reading.

* Merry Christmas!
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Girl Scouts from Southgansett collected over 13,000 pairs of socks, underwear and diapers for South County families in need and just in time for the holidays! The local agencies that benefited from this very special service project were Jonnycake Center, Thundermist Health Center, The Welcome House, and Domestic Violence Resource Center.
Submitted photo

Theta Chi, a URI fraternity consisting of 86 members, hosted fundraising efforts over the course of the past semester in an effort to assist the improvement of the Narragansett Senior Centers library/conference room.
After serving in the Armys last horse cavalry unit in India during World War II, Robert Barnes Delano came home to Virginia and served briefly as an assistant county extension agent, helping farmers in Prince George, Dinwiddie and Nottoway counties better their farm operations.

During that time, he decided that he would rather farm than dispense advice.

A native of Wellfords Wharf, he returned to Richmond County and became manager of his fathers 128-acre farm, Level Green, near Warsaw, where he built a modern concrete-block six-cow electric milking parlor and, over about 15 years, ran a dairy operation that grew to a herd of 50 mostly Holstein cows.

Mr. Delano concurrently took on a heavy load of civic and farm-related activities that landed him as charter president of the Richmond County Farm Bureau, which he helped organize in 1955.

Mr. Delano, who helped shape farm policy locally, statewide and nationally as president of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and of the powerful American Farm Bureau Federation, died Dec. 5 in a Warsaw retirement community.

A memorial service was held Dec. 27 at Warsaw Baptist Church, 226 Main St. in Warsaw.

You never will be able to lick the family farmer, the man who does his own labor on his own land, the 38-year-old Mr. Delano told a Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter in 1962, after he began commuting to an office in Richmond to serve his first term as president of the VFBF.

The farm bureaus, which are voluntary organizations dedicated to the welfare of farm families, are the farmers equivalents of labor unions and offer many amenities. Local bureaus are members of state bureaus, which, in turn, are members of the national bureau.

Mr. Delano headed the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the leading state farm group since the 1920s, from 1962 to 1980 and again from 1986 to 1988.

The 1950s saw livestock overtake people as primary consumers of grain, and the 1960s found the agricultural community struggling with what to do with huge surpluses of grain produced by better farming methods.

As Mr. Delano took the reins of the VFBF, the organization was fighting the proposed Freeman-Cochran bill before Congress that mandated government control of how much farmers could grow. It tied individual farmers to quotas or franchises to grow specified amounts of commodities and made it illegal for them to market any commodity unless they had the marketing certificates to cover the quantity.

He and other VFBF leaders around the nation, who favored gradual lessening of government supports for farmers, worked overtime to send a resounding no response to Washington on the bill. The VFBF stood almost alone in opposing the bill.

Under his leadership, membership dues increased and the legislative program expanded, and the bureau inaugurated a program of education that encouraged individual bureau members to become politically savvy and active and put a new emphasis on marketing and commodities and new economic and business services.

Mr. Delano presided over offering expanded services for the membership, which in time included discounted supplies to members for such items as animal health care products, tires, gooseneck trailers, antifreeze and baler and tobacco twine.

Visionary in seeing the necessity of marketing for members, he promoted programs that connected sellers of potatoes, livestock and grain to buyers.

In November 1965, the VFBF moved to the fifth floor of a new headquarters building in Richmond and rented the remaining floors. The same year, the state bureau elected Mr. Delano CEO, making him its first full-time officer and the first president as well as CEO.

Under his guidance, the bureau in 1972 had become a substantial financial organization, with more than $200,000 in dues income and county farm bureaus having monies equal to the states dues, according to a history of the group.

Within a few years, the VFBF set up a committee to monitor actions of and warnings from federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which were beginning to scrutinize agriculture.

There were more than 55,000 bureau members in Virginia and the state bureaus budget in 1980 was more than $1 million for the third consecutive year when Mr. Delano left in 1980 to serve as president of the powerful American Farm Bureau Federation, which, with more than 3.3 million members, was the worlds largest agricultural group.

He was only days in office when President Jimmy Carter imposed an embargo in January on sales of U.S. grain to the Soviet Union in retaliation for the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan.

The move gobsmacked Americas farmers. Massive drawdowns on stockpiled grain had caused prices to rise. The U.S. government had made a multiyear deal in 1972 to sell a quarter of its grain to the Soviet Union, which had concealed from the world years of bad harvests. Demand for U.S. grain had soared, and sales were good. U.S. officials had urged farmers to plant row to row and to get big ... or get out.

They rose to the challenge and, within two years, wheat prices doubled and corn prices tripled. But many piled up debt buying extra equipment or opening new cropland while the prime lending rate soared from 6.8 percent in 1975 to reach an all-time high of 21.5 percent by 1981.

A lot of farmers went out of business, said Gregory V. Hicks, vice president of communications at the VFBF. They overextended themselves. The embargo dropped prices. They were in trouble then.

Farmers saw a glimmer of hope in the presidential campaign promise of Ronald Reagan to lift the Carter embargo. As Reagan was inaugurated in January 1981, Mr. Delano was leading the AFBFs efforts to eliminate the embargo.

What a tough spot to be in, said Paul Delaney, an international lawyer who was counseling the AFBF during the embargo. He handled it beautifully.

People thought, Why isnt Bob going after Reagan? Reagan said during the debates that he would lift the embargo. They were expecting him to do it the day he was elected. Bob was under enormous pressure to go after Reagan. Some thought he looked foolish and wanted him to threaten Reagan.

But he stayed the course. He gave him a little time. He did not fly off the handle. His good judgment was that no footprints was the way to go. He is admired today because he showed so much character and courage.

Reagan and Delano saw eye to eye. It was the height of the Cold War and Reagan couldnt afford to look like he was soft on the Soviet Union. Both were result-oriented. They worked together beautifully, and both deserve an enormous amount of credit. Everything was so secretive at the time. Bob loved history. He knew it was earthshaking what he was dealing with.

On March 30, 1981, after reading a newspaper piece stating that Reagan would not lift the embargo, Mr. Delano called White House Chief of Staff James Baker and asked him about Reagans position on the embargo, according to his son, Robert B. Chip Delano Jr. Baker suggested that he speak with press secretary James Brady, who was with Reagan for a speech at the Washington Hilton Hotel.

After the speech, Reagan, Brady and two others were shot in an assassination attempt. On April 24, Reagan lifted the embargo.

Besides being a shrewd negotiator, Mr. Delano, who completed an accelerated course in animal husbandry and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1944, was a loyal Hokie. He served on the board of visitors and garnered many honors for distinguished service.

He served as a key member of the Veterinary Medicine Citizens Committee, a group that lobbied the governor and the General Assembly for political and financial support for the establishment of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, founded through legislation that was signed by Gov. John Dalton in 1978, Peter Eyre, professor and dean emeritus of the veterinary college, wrote in an email.

It was an honor for me personally to induct Mr. Delano into the John N. Dalton Society of Friends of the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Bob Delano was a great man.

Active in his community, he had been a deacon, Sunday school teacher and lifelong member of Warsaw Baptist Church and had served on the board of Northern Neck State Bank.

He was the widower of Martha Webb Delano, his wife of 67 years.
CHADRON  The new Rangeland Complex at Chadron State College, which provides space to study and complete projects and labs, gives range students a place to call their own, according to rangeland management student Joel Milos.

The complex is situated on a bluff overlooking the scenic 281-acre campus.

It includes a two-story classroom/lab building with dedicated spaces for animal dissection and soil analysis, and the adjacent Coffee Agricultural Pavilion, where students take livestock classes and practice rodeo skills.

Milos, a junior from Bellevue who is working on a rangeland degree with a wildlife management option, said a primary benefit of the complex is access.

The adjacent pastures and grassland provide the space to practice using the skills and tools that we learn in the classroom, Milos said.

Jenna Lincoln, a student from Bartlett who is studying livestock and water resources management, agreed.

I like the convenience of having discussions and lectures in the classroom and then going outside for the hands-on experience, all in the same class time, Lincoln said. I think it helps students better understand what they are learning in lectures.

Classes in soil science and hydrology make the advantages of the location clear for Micah Scherbarth, a junior from Gordon.

The range center is close to where many of our holes for studying soil profiles were dug, said Scherbarth, whose focus is livestock management and agribusiness.

There is room to work outside to get a little dirty and measure infiltration rates into the soil. With the new range center, I believe the professors are better able to instruct students in a more hands-on way.

The new building has also been outfitted with specialized equipment that has been valuable for studies, according to Jason Scholz, a senior from Grand Island.

Scholz said a refrigerator for storing animal specimens for dissection and a sifter used in analyzing soil types are among several unique items.

A drying machine used in determining the quantity of organic matter in soil samples has also been a useful tool, said William Krause, a senior from Spring Branch, Texas.

From the expansive windows of the lab classroom, Krause pointed out the location of an experiment that students have been conducting to explore the best way of controlling smooth brome, an invasive grass species. The tests included chemical controls, heavy and moderate grazing and fire.

Well go back in spring and see what the difference is, he said.

Scherbarth also praised the lab facilities in the new building.

The new facilities and equipment have been good for morale, and should help attract more students to the college's rangeland program, which is one of the largest in the country, said Krause.
Sputnik I, a small metal ball with a simplistic radio transmitter, was launched in 1957. Less than a month later, the Soviet Union launched a much larger satellite with a dog aboard. Americans quickly realized they were losing the space race.

Less than five years later, President Kennedy, concerned about letting the Soviets continue to outpace our country, challenged Americans to land a man on the moon within the decade. And Americans succeeded!

Fifty-four years later, after the tragic and untimely death of his son, Vice President Biden issued a similar challenge to Americans to end cancer as we know it.

Despite their obvious differences, these two challenges have something very important in common. Both require or required cutting-edge research and skillful, dedicated scientists.

The launch of Sputnik prompted massive investments and sweeping changes to meet those needs. To win the space race, we reformed science education; we made unprecedented investments in research; and we created NASA, an entirely new  and hugely successful  federal agency.

Ending cancer  in fact, solving many of the problems we face  will require the same prolonged commitment.

***

Unfortunately, the current administration  and many of my colleagues in Congress  is unwilling. They say we cannot afford new investments in research, or that the government has no role to play. That view is not just an obstacle to progress. It actually threatens to undermine the achievements we already have.

President Trumps budget request this year sought massive cuts to research, including medical research: It aimed to cut $5.8 billion from the National Institutes of Health in the first year, including $1 billion from the National Cancer Institute. Such deep funding cuts would not merely limit new initiatives  they would endanger or end projects that are already happening.

That same shortsighted perspective has been reflected in every iteration of the Republicans tax bill. Most of us are not graduate students  but all of us have a deep interest in ensuring that those students can pursue their studies. These men and women become the kind of scientists and researchers who got us to the moon  and who will someday find a cure for cancer. Their work lengthens and improves our lives in countless ways, both obvious and obscure.

Almost 145,000 graduate students have some or all of their tuition expenses waived in exchange for work as teaching assistants and researchers. Often, these waivers are worth tens of thousands of dollars. The Houses original tax bill taxed tuition waivers as income. Such a change could double, triple, or quadruple what many students owe in federal taxes  even as their take-home pay, their academic stipend, remains exactly the same. Needless to say, this change would put graduate education beyond reach for many, many students.

The original House bill would also have made life harder for former students, including former undergraduates: It sought to eliminate existing tax deductions for the interest payments on student loans. Already, we read of students who cant start families or buy homes because they are buried under a mountain of debt. Making those debts more burdensome would be cruel and counterproductive.

Finally, both the House and Senate bills would tax certain college endowments  an unprecedented change that would reduce funding for tuition assistance and research. Unlike the preceding proposals, this change remains in the final bill.

***

Regardless of whether they were included in the final text, all of these ideas were shameful and counterproductive. Like President Trumps budget request, every iteration of the tax bill has been fundamentally incompatible with the kind of investments and initiatives that have made the United States prosperous and strong.

Middle class families need and deserve a tax break. All Americans need and deserve a simpler tax process. But the final tax bill will surely have the opposite effect  even as it does terrible and unnecessary damage to our ability to meet big challenges and tackle important projects. These are not the kind of policies that got us to the moon; they are not the kind of policies that will help us make progress on cancer. They are recipes for disaster, not success.

The Richmond area alone has five not-for-profit, four-year higher education institutions that pride themselves on both teaching and research  not to mention several community colleges and for-profit schools. These institutions are economic engines and cultural hubs; they keep us moving into the future. If we undermine education, if we de-fund research, those schools will be forced to retrench  and all of us will feel the ripples of those changes. We can and must do better.
Heres our Christmas present to you: The popular house in Brandermill that won the USA Today contest a few years ago has been lighting up this year on the down-low.

Hunter Bottoms, who does the decorating at 14309 Long Hill Road, promised the neighbors he wouldnt publicize the house. He said hes trying to be respectful and not create a traffic problem.

In 2014, after winning the contest, the house had to shut down its display early due to massive traffic backups in the neighborhood.

But this year, its back  as long as there are no traffic problems.

The display looks pretty much as spectacular as ever with over 150,000 lights, 34 inflatables, 42 blow molds, 50 strobe lights, three snow machines and much of the display set to music. New this year: a 30-foot megatree with 20,000 lights.

Country Living Magazine posted a drone video of the Brandermill house from an earlier Christmas to its Facebook page this year and it went viral. The Facebook video has had more than 5.4 million views this year alone  for a 3-year-old video.

But youre in luck, Richmond, because you can see in person what Country Living describes as the most impressive Christmas display ever seen. As long as traffic doesnt become a problem again. Just FYI. No promises!

***

If you do find yourself in Brandermill searching for tacky lights, you wont have to look far.

Brandermill is becoming a great neighborhood for holiday lights. The community association hosts a Holiday House Contest every year. Roughly 30 houses participated this year.

Two of the big winners just happen to be on the RTD Tacky Lights List.

For the second year in a row, the Pendergrass home at 2216 Millcrest Terrace took home the grand prize in the contest.

Its only because Hunter Bottoms didnt enter, Daniel Pendergrass said with a laugh.

But in all honesty, the Pendergrass home is worth a trip in its own right. With over 75,000 lights and custom-made wire frames from Raleigh, N.C., the house is a bright beacon of holiday cheer.

We try for a little less tacky and a little more tasteful, Pendergrass said.

With a background in engineering, he tries to keep his display sharp and tidy with clean lines. It took over 80 hours to get the display up this year, he said.

A few noteworthy items include a Happy Holidays banner over the driveway, a Nativity scene, and a hot air balloon commemorating his marriage proposal to his wife, Leslie.

Everything in our yard has a personal meaning to us, Pendergrass said.

The nice thing about Brandermill is that they celebrate the lights, he added. Not everybody is to the caliber of Hunters display, but there are a lot of good homes to look at in Brandermill.

***

New to the RTD Tacky Lights Tour, the eye-popping contemporary house at 13914 Walnut Creek Road is covered on all sides with 80,000 lights.

This is the first year Stephen and Libby Tate decorated. They recently moved to Brandermill from Charleston, S.C., along with their two children, ages 8 and 10.

Their display won best contemporary house in the neighborhood contest.

Everything on the house is completely covered in lights, Stephen said. We go up and down to make it look symmetrical. The roof has white lights, while the sides of the house have multicolored lights.

He said it took about two weeks to put up the display.

I think its contagious, he said of the Brandermill tradition. Our neighbor put lights on her bushes this year. She said, I have to keep up with the Joneses.

If you are headed for Brandermill to see the holiday lights, be prepared for possible traffic backups. The neighborhood is designed as a series of cul-de-sacs, which can create traffic problems if too many cars try to enter the area.

Its fairly festive out here, said Charlie Davis, president of the Brandermill Community Association. But its like New York. It can get tight around the holidays. If you head out here to look at the lights, most people know what to expect traffic-wise.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Nebraskas prison crunch is decades in the making. A potentially forced resolution of sorts looms much nearer.

By July 1, 2020, Nebraska must have a prison population at or below 140 percent of capacity to avoid a prison overcrowding emergency. If the figure exceeds that, state law requires the Board of Parole to immediately consider nearly all parole-eligible inmates for release.

Given that the present prison situation has been caused by countless years of indecision and reactionary policies, it would certainly behoove the state to proactively prepare for this upcoming deadline.

Two-and-a-half years may seem far away, but a thoughtful plan is required to ensure the safety of both the general public and the reintegration of those inmates into society. After all, its been only a little more than three years the Nebraska Legislature passed a handful of criminal justice reform measures after Nikko Jenkins killed four people in Omaha following his release from state custody.

The most recent seven-member legislative committee charged with examining the Nebraskas prisons system notes, in a report issued last week, that a prison overcrowding emergency would be far more sweeping than merely meeting the 140 percent figure.

Instead, state law mandates the inmate population be reduced to 125 percent of its 3,435-person design capacity  requiring the release of more than 1,000 prisoners as it stands today. In itself, that would no doubt be a logistical nightmare. Before their paroles, though, these people also would need to be adequately prepared for re-entry into society.

In his three years in office, Gov. Pete Ricketts has attempted to turn the tide on chronic underfunding to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Service. Hes had some success  most notably, a bonus and incentive program the report indicated has reduced astronomical turnover among prison staffers  but a road as long as Nebraska faces cant simply be traversed overnight.

Nebraska has recently seen a bit of a decline in its prison population. This falls addition of 100 beds at Community Corrections Center-Lincoln helped drop the state from the ignominious perch of second-most-overcrowded prisons in the nation to the fourth. However, the state simply cant  and shouldnt  build its way out of this situation.

All seven recommendations in the committee report  which involved reducing overcrowding, maintaining staff, better readying inmates for their eventual release and closely examining sentencing statutes  are ideas the Journal Star editorial board can wholeheartedly endorse.

Only one of those, however, addresses a ticking time bomb with a concrete deadline. And the committees assessment that it would be prudent planning for the state to be prepared should a number of inmates be considered for parole under this statutory scheme hits the nail on the head.
The nations opioid crisis is very much in the news these days. It affects people from every social level and every walk of life, and its happening here in the Roanoke Valley.

Dean, 42, who asked that his name not be used, was first exposed to opioids in his early 20s when he was given medication after a surgery. When more surgeries followed a traffic accident, he was given more of the drugs. He eventually became addicted and used illegal substances as well, he said.

In 2007, he married a woman with drug problems of her own. Five years later, when she was pregnant with their first child, they were both enrolled in Virginias Drug Treatment Court program, which provides intensive treatment and supervision for those convicted of drug-related crimes. Those who graduate from the program and stay clean can have the charges against them dropped.

Dean said that while he completed the program, his wife did not, and she has been incarcerated twice since then. The couple also has had another child, and Dean found himself unable to work either time.

It would have cost more for day care for two toddlers than I brought home, he said.

He never thought to send the children to relatives or to foster care, he said.

Those kids are everything in the world to me.

This was not the first time Dean left the workforce due to the needs of family members.

He began working while he was in college, he said, but had to quit for several years to take care of a relative who was ill.

When Dean was growing up, he said, his family wasnt wealthy, but they owned their own homes, they had cars and nearly everything else they needed.

I was never really hurting for money, he said.

After college, he was able to support himself, he said, and always had his own apartment. Things only went downhill when he got married and his wife had an extended illness the couple couldnt pay for.

In 2013, they were evicted from their apartment, lost their cars, and had to move into the Roanoke Rescue Mission, Dean said. When they arrived, he was still working part time, he said, so the family was housed together. But when he could no longer hold down his job, he was moved into the mens section.

The change in lifestyle was a huge shock. Dean said he never would have predicted that he would someday be homeless.

I really didnt see it coming. Ive had to adjust, he said.

In 2014, Roanokes Homeless Assistance Team helped him and the children find subsidized housing. Because he has no income, they pay no rent. Dean describes his housing complex as being away from where all the shootings happen, but still uncomfortably close to them.

He and the children are on Medicaid and they also receive food stamps.

The food stamps are very helpful, Dean said. Even two little kids eat a lot of food, but he was surprised to discover that although the WIC program provides food for families with young children, no one helps with diapers  which can be a major expense. Luckily, both children are out of them now.

Its up to Dean to find a way to pay the electric bill, and for a while it came out of his savings, he said. But in October, he was faced with a cutoff notice. Having previously lived a middle-class lifestyle, Dean said he had no idea of where to find help. There are lists of charities, he said, but there is very little information about when they give out help and who is eligible.

Its a problem, he said. There must be some better way to do things. Theres not a resource to go to.

His wife told him that while in the homeless shelter, she had heard about Roanoke Area Ministries, so Dean applied for a grant from the Emergency Financial Assistance Program, which is supported by The Roanoke Times Good Neighbors Fund. The program provides help for those in danger of becoming homeless because they cant pay their rent, utility bills or for their prescriptions.

Dean said his experience at RAM was good. It wasnt hard to ask for assistance, he said, because when its just you and your kids, you really need it.

He especially liked the fact that RAM expects those who receive grants to pay part of the bill themselves.

I dont look at it as an entitlement, he said. Its my bill at the end of the day.

He also liked RAMs documentation system.

Everything has to be verified, he said. Theres no way to scam the system.

In December, Deans wife was released from jail and came back to live with the family. This fall, both children became eligible for day care, and Dean was able to go back to work.

But because he earns only a commission, his income varies from month to month, which means hell have to deal with monthly fluctuations in his benefits.

Although Deans present lifestyle is nothing like what hes used to, he isnt complaining, he said.

After living in a shelter, simply having his own home and food, clothing and toys for his children is enough, he said.
Amelia County schools canceled classes Friday to save money while the division deals with a budget crisis it is blaming on an earlier start to the school year.

More cutbacks, including restrictions on classroom refrigerators and other appliances, are also being enacted.

A scheduled half-day on Friday turned into an early winter break so the division would save money on bus fuel and electricity needed to power its three public schools, Superintendent Jack McKinley said.

This was an unexpected problem, McKinley said. My board is concerned.

The cost-saving measures are the latest in an ongoing effort to improve school finances of the rural county, located on the southeastern edge of Richmonds metropolitan area.

Amelia County Administrator Taylor Harvie said that for fiscal year 2017, the school system had about a $482,000 deficit. He said the deficit coincided with the tenure of the school systems former finance director, Bill Midkiff, after years of surpluses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Midkiff could not be reached Friday for comment.

Harvie said that at the end of August, the school board cut the jobs of Midkiff along with the payroll clerk and accounts payable clerk. The county then took over the school systems accounting.

School board Chairman Jim Ferrara said Midkiff was terminated, primarily because of the deficit. He said the school board is investigating specific school expenditures from last year.

Harvie said it seemed that Midkiff had the support of the school board right up until the fiscal year ended and the final numbers came in.

He was there for a year, and his year ended up $482,087 in the red, Harvie said. Thats just not something either the school board or the board of supervisors can really tolerate  or the citizens of Amelia.

McKinley said the school systems financial woes are a result of the school year beginning before Aug. 15, creating an extra payroll period during the first half of the year. Usually the first payroll period isnt until September.

Harvie said the school system had expended 77 percent of its $5 million in local funding at the end of November. Last fiscal year at the end of November, 56 percent of the school systems local funding had been spent and in fiscal 2016 at the same time 44 percent had been spent. The school systems $18.5 million total operating budget also relies on state and federal funding.

Harvie said most teachers on 10-month contracts choose to be paid over 12 months. In August, returning teachers were owed money from the previous years work and for work begun for the earlier school year.

That caused double paychecks to be issued  rightly so  in August, Harvie said. That had not been thought through at the time the decision was made to change the school year.

Ferrara said the school calendar was changed so the first semester would end just prior to Christmas break, allowing students to complete their exams before the holidays and start fresh with a new semester upon coming back from the break.

This approach has worked well the past year, but for a reason that Im not clear about yet, is that starting early this year caused an extra payroll at the beginning of the year and one less payroll at the end of the year, Ferrara said. This appears to be an occurrence for this year only, and we dont expect this situation to occur again next year.

The calendar change resulted in what McKinley called a cash-flow issue in the school systems month-to-month finances. He said overall spending has been within the school systems annual budget.

Asked whether the county planned to appropriate any more money for the school system, Harvie said the county is still getting to the bottom of the situation.

The board of supervisors has not gotten to that point yet, Harvie said. The Amelia County School Board members have got their work cut out for them.

Board of supervisors Chairman Franklin Harris said the supervisors are still making sense of the situation. We need to find out whats going on and how it got there, Harris said.

McKinley said the school system is trying to collaborate with the county and is applying for federal reimbursements.

Efforts to save money have included a hiring freeze and asking teachers to remove mini-fridges, microwaves and space heaters from their classrooms unless there was a special reason they had to be there, McKinley said. He said it doesnt take a lot of energy to power one or two appliances but across dozens of classrooms the energy use adds up.

We want to make sure that we are looking at every opportunity to create opportunities for savings, McKinley said.
CUMBERLAND  Eight days before Christmas, Pastor Hassan Abduraheem stood at the front of a small Baptist church just a few miles from the Buckingham County border.

He was accompanied by his wife, Awadia, and Fibe, one of his daughters, as they sang a Christmas song in their native Arabic. The rest of his family  three sons, a second daughter and his mother  listened along in a pew toward the back of the church.

As they sang, the word Hallelujah rang through Tar Wallet Baptist Church, decorated with touches of green and red to celebrate the holiday season, as churchgoers listened with full attention.

Abduraheem is pursuing his calling as a minister, but hes not the pastor of Tar Wallet. In fact, he and his family came to the United States from Sudan just months ago and have made Buckingham their new home.

But before they were refugees in the U.S., Abduraheem was imprisoned in Sudan for more than a year, charged with espionage along with two others, both of whom also were freed.

Here for me, here is just a peaceful place. I am feeling really secure here and safe in this place, he said. After a long journey,  for me to be here, its really a privilege and I feel that for me and for my family, its safe for me here.

Abduraheem and his family were able to come to the U.S. thanks in part to Rep. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham. The congressman, with others in the House of Representatives, already had been working on the release of Czech Pastor Petr Jasek from a Sudanese prison when he learned of Abduraheem and another man from Sudan, all charged with same crime.

Garrett, who serves on the House foreign affairs subcommittee on Africa, global health, global human rights and international organizations, said he initially was told the three had been charged with aiding rebels.

What they were doing was giving food and medicine to the minority population in the south of the country, he said.

Christians account for only 3 percent of the population in Sudan, and the nation was again designated a country of particular concern in August 2011 under the International Religious Freedom Act because it allegedly engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom, according to the International Religious Freedom Report for 2012 from the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.

By working with the Sudanese Embassy and international groups such as Jubilee Campaign and Voice of the Martyrs, the men were freed. Garrett made a trip to Khartoum, Sudan, during the process.

Abduraheem was first incarcerated in December 2015, and was shifted between a handful of prisons, being interrogated at each stop.

During that time, Abduraheem had no word from his family and no way to know if they were safe.

I dont know if theyre alive, if they left the home or they went somewhere. I dont know anything about them, he said. And the same, they dont know anything about me.

Abduraheem and his family are here on humanitarian parole, which is offered due to a compelling emergency, according to the U.S. Citizen and Immigrations Services website.

There must be an urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit for the parole to be granted, the site says.

The home they have in Virginia was provided by a coalition of churches in the area: Faith Bible Fellowship, Tar Wallet Baptist, New Life Farmville Assembly of God, Oak Hill Mennonite Church and Heritage Baptist Church. Individual donors helped out, as well.

Bringing them here was a partnership between several churches, said Diana Shores, who attends Faith Bible Fellowship.

Robert Johansen, pastor of Tar Wallet Baptist Church, said the house the family is occupying hadnt been lived in for years.

So, there was a lot of work that needed to be done, a lot of painting, cleaning, and the churches came together, had several work days. They were all excited to do it, he said. And to me, it was just a joy to be able to participate in that and to see the help, all the stocking of the food  churches donated food  and really they all came together to help out.

Hearing the stories of religious persecution in a country where Christians are very much in the minority made Johansen think about what religious freedom and persecution really mean.

His invocation at the churchs Dec. 17 service even included a reference to the freedom of religion Americans often take for granted.

It gives you a great sense of gratitude that we have this freedom, because you take it for granted every day to live in a country where youre free to worship and express your religious beliefs, he said.

Though Abduraheem and his family have been here only a short time, they feel that they have been warmly accepted into their new church family.

Every Sunday, we go to the church, we have good relationships with our brothers and sisters in the church, Abduraheem said. We are adopting their culture here now. We are not seeing ourselves that were a stranger here.

And while this is the familys first Christmas in America, its also Abduraheems first Christmas with his family since his 2015 imprisonment.

This will be [a] really amazing Christmas outside prison and it will be in the U.S.  it should be really good for us, he said. Itll be good times just to celebrate with churches here. It is really amazing.
I commend the coalition of newspapers and broadcasters who have filed suit seeking to find out what Gov. Pete Ricketts and the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services is hiding.

Nebraska seems hellbent on putting the death penalty back into use, but state officials dont want to tell the public where they got the drugs.

Gov. Ricketts reportedly told the Journal Star, We dont have to disclose those things. He also told the newspaper that the states prisons system already is probably the most scrutinized in the country.

Scrutinized with good reason.

A government with nothing to hide shouldnt use the law of what it must disclose to its constituents to hide something like the supplier of lethal-injection drugs. Second, this prison system deserves scrutiny given the numerous reported prison skirmishes, deaths of inmates behind bars and inability to retain corrections staff.

This same administration was caught trying to import a lethal-injection drug through the federal Drug Enforcement Administration instead of the proper channels of the Food and Drug Administration, an agency that said a hard-to-get drug couldnt be legally imported.

An attempt to circumvent the system then. An attempted cover-up now. Scrutiny appears necessary for our governor and this state agency.

Todd Seifert, Lincoln
By Peter Morici

Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist.

Senator-elect Jones victory in Alabama should alarm Republicans in the Congress not so much because of why but how Roy Moore lost.

Certainly allegations that Mr. Moores sexual misconduct with teenage girls were more credible to voters than President Trump and Steve Bannon calculated. However, as mirrored in recent gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, Mr. Trumps tweeting and generally controversial behavior has turned off many blacks, women, young people and college-educated voters.

His conduct has done little to dispel cautions volleyed by President Obama during the 2016 campaign that Mr. Trump is not suited by personality and background to be president and that has motivated the Democratic base to turn out in huge numbers to vote against GOP candidates.

As importantly, Mr. Trumps rants against political correctness and progressive personalities may bring thunderous applause at rallies. However, those have not translated into similarly large voter turnout among blue collar, often conservative-Christian whites whose economic fortunes have been damaged by free trade policies, immigration and new technologies that ruthlessly undermine the economic fortunes of those with only a high school education.

If these trends continue, Democrats have a decent shot at flipping many of the 23 House seats occupied by Republicans from districts that went for Secretary Clinton in 2016 and at capturing both the House and Senate in 2018.

Americans have to feed their kids and that may be the toughest everyday challenge for Trump voters.

His antics dont solve their economic troubles. He has failed to sell just about anyone other than professional conservatives among the Beltway intelligentsia and the occupants of corporate CEO suites that his economic policies will do much to help the country at large but in particular those stranded in rural areas and small cities left behind by the Obama recovery. Specifically, those Americans who delivered to him a peculiar electoral college victory but not nearly a popular vote plurality.

His tax reforms will do most to help the prosperous middle and upper classes that already hold good jobs on the two coasts. Many are in high tax states and may be hurt by curtailing state and local tax deductions but the combination of lower rates and stronger growth will leave them much better off in a few years.

A few extra dollars in the after-tax pay envelopes of the working poor and semiskilled worker will hardly compensate them for the declining conditions wrought by decaying infrastructure, more imports from China and competition from less-educated immigrants who find their way into their communities that still have factory jobs to offer.

Simply lowering the corporate rate wont bring back manufacturing to communities with inadequate roads, internet and health care, rampant opiate abuse, boarded up main streets, and distant opportunities for adequate vocational training.

The presidents infrastructure initiative will hardly scratch the surface of those problems and Republicans ideas about health care reform  lax responses to the monopolization of hospitals, insurance markets and medical practices and little appetite for price regulations  will likely make things worse.

Targeting specific industries  for example aluminum and solar panels  for tougher enforcement of trade laws against subsidies and dumping  is proving inadequate to the broader structural failings of the WTO and U.S. policy to address the systemic inconsistences between Chinas socialist-market economy and market capitalism as practiced in the West.

Simply, the trade deficit with the Middle Kingdom and job losses continue to climb because the Trump Administration is fighting a 21st Century trade war with weapons more appropriate to skirmishes with Japan a generation ago.

The popular sentiment to grant permanent status to the Dreamers  young adults brought into America illegally as young children  provides an opportunity to move toward an immigration policy that emphasizes highly-skilled workers while limiting numbers of poorly-educated entrants who often compete directly with Trump voters.

Instead, President Trump digs in on building a wall that not even his supporters along the Mexican border endorse  they believe the money could be better spent on more sophisticated intervention techniques.

No surprise, nearly a year into his presidency things arent getting much better in rural and small town America.

The shine on the Trump presidency is turning to tarnish, and Republicans in Congress will pay for this disaffection in 2018.
Some people open their presents on Christmas Day. Others make a tradition of opening them on Christmas Eve.

Some of the gifts for this part of Virginia have already been opened, though. Heres a look at some of the early Christmas presents weve received already.

n Amtrak. Some kids want model trains. (Some adults, too.) For decades, Roanoke has wanted a real train. Well, a passenger train, to be precise.

Amtraks Hilltopper through Roanoke made its last stop in 1979 and from the 1980s onward our politicians have campaigned to bring Amtrak back. On Halloween we got our wish when Amtrak resumed service to Roanoke, with the daily Northeast Regional setting out to Boston each morning (and another returning that evening).

Much like a real train set, this remains an unfinished work. We have a platform, not an actual train station; thats in the future, once the city completes a study of what to do about the bus station on Campbell Avenue and bus service in general. Should there be one station for both? If so, where?

Meanwhile, other communities want Amtrak, too. Bedford wants a stop. Both the New River Valley and Bristol want the route extended their way. All thats years away, though. For now, the best thing people who want additional Amtrak stops can do would be to patronize the train from Roanoke  to demonstrate market demand.

n A string of mostly good economic development announcements. To be sure, the year hasnt been all good news. Freight Car America announced it was closing  there went 364 jobs  and attributed it to the continuing collapse of the coal industry. The economy rarely moves in a straight line. The coalfields continue to struggle with little hope in sight, and the impact on Freight Car America shows the economic problems in the coalfields have implications beyond those specific counties (something policy-makers need to keep in mind). However, we in the Roanoke and New River valleys mostly had good economic news in 2017.

In the Roanoke Valley, Gov. Terry McAuliffe seemed a constant presence as he came to town to make one announcement after another  the Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School and Research Institute expanding, Power School adding 96 jobs, Humm Kombucha coming to town with 46 jobs, Appalachian Power adding more than 100 jobs and renovating its building in downtown Roanoke.

In the New River Valley, Volvo Trucks cancelled the lay-offs it announced in late 2016. Phoenix Packaging announced a 145-job expansion bringing total employment above 600 and solidifying the manufacturers position as the second largest employer in Pulaski County, behind only  Volvo.

Thats hardly a comprehensive list. We remain an economy in transition, with job growth and wage growth still lagging behind the rest of the state  and the nation. Still, good news is always better than bad news, and the general trendlines are headed in the right direction.

n A new Pulaski County middle school. Well, approval for one anyway. In November, Pulaski County voters did something many might have thought was unlikely. Heres a conservative county whose population is declining, and whose school enrollment is shrinking  yet voters there indirectly voted for a tax increase to build a new middle school. The $47 million bond referendum didnt just pass; it passed overwhelmingly. Pulaskis two existing schools are both old and outdated  one building dates from 1937, the other from 1953  so the case seemed pretty obvious. On the other hand, selling a tax increase is never easy (nor should it be).

Pulaskis enthusiastic response  the referendum passed by nearly a 2-to-1 margin  represents an investment in the countys future. The county needs more young adults to reverse negative demographic trends; its hard to do that if the schools date back to the Roosevelt administration.

Pulaskis vote has implications beyond the county in this way: A no vote would have sent a signal that Southwest Virginia isnt really capable for helping itself. A yes vote shows that people in at least one county are willing to make tough choices to build a new economy.

n Internet speeds in the Roanoke Valley are 33 percent faster than they were just three years ago. In 2014, Roanoke averaged 13.1 megabits per second, as measured by Akamai Technology in the State of the Internet Report. By this year, we were up to 17.4 megabits. Thats still below many parts of the urban crescent, which speeds at 20-plus, and still below the national average of 18.8 megabits. But it is, at least, headed in the right direction (though Roanoke remains much faster than many parts of rural Virginia, where internet speeds creep along at Third World levels).

Some of Roanokes increased speed is due to the free market, of course. But surely some of it is due to the Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority, which went online in 2016  and this year added 25 miles of fiber-optic cable in Roanoke County, bringing its total network to 80 miles. Thats important for economic development in the county, but perhaps the bigger story is that broadband is finally getting recognized as a vital part of infrastructure.

This hasnt been without some controversy. Earlier this year, Del. Kathy Byron, R-Bedford County, introduced a bill in the General Assembly that would have made it hard for localities to form government-run broadband authorities. Telecom companies look on such authorities as competition; the problem is that there seems no other way to extend broadband to rural areas, whose speeds are often comparable to those in, sub-Saharan Africa. If telecoms could make money extending broadband to rural areas, they would. They cant, so how else are rural areas going to get broadband? Byrons bill effectively pitted the haves versus the have-nots. For once, the have-nots prevailed.

As the year went on, we saw some other encouraging developments on the broadband front. Microsoft announced a pilot program to test some new technology in Halifax and Charlotte counties in Southside. Both candidates for governor made extending broadband to rural areas one of their campaign planks.

A promise is not the same thing as a present, of course. Still, the Roanoke Valley is getting faster internet speeds, and thats worth celebrating, especially since the odds are youre getting some kind of gizmos and gadgets for Christmas that will need it.
Cal Thomas ("Spending cuts must follow tax plan," Dec. 20) seems to have a one-track sermon: Cut taxes and spending (except the military), and let everyone pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. There are too many impediments for that to happen.

My mother-in-law spent her whole life trying to raise a daughter, whose father abandoned them three months before she was born. She had to work at three jobs daily to make ends meet and survived real poverty with help from family who let them live at their small home. Women were not expected to work back then because men were supposed to bring home the bacon.

With no man in the picture, she made miserably lower wages than men. She died at 64 before she could collect her small Social Security check. As a privileged white male, I doubt Thomas would care about my mother-in-law and those in the same boat.

The argument that people are too lazy these days to work and rely on government subsidies does not date from the Great Depression and the New Deal. Reading "Nancy Isenberg's White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America," we learn a few historical facts about our lionized forefathers. They thought most Americans were too lazy and unwilling to work and needed to be forced into it.

It goes even further back to England, which unloaded its "human trash" on these shores to solve their own problems. The forefathers sought to impose the English class system on America with their low view of the majority of Americans and a conceited view of their own high status. That still seems to be the case.

If Thomas wants to shill for the upper-crust with his sermonizing, he should get ordained. If he is ordained, he should follow his own advice and keep himself and his church out of politics.

David McCreary, Lincoln
The issue of man-made, lab-grown, or synthetic diamonds is continuing to gather pace. Production capacity is continuously expanding, the volume of such stones is growing every year  and is now estimated at 2-3 percent of global output with several million carats being sold  and the quality and size of the stones is rising.

Frankly, no-one really knows the full extent of production because many lab-grown manufacturers often want to hide their output. Anecdotes abound that significant amounts of jewelry made in India are exported set with factory-made diamonds.

"The feeling is that nobody is going to check the very small stones used in pave settings," said a leading diamond industry source with widespread connections with the Indian industry. "Those stones can be made cheaply and have a much better sparkle and higher brilliance than natural diamonds of the same cost so it makes sense for the manufacturers to operate this way."

One issue that is rarely examined, however, is if there is legislation to regulate the lab-made diamonds, such as mandatory information for consumers about such jewelry and the procedures for its separate sale. Are there authorities which are controlling these issues and what kind of action is taken in case of violations, or is it all being driven by diamond industry bodies?

In terms of trading at bourses, there are just two exchanges that have taken a lead: the Bharat Diamond Bourse in Mumbai and the Israel Diamond Exchange. Conscious of the eyes of the diamond world being on the country due to the reports of undisclosed mixing of lab-grown diamonds with natural, mined stones, the Indian bourse ordered a ban on trading in synthetics throughout the exchange. Meanwhile, the Israeli bourse decided that while trading could take place in its members' private offices, such activity would not be allowed on its trading floor.

The International Diamond Council (IDC) was established in 1975 to provide its founders  the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA)  with a set of universally accepted standards of nomenclature for polished diamonds within the international diamond trade.

The IDC is very clear in its definitions and rules, saying synthetic stones must be disclosed as a 'Synthetic diamond'. "Labs will have the choice whether or not to issue a grading report/certificate for synthetic diamonds. In case one is issued, only a full grading report may be delivered. If they do not issue grading reports, a short statement with weight, shape and nature of the diamond must be available. The term 'Synthetic Diamond Examination Document/Report' or 'Synthetic Diamond Assurance Document/Report' is suggested for this limited document. Only the terms 'Laboratory-created'/ 'Laboratory-grown'/'Synthetic' diamond may be used.

Then, there are the ISO (International Standards Organization) guides. ISO International Standard 18323: Jewellery - Consumer confidence in the diamond industry provides a series of definitions which aim to provide further clarity for traders and to maintain consumer confidence in the diamond industry as a whole. ISO 18323 says the following terms are acceptable: synthetic diamond, laboratory-grown diamond, laboratory-created diamond are all artificial products that essentially have the same chemical composition, crystal structure and physical (including optical) properties as a diamond.

World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) President Ernie Blom, who said the international body was involved in formulating ISO 18323, said: "The ISO ruling defines a diamond as something that was 'created by nature'; it also says that the denomination 'diamond' without further specification always implies a 'natural diamond'. The importance of this standard lies in the fact that it sets out which nomenclature can be used and which cannot in the purchase and sale of diamonds, treated diamonds and synthetic diamonds. As ISO says: 'ISO 18323:2015 will cover the nomenclature to be used by those involved in the buying and selling of diamonds, treated diamonds, synthetic diamonds, composite diamonds and imitations of diamonds.

"ISO notes very clearly the issues that the WFDB has been emphasizing for some time: the need for integrity and transparency to ensure that consumers have total confidence in our products. Buyers do not usually have the technical knowledge to understand the many aspects of diamonds and so they are reliant on correct and honest labeling.

"Regarding synthetic diamonds, which is a critical issue for the diamond business, the ISO standard sets out descriptions for synthetic diamonds plainly and precisely. It points out the growth in production in recent years, and that lab-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical and physical (including optical) properties as a natural, mined diamond. We have long pointed out the importance of consumers knowing exactly what type of diamond is being offered to them, and this new standard confirms this." Blom explained that the first moves to create a new ISO standard began seven years ago in Europe and the WFDB has had a strong input, along with other industry stakeholders, such as CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation.

In terms of governmental regulation, or guidelines, regarding diamond and jewelry trade in general, and the issue of lab-grown diamonds in particular, there is only really one body that is involved. Not surprisingly, that body is based in the United States  which accounts for half of global jewelry sales. The Federal Trade Commission publishes the 'Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries' which state that marketers must truthfully represent the type, kind, grade, quality, quantity, metallic content, size, weight, cut, color, character, treatment, substance, durability, serviceability, origin, price, value, preparation, production, manufacture, and distribution of their merchandise.

The Guides provide advice to businesses on how to avoid making deceptive claims about precious metal, pewter, diamond, gemstone, and pearl products, and when to provide certain types of disclosures about the products. Meanwhile, the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection stops unfair, deceptive and fraudulent business practices by collecting complaints and conducting investigations, suing companies and people that break the law, developing rules to maintain a fair marketplace, and educating consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities.

Since 1992, the FTC has conducted a regular, systematic review of all its rules and guides on a rotating basis to ensure they are up-to-date, effective, and not overly burdensome. The FTC places each of its rules and guides on a 10-year review calendar at which point the FTC asks: what is the economic impact of the rule or guide? Is there a continuing need for the rule or guide? Are there possible conflicts between the rule or guide and state, local, or other federal laws or regulations? Has the rule or guide been affected by any technological, economic, or other industry changes? The FTC relies on the public, including consumers, businesses, advocates, industry experts and others, to help it to decide whether its time to update a rule or guide, leave it as is, or even rescind it.

The main issue affecting the diamond industry currently is its review which proposes to allow synthetic diamond producers to use the term "cultured" with their synthetic diamond product, as long as qualifying language such as laboratory-created, laboratory-grown, [manufacturer-name]-created, or synthetic immediately accompanies it.

Industry body Jewelers of America believes that the use of the term cultured is confusing, even if includes qualifying language, since consumers believe the word cultured means or implies natural. While synthetic diamonds are a growing, legitimate category for the suppliers and jewelry retailers that choose to carry them, the need for full and proper disclosure is a critical component in protecting consumer confidence. It stressed that use of the word "cultured" in conjunction with a manufactured diamond is deceptive, since it implies that synthetic diamonds are created in a natural environment, similar to cultured pearls. Meanwhile, the Jewelers Vigilance Committee presented unified positions on the changes to strengthen the jewelry industry's response and best impact the FTC's revisions. A JA delegation flew specially to Washington D.C. to further communicate the jewelry industry's position on how the FTC's suggested changes could confuse consumers or hurt consumer confidence.

The JVC says that when describing non-natural products, the term diamond must be qualified. According to the FTC, acceptable qualifying terms for a lab-grown diamond, one that has essentially the same optical, physical, and chemical properties as a diamond, are: laboratory-grown diamond; laboratory-created diamond; (manufacturer name)-created diamond; and synthetic diamond.

Vendors may also use the word cultured to describe a synthetic diamond, but only if they also include one of the above qualifying terms, such as laboratory-grown cultured diamond, laboratory-created cultured diamond, (manufacturer name) -created cultured diamond, or synthetic cultured diamond.

Cecilia Gardner, who served as General Counsel and President of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee for 18 years, said: "I have been asked repeatedly if a general reassurance from suppliers regarding such goods is sufficient in law for a retailer if he sells items which are then discovered to have synthetic diamonds set in them. I give the same answer that I have been giving for the past 18 years - no. The only protection is to engage in a quality assurance program. Synthetics are still a small part of the market, but they are increasing and this issue is being addressed by all the international diamond organizations."

By our Israel correspondent Abraham Dayan




The ALROSA affiliate in Vladivostok established in 2016 was headed by Alexey Ivanov about half a year ago. He was charged with the responsibility for developing business on the company's Far Eastern platform and attracting new customers to the Eurasian Diamond Center (EDC).

Alexey Ivanov, who has many years of experience in the diamond field under his belt, has a legal education and headed ALROSA's representative office in Israel and that of Arcos Diamonds Israel, Ltd. in different years, previously holding the position of an assistant to the president of ALROSA. In recent years, he headed the Secretariat of the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council and was an assistant to Vyacheslav Shtyrov, Member of the Federation Council at the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Alexey Ivanov answered the questions from Rough & Polished regarding ALROSA's activities on its Far Eastern platform.

ALROSA opened its affiliate in Vladivostok in the fall of 2016. What are the results achieved by it in 2017? What are the major projects and activities you would like to highlight?

The companys affiliate in Vladivostok is the "youngest" subdivision of ALROSA, as we started our operations there just over a year ago. Since the start of 2017, we organized and held there three international auctions for the sale of diamonds of special sizes (more than 10.8 carats), three tenders for a regular assortment of gem-quality diamonds (less than 10.8 carats), as well as tenders for polished and industrial goods. The Vladivostok-based affiliate sold more than $ 70 million worth of rough and polished diamonds over the period of one year.

It is a good result for a just recently established trading platform. The auctions and tenders in Vladivostok are attended by customers from all over the world, including such major diamond industry centers like India, China, the USA, Israel and Belgium.

We continue to work to expand cooperation with customers from the Asia-Pacific countries, primarily from China. In addition, we are looking to such promising diamond industry markets as Japan, Singapore, Brunei, Republic of Korea, Malaysia and others.

Currently, we are working on expanding our sales of polished goods belonging to fast-moving grades of up to 1 carat on the affiliates trading platform. We can see interest in this type of goods both from our regular buyers of rough and from companies operating in the mainland part of the People's Republic of China.

You also took part in the Eastern Economic Forum, EEF-2017. How does this help you to develop the operations of your affiliate?

The forum fully met our expectations. We successfully conducted international auctions for the sale of rough and polished diamonds of special sizes +10.8 carats: the company sold all 45 auctioned rough diamonds and 33 of 36 polished diamonds. The famous Dynasty diamond collection was displayed during the forum at the ALROSA stand in the Far Eastern Federal University, and at the same time there was organized a trading session to sell certified diamonds there, accompanied by one more diamond trading session on another floor in Vladivostok for private banking customers of one of the largest Russian banks. ALROSA's stand was visited by members of the Russian Federation Government, the delegation from the Kingdom of Thailand and many other forum participants. We employed the main advantage of such events - the opportunity to establish new business contacts and find areas of common interest with potential partners. We will certainly develop these contacts.

On the eve of the forum, there was another significant event  the Indian KGK company opened a diamond-cutting factory in Vladivostok. Do other diamond manufacturers show interest towards the Eurasian Diamond Center?

The opening of the KGK factory really became a landmark event. It is no coincidence that the Russian President personally gave the start to the work of the enterprise. It is clear that without the participation of ALROSA, the implementation of this project would be impossible. All the goods processed by the factory were mined in Yakutia. The launch of the KGK factory shortly after the establishment of the ALROSA affiliate in Vladivostok creates the necessary synergy to attract the attention of industry stakeholders to Vladivostok as a new focal point of industry growth. KGK is currently taking part in a project aimed at training personnel for the diamond industry on the basis of one of the educational institutions in Vladivostok. This is an important step towards creating conditions for developing the diamond industry in Primorye. Attracted by the idea of creating a diamond cluster in Vladivostok, several world-class diamond manufacturing companies have already visited the city. Some of them have preliminary projects for the creation of diamond processing operations in the city. While all these projects are at an early stage of discussion, the interest displayed appears to be revealing.

What other steps does ALROSA take to turn Vladivostok into one of the world's diamond centers?

We understand that in addition to having an appropriate infrastructure, which is necessary for diamond trading, Vladivostok should also become a platform where stakeholders of the global diamond industry will meet regularly. At the end of the Eastern Economic Forum, negotiations were held with the representatives of one of the leading industry organizations, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), to hold a presidential summit of Asia-Pacific diamond bourses in Vladivostok in 2018. This decision has been made, and we will help in organizing this event.

Before heading ALROSA's affiliate in Vladivostok, you have been in charge of the company's sales office in Israel for more than 10 years. In your opinion, what is the specificity of the Vladivostok trading platform? How is it different from others?

The affiliate in Vladivostok is in many ways a unique division of ALROSA.

First, it is focused on customers from the Asia-Pacific countries. There are 58 such countries in the area, although, of course, not all of them have diamond-processing or jewelry industries. We will develop relations not only with India and China, but further on with other countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

Secondly, the establishment of ALROSA's affiliate in Vladivostok and redirection of part of the rough diamond flow to this new trading platform became a real response to the call of the country's leadership for the development of Russias Far East, therefore the work of the affiliate is under close attention of the state. It was with the aim of expanding the demand for goods produced by ALROSA that the Eurasian Diamond Center was established in the City of Artem. In the vicinity of the trading premises of the ALROSA affiliate, the EDC platform was used to host the State Control Group of Gokhran, the Far Eastern Specialized Customs Port and the office of Almazergienbank, which offers exclusive financial products for our customers. It is clear that, just like in the case of the KGK factory, the creation and subsequent operation of these entities would be meaningless without servicing the flow of rough diamonds. So, ALROSA is today the locomotive of industry activity not only in the Republic of Sakha, in the Arkhangelsk region, Smolensk, Barnaul, Moscow, but also in Primorye.

If we compare the working conditions of ALROSA's office in Israel with the conditions in which the ALROSA trading platform is operating in Vladivostok, then, of course, each has its own specificity. In Israel, we worked and lived in a tight environment of diamantaires - Israeli, Indian, Belgian. Our office on the 20th floor of the Maccabi building - one of the buildings of the Israel Diamond Exchange - resembles one of the bee cells in a large hive. The exchange is a huge complex where all the organizational and economic troubles lie on the shoulders of the exchange administration, while we and our customers have a possibility to do our diamond business and everything connected with it without any hindrance, maintaining negotiations, organizing tenders and auctions, sending and receiving goods, dealing with banks, accountants and auditors, with the Diamond Controller, with the Diamond Exchange administration and with the management of the Diamond Manufacturers Association.

The infrastructural platform in Vladivostok - the Eurasian Diamond Center - is quite young, and it still has to prove its economic viability. This project should bring profit and open new prospects and opportunities for all its players, including ALROSA. This can only be achieved through laborious and professional work, focusing on what brings tangible results today or tomorrow, not in a year or ten years. The main problem so far is that Primorye lacks those rich traditions and broad infrastructure that exist, for example, in Israel. Therefore, together with our partners, we will strive to create a community of people in Primorye, who will be engaged the diamond business professionally. The basic prerequisites for this have already been established. There is a trading platform and the first diamond manufacturing factory has been opened in the area, we started to train personnel for the diamond industry, the visa issuance procedure has been seriously simplified, tax privileges and preferences have been introduced for the stakeholders of the Freeport of Vladivostok.

In your opinion, what are the main principles of diamond business?

Diamond business is based on unconditional trust and decency. Diamantaires do not like airy promises, arrogance and showing-off. Honesty and mutual respect are valued here as high as the diamonds themselves. Perhaps, this is because most of the Indian and Israeli businessmen are deeply religious people. Another important point, in my opinion, is the sincere need to realize yourself as a part of the worldwide industry "family." It disciplines diamantaires and helps to avoid mistakes. In practice, this is manifested in the observance of the business traditions fixed in the regulations of diamond bourses in all the leading world diamond centers. After all, all this "cements" the industry and increases its resilience to crises.

What is the credo you follow in your work?

Always be honest with yourself and others and act according to truth.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished




Angosat reaches launch pad In 2016, RKK Energia of Korolev, Russia, entered negotiations with KB Yuzhnoe of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, on a potential deal to launch a satellite for Angola on a Ukrainian-built Zenit rocket. Under the proposed plan, the Angosat-1 satellite would ride the last fully assembled Zenit rocket still remaining in Baikonur. The mission is seen by industry insiders as the first step in the resumption of Zenit missions, which if successful, will eventually shift from Baikonur to the Sea Launch ocean-going platform based in Long Beach, California. Previous chapter: Angosat-1 satellite Zenit rocket with the Angosat-1 satellite is erected on its launch pad on Dec. 24, 2017. From the publisher: Pace of our development depends primarily on the level of support from our readers! Preparing Angosat mission In September, RKK Energia struck a deal with the Russian airline group S7 to bankroll the revival of the Sea Launch venture, which remains mothballed in the wake of severe financial problems and the political fallout from the Russian-Ukrainian conflict of 2014. However even with the new investments, it would take at least 18 months to get all the necessary approvals for the reactivation of the Sea Launch vessels in California. In the meantime, RKK Energia was completing the development of the Angosat-1 satellite under a commercial agreement with the government of Angola. The spacecraft, which was based on the company's Yamal platform, was then expected to be ready for launch in July 2017. It was originally designed to be delivered into orbit via Sea Launch, but after the financial collapse of the venture, RKK Energia considered switching the mission to the second test launch of the Angara-5 rocket. However, after endless delays with the introduction the Angara's new production line in Siberia and with the new hope to revive the Sea Launch, RKK Energia revisited the Zenit option. One caveat with the proposed plan is that the Zenit rocket currently stored at Site 42 in Baikonur was originally procured by the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, for the launch of the Spektr-RG astrophysics satellite. However, in an interview with the Izvestiya daily published on Oct. 20, 2016, Sergei Lemeshevsky, the head of NPO Lavochkin, which develops Spektr-RG, said that the company had considered switching the mission from Zenit to the Proton-M/Block DM launcher. Adapting the Spektr-RG to a new booster could delay the mission by at least nine months, however, some industry sources see the move as a smoke screen for possible technical problems with the Spektr-RG itself, which would push back the launch anyway leaving already purchased rocket without any job in the near future. In the meantime, the Zenit rocket in Baikonur has already overstayed its operational warranty and will require refurbishment by a Ukrainian team before it can be used one way or another. With the proposed plan to re-configure the rocket for the launch of Angosat-1, it is still unclear how long it would take for KB Yuzhnoe to re-certify this Zenit for launch. However, immediately after the signing of the deal between RKK Energia and S7 in September, Ukrainian space officials said that they would be open to cooperation with the Russians on the Sea Launch venture. In December 2015, the Ukrainian team supported the last launch of the Zenit rocket with the Russian Elektro-L2 satellite from Baikonur. By all accounts, the rocket performed flawlessly. According to industry sources, at the beginning of October, Roskosmos hosted a meeting of all interested parties involved in the use of the Zenit rocket, which included Ukrainian representatives, and which resulted in the signing of a joint protocol. This preliminary agreement still needs political approval in both Russia and Ukraine, but if it goes ahead, it could see a Russian order for as many as 12 Zenit rockets. By November 2016, engineers at KB Yuzhnoe had already begun work on the integration of the Angosat satellite with the Zenit rocket in anticipation of a launch contract, whose draft was also in the works, industry sources said. Apparently, in an effort to simplify political decisions on the matter, the S7 company (with good connections in the Kremlin) served as the main customer for the launch, with all other participants, including Ukrainian contractors, under its legal umbrella. Still, the agreement on such a mission looked almost unthinkable just a few months ago. By December 2016, the KB Yuzhnoe design bureau in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, began full-scale preparations for the launch of the Angosat satellite, which was officially set for July 15, 2017. 2017: Political problems delay Angosat mission On Feb. 20, 2017, the S7 airline announced that it had obtained a license for space activities in Russia. The document gave the S7 airline a permission to operate the Zenit-M rocket, whose launch was planned during 2017, the company said. However, at the same time, industry sources told RussianSpaceWeb.com that all the work on adapting the only completed Zenit rocket for the launch of the Angosat satellite had to stop due to lack of necessary permissions from Moscow. The management of the S7 airline sent a letter to KB Yuzhnoe in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, promising to resolve political problems and resume preparations for the mission as soon as the approval from the Kremlin is secured. However, the delay in the work would likely require to postpone the launch of the Angosat satellite previously scheduled for July 15, 2017, until September of the same year. The Russian-Ukrainian cooperation on the Angosat mission coincided with another flareup of violence in the border regions between the two former Soviet republics. The political problems between Russia and Ukraine also stalled plans at Roskosmos to order the production of three new Zenit rockets in Ukraine, industry sources said. Ukrainian-Russian team continues Angosat preparations By the end of April 2017, Ukrainian engineers were to begin work on the routine servicing of the Zenit rocket intended for the Angosat mission in Baikonur. At the same time, Russian and Ukrainian officials finally reached an agreement on technical cooperation in planning the launch of Angosat-1 in September of the same year. By that time, KB Yuzhnoe finalized the flight scenario, which would enable Moscow-based NPTs AP development center to model it on its simulation facility two or three months prior to launch and then program it into the flight control system of the Zenit rocket and its Fregat-SB upper stage. Despite good progress on the engineering front of the Angosat-1 mission, political problems continued hampering the preparations of the Russian-Ukrainian launch. As of the end of June 2017, the planned liftoff for Angosat-1 slipped to October 21, however, even that date was considered optimistic within the industry. At the time, the Ukrainian team, which had to perform a scheduled maintenance on the Zenit rocket, was still waiting for permission to travel to Baikonur from the Ukrainian authorities. Angosat completes vacuum testing On Aug. 10, 2017, RKK Energia announced that thermal and vacuum testing of the Angosat satellite inside the the VK600/300 facility at NITs RKP center in Peresvet had been successfully completed. According to the company, all modes of operation for the satellite's service systems and communications payload were tested, including various contingencies. Representatives from Angola oversaw the operations. The test chamber simulated deep vacuum, solar radiation and reflected radiation of the Earth, as well as changing position of the satellite in space, RKK Energia said. Upon completion of tests, the spacecraft was delivered back to RKK Energia's campus in Korolev in preparation for final acceptance tests. Angosat clears political hurdles By the end of August, KB Yuzhnoe received all the necessary permissions from the government in Kiev to participate in the Angosat project. The company immediately made plans to send a team of its specialists to Baikonur to service the Zenit launcher for the mission and keep the necessary personnel at the launch site to support the Angosat campaign. As of the end of August, the launch of Angosat was planned between Dec. 7 and Dec. 9, 2017, with the December 14-16 period as a backup window. Angosat ready for shipment to launch site On Nov. 10, 2017, RKK Energia announced that it had completed the delivery and rollout testing of the Angosat satellite and the spacecraft had been made ready for shipment to the Baikonur launch site. During the testing, RKK Energia demonstrated to the customer that the satellite's functional parameters had fully matched required specifications, the company said. According to RKK Energia, Angolan officials signed the documents confirming the completion of the necessary work and testing and the readiness of the spacecraft for transportation, RKK Energia said. The company's press-release confirmed that the launch of Angosat had been scheduled for Dec. 7, 2017. Angosat arrives at Baikonur A traditional meeting of the Chief Designers' Council dedicated to the Angosat mission took place at RKK Energia on Nov. 14, 2017. According to the company, First Deputy Designer General Igor Frolov reported on the status of the project and described the innovations that had allowed to develop a relatively powerful spacecraft with a mass of just 1,647 kilograms. The satellite used Russian-built components featuring the 7-kilowatt communications payload with a power-supply specifications of 28, 50 and 100 volts, RKK Energia said. Like all other unmanned spacecraft built by the company, Angosat was equipped with electric engines which could be used to insert the spacecraft into its final operational orbit (when necessary) and conduct orbit corrections, Frolov was quoted as saying. Frolov also said that a virtual reality facility had been used for the first time during the development of the satellite. In the meantime, Igor Brodsky, the Head of the Center for Onboard and Ground Radio Complexes, reported on the readiness of the ground control complex, NKU, for the Angosat project in Russia and in Angola. The Chief Designers Council meeting formally approved the shipment of the Angosat-1 satellite to Baikonur and its flight testing. The satellite left RKK Energia's campus in Korolev during the night from Nov. 14 to Nov. 15, 2017, and was delivered to Moscow's Sheremetievo airport, where it was loaded onto the An-124-100 Ruslan transport aircraft. On November 16, the aircraft landed in Baikonur and the container with the Angosat-1 was delivered to the processing complex at Site 254, where it would be prepared for integration with the Fregat upper stage. The fueling of the Fregat was underway as of November 17. However on November 20, RKK Energia reported that although the Fregat had been loaded with propellant and pressurized gases, a technical issue associated with the operation of a valve on the stage had been discovered. It required to form an investigative commission, which included experts from Roskosmos, RKK Energia and NPO Lavochkin, which built the stage. The commission determined the cause of the problem and developed a plan for the corrective actions. According to RKK Energia, going forward, the commission would have to plan further work and determine the possibility of the launch during the primary or backup window. Angosat launch re-set for December 26 On November 24, RKK Energia announced that the launch of the Angosat-1 satellite had been set for Dec. 26, 2017. According to unofficial sources, it was but last day of the final launch window in 2017 which would open on December 24. As of November 24, specialists from RKK Energia and their sub-contractors had completed checks of lithium-ion batteries on the satellite after its delivery to the launch site, completed electrical checks and final operations with the Zenit-2 launch vehicle and tested its transit electric circuits, the company said. Specialists also performed work on the Fregat upper stage to fix an issue in its fuel line, RKK Energia announced. On November 28, the Soyuz-2-1b rocket failed to deliver multiple payloads into orbit after a liftoff from Vostochny spaceport. The failure investigation quickly focused on the Fregat upper stage similar but not completely identical to the Fregat-SB space tug used in the Angosat mission. It was not immediately clear whether the Soyuz failure would affect the upcoming Zenit launch. As of November 29, the launch of the Angosat satellite was still officially scheduled for December 26, but managers leading the mission were reviewing the available information on the Soyuz failure. Angosat's rocket fully assembled for launch On Dec. 16, personnel from RKK Energia, NPO Lavochkin and the Southern division of the TsENKI launch infrastructure organization completed the assembly of the payload section for the Angosat mission at the processing building at Site 31 in Baikonur, RKK Energia announced on December 18. After the integration of the Angosat satellite with its Fregat-SB stage, the stack was rotated into horizontal position and covered with a payload fairing. The resulting upper composite was then transported to the vehicle assembly building at Site 42 for integration with the Zenit-2SB launch vehicle. The upper composite with the Angosat satellite was integrated with the already assembled second and first stages of the Zenit rocket on December 19, 2017. Next, the personnel began electric tests of the launch vehicle, followed by its loading on the rail-based transporter-erector designed to deliver the rocket to the launch pad and install it into the vertical position. On Dec. 24, 2017, the Zenit rocket with the Angosat satellite made a 3.5-kilometer trip from the assembly building at Site 42 to the launch pad at Site 45. The liftoff was scheduled for Dec. 26, 2017, at 22:00 Moscow Time (19:00 GMT, 2 p.m. EST). Choosing the launch window During the initial planning of the Angosat-1 launch, specialists at RKK Energia and KB Yuzhnoe favored an early morning liftoff window for the mission. However, as the launch date drifted from July to December 2017, NPO Lavochkin, which provided the Fregat space tug for the flight, requested a shift of the liftoff time as well. During orbital maneuvers, the Fregat had certain requirements for the orientation of the X axis in its coordinate system toward the Sun and the simultaneous requirement to keep its antenna pointed toward Earth. The solar orientation depended on the time of the launch and became less favorable in case of a morning launch in December. To avoid adjusting the flight assignment, NPO Lavochkin requested a shift of the liftoff time to a window between 17:30 and 21:12 GMT. As a result, the launch was set for 19:00 GMT (22:00 Moscow Time). Read much more about the history of the Russian space program in a richly illustrated, large-format glossy edition:

Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Angosat satellite during vacuum testing. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia A fully assembled Angosat satellite shortly before its shipment to the launch site. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia A traditional meeting of the Chief Designers' Council dedicated to the Angosat mission took place at RKK Energia on Nov. 14, 2017. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Angosat-1 is ready for transportation. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Angosat-1 is unloaded at Baikonur's Krainiy airport on Nov. 16, 2017. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia A photo of the Angosat-1 satellite during a pre-launch processing in Baikonur released on Nov. 24, 2017. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Zenit rocket for the Angosat mission. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Fregat-Angosat stack is integrated with its payload fairing on Dec. 16, 2017. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Upper composite with Angosat satellite is being transferred from spacecraft processing building to the vehicle assembly building. Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia The upper composite with the Angosat satellite and Fregat upper stage is being integrated with the Zenit rocket on Dec. 19, 2017/ Click to enlarge. Credit: RKK Energia
Report: 46 US-Saudi aggression coalition airstrikes destroy homes, roads and food storage in one day





SANAA, Dec 24 (Saba)  A total of 46 US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition airstrikes in a single day destroyed dozens of houses, roads, bridges and food stores. The airstrikes took place last Friday, according to military and security officials conducted by Saba on Sunday.

In Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the aggression fighter jets waged four air raids on different areas, particularly the airport, Abdualrahman Suhail's food storages and Bonyan Development Foundation in Hali district, causing a huge damages.

In Sanaa, the aggression warplanes targeted a house in densely populated areas of Al-Wahda area, Sanhan district, wounding a number of civilians and damaging dozens of houses.

In Saada province, a civilian was seriously injured in an air raid by the US-backed Saudi aggression coalition warplane that targeted the highway in Monabeh district, and another airstrike on Azqul area of Sehar district targeted a civilians water truck.

Furthermore, a citizen Bashir Salim Bashir was seriously injured when US-backed Saudi aggression coalition warplane launched nine air raids on Dhahyan area of Majaz district, and Saudi aggression warplanes also carried out two air strikes on Safraa district, six air raids on Ghur district, and one air raid on high Institute of Teachers in the center of province.

In Jawf province, the aggression fighter jets launched three air strikes on Kub AlShaghaf district, and another one raid hit Harib alQramish district .

In Marib province, the planes of the aggression conducted nine air raids on Serwah district.

In Shabwa province, A United States' drone waged two air raids on Aqapah area of Behan district.

In Amran province, the aggression warplanes carried out three raids on Harf Sufian district.

In addition, the aggression fighter jets launched three air strikes on Alraboah city of Aseer border province.



Sameera H./zak

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[24/December/2017]
Report: 48 Yemeni civilians killed, injured in 51 US-Saudi airstrikes in 24 hours



SANAA, Dec 24 (Saba)  A total of 48 civilians, including women and children, were killed and wounded in 51 airstrikes launched by US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition using internationally banned weapons on several Yemeni provinces over the past few hours, military and security officials told Saba on Sunday.



In Sanaa, at least 10 civilians, including five children, were killed and more than 20 others were injured in 4 airstrikes when a fresh US-Saudi-led aggression coalition airstrike targeted Arhab district north of the Yemeni capital of Sanaa during a protest rally against US president Trump's recognition of Jerusalem, as the continuing flight of enemy warplanes hampered access to the victims.



Also in Sanaa, two children and a woman were injured in an air raid by the US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition warplanes on residential quarter south of the capital, and dozens of house were damaged.



In Nehm district, about 50 km north of Sanaa, the aggression warplanes carried out an airstrike on Naqeel Ibn Ghailan area in Nehm district of Sanaa province.



Sabrah camp in Belad Alroos district south of Sanaa province was hit by an air raid.



In Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, three civilians were killed in Saudi aggression airstrike on a civilians truck in Bait Al-faqeeh district.



Meanwhile, four children were killed and one was wounded by an explosion of an object of remaining US-Saudi aggression cluster bombs in Alsukhnah district of Hodeidah province.



In Marib, 2 civilians were killed in an air raid by aggression warplanes on Serwah district.



In Jawf, the US-backed Saudi aggression coalition fighter jets waged four airstrikes on Kub AlShaghaf district.



In northern province of Hajjah, the planes of the aggression conducted two air raids on Aljr area of Abs district.



In northern province of Saada, three women were killed and two injured in an airstrike on a group of women during their return from a funeral house in Razeh district.



Also in Saada, the US-baked Saudi aggression warplanes carried out three air raids on Ghamer and Menabah border districts, and seven airstrikes on several area in Boqa area of Ketaf district.



In southern province of Taiz, the US-baked Saudi aggression warplanes launched five airstrikes on Mawza area, two air raids on Mahayah Mountain, another two air strikes on Omari camp, two airstrikes on east of Omari schools in Dhubab district, and four air strikes, in which the planes dropped cluster bombs on east of Amari camp in the district.



In border province of Jaizan, the planes of aggression launched three air strikes on several areas of Jarah valley.



In addition, the aggression fighter jets waged three air strikes on Alraboah city of Aseer border province.





Reporting by Sameera al-Mahdi, Editing by Zak

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[24/December/2017]
I am a 26-year old Utah woman attending graduate school in Lincoln. Like everyone my age, I'm trying to find my place in the world.

There is much I love about this country. I love the freedom to be myself. I love the diversity of cultures. I love the wilderness and the beautiful landscapes.

But my hope in the future is crumbling. If we do not stand up for what we believe in, Trump and his minions will destroy everything good about the U.S., tearing apart our national monuments for profit. Increasing taxation while pandering to the untouchable One Percent. Continually going against the people's wishes.

Every time I think about it, I get beyond frustrated. But I will not believe that hope is gone. I will not stay silent and let all of my nightmares become reality. Will you?

You may call me a dreamer. But I am not the only one. I hope some day you will join us ...

Maria Goller, Lincoln
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on lack of job creation and said jobs would be a critical factor in polls over the next 16 months, including the Lok Sabha election.

In a series of tweets, the former Finance Minister said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Modi's leadership was not unbeatable as was proved in Delhi and Bihar and that "a strong narrative and a carefully-crafted strategy" can defeat the BJP again.

Referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, he said the BJP limped across the finish line in Gujarat "with a young and energised sprinter close on its heels".

"Both the BJP and the Congress were winners: the BJP scored an electoral victory, the Congress scored a political victory.

"The BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi is not unbeatable. Delhi and Bihar were not flashes in the pan or flukes. A strong narrative and a carefully-crafted strategy can defeat the BJP.

"In Gujarat, the critical factor was not caste but mobilisation. Such mobilisation can take place around other factors as well -- joblessness or farmers' distress or growing inequality or religion," he tweeted.

Chidambaram added that Modi had to deliver on his promises of economic growth, jobs, doubling farm income, and 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'.

"The first three years of his government have returned an average growth rate of 7.5 per cent (under the new methodology)... Ultimately, it is the state of the economy in 2018-19 that will be the decisive factor in the elections over the next 16 months, including the Lok Sabha election. In 'economy', the critical factor will be 'jobs'."

He questioned Modi's claim to have created over 31 million new jobs through the Mudra scheme.

"The Prime Minister referred to the MUDRA scheme and said 'over 31 million loans have been sanctioned to entrepreneurs... Even if we assume conservatively that, on average, each enterprise creates just one sustainable job, this initiative itself amounts to 31 million new jobs'."

Chidambaram said Mudra loans are simply an aggregate of loans given by public sector banks and regional rural banks -- something that they had been doing for many years.

"As of July 28, 2017, 8.56 crore loans were sanctioned. The total amount was Rs 3.69 lakh crore. The average loan size was Rs 43,000.

"We are asked to believe that a loan of Rs 43,000 will create an additional job! If the 'new' worker is paid less-than-minimum wage of Rs 5,000 a month, the loan will evaporate in eight months! Can an investment of Rs 43,000 generate additional income of Rs 5,000 per month?"
Five-time legislator Jairam Thakur, who rose from the ranks and is known for his humble, low-profile stature, will be the 13th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, the BJP announced on Sunday.

A decision in this regard was unanimously taken at the BJP Legislative Party meeting where central observers -- Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar were also present along with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and state party in-charge Mangal Pandey.

"Thakur was elected as the BJP legislature party leader in the ( Himachal Pradesh) Assembly," Tomar told reporters, adding "no other proposal was made for any other candidate".

Thakur's name was proposed by two-time former Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal and seconded by Nadda and another two-time Chief Minister Shanta Kumar.

The Chief Minister-elect will meet state Governor Acharya Dev Vrat to formally stake the claim to form the government in the hill state.

In his first remarks after being elected as the BJP legislature party leader, Thakur thanked all party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Nadda, Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

"We will try to meet the expectations of the people of Himachal Pradesh. Our dream of a Congress-free Himachal Pradesh has been realised," Thakur told reporters.

The BJP took almost a week to decide on the Chief Minister candidate after after its Chief Ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost his election. Several names kept doing rounds for the past few days including Nadda, MLA Suresh Bharadwaj besides Dhumal and Thakur.

Thakur, is turning 53 on January 6, belongs to the Rajput community that has a significant presence in the state.

He won his fifth consecutive assembly election from Seraj, earlier known as Chirchot, in Mandi district, defeating Chet Ram of the Congress. He was a cabinet minister in the previous BJP government in the state led by Prem Kumar Dhumal from 2007 to 2012.

Thakur was known for his proximity with Nadda. He did his graduation from a college in Mandi town and postgraduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh.

"My son has seen extreme poverty in his childhood," his emotional octogenarian mother Biri Singh told reporters in her ancestral house in Tandi village in the interiors of Mandi district.

Thakur lost his maiden assembly election in 1993. He contested the assembly election in 1998 and since then consecutively won all the five assembly elections with a huge margin.

A senior party leader told IANS Thakur has "suitable credentials" for the post as he has been a member of ABVP, the student wing affiliated to BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The BJP wrested power in Himachal Pradesh from the Congress, winning close to two-thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member assembly.

Thakur emerged as a frontrunner for the post after Dhumal and state party chief Satpal Satti were defeated in the November 9 elections. The poll results were declared on December 18.

The Congress won 21 seats, with its Chief Ministerial candidate. Two seats were won by independents and one by the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
At least 37 people may have died in the massive fire that ravaged a shopping mall here on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday as firefighters continued battling pockets of flames 16 hours after the blaze broke.

Distraught relatives wailed in grief as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced the firefighters' grim assessment on the victims' fate around 3 a.m., Xinhua reported.

"According to the authorities still in the area, in that situation it's difficult to believe anyone can survive. Chance of survival is zero," Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops'Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) quoted the president as saying.

Valles told reporters outside a restaurant where the president was meeting with relatives of the missing workers.
Dear Editor,

Re: Why Samoa should stand with Trump and Israel

Your piece Mr. Editor is a complete inversion of the truth. It is the U.S. which has been attempting to bully the rest of the world with threats to slash aid to countries which voted against it - very reminiscent of its behaviour before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

And as for Christian-Jewish unity, Palestinian Christians were out protesting U.S. vice president Mike Pences visit today, due to the Jerusalem decision.

Its not the Palestinian Christians who want this.

Its the American Christians who make up the vast majority of the Zionist lobby. Neither is it the Palestinian Jews who want this. Zionism is a European movement, first made possible by the British.

Yes, the Jews conquered the region thousands of years ago, but were themselves conquered in turn, first by the Romans, then by the Muslims.

Most converted to Christianity then Islam as a result, and the most likely descendants of the Biblical Christians are in fact the Palestinians themselves.

The Jewish minority, like their Christian counterparts, were opposed to the Zionists and many died in the act of resisting it.

The Zionists of Europe had no more claim to the region than Muslims in Indonesia have to Arabia or Christians in Samoa have to Rome.

This is nonsensical. Claiming land in the name of religion was the practice of the Conquistadors and European imperialists.

In fact, many European and North American Jews also oppose Zionism, such as political scientist Norman Finkilstein, whose entire family was wiped out in the Holocaust, and world renowned Professor Noam Chomsky. And then there are Israelis such as The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine author Ilan Pappe.

As for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, he is a war criminal responsible for slaughtering 4000 Palestinian civilians in 2014, and is currently facing corruption charges.

You propose aligning Samoa with this man, Donald Trump, a few American-controlled rocks in the Pacific, and a pair of Central American dictatorships (plus one in West Africa) against the vast majority of nations in the world! And one last thing: You say the grave of Jesus lies in Jerusalem.

But guess what - the Zionists do not believe in Jesus. There is no Jesus in the Judaist religion any more than there is a prophet Muhammad in the Christian religion.

Mustafa Kemal
Two escaped prisoners, considered extremely dangerous, are still on the run.

The Police are urging members of the public to look out for Aniseko Vaelei and Uili Manuleleua.

Contacted for a comment yesterday, Samoa Prisons and Corrections Services Deputy Commissioner Ulugia Niuia Aumua said the men who escaped on Wednesday are still on the run.

Ulugia told the Samoa Observer that they are working with the Police.

The two men were among four inmates who escaped from the Tafaigata Prison, which included Lauititi Tualima and Vaioa Solia. The men have been accused of breaking in and attacking a family at Ululoloa.

Its unclear how the inmates escaped.

In the meantime, Ulugia has called on members of the public to offer their assistance in the search of the escaped.

Police Superintendent and Media Spokesperson, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo, reminded the public not to approach the prisoners directly because they are considered aggressive and dangerous, but instead immediately call police if theyre sighted.

The S.P.S. would like to ensure the public that their safety is our priority and the police are working round-the-clock to capture the remaining escaped prisoners."

Furthermore, please remain calm and stay vigilant and call 911 or 22222 immediately for any suspicious activity.
Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, bid farewell to Police officers who have been forced to resign from their posts due to government enforcing the law about married couples working in the Ministry.

According to a statement from the Police, Fuiavailiili gave his blessings to the men and women affected on Friday during their end of year gathering.

He acknowledged every member for the hard work and effort in assuring the safety of Samoa throughout the whole year.

The Commissioner also touched on the members who have resigned from the service because of the new amendment.

He wished them all the best for their future endeavors and also recognized their contribution to the people of Samoa in the many years they had serve in the Ministry of Police in different sections.

As reported earlier, there are 23 affected.

The new regulation applies only to legally married couples and does not extend to a couple living in defacto relationships.

This led to the ultimatum for the Police Officers to resign from their post.

Responding to questions from the Samoa Observer, Police Superintendent and Media Spokesperson, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo said the officers will leave this Friday.

Logoitino declined to comment as to what are the ranks of the Officers and whether the Police have offered any incentives or redundancy packages.

The move by the Tuilaepa administration has been heaviliy criticised by several of the Police officers affected. They say the decision is unfair.

What about the loans we have to pay? We are also leaders in villages and churches where we have to contribute. How are we to do that? one Police officer said.

The Police officer said the Prime Ministers ultimatum was a breach of human rights.

The current administration is the high and mighty Human Rights Political Party and they are supposed to be fighting and protecting our rights as the people, the Officer continued. But what has happened is the total opposite.

One officer said he can understand the rationale, but the way it has been implemented is wrong.

Its not like me and my other half work in the same Unit, he said. How pathetic, they make these drastic changes and expect to expedite the implementation and that we will be okay with it.

Does our service mean nothing to the government?

The officer also highlighted another interesting issue.

So they are targeting legally married couples, what about the officers who are in defacto relationships within the force? What about the officers who are having affairs in there? Does that not constitute a conflict of interest?

Where is the fairness in that? It seems to me that they are targeting legally married couples and yet many officers who are in defacto and extra marital relationships are left to roam around freely.

There is a loop hole in the regulation and its discriminatory. It is a clear violation of our human rights.

Another Police officer told the Weekend Observer that one of the options is to divorce his wife.

I am a dedicated and a committed Police officer, he said.

I feel that all the hard work is going down the drain because we are blamed for the issues that have occurred within the Ministry. I dont understand the Prime Ministers reasons.

Also is there a redundancy package for us who are forced to resign from our job?

Did the government not think about our service and the years we have put our life on the line for the country only to be told that I have to resign because my spouse and I work here?

This is unbelievable and I am appalled to say the least, the government did not think things through before this regulation was signed into law.

I am a victim here, my spouse and I are paying for the mistakes made by the previous Commissioners and this is unfair treatment.
Christmas sales in Samoa dont make a difference to the cost of living.

Such is the belief of Alosia Vaifale who says you can only hope to buy so much with the little money you have.

And the sales are not very friendly. They only chop off a tala or two, which is not a lot.

The 73-year-old from Samalaeulu, Savaii, told the Village Voice team yesterday that apart from the increasing price of goods, essentials such as cash power, water and petrol were also increasing in prices.

The mother of nine believes there are so many things which need to be completed and in order to make any progress money is the source.

In this season that we are in there are so many things that is happening such as church activities. We also have family commitments which we cannot avoid; there are also things that happen within the village that needs attendance. All these things require money, Alosia said.

She says she does not mind spending money on the church because this is where her blessings are found.

She mentioned that since it is Christmas, she plans to take a shopping to Savaii because her husband and her other kids lived there.

She lives Faatoia with one of her children.

They have been living apart because there is no one to look after her grandchildren here in Upolu.

She says there are so many things that she plans to buy, but all things come down to how she budgets her spending.
Quick read

A new poll commissioned by the Union-Tribune and 10 News found that more women said theyd been sexually harassed on the street (50 percent) and in social settings (45 percent) than at work (36 percent).

Of the women who reported being harassed at work, 41 percent said it caused them to leave their job.

Men also said theyd experienced sexual harassment  including 21 percent who said it happened in social settings.

Full story

Sexual harassment in the workplace caused 41 percent of female victims to leave their jobs, with younger women more likely to quit than the older generation, a new survey of San Diego County residents found.

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The poll found 36 percent of women surveyed reported being sexually harassed at work, and even more reported being the target of lewdness on the street and in social settings.

The differences in how women in different age groups handled sexual harassment at work indicates a changing professional environment.

Women of an older generation, its not that they liked it, they had to tolerate it to maintain their jobs and support their family, said attorney Olga Alvarez, president of the Lawyers Club of San Diego. It reflects that younger women feel more empowered and are more aware of their rights. I think that comes from being educated and more knowledgeable about what sex harassment is.

Men also said they had been the victims of inappropriate behavior, but the survey found  not surprisingly  that womens experiences and opinions differ vastly from mens when it comes to sexual harassment.

The online poll, conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of The San Diego Union-Tribune and 10 News, comes as Hollywood sexual harassment scandals have dominated headlines and several powerful and famous men have fallen from grace amid accusations of misconduct.

Its a new day to me, based on the conversations were having, said Verna Griffin-Tabor, CEO of Center for Community Solutions, a San Diego nonprofit that advocates for victims of relationship and sexual violence. Im very hopeful as a country we move the needle to expose sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The developments have driven the national conversation lately, and San Diegans have been paying attention, the survey shows. Ninety percent of those polled  men and women combined  said they felt sexual harassment is a very serious or somewhat serious problem today, with women feeling stronger about the issue than men.

The renewed focus has also prompted 30 percent of men and 23 percent of women to personally change their behavior in the workplace, according to the survey.

SurveyUSA polled 650 adults from Dec. 15 to 18, asking 15 questions about their views and personal experiences with sexual harassment. The survey acknowledged that people have varying opinions of what constitutes sexual harassment or may attach different terms to such behavior. The survey defined it as any interaction with a sexual overtone between two people that leaves one of those two feeling uncomfortable.

About a third of the survey takers said theyd experienced some form of sexual harassment, with women reporting at a much higher rate.

Of the 605 adults who said they have ever worked outside the home, 36 percent of women reported being sexually harassed at work, and 17 percent of men.

Of those who reported being harassed at work, 27 percent of women said they felt the harassment harmed their careers and 41 percent said the harassment led them to leave a job. Of men, a quarter said they felt the harassment harmed their careers and 24 percent said they left a job because of it.

The majority of those who said theyd been harassed at work did not report it; only 33 percent of women and 18 percent of men said they had.

Women reported being less satisfied than men when it came to how their sexual harassment reports were handled at work.

Younger women were more likely to report the harassment than their older counterparts, or just leave the job altogether. For instance, of the women who quit due to harassment, 45 percent were under 50 compared to 33 percent 50 and older.

Until recent years, sexual harassment and sexual violence of any kind silenced people. They stuffed it, said Griffin-Tabor. She rattled off common blame thrown at women: What was she wearing, what was she doing, didnt she know what she was getting herself into.

Younger women for a longer time have lived in different circumstances than older women who had to break the ceiling, she said. Theres a different dialogue, the victim-blaming is getting less and less. Its not done, but it is diminishing.

Alvarez, the attorney, said a turning point came in 1991 when Anita Hill testified she was sexually harassed by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.

Its not that the older generation wasnt hurt, wasnt impacted (by sexual harassment). There was no remedy for them and the consequences of reporting were fatal, Alvarez said. I think women now feel like they have more choices.

Men and women who are currently working rated their employers well on sexual harassment prevention measures, although 26 percent of men and women said sexual harassment training has never been provided. Thirty-one percent said training was provided regularly.

Half of all women polled said theyd experienced sexual harassment on the street  where harassers can often remain anonymous  compared to 16 percent of men. In social settings, 45 percent of women and 21 percent of men said theyd been victimized.

Fourty-five percent of women said they were harassed while underage, compared to 19 percent of men.

Griffin-Tabor said she was glad to see men speaking out about being victimized, an issue that often doesnt get much attention.

It goes against traditional stereotypes of what it means to be a man, she said.

Actor Terry Crews became a face of that victimization recently when he spoke up about his own experience, claiming a Hollywood agent groped him at a party.

Respondents said they felt the #metoo movement  a social media hashtag that encourages victims to speak out about their own experiences  has been an empowering tool, with 84 percent of women and 73 percent of men measuring the campaign as having a great deal or somewhat of an impact.

In a national survey released by Quinnipiac University in Connecticut in November, 60 percent of American women voters said theyve experienced sexual harassment, with 69 percent of them saying they experienced it at work. Twenty percent of men polled say theyve experienced sexual harassment.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
CITY COUNCILS

CARLSBAD

The Carlsbad City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 in council chambers at 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.

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DEL MAR

The Del Mar City Council is scheduled to meet at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16 in council chambers, 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Suite 100.

ENCINITAS

The Encinitas City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 10 in council chambers, 505 S. Vulcan Ave.

ESCONDIDO

The Escondido City Council is scheduled to meet in closed session at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in council chambers at 201 N. Broadway, and in regular session at 4:30 p.m.

OCEANSIDE

The Oceanside City Council is scheduled to meet in closed session at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in City Council Chambers at 300 N. Coast Highway, and in regular session at 5 p.m.

Online Survey: Local Coastal Program Update

The city of Oceanside has initiated a comprehensive update of its Local Coastal Program, which defines the citys coastal zone and provides guidance in areas such as coastal access, recreational and visitor-serving uses and shoreline protection. A key component of the update will be assessment of the anticipated impacts of sea level rise and associated coastal hazards. A public survey seeking community input has been posted at https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/dev/planning/local_coastal.asp and will remain open through January 2018.

POWAY

The Poway City Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 9 in council chambers, 13325 Civic Center Drive.

SAN MARCOS

The San Marcos City Council has canceled its regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday. The next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 at City Hall, 1 Civic Center Drive.

SOLANA BEACH

The Solana Beach City Council has canceled its regularly scheduled meeting for Wednesday.

VISTA

The Vista City Council has canceled its regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
CITY COUNCILS

CARLSBAD

The Carlsbad City Council canceled its regularly scheduled meeting for 6 p.m. Tuesday.

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DEL MAR

The Del Mar City Council met Monday to consider an appeal of the Design Review Boards decision to approve permits for a new restaurant by Hillstone Restaurant Group at 1404 Camino Del Mar. The council upheld the DRBs decision. The council reviewed and endorsed its goals and priorities for the rest of fiscal year 2017-18, including hiring a retiree project manager for the city managers office at $50,000 for the rest of the fiscal year. Staff was directed to proceed with plans for the North Bluff Preserve in the Del Mar Resort Specific Plan. The council discussed an outline for a meeting with the Sheriffs Department on improving service, including the possibility of adding community service officers. The council also met in special closed session Wednesday for the city managers job evaluation.

ENCINITAS

The Encinitas City Council met Wednesday and directed staff to continue working with the Traffic Commission on proposed interim enhancements/improvements, including redoing buffer zones and recentering sharrow lanes, on North Coast Highway 101. The council heard an appeal of the Planning Commissions approval of maps and CCRs for a nine-lot density bonus subdivision at 378 Fulvia St. and upheld the approval, but with several amendments, including adding disclosure information about the site. The council heard a report on the Coastal Mobility & Livability Study related to the rail corridor improvements, and asked staff to proceed with its recommendations. City Manager Karen Brusts annual base compensation was increased by $4,760 for a total of $242,760 effective June 1, 2017. Councilman Joe Mosca was chosen as deputy mayor for 2018.

ESCONDIDO

The Escondido City Council met in closed session Wednesday to discuss labor negotiations and property negotiations. In regular session, the council voted to modify the budget to delete the position of Director of Library and Community Services and add the position of Director of Communications and Community Services. The council held a hearing and approved a bond issue by the California Municipal Finance Authority for $10 million to finance the acquisition and rehabilitation of Cobblestone Village apartments at 360 E. Washington Ave. The council also agreed to amend the citys zoning code to allow incubator uses in the M-1 (light industrial) and M-2 (general industrial) zones, and approved a permit for a cryotherapy business in the M-1 zone. The council also approved adjusting various impact fees to serve new development, an item that was continued from the Dec. 6 meeting.

OCEANSIDE

The Oceanside City Council canceled its closed session Wednesday to discuss labor negotiations. In regular session, the council held a hearing and approved ordinances dealing with commercial cooking grease disposal, and sewage and plumbing regulations. An ordinance raising water use rates won final approval. The council also forwarded the recommendations of the Medical Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee to relevant staff and advisory boards for review, to be brought back for adoption later. The council approved a motion to remove the A licenses from the committee recommendation and to have it focus solely on medical marijuana.

POWAY

The Poway City Council met Tuesday and gave final approval to zoning amendments for the Poway Road Corridor. The council also approved hiring Alan Fenstermacher as city attorney. A hearing was held on water and sewer rate charges, and increases were approved. The rates will increase the bi-monthly bill for a single-family residence with average use by $4.53 per month, effective Jan. 1. Councilman John Mullin was designated as deputy mayor for 2018.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

BONSALL

The Bonsall Unified School District board met Dec. 14 and elected officers: Dr. Tim Coen was re-elected as board president and Richard Olson was elected clerk. The board also received and approved its First Interim fiscal report for fiscal year 2017-18.

CARDIFF

The Cardiff School District board met Dec. 14 and elected officers: Siena Randall, president; David Ross, clerk.

FALLBROOK

The Fallbrook Union High School District board met Dec. 13 and elected new officers: James ODonnell, president; Sharon Koehler, vice president; and Richard Goodlake, clerk.

SAN DIEGUITO

The San Dieguito Union High School District Board met Dec. 14 and elected new officers: Beth Hergesheimer, president; Maureen Mo Muir, vice president; Joyce Dalessandro, clerk. The board also held a hearing and adopted the Cranberry 1 map to delineate districts for upcoming by-district trustee elections.

SAN PASQUAL

The San Pasqual Union School District board met Dec. 14 and elected officers: Blaise Jackson, president; Angie Baker, vice president; and Tim Spivey, clerk.

VALLECITOS

The Vallecitos School District board met Dec. 12 and elected Michael Darnley as board president. The board approved its first interim budget report for fiscal year 2017-18.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
MOUNT PLEASANT  The promise of Foxconn Technology Group and many thousands of new jobs here has jolted housing developers to heightened interest, village officials say. And some developers have asked whether incentives might be available for a residential project.

It might be tempting to toss out the idea of using incentives when developer interest is strong. But its not that simple, according to a discussion by Mount Pleasant Community Development Authority members on Wednesday.

CDA Chairman Rob Richardson had put the topic of incentives on the agenda to try to give Community Development Director Sam Schultz some guidance for his future talks with prospective developers.

Schultz said the staff has had five to 10 meetings since the Foxconn development agreement was signed. The vast majority of those are residential developers.

They all ask  as all developers do  whether theres any incentives for residential development, Schultz said. We typically push them away from it, mostly because thats been the departmental stance.

Schultz said the villages financial advisers at Ehlers do a fair amount of residential incentives. However, theyre typically tied to: a redevelopment project; a site with significant environmental issues; an urban decay setting; or a mixed-use project with large-scale commercial or office components.

We havent had a ton of very site-specific inquiries for residential, Schultz added. People are just kind of feeling out the general lay of the village right now.

Affordable apartments lacking

Village Planner Robin Palm said what is lacking in Mount Pleasant are apartments that most working people can afford.

We need to be cognizant of what sections of the (developer) market wont show up, Palm said. Youre probably going to get a lot of market-rate stuff. But not everyone who will want to move to Racine County will be able to afford that type of housing, he said.

Thats something that we have to game-plan about  how to get the right types of housing for the people that are going to be moving here, Palm said.

When people are initially moving to a new location, they look for apartments first and eventually settle into single-family housing, Palm said. And so, with a lot of people moving in, were going to have to increase our apartment stock.

Most housing construction during the 1990s and early 2000s was of single-family homes  not apartment complexes, Palm said.

And most of the apartments being built now, he said, are being built for a very, very small subsection of the apartment market. In Milwaukee, where many apartments are being constructed, theyre very high-end and likely unaffordable for the average Racine County resident.

Not a lot of people can afford $1,500-a-month apartments, Palm added.  And sometimes to kick (more-affordable) projects off, you have to make it easier and more attractive for a developer to do that.

More demand for rentals

CDA member Jerry Franke underscored Palms statements about the lack of rental housing. Franke is the retired president of Wispark, Wisconsin Energy Corp.s property development arm.

Theres fundamental changes going on in our housing market, Franke said. Rentals are being pursued by (baby) boomers and by millennials to a greater degree.

Moreover, the new federal tax law will give people more reasons to seek rental housing, Franke said. We dont have that kind of rental housing available here in the village or in Racine County east of (Interstate 94).

Another factor, Franke said, is that land speculation in this area has gone rampant now. And that is going to price a lot of developers out of the market because they wont be able to buy the land and get it into their project budget, and provide the amenities that the boomers and the millennials want.

Franke said he thinks in specific cases it will make sense to provide developer incentives. And there can be claw-back provisions, So that if the developer hits the ball out of the park, the village or city shares in that money.

Public-private partnership is not just a buzzword, Franke said. Its the way communities that are growing are working.
Four members of a family out for a Christmas holiday cruise in a new 30-foot pleasure craft were injured Saturday when the boat crashed into a sandbar in San Diego Bay off National City near a spot known as Gunpowder Point.

None of the injuries were life threatening but three members of the family of eight were taken to a hospital for treatment of facial, shoulder and back injuries, San Diego Harbor Police Lt. Dominick Boccia said.

The accident happened about 3:10 p.m. when the boat veered out of the channel and struck the sandbar.

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Boccia said members of the Harbor Police dive team had to swim to the boat. We couldnt get next to the vessel which was about 50 yards away, Boccia said. Each person on the stranded boat was placed on a board by the divers and then taken to the rescue boat.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
San Diegos dance community gave audiences many surprises in 2017, especially in the way it developed its reach, locally and in other cities. By collaborating with music, theater and visual art organizations, and by considering unique ways of impacting the public, dance continues to be a vital artistic endeavor that reaches hearts and minds:

Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater

San Diego Dance Theaters Trolley Dances, where dance is presented in unexpected places along the trolley line, demonstrates how movement can alter the way we interpret space. In 2017, the well-executed works by Isaacs and choreographer Dave Massey were staged at the San Diego Central Library, where ghost-like dancers swathed in white draped themselves along the escalator and a team of six performed synchronized moves on raised dividers. New executive director Sara Blodgett replaced Matt Carney, who will continue with the company as a consultant. Now an emerging choreographer, Carney introduced his modern ballet at the White Box Theater. Next year, the company will reach across the border to Mexicali to provide master classes and invite artists to perform at Live Arts Fest 2018.

California Ballet

The stuffy stigma associated with classical ballet is cast aside at California Ballets annual Beer and Ballet event, where the first beer is on the house. The audience is invited to interact with dancers, who express themselves with music and choreography of their choosing. Ballerina Reka Gyulai titled her dance Encounters and chose a composition by Max Richter to accompany a poignant, breathtaking ballet. Associate artistic director Jared Nelson, whose choreography is known for its blend of dance genres (Jump Jive and The Great Gatsby), presented Ruled by Secrecy, a sensual work danced to music by the English rock band Muse. Nelson also choreographed Billy Elliot the Musical, the co-production between California Ballet and San Diego Musical Theatre that introduced 10-year-old talent Charlie Garton in the role of Billy.

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City Ballet of San Diego

City Ballet is known for its elegant George Balanchine productions. But it was ballerina Ariana Gonzalez, demonstrating her swagger in the principal role of Carmen, who delighted us. Paired with her husband, Geoff Gonzalez, as the jealous Don Jose, the duo made the Spreckels stage sizzle with passionate chemistry and technical precision. City Ballet said goodbye this year to married couple Stephano Candreva and Erica Alvarado (now principals at Atlanta Ballet) and welcomed promising new company members Iago Breschi, Elizabeth Fittro and Sumire Ito.

Malashock Dance

Modern choreographer John Malashocks Minor Fall/Major Lift underscores how the relationship between music and dance can enrich themes of separation, transition, dependency and empowerment. The bicoastal project (co-produced by Art of Elan and staged at the Lyceum Theatre) showcased five choreographed works danced to a live score by the New York-based NOW Ensemble. Malashock also traveled last month to the Midwest, where he choreographed nine segments of dance for the Lyric Opera of Chicago presentation of The Pearl Fishers, a production originally created in 2004 by San Diego Opera.

PGK Dance Project

As a dancer, teacher, choreographer and musician, Peter Kalivas of The PGK Dance Project is a skilled artist adept at linking audiences with talent in a way that supports the dance community. The Falls Back event at the Lyceum Theatre last month included a presentation of new dances by multiple choreographers, along with a spoken-word artist and a painter who captured impressions of the shows as they happened (both are veterans). He also assembled a notable panel of professionals to witness works by seven local dance companies for the San Diego Dance Showcase, with a focus on quality, craft and execution.

Manna is a freelance writer.
Blue Skies dedicated to a newborn child, When I Lost You penned for a wife gone too soon: In moments of great joy or grief, Irving Berlin was moved to give songs as gifts.

In the elegant and enlightening solo show Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, the great composer  who came here as a poor Russian immigrant and is immortalized for writing God Bless America and much more  presents his entire lifes work as a gift to the land he loved.

As he puts it: I wrote for you.

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The piece by the accomplished pianist-actor-composer Felder, who last performed it locally at La Jolla Playhouse two years ago, is its own kind of sweet gift in a just-opened run at San Diego Rep  a company that has played an important role in developing Felders work.

As he has done with a remarkable string of one-man, composer-centered shows stretching back more than a decade, Felder inhabits the character of Berlin, blending storytelling with performance as he explores his subjects long life and immense musical legacy.

Although Felder  who was most recently at the Rep last January with the world premiere of Our Great Tchaikovsky  tours the Berlin show year-round, its a particularly fitting piece for the holidays, given that White Christmas is one of Berlins most beloved songs.

That tune, considered the worlds best-selling single, serves as a focal point for the show, which sets up the conceit that we, the audience, are carolers whove come to serenade the centenarian composer on the final Christmas of his life.

From that opening, Felder steps back into Berlins youth, portraying the composer as he describes his familys suffering under anti-Jewish pogroms in Russia; the struggles to get by after emigrating to America; and young Izzys (later to be Americanized to Irving) first success as a singing waiter in Chinatown.

Theres a whole lot to cover here: Berlin was a tremendously prolific composer whose first hit song, Alexanders Ragtime Band, would pave the way for classics to come, including Theres No Business Like Show Business (from his musical Annie Get Your Gun), I Love a Piano, Cheek to Cheek and Whatll I Do.

Felder, a masterful pianist and versatile vocalist, plays the latter with graceful, rippling cascades of notes, seated at a grand piano on the tastefully festive set (which Felder himself designed).

He doesnt just touch on the hits, either: Hardly anyone still hums I Paid My Income Tax Today these days, but the show invokes that 1943 number to make a point about Berlins unflagging patriotism even in the face of discrimination over his Jewish heritage.

The show is directed crisply by Trevor Hay, with attractive lighting by Richard Norwood and strong contributions from sound designer Erik Carstensen and projection designers Christopher Ash and Lawrence Siefert.

Berlin lived so long that the show occasionally can feel as though its racing through his major life events: The sadness of losing his first wife, Dorothy Goetz, to typhoid fever just months after their wedding; the joys of his 62-year-long marriage to his second wife, the heiress turned novelist Ellin Mackay.

But it remains a warm and worthy tribute to a towering artist who found both redemption and refuge in music.

As Berlin puts it: What a song will never, ever do is leave you alone.

Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin

When: 7 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. (Check with theater for exceptions.) Through Jan. 7.

Where: San Diego Reps Lyceum Stage, 79 Horton Plaza, Gaslamp Quarter.

Tickets: $56-$97 (discounts available)

Phone: (619) 544-1000

Online: sdrep.org

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
It was a roller-coaster ride for the visual art community in 2017. There were highs: several local institutions participated in the regional initiative Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. And there were lows: the San Diego Art Institutes progressive executive director, Ginger Shulick Porcella, in April left the Balboa Park institution for the Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson. And there were controversies: the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum underwent a major shakeup, and local arts leaders worried about threats to dismantle the National Endowment for the Arts. It was a memorable year in the world of visual art. Here are five highlights:

San Diego Museum of Art: Modern Masters From Latin America: The Perez Simon Collection

One of numerous local exhibitions that were part of the larger Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA initiative, this San Diego Museum of Art exhibit showcased a private collection of telecommunications magnate Juan Antonio Perez Simon that had never before been displayed publicly. On view through March 11, it features nearly 100 pieces by modern masters from many Latin American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Its a whos who of modern artists  from Frida Kahlo and Rufino Tamayo to Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco, just to name a few.

Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA

Speaking of Pacific Standard Time, the regional artistic collaboration features more than 70 Southern California cultural institutions, including The Getty, which is spearheading the project. Museums and organizations from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, Riverside, Orange County and San Diego came on board for the pioneering effort, whose last iteration was in 2011-2012 in a show called Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980. Local participants include major art institutions like the Oceanside Museum of Art, Mingei International Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts, University of San Diegos Robert and Karen Hoehn Family Galleries, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and San Diego Museum of Art.

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Monet

Claude Monet definitely had a good showing in San Diego this year. Five significant paintings by the legendary French impressionist are on exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art (through Jan. 21) and the neighboring Timken Museum of Art (through Dec. 31) in Balboa Park. It wasnt planned: Both museums worked independently for more than a year to secure the works for their respective exhibits. The Timkens Monets Etretat: Destination and Motif features Etretat, an old fishing village framed by white cliffs on the coast of Normandy. Next door, the San Diego Museum of Arts Reflections on Monet showcases a large-scale painting of the lily pond in Monets backyard in Giverny, Waterlilies.

unDocumenta

On display through Jan. 28, unDocumenta at the Oceanside Museum of Art showcases the work of six San Diego and Tijuana artists. The exhibit, part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, puts the spotlight on the physical and cultural border shared by two nations and explores the effects of that intersection culturally, economically and politically. One of the pieces  Of Fence  is an installation by artist Marcos Ramirez, known as ERRE, who put up a wall on the museums facade as his artistic statement on the physical wall thats proposed 60 miles south on the U.S.-Mexico border.

San Ysidro

Earlier this month, Voice of San Diegos Kinsee Morlan wrote: San Ysidro, the neighborhood that touches the U.S.-Mexico border, is home to just two pieces of public art. But that will soon change. Thanks to an initiative by the citys Commission for Arts and Culture, she wrote, a newly launched effort will work to put public art in four neighborhoods that need it. The first to benefit from the program will be San Ysidro. Up to three artists or artist teams will each receive approximately $40,000 to create new art for a city-owned or city-approved site in the neighborhood.

Twitter: @outdoorlivingsd

michael.rocha@sduniontribune.com
Even in death, Charles Manson is proving to be troublesome for authorities.

A month after the notorious mass murderer died in a Bakersfield hospital, several people are poised tomake a claim on his remains. This has put the final disposition of Manson in limbo, setting the stage for a decidedly macabre and unusual legal battle.

With so many parties vying for the body, Kern County lawyers filed paperwork in Los Angeles County Superior Court in hopes of determining who should receive the remains.

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The Kern County coroner doesnt want to release the remains to the wrong person and end up getting sued, the countys attorney said.

This is a really weird legal case, said Bryan Walters, a deputy attorney in the Kern County counsels office. Weve had pen pals that claim they have written wills. Its like a circus, and nothing is clear where we should hang our hat on.

Kern County became the custodian of Mansons body by chance  he just happened to die in its jurisdiction.

We have the following problem were trying to cope with here: The Department of Corrections asked the Kern County Coroner to receive the body because we have refrigeration and they dont, Walters said. When we received it, we thought no one would claim the body. We assumed it would be an easy matter to take care of.

But this is Charles Manson, the mastermind of the gory rampage that claimed the life of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others during two August nights in Los Angeles in 1969.

A grandson in Florida and pen pals in California and Illinois all say they have a right to the remains. Two men who say they are Mansons sons  one in Van Nuys, the other in Wisconsin  could also stake a claim, according to Kern Countys attorneys.

Ben Gurecki is one of those people. Gurecki lives in Illinois and maintains a website dedicated to his correspondence with Manson and the killers music. His YouTube channel, Mansons Underworld Productions, includes videos of Gurecki talking about Manson and listening to recordings of his phone conversations with the killer.

Gurecki said he is working with Matthew Robert Lentz, who says hes one of Mansons sons, to bury him. Lentz, of Van Nuys, has claimed that the killer sent him a signed will giving him his entire estate.

Its a circus. It shouldnt even be a question. Hes got a son, his son has got the will, Gurecki told The Times in a phone interview Friday. We want to give him a proper burial.

Another person who appears ready to stake a claim is Michael Channels of Los Angeles County, according to the Kern County court filing. Channels runs the website Mansonsbackporch.com an online museum dedicated to the killer where he posts images and recordings going back more than 40 years.

Shortly after Mansons death, the celebrity news site TMZ reported that it had obtained a copy of a last will and testament from Channels signed by Manson and stamped Charles Manson AUTHENTIC. Its unclear whether the will is authentic.

Channels did not respond to a request for comment.

Walters, the Kern County counsel, said the only court filing hes found regarding Mansons remains belongs to Jason Freeman, Mansons reported grandson in Florida.

In Freemans petition, filed in Los Angeles County through two intermediaries hes hired to handle the case, he provides his birth certificate and a judgment of entry from 1986 that shows he is the son of Charles Millis Manson Jr.

Freemans father took his own life in 1993. He has taken it upon himself to do what he says is right by his grandfather.

I think of my father. My father would do the same steps that Im doing to bury his father, he said. Blood is thicker than water and the roots run deep. Im a fighter, Ive always been a fighter and I know my grandfather has been too.

Freeman said if he were given Mansons estate and his body, he would try to reverse the pop-culture tide that has raised his grandfathers legacy to iconic status.

He would cremate Mansons body, spread the ashes in a small, private service and not disclose the location to anyone.

Its not fair to the victims of this situation, he said. It causes a ripple effect. It moved from my grandfathers generation into my fathers generation and into my generation. I hope through the course of time to tell the other side.

Before finding out who gets Mansons corpse, officials must determine the venue for that court battle, Walters said.

The proper jurisdiction for administering a decedents estate is the county where they were domiciled, according to state health and safety code.

What is the domicile of Charles Manson? He wouldve returned to Los Angeles? He couldve been shipped everywhere by the prison system. Is it where he was housed? Walters said.

Manson lived in Los Angeles County before he was imprisoned and was arrested in Death Valley, in Inyo County. He was incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison, in Kings County. He died Nov. 19 at age 83 in a Kern County hospital.

Santa Ana-based attorney Alan Davis filed the petition on behalf of Freeman in Los Angeles this month. Davis said hes not surprised others are seeking to claim Mansons estate.

Im sure there will be more. People will come out of the woodwork whenever someone famous dies, he said. I didnt really expect that we were going to make a lot of money out of it. Its just like any other probate to me.

Walters said his office is considering seeking a court order to determine who should get Mansons body. That request would be filed in Kern County because thats where the body is stored.

The corpse is here, so that court should have jurisdiction, he said. Of course, I cant find any case law. It kind of follows the general feel of jurisdiction.
Note: In the coming weeks, Michele Parente and Karla Peterson will be reporting on how this watershed moment is playing out in San Diego. You can share your story with them confidentially by phone or email: michele.parente@sduniontribune.com, (619) 293-1868; karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com, (619) 293-1275.

For San Diegans, the sexual harassment scandal that drove Mayor Bob Filner to resign in August of 2013 was a tawdry civic embarrassment and a dreary political drama that left voters exhausted and demoralized.

But as we watch the growing parade of powerful men lose their careers and their reputations in the post-Harvey Weinstein wave of sexual-harassment allegations, it is clear that the Bob Filner scandal was also something else:

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A red flag of national proportions.

The first time I heard about Bob, I remember saying, Oh my gosh, this guys a pig and now were saying, Oh my gosh, how many pig men are out there?  said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher.

From the whispers of bad behavior that were tuned out to the victims who paid a price for speaking up, our Filner drama was a dress rehearsal for the sexual harassment furor to come.

We used to say in the Legislature that when California sneezed, the rest of America caught a cold, said former Assemblywoman Lori Saldana. Bob Filner was our sneeze.

In the words of some of the San Diegans who were there, here are some lessons the rest of the nation can learn from the Bob Filner scandal.

Donna Frye

A former City Council member, Frye was one of Mayor Bob Filners biggest supporters and briefly served on his staff. She was also one of the three prominent San Diegans who first called for his resignation in July 2013, after they had been approached by women who said they had been harassed by Filner.

Stop choosing parties over principles: Before Frye endorsed Filner, she asked people about the rumors shed heard about the candidates inappropriate and vulgar treatment of women. One of her fellow Democratic insiders assured her it was political dirty tricks perpetrated by the other side.

It wasnt.

After she and lawyers Cory Briggs and Marco Gonzalez held an emotional press conference asking Filner to step down, the insider reached out with a different message.

After the first press conference, I got an email from this person saying, Sorry I didnt tell you the truth.

Now, look at what they were saying in Alabama (about the Roy Moore accusers). Why did these women wait all these years? Its a political smear. The common theme there  the women must not be telling the truth  plays into the politics.

Dont ask, Why now?: For Frye, the question is not why women dont speak up about sexual harassment right away. Given the power imbalance in the workplace and beyond, it is a miracle that women speak up at all.

It had become well known that Bob was going after women, but hes essentially the boss over everyone except the City Attorney and City Council, so he has the power to force you out of your job. He had the power to make financial decisions for the city that could affect your business.

Its a very frightening experience because you start thinking, What am I going to do? I have to support my kids. I need this job.

Civil behavior is not rocket science: Obviously the best thing that could happen is that men understand you keep your hands to yourself, you keep your stuff in your pants, you dont talk to people in demeaning ways, you dont hit on people, and you dont show them your stuff.

Lori Saldana

In the summer of 2011, then-Assemblywoman Saldana told then-local Democratic chairman Jess Durfee about six womens claim of sexual harassment by Filner. She and Durfee continue to publicly disagree about the aftermath of that meeting. Saldana is now running for county supervisor and has proposed developing a nonpartisan process for investigating sexual abuse and harassment complaints against candidates and office-holders.

Dont underestimate the complicity network: Bob Filner had a network of support around him, just like Harvey Weinstein did. The staff are the gatekeepers. They shut you out. Its all part of the enabling.

When Saldana went to Durfee with harassment stories from six women, she says it shouldnt have been a surprise. The local Democratic party chose to support him anyway, and Saldana contends that speaking out about Filner caused her to lose the partys endorsement for her congressional nomination, which went to Scott Peters.

Saldana also says she was pressured by fellow Democrats to back Filner, whose progressive credentials included being part of the Freedom Riders civil-rights movement in the 1960s. In the end, she endorsed Filner, too.

You pick your battles. Do I openly work to fight sexual harassment or do I get elected to Congress to work from inside the system? Its a delicate balance.

I tell people, I dont have to watch House of Cards, Ive lived House of Cards. 

Empowered by the #MeToo movement, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., recently came forward to say her former congressional colleague Bob Filner groped her. (Zach Gibson / AP )

Susan Davis

The San Diego Democrat is a longtime member of the Congressional Caucus for Womens Issues and an advocate for female service members. She has joined other members of Congress in calling for an investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct against President Donald Trump, as well as co-sponsoring a resolution requiring more transparency and an overhaul of the complaint process on Capitol Hill.

Watch for red flags: Davis served with Filner in Congress, and she did not enjoy it. What she didnt know was that her unpleasant colleague was also a serial sexual harasser. And once he became mayor, his bad behavior escalated.

You have situations where people asked me what I thought about him. Without direct knowledge, I couldnt go beyond saying, Its not a pleasure working with him. But nothing Id heard was on the level of what was happening.

What Ive learned is however small and insignificant things seem at the time, its good to talk about it and share with others you work with and even to share them with others you dont work with. We didnt feel comfortable talking about that before.

Last month, Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado said that then-Rep. Filner groped her in an elevator some years ago. Davis is sorry DeGette didnt share the incident with her.

I wish she would have told me. It would have made a difference with how I dealt with it at home. I would have really helped her to be public with it, and I would have shared that more with friends in San Diego and pushed back even more so with his particular candidacy. I think that would have made a difference.

Speak up, reach out and listen up: Davis says we should take a lesson from the work being done to combat sexual abuse in the military, where the claimants sexual response team includes a counselor advocate who can help them think through their options and navigate their next steps.

Serial predators will get the message. We wont stop everyone, but people who take advantage of a situation, it might deter them.

Women serving in the military have reported that things are better. Theyre not fine but theyre better. These changes and the high visibility of the cases, that theyre not being pushed under the rug anymore, that word is getting out.

Patti Roscoe

Roscoe has known Filner since the late 1980s, when he was on the City Council and she was an advocate for the hospitality industry. On numerous occasions, Filner trapped her in his infamous headlock and tried to kiss her. After Filners communication director, Irene McCormack, announced she was filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against the mayor and the city in July 2013, Roscoe joined three other prominent San Diego women in a KPBS News interview accusing Filner of sexual advances.

Stop writing it off: It was common knowledge in political and civic circles that Filner was a grabber, a too-close talker and a fountain of inappropriate comments and unwelcome advances.

And just because everyone knew about it doesnt mean anyone was prepared to act on it.

It was just, Oh well, thats how Bob is. Just dont ever get in a room by yourself with him. And if something happened, who would you tell? So I would always take somebody with me when I went to talk to him, or I would just lobby him in the hall.

The victims pay a price: After Roscoe and the others went public with their Filner accusations, they refused all other interview requests and did their best to stay off the grid. But for Roscoe, as with many victims who speak out about sexual harassment, dealing with the emotional aftermath was the real challenge.

Im 74, and Ive done some hard things in my life. But that was one of the hardest things Ive ever done. Its messy to call someone on the carpet. And then you think, Who is going to believe me?

Even the women in Hollywood who were coming out with their stories. You hear people say, Oh, look at the kinds of movies she does. She was asking for it. What does that mean?

Look at what Irene (McCormack) went through. ... I know the only reason people believed us is because there were four of us.

I dont regret it for a single second. I guess I feel badly for all of the women who couldnt speak up or who were afraid to speak up. I wish we had done it sooner. But a sea change happened, and now well see where it goes.

Lee Burdick

A former legal adviser, Burdick was Filners chief of staff at the time of his resignation. In 2016, she self-published the book Bob Filners Monster, describing Filners tumultuous tenure and sharing her version of the events leading up to his resignation. She is now an attorney at a law firm in Fresno.

Believe the women: Burdick said when she learned of the accusations against Filner, she didnt dismiss them but did worry that they stemmed from ulterior motives. Knowing what she knows now, she would have listened more carefully and looked a lot closer.

The bottom line is at that moment in time, I was struggling like so many people to determine if any of the allegations were politically motivated and whether they were true.

I did not protect Bob Filner. I didnt call the women liars. I reserved judgment. I rejected the name-calling, especially (someone who) called him a monster. I said that was hyperbole and offensive.  I didnt defend Bob Filner one iota.  My mistake was I was late in coming to the right conclusion.

Harassers leave a lasting mark: When Filner left his office in disgrace, Burdick did not come away unscathed. Like the many men and women who lost jobs and reputations after their harassing bosses got canned, the stain stuck to Burdick, too.

I think what causes me the greatest discouragement following the Filner debacle was how friends  and Im using air quotes around friends  and colleagues abandoned me because of my association with him. It made it virtually impossible to find work in San Diego.

Anybody who is within a close proximity to a sexual harasser is affected by it  all in painful and negative ways.

Jess Durfee

Durfee was the former chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party when he was told that six women claimed Filner had harassed them. Durfee confronted the mayoral candidate, who said  correctly  that no one had ever filed a complaint against him. Durfee is current chair of the Western Region Caucus of the Democratic National Committee

That was then, this is now: When Saldana brought the harassment complaints of six women to Durfee, they went the way of many complaints that surfaced in many offices in our pre-Weinstein days.

Nowhere.

Durfee told Saldana to have the women contact him. Durfee says none of them did  including the woman whose complaint sounded to him like the most straightforward case of sexual harassment.

What (Saldana) described was rude behavior by Bob Filner. It was probably behavior unbecoming of a congressman. With the exception of one incident, none of them were sexual harassment, he said.

Though he said he doesnt recall the details of that one case, I would have acted on it had (that) woman called me. Absolutely it would have been a red flag.

Now, women are more likely to speak up about a whole range of offensive or harassing behaviors. And people in positions of power are more willing to believe that what they are saying is true.

The wonderful thing about whats happening now is that as women are coming forward, the response to them from most people is, We believe you. Were listening to you. We appreciate that youre speaking and basically well safeguard you from retaliation. Obviously, that wasnt the mood then.

We need new tools: While Durfee disputes Saldanas allegations that the party was well aware of Filners behavior and that she was pressured to support him anyway, he supports her call for nonpartisan investigations of misconduct complaints.

In an ideal world, there would be an anonymous, independent reporting system that could investigate. Honestly, if we had gone back in time, thats who I would have gone to.

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher

In her former role as head of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, Gonzalez Fletchers efforts during Filners campaign were considered instrumental to his ultimate election. Her call for his resignation days after the scandal broke, was also key to the bottom falling out on Filners political support.

Where theres smoke, there is probably fire: Like many female movers-and-shakers, Gonzalez Fletcher thought Filner was rude, crude and thoroughly unlikable. But he was a progressive candidate and her organization backed progressive causes. There were no workplace violations filed against him, so she looked past her misgivings and supported his mayoral candidacy.

In the pre-scandal mindset of the time, Gonzalez Fletcher and her political colleagues didnt connect the dots between creepy behavior and sexual harassment. They were not alone in that.

I never liked Bob Filner as a person. I liked his politics. I absolutely did not know what he was out there doing. I didnt like how he treated me. I thought he was a gross and dirty old man.

Irene McCormack called her before she went public and Gonzalez Fletcher was horrified by what she heard. I was so devastated that in any way, that all of us, helped put him in a position of power.

Its a question of power: Filner frequently preyed on women who reported to him and women who needed his political stamp of approval. As in the case of Weinstein, Charlie Rose and many other serial harassers, the power imbalance helped make the predatory behavior possible. Things cant change until we also deal with the victims who live beyond the spotlight.

We need to put the attention on these things happening in low-wage careers, with victims that nobody knows.  The #MeToo movement isnt just about lawyers, politicians and actresses.

Everything were seeing now, its much worse for those who are more vulnerable. They cant just walk away from a situation. They face deportation. The imbalance of attention we pay depending on who the victims and perpetrators are has to be noted.

We cant allow this time to pass without really digging deep and understanding that this goes on in every industry. If we are accepting that this as a power dynamic, then those with the least power suffer the most.

Twitter: @karla_peterson

karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com
Friends, family and fellow firefighters bade an emotional farewell Saturday to Cory Iverson, the 32-year-old San Diego County fireman who died battling the massive Thomas fire nine days ago near Fillmore.

About 1,800 filled the Rock Church in Point Loma to hear eulogies, highlighted by a promise from his widow, Ashley.

In a calm, determined voice, the mother of their 2-year-old daughter, Evie, and pregnant with their second  to be named Taylor  recalled one of the last talks the couple had before Iverson left for the fire lines.

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She said she expressed fear for his safety but also her wish to make a difference to others.

My sweet husband left this earth not as a hero but in my eyes he left as a superhero, she said, a superhero that has given me the platform to make that difference. So today I will make one more vow to you, my love. I vow to make you proud. I am no longer a slave to fear.

The Thomas fire, which broke out Dec. 4, has consumed 273,000 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, destroyed 1,073 structures and claimed one other death. It was 65 percent contained Saturday and is now the largest wildfire in the states history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

San Diego County Fire Chief Tony Mecham said it is too early to decide on a permanent memorial to Iverson.

1 / 24 Cal Fire Battalion Chief Carl Schwettmann Jr., left, and Cal Fire Southern Region Chief Thom Porter, right, console each other before the Celebration of Life service began for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. Iverson was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. Battalion Chief Schwettmann was Iversons battalion chief the day he was killed. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 2 / 24 Cal Fire Captain David Carney, who was Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons captain at the Cal Fire Station 30 in Dulzura where he was stationed, holds a button with a photo of the fallen firefighter before the Celebration of Life service began at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. Iverson was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 3 / 24 Cal Fire Captain K. Thompson waits with other firefighters for the family of fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson to arrive at the Rock Church and the Celebration of Life service to begin. Iverson was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 4 / 24 A memorial wreath arrives at The Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 5 / 24 As firefighters stood at attention and saluted, Ashley Iverson, and Evie Iverson, the wife and daughter, of Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson and their unborn daughter Taylor Iverson arrived at the Rock Church in Liberty Station for the Celebration of Life for the Iverson who was killed on December 14 in Ventura County battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 6 / 24 The program for the Celebration of Life for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson at the Rock Church in Liberty Station who was killed December 14 in Ventura County battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 7 / 24 Firefighters prepared for the Celebration of Life service to begin for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. Iverson was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 8 / 24 A mourning band covers part of the Cal Fire logo on one of the brush engines in Cory Iversons strike team. The engine and others were lined up in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station during the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 9 / 24 Firefighters embrace at the end of the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 10 / 24 Fire engines are lined up in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station during the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 11 / 24 Firefighters in a single file line walk toward the Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 12 / 24 Firefighters salute as the family of fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson arrives at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. Iverson was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 13 / 24 Firefighters in a single file line walk toward the Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 14 / 24 The Cal Fire Honor Guard arrives at the Rock Church in Liberty Station for the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson to began. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 15 / 24 Firefighters line up in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 16 / 24 Firefighters console each other in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station before the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson began. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 17 / 24 Firefighters console each other in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station before the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson began. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 18 / 24 Firefighters line up in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 19 / 24 The brush engine Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson was assigned to when he was killed December 14 battling the Thomas fire in Ventura County sat on a patio at the Rock Church. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 20 / 24 Firefighters console each other in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station before the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson began. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 21 / 24 Firefighters in a single file line walk toward the Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 22 / 24 Firefighters in a single file line walk toward the Rock Church in Liberty Station for Cal Fire engineer Cory Iversons Celebration of Life service. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 23 / 24 Cal Fire Southern Region Chief Thom Porter, left, and Captain David Carney, right, who was fire engineer Cory Iversons captain, console each other before the Celebration of Life service began for the fallen firefighter at the Rock Church in Liberty Station. Iverson was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 24 / 24 A mourning band covers part of the Cal Fire logo on one of the brush engines in Cory Iversons strike team. The engine and others were lined up in front of the Rock Church in Liberty Station during the Celebration of Life service for fallen Cal Fire engineer. He was killed December 14 in Ventura County while battling the Thomas fire. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune)

But one early idea, inspired by Iversons love of the outdoors, is to build a trail in his honor that future firefighters could hike and learn about his devotion to duty.

Iverson, a fire apparatus engineer, apparently died of burns and smoke inhalation, but the details will not be known until a thorough investigation is completed in coming months, Mecham said. The chief said Iverson had just completed a 24-hour shift locally before being called up to the Thomas fire.

In addition to his immediate family who live north of Escondido, Iverson is survived by his parents and stepfather, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins.

A family friend set up a GoFundMe page that so far has collected just short of $600,000 toward a $1 million goal. Donations may also be made through a firefighters benevolent fund at CalFire. A boot drive also drew $185,000 in donations Friday.

The two-and-a-half-hour service began on a warm winter morning at the Liberty Station church.

Hundreds of firefighters and first responders from at least 40 agencies stood at attention alongside fire rigs parked on Truxton Road, an American flag hanging from two ladder rigs at the entrance.

It was a silent vigil, waiting for the family and an urn carrying Iversons remains to arrive. Ashley Iverson walked slowly up the steps with her daughter in her arms, saying Thank you so much to well wishers who followed her inside.

A somber bagpipe and drum corps led the color guard of flags into the sanctuary, after which Rock Church Pastor Miles McPherson said Iversons family wished the service to be a party to celebrate his life.

We are here to celebrate not a fallen hero but a risen hero, he said.

Besides fellow firefighters, police officers and other first responders, the service was attended by Gov. Jerry Brown, who consoled the family beforehand but did not speak. State and local elected officials also were present.

Mecham recounted some of Iversons life story  a little shy and goofy who would sleep with his baseball cap, glove in hand, at night.

He graduated from Orange Glen High School and held various jobs until his uncle Stephen Thomas, who also worked at CalFire, helped him join the service.

He joined crews aboard helicopters and used hand tools and chainsaws to gain control over fires when water hoses werent present. He served on the Hot Shot crew in the Angeles National Forest and later met and married his wife.

One of the tributes Mecham read said, If you could clone a firefighter, youd clone Cory.

Austin Thomas said his cousin encouraged him when he successfully applied to the Palomar Fire Academy. Before his final interview, Iverson advised, Dont be a dumb ass.

Thomas said he wore Iversons name badge from his days at Vons to the service with a cross added to it.

Many firefighters pasted a black stripe, some marked Iverson, across their badges.

Iversons brother Luke delivered the most personal and poignant eulogy, saying Cory was his best friend and confidant.

Corys passion, determination and capacity to love were unmatched, he said. He had such a huge heart. Cory strived for perfection in everything he did. Whether in his work life or family life, he gave 100 percent, 100 percent of the time.

Choking up at times and pausing to contain his emotions, Luke Iverson said the last week has been extremely difficult for him and his family but that faith would console them.

I love you, brother. Im going to miss you so much, he concluded.

Officials said about 100 firefighters die in the line of duty nationally each year. Iverson is the only one who fell this year at CalFire, other than a state inmate who also died of wounds suffered fighting another fire earlier this year.

Mecham said after the service that many firefighters have already volunteered to help Ashley Iverson over the next year with house-keeping chores and other assistance.

The chief and his wife have become close to the Iversons and intend to watch over them in the future.

Its our extended family, Mecham said.

roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
A man was killed and another person was injured in an early-morning house fire in Mira Mesa on Christmas Eve.

The fire started about 4:20 a.m. in the roof of a house at the end of the Westmore Circle cul-de-sac, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Four residents were able to get out safely, but firefighters found person inside who did not survive the blaze. Another person was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

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Neither victim was identified. The Metro Arson Strike Team was on the scene Sunday morning investigating the fire.

Firefighters said battling the blaze was challenging because of several modifications to the home and items blocking the entry.

The front door was boarded up and padlocked from the outside, and several windows also were boarded up. Firefighters also reported that it was almost impossible to push into the home because of an extreme amount of personal items inside.

Inside the home, firefighters found some large rooms had been converted into many smaller rooms, among other modifications.

Embers flew toward neighboring houses, but the crew was able to prevent the fire from spreading, the department said.

The fire also destroyed vehicles and trash cans outside the house.

One neighbor said the man who died had lived at the home for decades. She said there were troubling incidents at the home over the years, and unsavory characters would regularly come and go from the address, which upset neighbors, particularly parents in the cul-de-sac.

The woman asked not to be named out of concern for her safety.

I cried and cried, I felt so bad, she said. I do believe he is in a better place than what he was going through here.

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gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

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The powerful waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash against rusting hulks beached along the coastline just outside of Nigerias largest city, as lines of cargo ships waiting to come to port stretch across the western horizon.

Government officials say they dont know how many abandoned ships choke Nigerias waterways, but they cause tremendous environmental and navigational hazards. And as more wash ashore daily, the massive vessels cause fast-moving erosion along Nigerias beaches that can tear away a kilometer of shoreline in a matter of days, experts say.

Shorelines are supposed to seasonally increase and decrease, said Ikenna C. Onyema, a professor of marine sciences at the University of Lagos. When a manmade structure comes in between, it cuts out its life.

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Forgotten ships rust across Nigerias roughly 850-kilometer (525-mile) coastline, while others can been seen partially submerged on inland waterways and creeks. Some have been there for decades, while others only days.

Many, abandoned after the lucrative theft of crude oil, serve as hulking metaphors for the lawlessness that plagues Nigeria.

The history of abandoned ships in Nigeria is intertwined with the slowly growing, strangling grip of corruption that nation has faced since it gained its independence from Britain in 1960. The first such ships came amid the booming trade of importing cement into the country during the massive projects of former military ruler Gen. Yakubu Jack Gowon in the early 1970s.

Ships backed up for miles with cement, awaiting for up to a year trying to come into the country. Only later did officials acknowledge much of the cement was inferior and companies put their ships in line to collect fees for being kept waiting. Some of the cement hardened in ships holds, sinking the vessels.

Today, it appears many of the boats left to rust along the coast belong to the increasingly lucrative industry known locally as bunkering - stealing the crude oil pumped out of Nigerias oil-rich southern delta by foreign companies. The CEO of Royal Dutch Shell PLC, the dominant firm in Nigeria, has estimated that thieves steal about 150,000 barrels of oil a day from the region by drilling or sawing into pipelines to install their own spigots.

From the air, one can see the wooden ships that carry crude through the Niger Deltas winding creeks to makeshift refineries to cook into crude diesel and kerosene. Much of the oil, however, makes it to large tankers that then carry the oil out to sea and into the black market.

Those tankers are later discarded along the coast. Outside of Lagos at Tarkwa Bay, about a dozen abandoned vessels dot the coastline, including one from Zenon Petroleum & Gas Ltd., run by billionaire Femi Otedola, a supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Coves in the area are being rapidly destroyed by ships, which deflect the force of waves in a different way, causing massive erosion, said Onyema, the professor. Oil from the ship and other debris, visible along the sandy beaches of Tarkwa Bay, cause damage as well, he said.

Yet the ships remain on the beaches. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, told The Associated Press in a recent interview the ships would be removed - but could not say when or exactly how many abandoned vessels there actually are. Last August, Nigerias Transport Minister Yusuf Suleiman promised to remove the wrecks within weeks, though nothing was done.

No sane-minded man or person should be happy with such a situation when abandoned vessels can cause environmental problems, when they can cause navigation problems, when they can aid and abet criminal activity, Akpobolokemi said. Why should you be happy?

While the government hasnt begun removing the ships, others have. Groups of salvagers move along the coast, removing whatever electronics and communication gear remaining inside. Gas tanks and blow torches follow, leaving behind exposed metal skeletons along the beach.

But that scavenging takes months, as the heavy waves carry in new ships all the time.

---

Jon Gambrell can be reached at https://www.twitter.com/jongambrellap .
Compiled by Sharon Knox

The Journal Times welcomes news about promotions, appointments, professional organization elections, certifications, and professional honors. There is no charge for this service.

Because of space constraints, we reserve the right to edit for length or clarity. The deadline for Names and Faces items is 3 p.m. Thursday of each week. Photos may accompany notices of new hires and promotions. Send your items to Sharon Knox at: sknox@journaltimes.com or by mail: Names and Faces, The Journal Times, 212 Fourth St., Racine, WI 53403.

Business anniversaries

Is your business celebrating an anniversary? The Journal Times publishes short news items of 10th, 25th, 50th and greater multiples of 25 years of Racine County-based companies.

We ask you to provide us with the basic information: when the business started; the founder; its location then and now; the original name if different than todays; and what the business did in the beginning and now.

We will include these in the Names and Faces column or use them as stand-alone news items in our Sunday Money section.

Send your items to Michael Burke at: mburke@journaltimes.com, or to Sharon Knox at: sknox@journaltimes.com, or fax them to 262-631-1780. Please provide a contact name and phone number in case we have questions.
Criminal complaints Monday, Dec. 18 through Friday, Dec. 22:

This list is not comprehensive. Municipalities are listed as they appear on the criminal complaint. Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. To see mugshots of the accused, visit www.journaltimes.com/gallery. Additional information about the complaints can be found at: journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts.

Vanessa R. Andersen, 2000 block of Erie St., Racine, personal identity theft-avoidance.

Rachel R. Barron, 1300 block of Orange St., Racine, operating a motor vehicle without owners consent.

Houston A. Beadles, 5000 block of Graceland Blvd., Racine, manufacture/deliver marijuana, deliver designer drugs, maintaining a drug trafficking place, and child neglect.

Naython Bergeron-Davila, 1100 block of Yout St., Racine, attempt armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Casey M. Boyle, 2000 block of Shoop St., Racine, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and bail jumping.

Charles E. Brooks, 1600 block of Phillips Ave., Racine, retail theft.

Shelonda M. Calloway, 800 block of Jackson St., Racine, resisting an officer, and disorderly conduct.

Jomel L. Devost, 1100 block of 20th St., Chicago, Ill., bail jumping.

Richard A. Dubois, 4700 block of 38th Ave., Kenosha, retail theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Casey C. Ernst, 3900 block of 83rd St., Kenosha, obstructing an officer.

Olines J. Ferra Ayala, 1000 block of Birch St., Racine, operating without a license.

Rayna N. Griffin, 1700 block of Grand Ave., Racine, substantial battery, operating a motor vehicle without owners consent, possession of marijuana, resisting an officer, attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer, and recklessly endangering safety.

Dominique D. Hale, 9700 block of Hallock Ave., Sturtevant, disorderly conduct, and domestic abuse assessments.

Mercedez M. Haun, 2000 block of Carmel Ave., Racine, fail/cause child to attend school.

Vanessa L. Hetchler, 1400 block of Plainfield Ave., Racine, food stamp fraud-value greater than $5,000, food stamp offense-misstate facts in food stamp application, fraud/get benefits, and public assistance fraud-failure to disclose event affecting eligibility.

Rakeem M. Higgins, 2100 block of N. 45th St., Milwaukee, fraud against financial institution.

John P. Hobbs, 300 block of N. Pine St., Burlington, possession of child pornography, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Daryl W. Hudzinski, 3800 block of W. Southland Drive, Franklin, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and operate motor vehicle while revoked.

Camron D. Kindred, 3800 block of Washington Ave., Racine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Janasia L. Kirby, 600 block of 18th St., Racine, attempt armed robbery.

Ashley F. Larsen, 10000 block of Washington Ave., Sturtevant, failure to protect a child.

Darryl H. Liddell, 2000 block of Deane Blvd., Racine, battery, disorderly conduct, bail jumping, and operate motor vehicle while revoked.

Dakota D. Marshall, 1800 block of W. Sixth St., Racine, battery, domestic abuse assessments, and disorderly conduct.

Tanita R. Marshall, 1400 block of Grand Ave., Racine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Talon J. Mascaretti, 1200 block of Prairie Drive, Mount Pleasant, possession of a firearm by a felon, retail theft, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Robert L. Mayfield Jr., 1600 block of Morton Ave., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Shatorra N. Maynor, 1500 block of Washington Ave., Racine, battery by prisoners, and disorderly conduct.

Traenovian C. McGee, 1600 block of West St., Racine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession with intent to deliver or manufacture marijuana.

Angel T. McLemore, 800 block of Park Ave., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Ruben Medina Jr., 600 block of S. Green Bay Road, Mount Pleasant, retail theft.

Deshaun L. Mosley, 1600 block of Prospect St., Racine, retail theft, and bail jumping.

Damon D. Muhammad Jr., 400 block of 3 Mile Road, Racine, disorderly conduct, and domestic abuse assessments.

Adrian C. Ortega, 3700 block of Northwestern Ave., Racine, disorderly conduct.

Dale R. Parker, 3000 block of Chicory Road, Racine, possession with intent to deliver or manufacture marijuana, possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a school, possession of drug paraphernalia, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.

Jordan T. Polack, 300 block of Sixth St., Racine, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, and bail jumping.

Charles J. Powell Jr., 80 block of Riverside Drive, Racine, possession with intent to deliver or manufacture marijuana.

Kirrionta V. Rhinehouse, 900 block of Chicago St., Racine, battery, disorderly conduct, and bail jumping.

Alexus F. Rivera, 3700 block of Republic Ave., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Tianna M. Rivera, 1000 block of S. 108th St., Milwaukee, obstructing an officer.

Tianna M. Rivera, 1800 block of S. 16th St., Milwaukee, possession of marijuana.

Damien J. Roe, 2000 block of Grand Ave., Racine, operating a motor vehicle without owners consent.

Anthony M. Royce, 1700 block of Birchwood St., Delavan, battery to law enforcement officer, threat to family member of law enforcement officer, resisting an officer, criminal damage to property, and disorderly conduct.

Delon Runnels, 200 block of Hinman Ave., Waukesha, obstructing an officer.

John J. Sabo, 4000 block of Miller Lane, Racine, resisting an officer.

Brittany S. Sanders, 1000 block of Lockwood Ave., Racine, battery, domestic abuse assessments, and disorderly conduct.

Jieana M. Servantez Harb, 1900 block of Harriet St., Racine, contributing to the delinquency of a child, and obstructing an officer.

Anthony Q. Shaw Jr., 4200 block of Marquette Drive, Racine, manufacture/deliver cocaine, and possession with intent to deliver/distribute a controlled substance on or near a park.

Kevin R. Showers Jr., 900 block of Willmor St., Racine, possession of marijuana, and possession of an electric weapon.

Nicholas E. Sperry, 3200 block of Spruce Court, Janesville, possession with intent to deliver or manufacture marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Darlene D. Stamps, 300 block of Jennifer St., Park Forest, Ill., theft.

Nadia S. Strong, 600 block of S. Green Bay Road, Mount Pleasant, retail theft.

Erin M. Sutera, 24300 block of N. Wind Lake Road, Wind Lake, operate motor vehicle while revoked, obstructing an officer, and bail jumping.

Anthony C. Taylor, 2000 block of Washington Ave., Racine, lewd and lascivious behavior, and disorderly conduct.

Johari S. Walker, address unknown, possession with intent to deliver heroin, and manufacture/deliver cocaine.

Antonio D. Williams, 100 block of N. Perkins Blvd., Burlington, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and bail jumping.

Adonis T. Young, 1800 block of S. Springfield St., Chicago, Ill., obstructing an officer.
CALEDONIA  In October John and Diana Rettig went to Oregon to celebrate an early Thanksgiving and Christmas with their son Jacob, his wife, Holly, and their two grandchildren.

Both of the Rettigs sons are in the military. Jacob was an Army pilot who switched over to the Coast Guard two years ago. James was in the ROTC program at Marquette University and is now an Army captain.

Knowing Jacob and his family wouldnt be able to spend Thanksgiving nor Christmas with them this year, the Rettigs decided to celebrate both holidays with them when they could  in October.

You open your gifts and have it early. Its not so important, the day, said Rettig. (The grandchildren) are young enough that you say, Were celebrating Thanksgiving! and they say OK.

Diana didnt grow up in a military family, so having two sons in the service took some adjusting.

It was hard  it was very hard. I didnt have any military background. I didnt know what any of these acronyms meant, she said. That is why I started a group.

The group, Blue Star Moms of Southeast Wisconsin, Chapter 2, is part of larger network of Blue Star family organizations that support the families of active service members. For the Blue Star moms, the group has helped them cope with a situation that can be alien to those who have never served.

Life in a military family

People dont really understand what our military does for our country, said Cathy Ramage of Wind Point. I dont think that people realize that when you have children in the military its different. You worry a lot. And they dont know how to support that because they dont understand.

Three of her children are in the service and, while not all three can make it home for Christmas, shes at least grateful that none are deployed at the moment. Her oldest son, Jack, whos in the Navy, has been deployed twice to the Persian Gulf but now works in human resources at the base in Virginia Beach.

She is worried that her second son, Eric, could be deployed soon. Hes in the Army infantry and is part of a heavy weapons platoon.

So hes boots on the ground, said Ramage. (Youre) worrying about their safety. Its always in the back of your mind. (You) hope that they stay safe and happy.

For now, Ramage knows shell get to have him home for two weeks over the holidays, which will be really nice, she said.

Rettig said that when her children were deployed, she lived for phone calls from them.

Because youre lucky if you can talk to them once a week, she said.

Those conversations have to walk a delicate balance to make the soldier feel included.

Its real important that you share things with them but its important you dont go on about what happened so they dont feel like theyre missing out, she said. You try to change subjects so its not about them missing something.

Staying connected

In addition to phone calls, Skype, Facetime and care packages, Blue Star families have to get creative sometimes with making their military family members feel included.

This year Rettigs group sent Christmas stockings to service members stationed stateside and decorated miniature Christmas trees for those stationed abroad through the organization Trees From Home.

When James Rettig couldnt make it to a close cousins wedding, the Blue Star Moms made his likeness into a Soldier on a Stick by cutting out a large print of his photo and attaching it to a handle. Stick-man James was included in photos with family and friends, including with the bride and groom. But it wasnt quite the same.

It was hard not having him home for the wedding, Diana Rettig said.

With her sons stationed on opposite ends of the country, Diana knows it will be some time before she can have all her children home for Christmas.

Its hard for the mom because sometimes you want all your kids home, she said. And sometimes its years before you get everyone on leave.

In spite of the obstacles, Diana thinks that military families may be better than non-military with scheduling times for everyone to get online and chat with each other.

Because we have to set that time, she said. We cant take it for granted.

Diana makes sure to send her boys a stocking every year as well as do all the things her family has always done around the holidays.

Tradition is just so important, she said. Just because theyre not here doesnt mean you should stop.
RACINE COUNTY  The discovery of several bodies in Racine County made headlines throughout the year.

From cases of murderers trying to use the county as a place to hide their victims, to buried remains reappearing from a long-forgotten cemetery, corpse discovery ranked as the No. 9 story in The Journal Times staffs poll of top stories for 2017.

Kenosha teen found

On July 24, 17-year-old Olivia Mackay of Kenosha was found dead alongside a rural Mount Pleasant road near Interstate 94.

Mackay had reportedly met up with Jamari Cook, 18, and Daniel Tate, 19, of Kenosha. The day before, the three reportedly drove around in Mackays car, ending up at Pennoyer Park bandshell, 3601 Seventh Ave., Kenosha.

There, Tate allegedly choked Mackay, and held her face under water for approximately five minutes, according to the criminal complaint. Tate then reportedly strangled Mackay and allegedly dragged her body back to her car.

The two then reportedly drove to Mount Pleasant, where Mackays body was dumped.

Tate is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and taking and driving a vehicle without the owners consent. His alleged associate, Cook, is charged with hiding a corpse and taking and driving a vehicle without the owners consent.

A possible trial date for both teens has been set for May 21 in Kenosha County Circuit Court, preceded by a Jan. 26 status conference and May 4 pre-trial conference.

Waupaca man found

The body of Christopher J. Melik, 48, of Waupaca, was recovered from Lake Michigan near Samuel Myers Park on Aug. 27. Sheriffs officials said they believed Meliks death was suspicious in nature.

Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne has said the man likely had not been in the water for more than a few days.

Sheriffs officials initially put out a description of Meliks tattoos to help them identify him, but it was his fingerprints that allowed investigators to find an identity, Payne said.

An autopsy was performed on Melik at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office. According to Payne, the results are still pending.

Milwaukee woman found

On Aug. 30, the body of Milwaukee resident Audrey Scott was found in Yorkville.

Police say Scott was killed in the early-morning hours of July 4 after she was reportedly driven to the wooded area by her estranged boyfriend, Sammie Miller, and shot.

The shooting allegedly stemmed from an incident the previous night in which Miller was reportedly upset after seeing Scott dance with another man in a downtown Milwaukee tavern.

Miller, 28, of Milwaukee, was charged in Racine County Circuit Court with first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the crime.

His trial is scheduled for Feb. 13-15, preceded by a pre-trial conference on Feb. 5.

Aged remains discovered

On Sept. 7, a jawbone was found at a Wind Point home in the 5300 block of Wind Point Road.

According to Chad Schulman, lieutenant of criminal investigations with the Sheriffs Office, multiple whole and fractured ribs, an arm bone and small pieces of bone that couldnt be identified were also found.

On Sept. 12, 1989, almost exactly 28 years before, a human skull, pelvis and other bones were found at the same address.

According to a Journal Times story published Sept. 14, 1989, police connected the skull and other bones found at the property to Evergreen Cemetery, which had been located in the same approximate area as the city wastewater treatment plant. They believed that the bones had traveled to the property with dirt used as excavating fill.

Officials with the Racine County Medical Examiners Office have already determined that the bones most recently found on Wind Point Road are very old. However, the next step in the investigation is to send the bones to a forensic anthropologist to determine a more exact age.

Theres no way at this point to identify the bones, Schulman said, and its possible the bones came from more than one person.

Body found at Pritchard Park

On Oct. 21, the Racine police and fire departments and Racine County Sheriffs Office found the body of a 61-year-old man lying on top of a picnic table at Pritchard Park, 2800 Ohio St.

The man, later identified as Hector De Jesus of Racine, had reportedly been revived the day before with Narcan, a medication used as an antidote to the effects of opioids. He had reportedly left the hospital against medical advice, Payne said.

The results of De Jesus toxicology report are not yet available.
Press Release

December 23, 2017 De Lima wishes for end to EJKs, vindication on Christmas This Christmas season, Senator Leila M. de Lima wishes nothing less for her country but an end to the extrajudicial killings brought about by the administration's all-out brutal war on drugs. De Lima, a known human rights defender, said more than any material present, lasting peace and safety can still be the best gift every Filipino can receive on Christmas. "Christmas is indeed one of the most anticipated holidays in the Philippines where Filipino families traditionally spend time together over good food and good stories. But may we also remember that Christmas this year, as with last year, brings sadness and grief to many of our countrymen who will not be with their loved ones killed in Duterte's drug war," she said. "This season is the perfect time for the government to heed people's call to end the killings in the country to prevent more casualties, and remember that the campaign against illegal drugs should be based on human rights and the rule of law. Christmas, after all, is best spent if family members remain intact and complete," she added. To date, the death toll connected to the government's murderous war on drugs has reached an estimate of 13,000, with the President vowing to continue his violent approach to "solving" illegal drugs in the country until the end of his term in 2022. A staunch advocate for human dignity, De Lima initiated a Senate investigation into the spate of extrajudicial killings under the administration's murderous war on drugs barely two weeks after she assumed office, and she continues to speak up against the injustices happening in the country until now. Like her birthday wish, De Lima said her Christmas wish is to be vindicated from all the trumped-up illegal drug charges filed against her by the vengeful Duterte regime. De Lima said part of her vindication means regaining her old, normal life. "I miss those days where I can do the simple things that make me happy, like going to the wet market, cooking, and driving on top of doing my regular duties as a public servant." The Senator from Bicol said she also misses going to the church every Sunday, and notably to Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan, twice a month. In detention, however, De Lima maintained she has grown closer to God and now has more time to read the Bible, along with other books that were given to her by friends and supporters who visited her. She will be celebrating her first Christmas Day inside the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police, in Camp Crame, Quezon City, on Dec. 25 to be joined by family, relatives and friends. The former justice secretary already confirmed that she, as with other PNP Custodial Center detainees, were granted visits from family and relatives on Christmas Eve, December 24, until 1 a.m. the following day and on December 25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ultimately, De Lima said she hopes this will be her first and last Christmas in detention.
Legarda Seeks Justice for Slain Lumads

Senator Loren Legarda strongly condemned the killing of eight (8) Lumads including their chieftain, Datu Victor Danyan, in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato last December 3 allegedly by military forces.

Legarda expressed outrage over the incident, noting reports that the victims were farmers who were harvesting their produce when the shooting happened.

"I seek justice for the death of these Lumads who were just doing their harvest for the day when they were killed. This is an atrocious act that must be dealt with using the full force of the law. I urge authorities to investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice," Legarda said.

According to news reports, the military claims it was an encounter between government troops and Danyan's group who were allegedly members of the New People's Army (NPA), but witnesses said it was a massacre and that Danyan was not a member of NPA but an active community leader.

There were also reports that the incident involves a dispute on the ancestral land of the Lumads.

"The families of the victims and the Lumad community demand justice for the death of their kin and the disruption of peace in the entire community. I call on the government to urgently implement measures that would protect our indigenous peoples and put an end to these unwarranted killings," Legarda concluded.
As a faith community we must rally around the nearly 10,700 Dreamers, plus their families, living in Wisconsin, and the 800,000 living throughout the United States, who face uncertainty because of the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These are young immigrants brought to the United States as children through no fault of their own. They have been raised in our neighborhoods, educated in our schools, and contributed in our workforce and military.

The fate of DACA rests in the hands of our Congressional leaders. Speaker Paul Ryan has already shown his support for Dreamers in his many comments, but he must act on those words and work to push meaningful legislation through. One step Congress can take is to provide a clear legislation solution like the Dream Act, which would grant these young people a permanent residence in the United States.

A clean Dream Act would allow Dreamers to stay and eventually to become citizens. They have already demonstrated their value, commitment and patriotism to our communities, our country and should be allowed to stay. If we believe these individuals have provided positive value, leadership, and desire, it is our obligation to show them grace and compassion. Congress must act to affirm the will of the people now. They have no other choice.

Sister Joyce Quintana

Racine Interfaith Coalition
Once seen as an adult supervisor to Googles founders, Eric Schmidt took their vision and scaled it up at astonishing speed, building Google into a colossus at the core of the worlds second-most-valuable company.

Schmidt, who announced Dec. 21 that he would step down next month as executive chairman of Google parent company Alphabet, didnt come up with the technology behind the Mountain View search giant. But he became the public face of the company, while settling smoothly behind the scenes into an unusual three-way power-sharing structure.

Schmidt, 62, began working with Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin as chairman in 2001, when the company had barely grown beyond its origins as a Stanford graduate student project. Months later, he became CEO. He oversaw major acquisitions, including YouTube  now the worlds largest video library  and online advertising firm DoubleClick, and helped transform the company through partnerships and investments into a household name for digital search.

To say he made a significant contribution at Google is an understatement, said Gene Munster, a managing partner at Loup Ventures, who added: The role of scaling a business is equally important as the idea itself.

Last year, Alphabet generated $90.2 billion in revenue, nearly all of it from Google, which gobbles up an astonishing 42 percent of U.S. digital ad dollars, according to research firm eMarketer.

Despite stepping down as executive chairman, Schmidt plans to remain on Alphabets board and serve as a technical adviser on science and technology issues. In a statement, he said that he, Googles founders and CEO all believe that the time is right in Alphabets evolution for this transition.

When Schmidt joined Google in 2001, the 3-year-old company showed promise but was not as popular as Yahoo for digital search. As CEO, Schmidt joined a triumvirate leadership structure and oversaw Googles main operations, allowing Brin and Page to focus on other projects, according to author John Battelle in his book, The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture.

Schmidt vastly expanded Googles trove of data, boosted by acquisitions such as Blogger, photo-storage site Picasa and satellite image business Keyhole. At a time when paid search results on major search engines were ranked according to how much advertisers ponied up, Google factored into its ranking how often users clicked on them. That led to a major deal with AOL in 2002, marking Google as a significant player in Web search.

As CEO, Schmidt was integral to Googles $1.65 billion purchase of YouTube in 2006. Though some analysts saw that price as too high, YouTube has emerged as a major pillar of Googles business, with more than 1 billion users.

Schmidt managed the company through its extraordinary growth, and should get a lot of credit, Battelle said.

Schmidt had an unconventional first day as CEO, a position he held until 2011: Searching for his office, he discovered it was occupied by several software engineers, so he moved to another room, which was more of a closet with a window than an actual office, according to How Google Works, a book Schmidt co-wrote with Jonathan Rosenberg, a Google senior vice president. A few weeks later, another engineer joined him in the already tight space, according to the book.

Schmidt and Rosenberg quickly realized that Googles culture was different from that of traditional businesses. They adapted their approach to the founders priorities, which included giving engineers more autonomy over their work. But Schmidt also pushed Brin and Page to hire people other than engineers. At first, the founders tried to veto Schmidts hiring Sheryl Sandberg because she was not an engineer, according to the book. Sandberg ultimately worked at Google for several years and is now Facebooks highly regarded chief operating officer.

Kim Scott, a former Google executive, credits Schmidt with fostering a culture where failure was welcome. When she was interviewing for a job, Scott had two failed startups and had written two unpublished novels, but Schmidt thought she had the perfect Google resume.

In one place, Im nothing but a failure, but at Google I have a perfect resume, said Scott, author of leadership book Radical Candor. Google was a place that really rewarded people who tried things even when they failed.

Employees were encouraged to try new things as long as they learned, and when things didnt work out, they moved on, she said.

Founders Page and Brin didnt always articulate their vision in a way that their employees could comprehend, said Doug Edwards, a former Google consumer marketing director and author of Im Feeling Lucky: Confessions of Google Employee Number 59.

For example, Edwards remembers working on an ad campaign, and asking for Brins thoughts. You need to think about it some more, Brin said, without elaborating.

Eric was really helpful for employees as a user interface for Larry and Sergey, Edwards said. He would translate Larry and Sergey into terms that we could all understand.

Schmidt stepped down as CEO in 2011 and became executive chairman, a title he retained when Google restructured and became part of parent company Alphabet.

Some observers speculated that Schmidts personal life may have played a role in his decision to leave the executive chairman position. He has had romantic relationships outside of his marriage, including with a woman who was later hired to run Android PR.

There is no evidence that his outside activities led to his stepping down. But his announcement comes at a time of intensified discussions about sexual conduct in the workplace.

More problematic for Alphabet may be Schmidts support, financial and otherwise, for former President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. His ties to high-profile Democrats will not help the company win audiences at the White House or on Capitol Hill the way Schmidt was able to mix with Washington elites over the past decade.

Alphabet said it expects its board to name a nonexecutive chairman, but did not specify when. Munster says Alphabet should look for someone who has a history of building or maintaining healthy company culture.

Schmidts departure leaves room for an executive to represent the companys positions on larger policy and social issues, Battelle said.

What Google loses with him leaving is a visible ... spokesperson for the company, Battelle said. There isnt really one now.

Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee
Steven G. de Polo / Getty Image

A woman was transported to the hospital after two armed men sexually assaulted her early Sunday in Oakland, authorities said.

The assault occurred about 2:30 a.m. on the 2000 block of International Boulevard, near the intersection of 20th Avenue, police said.
Chel Gilla

Owner, Tselogs, Daly City (plus Colma and San Francisco)

I grew up in the Philippines and came to the States when I was 16. Growing up, Nochebuena (the night before Christmas) is more celebrated than Christmas Day. For my family, in particular, it's a more intimate celebration. In my family, we have two particular foods that we eat  and if one isn't there it's not Nochebuena. Hamonado is one. It originated in Spain, and what pigs eat in Spain are fruits, so the meat is naturally sweet in flavor. In the Philippines, for us to get that hamonado taste, we glaze a ham with brown sugar and inject pineapple juice in it. It's very tedious, so I have never made it. When I eat hamonado, I always think of Nochebuena.

Hot chocolate is the other dish. In the Philippines, we don't have snow  we only have sun or rain. But during December you get that cool breeze, and hot chocolate is always welcome.

Ham and hot chocolate are essentials. But we also had more complicated dishes such as spaghetti  Filipino spaghetti is always on the sweet side  as well as pancit, lumpia and karekare, which is oxtail with peanut stew. What makes our kare-kare really good is that we roast rice and grind it really fine, which adds a smoky taste.

Beyond the food side of the experience, we had nonstop carolers. We gave money to the children who came around singing Christmas carols, using practically anything as an instrument. You'd hear Christmas carols all night.

As soon as 12 o'clock struck, we opened our gifts. Kids would get upset if they're not woken up at midnight. I would fight with my mom: I don't want to wear my pajamas! This is a special occasion!

Christmas Day would be more focused on long-distance relatives coming over. It's mainly a reunion. Nochebuena, though, is for immediate family and closest friends. If you get invited to someone's house for Nochebuena, feel very important.

Chantal Guillon di Donato

Owner, Chantal Guillon, San Francisco

Courtesy Guillon family

Reveillon is something very important in our family and in French tradition. Every region in France has its own customs. I grew up in Versailles, outside Paris, but my mother is from Arles, in Provence, and my father is from Sarthe, in the center of France.

I was born into a Catholic family, the youngest of eight children. When we were young, there were many ceremonies on Christmas Eve. We had midnight Mass at the stroke of midnight. Catholics who had passed through confirmation were not allowed to eat for several hours beforehand. When you're little you're always hungry. In addition to midnight Mass, all through the afternoon we had ceremonies at church.

When families arrived at home afterward at 1 o'clock, they were cold, they were hungry. There was a giant feast.

The Reveillon table was a feast, too, covered in figurines, balls, flowers, lights and candles. Our Reveillon meal began with a big platter of seafood  crustaceans, oysters, fish  and foie gras. The main course was always poultry: Goose roasted with chestnuts and truffles under the skin, served with various purees. More recently, it has been capon, which is a little simpler and quicker to cook. Afterward would come vegetables, and then some cheese.

At the end of the meal, we had desserts. In Provence, we make 13 desserts, 12 for the apostles and one for Jesus. We had desserts with dates and nuts, and a buche de noel, of course. That tradition goes way, way back to when peasants would go to the monasteries and the monks would give them a log, sometimes a tree trunk, that would burn for three days. The whole family would gather around the log and tell stories and warm up.

The meal would end at 2 o'clock? 3 o'clock? I was the last of eight children, so we had cousins there, and my older brothers and sisters were married and brought their spouses. It was a blast. A beautiful feast.

The day after, we started up again. Mass was over, so we would sleep late, and around 1 o'clock we'd come back to the table. My mother would often make jambon en croute, ham in a brioche-like crust. It was extraordinary.

Roberth Sundell

Chef-owner, Plaj Restaurant, San Francisco

John Storey

End of November is when snow starts to fall really heavy in Stockholm. Thats when I remember my mom would hang up oranges with cloves in them so the whole house smelled like Christmas. The house was beautifully decorated, and Christmas was really important.

Two weeks before Christmas we did our first ham because my family couldnt wait. The Christmas ham is salted, not smoked as it is here. You braise it first, and afterwards my mom would use the braising liquid to make a classic cabbage soup with ham and sausage. That was just to die for, especially when it was really cold outside.

Around Christmas was also when my mom would make a potato and anchovy gratin, called Jansson Temptation, for my dads lunches. It is made with onion and small spiced anchovy fillets that you mix into the cream, then you top it with breadcrumbs and bake it. In the evening when my mom made it, the whole house smelled like gratin. Me and my brothers would go downstairs and my dad would be standing by the stove. We would all get a taste of it before going to bed.

In Sweden, we celebrate Christmas on the 24th. We always had my grandparents and my cousins over, about 15 people.

Early in the morning wed wait for Santa Claus. Youre waiting and you see someone walking in the snow with a big bag. He comes up to you and says, I hear theres some nice children here, and hed open his bag and give us a present and then go to the next house.

My mom was always slaving away in the kitchen with my grandma. They prepared a big smorgasbord with 20 different dishes. She didnt just make three different herrings, she made eight herrings. Herrings with potatoes and beets. Whole fillets that she breaded and pickled. And classic ones, too. She also made chicken liver pate, Port pate and meatballs. The more I think about it, thats a lot of work.

We ate at around 5 or 6 p.m. During the day, she laid out a lot of snacks and Swedish candy. We were playing with our toys and eating candy. You cant ask for more for a kid.

My dad always fired up the fireplace, and our neighbors were always stopping in and drinking aquavit with my dad. My dad would take out his guitar and play. My dad passed away 20 years ago, so the more I talk about it I start getting sentimental.

With my own family, sometimes I drive my wife crazy. Im a very traditional guy. I think its important for a family to keep some kind of traditions so the kids have something to look forward to. I need to have a Christmas tree, and it needs to be nicely decorated. I am very inspired from my upbringing, how my mom would do things.

When Im cooking and the kids come home from school and theyre like, Oh my god, the house smells so good. Thats it. Thats what makes me happy, because even if they dont know it now, its a memory they will have for the rest of their lives.

Jakub Gruszczynski

Manager, Teds Delikatessen, Concord

CourtesyGruzynski family

I grew up in Swidnica, in the southwest of Poland. When I was young, we always had a white Christmas. There was always snow. It was mood-setting for everyone in the family. We would celebrate  14, 15 of us  in the village where my mother comes from, about 10 miles from my hometown.

Everyone would come over to my grandparents house. Then wed go a few miles away to my dads hometown. Wed constantly travel. It was all about visiting each other and food preparation.

A Christmas tree was a must. Obligatory. If you dont have a Christmas tree in a Polish household, it means there is something wrong with you. People are big on having kids making ornaments for the Christmas trees out of paper, glue and ribbons. Candy is very important, too  mostly soft candy wrapped up in small papers and hung on the tree.

Wed eat five to six hours before midnight Mass. Pierogi with sauerkraut and mushrooms, potato and cheese. Pierogi with meat. Red borscht with meat dumplings. Mushroom soup. Fish in aspic. Noodles with poppy seeds. Those are the most traditional dishes that we would see on the Christmas Eve table.

Supposedly, tradition says that carp is a must, but that tradition only goes back 50 to 60 years, to the Communist era. During Communist times, there was not much at the store. If there was anything missing most of the year, the Communist officials would say we could only get it at special times. Well, carp lives in the mud, it can eat everything, its cheap to process. Due to scarcity of food and goods, people were told that should be our tradition. I only learned that a few years ago. I never liked that fish.

For dessert, wed have cakes: poppy-seed cake, apple cake, cherry cake, cheesecake. Wed have compotes to drink, mostly made of fruits like strawberries or cherries. We wouldnt drink any alcohol before Mass.

Wed always leave one seat empty for anyone who would walk in. I was always told to leave one spot open for any stranger who would feel left out, or wouldnt have a place to spend Christmas Eve. If he knocks on the door, you have to feed that person.

Then we would walk 3 miles to the church for Mass. As a kid, wed try to escape Mass and run around the forest at night. As a matter of fact, I did it more often when I was a grown-up: I, my brother and two younger cousins would walk into the church, walk back out and sit in the cemetery near the church. Wed hear the organs from the church, and sit and just enjoy that tranquillity and peace.

It wasnt about presents, whatever you could eat, but about the fact that youre still alive. You appreciate life, you do what you can with your family. You appreciate what you have.

Courtesy Ahearne family

Joseph Ahearne

Owner, El Porteno, San Francisco

My family is from Buenos Aires and theyre often commenting on how traditions are changing, especially over the last 20 years. But they still have their Christmas Eve traditions. Due to the very hot weather this time of year, the food will be served cold. They will have items like matambre, a rolled, filled flank steak, and vitel tone, which is a slice of veal with a tuna-egg-anchovy-mayonnaise sauce on top. For sweets, there will be garrapinadas, which are homemade candied almonds  you can smell them throughout the city being made on the corners by street vendors  as well as turrones, nougat bars with almonds, and of course dulce de leche.

When my mom first came to San Francisco, it was supposed to be a short trip. She was Miss Argentina 1959, and on a publicity tour. When she met and married my father, one of the conditions she imposed was that they had to have a farm with land to raise cattle and pigs on. That, and my moms longing for home made our holidays more about everyday Argentine food than Argentine traditions.

She would start cooking on Christmas Eve, and wed have more appetizers, like beef empanadas and bunuelos de espinaca (spinach fritters). Wed wait until midnight, then be allowed to open one gift. On Christmas Day, shed roast a turkey, because that was the American thing, and garnish it with noquis (gnocchi) and empanadas.

Empanadas and noquis were so involved that my mom wouldnt make them often. They were a big treat. Shed turn the whole kitchen into an operation. Not only the kitchen counter but the table would be covered in flour. It was always exciting to see the kitchen transformed. Wed help, but then wed screw up the noquis  there was a way of rolling them with a fork that we could never do. Our efforts would last 10 noquis before shed kick us out of the kitchen.

Later on, when we got older, we all worked in restaurants. My sister, for instance, studied pastry in France and worked at Tra Vigne. As we started developing our experience in the kitchen, my mother tried to compete with that and get a little fancy. Suddenly, when we were in our teens, we started having vegetarian empanadas. Mom, why are you changing this? wed say. Keep it the same.

You never know how good you have it until it starts to change. The bunuelos de espinaca, I hated them growing up. They were the worst thing. Now I would kill for my mother to make them again.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Jackie Vela

Co-owner and manager, Balompie Cafe #3, San Francisco

My uncle opened the original Balompie on 18th and Capp streets in 1987, and he based the dishes on my grandmas El Salvadoran cooking. Thats all my grandmother made after the family immigrated here in the 70s.

I was born in the city, the oldest of five. My siblings have all worked at the restaurant at one point, but I always joke that I was the dumb one who stayed.

We serve tamales year-round at the restaurant but we sell a lot more at Christmas. People will order anywhere from 10 to 100 of them, and then they come pick them up on the 24th. A lot of people go to church, and its easy to go home and have them that night. Theyre my grandmothers traditional Salvadoran recipe, just like all of the dishes at our restaurant. Theyre different than Mexican tamales because theyre wrapped in banana leaf instead of a corn husk, which makes them really moist. Inside is a slice of cooked potato, chicken and an olive.

When I was growing up we celebrated Christmas on the 24th at my grandparents house in San Franciscos Portola district. All five of her kids and all of us grandchildren and all the significant others, friends, friends of her children, even friends of grandchildren would come. Our family would go over at around 8 oclock, and some people would come by later after church. By 11 oclock it was packed in her little house.

There would be hot chocolate for the kids and drinks for the adults  Kahlua, rum and Coke  and tamales were the main meal. Since everyone would get there at different times we would just eat as the night went on. My grandmother didnt have a big table, so as you showed up she would serve you, asking, How many tamales do you want?

She would have a gift ready for everyone. Even if she didnt know you were coming, she still had something for you. She would crack me up  she would say, Hija, hija help me get this down because she always had gifts, already wrapped, way up on a shelf in the closet, for people who dropped in.

By midnight, she would have convinced someone at the party to dress up in her Santa Claus suit. Shed load Santa up with her bag full of gifts, and he would go down through the garage and then come back in the front door. He took center stage in the living room, handing out the presents. Everyone had to take a picture with him.

My grandmother died in 2007, and now we dont all get together with all my cousins. She was the one who would unite everyone.

Still, my siblings and our kids and significant others still celebrate Christmas every year at my moms house. My brother has taken on the tamale-making tradition. He schedules a night three or four days before Christmas and we all get together and make tamales for the 24th.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com

Jonathan Kauffman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jkauffman@sfchronicle.com
In winter, with a fresh inch of snow outside the tent, a bump in the night can make your heart thump.

Not many critters roam around in the snow country. The few that do, most often mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes, are hungry.

My son, Jeremy, still fresh from hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, was just getting submerged deep in his sleeping bag this past week when he heard the bump in the night.

Something is out there, he said. I cant believe I left the food stash out. In winter, I didnt figure for any animals to come around.

Jeremy is one of a handful who lives in reverse, as we call it. When everybody is doing the same thing, that is, driving, shopping and generally pushing with an aggravated sense of urgency, as during the pre-Christmas crush, he does the opposite. That is what inspired him, on the eve of a cold, quick-moving storm before Christmas, to drive from the Bay Area to the mountains and set up camp.

Earlier in the week, my wife, Denese, and I had hiked a wilderness ridge and found a series of tracks that told a story. First was a set of deer tracks, on the small side.

Just ahead, we saw a set of large mountain lion tracks. At one spot, in a blurred mash, you could see where the lion had stepped right on top of a deer track. We went to work, tracking.

About an hour later, we were able to track a faint game trail down the right side of the ridge, looked out and sighted that deer, about a 70-pound doe. The lion tracks had veered off the opposite side of the ridge. The deer had won this round.

When I had told Jeremy that story, he showed me the mountain lion prints he had photographed in the fresh snow. Using his hand as a gauge, you could see how large these prints were; from Jeremys fingertips to the center of his hand, roughly 4 inches long, 3 inches wide.

Thats about as big as lion prints get, maybe a lion in the 8-foot range, by my best estimate, from nose to tip of tail.

In the tent, then the bump in the night came yet again.

Unlikely to be a bear, Jeremy noted. GPS collar studies show that bears, in the fall, often (but not always) descend to areas with oaks where they devour acorns, and then as winter arrives, return to higher country to hibernate, not raid a stray campers food stash.

To surprise the intruder, Jeremy exited his sleeping bag quietly, and then in a swift move, emerged into the tent opening, and with his flashlight beam, unveiled the culprit.

It was not a mountain lion. Not a bear. Not anything big, for sure. But definitely scary.

There, in the flashlight beam, was this little fellow, black with a pair of white stripes down his back, without a care in the world. The little guy glanced at Jeremy, poked around, and then with turn, ambled on into the night.

A skunk! Jeremy said with a laugh. That little guy didnt seem worried about anything.

Hall of Fame deadline

Nominations are due by Tuesday for ballot consideration for the coming years class for the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. A new category this winter  Movers and Shakers  is designed to honor Californians who have injected seismic effects into the landscape of outdoors recreation, yet who may not have the tenure to win lifetime recognition. Nominations must include a 200-word bio. I am this years chairman for the award and nominations should be sent to me at tstienstra@sfchronicle.com. The Cal Hall of Fame website is at http://www.cohof.org.

A Christmas wish

When the weather gets cold, its common for mice to come indoors, and right then, those at home face a point of conflict. There are three responses to deal with them. 1. Adopt a cat from a shelter, make them part of your family and let them have some fun. 2. Put out traps. 3. Put out poison. Its Brian Murphys Christmas wish that you choose option 1 or 2, and in the process, protect families of owls, fox and other predators that feed on mice. Poisoned mice can equal poisoned wildlife, he said. A trick for mousetraps, Murphy points out, is to put the traps in dog food for a week to remove the human scent, then bait with peanut butter. Cant use poison, Murphy said, not ever.

Cal Parks paradox

Californias state park system has been underfunded for more than five years, when the percentage of money from the state general fund was reduced from 91 percent to 29 percent, according to Ruth Coleman, the state parks director during the cutbacks. State parks raised its fees to $10 for day use, $35 for camping and $195 for an annual pass, and remains underfunded. A recent column about this caught the eye of Daniel Farber of Washington State Parks, and he provided this insight: Washington charges $30 for an annual pass (still $10 for a day). Two-thirds of our sales are now annual passes, he said. At only $30 for an annual pass compared to Californias $195, we make far more per capita than your state.

Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoor writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom

Outdoor notes

Wall of birds in sky: More than 200,000 geese and 1 million ducks have arrived at the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge Complex east of I-5 near Maxwell. The peak season for the 6-mile driving tour is now through early February, and the dusk fly-out may be Californias most amazing spectacle right now.

Water, fish, eagles: Los Vaqueros Reservoir, nestled in the valley of remote Contra Costa County between Livermore and Brentwood, is 93 percent of its new, larger capacity, and is producing excellent trout fishing and sightings by boat of both bald eagles and golden eagles.

Coming in 2018: Salmon will be introduced to the upper McCloud and Sacramento rivers and their tributaries in a push to establish runs of salmon that live in Shasta Lake but migrate upstream to spawn and recreate wild runs.

Point Reyes shuttle: The shuttle bus system at Point Reyes National Seashore, which transports visitors from South Beach Junction to parking for Point Reyes Lighthouse and nearby Chimney Rock Headlands, will start Saturday (through March). On a visit last week to the Chimney Rock Headlands, Geoff Chin reported sighting a bull elephant seal vocalizing to several female elephant seals, two great horned owls, a kestrel and pair of peregrine falcons, plus various loons, scoters, oystercatchers, buffleheads and other birds in Drakes Bay.

Missing sturgeon bites: In a story this past week, it was noted how easy it can be to miss a sturgeon bite, where you wait for the event and then can be late to the party. Said Keith Fraser: Im so old and slow that when I see the bite, by the time I get to the rod to set the hook, the sturgeon has cleverly taken the bait off the hook, slurped it down. And then, as it swims away, it turns and makes an obscene gesture at me.

 Tom Stienstra
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Its been two months since Halloween  two months too long for people who like to dress up for the holidays. Three dozen of them gathered in San Francisco on Dec. 16, dressed in wigs and flowing tunics, for an under-the-radar event that is poised to become as high-flying as Santas reindeer: Caftan Christmas.

San Francisco friends Van Hedwall, a psychotherapist, and Joe Armenia, director for artists relations at Sound Cloud, , created the roving party in 2011 and held it at Martunis piano bar. We realized it was Christmas, said Armenia, so why not take it up a notch? Everybody wants something sparkly and festive and fun.

Brainstorming for a concept, Hedwall, a former costume designer in Los Angeles, drew upon his memories of growing up in San Diego, where his mother wore a caftan to entertain in the backyard during the holidays  the essence of elegance. In a snap, a new tradition was born.

As the ranks swelled over time, the party outgrew Martunis and headed this year to the Stud, a gay bar in SoMa that is home to karaoke and drag nights. Attendees played off this years theme, voluminous, literally and conceptually.

I really didnt want to come tonight  I just rolled out of bed, joked Jesus Rodriguez, 44, a massage therapist, among the first to arrive at 7:30 p.m. in a white comforter with a hole in the center (for his head) that he called the Sealy comforter caftan.

Daniel Hlad, 45, a development director wearing a wrap dress with a white hoop skirt attached to the bottom, laden with garlands and sparkling lights, teased, Its Oscar de la Renta  Im surprised you didnt know that. Restaurant manager Bryan Price, 38, wore an evergreen tree costume with blinking lights. Im Dr. Seuss Christmas, he said gleefully. This is San Francisco  how it is, how it was, and how it always should be.

Sean Greene, 43, director of the GLBT Historical Society, wore a white satin dress covered with a white cape and a white wig  Phyllis Diller, he said, by way of 1960s girl group.

Alan Boykin, 47, of San Mateo, and his husband, Jeffrey Smith, 46, wore foam wigs studded with blinking lights, layers of long beaded necklaces and caftans stitched by Hedwall for another theme party years ago.

Voluminous and illuminous, said Boykin. Nothing too flashy  we dont want to stand out in the crowd.

Last year, the couple, both registered nurses, were unable to attend when Smith drew a shift in intensive care. This years tumultuous political climate and natural disasters were something they were happy to take a break from, if only for a night.

I was at Target, shopping for makeup for the party, and a man with his teenage son said sarcastically, Oh  youre buying makeup to look pretty? Boykin said. He didnt know who I was or who I was buying for  it could have been for my grandmother, whose last dying wish was to look pretty for Christmas.

Phillip Babcock, 52, an administrator at UCSF, attended for the first time with his husband, a Muslim from North Africa, simply because they had the freedom to do so.

This is the year I was ready to shave my beard and go and have some fun in San Francisco and appreciate what weve got here, Babcock said.

Among the few women attending: Shelley Stevens, 54, a counselor from Los Angeles and childhood friend of Hedwalls, who described him as not only stylish, with a knack for bringing disparate groups of people together, but a sweet man, too.

Hedwall, who was a production assistant for the art department for TVs Peewees Playhouse, and designed wedding gowns and worked with regional theater in Los Angeles, switched careers decades ago. Since then, he has worked for Catholic Charities and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp., and now works with suicidal adolescents in Silicon Valley.

Caftan Christmas, he said, is what I do to keep my own sanity. I love to see people create their own looks. Its a minute to step away from reality and have fun.

This story has been updated since it was originally published.

Carolyne Zinko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: czinko@sfchronicle.com
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Honoring a holiday tradition, Gov. Jerry Brown pardoned 132 people for their crimes and commuted the sentences of 19 more, his office announced Saturday.

The pardons are for mostly nonviolent and drug-related crimes, but many of the commutations are for violent acts, by felons facing long prison terms, either without parole or with any parole hearing far off in the distance. These convicts will now be allowed to make their cases before the Board of Parole Hearings to determine if they are eligible to be released from prison.

Among those to have their sentence commuted was Valerie Campbell, an Alameda County woman who was convicted of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted premeditated murder in 2001.

According to court documents, Campbell had been involved in the 1991 slaying of a woman and the attempted murder of another woman and a man in an Oakland shootout involving disputed contents of a storage locker. She was not found to have been the shooter in the incidents.

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Campbell, now 67, evaded arrest for nine years until she was tracked down at a trailer park in Arizona. She was sentenced to 25 years to life. As a result of her commutation, she will be eligible for a parole hearing.

One of Campbells victims opposed the governors action, but Brown said in his commutation message that while the crimes had a profound impact on the victim, I am moved by Ms. Campbells exemplary conduct in prison and her advanced age.

A more obvious commutation was for Emile DeWeaver of Oakland, who was serving a term of 67 years to life for killing a man in 1998 in a dispute over a street dice game and then shooting a woman who saw the attack. In San Quentin, DeWeaver avoided prison gangs and became a student at the Prison University Project, a published writer and member of the San Quentin Society of Professional Journalists, the governor said in a statement.

Ive dedicated my life to stopping violence, and I learned that dedication from violent felons, DeWeaver wrote in April in an opinion article for the Mercury News. They taught me that my violence as a teenager stemmed from unresolved traumas I experienced as a child.

Brown said a correctional officer and other staff members at San Quentin supported the commutation, which will allow DeWeaver an earlier parole hearing.

While the commutations may shorten or eliminate prison sentences, they do not erase the record of the original crime. The commutations all involve violent crimes, including murder and murder for hire. Some of the convicts are serving life in prison without parole.

All 132 people to receive full and unconditional pardons have already served their sentences, said a spokesman for the governor. In these cases, a pardon erases their convictions, among other advantages.

According to the Sacramento Bee, two of Browns pardons were for nonviolent felons facing immediate deportation  Mony Neth of Modesto and Rottanak Kong of Davis. Both men were Cambodian refugees who escaped the Khmer Rouge as children. Their felonies negated their legal residency status and both men were scheduled to be deported on Dec. 18, before a federal judge delayed the order. Now they can seek legal status through the immigration courts.

Since taking office for his second stint at as governor in 2011, Brown has issued 1,059 pardons. As far as his predecessors, Arnold Schwarzenegger granted 15 pardons, Gray Davis and Pete Wilson granted none, George Deukmejian granted 325, and even Brown himself granted just 404 pardons during his first tenure as governor, from 1974 to 1982, according to the Office of the Governor.

In terms of commutations, Brown has issued 37, which puts him in third place behind Earl Warren, at 40, and Edmund G. Pat Brown, at 55.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SamWhitingSF Instagram: @sfchronicle_art
Curfew in Manma after Myadi shot dead

The local administration clamped curfew in Manma, the district headquarters of Kalikot, on Saturday, as the protest against Fridays killing of a Myadi Prahari (temporary police) personnel turned violent.
A man was taken to the hospital Saturday night after nearly a dozen juveniles assaulted him on BART and stole his cell phone, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 7:30 p.m. at the El Cerrito del Norte BART Station at 6400 Cutting Blvd. in El Cerrito, police said.
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Lorde has canceled her upcoming June 2018 concert in Tel Aviv less than a week after it was announced. The pop star was slated to perform both in Russia and Israel, but reconsidered the latter after numerous calls from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement to boycott Israel on human rights-related concerns.

Lorde reportedly issued a statement about her decision, writing, "I've received an overwhelming number of messages and letters and have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views, and I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show" (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Her decision came shortly after two writers from New ZealandNadia Abu-Shanab and Justine Sachswrote the artist an open letter titled "Dear Lorde, here's why we're urging you not to play Israel."

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The writers urged Lorde to join the "artistic boycott of Israel," writing, "Playing in Tel Aviv will be seen as giving support to the policies of the Israeli government, even if you make no comment on the political situation."

"Such an effect cannot be undone by even the best intention and the best music," they added.

In response, Lorde tweeted, "Noted! Been speaking [with] many people about this and considering all options. Thank u for educating me I am learning all the time too."

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Not all reactions to her decision have been positive. Yair Rosenberg, senior writer at Tablet magazine, criticized the artist's move in a tweet, writing, "If this is true, @lorde will be performing twice in Vladmir Putin's Russia on her tour while refusing to do so once in the world's only Jewish state."

The show would have taken place at the Tel Aviv Convention Centre. The production company responsible for her show said that ticket refunds will be provided within 14 business days.

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In a recent statement, Lorde wrote that she prides herself on being an informed young citizen, and despite having done reading and seeking out opinions before deciding to book the Tel Aviv show, she is "not too proud to admit I didn't make the right call on this one."

"It's been a dream of mine to visit this beautiful part of the world for many years, and I'm truly sorry to reverse my commitment to come play for you," she added. "I hope one day we can all dance."

Read Annie Vainshtein's latest stories here. Send her news tips at avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @annievain
Calling the Trump administrations position disingenuous and troubling, a federal judge on Saturday ordered the Pentagon to permit a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union to meet with a U.S. citizen who has been imprisoned in military custody for three months after being deemed an enemy combatant.

In a novel case pitting the individual rights of citizens against government wartime powers, Judge Tanya Chutkan of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia also ordered the Pentagon not to monitor that conversation  and told it not to transfer the man, who is being held in Iraq, until the ACLU conveys his wishes to her.

A Syrian militia captured the American citizen in mid-September and turned him over to U.S. forces as someone suspected of fighting for the Islamic State. The government has refused to identify the man, but officials familiar with the matter have said he is a dual citizen of the United States and Saudi Arabia who was born on U.S. soil to visiting Saudi parents and raised in Saudi Arabia.

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit on the mans behalf challenging his indefinite detention without charges or a lawyer. The Trump administration has asked Chutkan to dismiss the case, arguing that the rights organization lacks standing to file suit on the detainees behalf since it has not met with the man, has no relationship with him and does not know his wishes.

In a 12-page ruling, Chutkan sharply criticized the governments position as disingenuous at best because the Defense Department is preventing lawyers for the group from conferring with the man. She also noted that the government has acknowledged that the man asked for a lawyer after being read the Miranda warning when interrogators shifted from questioning him for intelligence purposes to questioning him in hopes of gathering evidence that is admissible in a courtroom.

Having informed the detainee of his right to counsel, and the detainee having asked for counsel, the departments position that his request should simply be ignored until it decides what to do with the detainee and when to allow him access to counsel is both remarkable and troubling, she wrote.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the ruling.

Charlie Savage is a New York Times writer.
FORT BRAGG, N.C.  Storm clouds are gathering over the Korean Peninsula, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis declared Friday. And as diplomats try to resolve the nuclear standoff, he told soldiers that the U.S. military must do its part by being ready for war.

Without forecasting a conflict, Mattis emphasized that diplomacy stands the best chance of preventing a war if Americas words are backed up by strong and prepared armed forces.

My fine young soldiers, the only way our diplomats can speak with authority and be believed is if youre ready to go, Mattis told several dozen soldiers and airmen at the 82nd Airborne Divisions Hall of Heroes, his last stop on a two-day preholiday tour of bases to greet troops.

Mattis comments came as the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea, compelling nations to sharply reduce their sales of oil to the reclusive country and send home all North Korean expatriate workers within two years. Such workers are seen as a key source of revenue for North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns government.

President Trump and other top U.S. officials have made repeated threats about U.S. military action. Some officials have described the messaging as twofold in purpose: to pressure North Korea to enter into negotiations on getting rid of its nuclear arsenal, and to motivate key regional powers China and Russia to put more pressure on Pyongyang so war is averted.

For the military, the focus has been on ensuring that soldiers are ready should the call come.

At Fort Bragg, Mattis recommended the troops read T.R. Fehrenbachs This Kind of War: A Study in Unpreparedness, published in 1963, a decade after the Korean War ended.

Knowing what went wrong the last time around is as important as knowing your own testing, so that youre forewarned  you know what Im driving at here, he said.

The U.S. has nearly 28,000 troops permanently stationed in South Korea, but if war came, many thousands more would be needed.

Mattis said he sees little chance of Kim disrupting the Winter Olympics, which begin in South Korea in February.

I dont think Kim is stupid enough to take on the whole world by killing their athletes, he said.

Robert Burns is an Associated Press writer.
Curfew continued in Kalikot after two-hour relaxation

The local administration continued the curfew order after relaxing it for two hours in Manma, the district headquarters of Kalikot, on Sunday.
Geopolitical romanticism

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Kunwar returns with support of fellow migrants

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Farmers wanted Rs562 per quintal: Mills start purchasing sugarcane

Sugar mills in Sarlahi have started purchasing sugarcane from farmers without fixing the price of the crop.
Msian employers to pay foreign workers levy from next year

Malaysia has decided to make it mandatory for employers to pay levy on behalf of migrant workers from 2018 onwards.
In domestic route news, Hawaiian Airlines will increase service to the islands from the West Coast next year and Alaska Airlines is about to begin a new Hawaii route from San Francisco. [FULL STORY & COMMENTS]

Hawaiian Airlines, which is on the verge of beginning commercial service with its new Airbus A321neos, said it will use the planes to expand service from the West Coast next year. The airline will add a new route on May 1 between San Diego and Kahului Airport on Maui using an A321neo, and will begin extra seasonal summer flights with the aircraft (in addition to its regular schedule) between San Francisco and Honolulu from May 26 through July 31, and between Oakland and Kona from May 26 through September 2.
No more dress code

In 1998, I used to be a teacher and taekwondo trainer at Dawning English Boarding School in Myagdi. All the taekwondo students were boys, and in a bid to encourage girls to join,
NIAMEY, Niger  French President Emmanuel Macron promised more than $474 million in aid over four years to Niger during a visit and told the countrys president he was ready to strengthen Frances presence in the Sahel.

Macron spoke alongside President Issoufou Mahamadou Saturday after the two met to discuss the fight against extremism, migration and development in Niger.

We are ready to strengthen our presence in the Sahel, because the fight against terrorism is essential, Macron said. Though he emphasized that there were other major issues of concern discussed.

The lasting stabilization of Libya and the fight against migration and human trafficking, he said.

African migrants travel through Niger and Libya in the hopes of making it to Europe, and many die in the vast desert. Thousands of West African migrants are being repatriated in recent weeks by their governments amid outrage over recent video footage in Libya showing a migrant slave auction.

Mahamadou said the root causes of migration are poverty, insecurity and a democratic deficit. He said a development plan is being put in place.

If we manage to respond to this and we succeed in reducing rural poverty. ... If we manage to fix it in the villages, we could manage to bring a substantive solution to the question of migration and Niger is determined to pursue these efforts, he said.

Macron announced aid amounting to more than $474 million to Niger for 2017 to 2021 that will go toward security, development and democracy projects.

The French president visited Niger on Friday and Saturday, wanting to encourage Nigers growing military efforts to fight terrorism in West Africa. France has thousands of troops there in its largest overseas military operation and wants African forces to take a more prominent role.

Late Friday, Macron visited and dined with French soldiers stationed in Niger who are fighting against extremism in the Sahel, reassuring them that France wouldnt abandon the region to extremists.

The Sahel is a priority. Its that which plays a part in the future of the African continent, but equally and without doubt, a part of our future. We must not leave the Sahel in the hands of terrorists, he said amid 500 soldiers with Operation Barkhane at Nigers airport in Niamey, the capital.

In a show of support for French troops, he brought with him the chef from the Elysee presidential palace, who oversaw a meal for the French troops in addition to American, Canadian and German forces.

He encouraged the soldiers to remain vigilant and courageous, but emphasized that the military response isnt the only answer to extremists such as al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Boko Haram in the region.

Macron also said he supports the newly formed G-5 Sahel force that is made up of African soldiers from Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Dalatou Mamane is an Associated Press writer.
CAIRO  Hundreds of Muslim demonstrators attacked an unlicensed church south of Cairo wounding three people, an Egyptian Coptic Christian diocese said on Saturday, in the latest assault on members of the countrys Christian minority.

The incident took place after Friday prayers when the demonstrators gathered outside the building and then stormed it.

The discese in Atfih said that demonstrators chanted hostile slogans and called for the churchs demolition. The protesters destroyed the churchs contents and assaulted Christians inside before security personnel arrived and dispersed them.

The wounded were transferred to a nearby hospital, the diocese said after the attack, without elaborating.

A media coordinator at the diocese, the Rev. Yehnes Youssef, said later on Saturday that three Copts were wounded but have been treated.

The church in Giza just outside of Cairo is yet to be sanctioned by the state but has been holding prayers for 15 years.

The diocese said it had officially sought to legalize the buildings status under a 2016 law that laid down the rules for building churches.

Local authorities often refuse to issue building permits for new churches, fearing protests by hardline Muslim. Christians sometimes build churches illegally or set up churches in other buildings.

Christians constitute around 10 percent of Egypts predominantly Muslim population. Sectarian violence erupts occasionally, mainly in rural communities in the south.

Egypts Christian minority has been targeted by Islamic militants in a series of attacks since December 2016 that left more than 100 dead and scores wounded.

The country has been under a state of emergency since April after suicide bombings struck two Coptic Christian churches on Palm Sunday in an attack that was claimed by the local affiliate of the Islamic State group.
BETHLEHEM, West Bank  A Christmas tree inside the doorway beckoned travelers to the Jacir Palace Hotel, a luxury inn in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

But with just days to go before Christmas, the management was mulling whether to reopen or remain closed for the holidays, normally one of the busiest periods for the hotel.

Since President Trumps recognition this month of Jerusalem as Israels capital, Palestinians have been clashing intermittently with Israeli forces outside the hotels gates.

As the clashes have simmered on, Bethlehem, like the rest of the Palestinian territories, seemed suspended in a kind of limbo. With residents neither basking in seasonal cheer nor raging in the throes of a new intifada, the popular mood in the city was more one of hopeless resignation.

The Jacir Palace sits along a stretch of road that has become a main flash point for protests, only yards away from Israels 26-foot-tall concrete barrier separating Bethlehem from Jerusalem, the contested holy city.

Most of the hotels staff members had been sent home, since there were no guests anyway. One group was scheduled to arrive over the weekend. If there were riots going on at check-in time, said Ahmad al-Manawee, the guest relations manager, Plan B was to bring the lodgers in through a side entrance.

Many Palestinians in Bethlehem described their leaders as feckless and confrontation with the Israelis as futile.

Its been sold, Muhammad Abu Sabaiyya, 41, said of Jerusalem as he sat idly in his empty car repair shop. Those who are not going out into the streets know it was all already agreed to with our government.

Abu Sabaiyyas cynicism echoed a widespread sentiment as he stared out at the separation wall adorned with graffiti, including a recent addition: an image of Trump wearing a black skullcap.

Yet, despite the dire predictions of major turmoil, and the best efforts of both Fatah and Hamas to mobilize the masses, there has been no large-scale, spontaneous outburst of violence in the wake of the presidents declaration.

The response has been more of a part-time simulation of an uprising. A few thousand protesters have turned out at familiar friction points in the West Bank or along the Gaza border on the designated Days of Rage called for by the political factions.

Ibrahim Skakiyeh, 28, a father of two from Ramallah, was out hawking red Santa hats and selfie sticks in Manger Square, near the Church of the Nativity, venerated as the traditional birthplace of Jesus. Last year was gold, he said. Now he was out of pocket, having paid his bus fare and not having sold a single item in six hours.

Trumps announcement ruined everything, Skakiyeh said.

Analysts have still not discounted the possibility of a larger flare-up. Since Trumps declaration, at least 11 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, including one who wore a fake bomb and slashed a soldier with a knife in Ramallah. During clashes along the Gaza border on Dec. 15, two Palestinians were killed, one of them, Ibrahim Abu Thuraya, a disabled man who was said to have lost his legs in an Israeli airstrike in 2008 and had since become a symbol of Palestinian defiance. Two more were killed in Gaza on Friday, and one Saturday.

Isabel Kershner is a New York Times writer.
MOSCOW  President Vladimir Putin presented his vision for modernizing Russia on Saturday, while some of his challengers were formally nominated for the race.

Putin is running as an independent candidate, keeping a distance from the top Kremlin party, United Russia, which consists mostly of officials and has been dogged by corruption allegations.

Despite that, Putin showed up at United Russias congress to speak about his future goals. He pledged to offer broader support for business, fight corruption and pour resources into the underfunded health care and education system.

Russia is a country with a 1,000-year history, but we mustnt treat her like our grandmother, just giving her pills to relieve her pain, he said in a speech televised live. We must make Russia young, aimed into the future.

With his approval ratings topping 80 percent, the 65-year-old Putin is set to easily win another six-year term in the March 18 vote.

His most visible opponent, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, is barred from the race by an embezzlement conviction he calls politically motivated. Nevertheless, the 41-year-old anticorruption crusader has run a yearlong grassroots campaign and staged rallies to push the Kremlin to let him run.

Navalny has threatened to organize a campaign to boycott the vote, which would be an embarrassment to the Kremlin, which is focused on boosting turnout to make Putins victory more impressive.

The involvement of Ksenia Sobchak, a sharp-tongued 36-year-old TV host, could raise interest in the race. While Sobchak has denied colluding with the Kremlin, her participation could appeal to younger voters.

Sobchak has criticized Kremlin policies and called for democratic changes, but she has steered clear of any personal criticism of Putin, who in the 1990s served as a deputy to Sobchaks late father, who was the mayor of St. Petersburg.

Sobchaks criticism of Russias annexation of Crimea and her calls for more liberal economic policies and broader freedoms, including same-sex marriage, have helped her with reform-minded voters.

If church marriages are allowed, civil gay marriages should also be permitted, she said.

The Communists will field a fresh candidate instead of their chief Gennady Zyuganov, a fixture of past campaigns. They nominated Pavel Grudinin, the director of a successful strawberry farm.

Other veterans of past elections  liberal Grigory Yavlinsky and ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky  are also running.

Vladimir Isachenkov is an Associated Press writer.
MOSCOW  Ukraines president thanked the U.S. Saturday for its decision to provide his nation with lethal weapons, while Russian diplomats and lawmakers expressed dismay, warning that it will only fuel hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

The angry response from Moscow comes a day after the Trump administration approved a plan to provide weapons to Ukraine, including Javelin antitank missiles. Ukraine has long sought the weapons for its fight against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,000 since April 2014 and strongly welcomed the U.S. move.

I am grateful for the leadership of President Donald Trump, clear position of all our American friends, and for strong bipartisan support of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook in English. American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for offensive (purposes), but for stronger rebuff of the aggressor, protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense. It is also a trans-Atlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression.

In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the U.S. administrations move has crossed a line.

Washington has sought to cast itself as a mediator, he said in a statement. Its not a mediator. Its an accomplice in fueling a war.

Without mentioning the U.S. decision, France and Germany urged combatants to implement a much-violated cease-fire agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement urging combatants to observe a 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany. Its provisions include the withdrawal of heavy weapons such as tanks and rocket launchers and an exchange of prisoners.

The two leaders also urged the return of Russian military officers to a joint coordination center that plays a role in monitoring the cease-fire.

Merkel and Macron said there is no alternative to an exclusively peaceful solution.

The U.S. and its allies say Russia has sent troops and weapons to help the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has denied the accusations, but acknowledged that Russian citizens joined the separatist forces as volunteers.

Ryabkov warned that the U.S. move could warrant a Russian response.

The American weapons can lead to more victims in the neighboring country, and we couldnt stay indifferent to that, he said.

Vladimir Isachenkov and David Mchugh are Associated Press writers.
No turning back from unification bid: Dahal

CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has remarked that the unification process between his party and CPN-UML has reached a point of no return.
Upper House election row: Parties working behind the scene to end impasse

Despite political posturing on disputes related to the National Assembly election, three major parties are engaged in back-door negotiations with multiple options on the table.
Mia with her rescuer Michael Favor, founder of Pitbulls and Addicts. (Photo courtesy of Pitbulls and Addicts)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- After a Facebook post that included a video of a dog being repeatedly hit was shared more than 3,000 times, a New Dorp Beach man was arrested for alleged dog abuse Saturday evening, according to police.

Mark Katchusky, 42, of Seafoam Street was arrested for torturing, injuring and failing to feed an animal at 7:40 pm, according to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Public Information (DCPI).

The Facebook video showing a person, alleged to be Katchusky, repeatedly hitting a pit bull in the face sparked outrage Saturday from Staten Island residents.

Some people tagged local organizations that address animal abuse in the comments, while others said they planned on heading to an address where they believed the owner of the dog lives.

After receiving tips about the post, two animal rescue groups -- New York Bully Crew and Pitbulls and Addicts -- were able to track down Katchusky and rescue the pit bull named Mia.

The abuse was acknowledged and Mia was able to be saved "due to the firestorm about this posting of Mia being hit," said Carla Mohan, operations coordinator of the nonprofit animal rescue group New York Bully Crew.

When his fiance showed him the post, Michael Favor, founder of Pitbulls and Addicts, said he began calling around to find out if anyone knew where Katchusky lived.

After attempting to call Katchusky on the phone, Favor said he drove from his home in New Jersey to New Dorp Beach to rescue Mia around 5 p.m.

Favor said he knocked on the door and found an emotionally distraught Katchusky.

"He was really drunk, throwing stuff, flipping out," Favor said.

After some time, Favor was able to get Katchusky to surrender his dog, he said.

Favor then went to the 122nd Precinct House in New Dorp to file a report.

Police officers took Mia to a veterinarian on the Island to undergo an examination, said Favor. After any needed treatment, she will be returned to Favor and his fiance, Erica Mahnken, who is the co-founder of No More Pain Rescue, a foster based animal rescue service.

Favor, who is originally from Bulls Head, started Pitbulls and Addicts to help save and foster animals. The group prepares animals for a new home while using their love and affection as a therapy for individuals who struggle with addiction. Favor said he is a recovering addict himself.

"This is what keeps him sober. This keeps him going," said Mahnken of Favor's dedication to saving neglected and abused animals.

Mohan was thankful that New York Bully Crew and Pitbulls and Addicts were able to work together to successfully save Mia.

"Teamwork saves lives," Mohan said.

Now that Mia is in safe hands, she hopes that the city "prosecutes to the full extent" -- not just Katchusky, but all animal abusers, Mohan said.

"A slap on the wrist is unacceptable to us," she said.

Advance Reporter Kyle Lawson contributed to this report
WASHINGTON - Andrew McCabe, the FBI's deputy director who has been the target of Republican critics for more than a year, plans to retire in a few months when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits, according to people familiar with the matter.

McCabe spent hours in Congress this past week, facing questions behind closed doors from members of three committees. Republicans said they were dissatisfied with his answers; Democrats called it a partisan hounding.

McCabe, 49, holds a unique position in the political firestorm surrounding the FBI. He was former Director James Comey's right-hand man, a position that involved him in most of the FBI's actions that vex President Donald Trump and in the investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state, a matter that still riles Democrats.

McCabe won't become eligible for his full pension until early March. People close to him say he plans to retire as soon as he hits that mark. "He's got about 90 days, and some of that will be holiday time. He can make it,'' one said.

A spokesman for McCabe declined to comment, as did an FBI spokesman.

Word of McCabe's plans drew a response Saturday from Trump, who in a Twitter post characterized the move as "racing the clock to retire with full benefits."

When Trump fired Comey in May, McCabe stayed to run the agency until a new director was in place and take the political heat for decisions made by his former boss.

"Andy's in a difficult position now . . . because of the hyperpartisan political environment,'' said John Pistole, who held the FBI's No. 2 job for six years under former director Robert Mueller. Mueller now serves as special counsel, running the investigation into whether any Trump associates conspired with Russian agents to interfere with the 2016 election.

Pistole said McCabe "is weathering the storm."

"It's disappointing," he added, "to see how the criticism of the FBI is being used to try to undermine the credibility of the Mueller investigation. I think they've figured out they can't undermine Bob's integrity, so they're just going to go after whoever they can dig up any dirt on.''

Within the agency, there is praise - but also some criticism - for how McCabe has handled his role. Still, he has become a lightning rod in the political storms buffeting the bureau. Conservatives have called for heads to roll at the FBI, and McCabe is atop the lists of many. But current and former FBI officials said it would be dangerous to appease those demands.

"It would send a terrible message to move him now, but it's also a terrible situation he's in,'' said one law enforcement official.

Last week, the FBI's top lawyer, James Baker, told colleagues he was being reassigned, according to people familiar with the matter.

The pressure on McCabe has only intensified. He got an eight-hour grilling from the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday and returned to Congress on Thursday to face more than nine hours of questions from the House Judiciary and Oversight committees.

Other senior FBI officials, including those who worked closely with McCabe and Comey, are expected to face similar questioning from Congress next year.

Republicans are focusing in particular on the FBI's relationship with the author of a dossier containing allegations against Trump. The bureau offered to pay the author of that document after the election to keep pursuing leads and information, but the agreement was never finalized, The Washington Post reported earlier this year.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has called for McCabe's ouster, saying he "ought to go for reasons of being involved in some of the things that took place in the previous administration. We want to make sure that there's not undue political influence within the FBI - the [Justice] Department and the FBI."

Democrats emerging from Thursday's questioning of McCabe urged him to resist Republicans' calls to step down, saying the GOP's new focus on McCabe smells of political opportunism.

"Mr. McCabe should in no way be fired by biased political commentary," said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.

Trump and his supporters have made clear they want McCabe gone, but as a civil service employee, he can't be fired outright without a clear finding of major wrongdoing.

Christopher Wray became the FBI's director in August, and a new leader typically appoints a new deputy to help run the agency. When Comey became director in 2013, for example, he got a new deputy after about two months.

But within the FBI, even reassigning McCabe is viewed by many as a bad idea. It would be seen as caving to political demands and might provoke calls for additional housecleaning, according to current and former law enforcement officials.

McCabe rose quickly through the FBI's senior ranks, only to find himself, beginning last year, the subject of intense partisan fighting about his conduct.

Republicans attacked him after reports that his wife, a Democratic candidate for a Virginia Senate seat in 2015, had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from the political action committee led by a close ally of the Clintons. He had also been part of discussions with Justice Department officials that critics said prevented FBI agents from more aggressively pursuing their investigation of the Clinton Foundation. Agents were trying to determine whether donations to the foundation were made with an expectation of government favors from Clinton or her allies.

After reports about those issues surfaced in October 2016, then-candidate Trump singled out McCabe for criticism, and congressional Republicans demanded detailed answers from the FBI about his role in the Clinton probes - questions they insist remain unanswered.

In a separate Twitter post on Saturday, Trump expressed his incredulity once more, asking how "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 wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

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

McCabe's role is being examined by the Justice Department's inspector general, who has said a report on how the Clinton probe was handled should be finished by spring.

In May came Comey's firing, which left the FBI, according to one person inside the bureau, "permanently playing defense.''

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

McCabe was suddenly in charge, and, according to people familiar with the matter, law enforcement officials began to investigate the president for obstruction of justice.

In early December, McCabe faced yet another controversy. The Post reported that one of his senior advisers, FBI lawyer Lisa Page, had exchanged numerous pro-Clinton and anti-Trump text messages with Peter Strzok, the top FBI agent on Mueller's probe. The special counsel removed Strzok when he learned of their communications; Page had left the Mueller team two weeks earlier for what officials said were unrelated reasons. In one text, Strzok wrote that he thought Clinton should win "100,000,000-0.''

More problematic for McCabe is a text in which Page told Strzok, "I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy's office that there's no way he gets elected - but I'm afraid we can't take that risk. It's like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you're 40.''

Republican lawmakers have seized on the text as evidence that Strzok, Page and possibly McCabe were involved in an effort to somehow ensure Trump would not win the election. But people familiar with the exchange said that the two were debating how overtly they should begin investigating Trump, and that one of the factors they considered was the likelihood he could win the presidency - which they deemed small.

Even that explanation presents a headache for McCabe because it places a conversation in his office about how the expected election outcome should or should not affect the FBI's investigative decisions.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post. Devlin Barrett and Karoun Demirjian wrote this story.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mia Isabella Mannarino, 9, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in August, 2016 almost spent last Christmas in the hospital.

However, she was lucky, and was able to be home for the holiday.

A pediatric oncology patient at Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, Mannarino was happy to learn, once again, she would be home for Christmas.

However, the fourth grader at P.S. 69 in New Springville was upset for the children in the hospital who weren't as fortunate.

That's why she took it upon herself to collect via social media more than 100 toys and 3,000 boxes of "fun" Band-Aids for children who would spend the holidays this year in Richmond University Medical Center.

"Mia had a rough path in the beginning. She kept getting fevers after chemotherapy," said her mother, Michelle Salamone, who noted her daughter goes into the hospital once per month for chemotherapy treatment.

"After she had a spinal tap, she was afraid to walk because she got sciatic pain in her leg. ... We thought she was going to have to spend last Christmas in the hospital, but luckily she didn't," added the New Springville mother.

Because she's had a tough time with her diagnosis, Salamone said her daughter wants to help other children undergoing similar treatment.

"We go through this together. I had her when I was 18-year-old. We are really close. It was just me and her for a really long time. ...She's been through the ringer herself, and that's why she wants to help others," said Salamone.

BAND-AID DRIVE

One day when Mannarino was undergoing treatment, she became disturbed to learn the nurses didn't have enough "fun" Band-Aids for the children who are patients at the hospital.

"Every time Mia would get a spinal tap, the nurses would draw little hearts or smiley faces on the plain Band-Aids and Mia would ask why," said Salamone.

She said her daughter was told the hospital simply doesn't get enough donations or "fun" Band-Aids for kids.

Because of this, Mannarino, with the help of her mother, launched a Facebook and Instagram campaign asking for donations of Band-Aids. At the start of the school year she delivered 400 boxes to the hospital.

But for Christmas, she wanted to top that. She enlisted the help of friends, AntonioJude Tizio and Anhony Gavin Valois, and set a goal to collect 600 boxes of Band-Aids.

"We got an outpouring of donations from people. After seeing it on Facebook, someone reached out to the Band-Aid company and they brought 1,000 boxes of holiday Band-Aids in addition to the 2,000 Mia collected," said Salamone.

A SPECIAL DELIVERY

Mannarino, with the help of her friends and their parents -- Annamarie Tizio, Laura Kuka-Valois and Amanda Anderson -- delivered the toys and Band-Aids on Friday.

"We went into the playroom at the hospital, and she organized all the toys for the kids. She was actually able to go to each of the rooms and give the parents some Band-Aids to keep in their hospital rooms," said Salamone, noting two Island businesses -- Salon Gioia ans True Gents Barber Shop -- were drop-off points for the toys.

"To see a young face walking through the door [of a hospital room] was great. The kids and parents loved it," she added.

Hospital staff were inspired by Mannarino's efforts.

"Our staff finds Mia to be such an inspiration. Throughout her own treatment at Richmond University she was always interested in providing for other children in our pediatrics unit," said William Smith, a hospital spokesman.

"It is a testament to her heart and strength that she continues her efforts to benefit our most special patients," he added.

Said Salamone: "Mia said she felt really good to at least see the kids smile for a little bit while she was there and give them a little excitement for the holidays."
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- The top leadership of the Miss America Organization, implicated in an email scandal that targeted past pageant winners for abuse based on their appearance, intellect and sex lives, resigned on Saturday, with the outgoing president apologizing to a winner whose weight he ridiculed.

The president, Josh Randle, told The Associated Press his comment responding to an email to his private account about the physical appearance of 2013 winner Mallory Hagan came months before he started working for the Miss America Organization in 2015. But he said it was wrong.

"I apologize to Mallory for my lapse in judgment," Randle said on Saturday. "It does not reflect my values or the values I worked to promote at the Miss America Organization. Although this terrible situation was not caused or driven by me, in light of recent events and new developments, I am no longer willing to continue in my capacity as president and earlier today offered my resignation to the MAO Board of Directors.

"I feel terrible, but this is the right thing to do," he said.

Randle said his resignation was voluntary and had not been requested by the board of Miss America, which is based in Atlantic City.

Randle was one of three top Miss America officials to resign Saturday over the scandal, which began Thursday when the Huffington Post published leaked emails showing pageant officials ridiculing past Miss Americas, including crass and sometimes vulgar comments about them.

The emails included one that used a vulgar term for female genitalia to refer to past Miss America winners, one that wished that a particular former Miss America had died and others that speculated about how many sex partners another former Miss America has had.

CEO Sam Haskell and Chairman Lynn Weidner also resigned on Saturday. Haskell's resignation is effective immediately, while Randle and Weidner will remain for a few weeks to help with a leadership transition. Dan Meyers, who had been vice chairman of the board, was named interim chairman.

The organization announced the resignations a day after dozens of former Miss Americas, including Hagan, signed a petition calling on the group's leadership to step down because of the emails.

Haskell said he made "a mistake of words."

"Those who know my heart know that this is not indicative of my character, nor is it indicative of my business acumen," Haskell wrote in a statement issued Friday.

Several of the emails targeted Hagan, claiming she had gained weight after winning and speculating about how many men she had sex with.

The emails already cost the pageant its television production partner and raised questions about the future of the nationally televised broadcast from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall the week after Labor Day each year. dick clark productions told the AP on Thursday that it cut ties with the Miss America Organization over the emails, calling them "appalling."

Also on Saturday, one of the main recipients of fundraising from the Miss America Organization said it was reviewing its association with Miss America. The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals said it was "conducting an immediate review of the situation and will take appropriate actions."

"We are appalled by the behavior reported in the media and add our voice to others demanding investigation, action and change," the group said in a statement.

By Wayne Parry, Associated Press.
The Marine Corps commandant told about 300 Marines in Norway this week that they should be prepared for battle, predicting a "bigass fight" to come.

"I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming," Gen. Robert Neller told the Marines on Thursday, according to Military.com. "You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence."

Neller was visiting a Marine rotational force near Trondheim, about 300 miles north of Oslo. The Marines have been stationed there since January. Their presence in Norway is intended to support operations by NATO and the U.S. European Command, as well as to help the Marine Corps facilitate training in cold weather and mountainous conditions.

But Neller and other Corp leaders told the force they should be prepared for a change in their peacetime mission, should the need arise. In particular, Neller predicted the Pacific and Russia to be the focus of any conflict in the future outside of the Middle East, Military.com reported.

"Just remember why you're here," Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green told the troops, according to the military news site. "They're watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We've got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar."

As the Marines' top general, Neller is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon's senior-most leadership team responsible for contingency planning. It is unclear to what extent his comments were indicative of an actual war to come or merely meant as a pep talk for troops stationed far from home over the Christmas holiday. A spokesman for the general did not immediately respond to questions sent by email Saturday.

With unusual fanfare, President Donald Trump unveiled a new National Security Strategy last week that cast China and Russia as competitors for global power and potential threats to the United States.

"China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity," the document states. "They are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence."

As The Washington Post's Anne Gearan and Steven Mufson reported, however, the new national security strategy dances around Russia's attempts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election, much in the way Trump has since he was elected:

Trump has publicly complimented Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him "very smart," and has sought a better relationship with Russia after years of worsening ties under Obama. He has been openly skeptical of U.S. intelligence findings that Russia mounted a systematic effort to undermine the 2016 presidential election. But Trump has not reversed congressional sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, as Putin hoped he would.

The strategy document released Monday skirts the issue of Russia's involvement in the presidential election.

"Through modernized forms of subversive tactics, Russia interferes in the domestic political affairs of countries around the world," the document says.

(c) 2017 The Washington Post. Amy B. Wang wrote this story.
Press Chautari Nepal expresses concern about police's move in relation to news

The Press Chautari Nepal has voiced its concern about the police writing to editors of five media outlets for clarification in relation to news.
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Firefighters have extinguished a fire near the Corin Dam wall in Canberra's Namadgi National Park.

The Emergency Services Agency said 10 units fought the blaze, which burnt at a slow rate in a southeast direction on Sunday afternoon.

By 4.15pm, crews had set up control lines around the fire and contained the blaze, and it was extinguished by about 5.30pm.

"ACT Fire & Rescue and the ACT Rural Fire Service will patrol the area over the coming days to ensure the blaze does not reignite," it said in a statement.
There were "millions of unused foot spas", as much as $800 million in waste, according to the institute's Richard Denniss, who's still at it. His new book, Curing Affluenza , is built around the proposition that we buy too many things. My colleague, Ross Gittins, picked up on his ideas this week .

Worse still, the gift givers know it. One in four said they knew that at least some of their gifts would end up wasted .

A few years back the Australia Institute produced research suggesting that as many as 6 million of us get gifts we don't want and sometimes give away.

Christmas isn't about avoiding waste. That's what the rest of the year is for. Credit:Paul Jeffers

The idea that this is wrong was made famous in one of the most downloaded economic papers of all time. It's called The Deadweight Loss of Christmas. It says the best gift a giver can buy with, say, $20, is exactly the one the recipient would have bought for him or herself. Because the giver usually won't hit that target, the gift he or she does give will nearly always leave the recipient worse off than if he or she had just been given the cash and spent it on his or herself.

It's an old idea.

In the late 1800s, George Bernard Shaw raged against the notion that "we must be drunken because it is Christmas, we must be insincerely generous; we must buy things that nobody wants and give them to people we don't like". All because businesses "depend on a week of licence and brigandage, waste and intemperance, to clear off their outstanding liabilities at the end of the year."

But Denniss, Shaw, Gittins, and also the late Christopher Hitchens who declared that his life's ambition was "to write an anti-Christmas column that becomes fiercer every year", miss the point. Christmas isn't about avoiding waste. That's what the rest of the year is for. It's about celebrating waste, just once a year, in order to be truly human.
As travellers board flights to Ireland and Northern Ireland for Christmas, they are finding themselves in the company of flyers toting a message on their luggage tags about the journey women on the island must make to have an abortion.

The white luggage tags - sold by an organisation based in London, where Irish women often travel to receive the procedure - bear the message: "HEALTHCARE NOT AIRFARE #Reapealthe8th #TrustWomen."

The tags refer to the Eighth Amendment to Ireland's Constitution, which in 1983 banned abortion in nearly all cases and committed the nation to the principle that a pregnant woman and her fetus have an "equal right to life."

But next year, Ireland is expected to vote in a referendum that could give the government the freedom to ease restrictions on abortion.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of NSW as a scorching day in Sydney winds down and Christmas Eve celebrations ramp up.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned people in parts of the mid-north coast, Hunter, northern rivers and northern tablelands districts to be wary of possible damaging winds and large hailstones on Sunday evening. Earlier warnings for the metropolitan and central tablelands districts have been cancelled.

Storms could be "hit and miss" across Sydney on Sunday afternoon. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Sunday boasts a trademark day of chaotic Sydney weather, as sweltering temperatures give way to a potentially stormy afternoon followed by a "gusty" evening.

Temperatures peaked at 34 degrees in the city and around 41 degrees in the west but had begun to drop by about 1pm.
Family of a missing Sydney man have appealed for more help, after the 25-year-old disappeared in the early hours of Friday morning.

Patrick Hahn, known as "PJ", was drinking with mates at the Marlborough Hotel in Newtown on Thursday evening, before police believe he travelled by taxi to a spot on Victoria Road, Drummoyne at about 1.15am on Friday.

Police are appealing for help finding 25-year-old Patrick Hahn, who went missing early on Friday from Drummoyne. Credit:NSW Police/Facebook

Mr Hahn was last seen walking along Victoria Road towards the Gladesville Bridge.

Family posted on Facebook that they had seen CCTV footage of Mr Hahn walking past the 7/11 on Victoria Road about 1.30am on Friday. They pleaded with anyone who may have driven past to come forward with any information.
A toddler has died after being pulled unconscious from a pool in Sydney's south-west.

Emergency services were called to a home on Broad Street in Bass Hill just before 6.45pm on Sunday, after the two-year-old was found unconscious in the portable pool.

It's understood police arrived at the house within minutes and began CPR on the young boy, before NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived and began treating him.

The boy's ambulance was given a police escort to Westmead Children's Hospital, however the child could not be saved. He was pronounced dead at hospital.

There were distraught scenes on the street, where a large number of family members and neighbours had gathered.
Prez Bhandari urges parties to forge consensus

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has underscored the need for consensus and collaboration among political parties to form the National Assembly.
Firefighters continue to work to contain a bushfire near Mayfair Road at Mulgoa in western Sydney, which has burnt through about 240 hectares of land.

The fire broke out on the edge of the Blue Mountains National Park in Mulgoa as the temperature passed 40 degrees on Sunday afternoon.

The Rural Fire Service is working to contain a bushfire at Mulgoa on Christmas Eve. Credit:Miriam Webber

The blaze initially moved towards homes along Mayfair Road, before a wind change pushed it west towards the Nepean River.

Water bombing aircraft were sent to assist the effort to control the fire. The Rural Fire Service downgraded the threat level from "watch and act" to "advice" on Sunday evening.
A horrific crash involving two cars in Point Cook has left three people dead and one fighting for life on Christmas Eve.

Police said an Audi travelling north well in excess of the 70km/h speed limit veered on to the wrong side of Palmers Road, slamming into a Honda Jazz carrying two women.

Police at the scene of the Point Cook crash. Credit:Jane Gilmore

The Audi was travelling so fast that when it hit a road barrier the engine was forced from the car and the battery was found 100 metres down the road.

The two vehicles collided on Palmers Road nears Whistler Crescent just after 7.30pm.
Several women have been sexually assaulted by a man at a shopping centre in Melbourne's west.

Police are investigating a series of indecent assaults on women during the lunchtime shopping peak at the Keilor Downs shopping centre on December 12, just before 1pm.

The man approached several women, walking up behind, then waiting until they were distracted before committing an indecent act.

CCTV image of a man police believe can help them with their inquiries Credit:Michelle Griffin

One of the victims, who realised what the man was doing, yelled at him. This led him to walk away, through the food area and out of the shopping centre.
Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying about his attempts to connect the campaign and Russia; top campaign officials knew he was reaching out to Russia. And, the biggie: Former national security adviser Michael Flynn admitted he lied to the FBI about the nature of his conversations during the transition with the Russian ambassador to the United States. (The two talked about political issues, such as U.S. sanctions on Russia, which Flynn originally denied.) Now Flynn is cooperating with the special counsel, which could be a big deal. As The Washington Post's Rosalind Helderman, Tom Hamburger and Karen DeYoung reported: "If anyone on the campaign coordinated with the Russians in their efforts to interfere with the election, Flynn would probably have been aware." 2. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, were also indicted in Mueller's investigation. They pleaded not guilty to charges related to money laundering and making false statements related to their past work advising a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. Paul Manafort accompanied by his lawyers, arrives at federal court, in Washington. Credit:AP

3. The special counsel is looking into the president himself, specifically whether Trump obstructed justice by abruptly firing former FBI director James Comey. 4. Trump's lawyer said the president knew Flynn had probably given the FBI inaccurate information about his conversations with the Russian ambassador. Trump found this out a few weeks before Comey claims the president asked him to go easy on Flynn. Legal experts say if Trump knew Flynn had lied, it could explain why he allegedly asked Comey to "let this go." Trump denies making the request. 5. Comey all but accused the president of obstructing justice. He testified under oath to Congress that he believes Trump fired him because of the Russia investigation. "It's my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation - I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted," Comey said. "That is a very big deal." White House senior adviser Jared Kushnermet with a Kremlin-connected lawyer in Trump Tower before the 2016 election. Credit:AP 6. Emails revealed Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Manafort met with a Kremlin-connected lawyer in Trump Tower in New York during the campaign on the premise that she had dirt on Hillary Clinton as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump." Legal experts told The Fix that this likely crossed the legal line on collusion.

7. When that meeting became public knowledge in 2017, Trump dictated his son's misleading statement on what it was about, telling him to say it was primarily to discuss policies on Russian adoptions. It's still not clear if the president knew about the meeting when it happened. 8. Various members of the Trump campaign and administration have repeatedly not been forthcoming about their Russia connections. Two high-profile examples:Kushner didn't include his meetings with Russians on his security clearance, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions had to retestify to Congress that he did have conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the campaign despite indicating under oath he hadn't. "They either denied or omitted their meetings with Russians," Jacobovitz said. 9. During the transition, Kushner suggested establishing secure communication lines between Trump officials and the Kremlin via Russian diplomatic facilities. That's according to the Russian ambassador, who relayed this request to his bosses in Moscow. 10. Mueller has interviewed two dozen current and former Trump aides, including Kushner, former chief of staff Reince Priebus, former press secretary Sean Spicer and current communications director Hope Hicks.

Sean Spicer, the now former White House press secretary, has been interviewed as part of the investigation. Credit:Olivier Douliery 11. Trump Jr exchanged private messages with WikiLeaks during the campaign, at the same time the website was publishing hacked emails of Democratic National Committee staffers and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. 12. The Russians extensively used Facebook and Twitter to interfere with the election. Here's one big thing we don't know: whether any of this implicates the president or his campaign. It might. Or it might not. And we may never uncover a smoking gun, legal experts say. "I think it's unlikely to be the kind of case where there's one event or one development that is so significant that it blows the story out of the water," said Jens David Ohlin, vice dean of Cornell Law School. "It's a slow accumulation of dozens of different events, conversations and moments that are pieced together. And then, when you look at the whole story, you say: 'Hey, wait a minute. Something is going on here.' "
Kim Jong-un did everything he said he'd do this year. Credit:Wong Maye-E Far from struggling with the job, he appears bolder than ever. On a trip this month to Mount Paektu, the spiritual home of the Korean people but one that has been co-opted by the Kim regime, the third-generation leader appeared to put himself on equal footing with his grandfather, "Eternal President" Kim Il-sung. Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Workers' Party, ran 60 photos of the visit. Fifty of them showed Kim, including ones of him standing in a wool coat and dress shoes after - according to the paper - climbing the 2400-metre snow-covered mountain. The test launch of a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile in Pyongyang, North Korea, om August 29. Credit:AP It's a far cry from the predictions of imminent collapse when he took over at the end of 2011.

After 25 missile launches this year, including three of an intercontinental ballistic missile, and a powerful nuclear test, North Korea likely has only one key threshold to cross to become a full-fledged nuclear power, Terry said: building a re-entry vehicle that can carry the nuclear warhead safely through the upper atmosphere. Magazine front cover photos of US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, right, and a headline "Korean Peninsula Crisis" are displayed in Seoul, South Korea. Credit:AHN YOUNG-JOON "It is possibly just one technical step away from being able to credibly threaten the US with a nuclear weapon," she said. Even his standoffs with Trump have served him well, said Nam Sung-wook, a former head of the South Korean intelligence service think-tank who now teaches North Korean studies at Korea University. Kim Jong-un was said to have climbed Mount Paektu on Saturday in "smart shoes". Credit:KCNa/AP

If Kim was one of Nam's students, he'd get an A for his year's work. "He's had a successful year by directly confronting Trump," Nam said, adding that Kim's international status has only risen because of the tensions. North Koreans walk in downtown Pyongyang on April 18, as former leaders Kim Il-sung, left, and Kim Jong-il are seen in the background. Credit:AP "From the North Korean perspective, Kim Jong-un is doing well as a young leader, standing equal with Donald Trump," he said. "The recent war of words between Kim and Trump must have helped his leadership status domestically." There are plenty of signs that Kim has continued to strengthen his grip on the regime.

Indonesian Siti Aisyah, centre, one of two women who deny killing Kim Jong-un's brother Kim Jong-nam, is escorted by police from a Malaysian courthouse. Credit:Sadiq Asyraf He is accused of ordering the assassination of his older half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, in an airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in February, eliminating one of the few other people who could stake a claim to carrying on the Kim family leadership. Yet he suffered no repercussions for the brazen attack. More recently, he has banished members of the old guard. South Korea's intelligence service thinks Hwang Pyong-so, head of the army's General Political Bureau, has been purged - or worse. Kim Ki-nam, a propaganda chief who worked for Kim's grandfather, hasn't been seen for months. Kim Jong-un in January 2017. Credit:AP The turnover at the upper ranks within the Workers' Party apparatus is notable, said Ken Gause, a North Korea leadership expert at CNA, a Virginia-based consulting firm. The patronage networks that his father established have been swept away, and a new generation of apparatchiks who owe their loyalty entirely to Kim have been installed.

"Lot of things changed inside North Korea," Gause said. "It is not the same North Korea that it was in 2016." But the nuclear-backed threats and the purges have provided ammunition to those in the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill who say Kim is a madman who can't be deterred in the way that the United States has been deterring North Korea for seven decades. Trump has said Kim is "obviously a madman who doesn't mind starving or killing his people" while Nikki Haley, his ambassador to the United Nations, has asserted that the North Korean leader is not rational. But all of Kim's actions, while often callous, have solid reasoning behind them, Gause said. "He is a ruthless leader but he is a very pragmatic leader and thinks through everything he does," he said. Kim's top priority is regime survival. Getting rid of rivals or naysayers, or threatening to fire a nuclear-tipped missile at the United States if attacked, helps him achieve that goal.

"Every one of his actions which, on the surface, seems potentially crazy, actually makes perfect sense for somebody who is consolidating their power in the very rough-and-tumble environment of North Korea," Gause said. So what will 2018 hold? Kim will supply some hints in his next New Year's address, to be delivered January 1. "I expect Kim Jong-un to declare that he and his nation are ready to fight against the US and to promise that North Korea will continue pressing ahead with its nuclear and missile ambitions," said Nam. As he makes progress, will Kim be willing to hold direct talks with the United States? Some analysts say the prospects for diplomacy are improving as North Korea gets closer to achieving its weapons goals because Kim wants to meet on equal footing. Loading
Seattle: A federal judge in Seattle on Saturday partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States.

US District Judge James Robart heard arguments Thursday in lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service, which say the ban causes irreparable harm and puts some people at risk. Government lawyers argued that the ban is needed to protect national security.

Mariko Hirose, a litigation director at the Urban Justice Center, speaks to reporters after US District Judge James Robart partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the US. Credit:AP

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications but said his directive did not apply to people without a "bona fide relationship" to a person or entity in the United States.

President Donald Trump restarted the refugee program in October "with enhanced vetting capabilities."
Mexico City: Mexico has this year registered its highest murder total since modern records began, according to official data, dealing a fresh blow to President Enrique Pena Nieto's pledge to get gang violence under control with presidential elections due in 2018.

A total of 23,101 murder investigations were opened in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing the 22,409 registered in the whole of 2011, figures published on Friday night by the interior ministry showed. The figures go back to 1997.

Candles are lit for murdered journalists in Mexico. Credit:AP

Pena Nieto took office in December 2012 pledging to tame the violence that escalated under his predecessor Felipe Calderon. He managed to reduce the murder tally during the first two years of his term, but since then it has risen steadily.

At 18.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, the 2017 Mexican murder rate is still lower than it was in 2011, when it reached almost 19.4 per 100,000, the data showed. The rate has also held below levels reported in several other Latin American countries.
Manila: Thousands of villagers in the southern Philippines spent their Christmas morning in emergency shelters as the region dealt with the aftermath of one of the deadliest storms this year.

Tropical storm Tembin unleashed landslides and flash floods that left more than 230 people dead and scores missing, mostly in the hard-hit provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur and on the Zamboanga Peninsula.

It strengthened into a typhoon typhoon with winds of 120kph before blowing out to the South China Sea on Sunday. It is now expected to slam into Vietnam late on Monday.

"We're really sad that we have this news especially because our countrymen were looking to celebrate Christmas," Marina Marasigan of the government's disaster-response agency said.
Buckley Kuhn-Fricker was so disturbed by what she discovered about her teenage daughter's boyfriend that she spent a tumultuous week pushing for a breakup. By Thursday, she texted a friend saying the "outspoken Neo Nazi" was out of their lives.

But just hours later, the family said that the 17-year-old boyfriend had shot and killed Kuhn-Fricker, 43, and her husband, Scott, 48 in their Reston, Virginia, home. It happened around 5am on Friday, while the couple's children and relatives were inside. They had gathered to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

The home in Virginia where a couple were shot dead.

The teen, who shot himself and is in a critical condition at a hospital, was charged with two counts of murder on Saturday after police spent Friday investigating at the large, green, single-family home decorated with Christmas wreaths and snowflakes. The family of the teen, who is from Lorton, declined to comment.

Fairfax County police would not offer a motive for the double slaying, but family members and friends tied it directly to the couple's struggle to keep hate out of their home, as one friend put it. They agreed to talk about the efforts because they said it was important to expose what happened.
SC denies Resham Chaudhary from collecting election certificate through attorney

The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered newly elected lawmaker Resham Lal Chaudhary, who is the main accused in the lynching of eight police personnel and an infant in Tikapur incident of August 2015, to collect his certificate of victory in person.
STAMFORD  In September, news of the loss of paraeducators in the school media centers spread through the hallways.

But theres been good news before the holiday break: One paraeducator has recently been reinstated in each school.

Superintendent of Stamford Schools Earl Kim said the initial cuts had been unavoidable because of the reduction in state revenue.

The cuts hurt all around, but by doing this we prevented the havoc that many of our neighboring districts are experiencing now, Kim said.

The defunding of the positions sparked an oucry and a petition to have them reinstated coordinated by Mary George, head of Stamford Highs media services.

Re-funding had nothing to do with petitions or public comment, Kim said. We had briefed the board at the outset of the impact that defunding would have.

While the defunding wasnt ideal for the schools, the idea was to avoid cutting more positions in the future.

Kim added the situation was unlikely to improve.

We are unlikely to see an increase in state revenue to Stamford, he said. Rather, we are more likely to see further cuts as other districts get more funding in a fixed/shrinking budget environment.

George said it appears Westhill and Stamford high schools will likely each have one paraeducator instead of the two they had before the positions were defunded.

George seemed hopeful the media center ecosystem would balance itself out with the helping hand, though it is unlikely to function exactly as it did without both positions filled.

The problems caused by the defunding have taken a toll on each school in different ways, but Kim and George still hope there will be enough funding in the future.

Kim said its a challenging process to determine what the district can afford.

I believe our budget process is actually a good one that is built from the ground up  including determining priorities for reductions, he said.

Kim said it was a difficult decision to defund the paraeductors to start the school year.

Decisions that are made involving people are not taken lightly, Kim said. We know the harm that job loss can cause for our families.

Kenya Bailey is a Stamford High student and writer for the schools newspaper, The Round Table.
SSFN urges Prez to authenticate NA ordinance

Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal (SSFN) has urged President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to endorse the ordinance related to election of National Assembly.
The need for a watchdog

The left alliance has a clear majority in the House of Representatives. The CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) together also control almost 60 percent of the mayoral seats.
Nebraskas underlying geological formations store more groundwater than any other state, and in western Nebraska groundwater is used for irrigation, livestock, municipal water systems, rural homes, and other uses.

Most groundwater users in western Nebraska can tap into the two largest most extensively used aquifers in Nebraska, known as primary aquifers. These include the High Plains Aquifer (sometimes called the Ogallala Aquifer) and the shallow sand and gravel layers common across the state. But those two primary aquifers dont exist or arent usable everywhere. So some groundwater users must tap into secondary aquifers.

Now, a first-ever comprehensive summary of the location and characteristics of the seven secondary aquifers in Nebraska has been published.

An Overview of Secondary Aquifers in Nebraska was produced by the Conservation and Survey Division, a multidisciplinary research, service and data-collection organization established by Nebraska state statute in 1921. The division also serves as the natural resource survey component of UNLs School of Natural Resources.

Co-authors are Conservation and Survey hydrogeologists Steve Sibray, based at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, and Dana Divine, based in Lincoln. Divine, Sibray and cartographer Les Howard complied and analyzed data, wrote text, and created maps that show the location of more than 4,000 active wells spread across 30 counties in eastern and western Nebraska.

The purpose of this publication is to inform people that many Nebraskans use aquifers other than the well-known High Plains aquifer, and to answer questions commonly asked about these aquifers, said Divine.

The secondary aquifers discussed include the Chadron, Brule, and Upper Cretaceous aquifers in western Nebraska and the Western Interior Plains, Dakota, Codell, and Niobrara aquifers in eastern Nebraska.

More than one secondary aquifer is used in some counties, Divine said. The maps in this publication are printed on transparent overlays so that the spatial relationship of the aquifers to each other is clear.

In addition to the locations of the aquifers, the following questions were answered: How extensively is the aquifer used? What are the average well depth, depth to water, and yield? Where are the recharge and discharge areas? What is the water quality? What are potential problems associated with using the aquifer? What do cuttings from the strata hosting the aquifer look like?

People should find this publication helpful if they have concerns about their water quality or if they want to know if they have potential to install a well in an area where the High Plains aquifer is absent. They should get a good idea of how deep these aquifers are and what to expect in terms of well yield and water quality, said Sibray.

Hard copies of the publication are $24.99 each from Nebraska Maps and More Store on the first floor of Hardin Hall, 33rd and Holdrege streets (or online at https://marketplace.unl.edu/nemaps/ ; look under the educational circulars category); or by phone at 402-472-3471. A free pdf is available online at digitalcommons.unl.edu.

Sibray said the publication has been in the works for about a year. But it incorporates research and data from many years of work by Conservation and Survey. It also includes much data from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. When well drillers register new wells with DNR, they also file logs describing the geology.

The publication is dedicated to Nebraskas well drillers, whose work has provided many geologic samples from the secondary aquifers, and whose sample descriptions provide the basis for this publication.

The publication focuses on eastern and western parts of Nebraska, but not the center, because in central Nebraska the High Plains Aquifer is the overwhelming source of groundwater, and there is little to no need to tap into secondary aquifers, Sibray said. Some geologic formations are continuous across Nebraska, but are not an important source of water everywhere in the state.

The western aquifers include the Chadron, Brule, and Upper Cretaceous formations. These are older, deeper geologic formations, according to Sibray, and can have problems with water quality. They lie underneath the primary aquifers and exist in areas where primary aquifers are not present.

The oldest, and deepest, of these is the Cretaceous, which is hosted by all or part of three geologic formations, Lance, Fox Hills Sandstone, and the upper Pierre Shale. In Nebraska, these three geologic formations are present only in the southwest part of the Panhandle.

Only 11 active wells and one inactive well have been identified in the Upper Cretaceous aquifer in Nebraska, all uses for livestock or domestic purposes. All of them except one are in extreme western Kimball and Scotts Bluff counties. The other one is in Banner County. Water quality in the Upper Cretaceous is poor, with tests showing high concentrations of sodium and possibly chloride.

The next oldest is the Chadron Aquifer. It is developed primarily in the Panhandle, but might be a minor source of water in parts of surrounding states. There are about 163 active registered wells screened entirely in the Chadron. Most of them are used for domestic and livestock purposes, although some are used for irrigation. In the Scottsbluff area, a number of rural homes north of the city tap into the Chadron for drinking water.

Another 50 or so wells are screened to draw water from both the Chadron and High Plains aquifers. These are mostly in the southwestern part of the state.

Water quality from the Chadron aquifer is generally poor, with high concentrations of total dissolved solids and sodium, but other water quality aspects vary from one place to another. A portion of the Chadron is mined for uranium in the Crawford area.

In addition to water quality, the publication says that potential problems include declining hydraulic head and flow rates where the aquifer is used for irrigation, since it is a confined aquifer. The publication said use of the Chadron aquifer for human consumption should be monitored because of elevated uranium and arsenic concentrations.

The third secondary aquifer in western Nebraska, also the shallowest and youngest geologic formation, is the Brule Sand-Sandstone Aquifer. The Brule is present in parts of the Panhandle. Of the wells that tap into the Brule, about half are for private domestic use, one-third for livestock, and the remainder for irrigation and monitoring purposes.

Water quality in the Brule is generally good, but one potential problem is large drawdowns where irrigation wells have been drilled into ancient paleovalleys that are small and hydraulically confined.
Eight farm and ranch women from western Nebraska successfully a two-day Annies Project retreat Dec.8-9 in Scottsbluff, in the process sharpening their skills and abilities in selling commodities at farmers markets and direct to consumers.

Annies Project empowers farm and ranch women to be better business owners and partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information.

Jessica Groskopf, Nebraska Extension Educator at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, said she wants to congratulate the participants of the recent retreat, including Caryn Long, Kaye Anderstrom, Darlene Loomis, Susan Griffiths, Cheryl Averill, Dawn Galey, Tracy Painter, and KT Johnson.

The workshop focused on topics such as business plans and cash flows; pricing and connecting with consumers; government regulation; canning, jams and jellies to sell; managing families and employees; and fruit and vegetable production.

For more information about Annies Project, call Jessica Groskopf at 308-632-1247, jjohnson@unl.edu . In Nebraska, Annies Project is sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America.
XIAN, China  On Friday, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts applauded the news that the Nebraska (Yangling) Agricultural Sci-Tech Park is fully operational. The 200-hectare project, also known as a demonstration farm, is located in the Yangling Hi-Tech Agricultural Demonstration Zone west of Xian in Nebraskas sister province, Shaanxi. Ricketts broke ground on the Yangling demonstration farm during his 2016 trade mission to China.

Chinas increasing demand for Nebraskas 21st-century ag technology is helping our states manufacturers grow and expand internationally, Ricketts said. The Yangling demonstration farm is a great example of the opportunities that international partnerships create for Nebraska companies looking to do business globally. Congratulations and thank you to the team that brought this project to fruition. It is exciting to see how the project is showcasing Nebraskas world-class agriculture and manufacturing industries.

The demonstration farm is assisting Nebraska agricultural manufacturers in entering and expanding Chinese markets by demonstrating Nebraska products and technology which help improve ag production. Under an agreement signed between the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and Chinese officials during the Governors visit in 2016, Chinese partners capitalize and manage the farm, which features the equipment of Nebraska-based farm equipment manufacturers.

Lt. Governor Mike Foley recently visited the demonstration farm in November. During his visit, he was able to see the fully-operational model farm with Nebraska-designed pivots watering a newly planted winter wheat crop.

Nebraska is a leader in developing and manufacturing international ag technology, Foley said. The success of the farm in Yangling is an example of how China and countries around the world are looking to leaders in agriculture, like Nebraska, to improve their ag production and achieve food security.

In addition to showcasing Nebraska farm equipment, the farm is meant to provide training for Chinese farmers interested in using modern agricultural equipment. Grain storage facilities will also be built on-site in early 2018.

Shaanxi Province is an important hub for ag production in China, and Yangling hosts Chinas largest agriculture fair for one week every November.

The demonstration farm is a cooperative project between Nebraska-based agriculture machinery manufacturing companies, the State of Nebraska, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), the Yangling Demonstration Zone, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, and Datong Seed Company. Nebraska companies that have participated in the project include Behlen Manufacturing, Lindsay Manufacturing, Reinke Manufacturing, and Valmont Industries.

The Yangling Demonstration Farm is a great example of how UNLs global engagement efforts can benefit the state of Nebraska, said Josh Davis, UNL Assistant Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement. The Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources has relationships in China that cut across our mission areas of education, research, and extension and, where possible, we want to leverage those relationships to open doors for Nebraska companies. Thats exactly what has happened in Shaanxi province  the State of Nebraska, Nebraska companies, and the University are working together to maximize our impact in a key market. We believe this is a model to replicate elsewhere.

I thank Governor Ricketts, the State of Nebraska and the University of Nebraska for their continued leadership on this project, said Reinke President Chris Roth. Reinke is excited for the opportunity to showcase Nebraska-based irrigation technologies in China. We understand our obligation to help feed the worlds growing population, and we are committed to helping farmers increase their agriculture production while recognizing labor savings and environmental efficiencies.
SCOTTSBLUFF  The Dec. 18 deadline for commercial drivers to have an Electronic Logging Device (ELD) installed in the cab of their trucks has came and went with little fanfare.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued guidance to all 50 states that there will be a soft enforcement period, considering many truckers were hoping that the Trump Administration would kill the mandate instead of making the switch to become ELD compliant. Truckers now have until April 1, 2018, to come into compliance with the mandate. Drivers who dont have an ELD installed can continue maintaining the old paper Record of Duty Status (RODs), until the deadline.

While each state is different, the lions-share of the surrounding states motor carrier enforcement divisions which the Star-Herald contacted for this story responded by saying that their respective state patrols will treat the period from Dec. 18 to March 31, 2018, as a warning period only in regards to ELD citations.

As with past regulations and state laws, many are offering an education and warning enforcement period before citations (tickets) are issued. The current direction by FMCSA is to notate the violation of 395.22(a) on the inspection report, but it will not affect the carriers SMS score and the driver will not be taken out of service.

In November, at the request of the National Pork Producers Council and eight organizations, the FMCSA granted ag producers  specifically livestock haulers  a 90 day waiver from the ELD mandate, which is designed to enforce the current hours-of-service requirements. Agricultural commodity means any agricultural commodity, nonprocessed food, feed, fiber, or livestock. Other ag products, such as fertilizer would not be considered ag commodities, but may be considered Farm supplies. Another request for a temporary waiver for haulers of farm supplies has been received and is pending publishing for public comment with the FMCSA, according to a memo from the agency.

The current ag waiver, according to the FMCSAs memo, exempts the ELD requirements for motor carriers carrying ag commodities, regardless of the distance traveled. However, drivers will still be subject to the existing hours-of-service (HOS) rules.

Drivers operating under the ag waiver must carry a copy of the Federal Register Notice, (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hours-service/elds/limited-90-day-waiver-transportation-agricultural-commodities), and present it to motor safety enforcement officials upon request.

And while the ag waiver is a blessing for many, unanswered questions still remain.

The FMCSA is currently looking for public comment during the waiver period to help it more clearly define the policy for ag producers as well as other concerns with the mandate from the agriculture sector.

Its really gray and were hoping to use this 90 day period to get a lot of questions answered, Jessie Herrmann, director of legal & regulatory affairs for Nebraska Cattlemen, said.

We want to see if grain elevators and sale barns count as a source, under the rule, and how the exemption should apply when ag commodities are loaded at multiple stops during a trip, she said. Also, if someone is within the 150 air-mile radius that is exempt from ELD use, were not sure how theyre supposed to log that into the ELD itself.

Were hoping that the FMCSA gives a bit better guidance on the devices themselves and how to use them.

Other questions, such as how off-duty use of a semi, such as traveling to a restaurant or to home, factors in to the exemptions, as well as when drivers are returning unloaded from a source, if the unloaded return trip counts as exempt, has yet to be clarified by the FMCSA.

Its really tricky right now, because each state defines things differently, she said.

Mike Schwartz, an independent trucker based in Torrington, Wyoming, said hes already purchased a type of ELD, but has found it to be a frustrating experience to navigate through.

If I have to pick up a load of cattle in Montana, I drive up to the night before and clock a reset, Schwartz said. As soon as I get up in the morning and drive out to the place where were loading, that clock starts ticking.

From that point on, hes fighting the clock.

Youve only got 14 hours, and when youve got to load 13 trucks, theyve got to be gathered, sorted, brand inspected, vetted  itll be four hours before we can even start loading, he said. Meanwhile, that clock has been running, and Ive already lost that. If things go smooth, I might just have enough time left to legally get to where I need to go.

However, when transporting live animals, it is an often-times unpredictable industry, Schwartz said. Drivers cant just stop for 10 hours and rest when they have a load of live cattle in their trailer. And the current regulations create strains for one-truck, one-operator businesses like his.

Im not 100 percent against this ELD thing, but when you look at safety ratings, Ive got seven years hauling cattle, Ive got zero log-book violations, zero out-of-services, zero accidents, and zero tickets, he said. Why do I need a little computer to tell me how to operate safely?

Schwartz said unless the rules are clarified, his loads will be cut in half, and he wont be able to go to Montana.

So much of this is unknown, but were talking about millions of heads of cattle being hauled daily, he said. Unless they figure this out, its going to come back and hurt the cow-calf guys, because they wont be able to ship cattle around like theyre used to.

To submit a comment to the FMCSA online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, put the docket number, (FMCSA-2017-0360) in the keyword box, and click Search. When the screen appears, click on the Comment Now! button.
A rule requiring commercial truck drivers to replace paper logs with an electronic logging device took effect Monday, Dec. 18.

Since then, the Nebraska State Patrols Carrier Enforcement Division has been fielding a large number of questions, Sgt. Mike Maytum told the Star-Herald.

Maytum said questions generally fielded have involved drivers or companies that do not yet have the electronic logging devices (ELDs) in place as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The new electronic logging technology rquirement affects any motor carrier or driver who is required to keep track of hours of service by preparing a log book.

It seems like everyone waited to see if it (the mandate) was going to happen and now that the deadline is here, there is a scramble.

Commercial trucking companies and drivers were aware of the mandate, which was passed in 2015, and the Nebraska State Patrol held town hall meetings throughout the state. A two-year implementation phase was put into place, and Dec. 18 was a firm date for mandate to take effect. However, for various reasons, including hoping that the Trump administration would delay the mandate, some drivers and companies did not yet have devices in place.

We know that there are those without ELDs in place, Maytum said.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has instituted a soft enforcement phase until April 1.

Drivers without an ELD device will receive a warning of sorts, as the lack of an ELD will be a part of their inspection record. However, Maytum said, it wont have a detrimental impact in the form of fines or safety violations or being placed out of service until after April 1.

Basically, Maytum said, anyone who is required to track hours of service was required to have an ELD in place. Those drivers without ELD devices are still required to keep paper logs; however, it doesnt negate that commercial drivers were to have the ELDs in place by Dec. 18.

Questions regarding the effects of the mandate on agricultural drivers has been another common question, Maytum said.

Farm-plated truck drivers used within the state of Nebraska are not required to track hours of service as long as they stay in the truck. There are requirements for commercially-plated farm truck drivers, such as haulers. Drivers traveling within a 150-mile radius are not required to prepare a log book; however, those that travel outside of the radius are required to log hours. For the next 90 days, those drivers arent required to have an ELD but are required to log their hours.

Maytum said that changes to the ELD requirements may still occur. For the next 90 days, he said, the FMCSA is receiving input on why or why not haulers should not have to comply with the ELD requirement. The FMCSA is also gathering input on clarifying different definitions and other finer points, Maytum said.

Once we get to that 90 days, the FMCSA will have made a decision of some sort and that will be the new rule, he said.

Drivers who may be affected are advised to stay aware of the rules by watching advocacy organizations, such as the Nebraska Trucking Association or others.

With the various nuances regarding the agriculture industry, and ELD requirements, the FMCSA has issued fairly detailed documentation and FAQs on its website.

Anyone with questions is also encouraged to contact the Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division. As implementation is underway, Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement Division will dedicate additional staff and service hours to answer questions from the public for approximately the next two weeks, based on volume, according to a press release from the patrol.

Persons with questions about the ELD Mandate are encouraged to contact the Carrier Enforcement Division of the Nebraska State Patrol at 402-471-0105 during business hours.
Terri Martin was on her way to Lincoln for meetings when the life-changing call came. She was just outside of York, Nebraska, on Interstate 80.

Earlier in the trip, she was told the news but didnt believe George Schlothauer Jr. had his facts right.

How to Help For information about becoming a living donor: uchealthlivingdonor.org kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors pslmc.com/service/becoming-a-kidney-donor Sign up to be a live kidney donor: uchealthlivingdonor.org For more information, call 720-848-0855.

I called to see if I could donate my kidney to you, she remembers him saying. But the person at Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital in Denver said you have a donor.

A few hours later, someone from Presbyterian St. Lukes called and asked, How does May 19 sound to you?

For what? Terri asked.

About 14 months earlier, Terris doctor had told her that without a kidney transplant, she had two years to live.

Terri was born with bad kidneys and, at age 30, she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

I would come home from work (as the director of curriculum and assessment for Gering Public Schools) and lay on the couch, Terri said. She had no energy and felt terrible.

Her best friend, Kim Klein, had tried to give her one of her kidneys but she was not able to become a living donor. Kim, unable to give her own kidney, decided to write a letter and post it on social media looking for a living donor for Terri.

A living donor will go on to have a great quality of life without any side effects, Dr. Peter Kennealey, director of the kidney transplant program at University of Colorado Hospital, said. You can live with just one kidney.

Living donors can donate a kidney or part of their liver.

Patients are encouraged to reach out to family and friends to find a living donor. Social media, letters, even bumper stickers have been used by those needing a transplant as ways to find a living donor.

For Terri, a donor had been found and the transplant was scheduled.

May 19, 2014, was about a month away and on the side of the road on I-80, she broke down.

I fell apart, she said. I was dumbfounded and crying.

Terris story: Enjoying a Wonderful Gift Terri Martin (left) had meet Laurie Budd once before they came together in the waiting room before their kidney transplant surgery. Laurie was

Terri called her doctor in Scottsbluff, the one who referred her to Presbyterian St. Lukes, for advice. She was a little nervous about the transplant.

He told me, Terri, you do the transplant or you die.

Her living donor, she was told, was someone she knew  Laurie Budd.

She didnt recognize the last name.

I didnt know a Laurie Budd, Terri said.

It turned out she was Terris best friends sister.

I read my sisters letter and said, I think this is my sisters friend Terri, Laurie said. We had met once and I said, I can do this.

She called the hospital and answered a number of questions. Then she traveled to the hospital for tests.

We try to make it (the donor process) easy, Keneally said.

There are forms to fill out and tests to take. The living donor doesnt have to pay for anything. Their only cost is travel and time off from work.

The same was true at Presbyterian St. Lukes.

They run it like a well-oiled machine, Lauries husband, Fred, said.

Through the process, the potential living donor can learn about the hospital and more about what they are doing. The hospital can also learn more about the potential donor to make sure they are healthy, ready to become a living donor and have a good support system.

Every step of the way, doctors gave Laurie every opportunity to back out, but she didnt. Laurie was a near perfect match.

Terris living donor was found.

Are you sure you want to give up a part of yourself? Lauries dad asked her. Her answer was yes, even if it had been for a stranger.

Its a simple thing, Laurie said. And maybe my purpose in life is to be Terris living donor.

The day of the transplant, the two ladies were in beds next to each other. Each would have their own surgical teams.

Terris doctor was all business.

Are you ready? he asked Terri. OK, lets go.

Lauries doctor was more talkative.

He asked me what made me decide to give Terri a kidney, Laurie said.

About a year ago, she told him, Terri bought me a sandwich and wouldnt let me pay for it (their first meeting). So I decided to give her a kidney.

They laughed and headed into surgery.

Lauries surgery lasted 57 minutes. Terris lasted five hours.

I didnt know Terris family until we met in the waiting room, Fred said. But it felt like I knew them for a lifetime.

After the surgery I felt very good, Terri said. I had energy. It was amazing.

Scottsbluff woman looking for a living donor to keep her alive Laurie Henkel had just started her first year of college at Western Nebraska Community College. She dreamed of being a dancer and starting her own business. Thirty years later, the woman is looking for a live kidney donor. Visit starherald.com to learn more about Laurie's story and the story of another woman, Terri Martin.

After the surgery, Lauries dad told Terri, Youre part of the family now.

Were sisters, Laurie said.

We call ourselves kidney sisters, Terri said as the two give each other a hug and wipe tears from their eyes.

Today, Laurie has no ill effects from the transplant.

Im just a kidney short, she said. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Had Laurie not been a match for Terri, she said she would have become a living donor for someone else, even if she didnt know the person.

There are a growing number of people who are becoming living donors even for people they dont know, according to Keneally. It is a good thing because the need for living donors is great.

Nationwide, there are about 100,000 people looking for a living donor. Men and women, who are facing the same question, get a transplant or die.

Before the transplant, Terris kidney was working at 11 percent; after the transplant it is at 88 percent. She has to take anti-rejection drugs, but she is alive and well.

I got my family. I got my life, Terri said. I get to live. What a wonderful gift. There is no way I can thank Laurie enough.
Waiting to be tapped

In Nepal, the narrative related to rivers is mostly dominated by hydropower. Hydroelectricity has always been considered as the Holy Grail that could not only light the lives of millions but be the source of their financial upliftment.
SCOTTSBLUFF  West Nebraska Arts Center is seeking artists for April exhibit.

April is the arts centers designated student art month. Visionaries is an open student art exhibit featuring original artwork of the youth from the North Platte Valley region. The exhibit is a great way for young artists to begin showing and selling their art professionally. It is also a chance for students to discover and be inspired by new artwork and meet other artists from surrounding schools. Visionaries is sponsored by First State Bank and awards are given in memory of artist Audrey Towater. The 33rd annual Visionaries Student Art Exhibit will have a reception, free and open to everyone, on Sunday, April 8, from 2-4 p.m. Visionaries is on display at WNAC through April 29.

The Visionaries student art exhibit is open to all student artists, sixth through twelfth grade, within 125 miles of Scottsbluff/Gering. Art students of private instructors and home schooled students are also eligible. Artwork and completed entry forms must be delivered to West Nebraska Arts Center. Entries received March 20-25. All unsold artwork must be picked up after the closing of the exhibit between May 1-6, 2018, or make other arrangements in advance.

Charlotte Ingram of Scottsbluff will be the judge for the Visionaries exhibit. She will select 18 entries in all to receive awards.

This year WNAC would like to challenge students to create a collaborative artwork based on a theme. The theme will be Landscapes of the Mind. Themed entry is optional. Each collaborative artwork needs to be created by three or more artists. Artists are invited to submit original artwork that conveys an interpretation of the theme.
Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger 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

It was October 2015, and Michelle Brandt was in Hobby Lobby when her phone rang.

Her mom was on the other line. She had amazing news.

Carol Musielak had just spoken to her long-lost daughter. The one she put up for adoption when she was born in 1970. Michelle has a sister, and she lives nearby.

I was really giddy, Brandt remembers. She went immediately to the card section. What kind of card do you get for a sister youve never met before?

They would meet at Mimis Cafe in Chesterfield in November, the three of them. Just a mom and her two daughters. Perhaps most amazing was that they hadnt met before.

Nicole Gross, the daughter who was adopted, lives in St. Clair, Mo. Each day she commutes in from Franklin County to her job as a med tech at St. Lukes Hospital. Two years ago, when she connected with her birth family, she worked on the second floor, in the outpatient surgery department.

One floor below is the sleep center.

Its where Brandt has worked for 19 years.

For more than a dozen years, the two sisters worked in the same building and never knew they were related.

Its such a small world, Brandt says.

We met in the cafeteria of the hospital last week. Two sisters and their moms.

Marie Peters adopted Gross when she was a baby. Its a family calling. Peters and her husband, Ron, raised six adoptive children. The kids are all grown, but these days, the Ballwin couple is acting as foster parents. They are taking care of two special-needs twins. Peters encouraged all of her children to find their birth parents if they wanted to.

I always wanted to know, Gross says. Ever since I was little.

There is an urge in children of adoption, a yearning, to better know who they are. About the same time Gross was finding her birth family, my sister was finding hers. Her birth father had died, and her birth mother was skittish about meeting her. But she has since met sisters, uncles and nieces  an entire new family that helps define her roots.

Sometimes, just knowing makes a difference. That was the case so many years ago when my oldest son called me and asked if I would help him meet his birth father. They met at a park. He sent a graduation card. That was about it.

But my son knew. There was a certain closure.

For Gross and her sister, and their two moms, the joy of a suddenly expanding family is a new beginning, Brandt says.

Theyll gather this Christmas season, when they can make time between growing family obligations. Its hard to get together, says Brandt, who is 44. She and her husband  they have three kids  live in St. Peters. Musielak, who grew up in Webster Groves, lives in south St. Louis County.

The two sisters both still work at St. Lukes, but now in different buildings.

Their holiday wish is that other families like theirs have an opportunity to connect.

In the decades since Gross was born, adoption laws have been updated in Missouri and other states. Its easier now to track down birth parents than it has been in the past. But more can be done.

It should be made easier for the person who was adopted, Gross says.

In her case, she had a name to start with. Her fellow adoptive sister  also named Michelle  tracked down Musielak on Facebook. She found an address. Gross wrote her a letter. Musielak wrote back. Then they talked on the phone. Thats when the St. Lukes connection was learned. Then they had that first meeting for lunch.

I was so nervous, Gross remembers.

It was all worth it, she says.

Her sister agrees.

This just made everything so complete, Brandt says. It was a blessing.
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.

Vote

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Many U.S. charities are worried the tax overhaul bill signed by President Donald Trump on Friday could spur a landmark shift in philanthropy, speeding along the decline of middle-class donors and transforming charitable gift-giving into a pursuit largely left to the wealthy.

The source of concern is how the tax bill is expected to sharply reduce the number of taxpayers who qualify for the charitable tax deduction  a big driver of gifts to nonprofits. One study predicts that donations will fall by at least $13 billion, about 4.5 percent, next year. That decline is expected to be concentrated among gifts from the middle of the income scale. The richest Americans will mostly keep their ability to take the tax break.

That could create new winners and losers in philanthropy. Nonprofits have long noticed that the wealthy are more likely to cut big checks to support museums and universities, while smaller donors tend to give to social-service agencies and religious organizations. Charities fear that this shift could change how the public views donating and alter the priorities of nonprofits.

"The tax code is now poised to de-incentivize the heart of civic action in America," said Dan Cardinali, president of Independent Sector, a public-policy group for charities, foundations and corporate giving programs. "It's deeply disturbing."

The tax bill's treatment of charities led the Salvation Army to express serious concerns, and it's why United Way opposed the legislation, as did the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Cardinali's group turned its home page  normally a place for a feel-good story  into a call to protest, with the banner headline: "KILL THE TAX REFORM BILL."

At the United Way, there is widespread concern because middle-class donors are the charity's "bread and butter," said Steve Taylor, vice president for public policy at United Way Worldwide.

The charity's average annual gift is $379, mostly from people who pledge during workplace campaigns to have $5 to $10 a week deducted from their paychecks. United Way has big donors, too, who drive up that average, such as the nearly 30,000 people who give $10,000 a year. They are known as Tocqueville donors, named for the French writer who in the 1830s remarked on the American affinity for forming private groups to address public needs.

Taylor worries the tax bill will force United Way to change whom it targets for fundraising.

"We don't have any choice but to look to those higher-end donors more. We have to," Taylor said. "But it's not really what we want to do, and it's not really healthy for the charitable sector in America."

No one expects the middle class to stop giving to charity. But the tax code changes are projected to affect the size and timing of those gifts, said Una Osili, economics professor at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. But no one knows how the changes will play out.

"We really haven't had a significant change like the one we're describing now," Osili said.

A higher percentage of Americans give to charity than vote. Last year, gifts from individuals made up nearly three-quarters of the $390 billion donated to philanthropies, outpacing the money flowing from foundations, bequests and corporations. And the tax code has encouraged these gifts since the charitable deduction was created in 1917.

The average charitable deduction has hovered around $4,400 in the past few years, according to Internal Revenue Service data. The deduction allows taxpayers to avoid paying federal income tax on the donation if they itemize their taxes.

But the number of people who qualify for the charitable deduction is projected to plummet next year from about 30 percent of tax filers to as low as 5 percent. That's because the new tax bill nearly doubles the standard deduction and limits the value of other deductions, such as for state and local taxes. The biggest change is expected to be among households earning $75,000 to $200,000 a year  a bracket in which more than half of filers itemized their taxes under the old code.

Over two days last summer, several leaders from the philanthropic world, including Cardinali, pleaded their case to Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, the main tax bill writer in the House. They also were fighting to preserve the Johnson Amendment, which bars nonprofits from endorsing political candidates.

In Brady's office, the nonprofits pushed to make donations a universal deduction  available to anyone, regardless of whether they itemize their taxes. This would have been a major expansion, but also the only way to preserve the deduction's power. Brady sounded sympathetic but argued that people would soon have more money to donate because of the economic growth driven by the bill's tax cuts, Cardinali recalled. A House Ways and Means Committee staffer agreed with that account.

The universal charitable deduction also died in the Senate, where Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., proposed it. Lankford said that he was disappointed but that the projected price tag was too high for a bill filled with tax cuts.

"You couldn't get enough senators to buy in," Lankford said.

The Republican tax changes come at a time when charities are already worried about the fate of small donors.

"That's a trend that has mirrored wealth inequality  the skewing of giving towards fewer but larger donations," said Benjamin Soskis, research associate at the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy.

The new tax code further reduces the privileged status of charitable gifts, treating them the same as purchases from Walmart for the vast majority of taxpayers.

"The government has always seen fit to reward the goodness of Americans with a tax incentive," said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, development secretary at the Salvation Army. "Now that's being taken away."

The Salvation Army relies on both ends of the wealth spectrum for donations. In 2004, the organization received a $1.5 billion bequest from the estate of Joan Kroc, the billionaire widow of McDonald's owner Ray Kroc. But the group also has 23,000 red kettles set up across the country with bell ringers asking for spare change during the holidays. Those bring in about $150 million each year.

Now, the charity is facing "a significant shift," Busroe said. He expects a surge in online donations in the dwindling days of 2017 as people race to make gifts while they can still claim the deduction. The Salvation Army typically raises more in the last two days of the year than in all of November.

"We don't anticipate seeing that at the end of 2018," Busroe said.

The traditional surge in December donations  dwarfing all other months  "tells you everything you need to know" about whether the tax code affects charitable gifts, said Mike Geiger, president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Charities will face more uncertainty about finances beyond next year, Geiger said. Some donors might not know about the tax code changes and continue donating as a result, only to be surprised when they pay taxes in 2019. Others might stop making regular $1,000 a year donations and bundle several years together into a single $5,000 gift now to take advantage of the old tax rules. That will create budgeting challenges for nonprofits, he said.

Sarah Caruso, president of the Greater Twin Cities United Way, said she also worries about the impact of the new tax bill but is not giving up on any donors just yet.

"I'm not going to plan a retreat right now," Caruso said. "I plan to go out and make the case for the need. And the need in the community is not changing."
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Iraqi forces have retaken the town of Rawa from ISIS, one of the militant group's last footholds in the country.

The Iraqi national flag was raised over Rawa around midday Friday, Iraq's Joint Operation Command (IJOC) said in a statement.

A spokesman for the command told CNN that engineers laid down a pontoon bridge across the Euphrates River around dawn to allow Iraqi forces to cross near the outskirts of the town.

Located in Anbar province in the Euphrates valley, Rawa was the last known Iraqi town still held by ISIS militants. Recapturing it means ISIS has been defeated in all of the country's towns and cities, though pockets of resistance still exist and the group does control some territory in the deserts of western Iraq.

Haider Al-Abadi, the commander in chief of Iraq's armed forces, said in a statement the "liberation of Rawa district in mere hours reflects the great strength and power of our heroic armed forces and the successful planning for battles."

ISIS on the brink

The push to liberate Rawa comes after ISIS was pushed from Qaim, its last major stronghold in Iraq, earlier this month.

The news of Qaim's liberation came the same day the Syrian military reportedly took back control of Deir Ezzor, the terror group's last-held city in that country.

Both Qaim and Rawa are located in western Iraq, near the Syrian border, where ISIS holds the last of its territory -- the remnants of its so-called caliphate.

In 2014, ISIS controlled more than 34,000 square miles in Syria and Iraq, from the Mediterranean coast to south of Baghdad.

By the end of 2016, ISIS territory had shrunk to about 23,320 square miles, according to IHS Jane's, and this year concerted operations by Syrian and Iraqi government forces have freed even more cities from ISIS control.

In an August visit to Iraq, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said "ISIS is on the run and they have been shown to be unable to stand up to our team, have not retaken one inch of ground."

The campaign to eradicate the Islamic State has taken three years and nearly 25,000 coalition airstrikes, in addition to thousands by Russian, Iraqi and Syrian aircraft.

In Iraq, the advance of ISIS -- followed by the operation to destroy it -- displaced more than 3 million people, according to the United Nations. It's taken an even bigger toll in Syria, where 6.5 million people, including 2.8 million children, have been displaced, according to the UN.

Almost 40,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict in Iraq since 2012, according to the UN, while more than 400,000 people have been killed in Syria since 2011.

In a statement Friday, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned the recapture of Rawa doesn't mean an end to the needs for civilians.

"Today marks a historic day for the people of Iraq. It is, however, vital that the international community does not view the end of ISIS' territorial control as the end of their responsibility to the Iraqi people who have endured years of conflict and face a long, difficult recovery," IRC's Iraq country director Wendy Taeuber said.

"Across the country, over 11 million people remain in need of vital humanitarian assistance and will continue to need support as they begin to recover and rebuild their lives. Funding for this crisis must be maintained. We must not turn our backs on the people of Iraq."

CNN's Tim Lister and James Griffiths contributed to this report.
Sometimes the American public will surprise you with its common sense. Consider the findings of a Pew Research Center poll published this month: More than half of Americans simply dont care whether theyre greeted in stores and businesses with Merry Christmas or a more generic Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings.

The percentage of people who dont care has grown, from 46 percent in 2012 to 52 percent this year. About a third of Americans, including most Republicans, prefer Merry Christmas, but thats down 10 points in five years. About 15 percent of Americans prefer a generic greeting.

Thus it appears that despite President Donald Trumps best efforts  I told you that we would be saying Merry Christmas again, right? he said Nov. 29 in St. Charles  more and more Americans see this as the phony issue it always was.

As with so many hoked-up issues, this one got its start on Fox News. A Politico.com study of the War on Christmas dates its inception to a segment on Bill OReillys show on Dec. 7, 2004.

All over the country, Christmas is taking flak, OReilly said. In Denver this past weekend, no religious floats were permitted in the holiday parade there. In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg unveiled the holiday tree, and no Christian Christmas symbols are allowed in the public schools. Federated Department Stores  thats Macys  have done away with the Christmas greeting Merry Christmas.

OReilly blamed it on the secularist progressive agenda that included gay marriage, partial-birth abortion, euthanasia, legalized drugs and income redistribution through higher taxation. He claimed it was a plot to destroy religion in the public arena, as happened in Canada.

The next year, then-Fox News host John Gibson published a book with the self-explanatory title, The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday Is Worse Than You Thought.

Here we are, 13 years later, and OReilly has been fired because of various sexual harassment claims, Gibson has been relegated to the outer reaches of the Fox commentariat and the war exists mostly as an applause line for a religiously ambiguous president when hes speaking to his base.

The Pew Survey found fewer Americans celebrating Christmas today as a religious, rather than a cultural holiday. And while 56 percent of those polled say the religious aspects of Christmas are emphasized less in American society today than in the past, relatively few are bothered by this trend. They see a larger truth.

Recall that in A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens describes how Scrooge learned, from some secularist progressive ghosts, to be kind to people and care for the poor, and he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.
A recently released Stats NZ survey indicating that guest nights are up in New Zealand  and the Bay is helping drive that growth.

New Zealands total guest nights increased 4.8 percent to 3.1 million in October 2017 compared with October 2016, according to the Stats NZ Accommodation Survey for October 2017.

International guest nights were up five per cent to 1,304,000 and domestic guest nights were up 4.6 per cent to 1,843,000.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller is thrilled to see the strong results.

Its great to see New Zealand is still performing strongly when it comes to attracting international visitors, allowing us to showcase the best of our culture and natural beauty to the world. When it comes to culture and natural beauty, you cant go past the Bay.

Its also really encouraging to see strong growth in domestic guest nights. This is what a strong, growing economy allows  kiwi families have a little more cash in their back pocket to enjoy things like family holidays.

This is why the previous National government had such a relentless focus on sensible economic policies that encouraged growth and employment.

Guest nights for all four accommodation types  hotels, motels, backpackers and holiday parks  all rose in this report, suggesting a wide cross-section of New Zealand society is exploring their own backyard.

This is great news for our local tourism and hospitality industries heading into a busy summer season.

In the Bay of Plenty, guest nights are up 9.2 per cent to 321,000  almost twice the national average,

That nights means we saw an additional 27,000 visitors this year, says Todd.

Its easy to begin to view these numbers in an abstract kind of way, but each and every one of those 321,000 came to the Bay, experienced what we have to offer and spent money in our local economy.

Tourism Bay of Plenty is doing such a fantastic job promotiefits.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Dozens of crashes have been reported in the county in the last few hours on major highways and city streets alike.

Syracuse is under a winter weather advisory, and the state Department of Transportation's road-monitoring website shows severe snow and ice conditions on state highways throughout the city.

The only exception is New York State Thruway, which is described as having "wet" conditions but not especially snowy or icy, according to the Department of Transportation.

An accident was reported at 3:36 p.m. on the Thruway at Exit 36, but traffic appears to be moving steadily.

A county 911 dispatcher said there have been "a bunch" of crashes in the last hour or so. The dispatcher was aware of only one that might have resulted in serious injuries. A woman was being evaluated at a crash scene at Sorrell Road and Warners Road that occurred just after 4 p.m.

Nearly 50 crashes or disabled vehicle calls have been reported since 3 p.m. to dispatchers, though some might have been unfounded.

The weather service's advisory is in effect through the early evening today. Snow and freezing rain could combine for slippery road conditions in Onondaga, Yates, Seneca and southern Cayuga counties.

Between one and three inches of snow is expected to fall, in addition to pockets of freezing rain and sleet, according to the weather service. That's in addition to low visibility.

"Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving," the weather service warned.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse police have arrested a man who they said burglarized the downtown YMCA today.

Police arrived at the YMCA at 340 Montgomery St. around 8:30 this morning. An employee told them a man was inside the building trying to steal property.

Police found the suspect, identified as Thomas Raminger, 34, of Syracuse. He was found with a black wallet belonging to a YMCA resident, and police determined that Raminger entered the victim's apartment and stole his wallet and room key.

In an email to members earlier Saturday, YMCA Executive Director Cheryl Pusztai told members that a suspect was arrested after a "string of thefts" in the facility.

Syracuse police spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Shulsky did not immediately respond to an email about whether Raminger could have been involved in more than one theft.

Pusztai also said in the letter that the suspect was not affiliated with the YMCA "in any way, as a member or resident."

"We're continuing to work closely with Syracuse Police on the investigation," Pusztai said. "We're also reviewing our own policies to better understand how these incidents were happening and what we can do at the Y to stop them from occurring in the future."

She went on to say YMCA employees were "invaluable" in the arrest of the suspect, and she said the staff is looking at ways to improve security.

Raminger is being charged with second-degree burglary, fourth-degree grand larceny, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, trespassing and possession of burglars' tools.

He's being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse police could be seen holding semi-automatics as they searched for clues to who shot a man Sunday afternoon on Temple Street.

The city's shot spotter, a system that detects shots fired, alerted authorities of the shooting at 3:15 p.m., Onondaga County 911 dispatchers said. Residents in the area also called 911 to report hearing shots fired, police said.

The shooting was reported from 405 Temple St., between Midland Avenue and King Street, dispatchers said.

Syracuse police and firefighters, and AMR ambulance crews responded to the shooting scene.

Emergency crews initially reported someone had been shot in a drive-by shooting, according to unofficial police scanner reports.

Syracuse police quickly confirmed a man had been shot in the abdomen, but when asked if it was a drive-by shooting, police spokesman Sgt. Richard Helterline said, "we're still investigating the background to the incident."

AMR ambulance took the victim to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, where he was in serious condition, Helterline said.

After the shooting, officers looked for clues as they walked near 405 and 407 Temple St. Blood splatter could be seen on the driver's side back door of a car nearby.

"Officers and detectives are currently investigating this incident," Helterline said in a release, "and addition information will be released when available. There is no suspect information at this time."

Syracuse police ask anyone with information about the shooting to call them at (315) 442-5222.

Check back for updates.
Syracuse, N.Y. - Parts of Upstate New York, stretching from Jamestown up to the Tug Hill, are in for a serious White Christmas.

The National Weather Service has issued a "lake effect snow warning" in Western New York from 5 p.m. today until 6 p.m. Wednesday. A similar warning for Northern Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis counties begins at 9 p.m. today.

Before it's over on Wednesday, Pulaski in Oswego County and Springville in Erie County could get as much as 50 inches, according to the weather service.

The Syracuse area is expected to get as much as 6 inches between 10 p.m. today and midday on Christmas; an additional 3 to 4 inches could fall between Monday and Wednesday.

In Western and Northern New York, the heavy snow will fall in narrow bands. That means drivers may encounter relatively light snowfall then sudden, heavy conditions in a short drive.

The lake effect snow is coming as heavy winds - some as fast as 45 mph - are expected to arrive on Christmas Day.

Traveling on Christmas Day and on Tuesday could be "very difficult" in affected areas, according to the weather service.

Ready for more snow? Winter weather advisories and lake effect snow warnings have been issued from Christmas eve into next week. Read more here: https://t.co/R5ot0uusuj and here: https://t.co/gXdankWayL pic.twitter.com/dzoIN8j6Z6  NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) December 24, 2017

Here are more details from the National Weather Service:

Western New York

Counties: Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, southern Erie. This includes Warsaw, Jamestown, Olean, Wellsville, Orchard Park and Springville

When: The lake effect snow starts at about 5 p.m. today

Expected snowfall through Wednesday:

Buffalo 6 to 8 inches

Dunkirk 24 to 30 inches

Jamestown 30 to 36 inches

Springville 36 to 50 inches

Central and Northern New York

Counties: Northern Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis. This includes Fair Haven, Oswego, Watertown and Lowville.

When: Snow begins at about 9 p.m. today.

Expected snowfall through Wednesday:
NEW ROADS  This holiday season could mark the last Christmas Lisha Gremillion calls Pecan Acres home.

For her, along with the 39 other families who make up the close-knit New Roads community, it's the best present she's ever received.

"I've already started packing!" she said with an enthusiastic smile while standing outside her family home on the corner of Pecan Drive West. She and her family have lived in the brick home for more than 40 years.

"I'm hoping to at least be out of here by March or April," she said.

Living in the predominately black, working-class New Roads subdivision often has been misery for Gremillion and her fellow neighbors. The neighborhood, which also includes Pecan Drive East, is dubbed "Flood City."

It got that name because since its construction in the early 1970s, the subdivision has been swamped by storm waters at least 17 times, causing residents to harbor an innate fear of rain  especially when Louisiana's frequent torrential downpours extend past 24 hours.

"After the second day of hard rain, you get nervous," said Laura Derogers, who lives down the street from Gremillion in a home with her elderly mother.

Living there has been a repeated cycle of loss and rebuilding. The outsides of many homes are stained with water lines from floods past.

"It's like the good Lord opened up the sky and just dumps all the water here," Gremillion said. "To constantly see all the work you've done to make a home get ruined  you feel hopeless, forgotten about."

But thanks to several federal and state programs, the residents of Pecan Acres are getting a chance at a fresh start on drier ground. All 40 households have been offered buyouts and have been given the option to relocate to another subdivision to be built for them in a different part of New Roads.

Pecan Acres was built around 1971 in a low-lying area that used to be a dumpsite in Pointe Coupee Parish. The subdivision is bordered by Bayou Pointe and Portage Canal, which can overtop the inadequate levee at the end of both Pecan Drives during intense rains.

Because of the neighborhood's bowl-shaped terrain, once storm waters go over the levee, they back up into homes and remain trapped in the subdivision for days.

Rebuilding after each flood became increasingly difficult over the years because many residents never qualified for FEMA aid, as they didn't get the flood insurance the federal government required of homeowners who got aid in the past. Most of the families who live in the community are on fixed incomes and they have said the flood insurance rates weren't affordable in their flood-prone area.

The residents did band together after flooding caused by Hurricane Gustav in 2008, accusing the Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury in a class-action lawsuit of negligence because the drainage pump that could have pumped water out of the community in a nearby lift station malfunctioned. They were awarded part of a $2 million insurance settlement in 2012.

But their pleas to the parish for infrastructure improvements to stop the area from flooding never resulted in substantial changes. Some residents complained this made them distrust that any government would find a solution to their collective misfortune.

Then an unexpected ray of hope surfaced after the August 2016 flood, with residents re-galvanized like never before.

Their stories of constant loss and struggle won the attention of high-profile state environmental advocates, as well as U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves, R-Baton Rouge, and Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.

But the plight in Pecan Acres presented to local and state leaders a perplexing issue to fix since many of Pecan Acres' elderly residents were initially unwilling to pack up and leave the homes they worked hard to pay for just to start over in a community they didn't know. Many noted they once saw these homes purchased decades ago as their part of the American Dream, while some younger residents had inherited property from their parents or grandparents.

Others wanted to keep the close-knit relationships they formed with neighbors intact, so unless a solution involved building a new subdivision with homes comparable in value to what they already had, they weren't interested in hearing what officials had to say. They just wanted the parish to find the money to stop the flooding where they already lived.

But that started to change over the past year. Within a few months of the governor's August 2016 tour of the community, Pecan Acres residents were presented with a neighborhood buyout opportunity through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The NRCS program would buy out homes in Pecan Acres and restore the area to wetlands after the homes and infrastructure in the community are demolished and removed.

Shortly after the announcement of the buyout program, the Louisiana Office of Community Development revealed to residents there was funding available that could help them relocate and move into homes comparable to their current houses or build a new subdivision on undeveloped land outside a designated flood zone if enough of them wanted to remain neighbors after the NCRS buyouts.

The unexpected solution to all their problems came with one caveat: All 40 households that make up the subdivision had to agree to the buyouts.

There was a lot of doubt in the beginning that everyone would sign on for the deal.

What seemed impossible became plausible after residents began meeting on their own and convincing one another this opportunity was their one chance at finally getting relief, said Cletus Langlois, an engineer hired by the police jury who is in charge of the process.

"They had trust issues. They had been told things in the past that didn't come true," Langlois said.

Langlois said the parish was able to get "letters of intent" signed by all 40 households in the subdivision right before Thanksgiving. The week of Dec. 11, residents began submitting their applications for the NCRS buyout program.

Their homes are being appraised at their pre-flooding values. And attorneys with the Southern University Law Center have agreed to represent residents, pro bono, during the buyout process.

In the meantime, Langlois is working with state officials to scout locations for a new subdivision that would be built somewhere in New Roads for the residents who want to remain a community.

"Through the meetings we've had so far, we've learned about 25 to 28 households want to be relocated into a newly built subdivision," he said. "The other 15 to 12 either are going to take the money and buy a house somewhere else and some of the older ones are taking the money and have decided to move in with a family member."

Crystal Boudreaux, who lives on Pecan Drive West in a home her parents bought, has opted to take the buyout and move into the new subdivision with her four children.

"I would hate to be separated," she said. "There are mostly elderly people in our neighborhood and they help watch out for our children."

Boudreaux said the buyout and relocation finally give her a chance to establish a sense of normalcy for her children, who are so traumatized by all the flooding that they refuse to keep their clothes and personal belongings in dresser drawers and closets.

Her kids just keep everything stuffed in plastic bins to lessen their loss in case it floods again.

"I thank God every day we're getting out of this," she said.

No definitive timelines are set for the relocation effort yet. Langlois is estimating the entire process could take up to a year.

"We'll try and help it along as quick as we can," he said.

Today, nearly every household has a sign posted in their front yard that reads: "Opportunity only knocks once, so let's all say 'Yes!' "

Gremillion teared up at the thought of a new chapter for her and her family.

"I needed this peace of mind," she said. "We've lost so much here."
Police are urging Christmas shoppers who may have witnessed the assault of a man in Brisbane's north last week to come forward.

The 34-year-old was walking to Westfield Chermside about 4.30pm on December 16 when he was pushed and shoved by a group of young people before being repeatedly hit in the face.

The group ran off towards the McDonald's Chermside car park, while the man was treated in hospital for cuts, facial and jaw injuries and headaches.

AAP
An elderly woman has been forced back into her house at knifepoint on Saturday morning during a terrifying home invasion.

Police are calling for witnesses after an elderly woman was assaulted in her home.

The 87-year-old woman was leaving her home in Preston at around 8:30 when a man approached her, threatening her with a knife and firearm as he forced her back inside before assaulting her.

He also stole cash and jewellery, which he stuffed in a supermarket bag before fleeing.

The assailant is described as a thin man in his early 30s. He was wearing a black hat with a short brim, black top and black pants and spoke with a slight accent.
The Bureau of Meteorology thunderstorm forecast for Sunday warned of the possibility of severe storms hitting north-east Victoria in the afternoon, with isolated strikes already observed in the Mallee that morning.

While Melbourne prepares for a (mostly) sunny Christmas, Victorians in other parts of the state are contemplating the possibility of severe storms which could bring large hail, damaging winds or heavy rainfall on Christmas Eve.

It's only a slim chance, but Wodonga, Bright and Corryong could face a wild night before Christmas if conditions are right.

"Theres a chance if they develop storms, they could be severe," says Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Stewart.

Mr Stewart only rates the possibility of a bad storm at about 10 per cent right now, but things could change.

"If the storms develop, there are some of the ingredients you need which could produce severe storms: you need instability, moisture and the right wind profile to [lead to] severe storms. Well be monitoring closely."
Ordering an old fashioned at Rough Draught Whiskey Bar on Northgate comes with a unique twist, thanks to a special brand of bourbon.

General manager and part owner Kyle Meredith said that when the bar first opened in 2015, he and his team decided to use Buffalo Trace bourbon for their signature old fashioned. As the bar gained an audience on Northgate, Rough Draught sold enough of it to rise in the ranks as one of Buffalo Traces top accounts in Texas, according to Meredith.

Buffalo Trace -- based in Frankfort, Kentucky -- offered the bar the opportunity to select its own 8-year-old barrel of specialty bourbon, he said, which is now appropriately named the Buffalo Trace Rough Draught Select.

You get to go to Buffalo Trace and choose your own barrel, Meredith said. They have five different barrels they let you choose from. That is our barrel. There is no other barrel in the world like that.

Each bottle comes with a Rough Draught Select label. The 80-proof bourbon is sweet, with hints of caramel and vanilla, though it still packs a punch. It is combined with orange rind, brown sugar and Angostura bitters to round off the old fashioned, with a cherry on top.

If you like sugary flavors, this cocktail is a great way to start the night. The smooth drink is one to sip on while talking with friends, a drink to savor rather than throw back.

The name says all, Meredith said. It is an old cocktail. Weve put our own spin on it. Ive heard people come in here and they say, Were getting old fashioneds, its the best one on the block.

Rough Draught also serves more than 175 whiskeys. The bars decor is inspired by the Prohibition era, according to Meredith. He said most of the furnishings came from that period  from wood paneling from a torn-down home lining the walls to a 48-star American flag.
The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation has recognized outstanding professors from two- and four-year colleges and universities across Texas since 1958. Ten awards of $5,000 each are made annually. Selection is based on nominations submitted by each college or university. The winners will be announced on May 1. Vavra joined the Blinn College faculty in 1995 and was named Blinn's 2017 Teaching Excellence Award winner for the Brenham, Schulenburg and Sealy campuses. She has a bachelor of arts in speech communication from Texas A&M University and a master of arts in communication from the University of Houston.
Pastors at area churches said they hope their Christmas Eve messages will offer encouragement to not just their congregations, but anyone who feels moved to attend.

The inter-denominational Christmas message of including everyone has not wavered over the years.

"[I'm reminded] that on Sunday I should welcome folks in the spirit that I've celebrated all over the U.S. and the world," said Pat McLaughlin, pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in College Station. "Just celebrate here tonight, sing loudly, and remember that worship is what you carry with you each day in how you treat and love others. It's not so much what you do here [at church] tonight."

Pastor Keith Castleberry of Victory United Pentecostal Church in College Station said he doesn't want anyone to attend his church's Christmas Eve service if they feel begrudgingly obligated to go. In his hometown growing up, he said, he can recall decisions made by churches that he found to be off-putting and said he sympathizes with people who may be reluctant to approach a church at Christmas. He suggested, however, that churches rooted in the true spirit of the Christmas Gospel could offer a surprising warmth.

"We have a couple of Muslims who attend our church," he said. "I go up to them, I hug them. ... They are never going to know the joy that I have if I don't love them."

For those suffering from anxiety, sadness or loss at Christmas, Castleberry said the desire to isolate oneself from society, including churches, is to be expected. But to confide in people who love as Jesus loves can be a critical step toward healing for the depressed and afflicted.

"This time of year, it's very important not to isolate yourself," he said. "You must force yourself into fellowship with kind, loving people."

Chris Snidow, pastor of Parkway Baptist Church in College Station, stressed that he believes all pain and confusion can be overcome, no matter the root of the problem, by pressing forward with the understanding that Jesus provides hope and a second chance through his sacrifice. No one, he said, whether a practicing Christian or not, should feel excluded in approaching Jesus.

"All ground at the foot of the cross is level," he said.

Pastor Jim Abbott of Peace Lutheran Church in College Station shared the concluding remarks planned for his Christmas Eve service: that the love of Jesus is something people can bless and encourage one another with in a tangible and meaningful way during dark times.

"When we love God and love one another, we give the greatest gift possible for any of us to give. Share your heart, and you too will become a gift for others. In return, both will experience the love that would not let us go."
Sunday

Faith United Church (UCC), 2901 Austin's Colony Parkway in Bryan, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent will have a 9:15 a.m. Sunday study, 10 a.m. fellowship and 10:30 a.m. worship. Pastor Karl Tewold message is "How to Handle Good News." There will also be a Christmas Eve Fellowship at 6:30 p.m. and a Service of Carols, Candles and Communion at 7 p.m. All are welcome. Faithuccbryan.org.

St. Francis Episcopal Church, 1101 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, will have a Christmas Eve service at 10:30 a.m. and a candlelight service at 10:30 p.m., both celebrated by the Rev. Lacy Largent. Following the morning service, we will decorate the sanctuary with the Christmas tree, creche and poinsettias from Down Home Ranch. For information on weekday services and events, contact the church at 696-1491 or stfrancisbcs.org.

First Christian Church, 900 S. Ennis St. in Bryan, will celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent in worship at 10:45 a.m. Guest minister Bob Richards' sermon topic will be "Greetings, Favored One!" based on Luke 1:26-55. Sunday school classes for all ages begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by coffee time at 10:30 a.m. Child care is available. A Christmas Eve Service of lessons and carols will be at 5 p.m., featuring communion and the lighting of the Christ candle. All are invited. 823-5451 or firstchristianbcs.org.

Covenant Presbyterian Church, 220 Rock Prairie Road in College Station, will observe the fourth Sunday of Advent in worship at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Jonathan Murray will preach on "Unexpected Blessings: The Angel Visits the Shepherd." There will be a child-friendly Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m., featuring candles and a living nativity. 694-7700 or covenantpresbyterian.org.

Unitarian Universalist Church of the Brazos Valley, 800 George Bush Drive (Texas A&M Hillel), will meet at 10:30 a.m., for a service called "Wait and See!" by the Rev. Aaron Stockwell. There will also be a candlelight service at 5:30 p.m. 696-5285.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 217 W. 26th St. in Bryan, will host services at 7:30, 9 and 11:15 a.m. www.standrewsbcs.org.

Unity Spiritual Center of the Brazos Valley, 4016 Stillmeadow Drive, Bryan, will have services at 10:30 a.m. Call 324-9857 or unityspiritualcenterbv.org.

Spirit of Faith Church, 900 E. 29th St. in Bryan, will have Sunday school classes for all ages at 10 a.m., followed by morning worship at 11 a.m. 436-6910.

Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, 3610 Plainsman Lane in Bryan, will have Sunday school classes for all ages at 9:15 a.m. and worship service at 10:30 a.m. 846-4753.

CBS Religious School is offering Sunday morning classes. Students are invited to learn about and experience Judaism in a welcoming and egalitarian environment. For more information or to register, contact religiousschool.cbs@gmail.com.

Tuesday

Eagle's Nest Praise and Worship Ministries will staff a free prayer line from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The prayer line number is 775-1513, and calls will be answered by a trained prayer ministry associate. The prayer line is coordinated by pastors Gary and Sheila Jones.

Wednesday

Faith United Church, 2901 Austin's Colony Parkway in Bryan, invites men of all ages to Wednesday morning coffee and guy talk at 10 a.m. Faithuccbryan.org.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 217 W. 26th St. in Bryan, will have evening prayer at 5:30 p.m. www.standrewsbcs.org .
Like its namesake, Enter the Haggis melds an amazing mixture of ingredients to produce something extraordinary.

The Toronto-based folk/rock/Celtic band, whose fans are affectionately known as Haggis Heads, will perform Thursday, Dec. 28, at the Fairfield Stage Companys StageOne.

On its Website, the band says it can lay claim to 18 different genres of music ... To engage this quintet is to indulge rock, fusion, bluegrass, traditional Celtic fare, agitpop, folk, even Latin flavors.

As for the tasty food haggis, its a traditional Scottish dish, somewhat like a sausage containing sheep's pluck, which is heart, liver, and lungs, mixed with minced onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, salt, and stock  and them cooked encased in the lining of an animals stomach or in artificial casing.

Together since 1995, Enter The Haggis has led the charge among Celtic Folk Rock bands, delighting fans with their memorable performances, inspired songwriting, musical proficiency and high quality recordings, said the FTC, pointing out that the Toronto-based band has released eight studio albums.

Mrs. Elliott is the opening track on the bands 20th Anniversary retrospective double album Cheers and Echoes, which features the bands best loved songs. Praise for Enter The Haggis has appeared in such publications as the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and Canadas Globe and Mail. The band has also performed on such TV programs as Live With Regis and Kelly and Breakfast With The Arts on A&E.

Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Thursday, Dec. 28, 7:45 to 11 p.m. $25. 203-319-1404.
On a recent Saturday morning, I found myself lying on the couch with my 4-year-old niece snuggled up next to me, watching the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch.

The movie just happened to be on TV but it really struck a chord with me that day as I thought about what I wanted to write for this article about belonging to a family.

For those of you who arent familiar with the movie, the story follows a rambunctious and free-spirited 6-year-old Lilo, who has lost both of her parents in a car accident and is a bit of an outcast. When she adopts what she thinks is a dog (which is actually an alien) and names him Stitch, Lilo finds a friend and someone who accepts her for who she is.

Lilo tells Stitch that Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. This concept of Ohana in the movie illustrates that family can be the people who you rely on as well as the people to whom you are biologically related. Family can come together through foster care, marriage, adoption, mentorship, friendships and in many other ways.

As humans, we all have the basic needs of food, shelter and safety. But just as important is our need to be loved and to feel like we belong. Children get all of these needs met as part of their families. Families are the backbone of their lives. Children need someone to love them, teach them and guide them so they can grow up to be successful in the world.

As I said, family is more than being related by blood. My niece is my husbands sisters daughter. She was adopted and so was my husband. There is nothing that even remotely ties us together genetically, but we are family. I am not a parent myself, but I would give anything to make sure my nieces and my nephew are healthy, safe and happy.

That is what family (Ohana) means to me. Single parents, blended families, married couples, domestic partners and friends can all be just as much a family as traditional mother-father-child relationships. Love and support are what makes a family a family, not just the people in it.

So how do we build this sense of love, support and belonging  the definition of family  in our children? For children to learn what a healthy family is, it truly starts with the people who are responsible for meeting a childs physical, educational, emotional and spiritual needs.

At Boys Town, we know children learn how to behave and how to develop personal relationships from the adults in their family. Every adult who plays a role in a childs life is a teacher. Children are always watching and listening, and they learn how the world works by following the lead of the adults who they care about and who care about them. The key to all of this positive learning is creating a home environment where people respect one another, show kindness to each other and are responsible for each other because they love and belong to each other.

Christmas is a perfect time to bring these things to life for children. So take some time this holiday season to strengthen your family bonds and reinforce the positive values you want your children to learn and demonstrate. Volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen, have your child pick out a gift to give to a child in need or go Christmas caroling at a nursing home. Show your child what kindness looks like by being kind to him or her and others. Make your child feel loved by making them part of all your family holiday traditions so they can experience that warm feeling of belonging and being part of something special.

Sadly, not every child knows what it means to be part of a loving family. They miss out on the tradition and family activities that should be part of every childs life as they grow up. So many children come from families that cant love and care for them in the way every child deserves. Many factors (financial hardship, addiction, mental health) can keep parents from giving the love their children need. Unfortunately, many of these children will seek the love and belonging they need so badly in unhealthy ways.

These children need the village around them to become their family, to love them and to show them that they belong somewhere and that someone cares. For children who have been left behind by their own family, it can be a long road to finally understanding what being part of a family means. But it is possible. With the help of caring foster parents, teachers, social workers and others who are willing to open their hearts (and possibly their homes) to children whove been forgotten, Ohana can become a reality.

Megan Andrews is the senior director for Boys Town of Central Nebraska, which includes Boys Towns shelter, foster family services, in-home family services, behavioral health clinic, day school and common sense parenting classes. If youre interested in learning more about Boys Town programs or in becoming a foster parent, email her at megan.andrews@boystown.org. Im a parent  what now? is a monthly column from the Grand Island Association for Child Abuse Prevention, which represents many child-serving agencies in the community. If you need help dealing with parenting issues, call the Nebraska Family Helpline, Any Problem. Any Time, at (888) 866-8660.
Regent Anna Goodwin-Jensen opened the Dec. 12 meeting of Catholic Daughters Court Queen of Peace No. 2227 at Blessed Sacrament with a prayer.

Membership reported 69 members and all are paid up. A thank-you note was read from the Red Cross Blood services for the donation of food and blood, and also for the volunteers who worked the canteen.

Poinsettias were delivered to members in nursing homes, and members signed Christmas cards to be sent to members who live outside Grand Island.

Two delegates and four alternates are needed for the National Convention scheduled for July 17-21 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Following the meeting, the group had pizza and played five-card bingo, with prizes given out. Barb Kline played the piano during the meal.

The next meeting will be a soup luncheon at 11 a.m. Jan. 9, with the serving of four soups and members bringing desserts and relish dishes. Following the luncheon, members will attend Mass at 12:05 p.m.
Fifteen members of the Grand Island Womans Club met Dec. 12 at the groups clubhouse, Hargis Mansion.

President Donna Deatontompkins called the meeting to order and Rosella Daugherty gave devotions. Daugherty, Joyce Ryan and Virginia White served as hostesses. Carol Kubec won the door prize.

The groups food pantry box was donated to an organization in Grand Island.

The Hargis Book Club read No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency for October and are reading any Christmas book of their choice for December. Four Stars in the Window by Tom Delvaux will be read for January.

Many Womans Club members assisted with the Tour of Homes on Dec. 2, which Hargis Mansion took part in. The sorority decorations were in keeping with the style of the home.

Schools in the area are being contacted to participate in the Arts, Crafts and Photography Show presented at Hargis Mansion in March. The event is open to everyone in the community. Those wanting to participate can contact Deatontompkins at (308) 390-2478.

Mary Stoltenberg and her son, Patrick, were thanked for purchasing and placing mulch around the trees at Hargis Mansion.

The Liberal Arts Department, Division 1 bridge club, which meets at the mansion, donated money and much-needed paper products to the Womans Club.

Womans Club members made the following donations: teddy bears to CASA, paper products to the Crisis Center, and monetary donations, both to the Crisis Center and Christmas Cheer.

The next meeting is set for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 9. Hostesses will be Kay Bockstadter and Stacia Larson. Bockstadter will also give devotions. Kelsey King of the Crane Trust will present the program.
Nebraska National Guard Spc. Michael Henn deployed this fall to the Virgin Islands on a hurricane relief mission, and came back with a couple of friends.

While Henn worked the overnight shift at the military headquarters on St. Croix, two stray dogs wandered in, night after night.

Id whistle and snap my fingers, and theyd come running, said Henn, 22, of Lincoln. We fed them and gave them baths.

Now he is back home. The two pups, Pumpkin, a long-haired Chihuahua, and Benji, who is part terrier, are with him, too, after a long flight from St. Croix to South Carolina, and a cross-country drive in Henns car.

When Henn was called up along with 57 other members of the Lincoln-based 67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in October to supervise post-hurricane military operations on St. Croix, he had no thought of bringing home a dog.

The units members worked at the port in Fredriksted, which had been battered a month earlier by the Category 5 winds of Hurricane Maria. Most of the island lacked power. Lots of animals were running loose after the storm.

Soldiers are discouraged from having contact with stray animals because of the possibility they might carry disease. But Pumpkin and Benji seemed like a special case.

Henn said many of the soldiers became fond of them.

If I hadnt adopted them, someone else in the unit would have, he said.

He found out from one of the Virgin Islands National Guard soldiers that the dogs owner had died shortly before the hurricane. No one seemed to be taking care of them.

Henn feared they would become strays after he left, so he asked about adopting them. First he ran into roadblocks. No pet transport services were flying to the United States. The Air Force had no time or interest in assisting. Other agencies were also too busy.

Then he got in touch with a representative of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who was helping to arrange the shipment of the strays to the mainland for adoption.

The ASPCA eventually sent Pumpkin and Benji to the Charleston Animal Society, an animal welfare group that runs a shelter in Charleston, South Carolina. They went with 28 other dogs that were being made available for adoption there.

Charleston Animal Society has been very active in aiding pets displaced by the series of hurricanes that struck the Southeast and the Caribbean in late summer and early fall, said Aldwin Roman, the groups director of anti-cruelty outreach.

Pumpkin and Benji arrived with the other Virgin Islands dogs in late November. Roman said South Carolinians were enthusiastic about taking them in.

Ninety percent of them were adopted within the first weekend we had them, he said.

Henn was home from his deployment by then and drove to Charleston in early December to pick up his dogs, who had been given shots and physical exams.

Henn said even though the dogs were born and raised in the tropics, the chill of a Nebraska winter hasnt bothered them.

Theyve actually adjusted really well, Henn said. Its so much colder. But we have coats for them.

He describes Benji as very outgoing and Pumpkin as a princess.

Shes up in your face and wants to be in your lap, he said of Pumpkin. Shell give you kisses all day long.

Theyre just the sweetest dogs Ive ever met, he added.

Henn said the two will be joining him at the 67th Brigades drill weekend next month, because so many of his fellow soldiers helped him and supported him in bringing the dogs home.

Theyre the unofficial mascots of my unit, Henn said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 13:22 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ed868c 1 Lifestyle bakery,Makassar,Christmas,viral Free

Local news reported on Sunday that a Makassar-based bakery has refused a customer's request to write "selamat hari Natal keluargaku" (merry Christmas my family) on top of a cake she had ordered.

As the news went viral among netizens, Chocolicious Indonesia located in the South Sulawesi capital released a statement on its Instagram account regarding its decision.

Read also: K-pop fans unite in viral charity campaign after Jonghyun's death

"With all due respect and humbleness. First of all, we would like to offer our deepest regret. We from Chocolicious Indonesia are not yet able to write merry Christmas or other similar expressions," stated the bakery.

"This does not mean we do not respect your religion. But with all due respect this is what we have to practice based on our religious principles. Again, we sincerely apologize from the bottom of our heart and the feeling of respect and honor as Indonesians. We will still provide greeting cards and chocolate boards as additional services for your order. You are welcome to add your own writing. Again, we wish for your understanding."

So far the post has received more than 2,300 likes and thousands of comments, with some criticizing the move and some others supporting it. (kes)

Topics : bakery Makassar Christmas viral
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Linkedin Khristian Ibarrola (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)  Sun, December 24, 2017 14:03 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2eda5a2 2 People Mark-Zuckerberg,Facebook Free

Mark Zuckerberg has received yet another awardthough it appears he wont like this one.

Due to Facebooks role in spreading multiple false news during the 2016 US Presidential elections, progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America (MMFA) bestowed the title Misinformer of the Year to the companys founder and CEO.

Fake news was rampant on popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Google, YouTube and others throughout the campaign period, which many believed played pivotal role on the nationwide poll results.

The not-so-prestigious award is usually reserved for media personalities who often spread biased information through their respective mediums, but the group opted to include social networks this year, Mashable reports. In a Facebook post last September, Zuckerberg addressed the platforms role in spreading fake news and discussed how the company was solving the problem. Read also: Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg hops on a virtual reality adventure However, MMFA President Angelo Carusone notes that their efforts have continued to fall short. Much of what Facebook has done in 2017 has amounted more to a public relations effort than a deeper systemic and underlying approach, Carusone told the news outlet. What the election did was really illustrate the underlying problemsenabling all this right-wing misinformation and misinformation more broadly. As of this writing, Zuckerberg has yet to speak out on the matter, as he is currently on a monthlong parental leave. He joins the ranks of FOX News executive Ruport Murdoch and talk-show hosts Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, who also won the dubious distinction.

Topics :

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 14:24 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2edad43 1 National traffic,Christmas,Holiday Free

The authorities opened 16 payment booths on Sunday at the Palimanan toll gate in Cirebon, West Java, to accommodate long lines of vehicles heading toward Central Java for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

We opened the booths so that the queues would not be too long, Cirebon Police chief, AKB Risto Samodra, said as reported by tempo.co.

For the lane heading to Jakarta, only four booths were opened because there was little traffic. The booths in Palimanan will be opened depending on the volume of traffic going to Central Java or Jakarta.

Risto said the traffic on the Cipali toll road and other non-toll roads such as the northern coastal highway (Pantura) was heavy but running smoothly this holiday season.

However, on the northern coastal highway heading to Cirebon, there is a slight increase in vehicles at certain hours, Risto said. (ami/ahw)

Topics : traffic Christmas Holiday
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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Sun, December 24, 2017 12:08 1790 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ed472a 1 Politics Jokowi,Hanura-Party,Semarang,election Free

The Hanura Party has reaffirmed its support for the re-election of President Joko Jokowi Widodo in the 2019 presidential election.

We are supporting Jokowi in the upcoming election, Hanura Party chairman Oesman Sapta Odang said during the partys 11th anniversary celebration in Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday.

The event was attended by President Jokowi, who praised Hanura for fighting for the peoples interests.

Hanura always fights for the people. I invite all Hanura members to make Hanura a modern and professional party that the people love. I expect Hanura to develop politics that are free from lies and deceit, the President said.

Jokowi also reminded Hanura to be prepared for the upcoming regional elections, which are set to be held in June next year.

Political parties must be solid and cohesive, leaders of Hanura must set an example for the people, he said.

In his speech, Jokowi also called on the party to safeguard the state ideology of Pancasila.

Fake news is everywhere. Indonesia is always being tested, but it has passed the test. Pancasila is also being tested, but it has always passed the test. Our diversity is always on test, but it always passes that test, Jokowi said. (ami/ahw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 11:35 1790 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ed32d8 1 City soekarno-hatta-airport,passengers,increase Free

Holidaymakers have started flying out of the capital ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport reporting a significant increase in passengers on Saturday.

Transportation Ministry Director General for Air Transportation Agus Santoso said the number of passengers at the airport rose by 15 percent to 221,652 as of Saturday, as compared to the corresponding period of 192,373 last year. Travelers are mostly heading to the major destinations, such as Bali and Makassar in South Sulawesi.

Agus said tourists departing for Bali rose by 29 percent, without detailing the exact figures.

"This is surprising. It means that they are not deterred by the current situation relating to [the eruption] of Mount Agung in Bali," he said, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Agus added that the ministry had prepared extra flights to anticipate more spikes in passenger numbers. (rdi/dmr)

link: http://wartakota.tribunnews.com/2017/12/23/penumpang-di-bandara-soekarno-hatta-melonjak-15-persen-paling-banyak-ke-denpasar
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 17:23 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ede828 1 National Christmas,Christmas-greetings,bakery,intolerance,tolerance Free

The annual debate over whether Muslims can say Merry Christmas to their Christian fellows took a new turn on Sunday after a Makassar-based bakery refused a customer's request to write "Selamat hari Natal keluargaku" (Merry Christmas, my family) on top of a cake she had ordered.

Indonesian netizens, whether Muslim or Christian, are sharply divided over the companys policy. If a Muslim believes that their faith prohibits them from saying "Merry Christmas" on the grounds it is akin to confirming the beliefs of Christians (an argument that has been widely refuted by top ulema), would they be considered intolerant if they denied a request of writing it on a cake?

The bakery, Chocolicious Indonesia, believes that it did nothing wrong, saying the policy should by no means be interpreted as an act of intolerance.

"With all due respect and humility, first of all, we would like to offer our deepest regrets. We from Chocolicious Indonesia are not yet able to write 'Merry Christmas' or other similar expressions," the bakery said in a statement on its official Instagram account.

"This does not mean we do not respect your religion. But with all due respect this is what we have to practice based on our religious principles, it said.

Again, we sincerely apologize from the bottom of our hearts and with a feeling of respect and honor as Indonesians. We will still provide greeting cards and chocolate boards as additional services for your order. You are welcome to add your own writing. Again, we wish for your understanding.

For some netizens, the seemingly inoffensive and carefully worded explanation still failed to conceal what they perceived as the bakerys intolerance toward Christians.

Journalist Dandhy Dwi Laksono tweeted: In the case of Chocolicious, what if the word 'Christmas' in the decorous sentence were replaced by 'Idul Fitri'? Or what if the same attitude were displayed by chocolate farmers in Flores who refuse to serve their buyers who celebrate Idul Fitri?

Dalam kasus Chocolicious, bagaimana jika rangkaian kalimat yang sama santunnya, diganti bagian "Natal" dengan "Idul Fitri"? Atau sikap yang sama dibalas para petani coklat di Flores yang menolak melayani buyer yang merayakan Idul Fitri.  Dandhy Laksono (@Dandhy_Laksono) December 24, 2017

Other social media users were less diplomatic, condemning the bakery as racist, fanatics and unfit to live in Indonesia".

But not all netizens were furious or alarmed.

Burhanuddin Muhtadi, a political analyst from Jakarta Islamic State University, argued that the bakery had the right to refuse the request, saying, Other people also have the right to buy cakes from other shops if they feel uncomfortable with [the bakery owners] religious interpretation.

Hak toko tersebut untuk enggan ucapkan Selamat Natal. Sebagaimana hak orang juga yg enggan membeli kue di toko tersebut jika terganggu dengan penafsiran agamanya.



Selamat Natal buat semua. Damai selalu di bumi. https://t.co/FguS7a6lfK  Burhanuddin Muhtadi (@BurhanMuhtadi) December 24, 2017

The Christmas cake controversy came amid concerns over rising identity politics in Indonesia, with the nations burgeoning middle class now seen to be growing more religiously conservative. While many have become used to the antics of hard-line Islamic groups in their war against Christmas, it is unusual for a seemingly law-abiding Muslim shop owner to politely refuse a small request of writing Selamat Natal on the cakes they are selling.

Specifically, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), regarded as the highest religious authority in the country, does not prohibit Muslims from greeting Christians on their holiday. The late Buya Hamka, one of the most influential Muslim clerics in Indonesia, also made it clear that Muslims were permitted to say "Merry Christmas" despite many Muslims basing their argument against Christmas greetings on a 1981 MUI fatwa released by Hamka.

Yudi Latif, who heads the presidential working unit on the implementation of the state ideology of Pancasila (UKP-PIP), said more work needed to be done to instill tolerance in society.

He said the shop owners had the right to refuse or accept an order, adding that it was the task of religious leaders to spread the message of tolerance, including persuading the bakery owner to grant the customers request.

Yudi said, The government must ensure that business owners can operate freely and accept any order they want, as long as it is not against the law.

But regardless of the debate, Chocolicious Indonesia is losing some of its customers because of its policy.

Makassar resident Widya Sabila said she and her family had long been customers of the bakery. I never thought they would do that. I am no longer a fan of their pastries, she said, adding that she and her friends would just stop buying from them. (vla/ami/ahw)
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Linkedin Shatha Yaish (Agence France-Presse) Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories  Sun, December 24, 2017 12:10 1790 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ed498b 2 World Christmas,Jerusalem,celebration,Israel Free

Preparations were under way in Bethlehem on Sunday for Christmas, with tensions still simmering in the city and the region following Washington's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The controversial Dec. 6 announcement by President Donald Trump unleashed demonstrations and clashes, including in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city Bethlehem, where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus in a midnight mass.

Bethlehem is normally flooded by tourists at this time of year, but has at times appeared almost empty of visitors as nearby clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army keep people away.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said "dozens" of groups had pulled out of planned visits after being scared off by the announcement and subsequent violence.

"Of course this created a tension around Jerusalem and this diverted attention from Christmas," the Catholic church's top official in Jerusalem said of Trump's announcement, but stressing that Christmas celebrations would go ahead as planned.

Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two percent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Israel's tourism ministry has said that Christmas preparations have not been affected and that it expects a 20 percent increase in the number of Christian pilgrims this year compared with 2016.

The ministry plans to operate a free shuttle service for the short distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem for mass.

A picture taken on December 23, 2017 shows a general view of Christmas decorations in the Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity (back) in the Palestinian West Bank town of Bethlehem. (Agence France-Presse/Musa Al Shaer)

Extra police

An Israeli police spokesman said that extra units will be deployed in Jerusalem and at the crossings to Bethlehem to ease the travel and access for the "thousands of tourists and visitors".

The annual scouts parade in Bethlehem will march through Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus and where celebrations will culminate with midnight mass.

Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and interpreted Trump's statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this.

In a statement ahead of Christmas, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump's announcement "encouraged the illegal disconnection between the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, both separated for the first time in over 2,000 years of Christianity".

Abbas called on "world Christians to listen to the true voices of the indigenous Christians from the Holy Land... that strongly rejected the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital".

"They are the descendants of the first followers of Jesus Christ and an integral part of the Palestinian people," Abbas said, calling the local Christian community "an inherent part of our societies".

A picture shows the 14-pointed silver star at the Grotto believed to be the exact spot where Jesus Christ was born and where Christian worshippers come to pray in the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on December 21, 2017. (Agence France-Presse/Thomas Coex)

In neighboring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017.

Hundreds entered the church, chanting slogans calling for its demolition, destroying furniture and attacking worshippers before security forces restored order.

But in Iraq, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Christmas mass will be celebrated there for the first time in years following the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July.

IS seized Iraq's second most populous city as part of a lightning offensive in 2014, driving out many Christians, and only small numbers have since returned.

Christian dignitaries as well as Iraqi political and military leaders are expected to attend the annual service at St Paul's Church in the eastern sector of Mosul.

Topics : Christmas Jerusalem celebration Israel
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Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 20:01 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2edff3d 1 City 2017Christmas,Christmas-Eve,security,Gegana,jakarta Free

The Jakarta Police are safeguarding Christmas celebrations by deploying police officers as well as members of the bomb squad (Gegana) in all churches across Jakarta during Christmas Eve.

"Just like in previous years, we will ensure each police precinct secure all churches," Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said. He said the security measures were to anticipate potential issues, including the possibility of terror attacks. "We will also deploy Gegana teams [to the churches]," he said.

Argo said the security of each church would depend on the local police headquarters. "[The church services] are not the same; some on Saturday, some on Saturday night or Sunday night. But we will keep a record of everything," he said.

Argo said there were several churches that needed special attention due large congregations, such as Jakarta Cathedral in Central Jakarta. In addition to deploying personnel, police will also install security equipment, such as metal detectors, at the entrances of some of the churches.

On Christmas Eve, National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto are scheduled to monitor the security measures directly. (wit)
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Linkedin Winda A. Charmila (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 15:35 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2edc4e1 1 City Christmas,Santa-Clara-church,Bekasi Free

Members of the Santa Clara Catholic Church congregation in North Bekasi, West Java, will again hold Christmas Mass in a shop house in Wisma Asri instead of in their church, which remains under construction.

The congregation expected to celebrate Christmas at their church for the first time this year after more than 18 years doing so in the shop house.

Santa Clara priest Raymundus Sianipar said the church, which managed to get a building permit in 2015 amid rejections from local hard-line Islamic groups, might be ready in the next four months.

The construction of the church is 70 percent completed. Christmas Mass will be held [in the shop house] at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., Raymundus told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

While the congregation has around 9,000 members, the shop house is only able to occupy 200 people. Therefore, during Mass, many people crowded outside the church and sat in chairs provided outside the shop house. (ahw)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Sun, December 24, 2017 10:05 1790 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ecbeda 2 World trump,travel-ban,Muslim,Court Free

A US federal judge on Saturday lifted Trump administration restrictions that barred some refugees from the country, the latest in a series of immigration-related legal setbacks for the president.

The United States said in October that it would resume accepting refugees after a 120-day ban ordered by President Donald Trump expired, but some -- including those from 11 "high-risk" countries, most of which are Muslim majority -- were still barred from entering.

In his ruling on Saturday, Judge James Robart ordered American authorities to resume processing and admitting so-called "follow-to-join" refugees, which would once again allow the spouse and unmarried children of a refugee already in the country to be admitted.

And he also ordered that "follow-to-join" refugees and "other refugees with a bona fide relationship to a person or entity within the United States" from the 11 "high-risk" countries be processed and admitted as well.

The ruling is in response to motions for preliminary injunctions filed in two separate cases.

"Plaintiffs in both cases are refugees, who find themselves in dire circumstances, their family members who yearn to be reunited with them, and humanitarian organizations whose fundamental mission is to help these vulnerable refugees resettle in the United States," Robart wrote in his ruling.

"Plaintiffs in both cases present compelling circumstances of irreparable harm inflicted by the federal agencies' action at issue here."

Trump's attempts at banning travelers from several mainly Muslim nations have been met with successive legal challenges this year.

Critics say the president's measures target Muslims, while the Trump administration has sought to cast the restrictions as being aimed at shoring up security.
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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 12:41 1790 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ed5d59 1 National violence-against-women,Yogyakarta,violence-against-children Free

A womens rights group has said that the number of cases of violence against women and children in Yogyakarta remains alarming.

The Rifka Annisa Womens Crisis Center recorded at least 287 cases of violence against women and children in Yogyakarta throughout 2017.

The group stressed that the figure was just the tip of the iceberg. There are numerous other cases that we did not handle, its spokesperson, Diferentia One Muharomah, said.

Among the most common cases were domestic violence (209), sexual violence (29) and sexual harassment and violence in dating relationships (13). At least 80 cases occurred in Sleman regency, 49 in Yogyakarta municipality and 39 in Bantul regency.

More husbands have threatened to kill their wives this year, One said, adding that in many cases the victims were also criminalized.

At least 24 cases of sexual violence involved children, the group said, noting that in some cases the victims got pregnant and were expelled from school.

From 2009 to 2016, the group handled 2,481 cases, or about 300 cases in a year, according to tribunnews.com. "Punishment for the perpetrators should be harsher to create a deterrent effect, One said.

Sukiratnasari from the Yogyakarta Womens Network (JPY) called on the government to take action to eradicate violence against women and children by teaching the younger generation to develop non-violent behavior. (vla/ahw)
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Linkedin (AFP) Tunis  Mon, December 25, 2017 04:37 1789 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ee3b70 2 Politics Tunisia,travel,diplomacy,Emirates Free

Tunisia on Sunday suspended Emirates Airlines flights after a public outcry over security measures in the United Arab Emirates targeting women from the North African country.

The transport ministry said it had "decided to suspend" Emirates flights to Tunis "until the airline is able to find the appropriate solution to operate its flights in accordance with international law and agreements".

A number of Tunisian women had said their travel to the Gulf state on UAE airlines had been delayed and some had been forced to undergo additional examination of their visas.

That triggered angry reactions on social media and media outlets in Tunisia.

The United Arab Emirates said Sunday that "security information" had caused the delays on Tunisian women from boarding flights to the Gulf state.

"We contacted our Tunisian brothers about security information that necessitated taking specific procedures," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter.

"We should avoid misleading attempts... We highly value Tunisian women and respect them," he said, without elaborating.

The Tunisian government said Friday it had asked the UAE ambassador for clarification, adding the envoy said the decision was for only a short period and the restrictions had been lifted.

Despite the clarification, Tunisian rights groups issued a statement on Saturday condemning the UAE measures as "discriminatory and racist".

Tunisia has been trying to repair diplomatic ties with the UAE damaged by its 2011 revolution and after the Islamic party Al-Nahda, which has strong links with Qatar, came to power in the North African country.

Relations between Qatar on one hand and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the other have been severed since June after the four Arab countries accused Doha of backing "terror" groups in the region, a charge denied by Qatar.

Topics : Tunisia travel diplomacy Emirates
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 24, 2017 10:06 1790 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2ecc8fb 1 Destinations panda,Taman-Safari-Indonesia,Taman-Safari,destination,travel,Panda-Castle Free

Spanning a 5,000 square-meter area with a design inspired by traditional Chinese architecture, Taman Safari Indonesia's Panda Castle provides interesting photo opportunities in its various nooks and crannies.

Kompas.com has compiled a list of the seven best spots to take that perfect picture for your Instagram feed.

Panda Castle entrance

Visitors are greeted by a large statue of pandas Cai Tao and Hu Chun in the front yard of the Panda Castle. The entrance area also provides the perfect view of the building's unique design. Stop by for a picture before entering or on the way out.

Read also: Humans and nature must live in harmony, Chinese vice PM says in Bogor

Indoor and outdoor pens

Cai Tao and Hu Chun's enclosures are divided into indoor and outdoor areas. Visitors can visit both to take pictures as the pandas hang out in their homes, while eating, sleeping and playing around.

Female Giant Panda Hu Chun in her enclosure during her quarantine period at Taman Safari Indonesia Panda Area, Cisarua, West Java, Wednesday, November 1, 2017. Cai Tao (male) and Hu chun (female) were lent by the Chinese government as part of a breeding loan program. (JP/Seto Wardhana.)

Education area

Visitors can also learn more about pandas at the Castle's education corner, which also makes for an interesting photo spot. There are rooms showing the types of caves pandas rest in, a hospital area, as well as miniature panda statues.

Panda Castle lookout point

Taman Safari Indonesia also provides a lookout point at its Panda Castle, looking out toward the sweeping views surrounding Mount Gede Pangrango.

Read also: Chinese firm turns panda poop into toilet paper

Panda-inspired eateries

Visitors can find various panda-inspired snacks, including panda-shaped bread, cakes, bakpao (steamed bun) and bakso (meatballs). The adorable snacks also make for interesting photos to share on social media.

Souvenir shop

Rows and rows of panda toys are displayed at the souvenir shop, creating a fun backdrop for a picture to remember your visit by.

Panda housemates

Although Cai Tao and Hu Chun have taken all the attention, the two pandas actually share the castle with four other red pandas named Shing Shing, Mey Mey, Pai Pai and Hao Hao. (liz/kes)
DEAR DR. ROACH: Im a very active 79-year-old woman who had a colonoscopy three months ago and is still suffering with pain on my right side. I have had a CT scan and an ultrasound, and they say there is nothing wrong. Do you have an answer?  N.F.

ANSWER: There are a few complications of colonoscopy that should be considered in a person with pain after the procedure. If a polyp was removed, tenderness and fever can persist for a few days.

Perforation of the colon is uncommon: It happens in 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 colonoscopies performed for screening. Pain, fever and nausea with vomiting are the most common symptoms. These usually begin right after the colonoscopy. A rare complication is damage to the spleen (the spleen is adjacent to the colon in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen) or liver (in the right upper quadrant). The CT scan should have shown a perforation of the colon or damage to the spleen or liver.

I dont have an answer; I have what might be charitably described as a wild guess, which is that the bacteria of the colon drastically change after colonoscopy, and that after three months you may have a different set of bacteria there. (Its called the microbiome, and increasingly is recognized as important to many functions of the body.) If your pain isnt too bad, I would consider a course of probiotics (healthy bacteria) to repopulate the bowel. If the pain is moderate or severe, its time for another visit to your doctor and possibly another evaluation.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read your recent column on gastroparesis. I have both diabetes and this condition, which was referred to by my doctors as a motility problem, but it was explained to me that my motility problem lies in the small intestine, not in the stomach itself. My problem started after a gallbladder operation. The result was extreme nausea and, inevitably, fairly violent vomiting. I may go a number of days (even a couple of weeks) without any problem, and then I may have an almost daily occurrence for several days.

These problems start with extreme fullness. My first remedy is always a massage of my stomach area above the navel (which can be quite painful), sometimes followed by an over-the-counter gas pill; my last resort is Reglan. I am confused by some of the terminology.  E.K.G.

ANSWER: The same issues that affect the nerves to the stomach, causing poor contraction and motility, also can affect the small intestine. The term diabetic autonomic neuropathy probably is more accurate, to reflect that the problem can be at multiple levels. I dont think I have ever seen it myself where it affects the small intestine and not the stomach. This would be very difficult to diagnose  the usual test, the gastric emptying study, looks at the stomachs ability to empty, and if the stomach is normal and the intestines are affected, the test would appear normal. I suspect that in most cases, the stomach might be less affected than the small bowel but still abnormal on testing.

Treatment with metoclopramide (Reglan) works for the stomach and the intestines, as does erythromycin.
It's a Wonderful Life, director Frank Capra's most famous film, has become over the years one of the most loved classics in film history. Starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, the movie tells the story of George Bailey, a man who, on the verge of committing suicide, is shown by his guardian angel how everybodys life would be if he hadnt been born. The movie starts off with some angels having a conversation about helping George. We are then shown episodes in his life, in a Citizen Kane style, so that we (and the angel) can understand the circumstances that have brought George to the edge of that bridge.Georges life is fascinating, full of drawbacks and complications that keep him from following his dreams, while on the other hand he gets a wonderful wife, a beautiful house and a very nice family, being one of the most loved men in town. The character is endearingly relatable, and the audience has enough time and enough information to get to feel for him and to love him dearly. But this story is not a trashy Christmas comedy with flat characters and a stupid argument that makes no sense. Its a Wonderful Life has a well-written script with a credible and relatable argument. The characters are as real as it gets, and the story goes on smoothly, without any unnatural turns of events or stiff comical situations that are not funny at all. Still, for the first hour and a half, the film is just a regular story. You'll even be wondering why it is considered a Christmas movie at all. But soon enough, the raison detre of the film will materialize. It is on Christmas Eve that George Bailey, overwhelmed by his economic situation, decides to kill himself. But, when the angel shows him how wrong he is, he goes back home to celebrate Christmas with his family. Of course the ending is cheesy and a true tear-jerker, but the Christmas message is not forced into the audience just because. There are no lights, no presents, no superfluous or material Christmas stuff in this film. When the whole town of Bedford Falls spontaneously shows up in Georges home to offer him their help, all we see is friendship, kindness, selflessness and compassion - the same things that George has been giving them his whole life, and this is what Christmas is really all about. There are a lot of things that have helped turn this movie into a film history classic. It is a very nice, well-paced and perfectly told story with a marvellous set of characters. Indeed, a wonderful cast and a sublime script make this film great. But it is the joy, the kindness and the love, and the true Christmas message that it sends, that make Its a Wonderful Life the best Christmas film of all time.
People across the UK are using time-off over Christmas to help homeless people also enjoy the festivities.

From opening gyms and theatres, to giving people a place to stay and offering those without a home somewhere to enjoy a meal for free, the Christmas spirit is well and truly on show all over the country.

Heres a selection of how people are coming together to make December 25 a day for everyone to remember.

1. Network Rail is opening London Euston to 200 homeless people for Christmas dinner

To help spread Christmas cheer, we will be providng hot meals to 200 invited homeless guests on Xmas day with volunteers from @networkrail , @StMungos & @Streetkitchen https://t.co/RLvwqg8ITg pic.twitter.com/z2iHrB99lc  London Euston (@NetworkRailEUS) December 13, 2017

The concourse of Euston Station will be transformed with decorations and tables set out for 200 homeless guests to enjoy dinner. The invited diners will arrive from 11am on Christmas Day. The event is a partnership between Network Rail and the St Mungos and Street Kitchen charities.

2. A church in Sunderland is opening its doors for a Christmas lunch

St Marys has been backed by fundraising efforts across the city, including at Sunderland AFC, where supporters were encouraged to bring a tin to a recent match. The items have been donated to St Marys and other homeless support charities. The lunch is being served from midday until 1.30pm.

3. A burger van in Liverpool has been feeding homeless people for free all month

Steak House food van in Liverpool has been offering hot food to homeless people for free between 10am and 11am this December. It will open on Christmas day too, reported the Liverpool Echo.

Local traders have backed the van, owned and run by Tommy Ager, by bringing fresh fruit and other items to add to the hot food he has served.

4. Caribbean eatery Cummin Up offers free lunch on Christmas Day

Please spead the wprd..freemeal to all 02086909167..389 Lewisham High street SE13 6NZ pic.twitter.com/5dDtDHxDbw  #cumminup, #carib (@cumminupcaribbe) December 18, 2017

The Lewisham restaurant shared its plans for a free Christmas meal on Twitter, creating a buzz about the restaurant. It is not just for people who are homeless. A banner outside the restaurant reads: Open Christmas Day. All welcome to our Christmas meal. Money too tight, or lonely? It is serving from 1pm to 7pm.

5. A theatre opens its doors to offer homeless people a place to stay

In Plymouth, the owner of the Palace Theatre is opening the doors of the venue to homeless people, allowing them to sleep in the foyer.

The efforts have been led by a Facebook group called Help the homeless in Plymouth where locals have offered everything from Christmas decorations to make the theatres foyer more festive to practical items like coats, shoes, blankets and jumpers to keep homeless people warm at winter.

6. Fish and chips are available for free

Westlode Fisheries in Spalding, Lincolnshire, is also opening on Christmas Day. It is offering a free hot meal for the homeless, elderly or people who are struggling this Christmas when it opens between 1pm and 3pm. In addition, on Christmas Eve, 10% of takings will be going to charity.

7. A gym is offering shelter, food and haircuts

In Burnley, businesses have come together in a scheme spearheaded by Muscle Factory gym. It will open between 1pm and 3pm on Christmas Day so that no one should feel alone on Christmas Day.

As well as food from Oasis Grillaz, Blades Professional Barbers and Second Impressions Barbers will be offering free haircuts and shaves.

In a Facebook post, the gym added: We cant take away everyones troubles but we can try make life a little bit easier, lift morale, fill some bellies and hopefully have them leave with a smile.
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DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please address the subject of the need for Pap tests after a hysterectomy? I had a total hysterectomy (uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries) several years ago, in my late 50s, due to cancer, and I go for internal examinations regularly to both my general physician and the oncologist, but no further Pap tests have ever been done. I was told that once you have your cervix removed, there is no need for a Pap test. Several women I know continue to have Pap tests even after a hysterectomy. Why the discrepancy in the recommendation for this procedure? Thank you for your input.  Anonymous

DEAR DR. ROACH: No woman, after a pelvic clean-out, should get a Pap.  A.F.S., M.D., M.P.H.

ANSWER: The guidelines are clear that women who have had a total hysterectomy for cervical cancer should continue to have close follow-up, including a speculum and bimanual gynecologic exam as part of the complete physical exam. This is not the case for women who had a total hysterectomy for non-cancer reasons, such as fibroids; these women do not need Pap smears.

I agree with Dr. A.F.S. in that adding cervical cytology (the Pap smear) to the gynecologic exam may not add much benefit: In a recent study, only 6 percent of women with a recurrence of cervical cancer were diagnosed by the results of the Pap test. However, it seems to me, as a non-specialist, that it may still be worthwhile to obtain the Pap smear during the speculum exam, as even a 6 percent improvement means that some women will be diagnosed earlier than they otherwise would.

My strongly held opinion is that women with a history of cervical cancer continue to need screening for some period of time after treatment. This includes a complete gynecologic exam. Most experts feel that this should be done at least annually for at least five years (some groups recommend lifelong screening). I would leave the decision to obtain cervical cytology to the gynecologic oncologist treating the patient.

READERS: Recurring vaginal infections are often troubling to women. The booklet on that topic explains them and their treatment. Readers can order a copy by writing:

Dr. Roach

Book No. 1203

628 Virginia Dr.

Orlando, FL 32803

Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6. Can. with the recipients printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.DEAR DR. ROACH: Recently, while donating blood, the nurse mentioned the various diseases and other things they test for in the blood before giving it to a recipient. My question is: If someone has cancer anywhere in the body but doesnt know it yet, would it be revealed during their testing? The nurse said that they had to call a donor and let the person know about liver cancer but she couldnt tell me if the blood testing would reveal all cancers.  D.L.

ANSWER: Blood banks test donated blood extensively to be sure it is safe to give. They do not test the blood for any evidence that the donor may have unknown cancer (people with a known, active cancer may not give blood). In the case the nurse told you about, I suspect that the blood test revealed the donor had hepatitis C (a virus that the donor may have had), which is a leading cause of liver cancer (which would have been found during the evaluation for the positive hepatitis C blood test).

Unfortunately, there are no blood tests that can reliably diagnose cancer, with a very few specific exceptions, such as PSA testing. It may be different in the future, but for now, blood tests are not a major part of the screening for cancers. Colonoscopies, Pap smears and mammograms are the most common screening tests for cancer, and none of them is perfect.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or request an order form of available health newsletters at 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. Health newsletters may be ordered from www.rbmamall.com.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 40 years old and have been diagnosed with angioectasia of the gastrointestinal tract. From my readings, it seems this is a problem in the elderly. What can I expect with this disease, and what is my prognosis?  E.C.

ANSWER: The word angioectasia is from Greek roots, meaning dilated blood vessel. This condition is more commonly called angiodysplasia (meaning abnormal growth of blood vessels). It is unclear why these occur more often in the elderly; however, they occur most frequently in the gastrointestinal tract  especially the colon, but also the small intestine and, less frequently, the stomach. They cause problems most often by bleeding, which is a problem in itself, but it also may lead to many prolonged searches for other causes of bleeding, especially colon cancer.

Angiodysplasia can occur by itself or in association with other medical conditions. One I always look for is aortic stenosis, which can be found by physical exam. Another is von Willebrands disease, a common but often-undiagnosed bleeding problem. These would be worth considering, especially in a younger person.

The most common location for angiodysplasia to be found in the GI tract is the colon, usually during a colonoscopy. They can be treated immediately upon discovery, by using electricity or other means (laser, injection, ionized gas) to damage the blood vessels to stop bleeding (called cautery). The goal of treatment in angiodysplasia is to slow down or eliminate the bleeding. Iron may be necessary to treat anemia. People with prolonged bleeding may need additional therapies, including medications (estrogens and octreotide in particular), and surgery in a few cases.

Prognosis is highly variable, but only very seldom have I seen people with angiodysplasia of the GI tract that hasnt been well-controlled.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had a blood transfusion in 2000. Would the fact that someone elses blood was used affect the results of a DNA test for ethnic breakdown for genealogical purposes?  H.P.S.

ANSWER: Mature red blood cells do not contain DNA, but early red cells do. Although it is possible to find a few persistent cells in some people within a week after blood transfusion using sophisticated testing, it is vanishingly unlikely that it would have any effect on commercial genetic testing for the purpose of mapping ancestry, which uses the cells from saliva. Even people with an organ transplant, with many cells from someone else, should have accurate results using this technique.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I suffer with numerous cysts in my pancreas and from rough bouts of diarrhea and stomach bloating. Do you know of a physician that removes cysts from the pancreas, or are there other measures that I can take? The only thing my physician suggests is to take Creon, which I have been on for two or three years.  N.H.

ANSWER: It sounds like the primary problem with your pancreas is that it isnt doing its major job, which is to secrete digestive enzymes into the intestines. Without those enzymes, you cant properly digest foods, causing bloating and diarrhea (largely from fat not being absorbed). This condition is called pancreatic insufficiency. Creon is a brand of replacement pancreatic enzymes: These can reduce pain and dramatically improve digestion.

Cysts in the pancreas can be asymptomatic, but I am concerned that you may have chronic pancreatitis, which can cause not only the pancreatic insufficiency but also cystic structures in and around the pancreas (these usually are not actual cysts inside the pancreas, but pseudocysts outside it). A surgeon would be the person to evaluate whether pseudocysts need treatment. I would recommend that you get more complete information from your physician about the diagnosis and future management.
An undertrial prisoner on Saturday committed suicide in Jail Number-5 of the Tihar jail in the national capital.

According to police, the deceased, Soniram, committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling of the jail.

No suicide note was recovered from the spot, a senior police officer said, adding that the body had been preserved at the DDU Hospital mortuary.

Soniram, a native of Uttar Pradesh and accused in several cases of robbery, was arrested in February this year under an Arms Act case registered against him in the Kashmere Gate Police Station here, he said.

Prima facie he was in depression for the last couple of days, the officer added.
Kolkata Bakeries in West Bengal have alleged that banks in the state were refusing to accept coins on Dec 24, crippling the employment-intensive sectors financials.

Bakery businesses working capitals are getting locked and gradually turning unviable due to the non-acceptance of coins by banks for the past few months, claimed Idris Ali, secretary of the joint action committee of bakeries in West Bengal.

The banks are not accepting coins when the bakeries are going to deposit them. We have been repeatedly complaining to authorities, including the Reserve Bank of India, Ali told PTI.

For small bakeries, almost 50 per cent of their sales realisation happens through coins, he said.

With the small and medium enterprises already burdened with GST, which has pushed several bakery products to the 18 per cent tax bracket from five per cent, the coin issue is like a double whammy for the sector, Ali said.

According to sources in the banking industry, lenders in the state do not have enough chests to manage such large quantity of coins.

If the situation does not ease, large-scale closure of small bakeries is imminent, Ali added.
The year was 2015, when Nils Ragnar Kamsvag took charge as the Norwegian Ambassador to India. Since then, the ambassador has been taking various initiatives to strengthen India-Norway relationship. This is not his first stint as an ambassador. Nils Ragnar Kamsvag served in Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, Royal Norwegian Embassy and Belgrade before coming to India. With a Masters in History, Ambassador Kamsvag, has also worked in various positions, including Project Manager, Crisis Management, MFA; Norwegian Representative to the Palestinian Authority, Al Ram; and Ambassador, Middle East and North African Affairs, MFA. In an interview with Rakesh Kumar, Ambassador Kamsvag spoke about India-Norway relationship and how it can be improved and Norways position on Indias bid for permanent UN Security Council membership. Excerpts:

Pollution has been a major issue in Delhi and all over the world. How has Norway successfully tackled the problem?

We have had very strong focus on environment issues. It is from a long time back. In spite of the fact that we are oil exporters, we have the highest gasoline prices in the world. Thats of course meant to kind of discourage people from using much of gasoline. Then we were early in adopting a policy on electric cars. However, in the beginning not much happened as there were very few electric cars to choose from. Now we have started producing more, so people have many choices available. Other than this, we have started giving several incentives. For instance, if one has electric vehicles, he can drive on the bus lane.

When it comes to transport, Norway has one of the best public transport systems in the world. Can you share the secret and suggest how to improve the Indian system?

The first thing I would like to suggest is to have a good public transport. It is not easy for people to shift from these gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Even if they switch to electric vehicles, there is another problem. Norway has 100 per cent hydropower; it is clean energy while India uses a lot of coal. Therefore, if you are using electric vehicles, there will be pollution in India.

Given the vast population of India, do you think public transport for all will be feasible in the country?

It is a question of priority and political will. If you have limited resources then it is a question of priority. For instance, in India, pollution is debated every autumn. But to overcome it, one needs a long term policy. You cant change things in a single day. Take for example, Delhi. When Metro came, it was a big step forward because lots of people could travel in it. Therefore, India should improve public transport.

How do you look at relations between India and Norway?

Our relations are very good. For us India is an important political partner, also it is the biggest democracy in the world. A strong India is very important for Norway and Europe. There are several things going on between India and Norway. For instance, there is a pension firm, which invested more than US $ 10 billion. They are probably one of the biggest single investors. However, still our trade with India is too little. We hope to improve it.

Why are there very little high-level exchanges between India and Norway?

Yes that is But here we would like to see more. For instance, the President of India visited Norway in the autumn of 2014. Like this we would like to see more high level exchanges of Prime Ministers and Presidents. On both sides, we are working to improve. Other than this there is research cooperation going on between India and Norway. Right now, we have more than 90 joint projects being carried out. It has been an enormous growth.

India and Norway had signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) in the defence field in 2014. Has there been any progress in taking defence cooperation forward?

Yes. We have had exchanges on naval side just last month. We have a big delegation of students and teachers from defence colleges visiting Norway. The most important arms producers are present in India. But these defence procurements are quite time-taking for the country as there are many negotiation. One has to be patient.

Norway is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Why is India being denied admission to the grouping?

It is quite public that we are not stopping the introduction of India in NSG as a member. We would very much welcome India as a member. This is the negotiation which all the members will have to agree. This is what the actual criteria is. Hopefully we will see India as a member some day.

Does Norway support Indias candidature for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council?

Yeswe support India being in the Security Council.

Why has Norway chosen to remain out of the European Union (EU)?

Well that is always difficult to answer; we had two referendums on it. We are economic members of EU and also a member of Schengen.

In many ways we are very integrated, but we had many debates on it. Farmers association protested that after becoming a member, it wont be possible to do farming in most of Norway because of climate challenges. Second were the fishermen. We are very rich in fisheries and the fishermen community was afraid that if we become a member of the EU, we will open the countrys fisheries to EU. Then there was also a mixture of inferiority and superiority complexes: inferiority, because we are only five million and how can we influence 500 million people; and superiority complex because we have some of the worlds best social welfare systems.
The Embassy of Japan in New Delhi celebrated the countrys National Day in style by hosting a grand reception at the lush green lawns of Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsus residence. The National Day of Japan is observed to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor, who turned 84 on 23 December.

The reception was attended by senior Indian diplomats, foreign envoys, academicians, businessmen and journalists. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who is rarely seen at such functions, was conspicuous by his presence.

Some 20 Japanese companies put up an exhibition of their products at the exhibition and explained to the guests new business initiatives in India. Stalls were also put up by Indian companies that have been engaged in trade with Japan.

Welcoming the guests after the national anthems of India and Japan were played, the Japanese envoy wished for the continued good health and happiness of Japans revered Emperor. He said, This year was characterised by the historic visit of Prime Minister Abe to Gujarat in September and by the visibly enhanced people-to-people exchanges as the Year of Japan-India friendly exchanges.

Hiramatsu said the strategic dialogue between the two Prime Ministers on regional and global issues was becoming increasingly deep and substantial. India was an obvious, essential, and the most reliable partner for Japan to work with, in coping with the challenges that the world faces today. Japan places India at the centre of its Indo-Pacific strategy, he added. He said the two countries were discovering new avenues of collaboration, for instance, in retail, services sectors, and start-ups
Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who came calling here on Saturday days after his party narrowly missed victory in the Gujarat Assembly elections, exhorted the party rank and file that with a little more effort, the BJP could be defeated in the state, and the Congress would get 135 seats in the next elections.

Gandhi, who flew down here after offering prayers at the Somnath Temple, said he could sense a victory even in the partys defeat and this election had demonstrated it.

We lost in the elections, but we have won. This is the reality. We won because they fought with anger, with money, police, chief ministers from various states, industrialists. We had only truth.

We stood against this and showed it to the entire country that Congress can fight and win, he said.

My main challenge was that if Gujarat Congress believes that it is going to win, then it would win. You believed in it 70 per cent and can see the results. Now Gujarat Congress has confidence. Now you know that you can win. Now just wait for the results of (2019) Lok Sabha and (2022) Assembly elections. It will be a great result. All those sitting here will be in government, he said.

The Gujarat Congressmen have shown that if they unite and fight on their ideology, they do not lose.

Speaking in Hindi, the Congress chief said with confidence, We have dismantled all the development talk of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji. Now he cannot talk about it.

He congratulated the BJP for its victory and accepted the Oppositions role, while claiming that the new BJP government would work for a handful of and snatch away lands of farmers.

What we talked about Gujarat government in the elections is the truth and the fight has not ended. Farmers, women and youth have voted for us. You have to show that Congress legislators fight for people, their issues and do not take a step back, he said.

Gandhi said that Congress in the state had been able to take away the development plank of Prime Minister and BJP. They stand exposed on this. In the end he (PM) talked about himself all the time. The entire country knows it and they cannot use it (development plank) anywhere, he added.

The Congress finished with 80 seats, including three independents, in the House of 182 where the BJP was reduced to 99 seats from its 2012 tally of 115 and was hoping for an unprecedented victory by getting more than 150 seats. The Congress was meandering in the 50s through the last five elections and had lost all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat in 2014.

Gandhi asserted: Three four months ago, the question here was whether Congress could fight the elections at all. Nobody gave us a chance of winning. The BJP said Congress would win 20-25 seats and they would win 150-plus.

The Congress president claimed that the main reason for his partys loss was the campaign of defamation and lies by Modi and his BJP against the Congress and its leaders.

Gandhi was here for a review meeting on partys performance in elections with elected legislators, losing candidates and party workers. You fought well. The tickets too were distributed fairly, except few mistakes that happen, he said.
Students in UW-La Crosses Radiation Therapy Club can be found driving cancer patients to appointments. Others are talking with Mayo Clinic patients while playing cards at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Rochester, Minnesota. Still others can be found writing a simple note of encouragement to those undergoing treatment.

A radiation therapist is much more than someone who administers radiation, says Erin Richardson, a UW-L radiation therapy major and club president. The second half of the title is therapist for a reason, she adds. It is a personable, caring and service-oriented career that students prepare for, in part, through community service, she said.

Every fall semester, a group of about 50 students in the club make handmade tied blankets to deliver to the Oncology Department at Gundersen Health System. They made 15 blankets during their last meeting of the semester Nov. 28, and delivered them to Gundersen in early December.

The project started when UW-L alumna Marcie (Wiederholt) Robbins, 12, now a radiation therapist at Gundersen, was president of the student club.

Back then, the club members volunteered in the community  playing bingo with nursing home residents and trick or treating for cans to collect food pantry donations. But that didnt get them in contact with the people they would be serving in their future. So, Robbins created the blanket-making project to directly benefit cancer patients.

The project was a win-win, she says. Students bonded with each other and patients while making and delivering the blankets. The patients were and continue to be appreciative, Robbins adds. Some are so thankful they cry, she notes. They are happy to know someone is thinking of them and making them feel special.

Robbins is happy to see the tradition continue at UW-L. Its not too surprising considering the statistics. A recent self-reporting survey found that 42 percent of UW-L seniors volunteered up to five hours weekly.

Richardson, and Radiation Therapy club vice presidents Courtney Kocken and Lexie Radle, have been involved in the blanket making and delivery for four years. You know you are putting your hard work into improving someone elses life, Richardson said.

The project, in that respect, is a lot like the profession.

All three declared the radiation therapy major as freshmen because they grew up seeing people close to them go through cancer treatment. Whether an aunt, grandmother or a high school friend, they remember the doctors, nurses and therapists who became more than medical providers. They were a support system.

It made me want to be someone elses support system when they are having a challenging time, Radle said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the wonderful arrangements at the Patna Sahib gurdwara on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

In a tweet, Modi said: I congratulate CM @NitishKumar Ji and the Bihar Government for the wonderful arrangements for Sri Guru Gobind Singh Jis 350th birth anniversary celebrations at Takht Sri Patna Sahib Ji.

In January 2017, I had the opportunity to visit Patna to join the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, he added.

Modi had attended the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of the tenth and last living guru of Sikhs in Patna Sahib earlier this year in January.

Takht Sri Harmandirji Sahib, widely known as Patna Sahib, is about 10 km from Patna and was built in the 1950s over the remains of a structure erected by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Modi further said that Guru Gobind Singhs brave deeds and noble thought have inspired people across generations.

As we mark the 350th Prakash Parv, I bow to the venerable Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. He was an embodiment of exceptional courage and immense wisdom. His brave deeds and noble thoughts inspire people across generations, he said in a tweet.

Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji believed in the power of equality. He opposed all forms of social discrimination and was revered for his sense of justice as well as honesty, Modi added.

Guru Gobind Singh was born in 1666 to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru and Mata Gujri. He was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs at the age of nine, becoming the last of the living Sikh Gurus.
Indian and Pakistan troops traded heavy fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district on Sunday, a defence official said.

The Pakistan Army used mortars, automatics and small arms to target Indian positions on the LoC in the Shahpur area.

Firing and shelling exchanges started at 1.30 p.m., and were continuing, the official added.

Sundays clashes on the LoC comes a day after four Indian soldiers were killed in Keri sector of Rajouri district.
India and Russia on Saturday discussed cooperation in areas including energy and technology, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday following a meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) here.

Had a productive meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Rogozin, Modi tweeted.

This year saw increased high-level exchanges between India and Russia, which benefits our nations. We discussed cooperation in areas including energy and technology.

In the joint statement in June this year in St. Petersburg following the annual India-Russia bilateral summit between Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both sides welcomed cooperation among energy companies in modernising the existing power stations and building new ones in India.

We will endeavour to develop joint projects in each others countries through sharing of technologies, experience of working in different terrains and climatic conditions, and use of energy efficient technologies for creation and propagation of cleaner, climate friendly and affordable energy resources, a joint statement said.

Following Saturdays IRIGC-TEC meeting co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rogozin, the External Affairs Ministry said the Commission assessed the progress on issues concerning the most significant aspects of bilateral economic cooperation such as trade, economy, investment, industry, energy, transport, agriculture and space.

Both sides decided to create working groups on agriculture and pharmaceuticals, and to actively promote inter-regional cooperation which has significant untapped potential for cooperation.

A decision to expedite implementation of a green corridor for exchange of pre-arrival data between customs administrations of the two countries was also reached.
Putting an end to days of speculation, the BJP on Sunday announced five-time legislator Jai Ram Thakur as the next Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh following a meeting of the BJP legislative party.

A senior BJP leader said Thakur was selected by BJPs central observers comprising Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar in consultation with state party in-charge Mangal Pandey and all MLAs.

Seen as the gentle face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Thakur was the frontrunner for the post along with Union Health Minister JP Nadda. Thakur is known to be a close aide of Nadda.

Other names doing the rounds were of party legislators Suresh Bhardwaj and Rajeev Bindal.

Earlier in the day, Sitharaman and Tomar, along with Pandey, met the newly elected legislators and the Members of Parliament to discuss the formation of the government and the Chief Minister.

After spending two days in Shimla, they returned to New Delhi and submitted their feedback to party President Amit Shah.

The BJP won 44 seats in the 68-member assembly.
Kulbhushan Jadhavs wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistans foreign office said on Sunday.

They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat, Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhavs wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on Indias appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhavs family had applied for visas last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will attend the swearing-in of Jairam Thakur as the new Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister here on December 27, the party said on Sunday.

Thakur, a confidant of Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, will take oath as the new Chief Minister along with his Cabinet colleagues at the Ridge in the state capital.

The Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states will attend the swearing-in ceremony, said a senior BJP leader.

Earlier in the day, newly elected legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party chose five-time legislator Thakur as their leader.

He along with senior leaders later met Governor Acharya Devvrat to stake claim to form the new state government.

The BJP wrested power in Himachal from the Congress, winning close to two thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member assembly. The Congress won 21 seats, independents two and the Communist Party of India-Marxist one.
The Health Ministry, which is struggling to make six new AIIMS fully functional due to unavailability of suitable candidates, has now decided to hire retired doctors, who have worked in premier medical institutes of the country, on contract.

The government will hire retired doctors on contract basis as various faculty positions of professors, additional and associate professors in most of the clinical disciplines are lying vacant despite two rounds of vacancy filling exercises.

The six new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Raipur, Patna and Bhubaneshwar  are yet to become fully functional due to lack of doctors and faculty.

Approval of the competent authority is conveyed for engagement of retired faculty at the level of professor, additional professor and associate professor, on contract basis, in new AIIMS, up to the age of 70 years, from institutes of national importance (INIs) and government medical colleges (GMCs), the order read.

According to a senior health ministry official, all the six new AIIMS are unable to start out-patient and in-patient department services in a number of specialities and super- speciality disciplines due to faculty crunch.

We advertised twice. Last year, we advertised 1,300 posts for the AIIMS at Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur, Bhubaneswar and Rishikesh but could only fill up 200 posts. Most of them were found to be unsuitable for the positions, the official said.

The contractual engagement of retired faculty would be against vacant regular posts in new AIIMS and there would be continued attempts for direct recruitment of faculty by open advertisements.

The retired faculty consultant will report to the Director of the institute, the terms and conditions read.

Participation of retired faculty consultant in national seminars or conferences would be permissible as per entitlement of regular faculty.

In case retired faculty consultant is also deputed out of the station on official assignment, TA/DA would be paid on tour, as admissible, as per entitlement against post last held immediately before retirement.

Private practice of any kind, including laboratory and consultant practice is prohibited, the terms and conditions stated.

During the period of the contract, the engagement is liable to be terminated at any time with a month notice without assigning any reason whatsoever.

It will be open to the institute to pay, in lieu of notice, salary for the period by which the notice period falls short.

If at any time, in the opinion of the competent authority, which is final in this matter, retired faculty consultant is found non-performing or guilty of any offence, disorderly behaviour, negligence or any other conduct considered by the competent authority, deterrent to the interest of AIIMS or violation of one or more terms and conditions, his or her services may be terminated without notice.

A high-powered committee, headed by M K Bhan, a former secretary in the Department of Biotechnology, constituted to look at the governance structure of all the new AIIMS, had made these proposals to the ministry.

Over the last two years, the AIIMS at Jodhpur has been able to fill up 47 percent of its vacancies, followed by Bhubaneshwar which filled up 45 percent vacancies, Rishikesh had 43 percent vacancies filled, Bhopal had 35 percent, and Raipur just 24 percent.

The AIIMS at Patna has been able to fill up only 17 percent of its faculty positions.
In a major shot in the arm for the TTV Dhinakaran-Sasikala camp, the sidelined AIADMK leader is poised to win the by-election for the Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) by a massive margin of votes.

After 11 rounds of voting, Dhinakaran, the nephew of Jayalalithas close aide Sasikala polled over 64,000 votes  50 per cent of the total votes counted and took a big lead over his rivals, AIADMKs Madhusudhanan (33,000 votes) and DMKs Maruthuganesh (17, 140 votes).

There will be 19 rounds of counting.

The high-stakes constituency that fell vacant after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is a prestige battle between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam of the AIADMK and Dhinakaran.

Many believe that Dhinakaran, if he manages to win the seat will be seen as the heir to Jayas legacy as the outcome of the by-election is being seen as a verdict on the ruling AIADMK which has faced turbulence after the demise of Jayalalithaa.

Dhinakaran is fighting the poll as an independent after falling out of favour with Palaniswami and also lost the fight for AIADMKs Two Leaves symbol.

While, there are 59 candidates in fray, the poll is virtually confined to AIADMKs Madhusudhanan, DMKs Maruthuganesh and Dhinakaran.

Polling on the seat was held on December 21.
Former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said his father and RJD chief Lalu Prasads conviction in a second fodder scam case was a conspiracy against their family and they would move the Jharkhand High Court against the special CBI courts verdict.

The RJD was not worried and it would fight against any such conspiracy, he said.

It is a conspiracy against Laluji and his family. We will move the High Court and we are confident that we will get justice there, he told reporters here.

The RJD is not a weak party. It will not be weakened by Lalu Prasads conviction. All RJD workers are our leaders and we can carry on the party affairs even when Laluji will be in judicial custody, Yadav said.

Meanwhile, the BJP in Jharkhand said Prasads conviction proved that those involved in corruption would not got off scot-free.

BJP state unit general secretary Dipak Prakash rubbished allegations that there was a political conspiracy behind Prasads conviction.

Prasad must understand it was a conspiracy of the Congress as the entire fodder scam came out during its rule and the inquiry and trial were also conducted by the Congress governments, he said.

The CBI court order in the Deoghar fodder scam case proved that anybody involved in corruption will not be spared and so the people in politics must maintain probity, he said.
Some election stories are overlooked when the focus is on the major parties as votes are counted and government-formation attracts attention. Yet at times the voters verdict on a loser can be almost as significant as the support garnered by the winner. It is in this context that the dismal performance of the Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat must be perceived ~ all its candidates had to forfeit their security deposits. Coming in the wake of an almost similar no-show in Goa, Arvind Kejriwals party has had its national ambitions severely bruised. True that it was making its debut in the western state, what it must learn is that needless pre-event bragging only accentuates the damage inflicted by the electorate.

While it had initially said it would be contesting every seat in Mr Narendra Modis home state, it could manage to get only 29 persons willing to seek a place in the 182-member legislature under its flag and all of them bit the dust: the writing was on the wall when none of AAPs leading lights ~ or are they paper tigers?  dared campaign in the land of the last Asiatic lions. In fact it had done a little better in Goa where at least one of its 39 candidates did not add to the governments coffers. In Gujarats its tally was less than what NOTA had notched up.

The lesson that Kejriwal, Sisodia & Co must learn is that politics calls for more than cashing-in on public dismay: that did work for the Delhi Assembly polls but an inability to wrest even one of the three municipal corporations from the BJP confirmed that it had not acquired much support at the grassroots level ~ a single by-election win in Bawana is small comfort. In the same way there is little positive to its bagging the second spot in Punjab, it got that far only because the Akali Dal had crumbled. It is too early to start trying to assess how the AAP will fare in the next Assembly poll ~ that neither the BJP nor the Congress have done much to impress the voter (the BJP at least retained control of the municipalities) could work to its advantage, but a lot of work will have to be done for even its students wing has not taken off.

Rather than build up a genuine following, Kejriwal continues to focus on the politics of negativity ~ as is evident from his running battle with successive Lieutenant-Governors. The pending case in the apex court could be a make or break affair ~ should the court decide that in Delhi the chief minister has only limited authority it will prove a real setback. For then even his blame-game might cease to resonate with citizens facing more than a fair share of headaches. The AAP broom is no longer new, ground realities point to its not sweeping clean.
Two western Wisconsin soldiers killed in a little-known Christmas Eve troop ship disaster 73 years ago have been memorialized after an amateur historian tracked down their photos through a 17-year-old story from the La Crosse Tribune.

On Dec. 24, 1944, the troop ship S.S. Leopoldville set sail from Southampton, England, with more than 2,200 U.S. soldiers on board. Just a few miles from the coast of France, as the troops sang holiday carols, the ship was torpedoed by a German submarine.

Nearly 300 soldiers were killed by the blast, while hundreds more drowned or froze as the ship sunk in the 48-degree waters.

A total of 763 Americans lost their lives that night, including 12 from Wisconsin.

Among them were Pfc. Dean McHugh, a 30-year-old postal clerk from Holmen who was drafted in 1942, and Pfc. Ernest Moen, an enlistee from Whitehall, Wis., who had fought in the Pacific before being sent to Europe.

Allan Andrade, author of Leopoldville: A Tragedy Too Long Secret, said the event was a national disaster that is still largely unfamiliar to most Americans.

It was such a terrible thing to happen on Christmas Eve, he said. Most people have never heard of it.

Rod Moen was just two years old when his eldest brother enlisted and seven when he died.

I dont remember too much about it, he said. It was really tough on my mother.

Moen said after Ernests death the family celebrated Christmas on Dec. 24.

That was my mothers choosing, he said.

He does remember the burial in the Whitehall cemetery when his brothers body was returned in the spring of 1946.

Moen, the son of a World War I veteran, had brothers serve in World War II and Korea. He served in the Vietnam War and spent 22 years in the military before being elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 1983.

The whole family was Army and I came along and joined the Navy, he said.

In 2000, Holmen resident Lee McHugh recalled his dread when newspaper stories appeared in January 1945 saying the ship had been sunk with members of the 66th Infantry Division aboard. His father later received a telegram that said Dean McHugh was missing in action. McHugh was among 493 soldiers whose bodies were never recovered.

Lee McHugh, who died in 2005, told the Tribune he thought of his brother every Christmas Eve and often arranged to have him memorialized during Mass.

Hugh Gleason was just 14 when his uncle was killed, but he remembers Dean McHugh as a tall and kind man. Gleason attended the funeral but said his parents didnt talk about the circumstances. He said he didnt learn about the sinking of the ship until reading Andrades book about 10 years ago.

In November, Andrade received an email from Martha Meyer with a copy of the Tribune story and a photo of McHugh, her uncle, that she uncovered while going through her late mothers things.

We needed to make sure his picture is out there, Meyer said.

The Tribune story also mentioned Moen and quoted his brother Rod.

Andrade called the office of Senate President Roger Roth, whose staff helped him track down the former senator. Moen didnt have a photo of his brother, but he reached out to a sister who did and sent a copy to Andrade, who posted it on leopoldville.org, a website memorializing the disaster.

Since publishing his book 20 years ago, Andrade said he regularly receives messages from people whose relatives are listed among the dead and missing. To date he has collected 270 photographs for the website, which was created by the nephew of another Leopoldville victim.

A retired New York police officer, Andrade said he stumbled onto the Leopoldville story in 1993 while doing research for another book. Hed always been a World War II history buff but hadnt known about this disaster.

The event was classified until 1959, and Andrade said the government tried to cover up some of the embarrassing details  from the fact that the convoy wasnt warned of German submarines in the area to the Belgian crew abandoning the ship and leaving the American soldiers to fend for themselves.

I still hear from families that dont know to this day, he said. People just went on with their life. They never really knew the circumstances.
In the immediate aftermath of Gujarat elections, political pundits expectedly had a field day with their non-stop slicing and dicing of the poll results, and we commoners were getting thoroughly confounded by the proclamations of electoral victory, moral victory and political victory claimed by the rivals. Looking desperately for a more sobering subject, I was offered a pleasant distraction by an article in the latest issue of the National Geographic magazine on what archeology has so far revealed on the life of Jesus. This being Christmas time, a time for celebrating peace, love and harmony all of which are becoming more elusive with every passing day, I thought of moving away, at least temporarily, from the ceaseless onslaught of politics and intrusion of propaganda unto our lives which tend to turn us into thoughtless morons.

Many readers are certainly aware of the book The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovitch, originally published in 1890 from Paris, which attempted to explain the missing years of Jesuss life from the age of 12 until 29, of which no reference is found in the New Testament Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John which detail his life and teachings. Luke merely says And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his sheaving unto Israel. (Luke, 1, 80).

Notovitch, a Jewish adventurer, author and journalist, had visited India during October-November 1887 and reached Leh during the course of his sojourn where he learnt of the existence of a series of scrolls written in Pali describing the life of a saint called Issa who had lived there some 2,000 years earlier and until he attained the manhood, studied the laws of the Great Buddha. It was a matter of chance that while negotiating a difficult terrain in the mountains, he suffered a fall from his horse and broke his leg and was brought to a monastery he called Himis (possibly Hemis monastery of Leh) for recuperation. There a monk showed him two big books, the large leaves of which were of paper yellow with age, and from them he read to me the biography of Issa, which I carefully transcribed in my travelling notebook according to the translation made by the interpreter. The description of the places, terrains and customs of the people he claimed to have visited appear to be pretty accurate.

According to this account, Jesus had arrived in India at the age of fourteen through the country of the five streams and Radjipoutan, where he spent his first few months in the temples of the Djainites, then went to Djagguernat in the country of Orsis where he spent six years studying Sanskrit books and religious manuscripts, visiting Radjagriha, Benares and other holy cities. He found much to blame in the Brahminical laws and usages, thought the caste system extremely unjust, and fell out with the Brahmins who plotted to kill him when he took refuge in the mountains of Nepaul, the land where Buddha was born. He spent another six years in the Himalayan mountains among the Buddhists where he found the principle of monotheism still pure, before returning home to Galilee through Persia, preaching a doctrine of love and brotherhood and against idol-worship all along the way. He reached home when he was 29.

While Christian theologians and scholars universally discard this book as a pack of fanciful lies without an iota of evidence, some scholars attempted to seek such evidence in Jesuss teachings which bore remarkable similarity and sometimes striking resemblance to the teachings of Buddha. But none else has so far glimpsed through the manuscript which contained the alleged account of Jesuss escapades in India. Notovitch had difficulty in publishing the book in Russia and was eventually arrested and exiled to Siberia for engaging in literary activity dangerous to state and to society by the head of a ministry department.

The National Geographic article by Kristin Romey makes no reference to Notovitch. It follows the archeological trails of Jesuss life in places associated with him as described in the Gospels  in Nazareth where he grew up till adolescence, in Magdala, the birthplace of Mary Magdalene, and in Capernaum, a fishing village on the northwestern shores of the Sea of Galilee which actually is a freshwater lake, where he made his first disciples from among the tribe of fishermen  Peter, Andrew, James and John  when he was 30. The Gospels pick up the thread of his life from that point and archeological evidence more or less tends to support their account. The trails finally lead to Jerusalem, the seat of the holiest shrine of Christianity.

Jerusalems Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands on the site of an ancient Jewish cemetery dating back to the time of Jesus. Christians believe that this church enshrines Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified, and a nearby tomb where he was buried and resurrected  archeologists in fact have unearthed an abandoned quarry at this site that was used as a Jewish cemetery. The shrine at the head of the Church of Holy Sepulchre, known as the Edicule, is revered as Jesuss tomb and believed to contain his remains. Within the Edicule, there is the Stone of Unction, where his body was anointed before burial and there is a flat stone, known as the Holy Rock, which is revered as the place where his body lay in its final rest. But here the archeological evidence grows somewhat cold and contradicts the burial practices of those days according to which the dead were placed inside long burial niches dug in the walls of burial chambers rather than upon a bench like the Holy Rock. Bodies discovered in the nearby tombs were all placed inside the burial niches. There was no reason why the body of Jesus, who was crucified as a criminal would have been given any special treatment.

In March 2010, Sam Miller of BBC published a curious report from Srinagar. Titled Tourists flock to Jesuss tomb in Kashmir, it identified an old building known as the Rozabal shrine in the backstreets of downtown Srinagar where tourists were returning after several years of terrorism -elated unrest. The shrine located on a street corner in a town full of mosques and mausoleums was a modest stone building with a traditional Kashmiri multi-tiered sloping roof. Through the gaps in the wall, Miller could see a gravestone covered with a green cloth and wrote, according to an eclectic combination of New Age Christians, unorthodox Muslims and fans of the Da Vinci Code, the grave contains the mortal remains of a candidate for the most important visitor of all time to India. Though officially, the tomb is the burial site of one Youza Asaph, a medieval Muslim preacher, there is a growing belief that it is in fact the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. The myth found its way into the Lonely Planet, and started attracting tourists from all over; one foreigner in fact broke off a bit from the tomb to take home with him, when the tomb was closed to tourists.

I had read this report and my curiosity led me to a book called Jesus Lived in India: His unknown Life Before and After the Crucifixion by the theologian Holger Kersten (Penguin, 1981); in fact there are quite a few books on the subject. Kersten supports Notovitchs account as well as other accounts testifying to Jesuss sojourn in India during the missing years. Using evidence and elaborate arguments from religion, science and history, he seeks to prove that Jesus did not die at the crucifixion, but was only injured. He was buried and resurrected after medication, and transported to Damascus, where he lived in a place known as Mayuam-i-Isa (abode of Jesus). He arrived in Kashmir via Mari, (Murree, now in Pakistan), and lived the rest of his life there as Yus Asaf, preaching his doctrine of love. He died a natural death at a ripe old age beyond 80. The story of Jesuss two journeys to India is also told by the 10th century historian Sheikh Al-Said-us-Saliq in his famous work Ikmal-ud-Din.

I do not know if any of these accounts is true, and am not qualified in the least to give an opinion. But I thought this to be more entertaining than the dreariness and fatigue of Gujarat elections and its impact of the future of BJP and India. As far as religion is concerned, I do not believe in anything. But as Romey says, to sincere believers, the scholars quest for the historical, non-supernatural Jesus is of little consequence. That quest will be endless, full of shifting theories, unanswerable questions, irreconcilable facts. But for true believers, their faith in the life, death, and Resurrection of the son of God will be evidence enough. If that faith can usher in a little more love and diminish some of the violence we see around us, the faith will be well worth it.

(The writer is a commentator. The views expressed are personal.)
Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country ~ this is my dream. Education for every boy and every girl in the world.

~ Malala Yousafzai

In her autobiographical memoir, I am Malala, Malala Yousafzai initiates her journey on a rather perturbing note. In the chapter A Daughter is Born, she doesnt forget to mention: When I was born, people in our village commiserated with my mother and nobody congratulated my father. She goes on to add: I was a girl in a land where rifles are fired in celebration of a son, while daughters are hidden away behind a curtain, their role in life simply to prepare food and give birth to children.

Malalas observation is not only an issue of concern in the circumstance of Pakistan, but it also rings true in the context of the entire Indian subcontinent as well. Sadly though, even today, in most parts of the country, the birth of the girl child is not welcome. Malalas candid observation is symptomatic of a greater socio-cultural malady in the subcontinent that needs to be redressed with utmost urgency.

The exigency is a desperate one, more so, as there seems to be an inherent social resistance that thwarts the successful implementation of various social welfare schemes specifically directed towards womens welfare and empowerment of the girl child. In stray cases of success of certain schemes, the overall bleak scenario seems to drown and obscure the silver lining. Yet one has to be an incorrigible optimist and strive for the turn of the tide.

As Malala laments in her autobiography, right from her birth, she had been perceived as a liability, being subject to inequity, prejudice and subjugation at each and every stage of her early life. The instance of Malala underlines the enormity of the problem both in the rural and the urban sector of the Indian subcontinent.

Inevitably, it cannot be denied that gender prejudice lies at the root of neglect of the girl child, especially as regards crucial issues like education, health care and financial empowerment. Reversal of this deep rooted social bias is of strategic significance in the states fight for empowerment of the girl child. Her overall security and upbringing is precious; not only for today but for the future as well. To take care of the future of womens empowerment it is imperative to ensure the security and upbringing of the girl child of today. Against the onslaught of the predominantly all male set-up, there is very little choice for the hapless victim except to haplessly surrender to its whims and fancies of the patriarchal society. Along with the scourge of abject neglect and apathy, comes the looming spectre of abuse and exploitation of the girl child in her growing-up period.

Discrimination against the girl child, an integral part of Indian society, operates in a vicious manner in multiple ways. Be it urban or rural, the birth of a girl child is not only unwelcome, but unfortunately seen as a burden. As a consequence of such a flawed perception, cases of female infanticide continue to be reported from different parts of the country on a regular basis, even today. This has a direct bearing on the sex ratio. The shocking condition of the sex ratio can be easily perceived from observations made on the census of India website: Like the sex composition of the total population, the sex composition by age groups is vital for studying the demographic trends of the young population, its future patterns and particularly the status of the girl child.

The report further states that at the census 2001, sex ratio of the population in the age group 0-6 years has been registered as 927 in India, declining from 945 in 1991 and 962 in 1981. The decreasing sex ratio in this age group as the report adds, has a cascading effect on population over a period of time leading to diminishing sex ratio in the country. The website warns in its report that one thing is clear ~ the imbalance that has set in

at this early age group is difficult to be removed and would remain to haunt the population for a long time to come. An alarming ratio reflects a host of other social maladies which further exacerbates the plight of the Indian girl child in the short term and frustrates the much cherished distant dream of womens empowerment in the long run.

With due candour, it must be admitted that the central and the state governments are leaving no stone unturned to improve and recover the situation. Besides the resounding recent success of the West Bengal governments Kanyashree Prakalpo, the nation has witnessed a spate of several other social welfare schemes to alleviate the position of the girl child. Most notable among these include but are not necessarily limited to Beti Padho, Beti Bachao or the BPBB scheme, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya project, the Ladli Laxmi Yojana of the Madhya Pradesh government, the Sabla, Dhanalakshmi, Kishori Shakti Yojana, and the Sukanaya Samriddhi Yojana among several others.

For a definite change for the better, the society requires a paradigm shift in its attitude that underlines the needs of the girl child. In this context, the key to success lies in systematically breaking the myths and typecasts that revolve around gender issues. Education in itself has a key role to play. One should understand that the importance of educating the girl child is not only confined to long-term financial empowerment and autonomy, but that it paves the way for better empowered homemakers, sisters, mothers and grandmothers.

Education, irrespective of age, would aid women in increasing their self-esteem, carving out an affirmative, positive self-worth that would definitely go a long way in augmenting their confidence levels in life, making them conscious that they are entitled to equal participation and share in all issues of life.

In her memoir, Malala Yousafzai describes her conversation with Barack Obama in the White House: It was quite a serious meeting. We talked about the importance of educationI told him that instead of focusing on eradicating terrorism through war, he should focus on eradicating it through education.

(The writer is currently the Dean of Arts, St Xaviers College (Autonomous), Kolkata)
After the calculated silence during Aung San Suu Kyis incarceration and Narendra Modis soft-pedalling on the Rohingya issue during a visit to Myanmar, Indias gesture to develop Rakhine, the embattled province, will be generally welcomed. It may not be overly optimistic to suggest that the initiative does offer a ray of hope. More than half a million persecuted refugees have fled to Bangladesh in search of shelter, but have floundered from shore to shore.

Last Wednesdays agreement between the Indian foreign secretary and Myanmars social development minister is therefore profoundly significant. As significant as S. Jaishankars meeting with Suu Kyi and the army chief, U Soe Aung, an interaction that in itself underlines the dominance of the military in the overall construct. Markedly, India has extended a helping hand on its own volition, without the pressure that is exerted on the Myanmar government by the Western countries and the Islamist bloc, the latter primarily because the Rohingyas represent a predominantly Muslim segment in a Buddhist country.

The MEAs decidedly unusual statement can be contextualised with the humanitarian tragedy, verily the worst since World War II. Implicit is the message that is addressed both to the government in Naypidaw and the Rohingyas ~ This is intended to help the Government of Myanmar achieve its objective of restoration of normalcy in Rakhine and enable the return of displaced persons. The Memorandum of Understanding envisages the construction of pre-fabricated houses in the province to meet the immediate needs of the returning people. Carried to its logical fruition, the initiative ~ however belated ~ must be reckoned to be a noble humanitarian intervention in a land of ignoble strife. Delhis delay in responding positively can be attributed to fears of an impact in the sensitive north-east. On occasion, the democratic compulsion lies rather thin on the ground.

Not wholly unrelated and a no less critical development has been the meeting between Myanmar and Bangladesh to put in place the task force that will oversee the repatriation of Rohingyas from the squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh. It is a happy augury that both India and Bangladesh are now involved in two primary tasks ~ reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The effectiveness of Indias effort will hinge substantially on the extent to which Myanmar facilitates development. It will, therefore, be a crucial test for India-Myanmar relations not least because of the Western reaction to the brutal impasse. Misgivings that the Western powers might impose another cache of sanctions are not wholly unfounded.

There is little doubt that Indias gesture is embedded in the cogent perception that yet more sanctions could well be counter-productive. Renewed isolation of Myanmar will not benefit the Rohingyas either. Nor for that matter will it bring the State Counsellor ~ under the shadow of the junta ~ and the military to their knees. It is in the Myanmar juntas interest to ensure that Indias reconstruction plan materialises.


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Cathy Stepp may soon be in a position to loosen the grip of federal pollution regulations she saw as strangling Wisconsin businesses when she was head of the states environmental enforcement agency.

Stepp has been appointed to take charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency region that includes Wisconsin at a time when the federal agency has been pressing for tougher environmental protection at a state Department of Natural Resources she aimed to make more flexible.

After Stepp became DNR secretary in 2011, the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago pushed her to fix deficiencies in clean water protections that affect lakes, streams and drinking water.

The regional office was formally petitioned this year to investigate complaints that the DNR set a policy that ignores significant sources of air pollution despite being told by the EPA that the policy was flawed. The region also had been seen as a major hurdle for controversial plans Stepp pushed when she was DNR chief to shift responsibility for the states efforts to control agricultural pollution to an agency with little enforcement experience. And EPA regional regulators have stepped in to take enforcement action against water pollution when the DNR did not.

Gov. Scott Walker appointed Stepp to make the DNR friendlier to businesses, and under her tenure the department sought fewer penalties against polluters.

In August, Stepp departed to become deputy administrator of the EPA regional office in Kansas City. The EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, announced last week he was moving her to the top job in Chicago overseeing Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Wisconsin business leaders applauded the move, but conservationists sounded alarms about what it meant for continued federal pressure on the DNR.

She is hardly going to be a fair and impartial decision maker, said Bill Davis, executive director of the state Sierra Club chapter. Shes already made her preferences pretty clear.

Wisconsin Dairy Business Association lobbyist John Holevoet cautioned against jumping to conclusions about how shell handle disputes over environmental enforcement in the state.

Former secretary Stepp understands the issues in Wisconsin because of her experience here in a way that very few other people could, Holevoet said Friday. She walks in with a lot of background knowledge that someone else wouldnt have.

In October, the DNR settled a dairy business association lawsuit by agreeing to back off on requiring tighter pollution controls the EPA had said were needed to prevent water pollution from large agricultural operations. Conservation groups have sued to overturn the settlement.

Going national with Wisconsin ways

Stepp didnt respond to requests for comment, but when she left the DNR she told department employees she would bring some of the reforms weve been able to put in place here in Wisconsin to the national stage.

The former Republican state senator worked publicly on Donald Trumps successful presidential campaign. She told the Wisconsin State Journal she hoped Trump would make business-based decisions, relax strangling regulations and allow Wisconsin to work with polluters toward creative solutions.

Stepp wont have a free hand. She will face obstacles similar to those she encountered at DNR. EPA attorneys, scientists and other professional staff will make sure she knows what is required under federal law. Changing the way EPA operates can be difficult because regulations are well defined and significant administrative actions are documented, Davis said.

Another concern for conservationists may be federal funding that flows through the EPA regional office for state cleanups like the ones that have removed toxins and restored wildlife habitat in Great Lakes harbors, including Superior, Sheboygan and Milwaukee, said Nancy Larsen, who worked as a DNR watershed protection supervisor before retiring in 2016.

Stepp will be in charge at the EPA regional office as the Taiwan-based manufacturer Foxconn begins building a huge factory to build liquid-crystal display screens that are made with a variety of toxic compounds that will need to be kept out of the air and water, said Ryan Billingham, a spokesman for the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters.

Her decisions and her understanding of these highly complex environmental rules will be very important to the future of the Great Lakes, Billingham said.

Working collaboratively

The EPA announcement of Stepps new job included accolades from state environmental regulators in Ohio and Minnesota, along with Walker and representatives of two major Wisconsin business organizations.

No problem is too big for Cathy Stepp, said Wisconsin Realtors Association spokesman Thomas D. Larson. Her enthusiastic, can-do attitude, combined with her tireless energy and superb problem-solving skills make her the perfect choice to serve as the Regional Administrator for EPAs Region 5.

Walker lauded her for a strong focus on customer service and common sense.

Walker spokesman Tom Evenson and DNR spokesman Jim Dick didnt address questions about how the governor and his new DNR secretary Dan Meyer viewed the prospects of Stepp changing the EPAs stance toward the states regulatory performance.

The Wisconsin DNR has a history of working collaboratively with EPA Region 5 on issues and initiatives, Dick said. We look forward to continuing that working relationship with the new administrator.

In Stepps first year at the DNR, the EPA issued a letter listing 75 deficiencies in state water protections, including many that predated her. On her watch, though, it took the DNR years to make significant progress on the list. About half of the problems are now settled. Fifteen others await approval by EPA. The rest still require state action.

The deficiencies are among the issues raised by the Madison-based Midwest Environmental Advocates, citizens from around the state and former DNR employees who petitioned the EPA to take away the states authority to administer the Clean Water Act unless it made serious changes. The EPA has been investigating. Typically, states make needed changes, and the EPA takes no action.

Another citizen petition filed by MEA was aimed at remedying widespread contamination of drinking water by dairy manure in several counties around Green Bay. At the EPAs urging there were months of talks and study. In the face of persistent opposition by industry groups, the DNR proposed tighter regulations. Approval by the department policy board was recently postponed until next month.

EPA acts as backstop

When state regulators are slow to enforce standards, the EPA can step in as it did in the case of Halls Calf Ranch.

The Kewaunee County feedlot in 2011 didnt have a DNR permit even though its dairy herd of 4,800 was well over the limit for operating without a permit, said Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Sarah Geers. Permits for large dairy operations prohibit discharging manure and other pollutants.

MEA complained that the DNR was allowing the operation to pollute East Twin River, a Class 1 trout stream the DNR had designated an outstanding water resource.

After the EPA investigated, the DNR in 2012 issued a permit, but then failed to enforce it, prompting the EPA to take enforcement action to stop the bacteria, nutrients and other pollutants from contaminating the river, Geers said. The EPA documented wastewater flowing into the river in 2011 and 2013, and fined Halls $42,000 in 2015.

In Madison, persistent citizen complaints about air pollution from the Madison-Kipp Corp. die-casting plant in Madison have led to EPA scrutiny of DNR enforcement. After East Side neighbors complained, the EPA came in and found the company had been violating its state permit for five years by incorrectly reporting pollution. A 2015 settlement required tests of company smokestacks.

The EPA has also been involved in an extensive investigation of cancer-causing toxins in the soil and ground water around the plant. The state recently settled its enforcement action against the company with conditions for further cleanup.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been changed to correct the name of the organization Ryan Billingham represents.
The BJP chose Jairam Thakur, a five-time MLA, to be the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Thakur and Union Minister J.P. Nadda had emerged as the main contenders after P.K Dhumal, who was the party's chief ministerial candidate in the recent polls, opted out of contention as he had lost.

There had been a lack of consensus on the issue of chief minister and the BJP deputed two central observersNirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomarto hold consultations in Shimla. On Thursday, supporters of Dhumal and Thakur had raised slogans as the central observers met party leaders in the state.

The BJP had won the recent elections, bagging 44 out of 68 seats and ousting the Congress. The party's legislators will meet the governor later on Sunday to decide the swearing-in of the new government.
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will arrive here on Monday to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, the Pakistan Foreign Office has said.

They will arrive in Islamabad by a commercial flight and leave the same day after the meeting, it added.

India's Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh will accompany the visitors to the meeting.

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted last night.

Earlier, media reports said that Pakistan had asked India to convey the plan of Jadhav's family at the earliest otherwise it would be difficult to arrange the meeting.

Separately, Faisal had said that the meeting would take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its photo and video footage would be issued.

The mother and wife of Jadhav were being provided with a meeting with him in the light of "Islamic traditions and based on purely humanitarian grounds," he had said.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
If you are having trouble keeping up with the immigration policy changes occurring in the US this year, you are not alone. The latest measures announced on December 14, 2017 include changes to the H1-B employment visa and stricter measures for travelers from 38 countries whose citizens are allowed visa-free travel to the US.



These announcements follow a dizzying stream of immigration announcements made in September and October including new versions of the travel ban, reduced admissions of and enhanced vetting for refugees, cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and ordering deportation of some Haitians, Salvadorans and Hondurans with previously protected status. While challenges to many of these orders are ongoing in the courts, the Trump administration continues its protectionist quest to tighten or block all pathways to legally move and travel to the US.

The new travel rules affect mainly the European countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program, and will implement stricter punishments for visitors who overstay the 90 days allowed. Public education programs will be mandated in those countries found with over 2% of citizens overstaying their allowance, geared towards informing the public about consequences of overstay. The new travel rules will additionally require countries to use US counterterrorism data to screen travelers and mandate increased vetting for aviation workers in airports with direct flights to the US.

Proposed changes to the H1-B work visa comes as applications for the visa lottery capped for the first half of 2018 and includes revoking employment authorization of spouses of H1-B holders. This change is part of a broader immigration strategy introduced in April 2017 known as the Buy American, Hire American executive order aiming to protect American workers by combating fraud in our employment-based immigration programs. This was a Trump campaign promise that has proven easier to implement than other immigration and race-baiting promises including building the wall, and many are wondering whether relations between the US and India will falter as result.

India has historically been and continues to be the biggest user of the H1-B program, with an average of 70% of all H1-B visas going to Indian applicants. The H1 program has been in existence since 1952, the H1-B visa was introduced following the passage of the US Immigration Act of 1990 with the intent of allowing for exceptional talent to enter the country. Loopholes in the policy has allowed for companies to informally ignore job protection requirements as long as foreign workers were paid a minimum annual salary of $60,000 and the abuse has in fact gradually worsened over the last 19 years to where the Trump administration used it as proof of the potential to take over American jobs and breach national security. The Justice Department will not tolerate employers misusing the H-1B visa process to discriminate against US workers, said Tom Wheeler, the acting assistant attorney general at the DOJs civil rights division.

Indias outsourcing industry is now worth $150 billion, and the industry, long seen as an engine of wealth and job creation, is going to feel short-term pain. Trumps protectionist policies and geopolitical developments like Brexit remain beyond Indias control. But companies will adapt and evolve with the changes. American Systems Integrators (SIs) like Deloitte and Accenture are changing their policies by blending rates for domestic resources (aka American workers) and landed resources (work visa holders) into single rate cards, which translates into equal or near-equal pay for similar job descriptions.

Infosys recently lost 3,000 jobs in Bengaluru when The Royal Bank of Scotland canceled a contract following the referendum. But given its high quality skills and its head-start in BPO, Indian service providers are finding creative ways to adapt to the changing environment and ensure steady double-digit growth over the next decade. With a mix of US hiring, strategic acquisitions and buyouts internally and globally, and a shift in business models toward software platforms, new directions made by companies will eventually pay off.

The big picture is Indian companies will continue to grab the lions share of the 85,000 H1-B visas available annually which represents actually only less than 0.01% of the US working population. My Indian husband switched from a F1 student visa to the H1-B in 1997, and it changed his life without affecting American job seekers. What is affected is the potential rise in populist perspectives among the general US base and how immigration rhetoric-turned-policies are changing the cultural landscape. Some companies are opting to relocate or set up shop in Canada instead. Its becoming less and less sexy to be going to the United States, said Tim Delisle, a founder of the start-up Datalogue.

Between the US fear tactics and Indian pressure to overturn the proposed changes, we havent seen the last of the worker visa issue and we can expect more immigration changes in the coming months. Until the changes play themselves out and the political climate eases, rest assured that the political posturing wont slow the global economic engine down. One way or another, we will all find a way to survive and prosper.



Kelsey LeBrun Keswani is the co-founder and executive director of Refugee Assistance and Information Network International, and provides consultation on humanitarian issues globally .



Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the publication
With unprecedented Chinese backing, the Security Council tightened the economic chokehold on North Korea by unanimously voting on December 22 to impose the strictest sanctions on North Korea aiming to cut off most fuel supplies and ban major exports following Pyongyang's latest missile test.



The resolution introduced by the US after intense lobbying won the support of China, which has had a special relationship with North Korea and had in the past opposed or tried to soften sanctions.



The new round of restrictions further tightens the sanctions imposed last month, which had been lightened to gain the support of Moscow and Beijing.



"This resolution ratchets up the pressure on North Korea even further, building on our last resolution, which included the strongest sanctions ever imposed on them," US Permanent Representative Nikki Haley, who piloted it, told the Council.



Haley acknowledged Beijing's cooperation saying: "I would like to specifically thank my Chinese colleagues for working with us on the negotiations."



Beijing's vote for the tougher sanctions indicates that its direct influence with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is waning and that China is recognising the global dangers from North Korea's nuclear and missile arsenals.



The Charge d'Affaires at the Chinese Mission, Wu Haitao, said there was a risk of the situation spiraling out of control.



The resolution would reduce North Korea's refined petroleum imports by 90 per cent from the 2017 mid-year level to 500,000 barrels per year, and it authorises the Council to further reduce petroleum imports if it carried out any missile or nuclear tests.



All North Korean exports and most imports are also banned under the resolution. It also requires the expulsion by the end of 2019 of all North Korean expatriate workers who are estimated to earn the government $500 million each year.



Fifteen North Koreans, who are bankers or are involved in weapons developments were put on a sanctions list banning their travel and freezing their assets.



The resolution also requires all nations to seize ships smuggling goods to North Korea.



Wu called for an end to all rhetoric that would escalate tensions and said that "tough posturing" only led to Pyongyang advancing its proliferation activities.



Haley softened her tone this time at the Council without the past threats of violent retaliation that matched Pyongyang's rhetoric.



The high-level Council meeting on North Korea earlier this month attended by US Secretary of Rex Tillerson and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono paved the way for the latest sanctions because it sent a very clear message that the international community would not accept a nuclearised North Korea, Japan's Permanent Representative Koro Bessho said at a news conference after the vote.



After the November 28 intercontinental ballistic missile test the campaign for the latest round of sanction began, he said.



 IANS
On December 18, the BJP headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road in Delhi was buzzing, but with anxiety. The early trends of the Gujarat assembly elections, oscillating between a victory and a narrow margin, had kept BJP strategists on tenterhooks. Celebrations were kept on hold. It was only at noon that the first firecrackers were burst, when the winning seats tally hovered around 100.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the party headquarters in the evening, he told the waiting supporters, It was not a usual victory, it was an unusual one. The party chiefs efforts, strategy and ability to recognise hard work had brought us here, he said.

Those who saw the Gujarat campaign from close quarters understood the import of Modis words. What separated us from near defeat was Amit Shahs machinery and Modis emotional appeal as he used the comments of [Congress leaders] Kapil Sibal and Mani Shankar Aiyar to his advantage. If one of these factors were to be taken out, it would have been a different situation, a BJP functionary said.

Understanding the Gujarat battle will give clues about the things to come in the next 15 months before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. What worries the BJP the most now is that Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a worthy challenger. Rahul challenged Modi on his home turf, and therefore created the perception that Modi could be challenged anywhere. And, with three BJP-ruled statesRajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradeshgoing to the polls in 2018, Shahs war machinery is likely to work on meeting any challenge from the Congress or regional leaders.

In Gujarat, Shah was able to counter the resurgent Congress, the rise of caste leaders like Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakore and, more importantly, the disenchantment of core BJP supporters owing to demonetisation and GST. But, how did he do it? During the first week of November, Shah asked all party leaders and workers to conduct a week-long door-to-door campaign in Gujarat. This campaign was aimed at talking to people, listening to their grievances, getting feedback and lessening their anger, a senior BJP leader had told THE WEEK in Ahmedabad a day ahead of the first phase of polling. Shahs order had come after Modi had addressed a rally of more than seven lakh booth workers on October 15. Shah followed it up by taking reports from leaders and those in charge of booths.

The BJP had set up a media centre at a brand new clubhouse in Ahmedabad, owned by a businessman close to the party. Shah would meet senior leaders from the Centre and state here, and the meetings would go on till the wee hours. The party had deliberately made this its hub so as to keep its war room at the state headquarters in Gandhinagar away from the media glare.

Also, the breakaway faction of election strategist Prashant Kishor, led by Himanshu Singh, worked overnight to generate inputs and conduct research for the BJP. Another team of media managers prepared content for online and other advertisements. We had set up 44,000 WhatsApp groups to engage with the people, state BJP IT Cell in-charge Pankaj Shukla told THE WEEK. There was a ten-member team in each assembly seat that managed social media. Modi, too, addressed a gathering of women workers, SC/ST cadre and booth workers through video links to enthuse them to go out and engage with people.

The BJP also deployed its senior leaders in areas that had many disenchanted cadre. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje campaigned in Surat, which was the epicentre of the Patel agitation and the anti-GST campaign by traders. Jaitley assured the business community here of necessary tweaks in GST. The government was quick to bring huge changes that impacted nearly 90 per cent of the traders, a top BJP leader said. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar was made in charge of the 16 assembly seats in Surat. And, the BJP won 15 seats. The BJP is likely to follow the dual strategy, involving its foot soldiers and senior leaders, in other poll-bound states including Karnataka, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland.

The Gujarat and Himachal [Pradesh] results have sent a positive message. We will do well in the states where elections are to be held next year. With PM Modis appeal and Shahs acumen, the BJP will do well, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told THE WEEK.

Another BJP strategist said that while the BJP would stick to the issues of governance and development, it would not lose a chance to talk about hindutva. But the emergence of caste dissension is hampering its aggressive hindutva politics. Casteism is a poison. It took me 30 years to remove this poison of casteism. The people of Gujarat have defeated this poison. I want to caution you against this poison. Dont let it affect you, Modi said in his speech on December 18. Shah, too, said, One lesson we can draw from these elections is to see how caste-based things are tackled as a way of strategy [in future elections].

A similar caste equation is likely to emerge in Karnataka, where Lingayats are asserting themselves. Also, farmers have been agitating in BJP-ruled states. As rural Gujarat voted in favour of the Congress, the party will be focusing on these areas. Also, the Modi government is likely to announce schemes for farmers and villagers in the February 2018 budget, which will be its last budget before the 2019 elections.

With three BJP-ruled states going to the polls in the latter half of 2018, the Modi government only has a six-month window next year for initiating any reforms or taking any key policy decisions. Of the three states, Chhattisgarh is on a sticky wicket for the party. After three consecutive terms, the Raman Singh government is facing strong anti-incumbency. In Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has completed 12 years at the helm, making him the longest-serving chief minister of the state. But, Chouhan has been following the partys pro-hindutva agenda. Rajasthan, too, has taken an aggressive hindutva stance, with many incidents of cow vigilante attacks taking place. Any polarisation in the name of religion favours the BJP. In Karnataka, leaders like Anant Kumar Hegde, who was inducted in the Union cabinet this September, have been making strong hindutva statements.

Moreover, Modi has already kickstarted the election campaign in states going to the polls early next year. He visited Meghalaya, Mizoram and Karnataka, inaugurating projects and reaching out to people. For, he knows he has only won the battle, and that the war is yet to be waged.
The chairs are of deep coloursred, blue and greenand they look stark in contrast to the dreariness and the eerie silence around. These plastic chairs, which dot the cyclone-ravaged coasts of southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu, are symbols of hope for the local people. On them sit relatives and friends of those who are yet to come back from sea. They keep on staring fervently at the endless vastness of kadalamma, the mother sea, looking for any signs of their loved ones. Behind them are banners carrying the photographs of the missing men. Nearly three weeks have passed after Cyclone Ockhi turned their life upside down, but these chairs are rarely empty. But it may remain so only till Christmas.

For every fisherman will come home on Christmasif he is alive. If the missing ones are not back even on Christmas eve, then it only means one thing..., said Father Peter Darwin of Vallavilai village in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. He did not dare to complete that sentence.

Those sitting on similar chairs in Poonthura in Kerala, too, have similar words. If they are alive, our men will be here for Christmas, said Stella Mary whose three family members are missing since November 30, when Ockhi developed into a major cyclone off the southwestern coast of India.

As many as 527 fishermen are missing from Kerala and Tamil Nadu300 from Kerala and 227 from Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, according to official figures. But fishermen groups and the catholic church say more than 1,000 people are missing. As of December 19, the death toll in Kerala is 70 and it is 40 in Tamil Nadu.

Those who managed to come backsome landed at coasts as far as in Maharashtraspoke about bodies floating in the sea. None of them have recovered from the shock. I cannot tell you how scary the sea was at that time. I still cant sleep at night, said Clement Benjilas from Poonthura near Thiruvananthapuram, who survived in the deep sea for more than a day. Another survivor shudders as he recalls how he tied his friends decaying body to his leg while being lifted up by a naval helicopter.

Support and solace: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting cyclone victims in Thiruvananthapuram along with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (right) and Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam (centre) | B. Jayachandran

Some feel they did not do enough to save their dear ones. We made a big mistake by trusting the government. We did not venture out at the earliest, said Ratheesh from Poonthura, whose two close friends are still missing. Now we feel we should have gone searching for them on the first day itself, he said. Shaan Clement, another survivor, said, I feel I did not do enough for them. I will never recover from this guilt.

The survivors blamed the Navy and the Coast Guard for stopping them from going in search of survivors. They assured us that they would go and save those at sea. But they were lying. We even pleaded with them to let us use their boats but they cited official reasons as excuses. By the time we could venture into the sea, many lives were lost. Those who dragged their feet are responsible for the deaths, said Shaan, who is from Poonthura.

The Navy, with its helicopters and high-end vessels, could have easily saved the lives of these poor fishermen. But they did not. Are the lives of these fishermen so worthless for our government? asked Father Peter. As many as 112 people are missing from his village.

As the government agencies dithered, it was the fisherfolk who ventured into the sea in search of their brethren. We found bodies floating around. Some had died barely hours back. If the Navy and the Coast Guard had acted on time, they could have been saved, said Father Justin Jude, vicar of the Poonthura Church.

The fishermen blame the Central and the state governments equally. The Indian Meteorological Department under the Central government failed miserably to alert the state government and the state government failed further in deciphering whatever vague alerts the IMD had sent, said T. Peter, leader of the National Fishworkers Forum. He said it was time the IMD went beyond the it may or may not rain predictions.

Rinkuraj Mattancheriyil

On most days, the IMD sends out alerts saying that there is possibility of heavy rains and thunderstorms in the sea. But IMD predictions are rarely correct. Hence all of us take those alerts lightly. The Central government must see to it that the predictions are accurate. But, for that, one needs to value the lives of the poor fishermen, said Thadevus, a fisherman from Vizhinjam, near Thiruvananthapuram.

The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the lapses of the IMD. There are three basic failings in the governments response: the cyclone warning was delayed; the warning, when it came, was ineffective because it could not be conveyed to thousands of fisherfolk who were already out at sea; and once the cyclone struck, there was no war-like mobilisation and action, which are the hallmarks of good disaster management, he wrote.

The speed at which Ockhi gathered strength was something the government agencies failed to assess and anticipate. Cyclone Ockhis devastation started within 12 hours of the first rough seas warning which was put out on November 29. Normally, it takes at least 24 hours for a cyclone to develop from the deep depression stage. This is the main reason for an unusually high number of casualties.

Everybody loves fish; but nobody likes fishermen, is a refrain that is often heard in the coastal areas these days. People think we are silly, uneducated people. It is true that we are quite emotional and cannot resist the call of the sea even if we are educated. But to call us emotional fools is too much, said Augustus, a fisherman from Vizhinjam. He was referring to the comments made by Kerala Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma, who said fishermen were hyperemotional.

For the family members of those who are still missing, the uncertainty is heartbreaking. Selvi, 28, from Poonthura, continues to wait for her husband. How can he leave these little ones and just go, she asked, pointing to her four daughters aged between four and ten. I have told them that their papa will be back for Christmas, she said.

Clement Benjilas

And, the ones who survived remain unemployed. Our men have not gone to the sea after the cyclone. How will we feed our children? How are we supposed to live? asked Flory from Poonthura. Father Justin said the government should support the survivors. The Kerala government has announced Rs 20 lakh for the dependants of the deceased. Tamil Nadu, too, has announced similar compensation. But the money is yet to be disbursed.

The Kerala government has provided Rs 2,000 to every family in the affected areas and is also providing free rice. But Poonthura residents said the rice was inedible. They are dumping low quality rice. Moreover, how can one sustain on this rice alone? asked Margerita. Going to the sea is the toughest task on earth and our men do that every day to feed us. They cannot survive on this plain rice, she added.

Many in the coastal belt are suffering from severe psychological trauma. There have been many suicide attempts since Ockhi. Many are under severe depression. Family members of many dead fishermen are experiencing severe guilt as they feel they died for them, said Rose, a school teacher from Poonthura, whose brother lost his life.

Chennai-based documentary maker Divya Bharathi, who is recording the lives of the fishermen post Ockhi in Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram, said, When as many as 112 people go missing from a small village, you can imagine the trauma of those who are left behind.

Many say Ockhi, suspected to be caused by climate change, is just the beginning of something bad. Of late, there have been drastic changes in the sea in terms of the quantum and quality of fishes, wave and wind patterns, flora and fauna. All these are because of climate change and global warming, and the fishermen are the primary victims. Ockhi is just a beginning, said Father Peter.

After visiting the cyclone-affected areas, Congress president Rahul Gandhi wrote to Modi about setting up a separate Central ministry for fisheries to coordinate all fishing activity. Another measure would be to provide all fishermen with high frequency communication devices. The fishermen also want some of them to be inducted into the Coast Guard as they feel no one else understands the sea like them.

The destruction caused by Ockhi has resulted in a war of words between the Central and the state governments. While the IMD said alerts were issued on time, both Kerala and Tamil Nadu made it clear that none of the standard operating procedures during cyclones, including alerting the chief secretaries and holding news conferences, were followed by the IMD.

Modi visited the affected areas on December 19, and promised all help to bring back the missing fishermen before Christmas.

Even as the political blame goes on, the victims are staring at a bleak future. Those who have managed to come back are scared to go to the sea as most of them witnessed their friends getting drowned, said Johny Chinnappan, parish secretary at Poonthura. Clement, who beat death by tying plastic cans on his hand, said he did not want to go back. This is a new life for me, said the 65-year-old who started fishing at the age of 12. It is Gods gift. I will not risk it again by going to the sea.

And, the women continue to wait for their men to celebrate Christmas. That is the only day the women here are allowed to go to the deep sea. They even get to swim in the sea that night. Till Christmas, those plastic chairs will be there. So does hope.
Somehow, its there. It peaks through, it squeezes through, its real meaning still touching the hearts of many, conveying love, hope and charity. I am talking about Christmas and the wonder of it next door to the misuse of it, as in Black Friday. Thats when the gift buying erupts with mobs too often brawling over bargains in shopping centers, fists being thrown and guns being shot.

Imagine that  two shootings really did happen this year  but instead of talking about gun control lets talk about emotional control, about people getting to the best within them. Surely some in those shopping centers forgave whatever rudeness came their way, figured kindness more important than maybe saving a few dollars and happily, sincerely said Merry Christmas! to their compatriots.

Here is a phrase full of good wishes and one that proceeds from at least some sense of joy and hope in this world. The words may be politically incorrect, but would it really be a huge offense to any sensible person not sharing ones faith to hear so innocent and well-meaning an expression? Of course, there are those who belittle it, such as a New Yorker satirist saying its use is required by President Donald Trumps Compulsory Acknowledgement of Christ Act.

To be fair, Trump has gone a bit far in his own remarks about the phrase, but one could as easily write a satire noting the fact that Kim Jong Un has banned anything even slightly resembling a Christmas celebration in North Korea. Then, for laughs, one could add that he may move to the United States and run as president on a platform of removing Nativity scenes not just from public areas, but from private areas, including churches. The polls arent high now, but ...

It is in fact the case, of course, that Nativity scenes had to have their day in court to make it allowable to display them on government property, though only if accompanied by non-Christian religious symbols. There are schools in the country that do not even allow the word Christmas to make an appearance this time of year. And the Pew Research Center tells us that fewer than a majority of Americans now celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but as a cultural holiday. What is more, relatively few Americans give a darn.

All of this fits with studies showing a sharp decline of religion overall in an America increasingly secular. Just 20 percent of households attend church regularly; those with no religious affiliation is 22 percent today, compared to 4 percent in 1992; clergy are hard to come by, and millennials, our future, are the least religious Americans of all.

We live in an age when religion is widely denigrated even though it helps us cohere as a moral society. For instance, a higher percentage of regular church-goers give to charities (including non-religious charities) in higher amounts than the non-religious. Varied studies, and not just a few, show the highly religious are happier, healthier and live longer than the non-religious, though all of this comes in a distant second to the spiritual experience of God in ones life.

The good news, at least from my perspective, is that the vast majority of Americans do believe in God and that 90 percent do celebrate Christmas. They do it in a variety of ways, but for a great many it is dear, sweet family time of a kind that the great 19th century English writer Charles Dickens helped institute in the way the day is now observed. Spirits are obviously lifted. The Christ story still resonates in the minds and souls of millions. Violent consumerism does not come first with everyone. We can sleep in heavenly peace.
There have been few pension success stories in recent times to wax lyrical about. Maybe the setting-up of the Pension Protection Fund in 2004 to safeguard the pensions of workers whose employers go to the wall, leaving in place a works pension scheme unable to meet its multitude of promises.

But that is about it. An ineffective regulator  yes The Pensions Regulator  meddling Governments past and present and on occasion rapacious employers (Toys R Us) have all conspired to undermine pensions at every twist and turn.

So what about auto-enrolment? Success or mere window dressing?

David Gauke : The Work and Pensions Secretary has praised auto-enrolment

Certainly, no one can dispute the fact that since auto-enrolment was introduced in late 2012, some nine million workers have started saving into a works pension for the first time. Super news, although the meagre amounts being saved will do little to ensure those same workers will retire in the future financially comfortable. Far from it. Most will struggle to make ends meet.

But it is a bit rich for David Gauke, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to turn round as he did this time last week and claim that his Government has rebuilt the UKs savings culture as a result of auto-enrolments introduction.

What utter tosh. Nothing could be further from the truth. If he had said those words on April 1, I would have expected him to have followed them with April Fool. One commentator described his comments as cheeky and premature. Lies would be a fairer assessment.

While auto-enrolment has indeed resulted in many workers picking up the savings mantle, this Government (and the Coalition administration before it) has systematically chipped away at the tax breaks available to pension savers.

Cuts to the lifetime allowance (the maximum amount you can save in a pension fund before the Government comes back for a slice of the action) have been heartily applied. As have reductions in the tax breaks available to high earners.

Yes, more people are now saving into a works pension but the ability to build a fund sufficient to last a lifetime has been seriously curtailed.

Thrift is no longer as valued as it once was. Indeed, Gaukes ability to spin on the issue of pensions, and on auto-enrolment in particular, knows no bounds (he is a better spinner than that annoying but quite brilliant Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon).

While waffling on seven days ago about his beleaguered Government rebuilding the long-term savings culture, Gauke also took the opportunity to tell the world about how auto-enrolment is going to be tweaked for the better.

Workers between ages 18 and 22, currently excluded, would be brought into the auto-enrolment regime. Even better, the Government would enable workers to build bigger pension funds by allowing contributions in future to be based on a bigger slice of earnings.

Pension contribution levels under auto-enrolment post 2019 have not be revealed

On the surface, two good bits of news which the BBC latched on to with great vigour  as if it was working as the Governments very own press office. But, of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

While these changes will indeed be forces for good, they are not scheduled to come in until the mid-2020s at the earliest (if at all, given the Governments ability to self-combust).

This key fact was buried away at the top of page three of the four-page press release. I presume the BBCs researchers did not get that far.

Rather than scratch Gaukes back, you could turn round and criticise him for such a pathetic auto-enrolment review  one that singularly failed to come up with any meaningful promises to include the countrys 4.8 million self-employed in the process.

And, probably even worse, a review that failed to bring workers with several jobs into the auto-enrolment net. As things stand, such workers are excluded if none of their jobs pays more than 10,000 a year  the minimum for someone to be automatically enrolled into a works pension.

As for the pension contribution levels required under auto-enrolment there was not a dicky bird as to what they will be beyond 2019 when they hit eight per cent. Certainly eight per cent will not guarantee financial bliss in retirement.

It took Steve Webb, former Pensions Minister, to speak the truth about Gaukes spinning. He accused the Government of being shockingly lethargic with the pedestrian pace of reform.

Auto-enrolment? A missed opportunity.
Fighting for justice from large companies can be a long and lonely road. Those who attempt it are likely to be patronised, fobbed off and branded as nuisances or nutters as big organisations use every trick in the book to make them go away.

So as the City suits and corporate chief executives jet off to sun themselves at Sandy Lane or swish down the slopes at Gstaad, I want to raise a glass to the campaigners  the people who have this year shown the guts and determination to take on powerful vested interests.

These are in the main ordinary men and women who have devoted huge amounts of their time and energy in return for little recognition  and an awful lot of flak.

Katie Kendrick fought for her rights after buying a leasehold from Bellway only to face a huge bill to buy the freehold

People like Paul and Nikki Turner, whose business was ruined by corrupt bankers at HBOS Reading but who finally this winter won a settlement. As we report on Page 68, they will enjoy their first Christmas in a decade without the long shadow of the bank hanging over them.

Anyone would forgive them for stepping back and enjoying the fruits of victory, but they now plan to continue fighting for other entrepreneurs.

The TV star Noel Edmonds is another victim of an HBOS Reading banker, and whatever one thinks of his showbiz persona, he has been brave enough to talk with unsparing honesty to this newspaper about how it drove him to the brink of suicide.

Noel doesnt see himself as a campaigner, but he has been courageous in using his fame to draw attention to a problem the banks are all too keen to dismiss. The Turners and hundreds of other entrepreneurs simply refused to give in when they were mistreated by their bank.

This newspaper is fighting on their behalf but it will be thanks to them when the banks are finally forced to account for their betrayal of small firms, as I believe they will be.

Banking is not the only battleground  thousands have found their pensions at risk yet again this year.

Frank Field: Labour MP has campaigned for the rights of pensioners

Frank Field, the veteran Labour MP, has campaigned tirelessly on this front as has Baroness Ros Altmann in the Lords.

These two are always in the line of defence when the likes of Sir Philip Green and the bosses of Toys R Us need to be reminded of their obligations to pensioners, or when rogue retirement advisers try to rip off steelworkers. They deserve our gratitude.

As for the bosses of the big housebuilding firms, they too have discovered they cannot exploit ordinary people with impunity.

Thanks to campaigners including Katie Kendrick  a nurse from Ellesmere Port who bought a leasehold home from Bellway only to find herself facing a huge bill to buy the freehold  the Government has this week promised to free homebuyers from such feudal property practices.

Katies life, working 13-hour shifts caring for sick children, is far removed from the multi-millionaire housing bosses she has taken on. None more so than Jeff Fairburn and his senior colleagues at Persimmon  one of the companies involved in the leasehold scandal  who are sharing an 800 million bonus pot between them.

The company insists it cannot scale back those incentives because more than a hundred managers are in line for rewards under the scheme and it is contractually obliged to pay up.

That, however, doesnt stop Mr Fairburn  already a very rich man  from forgoing his own obscene rewards.

He is by all accounts a decent sort who gives plenty to good causes, so he should do the decent thing and publicly set the right example by giving up the 130 million coming his way.

What a wonderful Christmas present that could be for a homeless charity.
For the first time in more than a decade, Paul and Nikki Turner are able to enjoy the pleasures most of us take for granted at Christmas.

Their bungalow is warm, not bone-achingly cold as it has been in previous years.

They can afford a turkey and a Christmas tree out of their own pockets, instead of relying on the kindness of others. And they can treat their family to the presents they deserve.

Paul and Nikki Turner won a payout after a 14-year ordeal with HBOS bank

The Turners are among hundreds of business owners whose livelihoods were destroyed by corrupt bankers at the Reading branch of HBOS bank.

They have become standard-bearers for other victims, many of whom will spend yet another Christmas waiting for a resolution.

The Turners ordeal began in 2003 when  after taking out a 160,000 loan for their music publishing business  they were persuaded by HBOS bankers to take on the services of turnaround group Quayside Corporate Services.

Paul and Nikki were told QCS were experts in the music industry  but in reality, the Turners were being fleeced by HBOS bankers and QCS consultants who had formed a fraudulent alliance.

In 2007, after the Turners worked out what was going on and asked to end their relationship with QCS, the bank pulled their loan, plunging the couple into financial ruin. They estimate they lost 11 million.

The Turners fought back and played a huge part in bringing the rogue bankers and consultants to justice at a trial this year where the culprits were jailed.

At the end of last month, the Turners finally won a payout from Lloyds Banking Group, which took over HBOS in the financial crisis.

Details of their settlement have not been disclosed but Paul says they are content. But their hard-fought victory has, however, cost them a decade of their lives.In that time, they faced 22 eviction notices and, says Nikki, five or six visits from bailiffs after being unable to pay their council tax.

The couple were unable to afford central heating and hot water for a decade and relied on friends and family for oil to run their Aga.

Its all so depressing, says Nikki. You lose friends as well. Because whenever you see them, youre talking about the latest thing thats happened in your saga. They dont want to know, because youve been going on about it for ten years Its not because theyre bad people. Its because they cant relate to it. And so you become really isolated.

The Turners have signed a contract with Andy Serkis to make a film about their battle

In some cases, the sorts of injustices suffered by the Turners have led to relationship breakdowns but Paul and Nikki remain devoted. We both decided we would work on it non-stop, adds Nikki. And our familys been supportive. The kids have been absolutely amazing. If anything, it made us closer as a family because we all hate injustice.

Having won their case, Paul, 66, and Nikki, 62, of Linton, near Cambridge, have vowed to devote themselves to helping others through the SME Alliance, which they set up to fight for justice from the banks.

They are also planning to relaunch their music publishing business and Nikki hopes to publish a number of books  including one on HBOS Reading  which she wrote while suffering from insomnia.

Their ordeal may even be turned into a movie. They have signed a contract with Imaginarium Productions  set up by Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in Lord Of The Rings and Snoke in the latest Star Wars film The Last Jedi, and producer Jonathan Cavendish  to make a film about their battle.

They also want politicians to grasp the issues faced by firms.

SME Alliance is a support network for the victims, but most of all we want it to be a lobbying group to get change where it matters. And I think it is beginning to happen, says Nikki.
Thousands of investors who won a 200 million payout from Royal Bank of Scotland have yet to be paid.

The law firm handling the claim blames the delay on the controversial RBoS Shareholders Action Group, which started the legal action against the bank over a capital raising exercise in 2008.

Signature Litigation wrote to shareholders last week to tell them they are unlikely to receive their money before the spring.

Thousands of investors in the RBS are unlikely to receive payment before spring 2018

It also says it has discovered around 90 million phantom shares in the claim  higher than an earlier estimate of 73 million. This would reduce payouts as the costs of the action will be spread between fewer shares.

Directors at the action group deny responsibility for phantom shares or any other complications.

Investors paid at least 2 for RBS shares in 2008, but their value plummeted months later when the bank was bailed out by the Government.

In June this year, RBS agreed to a 200 million payout. Investors had been told that, after costs, around half of the settlement  100 million  would be handed out. But Signature is now unable to provide an estimate for costs, blaming complications caused by the RBoS Shareholders Action Group.

It revealed they face multi-million pound claims from companies that agreed contracts with the action group.
My sister and I have probate in respect of our late mothers estate and we are trying to sell her home.

So we were concerned to receive two letters sent to her address, both from Adrian Flux Insurance Services, addressed to a person not known to us.

We contacted the broker but it said there had been no mistake and its client confirmed he lives at our mothers address. M.S

Strange letters about a Land Rover Defender's insurance had a reader worried

Tony Hetherington replies: The ghost occupant of your mothers house was named as Colin Shortell and the letters you received were about insurance for his Land Rover Defender.

According to the statement of fact supplied to the insurer, he not only lives at your mothers house  he owns it.

You tried to sort this out with Shortells brokers, Adrian Flux, but all you got was a snooty reply saying it was up to you to inform the police if you feel that your details have been used fraudulently.

I traced Shortell to an address in Newton Abbot, Devon.

He explained he was moving from there to Scotland and while between properties he stayed for a few weeks at an address near your late mothers home in Hampshire. He said he gave her address as his own by accident.

He also had mail sent there, again by accident. The broker backed this up, telling me that Shortell accidentally confirmed that he was living at the wrong address.

But the false claim that he was the homeowner was down to the broker. It described this as an oversight.

Shortell told me to please find another story to fill your papers. He added: If you insist on pursuing this, you will leave me with no option but to contact my lawyers.

Sensibly, his broker has assured me it has now given correct details to the insurance underwriters. Your mothers address should not be involved any longer.

But I am surprised Shortell himself did not take this more seriously. After all, it is not that long since he retired  as an insurance broker.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Mums are being let down by late arrivals from Funique

We purchased nursery furniture, including a cot, from an online business called Funique. It advertises that delivery takes between four and six weeks, after which I chased them for the goods.

It replied each time that the furniture would arrive the following week. Well, my baby has now been born and we still do not have the furniture. I requested a refund, but like the furniture, this has not arrived either and I have found a Facebook page where other people have shared similar stories. Mrs S.B.

Tony Hetherington replies: Funique's website claims: We are an experienced team, passionate for furniture design. We have been working in the online retail sector for over ten years. In that time we have built up the experience and knowledge on how to make an online store run smoothly and hassle free for our customers.

But some customers say their experiences are anything but hassle free. Criticism of Funique  and there is a lot of it  is almost always about the companys customer service rather than the quality of its goods.

One mother ordered a cot in September, with delivery in four to eight weeks.

A few days ago, after repeated promises of delivery were broken, she posted on a consumer website: They told me I would get my cot set for Christmas. Today they said that my order will be available first week of January... my baby is now one month old.

Another wrote: I ordered a cot bed in September for my granddaughter, it was advertised as between three and six weeks for delivery.

It is now December 6 and still no sign of item. A third mum revealed: Over 15 emails and phone calls to the company to receive an order I placed in OctoberIm so disappointed, all I want is a cot for my baby to sleep in.

Funique is run by a West London company called Purple Tree Investments Limited, which has frequently been in trouble with Companies House for failing to file records that are legally due.

Funique faces trouble again. Accounts that were due in November have failed to arrive. This is an offence and unless the company moves fast it may be shut down. Funique and its website were set up in 2015, so the claim to have ten years of experience presumably refers to its team and not to the business itself.

Until recently its sole director was Aleksandra Chlopek, who told Companies House she is Polish and lives in Poland. She then quit and her replacement is Michal Laska who also says he is Polish and lives in Poland. I asked him about your missing cot and wondered how he could live in Poland but run a furniture business in London.

I also told him I had seen a copy of his companys instruction to its bank HSBC to repay you 659.99 and I asked what had happened to stop the refund being made.

Laska refused to discuss your complaint. He said: I wont be able to deal with you on details of this order. However, I will do my best to sort this out and let the customer know as soon as it is sorted.

He hit back: Please be advised that I am in the UK for most of my time, so I do not exactly understand what my nationality has got to do with running the business.

I explained that I had asked nothing about his nationality, but only his residence. I pointed out that he himself told Companies House he lives in Poland and I asked him to say if this is not correct.

Laska ignored the question, just as he ignored my questions about the failed delivery dates and the suspect bank instruction. But he did say: I have taken immediate action and the customers problem is now sorted.

You have checked your bank account and the refund is there. You told me: We are so grateful to have received our money. It feels like an early Christmas present.

Your baby has been sleeping in a travel cot. Now you can buy him a decent replacement.

The irony of a baby at Christmas having no proper bed may be lost on Michal Laska, so I shall just suggest that he makes a resolution for the New Year not to let down any more new mums  but I have a feeling I shall hear from more Funique customers in 2018.

Barclays customers have been hit by recent changes to its investment charges

I can't get my Isa transferred from Barclays

For more than two months I have been trying to get my equity Isa transferred from Barclays to IG Group. Barclays seems to be doing all it can to delay this and make things awkward. The day after I registered my transfer, it blocked my account. I cannot view it and I am unable to trade.

Tony Hetherington replies: I was startled to read the emails between you and Barclays, and find that the bank did not think the delay unusual. You were told: As a guide, our current transfer timescales are approximately six to eight weeks.

When you pointed out you had already waited two months and asked Barclays when it would respond to IG Groups transfer request, a staff member replied: Regrettably, I am unable to confirm the date we will respond to them, but assure you we are working through the requests we have and will do so in due course.

This was not good enough, so I asked officials at the banks head office to step in.

Within hours, the picture had changed. You told me: Not sure what you said to Barclays, but I have had more contact this week than in the last two months.

It has emailed me and phoned me twice and today it transferred my stocks to IG Group.

Barclays told me it sincerely apologises for the delay and you have now received 100 as a gesture of goodwill.
The second of two people convicted in the murder of a 43-year-old Tomah man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Sebastian Martinez, 23, no permanent address, was sentenced in Monroe County Circuit Court Wednesday.

Martinez and Zachary Nathan Davis were arrested March, 22, 2015, in Tennessee for robbing and fatally stabbing Derek Magnuson with a machete in his motel room 12 days earlier.

Surveillance video from the hotel recorded the presence of Davis and Martinez, who uses the alias Sabrina Martinez and appeared in the video dressed as a female.

Martinez told police that Davis became enraged when Magnuson  repeatedly described by Martinez as the guy who got hurt  made a sexual advance toward Martinez. He said Davis stabbed Magnuson several times with a big knife.

Authorities say the stabbing in Tomah capped a week-long crime spree that began in Idaho March 5, 2015, when Davis and Martinez stole a car from a dealership in Boise. They were involved in a high-speed chase with police March 8 near Stanley, North Dakota, and later purchased the machete at Cabelas in Woodbury, Minnesota, that authorities believe was used to kill Magnuson.

In July Martinez pled no contest to charges of armed robbery with the use of force and harboring/aiding a felon. He was originally charged with felony murder as party to a crime.

Davis was found guilty of first-degree murder by a Monroe County jury last year and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release.
As we hurtle towards Christmas, all that will be in the stockings of Koovs investors will be a lump of coal if theyre lucky.

Indias answer to ASOS revealed on Tuesday that it expects full-year sales to be hit by lower marketing spend as it sorts out its ongoing funding requirements.

The company issued 8.9million worth of loan notes earlier in the year and is in advanced negotiations about raising a further 10million.

Indias answer to ASOS revealed on Tuesday that it expects full-year sales to be hit by lower marketing spend

It expects to close that funding shortly but until then its marketing budget will remain significantly down, which will likely weigh on full-year turnover.

That wasnt warmly received by the market, with the stock shedding 47 per cent across the week to 14.2p.

One Media IP struck a more harmonious chord, doubling in value to 10.5p after former and BBC and ITV chairman Michael Grade invested in the music rights holder.

Grade has teamed up with former Pinewood Studios chief executive Ivan Dunleavy to take a stake in the firm, spending 375,000 in total via a subscription for 7.5million One Media IP ordinary shares, giving each a holding of 8.715 per cent.

Another heading higher was Stanley Gibbons, although the rare stamps and coins group said it knew of no reason for the 20.6 per cent jump in its share price to 5.1p.

Its been a tough year for the 161-year-old company, during which it racked up losses of 30.2million, defaulted on its banking facilities and saw its Guernsey-based investment business go bust.

All Stanley Gibbons could say this week was that it remains locked in talks with its bank  which it is now reliant upon  as well as other parties with regards to its ongoing financing.

Overall its been a very good week for the junior market, with the AIM All Share adding 18.2 points, or 1.8 per cent, to reach 1,033.3  not too far from its all-time high of 1,045.

The blue chips enjoyed a similar rally in the run-up to Christmas, helping push the FTSE 100 up 97.2 points, or 1.3 per cent, 7,587.7.

Also propelling the junior market higher was Westminster Group, which delivered a nice present to investors on the final trading bay before Christmas.

Stanley Gibbons said it knew of no reason for the 20.6 per cent jump in its share price

The security firm excited the market back in September when it revealed it had held successful talks with a client in the Middle East about a potential lucrative, long-term project.

Well, management has just returned from another round of extensive discussions, with almost all of the major details ironed out and all but one of the necessary approvals granted.

Due to the increasing potential scope of the project and its complexity, Westminster will now undertake the project in phases, with the initial phase expected to be worth around 24million a year to the company.

Not bad for an AIM outfit with a market capitalisation of less than 12million. Inventors started to catch on to the disconnect between the projects value and that of Westminster, with shares rising 81 per cent to 16.1p come Friday afternoon.

The biggest riser of the week though was Conroy Gold and Natural Resources, which saw its stock more than double to 27.5p after it revealed an increase in the updated mineral estimate for grades at its Clay Lake-Clontibret project in Northern Ireland.

Conroy  which also has assets in Finland  said after Thursdays annual general meeting that the updated mineral estimate showed a 26 per cent rise in the resource grade and a 23 per cent increase in the gold grade in the indicated category.

There is also strong geological evidence to suggest that the lodes have a more extensive strike length than previously interpreted, said chairman Richard Conroy.

In addition, the new data from old antimony workings that became available during the year helped with the understanding of the structure and the antimony itself is economic and therefore potentially another income source given its status as a strategic mineral.

On the flip side, Earthport shares came crashing down after the cross-border payments firm blamed contract delays and a recent change at one of its leading e-commerce clients as it lowered its full-year revenue guidance.

The company now reckons sales will come in 10-15 per cent below current market expectations for the year to 30 June 2018. Shares dipped 16.3 per cent to 10.1p.

GoTech also took a pounding this week as it was forced to wind up substantially all of its existing trading businesses and activities, making it an AIM Rule 15 cash shell.

A sales review earlier this year concluded that the companys focus should be on its Champions Programme which lets philanthropic organisations and corporate sponsors buy packages of Skills2Achieve licences  a literary assessment programme  for schools of their choice.

GoTech managed to get the charitable arms of Saracens Rugby Club on board with the scheme as well as several other schools and organisations, but further meaningful sales havent materialised as planned.

The board has now decided to stop funding the division, leaving the company with no ongoing business.

As a cash shell, GoTech now has six months to complete a reverse takeover or the shares will be suspended. Should another six months pass, shares will be cancelled altogether. Shares fell 64.4 per cent to 0.48p.
Mark Daeche co-founder of First Utility is expected to receive 48m after sale of company

The three founders of an energy provider which set out to challenge the major firms are set for a stocking filler of more than 110 million this Christmas after a takeover by oil giant Shell.

First Utility was set up by entrepreneurs Darren Braham, 51, along with Mark Daeche and Marcus Citron, both 54, in 2008.

The firm is now supplying gas, electricity and broadband to more than 825,000 homes.

The price paid by Anglo-Dutch Shell was not disclosed, but sources close to the deal told The Mail on Sunday it was about 240 million.

Daeche, who separated from his model wife Amanda Cronin earlier this year, is understood to own about 20 per cent of the company. Citron has a similar stake and the pair are set to receive about 48 million each.

Finance chief Braham is thought to own seven per cent and is in line for about 17 million.

The rest of the company is owned by about 80 other investors  mainly friends and family of the owners.

The founders and investors had previously been hoping for an even larger bonanza, however.

First Utility had previously been mulling a float on the London Stock Exchange. The idea was first mooted in 2014 when there had been hopes of a valuation of up to 500 million.

One investor told The Mail on Sunday the companys value had been hit in recent years by mild weather and by new rivals entering the market.

Daeche, who previously worked for telecoms company Xitech and Fox Software International, was chief executive of First Utility until 2012 when he became a non-executive director. The Coventry-based company made a 9.6 million pre-tax loss in 2016  down from a profit of 3.1 million  due to increased competition.

First Utility has a three per cent share of the residential market. It is the largest challenger to the Big Six energy providers  British Gas, EDF Energy, Npower, E.ON, ScottishPower and SSE.

The sale of First Utility is expected to take place early 2018

The deal, which is expected to complete early next year, marks a major foray by Shell into the UK retail energy market. It has worked with First Utility for a number of years as a strategic trading partner.

In 2015, First Utility agreed a deal to supply the German energy market under the Shell brand. The challenge from Shell piles pressure on the Big Six, which have had a tough year. British Gas owner Centricas share price fell 40 per cent this year  more than any other FTSE 100 company. In September, a record 160,000 customers switched to smaller rivals.

Last month, SSE, the second largest energy supplier, agreed a merger with Npower.

Ben Wilson of GoCompare Energy said: Hopefully next year will see households benefit from more competition driving down prices and improving service.
UK boss Steve Knights and his wife Tracy

The American bosses of Toys R Us could pocket millions of dollars in Christmas bonuses while hundreds of UK staff fear for their jobs.

The US-based toy shop giant narrowly missed falling into administration in the UK last week.

The retail chain agreed a last-minute rescue plan with creditors, despite concerns over its pension deficit.

That plan includes closing at least 26 stores in the UK, putting 800 jobs in jeopardy.

But if Toys R Us hits certain targets over Christmas, the company will hand out up to $14 million (10.5 million) in bonuses to 17 US bosses. The list includes chief executive Dave Brandon, who was paid a total of $23 million for 2015 and 2016.

The lavish payments, which are linked to performance, have been approved by a US bankruptcy judge.

Because Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy protection in September, most of its business decisions must be approved in court.

Lawyers for Toys R Us wrote in a court filing: Now more than ever the senior management team must be properly motivated and incentivised.

But Labour MP Frank Field said: I find its the most extraordinary operation of the imagination to think that those who are so endangering the company could incentivise their workforce only by lining their own pockets.

Mr Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, wrote to Toys R Us last week asking why it handed major pay increases to its former UK boss Roger McLaughlan, including a 1.3 million package in 2016.

Steve Knights, the new UK managing director, is understood to be paid less than McLaughlan. Knights also has a business consultancy called Opa, which he set up with his wife Tracy before he joined Toys R Us. He claims he has not worked for it since joining Toys R Us in the summer.

Veteran retail analyst Richard Hyman said of the US bonuses: I think its quite an incendiary thing to do.

The company said the US profit targets will be very challenging to achieve and said the bonus plans for the American business included team members at all levels of the company, not just senior executives.
Yat Hoi Ning: Former chief executive of London-listed mining company is wanted over an alleged fraud

Arrest warrants have been issued by the Zimbabwean authorities for two former bosses of a London-listed mining company over an alleged fraud that has triggered a global manhunt.

Yat Hoi Ning and Yim Kwan, the former chief executive and former finance director respectively of ASA Resource Group, have been missing for several months.

One of ASAs own directors slammed the UK authorities for failing to investigate a possible large-scale removal of value.

The company, which is listed on the AIM market in London, has a Zimbabwean gold mine as its main asset. It also has copper mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It revealed in April that $4.3 million (3.2 million) had gone missing and fired Ning and Kwan.

The firm, which went into administration in July, has been unable to contact Ning since.

In a further twist, administrators at Duff & Phelps fear Ning could be linked to a 36 million takeover bid for ASA by a firm controlled by a Chinese copper billionaire. Some investors fear the takeover could lead to them being short-changed.

The arrest warrants centre on $2.76 million which was transferred out of the bank account of one of ASAs subsidiaries.

The affair is just the latest debacle to hit AIM, the UKs junior stock market. It has suffered a string of scandals, including several involving Chinese companies.

Although the issues are not confined to Chinese firms, the London Stock Exchange issued a warning two years ago. It told the stockbroking firms that oversee companies on AIM to make sure their Chinese clients corporate governance standards were up to scratch.

ASAs administrator, Duff & Phelps, says there are possible links between Ning and a firm called Rich Pro Investments, owned by billionaire Feng Hailiang. They point to a number of transactions between the pair, including a large loan to Ning. In addition, Hailang owns a copper project in the DRC, situated next to ASAs operation.

Some shareholders are concerned Rich Pros bid for ASA is too low.

Duff & Phelps has said it is also concerned at the multiple unexplained connections between [Rich Pro] and Mr Ning. The firm said the Rich Pro bid may be an attempt by Ning to cover up misappropriations by former directors of ASA. Rich Pro disputes the allegations and successfully applied to the courts in London to have a second administrator appointed.

The Mail on Sunday has seen correspondence showing the Takeover Panel  which rules on UK mergers and takeovers  has investigated.

ASA Resource Group has copper mines in Democratic Republic of Congo

A rival, unidentified bidder is also interested in taking over ASA. Administrators will decide the winner but some small shareholders are unhappy with the Rich Pro bid.

Ian Barry Dearing, who is a director and shareholder of ASA, said: How the UK regulators are permitting this bid by RPI to proceed astonishes me. It is sheer daylight robbery of shareholders.

None of the authorities in the UK nor anybody overseas apart from the Zimbabwean government has recognised the potential large-scale removal of value going on.

He alleged that Rich Pro had not told shareholders the true value of ASAs DRC copper joint venture.

A spokesman for Rich Pro said Ning was not involved in its offer for ASA and that it had no intention of involving him in managing it. The spokesman added that Rich Pro fully supports the administrators investigations.

The Takeover Panel declined to comment. Lawyers for Ning did not respond to requests for comment.
The Wisconsin CASA Association has been awarded a $68,800 state development grant from the national Court Appointed Special Advocate Association. The funds will be used to recruit, screen and train CASA volunteers to serve children who experienced abuse or neglect.

Wisconsin CASA Association is one of almost 1,000 CASA and Guardian ad Litem programs across the country that help ensure children entering the court and child welfare systems receive appropriate services, have a voice in determining their futures and find a safe, permanent home where they can thrive. In Wisconsin more than 6,400 children are in the foster care or child welfare system each year, and fewer than 700 of them have an advocate.

The needs of Wisconsin CASA children coming into care are more complicated than ever before, said Sue Schwartz, executive director of Wisconsin CASA Association. Life in foster care can be chaotic, and they often dont have anyone they trust or can turn to for help. Every child deserves the support of a caring, consistent adult with the training to help her or him heal and thrive.

Local CASA programs serve 11 counties in Wisconsin, including Monroe, La Crosse and Vernon.

Since April of 2016, Wisconsin CASA has been awarded $300,000 through the National CASA federal grant program.

We have been fortunate to not only be able to prove the need here in Wisconsin but also to prove our program is working and making a difference in the lives of the children we serve, said Schwartz. We need to find and train more volunteer advocates so that we can help even more children in our state. The grant money will help us do just that.

Local CASA programs throughout Wisconsin will hold their next volunteer training sessions in January, February and March.

For more information about becoming a CASA volunteer or to learn about other ways to get involved, go to: wisconsin-casa.org or contact your local CASA program.
Its important, every so many years, we take a good look at how we fund schools, said state Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon. How do we  make sure our schools have what they need for the next 20 to 50 years?

Co-chairs Senator Olsen and state Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, recently convened a Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding. I serve as the only Senate Democrat on the new commission.

Wisconsin has seen studies to change the way our schools are funded come and go throughout the years. The co-chairs emphasized they did not want the work of the commission to sit on a shelf and collect dust. The impression that the commission existed only as an election-year talking point was clearly on the minds of some members.

As I mentioned in the hearing, Ive long been an advocate for changing Wisconsins approach to funding schools. We pay for schools, largely, with a combination of property tax and state aid. Schools are paid on a per-pupil basis.

Many school funding problems come from demographic changes happening in our state. Shifting patterns in our population affect schools. For example, Wisconsin has more children living in poverty today than 10 years ago. Rural areas have seen a decline in students.

Not all students have the same needs. Different school districts have different costs. These needs are not adequately reflected in the funding formula.

To add to problems, the fallout from Act 10 and the criticizing of public school teachers had a profound effect on our schools. Teachers left or retired. Fewer college students are going into education. School districts have trouble filling vacancies. Standards for teachers were lowered. Morale is low. Student opportunities were diminished. Cuts in state aid forced taxpayers to pass referenda and raise property taxes just to keep their schools running.

Of the two major problems with our school funding, the first is the level of state aid.

Despite increases in the recently passed budget, schools havent recovered from the massive cuts to state aid in 2011. In real dollars, public schools will be getting less in the next two years than a decade ago.

The second problem with how we pay for schools is the state aid formula itself.

At the heart of the problem is the economic disconnect between district revenues and district costs. Revenues assume education is a constant cost activity. In other words, you get so many dollars for every student.

Education, however, is not a constant-cost activity. Schools have high fixed costs and low marginal costs. Fixed costs are those bills that are the same regardless of how many students attend the school. For example, keeping the building heated or the lights on are costs that dont change much even as the number of students changes. As time passes, this disconnect between the way the state pays for schools and the way the schools incur costs, causes a lot of problems. Difficulties are particularly acute for districts with declining enrollments.

We need to move toward an adequacy formula that takes into account fixed costs, recognizes that some students cost more to educate than others and recognizes that school districts in different situations face different costs.

We also need to reduce our reliance on the property tax to fund schools. The cornerstone of school funding should be state aid.

We must address todays school funding problems. But we must also plan for how we educate our children of tomorrow.

For too long, rules, regulations and testing requirements stifled the creativity, excitement and challenge of teaching. Our state spends so much time and money on testing and evaluating that teachers dont have the time to teach or the resources and energy to try innovative approaches. We need a different plan to meet the needs of tomorrow.

Our children and our schools are our future. A lost opportunity for a child is often forever lost.

Since the formula was first enacted, our demographics have changed and our economy has changed. Tinkering around edges is not enough.

Democrat Kathleen Vinehout, Alma, represents the 31st state Senate District.
It was floated briefly during the 2016 presidential campaign, but quickly forgotten in the daily barrage of news about emails, tax returns, Russia and border walls.

We're talking about free college tuition  an aspiration of Democratic contender Hillary Clinton and her former rival Bernie Sanders, who believed that college has become so essential over the past several decades to landing a good job that it should be available to all.

Although it was all but forgotten nationwide, the idea managed to stick in New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo made it a central component of his 2017-18 state budget negotiations. This summer, it became reality, and 75,000 students across the state applied for the new Excelsior Scholarship.

"There is no child who will go to sleep tonight and say, I have great dreams, but I don't believe I'll be able to get a college education because my parents can't afford it," Cuomo said in April, when the scholarship first launched. "With this program, every child will have the opportunity that education provides."

The Excelsior effect

It was a big idea  one that drew national headlines and seemed tailor-made to bolster the governor's liberal bona fides. But with strict requirements and just 23,000 public college students, or barely 6 percent, declared eligible in the program's first semester, some were left wondering if the governor's big idea wasn't more sizzle than steak. At the same time, it thrust small private colleges in the state into uncertainty, and left them wondering if and when their students would be lured away by the prospect of tuition-free college.

To participate, students must have household incomes under $100,000 a year (this will eventually increase to $125,000), be New York residents and attend a public college or university. They have to attend full time, completing 30 credits a year. And after they graduate, they have to stay in New York for the same number of years they received the award.

The scholarship takes a last-dollar approach, meaning it only applies after all other aid and scholarships are taken into account. But with New York's longstanding tuition assistance program and federal Pell grants covering most, if not all, of tuition for low-income students, critics wondered why the governor didn't do more to ease the other costs associated with college  like room and board, textbooks or fees.

"Last-dollar free-college proposals such as the Excelsior Scholarship don't address the college affordability inequities at play in our country," said Mamie Voight, vice president of policy research for the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

The governor's proposal, she said, only serves to divert resources to higher-income students who may already be able to afford college, leaving low-income students struggling to pay expenses other than tuition.

"A better model would target aid to low-income students and help cover other costs associated with going to college," she said.

The governor's office has defended the plan, though, saying it will help lower student loan debt and focus on getting students in and out of college in a timely fashion  lowering the overall cost of attending college.

Supporters of the plan also point to a Georgetown University study which found that slapping "free" on something like college tuition can have a profound impact.

"Economists and marketers have grasped the powerful behavioral lure of making something 'free,'" the study's authors wrote.

The greatest growth in new students, they suggested, would likely be those who would have never considered higher education at all until it was free.







Clockwise from top: Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci, gesturing, questions Dan Fuller, Assistant Secretary for Education to Governor Cuomo, testifing before the Assembly Standing Committee on Higher Education Tuesday Dec. 12, 2017 in Albany, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale | Times Union) ; Assembly member Patricia Fahy questions Dan Fuller, Assistant Secretary for Education to Governor Cuomo, during a hearing by the Assembly Standing Committee on Higher Education Tuesday Dec. 12, 2017 in Albany, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale | Times Union) ; Assembly Standing Committee on Higher Education Chair Assembly Member Deborah J. Glick questions Dan Fuller, Assistant Secretary for Education to Governor Cuomo, on the Excelsior Scholarship and Enhanced Tuition Awards Programs during a hearing Tuesday Dec. 12, 2017 in Albany, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale | Times Union) ; Dan Fuller, Assistant Secretary for Education to Governor Cuomo, testifies before the Assembly Standing Committee on Higher Education Tuesday Dec. 12, 2017 in Albany, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale | Times Union)

Impact on private colleges

There was one group that was adamantly against the free tuition plan. New York's private colleges and universities warned that it would be hard for the smallest among them to survive something as alluring as free public tuition. The program, they said, would upset the delicate balance between New York's public and private higher education sectors.

By November, private colleges and universities that historically enrolled from within the state had experienced a steep drop in enrollment compared to one year earlier, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities reported. They also shed a significant chunk of their workforce over the same period, and implied that free tuition was at least partly to blame.

The governor's office rejected this  stating that enrollment and employment had already been in decline at those institutions since before free tuition was implemented.

"Quite a number of privates indicated fall enrollment drops, budget stress and layoffs," said Ann Marcus, director of the Steinhart Institute of Higher Education Policy at New York University. "It will need another full cycle for us to be able to assess outcomes."

Schools in turmoil

Enrollment and employment had been in decline at the College of Saint Rose when free tuition launched statewide. And it couldn't have come at a worse time.

The small private school in Albany was already struggling to rein in a deficit and boost enrollment, and decided to join onto a new tuition assistance program New York launched for private colleges in response to their concerns about free tuition. That program, the Enhanced Tuition Award, attracted just 30 of the state's 110 private colleges, though  due to its strict requirements and rushed implementation.

It wasn't enough to convince Saint Rose faculty and board members the college is on the right track, though. Discontent with President Carolyn Stefanco's performance has brewed for years among the faculty, but boiled over to board members this fall. A handful of trustees resigned in the past two months, including the chair, citing divisions on the board over her leadership and indecision over what to do about it.

The Sage Colleges, a system of three small private schools in Albany and Troy, also had a tough year as a new president, Christopher Ames, took over for longtime leader Susan Scrimshaw. In the face of declining enrollment and increased competition from the free tuition program, the colleges announced in the spring they would be cutting staff and initiating a review of programs.

Upheaval was also felt this year at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, whose founding president Alain Kaloyeros was ensnared in a bid-rigging scandal last year.

Last month, the Public Authorities Control Board approved a $38.5 million state grant to help the public research university stabilize its finances, on top of a SUNY-approved $25 million loan intended to help with its academic and research programs.

Leadership changes

Not all area schools experienced upheaval in 2017, though they did experience change.

The University at Albany and Hudson Valley Community College gained new leaders. The SUNY Board of Trustees named Havidan Rodriguez the president of UAlbany, making him the first Hispanic leader of a four-year SUNY campus; and Roger Ramsammy the president of HVCC.

Two other area college presidents announced they will be leaving next year, igniting presidential searches. Merodie Hancock will step down from SUNY Empire in March, while Stephen Ainlay will step down from Union College in June.

The State University of New York got itself a new leader, too. Engineer and former executive Kristina Johnson took over the 64-campus system from Nancy Zimpher in September.

bbump@timesunion.com  518-454-5387  @bethanybump
A former Troy city councilman and city planner resigned his job as Reno, Nevadas revitalization manager after he was caught up in a probe into possible sexual harassment by Renos city manager.

Bill Dunne resigned last month, according to the Reno Gazette Journal. The report cites legal documents accusing Dunne of making an inappropriate comment to the citys communications manager as she was making copies of the citys sexual harassment policy. He allegedly later threatened the woman if she brought him into the controversy involving then-city manager Andrew Clinger

In a resignation letter Dunne wrote that he had, done everything he had been hired to do. He did not respond to a request for comment from the Gazette Journal.

In court documents, former Reno Communications Director Deanna Gescheider said she was making photo copies of the city's sexual harassment policy in June 2016 for her staff when Dunne asked her what she was doing.

"While the copies were running, he said something to the effect of, 'I quit slapping women on the ass at least two years ago'," Gescheider said in documents that are part of her lawsuit against the city.

Gescheider later filed a complaint against Clinger. When that became public in September 2016, Gescheider said Dunne tried to get her to recant and threatened to get revenge on her, even if it took him years, according to the Gazette Journal.

Dunne was hired in 2016. Before that he served as Troys city planner where he fallen under scrutiny several times, according to Times Union archives.

In one project, which was later investigated by the FBI, Dunne ordered the emergency demolition of 4, 6, 8 and 10 King St.

The redevelopment of the Scolite property in South Troy also brought scrutiny from the FBI.

He was also suspended for five days over a bungled sidewalk paving project in 2013.

In 2005 Dunne resigned from his job with the state Dormitory Authority after being on paid leave for over two months. Dunne was put on leave while the authority investigated a personnel matter involving Dunne.

Dunne served on Torys city council from 2004 to 2011.
Mosul, Iraq

The young man ended up on the morgue's examining table in two parts.

He had been seized for selling cigarettes, a crime usually punished by flogging by the Islamic State group extremists who had occupied Mosul. But while he was being whipped, he shouted a curse insulting religion. On the spot, they cut off his head for blasphemy.

Sameh al-Azzawi, the 35-year-old medical assistant examining him, was sick of seeing Mosul's youth butchered for the slightest reason. The man was a newlywed. His family was waiting outside; it was one of the occasional times when the fanatics allowed the return of someone killed by the group. So al-Azzawi violated the rules: He picked out some thick thread and quickly sewed the man's head back on, then zipped him up in the body bag. He could sew a head back on a body in four minutes.

The family quietly thanked him.

The morgue in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul was where atrocity met bureaucracy, the processing point for the machine of butchery that the Islamic State group created across its territory in Iraq and Syria. Every day, the doctors and staff witnessed the worst of what the militants were capable of inflicting on a human being, constantly fearing they could be next.

Yet the morgue men of Mosul found ways large and small to defy their captors by honoring the dead as best they could.

"Our profession as doctors is all about humanity," said the morgue's senior examiner, Modhar al-Omari. "They were doing the exact opposite."

The staff sometimes faced up to 60 or even 100 corpses a day. As pickup trucks laden with bodies did three-point turns to back through the morgue's gates, hands, legs or heads fell off onto the ground.

Some were the mangled bodies of civilians and IS fighters killed in bombardment by the U.S-led coalition or fighting with Iraqi troops. Others bore the marks of IS' brutal enforcement of its radical version of Islamic law. A broken skull on a man with internal bleeding could mean he was thrown from a rooftop, the punishment for those suspected of being gay. A woman with a split skull from a blunt force was likely stoned to death, the sentence for accused adulterers. Then there were punishments for spying or blasphemy: a gunshot wound through the head or decapitation.

Convinced its "caliphate" was here to stay, the Islamic State group was keen on keeping records like a government. As they put together death certificates, the examiners quietly documented IS atrocities. They surreptitiously put an Arabic letter alif to mark a member of the group, and an M, the first letter in the Arabic word for "executed," for the group's victims.

One Excel sheet shows more than 1,200 people shot in the head, a likely sign of IS "executions," between June 2014 when IS took over Mosul and January 2017, when Iraqi forces were fighting to take the city back  an average of 11 a week. The list has 12 women marked as "stoned to death." It also lists 95 people who were beheaded and 50 men and boys who died from a "fall from a height," likely hurled from rooftops.

The staff operated under close scrutiny by IS officials and threat of punishment if they broke the rules or tried to leave. Among those rules: The bodies of those "executed under religious law" could not be returned to their families, except in cases where an IS commander allowed it. Instead, they were dumped in mass graves. IS brought at least 1,000 bodies to the morgue that they did not allow the staff to examine, so they have no idea who they were and did not record them.

Al-Azzawi managed to sew the heads back on about 10 bodies, he estimates. It had to be quick. He did it after midnight in the washing area, which IS fighters tended to stay out of because it was the worst smelling part of the morgue.

A pickup truck dumped nearly a dozen bodies onto the pavement of the morgue courtyard, the latest delivery. "Get up!" an IS fighter screamed at the staff.

"It's a lot of pressure. Pressure, pressure, pressure," said Raid Jassim, the chief medical assistant. "I always expected them to come at any moment and kill or behead us."

In 2005, Jassim was overjoyed to get a government posting at Mosul's Forensic Department, the morgue. The pay was several times more than what he'd earn in a government hospital. He was a graduate of a medical institute, a two-year diploma after high school, and had gone on to serve as an army nurse. At the morgue, he carried out examinations of bodies under supervision of doctors like al-Omari.

But no training prepared him for what he saw under the killers ruling his city.

Iraqi troops liberated western Mosul in the summer of 2017, and much of the medical complex where the morgue is located was bombed into ruins.

Freed, the morgue men struggle with what they endured. Jassim can't sleep without popping multiple valiums. His 13-year-old son  fearing for his father  won't sleep apart from him. Some staffers have disappeared since liberation.

Al-Omari, the chief examiner, has been numbed by the helplessness he felt in the face of the fanatics' dictates and butchery.

"You can't talk or explain. You just keep it inside," he says. "If I cried, I'd cry every day for every single body."
West Des Moines, Iowa

Ask someone like Sam Banks about the tax plan President Donald Trump signed into law Friday, and you hear something other than the effusive joy Republicans in Congress put on display this week.

The $1.5 trillion plan cuts taxes broadly while bestowing its richest benefits on companies and wealthy individuals. It is the first major legislative achievement for a president who rode to the White House with the full-throated backing of people like Banks who felt America's economic policies needed a drastic overhaul.

Yet Banks, a 50-year-old farmer in sparsely populated southwestern Iowa, regards the tax plan with a blend of indifference and uncertainty tinged with hope.

"They had to do something, though it took them long enough," Banks said of the president and the Congress his party fully controls. "It's going to help the companies. It's got to help me a little, I suppose."

In pockets of the country where Trump scored big with voters last year, the response to the tax overhaul is mainly a muted one. You'll get a few blank stares, some confusion and a bit of hedged optimism. What you won't hear is excitement.

Nearly all taxpayers will receive an initial tax cut. But an analysis by the Tax Policy Center shows that the gains favor the wealthy. For households earning between $48,600 and $86,100, the average tax cut in 2018 will be $930. But the top 1 percent of earners  with incomes above $732,800 will enjoy an average tax cut next year exceeding $50,000.

And companies will benefit from having their top marginal tax rate slashed to 21 percent from 35 percent  a permanent reduction unlike the tax cuts for individuals and families that expire after 2025.

"This is not a bill written with the core Obama-Trump voters in mind," said Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington. "In the short term they get a little but not a lot."

One thinking behind the corporate tax cuts is that they will turbo-charge business activity and that ordinary Americans will, in time, receive benefits in the form of better jobs and higher wages. Most mainstream economists, though, have expressed skepticism that workers will benefit much from lower corporate taxes.

"This is something I'm very proud of," Trump said Friday at an informal bill signing ceremony in the Oval Office. "Great for our country, great for the American people."

What taxpayers will receive from the tax plan depends on their personal situations. Business people like Justin Dopierala appear most likely to benefit. Dopierala, 33, who runs an investment business out of Germantown, Wis., expects the changes to reduce taxes substantially on both his corporate and personal income.

"I'm sure my wife and children would love to take more family vacations," he said.

Banks, the Iowa farmer, isn't expecting much of a windfall. But he sees a silver lining in the doubling of the threshold for the estate tax  something of interest to family farmers. A married couple will now be able to pass an estate worth up to $22 million to heirs tax free, up from $11 million.

In Beaumont, Texas, Chip Martel, a general contractor, says the tax changes will save his small business a substantial sum and perhaps enable him to expand his workforce of nine. He rejects the complaints of Democrats and other critics that the tax overhaul was assembled hastily, without any hearings but with heavy input from lobbyists.

"I believe we're in the process of making America great," Martel said, echoing Trump's campaign slogan. "We're changing a lot of the policies that were done with Obama, and I'm not really concerned about how it was done and finding out what's in the bill after it was passed."

Rich George, a farmer outside Detroit who boards horses, expressed hope that the tax plan's provisions for the wealthy will ultimately help him because they will benefit his upper-income clients. He dismisses studies that show the tax plan will swell federal deficits by more than $1 trillion over a decade, even after accounting for any additional economic growth the tax cuts help produce.

"When they talk about, 'This is going to add trillions of dollars to the deficit,' I know it's not going to happen," George said. "You're going to give people more money. They're going to do more business. There's going to be more people employed. There's going to be more commerce. Manufacturing is going to go up."

Some Trump supporters in Iowa said that for now at least, they were choosing to focus on the bright side.

"They needed to get a legislative win," Heather Kruse, a 34-year-old physician in an affluent Des Moines suburb, said of Republicans.

She acknowledged that the tax plan's passage was "hastily done."

Like many voters, Kruse said she didn't know most of the details and was disappointed by the reports that it won't likely help the middle class much. But Kruse said she was cautiously hopeful that the benefits of lower taxes for companies would resonate beyond corporate America.

"If that's true that it makes us more competitive in the global market, I can see that being a positive thing," she said,

Then there is 88-year-old Marilyn Vanderlinden, a Trump voter who sounded appalled by the tax plan.

"This just means the rich are getting richer," said Vanderlinden, a retired nurse, who lives in the small town of Centerville on the Missouri border.
Moscow

Ukraine's president on Saturday thanked the U.S. for its decision to provide his nation with lethal weapons, while Russian diplomats and lawmakers expressed dismay, warning that it will only fuel hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

The angry response from Moscow comes a day after President Donald Trump's administration approved a plan to provide weapons to Ukraine, including Javelin anti-tank missiles. Ukraine has long sought the weapons for its fight against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 10,000 since April 2014 and strongly welcomed the U.S. move.

"I am grateful for the leadership of President Donald Trump, clear position of all our American friends, and for strong bipartisan support of Ukraine," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook in English.

"American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for offensive (purposes), but for stronger rebuff of the aggressor, protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense.

"It is also a trans-Atlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression."

In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the U.S. administration's move has "crossed a line."

"Washington has sought to cast itself as a 'mediator,'" he said in a statement. "It's not a mediator. It's an accomplice in fueling a war."

Without mentioning the U.S. decision, France and Germany on Saturday urged combatants to fully implement a much-violated cease-fire agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement urging combatants to observe a 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany. Its provisions include the withdrawal of heavy weapons such as tanks and rocket launchers from the front-line area and an exchange of prisoners.

The two leaders also urged the return of Russian military officers to a joint coordination center that plays a role in monitoring the cease-fire.

Merkel and Macron said in their statement that "there is no alternative to an exclusively peaceful solution to the conflict."

The U.S. and its allies say Russia has sent troops and weapons to help the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has denied the accusations, but acknowledged that Russian citizens joined the separatist forces as volunteers.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov warned that the U.S. move could warrant a Russian response.

"The American weapons can lead to more victims in the neighboring country, and we couldn't stay indifferent to that," he said.
The Art of Shoveling Snow The foot of snow that fell overnight covered the two concrete strips that made up our "driveway." American homebuilders were a more frugal lot back in the late 1920s when my childhood home in South Omaha was built.

Great comeback post from one of the best sports writers in this town's history. Nice trip down memory lane for the baby boomer gen. Take a look:
Around 5PM, patrol officers were called to Kansas City's Riverfront Park on February 19th, 2015. A woman has been found at the bottom of a 25 foot deep well, by a city maintenance worker. Authorities ended up classifying Janina Vasquez's death as "accidental". Her mother, Jenny Cochran, and others believe something more sinister happened.
Kansas City Deadly Inferno Legacy

Fire and Justice This podcast is from the Center for Investigative Reporting, which co-produces the "Reveal" radio show and podcast with PRX. "Reveal" features CIR's reporting, as well as stories from public radio stations and a wide range of media partners, both nonprofit and commercial.

Golden Ghetto Good Samaritan Rescue Report

Fire in Shawnee displaces family right before Christmas Breaking News At 3:00am, Shawnee and Overland Park fire crews responded to a reported house fire located at 10525 W. 57th Terrace. Fire crews arrived with heavy fire showing from the home. The two adult residents were able to escape thanks to a passerby that noticed the fire and alerted the sleeping family.

Metro Tragedy For The Holidays

Oak Grove family loses house two days before Christmas A family in Oak Grove lost their house overnight to a house fire. This happened just after midnight Saturday in the 800 block of South Harding Street. Two people were able to escape and were not injured. Firefighters battled the flames for over five hours. Because of weather conditions, their gear started to ice over.

First Responders Risk It All

2 firefighters injured in North Kansas City fire Two firefighters were injured and a cat went missing in a house fire in North Kansas City on Saturday morning. The fire happened in the 1000 block E. 24th Ave. The homeowner told KCTV5 News that she was sitting at the table drinking coffee when she heard a pop, went downstairs, saw the flames, and called 911.

Hottiehelps us consider this top Kansas City metro fire issues and news link in hopes that our blog community is staying nice and toasty but safe amid falling temperatures. Take a peek:Developing . . .
DOWNTOWN/CROSSOROADS AND THE WESTSIDE NORTH LEADERS ARE NOW DEMANDING THEIR OWN COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT COULD UPSET THE BALANCE OF POWER THROUGHOUT KANSAS CITY!!!

"The population influx is beyond the tipping point. Downtown now deserves a place at the table and someone who speaks to the amazing growth and development of the Downtown/Crossroads area. This is a unique time and one of the typical Brookside/Waldo or Ward Parkway candidates doesn't really understand the amazing opportunities available in the heart of KCMO. In the new maps that are being drawn, Downtown needs to be the focus the 4th District, we're now too big to be an afterthought."

ONCE AGAIN THE AT-LARGE COUNCIL DISTRICTS ARE UNDER ATTACK AS A LEGACY OF OLD SCHOOL KANSAS CITY SEGREGATION-ERA POLITICS!!!

Kansas City residents and business interests inside the loop are fighting for more political representation.To wit . . .Here's a look at some of the reasoning . . .And so, under that radar of most Kansas City media outlets . . . Downtown has more money, influence and business support to take over the redistricting process than any other neighborhood in KCMO.More to the point . . .And finally . . .Remember that deceased political consultant Steve Glorioso helped redraw the current lines and without his influence and advocacy for minority communities . . . This time around the Council map could look radically different thanks to greater corporate influence than Kansas City has ever witnessed.Developing . . .
In the framework of the work for the construction of the project "Vertical Axis 45 Egnatia Odos, Siatista-Kristallopigi", in the location "Trita" of the Municipality of Koromilia of the Municipality of Kastoria, in the period from October 2013 to January 2015, a large excavation a group headed by the archeologist-prehistorologist Georgatos Stratoulis, initially responsible for the former Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities, and since November 2014 the newly established Ephorate of Antiquities of Kastoria, revealed an area of 2,200 sq.m. of a new riparian settlement of the Modern Neolithic period (Fig. 1-2).

This new prehistoric site, at an altitude of about 650 m, is developed on the west bank of the river Livadopotamos - Aliakmonas branch, close to the point of its contribution to the large waterfall of Susitsa, 7 km to the northwest of the city of Kastoria and 800 m. SW from the village of Koromilia (fig. 3).

The extent of the site - after performing more than 70 test sections - is estimated at about 30 acres. Its chronological range seems to cover, according to four currently existing radiodestations and the testimony of clay vessels, the end of the 6th and the largest part of the 5th millennium, c. 5200-4300 BC, while the recognition in the immediate future archaeological material and a newer period of use of the site. According to the above, the settlement at Trito Koromilia was, to a large extent, contemporary with the Neolithic settlement of Avgi (8 km south), the Neolithic settlement of Dispilio (11 km southeast), the neighboring neolithic settlement of Kolokynthos km southeast) and the neighboring cave "Sources of Koromilia", in the well-known gorge of the area with drinking water sources, from which the city of Kastoria is supplied. Trito Koromilia is now added to the prehistoric landscape and the Neolithic intercommunal network of Kastoria Regional Unity, which is expected to enrich with new important information on Neolithic life in the area (Fig. 4).

The environmental features of the modern landscape in Trito-Koromilia probably prevailed in prehistoric times. Predominant elements of the site were the Livadopotamos and the Sushitsa stream, which during periods of intense rainfall transports and deposits voluminous materials, contributing to the perpetual formation and change of the landscape. In addition, among the hills in the north and northeast of the site, the Livadopotamos Gorge was created, which continuously feeds the area with northern cold winds. The duration and intensity of the winds, coupled with intense rainfall, made the excavation process extremely difficult and created many questions about why prehistoric societies chose to be active in the area. However, the variety of microenvironments in the vicinity of the site, such as the richness of surface water, and therefore in fertile fields and abundance of meadows, as well as plenty of source of drinking water, and the presence of semi-mountainous and mountainous areas combined with the potential to supply various mineral raw materials from parent rocks in the wider area as well as sloping materials in the ditches and the banks of adjacent rivers and streams, it seems to have been an extremely useful and interesting site of activity.

The composition of the placements and the archaeological material

The most characteristic element in the stratigraphy and the composition of the placement of the position is the identification of a number of successive flood and deposition episodes. We also note the extremely high humidity of the area (Fig. 5), which should be due to the lack of organic residues, especially bones and shingles.

Archaeological plots in Trito Koromilia are characterized by the presence of pits with special stratigraphy, from small thermal constructions, a multitude of stone tools (eg sanders and grinders for grain milling, percussion drills, ears, pliers, and blades with a stylus for cutting plant elements) and a large number of clay vessels (Fig. 6). The shape of the pits is usually circular or elliptical with dimensions ranging from 0.80 m to 4.0 m. They sometimes appear independent in space and sometimes in direct contact with each other, giving the impression of clusters. Their stratigraphy exhibits common features: their lower substrates are black / greyish, with a high percentage of organic residues and abundant finds. On the contrary, their upper layers are dominated by the powerful ceramics - from the influence of fire - building clays (from walls and floors of structures / structures), while the movable finds are almost non-existent, with the exception of the large number of vases usually found between the claws . The presence of piles in the pits of the pits, combined with the large volume of clay in their upper layers and their location and clusters, seems to support the view that the pits were complex structures with elevated and roofed terraces for periodic and / or occasional stays, and cobblestones activities.

A special element of Neolithic Koromilia is also the numerous thermal constructions, elliptical, rectangular or horseshoe shaped (Fig. 7). They were found both inside the pits and in open spaces. These are hobs and ovens (0,40 m-1 m in diameter) with clay floors. For the construction of the vaulted skeleton - according to the imprints of the building towers - branches were used, often in knitting, sometimes combined with thin trunks. In other cases, the superstructure was formed by a mixture of building clay and straw without the addition of a wooden skeleton. Structures usually reside in small clusters and in very few cases they appear spatially independent. In their immediate region mainly intact vases were found, while rarely tertiary and pyriolithic tools, as well as other objects of the cultural material of the place. In the periphery of some thermal constructions, pseudotripes were identified, indicating that some of them had a roof.

The character of the installation

The Neolithic settlement in Trito Korymilia, due to the environmental conditions prevailing in the area and, in addition, the composition of the site's archaeological material, is not a typical example of a residential unit. Pits must have had a complex biography, with varied, perhaps diversified over time, such as temporary housing and hosting, or even wasteful practices.

It is envisaged that the Third Quarter was a special place that the Neolithic inhabitants of the wider region, as well as other northern groups, would use intermittently, perhaps the warmer periods of the year, to complete certain activities, while exploiting abundant lump of raw materials, exchanging varied knowledge, and other important social information. Special activities include, for example, grazing on the rich riparian meadows of the area demanding quantities of cattle feed and water (Fig. 8), and the cultivation of barley, a predominant type of cereal in the archaeobotanic remains of the position , whose early types had a short maturation period alongside high yield crops, as well as adaptability to soil-climatic conditions.

The further study of the archaeological material from the new prehistoric site in Trito Koromilia is expected to enrich neolithic research with interesting data on spatial organization, structures and structures in special environmental conditions. In addition, it is a food for thinking and new approaches in the field of management of the inter-communal space, especially the inter-communal communication and exchange networks.

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: Greek Ministry of Culture
Greeks are very proud of their traditions and national heritage and are very eager to share both with the country's visitors

The most traditional symbol you will find in Greece during the holidays is a small boat decorated with lights, usually placed in the main square of a town and close to the more international Christmas tree.

To karavaki, or small boat is rooted in the traditions of a country with a symbiotic relationship with the sea. In fact on the many Greek islands the Christmas boats remain the most popular ornament of the holiday season.

Agios Nikolaos

Different legends explain the tradition of the Christmas Greek boat. One of them is related to Saint Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos), the Patron Saint of Sailors.

Saint Nicholas.

This saint is celebrated on December 6, the day when many households start decorating their houses for Christmas. Some agree that this is why boats are decorated, in order to honor the saint.

Greek Identity

Its also true that Greece is proud os the large amount of sailors, fishermen and intrepid captains the country has, which makes them as a symbol of local identity. Men would often be away for months at a time, and those back home would be anxiously waiting for their return.

On the islands, the wives, mothers, and daughters of seaman used to spend the cold and dark winter months with their heart and mind at sea. There, their men were battling the stormy seas during the holiday season. These were months of expectation, hope, and prayer for their safe return.

The joy of seeing the boats coming back, approaching the shores, made the women celebrate in relief. The boat is a symbol to honor those brave men coming back home.

Small wooden boats

The tradition wanted the small wooden boats placed inside close to the fireplace and pointing towards the center of the house, never towards the door. They were also lovingly decorated to give a warm welcome to the men of the household.

Even kids prepared their own boats with paper and chips of wood, and on Christmas Eve, they used these little boats to collect the treats they had received when singing the carols (kalanda) from house to house.

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:   License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekreporter.com
Many domestic bookings for Athens hotels, as Greeks from other parts of the country chose to spend the holidays in the country's capital

Greek tour operators have sold out every available travel package for European destinations for the Christmas, New Years Eve and Epiphany holidays, President of the Greek Travel Agents Federation FEDHATTA Lyssandros Tsilidis announced.

Tsilidis spoke to Athens Macedonia News Agency (AMNA) confirming that this year there is a 20 percent increase in the number of Greeks traveling abroad for the holidays, compared to 2016.

All travel packages to Europe beginning at 300 euros and up to 2,000 euros are exhausted, with Spain attracting the lions share of Greek travelers.

Greeks also elect Italy, Switzerland, Paris, London, Austria, Poland and Bulgaria. The number of tourist packages for Turkey, is also significant.

At the same time, trips to the Arab Emirates, East Asia, and winter cruises in Asia have also been sold out. Overall, 250,000 travel packages for groups and individuals were sold for the holiday season, the president of the association disclosed.

Regarding domestic travel, traditionally busy ski resorts such as those in Kalavryta, Tzoumerka, Pelion, Olympus and others, had bookings that approached full capacity. Also, Tsilidis said, there were many domestic bookings for Athens hotels, as Greeks from other parts of the country chose to spend the holidays in the country's capital.

Source: Philip Chrysopoulos/greekreporter.com

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:   License: CC-BY-SA
The Egyptian government is set to pump in more than E100 billion ($5.6 billion) into infrastructure development projects in the insurgency-hit Sinai peninsula over the next two to three years, said a report.



The coast of the south of the Sina peninsula is peppered with Red Sea tourist resorts, while the northern province is underdeveloped and lacks basic infrastructure and job opportunities, reported Reuters.



Security forces have battled Islamist militants in the mainly desert region, stretching from the Suez Canal eastwards to the Gaza Strip and Israel, since 2013. Militants have killed hundreds of police and soldiers, it stated.



Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate a development project in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said: "We have entrusted the ministry of housing and the engineering authority with a national project of comprehensive urban planning."



"The E100 billion projects would be carried out whether I remain in power or not," he added.


The Green Valley Group, a leading real estate development and investment group, said this year has been a successful one for the group as its total investment skyrocketed and far exceeded Dh3.2 billion ($871.33 million).



As of 2017, the group owns a total of 42 real estate development projects spread across a number of countries.



The Green Valley Group is considered as one of the biggest UAE investors in Morocco and Turkey with a combined investment of Dh2.1 billion for both the countries.



Having already delivered two projects in Morocco, the investment value in that country reached $356 million. However, Turkey saw the bigger proportion of the investment, valued at Dh1.1 billion.



In addition to that, there are ongoing projects in Georgia, Bosnia, Lebanon, and Egypt.



Green Valley, an established name in social and international markets, strives to maintain a global presence through established worldwide communities in different countries, said a top official.



"Expansion plans are already under the pipeline for the UAE. The company has three big projects currently under construction in the country worth Dh178 million," remarked Wiaam Rabah, the chairman of Green Valley Real Estate Group.



"Our company has been steadily building a solid track record of delivery since its inception in 2004. The total investment in year 2017 exceeded our expectations and we look forward to having another successful year in 2018," he added.



In the quest to further strengthen Green Valleys position in UAE, Turkey and Morocco amongst other countries, Emirati actor Dr Habib Ghuloom Al Atta and his wife, Bahraini actress Haifa Hussein have been roped in as the Ambassadors of Green Valley Real Estate Group.



The stars will represent key projects to be launched by the company.-TradeArabia News Service
Australians are ready to develop cooperation in mineral field with Iran, the director general of Mines and Metals Development Investment Company (MMDIC) was quoted as saying in a media report.



In addition to taking advantage of potentials and domestic resources, the general policies of the resistance economy refer to improving labour forces, promoting competitiveness of the economy, encouraging foreign investment, Azizollah Asari was quoted by Irna.



A high-profile Australian delegation will have a trip to Iran within a month, he said in a meeting with Austrian envoy to Iran Ian Biggs.



Asari went on to say that joint investment, exchanging experts to promote technical and experiment capacities, participating in research and development sector, maintaining cooperation in producing and financing advanced machineries in mine and steel industry field and also taking advantage of technical and scientific achievements of Australia are MMDICs priorities.
Implementing sustainable and responsible business practices not only builds a better world, but also contributes to long term profitable business models, Grundfos CEO has said.



In a keynote speech at the District Energy Systems for a Sustainable and Energy Efficient Future Conference 2017, Mads Nipper, chief executive officer and group president of Grundfos Holding, focused on sustainability and business responsibility.



In his speech on the New Role of Business in Society, he said: In the long run, sustainable business models will be successful and create business opportunities in the local communities they operate in.



Denmark-based Grundfos, a leading pump manufacturer globally, has supported the conference, held at the Swissotel the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey. The event was co-organised by the Danish Board of District Heating and the Trade Council of Denmarkin Turkey.



The event had B2B meetings and roundtables which explored market opportunities within the district energy sector in Turkey and best practice cases from Denmark, for a sustainable and energy efficient future and city transformation, said a statement.



The conference gathered top-level executives of world renowned companies and key private and public stakeholders and decision-makers in the energy efficiency market, to discuss energy efficiency and sustainability, it said.



It also highlighted the recent developments in the Turkish district energy market including finance opportunities and upcoming projects, it added.



Our aim is to think ahead and innovate for the greater good of our planet and our society, while going the extra mile to help local communities and municipalities build and regulate their own sustainable business models, without any support, added Nipper.



Nipper has been an ambassador of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ever since they were formulated and implemented over two years ago; and Grundfos has since integrated the SDGs into the core of its business goals.



He continued: Sustainability is part of Grundfos DNA. We push the boundaries of possibility in energy efficiency and water conservation. Every day, we bring our expertise to improve peoples lives, through innovative solutions that break with conventional thinking to help local communities, governments and municipalities achieve not only an environmentally but economically sustainable future.



Our Water ATM project, for example, aims to support sustainable water management. Charging water even for a small amount of money is designed to ensure that water is used wisely. We dont want to supply water for free because when it is free, consumers tend to waste more, Nipper concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
Al Haddad Commercial Centre, the official importer and distributor of a number of internationally renowned automotive products in Bahrain, will showcase Metabo high performance industrial power tools and services (corded and cordless) at the Gulf Industry Fair, next year in the kingdom.



The event, a leading annual industrial expo in the GCC, will take place from February 6 to 8, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.



The fair is being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, and is organised by Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE).



In recent years, it has expanded to a wider product range to include the highly regarded German brand of Metabo power tools, said a statement.



Abdulla Al Haddad, chairman, Al Haddad Commercial, said: We will be offering special packages on Metabo products during the fair because we have found that the exhibition adds potential orders outside our normal customer base.



The Gulf Industry Fair showcases Bahrains capabilities as a trading hub for businesses involved in the industry. As a Bahraini company, our values fall in line with the fairs achievements, he added.



Ahmed Suleiman, exhibition director of HCE, said: Gulf Industry Fair visitors will get a chance to benefit from the special packages on Metabo products and services at the Al Haddad Commercial stand as well as the product knowledge available from the companys staff.



The Metabo Service Center in Bahrain established by Al Haddad is staffed with a team of professionally trained and experienced technicians who provide their clients with a high standard of customer service. Metabos products include burnishing machines and cordless power tools.



The fair is being strategically sponsored by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) in association with Noga and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba). Majaal have joined the fair as industrial facilities sponsor.



The supporting organisations for the event include AHK Saudi Arabia, the German Saudi Arabian Liaison for Economic Affairs, PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and the Bahrain Industrial Association, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based international aluminium smelter, recently hosted a high-level delegation comprising the head of the Republic of Komi Sergey Gaplikov, and Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Saati, the ambassador of Bahrain to the Russian Federation.



Albas deputy chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali received the head of the Republic of Komi and the ambassador at Al Dana Hall, said a statement. The Komi Republic is a federal subject of Russia.



Present during the meeting were the chief administration officer Waleed Tamimi, acting chief operations officer Hassan Noor along with other Alba officials it said.



During this visit, areas of common business interests and strategic partnerships between the Republic of Komi and Bahrain were explored, it added.



Information on Albas pioneering role as the first smelter in the Middle East and its landmark Line 6 Expansion Project was also presented.



Al Baqali said: We were honoured to welcome Gaplikov and Al Saati. Such visits help us to share our companys success story on many fronts as well as promote the business-friendly environment of Bahrain.



We look forward to establishing bilateral relations at all levels with the Republic of Komi in the future, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Kanoo Consulting Services (KCS), an Oracle Gold partner and the specialized consulting practice of Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo, participated in the VAT forum in Bahrain, recently hosted by the Middle East Oracle User Group (MEOUG).



MEOUG is an Independent Oracle user group, which aims to provide its members with access to the worldwide Oracle community.



The MEOUG VAT forum aims to influence participants views on maintaining a competitive advantage and remain up to date with the latest GCC VAT news and developments across the region, connect with regional experts from across the region to exchange knowledge and benchmark corporate strategies against newly developed tax strategies.



Director of the Bahrain chapter of MEOUG Jawed Akhtar mentioned that being an Independent Oracle User Group, MEOUG aims to be a platform that brings together Oracle users across the Middle East in direct contact with Oracle executives and support Identifiers.



The Middle East region has some award winning Oracle implementations and we want to showcase these successes achieved by Oracle users. We hope to guide Users to maximize their returns on Oracle investments, through conferences, education and various networking opportunities, he said.



KCS consultants presented a segment on VAT in Oracle, shedding light on the upcoming Value Added Tax (VAT) that shall be applicable to all organization in the near future, and the challenges that lie in implementing the VAT on the Oracle System.



KCS delivery manger Anish Daniel also presented on the aspects of how the SME sector can take advantage of the easy to deploy and VAT-ready Oracle Financials Cloud which makes it very easy for the organization to continue doing business and not worry about VAT readiness.



Oracle Technology territory manager Faisal Al Snan presented on how technology on the cloud can enhance the level of business done and at the same time provide the needed security using various product offerings from the Oracle technology stack.  TradeArabia News Service
The development aid provided by the UAE in the year 2016 reached Dh15.57 billion ($4.24 billion), making it the world's largest donor of official development aid, according to data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).



The aid made up 1.21 per cent of the country's Gross National Income (GNI), reported Emirates news agency Wam.



Over 58 per cent of the development aid provided by the UAE was in the form of grants.



Bolstering its global lead in several fields, UAE continues to maintain its rank as the world's largest donor of official development aid, relative to national income, following the path of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in serving humanity by assisting brotherly and friendly nations to develop their economies or mitigate impacts of natural disasters.



Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development Affairs, said the ranking is a fruit of the directives of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and their wise approach of adopting humanitarian and developmental initiatives.



Norway came second, contributing 1.12 per cent of its GNI, followed by Luxembourg (1 per cent) and Sweden (0.94 per cent).
Wyndham Hotel Group, the hotel giant with an unmatched global presence of more than 8,100 hotels in 78 countries, has announced the opening of Wyndham Grand Manama in Bahrain Bays iconic United Tower.



The opening of Wyndham Grand Manama adds to other top destinations around the world where the brand can be found, including Shanghai, Istanbul, Salzburg, Athens, Chicago and Orlando.



Wyndham Grand Manama is located in a waterfront district development valued at $2.5 billion, with vibrant residential, commercial and retail spaces. The hotel occupies 19 floors of the United Tower, a 50-storey landmark which features a twisting shape and 360-degree unobstructed views of the kingdom.



With 1,840-sq-m of state-of-the-art meeting space, a rooftop ballroom on the 50th floor with breathtaking views of the sea and the city, the new hotel is also an ideal destination for weddings and meetings in Manama.

Ignace Bauwens, regional vice president, Middle East and Africa, Wyndham Hotel Group, said: Wyndham Grand is a brand that is approachable by design, offering accessible luxury in many of the worlds most culturally significant cities. This one-of-a-kind location in Manama is undoubtedly the perfect spot to introduce our iconic brand to Bahrain, and we are delighted to have joined forces with such an innovative partner, Ahmed Mahmood Al Qaed, for this exclusive launch in the region. Adding Wyndham Grand to our growing portfolio of hotels in Bahrain demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that however visitors choose to travel, when they visit Bahrain there will be one of our hotel brands that meets their needs.



Klaus Elftmann, general manager, Wyndham Grand Manama, added: Set in this incredibly innovative new development, with easy access to Bahrains World Trade Center, its Financial Harbour, as well as the Avenues shopping mall, Wyndham Grand Manama is set to be the perfect destination to welcome business and leisure guests visiting this thriving city.



Following an agreement with Ahmad Alqaed Group, one of Bahrains most active integrated award winning real estate developers, Wyndham Hotel Group will manage the hotel.



Ahmad Alqaed, owner and managing director of Ahmad Alqaed Group, said: I am immensely proud that we remained true to our original vision of creating a vertical city. Just as the United Tower has set a new standard of architectural mastery in Bahrain, and will be the beacon of modern Manama, Wyndham Grand Manama will set a new standard for luxury hotels in the city. - TradeArabia News Service
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.
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 23

With Lohri and Basant festivals approaching, the sale of the banned synthetic string for flying kites is still going on secretly, which was revealed as the police seized the lethal thread from two places in the city today.

In the first instance, the CIA staff seized two boxes of the synthetic thread from Amrik Singh Nagar here. In the second instance, the Sadar police seized eight rolls from Suraj Avenue on the Fatehgarh Churian road here.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Amrik Singh Powar, has extended the ban on the sale, storage and use of the synthetic thread for flying kites till April 4.

The district administration had banned the use of the synthetic thread after many accidents were reported in the recent past. The plastic thread does not break easily on coming into contact with human flesh and often leaves deep cuts.

Several NGOs and government departments have been running a parallel campaign for years to discourage the use of the plastic thread. However, even as the ban was imposed, the dor is still being secretly sold and used in the city.

As the kite-flying thread often hangs loose on electricity wires, the chances of commuters, especially those on two-wheelers, meeting with accidents are even more.

Apart from humans, the plastic thread is also dangerous for the birds as they often get entangled in it while flying. While extending the ban orders, DCP Powar said birds entangled in the kite-flying thread remain hanging on trees or electricity wires .
New Delhi/Geneva, December 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make his debut at the World Economic Forums annual jamboree of the global elite in the snow-laden Swiss resort town of Davos next month, where he is also expected to address a special plenary session.

While the final list of participants would be released next month itself for the five-day Davos Annual Meeting of Geneva-based WEF beginning January 22, 2018, sources familiar with the programme said Indian presence will be really big this time with over 100 CEOs, including Mukesh Ambani, Chanda Kochhar and Uday Kotak, as also Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and top filmmaker Karan Johar expected to participate.

Modi is expected to be accompanied by some Union ministers and top government officials, while a large India Inc delegation led by apex industry chamber CII will also be present at the meet, whose theme will be Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.

The ministers whose names are being considered include Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and DIPP Secretary Ramesh Abhishek are also expected to be present.

Other big names from India and abroad include former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and IMF chief Christine Lagarde.

Sources said Modi is expected to be there on January 23- 24 and may address the first special plenary of the biggest congregation of top global leaders including over 40 heads of state and government. He may hold a number of bilaterals besides other meetings.

Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister at the Davos summit since 1997 when the then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had attended.

This is one of the few global summits yet to be attended by Modi.

To be attended by over 3,000 global leaders including CEOs, heads of state and government, artists and civil society members, the Davos Annual Meeting of WEF will conclude on January 26.

Indian social entrepreneur and activist Chetna Sinha will be among seven all-women co-chairs for the event.

This will be the first time in WEFs nearly five-decade-old history that its Davos Annual Meeting would have all women co-chairs.

Sinha will be joined by IMFs Christine Lagarde, Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg, IBM chief Ginni Rometty, ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti and ENGIE CEO Isabelle Kocher.

The WEF, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation and was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation, hosts its annual meeting in Davos every year in January.

In a statement last month announcing its co-chairs for the 2018 meeting, the WEF said that over 3,000 leaders, representing 100 countries, will gather in a collaborative effort to shape the global, regional and industry agendas, with a commitment to improve the state of the world.

Sinha has been a social entrepreneur, a microfinance banker, an economist, a farmer and an activist.

Since 1986, she has been working with marginalised communities and is founder and president of Mann Deshi Mahila Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation.

The WEF, which has been criticised in the past in some quarters for relatively lower presence of women, said these co-chairs represent both the public and private sectors, international organisations, organised labour, academia and science as well as civil society and social entrepreneurship.

The Forum has said the programme of the 2018 Annual Meeting will explore the root causes of, and pragmatic solutions for, the manifold political, economic and social fractures facing global society today.

Creating a shared future in a fractured world requires addressing issues on the global agenda in a holistic, interconnected and future-oriented way, WEFs Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.

Art and culture will also figure prominently this time with 40 cultural leaders expected in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, including filmmakers Feras Fayyad (Syria) and Wanuri Kahiu (Kenya), science-fiction author Hao Jingfang (China), artists Mehdi Ghadyanloo (Iran) and Trevor Paglen (US), and navigator Nainoa Thompson (Hawaii, US).

Also joining are long-time members of the Forums Cultural Leaders community, including photographer Platon (US), choreographer Jin Xing (China), and musicians will.i.am and Yo-Yo Ma (US).

The registered Indian participants also include CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, as also Gautam Adani, Swami Agnivesh, Rahul Bajaj, Sanjiv Bajaj, N Chandrasekaran, Sajjan Jindal, Anand Mahindra, Lakshmi Mittal and son Aditya, Sunil Mittal and son Kavin, Nandan Nilekani, Indra Nooyi, Azim Premji, Ajay Piramal, Ajay Singh, Naresh Goyal and Tulsi Tanti.

Mukesh Ambani is expected to be accompanied by wife Nita as also children Akash and Isha. PTI
SC Vasudeva

Q. I am a PSU retiree paying income tax and own two houses. I want to sell one house and want to gift entire proceedings to my daughter living in New Zealand. She is planning to buy a house there. Please advise on the following options:

Option 1: Should I first gift and transfer house in her name and then she may sell it and transfer money from her account in India to her NZ account?

Option 2: I may sell the house and gift entire money to her from my account to her NZ account as a gift amount.

Else, advise if there is any other alternate option to pay minimum taxes.

Also, I want to know how much money can be transferred in her NZ account in a financial year to avoid taxes.  Suptej Singh

A. It will be advisable for you to sell one of the houses in India. You would be liable to pay tax on the amount of capital gain arising on the sale of such house. The balance amount can be utilised by making a gift to your daughter. Please note that under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme you would be able to remit only $2,50,000 in a financial year towards such a gift to your daughter. It would not be possible to avoid the payment of tax in either of the options referred to in your query. In the first option referred to in your query, you would have to incur additional expenditure on the payment of stamp duty and registration charges for registration of the house in the name of your daughter. Accordingly, the second option should be preferred.

Q. I am an NRI. My two sons and a daughter are also NRIs. I had a house in Chandigarh which I transferred in the names of my two sons and a daughter. I was earning rental income from the house which I used to mention in my income tax return. None of my sons files the income tax return in India being not citizens of India besides having no income from India.

The total rental income is Rs 2.4 lakh per year. Now, the share of my three children will be Rs 80,000 each which is far below the taxable limit. Please advise on the following points:

1. Can I continue showing the rental income in my income tax return and pay income tax thereon, if due.

2. If I cannot show the above said income in my return, should my children file their returns in India despite the income being below the taxable limit?  Balwant Kaur Sawhney

A. It is presumed that the transfer of the house was made through a gift deed duly registered with the Sub-Registrar and the tenant has been informed that the property now stands registered in the name of your two sons and daughter. Further, the tenant has

also been informed that henceforth the rent should be paid to the three owners in whose name the house stands registered. Reply to your queries is based on the said presumption.

1. The house having been transferred in the names of your sons and daughter who are now entitled to receive the rent, you do not have to include the rental income in your taxable income.

2. In case the tenant has deducted tax on the rental amount and your sons and daughter intend to claim refund of tax deducted at source as they do not have any income in India, they will have to file the tax return so as to claim refund of tax deducted at source.

Q. I am an NRI. As per latest government instructions, NRIs cannot continue their PPF account. I am a government pensioner and also have income from bank interest and property rent. Earlier, I used to deposit Rs 1.5 lakh in my PPF account every year. As a result I did not have to pay income tax.

I seek your advice as to the schemes where I may now invest to escape liability of income tax to cover up for the gap caused by discontinuation of PPF account.  Balwant Kaur Sawhney

A. There are number of avenues which are covered under Section 80C of the Income-tax Act 1961 (The Act). A few of such avenues include insurance premium payment to effect policy on the life of the assessee and his wife and children, fixed deposit with the bank for a period of not less than five years with a scheduled bank, subscription to any units of approved mutual fund, deposit in an account under the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (applicable to senior citizens only) and a five-year term deposit in an account under the Post Office Time Deposit Rules 1981. You also have an option to contribute to an annuity plan of LIC of India or any other insurer for receiving pension from an approved fund.

The amount of allowable deduction from total income in respect of the aforesaid schemes is up to Rs 1.5 lakh. You can also claim an additional deduction for contribution of a sum not exceeding Rs 50,000 under Section 80CCD (1B) of the Act towards a pension scheme.

Readers can send their queries at info@scvasudeva.com
Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 24

In another case of gold seizure at the Chandigarh international airport, custom officials on Saturday recovered 175 gm of gold, worth Rs 4 lakh, from a passenger, who arrived here on a Dubai flight.

The custom officials said the passenger had concealed gold in his rectum and was caught following a tip-off. According to sources, the passenger is a Delhi-based businessman who was immediately intercepted after his Dubai flight landed at the airport.

A customs official said during the investigation, he revealed that he had hidden the gold inside his rectum. The official said, The gold has been seized and a show-cause notice will be issued to him for attempting to evade customs duty.

The official said the passenger was not arrested since the amount of gold was less than Rs 20 lakh.

This is the fourth such incident in December. On December 8, custom officials had recovered 2.92 kg of gold, worth Rs 80 lakh. It was concealed in a vacuum cleaner by a Delhi-based businessman. On December 16, the local police and excise officials had seized diamond-studded gold jewellery, worth Rs 5 crore, from two Mumbai residents. They imposed a combined penalty of Rs 28.33 lakh for tax evasion. On December 20, 450 gm of gold, worth Rs 12 lakh, was recovered from a passenger.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 24

A 32-year-old youth of Kharar, Sandeep Dhiman, was robbed and stabbed to death near Tutira, about 40 km from Napier, in New Zealand. The IT professional, who shifted to New Zealand on study visa in June, 2015, worked as a fibre technician at a leading company in New Zealand. He was found brutally killed on the rural Matahourua roadside on December 18.

The deceased was driving a gold-coloured Toyota Passo between Hastings and Tutira on Sunday evening when he was waylaid, robbed and killed, said the reports reaching here today.

The New Zealand police have arrested a girl and another teenager, aged around 17, and charged them with robbery and murder, said the reports. Dhimans car and two mobile phones have been recovered from the killers.

The deceaseds body was brought back home and cremated amid heart-rending scenes in Kharar this afternoon. Dhiman was scheduled to visit home in January, when he was also supposed to get married here, his wailing father Jai Pal Dhiman said.

According to the reports, a passing motorist spotted Dhimans body on a grassy roadside, some 7 km from the roads junction with State Highway 2 south of Tutira, around 9.30 am on Monday.

Soon after recovering the body, the local police arrested and charged 17-year-old girl and boy with robbery and murder on the same night.

Both accused were produced before the Hastings District Court on Tuesday, where Judge Tony Adeane remanded them in custody to next appear in the High Court at Napier on January 29.

Ben MacDonald, the manager of a nearby dairy farm, who called up the police after a tanker driver spotted the body and approached the milking shed for help, said: Its a quiet area. There are a few rough people out here but you wouldnt think anyone would dump a body or that sort of thing.

His Parents were in Australia

The deceaseds parents were away to their other son Dheeraj Dhiman, who is settled in Australia. They last spoke to Sandeep on the phone on Sunday around 6 pm, when he told them that he was going to fetch milk and will talk to them later. After not getting his call back, his mother Sudesh sent him messages on WhatsApp, which remained not seen till 7 am on Monday, recalled the bereaved father.

Employer lodges FIR

It was after Sandeep failed to report to work on Monday that his employer lodged an FIR with the police. On the same day, his brother Dheeraj also flew to New Zealand from Australia, only to find him brutally killed.

Kin laud Indian Embassy

The family of the deceased has lauded the role of Indian Embassy officials in New Zealand for their help and support in getting back their sons body back home.
Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, December 24

After two major fire incidents at Bhabat in Zirakpur in the past two weeks, residents once again demanded a fire station in the area at the earliest.

They rued that a number of fire incidents had taken place in the past but the authorities concerned seemed non-serious about the issue.

Amit Jain, president, C&F Association, Zirakpur, said the area, where a large number of godowns were located in Bhabat, lacked basic facilities despite the fact that they helped generate crores of rupees for the government.

He added that in the past 10 years, they had taken up the issue with the local MLA and the government a number of times but nothing was done to solve it.

Sources in the Fire Department said they always rushed back to the Dera Bassi fire station for refilling. Moreover, loose power cables at Zirakpur too hinder the movement of fire tenders.

Kulwinder Sohi, president, Municipal Council, Zirakpur, said they had already written about the issue to the government six months ago but still awaiting a reply.
MK Bhadrakumar

MK Bhadrakumar

UKRAINE and Palestine may seem two vastly different regional conflicts. Yet, last week, from the perspective of Indias foreign policies, just as between Mars and Venus or between the rose bushes in the backyard, a spatial relationship appeared. The votes that India cast at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on successive days last week regarding the resolutions on Ukraine and Jerusalem, respectively, were anything but routine. After a long while, South Block displayed a remarkable understanding of spatial awareness.

The retrieval of implicit memory in foreign policy always underscores a political decision. How far the US President Donald Trumps National Security Strategy (NSS) 2017, which he unveiled last Monday in Washington, gave impetus to overcome the challenge of amnesia  depending on how one looks at it  may never be known, but the chances are that it most certainly would have. Between the two resolutions, the one on Palestine received far greater attention in the Indian media, thanks to the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, who had openly threatened that shed be taking names of countries that voted to reject Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and report to her President who would take this vote personally, and, furthermore, that Washington would remember which countries disrespected America by voting against its diktat.

Unsurprisingly, when PM Modi showed disrespect to Trump, it became big news for the Indian media. But India has taken this open stance on Jerusalem with such disarming candour that the risk involved by snubbing Haleys hard-power diplomacy is actually minimal.

However, it was the vote that India cast regarding Ukraine on Wednesday  against a Western resolution condemning Russia for human rights violations in Crimea and Sevastopol  that takes the breath away. This needs explaining. For a start, anyone who anticipated the inevitability of post-Soviet Russias resurgence on the world stage would have instinctively sensed that it would be eventually over the status of Ukraine, where memory mixed with desire, that the epic struggle for the control of the heartland  to borrow the expression from Sir Halford John Mackinders controversial theory  would mutate and resume.

Mackinders theory significantly influenced the US strategic thinking toward the former Soviet Union. By an interesting coincidence, on December 12, Georgetown University in Washington brought out as part of its Russia Program a stunning collection of declassified US, Soviet, German, British and French documents showing a cascade of assurances about Russian security held out to Mikhail Gorbachev and other officials in Moscow throughout the process of German unification in 1990 and on into 1991, devolving upon the future of NATO. The archival materials substantiate conclusively that Gorbachev and others in the Kremlin were led to believe that the US wouldnt take advantage of the situation with an eastward expansion of NATO.

None other than US Secretary of State James Baker III at a meeting on February 9, 1990, in Moscow, assured Gorbachev that neither the President nor I intend to extract any unilateral advantages from the processes that are taking place, and that the Americans understood that not only for the Soviet Union but for other European countries as well it is important to have guarantees that if the United States keeps its presence in Germany within the framework of NATO, not an inch of NATOs present military jurisdiction will spread in an eastern direction. Helmut Kohl, then German Chancellor, who met Gorbachev the next day repeated much of the same thing that Baker did. And Gorbachev agreed in principle for German unification on that understanding. (Kohl later wrote in his memoirs that he couldnt sleep that night and walked all night around Moscow.)

Alas, the strategic discourses by Indian pundits are limited to Indo-Pacific as they see only a sliver of the sky from the bottom of the well. But, South Block with its institutional memory would know the profound implications of the Indian support for Russia over the resolution regarding Crimea at the UN last week. India had an option to abstain, as indeed 76 countries did. But instead, India decided to stand shoulder to shoulder with Russia as one of the 25 countries to do so by casting its vote to reject the Wests resolution  alongside China, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, North Korea, among others.

The NATO has now expanded through former Warsaw Pact territories and Baltic States to reach the borders of Russia. Suffice to say, the locus of world politics still lies in Eurasia  not in the South China Sea. Trumps NSS visualises the challenge of China and Russia as fundamentally political contests but it is the Russian military capabilities, including nuclear systems, that remain the most significant existential threat to the United States and it is in Eurasia that the risk of conflict is growing. Elsewhere, China may seek to displace the US in the Indo-Pacific region but its intentions are not necessarily fixed and the US also stands ready to cooperate across areas of mutual interest.

The NSS says that the 19th century great power competition (has) returned and the world has become "actually an arena of continuous competition. In the final analysis, the US upholds the central role of power in international politics. What emerges is that the US global strategy has narrowed down to retaining its overmatch  global dominance  at a time when US advantages are shrinking and the task ahead is that American military superiority endures in an international milieu where American prosperity and security is challenged by an economic competition playing out in a broader strategic context.

India cannot but militate against Trumps NSS, which is antithetical to the aspiration that its foreign policies embody. It is a confrontational doctrine, which locks it in as a subaltern in the mobilisation to shore up American prosperity from erosion. The NSS comes as a rude shock because its singular message is that the US cannot countenance other countries becoming major powers. It defines Indo-Pacific as the region which stretches from the west coast of India to the western shores of the US! And it is the ASEAN and APEC that remain centrepieces of the Indo-Pacifics regional architecture and platforms. Meanwhile, the document admits, We seek an American presence in the (South and Central Asian) region. The bottom line is the NSS unwarranted apocalyptic scenario of an India-Pakistan nuclear war, which requires that the US paid consistent diplomatic attention  American intervention. Indias vote on Ukraine is a timely assertion of our time-tested relationship with Russia and our independent foreign policy.





The writer is a former ambassador
Rajindar Sachar

Rajindar Sachar

Former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court

I am troubled as to how could the BJP fall to a low political level; all this because a dinner was held at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house, where S Monmohan Singh, former Prime Minister, and high-ranking former Indian diplomats and the High Commissioner of Pakistan were also present.

There is a certain amount of decorum and decency which is never crossed in politics. But this charge without any proof has hit the lowest.

There is certainty a banter and serious dig at the competency of political rivals, but never untrue charges. The banter between Gladstone and Disraeli are classic, when the latter said: "If Gladstone fell in the Thames, that would be a misfortune. But if someone fished him out again, that would be a calamity."

Previously, such type of low level was never crossed even amongst sworn political rivals in India. It is well known that Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, after coming back from Germany, had worked in the Central Congress office with Pandit Nehru who was the President of the Congress party. When our Socialist Party walked out of the Congress in 1946, Dr Lohia was the bitterest opponent of Nehru. But their relations never become low.

In May 1949, the Socialist Party under Dr Lohia held a demonstration outside the Nepal Embassy to protest against the takeover of Nepal by Rana. About 50 of us, including Dr Lohia, were arrested for violating Section 144 of the CRPC and remained in jail for over a month. During that period, Nehru sent a basket of mangoes to Dr Lohia in jail.

Sardar Patel was so annoyed, he wrote to Nehru that while the government had arrested Dr Lohia, (you are sending mangoes to him). To which Nehru wrote back politely that we should not mix personal relations with politics.

In 1951, Lohia was to visit the US. He had come to Delhi from Lucknow. I remember that someone told Dr Lohia that there was a phone call for him. Dr Lohia went to the other room. When he came back, I asked whose phone was it. He said Pt Nehru. What did he say, I asked. Dr Lohia in half banter and annoyance repeated the conversation thus:

Nehru: Ram Manohar, I hear you are going to the USA?

Dr Lohia: Yes.

And there was a pause.

Nehru : When?

Dr Lohia: Next week.

Pause

Pt Nehru: Alright.

Then Nehru switched off.

It was a curious talk and I couldn't hold my curiosity. Dr Lohia in half anger said  you know he wanted to tell me. "Ram Manohar, you are going abroad  do not criticise the government when abroad, but did not have the guts to tell me." And then Dr Lohia in half annoying and anger said, "What strange behaviour  does he think that I will talk ill of the government when abroad?"

Such was their closeness, and yet so apart.

One day before filling the election papers against Nehru in the General Election of 1962, Dr Lohia wrote a letter to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru:

Dear President,

You would be surprised to read this letter. When I left the office of the Congress Committee forever, I paid regards to that building, Aruna (Asaf Ali) was with me. That was our last meeting. In these elections, your victory is certain. But if certainty turns into uncertainty and ultimately your defeat, I would be extremely happy and it would also be beneficial for the country. Then you would get the opportunity to improve yourself and become a better person. In the end, I pray for your long life so that I may get the opportunity to reform you.

Yours truly,

Ram Manohar Lohia

To which Nehru replied the following:

Dear Ram Manohar,

Received your letter without date and address. I am sending the reply at the address of Socialist party, Allahabad.

I am happy that a sober person like you is opposing me in the elections. I think in this election, the discussion would be centered on the political programmes. Be cautious and ensure that the personal discussion should be curtailed. On my part, I promise that I would not visit my constituency even for a single day."

Yours,

Jawaharlal Nehru

In 1964 -65, when Dr Lohia was elected to the Parliament, Nehru made it a point to be present for his swearing-in. Dr Lohia and Nehru continued to exchange harsh words, but only on policy matters.
The irrepressible Lalu Prasad will be out of sight for some time, having earned his second conviction out of six cases against him in the Bihar fodder scam of the mid-90s. For Lalu, the Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi is familiar turf  this will be his third stint. The civil society may squirm over his recurring infractions of the law, chiefly because none of his jail yatras were in the cause of social justice  but on charges of self-aggrandisement. Lalu, though, wears his convictions and imprisonments as badges of honour; which, according to his narrative, is the payback for standing up to upper caste hegemony. Lalu is not alone.

Several politicians, from Om Prakash Chautala to the late J Jayalalithaa, both former CMs like Lalu, managed to retain voter empathy despite being convicted of corruption. Like them, convictions dont make a whiff of a difference to the political fortunes of Lalu. He retains the allegiance of the Yadavs and the Muslims; he remains a top crowd-puller in the state; and, his party holds the most number of seats in Bihar. But in getting himself snared in corruption cases, Lalu has not only let down his peers and mentors  JP, Karpoori Thakur et al  but given a handle to the communal forces, against which he has been remarkably unwavering, to paint the social justice crowd as hypocritical to the core  steeped in graft and nepotism while moralising on egalitarianism and probity.

The last Bihar elections saw Lalu single-handedly deconstruct and demystify PM Narendra Modis soapbox oratory; his joining hands with Nitish Kumar and the Congress decisively tilted the scales against the BJP. The big question now is will Lalu Prasad be around to stump in 2019? After a heart surgery, and at 70, he is no spring chicken either. But the committed family man that he is, Lalu has ensured the mantle passes on  two children are MLAs, one is an MP while wife Rabri lost narrowly in the last Lok Sabha polls. To the outsider, Lalu seems to represent the squalid and sordid side of politics while the courts have red-carded Lalu out of the democratic processes. But he will still hope to be redeemed by the peoples court in 2019.
Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Ramba (Karnal), December 24

Amid gloom, the bereaved family of Pargat Singh (30), who was killed in ceasefire violation in the Keri sector in Rajouri district yesterday, demanded a befitting reply to Pakistan for the supreme sacrifice of security personnel so that such cowardly acts by Pakistan could be stopped.

Though the family was shattered, Pargats brother and parents put up a brave face today. I am proud of my brothers sacrifice, but the government should take revenge for the sacrifice of all soldiers, said Harpreet Singh, martyrs brother.

I received a call from the Sikh Regiment around 5 pm yesterday. Pargat was very close to me and was a very loving brother and human being. The soldiers sacrifices should not go in vain and the government should give a befitting reply to Pakistan, he said.

The government should order another surgical strike, he demanded. Pargats four-year-old son Yuvraj Singh wants to join the Army. Pargats father Rattan Singh had retired from the Indian Agriculture Research Institute regional station in Karnal.

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep his word of bringing 10 heads in reply to one. Pakistani security forces and militants are killing our soldiers everyday. Stringent action against such incidents is the only answer, he asserted.

He demanded the Union government to provide complete facilities to security personnel. Pargats mother Sukhwinder Kaur demanded similar action by India. Pargats wife was still unconscious. Pargat joined the 2 Sikh Regiment on June 22, 2006. He married Ramanpreet Kaur in December 2010.

He had rejoined duty after a 20-day holiday, said Gurdeep Singh, a resident of the village. He said Pargat had recently celebrated his wedding anniversary with his family.

Minister of State for Food and Supplies Karan Dev Kamboj and Hafed chairman Harvinder Kalyan reached the residence and expressed their condolences.

Kamboj said the government would give Rs50 lakh to the family. I will approach the Chief Minister for a job to the martyrs wife. An entrance gate to the village will be constructed and named after the martyr, he said.

Tearful adieu to braveheart

Karnal: Thousands of residents of various districts, Army officials and politicians bid a tearful adieu to Sepoy Pargat Singh in his native village on Sunday. A sea of humanity descended on the village as his body reached Ramba village in the evening. Army officials handed over the body to the family. People raised slogans such as Bharat Mata ki jai and Pargat Singh amar rahe, besides anti-Pakistan slogans. Pargat was laid to rest with full military and police honours as he was accorded a 17-gun salute. Pargat's brother Harpreet Singh lit the pyre. TNS
Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Ramba (Karnal), December 24

The family of Sepoy Pargat Singh (30), who was killed in cross-LoC firing in Keri sector in Rajouri district on Saturday, has asked the Centre to give a befitting reply to Pakistan.

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Though the family of Pargat Singh was completely shattered, his brother, father and mother put up a brave face. I am proud of my brothers sacrifice, but the government should avenge the killing soldiers, said Harpreet Singh, Pargats brother.

I received a call from the Sikh regiment at around 5pm yesterday about the martyrdom of my brother. He was very close to me; a loving brother and a good human being. His and other soldiers sacrifices should not go in vain and the government should give a befitting reply to Pakistan, he added.

The government should launch another surgical strike, Harpreet said.

Rattan Singh, father of Pargat Singh who had retired from the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) regional station, Karnal, urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stick to his words of bringing 10 heads against one.

Pakistan security forces and militants are killing our soldiers. Only a stringent action against such incidents is the answer, he added.

He demanded the Union government to provide full facilities to the security personnel. The soldiers mother Sukhwinder Kaur also called for strong action from the Indian side. Pargat Singhs wife is still unconscious and is yet to come to terms with the reality.

Pargat Singh joined 2 Sikh Regiment on June 22, 2006 as Sepoy and got married with Ramanpreet Kaur in December 2010.

He did an ITI course from Karnal and joined NCC for two years as his aim was to join Army, his father said. He was second best recruit during his training at Ranchi. He also went to Sudan under a United Nations peacekeeping mission in 2012-13. Pargat had to retire from job in two-years but he was willing for an extension as he wanted to serve the country, the father added.

Minister of State for Food and Supplies Karandev Kamboj, HAFED chairman and Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan reached the residence and expressed their condolences.

On behalf of the state government, Kamboj said the government would give Rs 50 lakh to the martyrs family. I will also approach the CM for a job to Pargats wife. An entrance gate to the village named after him would also be constructed, Kamboj said.

Pargat is survived by his father Rattan Singh, mother Sukhwinder Kaur, wife Ramanpreet Kaur and son Yuvraj Singh (4), who also wants to join Indian Army.

Tearful adieu

Thousands of residents across the various districts, officials from the Indian Army and politicians bid a tearful adieu to Sepoy Pargat Singh.

Sea of people thronged the village as the mortal remains wrapped in Tricolour reached Martyrs native village Ramba late evening.

Officials from the Army handed over the body to the family members. People also paid their last respects. They chanted Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Pargat Singh Amar Rahe besides raising anti-Pakistan slogans.

Singhs last rites were held with full military honours as 17-gun salute was given at the cremation ground. Pargats brother Harpreet Singh lit the pyre.

Pargat Singhs sacrifice was second loss to the district in this year as in April, Ram Mehar (40), constable, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a resident of Kheri Man Singh village, was killed in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district.
Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, December 24

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has given one more week to five companies for clearing pending dues worth Rs170 crore against allotment of group housing sites in Sector 41.

It has warned to seal the properties in case the dues are not cleared within the given time period. Five companies were allotted housing sites on 20 acres in 2013, but they failed to pay 75 per cent of the cost of plots within the scheduled time period, which ended on October 12.

In an order issued under Section 263-A of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, Municipal Commissioner Sameer Pal Srow has directed the companies to either deposit the pending amount within the extended period or else the properties would be sealed. The letter (order) mentions Arihant Infra Realtors Private Limited, Rise Projects Private Limited, Meenal Housing Projects Private Limited, Icon Realcom Private Limited and Ahinsa Builders Private Limited. While Arihant Infra Realtors is based in Noida, the companies others have their offices in Delhi.

The plots were allotted to these companies in an open auction on March 14, 2013 and only 25 per cent of the total bid amount was deposited. The companies were to deposit the remaining 75 per cent amount in six equal installments between April 2015 and October 2017.

The total pending amount towards these companies comes to around Rs170 crore which includes 15 per cent annual interest and additional 3 per cent penal interest said a senior official.

The plots are located in Sector 41, which falls in the revenue estate of Sarai Khwaja village, located at a distance of few km from the Badarpur border of the national capital. Majority of the builders have already come up with commercial and residential buildings on the allotted sites, it is claimed.
Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 24

Jai Ram Thakur having been declared Chief Minister, residents of Mandi district were in jubilant mood today. They were waiting desperately for the news for the past couple of days as the name of the five-time MLA from Seraj constituency was doing the rounds as one of the contenders for the top post.

As local BJP leaders got the information in the afternoon from their sources that Thakur was set to occupy top post in the state, they gathered at Seri Munch in large numbers to celebrate the occasion. Though the official declaration was made later from the state capital Shimla, the residents of the district had started to burst crackers, raising slogans in favour of Jai Ram Thakur and PM Narendra Modi much earlier.

Earlier, the mood of the residents turned pensive when the name of JP Nadda was flashed in TV channels speculating that he may become CM. But as soon as they got the information about Jai Ram Thakur, excitement among the people was palpable. Within minutes they gathered at Seri Munch to celebrate the big achievement for the district.

The atmosphere was festive at Tandi, village of Jai Ram Thakur. The villagers could be seen congratulating each other. The celebrations were grand in the entire Seraj constituency at Thunag, Janjehli and other places.

Jai Ram Thakur was born at Tandi village on January 6, 1965 in a simple family. His father Jethu Ram died last year. His mother Briku Devi was witness to the stupendous success of her son today.

Briku Devi said that she and her husband Jethu Ram ensured that her son worked hard work because the family was not well off. She has three son and two daughters. She said it was not easy to meet the expenditure of the family.

Congratulating the people of the state she said, I am very happy with the success of my son but at the same time I am missing my husband. As my son has become Chief Minister I wish his father was alive to see the sons big political stature. (Mera beta Chief Minister ban gaya hai, kash uske pita bete ka itna bara rajneetik kad dekhne ke liye jinda hote)!
Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 24

The suspense over the new Himachal Pradesh chief minister ended with the BJP announcing five-term MLA from Seraj Jai Ram Thakur for the post.

Jai Ram, who rose from the ranks and is known for his humble, low-profile stature, would be the 13th Chief Minister of the state.

Jairam Thakur being greeted by Prem Kumar Dhumal, JP Nadda, Shanta Kumar on being chosen as the Legislature party leader in Himachal Pradesh pic.twitter.com/bjZypjt1U6  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

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A BJP delegation met Himachal Pradesh governor Acharya Dev Vrat and staked claim to form government.

Thakur said his government would take oath on December 27 in a ceremony the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend.

His name was proposed by two-time former Chief Minister PK Dhumal and seconded by Nadda and another two-time Chief Minister Shanta Kumar.

In his first remarks after being elected as the BJP legislature party leader, Thakur thanked all party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Nadda, Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

Read:

Soft-spoken organisation man Thakur to be first HP CM from Mandi district

CM probable Jairam Thakur assures Himachal Pradesh of development

Mandi back in reckoning

Rivalry between ex-CM, Thakur's supporters

He said: Himachal has become Congress mukt and the BJP regime will fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state.

The date of oath-taking ceremony would be decided later after a meeting with the Governor.

Jai Ram is the first chief minister from Mandi.

Prior to this, YS Parmar was from Sirmour, Thakur Ram Lal and Virbhadra from Shimla. Amongst BJP CM's, Shanta Kumar belonged to Kangra and Dhumal to Hamirpur.

Thakur and Nadda were the frontrunners for the chief minister's office.

The leadership issue cropped up following the shocking defeat of Dhumal from Sujanpur. Dhumal was defeated by Rajinder Rana of the Congress. Dhumal last night had ruled himself out of the race for the post.

The statement of Dhumal, a former chief minister who was the party's candidate for the job again but suffered a shock defeat in the polls, that he was not in contention came following a nudge from the BJP leadership, sources said.

Supporters of Dhumal and Thakur had raised slogans as central observers met state leaders on Thursday.

The two-member team of central observers, which was in the state on December 21 and 22, had taken feedback from members of the state BJP's core committee, MPs and some MLAs.

Thakur, is turning 53 on January 6, belongs to the Rajput community that has a significant presence in the state.

He won his fifth consecutive assembly election from Seraj, earlier known as Chirchot, in Mandi district, defeating Chet Ram of the Congress. He was a cabinet minister in the previous BJP government in the state led by Prem Kumar Dhumal from 2007 to 2012.

Thakur was known for his proximity with Nadda. He did his graduation from a college in Mandi town and postgraduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh.

"My son has seen extreme poverty in his childhood," his emotional octogenarian mother Biri Singh told reporters in her ancestral house in Tandi village in the interiors of Mandi district.

Thakur lost his maiden assembly election in 1993. He contested the assembly election in 1998 and since then consecutively won all the five assembly elections with a huge margin.

The BJP wrested power in Himachal Pradesh from the Congress, winning close to two-thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member assembly.

Thakur emerged as a frontrunner for the post after Dhumal and state party chief Satpal Satti were defeated in the November 9 elections. The poll results were declared on December 18.

The Congress won 21 seats, with its Chief Ministerial candidate. Two seats were won by independents and one by the Communist Party of India-Marxist. With ANI
Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 24

Jai Ram Thakur will take oath as the state Chief Minister on December 27.

Elaborate security arrangements are being made for the swearing-in ceremony, which will be held at the historic Ridge Maidan. A host of senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, and Union ministers and CMs of the BJP-ruled states, are likely to attend the ceremony.

At least 1,000 security personnel will be deployed at the Jubberhatti airport, the Annandale helipad and en route to the venue of the ceremony.

DGP Somesh Goyal said intelligence personnel would be deployed in plain clothes. Strict vigil would be maintained on all suspicious persons. Checking would be intensified on inter-state borders. Anti- sabotage teams and sniffer dogs would also be deployed. The SPG is expected to reach Shimla by tomorrow to monitor the arrangements.

The DGP said elaborate security arrangements were being made as it was the peak tourist season. The practise had been continuing since 2007, when the elections were held in the state in the month of October and the swearing-in ceremony in the last week of December, coinciding with the Christmas and New Year tourist season.

Meanwhile, in the wake of sloganeering by supporters of former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal and counter- sloganeering by supporters of Jai Ram Thakur at Peterhoff during the visit of central observers on December 21 and 22, the district administration had made elaborate security arrangements today.
Shimla, December 24

Senior Congress leader and eight-time MLA Kaul Singh Thakur has held rebels responsible for the defeat of some of the stalwarts in the recently concluded assembly polls in the state.

Speaking with mediapersons, Singh, who was defeated in the contest for the seat of Drang in Mandi district, said that even the former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and the state BJP chief suffered defeats and added that most of the BJP candidates with non-RSS backgrounds lost.

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"Had I won the elections, it would have been my last elections but under the changed circumstances, my political future will be decided by the party and the people of Drang constituency," Singh said.

He said there were several reasons for the defeat of the big guns but rebels fielded in constituencies of some senior leaders and shortage of funds were the main ones.

On the contrary, the BJP had no dearth of money and other resources, he added. PTI
Jacob Puliyel

Before a new vaccine is introduced it is first studied in a randomised controlled trial where some are given the drug and others are given an inert substance to check the effects and adverse effects among those given the new drug. Last week, Slate published a cover story on the investigation of the randomised trials of human papillomavirus (HPV ) vaccines before approval. The science editor conducted an eight-month long investigation, interviewed study participants and studied 2,300 pages of documents obtained through freedom-of-information requests from hospitals and health authorities.

Flawed Trial

Slate found that during the year-long study data on potential side effects were collected for only two weeks. The rest of the time individual trial investigators used their personal judgment to decide whether or not to report medical problems as adverse events. An oxymoronic instruction to investigators was to list new problems as new medical history. There is no evidence the confidential study protocol was submitted to regulators for approval. The worksheet investigators used allotted just one line per entry for new medical history, with no measurement of symptom severity, duration, outcome, or overall seriousness. Trial participants complained to Slate that repeated complaints of debilitating symptoms were not even registered in the study as potential side effects.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is the regulator in Europe. In an internal 2014 EMA report about Gardasil 9  a leading HPV vaccination - obtained through a freedom-of-information request, senior experts called the companys approach unconventional and suboptimal and said it left some uncertainty about the safety results. In the EMAs public assessment Gardasil 9, all mention of the safety concerns had been scrubbed.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Not all recipients of the vaccine developed serious adverse effects. But there are numerous reports of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS ) otherwise known as myalgic encephalomyelitis which is characterized by long-term fatigue that limits a persons ability to carry out ordinary daily activities. Dr Jose Montoya, a professor of medicine at Stanford University explains that the condition usually starts with an insult to the immune systema severe infection, a car crash, a pregnancy. The first symptoms are flu-like, but months go by and the patient realizes she isnt getting better. In a few genetically predisposed individuals, Montoya told the Slate editor, it is biologically plausible that the vaccine, which mimics a natural infection, could also trigger an immune response powerful enough to lead to CFS. To find out if that is the case, trial investigators would need to carefully track participants symptoms for at least one year.

CFS is not the only serious adverse effect reported. The American College of Pediatrics has suggested one of the HPV vaccines could possibly be associated with the very rare but serious condition of premature ovarian failure (POF), also known as premature menopause. In Japan, use of the vaccine in adolescents has been associated with such serious adverse events that it has been withdrawn from the immunisation programme.

Usefulness of Vaccine

HPV spreads only through sexual contact and therefore is not communicable in a casual manner. There are about 100 strains of HPV, and the vaccine only protects against 2, 4, or 9 of them, depending on the brand and 95% of HPV infections heal by themselves  potentially granting the individual lifetime immunity against the particular strain.

Perhaps to improve uptake of the vaccine the manufacturers promote it as an anticancer vaccine rather than a vaccine against sexually transmitted disease. But while there is evidence that the vaccine reduces infection with the vaccine strains of the virus, non-vaccine strains have been known to replace the vaccine strain and these could produce cancer. There is currently no scientific study that shows the vaccine reduces cervical cancer in the women who are vaccinated. The efficacy of the vaccine against cancer is unknown

Cost-effectiveness

While it can feel crass to study the cost-effectiveness of vaccination (How do you put a monitory value on the benefit of saving a life? One is often asked) such calculations are crucial. Health economists seek to advise governments on programmes that give the best return for their finite resources - often in terms of lives saved and life-years saved.

Using data specific to India, economists in the UK have calculated that, if it costs more than $3.30 to fully vaccinate a child with HPV, the Government of India is best advised to spend their money on other programmes, as many more lives can be saved by alternative uses of the money. The vaccine programme being pushed will cost $14 per child. Four times as many lives could be saved if this money is spent on other programmes. The HPV programme enriches the vaccine manufacturers but its introduction could result in loss of lives.

So we have a vaccine programme we dont know will work to reduce cancer, that was poorly tested to ignore symptoms of CFS and which siphons off money that could be used in programmes that could save many more lives. Yet, like disoriented moth to the flickering light from a fire, we will dive for it.

George Bernard Shaws Insight

Writing in 1906 in the Doctors Dilemma Shaw, explains why we do this. He wrote

Suppose it was ascertained that every child in the world could be rendered absolutely immune from all disease during its entire life by taking half an ounce of radium to every pint of its milk. The world would be none the healthier, because not even a Crown Princeno, not even the son of a Chicago Meat King, could afford the treatment. Yet it is doubtful whether doctors would refrain from prescribing it on that ground. The recklessness with which they now recommend wintering in Egypt or at Davos to people who cannot afford to go to Cornwall, and the orders given for champagne jelly and old port in households where such luxuries must obviously be acquired at the cost of stinting necessaries, often make one wonder whether it is possible for a man to go through a medical training and retain a spark of common sense.

 The writer, a doctor, is the Head of Pediatrics, St Stephen's Hospital, Delhi, and a member of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

The views expressed are personal.
Neil deGrasse Tyson on UFOs: 'Call me when you have a dinner invite from an alien'
CN Purandare, Alka Kriplani & Neerja Bhatla

IN India, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, accounting for nearly one-fourth of the global burden of cervical cancer, with an estimated 122,800 new cases and 67,500 deaths annually, which is more than the number of deaths due to maternal mortality. Since these women are usually in their 40s and 50s, it is estimated that the years of life lost are greater in cervical cancer. Globally, cervical cancer accounts for 528,000 cases including 445,000 cases in low and middle income countries (LMICs).

Epidemiology

The age-standardised incidence rate of cervical cancer varies between 5.6 and 24.3 per 100,000 women in different regions of India. Although a gradually declining trend in the cervical cancer incidence has been observed in different regions of India over the last two decades, the rates still remain significantly higher than in other Asian countries. In fact, the absolute numbers of both cervical cancer cases and deaths are on the increase due to population growth.

In the West, repeated testing by Pap smear and consequent treatment of precancerous lesions led to a substantial decline in the numbers of cervical cancer cases. In India, with very limited resources to introduce and sustain effective population-based cervical cancer screening programs, there was not much progress in preventing this very preventable cancer.

The discovery by Nobel laureate Harald zur Hausen that persistent infection with one of the oncogenic, high-risk types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) is the 'necessary' cause of cervical cancer; enabled the development of primary prevention using HPV vaccination.

Presently available vaccines target the two types that are responsible for 70 per cent of cervical cancers worldwide. HPV 16 and HPV 18 and can prevent over 90 per cent of high-grade precancerous lesions caused by these types. In India, there is a greater proportion of these types, making it likely that the impact of vaccination will be better than has been observed already in research studies and in countries that have implemented the vaccine program.

Efficacy of doses

Fewer than three doses of HPV vaccine would substantially reduce costs, improve compliance, ease logistics and facilitate scale up in national immunization programs. Data to support this has emerged from trials. WHO, after reviewing the available evidence on less than 3-doses, has recommended a two-dose schedule for girls (at an interval of 6 months, which may be extended to 12 months to facilitate vaccination) if vaccination is initiated prior to 15 years of age and a three-dose schedule (at 0, 1-2, and 6 months) if vaccination is initiated after the 15th birthday and for immunocompromised individuals, including those infected with HIV.

Countries implementing Immunisation

More than 80 countries have introduced HPV vaccine in the national immunisation programs (NIPs), of which 33 are LMICs; in addition, 25 LMICs have introduced HPV vaccination in pilot demonstration programs as a prelude to national scaling up in NIPs.

In most programs a school-based approach is predominantly used to deliver the vaccine to the targeted adolescents with additional efforts using field clinics, and primary health centres to cover girls who missed vaccination and do not attend schools. Gavi The Vaccine Alliance has been able to markedly reduce the procurement price of both vaccines to Rs $5.

While Australia, Denmark, USA and Canada were the first high-income countries to introduce HPV vaccination in NIPs in 2007, Panama (2008) in Latin America, Bhutan (2009) in Asia and Rwanda (2010) in Africa were the first LMICs that introduced HPV vaccination. Early reports of protection offered by the vaccine at the population level against vaccine targeted HPV infections, genital warts and cervical premalignant lesions have already started coming from countries that introduced the vaccine between 2007 and 2010.

HPV vaccine safety

Extensive data on the safety of HPV vaccines are now available from clinical trials and the population programs. Globally more than 270 million doses have been administered with no serious adverse events linked to the HPV vaccine and with an excellent safety profile. A meta-analysis of vaccine trials concluded that the frequency of serious adverse events (OR 0.99; 95%CI 0.87-1.14) and death (OR 0.91, 95%CI 0.39-2.14) were similar in the vaccinated and control groups.

The majority of deaths reported were accidental in nature, and none was attributable to the vaccines. Various rare syndromes have also been studied and none found to be related to the vaccine. A recently published study from India reported no serious adverse event attributable to the vaccine after administering 34,856 doses of the quadrivalent vaccine to 10-18 year old girls and following them over four years.

Sooner the better

India is the largest contributor to the global burden of cervical cancer. Several regions of India still have rates higher than most Asian countries and the absolute number of cases is on the increase due to population growth. Fewer than 5 per cent of eligible women in India have ever been screened. The only government sponsored population based cervix screening program so far is in Tamil Nadu where one round of VIA screening has been offered to women through the Government health services. However, adequate screening requires repeated three to five-yearly interventions with coverage of at least 70 per cent of the target population and involves a number of steps including quality assurance of selected test method, diagnosis by biopsy, treatment and regular follow-up to be truly effective. Introducing such efficiently organised population-based cervical cancer screening programs requires substantial resources and could be a challenging task. However, vaccination and screening are complementary strategies, which when implemented in tandem can substantially improve results.

Cervical cancer affects socioeconomically disadvantaged women, so feasible and effective intervention has to be provided to them through the public health services if we wish to prevent a tragedy that affects not only the women but their families as well. A pragmatic approach is introduction of an HPV vaccination program targeting a single year cohort of girls aged 9-13 years with a two times intervention at 6 months interval. This will eventually build up a cohort of women at very low risk of HPV 16 and HPV 18 infection and consequently, at a low risk for cervical cancer. One or two rounds of screening in these women may then suffice to provide effective protection.

The high burden of cervical cancer and the high efficacy and safety of HPV vaccination justify its introduction in the Indian NIP.

 Prof Purandare is the president of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), Prof Kriplani is the president of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) and Prof Bhatla is the chairperson of gynecology oncology committees of FIGO & FOGSI.

Age of Vaccination

The vaccine is most effective when administered to pre-adolescent and adolescent girls. Both the vaccines have demonstrated high immunogenicity in girls aged 9-14 years with antibody titres 1.7-2.0 fold higher than in the 15-26 year old women in whom the protective efficacy of the vaccine against infection and disease were already established.

CERVICAL CANCER

Cervical cancer starts in the cells lining of the cervix -- the lower part of the uterus (womb).

Can it be detected early ?

These cells do not suddenly change into cancer. The normal cells of the cervix first gradually develop pre-cancerous changes that turn into cancer.

These changes can be detected by the Pap test.

Can it be prevented?

Yes, if one finds and treats pre-cancers before they become true cancers

Prevent the pre-cancers by getting an HPV vaccine, stop smoking and use condoms

The culprit

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Over 200 HPV types have been identified

There are 12 high-risk HPV types including 16 and 18

HPV can also cause anogenital, head, neck cancers and genital warts

RISK FACTORS

Smoking and avoiding fruits and vegetables

Overweight & weak immune system

Taking oral contraceptives for a long time and unprotected sex

INDIAN SCENARIO

2nd most common cancer in women

Accounts for 25% cases globally

Annually 122,800 new cases

67,500 deaths; in 40-50s age group

A VEXED ISSUE

The HPV vaccination has become a controversial issue after the Punjab government decided to provide life saving vaccine to prevent cervical cancer among school going girls of six grade. It made the vaccine a part of the immunisation programme by launching inoculation in November this year. The decision was based on a cost-effectiveness study by the Postgraduate

Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

POINTS OF DISCORD

Scientists Vivian Suman and Jacob Puliyel challenged PGIMER study

The vaccines are meant to prevent only two out of a dozen cancer causing HPVs

Only two vaccines - Cervarix (by GlaxoSmithKline) and Gardasil (by Merck) - are available in India

A vaccine is allegedly linked with deaths of some tribal girls in Andhra Pradesh

HOPE FOR AN ACCORD

Pune-based Serum Institute of India is developing an HPV vaccine that will be significantly cheaper compared to multinational brands, hence cost-effective.
Our Correspondent

Patnitop, December 24

On Christmas eve, hundreds of tourists today thronged the snow-bound Nathatop and Patnitop hill stations in the Jammu region.

Enthusiasm was visible among tourists, especially youth and newly married couples, who arrived at Patnitop and Nathatop to enjoy the snow.

Hundreds of tourist arrived at Patnitop to see snow. Patnitop and surrounding areas received half a foot of snow last week but most of it has melted. So, tourists were seen heading to Nathatop which has received about one and a half foot of snow, said the Jammu and Kashmir Tourists Development Corporation Manager.

On Saturday, we had to go back from Udhampur. But today, we managed to reach Patnitop, said Pankaj Goel of Jammu, who had come along with his friends and family. We enjoyed a lot. It was a dream come true for us, he said.

Hundreds of tourists from Katra and Jammu also reached Patnitop and Nathatop. We hope to see snowfall during our two-day stay at Nathatop, said Rohit Sethi, who had come along with his wife from Udhampur.

Owners of hotels and guest houses at Kud, Patnitop and Batote are hopeful of good days ahead. Tourists from Chandigarh, New Delhi and other parts of North India have already confirmed their bookings online, said Koushal Sharma, president, Hotel Association, Patnitop.
Jammu, December 24

A Pakistani sniper was killed by Indian soldiers in cross-border firing in Jhangar Sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, a day after an Army Major and three jawans were killed on the LoC in the state.

Army sources said the sniper was killed around 11 am.

Indian and Pakistan troops also traded heavy fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Sunday.

Pakistan Army used mortars, automatics and small firearms to target Indian positions on the LoC in the Shahpur area.

The four Indian Armymen, including the Major, were killed on Saturday after Pakistan troops violated the ceasefire on the LoC in Rajouri district.

The development came hours after Pakistani troops on Sunday resorted to unprovoked firing in Poonch.

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The Pakistani troops started firing from heavy and light weapons from across the border, targeting forward posts and villages in Shahpur sector around 12.55 pm, a police official said.

Read: Major, 3 jawans killed in Rajouri LoC attack

The latest ceasefire violation comes a day after the Pakistani troops killed an Army Major and three jawans and injured another in Keri sector of nearby Rajouri district.

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along the LoC and the International Border (IB), resulting in the death of 34 persons.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end this year.

Thirty persons  14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel  were killed in such incidents.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November, 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations wherein 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations was 405; 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010. PTI/IANS
Mumbai, December 24

Bouyed by the partys performance in the recently-concluded Gujarat assembly polls, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has planned a mass outreach programme in the state from the next month, covering all the 282 assembly constituencies.

According to party sources, in the first phase of the campaign that will start in the second week of the new year, western Maharashtra will be covered. Led by PCC president Ashok Chavan, the campaign will start from Kolhapur and conclude in Pune.

Party leaders, MPs, MLAs, former lawmakers and office-bearers of the party will be part of the Yatra, sources said.

The state unit of the Congress plans to raise issues against the BJP-led government, like farm loan waiver and unfulfilled promises and at the same time galvanise the party cadre and strengthen the organisation, they added.

The assembly elections in Maharashtra are scheduled to take place in the latter part of 2019.

The party sources said that a decision on the talks of electoral alliance with the NCP and other parties will be taken at an appropriate time.

The party is aware that compromise in the name of opposition unity does not mean it is on the backfoot, they said.

Political analysts say the Congress performance in the Gujarat assembly polls have brought into focus the role of opposition parties in Maharashtra to take on the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government in the run-up to the 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

Unlike Gujarat, which has a two-party polity, Maharashtra has been a multi-party system since the last two decades.

Our intention is to ensure that we give space to all non-BJP parties and strengthen the opposition unity to counter the state government on farm distress and other issues, a Congress leader said.

He said the opposition morcha at Nagpur recently was one such example in which all the non-BJP parties took part.

Congress attempted a larger perspective of opposition unity when it could have managed a huge morcha on its own. We allowed NCP chief Sharad Pawar to take the centre stage, where he spoke in favour of former PM Manmohan Singh and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on a public platform, the leader pointed out.  PTI.
Rajouri, December 24

The Army today neutralised a Pakistan army sharpshooter in Jhangar sector of Nowshera even as the latter violated the ceasefire by resorting to heavy unprovoked mortar shelling and firing in Shahpur sector of Poonch district today.

Hours after Pakistani troops killed a Major and three soldiers by violating the ceasefire in Keri sector of Rajouri yesterday, troops of Jat Regiment in retaliatory action today shot a sharp-shooter of Baloch regiment.

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Sources said around 1 pm, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy mortar shelling and firing on Indian forward posts in Poonch. It was retaliated effectively and strongly by the Indian troops. No loss to life or property was reported, sources said.

They added that local commanders had been directed to take appropriate retaliatory action and a strong military response could not be ruled out in the next few days in Nowshera sub-division.

From May to July this year, Pakistan army had resorted to heavy mortar shelling on Indian forward posts and civil areas in Nowshera sub-division, resulting in the migration of over 4,000 people from border villages. The border dwellers (not from Jhangar area) have returned home recently.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem of Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh was conducted at Rajouris district hospital. Both bodies bore multiple splinter injuries, said a senior doctor, even as the Army clarified that the bodies of its personnel killed in firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC were not mutilated.  TNS
Smita Sharma

A new Left Alliance government is set to take charge in Kathmandu with Communist leader KP Oli as likely Prime Minister and CPN-Maoist chief Prachanda as junior partner.

Given their equation with Beijing, more investment deals are likely to be in the offing for Chinese firms in the months ahead. Even as Delhi watches political developments, the Nepal Embassy is reaching out to Indian businesses offering them support on tax and infrastructure facilitation.

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The embassy in partnership with industry body FICCI recently held an investment seminar in Mumbai on Indo-Nepal Trade and Investment Opportunities. Charge Daffaires in the embassy Bharat Kumar Regmi cited it as an opportune time to invest in the Himalayan nation.

He assured investors would get all possible support in the realm of tax structure, special rights and exemptions, redress of single-window grievances, availability of cheap labour and local infrastructure from the Nepal government.

Bilateral trade between India and Nepal has grown from $3631.94 million in 2012-13 to $5892.72 million in 2016-17.

Indian firms though now face a more assertive China. Nepal has shown its willingness to join the Belt and Road Initiative and China is investing heavily in infrastructure and energy projects through the plan.

For now, Indian firms remain the biggest investors in Nepal, accounting for about 40 per cent of the total approved foreign direct investments.

There are about 150 Indian ventures, including ITC, Dabur India, Hindustan Unilever and MTNL, operating in Nepal engaged in manufacturing, services (banking, insurance, dry port, education and telecom), power sector and tourism industries.

Krishna Hari Pushkar, Minister-Economic in the Embassy, outlined the expanding business opportunities in Nepal for Indian firms in hydro-power, infrastructure, tourism, agro-based industries, health, mining and minerals, education, IT, manufacturing, construction.

Xmas greetings with love

Just before the holiday season kicked in, new envoys of Uganda, Myanmar, Colombia and Poland to India presented their credentials to President Ram Nath Kovind. Moe Kyaw Aung takes charge as Ambassador of Myanmar at a crucial time when his nation faces international condemnation over the Rohingya crisis, while India has signed agreements to develop Rakhine state  the seat of exodus.

Meanwhile, at the suggestion of Lithuanian Ambassador Laimonas Talal-Kelpsa, the core staff headed to the icon of love  the Taj Mahal  for a photo shoot. The vibrant colours and ethnic Indian wear adorned by the envoy and his team against the white marbled walls of the Taj made for a beautiful click and a perfect e-postcard greeting. Ambassador Tala-Kelpsa and his wife are now celebrating Christmas in Chandigarh. Merry Christmas all!
New Delhi, December 24

Wife Chetna and mother Avantikas meeting with Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad on Monday will be a crucial one.

Charged with espionage and accused of being a RAW agent, Commander Jadhav, as Pakistan calls him, is lodged in jail since March 2016. He faces the gallows. His family will fly down for the meeting slated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad past noon.

Oped: Consular Access

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal tweeted: India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by a commercial flight and leave the same day. Under the agreed terms, Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad JP Singh will accompany them.

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However, it is not being considered as consular access since it is unlikely that JP Singh will be allowed to intervene or ask questions during the family meeting. Sources suggest they expect the meeting to be highly choreographed and that the modalities remain fluid.

Indias repeated requests for consular access were turned down by Islamabad following which New Delhi dragged the case to the International Court of Justice in the Hague in May this year.  TNS
Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 24

A pall of gloom descended on Koreana village of Talwandi Sabo subdivision in Bathinda district when the news of Army jawan Kuldeep Singh Brars death reached the village. A Major and three jawans, including Brar, were killed on Saturday afternoon when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district.

The Army today sent the jawans mortal remains to Bathinda in a helicopter from Srinagar. The mortal remains reached here around 5 pm in Bathinda Cantonment from where these will be carried to Koreana village tomorrow at 8.05 am. The last rights of the jawan will be held in the village around 10 am.

Kuldeep Singh (30) had joined the Army 12 years ago in the 2 Sikh Regiment. He is survived by his mother Rani Kaur, wife Jaspreet Kaur, son Rasnoor Singh (7) and daughter Damanpreet Kaur (2). Brars father Dhanna Singh passed away four years ago.

Ranjeet Singh, a relative of the jawan, said he had joined back his regiment just five days ago. He came to the village for his cousins marriage on December 1.

Residents of the village said Brar laid down his life for the nation and they were proud of him. Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra and SSP Naveen Singla offered condolences to the bereaved family.

Cremation today
Tribune News Service

Sangrur, December 24

Sangrur MP and Aam Aadmi Partys Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann today visited Government Primary School in Ratoke village and interacted with the team of Singapore students and Young Sikh Association (YSA) members, who are painting the school. He announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the school.

Singapore students and YSA members have spent lakhs for the renovation and painting the government school but the Punjab Government should be ashamed that not a single minister has visited the school to boost the morale of the team or to thank them, Mann said.

He interacted with students and YSA members in school and announced all help to the school management committee and staff.

The Punjab Government has decided to close government schools as it has failed to make required arrangements of staff and infrastructure. We can improve the condition of our government schools with the involvement of NGOs but it needs efforts, which the Congress government does not want to undertake, he added.

He said in the recent Parliament session, he had raised the issue of lack of infrastructure and other facilities in government schools. In the coming days, he would raise the issue of travel agents in Parliament, who were duping Punjab residents on the pretext of sending them abroad.

I am receiving calls daily from Punjab residents stuck in Arab countries. With all details, I will raise the issue in Parliament in the coming days, Mann added.
Jitendra K Shrivastava

Tribune News Service

Patna, December 24

On the second day of the closing ceremony to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, a grand nagar kirtan was taken out from Gaighat Gurdwara to Takht Sri Harmandir Ji Patna Sahib here today.

Thousands of devotees have gathered here from different parts of the world to take part in the nagar kirtan. Artistes from Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, Assam and Bihar performed gatka during the procession.

Sikh sangats, who have come to Patna to attend Shukrana Samaroh, were given free e-rickshaw to reach Gaighat Gurdwara.

We are thankful to the Bihar government for making such grand arrangement for the devotees. Everything is free of cost for us whether it is meal, lodging or commuting from one gurdwara to another, said Harpreet Kaur from Amritsar.

For the convenience of pilgrims, several check posts and help desks have been opened at various places here, said Sanjay Kumar Aggrawal, District Magistrate, Patna.

Ludhiana resident Ranjit Singh said: I always wanted to visit Patna Sahib gurdwara and got the opportunity on the closing ceremony of the 350th birth anniversary of our Guru. Its a dream come true for me as my entire family is here and participated in the nagar kirtan.
Dehradun, December 24

Members of the Valmiki community have demanded an immediate ban on the screening of the film Tiger Zinda Hain.

The members resented the adverse comments made by actor Salman Khan against the community members during the promotional event for his film.

The members gathered at the Dehradun road in Rishikesh today and burnt an effigy of Salman Khan outside the Rama Palace Cinema Hall.

The demonstrators demanded an immediate ban on the screening of the film. After verbal exchanges, the screening of the film was stopped.

Ashok Kumar, manager of the cinema hall, said the screening of the film had been stopped after the protests carried out by the community members. tns
Beijing, December 24

Chinese police have detained more than 11,000 suspects during the past two years for alleged misuse of citizens personal information.

Wang Shengjun, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), called the task of protecting Internet users personal information grim. Illegal industrial chains have taken shape in some places, which involve illegal collection, theft, sale and use of Internet users personal information, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying today.

Some Internet companies and public service agencies have stored large amounts of personal information, but security protection lags behind in a major way, making them easy targets, according to the report.

Serious leaks of personal information have led to an increase in fraud targeting victims with high precision, Wang noted.

More than 11,000 suspects in over 3,700 cases have been detained during the past two years for alleged misuse of citizens personal information.

The report was based on investigations between August and October to assess the Cybersecurity Law that took effect on June 1, and a decision on protection of online information introduced five years ago.

The decision includes an identity management policy requiring users to use their real names to identify themselves to service providers, including Internet or telecommunications operators.

Over the past five years, telecommunications operators have suspended services to more than 10 million users who refused to register their real names.

Wang proposed speeding up work on a new law, standardising the scope and means of verifying identity, better supervision and harsher penalties.

Chinas Internet users increased at the fastest pace in three years as the abundant availability of Internet-enabled smart phones spurred usage and increased the penetration rate, according to a media report.

As of June, there were 3.89 billion Internet users around the world, of which 751 million were in China, the worlds most populous nation, it said.

The enormous number of web users has created room for risk takers in e-commerce, mobile payments and other emerging areas to stretch their wings. PTI
Gaza City, December 24

A Palestinian teenager died today, nine days after being wounded by Israeli fire during a Gaza protest against US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, the health ministry said.

Mohammad Sami al-Dahduh, 19, from Gaza City was shot on December 15 during a demonstration on the Israeli border, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

His death brings to 12 the number of Palestinians killed since US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Ten protesters have died after clashes with Israeli troops, two of them on Friday. Two others were killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza earlier in the month.

Among the Gazans killed in the December 15 clashes was Ibrahim Abu Thurayeh, who had lost his legs in an Israeli attack a decade ago.

The health ministry in Gaza said the 29-year-old was shot in the head by a sniper, with the UNs human rights chief saying he was truly shocked by Abu Thurayehs death, demanding an independent and impartial investigation.

On December 18, the Israeli army said it conducted an investigation, according to which it was impossible to determine whether Abu Thurayeh was injured as a result of riot dispersal means or what caused his death.  AFP
Davao (Philippines), December 24

Thirty-seven people were believed killed in a fire that engulfed a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, the local vice mayor said on Saturday.

A Bureau of Fire Protection commander at the scene said the chances of the 37 surviving were "zero", Paolo Duterte, the vice mayor, who is also the president's son, wrote in a Facebook post.

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The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall on Saturday morning and people were trapped inside, including in a call centre on the top floor, Ralph Canoy, a police officer in the district, told AFP.

Canoy said the fire was still going before dawn this morning.

"The fire started on the third floor, which houses products like fabrics, wooden furniture and plastic ware, so the fire quickly spread and it's taking a long time to put out," he said.

He said investigators believed some of those likely killed had been trapped in the call centre, which operated 24 hours a day.

It's possible that while they were working, they did not immediately notice the fire spreading, Canoy said of the call centre workers.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who served as mayor of Davao for about two decades and continues to live in the city, visited the mall yesterday night to comfort relatives of the victims, one of his aides told AFP.

Davao is the biggest city in the southern Philippines. It is about 1,000 kilometres south of Manila. AFP
Davao, December 24

At least 37 persons, including call centre staff from an American firm, are believed to have perished in a fire that tore through a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, local authorities said today.

President Rodrigo Duterte, himself a Davao native, visited distraught relatives outside the burning building overnight but told them there was zero chance their loved ones had survived.

Firemen found one body as the blaze was finally extinguished today, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, the Presidents daughter, told reporters.

Firemen have concluded that all those trapped in the building are dead, she said, adding: They assessed that no one would survive in that heat and with that thick, black smoke.

The deadly fire adds fresh misery for the mainly Catholic Philippines at Christmas as the death toll from a tropical storm that hit the south of the country Friday crossed 200 and with tens of thousands displaced by severe flooding and landslides. The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall Saturday morning, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky over Davao. With low wages but strong English language skills, the Philippines is a popular destination for international companies to set up customer call centres.

The buildings top floor housed a 24-hour call centre for the US-based market research company SSI.

In the deadliest fire in the Philippines in recent times, 162 people were killed in a huge blaze that gutted a Manila disco in 1996.  AFP
Beijing, December 24

China on Saturday called for the latest UN sanctions on North Korea to be implemented in a comprehensive and balanced manner for a peaceful solution to the problem in the Korean peninsula.

The UN Security Council imposed fresh sanctions on the Kim Jong-un regime, Efe news reported.

In a statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated Beijings call for restraint and working to ease tensions while finding an appropriate solution to the conflict in the Korean peninsula.

The new resolution number 2397 increases sanctions to pressurize North Korea into stopping its nuclear program and missile tests, by banning the export of nearly 90 per cent of refined petroleum to the country.

Hua also underlined that China - a member of the UNSC with a veto power - remains committed towards achieving denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, as well as maintaining peace and stability in the region.

She also recalled Chinas earlier proposal of finding a solution to the crisis, which included the United States and South Korea putting an end to military drills in the region in return for Pyongyang abandoning its weapons program.

The Chinese customs authorities reported Saturday that trade between China and North Korea, very limited due to the sanctions, reached $388 million in November, which is 15.9 percent more than in October but around 36 percent less year-on-year.  IANS.
Companies such as NORDAM, American Airlines and Lufthansa Technik generated some eye-catching aerospace and aviation headlines in 2017 in Tulsa.

The ramifications are not just local, but global, Tulsa Airports CEO Mark VanLoh said.

This is worldwide, he said. People all around the world are seeing this latest deal with NORDAM and China Airlines, and then they go, Wheres NORDAM from? and then they look it up and they find Tulsa. Then they go, Isnt that the city with the largest MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) base in the world with American? ... then they start to say, Maybe we should have a presence there.

 Maybe we should have an arm or a factory or a warehouse just to be near all these users of our supplies, and it just cascades from there. It means more jobs for Tulsa and then more people want to fly and then Im happy.

The aviation and aerospace sectors continued vibrancy made it the top business story of the year in the city.

The Tulsa International Airport and surrounding off-airport and aviation and aerospace businesses in the Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area generate an annual economic impact of $11.7 billion, according to a report released in August.

In October, Tulsa-based aerospace manufacturer NORDAM said it had reached an agreement with Airbus that could eclipse $1 billion over its duration, potentially making it the largest contract in the companys 48-year history, according to NORDAM CEO Meredith Siegfried Madden.

The next month, NORDAM announced a joint venture with China Airlines to establish NORDAM Asia Limited and build a facility in Taipei, Taiwan. Later in November, American Airlines revealed that a segment of its maintenance currently being outsourced to South America will be coming to the Tulsa Maintenance Base in October.

The aerospace industry will be a key component to future economic growth for Tulsa, and we will do everything we can to facilitate job growth that will strengthen and support our economy, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said in a statement. The recent announcements from American Airlines, Lufthansa and NORDAM confirm that businesses can thrive in Tulsa and fill the demand for skilled workers in our city.

Lufthansa Technik Component Services celebrated the completion of a major expansion project at its Tulsa headquarters about a month ago. The company added an additional hangar, more than doubling the size of its facility and allowing it to provide additional capabilities and an enhanced logistics network.

As for the Oklahoma Aviation & Aerospace Economic Impact Study released this year, it showed that on- and off-airport activity in the Tulsa MSA produces 58,917 jobs, $3 billion in annual payroll and $8.5 billion in annual spending.

All told, aviation and aerospace businesses in the state generate $43.7 billion annually in economic activity, according to the report, making aviation and aerospace the second-largest economic engine in the state behind oil and gas.

Its all about the economy, VanLoh said. If youve looked at Boeing stock lately, I think its gone up $80 a share in the last two or three months... . So countries are buying Boeing.

Parts of those Boeing aircraft are made right at the airport with Spirit (AeroSystems). NORDAM does all the glass work for Airbus. Its just incredible what the world economy does for aerospace. Everybody seems to be hitting on all cylinders. I just hope we can keep it going.

 Rhett Morgan, Tulsa World
Veterans: While tax cuts and budget deals stole most of the attention this past week, Oklahomas congressional delegation celebrated the signing of a measure that allows Veterans Affairs administrators to hire third parties to investigate VA medical centers.

The Enhancing Veterans Care Act was the third piece of a reform package sought by U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford and Congressmen Markwayne Mullin and Steve Russell after a USA Today report revealed problems at Oklahoma VA facilities.

Most of the administration and staff at our VAs hospitals work incredibly hard to take care of people, Lankford said, but the VA system does not give local leaders the authority to quickly respond when someone does not meet the VA standard.

Inhofe said the reforms will result in better care for veterans.

They deserve it and theyre going to get it, he said on the Senate floor. And, at the same time, were going to restore and rebuild our military as our nations No. 1 priority. Our troops deserve it, and theyre going to get it.

Ballot boxes: Lankford was an original sponsor of the bi-partisan Secure Elections Act filed last week. The bill is intended to upgrade cyber protections against foreign intervention in U.S. elections.

Safe and free elections run by individual states are at the core of our national identity, Lankford, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a press release. During the 2016 elections, Russia tried to interfere in our elections. Although they didnt change actual votes or alter the outcome, their efforts were an attack on our democracy.

Guns for Ukraine: Inhofe praised President Donald Trumps decision to sell what are known as lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine.

It is the right call. ... Russia has continued to escalate their dangerous and illegal aggression in Ukraine, and President Trumps bold action will be a decisive show of strength and a message of support to our allies, Inhofe said in a written statement.

Lethal defensive weapons include things such as anti-aircraft and anti-tank systems. Inhofe has advocated such aid to the pro-West Ukranian government since Russia and Russian-backed insurgents took control of several eastern provinces and the Crimea, beginning in 2014.

Elements of Oklahomas 45th Infantry Brigade recently completed a year-long deployment to Ukraine.

Dots and dashes: Lankford pushed his proposed changes to Senate procedures before the Senate Rules Committee. ... Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole, chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a recent CDC directive not to use certain words including fetus and diversity was probably more silly than sinister.

 Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World
Two people died overnight in separate crashes in Leflore and Latimer counties.

The first crash occurred Saturday just after 11:30 p.m. in Latimer County when a pickup struck a tree.

A 2000 Chevy pickup was traveling south on Oklahoma 63A about 12 miles south of Red Oak when it left the road to the right, struck a tree and overturned, where it rested on its wheels, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The 44-year-old passenger, Martin James, of Talihina, was taken to McAlester Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead because of head injuries, troopers reported.

The 53-year-old driver, George James, also of Talihina, was taken to Saint Francis Hospital with head injuries that were not deemed critical, according to the OHP.

Both men were pinned for about 30 minutes and freed by the Talihina Fire Department, troopers said.

The smell of alcohol was detected on the driver, according to the OHP.

The second crash happened shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday.

A 2003 GMC pickup was traveling west on Long Lake Road at Ridge Road about two miles southwest of Poteau in Leflore County.

The GMC exited the road to the left, rolled once and came to rest on its wheels, pinning the driver for an unknown amount of time, according to the OHP.

The 37-year-old driver, Joseph Knight, of Wister, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Knight was wearing a seat belt, according to troopers. The crash is under investigation.
The Tulsa County Sheriffs Office has accumulated $850,000 in legal bills from private firms in 2017, the most in seven years of invoices analyzed by the Tulsa World.

Nearly half of 2017s figure  about $398,000  comes from defending the Elliott Williams wrongful jail death lawsuit, which resulted in a $10 million jury verdict against the Sheriffs Office and $250,000 against former Sheriff Stanley Glanz in his personal capacity.

The 2017 number is likely to rise: The Tulsa World has not yet received any invoices from the county submitted by the Brewster & De Angelis law firm after July 31. The yearly figure has climbed each year since 2011, the exception being a sharp drop from 2013 to 2014.

Overall, the Sheriffs Office has expended $549,000 defending the Williams case since the lawsuit was filed in 2011. Williams, 37, died naked and paralyzed on Oct. 27, 2011, after lying on a cell floor for 51 hours in the Tulsa Jails medical unit following a six-day stay. Brewster & De Angelis is the firm representing the Sheriffs Office in the litigation.

Sheriff Vic Regalado on Friday said he suspects there probably is an uptick across the nation in civil lawsuits involving jails and prisons because responsibility for mental health care has been transferred to incarceration facilities through lack of funding and treatment access.

Regalado pointed to reforms he has implemented at the Tulsa County Jail to improve its operations since taking office in April 2016. He highlighted hiring a new medical provider and jail administrator.

I suspect that you will see next year or maybe even the year after a downward trend in litigation as it pertains to the jail, Regalado said.

Regalado said the Sheriffs Office has learned a lot from the Williams case by analyzing that tragedy, such as when to make routine cell checks and how to be accountable for them, as well as adding policies where none existed.

He said he chose Oklahoma City-based Turn Key Health Clinics as the jails medical provider to ensure mental health is a priority, as well as to provide proper and up-to-date medical care. He hired David Parker as jail administrator to hold detention officers accountable and ensure they operate within policies and procedures.

The Sheriffs Office now better understands its responsibility on the detention side to work in tandem with a medical provider and not co-mingle roles, Regalado said. He also noted placing an emphasis on making sure inmates kiosk requests for medical treatment dont backlog and are taken care of.

Regalado described the approach as going back to the basics.

I think an overall cultural change is probably the biggest one and ensuring that our employees know the importance of (accountability), Regalado said.

Public expenses defending the Williams case will continue to rise as the legal battle persists.

Both sides are awaiting a federal judges ruling on a defense request to essentially toss out the jurys decision and have the judge render his own verdict or, in the alternative, grant a new trial.

The plaintiffs are seeking to make the county pay their $1.5 million in attorney fees after their victory in March.

Given the mounting expenses and a verdict of $10 million instead of $51 million the plaintiffs asked for from the jurors, a Tulsa World reporter asked Regalado if it would be more cost-effective to end the legal wrangling and not risk further financial damage.

Regalado said if the Sheriffs Office, Board of County Commissioners and defense attorneys are in agreement that a solid foundation for a successful appeal exists, the county cant simply walk away.

He described it as similar to the balance struck between deterring frivolous lawsuits by not arbitrarily settling each case and blindly litigating all cases no matter a potential settlement. He said failing to be prudent legally opens the door for more civil lawsuits to be filed, thereby inflating costs more in the long term.

We cant simply go, OK, well were at $10 million now, lets just pay that and move on,  Regalado said. I think that all goes back towards a responsibility to not only do what is prudent from a legal standpoint, but if theres a solid chance the appeal goes our way, then you do have to look at the fact that maybe we come in under that $10 million.

Is there risk? I think there is. But again, I think simply for the sake of going, Well lets just pay it and move on, goes back to well, if we continue to do that and didnt do our due diligence, then I think the opposite. I think you end up spending a lot more money in the future.
Editors note: UTSA students, faculty, staff and alumni are building a legacy of excellence locally, across the nation and around the world. Theyre tackling societys grand challenges and making impactful contributions through research, innovation and engagement.

To celebrate Roadrunner Nations biggest accomplishments, UTSA Today is looking back at the top news stories of 2017. Heres number seven.

(Dec. 24, 2017) -- Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) have begun work on five new research initiatives to enhance clean energy production/integration, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Strategic Alliance between the Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute (TSERI) and CPS Energy, established in 2010. The new projects are supported by Strategy Alliance agreements with CPS Energy totaling close to $1.5 million.

The Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute was founded by UTSA in 2010 to leverage UTSAs diverse knowledge in energy and related areas, and to position San Antonio as a significant contributor to the 21st century global energy economy. The institute integrates scientific discovery, engineering innovation and policy deliberations with pragmatic implementation and a commitment to multicultural traditions to realize the promise of tomorrows America as a global energy leader.

The work underway in our Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute is a source of immense pride, said JoAnn Browning, dean of the UTSA College of Engineering. This is an exciting time for energy research. Our faculty are pursuing innovative and creative projects that Im certain will have a lasting impact on the world around us. I am so grateful to the leadership of our TSERI Director, Dr. Krystel Castillo, and Associate Dean of Research, Dr. Harry Millwater, to help solidify this partnership.

Krystel Castillo, TSERI Director and GreenStar Endowed Associate Professor in Energy, is facilitating the research endeavors of these five new projects representing five UTSA colleges.

The first is led by Hazem Rashed-Ali, UTSA associate professor of architecture, and includes Professors: Roger Enriquez, John Merrifield, Keith Muhlestein, Francine Romero, Hatim Sharif, and Rob Tillyer, representing four UTSA colleges. Supported by a $500,000 agreement, Rashed-Ali and the team are partnering with the City of San Antonio to address climate change by developing a local plan to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This new plan involves extensive research into reduction strategies that are working for other cities, community engagement approaches that will build a sense of shared goals, and input from San Antonios citizens. The project aims to set local goals for greenhouse gas reduction, further positioning San Antonio as a leader in clean energy initiatives.

The second project, supported by a $356,631 collaboration, is an effort to create smart buildings that can actively talk to battery energy storage system and power grids. Researchers will develop a system to gather information about energy consumption, solar energy generation, battery status, occupancy behavior and have buildings operate most energy efficient while maintaining indoor thermal comfort. The project has the potential to reduce customer energy bills, create more stable grid performance and enable the deployment of additional renewable energy initiatives. Bing Dong, UTSA assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is leading this project, which includes Krystel Castillo and Jeff Xu.

In the third project, supported by a $199,690 agreement, UTSA professors are working to prevent cyber attacks from affecting smart grids using a forensics-driven approach. Raymond Choo, UTSA associate professor of information systems and cybersecurity, and Paul Rad, UTSA associate professor of information systems and cybersecurity, will lead this effort to track perpetrators of attempted cyber attacks against smart grids. The team will integrate forensics and machine learning-approaches, which will allow the utility to discover the location, cause, perpetrator, time and method of the attack, and facilitate the integration of forensics tools into system that can help the organization recover from a cyber-physical attack.

Researchers led by Samer Dessouky, UTSA professor of civil and environmental engineering, are harvesting alternative power from roadways. The team consists of Arturo Montoya, Athanassios Papagiannakis, Hatim Sharif, Amar Bhalla, Ruyan Guo and Shuza Binzaid. This project received $298,881. Dessoukys team has created two prototypes for the project. The first uses the energetic mechanical strain induced by traffic. The second harvests energy from the heat of the asphalt. Both prototypes have a conversion module that converts energy into a stream of electric voltage that can be stored in a capacitor. The overarching aim of the project is to produce a clean and practical alternative source of power.

Finally, students led by Walter Richardson Jr., UTSA professor of mathematics, and Les Shepard, McDermott Distinguished Chair in Engineering, will apply machine learning to improve solar forecasting at the CPS Energy Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) microgrid. Their goal is to enhance management of solar power generation and energy storage. The project, officially named the UTSA Sky-Imager and received a $113,432 funding, is a low-cost computing and camera system that provides for real-time image acquisition and processing of all-sky images. These are used to forecast intra-hour ramp events, which occur when low-level cumulus clouds cast shadows on the solar panels and drastically reduce power output. Accurate prediction of ramp events will allow JBSA to more efficiently manage energy generation, storage, and usage.

The fundamental start to any advancements in technology begins with research. We understand, to be a leader, we must embrace new opportunities, said Paula Gold-Williams, CPS Energys President and CEO. We are excited to partner with TSERI and are confident that the result of their hard work will be an innovative game changer in the energy industry. We are fortunate to have a progressive resource in this field in our very own community.

UTSA is also working with CPS Energy on opportunities for internships and employment, with the goal of preparing UTSA students for transition into jobs in the energy and sustainability fields.

We truly value the opportunity to provide internships to local students, continued Gold-Williams. Im humbled to know the future leaders of this company can come in at such a young age and get a head start on what is a complex industry. We welcome interns with open arms and are committed to providing them with all the support they need.

UTSA is ranked among the nations top four young universities, according to Times Higher Education.


Survivor Jessica Gaylor and Meadows School senior Samantha Seiff visited Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevadas (CCCN) Henderson Treatment Center (10001 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 108, Henderson, 89052) on Friday, December 22.

They sang holiday favorites to chemo patients throughout the facility for more than 30 minutes.


As part of its annual Warm the Soles initiative, America First Credit Union hosted pizza parties and provided new, gift-wrapped shoes to more than 200 underprivileged students in Las Vegas. America First employees visited Red Rock Elementary School on Monday, Dec. 11 and Gibson Middle School Friday, Dec. 15 to hand out shoes and host a festive holiday celebration, complete with Santa Claus and pizza.

Celebrating its 23rd year of the Warm the Soles project, the credit union works to raise funds and donations from members throughout November and December to purchase shoes for children in need during the holiday season. The project is coordinated through America Firsts 501(c)3 volunteer service arm, the America First Credit Union Charitable Foundation.

Last year alone, America First helped to provide more than 2,000 pairs of shoes for children in need through generous donations from employees and members, as well as funds generated through the Skip-A-Payment program.


Comedy Magician Murray SawChuck visited Americas Got Talent alumni Lindsey Stirling who performed a show at The Chelsea in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas across the street from his show at Planet Hollywood last night.

Murray said, I remember 6 years ago when she was sitting on my couch in Las Vegas asking Lefty and I about ideas how to put a postcard together for a mailout to agents to get work. Now she is selling out theatres worldwide. So awesome!
Photo: Bravo/NBCUniversal/YouTube

Even a countess has to let loose in Florida every now and then. Luann de Lesseps, best known to the Bravo set as one of the most popular housewives on The Real Housewives of New York, has been arrested and charged in Palm Beach, Florida, with battery on an officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest with violence, and crimes against a person, per the Palm Beach Post. The circumstances that led to her arrest in the posh beach town are currently hazy, but the Post was able to be in the courtroom while she was being arraigned, leading to this truly exquisite paragraph of intel:

Im going to kill you all, the states attorney said De Lesseps told people prior to her arrest. De Lesseps, who has no prior offenses, will be allowed to go back to New York, said Judge Ted Booras. Booras, acknowledging De Lesseps fame, said she should hire a criminal defense attorney from Palm Beach instead of ignoring the charges. I dont think it would be that hard to find you, he said. De Lesseps was advised by Booras not to incriminate herself and respond to him when he said she might have a drinking problem. Dont say anything, he told the reality star.

De Lesseps was released without bond on Sunday morning. In an afternoon statement, she apologized for her behavior, which she blamed on her recent divorce. This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions, she told People. I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior. I am committed to [a] transformative and hopeful 2018.
Class acts

Betsy Burton Patterson received her doctorate in nursing practice from the University of Alabama on Dec. 16 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Patterson is from Woodway and attended Midway High School. She is the daughter of Carol Burton Stafford, of Woodway, and John Burton, of Arkansas.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech and her Master of Science from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Patterson is employed by Baylor Scott & White and is at the new Scott & White hospital in Marble Falls.

She and her husband, Ron Patterson, live in Leander. They have five children and six grandchildren.

Pitching in

Nearly 200 people gathered at the Waco Hippodrome Theatre Dec. 9 for Fashionably Supporting United Way, a fundraising event coordinated by Women United.

Clothes and accessories were modeled by local community leaders, including City Councilman Dillon Meek. Taina Maya, morning news co-anchor at KWTX-TV, served as the shows emcee.

Guests enjoyed a fashion show with the latest trends from Dillards Michael Kors, a holiday brunch, designer raffle items and high-end silent auction. The event raised more than $15,000 for United Way of Waco-McLennan County-funded programs in education, financial security, health and essential services.

Established in fall 2017, this is the first Women United for United Way chapter in McLennan County.

Waco native Kris Kaiser Olson serves as the Women United chair for McLennan County.

This event and the amazing women who are the core group of our Women United for United Way are an inspiration and example of what the true meaning of community service and inspired philanthropy is, United Way of Waco-McLennan County Executive Director Barbara Mosacchio said.
The Brookshires grocery store in Robinson donated 54 half hams to the Shepherds Heart Food Pantry in the city for the Christmas holidays.

Hormel Foods Corp. donated almost 7,000 of its Cure 81 brand half hams to food banks and food pantries throughout the Brookshires Grocery Co.s market area for the holiday season.

Robinson Brookshires store director Tony Procopio delivered the hams on Dec. 16.

The Shepherds Heart Food Pantry in Robinson is open the first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. It serves about 250 families a month, said Sonya Rawlings, a pantry director.

She said Brookshires has been great in helping to provide foods when the pantry gets low. Since the week before the Thanksgiving, 400 to 500 bags of food items were provided to the pantry.

Brookshires sets out a display to allow shoppers to purchase bags of food that the store then donates to the food pantry.

For more information about the pantry, call 254-307-7225 or email robinsonfoodpantry@gmail.com.
A three-century period of intellectual, cultural and political turmoil spawned seeds of belief found today in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, with multiple echoes seen in the Christmas story, according to a Baylor University historian.

Philip Jenkins, a distinguished professor of history in Baylors Institute for Studies of Religion, said ideas of angels, a non-military messiah, and heaven  all parts of the Christmas story heard each year at this time  can trace their beginning and development to Palestine during a period between 300 and 50 B.C.

It was a great era of globalization, Jenkins said in a recent phone interview from his home in State College, Pennsylvania, where he splits his time with Waco during the Baylor school year.

The Greeks under Alexander the Great had spread and established their culture wherever they went, integrating their conquests into an economy that connected large regions of territory, he said.

Palestine, the land in which Jesus grew up, fell within what Jenkins calls the Hellenistic Triangle whose vertices were centers of Greek thought and trade: Antioch, Alexandria and Seleucia.

Jewish scholars and scribes scattered throughout that area found their beliefs confronted by not only new thoughts from other religions and philosophies, but also Greek concepts of science and learning. Some stretched their beliefs to incorporate those ideas and stories, while others became more rigid in their orthodoxy.

Theres a real cultural and spiritual revolution in that period, Jenkins said.

Power struggles over territory in the decades after Alexanders death in 323 B.C.  primarily between the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic dynasties, with Rome coming to dominate both  and popular revolts against those ruling powers made ripe conditions for cultural and theological ferment, captured in the title of Jenkins newest history, Crucible Of Faith: The Ancient Revolution That Made Our Modern Religious World.

Jewish books and writings from that period, some preserved in the Apocrypha found between the Old and New Testaments in many Bibles, show the development of new ideas on angels and demons, Satan, heaven, hell, a messiah and a final apocalypse between good and evil, Jenkins said.

The Book of 1 Enoch, written in approximately the second century B.C., proved a pivotal work, particularly in its description of supernatural beings and existence.

The angels of the Old Testament are different than those in the New Testament period. Theyre more of a generic figure, serving as Gods voice, Jenkins said. They dont have individual identities and they dont have names.  But with the Book of Enoch, youre dropped into this world of angels and demons, heaven and hell.

Angels in Enoch and subsequent writings have names  Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael, Ariel and the like  as well as specific duties and identities. Why? Part of the reason may come from the strengthening of the Jewish belief in one God, or monotheism, during that period, Jenkins said. As the concept of an all-powerful God grew, so did the distance between that God and humankind, causing some to fill that space with intermediaries or messengers, he said.

By the time the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were written, the two New Testament books with the stories of Jesus birth, angels were fairly established in popular Jewish belief. In Matthews and Lukes Nativity accounts, angels are everywhere, Jenkins said. Angels deliver messages to Mary, the priest Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, Joseph and the shepherds tending their flocks at night.

Other messiahs

Also in circulation at the time were concepts of one or more messiahs to deliver the Jewish people. Writings from the Qumran community in the second century B.C., many contained in what is termed the Dead Sea Scrolls, show a vigorous discussions of the idea of a messiah, apocalyptic struggles between good and evil, a heaven where the good were rewarded and a hell where the wicked were punished.

The picture in the New Testament is less surprising than we might think, the Baylor scholar said.

Political violence in the two centuries before Jesus also provide an interesting context to the birth of the Prince of Peace. Many may know of the Jewish revolt of the Maccabees against a Seleucid government in 160 B.C., an event celebrated in the holiday of Hannukah, but a smaller yet bloody uprising occurred near Galilee in 4 B.C.  a time that some historians believe may be closer to Jesus actual birth.

Its possible that Jesus was born in one of the most bloody and chaotic times of Jewish history, Jenkins said.

While historians havent confirmed Herods slaughter of infants that Matthew recounts, what is known about Herod makes it plausible, he said. Herod not only saw himself as a Jewish king, but as a Greek and Roman one as well, and was not above killing family and court officials to maintain control.

Its absolutely in the style of what he did to his relatives and family, Jenkins said.

The suggestions of Jesus as a new or second Adam, found in the Apostle Pauls letters to early Christians, also have roots in Jenkins crucible period.

Adam and Eve arent mentioned in the Bible (after the creation account in Genesis) until Paul, he said. Around 200 BCE, people start writing a huge amount about Adam and God.

He said the apocryphal book The Life of Adam and Eve proved one of the most influential books of that period, and many of the ideas in that book, such as the tempting serpent equated with Satan and Satans fall from heaven due to sin, show up in John Miltons Paradise Lost and popular Christian belief.

Jenkins Crucible Of Change followed from his last book, The Lost Gospels, in which he traced the long influence of Jewish and Christian books outside the standard Jewish, Catholic and Protestant canons on Christian belief and tradition.

There are dozens and dozens of books written in this (Crucible) period, but most people who arent scholars dont pay any attention to this, Jenkins said.

The prolific Baylor scholar wont have to travel as far for source material on his next book, a history of the United States since 2000.

This is literally a story youre making up as you go along, he said. The good thing is you have all the information in the world. The bad thing is you have all the information in the world.
Rufus Duggan

July 25, 1927 - Dec. 23, 2017

Rufus Gerald (Jerry) Duggan, 90, of Waco, passed away on Saturday, December 23, 2017. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 26, at Bellmead Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 27, at the Bellmead Funeral Home Chapel, with Gene Dewveall, Doyle Ware and Roy Ware officiating. Burial will be at Waco Memorial Park. A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 26, at the funeral home.

Jerry was born on July 25, 1927 in Ranger, Texas, to Robert and Myrtle (Sharp) Duggan. He was the second of eleven children. He was raised on the family farm in Rising Star and attended school there. Jerry was inducted in to the U.S. Army in 1945 achieving the rank of Sergeant. He served in the 25 Infantry Division in Japan and the 2nd Armored Division in Germany. Jerry was a member of the Church of Christ. He served as a Bible class teacher, deacon and elder. He met Mary Woodard on a blind date on September 8, 1950, and they were married October 13, 1950. They were blessed with three sons. Jerry taught his sons to be kind, responsible Christian men.

Jerry was produce manager at HEB in Waco. He worked in the transportation and maintenance department at LaVega ISD, and was transportation director at A&M Consolidated ISD in College Station. One of his favorite hobbies was woodworking. He was a master at his craft. His children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have items made especially for them. Numerous friends have been recipients of his woodworking over the years.

Jerry was preceded in death by his son, Danny Duggan; and his daughter-in-law, Janna Duggan. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mary; son, Dale Duggan and wife, Linda, of Ballinger; son, Tim and wife, Jackie, of Waco; daughter-in-law, Janiece Duggan Watts and husband, Jim, of Abilene, Texas;, nine grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

His grandchildren will be pallbearers: Kaci Morrison, Will Duggan, Jerrod Duggan, Katy Grimes, Lori Montgomery, Ryan Duggan, Malcom Duggan, Crystal Knutson, Lonnie Duggan.

Memorials can be made to Cherokee Home for Children, P.O. Box 295, Cherokee, Texas, 76832.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.bellmeadfuneralhome.com.
Rufus W. Scott

Jan. 14, 1923 - Dec. 18, 2017

Lt. Col. Rufus W. Scott (USAF, Ret.) passed away, at the age of 94, on December 18, 2017 in Waco, Texas. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 27, at Highland Baptist Church, in the chapel, 3014 Maple Avenue, Waco. Visitation with the family will follow the service.

In his long life, he'd done everything he wanted. A veteran Air Force pilot, Rufus flew thousands of hours and many combat missions in service of his country. He married the love of his life, Marilyn Scott, and lived in love with her for 67 years. Together they raised three daughters, contributed to their church and community, and traveled the country.

Rufus was born in 1923 to Iva Jane and Thomas King Scott in Harmony, Texas. After Pearl Harbor he was drafted in the army and trained in the Army Air Force through the war. He served in several branches of the Air Force, ending as a squadron commander in Vietnam. During his 27-year Air Force career, he qualified to fly 16 different aircraft, including trainers, cargo, bombers and his favorite, the supersonic F-100 pursuit plane. He was decorated for valor more than once including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star.

Rufus retired in 1970, settling in Waco and going to work for the Texas Employment Commission. After eleven years, he retired again. In his retirement, Rufus and Marilyn traveled the country in a motor home, exploring scenery from coast to coast. They traveled to Campers for Christ gatherings and spent summers fishing high Colorado lakes.

Rufus and Marilyn were active members of Highland Baptist Church where Rufus helped widows with home repairs. He also volunteered with the Red Cross and the Lion's Club.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Scott of Waco; his three daughters, Kathleen Scott of New Braunfels, Jane Webb of Corpus Christi, and Eileen Scott of The Woodlands; grandchildren, Brooke Gunning, Megan Webb, and Parker Webb; great-grandchildren, Sienna, Ashtyn and Caden Gunning, and Addie and Lucas Webb; and niece Dorothy Lynn Magee.

The family is grateful to Joyce Collazo for her expert loving care of Rufus, to Brittany West, to Right at Home Care, Scott & White Hospice, and for the support of friends and of the Highland Baptist Church family.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Rufus's name to the Highland Baptist Church Wellness Center, 3014 Maple Ave., Waco, Texas 76707, (254) 754-0335.

Sign the Guest Book at www.oakcrestwaco.com.
As old age takes hold and I watch Christmas after Christmas slip by, I remember and cherish a special Christmas in 1950. Back then we were among the poorest families in a small Central Texas community five miles from Waco. While we had no indoor plumbing or heating in the family home, we had one another. I was 10 and my brothers were 9, 8 and 2. My sister was 6.

Our mother was loving and caring, though her life was hard. Without complaint, she washed clothes by hand with water we drew from a well. Our father was not with us much. He worked 180 miles away in Houston, coming home by bus every other weekend. What a thrill it was. Fridays became very special to me.

As Christmas approached, Mother told us Santa would not bring many gifts that year. Times were hard, she explained. Money was scarce. We children understood. We wanted only to help her more than ever. We hated to see her so sad.

Daddy came home from Houston just before Christmas Eve that year. I could sense he didnt have money to buy a tree. I asked if we could cut one down and decorate it. At first he hesitated, but we showed him, with great enthusiasm, the field next to our property. It offered many suitable trees.

The field belonged to a wealthy farmer who also owned a grocery store. I had been in that store a few months earlier when the store owner told Daddy that he would no longer allow us to buy groceries on credit: Only cash, period! My daddy was humiliated. I felt so badly for him.

In spite of this, Daddy and I walked to the store and Daddy asked the man if we might cut down one of his small trees for our Christmas tree. Daddy even nervously asked how much he might charge for the tree. I suppose it was the spirit of Christmas that led the man to say, with a smile, that we could take a tree without paying a cent. I still recall my elation, racing up the hill to tell my brothers and sister that we would have a Christmas tree after all!

Even the weather was special that year  cold, close to freezing, on Christmas Eve. Usually in Central Texas, December is warm enough to go about without a coat. Not this year.

Daddy found an old and very dull ax. Off we went while Mother stayed home to cook supper. Not only was it cold, it was cloudy as we crawled through the barbed wire and onto our neighbors spread. We knew it was too much to wish for snow.

After a joyous search, we found a tree about 6 feet tall and deemed it the best. It was our treasure and, after it had fallen to us, each of us grabbed a branch and helped Daddy drag the tree home, there to raise it in personal triumph and seasonal glorification.

Suddenly, on the way home, I felt a tiny tingle on my cheek. Looking up, I saw snowflakes drifting to the ground. What a wonderful sight. It was only a flurry of snow, but to us it was a blizzard. Snow! Real snow!

Before long we had the tree in our home. How it smelled like Christmas. We had no tree stand, so Daddy found a piece of wood, nailed it to the trunk and we stood it up. We hugged one another, sharing our joy with our mother. She smiled broadly.

Come nightfall, Mother told us to go to bed. After all, we were not to see Santa when he slipped into our home under cover of darkness. Mother told us that every Christmas Santa would pause in his labors long enough to eat a cookie or piece of cake left out for him. Santa would even talk with her a few minutes. How jealous we were!

Before joining my brothers in the bed we shared, I stole out onto the front porch. The sky by now was full of stars. It was so quiet and still across Central Texas.

I wished with all my might I might now hear the bells on Santas sleigh. I looked into the sky but only saw the stars twinkling in the cold night, spectacle enough surely. Yet I closed my eyes and strained hard to listen. Did I hear something? Yes, a faint tinkling of bells  sleigh bells. I was certain I heard the bells on Santas sleigh!

When I crawled into bed that night, my brothers were asleep. As I drifted off, I felt a sense of joy and wonder. What a Christmas!

As an old man long familiar with the ways of the world, I yet remember the magic of that Christmas. When I set up our tree these days, I think of the one we resurrected in our home so many decades ago. When our three children were young and savoring Christmas, I saw my brothers and sister. And when I look into the cold night sky, I remember the faint sound I heard way back in 1950. At times I even hear a sleigh bell.
Sydneysiders sweltering through a hot and humid day can expect some relief in the early afternoon, when thunderstorms and a cool change are expected to come through.

The mercury will peak at 34 degrees in the city and 41 degrees in the west on Sunday and humidity levels will also increase throughout the day, senior meteorologist at Weatherzone, Jacobus Cronje said.

Beachgoers enjoy Bondi. A cool change will sweep through on Sunday evening. Credit:Louise Kennerley

By 1pm, temperatures had reached 32.3 degrees in the city and 39 degrees in Penrith.

However, showers are expected to begin in the early afternoon in south-west and western Sydney, with the possibility of some rain in the city.
Tributes are flowing for an Irish father-of-two who died after being allegedly struck in the head with an object by a fisherman in Fremantle on Saturday morning.

Police have charged a 34-year-old man with grievous bodily harm over the incident, which left 32-year-old Charlie McCarthy in a critical condition in hospital.

Charlie McCarthy with his wife Nicole and children Ciara and Niall. Credit:Facebook

Mr McCarthy was walking with his wife Nicole along the East Fremantle foreshore when they stopped to talk to two fishermen, who were fishing alongside the footpath.

A spokesperson for WA Police said an argument broke out and that Mr McCarthy was struck with an object to the head before collapsing to the ground.
Perth is set to be the final stop on Santa Claus' trip around Australia this evening, as Air Services Australia revealed he had officially logged his flight plan with them on Sunday morning.

WA locals can follow the jolly fat man as he makes his way around the nation after he registered his official aircraft ID and logged his flight plan with Air Services Australia.

The weather is also set to be ideal for Santa's flight into Perth. Credit:Leigh Henningham

Sleigh Rider 1 will start its Australian journey in Hobart, and is expected to finish up in WA in the early hours of Christmas Day.

"Just like all pilots Santa must log his flight plan with Airservices before he takes off," an Air Services spokesperson said.
Two 18-year-old men and a 17-year-old woman are believed to have been riding unrestrained in the tray of a utility vehicle when it rolled in Roleystone early this morning.

One of the 18-year-old men had to be flown to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment.

Police are looking for witnesses to a crash in Roleystone this morning Credit:Melissa Cunningham

Traffic Enforcement Group officers are investigating the serious crash that occurred at about 2.50am when a Holden Rodeo utility, travelling west on Tyers Road, attempted to turn left onto Jarrah Road.

The 17-year-old male driver lost control and the vehicle rolled onto its side and slid across the intersection, coming to a stop up-right on the nature strip.
A Snowman at a local, empty restaurant in Ubud. Credit:Alan Putra Bali is spluttering back to life for the peak holiday season between Christmas and New Year but the whole island is hurting. About 70,000 Balinese who lived within Mt Agung's 10km red zone will see in the new year in cramped refugee camps. Janet De Neefe at one of her restaurants, Casa Luna, in Ubud. Credit:Alan Putra The Australian Government this month announced it would contribute $600,000 to help provide evacuees with clean drinking water, shelter, sanitation services and medical care.

The resort island's tourism industry - Bali contributes about 40 percent of Indonesia's total tourism revenue - has been devastated. China, the biggest source of tourists to Bali (Australia is second), has issued travel warnings, telling its people not to go to Bali until January 4. Flights have been suspended from China. Whilst not quite as drastic, other countries, including Australia, have also issued travel alerts. "Since 21 November 2017, eruptions at Mount Agung have caused disruptions to flights and airport operations," the Australian government warns in its latest update on December 20. The Indonesian Tourism Ministry estimates $US1.2 billion in potential losses. On Friday President Joko Widodo held his cabinet meeting in Bali, tweeting photos of himself strolling barefoot along Kuta beach (which had been scrubbed of rubbish ahead of his visit) and posing in selfies with crowds of people.

"Bali is safe, please holiday in Bali. This afternoon Kuta beach is busy, try and see, busy, very busy," tweeted President Jokowi, as he is popularly known. It is always highly significant when cabinet meets anywhere other than in Jakarta or Bogor. In June last year a cabinet meeting was held on a warship in the Natuna Islands in a defiant gesture to China indicating Indonesia had sovereign rights over disputed waters in the far north of the archipelago. Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said the president's presence in Bali spoke volumes. "Bali is normal," he said. Arief said Bali had an average of 15,000 tourists a day in 2017. At its lowest point after Mount Agung erupted there were only 2000, but now numbers had returned to 12,200 a day, 80 per cent of the average figure.

In the cultural hub of Ubud, winding roads, eerily deserted for a couple of weeks, are beginning to fill up with motorbikes and tourists. Ubud Permai sells wooden penis bottle openers, frangipani hairclips and miniature statues of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh. It is the sort of old-school Bali souvenir shop that has almost, but not quite, been entirely replaced by shops selling yoga pants, Havianas and gourmet gelato. Years ago Ketut Nadi could sell five wooden penises a day - "At first I was embarrassed to sell that stuff, but then it caught on". It's been a while since the heyday of wooden penises but after the airport closed Ketut said there were no buyers of souvenirs, period.

"It was more quiet than after the Bali bombings," she says, swatting away a monkey, the only thing showing much interest in her wares. Ketut is starting to make a few sales again but says there are fears there will be another big eruption of Mount Agung and the airport will close again. "Usually the big crowd comes after December 25th but we have no idea what will happen this year," she says. On December 17, Janet De Neefe, the founder of Ubud Writers' Festival and owner of Ubud restaurants Casa Luna and Indus, the Casa Luna cooking school and Honeymoon guesthouse, posted a photo of herself sipping a coconut on Facebook. "Stay with me and receive 50 percent discount and if you are stranded we will throw in two free nights, a green coconut and a chance to play Mahjong with me," she wrote.

The posting was humorous - the photo was a pisstake of the iconic image of Barack Obama sipping a coconut which many falsely believed had been taken in Bali - but reflects the dire predicament of those in the tourism industry in Bali. "We need Obama now to save us," De Neefe jokes. Honeymoon Guesthouse is almost always full in the week between Christmas and New Year - now just 15 of its 40 rooms are booked. There were no cooking classes for two weeks: "They cancelled themselves". Dinner at Indus on New Year's Eve is usually so popular the restaurant sometimes has two sittings. "This year there are two bookings. That is what we are up against," De Neefe says. "When there are a lot more staff to customers you know you are in the red. This month we have not made enough to cover wages."
By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 24, 2017 | 08:28 AM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KY

A traffic stop in McCracken County Saturday night led to a Paducah man's arrest on drug charges.

According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Office, deputies stopped a vehicle for equipment violations at the intersection of Husbands Road and Geibe Road. Deputies learned that the driver, 53-year-old Kenneth Newton, had a suspended operator's license stemming from a DUI conviction earlier this month in McCracken County.

Police said Newton was also found in possession of suspected methamphetamine and marijuana. Newton has a prior possession of methamphetamine conviction from Dec. 7 in McCracken County Circuit Court.

Newton was arrested and transported to the McCracken County Regional Jail, where he's charged with improper equipment, driving on a DUI suspended license, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine, second offense.
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A Boy Scouts leader took advantage of teenagers who were under his care during camping trips, according to police in Australia.

Victoria police said that they have arrested 63-year-old Kim Richard Harvey after numerous boys came forward to report that he raped them.

In court, Harvey pleaded guilty to sexual penetration of minors, buggery, and indecent assault.

County Court Judge John Smallwood sentenced (Harvey) to 12 years in prison.

He will have to serve a minimum of 7 years before being eligible for parole.

Harvey was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

According to the police investigation, Harvey was a Boys Scouts leader for 15 years.

A total of 15 boys came forward to file complaints against Harvey.

The boys told investigators that while they were on camping trips, Harvey plied them with alcohol.

Harvey also watched porn with the boys and committed indecent acts.

Some of the boys reported that they woke up in the middle of the night to Harvey penetrating them.

The Boy Scouts leader walked in on them while they were showering and forced them to perform indecent acts.

One victim fell unconscious while Harvey was raping him but he continued with the assault.
A drug dealer who was rushing home while carrying a large stash of marijuana accidentally got into a police car and was busted, according to police in Denmark.

Copenhagen police said that they have arrested the drug dealer, who was not identified, after being accused of possessing 1,000 marijuana joints.

The man is facing a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

If convicted, he faces up to 8 years in prison.

According to the police investigation, the incident unfolded on Friday night.

The drug dealer just picked up a large stash of 1,000 marijuana joints and he was in a rush to get home.

Since it was dark, the drug dealer got into a police car, mistaking it for a taxi.

He then asked the driver to take him home.

When the man in the front seat turned around, the drug dealer was shocked to see that he was a police officer and not a taxi driver.

The officer detained him and searched his bags, where the 1,000 marijuana joints were found.

Police wrote about their lucky drug bust on Twitter.

@KobenhavnPoliti. Last night, a drug dealer wanted to quickly get home and he sat in a taxi. The surprise was great when he discovered that it was a police car he had stepped in. The officers were happy to see him when he had about 1,000 joints in his bags.
A woman in the United Kingdom was arrested for having an ongoing relationship with a 13-year-old boy.

The Bournemouth Crown Court heard that 29-year-old Charlene Cole met the boy on Facebook.

The 13-year-old boy claimed that he was 19-years-old. Cole told people that he was her boyfriend and described the boy as the love of her life.

However, as things got heated, the boy eventually told Cole that he was only 13-years-old.

Prosecutors said that Cole decided to continue the relationship with the boy despite knowing his age.

She kept messaging him and she groomed the teen until he agreed to meet her for sex.

The court heard that Cole drove 120 miles from Southall, West London, to Christchurch, where she set up a tent on a beach and had sex with the boy.

The boys mother called police at about 2:15 a.m. when he failed to come home. The worried mother told police that her son promised to be home by 8:00 p.m.

He failed to come home and he did not answer her calls. The mother then checked his electronic devices and discovered the illicit relationship.

She found sexually explicit photos and messages between her son and Cole.

When the boy returned home, Cole was arrested.

Cole pleaded guilty to child abduction, sexual activity with a child, and meeting a child following sexual grooming.

Cole was sentenced to 5 years in prison and she must register as a sex offender.
Music service cut proposals opposed by some councillors  Committee vote to tell Administration they dont support the cut

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Dec 24th, 2017

Controversial plans to axe funding for Wrexhams school music service have come under fire from some councillors, again with criticism over the lack of information being provided on the proposals.

Currently Wrexham Council provides a music service to schools, including peripatetic instrument tuition (i.e. tutors visiting different schools), facilitating orchestras and youth choirs to a number of pupils.

However as this service is not a legal requirement, as part of its Difficult Decisions consultation, Wrexham Council have proposed the funding is withdrawn on such non-statutory services, with this saving due to save approximately 300,000 in 2019/20.

The proposal has been seen as one of the more controversial put forward in the Difficult Decisions document, with a petition calling on Wrexham Council to reconsider receiving over 15,000 signatures online.

Such criticism of the planned funding axe featured heavily in last weeks meeting, with officers and the lead member coming under fire for the proposals.

The meeting itself was unusual as at one point council support staff jogged out of the meeting to get advice from the legal department over if an individual could address the committee.

Committee chairman Cllr Rob Walsh described it as a request from a member of the public, which appeared to blindside some officers and councillors, when it turned out that the person was a council employee involved with the music service.

After various messages were passed and a senior officer attended, the advice was such public speaking is designed for members of public and not for employees of council.

The meeting was told there was a proper mechanism for employees via employment protocols, employment management lines and trades unions and it was not appropriate for members of staff to address meetings directly, with it noted a similar request had been previously declined.

With the debate progressing, the meeting was given a range of data that did not seem to be public until that point, and was being read out at great speed by the officer, rather than appearing to be circulated beforehand.

Councillors were told there are 1500 pupils across the county borough receiving music tuition, which equates to 7.6% of Wrexhams school population of 19,500.

Of these pupils 165 are in receipt of free school meals, around about 11% of those getting music tuition, with the officer contrasting that to the overall school figure of 16% in receipt of free school meals. The free school meals group was described as being under represented for the music service.

Budget information was outlined with 532k being the current relevant budget, with 345k being devolved  which was explained as ring-fenced rather than delegated budgets where schools have complete freedom over spending, with in the region of 187k coming back from schools which is then used to fund additional hours.

The service operates on a buying hours, with 16 of 58 primary schools not buying additional hours. The Officer said of those 16 schools 10 are are in FSN group 3 or above, described as a measure of depravation.

Ranges of purchased additional hours was described, with some schools buying 15 minutes extra, with others buying 8 hours.

However concerns were raised about the seemingly lack of alternative models explored to retain the music service if the funding was cut.

The meeting was told by the Councils head of education officer, Ian Roberts that further options havent been looked into at this point as it could prejudice the process and decision and that the department wont be doing so until the council decide whether the proposals will continue forward or not.

Cllr Dana Davies pointed out such things should strengthen, not prejudice the process.

Mr Roberts explained that the department had been approached by third party providers interested in taking over the service, but noted that these have been batted back as discussions about an alternative model of delivery is not appropriate at this time.

He added: Should the decision be made, a political decision, until we know what the efficiency is, whether its 300,000 or a varying percentage, we dont know what models can deliver from a finite pot.

We would need to engage with schools about their ability to buy back would be. Until we know the pot of money, it is difficult to come up with different models.

However Cllr Paul Jones described this as nonsense and ridiculous.

He said: I am more concerned of the potential impact on students and the removal of funding and the service on students.

Mr Roberts noted that should the funding cut proceed, that it would be the schools decision to buy back hours at a current level or increase them.

However it was noted that current and future financial pressures (debate in length later in the meeting) on schools could mean, could be, a significant decrease number of pupils across the borough who receive free music tuition.

These concerns were echoed by Cllr Dana Davies, who said: I dont think schools can afford to pick up the cost. It worries me that children are going to miss out.

I need that reassurance that there is a model out there that is going to work so children are still going to have the opportunity to learn an instrument if they want and because they choose to.

Im looking at the impact to the Eisteddfod and the Urdd, there is a wider effect as well as GCSE music.

Is there an indication from schools that they can afford to meet the cost?

Lead Member for Education, Cllr Phil Wynn said there are models where local authorities do not put a penny in and that schools focus is understandably the impact of a standstill budget, but thought Wrexham could step up to the challenge like other local authorities where there is no funding to still deliver the service, confident it was not beyond the wit of Wrexham to do that.

Cllr Davies pointed out that schools projected outturn was just 168k, noting that figure had plummeting from 2.5m two years ago, adding What chance do schools have to fund this a different way?

Cllr Frank Hemmings pointed out that music has a wider impact for students, stating: The point I wanted to make is we are talking about music as an art, it also has other benefits.

A few weeks ago I was able to see a group stand in front of a school and play a violin. The confidence it builds is phenomenal.

Cllr Dana Davies also queried how schools could fund the service with a budget that has plummeted and the impact it could have on students studying music at GCSE level.

Cllr Davies added: My worry is the impact on GCSE music. A lot of children who take it, do it on the basis they play an instrument as they have more of a chance of passing.

The impact on this at GCSE level could be huge, I dont think there has been a consideration adding that she believed those in deprivation would see their chances of playing an instrument be hit hardest.

Mr Roberts explained that there had been significant reduction in the number of students taking up GCSE music in the past year, with 98 students across Wrexham choosing to study the subject compared to 136 in the previous year.

A breakdown on the figures was also provided, with the highest number of students taking GCSE music being at 26 in one school, 20 in the second highest, 13 in the third and the remaining six schools with 10 or less.

Cllr Harper said the service had been subject to a cut already, which had result in charges being made for the service in some schools, which had resulted in the reduction of pupils taking up music: Those who could afford it carried on, and those who could not did not. There is a huge equality issue here, this is going to have a disproportionate effect on lower income families, adding that was not just those who get free school meals, but lower income families in general.

Cllr Wynn apologised for some clunky wording when referring to children in receipt of free school meals, which raised the eyebrows of a couple of members of the committee. Cllr Wynn went on to say: Of the 19,000 pupils in the county, 1500 benefit from the valuable service and only 165 have free school meals, to put in context.

As regards to other models I am in listening mode. No decision has been taken yet, but it is imminent as to where service deliveries will be cut.

I am here to listen to what alternatives or opinions you have to offer.

Cllr Davies said she was heartened by the lead members comments about listening to alternative suggestions, but noted that there was only a short timescale to do so.

Cllr Alun Jenkins described the proposal as a sad loss of a very valuable service and called for a reasonable cut to allow time for alternative methods to be found, rather than axing the service completely.

He said: I understand the difficult decision the department is in when facing such awful cuts.

What I noticed about this is the saving is down to 300,000 from the year after next. The comment suggests the cut is made from September, it doesnt give a great deal of time to consider an alternative.

To do it in one swoop needs to be avoided. Schools are unlikely to pick up the cost of that and may find it difficult to carry on existing buy in arrangements. They are going to find it difficult to balance their budgets. It falls to parents to pick up the service.

Cllr Jenkins added: We have to consider the contribution pupils have made. Many go onto prominent positions in orchestras across the country, contribute to the local music scene as well as giving them the opportunity to play an instrument.

It saddens me this could be put in jeopardy that through austerity we could lose such a valuable service.

With the Wrexhams local government settlement being slightly better than anticipated, Cllr Harper queried if the additional 600,000 could be a priority towards funding the music service.

However the meeting was told by Wrexham Councils head of finance, Mark Owen, that there isnt an extra 600,000 to utilise, rather it is just reducing the gap in savings that need to be made.

Cllr Parry-Jones asked for details of the exact number of hours peripatetic users of the service, and was told of the free allocation there is 153.25 hours a week, with an additional hours 92hrs a week  around 245 hours a week.

As with the other four budget related scrutiny meetings to have taken place last week, there was criticism about the lack of information in the Difficult Decisions document and additional details provided in the meetings.

Cllr Derek Wright called on officers and the lead member to come back to the committee when they were able to put more meat on the bones.

He said: I wouldnt want to see vulnerable pupils in society be disproportionately affected.

What the lead member and officer have said hasnt filled me with confidence. I dont want our children hoping a trust takeover what I feel we should be providing.

You say no decisions have been made and there is so much emotion in the public, it would be better it comes to this scrutiny when decisions or consultation considerations have been made.

I dont think we are in a position to scrutinise the executive board as there is not enough information.

Clr Wynn cites awareness of risk assessments over impact on music service cuts on certain children, Clr Harper says she does not (and Cmte) do not have access to them.  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) December 21, 2017

Cllr Harper was also critical of not having sight of various documents, including equalities impact assessments or risk assessments. Cllr Wynn did say he was aware of risk assessments regarding the impact of the music service cut proposals.

Those documents along with consultation responses from schools themselves, that will detail their thoughts on the proposed cuts, were not made available to the Committee. The logic presented was that the Committee was part of the consultative process and therefore Cllr Wynn was listening rather than it seems sharing, and therefore it was too early in the process to make such information available to councillors.

Cllr Wynn did make it clear he had many letters on the topic, was aware of the petition and was fully aware of the concerns.

With the lack of detail on alternative options and such strong criticism over the proposals, a recommendation the committee advise the Executive Board that they do not support plans to reshape the music service was put forward by Cllr Davies with several other councillors chipping in to form the exact wording.

An amendment to this was put forward by Cllr Beverley Parry-Jones, who said that plans to axe the 300,000 funding should go ahead but a new 50,000 discretionary bursary should be setup to protect vulnerable children in education. No figures or basis for the seemingly arbitrary sum of 50,000 was given.

This recommendation was supported by fellow Cllr Debbie Wallice, who did not speak to explain her support of that proposal, or why she voted against the committees overall recommendation.

The amendment was voted down with three voting in favour and the remainder of councillors voting against. The initial recommendation put forward by Cllr Davies was voted through with a majority, with three councillors voting against.

2hrs 45mins later  Cmte decide recommendation to strongly tell the Executive Board they do not support proposed cutting of Music service, and additional costs to school budgets.  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) December 21, 2017

A final decision on whether the cuts to school music funding and various other budget proposals will go ahead, will be made by the Executive Board in January.

All 52 councillors will have the opportunity to have a vote on the final budget at Februarys Full Council  so if there is something you feel passionate about that is at risk of being cut or seeing a reduction in money, make sure you get in touch with your elected representative!

Top pic: Lead Councillor for Education  Phil Wynn.
ODESSA, Fla. (AP) - Florida authorities have arrested three members of a motorcycle gang they say gunned down the leader of a rival gang caught in rush hour traffic.

The Tampa Bay Times reported Paul Anderson was gunned down Thursday while waiting at a red light. Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said Anderson was president of a local chapter of the Outlaws.

Nocco said that three members of the 69ers Motorcycle Club were on Anderson's trail. He said one of the members walked up to the truck, knocked on the window and then opened fire.

The sheriff said the gangs have national footprints and that there could be more violence.

The three men were all charged with first-degree murder. They are being held without bail at jails in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. They will be returned to Pasco County to stand trial.
ATLANTA (AP) - Nearly $5 million in funding for Georgia 911 services disappeared this year, and no one has been able to explain exactly why.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the money came from a 75-cent fee on prepaid phones sold in Georgia, but it was never distributed to local emergency 911 agencies.

Cellphone carriers such as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon offer prepaid plans, which charge customers upfront for phones and data without a contract.

The newspaper reports that every county in Georgia received 25 percent less than it did last year.

The decline in funding for 911 agencies limits their ability to hire operators, reduce response times and upgrade technology.

The Georgia Department of Revenue declined to comment to the newspaper. A Georgia privacy law makes tax information a state secret.
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) - Police in Georgia say three people are dead after an armed robbery attempt at a liquor store just south of Atlanta.

College Park police Lt. Lance Patterson told reporters that the owner, an employee and the suspect were all shot to death amid the Friday night gunfire.

Patterson said the owner of the business shot the suspect, but that police are still investigating the sequence of events and exactly what took place.

Police said the employee was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police said they were not looking for any additional suspects.

College Park is about 8 miles (13 kilometers) south of downtown Atlanta, near Atlanta's international airport.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Consumer confidence in Florida fell at the end of the year.

The monthly University of Florida consumer survey released Friday showed consumer confidence dropped in December. The survey measured confidence at 95.9, which is 1.4 points lower than it was previously. The lowest index possible is a 2, and the highest is 150.

Hector Sandoval of the Economic Analysis Program at UF's Bureau of Economic and Business Research said the drop came because Floridians are expressing pessimism about future economic conditions. He added that those with the strongest negative perceptions came from those who make more than $50,000 a year.

Despite the drop, consumer sentiment for 2017 was higher than it was for the previous year. And Sandoval noted that this has been the highest average since 2000.
YORK, NE (RNN) - Christmas may be a little less jubilant for one family in Vermont after their gifts were confiscated by a Nebraska sheriff's department.

But these were no ordinary Christmas presents. The York County Sheriff's Department said it discovered 60 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop, and the elderly couple carrying it told deputies it was for Christmas gifts.

Lt. Paul Vrbka told the York News-Times a Toyoto Tacoma was crossing the center line and deputies smelled the marijuana immediately after making the stop.

A drug-sniffing dog confirmed their suspicions.

Patrick Jiron, 80, and Barbara Jiron, 83, were on their way from California to visit family in Vermont for Christmas.

But neither the pot nor the couple will make it that far. The Jirons were taken into custody on felony drug charges.

The marijuana is estimated to have a street value of $336,000.

Copyright 2017 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
TWIN FALLS  Alan Brooks had every reason to give up. Who could have blamed him?

Hed been diagnosed with stage four cancer, a disease that had killed his father, his grandfather and his sister. He was homeless, camping in a tent down in a canyon and riding his bicycle to get where he needed to go. He didnt have a job or any close family in town, and hearing loss had made it difficult to communicate with doctors.

Instead, he chose to undergo treatment. He chose to fight.

After seven weeks of radiation, combined with chemotherapy, Brooks head and neck cancer is in remission. And  thanks to the efforts of a compassionate social worker  Brooks is no longer homeless.

I felt like I wasnt getting anywhere in life, he said after his one-month follow-up appointment Dec. 12. And today, I think that I am.

Brooks, 57, is receiving benefits he never would have applied for on his own, and its given him a second chance at living a typical life. All it took, he said, was someone willing to listen.

Diagnosis and evaluation

It was sometime in June when Brooks could no longer stand the pain. He had a lump on his throat that he thought was just another abscessed tooth.

He checked into the emergency room at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, and doctors performed some tests. By July, theyd discovered the problem: Brooks had stage four throat cancer.

He presented with a very large lymph node in his neck  probably 5 or 6 centimeters in size, St. Lukes Mountain States Tumor Institute Dr. Richard Hymas said.

The exact origin of the cancer was unknown, But Brooks used to chew tobacco and continues to smoke and drink. Any of those vices could have been the culprit.

I think he struggled a little bit in deciding whether to get treatment or not, said Melissa Osen, a licensed clinical social worker for St. Lukes MSTI.

Brooks thinks what kept him going was the memory of his sister, who died of brain cancer four years ago.

She gave up, and I wasnt going to, he said.

Patients at MSTI are entitled to a social worker at no cost to help them understand their treatments and diagnoses and weigh their options. Osen was the social worker assigned to Brooks, and she soon realized his case was more complicated than usual because of his living situation.

Brooks was terrified, but once he opted for treatment, the fight was on.

A dental evaluation showed he needed to have all of his teeth removed prior to radiation. Throat cancer radiation is hard on patients, Hymas said, because the sensitive salivary glands produce less saliva and swallowing becomes painful.

It feels like a sunburn on the inside, he explained. Thats why its very hard to eat.

To get Brooks the nutrition he needed, he would need a feeding tube. But the necessary open wound and equipment could become a risk factor if not kept clean and dry.

We couldnt start treatment until he had a place to live, Osen said.

With Brooks aggressive and advanced stage of cancer, he needed treatment quickly.

St. Lukes emergency fund money got Brooks into a room at the Quality Inn & Suites, and paid for taxi rides to and from the hospital. Meanwhile, Osen made some contacts with Idaho Housing and Finance Association. She explained Brooks situation. The application process was predictably difficult with no permanent mailing address for Brooks.

He really guided everything that he needed, Osen said. Id say What do you need? and hed say, I need you to listen.

Over the next couple of weeks, Osen got Brooks approved to receive disability benefits from social security. He also got approved for Medicaid and food stamps. With the Idaho Housing subsidy approved, Osen sought out an apartment. Fawnbrook Apartments came through.

By the grace of God, they had one one-bedroom apartment open within one week, Osen said.

South-Central Community Action Partnership helped Brooks pay his security deposit, and Deseret Industries set him up with furniture.

It was really a lot of community partners coming together and listening to his story, she said.

After eight years in and out of tents, Brooks finally had the resources he needed to live in an apartment, eat well and get to the doctor. As he talked about all that had happened, tears welled in his eyes.

If it was going to be up to me, it would have taken forever, Brooks said. (Osen) had it done just like that.

And he felt like a king.

I dont have to worry about the zipper going out on the door, he said.

A silver lining

For five days a week, seven weeks, the radiation treatments continued until the end of November. During each dose, Brooks was put under a constraining mask customized to his face, neck and shoulders. The mask prevented all but a few millimeters of movement  and he hated it.

But he kept coming, one day at a time. Before getting into the Fawnbrook Apartments, Brooks would park his bicycle at a local business and meet a taxi somewhere in town. Because of his hearing loss, he often got confused about which doctors he was seeing. Speaking loudly and clearly, Osen helped interpret.

Brooks was deeply touched by Osens relentless effort, but she says any other social worker at St. Lukes would have done the same.

We try to see each individual and meet them where theyre at, she said.

On Dec. 12, Brooks was eating four meals a day and his cancer was in remission.

This would have killed him probably within a year without treatment, Hymas said.

And in this case, the disease spurred the cure for many of his problems. Thanks to the assistance from St. Lukes, Brooks planned to make some big changes in his life.

He hoped to quit smoking  though he knew it would be a struggle when all of his friends smoked. He was going to get some dentures so he could enjoy a T-bone steak. Brooks was also waiting to hear back about a dog he was trying to adopt from the shelter, which he described as just a little hairy mutt. By the New Year, he hoped to have a vehicle.

His plans for Christmas? Cooking up a ham for dinner.

When was the last time you cooked yourself Christmas dinner in your own place? Osen asked.

I dont remember, he replied, pausing to think. I dont remember.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 08:47:01|Editor: Chengcheng

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DAVAO CITY, the Philippines, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 37 people may have died in the massive fire that ravaged a shopping mall here on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday as firefighters continued battling pockets of flames 16 hours after the blaze broke.

Distraught relatives wailed in grief as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced the firefighters' grim assessment on the victims' fate around 3:00 a.m. local time.

"According to the authorities still in the area, in that situation it's difficult to believe anyone can survive. Chance of survival is zero," Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops'Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) quoted the president as saying.

Valles told reporters outside a restaurant where the president was meeting with relatives of the missing workers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 09:27:06|Editor: Chengcheng

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CARACAS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Saturday declared Brazil's Ambassador Ruy Pereira and a counsellor at Canada's embassy as "persona non grata."

ANC President Delcy Rodriguez said Canadian Craig Kowalik was designated an unwelcome foreign visitor due to his "constant, insistent and rude meddling in Venezuela's internal affairs."

Both men "have been making declarations, using Twitter in an attempt to give Venezuela orders," said Rodriguez, who formerly served as foreign affairs minister.

In October, Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Ministry lodged a protest with the Canadian government, after Kowalik criticized the country's regional elections.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 09:27:07|Editor: Chengcheng

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DAVAO CITY, the Philippines, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 37 people may have died in the massive fire that ravaged a shopping mall here on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday as firefighters continued battling pockets of flames 16 hours after the blaze broke.

Distraught relatives wailed in grief as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced the firefighters' grim assessment on the victims' fate around 3:00 a.m. local time.

"According to the authorities still in the area, in that situation it's difficult to believe anyone can survive. Chance of survival is zero," Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops'Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) quoted the president as saying.

Valles told reporters outside a restaurant where the president was meeting with relatives of the missing workers.

As of 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, at least 37 people are listed as missing following the blaze that destroyed parts of NCCC Mall of Davao, city vice mayor Paolo Duterte, the president's son, said.

The president arrived at a restaurant where the kin of the missing were gathered just across from the smoldering four-storey edifice past 9:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Officials said rescue workers may begin on Sunday their task of searching and retrieving the bodies.

Police said the blaze may have started at the furniture store located in the shopping center's third floor and spread to the upper floor.

Valles said firemen and rescuers were finding it difficult to penetrate the inner portions of the building due to thick smoke and searing heat as pockets of fire continued to burn.

Six workers were able to escape with injuries in the early stages of the fire which started around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, police said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 10:37:15|Editor: Chengcheng

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CARACAS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- More than 80 prisoners convicted of violent crimes during anti-government protests in 2014 and 2017 could be released soon, Venezuela's truth commission said on Saturday.

Delcy Rodriguez, president of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) and its Commission for Public Justice, Peace and Tranquility, said the group has recommended that President Nicolas Maduro release certain inmates.

"We have recommended (conditional) pardons for more than 80 people, both to the criminal justice system and the president, and we are hoping it becomes effective in the coming hours," said Rodriguez.

The commission was created in August on the suggestion of the president's office to investigate protests sparked this year as well as the violence that marked the right-wing opposition's protest movement in 2014, known as "The Exit," which aimed to topple Maduro and the ruling socialist party.

"The commission has carried out exhaustive reviews of each criminal proceeding in the past four months," said Rodriguez.

Those pardoned will be expected to appear before the commission "to acknowledge the victims," and agree to perform "community service" in lieu of serving jail time, she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 10:58:16|Editor: Chengcheng

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People gather at the bus accident site in Sawai Madhopur district of north India's Rajasthan state Dec. 23, 2017. At least 33 people were killed after the passenger bus veered off a bridge and plunged into a river on Saturday. (Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 11:22:22|Editor: liuxin

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by Luis Rojas

MEXICO CITY, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- From tequila to avocados, the state of Jalisco in west central Mexico is seeing its exports to China increase, thanks to the expanding Chinese middle class.

Still, the export of avocado to China is currently somewhere between the thoughts of some local officials and a development blueprint.

On Singles' Day this Nov. 11, consumers purchased nearly a million avocados via online sales site Tmall, part of e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Such a scenario has led some local officials to believe that the avocado, the bright-green protein-rich fruit the Chinese consumers have proven fond of, will be another local export with notable potential for growth.

Ignacio Gomez, a spokesman for Jalisco's Association of Export Avocado Producers, said he's confident that his state's produce will be available to Chinese consumers soon.

Right now in Mexico, only Jalisco's neighboring state of Michoacan ships avocados to China.

"It is a market that is responding very well, and the trend indicates that in a few years China will be a very, very important market for Mexican avocados," said Gomez.

Jalisco currently exports 80,000 tons of avocado to countries in Europe, Central and South America, and the Middle East, as well as Canada, Japan etc.

One of Mexico's breadbasket states, Jalisco first launched tequila exports to China five years ago. In June of this year, the state made its first shipment of cranberries to China, sending 420 cases.

"We have to continue to strengthen the relationship with China, which is exceptional," Jalisco's secretary of rural development, Hector Padilla, told Xinhua.

"It is a market that is moving forward, that is growing, that is diversifying, and that we are cultivating so that volumes keep increasing," said Padilla.

Padilla noted that producers of Jalisco's other well-known fruits such as berries, mangoes and limes, also see China's market as a great booster of business.

"The space (for growth) in China is huge. They have enormous purchasing power that is growing year by year. It's just a question of time" before the state exports to China take off, said Padilla.

"We are barely in the initial stage of penetrating the Chinese market," the state official added.

Mexico benefited from China's growing consumer demand in 2017, with its exports to the Asian giant increasing 28 percent, the highest rate among its trading partners, and far higher than the 9 percent growth in trade it saw with its neighbor to the north, the United States, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) said.

Government statistics show trade exchanges between Mexico and China grew a whopping 185 percent from 2006 to 2016, rising from 26 billion U.S. dollars to 74 billion U.S. dollars.

Over recent years, Mexico has also received more than 74 million dollars in foreign direct investment from China.

Mexico's productive sector is looking to diversify its exports markets given the climate of uncertainty affecting the two-decade North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, the United States and Mexico, since U.S. President Donald Trump took office.

China's Latin American purchases were the most dynamic in 2017, and centered on basic products that are seeing higher prices compared to previous years, according to economist Paolo Giordano, an IDB expert in trade and integration.

Following four years of negative growth, Latin America saw a 13 percent increase in exports in 2017, driven in large part by increased demand from Chinese consumers, according to IDB.

The region's small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are also looking to break into Asian markets, especially China, said Alejandro Salcedo, head of the Mexican chapter of the Latin American Association of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (ALAMPYME).

"There are basic products that they need in order to produce and we want to see whether it is viable to supply these types of products to establish a marketing scheme," said Salcedo.

ALAMPYME, which gathers 300,000 SMBs from 13 Latin American countries, believes that China could serve as a gateway to Asia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 12:42:32|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Over the past 10 years, a Chinese development fund has invested billions of dollars in Africa.

Chi Jianxin, chairman of the China-Africa Development Fund, told Xinhua in an interview that the fund has 4.5 billion U.S. dollars to invest in 91 projects in 36 countries, with more than 3.2 billion dollars having already been invested.

"After the completion of all projects, the fund will channel more than 20 billion dollars from Chinese companies into Africa," Chi said.

To support Chinese companies in Africa, the fund was set up in 2007 following the 2006 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The initial scale of the fund was 5 billion dollars, and the total was expanded to 10 billion dollars in 2015. It has invested in fields including infrastructure, production capacity cooperation and agriculture.

After completion, the projects will produce 11,000 trucks, 300,000 air-conditioners, 540,000 refrigerators, 390,000 televisions and 1.6 million tonnes of cement each year, raising Africa's exports by 2 billion dollars and taxation income by 1 billion dollars every year, Chi said.

"Different from aid or loans, the fund guides more capital into Africa with its own investment," he added.

This approach has been welcomed, as it allows countries to push forward the projects without any increase in debt burden and raises their own development capacity, Chi said.

In past few years, Africa has been generally political stable with fast economic growth, more urban residents and middle-class consumers, and a rising appetite for consumer goods.

Many African countries enjoy geographical advantages, low labor cost and a good trade environment. They are well-positioned for international industrial cooperation.

"Africa's infrastructure, manufacturing and agricultural fields have continued sound development and have huge potential, so we are upbeat about prospects," he said.

The fund plans to make more investment and direct more capital into Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative and Chinese policies on international production capacity and equipment manufacturing cooperation.

In the process, the fund has taken an open attitude toward the cooperation with non-African countries and international organizations, as it sees supporting African development as "the joint responsibility of the international community," Chi said.

The fund has reached agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on investment in agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors, and signed memorandum of understanding on investment and exports with the UK Department for International Cooperation.

It is also exploring cooperation with other partners, including the World Bank, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the African Development Bank.

In this way, the fund not only invests in Africa, but also helps African products meet the demands of the global market, which will in turn create jobs and expand exports, Chi said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 14:37:45|Editor: liuxin

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BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have detained more than 11,000 suspects in over 3,700 cases during the past two years for alleged misuse of citizens' personal information.

Wang Shengjun, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), made the statement when briefing lawmakers on cyberspace protection Sunday.

Wang called the task of protecting internet users' personal information "grim."

"Illegal industrial chains have taken shape in some places, which involve illegal collection, theft, sale and use of internet users' personal information," he said.

Some internet companies and public service agencies have stored large amounts of personal information, but security protection lags seriously behind, making them easy targets, according to the report.

"Serious leaks of personal information have led to an increase in fraud targeting victims with high precision," Wang noted.

The report was based on investigations between August and October to assess the Cybersecurity Law that took effect on June 1, and a decision on protection of online information introduced five years ago.

The decision includes an identity management policy requiring users to use their real names to identify themselves to service providers, including internet or telecommunications operators.

Over the past five years, telecommunications operators have suspended services to more than 10 million users who refused to register their real names.

Wang proposed speeding up work on a new law, standardizing the scope and means of verifying identity, better supervision and harsher penalties.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 15:17:54|Editor: Yurou

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ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Two militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) group were arrested during a security operation conducted in the southern port city of Aden early on Sunday morning, a government official told Xinhua.

"The security forces launched a search operation and then raided a building in Aden's neighborhood of Tawahi and managed to capture two dangerous terrorists," the local government official said on condition of anonymity.

Experts of the Criminal Investigation Department started interrogating the captured militants who were in close contact with prominent leaders of the IS group in Yemen, the source said.

A security source confirmed that the captured militants were responsible for recruiting other terrorists to make roadside bombs and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in order to target the government officials in Aden.

The anti-terror unit of the security forces seized weapons, different kinds explosives and an amount of cash after the pre-dawn operation in Tawahi neighborhood.

Last month, the IS militants detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) and targeted the Ministry of Finance building in KhorMaksar district of Aden.

The Yemen-based affiliate of the IS group has yet to make comments on the security operation in Aden.

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 IS had an active presence in Yemen's southern part.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the 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 Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The United Nations has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with 7 million Yemenis on the brink of famine and cholera causing more than 2,000 deaths.
SALT LAKE CITY  Think of the best Christmas present youve ever received. A great gift, sure. You might never forget it. But David Coopers is better.

After years of health struggles, David Cooper, a Twin Falls resident, underwent a double organ transplant Dec. 1 at Intermountain Health Care in Utah, receiving a new pancreas and a new kidney.

As he recovers this month at his brothers house, this Christmas will be different than any hes ever had.

Its hard to talk about that without getting emotional, Cooper said Dec. 15. I just feel like Ive gotten a lifetime of presents early this year.

Cooper was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 16 years ago. Thats somewhat unusual, he said, because it often occurs in children. He also had a viral infection in his late 20s that attacked his pancreas.

Its just been something Ive struggled with for several, several years, he said. Because of that, diabetes is hard on the organs.

Cooper said he didnt pay as close attention as he should have to checkups for a year or two.

When he went to a doctors appointment in July 2016, my kidney function was pretty much diminished entirely. That was kind of a shock unto itself.

He began dialysis in December 2016. His doctor, Dr. Haroon Rashid with Magic Valley Kidney Institute, recommended he go to Utah to be seen about a kidney and pancreas transplant.

At Intermountain Medical Center, Cooper was told he had a few options. He could seek a live kidney donor, which he said is always a best match. Or he could wait and go on the transplant list to receive a kidney and pancreas from a deceased donor.

Coopers relatives, including his siblings, went through testing to see if they would be a good fit to be an organ donor.

They all quickly went through the process and because of their own heath hurdles, none were a match, he said.

Cooper was placed on the transplant list, but in a temporarily inactive status. He needed time to prepare for the surgery. That included meeting requirements set by surgeons and nephrologists, such as losing weight, getting additional immunizations, and undergoing angiograms and pulmonary tests.

Losing weight was the biggest hurdle, Cooper said. While on dialysis, his stomach was filled with fluid every night and flushed out every morning to remove toxins.

That was just a huge obstacle to losing weight, he said. It was making me bigger and unhealthier. It also left him feeling lethargic.

Despite the challenges, Cooper said he learned there are many whove endured worse.

There were people and friends I saw in the clinics who had it so much harder than me, he said.

Over the summer, Cooper began to learn more about better eating and sleeping habits. He starting losing weight.

Slowly, he said, some pounds began to come off.

On Nov. 1, he had an appointment with a new doctor, Dr. Donald Morris, a nephrologist for Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah.

He just quickly reassured me that there was a lot of potential and he could move quickly to get me actively listed, Cooper said.

His status on the transplant list was changed to active Nov. 17. Less than two weeks later, on Nov. 28, Cooper received a phone call saying there was a potential donor.

Theres a lot of mixed emotions when they say theres a potential donor, Cooper said. Somewhere, there is a family in mourning because someone has been lost. You kind of wrap your mind around that, and its painful and hopeful all in kind of the same thought.

He received another call Nov. 30 asking him to come in for surgery.

The surgery began at midnight Dec. 1. Cooper received both of the organs  a kidney and pancreas  from the same donor during one surgery, which took five or six hours.

Afterward, the surgeons just kept saying how pleased they were with the look of the organs, Cooper said. They started working immediately, with no dormant period. They just went right at it.

Cooper spent 12 days at the hospital recovering.

It was kind of a two steps forward, one step back kind of process, he said. One day, he had heart palpitations, a fever and extreme nausea. He was afraid his body rejecting the organs. But the doctors remained positive, and slowly, things improved.

Now, Cooper is staying at his brothers home, about an hours drive from the hospital. Hes required to spend at least a month within an hour of Salt Lake City. He goes into the doctors office twice a week.

He expects hell be able to come home in mid-January to Twin Falls, where he has lived for about 16 years. Cooper has been the managing editor of Progressive Cattleman for seven years, and previously spent nine years at the Times-News, six as opinion editor and three as city editor.

Its natural to feel alone when youre going through health challenges, he said, but he wants to encourage others. They just need to find someone confide in, and to express pain and uncertainty.

Above all, hes thankful for his second chance at life.

Organ donorship is such a powerful, living testimony of life, he said. You cant really begin to express your gratitude for the family that made such a selfless decision.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 15:17:54|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- As Christmas and New Year celebrations are just around the corner, security level has been raised up in many countries on high alert of anti-terrorism.

Cities across the United States are tightening security over the holiday season. There's heightened security in New York City as authorities are deploying special explosive detection K-9 teams, radiation detection devices and hundreds of additional security personnel.

Authorities are taking extra precautions in Washington D.C. after an Islamic State group released posters showing the famed Washington National Cathedral on fire.

In Las Vegas in the western U.S. state of Nevada, the city is installing 800 safety posts on the strip to stop potential vehicle attacks, and deploying a record number of Nevada Guard soldiers.

While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said there are no credible threats at this time, it urged Americans to stay alert during the holidays.

The European continent has also been vigilant after a terrorist killed 12 people by driving a truck into crowds at a Christmas market in the German capital of Berlin in December in 2016.

This year, Germany's Christmas markets opened with concrete barriers being placed to protect shoppers under tighter-than-usual security measures.

Italy's Interior Ministry has ordered all law enforcement authorities to step up controls in public areas where crowds are likely to gather, such as squares, churches, monuments, and open-air markets.

Authorities are also intensifying checks at airports, ports, railway stations, highways, and collective means of transportation. As well, the committee extended to Dec. 31, 2019 the so-called Safe Streets Operation, in which 7,050 military troops are deployed at embassies, monuments, major stations, and other possible terrorist targets throughout Italy.

Austria has found a creative way to boost security measures at the well-known Christkindlmarkt Christmas market, including using concrete blocks disguised as Christmas presents, as well as a massive police presence that covers almost all entrances to the market.

Other countries which are victims of terrorist attacks have also been setting alarms for the upcoming yuletide season.

Security chiefs in Nigeria have placed all their personnel on full alerts in the event of any emergency situation during the Christmas holiday season.

Rebel attacks in recent years have overshadowed the festive season in the West African country. And the Nigerian Army has called on people who reside in the restive northeast region to be security vigilant and guard against suicide bomb attack by Boko Haram insurgents.

Egypt has also made an announcement to raise the security level to the highest around churches ahead of Christmas to prevent terror attacks.

Interior Minister Magdi Abdel Ghaffar instructed in a meeting with his security assistants to beef up security in the surroundings of churches and vital state facilities. And more security patrols will be deployed to the streets.

In Asia, Indonesian police have launched an anti-terror operation called "Candle Operation" to ensure the safety of the coming Christmas and New Year holidays.

The operation aims to prevent possible terror attacks during the holiday season since the country was hit by church bombings in several cities on the Christmas eve in the year 2000.

Terrorism has been rampant for years worldwide. Festival celebrations which usually gather large crowds of people have always been major targets of terrorist attacks worldwide.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 15:27:57|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A report submitted for review to China's top legislature Sunday warned of heavy reliance on foreign technology by major enterprises of industrial control systems.

"The localization rate of equipment and control systems in major industrial companies should increase," said Wang Shengjun, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), when briefing lawmakers on cyberspace protection in the report.

Some key industrial control companies not only have their production control systems built by foreign companies, but allow related cyberspace security equipment to be foreign-produced and controled. And worse yet: Chinese staff even have no permission for configuration and administration, the report said.

The localization rate of production control systems in key industrial control enterprises falls even below 20 percent in certain provinces, it noted.

Wang proposed to intensify efforts in technology research and development to raise the localization rate gradually in order to improve Chinese companies' control over these important equipment.

China aims to set up an independently controllable technology system to ensure cyberspace security by 2020.

The government initiated a major project to improve cyberspace security in its five-year R&D plan for 2016-2020 period, vowing to inject research funds of about 1.38 billion yuan (about 210 million U.S. dollars).

Sunday's report was based on investigations between August and October to assess the Cybersecurity Law that took effect on June 1, and a decision on protection of online information introduced five years ago.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 15:33:02|Editor: Yurou

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KABUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least seven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Sunday, provincial government spokesman said.

The incident occurred in the morning after a minibus touched off a roadside bombing in Marja district, Helmand province, spokesman Omar Zwak told Xinhua.

The bus was carrying 10 people, three commuters aboard were also injured after the blast, he said, blaming enemies of Afghanistan, a term referring to the Taliban militant group for the incident.

Taliban and Islamic State (IS) fighters have been using home-made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to make roadside bombs and landmines to target security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.

Some 2,640 civilians were killed and over 5,370 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first nine months of the year, according to United Nations mission in the country.

The IED 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.

The Afghan army found and destroyed 117 rounds of IEDs within the past 24 hours across the country, Defense Ministry said earlier on Sunday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 16:13:09|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TIKRIT, Iraq, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Four paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and six others injured Sunday in an overnight attack by Islamic State (IS) in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, provincial security source said.

The attack occurred began with mortar barrage on Hashd Shaabi base near the town of Dour in east of the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Following the barrage, heavy fighting erupted when more than 30 IS militants riding ten vehicles attacked military base, sparking fierce clashes with the paramilitary fighters who defended their position during the night hours, the source said.

In early morning, reinforcement troops arrived to the scene and forced the attackers to withdraw after leaving at least three bodies of their militants and two destroyed vehicles in the area, the source added.

The IS militants came from the rugged area that extends to IS redoubt in Mteibijah area in the eastern part of Salahudin province, according to the source.

The extremist militants waged the attack from the rugged area despite an operation on Dec. 16, when the Iraqi forces swept the eastern part of the province to hunt down remnants of IS militants.

The sprawling rugged area also extends to the western part of neighboring Diyala province and the nearby Himreen mountainous area.

During the past few months, dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas during major anti-IS offensives.

On Dec. 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups and individuals of IS militants melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas in many areas in Iraq looking for safe havens. They still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 16:23:11|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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ISTANBUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has dismissed some 2,700 more officers from their posts over a failed coup last year under two new statutory decrees published on Sunday in the Official Gazette.

According to the decrees, the dismissed officers had links to or were members of terror groups or other organizations that act against national security.

Among the dismissed are more than 630 soldiers from the Turkish Armed Forces and officers from the gendarmerie forces, the national police and the coast guard command.

Meanwhile, 115 people who were previously fired are reinstated under the new decrees.

The investigation and crackdown have been continuing since a coup bid by some in the military jolted Turkey in July last year, killing 250 people.

More than 150,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from their posts while over 55,000 others have been arrested ever since over their suspected links to the movement led by the U.S-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Ankara of masterminding the failed coup.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 16:28:11|Editor: Yamei

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(Xinhua file photo)

BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- China's push to clean up the environment is creating a huge renewable energy market, tempting industry leaders.

Automakers, for example, are vying for a larger share of the world's fastest-growing new energy vehicle market.

U.S. automaker Tesla is reportedly in talks with Shanghai to build a factory, and the company is "deeply committed to the Chinese market."

Ford recently announced a joint venture with Anhui Zotye Automobile to produce and sell electric cars in China, with plans to launch 15 models by 2025.

The growing interest comes with China's intensified efforts to ease pressure on the environment through tax exemptions and subsidies for new energy cars.

Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, said China is taking the lead in the electric vehicle market as there is a real government push to clear the air.

It is not just the automobile industry that sees opportunities in government initiatives. Companies from chemical producers to natural gas providers are thrilled by the push for long-term, sustainable growth.

Clariant, a Swiss chemicals company, is looking for Chinese partners to commercialize its "sunliquid," which converts agricultural residue such as wheat straw into ethanol. According to Markus Rarbach, head of biofuels and derivatives at Clariant, the company's technology could be in widespread use in 2018.

In September, the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration decided to increase use of bioethanol gasoline by 2020, and to build an facility that will produce 50,000 tonnes of cellulosic ethanol a year.

"Given China's huge population and growing economy, our sunliquid technology can play a key role in helping the country make that important fuel switch," Rarbach said.

The transition in fuel is also helping eliminate winter smog. This year, Beijing has shut down more than 4,000 coal-fired boilers used for winter heating, replacing coal with natural gas and electricity, prompting state oil companies to look overseas for new gas sources.

Sinopec will take the lead in exploration of liquified natural gas (LNG) in Alaska, according to a deal signed during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China.

The project could create 70,000 new jobs in the United States, while helping China cut 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

In an interview with Xinhua, Governor Bill Walker of the U.S. state of Alaska said the project could provide a long-term LNG supply at a stable price and meet China's rising demand.

"We have a tremendous opportunity in Alaska to bring liquefied natural gas to China on a very long-term basis," Walker said.

With the country's continued opening-up and better environmental protection in the years to come, more foreign firms can benefit from China's clean energy drive.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 16:43:13|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TIKRIT, Iraq -- Four paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and six others injured Sunday in an overnight attack by Islamic State in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, provincial security source said.

The attack occurred began with mortar barrage on Hashd Shaabi base near the town of Dour in east of the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. (Iraq-IS-Paramilitary)

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CARACAS -- Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Saturday declared Brazil's Ambassador Ruy Pereira and a counsellor at Canada's embassy as "persona non grata."

ANC President Delcy Rodriguez said Canadian Craig Kowalik was designated an unwelcome foreign visitor due to his "constant, insistent and rude meddling in Venezuela's internal affairs." (Venezuela-Diplomacy)

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DAVAO CITY, the Philippines -- At least 37 people may have died in the massive fire that ravaged a shopping mall here on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday as firefighters continued battling pockets of flames 16 hours after the blaze broke.

Distraught relatives wailed in grief as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced the firefighters' grim assessment on the victims' fate. (Philippines-Massive Fire)

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KABUL -- At least seven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Sunday, provincial government spokesman said.

The incident occurred in the morning after a minibus touched off a roadside bombing in Marja district, Helmand province, spokesman Omar Zwak told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Blast-Death)
File photo shows Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa makes opening remarks during an extra ordinary congress of the governing ZANU-PF party in Harare, Zimbabwe, Dec. 15, 2017. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa)

by Tichaona Chifamba

HARARE, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The military intervention on Nov. 15 has completely changed Zimbabwe's political landscape with the former President Robert Mugabe leaving the helm of both government and the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Having been the only leader Zimbabweans have ever known since the country attained independence from Britain in 1980, Mugabe had for 37 years commanded much respect from the military which exhibited.

In fact, the military in 2008 intervened in another way after Mugabe had suffered a presidential election stumble at the hands of long time rival Morgan Tsvangirai.

It allegedly forced people to vote for Mugabe in the run-off that Tsvangirai boycotted, citing violence perpetrated on his supporters.

However, as succession issues boiled over as party and government officials saw Mugabe edging towards the twilight of his political career, military seeming to take more interest in the emerging succession battle.

The then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Mugabe's wife Grace were seen as likely successors. Their contention grew fierce in recent years, with Grace spiritedly accusing Mnangagwa of trying to topple Mugabe.

On Nov. 6 Mugabe fired Mnangagwa, which led the military to take over of the government on the night of Nov. 14/15, culminating in Mugabe's resignation on Nov. 21.

Within Zanu-PF, Mugabe was also fired as party president and first secretary while his wife Grace and a few other top officials were expelled.

Zimbabwe Defense Forces commander Constantino Chiwenga said the forces had noted that there were purges within the party targeting people who had a history with the liberation struggle, while those who did not participate were gaining ground, which is interpreted as referring to Grace and her allies.

He said there had been no meaningful development in the country for the past five years due to squabbling in the ruling party.

"The resultant economic impasse has ushered in more challenges to the Zimbabwean populace such as cash shortages and rising commodity prices," he said a day before the military action.

The bloodless action, and its public support, have led the regional body Southern African Development Community to accept the new political dispensation in the country.

NEW PRESIDENT, MIXED REACTIONS

Despite the public support for a change of leadership, Mnangagwa's ascendency to the leadership however was met with mixed feelings.

Many have hoped he can turn around the fortunes of the economy despite the fact that he was not their preferred choice for leader.

"Let's give him a chance. He has less than eight months of Mugabe's term left and let's see how he will fare. Things will not change overnight but his policies will assure us whether we are moving in the right direction or not," said informal trader Petros Hove.

So far, he has preached about forgiveness, calling for people to rebuild the country as one regardless of party affiliation.

But his critics still allege that his ascendency was not constitutional as he literally toppled an elected leader with assistance from the military.

Chiwenga, who led the military intervention, retired recently with Mnangagwa saying that he is due for reassignment.

Speculation is high that he will be appointed one of two vice presidents, while two other generals have already been appointed to cabinet positions and another re-assigned to the party's commissariat department.

OVERWHELMING CHALLENGES

One major task facing Mnangagwa is ending the prevailing cash shortages amid the country's struggling economy.

Zimbabweans have endured cash shortages for more than three years and the introduction of bond notes in 2016 to plug the crisis has not eased their woes.

The country's economy also remains under stress mainly due to low domestic production across all sectors. It recorded the lowest growth rate since 2009 of 0.6 percent in 2016, when it had started to grow following years of recession. The 2017 forecast is 2.8 percent, according to the IMF.

Many reasons for the liquidity challenges have been proffered, among them few exports and externalization of the U.S. dollar.

Unsustainable current account and capital account deficits have also put pressure on the nostro accounts of banking institutions, resulting in cash shortages.

Long queues still characterize many banks especially at month-ends when people get their salaries, but some people have stopped visiting banks amid prevailing lack of confidence in the banking sector.

Some banks continued to give clients less than 50 dollars a day while others pegged their limits at 100 dollars once a week.

So far, hopes that Mnangagwa can reverse the trend have remained high. The business community has expressed confidence in the future.

Foreign direct investment is now expected to flow into the country following drastic changes to the indigenization law that previously required foreigners to own up to 49 percent of local companies.

The new law will limit the 49/51 percent threshold to the natural resources sector, particularly diamond and platinum mining.

Zimbabweans are yet to see tangible results from the change of leadership but the signs of changes have kept many upbeat about the country's future.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 18:13:30|Editor: Yamei

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by Abu Hanifah

JAKARTA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Corruption remains a serious problem in Indonesia with scores of senior officials and parliament members arrested in the past year by the nation's anti-graft commission (KPK) as the government steps up its measures to tackle the issue.

The nation's struggle to eradicate corruption has been an uphill effort as the illicit practice of stealing money from the state has been rampant and systematically conducted in state institutions.

A rising number of arrests and legal proceedings against corrupt officials and lawmakers over the last few years, however, has seemingly not provided enough of a deterrent for officials to stay away from corruption.

ANTICORRUPTION DEBACLE

The recent long and weary process of bringing parliament speaker Setya Novanto to justice over a scandalous corruption case he committed, has illustrated how serious the issue is in Indonesia and how steep the uphill struggle is to tackle it.

Despite his distinguished post in the country that required him to be a role model and respect the supremacy of law, Setya demonstrated his defiance by filing an appeal against the allegations leveled by the KPK in July and made a political attempt to rebuff the KPK by having parliament form an inquiry task force against the commission.

The latter move incited staunch public criticism of parliament, which once ranked as one of most corrupt institutions in the country.

The public regarded the forming of a parliamentary inquiry task force against the KPK as being an absurd move that ran contrary to the government and the will of the people to totally eradicate corruption in the country.

"This is serious. They used political variables to oppose the nation's anticorruption drive. Instead of facilitating it, the parliament members actually broke the nation's hope of seeing a brighter, corruption-free future," HS Dillon, a member of Indonesia's Anti-Corruption Civil Society, said.

He added that rampant corruption would hinder the nation from advancing further towards becoming a prosperous country.

In addition, Setya also tried several bogus attempts to be absent for KPK questioning after being summoned. His excuses included illnesses and an instance of literally running away from KPK enforcers.

His escape tactics ended up in a dramatic car crash that saw him admitted to hospital last month. Wasting no time, KPK enforcers arrested him in the hospital and immediately detained him in a KPK detention facility.

Setya was charged for committing corruption connected to a project related to national digital ID cards that ran from 2011 to 2013 when he served as parliament member.

He was charged of illicitly reallocating some 2.3 trillion rupiah (about 169.2 million U.S. dollars) from 5.9 trillion rupiah (about 434.1 million U.S. dollars) allocated for the project.

The parliament speaker, who also chairs the nation's influential Golkar Party, finally resigned from his post when he was detained by the KPK, and is awaiting legal proceedings.

Setya's attempts to dodge justice have yet to end. He filed another appeal to a court, asking for help from President Joko Widodo as the trial against him was underway.

He has received no reply thus, and is facing corruption charges which may carry a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Along with Setya, the powerful government-sanctioned anti-graft agency has also arrested dozens of parliament members on suspicion of their involvement in multiple corruption cases.

At least 12 governors, 64 regents and majors have already been arrested by the KPK for their involvement in corruption cases since the anti-graft commission formed in 2004.

In addition, the KPK also arrested former ministers and other high-ranking officials on corruption charges during their service tenures.

Legal proceedings against some of them have been concluded with various sentences of up to six years of imprisonment imposed along with the obligation to return the money embezzled to the state.

The most shocking arrest involving an Indonesian corruption case was of Akil Mukhtar, who headed the Constitutional Court (MK) in 2013, the nation's highest legal institution.

The MK chief justice was caught redhanded receiving a bribe amounting to 250,000 U.S. dollars at his official residence. The bribe was related to disputed results of a regional election in Kalimantan. He was sentenced a year later to life in prison.

LENIENCY AND LOOPHOLES

Eradicating corruption has been a focal policy for governments ruling Southeast Asia's largest country over the last several decades.

There has been a drastic surge in the number of arrests of violators since the KPK launched its crackdown in the mid-2000s, with widespread media coverage of the dramatic arrests of high-profile people who were caught redhanded accepting bribes.

Despite the media hullabaloo, however, many of those arrested received only lenient sentences, after being prosecuted, averaging between just four to six years imprisonment. This, despite the maximum legal sentence being life imprisonment.

Legal experts here have maintained that such lenient sentences do little by way of providing a deterrent to the accused to reoffend, or from deterring would-be grafters from illicitly lining their own pockets.

The experts have also highlighted flaws in the law and loopholes that allow embezzled funds to flow out of the country.

Sentences brought against those charged with corruption are not commensurate with the impact their crimes have had on ordinary people in light of the enormity of state funds usually involved, critics have also asserted.

The punishments have also not included social sanctions, essential in deterring such acts from occurring in society, experts have also pointed out.

Such sanctions could involve removing political rights, banning access to certain financial services, as well as the ability to work in the public sector. They could also include a full disclosure of the person's identity in the media, they added.

"Indonesian law is still attached to conventional methods, but needs to be innovative and inventive, in creating punishments against violators," Ramadan Pradiptyo, an executive at the Economics and Business Research Center at Gajah Mada University, said.

Indonesia has ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) through Law No. 7/2006 that allows the nation to be more creative in its efforts to eradicate corruption issues plaguing the country, he added.

DIGITAL BREAKTHROUGH

The current government administered by President Joko Widodo has proposed using digital technology aimed at minimizing the opportunities to commit corruption.

The government has planned to apply e-budgeting, e-planning and e-procurement systems to facilitate administration processes in proposing budgets, development plans and procuring goods for government proposals in the near future.

President Widodo said recently that his administration is now in the process of providing a legal basis for the systems, which are expected to significantly reduce instances of corruption.

Widodo also plans to reform the permission issuance process in authorized institutions, so that the public and business people wanting to obtaining official permission for their business activities are not duped.

Digital technology could certainly help Indonesia tackle corruption, as a lifetime digital footprint would always provide incontrovertible evidence against those seeking to defraud the government and swindle the nation's law-abiding, hardworking citizens.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 18:13:30|Editor: Yamei

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ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has welcomed the cease-fire agreement signed on Saturday between the Government of the Republic of Congo and a group led by the Reverend Priest Ntumi.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has noted with satisfaction the signing of a cessation of hostilities and ceasefire agreement in the Pool Department between the Government of the Republic of the Congo and the Reverend Priest Ntumi, in Kinkala, according to a statement from the pan-African bloc on Sunday.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission has congratulated the parties on this important step in the search for a peaceful solution to their dispute.

The Chairperson has encouraged the parties to scrupulously honor the commitments made.

He has underlined that the implementation of the provisions contained in the agreement can only contribute to the creation of a peaceful and stable environment necessary for the development of the Congo and the consolidation of democracy.
This year marked the 500th anniversary of Martin Luthers nailing of the principles of religious freedom on the church door at Wittenberg, Germany, a small symbolic act which fanned the freedom of thought worldwide. He was not a typical priest, so his simple act of religious defiance was the spark which led to the Reformation. Two and a half centuries later, an American Revolution against religious prosecution led to the founding of our nation.

Luther believed he was returning what he saw as a moribund Catholic Church to the underlying principle of the Bible: a one-to-one relationship between Christians and the God of creation, uninhibited by the intermediary of formal structure. Among his favorite passages was from Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Indeed. Our colonial leaders said the same in the eloquence of the Declaration, placing before a candid world the reasons why America should be free of Great Britains heavy hand. The right of freedom was not something Americans had to create. It was a gift from God as our Founding Fathers also believed. A republic, if you can keep it, said Benjamin Franklin when asked what form of government the delegates had created. If he were alive today, I think Franklin would be pleased to see us doing our best to keep it.

The Founding Fathers werent saints nor were they forming a theocratic state. They were ordinary men  some religious and some not so much  but they shared a common belief that perpetual faith was and would remain a guidepost on our national journey. Some years ago, U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett compiled a short collection of inspirational quotes from our Founding Fathers, entitled Our Sacred Honor. Its a great Christmas present for anyone, particularly for our youth. It deals with timeless virtues such as courage, truthfulness, honesty, humility and yes, piety. What a great set of principles for us all, public servants alike, Republicans and Democrats.

We mark a continuing journey again this year in Idaho, in a time of national discord and seemingly endless hostility and rancor. We are blessed to live in a state which, it seems to me, has less of this than many other states. Unfortunately, the media brings out areas of disagreement with regularity. In Idaho we seem less touched by the strife. We should give thanks for that not-so-small blessing with Christs birth fast upon us tonight with a New Year beginning with optimism in Idaho.

As the new session approaches, all of us legislators are thinking about how we each and together can make Idaho an even greater and freer place to live, work and raise our children and grandchildren. This week, we keep in mind the eloquent words of our favorite carols and passages, how an angel of the Lord came to the shepherds of the field and told them not to be sore afraid, because unto them had been born that night a Savior who is Christ the Lord to bring peace to all men on Earth.

We legislators do not all agree on the details of human affairs. Partisan differences and sometimes raucous debate can anger and divide even the most sanguine of members. But we are all in this together. Are we not all striving to make Idaho even freer, even more resourceful, and more entrepreneurial than our long history shows? Its been quipped that neither man, nor God, nor the beasts of the field are safe so long as a Legislature is in session. Perhaps true elsewhere, but not here. Generally, we do the right thing, sometimes more than once, in the laws we pass.

My good fellow members in the minority party dont always see issues as I do. Neither do my good fellow members of the right wing faction within my own party. But out of this usually civil discourse come steps forward in Idahos governance, laws and public policies. Thats why my colleagues and I continue to work daily on behalf of our citizens, children, and their children. I am honored and privileged to represent you, my fellow citizens, Idahoans and Americans, again in this wonderous process of citizen government.

Merry Christmas to you all!
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 18:18:32|Editor: Yamei

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KABUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Afghan intelligence agency has arrested 28 suspected militants within the past 24 hours, the country's primary intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Sunday.

A total of 28 suspected militants were arrested across Afghanistan and they have been shifted to concerned departments for questioning, the NDS said on its Facebook page.

The NDS personnel also seized 10 rounds of different weapons, 30 kg of explosives and found 37 rounds of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and landmines in various locations during the period.

The NDS special units also launched nine special operations elsewhere since early Saturday.

Violence has been on the rise as Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by anti-government fighters since the drawdown of foreign forces within the past three years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 19:08:39|Editor: Yurou

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SUVA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Christmas is just around the corner and Fijians have lit up their Christmas trees in their homes and were shopping for food and gifts for their loved ones, as retailers were offering massive sales to attract customers.

Along the streets of Suva, capital of Fiji, choirs were seen singing Christmas carols in the evenings on the week before Christmas Day. Some Fijians traveled abroad or back to their hometown to celebrate Christmas Day with their clan members and extended families.

My Suva Park in the Fijian capital has been lit up and was a popular spot for families as it showcased Christmas lights for the festive season.

Suva City has been packed with Fijians from the rural areas and islands for their Christmas shopping.

Debra Prasad, a local businesswoman who has travelled to Los Angeles with her three daughters, told Xinhua that this was a surprise Christmas gift paid by her siblings and something they looked forward to doing as her parents and other family members lived in the United States.

Leo Nainoka, a member of the Indigenous Terra Madre network and the Social Empowerment and Education (SEEP) community, said Christmas means going to church with members of the family having lunch together and some grog and red wine.

"I don't really believe in the materialistic stuff of the world but visiting unfortunate people and women who have lost their husbands and people living below the poverty line, is what I'll do," he said.

Nasik Swami, a journalist based in Suva, said that he will spend Christmas at home with his parents, families and friends.

"Christmas is usually an expensive affair. We spend 500 Fijian dollars (about 242.3 U.S. dollars) on shopping and I guess this year would be no different. The budget includes shopping for groceries, cakes, juice and the most expensive of all - meat," he said.

Apart from its religious significance, Christmas to the Swami's means a special day for family - a time to spread joy with loved ones, reflect on the past months and to prepare well for the future as a family unit, he said.

Sainiana Radrodro, wife of a Fijian parliamentarian, said that she would spend Christmas with her husband and their children in their village in Serea, Naitasiri, one of the 14 provinces in Fiji.

Radrodro said that their budget would be 500 Fijian dollars (about 242.3 U.S. dollars), the same amount they spent last year.

"Christmas to us is always a time for unity and reconciliation with family and friends we may have wronged. It's also a time we visit those who are less fortunate than us. We like to donate during Christmas to orphans and single parents. We've always done that as a family during this time. That has a separate budget of about 500 Fijian dollars. We will celebrate with about 50 family members as we always do annually in the village," she said.

Consumer Council of Fiji Chief Executive Premila Kumar said that planning was vital during this busy period and impulse buying should never be an option for Fijians.

She said that consumers should look for discounts and bargains offered by the retailers. Unfortunately, Christmas has become typically one of the most financially stressful events in the year.

"The expense of cooking and buying gifts, the pressure of last minute shopping, and the heightened expectations of family togetherness can all combine to undermine best intentions," she said.

Kumar said that most family budgets are stretched very tight during the Christmas and New Year holiday.

"It is a fact that Non-Communicable Diseases are on the rise in Fiji. Families need to make healthy choices when it comes to preparing food for the festivities."

She urged families to shift the focus on healthier options while maintaining the spirit of Christmas.

"Don't spend all your money on one meal and later live on bread and tea. It's better to plan your means during this festival," she said.

Fijian Police have urged members of the public to take great care of their handbags and purses, in the busy shopping period of Christmas.

Suva Retailers Association (SRA) President Vinay Kumar told Xinhua that the Christmas sale began in late November which will run right through to late January 2018.

"Many bigger retailers now publish and distribute shopping catalogues well before Christmas which assists Fijian consumers in making informed decisions. All retailers are now in the Christmas sale mode in the Suva Central Business District (CBD)."

The lights and advertising for Christmas sale is now in full swing in all mediums.

SRA is planning for late night shopping in the Suva CBD and is currently working with stakeholders to get this done.

Many of the retailers in the Suva CBD will also open on Sunday for a few hours to cater for last minute shoppers as Christmas Day falls on a Monday.

"There will an aggressive marketing for Christmas sales on all platforms from the traditional news media to the social media as the days to Christmas break gets closer, we urge the customers to make informed decision when making purchases," said Kumar.

He said that the 2017/18 budget polices of the Fijian government was tricking down especially with the extra disposable income with the increase in the threshold for tax and the increase in civil servant salaries.

"With the festive season in full swing and the schools opening in mid-January 2018 most of the retailers will be busy in the next few weeks catering for their customers," he said.

Kumar said that the retail sector in Fiji had stabilized a couple of months ago and was buoyant right now.

At the same time he urged shoppers to be astute when entering in any hire purchase agreements.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 19:23:41|Editor: Yurou

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KABUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 militants, involved in interruption of electricity cables and damaging power pylons, were killed following an air raid in Afghanistan's eastern province Wardak, Defense Ministry said Sunday.

"An air-supported clearance operation on Sunday, launched by army Corps Tander 203, resulted in the death of 15 insurgents, including one of their local commanders, Fayyaz, in Sayed Abad district, Wardak province," the ministry said in a statement.

The targeted militants were involved in subversive activities in the district, including interrupting Arghundi-Ghazni power cords and wounding a local engineer who was fixing a power pylon on Saturday.

A big amount of heavy and light arms and ammunition were also seized during the clean-up operation which is still ongoing in the turbulent district.

More development would be shared with media later in the day, the statement noted.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 19:38:43|Editor: Yurou

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NAIROBI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's future growth can only be secured by nurturing the youth and preparing them to take on the future with the skills necessary to keep moving the country forward, a government official said on Sunday.

Irungu Nyakera, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Planning, said in a commentary published in the Standard Newspaper that the government has committed to empowering the youth through key interventions.

"Given the important role of young people in the country's future growth, the youth are set to be the greatest beneficiaries of the 6.5 million targeted jobs to be created over the next five years," Nyakera said.

The ruling party's manifesto which has been assimilated in the Third Medium Term, and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals also targets to empower the youth.

Nyakera said that like most growing economies, Kenya's youth comprise the largest percentage of the population.

He noted that despite the tremendous economic growth witnessed in the country in the past decade, the youth still constitute an overwhelming majority of the unemployed.

"As the population expands and more young people join the job market, the consequences of youth unemployment, if left unresolved, can be detrimental," he added.

The principal secretary said that the overarching youth empowerment pipeline will begin with ensuring that the youth have the right education and skills to take on future employment.

Some of the significant interventions to be undertaken by government include upskilling the youth through Technical Vocational Education and Training expansion, revitalization and staffing of technical training institutes and increasing student loans to universities as well as aligning the curriculum to industry needs.

Nyakera said the graduates will then be equipped for the job market through internship and apprenticeship programs.

The government has also established a Youth Development Council to link youth to opportunities, and will extend tax incentives to organizations on boarding interns.

The government further will invest in initiatives to improve infrastructure, nurture talent, and strengthen institutions in sports, culture and the arts.

Nyakera said that the youth who are keen on entrepreneurship will also benefit from improved access to finance and affordable credit.

He noted that achieving these objectives for the youth and the country at large, is anchored on growing the economy and ensuring that Kenya remains a preferred investment hub in order to increase foreign direct investments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 19:58:45|Editor: Yurou

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GAZA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian young man from Gaza who was critically wounded during clashes with Israeli soldiers early this month died of his wounds Sunday morning, the health ministry of the Gaza Strip said.

The young man, who was wounded on the borders with Israel on Dec. 8, died at Shifa Hospital in Gaza, according to Ashraf al Qedra, spokesman of Gaza's health ministry.

He said that the death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers' gunfire climbed to 12 since U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel on Dec. 6.

The ministry said in an emailed statement that more than 3,000 people were injured with different kinds of Israeli ammunition and tear gas used by the Israeli army and police forces.

Trump's announcement over the contested city has sparked rounds of violent clashes in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as well as protests in other Arab countries.

Leaders of the Islamic Hamas movement and other factions are still calling for escalation of the conflict until Trump's declaration is toppled, according to the factions' statements.

The status of Jerusalem, a holy city in three major Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, remains one of the main sticking points for the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations as both Israelis and Palestinians see Jerusalem as their capital.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 20:33:49|Editor: Yurou

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HANOI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- All 31 Chinese visitors, a guide and four crewmembers aboard a tourist ship were brought to shore safely after a collision between a ship and a cargo barge in Ha Long Bay, northern Vietnam's province of Quang Ninh, on Sunday.

The accident took place at 12:00 p.m. local time near Ti Top island when the tourist ship coded Hong Long 3109 on its way to the port after touring the bay, collided with the barge coded Hung Vuong HP3888, enroute from Hai Phong city to Hon Net seaport in Quang Ninh, Vietnam News Agency reported.

According to local authority, the barge was transporting some 1,700 tons of stone when the accident occurred.

The accident's cause is being investigated.
Photo taken on Dec. 15, 2017 shows Chinese students attending a class at the Modern Greek Language Teaching Center of the National University of Athens in Athens, Greece. The National University of Athens warmly welcomed the first ever group of Chinese students to learn the Greek language, history and culture as part of joint efforts of Greece and China in recent years to bring the two peoples closer. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- In fluent Greek, a Chinese student at the National University of Athens introduced himself as Andreas, a very popular Greek name which can be easily remembered by any Greek.

Andreas, or 22-year-old Song Xunhui his Chinese name, is one of the 23 Chinese students who are studying in the National University of Athens.

From Beijing Foreign Studies University, they are the first ever group of Chinese students in the National University of Athens to learn the Greek language, history and culture as part of joint efforts of Greece and China in recent years to bring the two peoples closer.

During a class break in the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre of the university campus, the 23 Chinese students spoke to Xinhua in fluent Greek about their life in Greece and their aspiration to help further strengthen bilateral ties in the future as "ambassadors" of Sino-Greek friendship and collaboration in all sectors.

Song is one of them. Although he is a new student to the National University of Athens, he is not new to Greece.

Two years ago, back home, when he packed his suitcase to travel to Greece with his 22 classmates to learn Greek, after studying English, he did not speak a word.

"Before arriving in Greece I did not know Greek at all...The truth is it is a very difficult language in my opinion, but we are doing well," he told Xinhua.

After a few months at the University of Ioannina in western Greece and two months of courses in Athens, his command of the language is impressive.

Their teacher Viviana Tzovara is impressed with their hard work. Andreas, Iliana, Costas along with the other Chinese students are always eager to learn as much as possible about Greece, a country boasting glorious ancient history like their motherland China.

"There are certainly similarities, many similarities. For example, both in China and here we pay great attention to families. Also, we say that Chinese people are hospitable, so are you," Song said.

But in addition to the history, ancient Greek philosophy and art, the Chinese students find that the modern Greece is also very attractive.

"We came to find the truth...Now we can have a correct opinion on Greek people," Jinyao Wang or Costas told Xinhua, referring to the negative stereotypes of the "lazy Greek who is to blame for the debt crisis."

"I feel great honor being here in Greece for studies and acting, let's say, as a bridge... I will tell my parents and my friends that Greek people are very good and hospitable," he said.

"It is very important to strengthen students and programs exchanges," he added.

Eleni Karamalegou, Dean of the School of Philosophy of the Athens University and President of the Interdepartmental Committee which oversees the function of the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre, could not agree more.

The Greek professor, her colleagues and the 20,000 Greek students of the Philosophy School have warmly embraced the first group of Chinese students arriving at the Athens University with scholarships under a cooperation agreement reached with the Beijing University. In the past there were only sporadic cases of Chinese nationals who joined the classes, she explained.

Karamalegou strongly believes that through cooperation in the tertiary education new horizons of mutually beneficial cooperation may be created.

"We believe that China represents another great civilization. If we pay closer attention we will see that these two civilizations have some common characteristics which give us the possibility to also seek scientific partnerships in the future," the Dean said.

The 23 Chinese students who enrolled this autumn are among the about 700 students who will receive certification of the level of knowledge of Modern Greek next summer.

"They are given a comprehensive view of Greece, the modern Greece, as well as the historical Greece, and I believe that this is good," Karamalegou said.

"It is a unique experience for a student having the chance to learn about subjects he/ she is interested in regarding the European civilization and the Greek civilization in a country where this civilization was born and developed. (It is a unique experience) being close to the monuments, having the opportunity to visit them and practice on site," she noted.

Following the successful cooperation with the Beijing Foreign Studies University, the National Athens University is exploring opportunities to expand and deepen ties with more Chinese universities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 20:38:51|Editor: Yamei

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Honored guests visit a model of the first phase of the high-speed railway linking Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima province in Pak Chong, Thailand, Dec. 21, 2017. Thailand and China jointly inaugurated the construction of Thailand's first high-speed railway from Bangkok to northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima on Thursday. (Xinhua/Li Mangmang)

by Chen Jiabao

BANGKOK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The China-Thailand high-speed railway will upgrade Thailand's transport system and unleash economic potentials of region along the route, said a Thai expert.

Thailand will enjoy more economic benefits once the high-speed railway connects the country's capital Bangkok with China and other countries, which will help attract more foreign tourists and narrow regional economic disparity of Thailand, Huang Bin, China Research Institute director of Kasikorn Research Center in Thailand told Xinhua.

The construction of the first section of the railway line officially began on Thursday with a ground-breaking ceremony in the northeastern Thai province of Nakhon Ratchasima.

The 253-km first phase of the railway links Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima province. China is responsible for design of the railway, supervision of construction and manufacturing of trains and signal systems, among others.

Once completed, the railway with a maximum speed of 250 km per hour will be the first high-speed railway of Thailand.

The second phase of the project will link Nakhon Ratchasima with Nong Khai on the border with Laos, which connects with the China-Laos railway in an artery railway linking Thailand, Laos and China.

Huang, an expert who has been paying close attention to the project, looks forward to the operation of the railway. He envisions the boom of Thailand's economy in its northeastern part under the project.

Northeastern Thailand, a region with one-third of Thailand's land area that contains about one-third of the country's population, contributes only one 10th of the Kingdom's GDP, said Huang, adding that the poor transportation results in its sluggish development.

According to Huang, there are about 4,507 km of meter gauge lines in Thailand, of which 90 percent is still single track. There are also problems with old equipment, poor management and maintenance, and low speed.

As a result, the annual volume of railway freight is less than a 10th of the total transport volume. It is estimated that the cost of land transport is six times that of rail. Since rail does not offer an alternative, the logistics costs in Thailand are higher than those in other countries.

The China-Thailand high-speed railway project will help upgrade Thailand's railway system. It is foreseeable that the railway will bring wide-reaching connectivity in the country while reducing logistic costs, and thus make Thailand ASEAN's (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) trade and investment center, as well as a transport and logistics hub.

The China-Thailand railway will be finally connected with the China-Lao railway, thus using Chinese technology, which has been widely recognized across the world, will make it more accessible in the connectivity plan, said the expert.

The project is a genuine joint contribution of the two countries, which is also an achievement in bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, said Huang.

The project is part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure drive, which aims to build a modern-day "Silk Road" connecting China with economies in Southeast and Central Asia, Middle East and Europe by land and by sea.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 20:43:53|Editor: Yurou

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RABAT, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Three German nationals were killed late on Saturday in a road accident near the southern Moroccan city of Agadir.

Three other French tourists were also injured in the accident that happened after a crash between two cars, local authorities said in a statement on Sunday.

The injured were carried to Hassan II hospital in Agadir, and an investigation was opened to determine the circumstances of the accident.

A total of 3,593 people were killed in road accidents in Morocco in 2016, a slight increase from the year before, according to Moroccan Transport Ministry.

Morocco has adopted a new strategy from 2015 to 2025, vowing to reduce casualties of road accidents by 50 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 20:53:55|Editor: Yurou

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TIKRIT, Iraq, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces Sunday launched an operation to clear Himreen mountainous area from Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, a police source said.

The Iraqi forces, backed by helicopter gunships, cleared large areas in Himreen mountain range in the northeastern part of the province and seized a number of IS hideouts containing weapons, ammunition and military equipment, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The helicopters pounded some IS posts on high mountains and trenches in the rugged area of Himreen mountain range, which represents the provincial border line between Salahudin and Kirkuk provinces, the source said.

The troops killed at least seven IS militants, while five security members, including a police officer, were wounded during the operation, the source added.

Earlier in the day, a provincial security source told Xinhua that four paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and six others injured when more than 30 IS militants riding ten vehicles carried out an overnight attack on a Hashd Shaabi base near the town of Dour in east of the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad.

The IS militants came from the rugged area that extends to IS redoubt in Mteibijah area in the eastern part of Salahudin province, according to the security source.

The extremist militants waged the attack from the rugged area despite an operation on Dec. 16, when the Iraqi forces swept the eastern part of the province to hunt down remnants of IS militants.

The sprawling rugged area also extends to the western part of neighboring Diyala province and the nearby Himreen mountainous area in northeastern Salahudin province.

During the past few months, dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas during major anti-IS offensives.

On Dec. 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups and individuals of IS militants melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas in many areas in Iraq looking for safe havens. They still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians.
Once I heard two teenagers discussing, so what was your favorite Christmas? I avoided laughing, but only barely. After all, they didnt have many to pick from.

But perhaps with several dozen Christmases under your ever-widening belt the question becomes more meaningful.

In December of 1981 I was 29 years old, working in Dallas. My wife and I had four children, the oldest in kindergarten, with number five on the way. We were struggling, but all our friends were too. No big deal.

We got a call from church. There was a new family that had just arrived, the Lius. They were from Taiwan. They had come for a job that was just beginning. There were four of them; mom, dad, and a 3-year-old daughter and newborn son. Dad and Mom spoke a little English, and that was it. They were living in a house with no furniture. Sleeping in sleeping bags. It was Christmas. Could we help?

Sure, why not? We drove over with our kids. We wondered how our 3-year old daughter would play with a child who couldnt speak English. Perfectly fine, as it turned out. Within 20 minutes Tsu Chi and our Sarah were happily playing with Sarahs dolls. There was a mommy and a daddy and two kids. You could tell from the girls faces it was a happy family.

On another visit we brought the Lius a Charlie Brown Christmas tree and we all strung popcorn and cranberries to decorate it. We asked our two oldest kids to find a toy or two theyd be willing to give up that we could wrap as presents for Tsu Chi and her brother so theyd have something under the tree. Barb and I chipped in a few gifts of our own. Others donated a chair here, a table there, and a bed to get Mom and Dad up off the floor.

Then disaster struck. The newborn boy became sick, sick enough to be hospitalized. I got another phone call. Could I come down to the hospital for a brief prayer service for the boy, who was now in a pressurized air chamber in the ICU?

It was just the dad and myself. He prayed in Mandarin, which shouldnt have surprised me, but did. Sure, I knew that God understood English, but Mandarin? For me it was a moment when intellectual understanding gave way to a deeper knowledge, as I felt the love God had for all His children, no matter what language they speak in this struggling world.

Time passed. The infant boy recovered. Christmas came and went. The Hustons moved on to greener pastures. But we sometimes reminisced with our oldest children about the Christmas when they gave some of their toys to the Lius, and how much fun a couple of 3-year-old girls can have playing together without the bother of words.

Thirty-five years later Barb and I happened to be back in Dallas, and through an odd coincidence we saw the mom  Susan Liu. When she realized who we were she threw her arms around us and wept with joy.

All the children in the Liu family were now grown with children of their own, all well-established with bright prospects in America. But that afternoon we learned that every Christmas throughout their family, the grandchildren were taught with reverence about Grandma and Grandpas first Christmas in America, and the family that came with a tree, and popcorn and cranberries, and used toys wrapped in shiny paper, and how together Tsu Chi and the American girl happily played without words. Every year the story was told, and the debt to the long-gone family was renewed, and the charge given to repay the debt with kindness to others, and that every member of the family was to be part of the payment of that debt, from now until forever.

Fortunately, we had the good sense not to tell them that it was nothing, no big deal, etc. Cartoonist Scott Adams once said, There is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.

Anyway, that was our favorite Christmas. Thinking of it now reminds me of how easily we could have done nothing at the time. The thought scares me. The line between kindness and indifference is so extraordinarily thin.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 21:34:01|Editor: Yurou

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CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least nine terrorists were killed and nine others arrested in security raids conducted in the Egyptian capital of Cairo and the northern province of Sharqiya, the police said in a statement on Sunday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 21:44:03|Editor: Yurou

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by Maria Spiliopoulou Valentini Anagnostopoulou

ATHENS, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- In the final stretch to Christmas, Athens' central market was fully packed this week as Greek consumers made the final minute purchases for Monday's traditional festive meal. Eight years after the start of the debt crisis it will be frugal once again, according to surveys.

Recession-hit Greeks who talked to Xinhua admitted that they may be conservative in spending, but remain generous in conveying warm wishes for a better future for Greece and the entire world.

A typical Christmas lunch will cost Greek households 1.29 percent less this year compared to 2016, according to a price survey conducted by the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE).

For a meal for 6-8 persons including a main course with turkey, pork or lamb, salads, soft drinks and wine, as well as traditional desserts such as melomakarona (biscuits made with honey and nuts), Greeks will spend on average 149 euros (176.7 US dollars) this year down from 151 euros last year.

The marginal drop does not make substantial difference to the pockets of people still suffering from unemployment, salary and pension cuts and uncertainty about the future.

Although the ailing economy is on the mend in recent months and Greece is due to exit the bailouts next year, the average Greek household has still not tasted the fruits of growth, therefore the lavish festive meal will remain a memory of past pro-crisis years.

"Some will eat caviar, others chicken costing two euros per kilo or pork. For the time being this is the best seller. Let's hope that this year will be the last one Greek people are suffering what they are suffering, because the truth is over the past five years people literally starved," Kleanthis Tsironis, President of Varvakeios market in the centre of Athens, told Xinhua.

"The prices have dropped as low as possible, but we have to also consider Greek producers. These people are working day and night out in the cold and they should be earning enough to cover their operational costs," he added.

Kostas Zerbinos, a pensioner, was one of the consumers rushing to buy the necessary ingredients for the family meal.

"We have been conservative in spending in the past 6-7 years, so it will be the same this year. We have reached the bottom. What can we do? We are doing whatever we can. I am buying chicken from Litsa. I will cook it with stuffing. It will be delicious," he told Xinhua.

Vivi T. left aside many things she intended to buy when she arrived at Varvakeios, as she has left aside invitations to cousins, colleagues and neighbors.

"In the past we invited people, relatives, friends to join us. We can't do it now. I wanted to buy plums and dates which I would buy every year and I did not add them to my basket this time. Hazels now cost 16 euros per kilo. I did not buy any. I bought the cheapest goods so that we feel that we did something different these days, nothing more," she said.

"We can't make ends meet after so many cuts on salaries and pensions. With more cuts expected we can't spend much and say that this time we will buy something better. We don't know what happens tomorrow," she added, before wishing Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. (1 euro=1.18 US dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 21:49:05|Editor: Yurou

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CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Nine terrorists were killed in a security raid conducted in the northern Egyptian province of Sharqiya, Egypt's Interior Ministry announced Sunday.

Egyptian security forces killed the terrorists in a fire exchange during a raid on a farm in Sharqiya, which was used as a hideout and a training camp for terrorists involved in attacks in North Sinai, the ministry said in a statement.

In another anti-terror raid conducted in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, nine terror suspects were arrested with guns and ammunition in their possession, the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 21:59:06|Editor: Mengjie

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GUIYANG, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A trial run of a railway connecting two major cities in southwest China, Chongqing and Guiyang, began on Saturday.

The railway, which traverses China's longest river, Yangtze, and its tributary, Wujiang River, has 209 new bridges and 115 tunnels, according to the project's constructor, China Railway Chengdu Group Co. Ltd.

Designed for passenger trains running at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour, the railway will improve traffic between China's southwest and northwestern, eastern, southern areas.

It will cut the travel time between Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, and Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province, from current 11 hours to 3.5 hours.

It will also significantly shorten trips between Sichuan, Guizhou, Chongqing and eastern coastal areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 22:09:09|Editor: Mengjie

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SHANGHAI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Three Body trilogy, a popular Chinese science fiction novel, has been published in more than 10 languages, according to a Chinese publishing company.

The three-part saga depicts the human race's contact and conflict with an alien civilization. Its finale, Dead End, was released in 2010.

The trilogy has sold more than 7 million copies in Chinese and has been translated into more than 10 languages including English, Spanish and German, according to China Educational Publications Import and Export Corporation Ltd.

The English version was released in the United States in 2014. About 700,000 English copies have been sold. Sales of French, Spanish and German copies all exceeded 30,000 copies each.

In 2015, the trilogy won the 2015 Hugo Award of Best Novel, generally considered the highest honor for sci-fi works.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 22:19:12|Editor: Yamei

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TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will deliver 10 commercial ships to Iran in March 2018, local media reported on Sunday.

Mohammad Saeedi, managing director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was quoted by Financial Tribune daily as saying that four of these vessels will be container ships with a capacity of over 14,500 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units).

"When the new ships are added, the company's standing among world's largest shipping lines will improve to 16th or 17th from the current 20th," he said.

The IRISL's fleet currently includes 150 commercial vessels carrying 5.2 million tons of goods annually.

In December 2016, IRISL signed a shipbuilding deal worth 650 million U.S. dollars with the HHI, the largest ship manufacturer in the world.

Under the deal, the HHI will build 14,500 TEU container ships and 49,000 DWT (tons deadweight) tankers with the funds provided by South Korean banks and financial institutions.

The deal was part of a 2.5-billion-dollar plan adopted by Iran to modernize the country's maritime commercial fleets.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 22:29:15|Editor: Yamei

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PYONGYANG, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued on Sunday a strong-worded statement condemning the latest UN resolution to impose more sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs, calling it "an act of war."

A spokesperson for the DPRK's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the United States of getting more "frenzied" in imposing the harshest ever sanctions.

A stern-faced broadcaster of Korean Central Television read the statement which condemned UN Security Council Resolution 2397 adopted unanimously Friday to restrict oil export to the country and demand repatriation of all DPRK citizens working abroad.

"We define this 'sanctions resolution' rigged up by the U.S. 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'," said the statement.

It reiterated the DPRK's nuclear weapons are intended for self-defensive deterrence in order "to put an end to the hostile policy and nuclear threats and blackmail of the U.S."

The new punitive measures included in the UN resolution will significantly cut short refined petroleum exports to Pyongyang, put a lid on its crude oil imports, ask UN member states to repatriate DPRK nationals earning incomes abroad, and crack down on ships illegally transferring oil to or smuggling banned items from the country.

Wu Haitao, charge d'affaires of China's permanent mission to the United Nations, said Friday's resolution reflects the unanimous position of the international community in opposing the DPRK's development of nuclear weapon and ballistic missile capabilities and in maintaining the international non-proliferation regime.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 22:34:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh company Kazatomprom has delayed its delivery of uranium to Iran as it is seeking the permission of six world powers involved in the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, local media reported Sunday.

Galymzhan Pirmatov, Kazatomprom's chairman, was quoted by Financial Tribune daily as saying that the delivery of uranium concentrate to Iran can be possible only after obtaining permission from the six countries involved in the nuclear deal, namely Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, plus Germany.

Iran and Kazakhstan signed a contract on the supply of natural uranium concentrate to Iran in April 2016.

Based on the deal, Kazatomprom first planned to begin delivery of uranium to Iran this year, but it was delayed due to the process of obtaining permission from the concerned parties.

Kazatomprom has extended the contract with Iran till 2020, and its delivery of uranium to Iran has been rescheduled to the 2018-2020 period, if approved by the six powers, Pirmatov said.

Iran signed with the six powers the nuclear deal in 2015 to halt its nuclear weapons development program in exchange for the lifting of the nuclear-related economic sanctions imposed on it.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 22:54:22|Editor: Chengcheng

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ISLAMABAD, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A roadside bomb killed at least three Pakistani security personnel in North Waziristan tribal region on Sunday, the military said in a statement.

It said an improvised explosive device went off while a bomb disposal team was undertaking routine search and clear operation in Ghulam Khan, a town bordering Afghanistan.

No group claimed the attack. Officials here usually blame militant groups for attacks on security forces.

Pakistani forces have cleared most of North Waziristan of all the militant groups following major operation launched in June 2014. Officials said most of the militants have either fled to Afghanistan and some may be hiding in the rugged mountains and carry out targeted attacks.

On Dec. 12, gunmen fired at an army vehicle in North Waziristan and killed two security men including a senior officer, according the army.

Earlier on Dec. 5, a roadside bomb attack targeting a military vehicle in the same region killed at least six people. Both previous attacks were claimed by the banned Pakistani Taliban.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 22:54:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DUBAI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Sunday a ban on poultry imports from Saudi Arabia following a reported outbreak of a bird flu in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment took the measure following a notification from the Gulf Early Warning Centre of the outbreak of a "highly contagious" strain of bird flu, H5N8, in the Azizia market in Riyadh, the UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The precautious measures include a ban on the import of all kinds of domestic and wild live birds, ornamental birds, chicks, hatching eggs and non-heat-treated wastes from Saudi Arabia, said the report.

A ban on the import of poultry meat, non-heat-treated products and table eggs from the affected area in Riyadh was also implemented.

The UAE ministry added that the untreated products shipped prior to Dec. 1, 2017 are still permitted following a verification of the accompanying certificates. The heat-treated poultry products - meat and eggs - are also cleared for importing from Saudi Arabia.

In doing so, the ministry hopes to prevent the bird flu virus' impact on the country's poultry health and safety, in addition to protecting public health and well-being, it added.

Bird flu strains have hit poultry flocks in several countries across the world in recent years, with some types of the disease causing human infection and deaths.

Saudi Arabia in earlier this year imposed restrictions on poultry imports from some infected countries such as Bulgaria, in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 23:04:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Nine terrorists were killed in a security raid conducted in the northeastern Egyptian province of Sharqiya, Egypt's Interior Ministry announced Sunday.

Egyptian security forces killed the terrorists in a fire exchange during a raid on a farm in Sharqiya, which was used as a hideout and a training camp for terrorists involved in attacks in North Sinai, the ministry said in a statement.

In another anti-terror raid conducted in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, nine terror suspects were arrested with a machine gun, ammunition and explosives in their possession, the statement said.

It added that four of the nine arrested have been involved in a checkpoint attack in July that wounded a conscript and a civilian, as the police found with them a statement they prepared to claim responsibility for it.

"A laptop was also found with them containing photos of the cell's members while training on using weapons in desert areas," said the statement.

Egypt has been facing a wave of terrorist activities since the military ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year reign and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

According to the police statement, investigation showed that the Brotherhood provided financial support for the arrested group that has been plotting a series of attacks against state institutions.

Terrorist attacks have killed hundreds of policemen, soldiers, Coptic Christians, and Muslim worshippers in the past years. Most of the attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based militant group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional terror group.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested a similar number of suspects during the country's anti-terror war declared by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, then the army chief, following Morsi's ouster.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-24 23:14:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian security at the Cairo International Airport has thwarted an attempt to smuggle 329 ancient coins to France, the Ministry of Antiquities said on Sunday.

The coins, seized from an Egyptian passenger travelling to France, date back to the Byzantine and Ptolemy eras, the ministry said in a statement.

As one of the most ancient civilizations, Egypt has been working hard to preserve its archaeological heritage.

Egyptian authorities have been exerting great efforts to fight theft and smuggling of antiquates, and retrieve the stolen treasures smuggled to other countries.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, more than 7,000 relics have been returned home in the past seven years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 00:34:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Sudan on Sunday, marking the first time that a Turkish president visited the North African country since its independence in 1956.

The visit is expected to enhance the Sudan-Turkey cooperation in multiple sectors, especially in the fields of investment, trade and agriculture.

"There have been deeply-rooted ties between Sudan and Turkey, the visit is historic as it will open new horizons for the relations between the two countries," said Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour while welcoming Erdogan at the Khartoum International Airport.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also underlined the importance of Sudan as a partner for Turkey, both regionally and internationally.

"The visit is a sign of our intention to further strengthen and deepen our bilateral and multilateral cooperation," he said.

During the visit, Erdogan is scheduled to hold talks with his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir and address the Sudanese parliament in a special session held to welcome the Turkish president.

With around 200 businessmen in the Erdogan-led Turkish delegation, the two countries will sign a number of agreements to boost cooperation in the fields of investment and trade.

On Monday, Erdogan will visit historical sites during Ottoman era in the archeological city of Suakin in eastern Sudan, some 810 km east of the capital Khartoum.

Moreover, the two sides will hold a joint meeting over agricultural cooperation during the visit of the Turkish president.

In 2014, Sudan and Turkey signed an agricultural partnership deal, including the allocation of 12,500 hectares in Abu Gutah area in central Sudan for agricultural production.

According to a recent report by the Sudanese Ministry of Investment, Turkish investment in Sudan has reached 2 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, with 288 Turkey-funded projects in the country.

Sudan is the biggest importer of Turkish products in the sub-Saharan region, but current trade between the two countries only amounts to 550 million dollars.

The two countries are planning to increase the volume of trade and investment to 1 billion dollars by the end of 2018.

Erdogan's visit to Sudan is the first stop of his tour in Africa which will also take him to Chad and Tunisia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 02:14:45|Editor: ZD

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) shakes hands with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during their meeting in Khartoum, Sudan, on Dec. 24, 2017. Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Sudan on Sunday, marking the first time that a Turkish president visited the North African country since its independence in 1956. (Xinhua/Mohamed Khidir)

KHARTOUM, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sudan and Turkey signed on Sunday in Khartoum 12 agreements to boost economic, military and cultural cooperation.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir held talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, during which they discussed ways to develop bilateral relations in all fields.

The two sides also agreed to establish a joint Strategic Cooperation Council chaired by the two state leaders.

"This (Erdogan's visit) is a historic visit as it is the first time for a Turkish president to visit Sudan. It is also distinguished given the great accompanying ministerial delegation," said Bashir at a joint press conference with Erdogan following the talks.

He said the visit gives rise to a great leap in the ties between the two countries and unveils a new phase in the relations between Khartoum and Ankara.

Erdogan, for his part, reiterated his country's keenness to enhance the economic ties with Sudan, stressing that Sudan and Turkey expect to increase trade volume from present 500 million U.S. dollars to 10 billion dollars.

He further thanked the Sudanese people for backing Turkey in the foiled coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Erdogan also expressed satisfaction over the lifting of the U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan, noting that Sudan had been treated unfairly, but it has overcome the difficulties.

Erdogan on Sunday arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the first stop of his tour in Africa that will also take him to Chad and Tunisia.

Erdogan's visit is the first time that a Turkish president visited Sudan since the independence of the North African nation in 1956.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 02:19:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DAR ES SALAAM, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Tanzania's Lake Tanganyika grisly boat accident rose to 19, an official said on Sunday.

Amaniel Sekulu, the Principal Officer for the Surface and Marine Transport and Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) in Kigoma region, said six more bodies of the boat passengers were discovered on Sunday.

Thirteen passengers died on Friday after two boats collided in Lake Tanganyika, the second oldest freshwater lake in the world.

Sekulu said the boats called MV Atakalo Mola, which was carrying 65 passengers and MV Pasaka, which had 137 passengers on board, collided at 3 a.m. on Friday.

"Many of the passengers on board MV Pasaka were worshippers from the Pentecostal Church of God who were heading to join neighboring church congregations for Christmas celebrations," said Sekulu.

Sekulu said divers from the marine police unit, the Tanzania People's Defense Forces and local divers from Kigoma town and nearby villages were still carrying out rescue operations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 02:19:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RAMALLAH, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians on Sunday slammed Israel's plan to build 300,000 new settlement units in East Jerusalem, while vowing to consider a comprehensive review of the peace process.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement that the Israeli plan is "part of Israel's colonial and expansionist projects" that are implemented by the Israeli government encouraged by the latest move by U.S. President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The ministry held Trump "fully responsible" for any new measures taken by Israel against the Palestinian people, their land and holy sites.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Sunday also warned of possible repercussions of Israel's "Greater Jerusalem" plan that seeks to connect more settlements geographically and cut off West Bank's contiguity.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party said on Sunday that Fatah's Central Council will consider "a comprehensive review of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process" at an upcoming meeting.

Azzam Al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah's executive committee, told the Voice of Palestine that the Palestinian leadership is going to review its ties with Israel, due to the latter's failure to uphold its obligations under international law.

He added that the Palestinians will take further diplomatic efforts at the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council and even the International Criminal Court, in response to the U.S. move on Jerusalem.

Trump announced on Dec. 6 to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to the disputed holy city, revered by Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Israel has claimed the whole city of Jerusalem as its eternal capital, while the Palestinians want East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel since the 1967 war, as the capital of their future independent state.

This move has sparked widespread protests from Arab and Islamic countries across the world, and violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces in the past weeks.

In a major rebuttal to the U.S., the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Thursday to reject the U.S. recent move on Jerusalem, demanding all member states comply with UN Security Council's resolutions regarding the status of Jerusalem.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 02:24:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A campaign backing Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Sunday that it collected over 12 million signatures of Egyptians supporting him to run for a second term in the 2018 presidential elections.

"The campaign collected 12,132,640 valid signatures on an application that supports the candidacy of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi for a new presidential term," said the campaign, known as "So You Can Build It (Egypt)," in a press conference attended by some parliament members.

The campaign vowed to gather more than 12.1 million signatures in the most populous Arab country only in a few months, as it started in September 2017 and managed to establish 168 headquarters in 27 provinces nationwide.

Mohamed al-Garhy, the campaign's chief coordinator and member of the Nation's Future Party, said that the main goal of the campaign is to "safeguard Egypt," stressing that Sisi managed to protect the country from the chaos and bloodshed witnessed in its fellow Arab states like Syria, Libya and Yemen.

Sisi was elected president in mid-2014, a year after he led the ouster of his Islamist predecessor Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against Morsi's one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

The Egyptian president has yet to formally announce his candidacy in the 2018 elections, but he is widely expected to do so and to earn a landslide victory due to the absence of competitive challengers in the presidential bid.

Egyptian rights and opposition lawyer Khaled Ali announced last month his intention to join the 2018 presidential race.

There is a possibility for Ali's disqualification as he had received a suspended three-month jail term in September.

The lawyer was accused of reportedly making an obscene hand gesture challenging the government after winning a court order.

On the other hand, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who fled Egypt after narrowly losing to Morsi in the 2012 elections, announced from the United Arab Emirates his intention to run for president. Shafiq came back to Egypt in early December and said he will reconsider his decision.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 02:29:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia will commission Chinese-built Kilinto industrial park which will host pharmaceutical companies in March 2018, an Ethiopian official said on Sunday.

Speaking to journalists, Getahun Agenew, Project Manager at Kilinto industrial park, said 75 percent of the project had been completed.

The industrial park lying on 270 hectares of land is being constructed by China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd (CTCEGCL) at a cost of 204 million U.S. dollars. The World Bank is wholly financing the construction of the industrial park through a loan scheme.

Kilinto industrial park, when completed, will encompass 18 kms of asphalt roads, provision of basic social services, green spaces, warehouses, business centers and car parking space.

Ethiopia is currently constructing or has commissioned 15 industrial parks as part of plan to turn the country into a light manufacturing hub in Africa by 2020.
Egypt ian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) meets with Egyptian army generals during a presentation of combat efficiency and equipment of the armed forces in Suez, Egypt, October 29, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A campaign backing Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Sunday that it collected over 12 million signatures of Egyptians supporting him to run for a second term in the 2018 presidential elections.

"The campaign collected 12,132,640 valid signatures on an application that supports the candidacy of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi for a new presidential term," said the campaign, known as "So You Can Build It (Egypt)," in a press conference attended by some parliament members.

The campaign managed to gather more than 12.1 million signatures in the most populous Arab country only in a few months, as it started in September 2017 and managed to establish 168 headquarters in 27 provinces nationwide.

Mohamed al-Garhy, the campaign's chief coordinator and member of the Nation's Future Party, said that the main goal of the campaign is to "safeguard Egypt," stressing that Sisi managed to protect the country from the chaos and bloodshed witnessed in its fellow Arab states like Syria , Libya and Yemen .

Sisi was elected president in mid-2014, a year after he led the ouster of his Islamist predecessor Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against Morsi's one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

The Egyptian president has yet to formally announce his candidacy in the 2018 elections, but he is widely expected to do so and to earn a landslide victory due to the absence of competitive challengers in the presidential bid.

Egyptian rights and opposition lawyer Khaled Ali announced last month his intention to join the 2018 presidential race.

There is a possibility for Ali's disqualification as he had received a suspended three-month jail term in September.

The lawyer was accused of reportedly making an obscene hand gesture challenging the government after winning a court order.
Sudan's President Omer Al Bashir welcomes Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Khartoum Airport, Sudan December 24, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

KHARTOUM, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sudan and Turkey signed on Sunday in Khartoum 12 agreements to boost economic, military and cultural cooperation.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir held talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, during which they discussed ways to develop bilateral relations in all fields.

The two sides also agreed to establish a joint Strategic Cooperation Council chaired by the two state leaders.

"This (Erdogan's visit) is a historic visit as it is the first time for a Turkish president to visit Sudan. It is also distinguished given the great accompanying ministerial delegation," said Bashir at a joint press conference with Erdogan following the talks.

He said the visit gives rise to a great leap in the ties between the two countries and unveils a new phase in the relations between Khartoum and Ankara.

Erdogan, for his part, reiterated his country's keenness to enhance the economic ties with Sudan, stressing that Sudan and Turkey expect to increase trade volume from present 500 million U.S. dollars to 10 billion dollars.

He further thanked the Sudanese people for backing Turkey in the foiled coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Erdogan also expressed satisfaction over the lifting of the U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan, noting that Sudan had been treated unfairly, but it has overcome the difficulties.

Erdogan on Sunday arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the first stop of his tour in Africa that will also take him to Chad and Tunisia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 03:39:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TRIPOLI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Imad al-Sayeh, head of Libya's Election Commission, confirmed on Sunday that the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections will be held before Sept. 30 next year.

"The voters' registration process is going well. Around 1 million voters have already been registered, and the number is increasing," Al-Sayeh told Xinhua.

Head of UN Support Mission in Libya, Ghassan Salame, in September proposed an action plan to end the Libyan political crisis.

The plan includes amendment of the current Libyan political agreement and holding parliamentary and presidential elections.

"All Libyans are entitled to participate as long as they have a national number," Sayeh said, confirming that supporters and officials of the former regime are also entitled to take part in the upcoming elections.

"So far, there is no law that determines the conditions for candidates. We are waiting for such a law to be approved," Sayeh added.

"According to the UN-proposed action plan, everyone can participate in the elections and there are no labelings or classifications," Sayeh explained, when asked about the possibility for Saif Islam Gaddafi, son of the former leader Muammar Gaddafi, to run in the elections.

Tunisia recently hosted UN-sponsored meetings between representatives of the Libyan political parties in order to introduce amendment to the political agreement.

Following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Gaddafi's regime, Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid political division and unrest.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 04:10:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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JERUSALEM, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Financial Ministry and the Bank of Israel are considering issuing a digital currency, a possible response to the frenzied cryptocurrency and bitcoin craze, a report from the Jerusalem Post said Sunday.

The Israeli digital shekel would record every transaction by mobile phone and make it more difficult to evade taxation, according to the report.

Israeli central bank, the Bank of Israel, has been examining the possibility of a state-sponsored currency, and it is now up to government as to whether to proceed with it. The digital shekel would be identical in value to the physical shekel in people's wallet.

Digital currency would act similarly to cash, not passing through a bank clearing system, and instead, it changes hands immediately, said the report.

It is unclear where the digital wallet would be located, either in a Bank of Israel account or on people's mobile phone.

State-sponsored digital currencies may be an attempt to compete with decentralized cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, the reported noted.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 04:15:03|Editor: Chengcheng

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KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Five people including a police officer were killed Sunday in an ambush by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk, a police source told Xinhua.

The incident took place when IS militants set up a fake checkpoint on a road connecting the town of Ryadh and Hawijah in southwestern part of Kirkuk province, and intercepted a car carrying the five people, including Colonel Fadhel al-Sab'awi head of a police station, and shot them dead, the source from Kirkuk police said.

The extremist militants fled the scene after killing the five people, the source said, adding that the security forces launched a search campaign searching for the attackers.

Earlier in the day, a security source from the neighboring Salahudin province told Xinhua that four paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and six others injured in an attack by more than 30 IS militants on a Hashd Shaabi base near the town of Dour in east of the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad.

During the past few months, dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas during major anti-IS offensives.

On Dec. 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups and individuals of IS militants melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas in many areas in Iraq looking for safe havens.

They are still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians.
A security guard stands in front of a cargo ship during the opening ceremony of Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar, Iran , on Dec. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea 's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will deliver 10 commercial ships to Iran in March 2018, local media reported on Sunday.

Mohammad Saeedi, managing director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was quoted by Financial Tribune daily as saying that four of these vessels will be container ships with a capacity of over 14,500 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units).

"When the new ships are added, the company's standing among world's largest shipping lines will improve to 16th or 17th from the current 20th," he said.

The IRISL's fleet currently includes 150 commercial vessels carrying 5.2 million tons of goods annually.

In December 2016, IRISL signed a shipbuilding deal worth 650 million U.S. dollars with the HHI, the largest ship manufacturer in the world.

Under the deal, the HHI will build 14,500 TEU container ships and 49,000 DWT (tons deadweight) tankers with the funds provided by South Korean banks and financial institutions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 04:35:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-backed Yemeni President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Sunday conducted a partial cabinet reshuffle, including the sacking of the country's interior minister and three other ministers.

The president's office said in a statement that the Aden-based cabinet of Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr saw four changes, including the sacking of Interior Minister General Hussein Bin-Arab who was replaced by Ahmed bin Ahmed Maisari.

The cabinet reshuffle also included appointment of ministers of agriculture, oil and public transportation.

Other presidential decrees declared by Hadi included the sacking of two governors in the southern government-controlled provinces and appointment a new governor of the southwestern province of Taiz.

Observers said that the presidential decrees that resulted in the sacking of the governors of Lahj and al-Dhalea might generate resentment and indignation among the southern people, leading to chaos and insecurity.

According to the observers, some of the ousted ministers and the two governors were members of the pro-secession Southern Transitional Council and have strong influence in Aden.

Yemen's internationally-backed government, allied with the Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has for more than two years been battling Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels over the control of the country.

The coalition began a military air campaign in March 2015 to roll back Houthi gains and reinstate exiled President Hadi and his government to power.

The coalition also imposed air and sea blockade to prevent weapons from reaching Houthis, who had invaded the capital Sanaa militarily and seized most of the northern Yemeni provinces.

UN statistics show more than 10,000 people, most of whom civilians, have been killed since the coalition intervened in the Yemeni civil war that also displaced around 3 million.

The impoverished Arab country is also suffering the world's largest cholera epidemic since April, with about 5,000 cases reported every day.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 04:40:06|Editor: Liangyu

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by Mahmoud Darwesh and Nawas Darraji

TRIPOLI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- This Sunday marks the 66th anniversary of Libya's independence. Libyans were yearning for peace and hope to end the current state of insecurity and political division.

Amani Saeed, a 25-year-old medical student, is optimistic that the independence anniversary would see the end of violence and the beginning of peace that has been missing for years.

"We felt that we have lost important years recently. We want to make up for this by resolving differences through dialogue and non-violence. Conflicts have killed and displaced our families, and forced our sons to pay a price," she told Xinhua.

"The Libyans are fed up with the language of arms and want peace in 2018. They want all wars between tribes and cities to end and the social fabric to be strong again in Libya," said Dalal Meftah, a social worker.

"The anniversary of our independence was a historic moment that everyone must commemorate and make it an opportunity to come together. Everyone is afraid, it is time to make things right," she explained.

Both of Libya's western and eastern authorities expressed hope that the anniversary of independence would be an opportunity for reconciliation and tolerance among Libyans.

Najah Hameed, who is related to the late King Idris of Libya during the early independence days of Libya, said quoting the King's saying that "maintaining independence is harder than gaining it."

"We must resolve the situation quickly. Peace is our only way to coexist. We must reject the culture of violence in resolving the dispute. We must unite our efforts and ideas to save our country, for which our ancestors gave thousands of precious lives to keep united," She said.

The late King Idris as-Senussi, the first ruler of the country after independence, ruled Libya until former leader Muammar Gaddafi led a coup against him.

"The road to peace in the country is very long. It can only be achieved by holding a general national conference that includes all representatives of Libyan factions," said Munir Al-Harari, a 45-year-old Libyan engineer.

"When the country gained independence in the early 1950s, a state of harmony and understanding prevailed between Libyan cities. The harmony was based on the concept of tribes. Life was governed by tribal ties in a way that showed everyone's love for the social role in building the state and its institutions, despite the prevailing poverty," Al-Harari told Xinhua.

Following the 2011 uprising that toppled Gaddafi's regime, Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid political division and unrest.

The United States is mediating between rival parties in Libya in order to end the political crisis, through an action plan that includes amendment of the current Libyan political agreement and holding presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
Opposition deputy of a Moscow municipal council Ilya Yashin attends a rally in support of fair presidential election in Moscow, Russia December 24, 2017. (REUTERS PHOTO)

MOSCOW, Dec 24 (Xinhua) -- About 300 people attended an unauthorized rally here organized by the opposition deputy Ilya Yashin on Sunday, the Moscow City Police said.

The public meeting held on December 24, 2017, in the Lermontovsky Square was declared illegal by court, police said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Yashin announced his application to Moscow authorities of the so-called "Free Elections Day" rally, which was later rejected by the Moscow City Court for the expiration of the notification date and the absence of required documents.

Almost half of the participants of the rally were media representatives and bloggers, the statement said.

The police said in a separate statement that it had repeatedly urged the citizens not to participate in the event, which was offered an alternative platform, and that it would take all necessary measures to prevent the action.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 06:00:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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RABAT, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations General Assembly announced on Sunday that Morocco will host the inter-governmental conference on international migration next year, Morocco's official MAP news agency reported.

The UN said the event is expected to result in the adoption of an inter-governmentally negotiated and agreed outcome, known as "Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration."

The Global Compact is a global agreement aimed at sharing responsibilities and ensuring security, peace, dignity, protection and respect for the human rights of all migrants and refugees.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 06:00:18|Editor: Chengcheng

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ANKARA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish government on Sunday dismissed 2,756 employees, including civil servants, academics and military personnel, over alleged links to Gulenists or other terror groups.

Under two new statutory decrees published in the Official Gazette, 637 soldiers from the Turkish Armed Forces were expelled.

Some 360 officials were dismissed from the General Command of Gendarmerie Forces, while 341 people from the Directorate of Religious Affairs were sacked.

The new decrees also order to shut down 17 institutions, including seven associations, two local newspapers and a hospital.

According to Sunday's decrees, defendants who are on trial on terrorism charges will from now on appear in court wearing brown or gray uniforms.

Female suspects and convicts are exempt from wearing the uniforms, said the decrees.

Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based preacher, is accused by Ankara of orchestrating a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

The Turkish government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen's supporters in the aftermath of the coup attempt.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-25 07:15:26|Editor: liuxin

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MEXICO CITY, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations to open China's market to avocados from Mexico's west-central state of Jalisco are making headway, after Chinese health officials verified the production protocols, Mexico's government said on Sunday.

Experts from China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) visited four avocado farms and two packing facilities in the towns of Tonila, Tuxpan and Zapotlan El Grande to inspect procedures.

Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture said that to prepare, the sector studied and applied good agricultural practices, including monitoring the plants for pests.

"The Chinese authorities underscored the progress made by Mexican health officials, as well as the solid ties of friendship and cooperation that exist between the two countries," the ministry said in a statement.

Mexico is the world's leading exporter of avocado, earning 2.227 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 from foreign sales of the fruit, and Jalisco is Mexico's second-largest producer of the fruit.

China is today among the 10 leading markets for Mexican avocados, with demand skyrocketing in the past four years as China's growing middle-class are becoming more fond of the product.
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Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month.
Arizona News

Tucson, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a Tucson jury took a little over two hours to convict Supranom Addy Klos of stealing from a 94-year-old vulnerable adult with dementia. Klos gambled away $300,000 in 4 months which was most of the victims life savings.

Klos was the victims hair stylist and cultivated a friendship with the victim and her husband more than 20 years ago. The victims husband died in 2011 and eventually Klos was given power of attorney.

In 2014, Klos began unlawfully using the power of attorney to rapidly deplete the victims account. In addition to gambling, the victims savings were used to buy Klos a new car and dental implants. The bank notified law enforcement after large amounts of money were being transferred out of the victims savings account.

Klos was found guilty of 1 count of Fraudulent Schemes, 3 counts of Theft, 1 count of Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, and 1 count of Unlawful Use of Power of Attorney.

Klos will be sentenced at a later date and faces 4 years in prison at minimum. She was taken into custody after the verdict.

Fraud committed against vulnerable adults has a great impact on the victims. Studies show 1 in 6 vulnerable adults will be victimized and lose 1/3 or more of their assets. Research also indicates that elderly victims of exploitation can lose 2 to 3 years off of their life expectancy due to the emotional impact. A court-appointed guardian is assisting the victim to ensure her safety and well-being.

Assistant Attorney General Doug Clark is prosecuting this case.
Border News

Lukeville, Arizona - Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizonas Port of Lukeville arrested three individuals for separate attempts to smuggle a combined 480 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $240,000.

Friday evening, officers referred a 63-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona man for further inspection of his Ford motor-home as he attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. After a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted officers to a bed in the RV, they found close to 344 pounds of marijuana worth almost $172,000.

On Sunday afternoon, officers referred a 35-year-old Tucson woman for a secondary search of her Mercury sedan. Officers working with a CBP narcotics-detection canine then located multiple packages of marijuana in the backseats and trunk. In all, officers removed more than 85 pounds of marijuana worth almost $43,000.

Later that afternoon, a 26-year-old woman from San Antonio, Texas, was escorted to a secondary search area for officers to search her Toyota sedan. A canine team helped officers find more than 50 pounds of marijuana, valued in excess of $25,000, in the trunks spare tire well and luggage.

Officers arrested all three subjects and turned them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Officers also seized the drugs and vehicles.
Border News

Nogales, Arizona - Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizonas Port of Nogales apprehended three U.S. citizens and a Mexican national during separate incidents Saturday involving attempts to smuggle more than $2 million worth of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

Officers working at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 49-year-old Amado, Arizona man for further inspection of his Nissan sedan as he attempted to cross into the U.S. A CBP narcotics-detection canine subsequently alerted the vehicles rear seats where officers found more than 28 pounds of heroin, worth in excess of $490,000; more than 34 pounds of meth, worth almost $103,000; and nearly 4 pounds of cocaine, worth close to $45,000.

That evening, DeConcini officers referred a 25-year-old Phoenix man and a 25-year-old Mexican woman for a secondary inspection of his Nissan sedan. Once again, a CBP canines alert led to the discovery of drugs. Officers removed more than 47 pounds of meth, valued at close to $142,000, from the vehicles front and rear floors.

A few hours later, officers at the DeConcini crossing discovered almost $150,000 worth of cocaine and nearly $1.3 million in heroin concealed in a Chevrolet truck driven by a 19-year-old Tucson man.

Officers arrested all four subjects for narcotics smuggling and seized their vehicles, along with the drugs. The subjects were then turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations.
Health News

Washington, DC - Scientists have found a new way to explain the hearing loss caused by cisplatin, a powerful drug used to treat many forms of cancer. Using a highly sensitive technique to measure and map cisplatin in mouse and human inner ear tissues, researchers found that forms of cisplatin build up in the inner ear. They also found a region in the inner ear that could be targeted for efforts to prevent hearing loss from cisplatin.

The study is published in Nature Communications, and was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and other Communications Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Cisplatin and similar platinum-based drugs are prescribed for an estimated 10 to 20 percent of all cancer patients. The NIHs National Cancer Institute supported research that led to the 1965 discovery of cisplatin and continued development leading to its success as an essential weapon in the battle against cancer. The drugs cause permanent hearing loss in 40 to 80 percent of adult patients and at least half of children who receive the drug. The new findings help explain why cisplatin is so toxic to the inner ear, and why hearing loss gets worse after each treatment, can occur long after treatment, and is more severe in children than adults.

Hearing loss can have a major impact on a persons life, said James F. Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., director of NIDCD. Many adults with hearing loss struggle with social isolation and depression, among other conditions. Children who lose their hearing often have problems with social development and keeping up at school. Helping to preserve hearing in cancer patients who benefit from these drugs would be a major contribution to the quality of their lives.

Lisa L. Cunningham, Ph.D., chief of the NIDCD Section on Sensory Cell Biology, led the research team, which included scientists from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Support for data analysis was provided by Electro Scientific Industries, Inc., of Bozeman, Montana.

In most areas of the body, cisplatin is eliminated within days or weeks after treatment, but in the inner ear, the drug remains much longer. Previous research focused on why the inner ear is more sensitive than other parts of the body to cisplatin-induced damage. The NIH team pursued a new angle on the problem: What if the inner ear is not able to get rid of cisplatin, and cells in the inner ear important for hearing die because they are exposed to the drug for a long time?

The team developed a mouse model that represents cisplatin-induced hearing loss seen in human patients. By looking at inner ear tissue of mice after the first, second, and third cisplatin treatment, researchers saw that cisplatin remained in the mouse inner ear much longer than in most other body tissues, and that it builds up with each successive treatment. They also studied inner ear tissue donated by deceased adult patients who had been treated with cisplatin, and observed that cisplatin is retained in the inner ear many months or years after treatment. In addition, when they examined inner ear tissue from one child, they found cisplatin buildup that was even higher than seen in adults. These results suggest that the inner ear readily takes up cisplatin, but it has very little ability to remove the drug.

In mice and human tissues, the research team saw the highest buildup of cisplatin in a part of the inner ear called the stria vascularis, which helps maintain the positive electrical charge in inner ear fluid that certain cells need to detect sound. The research team determined that the accumulation of cisplatin in the stria vascularis portion of the inner ear contributed to cisplatin-related hearing loss.

Our findings suggest that if we can prevent cisplatin from entering the stria vascularis in the inner ear during treatment, we may be able to protect cancer patients from developing cisplatin-induced hearing loss, said Cunningham.

The study was funded by the Intramural Research Program at NIDCD (ZIA DC000079-07) and NIMHD.

About the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): The NIDCD supports and conducts research and research training on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language and provides health information, based upon scientific discovery, to the public.

About the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD): NIMHD, leads scientific research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities by conducting and supporting research; planning, reviewing, coordinating, and evaluating all minority health and health disparities research at NIH; promoting and supporting the training of a diverse research workforce; translating and disseminating research information; and fostering collaborations and partnerships.

About the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS): NCATS conducts and supports research on the science and operation of translation  the process by which interventions to improve health are developed and implemented  to allow more treatments to get to more patients more quickly.

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 www.nih.gov.
Latest News

Artesia, New Mexico - The U.S. Border Patrol Academy held Session 1080s graduation ceremony Tuesday.

New agents sworn into office.

This graduating class of new agents will be charged with protecting our nations borders from Yuma Sector to the Rio Grande Valley Sector. As witnessed by over 100 visitors and guests, Session 1080s hard work over the last several months finally paid off when they received their new badges and were sworn into office.

The graduation included an award ceremony and guest speaker, Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol, Chief Patrol Agent Manuel Padilla, Jr. who spoke about how important the Border Patrols Core Values are to the organization.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Yuma Station Border Patrol agents arrested one U.S. citizen, and four illegal aliens from Mexico following a brief vehicle pursuit west of Yuma, near Morelos Dam, late Tuesday.

Agents patrolling near the dam observed several subjects run to, and enter, a Chevrolet Suburban stopped near County 9th Road. When agents approached the vehicle to investigate, the driver sped away. A short time later, the vehicle came to a stop and the subjects attempted to flee to Mexico on foot. Agents quickly arrested all five subjects and seized the vehicle for processing in accordance with Yuma Sector guidelines.

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents effectively combat smuggling organizations attempting to illegally transport people and contraband through southwestern Arizona and California. Citizens can help the Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection by calling 1-866-999-8727 toll-free to report suspicious activity. Callers may remain anonymous.
New Delhi/Geneva: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make his debut at the World Economic Forum's annual jamboree of the global elite in the snow-laden Swiss resort town of Davos next month, where he is also expected to address a special plenary session.

While the final list of participants would be released next month itself for the five-day Davos Annual Meeting of Geneva-based WEF beginning January 22, 2018, sources familiar with the programme said Indian presence will be really big this time with over 100 CEOs including Mukesh Ambani, Chanda Kochhar and Uday Kotak, as also Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and top filmmaker Karan Johar expected to participate.

Modi is expected to be accompanied by some union ministers and top government officials, while a large India Inc delegation led by apex industry chamber CII will also be present at the meet, whose theme will be 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World'.

The ministers whose names are being considered include Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and DIPP Secretary Ramesh Abhishek are also expected to be present.

Other big names from India and abroad include former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and IMF chief Christine Lagarde.

Sources said Modi is expected to be there on January 23- 24 and may address the first special plenary of the biggest congregation of top global leaders including over 40 heads of state and government. He may hold a number of bilaterals besides other meetings.

Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister at the Davos summit since 1997 when the then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had attended.

This is one of the few global summits yet to be attended by Modi.

To be attended by over 3,000 global leaders including CEOs, heads of state and government, artists and civil society members, the Davos Annual Meeting of WEF will conclude on January 26.

Indian social entrepreneur and activist Chetna Sinha will be among seven all-women co-chairs for the event.

This will be the first time in WEF's nearly five-decade- old history that its Davos Annual Meeting would have all women co-chairs.

Sinha will be joined by IMF's Christine Lagarde, Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg, IBM chief Ginni Rometty, ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti and ENGIE CEO Isabelle Kocher.

The WEF, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation and was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation, hosts its annual meeting in Davos every year in January.

In a statement last month announcing its co-chairs for the 2018 meeting, the WEF said that over 3,000 leaders, representing 100 countries, will gather in a collaborative effort to shape the global, regional and industry agendas, with a commitment to improve the state of the world.

Sinha has been a social entrepreneur, a microfinance banker, an economist, a farmer and an activist.

Since 1986, she has been working with marginalised communities and is founder and president of Mann Deshi Mahila Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation.

The WEF, which has been criticised in the past in some quarters for relatively lower presence of women, said these co-chairs represent both the public and private sectors, international organisations, organised labour, academia and science as well as civil society and social entrepreneurship.

The Forum has said the programme of the 2018 Annual Meeting will explore the root causes of, and pragmatic solutions for, the manifold political, economic and social fractures facing global society today.

"Creating a shared future in a fractured world requires addressing issues on the global agenda in a holistic, interconnected and future-oriented way," WEF's Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.?

Art and culture will also figure prominently this time with 40 cultural leaders expected?in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, including filmmakers Feras Fayyad (Syria) and Wanuri Kahiu (Kenya), science-fiction author Hao Jingfang (China), artists Mehdi Ghadyanloo (Iran) and Trevor Paglen (US), and navigator Nainoa Thompson (Hawaii, US).

Also joining are long-time members of the Forum's Cultural Leaders community, including photographer Platon (US), choreographer Jin Xing (China), and musicians will.I.Am and Yo-Yo Ma (US).

The registered Indian participants also include CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, as also Gautam Adani, Swami Agnivesh, Rahul Bajaj, Sanjiv Bajaj, N Chandrasekaran, Sajjan Jindal, Anand Mahindra, Lakshmi Mittal and son Aditya, Sunil Mittal and son Kavin, Nandan Nilekani, Indra Nooyi, Azim Premji, Ajay Piramal, Ajay Singh, Naresh Goyal and Tulsi Tanti.

Mukesh Ambani is expected to be accompanied by wife Nita as also children Akash and Isha.
Washington DC: Rian Johnson, the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has said that actor Adam Driver didn't need much convincing to appear topless in a scene in the movie.

Johnson said that the 34-year-old actor, who plays the part of Kylo Ren in the science-fiction series, is in good physical condition.

When asked about Adam being shy about stripping off in that particular scene, Rian replied, "No, no, he`s good. He`s great. He knew he looked good.Adam was in good shape as he had been preparing for the action sequences in the movie and according to Johnson, he did not hesitate to remove his shirt. Adam looks so damn good because he'd been training hardcore for the past six months for those fight scenes. I'm like, Eh. He looks so good. We should put him up there," Johnson told People.

Johnson has recently also hit back at criticism of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, insisting it was important to take the franchise forward.

"The goal is never to divide or make people upset, but I do think the conversations that are happening were going to have to happen at some point if SW is going to grow, move forward and stay vital," Johnson wrote on Twitter.
HYDERABAD: The family of a 29-year-old man from Hyderabad, who died in a road accident in New Zealand, has requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to help bring his body back.

Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad, who was studying in Auckland, New Zealand, also worked as a part-time taxi driver there, his family members said.

A relative living in Australia informed them yesterday morning that a drunk driver jumped a traffic signal at a high speed and rammed into Fahad's car, killing the latter on the spot, the deceased's cousin, Faizal, told PTI.

The family, which lives in the Chanchalguda area here, has appealed to Swaraj to help bring Fahad's body to Hyderabad at the earliest and also for financial assistance, he said.

"We have contacted the officials at the Indian embassy (in New Zealand) also," Faizal added.

Telangana BJP president K Laxman also requested Swaraj for help in this regard.

"Madam @SushmaSwaraj Ji, Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad aged 29 years R/o Hyderabad died in a road accident in Auckland, New Zealand. Kindly help to bring back body to India. Thank you (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.
Lucknow: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday said that it will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withhold and withdraw the proposed Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017.

"After observing the provisions mentioned in the bill, it looks like that it is a kind of a conspiracy to grab the power of divorce from Muslims. If the government want to stop triple talaq, then it can take our suggestions. We will help in solving the issues under the constitutional provision of Muslim laws," AIMPLB spokesperson Sajjad Nomani said.

The Union Cabinet had on December 15, 2017, cleared the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, which seeks to make the practice of instant triple talaq "illegal and void" and provides for a jail term for the husband.

The husband could also be fined and the quantum of fine would be decided by the magistrate hearing the case.

The proposed law would only be applicable to instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-biddat' and it would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking "subsistence allowance" for herself and minor children.

The woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue.

Under the draft law, instant triple talaq in any form - spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp - would be bad or illegal and void.

According to the draft law giving instant talaq would attract a jail term of three years and a fine. It would be a non-bailable, cognisable offence.

The law would be applicable to the entire country except for Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was informed on December 20 that Muslim organisations were not consulted before the government framed the draft bill.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar had said that the government believed that the proposed bill would help ensure gender justice, gender equality and dignity of women.

To a written question on whether the government consulted Muslim organisations before framing the draft law, Minister of State for Law PP Chaudhary replied in the negative.

(With IANS and PTI inputs)
NEW DELHI: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday rejected the central government's decision to table a bill on triple talaq saying it takes away the right to divorce from men.

The non-government body held an emergency meeting in Lucknow ahead of the tabling of the bill in Parliament next week.

In the meeting, the Muslim law board said that the proposed bill is against women and will destroy many families. It also said that the bill is against Sharia law and that no Muslim body or scholar was consulted before the government drafted the bill.

"Seeing the provisions of the bill, it seems that the government wants to snatch the right of divorce from men. This is a big conspiracy. The draft of the bill also states that triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) and other forms of talaq will be banned," Maulana Khalil- ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani, the spokesperson of the AIMPLB said.

The chairman of the board, Maulana Rabe Hasani Nadwi, will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withhold or withdraw the proposed bill that criminalises the practice of instant divorce, an official spokesperson of the Muslim body said.

"The board is of the view that the triple talaq bill is against the Constitution, rights of women and Shariah (Islamic law). Apart from this, it is also an attempt to interfere with the Muslim personal law. If this bill becomes a law, then women will face a host of difficulties," said Maulana Khalil- ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani, the spokesperson of the AIMPLB.

"We request the Centre not to present the bill in Parliament. If the government feels that it is very important, then it should first speak to the Muslim Personal Law Board and Muslim women organisations," Nomani said.

"The proposed bill is against the basic principles of the Constitution. It is highly objectionable that the Centre did not consult the AIMPLB, any Muslim organisation or any stakeholder before preparing the draft of the bill," he alleged.

After the Supreme Court declared the practice of instant divorce 'void, illegal and unconstitutional', the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Cabinet on December 15 approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal.

The Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by home minister Rajnath Singh, will be introduced by the government in Parliament next week. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

The drafted bill says that "any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal".

There is also a provision of imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and fine for violators.

The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance.

"Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in any other law for the time being in force,a married Muslim woman upon whom talaq is pronounced, shall be entitled to receive from her husband such amount of subsistence allowance for her and dependent children as may be determined by the Magistrate," says the draft bill.

It also has a provision for the divorced Muslim women to have the custody of their minor children.

"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a married Muslim woman shall be entitled to custody of her minor children in the event of pronouncement of talaq by her husband, in such manner as may be determined by the Magistrate," the draft bill says.

The offences under the purview of this bill will be cognizable and non-bailable.It shall extend to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday took a dig at the Congress after the Assembly bypoll results were announced saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

The grand old party has not won any of the five seats in the bypolls. After putting up a strong fight in Gujarat, where the BJP won its sixth consecutive Assembly election, the Congress had claimed a moral victory.

"I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of Congress," Shah said.

I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of Congress.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

Shah also cited his party's win in Assembly bypolls to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the Opposition's anti-development politics.

In a series of tweets, he said that his party's winning spree has continued after the victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls as it won three of the five by-elections.

After impressive wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, BJP's winning spree continues. Today the Party has won 3 out of 5 seats, 1 seat in rural Uttar Pradesh and 2 in Arunachal Pradesh. I thank the people of these states for supporting the BJP.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 percent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 percent). The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

The result in Sikandra underlines the support of farmers and villages to the BJP, Shah said, claiming that the BSP's "tacit support" to the SP did not help the Opposition.

"BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the Opposition," he said.

The result in Sikandra illustrates the support of farmers and villages towards BJP. BSP's tacit support to SP did not help. BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the Opposition. Congrats to CM @myogiadityanath, @DrMNPandeyMP & our karyakartas.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

The win in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East policy", Shah said. The BJP will continue to serve the northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen, he added.

The victories in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of PM Modi's 'Act East policy'. We will continue to serve the Northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen. Congrats to CM @pemakhandu & @BJP4Arunachal unit.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

BR Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy CM, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer DJ Bhattacharjee said. In the Likabali, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent

Shah also took heart from the rise in BJP's vote share in Sabang in West Bengal, where the party's candidate came third.

He claimed that the BJP was fast emerging as an alternative to the "anti-people" Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left front, which he alleged has "ruined" West Bengal.

The rise in BJP's support in Sabang (West Bengal) is noteworthy. Our party is fast emerging as an alternative to the anti-people TMC & Left front, which have ruined the West Bengal. We will keep working for the people of West Bengal. I appreciate the hardwork of @BJP4Bengal unit.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

The TMC, in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

While TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP bagged 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick secured 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

Meanwhile, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday won the crucial RK Nagar bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes.

The nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by 40,707 votes in the Assembly constituency in north Chennai. This was higher than the margin of 39,495 votes secured by late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa last year in the segment in the Assembly elections.

The bypoll, necessitated by the death of the AIADMK supremo on December 5, 2016, was held on December 21.

(With PTI inputs)
NEW DELHI: In view of NewYear and Christmas celebrations, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a country-wide advisory to all states to maintain utmost vigil to prevent any untoward incident.

State Administration has also been advised to take measures to ensure peace and crowd control to maintain law and order.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Saturday said that the advisory has been issued in the wake of fringe elements recently threatening some Christian community members against celebrating the festival.

A fringe group in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh had on December 17 issued a circular and threatened the management of all city schools against celebrating Christmas saying, if they did so, it would be "at their own risk".

"Any festival, whether it is Christmas, Ramzaan, Holi or Diwali, should be celebrated without any problems. Strict action would be taken if anyone tries to create ruckus during the festivals," Singh said.

"I believe that all people irrespective of any religion should celebrate each other's festivals in its true spirit with full enthusiasm," the Minister added.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed Bharatiya Janata Paraty's (BJP) victories in Assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.

"My gratitude to the people of Sikandra for once again supporting BJP. Our commitment to serving India's villages and taking them to new heights of progress is unwavering. I congratulate CM Yogi Adityanath and the BJP UP team for their stupendous efforts," he tweeted.

In another tweet, he wrote, "I thank the people of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in BJP. We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast."

My gratitude to the people of Sikandra for once again supporting BJP. Our commitment to serving India's villages and taking them to new heights of progress is unwavering. I congratulate CM @myogiadityanath Ji and the @BJP4UP Team for their stupendous efforts.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017

I thank the people of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in BJP. We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast. @BJP4Arunachal  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017

Happy to see a significant rise in the BJPs vote share in Sabang, West Bengal. I thank the people for their support and assure them that BJP will leave no stone unturned in serving West Bengal. I appreciate the @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas for their effort.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017

The BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll on Sunday by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

According to the UP chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 percent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 percent).

The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

While the SP and Congress had contested the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, in an alliance, the two parties had decided to go alone in the bypoll.

The Sikandra bypoll was necessitated following the death of its sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22.

On the other hand, the BJP on Sunday also wrested both the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress in the by-elections to these constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh.

With this, the 60-member state Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one Congress and one Independent legislator.

BR Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by a narrow margin of 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy CM, Kameng Dolo of the Congress.

While Waghe polled 3,517 votes, Dolo bagged 3,042, Joint Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali seat, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by a slender margin of 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA.

While the BJP candidate polled 3,461 votes, the PPA nominee secured 3,156 votes in the constituency, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest.

While Congress candidate Modam Dini could secure only 362 votes, the lone Independent candidate, Sengo Taipodia, bagged 675 votes.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after then health and family welfare minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4.

The Pakke-Kessang seat fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency in the March 15, 2014 polls null and void, following an election petition filed by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly.

Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal wrested the Sabang Assembly seat from the Congress on Sunday by defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M).

While TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes. Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP bagged 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick secured 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defected to the TMC earlier this year and became a Rajya Sabha MP. Rani is the wife of Bhunia.

Bhuniya, who had fought the Assembly polls as an alliance candidate of the Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: The Health Ministry, which is struggling to make six new AIIMS fully functional due to unavailability of suitable candidates, has now decided to hire retired doctors, who have worked in premier medical institutes of the country, on contract.

The government will hire retired doctors on contract basis as various faculty positions of professors, additional and associate professors in most of the clinical disciplines are lying vacant despite two rounds of vacancy filling exercises.

The six new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) -- Rishikesh, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Raipur, Patna and Bhubaneshwar -- are yet to become fully functional due to lack of doctors and faculty.

"Approval of the competent authority is conveyed for engagement of retired faculty at the level of professor, additional professor and associate professor, on contract basis, in new AIIMS, up to the age of 70 years, from institutes of national importance (INIs) and government medical colleges (GMCs)," the order read.

According to a senior health ministry official, all the six new AIIMS are unable to start out-patient and in-patient department services in a number of speciality and super- speciality disciplines due to faculty crunch.

"We advertised twice. Last year, we advertised 1,300 posts for the AIIMS at Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur, Bhubaneswar and Rishikesh but could only fill up 200 posts. Most of them were found to be unsuitable for the positions," the official said.

The contractual engagement of retired faculty would be against vacant regular posts in new AIIMS and there would be continued attempts for direct recruitment of faculty by open advertisements.

The retired faculty consultant will report to the Director of the institute, the terms and conditions read.

Participation of retired faculty consultant in national seminars or conferences would be permissible as per entitlement of regular faculty.

In case retired faculty consultant is also deputed out of station on official assignment, TA/DA would be paid on tour, as admissible, as per entitlement against post last held immediately before retirement.

"Private practice of any kind, including laboratory and consultant practice is prohibited," the terms and conditions stated.

During the period of contract, the engagement is liable to be terminated at any time with a month notice without assigning any reason whatsoever.

It will be open to the institute to pay, in lieu of notice, salary for the period by which the notice period falls short.

If at any time, in the opinion of the competent authority, which is final in this matter, retired faculty consultant is found non-performing or guilty of any offence, disorderly behaviour, negligence or any other conduct considered by the competent authority, deterrent to the interest of AIIMS or violation of one or more terms and conditions, his or her services may be terminated without notice.

A high-powered committee, headed by M K Bhan, former secretary in the Department of Biotechnology, constituted to look at the governance structure of all the new AIIMS, had made these proposals to the ministry.

Over the last two years, the AIIMS at Jodhpur has been able to fill up 47 per cent of its vacancies, followed by Bhubaneshwar which filled up 45 per cent vacancies, Rishikesh had 43 per cent vacancies filled, Bhopal had 35 per cent, and Raipur just 24 per cent.

The AIIMS at Patna has been able to fill up only 17 per cent of its faculty positions.


NEW DELHI: The industry on Saturday witnessed the third-generation of Ambanis  Isha, Akash and Anant  taking centre-stage with their father at Reliance Family Day (RFD) event.

The company Chairman and Managing Director Ambani Mukesh Ambani exhorted the young Reliance workforce to take the company to top 20 in the world and play even a bigger role in nation-building in the coming years.

Isha and Akash welcoming the audience and anchoring the evening along with film star Shahrukh Khan. Over 50,000 people comprising employees and their families, attended the grand celebrations at the Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai.

The Reliance Family Day 2017 became extra special as it marked 40 years of RIL as a listed entity and commemorated the 85th birth anniversary of its founder chairman Dhirubhai Ambani.

Articulating his dream for Reliance of the future, Mukesh said that in its first four decades the company has already achieved global and national leadership positions in its various businesses and therefore well positioned to accomplish even greater goals in its golden decade.

The programme was thematically divided in three sections Kal (Yesterday/ Past), Aaj (Today/Present) and Kal (Tomorrow/ Future) and tracked not only the journey of RIL till now but also articulated its vision for the future.
New Delhi: A day after an Army officer, a Lance Naik and two jawans lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir`s Keri sector, the Congress Party questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s "commitment and assurance" to keeping the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) inviolable.

Addressing the media, Congress leader Manish Tewari raised doubts over government policies towards Pakistan.

"Mr Prime Minister, before assuming office, he proudly proclaimed from every podium across the country that if his government came into office, then Pakistan won`t be able to kill even a bird. What happened to your commitment and the assurance which you gave to this country that you will keep the LoC and IB inviolable?" he questioned.

"We would like to ask as to what is your government`s policy towards Pakistan? Because for the last 3 and half years all that this country has seen in the name of policy are U-turns, flip-flops and somersaults," he added.

Continuing his tirade, he again raised questions on Prime Minister Modi`s surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015.

"Mr. Prime Minister, we would like to ask you once again, today it is 24th of December 2017, exactly two years ago you went to Pakistan, till today the country doesn`t know as to why did you go to Pakistan. We would like to ask you as to why did you invite the ISIS to investigate the Pathankot terror attack when the figure of complexity straight pointed at the Pakistani establishments", he added.

Further giving details on the number of unprovoked ceasefires that took place along the LoC and IB, Tewari said, "In this year alone from Jan 1st till 24th December there have been 900 major ceasefires across the LoC and the International Border. 780 across the LoC and 120 across IB in the year 2014 between June and December the number of violations was 583. In 2015, there were 400, in 2016, there were 460 and this year, 900".

He also paid tribute to Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Sepoy Pargat Singh, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh, who lost their lives in yesterday`s ceasefire violation.
BENGALURU: Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Sunday said that the state government is planning to frame a law which will enable capital punishment to rapists of minor girls.

Officials have been asked to seek details of a similar law that was passed by Madhya Pradesh state government on December 4.

The government had passed the bill dealing with death sentence for convicts of rape and gang-rape involving girls of 12 years or less. State CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said repeated stalking will be made a non-bailable offense.

In a country where rape incidents are one of the highest, there has been a growing demand for harsher punishment. Taking cue, the MP government passed the said bill which awards 'hanged till death' for convicts of rape and gang-rape of minor girls below 12 years of age.

"Those who rape 12-year-old girls are not human beings but demons. They have no right to live," said CM Chouhan. "Repeated stalking too will be a non-bailable offence and offenders will be punished."

The state may have taken steps towards stern action against those accused of rape but CM Chouhan earlier faced criticism after the Bhopal gang-rape incident.

A 19-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped for three hours by four men in the state capital early November. The four men allegedly tied the girl and took turns to sexually assault her. The accused, as per the reports, even took tea and gutkha breaks before returning to repeatedly rape her.

The victim's mother is a police constable, while her father is associated with Railway Protection Force (RPF).

CM Chouhan had ordered a SIT probe into the incident and four police officials were suspended. However, the incident was termed as a blot on the state government by many including political rivals.
LUCKNOW: Ahead of tabling the Triple Talaq bill in the winter session of Parliament, All India Muslim Personal Law Board or AIMPLB held an emergency meeting in Lucknow on Sunday. The meeting was attended by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen or AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The new bill, know as The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017, will make triple talaq a punishable offence. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in Parliament next week.

The draft bill has a provision of imprisonment for Triple Talaq up to three years and along with a fine. The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance and to have the custody of their minor children.

According to the draft bill, "any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal".

"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a married Muslim woman shall be entitled to custody of her minor children in the event of pronouncement of talaq by her husband, in such manner as may be determined by the Magistrate," the draft bill further adds.

Earlier speaking to media, Owaisi said, "Both national parties...deliberately avoided talking about Muslim empowerment and Muslim representation, and the proof is that BJP did not give a single ticket to a Muslim. Congress gave six tickets and only three are now elected."

"They might win elections like this but our democracy will lose," he added.

In a landmark judgement in August 2017, the Supreme Court banned triple talaq with immediate effect. Three out of five judges hearing the case have declared triple talaq as 'arbitary' and 'unconstitutional' and further asked the Parliament to bring in a new law to govern the issue.

On December 15, the Narendra Modi Cabinet on December 15 approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal.

With agency inputs
BHOPAL: Responding to the sentencing of accused in the Bhopal gang rape case, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hailed the timely judgement, adding that speedy justice and strict action is necessary in such cases.

"I am happy that the judgement has been delivered in record time. Strict punishment and speedy justice are necessary. We have decided on a proposal to send to Prime Minister Modi. Once he approves, we will bring death sentences for such cases," he told reporters here.

Earlier in the month of November, a 19-year-old civil services aspirant was allegedly abducted by the four accused and gang-raped near the Habibganj Railway Station in Bhopal.

Following their arrest, two doctors of Madhya Pradesh`s Sultania Women Hospital were suspended on November 11 after they produced an erroneous medical report stating that the victim indulged in consensual sex with the accused.

A fast-track court on Saturday awarded life imprisonment to all the four accused in gang rape case.

"Based on the evidence provided by us, the court awarded all the four accused lifetime imprisonment," P N Rajput, the lawyer of the victim said.

The four were charged under sections 376 D (gangrape), 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 366 (kidnapping woman), 347 (wrongful confinement), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Mumbai: Two people have been arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a woman in a cab on December 19.

Condemning the incident, Ola said that the incident did not take place on their platform. However, they assured that they have extended all support to the authorities. "He was not logged on our platform from around three-four days before the incident," an Ola spokesperson said.

The cab driver and his aide allegedly raped the woman while she was travelling from Kashimira to Thane near here on the night of December 19. The accused have been identified as 32-year-old Suresh Pandurang Gosavi, formerly employed with app-based cab service Ola, and 31-year-old Umesh Jaswant Zala.

The duo was produced in a court and remanded into police custody till December 26, they said.

Gosavi had been off duty for over a week, but the car still had a sticker of the app-based service, police said.

According to the complainant, she boarded Gosavi's cab on the evening of December 19 to travel to Thane from the Kashimira area.

However, Gosavi drove to Vajreshwari where he allegedly robbed her of money, mobile and purse, and then raped her in the car at an isolated spot. His friend, who was also sitting in the cab, allegedly helped him, police said.

Later they took her to a lodge where the woman narrated her ordeal to the lodge manager.

When the manager questioned the duo, they fled the spot, police said.

Following woman's complaint, Gosavi and his friend were arrested.
NEW DELHI: A prosecution complaint has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Yadav Singh, a former Chief Engineer with Noida, in connection with a money laundering case.

The complaint was filed following a disproportionate assets case against him.

The ED also attached assets worth Rs 5.9 crore of the former chief engineer of Noida and Greater Noida.

Singh, who is serving a jail term since February 2016, was arrested last year for allegedly misusing his official position in awarding contracts and causing wrongful loss to the government exchequer.

He is being investigated for two cases under PMLA.

In the first case, his illegal and collusive work allotment resulted into undue advantage of Rs 19.92 crore to companies named NKG Infrastructure Ltd, JSP Constructions Pvt Ltd and Tirupati Construction Company.

In the second case of disproportionate assets, it was found that Singh`s wife Kusum Lata, along with her sister-in-law Vidhya Devi, formed a trust named PGP Trust to project proceeds of crime as untainted.

It was also found that donations by cheques were deposited in the account of PGP trust and equivalent amount in cash was returned in lieu of donations received.

After investigation, the following properties of PGP trust were attached on December 21 - Rs 4.6 crore in Indian Overseas Bank, Noida, two properties at Kurkunda Mathura, two properties in Jahangirpur Jewar, Gautambudha Nagar and one office premises in Delhi.

The above properties are in the name of PGP Charitable Trust of Yadav Singh in which his wife Kusum Lata was one of the trustees.

Further investigation is in progress.
Ankara: The Turkish government on Sunday ordered the sacking of more than 2,700 people working in public institutions over alleged links to "terror" groups, in the latest purges since last year`s failed coup.

In a separate emergency decree, the defence procurement agency was ordered to answer to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instead of the defence ministry, in a move widely viewed as a further expansion of his powers.

Turkey`s intelligence service (MIT) also came under Erdogan`s control in August.

A total of 2,756 people including academics, soldiers and military personal were removed from different bodies including the interior, foreign and defence ministries, according to the Official Gazette.

All those dismissed were either members of "terror" organisations or had links to structures which were acting against national security, it said.

17 Turkish institutions were also ordered to close, including two newspapers and seven associations.More than 140,000 people including judges, lawyers and academics have been sacked or suspended since a failed coup in July last year, while some 55,000 people have been arrested over suspected links to US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen and the coup attempt.

Turkey claims Gulen and his Hizmet (service) movement, which it calls the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation", ordered and conducted the attempted coup.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies any links to terrorism and the failed putsch.

Erdogan, who has also accused Gulen and his followers of infiltrating state institutions, has said the sackings were necessary to remove what he called the "virus" of Gulen`s influence from state bodies.

But on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey would hire 110,000 public sector employees in 2018, including 20,000 teachers, 36,000 health sector workers and 15,000 people to work for the justice ministry. Thousands of judges and prosecutors have been sacked in the purges.

"Thus in the ministries and state departments, there will not be a problem of "`disruption due to lack of personnel`," Yildirim said in televised comments.

Critics accuse the government of using state of emergency legislation to target opponents, including opposition journalists and pro-Kurdish critics.

The co-leader of the main pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples` Democratic Party, Selahattin Demirtas, is among those detained on terrorism charges, something he denies.The decree on dismissals was published alongside another announcement that men accused of "acting against the constitutional order" would have to wear a single colour uniform, either brown or grey, during court hearings.

The uniform will also apply to those accused of attempting to abolish the Turkish government and will come into force next month.

Erdogan previously said that alleged coup-plotters would wear clothing similar to the notorious orange jumpsuits used at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay.

The move is in response to a man, accused of plotting to assassinate Erdogan, appearing in court in July wearing a white "Hero" T-shirt.

Erdogan on Sunday said the decision about the uniforms was a wish from "victims, those wronged".

"They won`t be able to appear in court with a tie, in an ostentatious way," he said.
Itanagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the by-polls to Likabali and Pakke-Kessang Assembly seat. Counting for the by-polls of two Assembly constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh began at 8 am today. The BJP and Congress are main contenders in the election.

The by-polls were held on Thursday, December 21. Over 68.5% electors cast their votes with Pakke-Kessang recording 86% voter turnout and Likabali 51% voter turnout. The Likabali Assembly seat fell vacant after state Health and Family Welfare Minister Jomde Kena died on September 4, 2017. The Pakke-Kessang seat fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Kameng Dolo in March 2014 'null and void' in response to an election petition filed by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly. Pakke-Kessang has 7,455 voters including 3,943 women, while Likabali has 10,608 electorates including 5,331 women voters.

Here are the live updates from the counting centres:

2:00 pm: BJP wins Pakke-Kessang Assembly seat

1:10 pm: BJP candidate Kardo Nyigyor won the Likabali seat.

1:05 pm: Peoples Party of Arunachal recieved 2,136 votes.

1:00 pm: The BJP has won the Likabali Assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh with 2,908 vote.

10:45 am: BJP is also leading in Likabali Assembly seat

10:40 am: BJP takes an early lead in Pakke-Kessang Assembly seat

8:03 am: Counting begins
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday wrested both the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress in the by-elections to these constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh.

With this, the 60-member state Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one Congress and one Independent legislator.

BR Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by a narrow margin of 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy chief minister, Kameng Dolo of the Congress.

While Waghe polled 3,517 votes, Dolo bagged 3,042, Joint Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali seat, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by a slender margin of 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA.

While the BJP candidate polled 3,461 votes, the PPA nominee secured 3,156 votes in the constituency, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest.

While Congress candidate Modam Dini could secure only 362 votes, the lone Independent candidate, Sengo Taipodia, bagged 675 votes.

The constituency also saw 23 voters opting for NOTA, Bhattacharjee said.

Prime Minister Modi thanked the people of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in BJP.

"I thank the people of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in BJP. We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast," he said.

I thank the people of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in BJP. We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast. @BJP4Arunachal  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today termed the BJP winning the by-election to the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali assembly seats as a perfect Christmas gift to the party.

BJP @BJP4India , under @AmitShah ,has won and scored electoral victory in bye election on both the seats in Arunachal Pradesh while Congress under Rahul Gandhi @OfficeOfRG contented with a double "moral" victory on,not one but two, seats.@KirenRijiju @PemaKhanduBJP @himantabiswa December 24, 2017

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju congratulated the BJP members for the victory in the bypolls and tweeted:

          ! @BJP4India won both Pakke-Kesang & Likabali Assembly Seats bye-election in Arunachal Pradesh. @narendramodi ji's vision, @AmitShah ji's guidance & @PemaKhanduBJP ji's performance won the heart of the people. pic.twitter.com/Hnm1xKtYMh  Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) December 24, 2017

Over 68.5 per cent electors had cast their votes in the December 21 bypolls, with Pakke-Kessang recording an 86-per cent voter turnout and Likabali 51 per cent.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after then health and family welfare minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4.

The Pakke-Kessang seat fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency in the March 15, 2014 polls null and void, following an election petition filed by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju congratulated the BJP members for the victory in the bypolls.
PATNA: Reacting on Rashtriya Janata Party or RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's conviction, BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao on Sunday said that the fodder scam is an open and shut case of corruption which should be condemned by Congress.

Lalu Prasad Yadav's conviction surprises no one in this country because the Fodder scam is an open shut case of brazen corruption carried out in defrauding the public ex-chequer. When he compares himself to Dr BR Ambedkar, we take strong objection to it, said Rao.

We want the Congress party to equally condemn Lalu Prasad Yadav's statement and if they do not do it, it will be seen as Congress is in his company, added Rao.

The former Bihar chief minister was convicted in the fodder scam by a special CBI court in Ranchi on Saturday. The court will announce the sentencing on January 3, 2018.

Lalu was immediately taken into custody.

Minutes after the conviction, the party announced that it will challenge the verdict in the high court.

In October 2013, when he was first convicted in a related fodder scam case, he had to spend two months in jail before he got bail from the Supreme Court.

The former chief minister of Bihar had been charged in several cases related to the scam, in which Rs. 900 crore were embezzled from the state exchequer for fictitious medicines and fodder for cattle over a period of 20 years.

The CBI began probing the case in 1996.

Over 50 cases were registered for embezzlement of funds on the pretext of buying fodder for cattle, among others.
New Delhi: Unicef Global Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra on Saturday said she is a just an "instrument of change" and the real job of empowering women is supposed to be done by the government and society.

At a Unicef event, the Bollywood and Hollywood star said though there is nothing wrong in becoming a homemaker, young girls must be given their rights and be allowed to choose their career path.

"I am just an instrument of change. I am neither government nor am I Unicef. But I have voice, I have a platform which you people have given me... Some change will be done I am sure when so many of you who are here will write about it," Priyanka said.

The international star said she was privileged in her upbringing, with her parents being educated enough to allow her to carry on with her desires, but not everyone shares a similar destiny, and society must give the young girls their say and allow them education.

"Some people say 'what change I can make alone', some say 'we ourselves don't have enough to eat, how can we contribute to this cause'... To them I would say, if you can't donate money, then donate your compassion," she said.

Emphasising on the role of girls in a household, Priyanka remarked on the "increasing number of old age homes", which, she said "might not happen if there are more daughters in the society".

"The sex ratio in some states, I got to know about, is so low, which is so dangerous."

The actor also praised government initiatives like 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' -- the Central government's flagship scheme -- and said if everyone lends his and her support such a movement can become very big.

"It our house and it is our responsibility to clean it. We have nothing to learn from anyone. We are such a logical people. We run the tech for the entire world. We can change our society on our own," the 'Quantico' star said when asked by a reporter if she has any changes to suggest for India, something she noticed abroad.

"Adolescents today face a unique set of challenges. Giving them the tools to improve their lives will help create a generations of economically-independent citizens who will actively contribute to their communities. Investment in adolescents can lift millions out of poverty by creating a constructive and skilled workforce," she said.

India is home to more than 243 million adolescents, who account for a quarter of the country's population. Ending child marriage, enabling access to secondary education and transition to work can be a game change for India's future growth and development, Unicef said in a statement.


Mumbai: On actor-producer Anil Kapoor 61st birthday on Sunday, his daughter and actress Sonam Kapoor said that she considers herself lucky to have the Mubarakan star as her father.

Sonam tweeted a few photographs in which she can be seen sharing lighter moments with Anil.

"Happy birthday to the person who taught me to fight for what I believe in and to never stop chasing my dreams. Without you, I wouldn`t be half the woman I am today and for that, I love you endlessly," Sonam wrote in a series of tweets.

Happy birthday to the person who taught me to fight for what I believe in and to never stop chasing my dreams. Without you, I wouldn't be half the woman I am today and for that I love you endlessly. @AnilKapoor pic.twitter.com/93oOdeYp94  Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) December 24, 2017

"There is no one in the world who understands me like you do and for that, I'm truly grateful. Happy birthday daddy, you are a true gem and I`m so lucky to have you in my life.

There is no one in the world who understands me like you do and for that I'm truly grateful. Happy birthday Daddy, you are a true gem and I'm so lucky to have you in my life @AnilKapoor pic.twitter.com/80oUhEd36T  Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) December 24, 2017

"You have made me the person I am today and I continue to be inspired and in awe of your charisma, loyalty and dedication every single day. How lucky am I to have a father like you," she added.

You have made me the person I am today and I continue to be inspired and in awe of your charisma, loyalty and dedication every single day. How lucky am I to have a father like you

Happy birthday Daddy! @AnilKapoor pic.twitter.com/nXWUpMKHwM  Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) December 24, 2017

Bollywood celebrities like Shekhar Kapur, Farah Khan and Anupam Kher also tweeted their birthday wishes to Anil.

Anupam wrote: "Happy birthday my dearest friend Anil Kapoor. May you always look 39 years younger than you are. May all the best roles first come to you. May I always have the access to your gym and to your physiotherapist. May God give you all the happiness in the world. You are the bestest."

Happy birthday my dearest friend @AnilKapoor. May you always look 39 years younger than you are. May all the best roles first come to you. May I always have the access to your gym & to ur physiotherapist. May God give you all the happiness in the world. You are the BESTEST.pic.twitter.com/dj7rKk4XJx  Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) December 24, 2017

Kapur recalled a confession and wrote: "Here's a confession. For 30 years since `Mr India` whenever Anil and I met we celebrated that we survived yet another year despite all odds in the movie business. Here`s to another year of survival success friendship love happiness."

Here's a confession. For 30 years since Mr India whenever Anil and I met we celebrated that we survived yet another year despite all odds in the movie business. Here's to another year of survival success friendship love happiness. #HappyBirthdayAnilKapoor @AnilKapoor  Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) December 24, 2017

Farah tweeted: "Happy birthday Anil Kapoor. You are a diamond in a world full of rhinestones. Unbreakable and shining."

Happy birthday @AnilKapoor .. u are a Diamond in a world full of Rhinestones.. unbreakable n Shining.. Lov u Papaji pic.twitter.com/AXaHeFF70i  Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) December 24, 2017

Actor Riteish Deshmukh said Anil is someone 'who has frozen time'.

"Be it the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, or 2010s he looks the same. Drama, action, romance, comedy he has aced it all. Has the energy and enthusiasm to put a newcomer to shame. Wishing the youngest of them all a very Happy birthday. We love you Anil sir," he wrote.

The man who has frozen time. Be it the 80s, 90s, 00s, or 10s he looks the same. Drama, action, romance, comedy he has aced it all. Has the energy & enthusiasm to put a newcomer to shame. Wishing the youngest of them all a very Happy Birthday .. we love you @AnilKapoor sir. pic.twitter.com/2TSzz6Xypi  Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) December 24, 2017

Here's wishing him a very Happy Birthday.
Washington: After audiences found out that Leia was Luke's sister in 'Star Wars: Return of the Jedi', it was assumed that Luke would teach his sister the ways of the force.But according to some new information given to fans, he didn't get the best start when his sister refused his offer of a spot as his first Jedi padawan.

Writing in a new book called 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The Visual Dictionary', Lucasfilm Story Group head Pablo Hidalgo explained, "Skywalker's first student was to be his sister, Leia. However, she ultimately decided that the best path for her to serve the galaxy left no room for the extended isolation of Jedi training."He further added, "As Leia on her new family and senatorial politics, Luke began his travels, largely disappearing from galactic view. During his lengthy journey, Skywalker gathered disciples who would go on to become his first true students."Leia continued to use the force throughout her adulthood, including in the recent 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' where it nearly saved her life. While she certainly could've been a great Jedi, Leia's true place clearly seemed to be politics and leadership.

Directed by Rian Johnson, 'The Last Jedi' stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro.'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is currently running in cinemas across the globe.
New Delhi: Actress Priyanka Chopra might have to miss out on the "special moment" of getting honoured with a doctorate degree by the Bareilly International University due to "fog lock down".

Priyanka, currently in Delhi, was supposed to visit Bareilly on Sunday to attend the ceremony.

"Weather Gods and Goddesses, please do your thing and clear the skies. I really need to get to Bareilly! Fog lock down. This can't be happening," Priyanka tweeted.

"I can't believe the ATC (air traffic controller) won't let me take off, saying it's not safe. My heart is breaking. This was supposed to be such a special moment. I actually may miss it. Bareilly calling," she added.

The university chancellor Keshav Kumar Agrawal was supposed to honour the 'Quantico' star with the degree in the presence of Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal.
Chennai: In a jolt to the ruling AIADMK, sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday won the prestigious Radhakrishnan Nagar (RK Nagar) Assembly bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes.

Dhinakaran, nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, defeated his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK by 40,707 votes, officials announced as the counting of votes ended. Polling for the seat was held on December 21.

The bypoll in the Assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of J Jayalalithaa in December last. The late Tamil Nadu CM was elected from the RK Nagar seat in north Chennai.

Dhinakaran bettered the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls.

Following are some of key facts about him:

- After the revolt by Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Dhinakaran has vowed to unseat the regime, accusing him of having betrayed the faith reposed in him by jailed party leader and Sasikala.

- He was handpicked by Sasikala to lead the party when she went to the Parapana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru to serve a four year jail term in a disproportionate assets case in February 2017.

- Dhinakaran was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1999 from Periyakulam and to the Rajya Sabha in 2004.

- He was said to be a key player in party appointments and during parleys with allies at the time of elections.

- However, his sudden emergence as party deputy general secretary slowly ruffled feathers and Palaniswami teamed up with then rival leader and now Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam to form the main bloc of AIADMK which now has the 'two leaves' symbol.

- In April-May last, Dhinakaran went through a rough patch with the Delhi Police arresting him for allegedly trying to bribe Election Commission officials to get the 'two leaves' symbol. Among others, he also faces a FERA case.

- Eighteen of his loyalist MLAs were disqualified by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal months ago and a case in this regard is pending before the Madras High Court.

- Post the merger of the factions led by CM Palaniswami and now his deputy O Panneerselvam, a general council meeting of AIADMK in September had annulled the appointment of Sasikala as the party general secretary and all subsequent appointments/removals made by her, including that of Dhinakaran.

- 54-year old Dhinakaran has been asserting that party cadres were with him and he was led by 'Chinnamma Sasikala', a true successor to 'Amma'.

- In about two decades, he is the first independent candidate to be elected in Tamil Nadu and that too with such a huge margin scoring higher than that of Jayalalithaa in 2016 Assembly polls.

- In that election, Jayalalithaa had won by a margin of 39,545 votes defeating DMK nominee Shimla Muthuchozhan. While Jayalalithaa secured 97,218 votes, the DMK candidate 57,673 votes.

- Despite the win, Dhinakaran and his followers face the allegation of attempting to bribe the voters through ingenious ways.

- DMK working president MK Stalin alleged money power behind the electoral outcome.

(With PTI inputs)
Chennai: The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday suffered a major setback with rival faction candidate TTV Dhinakaran winning the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll.

Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, defeated his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK by 40,707 votes, election officials said. Polling for the seat was held on December 21.

Speaking to reporters at the Madurai airport, earlier in the day, he predicted that the state government headed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami will fall in three months time.



Dinakaran said the people in RK Nagar have reflected the views of the Tamil Nadu's populace. He added that though he was an independent candidate, AIADMK's party cadres were with him.

The bypoll in the Assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of Jayalalithaa in December last. The late Tamil Nadu CM was elected from the Radhakrishnan Nagar seat in north Chennai.

Dhinakaran surpassed the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. While he polled 89,013 votes, Madhusudhanan secured 48,306. DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh came a distant third with 24,651 and lost his deposit, as also 57 others, including the BJP nominee.

He contested as an independent on the pressure cooker symbol after the Election Commission allotted the 'two leaves' symbol to the factions led by K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The two factions had merged in August this year after deposing Dhinakaran and Sasikala, who is serving a four-year jail term in a Bengaluru prison in a corruption case.

Meanwhile, leaders of several parties have termed Dinakaran's victory as the victory of cash play.



DMK leader MK Stalin, in a statement, said the party's defeat in the bypoll is actually an Himalayan defeat for the Election Commission, claiming it or police did not do anything to ensure that the poll was held in a free and fair manner.



He said the Election Commission remained silent when voters were bribed even when the polling was under progress.

(With IANS and PTI inputs)
LUCKNOW: Three people, including the son of UP Congress vice-chairman and former minister Badshah Singh, was arrested on Sunday in connection with a case of kidnapping, a police official said.

"On December 23, Amit Jaiswal lodged a complaint saying his son Shivam has been abducted and taken to Gorakhpur. However, during the investigation, it came to light that the abducted person was in Mahoba district. Police then acting on a tip-off raided Kharela village, arrested three people, and freed Shivam," the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (Lucknow) said in a statement.

The arrested include Suryadev Singh, Rajesh Singh and Gunnu. Suryadev Singh is the son of former UP minister Badshah Singh, who currently is the vice-chairman of the UP Congress.

Shivam, who had recently become friends with Suryadev, alleged that the latter took him to a farmhouse, beat him and locked him up in a room, police said, adding that Suryadev had planned to call Shivam's father and demand a ransom of Rs. 50 lakh for his release

An investigation was launched into the matter, the statement said.

On November 5, 2016, former BSP minister Badshah Singh, who had joined the BJP before the 2012 UP elections, joined the Congress in Lucknow.

A four-time MLA, Mr Singh had been a minister during the previous Mayawati regime and had contested the 2012 state elections from Mahoba on a BJP ticket but lost.
SIKANDRA: Counting is underway for the by-election to the Sikandra Assembly seat of Uttar Pradesh. The BJP is leading as per initial information, followed by Samajwadi Party at the second spot.

- BJP has fielded Pals son Ajit Pal Singh, who will fight mainly against Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party and Prabhakar of the Congress party.

- 12 aspirants are in the contest, including five independent candidates.

- The bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP MLA Mathura Prasad Pal on July 22 due to illness.

Voting for the polls were held on 21 December. Nearly 53 per cent votes had been polled of the total 3.21 lakh electorate. In the general election, this seat had witnessed a turnout of over 60 per cent.

In the 2017 Assembly polls, Pal had polled 87,879 votes, defeating the nearest Bahujan Samaj Party rival Mahendra Katiyar (Bablu), who got 49,776 votes.

Sikandra constituency falls in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by Phoolan Devi and her gang.

In Behmai village, Phoolan Devi and her gang allegedly killed 21 Rajput men in 1981 to avenge her rape. She surrendered to the police in 1983 and went on to become an MP from Mirzapur. She was shot dead outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.
Kanpur: The BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll on Sunday by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 percent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 percent).

The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

While the SP and Congress had contested the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, in an alliance, the two parties had decided to go alone in the bypoll.

The Sikandra bypoll was necessitated following the death of its sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22.

On the other hand, the BJP on Sunday also wrested both the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress in the by-elections to these constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh.

With this, the 60-member state Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one Congress and one Independent legislator.

BR Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by a narrow margin of 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy CM, Kameng Dolo of the Congress.

While Waghe polled 3,517 votes, Dolo bagged 3,042, Joint Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali seat, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by a slender margin of 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA.

While the BJP candidate polled 3,461 votes, the PPA nominee secured 3,156 votes in the constituency, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest.

While Congress candidate Modam Dini could secure only 362 votes, the lone Independent candidate, Sengo Taipodia, bagged 675 votes.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after then health and family welfare minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4.

The Pakke-Kessang seat fell vacant after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency in the March 15, 2014 polls null and void, following an election petition filed by BJP nominee and former minister Atum Welly.

Hailing BJP's win Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted:

My gratitude to the people of Sikandra for once again supporting BJP. Our commitment to serving India's villages and taking them to new heights of progress is unwavering. I congratulate CM @myogiadityanath Ji and the @BJP4UP Team for their stupendous efforts.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017

I thank the people of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in BJP. We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast. @BJP4Arunachal  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017

BJP president Amit Shah said:

After impressive wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, BJP's winning spree continues. Today the Party has won 3 out of 5 seats, 1 seat in rural Uttar Pradesh and 2 in Arunachal Pradesh. I thank the people of these states for supporting the BJP.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

The result in Sikandra illustrates the support of farmers and villages towards BJP. BSP's tacit support to SP did not help. BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the Opposition. Congrats to CM @myogiadityanath, @DrMNPandeyMP & our karyakartas. December 24, 2017

The victories in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of PM Modi's 'Act East policy'. We will continue to serve the Northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen. Congrats to CM @pemakhandu & @BJP4Arunachal unit.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal wrested the Sabang Assembly seat from the Congress on Sunday by defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M).

While TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes. Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP bagged 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick secured 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defected to the TMC earlier this year and became a Rajya Sabha MP. Rani is the wife of Bhunia.

Bhuniya, who had fought the Assembly polls as an alliance candidate of the Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front.

(With PTI inputs)
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrested the Sabang Assembly in West Bengal from the Congress on Sunday by defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M).

While TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP bagged 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick secured 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defected to the TMC earlier in 2017 and became a Rajya Sabha MP.

TMC candidate Gita Rani is the wife of Bhunia. She has won by an even better margin than her husband's in the 2016 Assembly election. Bhuniya, who had fought the Assembly polls as an alliance candidate of the Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front, had won the seat by a margin of over 50,000 votes.

The BJP increased its vote share, securing nearly 18 percent of the total votes polled. The biggest jolt was to the Congress, which not only lost one of its citadels to the TMC but also finished a distant fourth in the bypoll. Sabang has been a Congress stronghold since 1957.

Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 percent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 percent). The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

On the other hand, in Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

BR Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy CM, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer DJ Bhattacharjee said. In the Likabali, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent.

However, the most stunning result was the victory of sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, who won the crucial RK Nagar bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes on Sunday.

The nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by 40,707 votes in the Assembly constituency in north Chennai. This was higher than the margin of 39,495 votes secured by late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa last year in the segment in the Assembly elections.

The bypoll, necessitated by the death of the AIADMK supremo on December 5, 2016, was held on December 21.

(With PTI inputs)
KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress leader Gita Rani Bhunia has won the Sabang bypoll in West Bengal. Counting for the election was held on Sunday.

- While TMC had fielded Gita Rani Bhunia from the seat, Antara Bhattacharya was the BJP candidate

- Congress fielded Chiranjib Bhowmick, a local leader. Rita Mandal of the CPI(M) contested as a Left Front candidate.

- Manas Bhunia, had won the seat in last year's assembly poll on a Congress ticket but had defected to the Mamata Banerjee-led party earlier this year necessitating the byelection.

- Voting for the bypoll was held on 22 December with estimated 84.5 per cent votes being cast.

On the voting day, opposition CPI(M) and BJP had accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of driving away their election agents from the polling booths.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh criticised TMC for resorting to terror during the polls and said "The election results will not reflect the real mandate of the people. The people of Sabang could not vote freely and fairly due to the terror tactics of TMC." He was echoed by the Congress and the CPI(M).

"The TMC has been doing this in each and every election. They know that they will lose Sabang and that is why they resorted to violence," Leader of opposition and state Congress leader Abdul Mannan said.

The TMC, however, denied the allegations and said the people have voted in favour of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's developmental politics. "The allegation made by the opposition parties is completely baseless. Voting is peaceful in the constituency," TMC Rajya Sabha MP Manas Bhunia, who is a former Congress MLA said.
BEIJING: The latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea are an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against it, North Korea`s foreign ministry said on Sunday, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad.

The U.N. resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of

North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The U.S.-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea`s foreign ministry said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting "more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country".

The new resolution was tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

"We define this `sanctions resolution` rigged up by the U.S. 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.

"There is no more fatal blunder than the miscalculation that the U.S. and its followers could check by already worn-out `sanctions` the victorious advance of our people who have brilliantly accomplished the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force", the ministry said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Nov. 29 declared the nuclear force complete after the test of North Korea`s largest-ever ICBM test, which the country said puts all of the United States within range.

Kim told a meeting of members of the ruling Workers` Party on Friday that the country "successfully realized the historic cause of completing the state nuclear force" despite "short supply in everything and manifold difficulties and ordeals owing to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the enemies".

North Korea`s official name is the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

South Korea`s foreign ministry told Reuters it is aware of the North Korean statement on the new sanctions, again highlighting its position that they are a "grave warning by the international community that the region has no option but to immediately cease reckless provocations, and take the path of dialogue for denuclearization and peace".

`BALANCE OF FORCE`

The North Korean foreign ministry said its nuclear weapons were a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law.

"We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the U.S. nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the U.S," it said.

"The U.S. should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the U.S. mainland," it added.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face its wrath.

"Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this `sanctions resolution` shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the `resolution` and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done."

The North`s old allies China and Russia both supported the latest U.N. sanctions.

Tension has been rising over North Korea`s nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of U.N. Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called "brutal sanctions", saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3 constituted genocide.

U.S. diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Korea`s leader.

China, with which North Korea does some 90 percent of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint from all sides.

China said on Saturday the new resolution also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution via talks and that all sides needed to take steps to reduce tensions.

Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said on Saturday the tougher resolution was aimed at preventing war.

It suggested the United States had wanted an even harsher resolution, and noted there was no indication in the resolution that the United Nations could grant the United States permission for military action.

"The difference between the new resolution and the original U.S. proposal reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the U.S. proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable," it said in an editorial.
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Sunday said that America is winning the war against terrorism as he greeted US troops stationed around the world on Christmas Eve.

In a video conference with American soldiers on Christmas Eve, Trump told the troops that Americans are thankful for them and their families. He said they are "the greatest people on earth."

Praising them for their "incredible contributions" in the war against terrorism, he said, "We are winning."

It is customary for the US president to make calls to American troops on the occasion of Christmas.

"I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas, we say Merry Christmas, again, very, very proudly. Very very merry Christmas. We're going to have a great year, an incredible year," Trump said.

"I'm thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people. Today and every day we're incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous. Always underappreciated, military families, the greatest people on earth," he said.

During the call, he commended sailors on the USS Sampson for setting "a new standard in readiness".

He thanked the Coast Guard for saving thousands of lives during a series of deadly US hurricanes.

"Many Republicans are very happy, but I have to tell you the people of Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, lots of other states are even more happy. What a job you've done.

"The Coast Guard saved thousands and thousands of lives, almost it's unbelievable when I look at the charts, I saw the number of lives you saved. So I want to congratulate the coast guard for having done an incredible job," he said.

"As we celebrate this most precious holiday, we're grateful for each of you who spend this Christmas away from our families and defend all of our families, our freedom and our flag. Every American heart is thankful and we're asking God to watch over you and to watch over your families," Trump said.
December 22, 2017

On Dec. 20, Qatars Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with Algerias Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia in Algiers. The two discussed strategies for strengthening Doha-Algiers ties and other regional issues, such as US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and the Libyan civil war. Shortly before the chief Qatari diplomats visit, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika wrote to the emir of Qatar, praising Doha and Algiers exceptional relationship and vowing to boost bilateral ties to the highest level, in the best interests of both peoples.

The visit was another indicator of how the Anti-Terror Quartet (ATQ)  Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)  has failed to bring the Maghreb regions internationally recognized governments, save Mauritania, behind its anti-Qatar campaign.

The Qatar crisis has provided Algeria an opportunity to demonstrate its value to Doha as a partner with an independent foreign policy that is capable of helping it weather the diplomatic row that has pressured Doha into turning to alternative security alliances and economic lifelines. Just after the ATQ cut off diplomatic and economic ties with Doha, Qatar praised Algerias honorable stance on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) crisis, in which Algerian officials called on all parties to resolve the dispute through dialogue before their counterparts in any other country did. Doha also hailed Algeria as a big country capable of playing a role in Arab-Arab relations, thanks to its weight in the region.

Algerias response to the Qatar crisis was also partially shaped by the countrys domestic politics. Although Algeria officially embraced a neutral position on the GCCs diplomatic row, 31 Islamist parliamentarians quickly expressed solidarity with Doha via a newly formed committee. The Qatari ambassador to Algiers, Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz al-Sahlawi, has held regular meetings with this committee.

Qatari investment in the North Africans economy and issues in OPEC have contributed to Algerias decision to stay out of the ATQ. Earlier this year, Qatar invested in a $2 billion mega steel plant in eastern Algeria. As OPEC members, Qatar and Algeria pushed the cartel to secure a reduced production agreement while Riyadh and Abu Dhabi disagreed with Algiers on what production strategy OPEC should embrace.

The future of Libya and the threat of the conflict spilling into Algeria are factors that have fueled some tension between Algeria and the ATQ. While Egypt and the UAE have supported Gen. Khalifa Hifter's Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, Algeria has seen Cairo and Abu Dhabis involvement in Libya as undermining the Maghrebs security. Algiers has supported settling the Libyan civil war through an inclusive and diplomatic strategy that relies on Tunisian Islamists moderating influence. From Egypt and the UAEs perspective, the "Tunisian model" is highly dangerous and threatens to consolidate Muslim Brotherhood power in North Africa. In contrast to ATQ members, Qatar has supported Libyas internationally recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli and backed Misratan fighters who played the most pivotal on-the-ground roles in defeating the Islamic State in Sirte a year ago with American support from the air.

For nearly seven years, North Africa has been an arena where Qatar and the UAE have competed for influence. The political gains that Islamists scored in post-Hosni Mubarak Egypt, post-Moammar Gadhafi Libya, post-Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Tunisia, as well as in Morocco unsettled Abu Dhabi and other GCC capitals  with the notable exception of Doha  in the earlier phase of the Arab Spring. The military-led ouster of Mohammed Morsi, Egypts Qatari-backed Muslim Brotherhood president in 2013; Ennahdas loss of an election in Tunisia; and the eruption of Libyas civil war in mid-2014 all undermined Dohas vision of extending Qatars influence across Egypt and the Maghreb via Islamists. Since the tide began turning against Islamist factions that Doha backed, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have invested billions of dollars into Egypt and vowed to make investments across the Maghreb, and Abu Dhabi and Cairo have waged direct military interventions in Libya to bolster the LNA.

Algeria, which weathered the Arab Spring uprisings unlike Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, has been far less subject to the pressures that Doha and Abu Dhabis geopolitical competition has imposed on other North African countries. As one of the worlds leading producers and exporters of natural gas, Algeria, much like Gadhafis Libya, has possessed sufficient strategic leverage to chart its own independent course without sacrificing autonomy for financial aid from GCC states. There are many examples of Algiers refusing to support Riyadh and Abu Dhabis agenda in addition to Algerias response to the Qatar crisis. Algeria is known as Irans best friend in the Maghreb, and Algiers never opposed Bashar al-Assads regime during the Syrian crisis. The North African country has refused to designate Hezbollah or Hamas terrorist organizations, and Algeria has stayed out of the Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen, as well as the 41-member Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition.

Ultimately, Algeria is likely to continue investing in initiatives aimed at bolstering its partnership with Qatar. This approach is a product of Algiers not sharing the ATQs perceptions of the alleged Qatari threat, coupled with Algerias interest in securing more investment from the Arabian emirate. Moreover, Algeria views the ATQs vision for North Africa  chiefly in Libya  as harmful to its own security interests. What remains to be seen is what leverage the ATQ has over Algeria and what cards the countries blockading Qatar may possibly try to use to pressure Algiers into distancing itself from Doha and coming closer to Riyadhs geopolitical orbit.

Until then, Algeria and Qatar will probably maintain their statuses as two gas-rich Arab states that used their natural resource wealth to assert independence from the Saudi/UAE/Egypt shadow. Given the possibility of the Arab world undergoing major realignment in 2018 as the GCCs Qatar rift institutionalizes, the growth of Doha-Algiers relations has much potential to, by extension, also deepen Algerias relations with Iran and Turkey as Qatars two most important partners in the Middle East six and a half months into the GCC crisis.
Award-winning documentary filmmaker and fine-art photographer Miguel Gandert shows his work highlighting his mestizaje heritage, and the fusion and tension of the relationship between Spanish Colonial and Native Cultures of the Americas. Runs through 12/29.

Querer means to want, to desire, to be in a place, with its people. In folk terminology, querencia is such a place, the center space of desire, the root of belonging and yearning to belong, that vicinity where you first beheld the light. Querencia, in collective terms, is homeland. ~Enrique Lamadrid, Nuevo Mexico Profundo

Miguel Gandert tells stories. He tells stories of his homeland, New Mexico (and beyond), its people and the cultural practices that distinguish communities from each other while simultaneously revealing their kinship. You will have to form your own words, however. Ganderts stories are told through penetrating, black and white photos. A primary focus of his work is his own mestizaje heritage and the fusion and tension of the relationship between Spanish Colonial and Native Cultures of the Americas.

Miguel Gandert, a native of Espanola, NM, is an award-winning documentary and fine-art photographer and filmmaker. His photographs have been shown in galleries and museums throughout the world and are in numerous public collections including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Museum of American History and Art at the Smithsonian.

Querencia: Rituals of the Rio Arriba opens Friday, October 6 at the New Mexico Humanities Council, 4115 Silver Ave SE, Albuquerque. An artists reception will be 6:00 pm  8:00 pm with an artist's discussion at 7:00 pm. The exhibit closes December 29, 2017.
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received on December 22 Chairman of Management Board of the Eurasian Development Bank Andrey Belyaninov.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, the President congratulated the guest on the appointment, expressing confidence that his long years of experience in the public sector, as well as private sector will be used to strengthen the role of the bank in the Eurasian region and for the implementation of the development projects of the participant countries.

During the meeting the Armenian President and the Chairman of Management Board of the Bank discussed the prospects for deepening cooperation between Armenia and the EBD, attraction of investments and the development of the bank.

Noting that during his visit to Armenia he has already met with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance of Armenia and is well aware of the rather impressive pace of economic development in Armenia, Andrey Belyaninov stressed that the Bank wants to further expand its activities in Armenia.
Duke University professor Michael Gillespie says Luther's writings deeply influenced the Founders' view of individual rights

RALEIGH - Five hundred years after German monk Martin Luther launched what became the Protestant Reformation, his actions still exert a profound effect on the world. That effect includes a major impact on modern-day American political debates. Michael Gillespie, professor of political science and philosophy at Duke University, explained that impact in an Oct. 30 speech for the John Locke Foundation's Shaftesbury Society. He shared themes from the speech during a conversation with Mitch Kokai for Carolina Journal Radio. (Head to http://www.carolinajournal.com/radio/ to find recent CJ Radio episodes.)MK: First of all, before we get into how this has [affected] American political and philosophical debates, remind us just how significant an impact this event had: Martin Luther supposedly nailing the 95 Theses on the door in Wittenberg.MG: We know now that he probably didn't nail them on the door, but it is fascinating because within three weeks of his having published the 95 Theses, they were known all the way across Europe. Part of this is just an indication of the new power of the media, which is to say the printing press. We've seen some of that again today, with the rapidity with which news travels from one place to another. But for Europe, this was the first European-wide event that really was occasioned by the publication of these 95 Theses, which turned an obscure German monk into a historical figure.MK: And after he published these Theses and got all the attention, and we ended up seeing the Reformation, one of the things that you talk about in your presentation is the way that different strains of this thought moved around to various countries and ended up coming to impact America in more than one way.MG: Well, yes. And we think of our own differences between secularism and evangelicalism, for example, and we imagine that they come from two different sources when, in fact, you can trace them all back to Luther's 95 Theses in a kind of strange way. Partly, that is the distinction between what we sometimes call the "Magisterial Reformation" and the "Radical Reformation."The Magisterial Reformation, which includes Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli, went off in one direction that really imagined an omnipotent God, who could do anything, but diminished the capacity for human freedom being able to affect one's theological fate. The Radical Reformation, by contrast, really wanted to emphasize human freedom and the role that human beings could play in determining their own lives.Over time, as you trace out the various paths of these things, we're prone to think that the Magisterial Reformation was central and important for us because it does help to explain religion that we see around us today. But, in fact, without understanding the Radical Reformation, and particularly the role that freedom played within the Radical Reformation, it's hard to understand what happened to Protestantism. So Protestantism today, for the most part, even among evangelicals, is imagined to be a religion in which people have a choice about whether to stand with Christ or not.The Magisterial Reformers, Calvin and Luther, certainly didn't believe that. That had a lot to do with the intervening history, particularly Jacobus Arminius, the Wesleys, the origins of Methodism and Baptism. On the other hand, within the Radical Reformation, there were strong concerns about the role that Christ actually played in the godhead. As a result, the relationship between man and God, and particularly between man and Christ - should Christ be seen as a transcendent God, or should Christ be seen as pre-eminently a moral model on which we should model our behavior?Within the Radial Reformation, and particularly among the anti-trinitarians, the Quakers and others, the notion of inner light, the role of reason, played a huge role. And we know now that John Locke, after whom the foundation is named, was, in fact, probably a Socinian, an anti-trinitarian, who believed that reason and reason's God alone was sufficient for us to lead our moral and religious lives.Insofar as he became the founder of what we think of as "classical liberalism," and one of the pre-eminent forms of secular life, we see that transferred into America through a number of his writings. But also through the continuation of anti-trinitarians coming to the United States, then called "Unitarians," and particularly Joseph Priestley, the very famous scientist, ... was friends with Jefferson, with Franklin, and with Washington, and during that period of the American founding had a profound impact upon their thinking about religion and politics.In the 1820s, with the Second Great Awakening, we saw a counterpunch to that from Calvinism. You know, that has, in a way, shaped the American landscape ever since, the secular view of religion and life and a more Calvinist view of evangelicalism. What's so interesting to me is that both of them, in a certain sense, derive from Luther and have shaped the way in which we think about the world, for better and for worse, and that this religious conflict remains essential to everything we think about American life.... Among readers would not consider themselves particularly religious, or even spiritual, they say, "This religious stuff, it doesn't really matter to me. It doesn't have much of an impact on my life." How much of this really does impact the things that people are dealing with day in and day out, in terms of the politics and philosophy?I think at the core - and there are a number of people that have attacked religion as the source of everything that goes wrong in human life - they consider themselves secular, anti-religious. In point of fact, almost all of them believe in some version of the Christian message, even if they don't believe in Christ.And one of the examples I like to use on that is the whole idea of rights. You know, we imagine that rights are something intrinsic to human beings. It's written in our Declaration of Independence. It's assumed by the Constitution. The Bill of Rights specifies the rights that we have. But we imagine it has foundation beyond merely our own making, rooted either in nature or nature's God, as Jefferson put it. In point of fact, almost all of modern science denies the existence of individual human rights, right? What matters, if you believe in modern biology, is not the individual, but species.What I tried to show in my previous book, The Theological Origins of Modernity, and in the current book I'm working on, which is going to be called The Theological Fate of Modernity, is that things like rights are really a holdover from Christianity, and that they're deeply embedded in our psyche in ways that we don't understand and that are essentially Christian.Now, Muslims understand this because when you tell them that they ought to honor human rights, they see that as a Western imposition, because they recognize that it's a Christian notion, and not something compatible with their religion.
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.
Behold the "international eye chart" designed by George Mayerle, a German optician who made his name working in San Francisco in the 1890s.

Optometry was a new field back then, filled with all manners of quackery, some of which Mayerle himself engaged in. (He enthusiastically sold "Mayerle's Eyewater", something he claimed was "the Greatest Eye Tonic".) But optometry was also professionalizing and becoming more research-based, and Mayerle himself pitched in by creating an eye chart designed to be used by people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

San Francisco was, back then, a hotbed of immigration, and Mayerle wanted to serve the city's polyglot community. The goal was to produce a single chart that would allow an optometrist to do an eye-test for nearly anyone who walked in the door:

His eye chart, which he claimed to be "the result of many years of theoretical study and practical experience, " combined four subjective tests done during an eye examination. Running through the middle of the chart, the seven vertical panels test for acuity of vision with characters in the Roman alphabet (for English, German, and other European readers) and also in Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and Hebrew. A panel in the center replaces the alphabetic characters with symbols for children and adults who were illiterate or who could not read any of the other writing systems offered. Directly above the center panel is a version of the radiant dial that tests for astigmatism. On either side of that are lines that test the muscular strength of the eyes. Finally, across the bottom, boxes test for color vision, a feature intended especially (according to one advertisement) for those working on railroads and steamboats. The chart measures 22 by 28 inches and is printed on heavy cardboard; a positive version of it appears on one side, a negative version on the reverse. It sold for $3.00 or for $6.00 with a special cabinet designed to reveal only those parts of the chart needed at the time ("thus avoiding many unnecessary questions"). The "international" chart is an artifact of an immigrant nationproduced by a German optician in a polyglot city where West met East (and which was then undergoing massive rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake) and of a globalizing economy. One advertisement promoted it as "the only chart published that can be used by people of any nationality, " such as might be needed by a practitioner in almost any American city. Another ad, which appeared around the same time, touted it as "the only chart. .. that can be used equally well in any part of the world. " Mayerle's internationalism was part of a marketing strategy, but when it suited him he could patriotically claim that his wares contributed to the project of American imperial expansion. A 1902 advertisement, for instance, boasted that a pair of his eyeglasses was used "at Manila, during the Spanish-American War, " by none other than Admiral Dewey himself.

An immigrant entrepreneur, inventing cool stuff to help serve other immigrants! It's nice to recall the many moments in America's past that defy the nativism of today.

By the way, that passage above comes from a free PDF online book by the National Institute of Health called Hidden Treasure, which depicts amazing artifacts from the history of medicine. It's a heck of a read. Mayerle's on page 136.

(Via Circulating Now)


One by one, the New York Times warns of the dangers of every hot smart toy your kids are begging for this Xmas: Furbies, Cayla, kids' smart watches, the ubiquitous Vtech toys (they omit the catastrophic Cloudpets, presumably because that company is out of business now).



They warn of privacy dangers to your kids and your family, of adding vectors for attacks to your home network and its devices, and remind you that the FBI has issued a warning to parents not to buy these things.

Toy manufacturers have long searched for ways to bring toys alive for children. While microphones and cameras introduced some level of responsiveness, those interactions were generally limited to a canned response preset by a manufacturer. Internet connections opened up a new wealth of possibilities; now the toys can be paired with a computer or cellphone to allow children to constantly update their toys with new features. The My Friend Cayla doll, for example, uses speech recognition software coupled with Google Translate. The doll's microphone records speech and then transmits it over the internet, a function that leaves it open to hackers, according to cybersecurity researchers. If the doll's owner does not designate a specific cellphone or tablet with which the doll should have an internet connection, anyone within 50 feet of the toy can use the Bluetooth connection to gain access to it. Security researchers have also raised concerns over what type of data the doll collects, and how the data is used.



A Cute Toy Just Brought a Hacker Into Your Home [Sheera Frenkel/New York Times]

Spies Under the Tree: This Season's Most Vulnerable Smart Toys [Top10 VPN]
Business / Companies

by Staff Reporter

TIME Bank will soon reopen after regularising its operations with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).In a statement yesterday the RBZ registrar of banking institutions said discussions between the central bank and Time Bank have culminated in a resolution for the re-opening of the bank."Time Bank shall be resuming banking operations subject to prior inspections by the RBZ to ensure that it has put in place the necessary capital and banking systems and structures."Following discussions between the RBZ and Time Bank to address the issues, resolution has been reached, paving way for re-opening of the bank," reads the statement.Time Bank was placed under curatorship by RBZ for alleged corporate governance infractions between 2004 and 2006 but the local institution strongly disputed the allegations, leading up to its closure on the basis that the main bank had failed to settle its debts with the fledgling institution first.The Registrar of Banking Institutions advised members that RBZ and Time Bank had historical disputes and during the period the bank was not operating as a banking institution."Members of the public are advised that the RBZ and Time Bank of Zimbabwe Limited have had historical disputes, which have been the subject of various litigation. During the period, Time Bank has not been operating as a banking institution," said RBZ.Last year, RBZ was reportedly locked in negotiations with Time Bank Zimbabwe Limited over monies owed to the latter and whose return may shape the local financial institution's rebound to banking business.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

HARARE - President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said he had forgiven all but three members of the vanquished G40 faction as he urged Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to come back home "to help rebuild the country."Mnangagwa travelled to South Africa on his first foreign trip as head of State, visiting a country where he sought refuge after being fired as deputy president early last month.He travelled to South Africa yesterday morning to persuade investors that economically struggling Zimbabwe is an attractive business prospect after the November 21, resignation of former leader Robert Mugabe, whose 37-year rule ended after a military takeover.Mnangagwa met South African President Jacob Zuma and remarked that he was happy to be back in the country.The former spy chief fled to South Africa after Mugabe dismissed him during factional fighting in Zimbabwe's ruling party.The firing prompted a backlash against Mugabe and Mnangagwa returned to Zimbabwe, where he was sworn in as president.Mnangagwa delivered a powerful mea culpa in the climactic highlight of protests against him outside the embassy."Whatever wrong we might have done to you, we need to forgive I have forgiven the cabal and they are in the country except for only three who remain outside and still saying funny things but all that will soon come to an end," Mnangagwa said.Jonathan Moyo, the former Higher and Tertiary Education minister was the alleged G40 faction chief strategist, together with Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao.Moyo has repeatedly lashed out at Mnangagwa on microblogging site Twitter, claiming the incumbent was under a false sense of victory that would soon come to an end.Currently in the sanctuary of self-imposed exile, Moyo warned Mnangagwa that if he thought he had succeeded in taking over power, he has not seen anything yet."Only an idiot would think it is smart for a genocidal junta to violently shoot itself into power to install a fellow genocidal gukurahundist' under the mantra of stockholder entitlement," he wrote on Twitter recently."If you and your lot think that will last, then you ain't seen nothing yet; come rain or shine!" he said.Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was now open for business and that his government was in the process of repealing polices that scared away investors such as the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act that compelled foreign investors to cede 51 percent of their shareholding in local firms to locals."We are 16 to 18 years behind other nations and we do not have to reinvent the wheel but we need to work hard to catch up and overtake others so that we can proudly walk around the world as proud Zimbabweans," Mnangagwa said.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

Individuals and companies in Zimbabwe could soon be allowed to keep no more than US$10 000 in cash to boost liquidity and embrace international banking practices.The Bank Use Promotion Act and related anti-money laundering laws are already being fine-tuned to bring these and other measures into force.The Sunday Mail reports that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has drafted the proposal and now awaits further direction from State principals.Under the envisaged dispensation, individuals and businesses will hold US$10 000 and below at any given time without questions asked, with any surplus subject to immediate banking.Companies will still be required to deposit daily takings at the close of business.Presently, the Bank Use Promotion Act does not impose a maximum quantum on cash in hand.In an interview with The Sunday Mail last week, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said: "At the moment, there is no law regarding how much an individual can have in their possession, but that is what we are proposing. This is in line with best international practices around the globe."Once that money is brought back, we are confident cash will improve. We are saying individuals should not have money exceeding US$10 000 in their possession at any given time. We want people, especially businesspeople, to develop a culture of banking, which will help with cash circulation."Dr Mangudya said the RBZ is stepping up efforts to get externalised funds back into the country, with repatriation modalities now complete."We want to conduct a simple and transparent exercise so that members of the public will respond positively to our call. We are going to distribute forms to all banks across the country starting this week, which individuals or companies will use during the exercise."The forms will help individuals and companies that would want to partake in the exercise, showing them how to go about the whole exercise. We want to instill confidence (in the market) so that everyone wishes to partake in the exercise."We are also calling upon those who legally expatriated money, or might have bought assets using that money, to declare the money and assets for financial transparency. The assets will be an investment to the country under the RBZ at the prevailing rate of 7 percent per annum."Zimbabwe has been grappling with cash shortages since 2016, with authorities citing massive cash hoarding, money laundering and externalisation.Statistics show that roughly US$3 billion was externalised between 2015 and 2017 to Mauritius, Botswana and the Far East.It is believed that at least US$1,8 billion of the sum was illegally spirited away while the balance was expatriated via management, service and technical fees as well as royalties.The RBZ estimates that on average, Zimbabwe lost US$150 million to illicit financial flows every month in 2015.President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended a three-month moratorium for individuals and corporates that externalised funds or assets to repatriate them.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces' popular political and socio-economic stabilisation intervention was "totally peaceful" and cannot be termed a coup, an African Union official has said.In an interview with Russia's Sputnik International news website last week, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Mr Smail Chergui said former President Robert Mugabe had willingly resigned.He said: "It was just a dialogue between the leadership of the country and the president, and they convinced him that maybe some of the actions taken, including around him and his immediate surrounding, were not good for the country, and he accepted to submit his resignation willingly."It's not a coup according to African Union rules because we are the ones to declare if someone has made a coup and then apply sanctions. We are neither in a crisis in Zimbabwe nor in an extraordinary situation."On November 13, 2017, the ZDF embarked on Operation Restore Legacy, an intervention targeting a clique around Mugabe which was fomenting political instability and economic sabotage.The general citizenry responded to the operation warmly, imploring Sadc and the AU not to intervene and "let a new dispensation set in".Multitudes converged on Harare on November 18, marching in unison with veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle while interacting cordially with the military.Zanu-PF's Central Committee met the following day and recalled Mugabe from both the party and national presidency, replacing him with Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mugabe resigned on November 21 as a joint sitting of Parliament deliberated on a motion to impeach him.President Mnangagwa was subsequently sworn in as Zimbabwe's second executive President on November 24 and endorsed as Zanu-PF's President and First Secretary at a Special Congress on December 15.On December 18, ZDF Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda announced the conclusion of Operation Restore Legacy, saying its objectives had " to a large extent been achieved".The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission described the operation as "timely" as it prevented anarchy, with no human rights violations reported.Meeting President Mnangagwa in Pretoria on Thursday, Sadc Chair and South African President Jacob Zuma commended the ZDF for ably handling "a delicate situation".Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba told journalists after the meeting: "(President Zuma) paid ringing tribute to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for handling a very delicate situation. He says the army in Zimbabwe behaved in a manner that no one expected and to a point that it was not easy to say: was this a coup or was it not a coup?"What became very clear is that the region was not dealing with a military issue; it was dealing with a political issue which had invited the involvement of the military. He says let us not run away from it: all our armies are political armies because what came first was politics which then found a gun."
News / Press Release

by Zim Vigil

President Mnangagwa's appeal to Zimbabweans to forgive and forget may, on the face of it, appear to be an appropriate Christmas sentiment. But in truth it is shallow and self-serving.Christians are taught that forgiveness follows repentance but what we find In Zanu PF Mark II is not repentance but triumphalism and a cynical off-loading of blame and personalresponsibility.Mugabe certainly didn't show any contrition for 37 years of misgovernment and rampant corruption when he flew to Singapore for his latest round of medical treatment at our expense. MDC MP Eddie Cross estimates that Mugabe's rule cost 7.5 million lives.And there has been no repentance from former Agriculture Minister Joseph Made who is under arrest after inspectors found a spectacular haul of loot on his farm - one of the biggest in Manicaland.Made - always known to the Vigil as 'mad Made' - was revealed to be hoarding six state-of-the-art generators each with a capacity to light the whole of Rusape. Other loot lying idle included brand new wheelchairs still in their boxes and ten huge centre pivot irrigation systems as well as seven brand new tractors. Also found was two tonnes of expired maize seed as well as expired medicines.Only a fraction of the farm was being used and, of course, none of the workers had been paid for the last twelve months.Hungry people in Zimbabwe might find it difficult to forgive Made. And we doubt they will be overjoyed by the appointment as Vice-President of the leader of the 'not a military' coup General Constantine Chiwenga.We arrived outside the Embassy to find a group of Ndebele protesters, seemingly unaware that we had been protesting against Gukurahundi in that space for the past 800 weeks. Ratheroptimistically, they insisted on addressing the passing public in Ndebele and on playing a loud sound system although we had reached an understanding with local people ten or more years ago not to subject them to a sound barrage.Whatever Mnangagwa might say the Ndebeles have made it clear that they have no intention of forgiving and forgetting.
La Madrina is one of several brands offered by Dapper Cigar Company. Dapper Cigar Company is a brand founded by a cigar enthusiast named Ian Reith. Based out of Fresno, California, Reiths background is in the Information Technology (IT) space. After falling in love with cigars, Reith set out to learn as much as he could about the industry  and eventually started working on producing his own cigars. He started out with a line called Cubo made at Tabacalera Carreras in Esteli, Nicaragua. Since then, he has added additional lines out of Nicaragua America Cigars SA (NACSA) and has plans to introduce some lines out the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic. La Madrina is one of the lines coming out of the NACSA factory and today we take a closer look at the La Madrina Natural blend in the Robusto size.

The theme of La Madrina is the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations. La Madrina translates to godmother and it was a name given to a woman named Yolanda Garfias Woo. Based in San Francisco, Garfias Woo is credited with educating many people in the California about the Day of the Dead celebrations. While Reith wanted to do a Day of the Dead themed cigar, there were a couple of other releases that came out with this theme  most notably Crowned Heads Las Calaveras line and Black Label Trading Companys Santa Muerte line. Reith wanted to make sure his release had its own unique spin, so he worked with his artist in coming up with the brands design which features a skeleton hand holding a rose. The idea here was to create an imagery theme that highlighted both life and death.

La Madrina is a line that is available in a Natural blend. There is also a Maduro blend that is expected to go into wider distribution in the near future. Both lines are intended to offer a fuller offering in the Dapper Cigar Company portfolio.

Without further ado, lets break down the La Madrina Natural Robusto and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

The La Madrina Natural is a five country multi-national blend highlighted by an Ecuadorian Sungrown Habano wrapper. The cigar is produced at the NACSA factory under production manager Raul Disla. Disla and NACSA also handle production for Steve Sakas Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida line.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sungrown Habano

Binder: Mexican San Andres

Filler: Nicaraguan Habano, U.S. Pennsylvania Broadleaf, Dominican Habano

Country of Origin: Nicaragua America Cigars SA (NACSA)

Vitolas Available

La Madrina Natural is available in three sizes  each packaged in 20-count boxes.

Corona Gorda: 5 5/8 x 46

Robusto: 5 1/4 x 54

Toro: 5 5/8 x 50

Appearance

The Ecuadorian Sungrown Habano wrapper on the La Madrina Natural Robusto is on the darker side. It has a near chocolate-brown color. The wrapper is on the smooth side with a layer of oil on it. There were some thin visible veins on the one I smoked, but the darker color of the wrapper did a good job at hiding the wrapper seams.

The center of the band of the La Madrina Natural features a white skeleton hand holding a red rose with a gold stem sitting on a black ovular background. The black ovular background is surrounded by a gold frame. There are also various black and gray adornments on the band. The left and right side of the background feature the text LA MADRINA in a faint gray font sitting on a thin rectangular background.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

As I do with the majority of cigars I smoke for review, I opted to use a straight cut to commence the cigar experience of the La Madrina Natural Robusto. After the cap of the cigar was removed, I moved on to the pre-light draw. The dry draw delivered a mix of natural tobacco, dusty earth, and a slight cedar note. I found the pre-light draw of this cigar to be satisfactory. At this point, I was ready to light up the La Madrina Robusto and see what the smoking phase of the cigar would have in store.

Flavor Profile

The La Madrina Natural Robusto started out with a mix of natural tobacco notes and white pepper. Early on, some chocolate malt notes emerged and these quickly moved to the forefront. Simultaneously, the natural tobacco and white pepper receded into the background where these notes were joined by some earthy notes. Meanwhile, there was an additional layer of white pepper on the retro-hale.

By the second third, the natural tobacco notes started to vary in intensity  floating in between the forefront and background. By the midway point, the natural tobacco was now grounded in the forefront. Just past the second half, the chocolate-malt combination essentially split. The chocolate notes receded into the background joining the pepper and earth notes while the malt notes remained in the forefront.

The last third saw the natural tobacco and malt remain as the primary notes. The white pepper and earth remained in the background on the tongue. The chocolate component wasnt totally out of the picture and from time to time, it surfaced in the forefront. This is the way the La Madrina Natural Robusto came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

Burn-wise, the La Madrina Natural Robusto scored quite nicely. This cigar maintained a straight burn line and a straight burn path. I would say the cigar required a normal, but not excessive, amount of touch-ups. I found the cigar also maintained a relatively firm ash with a light gray color. Both the burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.

The draw of the La Madrina Natural Robusto also performed quite well. This draw had a touch of resistance  and this was ideal in my book. This was also a cigar that generated a nice level of smoke production.

Strength and Body

As mentioned above, La Madrina is positioned as a fuller and bolder offering and thats exactly what the La Madrina Natural Robusto delivered. The cigar started out medium to full strength. I found there was a gradual increase in strength and by the last third, this cigar had just enough kick to qualify as full strength. Meanwhile, the body also started out medium to full, but increased at a slightly quicker pace. By the second half of the La Madrina Natural Robusto, this cigar was a full-bodied smoke.

In terms of strength versus body, I gave a slight edge to the body.

Final Thoughts

If you havent had Ian Reith or Dapper Cigar Company on your radar, you need to pay attention. Reith is doing some great work and with the La Madrina Natural Robusto, he comes up big. This is a cigar with big and bold flavors. I found this cigar had enough complexity to keep me interested from start to finish. To me, this wasnt a cookie-cutter Ecuadorian Habano blend over Nicaraguan tobacco. Because its a stronger and fuller cigar, its one I would recommend to a more seasoned cigar enthusiast. As for myself, its not only one I would smoke again, but its one worthy of box purchase consideration.

Summary

Key Flavors: Chocolate, Malt, Natural Tobacco, White Pepper, Earth

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium Plus

Strength: Medium to Full (1st 2/3), Full (Last Third)

Body: Medium to Full (1st Half), Full (2nd Half

Finish: Good

Rating

Value: Box Worthy Consideration

Score: 91

References

News: n/a

Price: ~$10.32

Source: Dapper Cigar Company

Brand Reference: Dapper Cigar Company

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop

Update 12/26/17: Corrected Blend Information.
The chairman of the Islamic Republics influential Expediency Discernment Council, EDC, ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi has traveled abroad to complete the course of his medical treatment, his son has announced.

In an interview with a local website, Rasa, Ala Hashemi Shahroudi reported, My father has gone abroad to continue his medical treatment and soon will be back.

Meanwhile, he insisted that 69-year old Hashemi Shahroudi is in totally healthy condition.

However, Hashemi Shahroudis son has not disclosed his fathers illness or which country he has gone to.

He was hospitalized in Tehran earlier in the year, where the Islamic Republics Supreme Leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited him on Saturday, May 13.

Reportedly, he was suffering from an undisclosed type of cancer but, his personal physician. Dr. Mohammad Sadeq Fazeli said at the time Ayatollah Hashemi Sharoudi underwent surgery since he was suffering from a relatively endemic gastronomical disorder.

Hashemi Shahroudi known for his ten years as the head of judiciary (1999-2009) was born in Najaf, Iraq and came to Iran after the Islamic revolution.

He is currently the chairman of EDC (a body in charge of resolving disputes between the Guardians Council and majlis or parliament) and deputy speaker of the Assembly of Experts, a legal body in charge of supervising the performance of the Islamic Republics leader and electing his successor, if needed.

Meanwhile, Hashemi Shahroudi has been named as one of the candidates who have a chance to replace 78-year old Khamenei.

The rumors about a successor for Khamenei were based on his poor health and became more credible when he underwent prostate surgery in 2014.

Nevertheless, there are analysts who believe the Iraqi born Hashemi Shahroudi has aimed higher, vying for the leadership of Shiites all over the world and replacing Iran born 87-year old grand ayatollah Ali Sistani based in Najaf.

In early November, Reuters reported that ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, flew to the holy city of Najaf in southern Iraq in early September. His entourage included a sizable security detail and the former chief-commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

According to Reuters, he spent several days on a charm offensive meeting officials, clerics and seminary students at his office near the golden dome shrine of Imam Ali, the third holiest Shiite site, after Mecca and Medina.

His aim was apparently to raise his profile as a replacement for the top Shiite cleric and most powerful man in Iraq: the 87-year old Ayatollah Ali Sistani, according to current and former Iraqi officials, Reuters reported.

According to Reuters, Hashemi Shahroudi could prove a controversial replacement for Sistani. Senior clergy in Najaf are wary of Iran trying to expand its influence and Shahroudi is viewed with some suspicion, although he could still build support among [seminary] students.

Since Sistani has distanced himself from Iranian politics, some of his followers may not want a replacement who is close to Tehran, Reuters reiterated.
Former model-actress and now public official Ina Alegre wants to follow in Vilma Santos' footsteps

Former actress, print model, and producer Ina Alegre, Jennifer Cruz in real life, has been showing her mettle as an outstanding public servant in her capacity as Vice-Mayor of the Municipality of Pola, Oriental Mindoro. Now a mother of four and wife to Eastern Visayas Police Regional Office director Police Chief Supt. Gilbert Cruz, the 42-year-old Ina maybe well be following in the footsteps of Congressman Vilma Santos.

Vice Mayor Inas life is a fine example of success story growing up with so little in life (she was born into a poor family) and overcame poverty when she became a celebrity.

Now, she is a politician.

Ina, still looking lovely, also had the opportunity to represent the country at the Mrs. Universe 2015 pageant in Minsk, Belarus and won the Mrs. Superstar title. She was also one of the finalists.

Her daughter, Patricia Angela, who has the makings of a future star and beauty queen, won at the 2015 Princess Universe pageant, held in Bulgaria.

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Ina, who took her oath of office in Malacanang as secretary general of the Lady Local Legislators League (4L) of the Philippines in June 2017, has been awarded the Emma Cordero World Class Beauty Queen and Public Servant 2017 and the Japan Excellence World Class 2017 Award.

A former publisher of OffCam magazine and host of Thumbs Up, a magazine show on ANC, Ina wants to return to showbiz as a TV host.

How do you divide your time between being a mother, a wife and as a public servant?

From the very beginning, I always believe and rely in proper time management, especially, for the things I love and to the people that have a soft place in my heart. Being a public servant is indeed a tough job, thats why I always see to it that I am available for my constituents all the time. However, being a mom is my top priority. I always see to it that I spend quality time with my kids, a day or two, even if it takes for me to travel from Mindoro to Manila and vice versa. I am thankful that my kids understand my responsibilities as public servant. They even join me and take part in my activities. I am very lucky to have a very generous and supportive husband. Since, he also loves to help people, he fully understands my passion to make a difference in other peoples lives.

What do you consider your most important achievement so far as vice mayor of Pola?

Every program that we are doing in Pola is an achievement coming from the heart. Though we are on th legislative side, were able to build more homes in the community, covered courts in the barangays, provide assistance to senior citizens and those who are in need. To sum it up, being able to share my blessings, being able to care and love to people of Pol, 24/7, without expecting anything in return (doon po talaga tumitibok yung puso ko sa pagtulong).

As Vice-Mayor of the Municipality of Pola, Oriental Mindoro, Ina Alegre strives hard to achieve her goals for her constinuets most especially those who belong from the marginalized sector

Do you see yourself following in Congresswoman Vilma Santos footsteps?

Hon. Vilma Santos is really an icon; I idolize her since I was a kid. And now were taking the same path, which is serving people, its really good to look up to her as a model. But of course, I wanted to create my own name and own tag in this field. Yes, it is fulfilling to help and acknowledgement is just a bonus.

Can you tell us about the I.N.A. (Institusyong Nag-aangat sa Antas ng Pamumuhay Foundation INA Foundation)?

I consider INA as one of my biggest achievements. It started as a dream for me, from someone who came from a not so well-of family, who strived hard to reach for her own dreams. I have always wanted to help the poor, to teach them to strive harder for their future, inspire and educate the youth, to teach them how to fish, and not just by giving them the fish.

I established the foundation before I entered politics. Now on its 8th year, we already have 14 programs for the youth, senior citizens, women, and even for the Mangyan minority where we could see, its very productive and helpful in uplifting their lives.

How do you help your husband in the campaign against illegal drugs in Pola?

Now that I am the towns Vice Mayor, together with the members of Sangguniang Bayan, we are working hand in hand to monitor illegal drug activities, and implement the law in the town. Im proud to say that we have attained many drug free barangays in Pola and were aiming that the whole town will be drug free.

You have maintained your former looks and body, is a movie comeback possible even when you are busy with your life as a politician?

Thank you. Uhm, Im always open to TV projects as soon as I can find time to them. As Ive said earlier, my family and constituents are my priority but a movie comeback is always possible. Acting is still in my heart and if we can get the right role and moviewhy not?

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US Attorney general Jeff Sessions has ordered the Justice Department to investigate allegations in a Politico report that a series of potential drug prosecutions related to the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah were abandoned as the Obama administration pressed to strike a deal with Iran over its nuclear program.

At the time, the administration of President Barack Obama was eager to improve relations with Iran and stall its nuclear weapons program.

According to Politicos report of December 17, the DEA launched Project Cassandra in 2008 in order to monitor Hezbollahs weapons and drug trafficking activities, which included funneling drugs into the United States.

In a statement on Friday, the Justice Department said the review of Project Cassandra was necessary to evaluate allegations that certain matters were not properly prosecuted and to ensure all matters are appropriately handled.

While I am hopeful that there were no barriers constructed by the last administration to allowing DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) agents to fully bring all appropriate cases under Project Cassandra, this is a significant issue for the protection of Americans, the statement quoted Sessions as saying. We will review these matters and give full support to investigations of violent drug trafficking organizations.

Referring to the report, Sessions reiterated chasing terrorist groups such as Hezbollah that are also involved in drug trafficking would be paramount in the Trump administration.

Protecting our citizens from terrorist organizations and combating the devastating drug crisis gripping our nation are two of the Justice Departments top priorities, noted Sessions. Operations designed to investigate and prosecute terrorist organizations that are also fueling that drug crisis must be paramount in this administration.

Praising the DEA for working tirelessly on this front, Sessions said he would provide the agency with all the tools that they need to allow them to shut down these drug rings.

Sessions called allegations that Project Cassandra met resistance by high level officials troublesome.

"While I am hopeful that there were no barriers constructed by the last administration to allowing DEA agents to fully bring all appropriate cases under Project Cassandra, this is a significant issue for the protection of Americans. We will review these matters and give full support to investigations of violent drug trafficking organizations," Sessions said in his statement.

Justice Department officials have so far declined to comment on who will conduct the review or any other details about the inquiry.

The POLITICO story has led to strong reactions by Obama administration officials who have denied that the former administrations desire to reach a deal with Iran blocked any law enforcement operations.

The narrative presented in this report in no way resembles reality  To the contrary, we aggressively countered Hezbollahs terrorist plotting and other malign activities before and after the Iran deal Former National Security Council spokesman Ned Price told Newsweek.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

By Gulgiz Muradova - Trend:

Azerbaijan is an independent reliable partner within the global community of nations, said Rob Sobhani, director general of the Caspian Group Holdings.

He emphasized that the global community can depend on Azerbaijan to be a reliable partner in all fields of international cooperation, including diplomatic, economic, cultural and military.

"This is very important because it signals the stability of Azerbaijan. Global powers such as China, EU and America can rely on Azerbaijan for cooperation that is long-term and reliable," he told Trend.

Asked about the major achievements since the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence, Sobhani pointed to an independent foreign policy, economic growth (which brings with it the expansion of the middle class) and restoration of Azerbaijani identity both inside and outside the borders of Azerbaijan.

"National leader Heydar Aliyev laid the foundation of today's independent foreign policy. In practical terms this means that no one can dictate terms to Azerbaijan. The stability of Azerbaijan's political system over the past 25 years has meant a steady economic growth that has lifted hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis out of poverty. Today, according to the World Bank, the rate of poverty in Azerbaijan is down to 5 percent, " he said, further noting that this is a remarkable accomplishment which means that the leadership of Azerbaijan has been able to expand the middle class.

As for the restoration of Azerbaijani identity inside the country and on the international stage, Sobhani regards it as a major accomplishment of the past 25 years.

"Both President Aliyev and the First Lady are solely responsible for this achievement. Nations have survived over the centuries because they have been able to keep their identity. Years from now when historians write the story of Azerbaijan since its independence they will point to the fact that the leadership of Azerbaijan preserved the culture, language and heritage of Azerbaijan for generations to come," he said.

Sobhani further stressed that Azerbaijan has also established itself as a reliable partner for energy security on the global stage.

While Azerbaijan's neighbors play politics with their energy exports, the leadership of Azerbaijan recognizes that consumers around the world want stability and Azerbaijan provides this stability, he said.

"For this reason Azerbaijan has become an anchor for energy security within the Caspian Sea region. The Southern Gas Corridor will also become a major source of revenue for the Government of Azerbaijan thus allowing for more investments in the non-energy sector of Azerbaijan's economy, such as light manufacturing and tourism. In order to ensure that Azerbaijan's role as a reliable provider of gas to markets around the world is recognized and cemented, SOCAR and its partners need to embark on a global campaign via radio, TV and social media called 'Azerbaijan: Energizing the World' ," Sobhani noted.

Sobhani further highlighted Azerbaijan's atmosphere of religious tolerance, which is unique within the Muslim world.

"In fact, Azerbaijan can be a model for how a Muslim country can accommodate people with different faiths," he said, adding that Christians, Jewish community are safe in Azerbaijan, while members of the Bahai Faith can practice their religions in an atmosphere of freedom.

"The people of Azerbaijan should be proud of this atmosphere of religious tolerance, which reflects on the good nature and kind character of the people of Azerbaijan," he noted.

Sobhani emphasized that religious freedom is a fundamental human right and this needs to be emphasized by Azerbaijan's diplomats and politicians at international gatherings and at capitals of major powers, like Washington, Paris and London.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.24

By Gulgiz Muradova - Trend:

Azerbaijan holds a prominent position among the countries of the region, said Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

Altwaijri told Trend that Azerbaijan, with its wise leadership, has made important achievements in various fields.

"The country has reached a degree of progress, prosperity and stability, making it one of the first countries to embark on a highly rewarding large-scale renewal process that has significantly boosted prosperity and well-being of the Azerbaijani people," he said.

Today, Azerbaijan is a developing country that evolves at a rapid pace in all fields, driven by its political, economic and social choices, meeting the needs of its people and achieving appropriate standards of comprehensive sustainable development, Altwaijri noted.

Altwaijri stressed that Azerbaijan represents a unique model of tolerance and harmony among the various segments of society.

"This country, whose peoples harmony, coexistence and acceptance of the other regardless of race and religion, is proverbial around the world, has become emblematic of a united, cohesive and interactive society in the different fields of socio-economic development," said Altwaijri.

Altwaijri said that Azerbaijan is engaged in supporting the efforts of the international community to promote world peace and security

"Azerbaijan, being committed to the Charter of the United Nations, is engaged in supporting the efforts of the international community to promote world peace and security. The country plays an active role in joint Islamic action in the Islamic world and beyond, especially within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), since its accession to it following its independence, and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) since the Sixth Islamic Summit Conference, held in Dakar in December 1991, which marked the countrys admission into ISESCO," he said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

By Gulgiz Muradova - Trend:

Todays Azerbaijan is a symbol of progress and modernization, said Rosen Plevneliev, the former president of Bulgaria.

"We should never forget how it all started 25 years ago  the country was broken, polluted, bankrupted and isolated. The people of Azerbaijan and its leadership went to dramatic and very positive transformation," he told Trend.

Plevneliev emphasized that Azerbaijan contributes to international security, promotes ethnic and religious tolerance, is a symbol of economic and social development and contributes to peacekeeping efforts all over the globe.

Azerbaijan is an active and respected member of all international organizations, he added.

"Azerbaijan is a host of a number of events with global importance. For example, the Baku Global Forum of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, the First European Olympic Games and many others. Azerbaijan and its people are an example of Nizami Ganjavis legacy of intercultural and interreligious exchange and wisdom," he noted.

Further highlighting unique tolerant atmosphere existing in the Azerbaijani society, Plevneliev said that Azerbaijan has all the reasons to be proud of its balanced foreign policy, promoting understanding and peaceful coexistence of different nations and religions.

Plevneliev emphasized that Azerbaijan is a strong supporter of cultural exchange, dialogue and understanding between people, cultures and religions.

"Positioned on the crossroads between East and West, Azerbaijan serves as a bridge and strong promoter of cooperation and peaceful coexistence. Together with Azerbaijan we all stand against separatism, extreme nationalism, terrorism and religious intolerance. The Azerbaijani society today gives an exceptional example for the world to follow, an example of tolerance, dialogue and understanding, an example of harmony and humanity, where everyone no matter of its color or religion is valued and respected," he said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, please accept my sincere congratulations and best wishes on your birthday," the message reads.

"I am sure that your experience and professionalism will further serve the stable development and prosperity of Azerbaijan. I hope that the traditional friendly relations existing between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan will develop in the future on the basis of a strategic partnership.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, taking this opportunity, I wish you good health, happiness and success, and peace and prosperity to the brotherly Azerbaijani people ".
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva have today attended a groundbreaking ceremony of the first seven-storey building in Hovsan residential complex, the second project of the State Housing Construction Agency (MIDA) under the President of Azerbaijan.

Director of the State Housing Construction Agency Samir Nuriyev informed the head of state of construction progress at Yasamal Residential Complex, which is MIDA`s first project. The complex includes 29 multi-apartment buildings, which will provide housing for 1,843 families. The complex will be fully operational in 2019.

Hovsan Residential Complex will consist of 11 multi-apartment buildings. It will also feature two 206-seat kindergartens, a 1920-seat secondary school, mall and hospital. The complex will have its own transport infrastructure, which will be integrated in the city`s transport system.

President Aliyev laid the foundation stone for the first building to be constructed in the complex.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Mr. President, I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday and express my best wishes," the message reads.

"In recent years the relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Azerbaijan have been developing dynamically, the mutual political trust between our countries is strengthening, and the two countries support each other firmly in the issues of mutual interest. Cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, humanitarian and other spheres is developing. The preliminary results have been achieved in the co-operation within the joint construction of the "One Belt, One Road" project.

I attach great importance to the development of relations between our states. For the benefit of the people of the two countries, I am eager to take efforts with you to deepen further friendship between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I wish you good health, best wishes. "
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has sent a letter of birthday greetings to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, please accept my sincere congratulations on your birthday," the message reads.

"Big achievements of Azerbaijan prove that you are a great leader, smart politician and true patriot of your country.



Alexander Lukashenko stressed that he appreciates the attention that Ilham Aliyev is paying to the development of Belarus-Azerbaijan cooperation, and implementation of important joint projects in the best interests of the two nations.

"In this regard, I would like to invite you to pay an official visit to Belarus.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I sincerely wish you new successes in your statehood activities, wish Your Excellency, your relatives and friends good health, happiness and prosperity, and express my love and respect to the people of Azerbaijan. "
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Ilham Aliyev, I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday. Azerbaijan, under your leadership, is confidently moving forward on path of the socioeconomic development, and plays an active role in addressing topical international problems," the message reads.

"As a true friend of Russia, you make a great contribution to the strengthening of strategic partnership between our countries. I sincerely recall our recent meetings with you in Sochi and Tehran. I hope that we will continue our constructive dialogue and fruitful cooperation with you.

"I sincerely wish you good health, happiness, prosperity and success. Taking this opportunity, I sincerely welcome your whole family and express my best wishes," the message reads.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, Your Excellency, I sincerely congratulate you, on behalf of all Uzbek people and on my own behalf, on the occasion of your birthday, and I am delighted to convey my best wishes," the message reads.

"Your respected father - a prominent statesman, founder of the independent and sovereign Azerbaijan Republic, Heydar Aliyev is commemorated with great respect in Uzbekistan. This great person's contribution to the strengthening of fraternal relations between the Uzbek and Azerbaijani peoples is always appreciated.

We rightly consider you a worthy successor of your father's big works, an experienced political figure with great authority in your country and in the international arena, Uzbekistan's closest friend," the message reads.

Mirziyoyev emphasized that all the achievements of the domestic and foreign policy of Azerbaijan are linked with Ilham Aliyev and his visionary wise policy, adding that they are really recognized worldwide.

"Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, having a common language and religion, values and traditions, culture since ancient times, are tied with fraternal ties based on the principles of good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual respect, trust, sincerity and support of each other, as well as joint efforts," the message reads.

"We are pleased that recently the relations between our states have acquired a new meaning in practical terms and have been further developed. In particular, our numerous warm meetings with you this year, have created a favorable ground for the expansion of Uzbek-Azerbaijani relations.

Recognizing the existence of huge opportunities in the field of mutual cooperation, we believe that the expansion of our ties in all directions in the future fully meets the interests of our friendly countries. I am confident that our future high-level meetings will further intensify our friendly relations, serve to open up new horizons for achieving high quality, mutual cooperation.

Dear Ilham Heydar oglu, I wish you, your family and your relatives good health, happiness, great success in the statehood activity, and the friendly people of Azerbaijan - peace and sustainable progress," the message reads.
Teresita Ssen Winwyn Marquez winning the Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 title and Karen Ibascos as Miss Earth 2017 topped the beauty pageant news this year. Marquez and Ibascos twin kill on Nov. 4 and 5 saved the Philippines from getting shut out in international beauty competitions after losses in Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International pageants.

Marquez, the 25-year-old Kapuso star, daughter of Alma Moreno and Joey Marquez and niece of former Miss International Melanie Marquez, made history by being the first Filipina and Asian to compete and win in the Latin-American pageant held in Sta. Cruz, Bolivia.

Ibasco, a 26-year-old licensed physicist and UST instructor, bested 83 candidates to snag the Philippines fourth Miss Earth title.

Mutya ng Pilipinas Jannie Loudette Alipo-on also put the country in the winning column when she was proclaimed Miss Tourism International 2017 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, becoming the fourth Filipina to win the title.

TWIN WIN. Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 Teresita Winwyn Marquez (left) and Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco (right)

As they say, you cant win them all. Some Filipino beauty pageant candidates finished below expectations. Miss Universe 2017 Philippine bet Rachel Peters failed be among the top 10 candidates where Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach was one of the judges.

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Laura Lehmann also failed to move beyond the Top 40 candidates in Miss World in Sanya, China.

Maria Angelica de Leon, the 24-year-old daughter of Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong, was a big failure at the Miss International pageant, and was later bashed by fellow Filipinos for her unsolicited remarks about the Duterte presidency.

Other Bb. Pilipinas titleholders did pretty okay. Nelda Ibe, a 24-year-old cadet pilot finished first runner-up at the Miss Globe 2017 beauty in Tirana, Albania.

Elizabeth Clenci, a 26-year-old Fil-Romanian musician, was named second runner-up in Miss Grand International 2017 in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.

Chanel Olive Thomas finished among the Top 10 at the Miss Supranational 2017 pageant held in Krynica Zdroj in Poland. The 26-year-old Fil-Australian model took home the Miss Friendship special award.

Other Mutya ng Pilipinas beauties finished as runners up: Hannah Khayle Ildefonso Iglesia was 2nd runner-up at the 2017 Asian International Super Model search; and Mary Eve Adeline Escoto, a 23-year-old physical therapist from Guimaras, was crowned Miss Asia Global 2017 in Kerala, India.

Filipino German Maureen Wroblewitz won Asias Next Top Model season 5 reality show. The 19-year-old, 5-foot-6 Wroblewitz became the first Filipina to win the popular modeling search.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday and wish you good health, peace and every success in your state activities," the message reads.

"Taking this nice opportunity, I would like to express my deep gratitude for your hospitality and achievements made during my official visit to Azerbaijan in October of this year. I am confident that cooperation between our countries will continue to grow and deepen. Because the solid foundation of these relations is based on the friendly relations between our peoples.

I would like you to visit Bulgaria in 2018.

Mr. President, I once again convey to you my deepest respect. "
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Moldovas President Igor Dodon has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"On the occasion of your birthday, I wish you robust health, longevity and new great achievements, President Dodon said in a letter.

You gained reputation not only in Azerbaijan, but also beyond the country due to your fruitful activity as the president and rich political experience, the letter said.

I would like to express my gratitude for your significant contribution to the intensification of relations between Azerbaijan and Moldova and the establishment of high-level-cooperation and constructive partnership.

In this context, I attach great importance to the further comprehensive development of the cooperation between Moldova and Azerbaijan, which fully meets the long-term interests of our countries, the letter said.

Once again I congratulate and wish you happiness and prosperity, the letter said. I extend the best wishes to your family and friends."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Tajikistans President Emomali Rahmon has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"I extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of your birthday, the letter said.

Your high professionalism and the constructive policy based on the broad support of the Azerbaijani society contribute to the further prosperity of friendly Azerbaijan, the letter said.

We also see your great contribution to the level of political trust and cooperation achieved between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.

I am confident that the relations of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries will continue to develop for the benefit of our peoples thanks to our joint efforts, the letter said.

On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health, happiness and new achievements in your statehood activity, and peace and progress to the fraternal people of Azerbaijan," the letter said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made a phone call to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on Dec.24, the press service of the Azerbaijani president reported.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated President Aliyev on his birthday and wished him good health and success in his presidential activities for the prosperity and development of the people of Azerbaijan.

President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the attention and congratulations.

The Heads of State expressed confidence that the friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries will develop successfully in all spheres.

President Ilham Aliyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with pleasure recalled numerous reciprocal visits and meetings during the year and expressed their confidence that these contacts will continue next year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

President of Albania Ilir Meta has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Your Excellency, allow me on the occasion of your birthday to express my sincere congratulations and greetings, and wish you a long and a very happy life, the letter said.

I am very happy that under your leadership, Azerbaijan has developed tremendously, especially in the last decade, and the prosperity of the Azerbaijani people has increased significantly. Likewise, the relations between our countries have been strengthened and expanded as never before. The economic ties and the implementation of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project have built a very sustainable foundation for the common future of our countries.

I seize the opportunity to inform you that the Nizami Ganjavi International Center has invited me to participate in the 6th Global Forum, to be held in Baku, on March 15-17, 2018, under the topic Bridging Gaps to Create Inclusive Societies, which I confirmed with great pleasure," the message reads.

It would be also a very special pleasure that, during my stay in Baku and the participation in the Forum, to have the opportunity to meet personally with you and discuss issues of bilateral and multilateral interest.

With the best wishes for your health and happiness, as well as for the prosperity and further development of the Azerbaijani people, please accept, Your Excellency, the expression of my highest consideration, the president wrote.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

President of the Republic of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Distinguished Mr. President, allow me first of all to extend my most sincere regards and the assurances of my highest consideration to you personally, to your country and to the friendly people of the Republic of Azerbaijan," the message reads.

"I avail myself of this opportunity to express my recognition for the engagements of the Nizami Ganjavi International Centre, as an entity with a special place on the international scene and an established partner in terms of political and government decision makers. Having this conviction in mind, I am glad to inform you that I accept the invitation to participate in the 6th Global Baku Forum to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on March 15-17, 2018, focusing on Bridging Gaps to create Inclusive Societies  an event that has already been recognized as an eminent forum in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and South Caucasus.

At the end, it is with great honor and pleasure that I extend to you my sincerest congratulations on the occasion of your birthday. Wish you good health, happiness, as well as much success in every field of your life, both for you and your loved ones."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.24

Trend:

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Ilham Heydarovich, on behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation and on my own behalf, I congratulate you on your birthday," the message reads.

"I would like to note your constant attention to the development of friendly, good-neighborly and partnership relations linking Russia and Azerbaijan. With your personal contribution, trade and economic, scientific and technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation is being strengthened, major joint projects are being implemented in industry, infrastructure, energy and other areas.

I am convinced that the further expansion of the entire range of bilateral cooperation, the expansion of interregional ties and business contacts fully meet the interests of the two countries.

I wish you, dear Ilham Heydarovich, good health, prosperity and success in your responsible statehood activities."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.24

Trend:

The co-chairs and members of Board of Trustees of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center have sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Mr. President, we have the pleasure to extend to you our cordial congratulations and best wishes for your good health, personal happiness and success on the occasion of your birthday," the message reads.

We also would like to take advantage of this chance to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continuous support to the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) since its founding. Thanks to your leadership, the NGIC has grown to a world-renowned institution in a matter of mere five years. We strongly believe that with your guidance the NGIC will continue to develop further and serve as a national pride of Azerbaijan.

Please accept the assurance of our highest consideration while we are looking forward to meeting you during the VI Global Baku Forum."

Sincerely,

Vaira Vike-Freiberga

Co-Chair, President of Latvia (1999-2007)

Ismail Serageldin

Co-Chair, Vice-President of the World Bank

Tarja Halonen

President of Finland (2000-2012)

Emil Constantinescu

President of Romania (1996-2000)

Boris Tadic

President of Serbia (2004-2012)

Petar Stoyanov

President of Bulgaria (1997-2002)

Zlatko Lagumdzija

Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2001-2002)

Ivo Josipovic

President of Croatia (2010-2015)

Amre Moussa

Secretary-General of the Arab League 2001-2011

Rosen Plevneliev

President of Bulgaria (2012-2017)

Marianna Vardinoyannis

President of ELPIDA,

Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO

Noeleen Heyzer

Under-Secretary General of UN (2007-2015), Member of UN Secretary Generals HL Board on Mediation
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.24

Trend:

Chairman of the Executive Committee and Executive Secretary of the CIS, Sergey Lebedev has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Distinguished Ilham Heydarovich, I congratulate you on the occasion of your birthday, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States and on my own behalf," the message reads.

"You have a long-term state management experience, and you are rightly considered to be a prominent political figure, wise leader. Under your leadership, the Republic of Azerbaijan is consistently moving forward through improvement and modernization in all areas of society's life.

Azerbaijan's growing influence in the international arena and active position in the processes taking place around the world is linked with you. In the CIS countries, you are recognized and appreciated as a supporter of constructive and equal international cooperation aimed at maintaining peace and mutual understanding.

I am confident that your political will and wise statehood position will further create an economically strong and developed state, and our joint efforts aimed at realizing the agreements reached within the Commonwealth of Independent States will lead to more practical results for the sake of prosperity of Azerbaijan and other CIS member states .

Dear Ilham Heydarovich, I wish you good health, prosperity and success in your statehood activities."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

Trend:

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Your Excellency, accept my warmest congratulations on your birthday," the message reads.

"I appreciate the trust and understanding that have been formed between us. I am confident that an active interstate dialogue and our joint efforts will contribute to the restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I am firmly convinced that the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian relations of strategic partnership, which have deep historical roots, will continue to develop actively both in the bilateral dimension and within the framework of international structures.

I wish you, dear Ilham Heydarovich, good health, vitality and new achievements in the activities as the head of state for the benefit of the friendly Azerbaijani people."
Qatar and Boeing sealed a $6.2 billion contract for 36 F-15 aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement.

This contract provides for the foreign military sales (FMS) requirement to procure 36 new F-15QA aircraft for the Qatar Air Force.

Qatar has been strengthening its air force capabilities signing deals with major global manufacturers. Early in December, Qatar and France signed an 11-billion package of contracts including acquisition of 50 A321 neo and 12 Rafales.

Few days later, Qatar and the United Kingdom (UK) struck a deal for the purchase by the Gulf country of 24 typhoon fighter jets for a contract worth $8 billion.
Tesla swept Consumer Reports' latest Ownership Satisfaction Survey results, notching the top spot among brands evaluated. Its Model S also netted the No. 1 spot among the top 10 most-satisfying cars. Porsche and Genesis, Hyundai's new luxury spinoff, rounded out the top three brands.

The bottom of the rankings was anchored by Acura, while Mercedes-Benz notched the least-satisfying car in the survey with the GLA, proving that the results weren't equally kind to all luxury brands. Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports, told USA Today those brands suffered by introducing cheaper vehicles.

The scores, on a 100-point scale, reflect whether owners say the vehicles from model years 2015 through 2018 met their expectations and whether they would buy the same car again. They measure ratings in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio and climate systems (what, no cupholders?). Effectively, it gauges how much people liked the car they bought. Reliability is not considered.

The Honda Ridgeline outscored competitors in the compact pickup segment by a wide margin, while the Ford F-350 was among the top 10-ranked vehicles in the survey, the first time in at least five years that a pickup made it into the top 10, Consumer Reports said. In the brand survey, Chrysler rose four places to No. 4 on strong customer satisfaction with the Pacifica minivan, while Hyundai tumbled 11 spots to No. 24 and Lexus fell eight places to 18th.

Rounding out the top 10 most satisfying cars were the Porsche 911, Chevrolet Corvette, Lincoln Continental, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Toyota Prius, Tesla Model X SUV, Honda Odyssey minivan and Dodge Challenger. Not surprisingly, most of those cars, and indeed most of the high-ranking brands, are those with strong brand loyalty, fan-like followings and/or those that strike a strong emotional chord with buyers.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 24

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a decree to improve the architectural and town-planning image of the country and strengthen control over the quality of the constructed facilities.

The contracts on construction and reconstruction of buildings, concluded with local construction enterprises upon the orders of ministries, departments, other state agencies, enterprises, organizations regardless of the form of ownership and the sources of funding, envisage a mandatory payment of five percent of the cost of actually performed work (VAT free).

According to the presidents decree signed in 2016, local construction companies must fulfill a minimum of 80 percent of the work (without taking into account the cost of building materials and equipment).

The issue is the contracts, concluded by state departments and enterprises with foreign legal entities in connection with the construction of buildings and facilities (except for special industrial buildings and facilities) in Turkmenistan and their reconstruction.

Earlier, the president decided to entrust local construction companies with construction contracts worth several billion US dollars.

According to the state plans, the share of the non-state sector of the economy in the GDP volume must reach 70 percent until 2020. Local authorities recommended entrepreneurs to establish joint ventures with foreign partners by attracting their investments.
An ingenious plan from South Yorkshire Police has fooled 21 people into being arrested, Independent reports.

Operation Holly involved police sending cards from a fake company to the addresses of some of their most wanted felons on the promise of receiving a free Christmas hamper.

Cards claiming to be from "Herald Hampers" offered the recipients bottles of champagne, wine, Christmas pudding and other treats.

If they fancied these generous 'free gifts' all they had to do was arrange a delivery time for the hamper to be dropped off at their home.

Except it wasn't a hamper that turned up at their home, it was the police - amazingly 21 people fell for this ruse.

In two days, criminals wanted for burglary, assault, fraud, drink-driving, dangerous driving, drug-related offences and harassment were all rounded up.

Driving bans, prison recalls, curfews and fines were all dished out, and one individual was also remanded in custody.

This highly creative technique for catching criminals has since attracted attention on social media where Sam White pointed out its striking similarity to a brief storyline in The Simpsons.

In the episode named Lisa the Sceptic (season nine, episode eight) a small storyline is featured at the start of the episode where Chief Wiggum and the rest of the Springfield police force fool several hoodlums from the town into entering a "police raffle" believing they will receive a free motorboat.
Hundreds of Muslim demonstrators attacked an unlicensed church south of Cairo wounding three people, an Egyptian Coptic Christian diocese said on Saturday, in the latest assault on members of the countrys Christian minority, USA TODAY reports.

The incident took place after Friday prayers when dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the building and stormed it. The demonstrators chanted hostile slogans and called for the churchs demolition, the diocese in Atfih said. The demonstrators destroyed the churchs contents and assaulted Christians inside before security personnel arrived and dispersed them.

The wounded were transferred to a nearby hospital, the diocese said after the attack, without elaborating.

A media coordinator at the diocese, the Rev. Yehnes Youssef, said later on Saturday that three Copts were wounded but have been treated.
Saudi court sentenced on Sunday a citizen to 20 years in jail for backing the Islamic State (IS) militant group, Xinhua reported referring Sabq online news.

The suspect was also accused of financing terrorism with 133,000 U.S. dollars and coordinating the travel of some people to war zones.

Saudi Arabia has taken strict measures to fight extremism and terrorism through tough penalties, along with awareness and rehabilitation programmes.

The country registered various bloody terrorist attacks that targeted different areas of the country in recent years.
A federal judge in Seattle has partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees, Toronto Star reports.

U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled Saturday for the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service after they urged him to halt the ban on refugees from some mostly Muslim countries.

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications. He said his order does not apply to refugees without a bona fide relationship to a person or an entity within the United States.

President Donald Trump restarted the refugee program in October with enhanced vetting capabilities.

It came after the heads of three U.S. agencies sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees must be excluded unless additional security measures are implemented.

It applies to the families of refugees already living in the U.S. and all refugees from 11 countries.
At least seven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Sunday, provincial government spokesman said, Xinhua reported.

The incident occurred in the morning after a minibus touched off a roadside bombing in Marja district, Helmand province, spokesman Omar Zwak told Xinhua.

The bus was carrying 10 people, three commuters aboard were also injured after the blast, he said, blaming enemies of Afghanistan, a term referring to the Taliban militant group for the incident.

Taliban and Islamic State (IS) fighters have been using home-made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to make roadside bombs and landmines to target security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.

Some 2,640 civilians were killed and over 5,370 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first nine months of the year, according to United Nations mission in the country.

The IED 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.

The Afghan army found and destroyed 117 rounds of IEDs within the past 24 hours across the country, Defense Ministry said earlier on Sunday.
Four people have died in a plane crash at the Bartow Municipal Airport, Florida, authorities say, WFLA reported.

Deputies with the Polk County Sheriffs Office and firefighters with Polk County Fire Rescue have responded to the scene.

The twin-engine plane crashed at the end of a runway at the airport near Ben Durrance Road.

A Polk County Fire Rescue spokesperson said four people were killed in the crash.

Emergency operators received a call about the crash at 7:20 a.m.

The Bartow Municipal Airport is the former location of a U.S. Air Force Base and is also referred to as the Bartow Air Base. It is located just off of US 17 near Spirit Lake Road.

Investigators with the NTSB and FAA are headed to the crash scene.

Details about what caused the crash have not been released.

WFLA Storm Team Meteorologist Ed Bloodsworth said around the time of the crash, weather data at the airport was reporting zero visibility of less than 300 feet because of the fog. The weather data is from the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) which is located at the airport. The Tampa Bay area is under a dense fog advisory until 10 a.m.
Five people including a police officer were killed Sunday in an ambush by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk, a police source told Xinhua.

The incident took place when IS militants set up a fake checkpoint on a road connecting the town of Ryadh and Hawijah in southwestern part of Kirkuk province, and intercepted a car carrying the five people, including Colonel Fadhel al-Sab'awi head of a police station, and shot them dead, the source from Kirkuk police said.

The extremist militants fled the scene after killing the five people, the source said, adding that the security forces launched a search campaign searching for the attackers.

Earlier in the day, a security source from the neighboring Salahudin province told Xinhua that four paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and six others injured in an attack by more than 30 IS militants on a Hashd Shaabi base near the town of Dour in east of the provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad.

During the past few months, dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas during major anti-IS offensives.

On Dec. 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups and individuals of IS militants melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas in many areas in Iraq looking for safe havens.

They are still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that Turkey was determined to clear Africa of the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup in Turkey, Anadolu reported.

Speaking at Esenboga Airport in the capital Ankara before his departure for Sudan, Erdogan said FETO fooled people through sham education and aid services.

Turkey is determined to clear Africa of "FETO murderers", he added, ahead of his three-day visit to Sudan, Chad and Tunisia.

"Many African countries immediately after the coup attempt [in Turkey] deported FETO members and transferred the schools run by the group to our Maarif Foundation," Erdogan said, adding that he hoped more countries would follow suit.

The Maarif Foundation has recently assumed control of numerous schools -- previously run by FETO -- around the world, including 32 in Africa, according to figures released by Turkey's National Education Ministry.

Erdogan also said that he remained undecided over making a call to U.S. President Donald Trump after the UN General Assembly resolution on Jerusalem.

"We will, of course, seek ways of getting in touch again. I also hope that Mr. Trump calls us," he said, adding that nothing was stopping him from making contact.

Erdogan said Turkey currently holds the presidency at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and if Trump had consulted with Ankara, Washington would not have made the mistake of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The UN's 193-member General Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution on Jerusalem with an overwhelming majority, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israel's capital.
Human Rights Watch urged the UN to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the violations committed as part of the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen.

Imposing targeted sanctions for the indiscriminate bombing and unlawful blockading of essential goods to Yemens civilian population is well within the U.N. Security Councils mandate, said the international rights watchdog in an op-ed published in the Washington Post.

The article signed by Akshaya Kumar added that as restrictions on imports push millions of Yemenis further into famine and aid the spread of normally treatable diseases, Prince Mohammed bin Salman shouldnt be getting a free pass. Instead, he and other senior coalition leaders should face international sanctions.

As is the case with Houthi leaders and allies of deceased autocrate Abdullah Saleh who have been sanctioned by the UN, Kumar said the UN should have imposed targeted sanctions for the indiscriminate bombing and unlawful blockading of essential goods to Yemens civilian population is well within the U.N. Security Councils mandate.

Prince bin Salman should shoulder responsibility for the coalitions violations of international law, she said.
Turkish Coast Guard teams on Sunday held 83 irregular migrants in the western province of Canakkale, according to a security source, Anadolu reported.

The migrants, all Syrian nationals including 18 women and 27 children, were found hidden aboard an 11-meter-long U.S. flagged vessel off Canakkale's coast, according to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Three Ukranian nationals were arrested for alleged migrant smuggling, the source added.

The migrants reportedly paid $3,000 each to the smugglers who had promised to take them to Italy. They were referred to the local migration management authorities after being questioned.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees and migrants trying to cross into Europe, since especially the beginning of the civil war in Syria.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 24, 2017 - 09:03 | Feature, All

A regional assemblywoman who brought her 7-month-old son to the assembly hall has raised a controversy in Japan on whether mothers in politics should be allowed to do the same or focus on fulfilling their public responsibilities without their children in sight.

On Nov. 22, 42-year-old Yuka Ogata of the Kumamoto city assembly took her seat on the assembly floor holding her son. Following a quarrel with the assembly chairman, Ogata was eventually persuaded to leave her baby boy with a friend before attending the session which began about 40 minutes late.

Ogata said she had been asking the assembly office whether she could bring her baby since she became pregnant last year. But having been unable to receive a positive reply, she decided to take her son in with her.

The assembly of the southwestern Japanese city said Ogata was responsible for having obstructed the flow of the session and later issued a written warning for breaching rules.

Sophia University professor of politics Mari Miura, 50, said Ogata's action has visualized the challenge facing politicians who are mothers. "To increase the number of female assembly members, we need a system that accepts people of various backgrounds. The root of democracy is that all people participate in politics," Miura said.

Miura said that in Australia and New Zealand, female lawmakers are allowed to breastfeed their children in assembly halls, a right obtained after mothers fought for nursing in public. "We also need to start a careful discussion...and create public rules that anyone can accept," she said.

Miura said some rules that assemblies in Japan could adopt include allowing nursing capes, leaving the session upon the chair's request if a child cries or accepting proxy votes when mothers are not able to attend sessions to take care of a sick child.

But former Shiseido Co. Executive Vice President Kimie Iwata, 70, said she does not agree with the action taken by Ogata as politicians have been entrusted by society to carry out public responsibilities.

"In the first place, is it really acceptable to bring a child that may cry or move around to the assembly?" Iwata said. "The assembly's plenary session or its committees are the place where assembly members need to concentrate on debate."

Iwata said if Ogata is unable to find day care, "(The assembly) should provide subsidies for hiring a baby sitter."

However, Iwata said politicians should not be allowed to take childcare leave for a long period or receive the same level of support measures as members of the general public.

Ayumi Miyazato, a 38-year-old assemblywoman for the town of Chatan in Okinawa Prefecture, took her 4-month-old girl to the assembly in September. But instead of taking her daughter to the session, Miyazato hired a babysitter to take care of her child in a waiting room and breastfed her during recess.

Being the first member in office of the town assembly to become pregnant, Miyazato asked the assembly office before giving birth to allow her to use the room, explaining she could not apply for daycare services until her child was 6 months old.

Her request was accepted and nobody has frowned at Miyazato for bringing her child to work.

"I have no plans to take my child to sessions as I want to concentrate on discussions. But I'm using the waiting room because I want to be close to my kid and work with peace of mind," Miyazato said, adding that continued talks between the assemblies and politicians who are mothers is the key to changing the situation.
Today in 5 Lines

President Trump signed the Republican tax-cut bill into law before flying to Florida for the holidays. In a pair of letters, more than 40 former attorneys and members of Congress urged the Trump administration to support Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The White House confirmed that Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Dearborn will step down early next year. The UN Security Council voted to impose new sanctions on North Korea. Trump tweeted in support of Republican Representative Ron DeSantis for governor of Florida.

Today on The Atlantic

How to Sell Obamacare: After President Trump declared Obamacare dead, the job of insurance-enrollment counselors has become even more difficult and confusing. (Olga Khazan)

Trickle-Down Myth-Making: Several companies have announced new bonuses and wage increases for workers after the passage of the GOP tax-cut bill. Heres why many of those would have happened anyway. (Annie Lowrey)

A Historic Gift: News that more than 24,000 acres of land in California will now be protected from development, writes James Fallows, is a gift to the planet and to the futurea dramatically positive move from people with wealth, when theres been so much movement the opposite way.

Radio Atlantic: Every year is impossible to synthesize. Yet 2017 was not just another year. To help us wrangle the chaotic, extraordinary events of the last 12 months into some sort of shape, we posed a question to journalists from across The Atlantic's staff, and to our listeners: What were the ideas of 2017? In this weeks episode, Jeff and Matt discuss the many different responses to that questionand share their own ideas of the year. (If you listen to Radio Atlantic, we value your feedback. Please help us out by answering a quick survey.)

Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal.

Story continues

Recommended: Republicans Exact Their Revenge Through a Tax Bill

Snapshot

President Trump signs a continuing resolution to keep the U.S. government funded and open, before signing tax overhaul legislation in the Oval Office. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

What Were Reading

Begging the Question: Matthew Walther argues that the idea that Donald Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election has become the most widely accepted conspiracy theory in Washington. (The Week)

Recommended: Why Dont Most Americans Realize Theyre Getting Tax Cuts for Christmas?

Home for the Holidays: President Trumps Christmas visit to Mar-a-Lago will mark the 106th day he has spent at one of his own properties this year. (Dan Merica, CNN)

Foreshadowing: Aides and advisers in the Trump White House are reportedly preparing for a bloodbath in the 2018 midterms. (Alex Isenstadt, Politico)

Interpreting America: A recent debate between writers Cornel West and Ta-Nehisi Coates represents a crucial conversation about whether the promise of equality applies to black Americans. (Jane Coaston, Vox)

Who Is Reality Winner?: The former American intelligence specialist charged with leaking a classified report about Russian meddling in the 2016 election has an unlikely backstory. (Kerry Howley, New York)

Visualized

When Will the Tax Plan Kick In?: Heres a timeline. (Alicia Parlapiano, The New York Times)

Pictures of Christmas Past: Check out this gallery for a festive look back at the Christmases of yesteryear. (Alan Taylor, The Atlantic)

Question of the Week

This week, we asked whether the government, including President Trump, should be exempt from Twitters new conduct rules. Most responses were a resounding no.

According to Theresa: Obviously governmental individuals and entities should be holding themselves to the highest standards, but if they are not, they should be reined in by same rules that apply to non-governmental individuals and entities.

Bruce agreed, writing that Trump has dragged American discourse into the gutter and this should be unacceptable on Twitter.

Recommended: The Criminalization of Gentrifying Neighborhoods

A small number of you argued that government entities should be exempt for transparency purposes. And for Billy, calls for Twitter to change its policyor even ban Trumps accountare the real issue: Passing judgement on the internal policies of privately held companies is neither my place nor yours. They should do as they see fit. Whats the alternative? Passing a law requiring bureaucratic government control of Twitters internal policies?

Note: The Politics & Policy Daily is taking next week off, but well be back on January 2. Happy holidays, and see you in 2018!

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey)

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Americans bought 210.5 million barrels of beer in 2016, up about 2% from a half decade ago. Surely, beer is big business in the United States. The beer industry generated over $350 billion in economic output in 2016, nearly 2% of total GDP.

Like many industries, the beer industry is subject to changing demographics and evolving consumer tastes. In recent years, Americans have been turning to craft beer, imports, cocktails, and wine as their alcoholic beverage of choice.

These shifts in consumer tastes can have major implications for beer makers, and some of the industrys largest brands are losing market share year after year. For many of the beer industrys most iconic brands -- such as Budweiser, Bud Light, and Miller High Life -- the best days may be in the past.

ALSO READ: Bing Predicts: NFL Week 16

24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year changes in domestic shipping volume for 29 of the industrys largest brands to identify the beers Americans no longer drink. While some brands like Stella Artois and Modelo have enjoyed great spikes in demand -- more than doubling in shipment volume in the last five years -- other brands have not been as lucky. Shipment volume for every beer on this list is down at least 6.5% in the last five years. Demand for some has fallen by over 25%.





10. Icehouse

> Sales change (2011-2016): -6.6%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 1.4 million

> Owner: Molson Coors Brewing Company

Molson Coors Brewing Company is the second largest brewer in the United States, accounting for one-quarter of all domestic beer shipments in 2016. Icehouse, a higher than typical alcohol content beer made by the company, is one of several core Molson Coors brands experiencing near nation-leading sales declines. Molson Coors shipped 1.4 million barrels of Icehouse in 2016, down 6.6% from 1.5 million barrels shipped in 2011. Due in part to waning demand, Icehouse is now one of the companys least popular brands.

Introduced to American beer drinkers in 1993, ice beers -- unlike more traditional brews -- are chilled at freezing temperatures during the brewing process, a method purported to give the brew a smoother taste. Icehouse is one of two ice-brewed beers to report some of the steepest five-year sales declines in the industry.

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9. Miller Lite

> Sales change (2011-2016): -12.6%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 13.2 million

> Owner: Molson Coors Brewing Company

Available nationwide in 1975, Miller Lite popularized light beer in the United States. Appealing to a specific segment of beer drinkers, light beer has fewer calories and a slightly lower ABV than traditional brews.

Miller Lite is the fourth most popular beer brand in the United States, trailing only Bud Light, Coors Light, and Budweiser. However, like each of the other most popular beer brands, Americans have been ditching Miller Lite in recent years. Domestic shipments of the light beer fell 12.6% from 15.1 million barrels in 2011 to 13.2 million in 2016. As beers like Miller Lite fade in popularity, sales of some imported and craft beers are climbing steadily.

ALSO READ: Worst Cities to Live in Every State

8. Bud Light

> Sales change (2011-2016): -13.4%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 33.8 million

> Owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Bud Light is far and away the most popular beer brand in the United States. Anheuser-Busch InBev -- the largest brewer in the country -- shipped 33.8 million barrels of Bud Light in 2016, two times more than Coors Light, the second most popular beer brand. The beers popularity is bolstered by the companys aggressive advertising strategy. One of 20 biggest advertisers in the U.S., Anheuser-Busch spent $1.9 billion on marketing in 2016 alone. Much of that spending went towards Bud Light, the official beer sponsor of the NFL, for at least the next half decade.

Despite a hefty advertising budget, Bud Light appears to be losing favor among American beer drinkers. Anheuser-Busch shipped 5.2 million fewer barrels of Bud Light in 2016 than five years earlier, a 13.4% decline.

7. Busch

> Sales change (2011-2016): -19.7%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 4.8 million

> Owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Introduced by Anheuser-Busch in 1955, Busch beer is a staple in the brewing giant's core North American brands. Busch shipments have fallen by nearly 20% in the last five years, from 6.0 million barrels in 2011 to 4.8 million barrels in 2016. The long-term decline in demand for Busch is part of a broader problem Anheuser-Busch is facing. Sales of the companys most popular brands, including Budweiser and Bud Light, are also down considerably over the same period.

In recent months, however, Busch has actually been a glimmer of hope for Anheuser-Buschs American market. Dragged down by lower domestic demand for Budweiser and Bud Light, the company reported a 5.6% slide in total U.S. sales in the third quarter of 2017. Meanwhile, Busch was one of the few brands to report improving third-quarter U.S. sales.

6. Natural Ice

> Sales change (2011-2016): -20.9%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 2.7 million

> Owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Natural brand beers comprise Anheuser-Buschs sub-premium beer lineup in the United States. Sub-premium beers are relatively inexpensive and often less popular than slightly more expensive beers. Introduced in 1995, 18 years after Natural Light, Natural Ice is aged at colder temperatures than non-ice beers for a purportedly smoother flavor. It also has a higher ABV than more traditional beers.

ALSO READ: America's 25 Dying Industries

Shipments of Natural Ice are down 20.9% from 3.4 million barrels in 2011 to 2.7 million barrels in 2016. The declining sales are part of a broader trend affecting other ice beers and sub-premium brands. Still, despite waning demand, Natural Ice remains the best selling ice beer in America.

5. Budweiser

> Sales change (2011-2016): -22.2%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 13.2 million

> Owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Known as The King of Beers, Budweiser is the best selling non-light beer in the United States. However, the iconic American brands best days may be in the past. As craft brews and imports continue to gain favor among American beer lovers, Budweiser sales are hurting. In the last five years, domestic shipments of Bud fell 22.2% from 17.0 million barrels in 2011 to 13.2 million in 2016.

Still, Anheuser-Busch has remained a strong performer on Wall Street. Over the same five years, even as domestic Budweiser sales fell by 3.8 million barrels, the companys share price climbed from $55 to over $100 per share -- out performing both the Dow and S&P 500 indices.

4. Natural Light

> Sales change (2011-2016): -23.0%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 6.6 million

> Owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Natural Light was introduced as a low cost sub-premium brand by Anheuser-Busch in 1977. Light beers are characterized by fewer calories and lower ABV than traditional brews, and they appear to be losing favor with American beer drinkers as half of the 10 beers on this list are light. Natural Light shipments fell 23% from 8.6 million barrels in 2011 to 6.6 million in 2016.

Despite the decline, Natural Light remains relatively popular, ranking as the sixth best selling beer in 2016 and the fourth best selling light beer.

3. Miller High Life

> Sales change (2011-2016): -24.1%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 3.6 million

> Owner: Molson Coors Brewing Company

Though it is known as the Champagne of Beers, Miller High Life sales are no reason to celebrate. Domestic High Life sales are down from 4.7 million barrels in 2011 to 3.6 million in 2016. The 24.1% five-year decline is the third worst of any major beer brand in the United States over that period.

ALSO READ: America's Biggest Box Office Losers of 2017

Miller High Lifes parent company entered into a three-year ad agreement with FX Networks in 2014. The deal grants the company exclusive beer advertising rights on media networks FX, FXX, and FXM. Whether or not the campaign can turn Miller High Life sales around remains to be seen.

2. Keystone Light

> Sales change (2011-2016): -26.2%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 3.3 million

> Owner: Molson Coors Brewing Company

Keystone Light is Molson Coors Brewing Companys sub-premium beer brand. It is one of four low-price point beers and one of five light beers to rank among the brands reporting the steepest five-year popularity declines. Annual domestic shipments of Keystone Light are down 26.2% since 2011, from 4.5 million barrels to 3.3 million.

Sales of Keystone Light may turn around soon, however. Earlier this year, Molson Coors redesigned the Keystone brands logo and packaging, introduced a 15-pack, and promoted the brand through a wave of digital and radio ads. Early data reflects a slight uptick in sales of Keystone Light.

1. Bud Light Lime

> Sales change (2011-2016): -35.5%

> Barrels shipped in 2016: 1.0 million

> Owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV

Bud Light Lime has seen better days. Hugely popular upon its 2008 introduction, Bud Light Lime was Anheuser-Buschs apparent attempt to combat falling sales as more Americans turned to craft beers and cocktails. The company introduced Americans to the new lime flavored light beer with a $35 million multimedia ad campaign. Starting off strong, demand for Bud Light Lime has declined steadily in the years since. Anheuser Busch shipped 1.6 million barrels domestically in 2011, down from 1.8 million in 2010. In 2016, the company shipped only 1.0 million barrels of Bud Light Lime, a 35.5% decline from five years earlier. In addition to reporting the steepest five-year sales decline, Bud Light Lime also has the dubious distinction of having the lowest annual sales volume among beers on this list.

ALSO READ: The Drunkest City in Every State

Detailed Findings & Methodology

Declining year-over-year demand for a beer brand does not necessarily mean a beer is unpopular. In fact, many of the beers on this list are among the most popular in the United States, despite recent precipitous shipment declines.

For example, Bud Light, Budweiser, and Miller Lite are three of the four best selling beers in the U.S. However, between them, shipments have declined anywhere from 12.6% to 22.2% from 2011 to 2016.

In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Eric Shepherd, executive editor for industry advocacy group Beer Marketers Insights, explained that advertising may partially explain waning demand for some of the industrys most iconic brands.

Beer advertising is not as strong as it used to be, and that has contributed to the softness in the industry, Shepherd said. To be sure, Anheuser Buschs ad spending on its Budweiser brand had declined by 8.9% from 2014 to 2015.

Advertising channels are also changing. As advertising shifts to digital mediums, consumers are becoming harder to reach. The breweries are still figuring it out, particularly the big breweries, Shepherd said.

Other patterns among the beers losing popularity fastest are more self-evident. For example, half of the beers on this list are light beers -- characterized by fewer calories and a lower ABV than more traditional beers.

Low cost sub-premium beers as well as ice beers are also heavily represented on this list. Such beers include Keystone Light, Natural Ice, and Icehouse. Relatively inexpensive, mass-produced beers are declining as the number of microbreweries in the United States is skyrocketing. There were only 843 microbreweries in the U.S. in 2011. As of 2016, there were 3,132 -- a 272% increase.

To identify the beers Americans no longer drink, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed shipment volumes provided by Beer Marketers Insights for all brands with more than 1 million barrels shipped in either 2011 or 2016. The beer brands on this list are the 10 with the steepest five year shipment declines. The analysis excludes beer sold outside of the United States. Data on advertising expenditures came from Adage.com, a global media brand that delivers insights, analysis, news, and data on marketing and media.

Related Articles
Brazil's President Michel Temer reacts during breakfast with journalists at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil December 22, 2017. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

By Ricardo Brito and Tim Hepher

BRASILIA/PARIS (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) sought to calm Brazilian concern about a potential tie-up with Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA) after President Michel Temer and other officials warned they would veto any full takeover bid for the regional jet maker.

While Temer said he would welcome an injection of foreign capital into Embraer, his warning was the latest reminder that the company, which also makes some military planes and was one of the more successful products of Brazilian industrial policy, remains a focus of national pride.

Boeing said talks with Embraer on what the companies have called a "potential combination" were ongoing and insisted that it fully respected the need to safeguard the company's defences and other state links.

"As we noted, discussions are ongoing, but we have always had deep respect for the role of the Government of Brazil, as well as their important defences and security concerns," Boeing spokesman Phil Musser said.

Earlier, Temer told a news conference he would study any decision the companies take on an alliance, emphasizing that his government could use its 'golden share' in the company to block foreign control of the formerly state-run company, fully privatized in 2006.

"When a decision arrives, I will examine it," Temer said. He added: "The purpose of the golden share is for the government to take such a decision."

Defence Minister Raul Jungmann said the government welcomed a commercial alliance with Boeing.

"We are in favour of this and other partnerships," Jungmann said at the same news conference with Temer.

But he also said foreign control of the company was out of the question, citing Embraer's central role in Brazil's defences industry.

'STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT'

"The moment that control of Embraer passes to a company from another country, it will control strategic decisions" for Brazil, Jungmann said. "No country would give up control of that." He mentioned the Gripen fighter jets Embraer will build with Sweden's Saab AB (SAABb.ST) and the KC-390 cargo jet project with which Embraer plans to dominate the military transport market long dominated by the U.S.-made workhorse Hercules C-130.

Story continues

Boeing and Embraer last year signed a deal under which the U.S. planemaker will help market the new military cargo jet but also provide maintenance services once they are sold.

The government's opposition to a full sale does not preclude a more targeted deal, according to a source familiar with the matter.

"If the government persists with its objections, one structure that could be proposed is for the government to keep control of its defences business, and that Embraer sells its commercial business to Boeing," the source said. "The deal is strategically important for Boeing because it will fill out its commercial line with regional jets."

Some kind of commercial jet joint venture between the two jet makers would "make a lot of sense," Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia said. "Even some kind of military joint venture such as military transports would make sense - but an acquisition of Embraer makes no sense."

Embraer shares, which soared 20 percent on Thursday, fell 1.4 percent on Friday. Boeing shares edged up 0.24 percent.

It would be harder to quantify the gains to shareholders from a more limited joint-venture deal than with an outright acquisition, said Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr.

"I honestly think Boeing knew all along that it would be a joint venture or partnership," he said. "But just like with Airbus-Bombardier, you can still set up something along those lines that's clearly a win-win."

The Boeing-Embraer talks come just two months after Airbus SE (AIR.PA) struck a deal to buy a majority stake in Bombardier Inc's (BBDb.TO) CSeries jetliner program.

Potential gains for Embraer would include Boeing's greater sales clout with major airlines, as well as with servicing existing jets and potential savings with suppliers, he said.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Ricardo Brito; Additional reporting by Greg Roumeliotis and Christian Plumb; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
What is Bitcoin?

How to Buy Bitcoin in Canada?

How to Trade Bitcoin in Canada?

Where can I Use Bitcoin in Canada?

Bitcoin ATMs in Canada

Conclusion

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a currency, more commonly referred to as a cryptocurrency that is created and exists in electronic form, with no physical version for Bitcoin holders to possess.

Bitcoin was created by Satoshi Nakamoto and was released in 2009. Nakamotos vision was to create a digital currency that falls out of the reach of governments and central banks.

Bitcoin continues to grab the headlines, but its not just the currency itself that is worthy of praise, with the blockchain technology behind the currency considered to be a first of its kind.

The ethos of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is the decentralized element. Bitcoin transactions all over the world are recorded and stored on the blockchain. The blockchain is a public ledger that is found on all of the computers within the Bitcoin network. All of the ledgers are synchronized with no master ledger.

The verification and update process for Bitcoin transactions is referred to as Bitcoin mining. The process is independent, with miners selected at random to verify transactions over a given period of time. Once the verification is complete, the transaction information is incorporated into a block, which then links to the blockchain. Miners receive Bitcoins as a reward for the verification process.

With the decentralized ethos of Bitcoin, the other attribute is the anonymity given to those buying, selling or holding Bitcoins.

Since the evolution of Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies have hit the market as having offshoots of Bitcoin itself, with Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Gold having been created in the 2nd half of this year.

How to Buy Bitcoin in Canada?

Buying Bitcoin in Canada could be done in various ways: Via Bitcoin exchanges, through CFDs or through ATMs. While buying Bitcoin via exchange and ATMs provides you the legal possession of the cryptocurrency in a digital wallet, purchasing Bitcoin via CFDs brokers allows you to trade bitcoins price fluctuations without holding the coin. Currently, many who would like to invest in Bitcoin are in search of Bitcoin exchanges offering Bitcoin to Canadian investors.

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One of the top leading and reliable Bitcoin exchanges is CEX.IO, the exchange has a low trading fee of just 0.2% and allows customers to buy Bitcoins with credit cards, bank transfers, SEPA transfers, cash or AstroPay. Credit card purchases are immediate. Below is a complete guide to buying Bitcoin via CEX.IO in 4 easy steps.

Step 1  Open a Digital Wallet

A digital wallet is where you hold your cryptocurrencies and interacts others via the blockchain technology. There are many providers of digital wallets, however, it is important to make a deep research before you decide which one is the best for you. Currently, the most popular digital wallets provider is Blockchain.info.

Step 2  Register & Open an Account

Once you enter CEX.IO website, register and open an account that can provide you with their service.

CEX.IO Login

Step 3  Receive the 2FA Code

This is the authentication code as well as your password when you access CEX.IO. The code will be generated by an application and will be delivered to you by SMS.

CEX.IO F2A Code

Step 4  Purchase Bitcoin

Now you can easily purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Note that you can always buy fractions of Bitcoin and CEX.IO allows you to choose fixed amounts with your own currency.

CEX.IO  Buy Bitcoin

Choose the payment option that is most convenient for you.

CEX.IO Payment

In order to complete the purchase, the broker will ask you to verify your identity with documents and various details.

CEX.IO Verification

Apart from CEX.IO, there are other Bitcoin exchanges that provide their services in Canada:

Coinbase  Supports 32 countries with more than 10m customers served. Canadian customers can buy using credit and debit cards, with fees of 3.99% for purchases. When buying Bitcoins with bank transfers, it can take up to 5-days however.

Coinmama: For purchases of under $150, there is no requirement to verify identity, though there is a transaction fee of around 6% for customers buying Bitcoins with credit or debit cards, which is very high.

GDAX: Considered to be one of the larger U.S Bitcoin exchanges and customers can transfer funds via bank transfer, SEPA or bank wire. The exchange is also considered competitive from a fee perspective.

Canadian Bitcoins: Customers are able to select from a wide range of funding options including Interac Online, online banking, direct debit from bank account, cash via mail, cash in person,

Satoshi Counter: Customers are able to buy face-to-face in Montreal and online in the rest of the country. The exchange also permits Bitcoin transactions up to $1m, though the company requires additional identity verification for larger transactions.

QuickBT: A Canadian broker that sells small amounts of Bitcoin ($200 cap) via Interac Online, Flexepin vouchers or debit card, with the Bitcoins released within minutes of payment.

How to Trade Bitcoin in Canada?

If the sound of a Bitcoin exchange is off-putting, the alternative is to buy and sell Bitcoins via CFDs brokers. Trading Bitcoin through CFDs provides the ability to buy and sell the price of Bitcoin without actually holding the currency.

As the market has evolved, trading platforms have also evolved, with traders being offered leverage and the ability to go long and short on Bitcoin by investing in CFDs.

One of the most well-known brokers, providing cryptocurrencies trading, is AvaTrade. Below is a complete guide to buying Bitcoin via AvaTrdae in 3 steps:

Step 1  Open an Account

Firstly, you need to open an account via AvaTrade. The process is simple and easy and all required is to provide identifying documentation.

AvaTrade Acct - 1

Step 2  Download AvaTrade Trading Platform

Following your account registration, download AvaTrades trading platform (we recommend Meta Trader 4) and explore the platform. MT4 is a user-friendly platform that enables all the basic and advanced trading tools.

AvaTrade Trading Platforms - 2

Step 3  Fund Your Account

The final step towards trading Bitcoin through AvaTrade is to fund your account. Note that AvaTrade accepts credit card, wire transfer, and Paypal as payments methods.

avatrade payments

Where can I Use Bitcoin in Canada?

There are a number of retail and service providers in Canada who accept Bitcoins for payment of goods and services. Dell, Expedia, and TigerDirect.ca are a few. Perhaps of greater interest is Coincards.ca. The company sells prepaid gift cards that can then be used at Air Canada, Amazon, Apple, Cineplex, Costco, Canadian Tire, Toys R Us, and many more.

Bitcoin holders are even able to pay their bills using Bitcoin. Bylls provides a platform to pay select from a list of over 6,500 biller companies, send funds directly to your bank account or send funds into a personal payee account for friends and family.

While the number of retailers accepting Bitcoin directly may be on the smaller side, the combined reach of Coincards and Bylls alone is significant and propels Canada into the forefront, when it comes to transitioning away from the use of fiat currency.

For Bitcoin holders looking to keep up to date with which retailers accept Bitcoin, Coinmap is the place to go.

Suggested Articles

Bitcoin ATMs in Canada

Bitcoin ATMs are not to be confused with the more traditional bank ATMs that are linked to banking networks to allow bank customers to withdraw and deposit fiat money and make other banking requests.

Bitcoin ATMs are linked to the internet and have no connection to the bank networks. The purpose of the ATMs is to provide a platform for the buying and selling of Bitcoin. With a particularly limited verification process, ATMs provide buyers and sellers with a high degree of anonymity, which is one of the desired characteristics of Bitcoin. For this, however, the transaction fees are on the higher side with the limits on the size of transactions being lower than on Bitcoin exchanges.

The worlds first Bitcoin ATM was reportedly opened in a coffee shop in Vancouver back in 2013. The ATM used palm and ID scan technology to allow Bitcoin transactions. Bitcoin was c$200 at the time that the ATM was installed

There are a total of 304 Bitcoin ATMs in Canada, with the largest concentration of ATMs being in Calgary (30), Montreal (47), Toronto (118) and Vancouver (47).

In Canada, the buying fees of between 7-8% are more in line with the global average of around 8%, while the fees for the sale of Bitcoins are more competitive and in the range of between 4-6%, more aligned with the global average.

Looking at ATM fee averages on a global basis, Bitcoin purchase fees are 8.45% on average, with redemption fees averaging at 7.03%.

To find the nearest Bitcoin ATM, Coin ATM Radar is a good website to search for the nearest Bitcoin ATM. For many, the distances will certainly too great to travel in order to buy or sell Bitcoin, which would leave buying and selling via an exchange or on sites such as LocalBitcoin.

Conclusion

Canada has certainly embraced Bitcoin and is reflected in, not only the easy purchase of Bitcoin from Bitcoin exchanges but with the ability to purchase goods and services across the goods and services sector.

Fees seem to be on the more competitive side, particularly when looking for anonymity and based on the above findings, Canada could be considered as one of the more advanced markets in moving away from the use of Fiat Currency for day to day living.

The downside for those looking to use Bitcoin in the more remote areas of the country is that most of the ATMs and retailers accepting Bitcoin are located in the most populated areas. So, while the major cities may be able to limit the use of the Canadian Dollar, other areas are unlikely to be out with the palm pilot or laptop just yet.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

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Posted on: Dec 24, 2017





Doubly Blessed In A Million Ways

The excitement and merriment that suffuses the Christmas Childrens Choir



by

Nikhila Sri Rao and Nilesh Sai Rao





Our happiest Christmas memories are the times when we would be at Prasanthi Nilayam in the month of December. It has become such a wonderful tradition for our family to visit our Beloved Swami every year during Holy Christmas.

Since we were babies, we would go to our special Sai home during this auspicious occasion. In fact, every trip to Puttaparthi was most treasured and most cherished in a very personal way.

Loving and Longing to be in Prasanthi

Soon after Global Akhanda Bhajans and Swamis Birthday celebrations, we would get very excited because we knew that we would be in Puttaparthi soon to see Swamis Divine presence.

Once we arrived in Puttaparthi all the way from Rochester, New York in USA, we would quickly settle and literally run into Kulwant Hall for darshans and bhajans. It was like we could not contain our deep excitement and joy to see our Sai Ma. Swamis presence has indeed touched us in such a heartfelt way.

The little roses Nikhila and Nilesh offer the rose of their little hearts to their Beloved Lord

Sai Sees Us Through in ICU

We have experienced His grace right from the time we were born. We were actually born two months early and had to stay in the childrens hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with health issues for several weeks.

It is only with Swamis infinite grace and protection that we are completely healthy and alive today. When we were only a year old, Swami graciously called our family for a personal interview and blessed both of us.

That day in 2003, Swami called it twin day because He called us in the morning and then He called the Australian pink twins in the evening. We were actually the youngest set of twins and the pink twins were the oldest set of twins in Prasanthi Nilayam.

Since that time, we were fortunate to receive His Divine blessings. On one of those occasions, when we were six years old, we had the unique opportunity to be part of a Unity of Faiths Musical Offering to our Beloved Sai called Sarva Dharma Sai Gitanjali.

As soon as Mr. John Behner, International Christmas Committee Chairman, got the approval from Swami to begin the program, we both then got up and walked to Swami.

Swami had the most beautiful smile we ever saw and was in His full glory. We then presented Swami a rose and a silver plate offering containing rice, golden raisins, cloves, and sweets shortly before the starting of our Sarva Dharma Sai Gitanjali Program presentation.

Affectionately, He took all the offerings, blessed us by showering akshata (holy rice grains) on our heads and allowed us to take Padanamaskar of His lotus feet. He also materialized a beautiful gold chain for one of us which had His form in it and told us to share His love.

What a lovely message for us, twins, about sharing even at that tender age. Swami also asked us what we were learning in SSE class. We recited the five human values: Love, Peace, Truth, Right Conduct, and Non Violence. Swami heard us patiently and then He asked us what they meant!

Both of us softly replied by giving the meanings. Swami smiled at us lovingly and said, Very good. Keep learning the values and be good examples. I will always be with you. He then asked us to come every year to see Him.

We were little tots but we definitely understood one thing  we felt so much warmth and love from Swami. That was an indelible memory etched forever in our hearts.

With these extraordinary experiences, we continue to learn and practise His teachings so that we may be His Sai ideal students.

Nilesh and Nikhila offering their love to their Beloved Lord in 2016

We Didnt See Him Outside Anymore, But We Saw Him Inside Ever More

With Swamis grace, we had special opportunities to be part of the wonderful International Childrens Christmas Choir which usually takes place on December 26.

For many years, we had wonderful blessings to see Swamis beautiful form as He came out beaming with radiant love to all of us as we participated in the Christmas procession and sang vibrant Christmas songs.

In 2011, we went through shock and adjustment with many emotions. We were ten years old at the time and it was really hard for us to comprehend that we could no longer see Swami.

However in the past few years, we have come to accept that though we cannot physically see Swami, He is ever more present within us. We certainly feel His love and know that He is always there for us. After all, He did endearingly tell us that I will always be with you. That was the Divine Assurance from Swami.

During Christmas of 2011, we were able to present our personal reflections of Swami through the Gift of Love offering to Dear Sai. We knew with confidence that Swami is very special who loves us all. Whenever we saw His picture, we smiled and He would smile back at us.

Throughout the whole day, His divine name and lovely grin came into our minds. Swami answered all our questions and prayers and He made us very happy. Swami is our loving Mother, Father, Teacher, and most of all our Best Friend. We hold onto His hand knowing very well that He will never let go. We love to sing and play for Him and He listens to us. We feel His extraordinary grace and with a sweet smile and gentle look, He reminds us that He will never ever leave us. For sure, He is sitting in the very temple of our hearts and has given us the Gift of Love. We absolutely love Him dearly!

Every year during the International Childrens Choir Program, we have absolute joy meeting our friends from all over the world including UK, Australia, South Africa, and many others. We have become such close Sai friends. In fact, we communicate with each other ahead of time to make plans so that we all meet at the Holy Abode of Prasanthi Nilayam for Christmas!

We love going to the practices together, rehearsing, singing bhajans, sharing our Sai experiences, eating at the different canteens, visiting Swamis birthplace and the museums, helping with Christmas decorations, and just learning from each other in so many ways. It is incredible that we all share the same love for Swami despite where we come from.

In a course of 12 days, we learn many Christmas songs from wonderful conductors like Alma Badings and Gesine Strohmeier. Along in learning the songs during the practice sessions, we get to hear delightful Swami experiences and funny stories by Mr. John Behner and Mr. Tom Lahey. We also have wonderful support from parent volunteers who serve selflessly to make sure we all eat, rest, take snacks, help with costumes, take us for darshans, and even enforcing gentle discipline during rehearsals.

The talented instrumentalists accompany and add to the beauty and rhythm of the songs. When the big performance day arrives, we all have nervous jitters but with superb excitement to sing our heart out for our Dear Swami.

We all dress in pristine white with golden, red or green silk scarves and then walk in an orderly line to Kulwant Hall. We sit together in front of Swamis Mahasamadhi in the white marble area and with the sun streaming down, it is just a magnificent feeling of jubilation.

Christmas 2016  Our Sweet Moments

In the past year Christmas 2016, both of us had the special opportunity to place a rose and offer the program on behalf of the International Childrens Choir to our Beloved Sai. As we walked to Swamis divine chair, we had a nostalgic feeling of Swamis physical presence and remembered our earlier lovely interactions with Swami. It was very special for both of us.

We then started the choir program and it was an assortment of Christmas melodies and tunes for about an hour. Interspersed between the songs would be devout Christmas readings and messages from the Holy Bible. After each song, the audience clapped loudly and encouraged all of us. The entire song set had a spellbinding effect on all the devotees in the Sai Kulwant Hall.

The incredible day ended with pictures in front of Swamis Mahasamadhi as Sai bhajans were mellifluously rendered by the Sai students. Just when we thought it could not get any better with such a marvellous experience, Swami then showered us with more blessings in the form of gifts like Saree for the girls, Ganesha idols, white cloth material for the boys, and delicious prasadam.

After having Swamis divine darshan, we then quietly came out and gathered outside to talk about our sublime experiences. It was time also to say our goodbyes to all with warm hugs of love and tell each other that we will meet once again next year for Christmas!

Truly Christmas is a beautiful and unforgettable experience at Prasanthi Nilayam! As Swami says, JOY of Christmas is Jesus First, Others Second, and Yourself Last.

Swami in His infinite compassion gives us all so much love and blessings and we pray that we be His Divine instruments to serve humanity. We have immense gratitude to our Lord of the Universe, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and thank Him profusely. Jai Sai Ram.



- Radio Sai Team


SpaceXs launch Friday evening of a rocket carrying a batch of satellites into low-earth orbit caps a record year for the closely held company led by Elon Musk.

The mission from Californias central coast was Space Exploration Technologies Corp.s 18th this year. Thats more than any competitor and far exceeds the eight it launched in 2016 before a September explosion grounded the company for the rest of the year while an investigation took place.

SpaceX has had a phenomenal year, and theyve motivated and inspired a lot of people as to what is possible, said Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, an industry group for the private space sector.

The coming year is expected to be even bigger. With three launch pads now at their disposal after repairing the one damaged in the September 2016 blast, Musk and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell have said they expect to fly roughly 30 missions in 2018. That tally will include several missions for commercial satellite operators, military customers and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration using the Falcon 9 rocket  which powered all of this years launches  but also a planned expansion to include a larger rocket and crewed missions.

Big Year

Next year will be the biggest year in the space industry since 1969, Stallmer said, referring to NASAs Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

The maiden flight of Falcon Heavy, SpaceXs bigger and more powerful rocket that will let it compete for heavier U.S. military payloads, is slated for January. SpaceX is also expected next year to demonstrate the Crew Dragon spacecraft it plans to use to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, first with an unmanned mission as soon as April and then with a crewed test flight in August. SpaceX and Boeing Co. both have contracts with NASA to deliver American astronauts to the orbiting lab as part of the Commercial Crew program.

If you liked tonights launch, you will really like Falcon Heavy next month, Musk wrote on Twitter early Saturday. 3 rocket cores & 3X thrust.

Story continues

SpaceXs 2017 total fell just shy of the 20 to 24 missions it had been targeting for this year. Still, its rate exceeded that of any rivals competing for the same missions. Arianespace, based in France, has completed 11 launches in 2017. United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp., launched eight government missions on its Atlas and Delta rockets.

SpaceX is now dominant in terms of launch volume, said Marco Caceres, a senior space analyst with Teal Group Corp., an aerospace and defense market researcher. Theyve established that they can launch more than any other program in the world, and theyve established reusability. If they do 30 launches next year, it will be spectacular, but the big story for 2018 is Falcon Heavy and Commercial Crew.

Rapid Reusability

SpaceX has made strides this year working reusability into its launch process. By landing, refurbishing and redeploying rockets and capsules in future missions, Musks company has been able to more closely emulate commercial airline flights and begin to lower space-access costs.

They are No. 1 in terms of cost, and thats why they are getting so much business, Caceres said.

Fridays mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California  which carried 10 satellites into orbit for customer Iridium Communications Inc.  reused the rocket booster captured after an earlier Iridium launch in June. SpaceX didnt attempt to land the rocket after Fridays launch for reuse.

Musk, 46, founded Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX in 2002. It recently added another $100 million to its latest fundraising round, which values the company at more than $21 billion, according to Equidate. Billionaire Musk is also chief executive officer of electric-car maker Tesla Inc.
If youve ever thought your old iPhone was feeling sluggish, youre not alone. And youre not imagining it: Apple has confirmed to multiple media outlets that it slows the performance of older iPhones in order to prevent their aging batteries from causing unexpected shutdowns.

Apple says it began slowing down the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, and iPhone SE last year, and just began doing so with the iPhone 7, which is little more than a year old. The companys statement came after a recent Reddit post and blog post on benchmarking tool Geekbenchs website sparked a conversation around the relationship between flagging iPhone performance and battery condition.

Apple may have the best of intentions. Having your phone occasionally slow down is probably preferable to coping with total shutdowns, as is prolonging the overall life of your battery. But some are reading the companys statement as confirmation of a longstanding myth: Apple slows down old iPhones to get users to upgrade to newer, pricer models as a form of planned obsolescence. (The company also charges about $80 to replace an old iPhone battery with a fresh one.)

Read more: How to Decide Which New iPhone is Right For You

Either way, Apple is in some hot water over the issue. A pair of California residents have already filed a class action lawsuit against the company. They claim Apple interfered with the possession of their phones, as they did not consent to Apples meddling with their devices performance.

The California suit underscores the true issue here. Its not Apples fault that the lithium ion batteries that power iPhones (and lots of other gadgets in our lives) become less potent as they age. But the company wasnt transparent about its solution to this dilemma, nor did it give users a choice over the matter. When it comes to people who spent hundreds of dollars on an iPhone 6 without being warned the devices performance may lag after only a couple of years, frustration is understandable. (Apple told TechCrunch that in early 2017 that it made improvements to reduce the frequency of shutdowns in older iPhones, but did not clarify what those improvements were. Apple did not respond to TIMEs request for comment on the matter.)

Story continues

Of course, Apple has never been known for its transparency. The company is notoriously secretive, even with its own employees, who get information on a need-to-know basis. And there are some iPhone specifications that arent listed on Apples website, such as battery capacity and memory, leading to a cottage industry of hardware tinkerers who test and poke and prod Apples products to find out more about them than the company freely shares.

With the revelation that Apple was withholding information about aging iPhones performance from consumers, the company could jeopardize consumer trust. Thats a big deal for a company like Apple, a brand built around customer loyalty and positive perceptions. A Morgan Stanley survey from this spring found that 92% of iPhone owners who planned to buy a new phone in the next 12 months were likely to stick with Apple. By comparison, only 77% of Samsung device owners said the same. Trust is vital to the iPhones success  when customers buy one, they want to feel they know exactly what theyre getting. They trust that the experience will be similar and comfortable no matter which model they choose, unlike the Android landscape, where devices can vary greatly between companies like Samsung, Google, and LG, among others. Its that trust that gets users hooked into Apples entire ecosystem of Mac and Apple Watch products, too.

Apple has long strived to design products that just work. In that sense, you might understand why the company hid these performance slowdowns from public view  Apple might feel that it should be doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes, shielding customers from having to worry about the nitty gritty of how their technology works with a bit of software secret sauce. But in this case, Apples decision may invite more trouble than thanks  a better solution may be to ask users whether theyre O.K. with performance slowdowns if it means keeping their battery healthy for longer. Moving forward, Apple will have to decide whether keeping its secret sauce a secret is worth risking the trust of their most loyal customers.
Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg

Reuters

Facebook and Twitter are not cooperating fully with a UK parliamentary committee's inquiry into Russian meddling in Brexit.

A British minister said their engagement with the issue is "wholly inadequate."

But the government needs to start asking smarter questions if it wants answers.



The British government is losing patience with Facebook and Twitter.

The US tech companies are not cooperating fully with a parliamentary committee's bid to get the bottom of Russian meddling in Brexit  and they were given a dressing down on Thursday.

Digital minister Matt Hancock said evidence Facebook and Twitter provided the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee (DCMSC) was "entirely partial and wholly inadequate." He grumbled: "They need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem."

Hancock said the government would "not rule out taking further action" to solicit more fulsome disclosures, but stopped short of detailing what this would involve. His aides were no more forthcoming when Business Insider requested further information. "What the minister said yesterday speak for itself," a spokesman said.

The DCMSC could, with the support of the government, take the unusual step of reporting Facebook and Twitter to the House of Commons in an effort to find them in contempt of Parliament. But this has not been attempted in "many decades," according to the Handbook of House of Commons Procedure.

Asking smarter questions

The government is far more likely to get results by more straightforward means: Simply handing Facebook and Twitter any intelligence it has on attempted Russian subversion.

Ministers have repeatedly stated that there is no evidence of "successful interference" in British democracy by the Kremlin. That suggests intelligence officials have examples of unsuccessful interference, which would chime with academic research showing that thousands of Russian-based Twitter accounts posted about Brexit last year.

Story continues

Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake put it this way to Hancock: "I thank the minister for his tough words about the social media companies, but we also need to ensure that the security services provide them with information they may have so that they can follow the leads already obtained by the intelligence services."

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual end-of-year news conference in Moscow, Russia, December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Thomson Reuters

And all the indications are that Facebook and Twitter would respond to more specific allegations. Business Insider understands that Facebook has made it known to the government that it will investigate any leads, names, or details pointed out by intelligence services.

And as for Twitter, specific allegations made by four US intelligence agencies in a 25-page report in January helped prompt it into disclosing that 30,000 Russia-linked accounts generated 1.4 million tweets during the final stretch of last year's presidential election.

Both Facebook and Twitter declined to comment, but Ben Nimmo, a researcher at US think-tank the Atlantic Council, explained their thinking.

He told BI: "It would not be in keeping with their basic mentality to want to know exactly where their users are and to be able to share that with the security services. Because if you do that in the UK, you kind of have to do it in Russia, and China, and Saudi, and places where if somebody posts the wrong thing, they go to jail."

So, if the British government wants answers from these social media firms, it needs to start asking more specific questions. And with the DCMSC ready to travel to Washington in February to grill them, now is the time to turn the screw.

NOW WATCH: Scott Galloway says Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google should be broken up

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Politicians are piling the pressure on Theresa May to root out Russian meddling in British democracy
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Beijing is ramping up construction work in the South China Sea despite agreeing to establish a code of conduct for the disputed region, new research has showed. Research from the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative , part of U.S. think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies, revealed China has built several facilities around the Spratly and Paracel islands as of late. The permanent projectson which China has completed or started work since the start of 2017 account for 72 acres, or 290,000 square meters, the report issued on Thursday stated."International attention has shifted away from the slow-moving crisis in the South China Sea over the course of 2017, but the situation on the water has not remained static," the center said in a report. "Beijing remains committed to advancing the next phase of its build-up construction of the infrastructure necessary for fully-functioning air and naval bases on the larger outposts." Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration controls much of the Spratly and Paracel areas, relying on a concept known as the nine-dash line to mark territorial claims that extend roughly 1,000 miles from the nation's southern shores. Various Southeast Asian states, including the Philippines and Vietnam , also claim ownership to certain parts. The construction comes as Beijing and Southeast Asian governments, many of them key players in the long-standing territorial dispute, agreed to outline a code of conduct for the strategic waterway earlier this year, a moved designed to prevent further tensions. Last month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated his country would "firmly safeguard" the freedom of navigation in the resource-rich zone . Among China's new developments is a radar array at the north end of Fiery Cross Reef, part of the Spratlys, the report said. "This high-frequency radar is situated next to the large communications/sensor array completed earlier in the year," it added.Storage tunnels in the Subi Reef and Mischief Reef, both near the Spratlys, were also recently completed, adding to the network of existing underground structures on each reef, the report noted. China is expected to substantially boost its radar and signals intelligence capabilities at Subi Reef while it has started work on a new communications array on Mischief Reef, the report added.Over in the Paracels, "China has continued construction, though on a smaller scale," such as dredging and reclamation work on Tree Island.Woody Island, Beijing's military and administrative headquarters in the South China Sea, also experienced new activity in the form of two first-time air deployments, the report said.In October, the country deployed Air Force J-11B fighters while large planes that resembled Y-8 transport aircraft were spotted last month, the report said, noting that "their presence at Woody could be a sign of things to come." Beijing is ramping up construction work in the South China Sea despite agreeing to establish a code of conduct for the disputed region, new research has showed. Research from the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative , part of U.S. think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies, revealed China has built several facilities around the Spratly and Paracel islands as of late. The permanent projects on which China has completed or started work since the start of 2017 account for 72 acres, or 290,000 square meters, the report issued on Thursday stated. "International attention has shifted away from the slow-moving crisis in the South China Sea over the course of 2017, but the situation on the water has not remained static," the center said in a report. "Beijing remains committed to advancing the next phase of its build-up construction of the infrastructure necessary for fully-functioning air and naval bases on the larger outposts." Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration controls much of the Spratly and Paracel areas, relying on a concept known as the nine-dash line to mark territorial claims that extend roughly 1,000 miles from the nation's southern shores. Various Southeast Asian states, including the Philippines and Vietnam , also claim ownership to certain parts. The construction comes as Beijing and Southeast Asian governments, many of them key players in the long-standing territorial dispute, agreed to outline a code of conduct for the strategic waterway earlier this year, a moved designed to prevent further tensions. Last month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated his country would "firmly safeguard" the freedom of navigation in the resource-rich zone . Among China's new developments is a radar array at the north end of Fiery Cross Reef, part of the Spratlys, the report said. "This high-frequency radar is situated next to the large communications/sensor array completed earlier in the year," it added. Storage tunnels in the Subi Reef and Mischief Reef, both near the Spratlys, were also recently completed, adding to the network of existing underground structures on each reef, the report noted. China is expected to substantially boost its radar and signals intelligence capabilities at Subi Reef while it has started work on a new communications array on Mischief Reef, the report added. Over in the Paracels, "China has continued construction, though on a smaller scale," such as dredging and reclamation work on Tree Island. Woody Island, Beijing's military and administrative headquarters in the South China Sea, also experienced new activity in the form of two first-time air deployments, the report said. In October, the country deployed Air Force J-11B fighters while large planes that resembled Y-8 transport aircraft were spotted last month, the report said, noting that "their presence at Woody could be a sign of things to come."



More From CNBC


Afghanistans Taliban movement is nearly a quarter-century-old, but it is still open to various interpretations that cloud its strategy, tactics, and ultimate future aims.

To understand the Talibans strategy, it is important to understand who they are. The Afghan Taliban call themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which underscores their desire to recreate the regime they built through military conquest after their emergence in southern Afghanistan in 1994. While they are sometimes labeled nationalists, the Taliban are keen to brandish their Islamist credentials and have opposed all modern nationalist currents in Afghanistan and among the Pashtuns.

Even before 9/11, the Taliban were seen as part of a global terrorist syndicate because of hosting Al-Qaeda and its international affiliates. The Talibans return to power in Afghanistan is sometimes equated with yet again turning the country into a hub of regional and global terrorism.

To many Afghans and secular Pashtuns in neighboring Pakistan, the Taliban are mere proxies used by Islamabad to dismantle the Afghan state and cause permanent social fragmentation. Proponents of such a perspective argue that Pakistans expertise in asymmetrical warfare has helped in creating this dangerous war machine, which ultimately offers no plan for creating a modern state and is likely to carry forward an enduring relationship with international terrorist networks.

The truth is that the current Taliban organization manifests shades of all three of these perspectives. Above all, they are an Islamist movement that ultimately wants to establish a unitary state to impose its version of Islamic Sharia law. In recent years, the Taliban, at least in their literature and interactions with researchers and journalists, have indicated some flexibility in accepting a tweaked version of their emirate.

Most importantly perhaps, the Taliban have repeatedly said they are not seeking a monopoly of power. However, the rule of Sunni Hanafi clerics from southern Afghanistans Pashtun heartland and international isolation were and will be the hallmarks of Taliban power.

Critical for peace in Afghanistan, the Taliban are only likely to establish peace on their terms. Almost daily, the Taliban have reiterated their commitment to fighting the international military presence that they say is an occupation. Given that the 2014 drawdown of most international troops only hastened their military campaign, the Taliban are most likely to fight Kabul even after the U.S. and NATO military presence concludes. All this makes deciphering the Taliban strategy problematic.

It is also difficult to find a single article or document that encapsulates the Taliban strategy. Unlike their opponents, they certainly are not tied to budget cycles, are not worried about election cycles, and care little about public opinion. If one word can encapsulate the Taliban strategy, it is: patience. When U.S. President Barack Obama announced a military surge in 2009, the Taliban simply waited until their withdrawal at the end of 2014.

This simple strategy of keeping up the fight until the tide turns in their favor is aided by a commitment to deny victory to their enemy. The Taliban are helped by some key strengths. Unlike most modern Afghan political parties and warring factions, the Taliban are still a largely united movement. The loss of top leaders, their regime, and high wartime casualties and kill and capture efforts have not fragmented the Taliban into mutually hostile factions. Their unity is in stark contrast to the competition in Kabul, where endless political wrangling prevents state institutions, democracy, and the economy from strengthening.

Taliban unity is made possible by a centralized leadership. Mostly camped in neighboring Pakistan, it has overseen a decentralized war led by battlefield commanders who have increasingly gained more autonomy over finances and how to respond to local challenges. The Taliban are keen on retaining a monopoly over jihad in Afghanistan. Thus, they have challenged and opposed the emergence of Islamic State (IS) militants in the country since 2015. Former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansur even wrote an open letter to IS leader Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi to warn that "the creation of a parallel jihadist front or leadership [in Afghanistan] will pave the way for disagreements, schisms, and conspiracies."

All aspects of the Taliban war are supported by complex information operations. It is noteworthy that a movement whose top leaders went to religious schools only is capable of messaging multiple audiences at the same time. While talking to domestic audiences, the Taliban run commentaries and articles on their Voice Of Jihad website and pro-Taliban websites such as Nun Asia or Asia Today. But when the movement wants to explain positions to fellow jihadists or tap into potential donors in the Gulf it uses Arabic-language magazine Al-Samood or utilizes social media accounts exclusively in Arabic.

A low-cost war fits well into the Talibans strategy of fighting a long-term, simmering war. Even if the movement pays some of its cadres, keeping tens of thousands of fighters occasionally active on the battlefield is not expensive. While the insurgents use drug money, it is not their exclusive funding source. Instead they rely on diversified financial resources including covert support from states and donations from individuals.

The Taliban know that superior Afghan government, NATO, and U.S. firepower will prevent them from controlling large population centers, so they have made large gains in the countryside since 2014. In an effort to sow fear and prevent their enemy from an all-out assault, the Taliban rely on attacks on Afghan cities. These particularly complex urban attacks, wherein a group of well-trained Taliban suicide bombers storm government or international facilities, boost their propaganda and undermines stability. Assassination campaigns, including those of clerics and tribal and political leaders and commando-style raids on dispersed forces also helps their war campaign.

The Afghan Taliban are a manifestation of their countrys complex geopolitics. Their regime was supported by Islamabad and its Arab allies in the Gulf in the 1990s. After 9/11, rivalries such India versus Pakistan, Saudi Arabia versus Iran, Russia versus the United States, and the United States against Iran have greatly aided their survival and capacity to spring back from extinction. For instance, Tehran and Moscow now reportedly support the Taliban because of apprehensions over IS emergence. Irans Shiite clerical regime once saw them as Sunni adversaries while Russia feared and loathed their support for Central Asian militants then organized mostly as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

Pakistan is perhaps the key to understanding the puzzle. Today, there is no love lost between the Taliban and Pakistans powerful military. Pakistan has attempted to either negotiate with the Afghan government on behalf of the Taliban or control such a process. But it seems that the Taliban do not want to include Pakistan in their foreign and domestic affairs, noted a July 2015 article on the Taliban website titled A Pakistani Roulette: Pakistani-Brokered Peace Talks. The fact that the article was withdrawn only after a few hours and then Mansur was killed in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan Province in May 2016 underscores Islamabads status as a main spoiler in Afghanistan. Despite differences and bitterness, the Taliban leaders reliance on Pakistani sanctuaries will prevent them from independently seeking a compromise with Kabul.

The most critical element in determining the Talibans future is their strength or weakness in relation to the Afghan government. Kabuls ability to preserve its current political system, deliver key services, and secure Afghans will weaken the Taliban substantially. While there might not be a military solution to determining the future of the Taliban, strengthening Afghan institutions will help. Despite challenges, the current Afghan government is aided by unprecedented international support. It now has to attend to righting domestic politics in a country where tremendous social and economic changes favor reforms. A strengthening government in Kabul will be better positioned to champion a sustainable results-oriented peace process broadly backed by Afghans.

Finally, it is critical to learn from Afghanistans recent history. Kabul and its international backers need to address genuine concerns of Afghanistans neighbors and regional powers so they are not tempted to foil its march toward stability by supporting the Taliban or other insurgents.

This article is an abridged version of the authors presentation at Jamestown Foundations Eleventh Annual Terrorism Conference on December 13. These views are the author's alone and do not represent those of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The Indian Army says four of its soldiers were killed when Pakistani forces fired across the de facto border in the disputed region of Kashmir.

The Indian Army said in a statement on December 23 that Pakistani forces fired on Indian posts in the Rajouri sector, calling it an "unprovoked cease-fire violation."

The statement said that the dead included an army officer.

There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan.

Following the incident, heavy cross-border firing and shelling was reported at several locations along the border.

Pakistani and Indian troops routinely clash along the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan claim the divided Kashmir region in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.

India-administered Kashmir has faced a violent secessionist movement since the late 1980s that has resulted in the deaths of more than 44,000 people.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Imams in central Uzbekistan are being compelled ahead of the New Year's holiday to donate funds for something that's normally well outside their purview -- street decorations.

Uzbek authorities have demanded millions of soms from more than 100 mosques across Bukhara Province in connection with the civic plans, sources in the former Soviet republic have told RFE/RL's Uzbek Service.

Some 25 mosques in the city of Bukhara were told to collect 30 million soms (around $3,680) for the decorations, a Bukhara mosque employee said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the topic.

The source, who oversees the finances at the mosque, described the officials' request for funds as "compulsory-voluntary" and said it had "upset us."

But local officials insisted to RFE/RL that the donations from mosques -- and other institutions -- were purely voluntary. "All local organizations, including religious institutions, are contributing money on a voluntary basis for the purchase of festive street decorations," a Bukhara city official said, declining to give his name.

"Bukhara has long been considered a city for pilgrimage. People leave money in charity boxes in the city's holy places," another official said. "No religious figure is against giving a small amount of these donations [to the authorities] for the purchase of the New Year's decorations."

No imam in Bukhara contacted by RFE/RL was willing to comment about the request for the donations.

It's unclear whether mosques in other regions of Uzbekistan, a predominantly Muslim country of around 30 million people, have received similar instructions.

But in the capital, Tashkent, influential imam Shermurod Toghai said that "nothing is wrong with donating money to the city's improvement."

'Wrong And Shameful'

Some Uzbeks suggested the donation request was an unfair imposition on the religious community, which could make better use of the funds.

"New Year's isn't even a religious festival.... It's regrettable and shameful to ask funds from mosques for New Year's celebrations. Those 30 million soms should be better donated to those who don't have money for clothes and have nowhere to live," Facebook user Nurislam Yuldoshev wrote.

"It doesn't matter what kind of celebration it is. It's just wrong and shameful to ask for money from a mosque for it," Mirzohid Karimov said.

In an apparent reference to reports of religious figures in Uzbekistan being told to promote the state-sponsored cotton harvest, Facebook user Dilorom Shahavutdinova wrote: "Until recently mullahs, imams, and elders were being dragged into the cotton-picking campaign, now it's time to help the fir-tree celebrations."

Shoira Hasanova suggested that imams would have little choice but to obey the authorities' instructions: "They know what happens if they don't pay. If someone opened their mouth, they would be told, 'You're against the government policies, against the president,' and would be locked up."

Uzbek authorities in the past have shown little tolerance for perceived dissent or criticism of government policies, although there have been modest reforms in President Shavkat Mirziyoev's first year in office following the death of strongman leader Islam Karimov.

Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service
HAMILTON  While the potential for grizzly bears in the Bitterroot Mountains was a topic of discussion during last weeks annual meeting of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, area wildlife managers say they dont think any have established residence here  yet.

The Bitterroot National Forest and the Bitterroot-Selway Wilderness area are prime grizzly bear habitat, notes Dave Lockman, a wildlife biologist with the forest. As their population continues to increase elsewhere, theyre expanding their ranges.

Lockman noted that a grizzly bear sighting was confirmed in 2016 in the upper Big Hole River area, and that one was identified on private property on Sunset Bench southeast of Stevensville in 2002. That bear is thought have crossed the Sapphire Range from the Rock Creek drainage. In addition, a black bear hunter killed a mature male grizzly in 2007 in the North Fork of Kelly Creek on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, about 60 miles north of whats considered the Bitterroot ecosystem. That bear was genetically associated with the grizzly populations in the Selkirk Mountains in northern Idaho.

We certainly have reports from people seeing what they thought was a grizzly bear off and on, but nothing has ever been confirmed, Lockman said. Theyre getting closer to here, but we havent heard of any confirmed sightings other than the one on Sunset Bench. But its certainly a possibility; theyre showing up in places they havent been seen in years.

I wouldnt be surprised if one showed up here in the Bitterroot.

In 1932, the last known grizzly bear in the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem was killed as part of an effort to protect domestic sheep and cattle, and the last tracks were observed there in 1946. A proposed reintroduction effort was discussed in the 1990s, but was killed in 2000 by the late Sen. Conrad Burns, who pulled federal funding for the work.

Still, Hilary Cooley, the Grizzly Bear Recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, noted that the Bitterroot ecosystem is one of five recovery zones for grizzlies. While theres no plans for them to be reintroduced, Cooley also expects them to return on their own.

Our intention was to try to recover bears there, and we still intend to do that, she said. But it will likely take a long, long time for them to establish a breeding core population.

Most grizzly bears are associated with one of two ecosystems: the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem in northwestern Montana and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the southern portion of the state. About 700 grizzlies are in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and an estimated 1,000 are in the NCDE.

A recent study noting 21 potential paths for grizzlies between the two ecosystems shows that theres a low likelihood for them to use the Sapphire Mountains as a route, and doesnt include the Bitterroots as part the potential paths. However, Cooley said that as bears migrate out of those ecosystems, theyre coming closer to the Bitterroots and Sapphires.

Lockman added that in September, the USFWS added grizzlies to their list of threatened, endangered, and candidate wildlife species that may occur on the Bitterroot National Forest.

USFWS limited the area of potential grizzly occurrence in the Bitterroot to east of Highway 93 at this point, Lockman wrote in an email. That doesnt mean that they actually occur here currently, but recognizes that the potential for grizzlies to occur here has increased, based on the number of sightings of grizzlies in other areas outside their known distribution. The addition of grizzlies to our list means that we now have to analyze potential effects to grizzlies in our project NEPA documents for projects east of 93.
Maryam Rajavi stressed: Our greetings to the Virgin Mary, who endured much suffering and a major test in a dark night before she delivered Jesus, the word of love and hope, the message of rebellion against coercion and deception, and the carol of light and freedom.

Maryam Rajavi continued: Through the message of unity, Jesus taught that, Greater love has no one than this: to lay down ones life for ones friends, Jesus said the secret to a better life was in giving to others, The greatest among you is your servant.

Maryam Rajavis Message for Christmas and New Year 2018

Watch this video on YouTube

Maryam Rajavi reiterated: Having learned from his eternal teachings, and inspired by his suffering and perseverance, we found resistance for freedom to be the greatest service to God and our people: the struggle to free the people of Iran and overthrow the mullahs religious dictatorship, let it be that through the endeavors of the Iranian people and Resistance, and with the grace of God Almighty and the message of Christ, Iran is liberated from the brutality of the peddlers of religion; and the light of freedom and justice shines on our enchained nation and people; may religious discrimination, fundamentalism, and terrorism spread by this regime in the region be replaced with equality, fraternity and peace.

Maryam Rajavi added: With this hope and prayer, from the bottom of my heart, I congratulate the advent of 2018. I congratulate all the honorable women and men across the world who rushed to the aid of the Iranian Resistance for freedom and democracy.

At the end of her message Rajavi extended her Congratulations to all those who have not surrendered to the evil and wretchedness in todays world and are fighting to build a better world and stressed: Without doubt religious tyranny in Iran will be overthrown and the spring of freedom and democracy will dawn in Iran.

Maryam Rajavi finished her message and said: Confident in victory, I again congratulate all Christian compatriots
Downtown, Novi Sad, Serbia (in the Plaza)

Visnja Vujin and Amelia Montes at The University of Novi Sad, Serbia

Amelia Montes teaching Chicana literature at The University of Novi Sad, Serbia -- photo by Visnja Vujin

Graduate Students at The University of Novi Sad discussing in pairs an aspect of Borderlands/La Frontera

Artwork by Nancy Flores

There is a beauty to Novi Sad that reminds me so much of La Placita in Los Angeles; or La Plaza en Guadalajara, Mexico; or even La Plaza in Salamanca, Spain -- a place where people walk, gather, sing, enjoy each other's company late into the evening: children and their guardians, young and middle aged groups, the elderly-- all out for a stroll, or for a concert, or to ice skate at the plaza rink. People are talking to each other (not buried into their I-phones) in animated conversations, or sitting leisurely for a good long meal. I already know that when I return to the U.S., I will miss these evening walks, evening gatherings so typical of many places in Europe.Tonight in Novi Sad, I strolled with friends at the plaza downtown after having taught my graduate course. Here in Novi Sad, the class I am teaching always meets on Saturdays from 4 - 7p.m., which emphasizes how the European system can be quite different. The university schedules graduate courses on Saturdays because graduate students (1) work during the week, and (2) often live far from Novi Sad. I have one student who travels by bus from Nis to Novi Sad -- a 5-hour bus ride. Also-- we do not meet every Saturday. This kind of schedule allows for the working student to manage a class schedule and it also demands much more self discipline and independent study. Because of this, I make sure to carefully plan our 3-hour seminar meetings.Tonight was special. First, my graduate student at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), Visnja Vujin, was with us. She is from Serbia and received her MA at The University of Novi Sad before moving on to doctoral studies at UNL. She had arrived last week from Nebraska to visit her family for the holidays. It is because of Visnja and her Novi Sad professor (Dr. Aleksandra Izgarjan) that I am here. When Visnja entered our classroom and heard me greet the students with "Dobro Vecer!" she told me it felt really "surreal." She said, "I was in this very classroom 10 years ago and to think that sometime in the future, I would be studying in the U.S., and that my U.S. graduate advisor/professor would be in this same Novi Sad classroom greeting the students in Serbian-- well it's just surreal." For me-- it was also an amazing moment--to stop and contemplate how connections are made-- how we can come together in friendship/community, to witness, "be a crossroads," by understanding and enlarging each other's worlds. I am profoundly moved even while typing these words, while also knowing that at this moment in our history, we are facing continued as well as new ruptures/global crises. But here, in this Novi Sad classroom on a Saturday late in the afternoon, we gathered as a community of intellectual learners/discussants.Our class meeting focused on Gloria Anzaldua's Borderlands/La Frontera, and Eden Torres's theoretical text, Chicana Without Apology. Similar to the way I fashion my classes in the U.S., I work toward presenting and involving students in intellectually rigorous discussions, by making sure we connect the cultural, aesthetic historical, political relevance of the text to where students are in order to offer them various avenues "into" the work. Because Anzaldua'shas been translated in over 30 languages, I already knew that this book has made connections with a multitude of communities/cultures. Yet tonight, listening to students making connections to their country-- listening to the painful history they have experienced in one way or another was profound for me. They are teaching me so much, helping me deeply contemplate-- at a most visceral level, their personal stories connected to their nation (once called Yugoslavia), stories about being torn apart in the most heart wrenching way in the name of nationalism. I heard a multitude of stories which all pointed to the consequences of adhering to a nationalist agenda.At times, the energy in the room created by the intellectual and emotional import of the discussion was powerfully evident. Toward the end, I included a picture (see above on the screen and a close-up below). This is a picture that was taken by friend, colleague, and fellow La Bloga writer, Olga Garcia Echeverria in her own classroom at California State University Los Angeles (CSULA). Last week, she had her students create cardboard books with creative covers that reflected what they had learned in her class (click here for her La Bloga posting on her classroom work!). One of her students, Nancy Flores, re-created the Aztec mythological goddess, Coyolxauhqui ( click here for more information ), the moon goddess. Olga's student writes, "Even in Pieces, I Exist."Hearing student stories tonight of dislocation, migration, a tearing apart of the home, of the heart-- I kept thinking of this important cardboard artwork a student had made in Los Angeles, how these resilient students from the "Former Yugoslavia" are still in the process of making meaning from so many pieces.I also think of Yesenia Montilla and her poem "Maps." And this I leave with you, dear La Bloga reader-- Montilla's poem, "Maps" and the hope that we can overcome and cross what separates us so that we may inhabit "La Conciencia de la Mestiza." Wishing all of you paz, fuerza, y luz!by Yesenia Montilla Some maps have blue borderslike the blue of your nameor the tributary lacing ofveins running through yourfather's hands. & how the lasttime I saw you, you heldme for so long I saw wholelifetimes flooding by mesmall tentacles readingfor both our faces. I wishmaps would be withoutborders & that we belongedto no one & everyoneat once, what a world thatwould be. Or not a worldmaybe we would call itsomething more intrinsiclike forgiving or somethingsimplistic like river or dirt.& if I were to see youtomorrow & everyone youcame from had disappearedI would weep with you & drownout any black lines that thisearth allowed us to give it--because what is a map buta useless prison? We are allso lost & no naming of blankspaces can save us. & whatis a map but the delusion ofsafety? The line drawn is alwaysin the sand & folds in on itselfbefore we're done making it.& that line, there, south ofel rio, how it dares to coverup the bodies, as though wewould forget who died there& for what? As if we couldforget that if you spin a globe& stop it with your fingeryou'll land it on top of someoneloving, someone who was notexpecting to be crushed by thirst.
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From VOA Learning English, I'm Caty Weaver.

Today, Steve Ember and Shirley Griffith present a special program on Christmas traditions in the United States during the first half of the 19th century.

During this period, there was no set way of celebrating the day, which was not yet an official holiday. Communities around the country honored the day in different ways. Some observed Christmas as an important Christian religious day honoring the birth of Jesus. Others celebrated the day with parties, music, drinking and eating. And, some communities did not celebrate the day at all.

But, it was during this period that Americans began to reinvent the holiday. They combined ancient Christmas traditions from different cultures with modern American influences.

Here are Steve Ember and Shirley Griffith.

In 1819, the popular American writer Washington Irving wrote a series of five essays published in a book called The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.

The essays describe a wealthy British landowner who invites his farm workers into his home to celebrate Christmas. The landowner recreates a traditional Christmas as it would have been celebrated in the distant past. Irving praised this looking back to ancient traditions. He liked the idea of different levels of society coming together to enjoy a festive and peaceful holiday. Washington Irving seemed to express concern about the lack of such unifying Christmas traditions in modern America.

Immigrants shape Christmas traditions

Penne Restad wrote a book Christmas in America: A History. It shows how Americans began to slowly shape Christmas into a unifying national holiday during the first half of the 19th century. She describes how Christmas had different meanings for Americans who came from different cultural and religious backgrounds. Many immigrants brought Christmas traditions from their own countries.

Religion played a big role in how an American might celebrate the holiday. Calvinist Christians banned the celebration of Christmas. But groups such as Episcopalians and Moravians honored the day with religious services and seasonal decorations.

By mid-century, Christian groups began to ignore their religious differences over the meaning of Christmas and honored the day in special ways.

Christmas became an important time for families to celebrate at home. More and more Christian Americans also began to follow the European traditions of Christmas trees and giving gifts. Christians believed that the tree represented Jesus and was also a sign of new beginnings. German immigrants brought their tradition of putting lights, sweets and toys on the branches of evergreen trees placed in their homes.

This tradition of setting up a Christmas tree soon spread to many American homes. So did the practice of giving people presents. As these traditions increased in popularity, the modern trade and business linked to Christmas also grew.

Christmas as a holiday

As Christmas became more popular, some states declared the day a state holiday. Louisiana was the first state to make the move in 1837. By 1860, 14 other states had followed. It was not until 1870 that President Ulysses Grant made Christmas a federal holiday.

Americans already knew old Christmas songs that came from England and other areas of Europe. But many new American Christmas songs started to become popular. For example, in eighteen forty-nine, a religious leader from Massachusetts wrote the words to It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.The song Jingle Bells appeared seven years later. And, a year later, a religious leader in Williamsport, Pennsylvania wrote the song We Three Kings of Orient Are.

And of course, no discussion of Christmas would be complete without talking about of one of the holidays most famous representations, Santa Claus.

This character is based on the story of Saint Nicholas, a Christian holy person believed to have lived in the third century. Saint Nicholas became known as a protector of children. Different cultures have given him different names. These include Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle and Father Christmas. But for most Americans his most popular name would become Santa Claus.

In the 19th century, many Dutch immigrants living in the United States celebrated the feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6. Saint Nicholas was especially important to New Yorkers because of their history as a Dutch colony. In 1809, Washington Irving published his History of New York. It lists Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of New Yorkers. He describes the saint wearing a low hat, large pants, and smoking a pipe. Does this description sound familiar?

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

society - n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values

festive - adj. cheerful and exciting: suited to a celebration or holiday

unifying - v. to cause (people or things) to be joined or brought together

decoration - n. something that is added to something else to make it more attractive

practice - n. something that is done often or regularly


In 1822, an American professor named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem that redefined the image of Saint Nicholas. It was called Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas. He did not expect it to be published. He wrote it as a Christmas present for his young children. In recent years, experts have questioned whether Moore actually wrote the poem.

Some believe it was written by Henry Livingston, a map maker in New York who wrote and published funny poems in his spare time.

But whoever wrote this classic poem, it has since become a favorite around the world. This poem combines the traditions of Santa Claus, seasonal decorations and gift-giving that have come to define Christmas in America.

We give you the staff of Learning English reading Clement Clarke Moores poem, popularly known as Twas the Night Before Christmas.



Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winters nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas, too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, and went straight to his work,

Filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Dorothy Gundy produced the video.

Do you have a favorite holiday poem? Tell us about it in the comments section.
VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

Today we are talking about George Walker Bush. He took office in 2001 as the 43rd president.

He has a similar name to another president -- his father, George Herbert Walker Bush.

To simplify things, Americans sometimes call the younger Bush 43, or simply W. Here we will just call him Bush.

Because Bush is a recent president, historians have not reached a broad agreement on his time as a leader.

But he will surely be remembered for facing one of the biggest challenges to any president: the attacks against the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

Early life

George Bush was born in the northeast state of Connecticut. But his parents soon moved to the southwest state of Texas. George grew up there and considered Texas home.

The Bush family had a long background in politics. Bushs grandfather was a senator. His father held many public offices. In some ways, George was prepared for a career in politics, too.

He went to the same private boarding school as his father. Then, like his father and grandfather, George went to Yale for college. He also worked on several political campaigns. But he said he did not consider pursuing politics.

Instead, he earned a degree in business at Harvard and took a job in an oil company in Texas. In time, he founded his own oil business.

And he married Laura Welch, who was a teacher and librarian in their hometown. They had twin daughters named Barbara and Jenna.

In these years as a young adult, Bush began to make some changes. He began attending a Christian church regularly. He decided to stop drinking alcohol because it was creating problems in his personal life. And he turned his attention to politics.

Bush lost the first election in which he competed, a race to become a member of Congress. So, for a while, he focused on business investments and helping his fathers political career.

But in 1992, his father lost re-election to the presidency. And the younger Bush saw a chance to enter politics himself again. In 1994, Bush ran for governor of Texas. To many peoples surprise, he won.

Four years later, he was overwhelmingly re-elected. Many voters liked his image as, what he called, a compassionate conservative. In other words, he wanted to use traditional Republican ideas about government to help society.

Following two successful terms as governor, Bush turned his attention to the presidency. In 2000, he competed against the vice president at the time, Al Gore. The winner was not announced until more than a month following the election  usually, the winner is announced within hours.

Both sides disputed the process of counting votes in the state of Florida. Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the process. The Court ordered state officials to stop re-counting votes. Bushs lead stood.

Presidency

Bush entered office expecting to bring many of the ideas he pursued in Texas to the entire nation. For example, as president he permitted religious groups to receive government funding, and set national standards for public schools.

These moves were popular with many voters. But they also challenged some American traditions: the separation of church and state, and the ability of public schools to govern themselves.

For many presidents, these policies might have created a legacy. But early in Bushs term, he faced a crisis that defined much of his time in office.

Hijackers linked to the al-Qaeda group seized four airplanes on September 11, 2001. They purposely crashed two planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, eventually killing more than 2,700 people.

Another plane was flown into the Pentagon, the countrys military headquarters outside of Washington, DC. About 200 people died there.

The fourth plane was aimed at another important target. But passengers fought the hijackers. The plane lost control and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. All 44 people on board died there.

President Bush was visiting an elementary school in Florida that morning. He learned about the attacks while he was reading with the children.

At the end of the day, Bush spoke to the nation. He said the U.S. would answer both the terrorist groups and the countries that permitted terrorist groups to thrive.

Over the next years, Bush took a number of actions to create a new national security strategy. They included creating a Department of Homeland Security, making changes to the countrys intelligence operations, and reforming the U.S. military.

He also sent U.S. forces into Afghanistan to destroy terrorist networks there. Bush was especially targeting the person who had designed the September 11 terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden.

The struggle in Afghanistan was successful at first, but continued throughout Bushs time in office. And bin Laden was not captured while Bush was president.

In 2003, Bush opened another front on what some called the war on terror. He and other government officials said the leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, was developing weapons that could kill many people. They said Hussein  and his connections to terrorist groups  threatened Americans and people in other countries.

Hussein did not agree to leave Iraq. So U.S. and British forces launched bombs at targets in the countrys capital. Additional troops destroyed what was left of the targets. Hussein was quickly overthrown.

But the weapons of mass destruction were not found.

For the rest of Bushs presidency, U.S. forces remained in Iraq. Bush promised that Americans would stabilize the country and help Iraqis create a democratic government.

Legacy

The presidency of George W. Bush is too recent to understand its impact. But there is some evidence of the publics reaction at the time.

Bush received some of the highest ratings of any president. In the weeks following the September 11 attacks, 90 percent approved of his leadership.

He was re-elected in 2004. But his popularity steadily decreased .

At the end of his second term, he had one of the lowest public approval ratings of any president: 33 percent.

The U.S. economy had entered a recession. More Americans disagreed especially with his decision to invade Iraq. And some criticized his government for responding too slowly after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the countrys Gulf Coast.

Since Bush left the White House in 2009, his approval ratings have  like those of many presidents  risen again. He has mostly avoided public appearances. Instead, he has enjoyed playing sports, helping charities, and reading U.S. history.

He also began a new hobby: painting. He has created portraits of dozens of veterans to honor their service in the military.



Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

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Listening Quiz

See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.

Quiz - America's Presidents: George W. Bush Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

boarding school - n. a school where students can live during the school term

twin - adj. used to describe two children who are born to the same mother at the same time

compassionate - adj. feeling or showing concern for someone who is sick, hurt or poor

legacy - n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past

thrive - v. to grow or develop successfully
An environmental group has criticized Japan's controls over its ivory supply.

A report released with the support of the World Wildlife Fund this month said ivory exports are hurting efforts to end trafficking in elephant tusks.

The report's researchers found that antique dealers are buying a large number of elephant tusks in Japan. These tusks, however, are not legally registered.

The report said that sellers advertised whole tusks without proof of where they came from. It said internet sites sell hundreds of ivory objects each year. Often the sales are to visitors from other Asian countries such as China.

The report used information from TRAFFIC, a network that studies the wildlife trade. TRAFFIC found that sellers used a major website to sell about 2,447 ivory items in a four-week period from May to June of 2017. The ivory items were valued at more than $400,000.

The report's authors urged that the government should bring attention to rules for ivory dealings. They also urged the government to tighten controls at customs to keep people from taking items such as ivory seals and figurines out of the country.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, bans international trade in ivory. The ban is meant to protect endangered African elephants.

CITES also has called for closing ivory markets in all member states.

Many countries have agreed to close their ivory markets.

China announced last year that it would shut down its ivory trade by the end of 2017. Hong Kong, the world's largest retail ivory market, plans to end local trading by 2021.

But Japan has resisted closing its markets. It argues that ivory products traded inside the country are not received through illegal hunting or trading.

Instead, the government approved a proposal to tighten registration requirements for more than 8,000 ivory sellers and manufacturers.

Critics say the registration system amounts to a form of ivory laundering. Laundering refers to the act of making money or goods legal after they have been acquired illegally.

The large internet company Rakuten said it would ban sales of ivory objects in its online marketplace. It also banned sales of products using parts of sea turtles.

I'm John Russell.

Elaine Kurtenbach reported on this story for the associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

trafficking  n. the act or business of illegally buying something and selling it especially in another country

tusk  n. a very long, large tooth that sticks out of the mouth of an animal (such as an elephant, walrus, or boar)

antique adj. describing furniture, jewelry or some other object made during an earlier time and that is thought to be valuable

e-commerce  n. activities that relate to the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet

seal  n. a device with a raised design that can be pressed into something (such as paper or wax) to make a seal

figurine  n. a small figure or model of a person made of wood, plastic, etc.

retail  adj. relating to the business of selling things directly to customers for their own use

laundering  n. to put (money that you got by doing something illegal) into a business or bank account in order to hide where it really came from
Young people come from around the world to work in Silicon Valley. Some, however, are struggling to find the best way to care for their aging parents.

Increasingly, they are turning to affinity retirement communities. These are communities where older people from countries like India and China can live near, but not with, their adult children.

These types of communities are a change from traditional Asian customs where parents and children normally live together.

Asha RaoRane moved from India to be closer to her three daughters who had immigrated to San Francisco.

She said, The children are so busy these days, they are all the time working, taking care of their kids, so we do not want to interfere in their lives.

Her daughters explored a traditional senior retirement community. But they had trouble finding one that their mother would fit into. Eventually, they found Priya Living, a retirement community for people with similar interests, such as yoga and meditation.

Arun Paul is a real estate developer. He developed Priya Living as a place for his parents to live. His parents moved from Los Angeles four years ago and are still in a ground floor apartment.

Paul said, In living here in America, as the son of immigrants, Ive realized that theres very unique needs that immigrants have.

The old system was based on a different time when women were in the house, really taking care, in many cultures, of their husbands parents, Paul said. Obviously the role of women in society has changed globally.



A conflict of new and old

For Bhagyashree RaoRane and her mother Asha, finding Priya Living has been a dream come true.

We walked in and instantly it was like walking into an Indian community in India, said RaoRane. Even the building is painted the same color as so many of the buildings in India are painted.

Others are not so sure about this type of affinity communities.

Nagendra Prasad, 62, and Manjula Neelakantaiah, 53, came from India to visit their daughter who works for Google. They have stayed at Priya for the two-month visit.

Really, in the beginning we were surprised, Neelakantaiah said. In India the younger people, they definitely take care of the aged people.

For Dr. Byravan Viswanathan and his wife Lakshmi, the community is not a perfect fit.

They were born and raised in India but spent much of their adult lives in a small town in Pennsylvania. They made many American friends there, and they had adapted to a Western lifestyle.

When they moved to Priya, they had to re-learn Indian ways of living again. They found that people were speaking languages that they had not used for many years. Their daughter is now looking to find a more American community for them.

Welcoming everyone

While the majority of Priyas residents come from India, Paul said the community welcomes people of all backgrounds. There are a few non-Indians who call Priya home.

Carlos McCann is an 89-year-old WW II veteran. He has lived in the community for almost 20 years, long before it was purchased and remodeled to become a majority-Indian community.

Everything has sort of come together at this location- its like its the center of the world, he said.

Im Phil Dierking.

Deana Mitchell originally wrote this story for the VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

Would you prefer for your older parents to live in a retirement community, or your home? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

adapt - v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

affinity - n. a feeling of closeness and understanding that someone has for another person because of their similar qualities, ideas, or interests

meditation - n. the act or process of spending time in quiet thought : the act or process of meditating

unique - adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else

yoga - n. a system of exercises for mental and physical health
How much can walking really teach you? Can you learn enough from walking to make an entire college class about it?

Kenneth Keffer thinks you can, and he should know. Keffer has been teaching a class called the Art of Walking at Centre College since 2002.

Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky. In 2018, the school will offer the class for credit for about the thirteenth time.

Liberal arts education has been an important tradition in American higher education for hundreds of years. It aims to provide students with a wider understanding of the world and help them understand how different fields are connected.

In addition to a main subject of study, liberal arts programs require students to take other classes in related and, sometime unrelated, subjects.

Centre College is not the only university in the United States that offers such unusual sounding classes.

For example, George Washington University in Washington, DC offered a class called Japanese Swordsmanship in 2014. In 2013, Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio offered a class called How to Win a Beauty Pageant. And the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia has offered a class called Wasting Time on the Internet.

Yet Keffer says the unusual name of a class like his does not completely tell the full story of what goes on in the classroom. And the students take these kinds of classes because they want to know more.

Our students are  as goal-oriented and career-oriented as any other students, he told VOA. Yet theyre fascinated by it and want to take it. Now, why? Well I think that they know that theres something deeply human about walking and about its skill, its art.

Keffer mainly teaches modern languages. But the Art of Walking is really more of a philosophy class. There is a fair amount of walking involved: about 4 hours a day over several weeks. However, the students also read about intense philosophical theories from famous thinkers like Immanuel Kant and Martin Heidegger.

Keffer sees the walking as a chance for students to discuss and examine their difficult reading topics in a nontraditional way. Also, he feels that teaching students to enjoy the simple act of walking is very important. This is especially true as more people are involved in jobs and lifestyles where they are sitting most of the day.

For his efforts, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching named Keffer its Kentucky Professor of the Year in 2010.

Critics argue against such course offerings

Critics of the American higher education system make arguments against such classes being taught at the college level.

Many list classes like Keffers as examples of why the American college experience can, in some ways, be a waste of time and money. They argue that colleges and universities should only teach things that relate directly to building a career.

But Stephanie Hughes agrees with Keffer in that this type of thinking is why people need to look beyond just the name of a class. Hughes works in the environmental studies department at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. She has taught a class called Garbology, or the Joy of Garbage there since 2010.

The class is all about how human society deals with its solid waste. Hughes says this may seem like a subject that only relates to someone interested in working in environmental management. But she notes people in many different careers have to face environmental issues.

Every single person produces waste every day, and not just in their home but in the broader industrial community, agricultural community that theyre getting their products and services from, she told VOA. And I think its important if somebodys  an economics major or a communications major  to consider this  and what it means for our society.

Hughes argues that students need to have some understanding of many different subjects. They will never know when their job depends on something they thought was unrelated, she says.

Guanani Gomez-Van Cortright agrees with that reasoning. The 22 year-old from Minneapolis, Minnesota began studying biology at Reed College in Portland, Oregon in 2014.

I do have a lot of doubts about whether Ill even  work in a lab, she told VOA. So  Ive been thinking a lot about, Well, how can I do other things in science, like  explaining or writing about science so that more people know whats going on.

Gomez-Van Cortright says Reed offers a study program that lets her take classes in many different subjects. But most of all she enjoys an especially unusual Reed tradition called Paideia.

This is a special week before the beginning of the second half of every school year. During this week, professors, employees and both current and former students can teach short, non-credit classes on any subject they like.

In 2018, Gomez-Van Cortright plans on teaching a Paideia class on the food that Puerto Ricans specially prepare for the Christmas holiday.

She notes that a learning environment which exposes her to different people, ideas and ways of thinking is exactly what she needs. Will learning how to make a basket underwater, for example, help her decide on a career or find a job? Perhaps not, she admits.

But outside of Reed, Gomez-Van Cortright is not sure where else she will have such rich experiences along the way.

Im Dorothy Gundy. And Im Pete Musto.

Pete Musto reported this for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Do the colleges and universities in your country offer classes with unusual names? What purpose do you think some of the more unusual classes serve? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

credit  n. a unit that measures a student's progress towards earning a degree in a school or college

oriented  adj. interested in a given thing or activity

fascinated  v. to cause someone to be very interested in something or someone

garbage  n. things that are no longer useful or wanted and that have been thrown out

society  n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values

major  n. a student who has a specified main subject of study

doubt(s)  n. a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something

lab(oratory)  n. a room or building with special equipment for doing scientific experiments and tests

expose(s)  v. to cause someone to experience something or to be influenced or affected by something

basket  n. a container usually made by weaving together long thin pieces of material
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The Christmas season is a time to celebrate with family and reflect on our blessings. It is also a time to give back to our communities and help those in need.

Unfortunately, for many Montana students, the holiday season is not always merry. As those who have ever served in classrooms know, December can bring stress, anxiety and doubt for some children. Our 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 1 out of every 5 Montana high-school students has seriously contemplated suicide. We can and must do better for our youth.

Reflecting on my 23 years of teaching in Billings, academics and education always led the way, but there is so much more in caring for and developing the whole child. Partnering with parents, working hand-in-hand with counselors, teachers and school leaders, everyone in the school building is embracing the social and emotional well-being of our students. From the crossing guard to the lunch aids to the custodian and secretary, all are supporting the mental health of our students. A school represents not only a learning environment, but often emotional safety, support, warmth and nutrition to a young person.

This is why I developed my Montana Hope initiative, which is the whole child approach to education. Promoting mental health allows students to reach their full academic potential. I appreciate the leadership of our Legislature. Rep. Dennis Lenz and Sen. Edie McClafferty have recently championed legislation which puts suicide prevention and response policies in schools, but also gives local communities flexibility in policy development.

As a positive first step, I have initiated the development of the Montana Suicide Prevention and Response Rulemaking Committee this month. The purpose of this committee is to recommend policies aimed at ensuring schools are providing mental health resources to their students.

We must all possess the courage to have open dialogue about mental health and suicide prevention for our youth. This involves community conversations, because supporting students goes beyond the school building.

Please join me in starting this conversation in your communities so that we can give all Montanas students the gift of hope this Christmas season.
The following companies are subsidiares of InterContinental Hotels Group: 2250 Blake Street Hotel LLC, 24th Street Operator Sub LLC, 36th Street IHG Sub LLC, 426 Main Ave LLC, 46 Nevins Street Associates LLC, Allegro Management LLC, Alpha Kimball Hotel LLC, American Commonwealth Assurance Co. Ltd., Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BHMC Canada Inc., BHR Holdings B.V., BHR Luxembourg SARL, BHR Pacific Holdings Inc., BHTC Canada Inc., BOC Barclay Sub LLC, Barclay Operating Corp., Bristol Oakbrook Tenant Company, Cafe Biarritz, Cambridge Lodging LLC, Capital Lodging LLC, Compania Inter-Continental De Hoteles El Salvador SA, Crowne Plaza Amsterdam (Management) B.V., Crowne Plaza LLC, Cumberland Akers Hotel LLC, Dunwoody Operations Inc., EVEN Real Estate Holding LLC, Edinburgh IC Limited, General Innkeeping Acceptance Corporation, Guangzhou SC Hotels Services Ltd., H.I. (Ireland) Limited, H.I. Soaltee Management Company Ltd, HC International Holdings Inc., HH France Holdings SAS, HH Hotels (EMEA) B.V., HH Hotels (Romania) SRL, HI Sugarloaf LLC, HIM (Aruba) NV, Hale International Ltd., Hoft Properties LLC, Holiday Hospitality Franchising LLC, Holiday Inn Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Holiday Inns (China) Ltd, Holiday Inns (Chongqing) Inc., Holiday Inns (Courtalin) Holdings SAS, Holiday Inns (Courtalin) SAS, Holiday Inns (England) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Germany) LLC, Holiday Inns (Guangzhou) Inc., Holiday Inns (Jamaica) Inc., Holiday Inns (Malaysia) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Middle East) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Philippines) Inc., Holiday Inns (Saudi Arabia) Inc., Holiday Inns (South East Asia) Inc., Holiday Inns (Thailand) Ltd., Holiday Inns (UK) Inc., Holiday Inns Crowne Plaza (Hong Kong) Inc., Holiday Inns Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Holiday Inns Inc., Holiday Inns Investment (Nepal) Ltd., Holiday Inns of America (UK) Ltd., Holiday Inns of Belgium N.V., Holiday Pacific Equity Corporation, Holiday Pacific LLC, Holiday Pacific Partners LP, Hotel Inter-Continental London Limited, Hotel InterContinental London (Holdings) Limited, Hoteles Y Turismo HIH SRL, IC Hotelbetriebsfuhrungs GmbH, IC Hotels Management (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, IC International Hotels Limited Liability Company, IHC (Thailand) Limited, IHC Buckhead LLC, IHC Edinburgh (Holdings), IHC Hopkins (Holdings) Corp., IHC Hotel Limited, IHC Inter-Continental (Holdings) Corp., IHC London (Holdings), IHC M-H (Holdings) Corp., IHC May Fair (Holdings) Limited, IHC May Fair Hotel Limited, IHC Overseas (U.K.) Limited, IHC UK (Holdings) Limited, IHC United States (Holdings) Corp., IHC Willard (Holdings) Corp., IHG (Australasia) Limited, IHG (Marseille) SAS, IHG (Thailand) Limited, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC, IHG ANA Hotels Holdings Co. Ltd., IHG Bangkok Ltd, IHG Brasil Administracao de Hoteis e Servicos Ltda, IHG Commission Services SRL, IHG Community Development LLC, IHG Cyprus Limited, IHG ECS (Barbados) SRL, IHG Franchising Brasil Ltda, IHG Franchising DR Corporation, IHG Franchising LLC, IHG Hotels (New Zealand) Limited, IHG Hotels Limited, IHG Hotels Management (Australia) Pty Limited, IHG Hotels Nigeria Limited, IHG Hotels South Africa (Pty) Ltd, IHG International Partnership, IHG Istanbul Otel Yonetim Limited Sirketi, IHG Japan (Management) LLC, IHG Japan (Osaka) LLC, IHG Management (Maryland) LLC, IHG Management (Netherlands) B.V., IHG Management MD Barclay Sub LLC, IHG Management SL d.o.o, IHG Management d.o.o. Beograd, IHG Orchard Street Member LLC, IHG PS Nominees Limited, IHG Systems Pty Ltd, IHG Szalloda Budapest Szolgaltato Kft., IHG de Argentina SA, IND East Village SD Holdings LLC, Inter-Continental D.C. Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation.

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NextEra Energy, Inc. is the largest electric utility holding company in the US. It operates a network of power generation and distribution facilities that include fossil-fuel-generated and green energy. As of mid-2022, the company was capable of generating 58 GW of electricity with nearly 60% of the load produced by green sources including wind and solar. In their view, going green isnt an option, its the solution. NextEra Energy has been recognized multiple times as a leader in clean energy and ESG practices and was ranked the #1 electric and gas utility on the Forbes list of Most Admired Companies.

The company is the result of several mergers that begin with FPL Group. FPL Group is now a subsidiary of NextEra Energy and the third-largest provider of electricity in the US servicing nearly half of Florida. FPL and its affiliates are the single largest provider of renewable energy generated from wind and sun. The group changed its name in 2010 following a decision to shift focus onto renewable energy sources.

Today, NextEra Energy, Inc through its subsidiary FPL serves about 12 million people in eastern and southwestern Florida. The company employs nearly 14,900 people who service 5.8 million accounts. The company is in business to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity to retail and wholesale clients. Electricity is generated through wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, and coal-fired facilities.

The company is also engaged in the construction and operation of new facilities, specifically renewable power generation, storage, and delivery facilities, and can offer custom solutions tailored to any need. Offerings include tailored services to assist businesses with their transition to clean energy.

NextEra Energy also owns and operates 7 nuclear power stations in Florida, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin generating power for the wholesale market.

Unlike other companies that are targeting net-zero emissions, NextEra Energy has a plan to reach real zero and is investing heavily to reach that goal by 2045. The company had invested nearly $50 billion in green energy infrastructure and initiatives by mid-2022. The plan is to first work on reducing its own emissions and then take its knowledge and expertise to the world.
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 CVS Health: ACS ACQCO CORP., ADMINCO Inc., AE Fourteen Incorporated, AHP Holdings Inc., AMC - Tennessee LLC, APS Acquisition LLC, ASCO HealthCare LLC, ASI Wings LLC, AUSHC Holdings Inc., Accendo Insurance Company, Accordant Health Services L.L.C., Active Health Management Inc., Administrative Enterprises Inc., AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx LLC, AdvanceRx.com L.L.C., Advanced Care Scripts Inc., Aetna, Aetna (Beijing) Enterprise Management Services Co. Ltd., Aetna (Shanghai) Enterprise Services Co. Ltd., Aetna ACO Holdings Inc., Aetna Asset Advisors LLC, Aetna Behavioral Health LLC, Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Premier Plan MMAI Inc., Aetna Better Health of California Inc., Aetna Better Health of Florida Inc., Aetna Better Health of Illinois Inc., Aetna Better Health of Indiana Inc., Aetna Better Health of Kansas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Missouri LLC, Aetna Better Health of Nevada Inc., Aetna Better Health of North Carolina Inc., Aetna Better Health of Oklahoma Inc., Aetna Better Health of Tennessee Inc., Aetna Better Health of Texas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Washington Inc., Aetna Capital Management LLC, Aetna Card Solutions LLC, Aetna Corporate Services LLC, Aetna Dental Inc., Aetna Dental of California Inc., Aetna Financial Holdings LLC, Aetna Florida Inc., Aetna Global Benefits (Asia Pacific) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bermuda) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Middle East) LLC, Aetna Global Benefits (Singapore) PTE. LTD., Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, Aetna Health Insurance Company of New York, Aetna Health Management LLC, Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company, Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Iowa Inc., Aetna Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Health of Ohio Inc., Aetna Health of Utah Inc., Aetna HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Aetna Holdco (UK) Limited, Aetna Holdings (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Inc., Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Aetna Insurance Company Limited, Aetna Insurance Company of Connecticut, Aetna Integrated Informatics Inc., Aetna International Ex Pat LLC, Aetna International LLC, Aetna Ireland Inc., Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., Aetna Life Assignment Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC, Aetna Network Services LLC, Aetna Partners Diversified Fund LLC, Aetna Pharmacy Management Services LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, Aetna Risk Assurance Company of Connecticut Inc., Aetna Rx Home Delivery LLC, Aetna Services (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Aetna Student Health Agency Inc., Aetna Ventures LLC, Aetna Workers Comp Access LLC, Alabama CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Alaska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Allina Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, American Drug Stores Delaware L.L.C., Arbor Drugs, Arizona CVS Stores L.L.C., Arkansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Badger Acquisition LLC, Badger Acquisition of Kentucky LLC, Badger Acquisition of Minnesota LLC, Badger Acquisition of Ohio LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Company, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Beauty Holdings L.L.C., Best Care LTC Acquisition Company LLC, Busse CVS L.L.C., CCI Foreign S.a R.L., CCRx Holdings LLC, CCRx of North Carolina LLC, CHP Acquisition LLC, CP Acquisition LLC, CVS 2948 Henderson L.L.C., CVS 3268 Gilbert L.L.C., CVS 3745 Peoria L.L.C., CVS AL Distribution L.L.C., CVS AOC Corporation, CVS AOC Services L.L.C., CVS Albany L.L.C., CVS Bellmore Avenue L.L.C., CVS Cabot Holdings Inc., CVS Cabot Holdings Inc.  Coram Clinical Trials Inc. 99.72%/Aetna Inc. .28%, CVS Care Concierge LLC, CVS Caremark Advanced Technology Pharmacy L.L.C., CVS Caremark Indemnity Ltd., CVS Caremark Part D Services L.L.C., CVS Caremark TN SUTA LLC, CVS Foreign Inc., CVS Gilbert 3272 L.L.C., CVS Health Applications LLC, CVS Health Solutions LLC, CVS Health Ventures Fund GP LLC, CVS Health Ventures Fund LP, CVS Health Ventures Management LLC, CVS Indiana L.L.C., CVS International L.L.C., CVS Kidney Care Advanced Technologies LLC, CVS Kidney Care Health Services LLC, CVS Kidney Care Home Dialysis LLC, CVS Kidney Care LLC, CVS Management Support LLC, CVS Manchester NH L.L.C., CVS Media Exchange LLC, CVS Michigan L.L.C., CVS Orlando FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS PA Distribution L.L.C., CVS PR Center Inc., CVS Pharmacy Inc., CVS Pharmacy Overseas Online LLC, CVS RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS Shaw Holdings Inc., CVS Shaw Holdings Inc.  Coram Clinical Trials Inc. 99.72%/Aetna Inc. .28%, CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS-SHC Kidney Care Home Dialysis of Austin LLC, CVS-SHC Kidney Care Home Dialysis of Los Angeles LLC, CVS-SHC Kidney Care Home Dialysis of Philadelphia LLC, CVS-SHC Renal Holdings LLC, Campos Medical Pharmacy LLC, Canal Place LLC, Care Pharmaceutical Services LP, CareCenter Pharmacy L.L.C., Carefree Insurance Services Inc., Caremark Arizona Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Arizona Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark California Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Florida Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Florida Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Hawaii Mail Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Hawaii Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark IPA L.L.C., Caremark Illinois Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Illinois Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Irving Resource Center LLC, Caremark Kansas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark L.L.C., Caremark Logistics LLC, Caremark Louisiana Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Maryland Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Michigan Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Minnesota Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark New Jersey Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark North Carolina Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ohio Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Pennsylvania Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark PhC L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Redlands Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Repack LLC, Caremark Rx L.L.C., Caremark Tennessee Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ulysses Holding Corp., Caremark Washington Specialty Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Alabama Mail Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Health L.L.C., CaremarkPCS L.L.C., Central Rx Services LLC, Cofinity Inc., Compscript LLC, Connecticut CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood Tennessee, Continuing Care Rx LLC, Coram Alternate Site Services Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc.  CVS Pharmacy Inc. 75%/Aetna Life Insurance Company 25%, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Alabama, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater D.C., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater New York, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Indiana, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Massachusetts, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Mississippi, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Nevada, Coram Healthcare Corporation of North Texas, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Northern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Utah, Coram LLC, Coram Rx LLC, Coram Specialty Infusion, Coram Specialty Infusion Services L.L.C., Coventry Consumer Advantage Inc., Coventry Health Care National Accounts Inc., Coventry Health Care National Network Inc., Coventry Health Care of Illinois Inc., Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc., Coventry Health Care of Missouri Inc., Coventry Health Care of Nebraska Inc., Coventry Health Care of Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Care of West Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Plan of Florida Inc., Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company, Coventry HealthCare Management Corporation, Coventry Prescription Management Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., Credentials Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, District of Columbia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., E.T.B. INC., Echo Merger Sub Inc., Eckerd Corporation of Florida Inc., Employee Assistance Services LLC, Enloe Drugs LLC, Enterprise Patient Safety Organization LLC, EntrustRX, Evergreen Pharmaceutical LLC, Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California LLC, Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., First Choice of the Midwest LLC, First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, Florida Health Plan Administrators LLC, Garfield Beach CVS L.L.C., Generation Health L.L.C., Geneva Woods Health Services LLC, Geneva Woods LTC Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Management LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Alaska LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Washington LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Wyoming LLC, Geneva Woods Retail Pharmacy LLC, Georgia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., German Dobson CVS L.L.C., Goodhealth Worldwide (Asia) Limited, Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited, Goodyear CVS L.L.C., Grand St. Paul CVS L.L.C., Grandview Pharmacy LLC, Group Dental Service Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Highland Park CVS L.L.C., Holiday CVS L.L.C., Home Care Pharmacy LLC, Home Pharmacy Services LLC, Hook-SupeRx L.L.C., Horizon Behavioral Services LLC, Idaho CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., IlliniCare Health, Indian Health Organisation Private Limited, Innovation Health Holdings LLC, Innovation Health Insurance Company, Innovation Health Plan Inc., Interlock Pharmacy Systems LLC, Iowa CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., JHC Acquisition LLC, Kansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Kentucky CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., LCPS Acquisition LLC, Langsam Health Services LLC, Lo-Med Prescription Services LLC, Lobos Acquisition LLC, Longs Drug Stores, Longs Drug Stores California L.L.C., Louisiana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., MHHP Acquisition Company LLC, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., Main Street Pharmacy L.L.C., Managed Care Coordinators Inc., Managed Healthcare LLC, Martin Health Services LLC, Maryland CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Med World Acquisition Corp., Medical Arts Health Care LLC, Medical Examinations of New York P.C., Melville Realty Company Inc., MemberHealth LLC, Mental Health Associates Inc., Mental Health Network of New York IPA Inc., Meritain Health Inc., Merwin Long Term Care LLC, Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arkansas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Colorado LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Florida LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Georgia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Hawaii L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Kentucky L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Louisiana L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maine L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maryland LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Massachusetts LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Nebraska L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Hampshire L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Mexico L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Ohio LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oklahoma LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oregon LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Pennsylvania LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Rhode Island LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of South Carolina L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Texas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Utah L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Virginia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Washington LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Wisconsin L.L.C., MinuteClinic L.L.C., MinuteClinic Online Diagnostic Services LLC, MinuteClinic Physician Practice of Texas, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services LLC, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services of Texas Association, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky LLC, NCS Healthcare of Montana LLC, NCS Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, NCS Healthcare of Ohio LLC, NCS Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, NCS Healthcare of Tennessee LLC, NCS Healthcare of Wisconsin LLC, NIV Acquisition LLC, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Nebraska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services LLC, NeighborCare of Indiana LLC, NeighborCare of Virginia LLC, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Niagara Re Inc., North Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., North Shore Pharmacy Services LLC, NovoLogix LLC, OCR Services LLC, Ocean Acquisition Sub L.L.C., Ohio CVS Stores L.L.C., Oklahoma CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Omnicare, Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare LLC, Omnicare LLC  Aetna Inc 0.28%/CVS Cabot Holdings Inc. 49.86%/CVS Shaw Holdings Inc. 49.86%, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania West LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of the Great Plains Holding LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy and Supply Services LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of Tennessee LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of the Midwest LLC, Omnicare Property Management LLC, Omnicare of Nebraska LLC, Omnicare of Nevada LLC, Omnicare of New York LLC, Oregon CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., PE Holdings LLC, PHPSNE Parent Corporation, PP Acquisition Company LLC, PRN Pharmaceutical Services LP, PT Aetna Management Consulting, Pamplona Saude e Beleza LTDA, Part D Holding Company L.L.C., PayFlex Systems USA Inc., Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Performax Inc., Pharmacy Associates of Glenn Falls LLC, Pharmacy Consultants LLC, Phoenix Data Solutions LLC, Precision Benefit Services Inc., Prime Net Inc., ProCare Pharmacy Direct L.L.C., ProCare Pharmacy L.L.C., Prodigy Health Group Inc., Professional Risk Management Inc., Puerto Rico CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Red Oak Sourcing LLC, Resources for Living LLC, Rhode Island CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Roeschens Healthcare LLC, RxAmerica, Schaller Anderson Medical Administrators Incorporated, Scrip World LLC, Sheffield Avenue CVS L.L.C., Shore Pharmaceutical Providers LLC, Silverscript Insurance Company, Soma Intimates, South Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., South Wabash CVS L.L.C., Specialized Pharmacy Services LLC, Stadtlander Drug Company, Stadtlander Pharmacy, Sterling Healthcare Services LLC, Superior Care Pharmacy LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Administrative Services LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, T2 Medical Inc., TCPI Acquisition LLC, TargetPharmacy, Tennessee CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc., The Vasquez Group Inc., Thomas Phoenix CVS L.L.C., Three Forks Apothecary LLC, U.S Healthcare Holdings LLC, U.S. Healthcare Properties Inc., UAC Holding Inc., UC Acquisition LLC, UNI-Care Health Services of Maine LLC, Universal American - Medicare Part D Business, Utah CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., VAPS Acquisition Company LLC, Value Health Care Services LLC, Vermont CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virtual Home Healthcare LLC, Warm Springs Road CVS L.L.C., Washington CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Washington Lamb CVS L.L.C., Weber Medical Systems LLC, Wellpartner LLC, West Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Westhaven Services Co LLC, Williamson Drug Company LLC, Wisconsin CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Woodward Detroit CVS L.L.C., Work and Family Benefits Inc., ZS Acquisition Company LLC, Zinc Health Services LLC, Zinc Health Ventures LLC, bSwift LLC, and iTriage LLC.

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Graco Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets systems and equipment used to move, measure, control, dispense, and spray fluid and powder materials worldwide. The company's Industrial segment offers proportioning systems to spray polyurethane foam and polyurea coatings; equipment that pumps, meters, mixes and dispenses sealant, adhesive, and composite materials; and gel-coat equipment, chop and wet-out systems, resin transfer molding systems and applicators, and precision dispensing solutions. It also provides liquid finishing equipment; paint circulating and supply pumps; paint circulating advanced control systems; plural component coating proportioners; spare parts and accessories; and powder finishing products to coat powder finishing on metals under the Gema and SAT brands. The company's Process segment offers pumps to move and dispense chemicals, water, wastewater, petroleum, food, lubricants, and other fluids; pressure valves used in the oil and natural gas industry, other industrial processes, and research facilities; and chemical injection pumping solutions for injection of chemicals into producing oil wells and pipelines. It also supplies pumps, hose reels, meters, valves, and accessories for fast oil change facilities, service garages, fleet service centers, automobile dealerships, auto parts stores, truck builders, and heavy equipment service centers; and systems, components, and accessories for the automatic lubrication of bearings, gears, and generators in industrial and commercial equipment, compressors, turbines, and on- and off-road vehicles. The company's Contractor segment offers sprayers to apply paint to walls and other structures; and viscous coatings to roofs, as well as markings on roads, parking lots, athletic fields, and floors. It sells its products through distributors, original equipment manufacturers, and home center channels; and directly to end-users. The company was incorporated in 1926 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
JERUSALEM  Palestinian Christians lit the giant Christmas tree in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday. The annual Christmas Bazaar, its booths filled with sweets and carved olive wood gifts, opened as usual at the Jerusalem International YMCA (designed in the 1920s by the American architect of the Empire State Building), one of the few places in this divided city where Israeli Jews and Arabs mingle socially.

But the veneer of holiday normality barely hid the tension simmering here since President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital early this month, making no distinction between the Jewish sector and the Arab neighborhoods Israel annexed in 1967.

Meantime, Vice President Pence, whose visit to Jerusalem was supposed to highlight the plight of the Mideast's Christians, has canceled his planned visit to the Church of the Nativity (the governor of the Bethlehem told him he'd be unwelcome). Pence, who postponed the trip so he could vote on the tax bill, has no current plan to visit Jerusalem churches, since church leaders urged Trump not to change the U.S. position on Jerusalem.

So it's worth asking what exactly was changed by the president's announcement.

Two things haven't changed. First, Jerusalem is, and always was, the Israeli capital. This fact has not been recognized by other nations because Israel annexed the Arab parts of the city, whose fate would have to be resolved by negotiations if peace talks ever restart.

As far as many Israelis are concerned, this whole Jerusalem affair is a yawn. At a Shabbat dinner in the coastal city of Zichron Yaacov with Israeli Jewish friends  including two grandchildren serving in the army  the consensus was that Trump made a lot of trouble for no reason. "Why did he have to throw a stink bomb into Jerusalem?" I was asked.

The second thing that hasn't changed is that ordinary Palestinians  and their leadership  are weary and wary of another uprising.

On Friday, I stood by the plaza at the Old City's Damascus Gate as (mostly peaceful) worshipers poured forth after praying at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Small clusters of youths, and a few women, challenged the Israeli police who were lined up with guns and helmets above the plaza and gave chase.

However, the Palestinian reaction to Trump so far  while rhetorically strong  has been relatively limited on the ground, with Days of Rage bringing out modest amounts of demonstrators.

Over and over I heard from ordinary Palestinians in Jerusalem and Ramallah that they distrust their leaders, who are still conferring among themselves on how to react and (mostly) calling for nonviolence. Moreover, Palestinians feel they have been betrayed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who have strategically allied with Israel against Iran. This leaves them isolated.

Yet this uneasy stasis could blow up if Israeli officials aren't careful, especially if there is an incident involving holy Muslim sites.

Two important things have changed, however, one involving Pence and one Trump.

Given Pence's concern for Arab Christians, it's ironic that U.S. recognition of Jerusalem may be harming them more than it has helped them.

"Most Christian Palestinians are caught in the middle," I was told by Franciscan Father Peter Vasko, president of the Franciscan Foundation of the Holy Land and a Brooklyn native. (A longtime Jerusalem resident, he has guided President Trump and previous U.S. presidents around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.)

Israeli soldiers look at Palestinian Christians as Arabs first, he says, and Palestinian nationalists see them as linked to the West. Meantime, political uncertainty undercuts their career prospects.

"That's why they are leaving," Vasko says. There are only 9,000 Christians left in Jerusalem and 35,000 in the West Bank. Thirty-five years ago, Bethlehem was 70 percent Christian and 30 percent Muslim but the percentages are now the opposite. (The Franciscan Foundation offers full scholarships to talented Christian youths to study at local universities, giving them a leg up.)

Trump's announcement on Jerusalem squeezes Christian leaders between ties to the West and local political pressures, leaving them exposed.

A second key change: Trump's shift in U.S. policy boosts those in the Israeli government who want to change the physical status of Jerusalem, and ensure that the city will be excluded from any future peace negotiations.

Israel has been building new neighborhoods around Jerusalem on West Bank land annexed to the city that have almost cut it off from its West Bank hinterland. Knesset bills are pending to annex Jewish settlements on the West Bank in order to increase Jerusalem's population and exclude Arab neighborhoods from the city.

Danny Seidemann, a noted expert on these developments, believes Trump's decision may inspire Israeli politicians to revisit building a new housing development on a land parcel known as E1, which would rule out any prospective Palestinian state linking up with Jerusalem. He told me, "Jerusalem is more contested than ever before."

Perhaps the most important change precipitated by Trump's move is that it has provoked the Palestinians to (probably) exclude any U.S. role as mediator. Without Jerusalem, no peace talks can resume. This probably kills the already minuscule chance that Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and lawyer friend Jason Greenblatt will come up with "the ultimate deal."

Greenblatt will be arriving during Pence's visit. But Palestinian leaders, who won't meet the vice president, will probably avoid Greenblatt. As Christmas arrives, the Trump decision does nothing to move the Holy Land closer toward peace.
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.
Federal tax cuts passed into law this week are likely to cut into Montana state revenue by $46 million a year, Montanas Department of Revenue reported Friday.

Corporate income tax breaks, individual income tax deductions and the potential elimination of federal royalty payments would cut state revenue by $46.3 million in tax year 2018, Revenue Director Mike Kadas said.

Revenue economists have been closely monitoring the state impacts of the tax cuts, as Montana struggles with a revenue decline. At one point the annual state revenue loss appeared to be about $70 million, but Congress took care of a potential loss in oil, gas and mining royalties paid to states.

The final tax bill passed by Congress on Wednesday was better for the state revenue picture than the one passed by the U.S. Senate two weeks earlier. DOR economists estimate the Senate version would have pulled $122 million a year from the state revenue stream. Reconciling that bill with one passed earlier by the House, shaved the states loss.

Weve got better information now. So, were able to improve our modeling, Kadas said. Probably the one thing that made the most difference was the pass-through income deduction going from 23 percent to 20.

Pass-through businesses do not pay corporate income tax. Instead, the owner reports business income as personal income on a 1040 tax form. Pass-through businesses include sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, partnerships and small corporations taxed as partnerships. The broad pass-through category includes start-up small businesses, as well as real estate partnerships and farms.

The state estimates the new pass-through deduction will trim state tax revenue by about $30 million a year. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, the Montana Republican lawmaker who pushed for the deduction, said he did so to assure pass-through businesses weren't disadvantaged by tax cuts offered to corporations.

In Montana, pass-through businesses appear on roughly 381,170 tax returns. Many of those filers have no income to report, but the minority do report significant amounts of income. A 20 percent deduction on their reported income will be felt by the state, Kadas said.

Corporate income tax cuts are expected to initially cut as much as $18 million from state tax revenue, but slide to a $4.6 million loss in tax year 2021.

The state conversation about lost revenue is set against the backdrop of underperforming revenue collections. Montanas Legislature met in early November to patch a $227 million hole in a two-year state budget, now only six months old and already struggling.

In addition to income losses related to corporate and pass-through businesses, revenue officials expect to lose nearly $6 million a year in insurance premium taxes affected by the elimination of the federal mandate that Americans buy health insurance. The individual mandate was done away with in the tax bill.

Congress suspended rules requiring federal government cuts to prevent tax breaks from contributing to the federal deficit. As a result, a royalty loss of $24 million, which the Department of Revenue had earlier expected, is no longer an issue.

Its estimated the new tax cuts would add $1.4 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years if government services arent cut.
Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops and provides a portfolio of healthcare products worldwide. The company offers peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis, and additional dialysis therapies and services; intravenous therapies, infusion pumps, administration sets, and drug reconstitution devices; remixed and oncology drug platforms, inhaled anesthesia and critical care products and pharmacy compounding services; parenteral nutrition therapies and related products; biological products and medical devices used in surgical procedures for hemostasis, tissue sealing and adhesion prevention; and continuous renal replacement therapies and other organ support therapies focused in the intensive care unit. It also provides connected care solutions, including devices, software, communications, and integration technologies; integrated patient monitoring and diagnostic technologies to help diagnose, treat, and manage a various illness and diseases, including respiratory therapy, cardiology, vision screening, and physical assessment; surgical video technologies, tables, lights, pendants, precision positioning devices and other accessories. In addition, the company offers contracted services to various pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. Its products are used in hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, doctors' offices, and patients at home under physician supervision. The company sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through independent distributors, drug wholesalers, and specialty pharmacy or other alternate site providers in approximately 100 countries. It has an agreement with Celerity Pharmaceutical, LLC to develop acute care generic injectable premix and oncolytic molecules. Baxter International Inc. was incorporated in 1931 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.
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.
ServiceNow, Inc. provides enterprise cloud computing solutions that defines, structures, consolidates, manages, and automates services for enterprises worldwide. It operates the Now platform for workflow automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, performance analytics, electronic service catalogs and portals, configuration management systems, data benchmarking, encryption, and collaboration and development tools. The company also provides information technology (IT) service management applications; IT service management product suite for enterprise's employees, customers, and partners; IT business management product suite; IT operations management product that connects a customer's physical and cloud-based IT infrastructure; IT Asset Management to automate IT asset lifecycles; and security operations that connects with internal and third party. In addition, it offers governance, risk, and compliance product to manage risk and resilience; human resources, legal, and workplace service delivery products; safe workplace applications; customer service management product; and field service management applications. Further, it provides App Engine product; IntegrationHub enables application to extend workflows; and professional, industry solutions, and customer support services. It serves government, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, IT services, technology, oil and gas, education, and consumer products through direct sales team and resale partners. It has a strategic partnership with Celonis to help customers identify and prioritize processes that are suitable for automation. The company was formerly known as Service-now.com and changed its name to ServiceNow, Inc. in May 2012. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
In the past two weeks the Anaconda Leader and The Montana Standard both carried stories about BitCoin Mining coming to the Smelter City. The story broke on December 6, 2017, when representatives of BitPower, LLC and Rick Tabish, spokesman for Premier Industries, the entity which is proposing to construct a slag reprocessing facility in Anaconda, appeared before the Anaconda School Districts Building and Grounds Committee. BitPower/Tabish told the Committee they wanted to purchase the Dwyer School for their BitCoin operation, an activity which would require eight megawatts of electricity, enough electricity to power 6,000 homes.

Bitcoin Mining is an industrial process which converts electricity into BitCoins, a cybercurrency. It does that by running mathematical algorithms through the internet to document and register BitCoin transactions. Thousands of computer servers are needed. The servers generate enormous quantities of heat which must be controlled by huge fans and cooling equipment and that equipment is incredibly noisy. People living in Bonner near a BitCoin Mine located on the site of an old sawmill likened the noise to a jet engine.

People living in Anacondas New Addition are at risk of having their lives disrupted by the constant noise from a BitCoin Mine in Dwyer School not to mention seeing their property values plummet.

When the BitCoin Mine was introduced to the Anaconda School Board, BitPower/Tabish indicated that the project would create 300 new jobs. That claim should be met with great skepticism.

I worked for Touch America, the telecommunications subsidiary of the Montana Power Company. I have been in data centers. There are hundreds of racks which stretch from the floor to the ceiling housing thousands of internet servers, there are miles and miles of wire, and little flashing lights everywhere. But the one thing you dont see is people. There are very few jobs in these kinds of facilities. BitCoin mining is not a labor-intensive business. All the work is done by computers. A few techs are needed to keep the machines operational and a few programmers may be on staff principally to put protective patches on the software to keep the hackers at bay, but not many.

Last June there was a newspaper article about the Bonner BitCoin Mine. It said the facility was going to increase in size from 12,000 servers to 55,000 and add 65 jobs bringing the total up to 80 personnel. If you divide 55,000 servers by 80 employees, you get 687.5 servers per employee.

With an eight megawatt electrical load proposed for Dwyer School and considering the need for lighting and cooling equipment, it would probably be difficult to install more than 20,000 servers. So, divide 20,000 servers by 687.5 servers per employee and you get 29 jobs, which is less than 10% of what BitPower represented.

For those who believe that Anaconda is going to get 300 new jobs from BitCoin mining, re-reading the December 6th article in the Leader in instructive. The story said:

BitPower will purchase W.K. Dwyer  for use as a training facility and corporate office for a workforce of 300.

There is nothing in the article which says that the workforce would actually be in Anaconda. In an era where people telecommute to work, the workforce could be spread all over the country, sitting down at a computer terminal, and logging into hardware located in Anaconda.

On Tuesday, December 19th, the Anaconda School Board held a special meeting to accept public comment on the proposed Buy/Sell Agreement with Bit Power/Tabish. The meeting was a sham. The Board had its mind made up before it walked into the room. Witnesses were limited to two minutes of testimony. Only three testified. The contract was approved without consideration for the people living near Dwyer School. The meeting was over in less than 15 minutes.

The real tragedy of the Boards decision is that it abandoned the people living on the west end of Anaconda. The Board had the power to put language into the contract which could have eliminated the threat of noise pollution from the Dwyer facility but, it did nothing.

Is BitCoin Mining is going to be a real boon to Anaconda? Not likely. Will it be a travesty? If the action of the Anaconda School Board last Tuesday is any indication, the answer is an unqualified YES.

-- John S. Fitzpatrick, of Georgetown Lake and Helena, is an Anaconda native. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Montana, and a master's degree and doctorate degree from Ohio State University. He worked on the team that did permitting for Colstrip Units 3 and 4, and the 500KV transmission line. He was deputy budget director for state of Montana under Gov. Tom Judge, and then established a consulting business. He has worked in the mining industry, and also permitted coal mines, metal mines, electric transmission lines and subdivisions. He was responsible for permitting the David Gates Generating Station at Mill Creek, near Anaconda; Beal Mountain Mine near Fairmont; and Montana Tunnels and Basin Creek in Jefferson County. He also has extensive experience with legislation.
The Sherwin-Williams Company develops, manufactures, distributes, and sells paints, coatings, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: The Americas Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group. The Americas Group segment offers architectural paints and coatings, and protective and marine products, as well as OEM product finishes and related products for architectural and industrial paint contractors, and do-it-yourself homeowners. The Consumer Brands Group segment supplies a portfolio of branded and private-label architectural paints, stains, varnishes, industrial products, wood finishes products, wood preservatives, applicators, corrosion inhibitors, aerosols, caulks, and adhesives to retailers and distributors. The Performance Coatings Group segment develops and sells industrial coatings for wood finishing and general industrial applications, automotive refinish products, protective and marine coatings, coil coatings, packaging coatings, and performance-based resins and colorants. It serves retailers, dealers, jobbers, licensees, and other third-party distributors through its branches and direct sales staff, as well as through outside sales representatives. The company has operations primarily in the North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As of February 17, 2022, it operated approximately 5,000 company-operated stores and facilities. The Sherwin-Williams Company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
WestRock Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides fiber-based paper and packaging solutions in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It operates through two segments, Corrugated Packaging and Consumer Packaging. The Corrugated Packaging segment produces containerboards, corrugated sheets, corrugated packaging, and preprinted linerboards to consumer and industrial products manufacturers, and corrugated box manufacturers. It also provides structural and graphic design, engineering services and custom, and proprietary and standard automated packaging machines, as well as turn-key installation, automation, line integration, and packaging solutions; distributes corrugated packaging materials and other specialty packaging products, including stretch films, void fills, carton sealing tapes, and other specialty tapes; operates recycling facilities that collect, sort, grade, and bale recovered paper; and provides lithographic laminated packaging products, as well as contract packing services. The Consumer Packaging segment manufactures and sells folding cartons that are used to package food, paper, beverages, dairy products, tobacco, confectionery, health and beauty, other household consumer, and commercial and industrial products; and express mail packages for the overnight courier industry. It also offers inserts and labels, as well as rigid packaging and other printed packaging products, such as transaction cards, brochures, product literature, marketing materials, and grower tags and plant stakes for the horticultural market; and secondary packages and paperboard packaging for over-the-counter and prescription drugs. In addition, this segment manufactures and sells solid fiber and corrugated partitions, and die-cut paperboard components principally to glass container manufacturers and the automotive industry, as well as producers of beer, food, wine, spirits, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. WestRock Company is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
(HealthDay)Family harmony and talk of politics can be combustible holiday companions, a therapist contends.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 62 percent of respondents said politics was the topic they dread most when relatives get together at the holidays. And nearly one-third said they planned to avoid the subject.

No matter how you vote, it's possible to maintain political peace over the holidays, said Katherine Hertlein, director of the couple and family therapy program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine.

Some of her suggestions:

Lower your expectations. Don't assume family members share your opinions. Doing so can set you up for disappointment.

Don't assume family members share your opinions. Doing so can set you up for disappointment. Seek common ground. Instead of making statements about your beliefs, ask questions in order to understand other people's views. This could help you find areas that you agree on and increase your chances of feeling empathy.

Instead of making statements about your beliefs, ask questions in order to understand other people's views. This could help you find areas that you agree on and increase your chances of feeling empathy. Think before you speak. Instead of immediately responding to something you disagree with, take time to reply. For example, say you need to think about what was said.

Instead of immediately responding to something you disagree with, take time to reply. For example, say you need to think about what was said. Consider others' motivations. Try to determine the reasons for someone else's beliefs, such as concern for children or the poor. Understand that their stance may reflect good intentions.

Avoid confrontation. If you think it's impossible to have a civil discussion, it might be best to walk away.

"Develop an exit plan prior to any conversation where you may anticipate difficulties," Hertlein said in a university news release.

"Having a plan ahead of time that you may or may not choose to use returns you to feeling like you are in a sense of control, and reduces the likelihood that you will seek to obtain control through increasing the volume or intensity of your voice," she said.

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers holiday health and safety tips

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
During this time of year, we talk of peace on earth and goodwill towards our neighbors. I wish those beliefs applied universally. Instead, there are groups waging campaigns of intimidation and fear against certain members of our communities. Frequent targets include Muslims and refugees, and there is an entire movement behind the attacks.

We recently released ACTing for Islamophobia, a report examining Montanas anti-Muslim movement. Even though our state has a small immigrant/Muslim population, it hasnt bypassed the national trend of increased hostility towards Muslims. The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that anti-Muslim groups have increased by almost 200% since 2015. Not coincidentally, Pew Research notes that crimes against Muslim people hit an all-time high in 2016. We also live in a time when the current president normalizes and legitimizes anti-Muslim rhetoric at an alarming rate.

Our report illustrates how the central driving force of Montanas anti-Muslim movement is Flathead ACT, which is a county-level chapter of the national organization ACT for America. Civil rights organizations frequently call ACT for America the leading anti-Muslim hate group in the country. ACT promotes a false and dangerous narrative about a diverse religious group by claiming that all Muslims are extremists, and Islam is trying to destroy Western (a code word for white) civilization.

Think for a minute about ACTs discriminatory message that all Muslims are extremists. Lets apply it to a different religion. Does that mean that the Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nations represent all Christians? After all, they call themselves Christian and carry out their campaigns of terror in the name of God. The answer, of course, is an emphatic, No! Thats why this example rings hollow for most Christians, just like ACTs message does for the majority of the 1.8 billion followers of Islam.

Its important to understand these anti-Muslim groups arent interested in having legitimate policy discussions about national security, how people become radicalized and join violent extremist groups, or anything else for that matter. Instead, their only purpose is peddling conspiracy theories steeped in fear and trying to get people to believe that Jihadists lurk around every corner. Flathead ACT leads this misinformation campaign in Montana.

Our report examines the leadership of Flathead ACT and the speakers it has sponsored in Montana. Lets be clear that the speakers havent been religious scholars or academics relaying fact-based information. Instead, Flathead ACT has sponsored a slate of propagandists representing anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, and white supremacist groups. One characteristic all the speakers share is reinforcing the false Jihadist around every corner message. Studies show that, if anyone is around every corner, its Far-Right extremists. The federal government reports that Far-Right extremists have perpetrated 74% of the attacks in the U.S. by violent extremists between 2001-2016. Instead of adding valuable knowledge to the community, Flathead ACT and its allies have contributed anti-Muslim vitriol and misinformation.

Despite this, Flathead ACT and its allies have migrated from the political fringe to the mainstream. The county level ACT chapters in Montana share leadership with entities within the state GOP. They used this influence to get the Republican majority during the 2017 legislative session to pass a bill banning Sharia Law, which had questionable constitutional footing and merely served as a vehicle to push anti-Muslim messages. During its legislative journey, the bills supporters spewed angry and derogatory testimony that dehumanized and targeted Muslims and refugees. Governor Steve Bullock thankfully vetoed the measure, recognizing it could be seen as an endorsement for anti-Muslim sentiment and activity.

We encourage you to read our report, which can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/ACTingforIslamophobia. We think youll find yourself rejecting ACTs fear-based bigotry and agreeing with the majority of Montanans and Governor Bullock, who wrote in his veto note for the Sharia Law Ban that Montanans should recommit ourselves to protecting the religious and cultural diversity that makes our state and nation strong.

-- Travis McAdam, of Butte, is the Research Director for the Montana Human Rights Network. The Human Rights Network can be reached at network@mhrn.org.

-- To read "ACTing for Islamophobia,'' click on this opinion piece at mtstandard.com, then click on the "ACTing for Islamophobia'' icon.
Prime Minister of Finland: Europe is now too reliant on Chinese technology

Turkey to require insurance from oil tankers when passing through its waters

EU to provide Ukraine with generators and kits to repair power grids

Turkey sentences sect founder to 8,658 years in prison

Xi Jinping urges world to abandon any Cold War mentality

Aliyev rules out talks with Artsakh State Minister

FP: Ukraine's appetite for weapons depletes Western stocks

Putin and Aliyev discuss energy cooperation

Armenian financial technologies to enter international market: VISA and Idram sign memorandum in Yerevan

Incident in Poland causes disagreement between Kyiv and West

Mark Milley urges Kyiv and Moscow to find political solution: Chances of military victory are unlikely

New NATO Secretary General to be announced at Vilnius summit in 2023

Finnish Defense Ministry announces largest batch of military aid to Ukraine

Pashinyan receives Ukrainian businessmen of Armenian origin

Armenian soldier wounded in Azerbaijani shooting

Erdogan: Turkey-Israel relations entered a new phase of development

Mishustin: Cooperation between Moscow and Baku has become truly strategic and allied

Igor Khovaev to visit Baku

Mishustin arrives in Baku

Russian Foreign Ministry: South Caucasus is a strategic transport hub for Eurasia

U.S. general lays flowers at eternal flame at Armenian Genocide memorial

Republicans stand for same-sex marriage rights

Pallone says US State Department should not hesitate to speak about Azerbaijani aggression

Aliyev refuses to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh and threatens Armenia with new aggression

Greek minister doesn't get off plane to meet head of Libya's presidential council

Sergey Lavrov to visit Yerevan

Lebanese parliament fails to elect president of country

Kremlin on Zelenskyy's proposal to hold 'public' talks

National Assembly Speaker: Armenia is extremely interested in establishing strategic relations with Georgia

Canada provides additional military aid to Ukraine

Representatives of defense agencies of CSTO countries discuss crisis response issues

Armenian Defense Minister and American General discuss defense cooperation

Tehran accuses Israel and West of trying to organize civil war in Iran

Oppositionist: No guarantees that war with Azerbaijan can be avoided

Issue of biometric passports to Armenian citizens is temporarily suspended

Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement to be signed till end of year? Pashinyan's associate voices conditions

Erdogan says Russia and US agreed to refrain from using nuclear weapons

Azerbaijani oppositionist complains of torture by police

Kyaram Sloyan and Andranik Zohrabyan posthumously bestowed 'Hero of Artsakh' title

UN Secretary General Guterres welcomes parties' agreement on renewal of food deal

Eurasian Development Bank: Armenia is the leader among EEU countries in terms of economic growth

Greece promises to continue military support to Ukraine

Number of appeals from Azerbaijan to ECHR is growing

Pashinyan: The wheel of processes related to confiscation of illegal property is spinning

Fire hits Baghdad airport

North Korea fires ballistic missile towards Sea of Japan

Istanbul agrees to extend 'grain initiative' for another 120 days

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Vocal as Russophobic propaganda: Azerbaijani singer sings about 'disgusting peacekeepers'

Biden congratulates Republicans on winning majority in House of Representatives

14 freight cars derailed in Kazakhstan, train traffic suspended

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

Russian Trade Representative to Armenia: Situation at Upper Lars checkpoint is not related to geopolitical issues

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

Chinese customs officers accidentally find cockroach unknown to science

Man removes cobra's teeth with manicure pliers and gets arrested

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

Donfried says Armenia and Azerbaijan have historic opportunity to establish lasting peace

Bob Menendez: How on earth can we justify sending any support, security or otherwise, to the regime in Baku?

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
Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan have rejected a US decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel. The three neighboring states agreed to adopt a united stance on Washingtons new policy at an upcoming meeting of the UN General Assembly on the issue.

The agreement was reached during a trilateral meeting in Baku on Wednesday among Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Turkish and Azeri counterparts, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Elmar Mammadyarov.

Following the talks, Zarif said rejection of the US decision on the holy city of al-Quds was among the issues agreed at the trilateral meetingThe three countries will also adopt a unified stance at the emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly, which will be held on Thursday.

The three top diplomats also discussed cooperation in different economic fields, including transit, transportation, customs and technology.

They also held talks on political issues of trilateral significance, including avenues of cooperation for promotion of regional peace and stability.

The ministers are also scheduled to hold separate bilateral meetings during their stay in Baku.
Eleven priests were sent proposals regarding the participation in the election of the Patriarch of Constantinople, but not all responded, Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan, the patriarchal locum tenens of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Mikael Ajapakhyan, Bishop Sahak Mashalyan, the Primate of the Gagark Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Sepuh Chuljyan, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan and several others have already responded that they are going to participate in the elections. There are still no response from the rest, Bekchyan said.

The elections were first set for December 13, but they did not take place, since there is no written permission from the Turkish authorities.

Asked how Bechchyan himself assesses his capabilities, the locum tenens replied: You should ask people what they think about me.
Prime Minister of Finland: Europe is now too reliant on Chinese technology

Turkey to require insurance from oil tankers when passing through its waters

Warner Bros. to ban Russian TV channels from showing studio's films

Brendan Fraser refuses to come to Golden Globes because of harassment

EU to provide Ukraine with generators and kits to repair power grids

Turkey sentences sect founder to 8,658 years in prison

Tomorrow will be the maximum phase of Leonid meteor shower: Where will it be best seen from?

Xi Jinping urges world to abandon any Cold War mentality

Documentary on Rust camerawoman Halyna Hutchins in works

Aliyev rules out talks with Artsakh State Minister

FP: Ukraine's appetite for weapons depletes Western stocks

Putin and Aliyev discuss energy cooperation

Armenian financial technologies to enter international market: VISA and Idram sign memorandum in Yerevan

Incident in Poland causes disagreement between Kyiv and West

Smartwatch can detect heart failure

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New NATO Secretary General to be announced at Vilnius summit in 2023

Snoop Dogg launches pets' clothing line

Japan creates robotics copy of minister. What is its purpose?

Finnish Defense Ministry announces largest batch of military aid to Ukraine

Pashinyan receives Ukrainian businessmen of Armenian origin

Armenian soldier wounded in Azerbaijani shooting

Erdogan: Turkey-Israel relations entered a new phase of development

Shakira, Du Lipa and Rod Stewart refuse to sing at opening of World Cup 2022

Mishustin: Cooperation between Moscow and Baku has become truly strategic and allied

Igor Khovaev to visit Baku

Mishustin arrives in Baku

Russian Foreign Ministry: South Caucasus is a strategic transport hub for Eurasia

U.S. general lays flowers at eternal flame at Armenian Genocide memorial

Republicans stand for same-sex marriage rights

Pallone says US State Department should not hesitate to speak about Azerbaijani aggression

Aliyev refuses to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh and threatens Armenia with new aggression

Quentin Tarantino announces plans to make TV series in 2023

Australian Football League will try to invite Ronaldo

Greek minister doesn't get off plane to meet head of Libya's presidential council

More than billion young people can lose their hearing to headphones

Sergey Lavrov to visit Yerevan

Christopher Nkunku to miss six to eight weeks

Meeting titled 'IT Sector Dialogue 2022' discusses problems of relocating companies from Russia to Armenia

Lebanese parliament fails to elect president of country

Kremlin on Zelenskyy's proposal to hold 'public' talks

National Assembly Speaker: Armenia is extremely interested in establishing strategic relations with Georgia

Over past seven months, four IT companies liquidated in Armenia, four bankrupt, 17 more are in liquidation, 342 individual entrepreneurs deregistered

Canada provides additional military aid to Ukraine

Representatives of defense agencies of CSTO countries discuss crisis response issues

Armenian Defense Minister and American General discuss defense cooperation

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Armenian Safe YOU app is winner of BOOST Women Innovators program

Lily Rose-Depp graces cover of Elle magazine

World Cup 2022: Teams with transfer value of more than 1 billion

Tehran accuses Israel and West of trying to organize civil war in Iran

Armenia becomes full member of COST: What opportunities does it offer?

Oppositionist: No guarantees that war with Azerbaijan can be avoided

Issue of biometric passports to Armenian citizens is temporarily suspended

World Cup 2022: Messi names favorites

Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement to be signed till end of year? Pashinyan's associate voices conditions

Erdogan says Russia and US agreed to refrain from using nuclear weapons

Azerbaijani oppositionist complains of torture by police

Kyaram Sloyan and Andranik Zohrabyan posthumously bestowed 'Hero of Artsakh' title

UN Secretary General Guterres welcomes parties' agreement on renewal of food deal

Eurasian Development Bank: Armenia is the leader among EEU countries in terms of economic growth

Greece promises to continue military support to Ukraine

Number of appeals from Azerbaijan to ECHR is growing

Pashinyan: The wheel of processes related to confiscation of illegal property is spinning

Fire hits Baghdad airport

Russian brokers faced most powerful series of DDoS attacks in history

Inter and Juventus target N'Golo Kante

North Korea fires ballistic missile towards Sea of Japan

Istanbul agrees to extend 'grain initiative' for another 120 days

'Hayastan' Fund to build 6 residential houses in Nerkin Khndzoresk village

Vocal as Russophobic propaganda: Azerbaijani singer sings about 'disgusting peacekeepers'

The IV International Congress of Geriatrics and Gerontology will be held on December 1-2

Actress Denise Richards shot at in road rage incident

Biden congratulates Republicans on winning majority in House of Representatives

Legendary Russian figure skater Alexander Gorshkov dies

14 freight cars derailed in Kazakhstan, train traffic suspended

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

Russian Trade Representative to Armenia: Situation at Upper Lars checkpoint is not related to geopolitical issues

Trade Representative of Russia: Trade turnover with Armenia sets new record

Flick is dissatisfied with defensive work of his team

Elon Musk is being called Voldemort on Twitter, fears of Tesla investors are confirmed

Copper falls in price

Gas explodes in Fatih district of Istanbul, 10 people injured

Oil prices go down

Top 10 players of World Cup 2022

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

Chinese customs officers accidentally find cockroach unknown to science

Man removes cobra's teeth with manicure pliers and gets arrested

Supercomputer determines favorites for World Cup 2022

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
Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a chance for a new government of the country, consisting of the conservative Austrian People's Party and the right Austrian Freedom Party (APS).

In an interview with the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Kurz was asked to comment on Israels refusal to communicate with the ministers of the right party. The politician stressed that as the chancellor he will do everything to eliminate Israel's prejudices towards the APS.

Our government program talks about a very clear commitment to the existence of the State of Israel, he said.

According to Kurtz, Austria recognized the complicity in the terror conducted by the Nazi regime too late, and his generation's responsibility is to never forget the history.

The future of Jerusalem needs to be clarified through negotiations between the two sides on the ground, he added.
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he expected a call from the American leader before he announced the decision to recognize Jerusalem as a capital of Israel, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

We made our call to the U.S. and are continuing to. Theres no reason not to have a meeting with Trump. Of course, we will call again. I wish that Trump calls us too. From the beginning, we actually waited for them to call us before declaring these decisions, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC] term president, he said.

In early December Trump announced U.S. intention to recognize Jerusalem as a capital of Israel and signed a document on transferring the embassy from Tel-Aviv.

The decision of the American leader was positively received in Israel and caused a negative reaction on the part of many states of the world, first of all, the countries of the Middle East and Palestine.

Earlier this week UN General Assembly voted 128-9 with 35 abstention to adopt a nonbinding resolution declaring President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
Oh sis we're going to have to do better than that.

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Lolol



Right?



Also, its called google. Mary J Blige would have been the most obvious WOC name to drop as they're both nominated for awards this season.



And nobody is checking for beatrice at dinner.

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even if it's not deliberate, that's the problem. a cover about actresses calling for more diverse stories w/ only white women. i don't even care about hollywood or anything it produces, i just like to talk about it.

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ngl i'm (woc) surprised that none of them went "...uuuh"

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Same tbh??

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Mte. What kind of Aryan aesthetic

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Then they shouldnt even have made this cover



Or they could have made a cover w WoC saying why this women are not nominated?









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lol what?? Why the fuck not? These actresses did their jobs extraordinarily well and deserve be acknowledged for it. The issue here is that there arent many WOC in LEADING actress roles. I mean, I can only think of one woc that was in a leading role and her performance wasnt necessarily Oscar nomination caliber, imo.

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I agree. Jessica didn't organize the shoot, she showed up and did her job. Those are the lead actresses who were predicted to be in the Oscar conversation this year. Why single her out for criticism? Were they all supposed to say, "we can't do this shoot because you didn't invite any WOC."?



These women are not heads of studios. They aren't responsible for the production of the films this year. People should be outraged that studios still have white men in charge of everything. Misplaced anger at women yet again.

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yeah there it is, but this type of logical reasoning doesnt fly here sis

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Yes

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She won Best Actress for the film In the Fade at Cannes Film Festival this year.

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She's the lead in "In the Fade", a german movie though (so it's not gonna get much traction state-side). She won Best Actress in Cannes for it and it's guaranteed a Foreign Film oscar nomination so her spot's justified. Annette though idgi...she's the one who shouldn't be there.





Edited at 2017-12-24 10:00 pm (UTC)

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she was in a german movie that was well received

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She had the best performance of all of them.

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This all sucks. It sucks that there aren't any WOC on the cover. It sucks that there aren't more movies made by and featuring the stories of WOC. It sucks that Hollywood does so poorly at any sort of equal representation of any women or their stories and that then white actresses are still focused on fighting for scraps for themselves rather than fighting for representation for all. It sucks that so often it is actresses called out for stuff like this cover rather than the people actually responsible for greenlighting, funding, and promoting movies. I am so tired of white men being at the forefront of everything EXCEPT facing responsibility for their failures.

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what did she do wrong? -_- god, why do ppl expect her to be perfect. shes just a crappy human being like everyone else. she should get off twitter, cos she aint ever going to win.

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Well, I think we all put celebs who show the modicum of social awareness on such a high pedestal where we convince ourselves that they can do no wrong, which is obviously bullshit.



People just hold them up to higher standard because they stood up in the first place.

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yea and it makes people not even want to bother

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Exactly. Chastain seems like a perfectly nice person, but assuming that she's somehow less ignorant than other rich, sheltered celebrities is the problem.

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Diane Kruger seems random too.....

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She won Best Actress at Cannes this year.

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Oh Im out of the loop

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She did a really good movie this year got an award and everything

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Yes, weak-ass response and white-ass cover.



However, what was the proper response to being invited on being photographed for the cover?

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To be fair, it's hard to have a great response to something that isn't your fault.

There are other people on the cover, and NONE of them had any say in who was involved.

They have careers to maintain, and they deserved to be celebrated for doing an amazing job in their respective roles.

But that being said--it has nothing to do with anyone else, and therefore I think it's great that she even acknowledged what she did.

She could've just responded and said "Blame ____." Or "Hey, tweet ____, I just showed up for work that day!"

Kudos to her, tbh.

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I think she should have checked herself and done at least a google search before responding to the call-out tweet. It's also not just lack of WOC storytelling that should be called out, it's also a lack of support to celebrate and promote the existing work of WOC.



I do feel like people expect a lot from her. She's sweet, she tries, but we should stop expecting her to be a savior.

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African QUEEN !!

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we're all from Africa!

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wow pink's kid has a real wide selection of women to marry

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Margot looks like she wants nothing to do with that cover.

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I think a lot of them were fed up with Kate Winslet kissing Woody's ass. Margot looked like she didn't want to be there the whole time. I wouldn't blame her.





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no she didn't. she even laughed at some point



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White Woman get praised for doing so little!

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if this is a joke about people projecting onto her facial expression feelings she hasn't expressed in any way then you've succeeded



if not, oop.

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Bye

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Lmfao

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LMAO

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lol irl

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Girls Trip, Mudbound, Deidra and Laney Rob A Train, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,Roxanne Roxanne are just a select few that come up in my head. https://t.co/s9us2LRLFJ  Jamie Is February 16 2018 Here Yet? Broadnax (@JamieBroadnax) December 24, 2017



Jamie collected her. This woman is the definition of white liberal feminism, I cannot believe I was hoodwinked by her for years lmfao (clearly I wasnt paying enough attention)

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...i'm kinda so sad ? lol i guess that teaches me

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her response to the counter riots in/in reaction to Charlottesville absolutely floored me cuz before then I considered myself a big fan...not anymore. It taught me to take my own lesson (never trust white women) more seriously.

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She's gotta look outside of her friends at Hollywood for them, but they're there.

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How did Deidra & Laney Rob a Train pass me by? it looks good!





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MTE she likes to be outspoken when she gets called out but this shows she's all about being coddled for her outspokenness and not actually paying attention to black and WOC art

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Except none of those have WOC leads who are in the Oscar conversation this year. So Jessica was right after all. And Jessica was not responsible for organizing the photo shoot. She's just there to support the film she was in.

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this isn't her first time either, i can't remember what she did before

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no offense to her but either none of these films would qualify as a feature film (henrietta lacks) or none of them have clearly lead actresses of color. they would be supporting roles.

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lmao so people expect her to apologize and not the people who actually set up the shoot? This kind of shit is where people lose me.

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I don't expect her to apologise but she's so outspoken about other social issues that this going over her head just goes to show the type of feminist that she is.

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What was she supposed to do? Throw a hissey fit at the photo shoot and refuse to do it? It's a group of lead actresses who are up for Oscar consideration this year. They do this kind of shoot every year. It's literally her job to do these kinds of shoots.



If you're pissed off that there are no WOC in lead roles this year, scream and shout about how all the movie studios are run by white men. They're the ones who make the decisions about what films get made each year, not Jessica or any of the other actresses in the photo.

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they all look like they're smiling awkwardly except kate, who has probably lost all sense of shame by now defending WA

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she's secure in her awfulness

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Praise the Lorde

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still hitting up russia twice though huh

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she will also hit up Australia (where the government run detention centers where asylum seekers are raped and tortured and whistle-blowers are sued); the UK (where government sponsored austerity is killing people, etc.); the US (well, where to even start?), etc. this isn't a protest against all shitty governments around the planet, it is a sign of respect to the B.D.S. Movement and to a request that came straight from Palestinians activists.

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many people in this comm refuse to boycott anything under the guise of not being able to boycott everything but really just can't stand even the smallest self-sacrifice

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And she's touring the UK which also has privately run immigration centers where asylum seekers and those put up for deportation are held, and the Home Office fought a legal battle against the release of investigation documents because they said it 'would harm the commercial interests of the contractors Serco and GEO Group if they became public knowledge'. There have been many allegations of abuse, rape and suspicious deaths occurring there too.



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do you think if activists from those countries wrote her letters as well that she should cancel those concerts?

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Bless you :*

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That's great. She'll get a lot of shit for this but she did the right thing.



Although I am still annoyed by all ppl showing they dgaf about Palestinians by asking "ok, but what about Russia????" in the last post. B.D.S. Movement is not a blank protest against all shitty governments around the world.

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lol at the comment right above yours

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Didn't see that post. Do people think that if you want to work/protest for one cause you have to work on all of them or your protest isn't valid?

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If they can use that to not inconvenience themself in any way, yes



Edited at 2017-12-24 09:08 pm (UTC)

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i think it's more of an indication that ONTD is starting to just go with whatever the first few comments are lol.

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It was pretty infuriating. Honestly it's clear that most people don't give any fucks about the Palestinians.

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people here openly stan Gal Gadot

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Do you know a good resource to read up on the Palestinian/Jewish conflict ?



Everything Ive been finding on Google isnt the greatest.

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Jews = Israel

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'Palestinian/Jewish conflict'? Jewish people are not responsible for the actions of Israel and it's antisemitic to suggest so, this post is literally about a Jewish pro Palestine activist.

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nice anti semitism

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Goyim are disappointing

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I'm also glad she actually thought about it, researched it and listened. Especially compared to the shit Thom Yorke and Nick Cave spewed out.

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lol taylor doesn't even like to tour in asia anymore so i doubt Israel is on ha radar

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this is awesome. i'm really glad to see more ppl becoming aware and supportive of the plight of palestinians, especially in the wake of that bullshit with 45 calling jerusalem the capitol of israel.

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Nnn good. At first I was like why would u want to do that gurl u gonna get skool. I don't like her for multiple reasons, and well yeah good for ha

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Good on her!

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Here is @Lorde's statement on the cancellation of her Tel Aviv show, via Israeli PR for the concert. pic.twitter.com/Ph0uGHRjCV  Amy Spiro (@AmySpiro) December 24, 2017





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yeah that girl went on a twitter rant against her but it was the only tweet i could find with lorde's statement embedded. :/

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Nnnnn this OTT rebuttal

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okay, but this is STILL not enough. if she really wants to prove how woke she is, she should cancel her whole tour!

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Ia. Time to listen to Melodrama.

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Good for her.

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It's the bare minimum but I can respect Lorde for straight up admitting she was ignorant on the issue.



It's a better statement than some other artists have put out when they get dragged for having a show there.

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CNN has ended its daily newscast designed for Snapchat users just four months after launching it.

CNN and Los Angeles-based Snap Inc. said the program, called "The Update," failed to generate enough advertising revenue to sustain itself. A CNN spokesperson said the news network will continue to work with Snap on developing other projects to reach digital users.

"Snap and CNN have built a great partnership over the years and our teams have enormous admiration for each other," the companies said in a joint statement confirming the cancellation. "We plan to keep working together and mutually decided to hit pause as we explore the best opportunities for doing that. Our relationship will very much be continuing."

For CNN, the move is a rare retreat, as media companies have been rushing to create short-form programming to reach Snapchat's young adult audiencepeople who spend little time with traditional television.

"The Update" provided a rundown of stories from CNN reporters and bureaus around the world. The show was made available to Snapchat users daily at 3 p.m. Pacific time, with rolling updates for breaking news.

ESPN launched an edition of "SportsCenter" on Snapchat in November. NBC News has offered a twice-daily newscast called "Stay Tuned" on Snapchat since August.

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. government surveillance programs by disclosing classified material in 2013 has a new job: app developer.

Edward Snowden in a video message Friday unveiled a new phone app he helped create, called Haven, that aims to protect laptops from physical tampering.

Snowden says it's an open-source tool designed for human rights activists and other people at risk and it uses an Android phone's sensors to detect changes in a room.

The software was developed with the Freedom of Press Foundation and the Guardian Project. It has been greeted with mixed social media reactions, with some people celebrating its security capabilities and others saying they don't trust Snowden.

Snowden has lived in Russia since 2013, when the country gave him asylum, resisting U.S. pressure to extradite him.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Holy glowing genes, Rudolph! If we didn't already know that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was special, that shiny proboscis of his could have resulted from the one-in-a-million transfer of genetic material from a brilliant colored coral found in the Red Sea.

Perhaps it entered his mother's bloodstream when she scraped against the coral during a crash water landing while pregnant with Rudolph and then the DNA was passed to her unborn calf.

At least that's what a smart scientist from the Johns Hopkins University speculated might explain the nose so bright that guided Santa and his sleigh full of toys for good girls and boys on that famous foggy Christmas eve.

"Mobile genetic elements," said Steve Farber, principal investigator at the Carnegie Institution for Science and a Hopkins biology professor, "are derived from viruses and have the amazing ability to cut and insert chunks of DNA into the genome of its host."

With a fist full of scientific journals and a wink, Farber joined two other top scientists from the university in offering explanations for Rudolph's nose, the Grinch's enlarged heart and Ebenezer Scrooge's time travel.

While most children and probably most of their parents accept the beloved holiday creatures as they are, scientists want us to understand the world around us, even if it's in a cherished Christmas storybook. Rather than suspending disbelief, scientists tend to look to peer-reviewed studies first to see if there is some solid explanation for what they've witnessed, or they craft their own trials, Farber said.

But launching the kind of large-scale rigorous studies most valued in science might be impossible with characters as unique as the Grinch and Scrooge (even though many of us known a few Grinch- and Scrooge-like characters).

Rudolph, however, might be as easy as a genetic test to identify the coral DNA. And his offspring would carry the genetic rearrangements containing it as well.

This time of year, it also might be tough to even schedule exams with the original trio, who are likely deep in the holiday crush in the North Pole, Whoville and 19th century London. None of them are in the university travel budget, either, Farber said.

So, the scientists just took a very, very educated stab at it. They do have advanced degrees in neurobiology, medicine and physics plus lots of lab experience.

Dr. David Kass, the Abraham and Virginia Weiss professor of cardiology, sought to explain how the Grinch's extra-small heart grew three sizes that day as he had a change of heart about Christmas.

The easy answer was heart failure. But that likely would have make the Grinch feel more grinchy and less cheerful and way less likely to return all the presents he stole and carve the roast beast. He'd likely be weak and unable to lift his sled, Kass said. He also ruled out a ruptured valve, which can happen to people who abuse drugs, as well as high-intensity exercise given the creature's spindly appearance.

Then he considered the Grinch's green hue.

"He's a snake," said Kass, specifically a python. When they consume a large meal, many times their size, their hearts can balloon. The Mean One was said to have taken a roast beast in his night of pilfering. And he does do some slithering.

"The snake hypothesis covers a lot of bases," Kass said.

(Unknown to Kass when he initially hypothesized the Grinch was a snake, a scientific magazine had also linked research from a scientist in Colorado and her assistants to the Grinch. Those researchers raised pythons and noticed that an oily mix developed in their blood after a big meal that appeared to make their hearts rapidly enlarge.)

Even if it brought back Christmas for some Whos in Whoville, including Cindy-Lou, Kass does not recommend such an indulgence in red meat. In general, it's a no-no for the human heart.

Then there is Scrooge, the humbuggy old man who gets life lessons by glimpsing his past and future selves.

Ibrahima Bah, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy, said heading to the future involves moving at incredibly high speed. According to Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity, the clock ticks more slowly for someone moving fast, with the effect more dramatic as the person approaches the speed of light. Ten years in that person's reference frame can be 30 years to someone standing still.

"Time is a relative thing," he said. "It depends on the person observing it."

The bigger hitch is going back in time. He said negative energy could create some space-time loop allowing Scrooge to see himself as he was. The problem is, Bah said, negative energy doesn't really exist.

Or Scrooge could go back through a phenomenon called a naked ring singularity, which involves taking matter, spinning it fast and then collapsing it into a small area to create a rip in the fabric of space, he said. Also, not thought to be possible.

"I've proposed a number of ways this could happen, if you're willing to forgo the impossibilities in the system.

"I'm just having fun," added Bah, who's no humbug.

2017 The Baltimore Sun

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (December 22, 2017)Deputy State Fire Marshals have charged three juveniles with arson following a nearly two month long investigation in Bel Alton. The blaze originally occurred at the Southern Maryland Youth Home on October 29, 2017 located at 9830 Sodus Manor Place in Faulkner, Charles County. The Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department was alerted to the fire in a 50' x 20' detached shed.



An investigation by the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal revealed that a flammable liquid was poured onto countertops within the shed and ignited. Zorro, an accelerant detection canine with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, was requested at the initial investigation and alerted in several locations throughout the shed. Damages as a result of the fire were estimated to be $5,000.00



At the conclusion of the criminal investigation, Deputy State Fire Marshals were able to charge 3 juveniles with maliciously igniting the fire. On December 22, 2017, two juveniles, ages 14 and 15 were charged with Arson in the 2nd Degree and released back to the custody of the Southern Maryland Youth Home. The third juvenile, 17 years of age was charged with Malicious Burning and later released to a Baltimore City Department of Social Services worker.



The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services was notified at the conclusion of the investigation.
Kinder Morgan, Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. The company operates through four segments: Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, Terminals, and CO2. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline, and underground storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas liquefaction and storage facilities. The Products Pipelines segment owns and operates refined petroleum products, and crude oil and condensate pipelines; and associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix facilities. The Terminals segment owns and/or operates liquids and bulk terminals that stores and handles various commodities, including gasoline, diesel fuel, chemicals, ethanol, metals, and petroleum coke; and owns tankers. The CO2 segment produces, transports, and markets CO2 to recovery and production crude oil from mature oil fields; owns interests in/or operates oil fields and gasoline processing plants; and operates a crude oil pipeline system in West Texas, as well as owns and operates RNG and LNG facilities. It owns and operates approximately 83,000 miles of pipelines and 143 terminals. The company was formerly known as Kinder Morgan Holdco LLC and changed its name to Kinder Morgan, Inc. in February 2011. Kinder Morgan, Inc. was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Nelnet, Inc. engages in loan servicing, communications, education technology, services, and payment processing businesses worldwide. The Loan Servicing and Systems segment provides loan conversion, application processing, borrower updates, customer service, payment processing, due diligence procedures, funds management reconciliation, and claim processing services. This segment also provides student loan servicing software; business process outsourcing services specialized in contact center management, such as inbound calls, outreach campaigns and sales, and interacting with customers through multi-channels. The Education Technology, Services, and Payment Processing segment offers financial management services; school information system software; website design and cost effective admissions software; FACTS Giving, a donation platform; and customized professional development and coaching services, educational instruction services, and technology products that aid in teacher and student evaluations. It also offers tuition payment plans, and service and technology for student billings, payments, and refunds; solutions for in-person, online, and mobile payment experiences on campus; payment processing services, such as credit card and electronic transfer; faith community engagement, giving management, and learning management services and technologies; and an integrated commerce payment platform, financial management, and tuition payment plan services, as well as a school management platform that provides administrative, information management, financial management, and communication functions for K-12 schools. The Communications segment provides fiber optic service to homes and businesses for internet, television, and telephone services. The Asset Generation and Management segment acquires, manages, and owns loan assets. The Nelnet Bank segment operates internet industrial banks. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The following companies are subsidiares of Rite Aid: 1515 West State Street Boise Idaho LLC, 1740 Associates LLC, 4042 Warrensville Center RoadWarrensville Ohio Inc., 5277 Associates Inc., 5600 Superior Properties Inc., Advance Benefits LLC, Apex Drug Stores Inc., Ascend Health Technology LLC, Bartell Drugs, Broadview and WallingsBroadview Heights Ohio Inc., Design Rx Holdings LLC, Design Rx LLC, Design Rxclusives LLC, Drug Palace Inc., EDC Drug Stores Inc., Eckerd Corporation, Edgehill Drugs, Elixir Holdings LLC, Elixir Insurance Company, Elixir Pharmacy LLC, Elixir Puerto Rico Inc., Elixir Rx Options LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions LLC, Elixir Rx Solutions of Nevada LLC, Elixir Savings LLC, Envision Pharmaceutical, First Florida Insurers of Tampa LLC, GDF Inc., Genovese Drug Stores Inc., Gettysburg and Hoover-Dayton Ohio LLC, Grand River & Fenkell LLC, Harco, Harco Inc., Health Dialog, Health Dialog Services Corporation, Hunter Lane LLC, ILG  90 B Avenue Lake Oswego LLC, JCG Holdings USA Inc., JCG PJC USA LLC, K&B Alabama Corporation, K&B Incorporated, K&B Industries, K&B Louisiana Corporation, K&B Mississippi Corporation, K&B Services Incorporated, K&B Tennessee Corporation, K&B Texas Corporation, LMW  90B Avenue Lake Oswego Inc., Lakehurst and Broadway Corporation, Laker Software LLC, Maxi Drug Inc., Maxi Drug North Inc., Maxi Drug South L.P., Maxi Green Inc., Munson & Andrews LLC, Name Rite LLC, P.J.C. Distribution Inc., P.J.C. Realty Co. Inc., PCS Health Systems, PDS-1 Michigan Inc., PJC Lease Holdings Inc., PJC Manchester Realty LLC, PJC Peterborough Realty LLC, PJC Realty MA Inc., PJC Revere Realty LLC, PJC Special Realty Holdings Inc., PJC of Massachusetts Inc., PJC of Rhode Island Inc., PJC of Vermont Inc., Perry Distributors Inc., Perry Drug Stores Inc., RCMH LLC, RDS Detroit Inc., READs Inc., RediClinic, RediClinic Associates Inc., RediClinic LLC, RediClinic US LLC, RediClinic of DC LLC, RediClinic of DE LLC, RediClinic of Dallas Forth-Worth LLC, RediClinic of MD LLC, RediClinic of PA LLC, RediClinic of VA LLC, Richfield Road  Flint Michigan LLC, Rite Aid Drug Palace Inc., Rite Aid Hdqtrs. Corp., Rite Aid Hdqtrs. Funding Inc., Rite Aid Lease Management Company, Rite Aid Online Store Inc., Rite Aid Payroll Management Inc., Rite Aid Realty Corp., Rite Aid Rome Distribution Center Inc., Rite Aid Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Rite Aid Transport Inc., Rite Aid of Connecticut Inc., Rite Aid of Delaware Inc., Rite Aid of Georgia Inc., Rite Aid of Indiana Inc., Rite Aid of Kentucky Inc., Rite Aid of Maine Inc., Rite Aid of Maryland Inc., Rite Aid of Michigan Inc., Rite Aid of New Hampshire Inc., Rite Aid of New Jersey Inc., Rite Aid of New York Inc., Rite Aid of North Carolina Inc., Rite Aid of Ohio Inc., Rite Aid of Pennsylvania LLC, Rite Aid of South Carolina Inc., Rite Aid of Tennessee Inc., Rite Aid of Vermont Inc., Rite Aid of Virginia Inc., Rite Aid of Washington D.C. Inc., Rite Aid of West Virginia Inc., Rite Investments Corp., Rite Investments Corp. LLC, Rx Choice Inc., Rx Initiatives LLC, Rx USA Inc., The Bartell Drug Company, The Jean Coutu Group PJC USA Inc., The Lane Drug Company, Thrift Drug Inc., Thrifty Corporation, Thrifty PayLess Inc., and Tonic Procurement Solutions LLC.

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Telecom Argentina S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Argentina and internationally. The company offers telephone services, including local, domestic, and international long-distance telephone services, as well as public telephone services; and other related supplementary services, such as call waiting, call forwarding, conference calls, caller ID, voice mail, itemized billing, and maintenance services. It also provides interconnection services, such as traffic and interconnection resource, dedicated Internet access, video signals transportation in standard and high definitions, audio and video streaming, dedicated links, backhaul links for mobile operators, data center hosting/housing services, dedicated links, layer 2 and layer 3 transport networks, video links, value-added services, and other services. In addition, the company offers mobile telecommunications services, including voice communications, high-speed mobile Internet content and applications download, online streaming, and other services; and sells mobile communication devices, such as handsets, Modems MiFi and wingles, and smart watches under the Personal brand. Further, it provides internet connectivity products, including virtual private network services, traditional Internet protocol links, and other products; data services; and programming and other cable television services. The company was formerly known as Cablevision S.A. and changed its name to Telecom Argentina S.A. in January 2018. Telecom Argentina S.A. was founded in 1979 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. The Consumer Banking segment offers deposit products, mortgage and home equity lending products, credit cards, business loans, wealth management, and investment services; and auto, education, and point-of-sale finance loans, as well as digital deposit products. This segment serves its customers through telephone service centers, as well as through its online and mobile platforms. The Commercial Banking segment provides various financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, and interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as syndicated loans, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity capital markets services. This segment serves government banking, not-for-profit, healthcare, technology, professionals, oil and gas, asset finance, franchise finance, asset-based lending, commercial real estate, private equity, and sponsor finance industries. It operates approximately 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia; 114 retail and commercial non-branch offices in national markets; and approximately 3,300 automated teller machines. The company was formerly known as RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and changed its name to Citizens Financial Group, Inc. in April 2014. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. manufactures and sells motorcycles. The company operates in two segments, Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services. The Motorcycles and Related Products segment designs, manufactures, and sells Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including cruiser, touring, standard, sportbike, and dual models, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and related services. This segment sells its products to retail customers through a network of independent dealers, as well as e-commerce channels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The Financial Services segment provides wholesale financing services, such as floorplan and open account financing of motorcycles, and parts and accessories; and retail financing services, including installment lending for the purchase of new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as point-of-sale protection products comprising motorcycle insurance, extended service contracts, and motorcycle maintenance protection. This segment also licenses third-party financial institutions that issue credit cards bearing the Harley-Davidson brand. Harley-Davidson, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
United Rentals, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an equipment rental company. It operates in two segments, General Rentals and Specialty. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment includes backhoes, skid-steer loaders, forklifts, earthmoving equipment, and material handling equipment; aerial work platforms, such as boom and scissor lifts; and general tools and light equipment comprising pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and government entities. The specialty segment rents specialty construction products, including trench safety equipment consists of trench shields, aluminum hydraulic shoring systems, slide rails, crossing plates, construction lasers, and line testing equipment for underground work; power and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment, such as portable diesel generators, electrical distribution equipment, and temperature control equipment; fluid solutions equipment for fluid containment, transfer, and treatment; and mobile storage equipment and modular office space. This segment serves construction companies involved in infrastructure projects, and municipalities and industrial companies. It also sells aerial lifts, reach forklifts, telehandlers, compressors, and generators; construction consumables, tools, small equipment, and safety supplies; and parts for equipment that is owned by its customers, as well as provides repair and maintenance services. The company sells used equipment through its sales force, brokers, website, directly to manufacturers, and at auctions. The company operates a network of 1,360 rental locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. United Rentals, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
Exxon Mobil Corporation is the largest direct descendent of John D. Rockefellers Standard Oil and one of the worlds largest companies. Its earliest roots lie with Vacuum Oil which got its start in the 1860s. Vacuum Oils primary product was kerosene, an important advancement for heating and lighting in rural America. Vacuum Oil was later merged with Standard Oil of New Jersey which was the parent operation of the Standard Oil empire prior to its breakup. Standard Oil of New Jersey would merge with other independent operators over the next few years until settling on the brand Exxon for most of its operations.

Meanwhile, Standard Oil of New York was operating under much the same impetus, merging and growing, until it became known as Mobil. Then, in 1999, the two giants became one with a merger of equals that on paper had Exxon buying Mobil. Now, the combined company operates under the Exxon, Mobil, and Esso brands as an international vertically integrated energy and petrochemical business.

Today, the company explores and produces crude oil and natural gas and their derivative products globally. As of 2022, it was ranked 6th on Forbes Fortune 500 list and 12th on the Global 500 list but it has held positions from #1 to #10 over the years. In terms of its operations, it is the worlds second-largest oil refiner and the largest refiner outside of China. In terms of reserves, ExxonMobil claimed about 18.5 million barrels of oil and oil equivalents at the end of 2021 and was ranked 15th globally.

ExxonMobil operates through three segments that are the Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces oil and oil equivalents and represents roughly 70% of the income. The Downstream segment gathers, receives, stores, transports and refines oil and equivalents and their derivatives. The Downstream segment also markets and delivers fuel products to consumers and businesses. The Chemicals segment produces the full range of petrochemicals including plastics, resins and synthetic rubber.

ExxonMobil is committed to advancing sustainable and carbon-free energy solutions. The company is targeting 2050 for net-zero emissions and its 2030 interim targets are in alignment with the Paris Accord, the EU's Global Methane Pledge, and US Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan. The companys plans include investing $15 billion into reducing greenhouse emissions by 2028.






Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. It produces conventional, premium, and reformulated gasolines; gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB); diesel fuels, and low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels; CARB diesel; other distillates; jet fuels; blendstocks; and asphalts, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products, as well as sells lube oils and natural gas liquids. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day; and 12 ethanol plants with a combined ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.6 billion gallons per year. It sells its refined products through wholesale rack and bulk markets; and through approximately 7,000 outlets under the Valero, Beacon, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, and Texaco brands. The company also produces and sells ethanol, dry distiller grains, syrup, and inedible corn oil primarily to animal feed customers. In addition, it owns and operates crude oil and refined petroleum products pipelines, terminals, tanks, marine docks, truck rack bays, and other logistics assets; and owns and operates a plant that processes animal fats, used cooking oils, and inedible distillers corn oils into renewable diesel. The company was formerly known as Valero Refining and Marketing Company and changed its name to Valero Energy Corporation in August 1997. Valero Energy Corporation was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
For the second time this month, the Napa Valley Unified School District has reached an agreement to buy land for the purpose of moving a school sitting atop an earthquake fault.

Last week, the school board approved the purchase of 7.6 acres just off Old Sonoma Road for $1.8 million that will serve as the new campus for Stone Bridge School.

The seller was identified in a school board resolution and district purchasing agreement as 5266 OSR LLC. No other information on the seller was publicly available, according to Assistant Superintendent Wade Roach.

The new site will be located at 5266 Old Sonoma Rd., just north of the Carneros Resort and Spa.

Earlier this month, the Board of Trustees authorized the expenditure of $10.2 million to buy a 15-acre parcel in American Canyon to build a new campus for Napa Junction Elementary School.

The two land acquisitions will use funds from Measure H, the $269 million school bond approved by voters in June 2016.

Both Napa Junction and Stone Bridge have earthquake faults running beneath them, a fact that was discovered following the August 2014 earthquake.

The risk of seismic activity under Stone Bridge is compounded by the fact that it also has a PG&E natural gas transmission line running under it.

The combination of a fault and gas line prompted the school board in November 2016 to direct NVUSD to find a new home for Stone Bridge, a Waldorf-style charter school of about 250 students in grades K-8.

Were very pleased with the land purchase, said District spokesperson Elizabeth Emmett on Tuesday. We made the commitment to take care of the health and safety issues stemming from seismic concerns, and were happy to be moving forward.

Emmett said the district intends to have the new Stone Bridge location open by August 2020.

No current estimate for building the new campus was available, she added. The districts Office of Planning and Construction is working on designs, as well as updating the NVUSD Facilities Master Plan, adopted two years ago.

The Facilities Master Plan included spending $14.2 million on Stone Bridge construction. That estimate was based on a previous plan to keep the school at its current site, but shift it away from the 26-inch gas line that sits underground only 15 feet from the nearest building.

Emmett said the estimate in the Facilities Master Plan is expected to change once construction officials finalize the layout of the new campus off Old Sonoma Road.

Once Stone Bridge is moved, the district may form a 7-11 Committee comprised of local residents to help decide what to do with the current 10-acre property located off Carneros Avenue.

If the committee recommends selling it, we could use those proceeds to help pay for the new school, said Emmett.

A 200-foot segment of the transmission line running under the Carneros campus was replaced by PG&E after the 2014 earthquake. Utility officials said at the time that the pipeline did not break from that seismic event, and that the work was merely precautionary.

Despite the gasline replacement work and assurances from PG&E and consultants hired by NVUSD that it was safe to rebuild Stone Bridge on its campus, numerous trustees couldnt support investing millions of dollars in such an effort, or risk an explosion at the school.

Once the decision was made to move Stone Bridge, the district looked for another rural location because the school has a 1-acre farm that students use. Also, the school has received grants that were contingent on it being in a non-urban setting.

Were very excited and appreciative of the district for finding us another rural site, said Principal Maria Martinez. Farming is a big part of our program.

Martinez said the architect who will design the new campus will spend a day at Stone Bridge to meet faculty, students and parents, and to get a clear sense of the charter schools programs and needs.

Although the current site is nearly 10 acres in size, the school has made do with only 7 acres because about 2 acres were used for a septic field. So in moving to the new location of 7.6 acres, Stone Bridge will still have about the same amount of space to work with, according to Martinez.

Stone Bridge has already had three campuses in 20 years of operation. The charter school began at Napa Valley Expo, first in tents and then inside one of its exhibit halls.

Before settling at its Carneros site in 2010, Stone Bridge was at Salvador Elementary School, where it shared that campus with a K-6 program.

In September 2016, NVUSD suggested moving Stone Bridge to Yountville Elementary School to share that campus with the existing school that has suffered declining enrollment.

But parents from both Stone Bridge and Yountville objected to this plan, which also didnt sit well with the school board.
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segments. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment provides specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, hospitality, lodging, government and education, and retail industries. Its Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segment offers specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the healthcare, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries, such as infection prevention and surgical solutions, and end-to-end cleaning and contamination control solutions under the Ecolab, Microtek, and Anios brand names. The company's Other segment offers pest elimination services to detect, eliminate, and prevent pests, such as rodents and insects in restaurants, food and beverage processors, educational and healthcare facilities, hotels, quick service restaurant and grocery operations, and other institutional and commercial customers. This segment also provides colloidal silica for binding and polishing applications in semiconductor, catalyst, and aerospace component manufacturing, as well as chemical industries; and products and services that manage wash process through custom designed programs, premium products, dispensing equipment, water and energy management, and reduction, as well as real time data management. It sells its products through field sales and corporate account personnel, distributors, and dealers. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The minuscule Galilean town in which Joseph and Mary spent their lives and raised their son Jesus was, quite literally, a joke. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" asked one disciple, when he heard where the Messiah was from.

Some scholars posit that this was a popular saying in the 1st century. In any event, Nazareth was on the fringes of the Roman Empire. Roman roads avoided it until the 2nd century. Jesus came from a backwater of a backwater; he and his mother and father, the figures at the heart of the Christmas story, were most likely considered throwaway people.

The Gospels tell us little about Mary other than to say that she was a parthenon, a young woman, a virgin, most likely illiterate. The life of women in 1st century Nazareth was difficult: filled mainly with labor.

But life in Nazareth was difficult for everyone, not just women. Life expectancy was in the 30s. Those who reached 60 were rare. In "Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit," a fascinating study of daily Jewish life in Nazareth, the scholar Jodi Magness points out that we tend to view the life of the Holy Family through a "highly sanitized lens."

Garbage and sewage were tossed outside into the alleyways, perhaps by Mary herself. Magness describes conditions in Galilee as "filthy, malodorous and unhealthy."

Joseph is described in the Gospels as a tekton, a word that opens a tantalizing window into Jesus' early life as well, since he followed his foster father in his profession. Tektons were generally seen as ranking, socially and economically, below the peasantry since most didn't own a plot of land. It was probably a hardscrabble life, building doors and tables, but also likely digging ditches and building walls.

Today many scholars translate tekton not as carpenter, but as handyman or day laborer.

You can detect growing discomfort with this lower-class status in the Gospel narratives. When Jesus reveals his divine identity in Mark, the earliest Gospel, people say, "Is this not the tekton?" Writing a few decades later, Matthew transfers the label to Jesus' foster father: "Is this not the son of the tekton?" people ask. Finally, in Luke and John, written even later, all vestiges of Jesus' former occupation disappear from the question: "Is this not the son of Joseph?"

Jesus worked as a tekton from roughly 12 to 30. Fully 18 years of his life would have been spent at this arduous labor _ six times longer than his public ministry as a preacher and healer.

We must keep in mind that our Christmas cards are miles away from the reality of the Holy Family's existence. We must remember that the three of them looked more like the poor Syrian refugees on the news than the well-fed (and usually white) actors who play them in films. We must remember that it is into a life of simplicity, hiddenness and poverty that Jesus came.

We must remember that he was, most likely, poor.

God could have entered the world in any place or family that God chose. God could have become human in a great ruling family in Judea. God could have entered into humanity in a wealthy Galilean family, perhaps as the child of a well-traveled and well-read merchant or scholar. More to the point, God could have chosen to be born into the Roman dynasty, in line to become emperor, to exercise and demonstrate maximum power.

Instead, God chose to enter a family headed by a man with a simple profession, married to a woman who, from outward appearances, was no different than the other poor women in their joke of a town.

Is it any surprise, then, that Jesus felt such intense compassion for the poor and marginalized? That he constantly asked his disciples to care for the poor, the sick, the forgotten, the stranger? He was one of these throwaway people, and he lived among them for 30 years before his public ministry began.

Christians tend to see Jesus' commands to care for the poor as divine. And they were _ Jesus was fully divine. But they also came from his human experience. He was fully human as well.

I'm always amazed by people who feel they can be Christian without caring for the poor. Not only did Jesus command us to do this, Jesus himself was from this class. When God chose to join us, he joined us in Nazareth, to make sure that we wouldn't forget.
The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. 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Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. 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Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.

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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. 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Matador Resources Company, an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development, production, and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through two segments, Exploration and Production; and Midstream. The company primarily holds interests in the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. It also operates the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas; and the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. In addition, the company conducts midstream operations in support of its exploration, development, and production operations; provides natural gas processing and oil transportation services; and offers oil, natural gas, and produced water gathering services, as well as produced water disposal services to third parties. As of December 31, 2021, its estimated total proved oil and natural gas reserves were 323.4 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 181.3 million stock tank barrels of oil and 852.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was formerly known as Matador Holdco, Inc. and changed its name to Matador Resources Company in August 2011. Matador Resources Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
The seasonal ice skating rink at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa has officially opened, with cozy fire pits along the side of the rink and
Linda Socha, left, one of the owners of the Casa Vieja Events Center in Corrales, visits with Pat Young in Casa Vieja, the site today of Youngs Christmas party for underprivileged kids. (Greg Sorber/Albuquerque Journal) Pat Young, pictured here in her Corrales home, has been spearheading a Christmas toy giveaway for needy kids for decades. My whole push here is to spread love and abundance, she said. (Greg Sorber/Albuquerque Journal) The spirit of Christmas is made apparent in Pat Youngs home by the nativity sets  mostly miniatures  that she has been collecting for decades. One of the more than 300 nativity sets collected by Pat Young. Prev 1 of 4 Next

CORRALES  Pat Young cant forget the Christmas Eve a few years back when she delivered several large bags of toys to St. Felix Pantry, the Rio Rancho food and clothing bank sponsored by the Felician Sisters, a Catholic order.

It was about 10 in the morning and the man who was volunteering there was in tears when I came in with these bags because he said they had just run out of toys for the kids, Young said. I was so touched by that.

For Young, a retired teacher and a longtime Corrales resident, it was among the more memorable moments in a family Christmas gift-giving tradition that has been evolving for decades. Young said it began about 47 years ago as an annual Christmas party for friends hosted by Young and her husband, Jack, at their Corrales home.

It started because my family and I have enjoyed New Mexico Christmases all our lives and wanted to introduce friends new to the state to the traditions of a New Mexico Christmas, she said. Wed have posole, tamales and red and green chile.

Then about 30 years ago, Pat began asking their guests to bring toys for needy children to the annual Christmas party. And thats the way it has been ever since.

This afternoon, toys collected at Pat Youngs Christmas party on Saturday evening will be distributed to previously identified and invited children during a celebration at the Casa Vieja Events Center, which is just south of Youngs home.

We all live in such abundance here that we can spread it around, Young said. Thats my whole push here, to spread love and abundance.

Not just teddy bears

Young said anywhere from 80 to 120 people show up for the Christmas parties at her house, a roomy, rambling place festooned with the more than 300 nativity sets  mostly miniatures  she has been collecting for more than 50 years. So many guests means a lot of toys, so there are some stuffed animals and other gifts left over from Christmases past stacked here and there.

We get toys right across the board for infants up to about 14 years, she said. People bring anything they want to bring. A lot of the toys are high end. Its not just teddy bears. One of my favorite toys is this little plastic, fold-up tunnel that kids can just crawl through.

In 1949, when she was a child, Youngs family moved from Chicago to New Mexico.

My dad said we were on the way to California, but we made a stop, dad found a job and we found a home in Corrales within a few months, she said.

Her husband, Jack, who died two years ago, grew up near north Fourth Street in Albuquerque. Young said that neither her parents nor Jacks were big on celebrating Christmas in traditional New Mexico fashion. That started when she and Jack married.

Jack loved New Mexico food and we had friends who knew the food and the culture, she said. I had to learn to cook New Mexico food with mentors, but I had good mentors.

Once they were steeped in New Mexico Christmas cuisine and customs, Pat and Jack wanted to share that with friends who were still strangers to those festive ways. Thats what inspired the annual Christmas parties. Most of those celebration have been at the house that she and Jack started building nail by agonizing nail 47 years ago.

But Jacks work as a supervisor of electrical work for a large commercial construction company took him all over the state, and there were years when Pat and the couples three children found themselves in places such as Farmington and Zuni during Christmas.

Sometimes we lived in the place he worked in, but we would have the Christmas parties anyway, Young said. We would just invite people from around there.

These days, Young passes out invitations to her party.

I give them to people I know, everyone brings a toy for a child and we wrap them up.

So Corrales

Pat Young worked for many years as a teacher, mostly of fourth-graders and mostly at Rio Rancho schools. She cares about kids.

In the first years after toys for needy kids became part of the Young family Christmas parties, Young took the toys to Barrett House, a shelter for homeless women and children founded in 1985 in Downtown Albuquerque. She and a friend also occasionally cooked meals for the women and children at Barrett House.

In those days, Barrett House was just a small, little house and didnt have so many donors, she said.

More recently, she has taken the toys to places such as St. Felix Pantry.

That changed last year after Linda and Gary Socha and their daughter Maria Socha refurbished the Casa Vieja building and opened it as an events center. Dating back at least to the mid-1800s, Casa Vieja, which means old house, is a Corrales landmark that had been vacant for five years before the Sochas acquired it. Casa Vieja is next door to Youngs house.

Linda and Maria came over, introduced themselves and said they wanted to be part of the community, Young said.

One thing led to another and last year the Sochas donated Casa Vieja and their own time to Youngs toy-giveaway efforts. Instead of Young taking the toys someplace, needy kids, identified by the Corrales Fire Department and village charitable organizations, were invited to a party at Casa Vieja and given toys there.

Thats the way it will be this afternoon. Once again the Sochas have donated Casa Vieja to the cause. Youngs son, Jon Young, the owner-chef of Fresh Bistro in Los Ranchos, will provide refreshments for the party. Santa Claus will be there to distribute gifts and there will be craft-making activities for the children.

About 25 children attended the party last year and Young expects even more today.

Last year, the kids were all polite and appreciative and had good time, she said.

Young likes the new wrinkle because it is community oriented. She said most of the children getting toys will be Corrales residents.

And Casa Vieja is perfect, she said. It is so Corrales.

And right next door.
HARRISBURG, Pa.  Theres no doubt a gunman who fired at police in several locations in the state capital, wounding one of them before they shot and killed him, was targeting police officers, a prosecutor said.

Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired at a Harrisburg police officer on Friday afternoon and later at a state trooper, wounding her before pursuing her, Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said.

He fired several shots at a Capitol police officer and at a Pennsylvania state police trooper in marked vehicles, Marsico told reporters, flanked by state police, Capitol police and FBI officials.

The gunfire began shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, when the man fired several shots at a state Capitol officer in downtown Harrisburg, striking his car several times and sending one shot that went very close to hitting him, Marsico said. About 20 or 30 minutes later, he fired several shots at the state trooper, striking her with one of those shots.

The trooper is doing well, is in good condition and is expected to make a full recovery, Marsico said.

El-Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood, where city and state police encountered him.

He approached them with two handguns  firing many shots at those police officers, and the officers returned fire, killing him, Marsico said.

El-Mofty had ties to the Middle East and recently traveled there, but the motive for the attack was unknown, Marsico said.

Marsico asked for information from the public about the man, who also had ties to the city and its western suburbs across the Susquehanna River. He declined to comment on whether the man was known to police.

A relative, Ahmed Soweilam, told PennLive.com that he and his family doesnt know what to make of the reported actions by El-Mofty, his sisters ex-husband.

Thats not his behavior at all, said Soweilam, co-owner of a Halal store in Camp Hill. Thats not him. I still dont believe it.

Soweilam said the family had been estranged from El-Mofty, who had been married to his sister until they separated about six years ago. He said El-Mofty worked as a security guard and then moved back to Egypt, his former home, until returning a few months ago. He said El-Mofty had no history of violence or mental illness.

Hes not the perfect guy, but hes not an aggressive person, Soweilam said.

Department of Homeland Security Acting Press Secretary Tyler Q. Houlton said Saturday that El-Mofty was a naturalized U.S. citizen who was admitted to the country from Egypt on a family-based immigrant visa.

The long chain of migration that led to (El-Moftys) admission into the United States was initiated years ago by a distant relative, he said in a statement.

Houlton said incidents like the one involving El-Mofty highlight the Trump administrations concerns with extended family chain migration. He said chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by extremists.

Not only are the programs less effective at driving economic growth than merit-based immigration systems used by nearly all other countries, the programs make it more difficult to keep dangerous people out of the United States and to protect the safety of every American, he said.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Saturday he had talked to the director of Homeland Security as federal, state and local law enforcement authorities investigate last nights attack on law enforcement.

I again want to thank officers who put themselves in harms way to prevent further injury or loss of life, he said in a message on Twitter.

Marsico expressed gratitude to state and local police for bringing a rapid end to an episode he said could have been much worse.

This could have been a really tragic incidence with this individual firing many shots at police cars in downtown Harrisburg in the midst of rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon and then coming up here in a residential neighborhood and firing again many shots, he said.
A man is dead after police say he broke into his ex-girlfriends Northeast Albuquerque apartment while armed and her new boyfriend shot him early Saturday morning.

Officer Simon Drobik, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, identified the man killed as 24-year-old Edward Ortega-Landros. He said the shooter, whose name was not released, is in custody and cooperating with police.

On face value, that looks like a justifiable homicide, Drobik said. He feared for his life.

Drobik didnt say what Ortega-Landros was armed with.

Officers responded to the shooting around 2 a.m. in the 3800 block of Montgomery NE and found Ortega-Landros dead in an apartment.

Detectives learned the couple had recently broken up.

She had kind of moved on and was with another boyfriend, he said. The estranged boyfriend, or husband, made it to her apartment and came in through the window.

Drobik said while it appears a justifiable homicide, the decision will ultimately be made by the District Attorneys Office.
SEATTLE  A federal judge in Seattle on Saturday partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States.

U.S. District Judge James Robart heard arguments Thursday in lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service, which say the ban causes irreparable harm and puts some people at risk. Government lawyers argued that the ban is needed to protect national security.

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications. He said his order applies to people with a bona fide relationship to a person or entity within the United States.

President Donald Trump restarted the refugee program in October with enhanced vetting capabilities.

The day before his executive order, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees must be banned unless additional security measures are implemented.

It applies to the spouses and minor children of refugees who have already settled in the U.S. and suspends the refugee program for people coming from 11 countries, nine of which are mostly Muslim.

In his decision, Robart wrote that former officials detailed concretely how the Agency Memo will harm the United States national security and foreign policy interests.

Robart said his order restores refugee procedures in programs to what they were before the memo and noted that this already includes very thorough vetting of individuals.

In a statement, Department of Justice spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam said: We disagree with the Courts ruling and are currently evaluating the next steps.

The ACLU argued the memo provided no evidence for why additional security was needed and didnt specify a timeframe for implementing the changes. The groups say the process for imposing the policy violated a federal law.

August Flentje, a Justice Department attorney, told the judge that the ban is temporary and is a reasonable and appropriate way for agency heads to tackle gaps in the screening process.

The lawsuits from the two groups were consolidated and represent refugees who have been blocked from entering the country.

The ACLU represents a Somali man living in Washington state who is trying to bring his family to the U.S. They have gone through extensive vetting, have passed security and medical clearances, and just need travel papers, but those were denied after the ban.

Lisa Nowlin, staff attorney for the ACLU of Washington, said in a statement they were happy for their client  who has not yet had the opportunity to celebrate a single birthday with his younger son in person  will soon have the opportunity to hold his children, hug his wife in the very near future, and be together again as a family for the first time in four years.

Two other refugees included in the Jewish Family Service lawsuit are former Iraqi interpreters for the U.S. Army whose lives are at risk because of their service.

Another is a transgender woman in Egypt living in such extremely dangerous circumstances that the U.S. government itself had expedited her case until the ban came down, said Mariko Hirose, a lawyer with the Jewish Family Service case.

Yet another is a single woman in Iraq, Hirose said. Her husband divorced her after she was kidnapped and raped by militants because she worked with an American company. Her family is in the U.S. but shes stranded by the ban, Hirose said.

___

Associated Press writer Chris Grygiel contributed to this report.
The Uniform Law Commissions (ULC) recommended changes to New Mexicos guardian and conservator laws continues to position judges and their appointees beyond any accountability for actions taken in guardian and/or conservatorship cases.

No financial monitoring of the judges, attorneys and professionals is proposed; the word audit is not found once in 150 pages of proposed statutes. Instead, existing laws are re-written, disguising while continuing the existing unconstitutional, yet deemed legal, actions of judges and their appointees.

Current law explicitly states that judges have the first priority in appointing who may become guardian/conservator. The recommended ULC statute reads:

Section 309 (c) The court, acting in the best interest of the respondent, may decline to appoint as guardian a person having priority under subsection (a) and appoint a person having a lower priority or no priority.

Note that no priority means anybody of the judges choosing can be appointed your guardian or conservator. Judges currently have  and will continue to have  unconstitutional authority to void your legal contracts and replace your legal instructions with the judges choice, violating your civil and constitutional rights.

Another fundamental flaw of the proposed ULC statutes is the inclusion of two words  and equity  contained in the title and the sole sentence comprising Section 103. The words and equity must be stricken from the proposed statutes. As long as the words and equity remain, judges can base their rulings on equity principles, principles which allow judges to ignore black letter law and accept their own appointed attorneys arguments that the appointees action have been equitable  even when those actions grossly violate laws, as well as the wards civil, constitutional and human rights.

The suggested Uniform Commission Laws recommended statutes do not offer the wards and their families protection from the judges and their appointees actions, should those actions turn out to be financially unfavorable to the ward, as currently estimated in 35 percent of all guardianship cases, according to retired Judge Ted Baca in this years March 22 town hall meeting.

Currently, and in the future, should these ULC statutes be adopted, there is not, and will never be, any recourse available to wards or their families to complain or receive justice from anyone if the judge and their appointees act contrary to the wards or the families and loved ones interests. Meanwhile, state regulators have not done their legislatively required jobs of annual audits, bonding requirements or even minimal oversight of the court-appointees to whom the judges have given total authority over living human beings and their entire lives assets.

At Americans Against Abusive Probate Guardianship we support legislation such as HB 146 Protection of Vulnerable Adults as originally introduced in the 2017 legislative session by Reps. Yvette Herrell, R-Alamogordo, and Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque. The original wording of HB 146 criminalized and penalized actions that defraud vulnerable adults, such as the actions taken by court-appointed Paul Donisthorpe/Desert Trust and (allegedly taken by) Ayudando Guardians. HB 146 could also be used to investigate cases of suspected fraud, such as the case of Blair Darnell and the cases of several other clients of the same court-appointed attorney, including the RC Gorman estate.

In the protection of vulnerable people who are at the courts mercy, the devil is truly in the details of the law. Legislators would do well to nix the Uniform Law Commission proposed changes since they offer no guarantees to New Mexicans that if the courts fail to follow existing laws  as has been documented time and time again by the Journal  that the harmed parties have recourse to hold those judges and their appointees accountable, and for the wards to be reimbursed ALL money improperly taken from them by court order.

Legislators should instead enact 2017s HB 146 as originally submitted, to put some teeth and punishment toward criminals who abuse their judicial or court-appointed authority to steal from the vulnerable.

Kelley Smoot Garrett is Executive Vice President of Americans Against Abusive Probate Guardianship and was a panel member at the March 22 town hall meeting about guardianship sponsored by the Albuquerque Journal.
My family was one of the many families victimized by a predatory guardian/executor business working under shield of secrecy in New Mexico  i.e. the legal mandate to seal all fiduciary and medical records of protected persons. I testified before one of the first hearings of the Commission ordered by (N.M. Supreme Court) Justice Charles Daniels.

So far, the absolute and vault-like sealing of any records pertaining to the elderly, infirm and disabled has militated against their well-being. The sealing provision of the law protects only malfeasant guardians and conservators, not those who are the legal protected persons. Those persons are actually hostages to a corrupt system, a corrupt system which we have the opportunity to reform.

The sole financial accounting my mothers predatory guardian/executor performed was an annual, two-page, woefully general letter to the judge, who was not an accountant and lacked the skill or time to really analyze it.

The reforms recommended by the commission will cost an initial outlay of $1 million. But Ayudando allegedly embezzled and Desert State Life Management did embezzle at least $4 million from their clients. These victims were veterans, the disabled, SSI recipients: the poorest of the poor. Their funds will never be restored. How much will it cost the state to support them in their destitution?

U.S.News & World Report (in its) Nov. 21 issue reported that chief economist Jon Clark of the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee said the states recently depleted savings had substantially grown, and that the state had set aside an estimated $500 million as of the start of the fiscal year on July 1. The article further said that although New Mexicos state finances had been hit hard by a 2015 downturn in the oil sector, we are enjoying a rapid turnaround.

The guardianship/executorship reform would cost only 1/500th of New Mexicos set-aside funding. But it would impact a great segment of the population. A flood of Baby Boomers are getting older and will be at the mercy of predatory guardians and conservators very soon.

There are many demands for money at this time.

However, these victims, or hostages, have uttered silent screams. They are people who lack any real representation, (for example a) Holocaust survivor was not allowed to bring a journalist to a hearing before his guardian.

The $600,000 initial cost for a computer software program is a one-time investment; the commissions recommendations balance the protected persons vital secrecy while protecting him or her from rapacious exploitation; (and) one or two live watchdogs salaries is a small price to pay to protect the very most vulnerable in New Mexico.

Gov. (Susana) Martinez is uniquely positioned to aid the New Mexicans vulnerable to predatory guardians and conservators for three reasons:

1. Only she, as governor, can put this issue on the agenda for this session.

2. (She) is a lawyer (and) knows how lawyers can subvert the spirit of the law. Now the well-being of protected persons is sabotaged, not fortified, by the law. This is done with the tool of the statutory sealing of any records. Sunlight is a great disinfectant. With no transparency at all, there can be no accountability at all.

3. (She) is a caregiver of her sister. She knows how much caregivers love their relatives. They do not want any of the provisions stored up for their relatives well-being to be misappropriated. Perhaps of even more importance, they do not want their relative being mistreated should the caregiver pre-decease the compromised relative. Both exploitation and abuse are rampant under the status quo.

To many readers, this is a lackluster issue. But its very low profile is by the design of rapacious predators who function most effectively in the dark alleys of non-accountability.
WASHINGTON  On Wednesday, the 335th day of his presidency, Donald J. Trump did something most extraordinary and uncharacteristic. He told the truth.

The president, celebrating his $1.5 trillion tax cut with fellow Republicans at the South Portico of the White House, was midway through his remarks when he veered sharply off message.

I shouldnt say this, Trump said, but we essentially repealed Obamacare.

No, he probably shouldnt have said it. But its true. Republicans, in rushing the tax bill to passage, kept fairly quiet about the fact that they were killing the individual mandate and thereby removing the engine that made the Affordable Care Act work. In doing so, they threw the health-care system into chaos without offering any remedy. And Trump just claimed paternity of the destruction.

Trump, in a Cabinet meeting earlier Wednesday, let his fleeting encounter with honesty get the better of him when he read aloud the stage directions that called for Republicans not to advertise that they were killing Obamacare. Obamacare has been repealed in this bill. We didnt want to bring it up, he said. I told people specifically, Be quiet with the fake-news media because I dont want them talking too much about it. Because I didnt know how people would  . Trump didnt finish that thought, but he said he could admit what had been done now that its approved.

With those admissions now on tape, Trump has officially claimed full ownership of the health-care system for himself and fellow Republicans. Whatever it is now  or isnt  is Trumpcare. Here are some of its features:

 Premiums for the most popular health insurance on the individual market exchanges are estimated to rise 34 percent on average next year, according to the consulting firm Avalere Health, because of previous sabotage done by the Trump administration. Premiums in Iowa would be up 69 percent, Wyoming 65 percent and Utah 64 percent.

_Agate> Employer-based health insurance costs are forecast to rise in 2018 by the most since 2011, at 4.3 percent, according to the human resources consulting firm Mercer, and overall medical costs will be up 6.5 percent, the first increase in the rate in three years, according to the consulting firm PwC. Assuming those increases are passed along to workers, they would eat up half of the $910 tax cut received next year by households with income between $55,000 and $93,000 and all of the tax cut received by households earning $27,000 to $54,000.

The more Trump claims to have done away with Obamacare, the more he owns problems in the health system of his making or not, says Drew Altman, head of the Kaiser Family Foundation and an authority on health care and public opinion. Altman tells me Trump will certainly own responsibility for premium increases on the former Obamacare exchanges and for the up to 13 million who will no longer have coverage under the new tax plan.

The new system also belongs to Republicans such as Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who, in exchange for her vote for the tax bill, was hornswoggled into believing Congress will take action before year end on subsidies to stabilize the former Obamacare exchanges. That has now been put off until next year, and it will meet stiff resistance from Collinss fellow Republicans.

This will be but one source of division among Republicans now that they have secured the tax cut, which was a rare source of unity within the party  and the main reason many GOP lawmakers who find Trump distasteful have stuck with him until now.

Trump and congressional leaders, walking along the White House driveway Wednesday afternoon to Hail to the Chief, applauded GOP lawmakers around the South Portico, and the lawmakers applauded back. But soon they will be fighting about immigration, funding the government, cutting Medicare and attacking special counsel Robert Mueller. The divisions will only worsen if Trump continues to have bouts of unaccustomed honesty, as he did Wednesday.

In addition to his confession about Obamacare, he also acknowledged that the tax cuts supersede reform in the tax bill and that the biggest factor in this plan is the cut in the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.

Trump did not trespass long in the land of truth. He also renewed his claim that the tax bill is the largest tax cut in the history of our country. It isnt that, by a long shot. But it is many other things, including a huge shock to the health-care system, with no remedy in sight.

Follow Dana Milbank on Twitter, @Milbank. Email: danamilbank@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
It is human nature to search for answers after an event as tragic as the malevolent Dec. 7 shooting that took the lives of Aztec High School students Casey Jordan and Francisco Paco Fernandez, and ripped at the soul of the community.

How, we ask ourselves, could a tortured young man by the name of William Atchison have geared up and walked into the high school to kill people he had never met and then end his own life with the Glock pistol he carried?

Can we find someone to blame? Is there a scapegoat? How, we ask ourselves, could we have found a way to stop him? Atchison, who apparently despaired of what he considered to be his own miserable life, had been on the FBIs radar 18 months before the shooting, and had continued to post racist and anti-Semitic rants on various websites  often under assumed names. How, we ask ourselves, could someone like that have legally bought a gun without the FBI even being notified?

Atchison, 21, lived at home and worked at a gas station convenience store. Where were his parents?

In this case and many others, there are no easy answers.

The FBI interviewed Atchison in 2016 after being notified of an internet post in which he talked about mass shootings and asked where he could get an assault rifle inexpensively.

But Atchison told agents he was just trolling  a practice of trying to provoke people and one he engaged in frequently. He didnt have a firearm and said he had no plans to buy one.

Based on that and his lack of a criminal history, the FBI concluded its assessment because there was no evidence of a crime that would have allowed agents to go forward. Atchisons posting was very generic, not a specific threat, said Terry Wade, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque FBI office.

Fair point. The FBI investigates crimes. It isnt the thought police. Even as Atchison went on to assail African-Americans, Jews, LGBT people and others, he didnt actually threaten anyone.

The FBI found itself in the same situation with Omar Mateen, the Islamic radical who slaughtered 49 people in an Orlando nightclub frequented by LGBT clients. Its investigation was much deeper than in Atchisons case, but again it found no evidence of a crime and closed the file.

Tougher gun laws? They might have made a difference in Mateens case, but not in Atchisons. He had no record, no diagnosis of mental illness and he simply bought a handgun  not an assault-style weapon.

Mateen and Atchison appear to have been self-radicalized in different ways: Mateen on Islamic radical sites, and Atchison by white supremacists and others. One of the awful downsides of the amazing capabilities of the internet is that people with the most twisted of values  of any kind  can find like-minded souls in the virtual world.

Going forward, do we need to give agencies like the FBI more leeway to keep someone like Atchison or Mateen on a watch list? Perhaps. But giving law enforcement more power over civilians who have yet to commit a crime carries its own risks in a nation that values civil liberties. As people, we can condemn hateful speech like that spewed by Atchison, and some would advocate empowering the government to shut it down. But that also opens the door to abuses.

Some argue it is time for us to have these national conversations as we grapple with evolving threats in a virtual world. Perhaps it is.

Until then, sadly, we can offer our thoughts and prayers to Francisco and Casey, their families and the people of Aztec.

But there are no easy answers.

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.
ROCKLEDGE, Florida  Dawn Marie Krell, a teacher at John F. Kennedy Middle School, was arrested on Thursday after allegedly battering a student who wanted to use the restroom.

According to the police report, the dean of Kennedy Middle School was notified of a disruptive student in Krells classroom around 3 p.m. on Friday, December 15, 2017.

When the dean and principal approached the classroom, they saw the student standing outside the classroom door. The door was open and students were inside the classroom.

When the dean asked what was going on, the student said that he asked to use the restroom but was denied several times by Ms. Krell.

The student said it was an emergency but Krell told the student to go outside the classroom.

The student said that Krell then followed him as he walked out of the classroom, placed both of her hands on each of the students shoulders, and forcefully shoved the student up against a wall while saying that the student was disrupting her classroom.

The student said that he told Krell that he was not being disruptive, but that he just had to use the restroom. The student then managed to push himself away from Krell.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Just after Thanksgiving, the family of Omar Ramirez rejoiced upon learning that former Desert State Life Management CEO Paul Donisthorpe had agreed to pay $4.8 million in restitution after pleading guilty to pilfering dozens of client trust accounts, including a $1 million trust set up for Omars lifetime care.

I guess theres going to be Christmas for Omar, younger brother Armando said at the time in a phone interview. The Ramirez family lives in Santa Teresa, N.M., where their mother cares 24/7 for Omar, who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a 2001 car accident in which he struck an errant cow in the roadway.

To tell you the truth, I feel like crying, Armando told the Journal.  My moms going to be so happy.

But as the year ends, theres been no restitution paid to Ramirez and some 39 other victims  elderly and mentally or physically impaired clients whose trust accounts were looted by Donisthorpe from 2006 to 2016.

Theres no assurance that any of the victims will recoup all their financial losses, say state officials tasked with liquidating Donisthorpes assets, including some 100 head of Texas cattle.

I dont want to paint a rosy picture where everybody thinks theyre going to get every dollar back, said Christopher Moya, acting head of the state Financial Institutions Division. But were going to try our hardest to get as much as we can.

Omars parents dont speak English, and the family worried that state regulators some 300 miles to the north in Santa Fe would forget about his loss and its impact on their close-knit family.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Moya told the Journal.

Omar is our driving force here. Hes the one I keep in the back of my mind every day on this thing. Theres some language barriers there, but hes the one I think about.

Donisthorpe takes blame, and his wife walks away

In pleading guilty Nov. 27, Donisthorpe accepted sole responsibility for siphoning millions of dollars from the trust accounts he had managed since 2006, when he took over the nonprofit Desert State, based in Albuquerque.

Donisthorpe, 62, was charged in a federal criminal information, then pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering  all during the same unannounced court appearance. He was released pending sentencing, which is set for Feb. 27.

Under the plea agreement, he faces from eight to 12 years in prison, and agreed to pay restitution.

It appears unlikely that criminal charges will be filed against anyone else. We dont have a say in that, but I would not believe so, said Kevin Graham, a lawyer with the state Financial Institutions Division.

Graham and Moya recently spoke to the Journal in their first interview about the case, which began in February after state officials first attempted to conduct an examination of financial records at the nonprofit trust company.

On May 31, after the theft from client accounts became evident, the FID sought an emergency hearing and order for a permanent injunction and receivership of the firm.

The state also named Donisthorpes wife of 31 years, Liane Kerr, in a motion seeking an injunction to prohibit her and others from having any contact or involvement with the business. During the early days of the state inquiry, Donisthorpe couldnt be located, and Kerr appeared at Desert State offices at 1011 Fourth St. in Albuquerque.

Court records state that Kerr, a criminal defense attorney, told state examiners back then that the two staff members in the Desert States office were new and had minimal knowledge of the firm. But FID officials later learned that the employees had been with the company for 10 years. At one point, Kerr told state regulators that Donisthorpe was legally incompetent. Reports surfaced that he had brain damage from a stroke or botched suicide attempt. But the FIDs Graham told the Journal he saw no evidence of mental impairment when Donisthorpe appeared at last months plea hearing.

Kerr is named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed on behalf of several clients who lost money in the embezzlement. The lawsuit contends she should have known about the mismanagement of funds and directly benefited from the scheme. A one-time friend of Kerrs who sat on the board of directors for Desert State has accused Kerr of using stolen Desert State client money to buy jewelry, artwork, furniture and property, including a $950,000 luxury lodge in Angel Fire.

Kerr, in court records, denied any knowledge of her husbands illegal activities, contended she didnt benefit indirectly or directly and had never had anything to do with (Desert State). She filed for divorce March 24.

While the divorce was pending, FID filed a notice to alert the Sandoval County district judge assigned the case about the pending receivership and injunction action regarding Desert State.

In that June 16 notification to the judge, state regulators contended that the assets of the marriage were in question and were more likely than not the product of ill gotten gains by Donisthorpe.

But three days after the states filing, state District Judge Cheryl Johnston approved the final divorce decree sought by Kerr. Johnston couldnt be reached for comment last week, but her final order stated that she had examined all the filings in the case and was fully aware of the circumstances.

It wasnt clear from court records if there was a hearing, in which FIDs attorney could have addressed the court.

The final divorce document shows that Donisthorpe was represented by Robert Strumor, a New Mexico bond attorney.

Donisthorpe had been a CPA and financial adviser on bond matters and other issues for various local governments in the state.

Donisthorpe, in his plea agreement, admitted spending client funds on business ventures, his home mortgage, the Angel Fire lodge mortgage, vehicles, credit cards and to pay off IRS liens.

In the divorce, Kerr kept the couples $475,000 North Valley home and received ownership of the $400,000 Desert State office building where she has a law office. Donisthorpe retained the home in Angel Fire, which had a $296,000 mortgage.

Omar remains hopeful

Donisthorpes plea was an important first step to putting the liquidation of his assets on a fast track, said Graham of the FID.

They (federal authorities) can hopefully do within a month time frame what would have taken us years in civil court to accomplish.

Moya, who is credited with ordering the financial exam despite Donisthorpes multiple attempts to delay the inquiry, recalled that state examiners initially thought they would find minor accounting errors.

We never thought they were going to balloon into what they did, Moya said.

Moya said Donisthorpe should have had more of a moral compass, especially considering how vulnerable his clients were.

These trusts were set up to provide for them, largely when they couldnt afford the essential equipment and resources they need throughout their lives, said FID attorney Graham. When you go steal from those victims, knowing exactly the situation theyre in, it does seem like youre doubling down on evil.

While the sale of Donisthorpes properties may reap some money to offset client losses, attorneys for about a dozen victims have gone to court to seek damages against Desert States liability insurance.

But the Ramirez family says they cant find an attorney in southern New Mexico who will join that litigation on Omars behalf.

When told by the Journal of Donisthorpes plea last month, Armando put his mother, Juanita, and Omar on the phone with a reporter to express their gratitude.

Omar, 35, is able to talk and walk despite his mental impairment. But he lost sight in one eye, is prone to seizures and cant be left alone.

Omars Desert State trust fund was set up with proceeds from a $1.2 million settlement of a lawsuit his family filed against the rancher whose cow strayed onto State Road 28 that night in 2001.

Weve been going through a lot the last month with Omar and my mom, Armando Ramirez said last month. Without the trust payments, he added, weve been helping them financially.

Omar remained hopeful when he spoke with the Journal last month.

The bad things are behind us now, he said. We want to spend the new year with good things.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Paul Donisthorpe and Darrell Pitchford were competitors showing cattle at the New Mexico State Fair when Donisthorpe got tired of Pitchford winning all the prizes.

So Donisthorpe pitched the idea of them going into business together. Eight years later, Pitchford rues the day he agreed to the partnership.

I never want to hear his name again in my life, Pitchford said last week in a telephone interview from his Athens, Texas, ranch.

Donisthorpe had been the money man for the 100-head Corazon-Pitchford cattle operation that featured prized Santa Gertrudis cows.

But it turns out a large chunk of the cash Donisthorpe had been pumping into the business came from the trust accounts of vulnerable and special needs clients whose accounts Donisthorpe managed at the Albuquerque-based Desert State Life Management.

Its like when youre on top of the world and you get your chair pulled out from under you, Pitchford said. He said he had no idea Donisthorpe had swindled Desert State trust clients until the news broke in Albuquerque last June.

He was really, really slick, Pitchford said. He was good as gold to my family. Super nice. We never argued. We were building a really good herd.

Donisthorpe served as deputy New Mexico State Fair director in the 1980s, but he and another top fair official resigned in 1989 amid reports of financial mismanagement.

After the Desert State revelations came to light, Pitchford discovered Donisthorpe hadnt paid $300,000 owed to TransOva, a firm that helped with cow embryo placement and development at their Texas cattle operation.

Unbeknownst to Pitchford, Donisthorpe also had changed the articles of incorporation to show he owned 67 percent of the Corazon-Pitchford cattle company. Pitchford said they agreed to Donisthorpes owning 51 percent.

From the very beginning, when they founded the company, Donisthorpe was already cheating him, said Scott Fuqua of Santa Fe, Pitchfords attorney.

Ive got a long ways to go to pay off all the debt, Pitchford said, saying he can relate to the plight of the trust clients who were robbed.

Heck, I was as much a victim as they were.

The cattle operation is among the assets state and federal investigators are hoping to tap for victim restitution.

New Mexico Financial Securities Division senior counsel Kevin Graham and FID acting chief Christopher Moya traveled to Texas to check out the prospects of recovery.

It turns out the value of cattle is a lot less than we hoped, Graham said. Maybe thousands, but certainly not hundreds of thousands.

Pitchford nevertheless will be negotiating a settlement with the state, state officials said.

Pitchford plans to start over with a new financial backer but is pretty much out of luck in trying to recover his losses, Fuqua said.

He would be drilling the same dry hole that everybody else is drilling, and thats Donisthorpe.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Robert Duffner has seen some of the greatest technologies the Air Force has created up close and personal as a historian of the Air Force Research Laboratory and its predecessors at Kirtland Air Force Base.

Duffner, 73, is retiring after 41 years of meticulously documenting every undertaking  successes and failures alike  of what is now known as the Air Force Research Lab.

The job of historians is to capture and preserve the history of the Air Force units, Duffner said, sitting at a wooden table strewn with his work inside the AFRL Phillips Research Site History Office. Our advantage is we can talk to the people who created that history, the eyewitnesses that actually developed these systems.

One of those creators of history was Robert Fugate, who led the bases Starfire Optical Range and the field of adaptive optics at its beginning.

While Duffner was working on a book on the field, Fugates time was in high demand.

Duffners calls went unanswered.

Finally, Duffner spotted him in front of a building on base, where he approached him.

I explained to him, hey, we need to capture this while youre still here, while your people are still here and not write this book 20 years in the future, because then it would be 20 times harder to write, Duffner said.

Fugate was convinced, and the resulting book, The Adaptive Optics Revolution: A History, won the Air Forces 2010 Book Award for Excellence in Historical Publications.

At first they think youre a spy, Duffner joked about his works subjects. But once they see the products, theyre more than satisfied.

Since he began working on the base in 1976, research and development at Kirtland has been housed at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, the Air Force Space Technology Center and Phillips Laboratory throughout the years.

In 1997, the Air Force elected to consolidate its R & D operations into the Air Force Research Laboratory that would be made up of four labs, each with designated directorates.

Since then, Duffner has been documenting the work of AFRLs Directed Energy and Space Vehicles directorates at Kirtland, known as the Phillips Research Site.

The office is sort of like a maximum-security library; the doors remain locked and many of the shelved materials are plastered with CLASSIFIED in large, red letters.

Its difficult to even find a safe place to photograph him.

Throughout his career, Duffner has used records and interviews with the scientists and military members who develop a technology to produce an annual history of the labs activities, monographs (short works based on specific programs) and three books.

In addition to the book on adaptive optics, Duffner also authored Science and Technology: The Making of the Air Force Research Laboratory (also a recipient of the Book Award for Excellence in Historical Publications) and Airborne Laser: Bullets of Light.

The rewarding part for me has been turning out these products, because nobody else turns out these products, Duffner said, gesturing around at the book-laden walls. I think these are lasting contributions.

Duffner himself became a part of history in the 1960s, serving in the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1968 as a rifle platoon leader.

I came out of there and felt I could really pick out the people you could depend on, Duffner said, adding the skill is something hes used throughout his career as an AFRL historian. Not people who said were going to do this, were going to do that and then they disappear.

After his service, Duffner received his masters degree in 1970 and doctorate in history in 1974 from the University of Missouri.

Soon after, he landed a job at Kirtland and has been there ever since.

Darren Raspa, a recent University of New Mexico doctoral program graduate, has been working with Duffner in the history office for the past year, preparing to soon take over Duffners position.

Having spent the last year with him, Ive come to respect him as a fellow historian, Raspa said. Just to see what hes produced over the last 40 years, consistently  Its a daunting task.

As for the lab itself, which has been tasked recently with increased risk-taking in developing technologies, Duffner said he believes it will endure.

I think the labs going to be around for a long time, he said. They have always survived despite big organizational changes. The lab is always changing.
LAS CRUCES  Dona Ana County authorities say thefts of pecans are on the rise  sparking concerns among large-scale farmers and backyard growers alike.

The rash of thefts comes as the harvest is in full-swing  having been launched in earnest by a Dec. 7 freeze  and prices are strong for the crop.

Las Cruces pecan farmer and buyer Phillip Arnold said theft of the crop has become a huge problem across the county.

A lot of these pecan growers are very frustrated, he said in a news conference Wednesday. They work all year long, spend a lot of money on the fertilizer, the crop and everything else to try to get the crop grown. And to have people come in here and take it, like people walking in your backyard and taking one of your own personal possessions, its extremely frustrating.

Last year, average per-pound prices for in-shell pecans reached nearly $3, a record for the state. In early December, the New Mexico price was hovering between $2.50 and $2.78 per pound for high-quality shipments of 20,000 pounds or less, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Dona Ana County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Jeremy Hash, who oversees criminal investigations, said the agency has received 15 reports of felony-level pecan theft or pecan-related equipment in the over the past two months.

The total amount of theft, its going to be somewhere around $25,000 to $35,000, he said. And thats just what is reported to us and theres enough information to take a report on.

Arnold said if misdemeanor thefts are factored in, the numbers soar.

Much of the theft happens at night, making it harder to spot, authorities said. But its occurring in broad daylight, too. Farms and businesses alike, such as nut shelling operations, have been targeted.

County Sheriff Enrique Kiki Vigil said his agency is working with farmers on new ideas to curtail the problem, because right now, pecan theft is a difficult crime to prosecute. DASO is working with county commissioners to create an ordinance that could help to deter theft in the future. But if passed, it wouldnt apply until the 2018-19 harvest.

Often, there arent any eyewitnesses to or video footage of the crimes, DASO authorities said. And sometimes even farmers who spot a crime in action are afraid to report it for fear of retaliation.

Las Cruces-area pecan farmer Greg Daviet said nut theft is a concern every year, and the problem continues to grow.

This year, Arnold said his family discovered pecans had been stolen from one of their orchards by someone who used rakes to gather them off the ground. He estimated that they stole 500 to 1,000 pounds of nuts.

For years, Daviet has hired security guards to patrol his orchards in an attempt to deter theft. Also, he has adopted a no-leniency policy about seeking prosecution for anyone who attempts to steal pecans.

It has greatly reduced the number of occurrences of people coming across our property line and taking pecans, he said.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Editors note: Journal Washington correspondent Michael Coleman recently sat down with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to discuss the issues that dominated his first year leading the department.

WASHINGTON  U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinkes first year in office was a whirlwind of activity and controversy, with plenty of both centered in New Mexico.

President Donald Trump appointed the former Navy Seal and Republican congressman from Montana as interior secretary in late 2016, handing him responsibility for a vast federal portfolio that includes the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Interiors Bureau of Land Management is responsible for 13 million acres of public land in New Mexico alone.

If it all seems daunting, the perpetually upbeat Zinke doesnt let it show.

I love my job, the interior secretary declared last week during an interview in his office, which boasts jaw-dropping views of the Washington Monument and National Mall. Im passionate about public lands.

On his first day on the job  clad in jeans and a black cowboy hat  Zinke rode a U.S. Park Police horse to his swearing-in. He continued to make splashy news throughout the year, whether it was for his plans to reorganize the Interior Department and slash its workforce by as many as 4,000 employees, his stated intent to open more federal lands to both oil drilling and recreation, or his admonishing a national park superintendent for tweets about climate change.

No issue loomed larger in the interior secretarys first year in office than his contentious and controversial review of 27 national monuments for possible downsizing or other changes. Two of those monuments  Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument near Las Cruces and Rio Grande del Norte National Monument near Taos  became a national rallying cry for land conservationists. Zinke spent two days in New Mexico in late July meeting with public officials and others, and even took a horseback ride with the states two Democratic U.S. senators.

Despite intense public skepticism about his intentions, Zinke recommended no changes to the monuments boundaries in New Mexico  only management changes.

It was a marked contrast to his action in Utah, where he urged Trump to slash the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments. The move triggered lawsuits and a withering rebuke from the Patagonia outdoor clothing company, which took to social media to tell Americans that Trump stole your land.

The president tasked me to get the local voice, Zinke said, explaining his decision on New Mexicos monuments. I talked to the governor, I talked to your two senators, I talked to (Republican Rep.) Steve Pearce and I talked to the communities. Overwhelmingly, the communities were comfortable with the monuments. It was different in Utah where you had both senators, all the congressman and the governor supportive (of reducing the monuments).

And what about Pearce, who represents the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monuments? He had pushed Zinke and Trump to reduce the half-million-acre land preserves footprint by as much as 88 percent.

My respect for Steve Pearce is enormous, but at the end of the day it was my judgment that the (scientifically or culturally significant) objects could be protected, and that the ranchers, infrastructure and public access could be insured by a change in the monuments proclamation without a boundary revision, Zinke said.

Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall of New Mexico remain suspicious of Zinkes intent in New Mexico, and have said they wont be mollified until Trump makes final decisions on the two monuments.

Zinke said hes recommended management changes that protect ranchers rights to graze their livestock at the Rio Grande del Norte Monument and give the Border Patrol unfettered ability to disrupt drug trafficking routes near the Organ Mountains monument in southern New Mexico.

Udall and Heinrich contend those protections are already in place under the existing monument proclamations and no further tinkering is needed. Zinke said he expects Trump to adopt his recommendations for the New Mexico monuments in full.

The president has told me that he has reviewed the recommendations and agrees with them, Zinke said. So were going forward to rewrite the proclamations (that established the monuments) but were doing it in a careful methodical way because it involves not just us, but the state. I think well see it (completed) in the beginning of the year  within the first quarter of the year.

And this idea that were stealing land? Zinke added in response to Patagonia. There isnt one square inch that has left federal protection.

Fee hike proposal

Another controversy brewing during Zinkes first year on the job was his proposal to double entrance fees at some national parks during peak visitation times.

Many in Congress  including Rep. Rob Bishop, a Utah Republican who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee  have bristled at the idea. But Zinke said the National Park Services budget demands it.

We had 330 million visitors to our park system last year, he said. And we think those numbers are only going to go up.

Zinke said the current $80 fee that allows a single car to visit any national park is the best bargain in America. He noted that, at least during peak visitation periods, some parks are too crowded for people to enjoy.

It is not to be exclusive but about generating revenue, Zinke said of his proposal to double fees in some parks. That revenue goes back to the parks. I face an $11.5 billion dollar backlog of maintenance. Im actively looking at ways to address the infrastructure of the parks.

Another way Zinke hopes to raise revenue is by partnering with private companies. The very idea worries conservationists and others who envision billboards and other visually intrusive corporate branding spoiling the pristine natural sightlines.

Its not advertising but public-private partnerships, Zinke said. There are places for public private partnerships in the parks, as we have today. The park rangers dont flip burgers. We have vendors who run our lodges. We think one opportunity is going green  maybe having a Tesla or one of the technology companies help us with transportation. We think Wi-Fi is another area of opportunity.

He said amenities at many U.S. parks are woefully outdated.

Some of our campgrounds were configured for the Eisenhower (era) station wagon and the Coleman tent, Zinke continued. A lot of people camp now with trailers or RVs so  that might be an opportunity for modernizing and a public-private partnership.

We have to carefully evaluate whats right for each area. Yosemite is a lot different than Glacier or (the parks) in New Mexico. Those parks are somewhat different. In some of our monuments those campgrounds are pretty small and super packed during peak visitation  but maybe there is an opportunity to expand that campground.

Climate change views

In addition to his policies on public lands, environmental watchdogs are closely eyeballing Zinkes positions on climate change.

He raised eyebrows earlier this month when he privately reprimanded David Smith, the superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park. The parks official Twitter account tweeted that humans are the driving force of global climate change.

Zinke ordered Smith to a meeting in Washington where he informed him the tweets werent appreciated, although the interior secretary rejected the Journals observation that he took Smith to the woodshed.

I would not classify it as a woodshedding, Zinke said. I would classify it as park superintendents should not articulate national policy. The superintendents focus needs to be on their parks but not on national policy. Stay with their expertise.

Smiths tweets werent deleted because they didnt violate Interior Department policies.

What about Zinkes own views on climate change? Critics contend that while he once seemed to support the science that contends climate change is man-made  and the notion that the U.S. should actively try to mitigate it  he has softened those views since joining the Trump administration.

Its undisputable climate is changing, Zinke said. Its undisputable that man has had an influence, but then again man has had negative influence on a lot of environmental issues. How we used to mine, how destructive weve been on coral reefs, on some of the well-intended but unintended consequences of some of our levees and water systems. There are examples in New Mexico where weve diverted water and its had unintended consequences.

American energy

Zinke makes no secret of his support for more domestic oil and gas drilling. In October, he proposed the largest oil and gas lease sale ever held in the United States  77 million acres in federal waters off of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Hes also pursuing oil and gas lease sales across the West, drawing fierce criticism from environmental advocates who contend the leases will threaten pristine public landscapes and habitat for endangered species.

Ive been criticized about oil and gas, Zinke said. I dont favor oil and gas any more than I favor wind or any other type of energy. I favor American energy in all forms, but I also favor making sure that we have a reclamation plan and I favor making sure that you hold industry accountable. We can do it better cleaner and more efficient than any other country in the world.
Aiken resident Suzanne Hatchell has more than 20 trees in her home, but this year, Christmas means more than decorations.
In this photo, part of the containment vessel for a new nuclear reactor at the Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant is under construction in Georgia.
December 23, 2017

The Trump administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which led to the United States being scolded by 128 countries at the UN General Assembly last week, has constrained some, but not all, of the joy of Christmas for Christians in the Middle East.

In addition to the calamitous diplomatic fallout, which we assessed here last week, Pope Francis, the archbishop of Canterbury and the leaders of Christian churches and communities in Jerusalem and throughout the region all opposed the decision. As Amr Mostafa reported from Cairo, Egypts Muslim, Coptic and secular groups united in opposition to the Jerusalem decision. US Vice President Mike Pence, an evangelical Christian, who had to postpone his travel to the region because of congressional action on tax reform, would have been poorly received, if received at all, by representatives of Christian communities.

Despite the developments on Jerusalem, there was still joy in Bethlehem, where, as Ibrahim Abdelhadi reported, the Al-Mahd Church, better known as the Church of the Nativity, is greeting Christmas with a fresh face this year following a major rehabilitation of its roof and ancient mosaics.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and, Abelhadi said, reportedly the world's oldest church in daily use, Al-Mahd's original basilica was built in the fourth century by Roman Emperor Constantine I above a cave where Virgin Mary is said to have given birth to Jesus. In the early medieval period, other ecclesiastical buildings were incorporated into the original site. Consequently, today the Church of the Nativity is overseen by members of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Custody of the Holy Land and the Armenian Church. It's considered one of the most important Christian churches in the world after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Unfortunately, one of the most revered churches in Turkey has fallen upon harder times. Mahmut Bozarslan reported that the centuries-old Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir, which had been restored after years of disuse and abuse in 2012, only to be damaged and desecrated as a result of the fighting in 2015 between Turkish security and Kurdistan Workers Party forces, has suffered subsequent vandalism and desecration. Bozarslan wrote that for church board member Gaffur Turkay, The fact that hammer-wielding vandals could enter and damage the house of worship while members of the church board could only go there after receiving permission is a bitter pill to swallow.

The defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria offers some welcome good news, allowing those displaced by the war to return and rebuild their cities, towns and villages. In Iraq, as Omar Sattar reported in October, there are about 450,000 Christians with varying political alignments. Sattar wrote, Iraqi Christians' pursuit of living in security and having their civil rights safeguarded exceeds their search for a political and administrative independence. This is due to the harassment they have suffered at the hands of armed groups and militias, as well as their political exploitation by various Iraqi parties that view the minority card to be of a major importance in acquiring land and obtaining international support and sympathy.

It is perhaps fitting that we close our column with a return to Aleppo, where there have been Christmas celebrations and a proliferation of Christmas trees, as citizens of different faiths use the holiday to express hope for an end to war and a return to normalcy. Last month, parts of the ancient souk reopened. The slow turnaround in Aleppo, while fragile (there was an attack by armed groups this week), reminds us of what we wrote here almost two years ago, at the height of the war: A Syrian government victory in Aleppo could be the beginning of the end of the sectarian mindset that would have been alien to the city prior to 2011. There is no more appropriate city to begin Syrias healing. A Syrian government victory in Aleppo will make it harder to rationalize Western backing for jihadi groups who want to keep up the fight against long odds in the rest of the country. IS and al-Qaeda may prefer, over time, to begin to relocate to Libya and other countries where they can avoid the pounding from the US-led anti-IS coalition and Russian- and Iranian-backed Syrian forces. This may already be happening, and if so, it is to be cheered by those who seek a unified, secular and nonsectarian Syria, as outlined in the Vienna Communique, and as is Aleppos tradition.

Pope Francis Christmas greetings this week offered a sense of hope for the Middle East based on shared respect and compassion, when he said, Those who are different, either culturally or religiously, should not be seen or treated as enemies, but rather welcomed as fellow travelers, in the genuine conviction that the good of each resides in the good of all. Sincerity of intentions, because dialogue, as an authentic expression of our humanity, is not a strategy for achieving specific goals, but rather a path to truth, one that deserves to be undertaken patiently, in order to transform competition into cooperation.
December 21, 2017

CAIRO  Four women in their 20s launched Nov. 25 the Mategberneesh (Dont Force Me) online campaign in an effort to counter forced marriage in Egypt. The campaign aims to raise awareness on social media as well as open up a space to discuss the controversial topic. In the future, the campaign plans to organize live street events to increase public interaction.

The campaign idea came on the heels of combating violence against women, and forced marriage being one of those types of violence. We have seen positive interaction with the campaign. However, many women still fear talking about it and prefer to stay silent, Asmaa Bassil, a co-founder of the campaign, told Al-Monitor.

Several victims of forced marriage have shared on social media their stories and the negative repercussions of this practice on their lives.

Among the many faces of forced marriage is the tribal forced marriage where a girl cannot marry and does not have the right to choose a life partner from outside her family, Bassil said.

Bassil listed the reasons behind the phenomenon, noting, Customs and traditions are part of the problem. Many families believe that marrying their daughters to men from the same family would preserve their properties and lands. This is an inherited defective culture that appears clearly in Upper Egypt.

The four women launched their campaign as part of a personal initiative, and they did not receive any support from a governmental or nongovernmental organization, Bassil added.

A 28-year-old woman from Qena governorate told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, I married my cousin because I couldn't have possibly rejected him. Otherwise my family would regard me as a criminal and disobedient. My life has turned into hell. I feel I am no longer alive.

She added, I hate all men, and I feel like Im in a big prison. I tried so many times [to avoid sexual relations] in order not to have children so as not to involve them in this miserable life, but even in this my opinions or decisions will not matter."

At the religious level, Islam is fully against forcing women to marry. Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb confirmed this in his speech on Egypt Space Channel Oct. 6, saying, Marriage by force is an unethical matter similar to a death sentence against a whole life. Therefore, it is a kind of torture that is forbidden and criminalized under Sharia and ethics.

At the legal level, forcing a girl or woman to marry is not punishable under any law, according to Reda el-Danbouki, the director of the Womens Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness.

Danbouki told Al-Monitor, No legal provision punishes a father for forcing his daughter to marry. Preparing a specific law on violence against women  which would punish whoever forces a girl to get married  is better than amending the current Personal Status Law. Indeed, the National Council for Women prepared a draft bill in this regard over the course of a year. However, it has not been submitted or even discussed in parliament until this very moment.

She said, The media must play a bigger role to spread awareness among citizens, especially since laws can be circumvented as underage girls are often forced to marry if their parents approve of this marriage. Girls are the weaker part in this equation and are the victims.

Danbouki added, We met several girls who have been forced to marry and they now want a 'khul,' which means a separation and return the dowry to the husband in return for getting a divorce."

Concerning the role of the National Council for Women, a government body addressing women's issues, Rania Yahia, a member of the councils Executive Committee, told Al-Monitor, The council has finished drafting the bill on the protection of women against violence, which includes articles under which whoever forces a girl to marry is punished with a maximum sentence of detention. Soon the bill will be brought to the parliament to discuss it prior to its adoption.

She noted, This bill will be a huge protection for women as it includes penalties, for the first time, for whoever forces a girl to marry, which will help reduce the problem, especially amid the difficulty recognizing the number of victims of forced marriage.

Yahia added, The council is carrying out a door-to-door campaign to spread awareness on all forms of violence among families and girls with a particular focus on villages and Upper Egypt, given the dramatic proliferation of forced marriage. This will only change with laws. Thats why defected customs and ideas should be changed, too.

Forced marriages are connected to many psychological problems women suffer from, according to Ahmed Hanafi, a psychiatrist and cognitive behavioral therapist.

He told Al-Monitor, Marriage by force is a crime given the subsequent psychological complications the girl suffers, on top of which are depression and estrangement. It could even reach lack of confidence in others, including viewing her father or guardian as a traitor because he abandoned her.

He added, This psychological state also negatively affects the children of such marriages, as they become more aggressive and nervous in light of the constant disputes between the father and mother. Children are affected also when the mother is in a constant state of depression resulting from her forced marriage."

Forced marriage is a multidimensional problem, especially since religion prohibits the practice but without having an explicit legal provision punishing whoever commits it. The phenomenon requires combining all efforts to quickly adopt a law that protects women from all forms of violence to provide all means of possible support to them.
December 22, 2017

President Donald Trumps Dec. 6 decision on Jerusalem is considered in Ramallah to be a major setback for what was until now a potential diplomatic track toward Palestinian statehood. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was in contact with the Arab League and personally addressed the summit of Muslim leaders in Istanbul on Dec. 13, expressing his concerns and anger over the US decision. But realists in the Palestinian leadership understand that, so far, these reactions were only of rhetorical value. Abbas has little leverage, while Hamas has been strengthened.

After the meeting in Istanbul, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman invited Abbas to Saudi Arabia. According to a senior Israeli Foreign Ministry policy analyst, the Saudis were irritated by the harsh anti-American tone adopted at the Istanbul conference, which was chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the presence of Iranian leadership.

Two weeks ago, just a day after the Jerusalem proclamation, the Saudi leader met with a group of American foreign policy analysts in Riyadh. According to one of the participants, the prince hardly mentioned the proclamation in his comments, except to reiterate the Saudi position on East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. He was outspokenly pro-American, and he did not rule out cooperation with Israel once a solution to the Palestinian issue is reached based on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

The Israeli analyst believes that the new Saudi leadership was not really shocked by Trumps decision, as it maintains regular contact with the White House. The Saudi crown prince would like to see a revival of the US Peace Initiative, once the storm over the proclamation cools down. He would like the Palestinians to renew contact with US envoys on the American peace initiative, which the Saudis consider to be more balanced than Abbas believes. In fact, the Saudi leadership traditionally believes in gradual progress, thus favoring a long-term interim agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, leading to Palestinian statehood.

A senior PLO official close to Abbas told Al-Monitor that Riyadh is changing policy. The enemy for Saudi Arabia is Iran, not Israel. And a strategic partnership with Washington is of prime interest.

The senior PLO official said that Abbas is very open to the advice of the crown prince and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Cairo would like to see continued implementation of the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement in order to curb Iranian influence in Gaza. Despite Trumps Jerusalem declaration, Egypt intends to maintain good relations with Washington.

While Abbas listens to his Arab partners, including Jordanian King Abdullah II, he will not surrender on the traditional Palestinian position regarding any future negotiations with Israel. The Palestinian president conveyed to his counterparts in Cairo, Amman and Riyadh that any negotiations with Israel must be based on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, including a state based on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as a capital (with minimal and parallel land swaps).

In his talks, Abbas stressed that given the Jerusalem declaration, the Palestinians will now insist that the first point to be addressed in any eventual negotiations will be borders, including the border between West and East Jerusalem, based on the 1967 lines. International recognition would be based on the Yasser Arafat-Yitzhak Rabin exchange of letters of 1993. On the issue of security arrangements for both sides, Abbas said that these must include regional participation, without an Israeli military presence in the Palestinian state, which would be demilitarized.

Another point reiterated by Abbas was that the right of return of Palestinian refugees will be based on the Arab Peace Initiative principle, stipulating the necessity of a just and agreed-upon solution based on General Assembly Resolution 194. He also supported Israeli-Arab cooperation based on the Arab Peace Initiative, and he mentioned the necessity of major economic assistance for Palestinian state building.

Indeed, despite its almost desperate frustrations, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah is still siding with the pragmatic Sunni states rather than the Istanbul coalition, which includes Iran. But while the Palestinian demands may be to a large degree accepted by Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, it is very unlikely that Washington will adopt anything close to these positions. More so, Israel would never accept these as a basis for negotiations.

On the horizon, there is only political stalemate, and the ever-present possibility of a violent outbreak seems even greater at the moment.
December 22, 2017

ALEPPO, Syria  The northern province of Idlib, controlled by the armed opposition, witnessed the first clash between two local opposition governments. Disputes began in early December between the Syrian Relief Government, which was formed Nov. 2 at al-Hawa border crossing, and the Syrian Interim Government of the Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, established in March 2013.

The dispute between the two governments emerged when an official from the Interim Government accused the Relief Government of supporting terrorism. At the same time, other disagreements arose in Idlib and its surroundings in the countryside of Aleppo and Hama, where the Relief Government is trying to extend its influence and expel the Interim Government.

A member of the executive office of the political committee in Idlib province, Mohammed Shakib al-Khalid, told Al-Monitor that the committee intervened to resolve the dispute between the Syrian Relief Government and the Interim Government, both of which are affiliated with the Syrian opposition.

Khalid explained that the political committee in Idlib was formed on Nov. 24, 2016. It is considered a political front for revolutionaries in Idlib and is composed of revolutionary popular figures and activists working in various sectors in Idlib, while attempting to spare the province a clash between the two opposition governments.

The Relief Government responded to the mediation on Dec. 15 and suspended the warning it gave the Interim Government, stating, Based on national interests and in respect to those fighting on battlefronts, a meeting was held between the revolutionary figures and the Relief Government, represented by its president. After long discussions, the warning was suspended.

Despite the intervention of Idlibs political committee and the efforts it employed in order to suspend this warning, tension still prevails over the relationship between the two opposition-affiliated governments, located in Idlib and surrounding opposition-controlled areas.

We expect escalation between the two governments because they cannot exist in one geographical area. The conflict between them will soon intensify until one of them is eliminated, Mahmoud Rahal, a lawyer and activist, told Al-Monitor.

Rahal explained that on Dec. 19, the Relief Government closed the offices of the Interim Government ministries of Health and Higher Education in the city of Maarat al-Nu'man. In the city of Saraqib in Idlibs countryside, the Relief Government closed the offices of the Interim Government-affiliated Grain Center. He noted that the Relief Government took these measures with the help of members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra.

The Interim Government is represented by the Idlib Provincial Council, the Aleppo Provincial Council and the Hama Provincial Council, all of which are controlled by the opposition. Other temporary service centers and local councils in the cities and towns under the control of the opposition are affiliated with the Interim Government, which also has several offices for its ministries in opposition-controlled areas.

Statements made by the director of public relations and communication in the Interim Government, Yasser al-Hajji, during an interview with Shaam Network on Dec. 4 caused the dispute with the Relief Government to escalate. He stressed the Interim Governments refusal to cooperate or deal with any government connected in any way possible to terrorism, whether through persons or groups.

These statements came in response to an initiative suggesting the merger of the Interim and Relief governments in northern Syria. The initiatives terms suggested that Jawad Abu Hatab, the president of the Interim Government, and Mohammed al-Sheikh, the president of the Relief Government, to serve as president and vice president of the government that would be formed by merging the two. This initiative was proposed Dec. 4 by Syrian opposition figures in the opposition-controlled northern Syria, including Mamoun Sayed Issa.

On Dec. 9, the Relief Government issued a statement condemning Hajjis statements. The Relief Government also addressed a letter to its Ministry of Justice on Dec. 12 to file a lawsuit against Hajji for the crime of incitement, holding the Interim Government responsible for his words.

On the same day, Dec. 12, the Relief Government issued a sharp statement against the Interim Government and gave it a 72-hour deadline to leave Idlib and neighboring areas in the western and southern countryside of Aleppo and to withdraw all of its personnel. The statement, signed by Sheikh, read, To the Syrian Interim Government, we warn you to close all your offices in the liberated areas within 72 hours of the date of notification.

The Interim Government said in an official statement Dec. 12 that official statements were issued exclusively by the office of the president of the Syrian Interim Government and that any other statement issued by any employee represented only his personal opinion, in reference to Hajjis views, which sparked the dispute between the two governments.

The Syrian Relief Government was established on Nov. 2 in the opposition-controlled northern Syria as a result of the Syrian General Conference held in Idlib in September. A 36-member constituent body was formed at the end of the conference. In turn, the constituent body elected Sheikh to be president of what was later called the Relief Government in northern Syria.

The Relief Government is facing a lot of criticism and many questioned its independence from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham since it was the one that called on July 23 for a meeting between political figures in northern Syria areas that are not under regime control. This is how the Syrian General Conference was born, resulting in the Relief Government being formed.

Rahal explained that the Relief Governments decision is to suspend the warning, which means tension could escalate if the Interim Government is not responsive and does not put an end to its media campaign against the Relief Government.

Both governments need to merge, otherwise the dispute would never come to an end, which will affect the revolutions interests in the liberated areas of Idlib and the surrounding areas. This is a popular demand, Rahal said.

Rivalry and confrontation between the two governments may not stop, and the Relief Government will strive to extend its control over the local councils. The Interim Government will likely not stand idly by, which foreshadows an escalation to eliminate either government. However, the Interim Government will most likely be the victim because the Relief Government derives its power from major military groups in Idlib, such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
Lenovos upcoming virtual reality headset will be advertised as the Mirage Solo with Daydream, as revealed by newly uncovered certificated published by the United States Federal Communications Commission. The Chinese original equipment manufacturer was granted the necessary approvals to commercialize the headset in the U.S. and will presumably be looking to release it in the country in the first half of 2018. The name Mirage has already been rumored since mid-August when the tech giant filed to protect it with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

According to the newly unveiled FCC-issued certificate, the version of the Mirage Solo intended for a stateside release will bear the model number VR-1541F. The device should ship with wired earphones featuring a 0.5m cable identified as the CE-1601T. A controller labeled as the CE-1601T should also be part of the package, the listing suggests. All units of the headset will come with support for Bluetooth 5.0, the latest evolution of the popular wireless standard thats been adopted by a wide variety of phone makers over the course of this year. The standalone head-mounted display will be equipped with a 4,000mAh battery and charge over an unspecified USB cable, according to the same source. The federal regulator didnt reveal any other hardware details about the Mirage Solo, though the gadget is expected to at the very least feature the Snapdragon 835. Besides Lenovos own hardware, the headset will take advantage of third-party memory chips made by either Toshiba or Samsung, depending on the market.

Lenovos standalone offering should be a significant addition to Googles growing ecosystem that started in late 2016 with the smartphone-reliant Daydream VR headset. The Mountain View, California-based tech giant is now placing a larger focus on self-sufficient solutions as it continues its virtual reality push with investments in both hardware and content. The platform as a whole is still a relatively niche solution, with a number of consumer electronics manufacturers being reluctant to embrace it and others like HTC changing their minds after initially pledging support. Google is expected to share more details about its VR ambitions no later than spring and may already announce new projects in January at the latest iteration of the Consumer Electronics Show.
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The president of Brazil says his government will exercise its veto power to block the transfer of control of Embraer to Boeing. Michel Temer said Friday the company is not for sale but he would welcome investment from Boeing. All partnerships are welcome. What is not an option is the transference of control, said Temer. The Brazilian government has special shareholder status in the company and can veto any decision by the company management and directors. Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said Embraer is a key technology developer in Brazil and handing over control to a foreign company is out of the question. This is about national sovereignty and national interests, and we cannot negotiate that. The Temer administration understands that sovereignty is non-negotiable, said Jungmann.

Boeing confirmed on Thursday that it was in talks with Embraer about a combination of the two companies but did not elaborate. The announcement came after The Wall Street Journal published a story on Thursday about the meetings. Subsequent reports in various publications used words like takeover and merger to describe the discussions. The meetings were held as the U.S. Commerce Department confirmed almost 300 percent import duties on Bombardiers C Series airliners, ruling they were unfairly subsidized by the Canadian government. Boeing and Embraer had both filed protests about the sale of 75 C Series to Delta Air Lines and what they claimed were below-market prices.
Austrian-based Diamond Aircraft Group has been acquired by the Chinese company that purchased Diamonds North American operations last year. Almost a year to the day that Wanfeng Aviation Industry Co. Ltd. bought Diamonds London, Ontario, plant, the Chinese firm bought the Austrian holdings of sole shareholder Christian Dries, who founded Diamond 25 years ago. Wanfeng said in a joint announcement it intends to increase production and sales, expand distribution and support networks and keep designing new aircraft.

We were attracted to Diamonds leadership position in the market, Wanfeng Chairman Bin Chen said in a statement. Based on this excellent foundation, we intend to take Diamond to a long-term leadership position in worldwide general aviation. Wanfeng is one of Chinas biggest companies, particularly in the auto sector, and has the horsepower to invest in Diamonds growth, something Dries said was a major factor in his decision to sell. Diamond is my lifes work. In the interest of a successful long-term future, we needed to find the right partner to continue our good work, Dries said. Wanfeng and specifically Mr. Bin Chen share my vision of the future of general aviation and are investing for the right reasons, with a long-term strategy and the resources to see their vision through. Last years acquisition of the North American division resulted in a separation of the Diamond product lines and the role of the Canadian operations was not discussed in the release.
A tropical storm that struck the Philippines on Friday, causing floods and landslides, has killed an estimated 200 people, with officials warning that the death toll is likely to rise as 159 people are listed as missing and some outlying areas have not yet been reached by rescue workers, per Reuters.

About 70,000 people were forced to evacuate, and thousands have lost their homes.
"A preview of the U.S. without pensions," by WashPost's Peter Whoriskey: "The first full generation of workers to retire since [corporations began dropping traditional pensions about 30 years ago] offers a sobering preview."

Charles Glover, 70, a cashier at a Dollar General outside Tulsa who worked 27 years at McDonnell Douglas, then found work at a Whirlpool factory, then at a place that makes robots for inspecting welding, and also picked up some jobs doing computer-aided design: "I hope I can quit working in a few years."

Glover, 70, a cashier at a Dollar General outside Tulsa who worked 27 years at McDonnell Douglas, then found work at a Whirlpool factory, then at a place that makes robots for inspecting welding, and also picked up some jobs doing computer-aided design: "I hope I can quit working in a few years." Why it matters: Many "are buried by debts incurred for credit cards, used cars, health care and sometimes, the college educations of their children. Some have lost their homes."
The Cupertino colossus has the best shot to be the world's first trillion-dollar company (requires just an 11% rise in market value, from $899 billion), Barron's Jack Hough reports:

The four other contenders  Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook  will likely take longer.

Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook  will likely take longer. "In its most recent fiscal year, Apple had $229.2 billion in revenue and $48.4 billion in earnings, roughly as much as the second- and third-most profitable U.S. companies, Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase, combined."

fiscal year, Apple had $229.2 billion in revenue and $48.4 billion in earnings, roughly as much as the second- and third-most profitable U.S. companies, Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase, combined." David Rolfe, chief investment officer at Wedgewood Partners, which manages $25 billion: "You have to go back to Rockefeller and Standard Oil to find a company so dominant in a business so large ... [I]n many quarters, Apple collects more than 80% of gross profit across the smartphone industry."

chief investment officer at Wedgewood Partners, which manages $25 billion: "You have to go back to Rockefeller and Standard Oil to find a company so dominant in a business so large ... [I]n many quarters, Apple collects more than 80% of gross profit across the smartphone industry." The Barron's takeaway: "We don't think the peak is near. Apple seems to be escaping its product supercycle peaks and troughs to post more-consistent year-to-year growth."
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's neighbor called Los Angeles police on Saturday night after finding a Christmas-themed package on the secretary's driveway in Bel-Air, according to the New York Daily News. The LAPD bomb squad opened the package to find a "pretty good quantity'" of horse manure.
17:49

A day after an army officer, a Lance Naik and two jawans lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Keri sector, the Congress questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "commitment and assurance" to keeping the Line of Control and International Border inviolable.





Addressing the media, Congress leader Manish Tewari raised doubts over government policies towards Pakistan.





"Mr Prime Minister, before assuming office, he proudly proclaimed from every podium across the country that if his government came into office, then Pakistan won't be able to kill even a bird. What happened to your commitment and the assurance which you gave to this country that you will keep the LoC and IB inviolable?" he questioned.





"We would like to ask as to what is your government's policy towards Pakistan? Because for the last three-and-a-half years all that this country has seen in the name of policy are U-turns, flip-flops and somersaults," he added.





Continuing his tirade, he again raised questions on Prime Minister Modi's surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015.





"Mr Prime Minister, we would like to ask you once again, today it is 24th of December 2017, exactly two years ago you went to Pakistan, till today the country doesn't know as to why did you go to Pakistan. We would like to ask you as to why did you invite the ISI to investigate the Pathankot terror attack when the figure of complexity straight pointed at the Pakistani establishments", he added.





Further giving details on the number of unprovoked ceasefires that took place along the LoC and IB, Tewari said, "In this year alone from Jan 1st till December 24 there have been 900 major ceasefires across the LoC and the International Border. 780 across the LoC and 120 across IB.in the year 2014 between June and December the number of violations was 583. In 2015, there were 400, in 2016, there were 460 and this year, 900".





He also paid tribute to Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Sepoy Pargat Singh, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh, who lost their lives in yesterday's ceasefire violation.





-- ANI
A fitting holiday send-off, as from the gaudy splendor of Mar-a-Lago, President Trump mean-tweets his own FBI:

The FBI's #2, Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, 49, after spending hours being questioned behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week, told associates he plans to retire after he becomes eligible for his pension early next year. Trump hits "the man in charge, along with leakin' James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation."

#2, Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, 49, after spending hours being questioned behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week, told associates he plans to retire after he becomes eligible for his pension early next year. Trump hits "the man in charge, along with leakin' James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation." And per the N.Y. Times: The president crowed ... that James A. Baker, the F.B.I. general counsel, who was seen as an ally of Mr. Comey's, would soon step down from that post, although he will remain at the bureau."

The president crowed ... that James A. Baker, the F.B.I. general counsel, who was seen as an ally of Mr. Comey's, would soon step down from that post, although he will remain at the bureau." Former CIA Director John Brennan, a new tweeter: "Andy McCabe & Jim Baker epitomize integrity, competence, and respect for rule of law. ... I just donated to @FBIAgentsAssoc as a small way of saying #thanksFBI."

The N.Y. Times, in an immigration installment of its "Trump's Way" series, reports that at a tense June meeting in the Oval, the president grumbled that Haiti had sent 15,000 people who "all have AIDS." The Times says Trump added that 40,000 Nigerians, after tasting U.S. life, would never "go back to their huts" in Africa.

Sarah Sanders responds : "General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen, and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims and it's both sad and telling the New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous 'sources' anyway."

: "General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen, and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims and it's both sad and telling the New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous 'sources' anyway." Breaking: "A federal judge in Seattle [yesterday] partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States."

"A federal judge in Seattle [yesterday] partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States." The presidential "challenge coin" doled out by commanders-in-chief for two decades "has undergone a Trumpian transformation," per the WashPost: The presidential seal has been replaced by an eagle with Trump's signature. "E pluribus unum" has fallen to "Make America Great Again."

doled out by commanders-in-chief for two decades "has undergone a Trumpian transformation," per the WashPost: The presidential seal has been replaced by an eagle with Trump's signature. "E pluribus unum" has fallen to "Make America Great Again." Vice , launched with a "Cowboy Culture" that shamefully persisted, has paid at least $184,000 as part of "four settlements involving allegations of sexual harassment or defamation against Vice employees, including its current president," the N.Y. Times reports in a year-end opus that beats the Dec. 31 Pulitzer cutoff. In a statement posted in full by The Times, Vice Media says: "[T]he truth is inescapable: from the top down, we have failed as a company to create a safe and inclusive workplace where everyone, especially women, can feel respected and thrive."

, launched with a "Cowboy Culture" that shamefully persisted, has paid at least $184,000 as part of "four settlements involving allegations of sexual harassment or defamation against Vice employees, including its current president," the N.Y. Times reports in a year-end opus that beats the Dec. 31 Pulitzer cutoff. posted in full by The Times, Vice Media says: "[T]he truth is inescapable: from the top down, we have failed as a company to create a safe and inclusive workplace where everyone, especially women, can feel respected and thrive." "An uproar on social media helped political analyst Joan Walshland at CNN just a day after she was dropped as a contributor by MSNBC," per Variety. "Walsh supporters [including MSNBC's Chris Hayes and Joy Reid and Katie Couric] rallied in her defense using the hashtag #KeepJoanWalsh."

on social media helped political analyst Joan Walshland at CNN just a day after she was dropped as a contributor by MSNBC," per Variety. "Walsh supporters [including MSNBC's Chris Hayes and Joy Reid and Katie Couric] rallied in her defense using the hashtag #KeepJoanWalsh." Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tweet-stormed his annual #HappyFestivus #AiringofGrievances about government waste and idiocy.

"Bah! Humbug!"
FBI personal outside the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal. Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / VIEWpress / Corbis via Getty Images

A 26-year-old man has been charged with plotting a Christmas-day terror attack in San Francisco "in support of ISIS," according to NBC affiliate, NBC Bay Area.

What happened: Everitt Aaron Jameson was accused of supplying "material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization" from October 24 to December 20, NBC Bay Area reports. He identified a popular tourism spot in San Francisco, and called Christmas day "the perfect day to commit the attack," saying he was prepared to die.
Equally skilled children from lower income households are less likely to become inventors than their higher-income counterparts, according to a study published by the Equality of Opportunity project. Race and gender discrepancies were reported, as well. "These gaps don't seem to be about differences in ability to innovate  they seem directly related to environment," study author Raj Chetty told The Atlantic's Alana Semuels.

The bottom line: Lower income children, children of color, and female children aren't being encouraged to become inventors, according to the study authors. This means people who have the potential to innovate are entering other fields. And since innovation leads to economic growth, the gaps are harming the U.S. economy, they argue.

What they did: The researchers cross-referenced US patent applications from 1996-2014 with federal income tax returns, and used that data to trace inventors' life histories. All told, they looked at 1.2 million individuals.

What they found:
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), a public opponent of President Trump, said he is extremely concerned by what he sees as the White House's repeated attempts to undermine Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation:

More from the interview:
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley threatened to stop U.S. financial contributions to the body if the UN votes for President Trump to rescind his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Axios contributor Barak Ravid of Israel's Channel 10 News reports. The General Assembly is expected to vote in favor of the resolution calling on Trump to rescind.

"The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out in this assembly. We will remember it when, once again, we are called up to make the world's largest contribution," Haley said.

The backdrop: The U.S. vetoed a Security Council vote  supported by 14 member states  calling on Trump to rescind his declaration. Haley said the U.S. will go ahead with its plans to build the embassy in Jerusalem regardless of the outcome of the General Assembly vote.

Per Ravid...
North Korea called the United Nation's latest sanctions against the regime an "act of war" Sunday, and warned that those who supported the strict measures will "pay a heavy price."

Get smart: The foreign ministry statement, carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, isn't the first time Pyongyang described foreign actions as an act of war, but serves as another reminder of escalating tensions in the region.

Excerpts from North Korea's statement:

"We define this 'sanctions resolution' rigged up by the U.S. 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.'"

"The United States, completely terrified at our accomplishment ... is getting more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country."

"We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the U.S. nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the U.S.." The regime also warned that if the U.S. "wishes to live safely, it must abandon its hostile policy" toward North Korea.

"Those countries that raised their hands in favor of this 'sanctions resolution' shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the 'resolution' and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done."
President Trump had a June meeting in the Oval Office to rant to top advisers about what he perceived to be high numbers of foreigners who had been let into the country despite his infamous travel ban, according to a new report by the New York Times. Trump called it a mockery of his tough-on-immigration campaign promises.

Key quotes: Trump called Afghanistan a terrorist haven, claimed that the 15,000 Haitians who had travelled to the U.S. "all have AIDS," and said that the 40,000 Nigerians would never "go back to their huts" after seeing the U.S., officials who had been in the room told Times reporters NYT's Michael D. Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis.

Then-DHS Secretary John Kelly and policy adviser Stephen Miller blamed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for the many travelers being let into the U.S. Tillerson grew frustrated and suggested he stop issuing visas altogether, sources told the Times.

White House response: Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the Times, "General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims. It's both sad and telling The New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous 'sources' anyway." Officials denied to the Times that Trump used the terms "AIDS" and "huts" during the meeting.

Go deeper:
At least two dozen suspects have gone free in recent days in Saudi Arabia's corruption crackdown after reaching settlements to get out, according to "a senior adviser to the Saudi government," the WSJ reports. For those who want to clear their names, however, there will be court trials, according to the adviser.

Context: Some see the campaign as further evidence that Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who became head of the new anti-corruption committee and next in line to the throne this year, is fair. Some claim the campaign is part of his way of grabbing power, which the Saudi government has denied. The anticorruption campaign began in November, implicating more than 200 people, and many have been detained in Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton. The Kingdom estimates corruption has cost it $100 billion over decades.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer called President Trump "Scrooge to the poor" on Sunday in response to Trump reportedly telling friends at Mar-a-Lago they "just got a lot richer" with the passage of the GOP tax plan.
The footprint, as construction began in 2015. Photo: David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images

N.Y. Times Sunday Styles takes us inside "The Most Expensive House in America"  and it's available!

"One man [producer-turned developer Nile Niami] is building a house so enormous, and so absurdly lavish, that it may be the ultimate symbol of our age of thirst, excess and inequality. Asking price? $500 million."
The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage]
A truck carrying parts of U.S. missile launchers and other equipment. Photo provided by U.S. forces in Korea via Getty Images

"Citing North Korea's ... threat, the Trump administration is moving to vastly expand the problem-plagued homeland missile defense system despite warnings that the planned upgrades may not succeed," the L.A. Times reports in its lead story:

Why it matters: "[G]overnment reports and interviews with technical experts suggest the planned upgrades ... are unlikely to protect the United States from a limited-scale ballistic missile attack ... One concern is the administration's rush to expand the system."

"Immediate plans call for building two $1-billion radar installations and adding 20 rocket interceptors to the 44 already deployed in underground silos at Ft. Greely in Alaska and at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California."

"The expected cost is about $10.2 billion over five years, on top of more than $40 billion already spent for the system."

P.S. "The Marine Corps commandant told about 300 Marines in Norway [Thursday] that they should be prepared for a 'bigass fight' to come," the WashPost reports, citing Military.com:
President Trump took aim at Andrew McCabe, Deputy Director of the FBI, again Sunday in a morning tweet, quoting Fox News. Yesterday, he tweeted about McCabe's reported plans to retire.

The backdrop: The Trump administration, as well as several top Republicans, have questioned whether the FBI under James Comey conducted an unbiased investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. McCabe was Comey's Deputy Director and had an oversight role during the probe. He also told a House Intelligence panel last week that Comey had told him about Trump's alleged request for "loyalty."

Why it matters: Trump is attacking senior FBI officials at a time when the bureau is working hand-in-hand with Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, on the Russia probe.
Friday night at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump told friends at a dinner "you all just got a lot richer," in reference to the tax plan he signed Thursday morning, according to a CBS report.

Why it matters: Trump has repeatedly said that the tax plan will not help the rich. In a speech at the end of November in St. Charles, Missouri, Trump said the plan "is going to cost me a fortune, this thing, believe me. This is not good for me...I have some very wealthy friends. Not so happy with me, but that's OK. You know, I keep hearing Schumer: 'This is for the wealthy.' Well, if it is, my friends don't know about it."
First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump speak with children through NORAD from Mar-a-Lago. Photo: Nicholas Kamm / AFP / Getty Images

Along with Melania Trump, President Donald Trump took calls from children asking for updates about Santa Claus' travels today through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Tracks Santa program. NORAD has been tracking Santa's annual trip for more than 6 decades.

The children were patched in randomly and did not know beforehand they would be speaking with Trump, per The Hill.

Go deeper: How NORAD started tracking Santa via NPR ... Track Santa with NORAD (at about 5pm Santa was reportedly headed towards Warsaw, Poland)
UPS has called on several hundred accountants and marketers to help make deliveries this holiday season, per the WSJ. UPS normally has "ready teams" to backstop deliveries, but this year had to call on these other workers with little notice to fill gaps on the delivery end.

What it means: The volume in shipments this year was beyond planned levels, a symptom of an industry-wide shift to online shopping. UPS spokesman Steve Gaut acknowledged to the WSJ that the number of seasonal helpers this year was higher this year than previous years. It may also be a sign that the market for seasonal workers is tighter given the U.S. is at its lowest unemployment rate since 2000 (4.1%), leaving fewer workers looking for seasonal jobs.
YouTube and Universal Music Group have struck a "global, multi-year agreement," the CEO's of YouTube and Universal announced Tuesday. The tech giant has also struck a deal with Sony Music, per Bloomberg. Universal says the agreement gives artists better deals. The music group will have better leverage over what appears on advertising-supported channels and what doesn't.

Why it matters: YouTube, which announced this month that it will launch its own subscription music service, now has licenses from three of the biggest record labels: Universal, Warner, and Sony. While roughly 25% of all music streamed globally comes from YouTube, it's struggled to get consumers to pay for it. It' also struggled to strike deals with labels in the past due to its lack of strict copyright protections. The deals should give YouTube more access to content to sell subscriptions.
24 December 2017 10:15 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 139 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on December 24.

Armenians were using large-caliber machine guns.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
24 December 2017 10:26 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijan is well positioned to be a bridge between the West and the Muslim world, said Ismail Serageldin, the Vice President of the World Bank 1992-2000, Founding Director of Library of Alexandria and Co-Chair Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

Azerbaijan is increasingly playing the role of host to international events that bring the expertise of many countries and cultures to bear on the problems of today, he told Trend.

Serageldin further emphasized that Azerbaijan is a unique country in the world of Muslim-majority countries.

"Azerbaijan was the first country to adopt a democratic constitution that gave the vote to women way back in 1918. Regretfully it was annexed by the Soviet Union back in 1920 so the short-lived experiment can only be admired as a historical fact. But after independence in 1991, it has become a prosperous country where women exercise their full rights in society," he explained.

Furthermore, according to Serageldin, the country is a stalwart fighter against any forms of extremist terrorism.

"Considering what has happened in some other Muslim-majority countries where radical Islamist currents were allowed to entrench themselves, the government of Azerbaijan has provided stability and prosperity," he said.

He further stressed that Azerbaijan is a Muslim-majority country, which is highly secular and where all citizens are legally treated the same whatever their religion or their gender.

"The Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) also reminds every one of the highly tolerant values of the 12th century poet and philosopher, Nizami Ganjavi, who is one of Azerbaijans most eminent national hero, and in whose name many international gatherings for mutual understanding are being held," he added.

"The NGIC has earned its international place as the respected participant of the Baku Global Forum and other events elsewhere, where the key issues of our times are debated by eminent participants many of whom are former presidents of their countries. The topics of discussion include issues such as immigration, European integration, the changing world order, and many more," he said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
24 December 2017 10:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijan can be proud of its success, said Ivo Josipovic, the former president of Croatia and member of the Board of Trustees at the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

"I have been in Azerbaijan for the first time almost 20 years ago. Today, Azerbaijan looks completely different. From relatively poor state, Azerbaijan in short period showed incredible economic and general social development," Josipovic told Trend.

He stressed that improvement is visible in practically all areas of economic and social life in Azerbaijan.

Josipovic further highlighted the unique tolerant atmosphere existing in the Azerbaijani society.

He noted that in contemporary world, there are so many tensions and hate between different nations and religions.

"The hate prevents many states in development, diminishing human rights and human values. Azerbaijan is one of countries that provides peaceful co-existence and equal rights to people of all ethnicities and religions," he said.

Josipovic noted that this is pre-condition for everlasting peace and constant social and economic development.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
24 December 2017 12:30 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan makes a big contribution to interreligious and intercultural dialogue, said Chairman of the US-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding Rabbi Marc Schneier, who attended 2017-Year of Islamic Solidarity: Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue international conference in Baku.

Schneier commended President Ilham Aliyev for his outstanding support to Islamic solidarity. He said declaring 2017 as Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan was of great importance, Azertac reported.

Schneier stressed the significance of the Baku conference in terms of bringing nations and religions together and widening international cooperation.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
24 December 2017 12:49 (UTC+04:00)

President Ilham Aliyev`s initiative on Islamic solidarity is an example to leaders of other countries, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Malcolm Hoenlein has told AZERTAC.

By declaring 2017 as a Year of Islamic Solidarity in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev sent an important message to the Muslim and European countries and the whole world, he noted.

Hoenlein hailed what the Azerbaijani government has done to ensure peaceful coexistence of representatives of different nations, religions, including the Jewish community.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
24 December 2017 11:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Catalonias separatist leader Carles Puigdemont called on Spains government on Saturday to allow him to return home in time for the opening session of the Catalan parliament so that he can become the regions next president.

Puigdemont, who ruled in Catalonia until October and faces arrest in Spain for his role in organizing an illegal referendum on independence and proclaiming a Catalan republic, is currently in self-imposed exile in Belgium.

Separatist parties secured a parliamentary majority in a regional election on Thursday, though it is still unclear whether Puigdemont and other jailed leaders of the movement will be able to attend assembly sessions.

I want to come back to Catalonia as soon as possible. I would like to come back right now. It would be good news for Spain, Puigdemont told Reuters in an interview.

Asked if he would be back in time for the opening session which has to take place at the latest on January 23, he said: It would be natural. If I am not allowed to be sworn in as president, it would be a major abnormality for the Spanish democratic system.

I am the president of the regional government and I will remain the president if the Spanish state respects the results of the vote, he also said.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
24 December 2017 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned in an interview published Saturday that a Russian naval build-up threatens transport and communications links between alliance members.

"Russia has invested massively in its navy, especially submarines," Stoltenberg told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, adding that Moscow has deployed 13 additional submarines since 2014, Deutsche Welle reports.

"Russia's submarine activity is now at its highest level since the Cold War," he said. He said submarines are active in the Atlantic and Mediterranean and also "near our coastlines."

Stoltenberg suggested the submarine build-up threatened logistic and communications channels between North America and Europe.

"We are a transatlantic alliance, and we must therefore be in a position to transport troops and equipment over the Atlantic. For that we need secure and open seaways," he said.

In this strategic environment, NATO plans to establish a new Atlantic and logistics command. The location and structure of the commands is to be determined next year.

The NATO chief also warned that since the end of the Cold War the alliance has lost some of its sea capability, especially in countering submarines.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Scarlett Moffatt has led tributes to the grandfather of Gogglebox Leon Bernicoff who has died aged 83.

The retired teacher and his wife June were one of the first couples to join the shows cast when it launched in 2013.

He died in hospital on Saturday after a short illness, a statement from Channel 4 and the shows production company Studio Lambert confirmed on behalf of his family.

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Moffatt  whose own rise to fame was sparked by her appearance on Gogglebox  said words cant explain what Bernicoff meant to so many people.

She wrote on Twitter: From your words of encouragement to me to the little DMs.

Leon you were loved by so many. Sending my love to you and all of your family.

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The creator of the hit Channel 4 show, Tania Alexander, also paid tribute, writing on Twitter: So deeply saddened at the passing of our dear, dear Leon.

He was and always will be the grandfather of #gogglebox  an absolute star who always made me laugh with his sharp wit and unshakable opinions.

Much love and strength to June and the Bernicoff family.

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A devoted Everton fan, Bernicoff met June in 1955 with the couple marrying five years later.

During his run on the programme  which shows families across Britain watching television  he once described Nigel Farage as a dickhead and would often be shown affectionately bickering with his wife.

A keen bridge player away from the screen, the couple were even honoured at the 2016 Oldie Of The Year Awards.

The Loose Women team also paid tribute, writing: So sad to hear Gogglebox legend Leon has died after a short illness. Our thoughts are with his wife June & family at this sad time.

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Announcing the news, Channel 4 said in a statement to the Press Association: It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sad news that after a short illness Goggleboxs Leon Bernicoff passed away in hospital earlier today.

Leon and his wife June were the first members of the public to be cast for Gogglebox back in early 2013, and they soon grew to become much-loved voices during the course of the shows 10 series to date.

Leons unique personality and sharp wit endeared him to fans of the show, as he contributed fully to Goggleboxs reputation as a programme full of warm humour and unvarnished opinion.

To those of us that knew him personally, Leon was a man of unwavering principles who exerted a distinct paternal presence both on and off screen. He will be dearly missed by the entire Gogglebox family; cast and crew.

Bernicoff was born on October 27 1934. He is survived by wife June, two daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren.
Writer and politician Lord Jeffrey Archer is putting his extensive collection of political cartoons under the hammer to raise funds for educational charities.

The portfolio of 240 works, collected over three decades, will be auctioned by Sothebys next March after being put on public display for the first time.

Among the pieces by 64 artists are works by famed 18th to 19th century caricaturists James Gillray and George Cruikshank.

With drawings centred on figures such as John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, the collection chronicles 300 years of political history across the UK and America.

It includes Lord Archers first acquisition in 1986: Ronald Searles portrayal of the publics reaction to the portrait of Winston Churchill by Graham Sutherland.

The collection was developed in collaboration with art dealer Chris Beetles.

He said: Cartoons have always appealed to the British public.

Expand Close Winston Churchill is conquering the house, by Vicky (Victor Weisz). / Facebook

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Cartoonists both respond to the prevailing mood of the public and create a recognisable parallel world inhabited by politicians, the features and demeanour of which are distorted through the art of caricature.

The collection gives us valuable insights into how, over the three centuries covered by the collection, cartoon imagery has changed to reflect the relationship the public has with politicians, the way propaganda is disseminated and the effect television and new communication networks have on our perception of politics.

Sothebys will display the collection from March 10-13 before the sale on March 14.
General view of the scene in Church Avenue, Dundrum, County Down where at least one house has been destroyed in a fire . Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

General view of the scene in Church Avenue, Dundrum, County Down where at least one house has been destroyed in a fire . Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

General view of the scene in Church Avenue, Dundrum, County Down where at least one house has been destroyed in a fire . Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

General view of the scene in Church Avenue, Dundrum, County Down where at least one house has been destroyed in a fire . Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

General view of the scene in Church Avenue, Dundrum, County Down where at least one house has been destroyed in a fire . Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

A man has described the moment he rescued a petrified elderly woman from her smoke-filled home as an extensive blaze took hold and spread to several houses in Dundrum.

A scene of "devastation" has been left behind following the fire that destroyed a house and damaged several others in Co Down.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue were called to an "extensive blaze" in Church Avenue after midnight on Sunday morning.

The fire had spread to several oil tanks and eight properties were evacuated but there were no reports of any injuries.

Fifty-two firefighters were tasked to the scene and brought the extensive blaze under control. An investigation is underway.

The BBC reports that two pigeon lofts were caught up in the blaze and sixty birds were killed as a result.

The home that was destroyed was vacant.

Tributes have been paid to a young man who raised the alarm and helped save his neighbours.

Nathan Murray (21) was home from university for Christmas and was among the first to raise the alarm after noticing the sparks of the fire and immediately ran out to alert others.

Among those he helped was an elderly woman who had been friends with his late grandmother.

Devastating scene in Dundrum this morning. Fast action and heroism of residents prevented loss of life. @SDLPlive pic.twitter.com/5BcdNORQKb  Mark Murnin (@markmurnin) December 24, 2017

His grandmother who passed away earlier this year had lived in the house that was destroyed.

Nathan found the elderly lady standing in a smoke-filled house as she was in a desperate panic trying to gather her treasured belongings such as precious photographs.

He told the Belfast Telegraph that it was a joint effort and many neighbours were helping each other as it's a tight knit area.

He was in his aunt's house catching up with family when they noticed sparks.

"My cousin's friend had seen sparks, but we couldn't see them. About five minutes later we looked out again and the whole pigeon loft four rows down was up in fire," he said.

"I ran out of the house and ran round and the people were already coming out of that house. Another guy was going round to check if it was getting the oil tanks.

"I ran back round to wake my dad up because it was getting close to his back window and my neighbour's. The window of his house started cracking and it broke and he had to get out because all the smoke was getting in.

"I saw it catching my late granny's house, hers was the one that got the worst of it, it caught right through.

"I ran round to my granny's best friend's house and she was petrified, she's in her 80s and I just told her to get whatever she needed quickly.

"She was trying to get stuff she didn't need. I just told her to get out and she got her savings and her pictures and we left. The smoke was that dark that we couldn't see."

Nathan then went back to wake his neighbour as the emergency services arrived.

"He was sleeping and was hard to get up so I had to hit his door a good few times

"After that it grew and grew and people were all out of their houses and we were just making sure everyone was out and then the fire brigade arrived."

He added: "Everybody was helping everbody. It's a tight neighbourhood so everybody was out helping. If it had have been at four in the morning it would've been a different story because nobody would have been up."

Resident Michael Gibb told the BBC that he wouldn't have been alive if it wasn't for Nathan waking him.

He said: "I'm glad to be alive. It if wasn't for my next door neighbour's son, I probably wouldn't be alive."

SDLP councillor Mark Murnin told the Belfast Telegraph it was a "scene of devastation" and said it was "unbelievable that no-one was killed".

"It's devastating. That's the only way you can describe it - how no-one lost their life is unbelievable", he said.

He added: "Last nights fire seems to have started in an outbuilding. It quickly ripped through a vacant property and has left others uninhabitable today. Its just an unimaginable situation for families that have been forced from their homes on Christmas Eve.

"I want to pay tribute to the actions of local people last night. They noticed the fire when it was still very small, contacted the Fire and Rescue Service immediately and started alerting their neighbours. I have no doubt that their quick thinking, combined with the heroism of the fifty two firefighters who, in the face of high winds at the scene last night, averted an ever greater tragedy this morning.

"We will do whatever we can to help these families rebuild and make it through the Christmas period."
General view of the Belfast Islamic Centre on Wellington Bark, south Belfast where pork has been put through the letterbox in what police are describing as a "hate incident". Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

Pig meat has been thrown through the door of the Belfast Islamic Centre.

It happened on Saturday night and has been reported to police.

The Belfast Islamic Centre said due to a "number of incidents" recently they are asking members of the community to remain vigilant and report any incidents of harassment to the police.

In a statement posted on Facebook they said: "Thankfully Pork is not Muslim Kryptonite and no-one was harmed, but the message behind the action was one of hate.

"We know this individual does not represent the majority of people in NI and reject this attempt to stir up tension and divisions between Muslims and Non Muslims in Northern Ireland.

"They will not succeed. "

DUP MP Emma Little Pengelly tweeted: "Attacking our small Muslim community in Belfast is completely wrong, achieves nothing and is entirely misdirected.

"I have previously personally visited this centre. The response is in good humour, but the intent was not. UK right to religious belief is fundamental and protected."

Sinn Fein MLA Mairtin O Muilleoir said those responsible are displaying only "ignorance and hate".

He said: "This attack is a disgrace and I condemn it in the strongest possible way.

"There can be no place for racism our any other forms of discrimination in our society.

"Those who carried out this attack have nothing to offer the community.

"At a time when members of the Islamic community of South Belfast are displaying the true Festive spirit by putting on a free dinner tomorrow for those alone at Christmas, the racists behind this incident are displaying only ignorance and hate.

"Those who have recently been ramping up racist invective against Muslims should hang their heads in shame.

"I would urge anyone with information on this attack to bring it forward to the PSNI to ensure those responsible can be brought to justice."

The Muslim Council of Britain issued a statement of support and said it stands in solidarity with the Belfast Islamic Centre.

Harun Khan secretary general said: "There is no place for such hate within our society. The fact that is not the first such attack means swift action needs to be taken to ensure the safety and security of the mosque and the surrounding community."

Police in south Belfast are treating it as a hate incident.

Inspector Bannerman said: A report was received at around 8pm that a bag containing meat had been thrown into the hallway of the premises. Enquiries are currently ongoing and the matter is being treated as a hate incident. Anyone with any information is asked to contact police in Lisburn Road on 101 quoting reference number 1549 23/12/17.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
The family were on their way to visit Mayan ruins when the plane crashed (Anthony Devlin/PA)

A British family had a lucky escape after the light aircraft they were in crashed into the Mexican jungle.

William Carpmael, 46, his wife Anna, 48, and their two children, Emily 15, and George, 14, escaped with only cuts and bruises after the accident while they were on a trip to ancient Mayan ruins.

The Cessna 207 broke in half on impact and the family were stranded in the jungle for three hours on Thursday with pilot Francisco Alan Rodriguez before they were found by search crews.

Mr Carpmael, an investment manager with London-based wealth club The Route according to his LinkedIn page, praised Mr Rodriguez for saving their lives in a series of tweets.

He posted on December 21: We are all okay, thanks to our hero pilot Alan and our guardian angels. George has a couple of stitches but otherwise just bruises and sprains.

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Certainly ticked all the adventure boxes but we are very lucky. Alan is also ok, but had a large head wound that we bandaged up. Back @ hotel.

A few hours later he tweeted: Three hours stuck in jungle 7 miles from the main road. Rescues by search planes, helicopter spotter, army, air force, national, state and tourist police and Bomberos fire brigade.

Excellent hospital in Playa del Carmen. Thank you everyone who helped.

The aircraft had taken off from the tourist resort of Playa del Carmen headed to the famous temples of Chichen Itza, according to a statement from the town hall of Solidaridad in the state of Quintana Roo.

It said the occupants had been taken to hospital but did not have any serious injuries.

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The craft came down at around 9.20am local time and local reports said it had been experiencing problems thought to be the result of a mechanical failure shortly after take off.

The statement said: Solidaridad Town Hall can confirm that five people have been rescued alive following the accident that occurred on Thursday morning in the south of the municipality, in which a light aircraft crashed in the jungle more than nine miles from Calizas Industriales del Carmen (CALICA).

It concluded: So far the cause of the accident is unknown but it is presumed that it was due to mechanical failure.
Damian Green reportedly denies any involvement in the leaking of the messages (David Cheskin/PA)

The woman whose allegations sparked the inquiry leading to Damian Greens sacking is considering legal action or complaining to the press regulator after inaccurate text messages between her and the former cabinet minister were leaked.

Kate Maltby said she has been forced to consider all recourse after the Mail on Sunday published messages between her and Mr Green, sent after the Conservative MP had allegedly acted inappropriately towards her.

In a series of tweets, the journalist said for technical reasons some of the texts could only have been released by Damian Green and they have been crudely edited to suit the former first secretary of state.

Mr Green reportedly denies any involvement in the leaking of the messages.

Ms Maltby sparked a Cabinet Office inquiry into Mr Green, who is three decades older than her, by claiming he fleetingly touched her knee during a meeting in a pub in 2015, and a year later sent her a suggestive text message after she was pictured wearing a corset in a newspaper.

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That led to Theresa May sacking her de facto deputy after he made misleading statements about subsequent and separate allegations that police found pornography on computers in his parliamentary office in 2008.

Reporting the probes findings, Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood said that with competing and contradictory accounts of what were private meetings it was not possible to reach a definitive conclusion on the appropriateness of Mr Greens behaviour with Kate Maltby in early 2015, though the investigation found Ms Maltbys account to be plausible.

Text messages seen by the Mail on Sunday suggest Ms Maltby sent texts to Mr Green this year, which appeared friendly in tone and included one in February which said hope to catch up when things calm down.

Mr Green reportedly replied: They never do so lets fix a date soon, to which Ms Maltby is said to have replied: Great. Night night.

Ms Maltby alleged the original messages passed to the newspaper had left out Mr Greens invitation to fix a date, and that this was only included after she was asked to respond to the story before publication.

In another message on July 13 after the Spectator magazines summer party, Ms Maltby reportedly tells Mr Green one of his aides has been smooching the room on his behalf.

But Ms Maltby claimed she had never, ever used the word smooching. That is a lie.

She also accused the newspaper of failing to publish her response to the story in full, adding in a series of tweets: I had really, really wanted to switch off for Christmas and make no further comment on the matter of Green. But the Mail on Sunday have printed text messages today purporting to be from me that are inaccurate and attribute words I have not used.

Ms Maltby added: I keep being asked if the answer is more press regulation. As a libertarian, I say no. I wrote this to a newspaper yesterday who asked me about Leveson. But after declining all legal & IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) options on principle for the last 8 weeks, I am now forced to consider all recourse.

Mr Greens allies were accused of launching a dirty tricks campaign after the messages were leaked.

Tory former minister Anna Soubry told the Sunday Times: It appears that Greens allies barely paused for breath after he apologised for the distress caused to Kate Maltby before launching an attack.

It smacks of a dirty ticks campaign and is unhelpful to the Government when it is still dealing with the fallout of the Westminster scandal.

On Friday, Mrs May said the first she knew about allegations of inappropriate conduct by Mr Green was when she read about them in the press in October.

It came after the Daily Telegraph reported that Ms Maltby told a Downing Street aide about her allegations against Mr Green in September 2016, and she was informed it was part of a pattern of behaviour, and that the Prime Minister knows.

Labour MP Jess Phillips tweeted: The rhetoric that says nothing bad can have happened because a woman carried on sending messages, forgets the fact the most violence against women is done by people they live with. You might as well say she was asking for it.

The Mail on Sunday said: We invited Ms Maltby to check the accuracy of the text exchanges we were shown. We made the changes she requested.
A screen grab of a video of SpaceX's rocket that propelled 10 satellites into orbit

If you happened to look up at the sky at around 5.30pm in California on Friday, you would probably have been very confused, and perhaps a little alarmed.

That is, unless you take an interest in what SpaceX, a company that designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft, gets up to.

The company, whose CEO is Elon Musk, launched a rocket to propel 10 satellites into orbit for communications firm Iridium, but the result was like something out of a science fiction film.

Many took to Twitter to share their reaction to the sunset illuminations.

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Although not everybody was impressed.

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Meanwhile, Musk himself had fun with some of the rumours.

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SpaceX tweeted throughout the process, proclaiming it to be a success.

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A statement on SpaceXs website read: On Friday, December 22nd at 5:27 p.m. PST, SpaceXs Falcon 9 successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, carrying the Iridium-4 mission to orbit.

This was the fourth set of 10 satellites in a series of 75 total satellites that SpaceX will launch for Iridiums next generation global satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT.

Furthermore, Musk tweeted that there will be more coming next month.

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Just make sure everybody knows its not aliens next time please, Elon.
US president Donald Trump has criticised the deputy director of the FBI

US President Donald Trump has full confidence in his new FBI director despite attacking the impartiality of his soon-to-retire deputy, a presidential adviser has said.

Mr Trump is "very pleased" with Director Chris Wray and "the changes that are taking place," White House legislative affairs director Marc Short told Fox News Sunday as the president continued to assail deputy director Andrew McCabe, who plans to retire from the bureau next year.

Mr McCabe's supervision of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email practices came under scrutiny because his wife's Senate campaign received contributions from Clinton-ally Terry McAuliffe's political action committee. The president and congressional Republicans have seized on that as a sign of anti-Trump bias in FBI leadership.

But, asked if Mr Trump is telling Mr Wray to "clean house", Mr Short said: "I think he has full confidence in Chris Wray."

Mr Trump's frequent and blistering attacks on the nation's premier law enforcement agency have proven a tough challenge for Mr Wray, who took the reins in August after Mr Trump fired James Comey as he was leading the bureau's probe into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Wray aggressively defended the bureau against Mr Trump's claims its reputation was "in tatters".

But it is less common for a deputy director to be in the spotlight.

Mr McCabe, a lawyer by training, was a fast-rising leader within the FBI. He was the assistant director in charge of the FBI's counter-terrorism division at the time of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, later ascending to executive assistant director of the national security branch and moving on to lead the Washington field office, one of the bureau's largest and most prominent offices.

He was named deputy director by Mr Comey in early 2016.

Yet he became entangled in presidential politics with the October 2016 revelation that his wife's state Senate campaign had received contributions from Mr McAuliffe's political action committee.

Though the FBI said that Mr McCabe had consulted beforehand with ethics experts, and was not at the time of the donations in a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation, Mr Trump nonetheless was able to use the contributions in the final days of the campaign - and as president - to attack FBI leadership as biased against him.

The Justice Department's inspector general's office has been scrutinising the FBI's handling of the Clinton email case, including Mr McCabe's actions.

"When we put all of our faith and our confidence in the Department of Justice and the FBI knowing that there should be no bias there, (Mr Trump) is making the point that we need to be sure there's no bias," Mr Short said.

Mr Trump's personal attacks against Mr McCabe have continued even though Mr McCabe could ostensibly be in a position to corroborate concerns about the president's conduct that Mr Comey has said he raised internally with senior leadership.

Mr Trump tweeted over the weekend about Mr McCabe's wife's campaign being given money by "Clinton Puppets" and seemed to gloat about Mr McCabe's departure.

It was broadly known within the FBI that Mr McCabe was eligible to retire this coming spring. It is standard for FBI officials to leave the bureau for new opportunities upon becoming retirement-eligible, and it was widely expected that Mr McCabe - independent of the criticism from Mr Trump - would retire to give the new FBI director a chance to select his own number two.

AP
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they hoped to evacuate the wounded (AP)

Turkey's president has said his government is working with Russia to try to evacuate hundreds of people from a besieged, rebel-held Damascus suburb.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that 500 people in eastern Ghouta, including 170 women and children, are in urgent need of humanitarian or medical assistance.

The government has refused to allow hundreds of people to leave the area to reach hospitals just minutes away. Eastern Ghouta is home to about 400,000 people.

Mr Erdogan said he discussed the issue during a recent call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Turkish leader said: "We want to take them (from eastern Ghouta) and provide them treatment and care in our country."

Turkey is a leading supporter of the Syrian opposition, while Russia is allied with President Bashar Assad.
Significance Of Christmas Candles Faith Mysticism oi-Sanchita Chowdhury

Candles signify different things in different religions. Lighting candles on Christmas is an old tradition. The tradition of lighting candles on Christmas comes from the Jewish 'Feast of Lights' or Hanukkah. They mark the birth of Jesus Christ who is the Light of the World. Christmas candles are also symbolic of the Light from Heaven which provides us with warmth during the cold winter nights.

When it comes to Christmas, the candle light represents Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is also known as the Light of the World who takes us from the path of darkness and leads us to true light.

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT: The Significance Of The Christmas Wreath

The light of the candle signifies the path of illumination and realising the true meaning of human life. It represents spirituality, devotion and faith.

Let us find out more about the significance of the Christmas candles according to various beliefs.

In the medieval times, it was customary to represent Christ with a burning candle. This custom is still followed in most churches and Christian houses. A large candle representing the Lord is placed at the centre of the laurel wreath and is kept burning through the Holy Night.

The custom of lighting candles is still followed in its original form in most countries.

In Ireland: The mother or father of the household lights a large candle which is decorated with the holly. Then the family members sit together and pray for all their near and dear ones, both living and departed.

In Slavic Nations: A large Christmas candle is put up on a table after it has been blessed by the priest in the church. Interestingly, the Ukrainians do not use candle stands. Rather they stick the candle in a bread loaf.

In South America: In many parts of South America the candle is placed in a paper lantern with Christmas symbols and pictures of the Native culture for decoration.

In England & France: Three candles are molded together at the base which signifies the Holy Trinity.

In Germany: The Christmas candle used to be placed on top of a wooden pole decorated with the evergreens during the seventeenth and the eighteenth century.

Lighting the candle on Christmas has a one true meaning, no matter how it is lighted, it symbolises one's faith in God and the fact that human life is not stable. It is sure to melt away with time like the candle.
Cadbury has dropped the Fudge bar from its festive selection box and replaced it with a Dairy Milk Oreo, sparking anger from some chocolate lovers.

The sweet treat has been removed from the larger box but is still available in the small and Freddo selection packs.

The confectionery company, which is owned by Mondelez International, said it wanted "to improve the mix and offer more of a variety for our fans".

Fudge fans took to social media to express their frustration, with Twitter user Mark Atwood declaring: "Christmas is ruined".

Nigel Quinlan accused the firm of waging a "war on Christmas" on the microblogging site, while Sinead Gleeson called for "a revolution against this chocolate tyranny".

The War on Christmas. You think it can't touch you, and then it just takes away everything you've ever loved.  Niggle By Leaf  (@Nigellicus) December 17, 2017

First they came for the curly-wurlys, and I did not speak out.



Then they came for the Fudge and now have to start a revolution against this chocolate tyranny.  Sinead Gleeson (@sineadgleeson) December 17, 2017

Many others joined in to bemoan the loss of the beloved fudge.

OMG, just heard #Cadbury have changed fudge for Oreo dairy milk, what are you thinking? Have you lost your mind @CadburyUK, its the best bit  #BahHumbug  Louisa Wheeler (@xbabygrovex) December 22, 2017

@CadburyUK Hold on hold on I don't seem to have a fudge in my selection box. Please explain ????  LEON ABBOTT (@leonabbott) December 22, 2017

No more fudge bars in @CadburyUK selection pack? Explain yourselves!  Antony Little   (@antonylittle) December 21, 2017

The biscuit-based treat joins Dairy Milk, Crunchie, Dairy Milk Buttons, Double Decker and Wispa in the companys "best-selling selection box in the UK".

Why have Cadbury's removed fudge from their selection boxes and yet still say open Christmas joy here as if they haven't just taken all the joy out  Olivia (@oliviapye_xx) December 8, 2017

A Cadbury spokesman said in a statement: "This year we have updated the range available within our selection boxes to improve the mix and offer more of a variety for our fans.

"Cadbury Fudge is still available in our small selection box and Freddo selection box but has been removed from the medium selection box to ensure were offering choice between the ranges."
Mr Mpofu told Claire's father that after struggling to find a nearby ATM that would dispense cash, the family had been forced to organise the hire of a Toyota Tarago through a hotel porter - and drive about 70 kilometres over the border to Zambia. They were believed to have been about five kilometres from the end of their journey when the accident occurred. "The vehicle was pretty dodgy and the roads weren't too good," Mr Penno said. Police suspect that Mr Mpofu was speeding when he lost control of his vehicle at around 6pm on Thursday local time, Zimbabwe newspaper The Chronicle reported. However Mr Mpofu told Mr Penno that "he was driving at a normal speed, but the vehicle was suspect and the wheels have slipped off the bitumen". Ms Penno and Ngoni Mpofu with Anaishe when she was a baby.

Ms Penno was the operations manager for Victoria with the Guardian Early Learning Group, and tributes have poured in from colleagues describing her warm-hearted and caring nature. Her father said she had been like a second mother to her three younger brothers growing up, and had always wanted to work in childcare. Along with her daughter and stepson, she was a foster mother to a young boy aged 8. "She loved to talk, her talk was all about how you were, how things were going. It was all about the welfare of others," Mr Penno said. "She was a huge character in terms of her concern and empathy for others, and really her love of children." At the time of the crash, Ms Penno and her daughter had been sitting in the back seat of the Tarago. There was no child restraint seat because the family hadn't expected to be driving at that stage of their trip, Mr Penno said. "Claire didn't have her seatbelt on apparently. She took it off for a moment to feed the baby or attend to the baby," he said.

Ms Penno's friends and former colleagues at the Guardian Early Learning Group have created a GoFundMe page to raise money to help bring Ms Penno and her daughter's body back home to Australia and pay for a funeral. Creator of the GoFundMe page Bhekizulu Zwangobani said both Claire and Ngoni had touched so many lives. They have always valued the relationships they have had with people and were not only good together, they also made someone special in Anaishe, he wrote. Claire was just an innately good and wonderful person, passionate about welfare of all people, and compassionate beyond measure. She loved and centred her life on the welfare of children, their education and expanding their potential.

She was amazing, she was beautiful inside and out and she was loved. Mr Zwangobani said their 18-month-old daughter was her parents and grandparents' world and was truly loved. Anaishe was just starting her life, full of character, personality and such intelligence. She had so much potential to bring to the world. A private Facebook group was created by the Guardian Early Learning Group, where Ms Penno had worked for a decade, as a tribute to her and a forum for her former colleagues to support one another and share stories of her life. By Sunday it had more than 470 members from Australia, Africa and Europe and many heartfelt messages and pictures from people who remembered her as an inspiring and caring figure.

Ms Penno's selflessness was a theme echoed by many who took to social media to express their grief. Fybian Fyablo Chakaodza said Ms Penno always put others before herself. "Im still in shock and cant believe something like this could happen to such a loving and kind family," he wrote on Facebook. "Claire was a beautiful and caring soul who was making a difference in the early childhood space." Mr Penno said his daughter and her future husband met in Melbourne when she was 19. They were keen travellers, he said.
Larissa Waters made history in May as the first woman to breastfeed in federal Parliament. In June, she made headlines again by feeding baby Alia while moving a motion on black lung disease. While Waters' career was cut short soon after due to the citizenship debacle, the image of the new mum balancing work and family life in the Senate is one of the most enduring of the year. Making history ... former Senator Larissa Waters with her baby Alia in June. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen 4) Scott Ludlam makes an important discovery Uh oh. When the Greens senator called a press conference one Friday afternoon in July, no one had any idea that it would kick off one of federal Parliament's most uncertain and bizarre episodes. Ludlam resigned because a member of the public tipped him off that he was still a New Zealand citizen (and therefore ineligible to sit in Parliament). It was shocking. But it turned out he was not the only one, not by a long shot. Everyone from the Liberal Party, to Labor, the Nationals and the crossbench was eventually caught in the mass stuff-up. And the High Court cases and possible byelections will continue in 2018. Hooray!

The High Court will consider the eligilbility under Section 44 of the Constition for politicians (anti-clockwise from top left) Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash, Matt Canavan, Nick Xenophon, Malcolm Roberts, Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam. Montage created 9 October 2017. Credit:Fairfax Media 5) Julie Bishop starts an unlikely diplomatic incident Foreign ministers are supposed to stop diplomatic crises, so it took considerable skill from Bishop to start a fight with Australia's best mate and next-door neighbour, New Zealand. It was all to do with contact Australian Labor had with NZ Labour over dual citizenship issues that related to Barnaby Joyce's situation. And centred around Bishop saying it would be difficult to trust NZ Labour if they won government. So it was textbook awkward when Labour's Jacinda Ardern became prime minister some two months later. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop during the infamous New Zealand press conference. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

6) Xenophon quits federal politics for the big time Nick Xenophon has been a kingmaker in Canberra, commanding a crucial three votes on the Senate crossbench. So at first, his surprise announcement that he was quitting his Senate spot to run in the upcoming South Australian state election seemed ... wacky. But with polls showing his SA Best Party could do well enough to make him premier, the decision seems more understandable. Nick Xenophon packing boxes in his office at Parliament House. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen 7) Parliament unites in grief In October, Labor MP Linda Burney had to face the unthinkable when her 33-year-old son Binni Kirkbright-Burney was found dead in the family home. Both sides of Parliament stopped to acknowledge her loss.

"She is cast deep in grief, but she does not grieve alone," Turnbull said. "We know how much Linda loved her son and we know how much her son loved Linda," Bill Shorten added. Susan Lamb holds hands with Anne Aly as Bill Shorten talks about the death of Binni Kirkbright-Burney, the son of Linda Burney. Credit:Andrew Meares 8) Cash makes a hash of Senate estimates Employment Minister Michaelia Cash had a shocker at Senate estimates hearings in October. After a dinner break, she had to come back and correct the record after she had spent all day denying her office had tipped off the media about a police raid on Australian Workers' Union offices. In the end, it turned out one of her staffers had alerted the media. The staffer quit but there was significant pressure from Labor for Cash to resign herself.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash under fire during the estimates hearing. Credit:Andrew Meares 9) Parliament unites in joy Parliament - and Australia - erupted in rainbow colours in November when same-sex marriage passed both houses of Parliament and became legal in Australia. There was singing in the public galleries and celebration right across the political spectrum. Liberal MP Tim Wilson even used his speech in Parliament to propose to his partner, Ryan. This was preceded by the same-sex marriage postal vote, which had Labor's Penny Wong - a long-time campaigner for the reform - shedding tears of relief when the 61.6 per cent yes vote was returned. Penny Wong after the same-sex marriage result is announced at Parliament House. Credit:Andrew Meares
Washington: A gift-wrapped package sent to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's home in a posh Los Angeles neighbourhood sparked a security scare just before Christmas.

The package was found on Saturday evening in a next-door neighbour's driveway in Bel Air, the Los Angeles Police Department told the Los Angeles Times and KNBC television. The package included a Christmas card with negative comments about President Donald Trump and the new US tax law signed by Trump last week.

It was one of those gag cards you can buy in a drugstore. "Merry Catsmess!" read the caption. And in a personal touch, as if for emphasis, Robby Strong had enclosed a box of horse manure.

"To Stevie," he wrote on the envelope, meaning Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, for whose doorstep the manure was bound.
A worker watches steel production at a Dongbei Special Steel plant in the northeastern city of Dalian in October 2015. Photo: IC

Four months after its debt-restructuring plan was hammered out, Chinas largest bond defaulter Dongbei Special Steel Group Co. is slowly crawling out of the grave.

Dongbei Specials main production facility in the northeastern port city of Dalian has turned a profit after nearly six years of losses, a source from a creditor bank told Caixin. That followed a nine-month struggle to settle more than 45 billion yuan ($6.8 billion) in debt and invite in fresh capital from new investors.

The debt-relief battle surrounding Dongbei Special is a peek inside Chinas campaign to deal with ballooning debt of state-owned firms.

Dongbei Special is Chinas largest producer of specialty steel for sophisticated applications such as nuclear, military and space projects. It was once a source of deep pride for its hometown of Liaoning Province in the heartland of Chinas rust belt.

Its fall was remarkable. Between March and late September in 2016, Dongbei Special failed to repay 10 batches of corporate bonds worth 7.1 billion yuan (US$1 billion). That marked a new chapter in the history of Chinas bond market, which previously hadnt had bond defaults because of government guarantees.

Company Chairman Yang Hua committed suicide five days before the first default on about 800 million yuan worth of bonds.

In October of 2016, a local court ordered the company to enter bankruptcy reorganization proceedings. That set off a tug-of-war among the debt-ridden Dongbei Special, its 1,911 creditors, local officials and potential investors.

The dust settled in August when a court in Dalian approved a restructuring plan that was a mix of partial repayment, debt-to-equity swaps and new investment. Most creditors were offered either compensation in cash at 22.09 percent of value or a debt-for-equity swap.

Creditors have accepted to swap about 84.6% of their debts into Dongbei Specials equity, Caixin has learned.

Meanwhile, Jiangsu Shagang Group Co. Ltd., Chinas largest privately-owned steelmaker, agreed to invest 4.46 billion yuan to become the largest shareholder of Dongbei Special, with a 43% stake. Liaoning government-backed Benxi Steel Group said it would invest 1.04 billion yuan for 10% of Dongbei Special.

After the restructuring, Dongbei Specials previous major shareholder  the Liaoning provincial state-owned asset administration and Heilongjiang provincial government  will no longer hold any shares of the company. Creditors are set to hold as much as 46.6% of the steelmaker after the debt-for-equity swaps.

The restructuring plan has apparently helped Dongbei Special stay afloat. Caixin learned from sources close to the company that the combined 5.5 billion yuan investment from Shagang and Benxi has arrived in Dongbei Specials accounts. Under the plan, 3 billion yuan will be used to repay debt and the remaining 2.5 billion yuan will supplement Dongbei Specials operating capital.

The business restructuring is also underway, led by Shagang, and steel production is on the rise, a creditor said.

Dongbei Special enjoyed a bit of good luck: As the company was moving along this year on its reorganization push, Chinas steel industry saw prices soar, thanks to economic recovery and the fight by central and the campaign to cut excessive capacity.

Steelmakers have seen their business revive. The benchmark steel price index had climbed 19% by the end of November from the beginning of this year, following a 72.8% rise throughout 2016, according to Qianzhan Industry Research Institute. Overall profit of iron and steel companies increased 160% year-on-year in the first nine months this year, data from the National Statistics Bureau show.

A source from a creditor bank said most creditors believe there is still plenty of room for Chinas special steel sector to grow as the countrys industries upgrade. Dongbei Special, with good technology capacity, has the potential to grow if it is managed more efficiently, the source said.

The debt bomb

Many of Dongbei Specials creditors were surprised when the default occurred because the company had shown little sign of capital crunch.

But a Liaoning government official told the news media in October 2016 that the provincial government had in March of that year helped Dongbei Special obtain 1 billion yuan in funds to help prevent an earlier default.

Creditors said they were kept in dark about Dongbei Specials struggles. The steelmaker had stopped releasing any financial figures beginning in September of 2015. Data released with the final restructuring plan showed that Dongbei Special had assets worth 19.1 billion yuan as of Oct. 10, 2016. That figure is a sharp drop from 30 billion yuan the company reported at the end of 2014.

An SOE source linked Dongbei Specials sharp decline in assets to the local governments intentional inflation of growth data. In January, the governor of the northeastern province of Liaoning admitted that city and county officials in the region had falsified fiscal revenue and other data from 2011 to 2014.

Sources close to Dongbei Special said the companys capital strain is a result of radical expansion. In 2007, shortly before the steel market took off after China injected 4-trillion yuan into the economy in a stimulus package, Dongbei Special invested 5.6 billion yuan to build the production facility in the outskirts of Dalian. In 2010, the facility was further expanded, with an additional 15.6 billion yuan investment.

But the boom in the steel market turned into a glut in 2014. The government moved to cut excessive capacity, making it difficult for steelmakers to access new bank credit and leading to a capital crunch.

Plans to expand

The bankruptcy proceedings started on Oct. 10, 2016, and the government-led reorganization team of Dongbei Special went on to hold nearly 100 meetings with potential investors and creditors to find the right lifesaver.

Major state-owned firms including Anshan Iron and Steel Group, CITIC Pacific Special Steel Holdings, China Baowu Steel Group and Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group were among the potential investors, Caixin has learned.

The short list was revised constantly, and it wasnt until late June  less than one month before the deadline for Dongbei Special to submit a restructuring plan to avoid liquidation  that the reorganization team and creditors picked the investment from Shagang.

Shagangs takeover as the largest shareholder raised concerns that some of Dongbei Specials 22,000 employees might be upset that the private company could change the state-owned-enterprise employee culture, which usually means better welfare. But creditors eventually cast their votes to the private steelmaker due to its reputation for strong management.

With total assets of 150 billion yuan, Shagang has been known for its highly efficient management and ability to control costs. In 2016, Shagang registered 198 billion yuan in revenue, with 5 billion yuan net profit, its eighth consecutive profitable year despite the slowdown in the overall steel sector.

For Shagang, the investment in Dongbei Special is in line with its strategy to shift its business focus from general steel to high-end special steel products. Shagang plans to expand its annual capacity of special-steel production to more than 10 million tons, sources close to Shagang said. Currently, Shagangs special-steel capacity, including Dongbei Special, is close to 7 million tons.

Shagang outlined a promising prospect for Dongbei Special  to achieve 300 million yuan net profit in 2018 and keep growth over the following three years. And then Shagang plans to restructure Dongbei Special with other assets and list the new entity on the stock market.

Governments role: intervention or support?

Analysts are hailing the Dongbei Special Steel case as a successful example of bankruptcy restructuring in China under market rules.

The central government has encouraged the use of the bankruptcy law by indebted companies to restructure amid ongoing efforts to deleverage the economy.

The number of bankruptcy applications in China jumped 53.8% last year to 5,665. Among the total, bankruptcy-restructuring cases rose 85.2% year on year to 1,041, according to the Supreme Court.

In Dongbei Specials case, the creditor committee, mainly formed by banks, played a crucial rule in coming up with the restructuring plan, although some smaller creditors complained that their interests were not well represented.

An industry policy analyst said the Dongbei Special restructuring plan offered better protection to its creditors than most previous bankruptcy cases. But he said had the steelmaker entered bankruptcy proceedings earlier, all parties would have incurred smaller losses.

Like many debt-strapped SOEs, Dongbei Specials restructuring is closely entwined with the local government. The team behind the companys bankruptcy reorganization consisted mainly of officials from the Liaoning provincial government. In late July, Liaoning Deputy Provincial Governor Cui Fengling flew to Jiangsu to meet Shagangs Chairman Shen Wenrong in person, pushing forward a partnership, Caixin learned from sources close to the matter.

When government officials directly negotiate with private investors, should it be seen as government intervention or support? asked the policy analyst.

Local governments are still essential to any major bankruptcy reorganization case in China because private investors are reluctant to get involved without clear government support, the analyst said.

But how and how much governments should get involved remains a question, he said.

Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com)
Headlines have contained many shocking stories about North Korea lately, but none so disturbing, perhaps, as the one about Kim Jong Nams murder. Kim Jong Nam was North Korea leader Kim Jong Uns estranged half brother. He fell out of favor with the family when he was caught in a Japan airport with a fake passport  he was on his way to Tokyo Disneyland.

Kim Jong Nam died at Malaysias Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13, 2017. He was traveling with a passport under the pseudonym, Kim Chol, and he was 46 years old. He was carrying $120,000 in a backpack when he started to check in at the kiosk.

What happened next was a series of bizarre events that still dont quite add up. Keep reading to find out the No. 1 shocker about Kim Jong Nams death, plus all the other mysterious events surrounding it. Well also take a look at who else Kim Jong Un has killed in his family and who might be next.

1. People blame the North Korean regime

In and of itself, its not shocking that the North Korean people blame Kim Jong Nams murder on their own regime. What is shocking is that theyre likely right.

According to the Washington Post, North Korea makes no bones about getting rid of its enemies  sometimes through traditional purges and executions in North Korea, sometimes through mysterious car crashes in a country with almost no traffic. And sometimes with plots that would make James Bond proud.

Next: The government has two suspects but is still missing four

2. Two female suspects face the death penalty

In October 2017, news headlines announced that the Malaysian government had two suspects under arrest  and four others still at large  for assassinating Kim Jong Nam. Judge Shah Alam, from Kuala Lumpur, is hearing the case, and suspects Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah from Indonesia are facing the death penalty if they are convicted, according to Reuters.

Next: The missing suspects

3. Four missing suspects are North Koreans

The four missing suspects are from North Korea  and they are rumored to be government agents, complete with code names, such as Grandpa and Mr. Y. None of the four, though, are in custody. The four suspects flew out of Kuala Lumpur the morning of the murder  by way of Jakarta to Dubai to Russia before finally retuning to North Korea. Those were some fishy flights.

Next: The No. 1, most-shocking thing about Kim Jong Nams murder

4. Both suspects pleaded not guilty

Both suspects, Doan Thi Huong and Siti Aisyah, pled not guilty for Kim Jong Nams assassination. Thats not so odd, but this certainly is: They claim someone fooled them into doing it. According to the women, they believed the whole thing was just a prank  and that it was going to appear on a reality television show. Siti Aisyah told police she done this type of prank three or four times before, according to the Washington Post.

Next: The grisly details

5. Heres how the murder took place

As Kim Jong Nam was checking in at the kiosk, a Vietnamese woman  wearing a shirt with LOL on it  came up behind him and covered his face with her hands. She then ran away and disappeared into a womans restroom. Seconds later an Indonesian woman came up behind him, repeated the process, and ran to a sink in the airport.

Investigators say the women were rushing to wash off the poison they used to kill Kim Jong Nam. This is shocking in two ways: Its amazing this took place in a large, public airport and no one did anything  and its incredible that whomever planned the murder came up with this as a plan.

Next: The extraordinary murder weapon

6. This is what actually killed Kim Jong Nam

The two women allegedly killed Kim Jong Nam with a nerve agent called VX, which was previously banned by an international treaty. The nerve agent blocks an enzyme that enables glands and muscles to relax, eventually killing the victim. In this case, it damaged Kim Jong Nams brain, liver, lungs, and spleen.

Depending on the severity of dose and the way its administered, death can happen in a few minutes or take hours. Kim Jong Nam had a concentration of VX on his skin that was 1.4 times more than the deadly amount for his weight.

Next: An autopsy argument

7. North Korea said no to an autopsy

Malaysian authorities announced that they would perform an autopsy on Kim Jong Nam as part of their investigation. But North Korean officials said no autopsy would be taking place without them witnessing it, acccording to CNN. Kang Chol, a North Korean ambassador to Malaysia, announced that North Korea would not accept autopsy results and demanded Malaysian authorities hand over the body. Malaysia maintained it did not need consent from North Korea to carry out the autopsy  and that it had no intention of sharing the results with North Korea.

Next: The other family members who have been killed, and whos next.

Assassination of Jang Song Thaek

Kim Jong Uns Uncle, Jang Song Thaek, was publicly executed by a firing squad in December 2013. At one time, Jang was considered the second most powerful person in North Korea, according to Esquire. He was Kim Jong Uns protector when the public was uncertain about a 27-year-old taking power. Hed spent his life creating a network of allies at North Korean embassies across the world. However, Kim Kong Un had him killed less than two years into his role as supreme leader of North Korea.

Next: This was perhaps his greatest flaw that got him killed.

Why was he killed?

Its suspected that Kim Jong Un thought Jang had become too powerful. He ordered that Jang be tried for treason, among other charges. It shows that Kim Jong Un and the people around him  Are under great psychological pressure. And that makes them take extreme action, David Straub, a former U.S. Diplomat and current fellow at South Koreas Sejong Institute, told Esquire. Once the right hand man of Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il, Jangs death proved that not even close relatives were safe from the dictators power.

Next: This cousin even tried plastic surgery to escape.

Assassination of Ri Il Nam

Although Ri Il Nam, a cousin to Kim Jong Il, was assassinated by the former leader rather than Kim Jong Un, the death still set a precedent for murdering family members. Ri Il Nam fled North Korea and took on a new name and new look  he underwent plastic surgery  in Seoul, South Korea, where he lived comfortably. He had contacted his family once to ask for money, but otherwise had not spoken to them in years. He was shot in the head in 1997 when he stepped out of the elevator in his building.

Next: A critical memoir sealed his fate.

Why was he killed?

Six months earlier, Ri Il Nam had published a memoir detailing the grim and gruesome life of living as a family member to Kim Jong Il. Esquire reported that he referred to his lavish life as a fancy prison. His sister, who also fled North Korea, halted the release of her own memoir upon learning of her brothers death. She still has not released the book.

Next: Heres who could be next.

Who could be next

Shortly after Kim Jong Nams death this year, his son, Kim Han Sol, released a video saying he was in hiding. Kim Han Sol has since come out to champion democracy, peace, and diplomacy. The 22-year-old lives a far different life than his North Korean family and does not stand for the same things as Kim Jong Un. Some think that because of this, he could actually be the biggest threat to the regime.

Next: Kim Jong Uns surprising, true mental state.

Kim Jong Uns true mental state

Kim Jong Un may seem like a crazy tyrant, but CNN reports top officials from the CIA say Kim is far from being a madman. The officials say Kim is motivated to keep his regime alive and well, and he acts rationally in accordance with his goals. As deputy assistant director Yong Suk Lee says, Waking up one morning and deciding he wants to nuke Los Angeles wouldnt be characteristic of something he might do.

But just because Kim isnt a madman doesnt mean hes not a violent dictator. He maintains his power by being confrontational and mercilessly getting rid of those who threaten his rule. The good news is Kim isnt likely to act out on impulse or emotion  but the bad news is hes still ruthless, even to his own people.

Read more: How the Kims Kill  A Closer Look at North Koreas Affinity for Murder

Additional reporting by Julia Mullaney.

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Former Nigerian Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has accused respected news medium New York Times of lying about US President Donald Trumps purported comment about Nigerians.

The New York Times on Saturday had reported that Trump said in a June 2017 meeting that Nigerians refuse to return to their huts after seeing America.

Other comments credited to the president at the meeting include: immigrants from Haiti all have AIDS and Afghanistan is a haven of terrorists.

The New York Times had quoted two anonymous sources present at the meeting but who sought anonymity.

Trump administration officials denied the report, saying that though the meeting took place, the president never used the words AIDS and huts.

In a reaction via his verified Twitter handle, Fani-Kayode described the New York Times report as a lie and salacious gossip.

He said,
President Donald Trump will arrive in China on Nov. 8 and spend two days meeting with President Xi Jinping. On the agenda are a couple of hot issues: cooperation on North Korea and the bilateral economic relationship between the United States and China.

Regarding that second topic of the economic relationship, U.S. businesses would love for Trump to gain some ground on what is perceived as a trade deficit between the two countries in favor of China. Trump is expected to be tough on trade talks with Xi, CNBC reported.

The two leaders have different objectives. Trump will seek to drive home the point that the United States will no longer tolerate imbalanced trade, while Xi will attempt to protect the status quo. The outcome of this meeting will heavily affect the trajectory of the two countries relations moving forward, Brookings reported.

Trump referred to his upcoming trip in a pair of recent tweets:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/923272793457913857

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/923268967728386049

Next: What to expect from Trump during the talks

Heres what to expect from Trump

Goods and services trade deficit with China: $310 billion

Trump believes the trade deficit has swung in Chinas favor after previous U.S. leaders were weak to push back against the country. When meeting with Xi, Trump may bring up the forced technology transfer U.S. firms must undergo to gain entry into the Chinese market. He may also address the big issue of Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property, as well as Chinese government-backed acquisitions of U.S. firms. These factors, and others, contribute to the imbalance in favor of the Chinese breaking into the U.S. markets, while U.S. companies struggle to start doing business in China.

We cant continue to allow China to rape our country, and thats what theyre doing, Trump said while on the campaign trail in May 2016, referring to Chinas number of exports relative to the United States. Its the greatest theft in the history of the world.

Next: What to expect from Xi during the talks

Heres what to expect from Xi

Xi became Chinas president in 2013.

Xi is currently riding high after his consolidation of power at the recent 19th Communist Party Congress. In a nutshell, he consolidated his lock on the Chinese presidency for another five years. He also had his name enshrined in the national constitution  which is no small feat. And now, the worldwide attention he will receive from Trumps visit can be used to help portray China as a powerful force domestically and globally.

Xi is expected to use his time with Trump to focus on symbolic gestures of goodwill toward the United States  which can be lacking in real substance. After all, of the two parties, the United States is the one seeking more from China than the other way around.

Next: What worries some about the upcoming meeting

Some are worried about the lack of prep work

Although the United States may be seeking immediate results and solid agreements to help balance the trade deficit, these situations are more complex and will take a longer time to negotiate, according to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who will bring a business delegation to Beijing during Trumps visit.

A U.S. business lobbyist in China expressed concern Oct. 31 that Trump was not making adequate preparations for talks on the trade imbalances ahead of his visit. Little has been done as far as meetings between working level officials to begin negotiations on commercial issues prior to the two leaders meeting, said William Zarit, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China.

Next: What are the true causes of the trade imbalance?

Xi might cite other causes of trade imbalance

In 2015, 22% of U.S. imports came from China.

What might be giving China more leverage in the talks is the fact that it is relying less on the United States as a place to export its goods. China continues to become less dependent on exports as it focuses on growing domestically. If the United States imposes sanctions and puts stops on business dealings with China, would it only be shooting itself in the foot?

Also in question is whether Xi will argue the United States is barking up the wrong tree when assessing trade-related situations between the two countries. Rather than the causes for the deficit which the United States is citing, other possible factors responsible for the may include automation, evolving global supply chains, and increased competitiveness of Chinese firms, Brookings reports.

Next: China might strategically time business deals.

Trump, U.S. companies negotiating deals with China

Approximate number of companies sending reps with Trump: 40

One aspect onlookers are anticipating is that China will likely sign some business deals with United States companies while Trump is there that could distract from the concrete issues at hand. The country has committed this practice in the past by signing deals when foreign leaders are present  deals that the country was planning on signing anyway, Brookings reported.

MSN reported that Chinas state-owned oil company may partner with two U.S. companies to complete projects which would increase U.S. crude oil exports to China. These projects could help to balance the U.S. trade deficit with China.

Next: Trump seeks help with North Korea.

Leaders to discuss North Korea

China accounts for 90% of trade with North Korea.

Other than the trade deficit talks, Trump will talk with Xi at length about how to handle North Korea and its threat of using nuclear weapons. Trump seeks Chinas help in isolating North Korea further, as the country has been conducting nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Among other things, Trump will call on Xi to fully implement U.N. Security Council resolutions against Pyongyang. China is North Koreas sole major ally. While many other countries have no ties with North Korea, China currently accounts for 90% of trade with the country.

Trump has threatened to totally destroy North Korea, and he and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un have called each other names in the press and on Twitter. Trump has frequently asked China to help rein in the North Korean leader.

Citing not enough time in Trumps schedule, an administration official said Trump will not be visiting the heavily fortified demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the border of North Korea and South Korea during his trip.

Next: What will Trump and Xi do when not negotiating?

The leaders will tour historic spots in Beijing

Number of buildings in the Forbidden City: 980

When theyre not negotiating, Xi will give Trump a private tour of the Forbidden City, located in the center of Beijing. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace during dynasties from 1420 to 1912. The leaders will also have an intimate dinner at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound.

A video shows footage of the Zhongnanhai leadership compound, which is adjacent to the Forbidden City:

Melania Trump to join Donald Trump on Asia trip

Total length of Trumps trip: 12 days

Trumps entire Asian trip will last from Nov. 3 to Nov. 14 and will also include visits to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines. He will be accompanied by first lady Melania Trump.

The presidents daughter, Ivanka Trump, will not travel with him to China. Instead, the president wants her to focus on tax reform. (She already hosted an event on the topic in Pennsylvania and was interviewed on the subject on a TV news show.) She will, however, travel to Japan separately to deliver a speech at a womens empowerment conference.

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Apple orders 200 million OLED screens from Samsung for 2018

Apple will once again be supplied with organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays by Samsung in 2018.

For the second time around, Apple has signed a deal with Samsung. According to industry sources by Android Authority, this deal will provide 180-200 million OLED displays for iPhone units to be produced in 2018.

This is the second time Samsung has supplied the largest American smartphone manufacturer with the display. Apple previously ordered 100 million OLED panels for the iPhone 8. Not long after, Apple ordered another 60 million OLED panels from the South Korean tech giant.

Android Authority estimates that Samsung will make between $19.8 billion to $22 billion in revenue for supplying Apple only with displays. Samsung also makes a number of components for Apple's iPhones.

In other news, Apple is now facing two class-action lawsuits that were filed on Thursday, Dec. 21, after the company admitted to the public that they have deliberately  through their software updates  slowed down older iPhone models.

Plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit claimed that Apple's iOS software updates were "fraudulently forcing iPhone owners to purchase the latest model offered by Apple." Additionally, the plaintiffs added how "Apple purposefully and knowingly released software updates for the iPhone 5, 6, and 7 models slowed down the performance of the device."

Affected Apple models include the iPhone 5, iPhone 6, 6S, 6S Plus, and iPhone SE. Through a software update, the CPUs of the devices decrease the phone's performance by meddling with the phone's battery, reports Geekbench.

Apple claimed that the feature was added because the aging lithium-ion batteries of the aforementioned devices were causing them to shut down without notice. The feature was also added to aid in delivering power to the devices during cold conditions, and as well as help aging batteries to deliver the necessary power to the devices. Apple has also planned on releasing the feature on the iPhone 7, as well as future models.

Fortunately, one fix is currently available. Apple iPhone users can replace their batteries for $79 on the nearest Apple Store.

Apple has currently not released a statement regarding the lawsuits.
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TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - A lawyer who spent six months on the run after pleading guilty in a $500 million Social Security fraud scheme was flown back to Kentucky on Tuesday after he was caught outside a Pizza Hut in Honduras.

Conn, 57, was led away in handcuffs by Honduran police agents with ballistic vests and assault rifles, and then turned over to the FBI, which flew him home in a private plane.

"As promised, Mr. Conn will now be held accountable for his actions, the people he deceived and the lives he shattered, including all the victims of his greed in eastern Kentucky," said Amy Hess, special agent in charge of the Louisville field office for the FBI.

Conn speaks multiple languages, had crossed the border 140 times over 10 years and had told at least six people he would flee the country rather than go to jail for his crimes. Yet a federal judge released Conn on $1.25 million bail, and allowed him to remain free even after he pleaded guilty in March to stealing from the federal government and bribing a judge to fix Social Security fraud cases.

Conn fled on June 2. He cut off his electronic ankle monitor and put it inside a metallic pouch designed to suppress electronic signals, authorities said. While nearly a dozen law enforcement agencies searched for the fugitive, he was sentenced in absentia last summer to a 12-year prison term - the maximum possible.

Conn faces many more years in prison if convicted of charges related to his escape.

Conn's capture was cheered by his former clients and their families, who have struggled to make ends meet while fighting to keep their Social Security disability checks.

"That's wonderful," said Donna Dye, whose husband was among Conn's clients in Appalachia. "I never thought they would catch him. He let people like my husband have trust in him, and he let that down."

Dye's husband, Timothy, was among the throngs of Conn's clients who had to fight to keep their disability checks. Timothy Dye went on disability for chronic arthritis after working decades in coal mines.

Conn, who started his law practice in a trailer in 1993, had portrayed himself as "Mr. Social Security." He fueled that persona with outlandish TV commercials and small-scale replicas of the Statue of Liberty and the Lincoln Memorial at his office in Kentucky.

Conn represented thousands in successful claims for benefits. But his empire crumbled when officials discovered he had been bribing a doctor and judge to approve disability claims based on fake evidence.

As part of the fallout, the Social Security Administration identified about 1,500 beneficiaries, mostly in eastern Kentucky, who were made to undergo hearings. Pillersdorf said those hearings are nearly complete, and about 700 have been found eligible to maintain the benefits.
As an attorney, Im supposed to be tactful by training and tradition. But knucklehead is the kindest and most diplomatic word I can use to describe both my client and his supposed adversarythe mother of his baby. What brought them togethersadly but not surprisinglywas child support.

These two kids are unmarried, barely educated, and grindingly poor. My client, the father, is now in the military, and soon to be shipped overseas. All told, this situation argued against a successful outcome. And now we were in Family Court, a cathedral of misery. What could possibly go wrong?

We were there to get a child-support order in place. And if we were really lucky, we might also get the 21-year-old parents to agree on some workable parenting plannot even a custody arrangement. All we were seeking was a simple agreement about how often and where the father would spend time with his child. But as the two one-time lovers sat down on the waiting room bench, a great freeze of hostility descended on them. They wouldnt even look at each other.

I was representing the father on a pro bono basis, through one of the many volunteer programs that lawyers participate in to help poor clients. The mother didnt have a lawyer with her, but she was accompanied by her own mother: a smart, tough woman who would have been a formidable opponent even if the law had been at issue. But it wasnt; this was about getting two 21-year-old kids to act like adults.

My client, the babys father, said that he wanted to do the right thing, not just financially, but as a participant in his sons life. Anyway, the money part was easy: the father was serving in the military, and he wanted the support paymentswhich the judge would set, based on a simple formulato be automatically withdrawn from his paycheck and sent to the mother.

The hard part would be visitation. The parents sat on a bench with their backs to one another, separated not just by three feet of dead air, but by a cloud of visceral recriminations, fears, and uncertainties that I couldnt begin to understand. I couldnt even get them to begin to articulate their concerns about each others parenting skills or home environments. It was looking to be a long, sad day.

Then, from over my shoulder, I heard a whisper. Can I give it a try?

In addition to meeting my client for the first time that morning, I had also just met my legal intern: a thirtysomething NYPD officer in his third year of law school. In New York, law students are required to complete 50 hours of pro bono work before they qualify for the bar.

Clearly, I was far from getting these two late-adolescents to make any progress on a parenting plan, so I was happy to let my new intern take a shot. With a confidence borne of scoresperhaps hundredsof doorway encounters and interventions, Tony spoke to them with a kindness, toughness, and street-smart savvy that could be gained only on the job. Tony was an Iraq War veteran, too, and that helped him connect with the father. For the first time in an hour, both parents started to pay attention.

Tony was good. Im not sure why I was surprised, but I was. He had none of the pretensions common to interns from prestigious law schools. Instead, he had a quiet seriousness that got these kids to speak, and more important, to listen. Tony wasnt in uniform (wearing the bag, as cops put it). And though he wore a nondescript suit and an uninspired tie, his shoes were meticulously spit-shined. Our problem couple turned their headsand imperceptibly their bodiestoward him. In a silent moment, Tony turned to me and whispered, Take the father out into the hall. I want to find out from the mother and grandmother what their real concerns are.

So, under a pretext, I ushered my client out of the waiting room and down the hallway. When, about five minutes later, we returned, Tony nodded and whispered, I got it. In another ten minutes, we had a parenting plan that everyone seemed happy with.

The hearing itself was quick and anticlimactic, albeit confusing to the young parents. Unfortunately, the process wasnt over. In another room inside the courthouse, the clerk gave the mother a 45-page questionnairenecessary to get the support payments flowing. Overwhelmed by the paperwork, the mother was ready to bail. And that wouldnt help my client, who was about to be shipped overseas.

Tony stepped in and began filling out the form for her. Accustomed to the NYPDs voluminous paperwork, he joked about this forms unnecessary obtuseness. Again, everyone calmed down. Then it was back up to the courtroom for more paperwork and a different clerks confusing next-step instructions. As a group, we schlepped four blocks to the Child Support Enforcement office, a state agency even more depressing and bureaucratic than the courthouse. And again Tony intervened when the clerk wouldnt speak with the mother and father at the same timestandard operating procedure because warring parents might get into a fight. Standing between them, Tony got the clerk to repeat his instructions slowly, making sure that both mother and father understood the process.

I then had to step in and explain some Old World basics to my client: yes, he had to go to a bank and get what was known as a checkbook. Then he would have to mail the thingin an envelope, with a stampto a Post Office Box in Albany. The twentysomethings seemed to understand, and reasonably asked why this couldnt be done from their cell phones. Good question.

So, fully six hours after we had arrived at the courthouse, the pieces were in place. We all shook hands, and the mother and father headed north on the avenue, talking to each other for the first time in who knows how long.

I turned to my intern, and thanked him. Not just for defusing a tense situation, but for helping seemingly hostile parties get to yes.

Its what I do every day as a cop.

I believed him. As we parted ways, I wondered how we attorneyswe typically see ourselves as professionals with unique knowledge and skillscould learn more from these street-smart men and women who face difficult and often dangerous situations every day. I dont think there is an easy or practical answer. But Im grateful that Tony is out there, and hope that most of the 33,000 others in the NYPD are half as good.

Photo by Courtney Keating/iStock
United States President Donald Trump described Nigerians as people living in huts which they would not want to return to whenever they visit America, the New York Times reported Saturday.

The paper published accounts of some administration officials who were present at a meeting about the administrations immigration policy in June.

Mr. Trump has pushed controversial immigration policies since becoming American president in January.

Amongst his first policies was to ban visits from several countries  mostly from the middle east.

The policy has been overturned and upheld by different American courts.

The Times reported that Mr. Trump had a ready-made excuse for almost all the countries his controversial immigration policy targeted.

He said he was banning people from Afghanistan because the country was a terrorist haven.

When asked about why he was restricting people from Haiti, he described them as being infested with AIDS.

On Nigerians, Mr. Trump said they would never go back to their huts in Africa, the Times reported, citing two officials who were presented at the meeting held in Mr. Trumps office but who sought anonymity.
This week on The Job Interview, Watershed Hospitality is looking for an experienced catering and event sales manager. The company, which manages a range of bars and restaurants, serves thousands of students at the University of Michigan and co-owners Justin Herrick and Adam Lowenstein are on the hunt for a sociable type who loves the bar and restaurant scene.

Herrick and Lowenstein put the four candidates vying for the job through the ringer. So we caught up with CNBC career expert, Suzy Welch, to find out who knocked it out of the park and who left something to be desired.

Takeaway 1 - Talk about your overqualification

It was clear from the outset that one candidate, Antonio, was overqualified for the position, but Welch was impressed by how he quickly overcame that obstacle and made it work for him.

Antonio addressed the situation head on, which is exactly what Welch advises. She says that if you ever find yourself in an interview where you're overqualified but see strong potential, talk about how that's a good thing. It's important to acknowledge that you don't see the position as a step down, but as "a gamble on yourself" for the future.

Takeaway 2 - Say it's your dream job

One of the questions candidates were asked was a common one. Herrick and Lowenstein wanted them to share their idea of a dream job. Sounds easy, but according to Welch, almost all of the candidates faltered here.

She explains: "A lot of times the job you're interviewing for isn't your dream job, but you need to say it is." A company wants to hire someone who really wants to work for them, so it's important to fake it 'til you make it. Expand on the parts of the job you do love, so that you avoid taking yourself out of the running.

Takeaway 3- Use your experience

Welch thought one of the greatest moments in the whole episode was when Antonio did the prioritizing exercise and put staff satisfaction ahead of customer happiness. It was a bold move that went against Herrick and Lowenstein's beliefs, but turned out to be a risk worth taking.

Antonio used his extensive industry experience to his benefit and was able to persuade them that he had the right answer. Teaching your interviewers something they wouldn't have known otherwise is always a plus. And it can definitely work to your advantage.

Watch all new episodes of "The Job Interview" Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT
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A few breaks in the tax overhaul may soften the blow of sky-high child care expenses. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the GOP's overhaul of the tax code, includes an enhancement of the child tax credit, doubling it to $2,000 per qualifying child. Lawmakers also expanded the availability of the child tax credit to higher-income earners: This break will begin to phase out for taxpayers who are married and filing jointly with adjusted gross income of $400,000 ($200,000 for singles). Under current law, the child tax credit begins to phase out at $110,000 for joint filers who are married and $75,000 for singles.

Families are really struggling with the crisis of paying for child care. They get sticker shock when having a baby, trying to understand what it will do to their budget. Michelle McCready Child Care Aware of America

Further, lawmakers have kept the child and dependent care credit, which can be worth up to $1,050 for one child under age 13 or $2,100 for two kids under 13. Finally, the bill leaves intact a break that allows workers to save up to $5,000 in pretax dollars ($2,500 for married taxpayers who file separately) in a dependent care flexible spending account to cover costs for qualifying dependents. Initially, the House proposal called for the elimination of the break for dependent care FSAs. Lawmakers later decided to keep it.

Getty Images

"The fact that dependent care FSAs are still in place, that's a big win for families that are able to contribute to those accounts," said Douglas A. Boneparth, a certified financial planner and president of Bone Fide Wealth in New York. "From a child-care perspective, it's more favorable," he said.

It's as costly as housing or college

The cost of child care for two kids is about on par with housing expenses, according to a report from Child Care Aware of America. In the Northeast, center-based care for an infant and a 4-year-old costs an average of $24,053 each year, Child Care Aware of America found. In comparison, housing costs in that part of the country cost an average of $21,140. Even in the South, where care costs are the lowest, child care for an infant and a 4-year old is an average of $16,704 each year, just a few dollars shy of the average housing expense of $16,741. "Families are really struggling with the crisis of paying for child care," said Michelle McCready, chief of public policy and research at Child Care Aware of America. "They get sticker shock when having a baby, trying to understand what it will do to their budget."

To put things in perspective, the average cost of tuition, fees, room and board at a public four-year college in 2017 was $20,770, according to the College Board. No tax break will cover the full cost of having someone look after your little ones, but parents have a few tools at their disposal to help defray that expense.

Footing the bill

Assuming the dependent care FSA is available at work, it may make the most sense for higher income earners, who save more on taxes if they're in higher brackets. That's because any money that goes into the account escapes federal income levies. Meanwhile, parents can also use the child and dependent care credit. A word of warning: You may not use this credit and the FSA to cover the same costs.

The fact that dependent care FSAs are still in place, that's a big win for families that are able to contribute to those accounts. Douglas A. Boneparth Bone Fide Wealth

Parents of school-age children should also note that the tax bill also allows them to use 529 savings plans to cover the cost of private elementary and high school. Under current law, these accounts grow tax-free and parents can use the funds tax free, provided they're used to cover educational expenses. "People are a little wary about using the 529 that way," said Cathy Derus, a certified public accountant and principal of Brightwater Financial in La Grange Park, Illinois. "But it's still a good thing to be aware of." WATCH: Rep. Kevin Brady: Tax bill redesigned to bring earnings back to US
A recent visit to India was a stark reminder to me  even as a tech reporter with an Indian background  that billions of people in Asia will become more active online in 2018 as internet accessibility and language recognition improve.

I've been able to take for granted during my lifetime that major technology companies were designing the Internet around their core consumer  English-speaking Americans. In a few years, that might not be the case, and U.S. tech companies would be smart to take note.

Here's what I observed.

1. Apple's brand is far from dead

As expected, Indian street vendors in the garment district were flush with knock-offs of Western brands like Addidas and Puma  and ready to haggle. But I also saw some "luxury" clothing that you'd never see in the States: Clothing plastered with the Apple logo.

While U.S. consumers now have flagships from Samsung and Google that rival the iPhone, Apple's brand power is still very strong in the rest of the world  the Microsoft logo just doesn't have the same fashion appeal, I'm afraid.

Although India's per capita income hardly justifies shelling out $999 on a phone, the iPhone X is not far from people's minds (it helps that iPhone X billboards are all over Mumbai.) While Chinese brands like Oppo and Vivo were prevalent, I saw many a flagship phone in the same streets as cows and camels.

In short, the iPhone is still an aspirational product for much of the world, so don't count Apple out yet.

2. Autonomous vehicles ain't seen nothing yet

Traffic in San Francisco or Pittsburgh might be relatively bustling by U.S. standards. But it's nothing compared to riding in an Indian autorickshaw. In countries where traffic rules are more fluid, autonomous vehicles may need to start the artificial intelligence process in from a fundamentally different point of view.

In the U.S., it's possible to train a car to learn the rules of the road, and then refine the technology around rare "edge cases." A car driving in India, on the other hand, might need to be reactive first and learn to say, read the eye contact of a motorcyclist to see where he intends to go, or track the distance of honking horns and warnings like flashes of floodlights.

3. If we don't invest in infrastructure, the developing world will leapfrog the West

Magarpatta City, a township within the metropolitan area of Pune, more closely resembles something out of a sci-fi movie than a post-colonial Asian city. It's a smart "cyber city" that leaves no detail unplanned, from safety for schoolchildren to irrigation of tree roots. The water treatment, energy consumption, schooling and shopping is all self-sustaining.

While North American cities like Toronto are experimenting with "smart" infrastructure, what I saw in Magarpatta City could only be built from the ground up. Most Western cities are comfortable, by in large, with the existing infrastructure  the challenges that have forced India to change, like exploding population growth and pollution, don't push on the West as hard.

But the pressing need for change in Asia, as well as the willingness to demolish old infrastructure, could present an opportunity for India to take advantage of new technologies like hyperloop in a way that the New York Subway system never could.

4. US technology companies should be wary of inequality created abroad

At the same time, communities like Magarpatta City are built around IT companies that largely feed the American tech ecosystem. And that's created discussions about inequality there. While the narrative of the "coastal elite" is already entrenched in the U.S., America's tech companies are also the world's biggest companies  and America is far from the only nation wrestling with a resurgence in nationalism.

5. Data collection can challenge the fundamental idea of privacy  even in a democracy

Purchases that U.S. consumers wouldn't think twice about  like buying a cell phone or signing up for Skype  are a whole lot more intrusive in India. That's because of the Aadhaar ID program, a government ID that's based on the biometric data of each citizen. It's scanned everywhere one goes, even to claim a lost Amazon package.

It's a reminder that today's computing capabilities can make it possible citizens to fear a "surveillance state," even at the scale of the world's most populous democracy.

6. H-1B visa reform should be taken seriously

India is a much different business environment than it was even a year or two ago. Thanks to companies like telecom giant Jio, India's population is coming online and on mobile faster and faster. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gone to extreme lengths to cut down on corruption, going as so far as to pull almost 90 percent of its currency out of circulation overnight.

That means that India is a better place than ever to start a tech company. At the same time many Indian engineers, hoping to start companies in the U.S., are being turned away.

Indians are the top workers hired by companies receiving H-1B visas, getting about 71 percent of jobs in 2015. Companies offering computer-related occupations got 66.5 percent of H-1B visas that year.

If promising engineers do decide to start companies in India instead of the U.S., it could present serious competition for U.S. technology companies, and America must be willing to take on that challenge.
There is nothing like the joy on a child's face when they open the perfect gift. But consumer advocates are raising concerns that some of this year's bestsellers may not be safe.

Just as household items like doorbells and cameras are going high-tech, so are toys. One example, is My Friend Cayla, a "smart" doll which asks children questions, and records their answers.

But The Public Interest Group (U.S. PIRG) is concerned Cayla may be used as a digital spy. At a recent press conference, PIRG demonstrated how Cayla's speaker can be used to listen in and talk to a child by hackers.

"The risk that a doll like My Friend Cayla poses is that she can be accessed with a Bluetooth connection without a password," said Mike Litt, a consumer campaign director for PIRG.

"So if a stranger is within distance of the Bluetooth connection than they can actually listen in on your child. They can talk to your child," he added.

The interactive doll isn't alone. Which?, a U.K. consumer advocacy organization, found security or privacy concerns with 5 additional connected toys.

"We're already seeing that more of these Internet of Things toys are coming onto the market," Litt said.

German regulators have actually banned My Friend Cayla, and at least one consumer group has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which regulates children's online safety. Additionally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is looking into Internet connected toys.

"We are just beginning to look into this and we're working with our sister agencies to see who should have which responsibility and who has the expertise to delve into that," said Joe Martyak, CPSC's director of communications.

Genesis Toys, which makes My Friend Cayla, did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. Still, there have been no incidents related to Cayla, according to The Toy Association, an industry trade group.

"Toy safety is the toy industry's number one priority and that's not just the physical safety of the toy, but the online safety of the child playing with the toy," said Rebecca Mond, the Toy Association's senior director for federal government affairs.
A heavy defeat for the right-wing politician Marine Le Pen in May's French presidential election was touted as evidence that populism in Europe was on the wane.

But the vice-chairman of Blackstone believes that moment was just a lull and voices from the fringe will again be heard loud and clear next year.

"In 2018, I do believe the drivers of populist movements, given that 2017 was a fairly placid year on populism, are going to be far rifer to both the far-right and far-left," said John Studzinski.

"That will make the whole Brexit and European Union debate much more complicated."

Studzinksi said Britain's exit from Europe was still at a very early stage and he expected to see a redefinition of what Brexit means as negotiations evolve.

"There is no question that Europe sees its own future and stability and a sort of troika relationship among Germany, France and the U.K.," he said. "People like Merkel and Macron would love to keep May and the U.K. in the EU."

But the former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Lord Malloch Brown said division within the U.K. means Europe's power brokers won't rush to bring the country back into its fold.

"It (U.K.) can't get Brexit through because it has a weak government and a conflicted parliament. Is that the terms in which you want to reimport Britain's civil war into the debate about Europe?"

Malloch Brown said he agreed with Studzinksi's view that a "hard Brexit" looks much less likely for Britain. He added that the result could be disastrous for both those who believe in Brexit and May's ruling Conservative party.

"I can now see a likely parliamentary vote against Mrs May's Brexit and that could lead to both a new general election and shift to a Corbyn government, or another referendum," he said.

For the full interview watch CNBC's special "The Davos Guide" program. Episode 1 airing on Tues Dec 26 at 23:00 CET and Weds Dec 27 07:30 CET. Episode 2 airing on Weds Dec 27 23:00 CET and Thurs Dec 28 07:30 CET. Episode 3 airing on Thurs Dec 28 at 23:00 CET and Fri Dec 29 at 07:30 CET.
Morocco reinforced its position within the UN in 2017 as the Kingdom and several Moroccans have made it to the top UN agencies in 2017 thanks to their credibility and competence.

The rise of the Kingdom in UN Committees attests to the efficiency of Moroccan diplomacy and the alignment of national policies with the UN agenda.

In this regards, Morocco was elected vice-president of the 72nd UN General Assembly, on behalf of the African Group, and to the vice-presidency of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, commonly known as the 4th Committee during the elections that took place, in New York, on May 31st, 2017.

Moroccos vice-presidency of the General Assembly allows it to sit with the five permanent members of the Security Council and the presidents of the six main Committees of the UN General Assembly within the General Committee (Bureau), which will lead the work of the General Assembly alongside current president, Miroslav Lajcak (Slovakia).

Morocco was brilliantly elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the period 2018-2020, during the elections, held on June 20, 2017 in New York.

The year 2017 was particularly marked by the success of Moroccan candidacies submitted to various decision-making bodies covering the three priority pillars of the United Nations: Peace and security, human rights and sustainable development.

Concerning the fight against terrorism, Morocco was re-elected with the Netherlands for a second two-year term as chair of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).

With regard to the disarmament and non-proliferation bodies, Morocco was elected to the presidency of the 22nd Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention and coordinator of the African Group for Chemical weapons issues.

The Kingdom was also re-elected for a new two-year term (2017-2019) to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), in which it served on behalf of the African group, for 19 years.

In the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), Morocco and the US were elected as Chair.

In the field of human rights, Moroccan Saadia Belmir was re-elected for a fourth term as an expert within the United Nations Committee against Torture, following a vote on October 5th, 2017 in Geneva, during the 16th meeting of States Parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Likewise, Mohammed Ayat was elected to the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances on June 20th, 2017 in New York, on the sidelines of the 4th meeting of States Parties to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Regarding sustainable development and migration, Morocco and Germany, from January 2017, were elected co-chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development. The Kingdom was also chosen to host the World Summit on Migration in December 2018 in Marrakech.

Morocco has also been elected deputy member of the governing body of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

At the level of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), trust was renewed in Morocco for a new term, 2018-2019, as a member of the Council of the global authority responsible for setting standards for the safety, security and environmental performance of international maritime transport.

In the UNESCO, Morocco was unanimously elected by acclamation as chair of the general conference for the period 2017-2019, in the person of ambassador Zhour Alaoui, permanent delegate of the Kingdom to UNESCO, the first African, Arab and Muslim woman to occupy this post.

Morocco was also re-elected as a member of the executive board for the period 2017-2021, where it will sit alongside 57 other countries.

In recognition of Moroccan womens expertise, Moroccan magistrate Latifa Taoufik has been appointed for a four-year term as chairperson of the UNESCO appeals board.
Pa. Democrats win a wafer-thin majority in the House

Incumbent Rep. Todd Stephens has conceded defeat, giving Democrats enough seats in the Pa. House to win a majority for the first time in a decade
After demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Narendra Modi government is going to introduce yet another controversial measure: the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill, 2017, purportedly to pave the way for a comprehensive resolution framework for specified financial sector entities. The bill is supposed to deal with bankruptcy situation in banks, insurance companies and financial sector entities. This is the first time that a legislation of this sort has been proposed in India.

Like the note-ban and GST, this measure too is going to impact the masses in a big way. Also, this policy too is as politically divisive as demonetisation and GST were. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has already declared war against the proposed FRDI Bill which is set to be introduced in Parliament soon. Other Opposition parties, including the Congress, are also likely to join the anti-FRDI chorus. This would be yet another fiscal policy issue that will end up dividing the political class in a big way.

But the question is: Should the government ignore the burgeoning opposition to this proposed legislation and use its majority in Parliament to go ahead with it?

Let's see the pros and cons of the proposed legislation.

Benefits

The government claims the FRDI Bill aims to protect the depositors' money in state-run banks and there is no need to create any fear psychosis. Finance minister Arun Jaitley harped on this point while replying to a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the Supplementary Demand for Grants - Second Batch for 2017-18, introduced in the house in August.

In his 2016-17 budget speech, Jaitley had said that a systemic vacuum exists with regards to bankruptcy situations in financial firms and that a comprehensive code on resolution of financial firms will be introduced as a bill in Parliament during 2016-17. The government believes that the bill seeks to protect customers of financial service providers in times of financial distress and also help encourage discipline among the financial service providers by putting a limit on the use of public money to bail out distressed entities. It also seeks to decrease the time and costs involved in resolving distressed financial entities.

a) A large number of retail depositors can benefit as the FRDI Bill seeks to decrease the time and costs involved in resolving distressed financial entities and help in maintaining financial stability in the economy by ensuring adequate preventive measures as well as provide necessary instruments in an event of crisis.

b) It will provide a comprehensive resolution framework for the economy and inculcate discipline among financial service providers in the event of financial crisis.

c) It promotes ease of doing business in the country, improves financial inclusion and increase access to credit, which may lead to the reduction of the cost for obtaining credit.

d) It would give increased access to finance enhancing enterprise growth, which in turn leads to preserving employment, growth and the creation of new job opportunities.

The problems

Now here are the main points of objections to the legislation:

a) The bill's biggest red rag is its controversial provisions of a "bail-in" clause which suggests that depositors' money could be used by failing financial institutions to stay afloat.

b)The Resolution Corporation (rescue body), which is proposed under the bill, can use public money in case the bank starts to sink. The bill empowers the rescue body to decide the amount insured for each depositor. The rescue body can cancel even the Rs 1 lakh insurance that depositors get under the current law and a bank can even declare that they don't owe them any money at all.

c) People are worried that if this bill is passed in Parliament, the depositors' rights may go down the drain, but that is ONLY if the bank is going down the drain, and that is a rare scenario.

d) It seeks to place the entire financial structure of the country at the mercy of the government. The Resolution Corporation has been given powers that override those vested in the RBI, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and even the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Besides, the measures initiated by the corporation cannot be challenged in court, including the Supreme Court.

e) The legislation proposes to amend the SBI Act in order to insert a clause for its liquidation which gives rise to apprehensions that in due course the government might even take recourse to privatisation of the SBI.

So, what next? Yes, the government of the day is well within its powers to bring in whatever legislations it deems fit. But eventually, all such measures have to have a nod from the biggest and the highest court: the people's court.

The ultimate test of a government lies in the people's acceptance of its policies. The government must always be mindful of the age-old dictum: "State tax should be such which should not prove to be a burden on the subject; the King should behave like those bees which collect honey without causing harm to the tree."
Addressing the BJP parliamentary board meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, admitted that winning Gujarat elections was not an easy task. That just shows how close the election went with the stock market on the seesaw till the results stabilised and a BJP win looked certain. It was an exciting election with bits of positive and also some hard lessons for all participants.

A look at the percentages of votes polled for the BJP and the Congress, shows the BJP was comfortably ahead by 7 per cent votes. BJP polled nearly 50 per cent votes as against 43 per cent polled by Congress and its allies. Yet the seats won by the two parties do not indicate this. The reason is simple. It was the urban-rural divide. BJP swept the urban seats by huge margins adding to the votes polled but this was limited to the 48 urban seats which they won. As The Indian Express analysed, BJP polled 29 lakh votes more than the Congress but 72 per cent of these extra votes came from the 48 urban seats which they won.

There are 56 urban seats in Gujarat. The fight was closer in rural Gujarat. There are 126 rural and semi-rural seats in Gujarat. The BJP could win only 51 out of these with the Congress winning as many as 72 - a sharp difference in the voting pattern of rural and urban Gujarat.

Let us look at the positives for BJP. The party was able to retain Gujarat for a record sixth term. This is no mean achievement. The hold that Modi has on the electorate was evident once again. Their urban base continues to be strong as ever.

The positives for the Congress are also many. Party president Rahul Gandhi was able to energise the campaign and it was a well-planned effort. The Congress was wise enough to take the help of three young leaders who have been protesting against state BJP for the last three years. They were able to give a momentum to the Congress campaign. This was the best performance by the Congress since 1985.

Let us look at the hard lessons for BJP. I have been repeatedly stressing that the rural economy is not doing well with agriculture in distress. The setbacks that BJP received in Saurashtra are a pointer to the same distress. The government has concentrated too attention much on the processes and technology aspects to tap the money leakages that take place in welfare schemes. The objective is laudable but there is a human aspect also involved. We regularly hear about farmer suicides and their abject poverty. It is the job of the government to look at these problems with sympathy without getting tied down to processes and technology.

The party will also have to look at a more dynamic state leadership in the near future. A regular complaint of the electorate was that the party members had become very arrogant and needed to be taught a lesson. The party will have to keep this feedback in mind for the future.

The hard lessons for the Congress are many. It will have to urgently address the urban appeal issue. The party has no base left in the urban areas of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot. An urban leadership will have to be created urgently if it wants to come to power in 2022. The party also needs to ponder over the fact that only three months of hard and sincere work could help them improve their performance so dramatically. A longer stint of such work could have got even better results. As I have pointed out in my earlier articles, the Congress has a core base of about 35 per cent voters who never go away from the party. A better state leadership and sustained hard work will work miracles.

I think the result thrown up by the electorate is just perfect. It is a wake-up call for the BJP and will keep their complacency and arrogance under check. They will start working hard and become result oriented. This is an encouraging result for the Congress. Their sincere campaign and hard work has been rewarded. It is better for the Congress to not be in power with a thin majority. They have no experienced state leadership at the moment and a gradual leg up is best for them. They can play the role of a powerful opposition.
December is the time for cultural events. If Kolkata flaunts its book fairs, and Chennai its panchayats of music, Delhi opens up with an epidemic of seminars. Many of them are forgotten quickly, but some deserve a wider audience because the debates there are critical for the democratic imagination. One such session was the ICOMOS conference on heritage.

Heritage, one realises, is a loaded polysemic word. It cannot be written off passively as a move to preserve a few buildings and monuments. Our ministers, as they inaugurate these sessions, tend to treat heritage as a clerical term, as an auxiliary to the wider debates on sustainability.

When our culture minister gets eloquent and claims sustainability and heritage are human rights, one wonders what he means, as development projects in India create more refugees than all the wars we have fought. What does heritage mean in this context? How do we create a more proactive idea of heritage which resonates with democracy?

History

One has to remember that heritage is not just a clerical term but a life world, encapsulating history, memory, a vision of time, even a sense of the commons. One has to widen the idea of heritage; to do so, it might be relevant to remember some of the great debates about culture during the national movement.

In America, one meets the tribe in reservation. Here, tribes are part of our democracy and tribal knowledge. Photo: Reuters

One recollects the geologist and art critic Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy arguing that the national movement must fight a guerrilla war against the idea of the museum. The museum, he said, smelt of death and formaldehyde. Coomaraswamy added, "if God were to return today and ask Western man where the Aztecs and Incas or even the Australian aborigines were, would he take him to a museum?

What Coomaraswamy suggested was that heritage is not a passive act of preservation, but must seek to sustain the skills, the imagination of these ways of life.

Another creative suggestion came from the Russian painter, Nicholai Roerich, who spent years painting the Himalayas. Roerich, a theosophist, suggested the idea of the Green Cross, an organisation to preserve culture vulnerable at a time of war.

Heritage in both these examples is life giving. It is not only about a sense of loss or nostalgia. It is an idea about the continuity of civilisations. In that sense, the heritage the nation state protects maybe less creative, more an extension of tourism and national pride rather than a way of sustaining the skill sets of a civilisation.

Another danger is to treat heritage as a resource, rather than as a way of life. Then heritage becomes an act of cost-benefit rather than an ethics of the other. For example, the handloom industry has often been called a sunset industry, an economic sector which is doomed. Such a clerical definition blinds us to the fact that handlooms provide livelihood to 13 million people.

One has to protect the concept of heritage from becoming too bureaucratic or economistic. The idea of heritage has to go beyond the notion of built-up culture. Nature has to be seen as part of our heritage. The seed is as critical as any monument in evolving the idea of heritage.

Our efforts in this direction have often been bumbling. Today, we need to make nature part of the Constitution, give it representation and seek to define it as a person, as a complex chain of being. Our High Courts have recognised the Ganges as a person because it is sacred to Hindus. Such definitions are restrictive and bureaucratic.

One needs to see nature in all its forms as heritage where trees, seeds and coral reefs are seen as part of the cultural imagination called heritage.

Language

Even language is part of heritage. Our governments idea of language as any form of life that has a script doomed almost 2,000 oral languages to extinction. Orality and the power of orality have to be recognised, not as a vestige of a primitive past but as involving the authoritative and the ritualistic today.

Orality has to be seen as something inventive, an act of memory which keeps language sensitive to its everyday variations. In fact, we need a new social contract between the oral, the textual and the digital.

Democracy, instead of lurking in a narrow electoralism, has to be alive to these forms of institutional invention. Heritage has to eventually be a heuristic. A way of reproduction and continuity than an act of mourning, a sense of loss and idiot pride about what we have almost destroyed.

In that sense, an Indian idea of heritage is not just about the dead past but will attempt to fight the incessant obsolescence of cultures. We have to guard against obsolescence, erasure, amnesia of cultures under the impetus of development. Heritage in India is not an act of custodianship for a way of life that is lost but an act of ethical trusteeship for ways of life which are alive and vulnerable.

In America, one meets the tribe in reservation. Here, tribes are part of our democracy and tribal knowledge, lore and their cosmology have to be part of our current knowledge systems.

Imagination

To create and sustain all this, the notion of heritage cannot be left to time pass experts but must be a part of a peoples imagination. One crucial example is the way Costa Rica has handed over its biosphere reserves to the tribes. We must empower tribes through the notion of heritage so that the tribal as citizen is a man of knowledge.

Their shamans, their medicine men, their herbalists, their Ojhas need to be honoured as theorists so that we do not merely appropriate and abstract their knowledge as collectors.

To rethink heritage, we have to widen the notion of intellectual property beyond patents, to a sense of a shared commons, of dialogues and traditions kept alive. The idea of heritage in India has to go beyond the Western notions of preservation. Heritage reworked is an ethical commitment to the tribal, nomadic, peasant and craft ways of life.

Heritage is an effort to ensure that development does not become genocidal, accelerating the extinction of cultural forms.

To achieve all this, our schools, our communities have to be responsible for heritage by keeping crafts, languages and skills alive. In that sense, heritage becomes a way of reskilling democracy. It is these new imaginations that India has to bring to intellectual forums and incorporate in its manifestoes of democracy.
Not feeling the holiday spirit. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

President Trump escalated his war against the FBI over the weekend, again accusing the agency of bias and sarcastically commenting on the departure of its deputy director.

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

Wow, FBI lawyer James Baker reassigned, according to @FoxNews.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017

.@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

Trumps tweets are part of a broader Republican effort to impugn the law-enforcement agency  not traditionally known as a hotbed of liberal sentiment  over accusations of bias against the president. In doing so, Trump and his GOP allies in government and media also hope to undermine the investigation into Russian electoral interference by special counsel Robert Mueller, the former head of the FBI. The overarching strategy of sowing doubt could obviate the need for Trump to fire Mueller altogether, which would set off a firestorm.

Trumps unceasing broadsides against the FBI serve as valuable data for one of the big open questions observers asked when he took office: Are American institutions sturdy enough to withstand an all-out assault from a president who would rather be an authoritarian than the leader of a republic?

For the agency, the answer is getting a little less clear. It has hardly been purged of everyone suspected of harboring #resistance sympathies. But on Thursday, FBI director Christopher Wray announced that top FBI lawyer James Baker, an ally of former director James Comey and a target of GOP attacks, had been reassigned, much to Comeys chagrin. Then, on Saturday, FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, whom Trump has been criticizing for more than a year, announced that he would retire when he became eligible for his pension next year.

Wray had been expected to appoint his own top staff when he became director in May, and McCabes departure was not unexpected. But the timing of Bakers reassignment struck many as a sign that the agency might be beginning to crack under Republican pressure.

If I were Wray and I meant to replace my general counsel, the antics of the last two weeks would have convinced me not to do it under fire to make sure no one thinks I am giving the administration a scalp, national-security-law expert (and Twitter celebrity) Benjamin Wittes told Business Insider.

McCabe, who is widely respected within the agency, originally drew Trumps wrath because he helped oversee the investigation into Hillary Clintons private email server, which ultimately ended without charges. Weeks before the 2016 election, The Wall Street Journal reported that his wife, Jill McCabe, received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from political groups related to Governor Terry McAuliffe  a close friend of Hillary and Bill Clintons  during an unsuccessful run for state Senate in 2015. This extremely thin connective tissue was all Trump needed to go on the attack. When the president fired James Comey from the FBI in May, he was temporarily replaced by McCabe, and Trump urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to fire him, too, a plea that went unanswered.

McCabe reentered the spotlight last month when the New York Times reported that Mueller had removed FBI agent Peter Strozk from his investigation after learning that Strozk had sent anti-Trump text messages during the 2016 campaign. The evidence of widespread bias within Muellers team was weak, especially considering the FBIs noted rightward tilt in the run-up to the 2016 election. (Trumpland, anyone?) But part of the conservative case against Strozk consisted of a cryptic message he sent that also seemed to implicate McCabe. It read: I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andys office  that theres no way he gets elected  but Im afraid we cant take that risk. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before youre 40.

It turned out the insurance policy simply referred to going forward with an investigation of Trumps ties to Russia on the off chance he won the election. But that explanation wasnt enough for congressional Republicans, who questioned McCabe for many hours this week. He oughta be replaced. And Ive said that before and Ive said it to people who can do it, Senator Chuck Grassley told reporters.

Now that Baker and McCabe are indeed on the way out, Wray can chart his own course forward at the FBI. But which way will he steer? The director is an unenviable position; the Times reported on Friday that, because of the supercharged partisan atmosphere, Senior agents have expressed fear that if their names appear in the news media, they will be singled out for attack by politicians. Republicans are unlikely to be satisfied with a few minor shuffles at the agency; theyre out for blood.

Trump and his allies may claim they want a nonpartisan FBI, but of course what they really long for is a loyal one. President Trump infamously demanded loyalty from James Comey (as McCabe attested to this week), and when he didnt get it, fired him.

In testimony before Congress earlier this month, Wray forcefully defended his agency from presidential attack. The FBI I see, he said, is tens of thousands of brave men and women who are working as hard as they can to keep people that they will never know safe from harm.

That all sounds well and good. But to maintain the integrity of his institution, Wray will have to do more than pay lip service to his agents; hell likely need to shield some of them from what is likely to be a sustained attack on their reputations. The next few months will show if hes up to the task.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, and markets biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, neuroscience, and covid-19 diseases. The company's products include Revlimid, an oral immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma; Eliquis, an oral inhibitor for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Pomalyst/Imnovid indicated for patients with multiple myeloma; and Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis. It also provides Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia; Yervoy for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma; Abraxane, a protein-bound chemotherapy product; Reblozyl for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia; and Empliciti for the treatment of multiple myeloma. In addition, the company offers Zeposia to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; Breyanzi, a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma; Inrebic, an oral kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with myelofibrosis; and Onureg for the treatment of adult patients with AML. It sells products to wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, retailers, hospitals, clinics, and government agencies. The company was formerly known as Bristol-Myers Company. The company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
VMware, Inc. provides software solutions in the areas of modern applications, cloud management and infrastructure, networking, security, and digital workspaces in the United States and internationally. It offers VMware multi-cloud solutions, including VMware vSphere, a data center infrastructure that provides the fundamental compute layer; vSAN and VxRail, which offers holistic data storage and protection options to applications running on vSphere; and vRealize Cloud Management solutions that manages hybrid and multi-cloud environments running in virtual machines and containers, as well as VMware Cloud Foundation, a cloud platform that combines its vSphere, vSAN, and NSX with vRealize Cloud Management into an integrated stack and delivers enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for private and public clouds. The company also provides networking solutions, such as VMware NSX, NSX Distributed and Gateway Firewalls, NSX Network Detection and Response Engine, NSX Advanced Load Balancer, Tanzu Service Mesh, and VMware SASE; security solutions consisting of VMware Carbon Black Endpoint, Workload, and Container; and digital workspace solutions comprising Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management, Access, Intelligent Hub, and Horizon. In addition, it offers application modernization solutions, such as Tanzu Application and Operations Platform, Tanzu Application Service Platform, Tanzu Observability, Tanzu Community Edition, and Tanzu Labs; and cloud management solutions, including vRealize Cloud Management, vCloud Suite, and CloudHealth by VMware Suite. The company sells its products through distributors, resellers, system vendors, and systems integrators. VMware, Inc. has a strategic alliance with Amazon Web Services to build and deliver an integrated hybrid solution. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Orange S.A. provides various fixed telephony and mobile telecommunications, data transmission, and other value-added services to customers, businesses, and other telecommunications operators in France and internationally. It operates through France; Spain and Other European Countries; The Africa and Middle East; Enterprise; International Carriers & Shared Services; and Mobile Financial Services segments. The company offers mobile services, such as voice, SMS, and data; fixed broadband and narrowband services, as well as fixed network business solutions, including voice and data; and convergence packages. It also sells mobile handsets, mobile terminals, broadband equipment, connected devices, and accessories. In addition, the company provides IT and integration services comprising unified communication and collaboration services, such as LAN and telephony, consultancy, integration, and project management; hosting and infrastructure services, including cloud computing; customer relations management and other applications services; security services; and video conferencing, as well as sells related equipment. Further, it offers national and international roaming services; online advertising services; and mobile virtual network operators, network sharing, and mobile financial services, as well as sells equipment to external distributors and brokers. Orange S.A. markets its products and services under the Orange brand. The company was formerly known as France Telecom and changed its name to Orange S.A. in July 2013. Orange S.A. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.
The following companies are subsidiares of General Dynamics: 42SIX LLC, ARMA Global Corporation, Advanced Technical Products, Aeromil (Australia) Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aircraft Engineering Pty Ltd, Aeromil Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil IT Services Pty Ltd, Aeromil Marine Pty Ltd, Aeromil Pacific Pty Ltd, American Overseas Marine Company LLC, Anteon International Corporation, Applied Physical Sciences, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Ascend Intelligence, Australian Avionics Pty Ltd, Autonomic Resources LLC, Avion Logistics Limited, Avjet Corporation, AxleTech International, Axsys, BATH IRON WORKS CORPORATION, BP-HP Pte Limited, Bath Iron Works, Bath Iron Works Australia Corporation, Bath Iron Works Canada LLC, Bluefin Robotics Corporation, Blueprint Technologies Inc., Braintree I Maritime Corp., Braintree II Maritime Corp., Braintree III Maritime Corp., Braintree IV Maritime Corp., Braintree V Maritime Corp., Buccaneer Computer Systems & Service Inc., CSC Computer Sciences Venezuela S.A., CSRA, CSRA (Costa Rica) S.A., CSRA (Guyana) Inc., CSRA (Middle East) LLC, CSRA Argentina S.R.L., CSRA BH d.o.o., CSRA Bahamas Limited, CSRA Bahrain S.P.C., CSRA Belgium SPRL, CSRA Bolivia S.R.L., CSRA Brazil Servicos de Tecnologia Ltda., CSRA Canada Inc., CSRA Caribbean Inc., CSRA Chile SpA, CSRA Colombia SAS, CSRA Commerce 2010 LLC, CSRA Consular Services Holding Company LLC, CSRA Consular Services Inc., CSRA France SARL, CSRA Guatemala Solutions Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Honduras Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Inc., CSRA Information Systems LLC, CSRA Information Technology Spain SL, CSRA Ireland Limited, CSRA Italy S.R.L, CSRA Kosovo L.L.C., CSRA LATAM LLC, CSRA LLC, CSRA Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., CSRA Netherlands B.V., CSRA Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CSRA Panama Inc., CSRA Peru S.R.L., CSRA Senegal SARL, CSRA South Africa (Pty) Ltd, CSRA State and Local Solutions LLC, CSRA Systems & Solutions LLC, CSRA Trinidad & Tobago Limited, CSRA Turkey Bilisim Teknolojileri Limited Sirketi, CSRA Uruguay S.R.L, CSRA Visa Services Israel Ltd., CSRAIT - Information Services Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Centauri Solutions LLC, Command System, Computing Devices International, Concord I Maritime Corporation, Concord II Maritime Corporation, Concord III Maritime Corporation, Concord IV Maritime Corporation, Concord V Maritime Corporation, Convair Aircraft Corporation, Convair Corporation, Creative Technology, Customer Services Ecuador CSRA S.A., Devcor, Diamond Fortress Technologies, DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, EB Groton Engineering Inc., EBV Explosives Environmental, ELCS-CZ s.r.o., Eagle Enterprise Inc., Earl Industries - Ship Repair and Coatings Division, Ebv Explosives Environmental Company, Electric Boat - Australia LLC, Electric Boat - UK LLC, Electric Boat Canada LLC, Electric Boat Corporation, Electric Boat France LLC, Electrocom Inc., Engineering Technology, Expro Finance Inc., FBD Fahrzeug und Bremsendienst GmbH, FC Business Systems, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Force Protection, Force Protection Europe Limited, Force Protection Inc., ForeSight Technology Services LLC, Freeman United Coal Mining Company LLC, GD Brazil Holdings LLC, GD European Land Systems - Steyr GmbH, GD European Land Systems Holding GmbH, GDOTS Services Corporation, GM GDLS Defense Group L.L.C., GPS Source Inc., GTE Government Systems, GWA-Datatrac FAST LLC, Galaxy Aerospace Company, Gayston Corporation - Defense Operations, General Dynamics - OTS (Global) Inc., General Dynamics AIS Australia Pty Ltd, General Dynamics Canadian Finance Inc., General Dynamics Canadian Holdings Inc., General Dynamics Commercial Cyber Services LLC, General Dynamics European Finance Limited, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Austria GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Bridge Systems GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Czech s.r.o., General Dynamics European Land Systems - Denmark ApS, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Deutschland GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - FWW GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems - Mowag GmbH, General Dynamics European Land Systems Romania S.R.L., General Dynamics European Land Systems S.L., General Dynamics Global Force LLC, General Dynamics Global Holdings Limited, General Dynamics Global Imaging Technologies Inc., General Dynamics Government Satellite Services LLC, General Dynamics Government Systems Corporation, General Dynamics Government Systems Overseas Corporation, General Dynamics Information Technology Canada Limited, General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., General Dynamics Information Technology Limited, General Dynamics Installation Services LLC, General Dynamics International Corporation, General Dynamics Itronix LLC, General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia Pty. 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Mental health patients in Uganda are suffering from unwanted side effects resulting from cheap administered drugs in Ugandan hospitals.

Martin Mugonyi, 36, who suffers from mania, bipolar and depression is one such victim. Mugonyi has been a patient at Butabika National Mental Referral hospital for more than ten years.



"I was first diagnosed with mania in 2002 as I was joining university. I was taken to Butabika and put on treatment. I was on that medication for a year," he said.

According to Mugonyi, when he joined university he stopped his medication because it could cause drowsiness.



"I used to take my drugs in the night but waking up in the morning was difficult. I used to wake up at midday and tried to go to campus but it was too hard. I wanted to sleep all the time, he said.

Mugonyi says that due to the side effects of the drugs, he decided to leave campus and stay home.



"I wanted to be an electrical engineer and work for telecommunication companies like MTN. That was my dream but I failed to achieve it because I failed to attend classes due to feeling sleepy all the time," he told URN.

Mugonyi is not the only patient at Butabika to complain about the side effects of the medication. The problem is attributed to the use of cheap drugs.



According to the Butabika hospital administration, they have been dispensing cheap drugs that present side effects and alter the physical ability of patients to function when they take them. One such drug is Largactil.

It is one of the drugs the hospital relies on mostly to treat mental illnesses for more than 50 per cent of its patient population. Despite its side effects, the hospital procures the drug because of the limited resource envelop from government to benefit all patients.



Dr David Basangwa, the executive director Butabika hospital, says the hospital operates on a budget of 600 patients yet it has 1,000 patients at the moment.

"What happens with a limited budget is that you go and shop where you can get the cheapest medicines with the cheapest option possible. With the advancement in science and technology there is now newer formulations that are used in psychiatry which have minimal defects.

Currently, we use the very cheap medicines that sometimes have side effects that patients dont like - causing them a bit of drowsiness, feeling sleepy, they cant pay attention. Whereas if we had adequate funding, what the rest of the world is using are newer medicines that are given with minimal side effects", said Dr Basangwa.



He explains that due to the funding gap, they are forced to prioritise on what conditions to treat and which drugs to use. The hospital prioritises the procurement of drugs like Largactil, which can treat a number of mental illnesses. 700 of the 1,000 mental patients currently at the hospital are treated using Largactil.



100 patients are being treated for schizophrenia, 300 for mood swings, 100 for paranoia and another 200 for alcohol & drug abuse.



Dr Basangwa says that while cheap drugs like Largactil are effective in treating mental illnesses that they are prescribed to treat, they present a number of side effects that affect the quality of life of the patients.

"The cheap drugs are able to do the job as well as the expensive drugs. They treat our patients very well, they manage the symptoms very well. Science has only created modifications in these medicines on the area of side effects. So what our patients unfortunately suffer even when theyve been cured well, is that they suffer from certain side effects. One of them these side effects is the sedation, that a patient after taking the medicine will get the side effects cleared but will feel a little lazy, sleepy and sometimes unable to perform good work", he added.



"When a student takes these drugs they cannot go to school and study or a person cannot even work when they are on these drugs. They are slow," Dr Basangwa said.



Alternative drugs that present less or no side effects in patients are available on the market. Olanzapine can be used to treat the same illnesses that Largactil treats. However, due to the lack of money, procuring drugs like Olanzapine is impossible, according to Dr Basangwa.

"On the open market, a one month dose of Largactil for one patient costs Shs 5,000. Olanzapine on the other hand costs Shs 200,000. With our funds, we cannot afford that," he said.

According to Dr Basangwa, they have been buying cheap drugs since 2012 when they started experiencing an increase in the number of mental ill patients.



"Before we used to get a budget of Shs 1.2 billion that was enough to cater for 600 patients. Five years later, we still get the same money for 850 in-patients. So we have had to cut corners to make sure that all Ugandans get the care," he said.



Dr Basnagwa says ideally in situations when they face drug shortages, they would expect family members to step in but the case is different at Butabika.



"Our biggest challenge is that most of our patients do not have relatives who attend to them. They are brought in by police and there is no way you can ask someone like that to buy drugs for themselves due to a shortage," he said.



The mental health focal person at ministry of Health, Dr Hafsa Luswata says the shortage of funds at the facility is an issue beyond the ministry's reach.

"As far as the funding is concerned, it is not the ministry of Health. Of course, we advocate for all our facilities to be well facilitated but it is ministry of Finance that releases the finances to the different ministries. That is beyond us for sure", she said.



According to Dr Basangwa, Butabika hospital needs twice its current annual budget allocation of Shs 1.2 billion to be able to procure drugs like Olanzapine. Butabika was founded in 1955. It has a capacity of 900 beds. Currently, the hospital has 200 out patients and 850 in-patients.
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells commercial and defense fully-automatic transmissions for medium-and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and medium-and heavy-tactical U.S. defense vehicles worldwide. It offers transmissions for various applications, including distribution, refuse, construction, fire, and emergency on-highway trucks; school and transit buses; motor homes; energy, mining, and construction off-highway vehicles and equipment; and wheeled and tracked defense vehicles. The company markets its transmissions under the Allison Transmission brand name; and remanufactured transmissions under the ReTran brand name. It also sells branded replacement parts, support equipment, aluminum die cast components, and other products necessary to service the installed base of vehicles utilizing its transmissions, as well as defense kits, engineering services, and extended transmission coverage services to various original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and the U.S. government. The company serves customers through an independent network of approximately 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations. The company was formerly known as Clutch Holdings, Inc. Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1915 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Post Holdings, Inc. operates as a consumer packaged goods holding company in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: Post Consumer Brands, Weetabix, Foodservice, Refrigerated Retail, and BellRing Brands. The Post Consumer Brands segment manufactures, markets, and sells branded and private label ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and hot cereal products. It serves grocery stores, mass merchandise customers, supercenters, club stores, natural/specialty stores, and drug store customers, as well as sells its products in the military, ecommerce, and foodservice channels. The Weetabix segment primarily markets and distributes branded and private label RTE cereal, hot cereals and other cereal-based food products, breakfast drinks, and muesli. This segment sells its products to grocery stores, discounters, wholesalers, and convenience stores, as well as through ecommerce. The Foodservice segment produces and distributes egg and potato products in the foodservice and food ingredient channels. It serves foodservice distributors and national restaurant chains. The Refrigerated Retail segment produces and distributes side dishes, eggs and egg products, sausages, cheese, and other dairy and refrigerated products for grocery stores and mass merchandise customers. The BellRing Brands segment markets and distributes ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, other RTD beverages, powders, nutrition bars, and supplements. It serves club stores, food, drug and mass customers, and online retailers, as well as specialty retailers, convenience stores, and distributors. Post Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.
With hardly any mineral wealth to talk of, Rwanda is aggressively pursuing science and information technology (ICT) to fill the gaps in its trade deficit.

Kigali Convention Centre

Delivering his state of the nation address at the 15th annual national dialogue (Inama yigihugu yumushyikirano) at the magnificent Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) recently, President Paul Kagame said in order for Rwanda to reach the high income status, Rwandans have to be creative and innovative in information technology.

He said his government has a strategy to attract innovators and young Rwandan creative investors will be supported.

The president said his government which has won a seven year term in August, wants to turn to conference tourism into one of the vehicles for economic growth. Already in this year, the country has hosted 169 international conferences.This strategy alone will spur the growth of the hotels sector. Last year Rwanda launched the KCC, built at about US$ 300m.

Another device devised to reduce the dependence on exports is the made in Rwanda campaigns. Rwanda officially banned the importation of used or second hand clothes.

Instead Rwanda is backing up Chinese investors to produce garment locally. The garment industry imports cotton from Mwanza in Tanzania. The Chinese investors are also involved in silk production. The president told the same conference that relying on home made products (made in Rwanda) has reduced the trade deficit by 20 percent.

In order for Rwanda to develop into an efficient and advanced business hub, it must have both a sophisticated socio-economic framework and the physical structure to complement it. Rwandas desire to create the regions first Smart Nation highlights the emphasis placed on infrastructure by the government.

President Kagame revealed that his government had spent $1.5 billion on infrastructure development including the construction of a new international airport at Bugesera, 35 kilometres from Kigali.

Kagame said his government intends to harness technology to the fullest to improve the lives of citizens, create more opportunities, and build stronger communities. Utilizing technology to better serve citizens manifests itself in many innovative creations such as video conferencing to conduct national dialogue. Different people participate in the umushyikirano via video conference where they share their views with other participants gathered at KCC.

Claire Akamanzi the head of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), a government agency responsible for attracting investors said a highly sophisticated infrastructure is only worthwhile if the workforce that utilizes the systems and structures is equally efficient. She said the country needs to have the right mindset to embrace a smart nation concept.

"The workforce has to be disciplined. It must love work. It must produce quality work, she said.

Rwanda wants to create a Singapore in East Africa. The difference though, Singapore is a port city, Rwanda is landlocked. But Kagame says investments in technology will unlock Rwanda.
Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. provides early education and child care, back-up care, educational advisory, and other workplace solutions services for employers and families. The company operates through three segments: Full Service Center-Based Child Care, Back-Up Care, and Educational Advisory and Other Services. The Full Service Center-Based Child Care segment offers traditional center-based child care and early education, preschool, and elementary education services. The Back-Up Care segment provides center-based back-up child care, in-home child and adult/elder dependent care, school-age camps, virtual tutoring, and self-sourced reimbursed care services through child care centers, school-age campuses, and in-home caregivers, as well as the back-up care network. The Educational Advisory and Other Services segment offers tuition assistance and student loan repayment program administration, workforce education, and related educational consulting services, as well as college admissions advisory services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 1,014 child care and early education centers in the United States, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and India. The company was formerly known as Bright Horizons Solutions Corp. and changed its name to Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. in July 2012. Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts.
I teach deep learning both for a living (as the main deepsense.ai instructor, in a Kaggle-winning team) and as a part of my volunteering with the Polish Childrens Fund giving workshops to gifted high-school students. I want to share a few things Ive learnt about teaching (and learning) deep learning.

Whether you want to start learning deep learning for you career, to have a nice adventure (e.g. with detecting huggable objects) or to get insight into machines before they take over, this post is for you! Its goal is not to teach neural networks by itself, but to provide an overview and to point to didactically useful resources.

Dont be afraid of artificial neural networks - it is easy to start! In fact, my biggest regret is delaying learning it, because of the perceived difficulty. To start, all you need is really basic programming, very simple mathematics and knowledge of a few machine learning concepts. I will explain where to start with these requirements.

In my opinion, the best way to start is from a high-level interactive approach (see also: Quantum mechanics for high-school students and my Quantum Game with Photons). For that reason, I suggest starting with image recognition tasks in Keras, a popular neural network library in Python. If you like to train neural networks with less code than in Keras, the only viable option is to use pigeons. Yes, seriously: pigeons spot cancer as well as human experts!

What is deep learning and why is it cool?

Deep learning is a name for machine learning techniques using many-layered artificial neural networks. Occasionally people use the term artificial intelligence, but unless you want to sound sci-fi, it is reserved for problems that are currently considered too hard for machines - a frontier that keeps moving rapidly. This is a field that exploded in the last few years, reaching human-level accuracy in visual recognition tasks (among many other tasks), see:

Measuring the Progress of AI Research by Electronic Frontier Foundation (2017)

Unlike quantum computing, or fusion power - it is a technology that is being applied right now, not some possibility for the future. There is a rule of thumb:

Pretty much anything that a normal person can do in <1 sec, we can now automate with AI. - Andrew Ngs tweet

Some people go even further, extrapolating that statement to experts. Its not a surprise that companies like Google and Facebook at the cutting-edge of progress. In fact, every few months I am blown away by something exceeding my expectations, e.g.:

It looks like some sorcery. If you are curious what neural networks are, take a look at this series of videos for a smooth introduction:

These techniques are data-hungry. See a plot of AUC score for logistic regression, random forest and deep learning on Higgs dataset (data points are in millions):

In general there is no guarantee that, even with a lot of data, deep learning does better than other techniques, for example tree-based such as random forest or boosted trees.

Lets play!

Do I need some Skynet to run it? Actually not - its a piece of software, like any other. And you can even play with it in your browser:

TensorFlow Playground for point separation, with a visual interface

ConvNetJS for digit and image recognition

Keras.js Demo - to visualize and use real networks in your browser (e.g. ResNet-50)

Or if you want to use Keras in Python, see this minimal example - just to get convinced you can use it on your own computer.

Python and machine learning

I mentioned basics Python and machine learning as a requirement. They are already covered in my introduction to data science in Python and statistics and machine learning sections, respectively.

For Python, if you already have Anaconda distribution (covering most data science packages), the only thing you need is to install TensorFlow and Keras.

When it comes to machine learning, you dont need to learn many techniques before jumping into deep learning. Though, later it would be a good practice to see if a given problem can be solved with much simpler methods. For example, random forest is often a lockpick, working out-of-the-box for many problems. You need to understand why we need to train and then test a classifier (to validate its predictive power). To get the gist of it, start with this beautiful tree-based animation:

Visual introduction to machine learning by Stephanie Yee and Tony Chu

Also, it is good to understand logistic regression, which is a building block of almost any neural network for classification.

Mathematics

Deep learning (that is - neural networks with many layers) uses mostly very simple mathematical operations - just many of them. Here there are a few, which you can find in almost any network (look at this list, but dont get intimidated):

vectors, matrices, multi-dimensional arrays,

addition, multiplication,

convolutions to extract and process local patterns,

activation functions: sigmoid, tanh or ReLU to add non-linearity,

softmax to convert vectors into probabilities,

log-loss (cross-entropy) to penalize wrong guesses in a smart way (see also Kullback-Leibler Divergence Explained),

gradients and chain-rule (backpropagation) for optimizing network parameters,

stochastic gradient descent and its variants (e.g. momentum).

If your background is in mathematics, statistics, physics or signal processing - most likely you already know more than enough to start!

If your last contact with mathematics was in high-school, dont worry. Its mathematics is simple to the point that a convolutional neural network for digit recognition can be implemented in a spreadsheet (with no macros), see: Deep Spreadsheets with ExcelNet. It is only a proof-of-principle solution - not only inefficient, but also lacking the most crucial part - the ability to train new networks.

The basics of vector calculus are crucial not only for deep learning, but also for many other machine learning techniques (e.g. in word2vec I wrote about). To learn it, I recommend starting from one of the following:

Since there are many references to NumPy, it may be useful to learn its basics:

At the same time - look back at the meme, at the What mathematicians think I do part. Its totally fine to start from a magically working code, treating neural network layers like LEGO blocks.

Frameworks

There is a handful of popular deep learning libraries, including TensorFlow, Theano, Torch and Caffe. Each of them has Python interface (now also for Torch: PyTorch).

So, which to choose? First, as always, screw all subtle performance benchmarks, as premature optimization is the root of all evil. What is crucial is to start with one which is easy to write (and read!), one with many online resources, and one that you can actually install on your computer without too much pain.

Bear in mind that core frameworks are multidimensional array expression compilers with GPU support. Current neural networks can be expressed as such. However, if you just want to work with neural networks, by rule of least power, I recommend starting with a framework just for neural networks. For example

Keras

If you like the philosophy of Python (brevity, readability, one preferred way to do things), Keras is for you. It is a high-level library for neural networks, using TensorFlow or Theano as its backend. Also, if you want to have a propaganda picture, there is a possibly biased (or overfitted?) popularity ranking:

If you want to consult a different source, based on arXiv papers rather than GitHub activity, see A Peek at Trends in Machine Learning by Andrej Karpathy. Popularity is important - it means that if you want to search for a network architecture, googling for it (e.g. UNet Keras ) is likely to return an example. Where to start learning it? Documentation on Keras is nice, and its blog is a valuable resource. For a complete, interactive introduction to deep learning with Keras in Jupyter Notebook, I really recommend:

Deep Learning with Keras and TensorFlow by Valerio Maggio

For shorter ones, try one of these:

There are a few add-ons to Keras, which are especially useful for learning it. I created ASCII summary for sequential models to show data flow inside networks (in a nicer way than model.summary() ). It shows layers, dimensions of data (x, y, channels) and the number of free parameters (to be optimized). For example, for a network for digit recognition it might look like:

OPERATION DATA DIMENSIONS WEIGHTS(N) WEIGHTS(%) Input ##### 32 32 3 Conv2D \|/ ------------------- 896 0.1% relu ##### 32 32 32 Conv2D \|/ ------------------- 9248 0.7% relu ##### 30 30 32 MaxPooling2D Y max ------------------- 0 0.0% ##### 15 15 32 Dropout | || ------------------- 0 0.0% ##### 15 15 32 Conv2D \|/ ------------------- 18496 1.5% relu ##### 15 15 64 Conv2D \|/ ------------------- 36928 3.0% relu ##### 13 13 64 MaxPooling2D Y max ------------------- 0 0.0% ##### 6 6 64 Dropout | || ------------------- 0 0.0% ##### 6 6 64 Flatten ||||| ------------------- 0 0.0% ##### 2304 Dense XXXXX ------------------- 1180160 94.3% relu ##### 512 Dropout | || ------------------- 0 0.0% ##### 512 Dense XXXXX ------------------- 5130 0.4% softmax ##### 10

You might be also interested in nicer progress bars with keras-tqdm, exploration of activations at each layer with quiver, checking attention maps with keras-vis or converting Keras models to JavaScript, runnable in a browser with Keras.js. Speaking of languages, there is also R interface to Keras.

EDIT (March 2018): Also, I wrote livelossplot - a live training loss plot in Jupyter Notebook (for Keras, PyTorch and other frameworks).

TensorFlow

If not Keras, then I recommend starting with bare TensorFlow. It is a bit more low-level and verbose, but makes it straightforward to optimize various multidimensional array (or, well, tensor) operations. A few good resources:

In any case, TensorBoard makes it easy to keep track of the training process. It can also be used with Keras, via callbacks.

Other

Theano is similar to TensorFlow, but a bit older and harder to start. For example, you need to manually write updates of variables. Typical neural network layers are not included, so one often uses libraries such as Lasagne. If youre looking for a place to start, I like this introduction:

Theano Tutorial by Marek Rei

At the same time, if you see some nice code in Torch or PyTorch, dont be afraid to install and run it!

EDIT (July 2017): If you want a low-level framework, PyTorch may be the best way to start. It combines relatively brief and readable code (almost like Keras) but at the same time gives low-level access to all features (actually, more than TensorFlow). Start here:

EDIT (June 2018): In Keras or PyTorch as your first deep learning framework I discuss pros and cons of starting learning deep learning with each of them.

Datasets

Every machine learning problem needs data. You cannot just tell it detect if there is a cat in this picture and expect the computer to tell you the answer. You need to show many instances of cats, and pictures not containing cats, and (hopefully) it will learn to generalize it to other cases. So, you need some data to start. And it is not a drawback of machine learning or just deep learning - it is a fundamental property of any learning!

Before you dive into uncharted waters, it is good to take a look at some popular datasets. The key part about them is that they are popular. It means that you can find a lot of examples what works. And have a guarantee that these problems can be solved with neural networks.

MNIST

Many good ideas will not work well on MNIST (e.g. batch norm). Inversely many bad ideas may work on MNIST and no[t] transfer to real [computer vision]. - Francois Chollets tweet

Still, I recommend starting with the MNIST digit recognition dataset (60k grayscale 28x28 images), included in keras.datasets. Not necessary to master it, but just to get a sense that it works at all (or to test the basics of Keras on your local machine).

notMNIST

Indeed, I once even proposed that the toughest challenge facing AI workers is to answer the question: What are the letters A and I? - Douglas R. Hofstadter (1995)

A more interesting dataset, and harder for classical machine learning algorithms, is notMNIST (letters A-J from strange fonts). If you want to start with it, here is my code for notMNIST loading and logistic regression in Keras.

CIFAR

If you want to play with image recognition, there is CIFAR dataset, a dataset of 32x32 photos (also in keras.datasets). It comes in two versions: 10 simple classes (including cats, dogs, frogs and airplanes ) and 100 harder and more nuanced classes (including beaver, dolphin, otter, seal and whale). I strongly suggest starting with CIFAR-10, the simpler version. Beware, more complicated networks may take quite some time (~12h on CPU my 7 year old Macbook Pro).

EDIT (Nov 2017): If you are interested in practical exercises, I wrote Starting deep learning hands-on: image classification on CIFAR-10.

More

Deep learning requires a lot of data. If you want to train your network from scratch, it may require as many as ~10k images even if low-resolution (32x32). Especially if data is scarce, there is no guarantee that a network will learn anything. So, what are the ways to go?

use really low res (if your eye can see it, no need to use higher resolution)

get a lot of data (for images like 256x256 it may be: millions of instances)

re-train a network that already saw a lot

generate much more data (with rotations, shifts, distortions)

Often, its a combination of everything mentioned here.

EDIT (May 2018): Were to look for suitable datasets? Kaggle Datasets is a place to start (along with some Kaggle Competitions).

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Creating a new neural network has a lot in common with cooking - there are typical ingredients (layers) and recipes (popular network architectures). The most important cooking contest is ImageNet Large Scale Visual Recognition Challenge, with recognition of hundreds of classes from half a million dataset of photos. Look at these Neural Network Architectures, typically using 224x224x3 input (chart by Eugenio Culurciello):

Circle size represents the number of parameters (a lot!). It doesnt mention SqueezeNet though, an architecture vastly reducing the number of parameters (e.g. 50x fewer).

A few key networks for image classification can be readily loaded from the keras.applications module: Xception, VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, InceptionV3. Some others are not as plug & play, but still easy to find online - yes, there is SqueezeNet in Keras. These networks serve two purposes:

they give insight into useful building blocks and architectures

they are great candidates for retraining (so-called transfer learning), when using architecture along with pre-trained weights)

Some other important network architectures for images:

Another set of insights:

Infrastructure

For very small problems (e.g. MNIST, notMNIST), you can use your personal computer - even if it is a laptop and computations are on CPU.

For small problems (e.g. CIFAR, the unreasonable RNN), you might be still able to use a PC, but it requires much more patience and trade-offs.

For medium and larger problems, essentially the only way to go is to use a machine with a strong graphic card (GPU). For example, it took us 2 days to train a model for satellite image processing for a Kaggle competition, see our:

Deep learning for satellite imagery via image segmentation by Arkadiusz Nowaczynski

On a strong CPU it would have taken weeks, see:

Benchmarks for popular convolutional neural network models by Justin Johnson

The easiest, and the cheapest, way to use a strong GPU is to rent a remote machine on a per-hour basis. You can use Amazon (it is not only a bookstore!), here are some guides:

EDIT (Dec 2017): For a hassle-free GPU support for deep learning I recommend Neptune: Machine Learning Lab.

Further learning

I encourage you to interact with code. For example, notMNIST or CIFAR-10 can be great starting points. Sometimes the best start is to start with someones else code and run it, then see what happens when you modify parameters.

For learning how it works, this one is a masterpiece:

When it comes to books, there is a wonderful one, starting from introduction to mathematics and machine learning learning context (it even covers log-loss and entropy in a way I like!):

Deep Learning, An MIT Press book by Ian Goodfellow, Yoshua Bengio and Aaron Courville

Alternatively, you can use (it may be good for an introduction with interactive materials, but Ive found the style a bit long-winded):

Neural Networks and Deep Learning by Michael Nielsen

EDIT (Dec 2017): For a very practical introduction to deep learning with Keras, I recommend Deep Learning with Python by Francois Chollet.

Other materials

There are many applications of deep learning (its not only image recognition!). I collected some introductory materials to cover its various aspects (beware: they are of various difficulty). Dont try to read them all - I list them for inspiration, not intimidation!

Thanks

I would like to thank Kasia Kulma, Martina Pugliese, Pawe Subko, Monika Pawowska and ukasz Kidzinski for helpful feedback on the content and to Sarah Martin for polishing my English.

If you recommend a source that helped you with your adventure with deep learning - feel invited to contact me! (@pmigdal for short links, an email for longer remarks.)

The deep learning meme is not mine - I just rewrote it from Theano to Keras (with TensorFlow backend).
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...
Processing times for these visas will now be faster, as both applications and supporting documentation are immediately available to the processing office. (Representational Image)

Chennai: India has emerged as the fastest growing inbound market for Australia with an influx of 2,94,000 visitors, thus making India the ninth largest inbound market for Australia, and inches closer towards achieving its Tourism 2020 goal of 3,00,000 visitors annually -three years ahead of the target. Indian visitor spends in Australia for the year ended September 2017 reached AUD 1.45 billion (approx. Rs. 7,200 crore), an increase of 26 % over the previous year, making India the eighth largest market in terms of spend by tourists.

We are extremely pleased with the success of the e-lodgment process, with over 60 % of the total tourist visa applications now received online. November 2017 has witnessed the highest-ever tourist visa lodgments. Online lodgment offers benefits such as 24 / 7 accessibility, electronic payment of the visa application charge and the ability to check the status of applications lodged online, says Tania Gerlach, Chief Migration Officer, Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) commented. Processing times for these visas will now be faster, as both applications and supporting documentation are immediately available to the processing office. This will be good news for every Indian visitor planning a trip to Australia, whether for business or pleasure.

Says Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India and Gulf, Tourism Australia, it is an extremely proud moment for us to achieve the fastest growing market status in our 50th anniversary year of marketing Australia to the world as a visitor destination. Our focus on content integration initiatives, partnerships with airlines and Aussie specialist agents, and increased digital focus has been the cornerstone for these impressive results. Wed like to thank our trade and aviation partners who have been a part of this incredible journey.
BENGALURU: Demanding immediate implementation of Dr. Sarojini Mahishi Committee report, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) held a mammoth protest rally from National College Grounds in Basavanagudi to Freedom Park, on Saturday.

Over 50,000 activists of the KRV, a pro-Kannada outfit, took part in the rally demanding job reservation for Kannadigas in public and private sectors. The rally that started from National College Grounds around 11.30 am passed through Minerva circle, J. C. Road, Town Hall, K. G. Road and Mysore Bank Circle before culminating at the Freedom Park, disrupting vehicular movement.

The agitators, who had come from across the state, shouted slogans demanding job reservation for Kannadigas. In its memorandum to the Chief Minister, KRV listed eight points related to job reservations for Kannadigas in state government, central government offices in the state, PSUs and also in private companies.

They demanded immediate implementation of recommendations of the Sarojini Mahishi Committee.

T. A. Narayanagowda, President of the KRV, said that increased migration from other parts of the country to the state had taken away job opportunities from natives. Kannadigas in Karnataka are left with no jobs due to migratory population. Its hightime that the government implements Sarojini Mahishi Committee report immediately, in the interest of Kannadigas.

After Housing Minister M. Krishnappa received the memorandum on behalf of the government, the agitators ended the protest peacefully. If the government does not meet our demands soon, we will intensify the protest in all districts of the state, Mr. Narayanagowda added.
The factory was left out of the USD 7.2 billion deal that was signed between Microsoft and Nokia in 2014.

CHENNAI: The Nokia factory at Sriperumbudur near here has been left like an orphaned child and the Centre is taking all steps to revive the mobile handset manufacturers plant, said Union Minister for Law & Justice and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday.

We are on the job to make it operational.. the Nokia facility was left as an orphaned child.. I tried my best.. You know Microsoft took over Nokia but left the Nokia plant (due to double) taxing issue, the Minister replied to a specific question during an interaction with the media.

The Finish firm had provided jobs to 8,000 people when the facility, which produced mobile phones was functioning at full capacity. The factory was left out of the USD 7.2 billion deal that was signed between Microsoft and Nokia in 2014.

We are trying to work it out, he said without elaborating further. We (the government) are on the job.. We tried with one-two companies.. It did not work out. Let me concretise and then disclose it to you.. But, we are on the job (to make it operational), he replied, when persisted.

On the proposal by Apple Inc., to set up a manufacturing facility in the country, he said, the government is in talks with them. The Minister claimed that the number of mobile manufacturing factories in the country has increased to 108 from two that were operating earlier and about three lakh boys and girls are working directly and indirectly.

On his interaction with the core members of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) earlier, Mr. Prasad said the members have come out with suggestions on GST and that he would look into it. I also explained to them (CII members) about bankruptcy code, to GST, RERA. I also told them how Moodys rating has made India positive, he informed.
Family of deceased Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad, 27, went to New Zealand two years ago on a student visa. (Photo: ANI)

Hyderabad: The family of a 27-year-old man hailing from Hyderabad, who was killed in a road mishap in New Zealand, has urged the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, to bring his body back at the earliest.

The incident occurred in Central Auckland when a speeding and the drunk driver jumped a red light and ploughed into Syed Abdul Raheem Fahads car, killing him.

Brother of the deceased, Syed Nehmath Ullah, spoke to ANI and said, My brother Fahad went to New Zealand two years ago on a student visa. Today in the morning we received information that he met with an accident and succumbed to injuries, we request EAM Sushma Swaraj to help us and make our brother's body to reach India soon.

One of the family members of the 27-year-old student added, We have established contact with the concerned embassy, but we would like to request EAM Sushma Swaraj to help bring his body here at the earliest. We also want compensation.
Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom is exploring opportunities for Ghana to boost its energy security through diversification to guarantee sustainable social and economic growth.



The company said, Nuclear energy development is an essential aspect of the solution for Ghana to deal with its energy shortfall which represents a considerable impediment for the country to reach its ambitious goals laid out in its National Development Plan (NDP), said Viktor Polikarpov, Rosatom's Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa.



Nuclear energy and technologies are able to give an impetus to Ghanaian industrial and infrastructure development, according to Polikarpov, who spoke on his companys best practices with participants of the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition (GISE 2017) conference, in Moscow which embraced international experts and high-level governmental officials.

.

Rosatom welcomes the countrys plans to develop its atomic programme and is open to assist Ghana in its nuclear endeavors, added Polikarpov.



During the technical sessions experts agreed that nuclear energy had a future in the Ghanaian energy mix, as the countrys existing overdependence on hydro and thermal power plants could not meet growing demand from households and businesses.



Ghanas annual energy demand is set to grow by 10 to 15 % and unfortunately supply generally does not meet this rapidly growing pace. The expanding industrial sector, rapid urbanisation, the growth of the middle class, and growing incomes, together with overall population growth, have altogether become major drivers of increasing electricity demand.



A delegation of Rosatom representatives from various fields of expertise demonstrated the companys solutions for nuclear power development for emerging countries.



The presenters focused on various topics relevant to Ghana, including; localisation, skills development, technology transfer as well stakeholder engagement among other things and

participants became familiar with nuclear innovations through the companys innovative virtual tour of one of Russias Nuclear Power Plants (NPP).



In order for Ghana to achieve a balanced energy mix, the country should consider all available sustainable sources of energy. Solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power to complement and reinforce one another to form a green square, which will essentially become the base for the world's future carbon-free energy mix.



A sustainable energy mix with the inclusion of nuclear power will contribute immensely to the national economy and will make local business more competitive and attractive on the global market, concluded Polikarpov.



The Summit and Exhibition - one of the key industrial event attended by international experts and high-level governmental officials, was organised by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Source: GNA









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Hubballi: Terming Veerashaivas and Lingayats as one and the same, a Veerashaiva rally in Gadag has resolved to urge the state government to dissolve the seven-member panel formed to look into the issue of granting minority status.

Charging that that the move is a political conspiracy ahead of Assembly elections, the pontiffs claimed that these members lacked knowledge about the principles of the Veerashaiva faith. The convention also resolved to exert pressure on the government to provide 15 per cent reservation by including the community under 2A category.

The seers of Pancha Peethas warned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that the movement would be intensified if he tried to divide the community for political gain by bowing to the pressure from some pseudo-religious heads. The seers also extended their support to judicial experts who are fighting a legal battle against ministers for trying to divide the community by working outside the constitutional framework.

The rally backed the stand adopted by Shivakumar Swamiji of Tumakuru Siddaganga Mutt that both Veerashaivas and Lingayats are the same. Shrishaila seer Dr Channasiddarama Panditaradya Swamiji contended that the British Gazetteer cannot be proved as a document of substance for minority status as claimed by Lingayat leaders. He also said that the decision on separate religion tag should be taken only after studying ancient literature as the evidence provided by Lingayat leaders are related to only the 18th and 19th century.

Dr Chandrashekar Shivacharya Swamiji of Kashi Peetha argued that attempts to divide Veerashaiva-Lingayats started with the formation of the Havanur Commission and the creation of 99 sub-castes within the community based on their occupation when Devaraj Urs was Chief Minister. Now, the Siddaramaiah government is trying to divide it again to gain political mileage, he added.

Lamenting the decline in political morality, Rambhapuri seer Dr Veerasomeshwara Shivacharya Swamiji said that this has cast a black shadow over religion. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take the Veerashaiva Mahasabha into confidence by dissolving the seven-member panel. He should also study historical facts before sending any recommendation for independent religion status. Otherwise, Veerashaiva leaders will teach him a befitting lesson, the Rambhapuri seer said.

Akhil Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha president and Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa was conspicuous by his absence though he sent a letter of support to the convention.
Peru has declared two North Korean diplomats persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within 15 days, according to a foreign ministry statement. The Peruvian government has informed the North Korean embassy of its decision to declare First Secretary Pak Myong Chol and Third Secretary Ji Hyok persona non grata, the ministry said late on Friday. It imposed the measure having verified that...diplomatic personnel have carried out activities incompatible with their official duties, it added. The ministry said the decision was also related to North Koreas continuous violations of UNSC resolutions on non-proliferation.
The annual scouts parade in Bethlehem will march through Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus and where celebrations will culminate with midnight mass. (Photo: AFP)

Bethlehem (Palestinian Territories): Preparations were under way in Bethlehem Sunday for Christmas, with tensions still simmering in the city and the region following Washington's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The controversial December 6 announcement by President Donald Trump unleashed demonstrations and clashes, including in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city Bethlehem, where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus in a midnight mass.

Bethlehem is normally flooded by tourists at this time of year, but has at times appeared almost empty of visitors as nearby clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army keep people away.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said "dozens" of groups had pulled out of planned visits after being scared off by the announcement and subsequent violence.

"Of course this created a tension around Jerusalem and this diverted attention from Christmas," the Catholic church's top official in Jerusalem said of Trump's announcement, but stressing that Christmas celebrations would go ahead as planned.

Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two per cent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Israel's tourism ministry has said that Christmas preparations have not been affected and that it expects a 20 per cent increase in the number of Christian pilgrims this year compared with 2016.

The ministry plans to operate a free shuttle service for the short distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem for mass.

An Israeli police spokesman said that extra units will be deployed in Jerusalem and at the crossings to Bethlehem to ease the travel and access for the "thousands of tourists and visitors."

The annual scouts parade in Bethlehem will march through Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus and where celebrations will culminate with midnight mass.

Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and interpreted Trump's statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this.

In a statement ahead of Christmas, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump's announcement "encouraged the illegal disconnection between the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, both separated for the first time in over 2,000 years of Christianity".

Abbas called on "world Christians to listen to the true voices of the indigenous Christians from the Holy Land...that strongly rejected the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital."

"They are the descendants of the first followers of Jesus Christ and an integral part of the Palestinian people," Abbas said, calling the local Christian community "an inherent part of our societies."

In neighbouring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017.

Hundreds entered the church, chanting slogans calling for its demolition, destroying furniture and attacking worshippers before security forces restored order.

But in Iraq, 2017 marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Christmas mass will be celebrated there for the first time in years following the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July.

IS seized Iraq's second most populous city as part of a lightning offensive in 2014, driving out many Christians, and only small numbers have since returned.

Christian dignitaries as well as Iraqi political and military leaders are expected to attend the annual service at St Paul's Church in the eastern sector of Mosul.
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Emil Lindstrand of Queensbury and Henry Gurney of Whitehall remember spending Christmas Day 1944 just trying to stay alive.

Sean Dion of Queensbury remembers Christmas 2008 and forcing himself out of his dorm at Sather Air Force Base in Baghdad to go to the mess halls, help his fellow soldiers and carve prime rib for two hours.

Mark Presher of South Glens Falls remembers the joy of not having to spend Christmas in Samarra, Iraq, in 2004.

Ask anyone who has spent time in the military and they will likely have a story about spending a holiday overseas. Many of the memories  intense and poignant  center on Christmas Day.

In 1944, the U.S. seemed to have the upper hand as winter descended on Europe, but German leader Adolph Hitler sent his troops into the Ardennes Forest in Belgium and Luxembourg in December to attempt to break the Allied lines.

I remember we had to jump at the Battle of the Bulge, said Lindstrand, a member of the Armys 82nd Airborne. It was foggy over that area, so we had to wait. We jumped about two days before Christmas, and I can tell you we werent thinking much about home. We were just trying to stay alive. It was very, very cold.

Gurneys Army unit was pushed all the way back to Bastogne, Belgium.

It was the coldest winter the European continent had experienced. We were very cold. We werent thinking about much else except trying to survive, and we didnt have any special food, just MREs, he said. We shaved pieces of chocolate into our canteens so we could drink them.

Over and over again

Dion, who was in the Air Force, is a veteran both of the service and of holidays spent overseas.

He served in the Persian Gulf in 1990, but didnt spend a Christmas there. Then, he was called to serve again. He was sent to Baghdad in September 2008 as the electrical superintendent of his unit and spent two consecutive Christmases overseas.

We had the internet, but still, I had never been away from home for Christmas before, he said. As the time drew closer to Christmas, we received a donated Christmas tree, we were sent an ornament from our loved ones to decorate the tree with, received a rum cake and many packages from all over the country.

One package from his great aunt included caramel corn, and the rest of the family sent fudge and other items.

It was all very special, but the feeling of being so far away from home on the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior was difficult, Dion said.

He attended a midnight service and sang hymns with others and made the best of things.

Still, in the morning, it did not feel like Christmas.

I really felt like staying in my dorm and doing nothing special, but instead I used my leadership skills and stopped feeling sorry for myself, Dion said. Besides, there were many of us being deployed through the holidays. I volunteered at the dining facility to serve the holiday meal. I carved more than eight full prime ribs to the members of the base in a two-hour block, smiled and even felt good to be around my fellow soldiers and airmen.

I later reached out to my family and wished them all a Merry Christmas and went to bed content.

The following Christmas saw him in Ali Al Salem, Kuwait.

We arrived there on Dec. 24 in the middle of the night. On Christmas morning, I attended chapel services, encountered a couple of power outages, worked through them and got to know the bases infrastructure very quickly. We did have a wonderful meal there, and I was able to wish my family a Merry Christmas by phone.

The following year, Dion was finally home, but his son was deployed to Afghanistan.

I truly felt bad for my wife, as she got to spend Christmas incomplete three years in a row, he said. Our son made a pledge that Christmas 2011 would be a special year, and it certainly was. We moved from Ulster County up here to Queensbury and started a new chapter in life that has been truly a blessing.

He retired in 2013 with 27 years of service.

Dions son is a technical sergeant in the Air Force, his daughter is a flight medic and her husband is an Army reservist.

There are still chances of our family being split up for the Christmas season, but we wear the uniform to serve and sacrifice and love doing it, he said.

Out on duty

Sean Corbett of Potsdam, a Marine who has a number of local friends, was in Baghdad in 2004.

I was 20, and that was pretty close to the median age of the soldiers in my unit, apart from the senior NCOs and officers, he said.

As he recalled that Christmas, he showed a picture of himself, taken in the old Republican Guard barracks, sporting a Santa-style hat with a springy Christmas tree on top.

My aunt sent me that hat, he said, so of course we needed to get a picture of that for her.

Corbett continued.

We had made quite a few friends in our area of responsibility at that point, especially because our mechanized infantry company started out guarding Baghdad University. One of our interpreters actually came to the U.S. and shes now a U.S. Marine.

Corbett and his fellow service members were able to pull together an impromptu meal for the holiday.

For that Christmas Eve, we were able to scare up a bunch of chickens and some random vegetables and have ourselves a BBQ with near beer and everything, he said. We then spent Christmas Day guarding the South Korean embassy and trying to figure out exactly how it was so ridiculously (comparatively) cold in the middle of Iraq.

Another Marine, Sgt. Trevor Allen Jerome, is a recruiter in Saratoga Springs. He said potential recruits often ask about being away on holidays.

The first Christmas I was away was hard, he said. My son was born in July, and I was deployed in September.

Christmas was challenging, but at the same time, there were other people in the unit going through the same thing I was. It was nice to not be alone, and I did have a chance to FaceTime with my wife and son.

Local resident Barry Cronkhite spent four consecutive holiday seasons overseas during the 1960s.

His first Christmas away was in 1964 in Kitzing en, Germany.

I was a young soldier, and I missed my family very much, Cronkhite said. I was lonely and there was nothing to do. I thought about celebrations in Glens Falls, and I was able to call home collect.

The following year, he was in Korea.

It was very cold, but I had a good meal in the mess hall. I missed my family, and I was unable to call home, he said.

In 1967, he was in Vietnam.

I had to stay on compound. I thought about my family at home and brother in Okinawa. I watched Armed Forces Network all day.

Finally, in 1970, he was again in Korea.

I thought about family and friends. Thought about snow in Korea and wondered if (there was) snow in Glens Falls.

Cookies and eggnog

Not everyone who spends holidays overseas is in a battle zone or even in the military service.

Nowhere in John Imhoffs job description as a Navy prosecutor was there any mention of cookies or eggnog. But at the holidays, they were as important as other parts of his job.

Imhoff, who was once part of the group that owned the Cambridge Hotel, is a former Navy JAG lawyer and is now the director of Military Commissions at the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba.

As a JAG prosecutor, I worked closely with military policemen. I always baked cookies and delivered them to the troopers on duty, he said in an email interview last week. I still carry on that tradition. Christmas Eve, I deliver cookies and eggnog to the guards at the expeditionary legal complex.

Hartford Town Supervisor Dana Haff spent his career as a Merchant Marine captain, and he remembers many Christmas days away from home. And he remembers working them.

Every day is a work day at sea, he said. We only have enough manning to cover each job, so no one can take a day off without someone else doing double duty. Christmas and major holidays are celebrated with great big wonderful, special meals. Many people tend not to work overtime on that day, but your regular eight-hour day still needs to be worked, regardless if it is Wednesday, Sunday or Christmas, because the ship still runs 24/7 and you do not stop the ship in the middle of the ocean to take a day off.

More memories

Other Christmas seasons brought humor, heartache and even a chance to come home.

My first Christmas not at home was in 1953, and I was in Korea. My oldest daughter was born while I was in Korea, said George S. Covel, a sergeant in the 8th Army Band. When I was on R&R in Tokyo, I saw a beautiful big Boopsie Growler Bear that I thought would be a wonderful Christmas present for my little girl and sent it home. A few days after Christmas, I got a letter from my wife. She informed me that there was a tag on the teddy bear that said Made in Brooklyn, New York. What a surprise that was.

Carl Fosco, commander of American Legion Post 233 in Glens Falls and one of the regions most active veterans, is terse when he recalls Christmas 1970.

I do not remember much. It was just another day in northern Quang Tri province just south of the Demilitarized Zone, said Fosco, an Army veteran. We were airlifted and inserted near an American fire base to conduct a patrol near the base. Some sporadic fighting was taking place. We were later airlifted out. I do not think we were overly concerned about Christmas, and I remember some guys were killed just before or after Christmas. I do not remember.

In 2004, Mark Presher of South Glens Falls was in Samarra, Iraq. The memories are still so fresh that he recalls them in the present tense.

Rumors are kicking around that we were going to be home for Christmas instead of here in Samarra, he said. It is one of those times where you want to believe it, but you dont want to get your hopes up. It has been so long since Ive seen my family. It dawned on me that I might be able to enjoy life once again.

Thankfully, the rumors were true and my Christmas wish had come true.
GLENS FALLS  The colors of Christmas Eve morning were red, white, blue and camouflage.

More than 1,200 people turned out Sunday for the 14th annual SFC Coons Christmas Eve Road March and they included soldiers in uniform, supporters in red, white and blue, parents with children in backpacks and strollers and others. Among them were at least four Gold Star parents who lost their children in wars.

I cant even express it in words, retired Sgt. First Class Arthur Coon said during an emotional welcoming ceremony. Every year we are here for the soldiers who are overseas or those who are not with us any longer.

The march started in 2004 when Soldiers of the New York Army National Guards Company C, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, which was then based at the now-closed Glens Falls Armory, were stationed in Iraq over Christmas. Other soldiers assigned to the armory, from the 466th Area Support Medical Company, got together to conduct a road march, the military term for a walking movement, in their honor.

We wanted to make sure they knew we remembered them, said Coon, who has since retired but has remained active in military support circles and in running the annual march.

Chris Nelson of Queensbury, who served in Iraq, was on hand with his hound, Henry, one of the many dogs who also took part in the march. A bunch of relatives are here visiting, so we came down. I still have friends and classmates in uniform.

PFC James Kassebaum of Queensbury, a National Guard soldier, was in uniform and had his full pack with him.

I figure if the guys over in Afghanistan are walking in full packs, I can do 4 miles in full pack, he said.

Kate Alexander and Charlene Wells of Warrensburg were there, with their 18-month old sons in their backpacks.

We just want to be here to support the troops as well as we can, Alexander said.

Soldiers from the state National Guards 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters, based in Troy, led the march, wearing replica World War I uniforms to commemorate and remember the service of New Yorks doughboys and their arrival in France for combat service.

The 42nd Division was a unique National Guard combat division formed for service in World War I from units across the nation, encompassing 26 states and the District of Columbia. The unit received the nickname Rainbow Division because it stretched across the country like a rainbow, according the divisions first chief of staff, then-Col. Douglas MacArthur.

New York National Guard troops attending Sunday included the 466th Area Medical Support Company and 1427th Transportation Company, both stationed at the Queensbury Readiness Center, along with representatives of the 109th Airlift Wing in Scotia.

Near the back of the march was Carrie Farley of Nassau, whose son Derek was killed in Afghanistan in 2010.

Its a good feeling to know that people dont forget the soldiers who died and the ones who are still out serving us, she said.
Man Has Serious Head Injuries After Night Club Assault

A 24 year old man is in hospital with serious head injuries following an assault in Douglas.

It happened in the early hours of Saturday morning (23rd Dec) in the male toilets at the Courthouse Nightclub.

The man's condition is described as 'serious but non life threatening'.

A 32 year old man has been arrested but release on bail. Manx Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward by calling Police HQ on 631212.
Sunday, December 24, 2017

On this Christmas Eve here in New Mexico, families are lining the sidewalks in their neighborhoods with luminarias, simple paper bags with sand in the bottom and one votive candle. Its a beautiful Christmas tradition, designed to direct the Christ child to the familys home. You may enjoy this Mortality Minute video I did about this tradition of visiting cemeteries on Christmas Eve:

[embedded content]

And while you are gathering with loved ones, heres a great article about using holiday face time to have a serious discussion about end-of-life issues, BEFORE someone ends up in the emergency room. Here are a few tips from this story, Holiday gatherings are a good time to discuss an uncomfortable subject  end-of-life decisions.

The holiday season is a time for families to gather together, open presents, share meals and  discuss the end of our lives.

Discuss the end of our lives?

If discussing The End seems out of place to you, you may need to rethink your priorities. There is no good time to discuss planning for the end of our lives. As a result, far too many people never discuss the topic with their loved ones.

In fact, a recent study noted that only one-third of U.S. adults have advanced directives for their end-of-life care. This lack of planning means loved ones are often left with no guidance when something goes wrong. Instead of having a plan in place, decision-makers are left to grapple with tough choices at times when theyre already under tremendous stress and emotional fatigue.

Broach end-of-life issues as something youre concerned about. Say that youd like to take just half an hour to talk about these things and learn what everyones wishes are. Note that its better to talk about it now than in a crisis situation.

Be intuitive toward the feelings of others and understand that not everyone will be ready or willing to have this conversation.

When someone states their wishes, repeat them back to make sure you truly understand.

Give the Five Wishes booklets as presents and have other documents available for everyone to take home.

Wishing you and yours a healthy, happy holiday season and a great New Year!

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Scientists will study the mysteries of Saturns largest moon or sample a moving comet for the next mission in NASAs highly competitive New Frontiers program that already has launched missions to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, to Jupiter and to an asteroid for sampling.

The two proposals were named finalists from a list 12. The one thats tapped to fly will become the fourth mission in the New Frontiers portfolio.

One proposal, Dragonfly, would send a dronelike craft to Saturns moon Titan to examine the habitability of dozens of sites there. The other finalist proposed traveling to a comet to take a sample that could help determine how material from ancient stars, for example, contributed to the origins of the Earths oceans,.

The Titan and comet missions were selected as finalists based on the outstanding and visionary science they exhibited, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASAs Science Mission Directorate, said during a teleconference last week.

Funding for the selected mission will be capped at $850 million.

More Information New Frontiers missions Two proposals have been named finalists for the fourth mission in the New Frontiers portfolio. The three New Frontiers already underway are: New Horizons: Launched in 2006, the mission is the first of its kind to get a close look at Pluto and its five moons, about 3 billion miles from earth. It is expected to reach the Kuiper Belt in 2019. Juno: Launched in 2011, the mission set out to study Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. The mission will end next year. OSIRIS-REx: Launched in 2016, Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer is the first U.S. mission set to bring asteroid samples back to Earth. It will return to earth in 2023. See More Collapse

Dragonfly would build upon observations of Titan made by the Cassini-Huygens mission, which launched in 1997 as a collaborative effort by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. It arrived at Saturn in 2004, when it began making flybys of Saturns moons, including Titan, according to NASA.

In 2005, the European Space Agency-built Huygens probe landed on Titan. The mission concluded in September, NASAs website states.

Dragonfly would land on Titan by 2034, and the mission would last several years.

Titan is a unique ocean world  with lakes and seas of liquid methane, said Elizabeth Turtle, the proposals lead investigator from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland. Were excited to continue with the mission concept.

The other proposal, Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return, dubbed CAESAR, would bring back a sample from a comet previously explored by the European Space Agency, said Steve Squyres, the proposals lead investigator from Cornell University in New York.

Comets are among the most scientifically important but among the most poorly understood, Squyres said. Theyre the primitive building blocks of planets  the source of water for the earths oceans.

Squyres chose the so-called Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko because so much data already has been gathered by an ESA mission known as Rosetta that flew alongside the comet before concluding last year.

CAESARs sample, totaling about 100 grams, would return to Earth by 2038, at which point scientists around the world could study it, Squyres said.

Turtle and Squyres now will begin another year of study on their proposals, Zurbuchen said, ending with a final proposal submission in January 2019.

The proposal selected to fly will be picked in July 2019 and launched in 2025.

The three New Frontiers projects already underway are:

New Horizons: Launched in 2006, the mission is the first of its kind to get a close look at Pluto and its five moons, about 3 billion miles from earth. It is expected to reach the Kuiper Belt in 2019.

Juno: Launched in 2011, the mission set out to study Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. The mission will end next year.

OSIRIS-REx: Launched in 2016, Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer is the first U.S. mission set to bring asteroid samples back to Earth. It will return to earth in 2023.
The original concept was to give community-minded readers a peek into how the newspapers editorial board operated by making them members.

That was 10 years ago.

We selected three different citizen representatives a year to serve four-month terms and act as full-fledged voting members of the board.

The feedback from the citizen representatives was that they enjoyed the experience and learned a lot about journalism and newspapers. But they also complained the time was too short. They said they were just starting to feel comfortable when their term was up.

So last year, we decided to create two more citizen representative positions with a one-year commitment each.

Our one requirement was that you had to have previously served on the board. We looked at it as an apprenticeship of sorts and its a select group of about 30.

We got about six volunteers last December. All had been outstanding members of our board, so we put their names in a hat and picked two  Dan Gealt and George Nelson.

The two of them are completing their one-year terms at the end of the month. They have been committed and involved and not afraid to voice their opinions. You will probably hear more from them later.

During the election season, they had the opportunity to take part in 39 editorial endorsement meetings.

A few weeks ago, we asked for more volunteers to serve one-year terms in 2018. We got about six volunteers again. Since our editorial board had changed so much over the years  I am the only original member from when we first invited citizen representatives  we invited each candidate in for a chat.

All were engaged, concerned about the community and had an intimate understanding of what the job entailed. The hard part was choosing just two.

What we looked for were two individuals who had different life experiences that would complement those of us who work here.

I am happy to announce that Carol Merchant and Eric Mondschein, both of Queensbury, will be joining our editorial board the first week of January. Carol served on the board in 2011, while Eric served in 2009.

We think both fit the bill, but honestly, any of the candidates would have worked out well.

They will join our current board of Publisher Rob Forcey, Controller/Operations Manager Brian Corcoran, Projects Editor Will Doolittle, citizen representative Patricia Crayford (who will be serving through March) and myself.

Carol grew up locally, went to school in Queensbury and eventually moved back here. She spent most of her career in financial services after co-founding TV Data in 1974. She retired from UBS in 2009, but she has remained active, serving on a variety of boards including the Conkling Center, the Glen at Hiland Meadows and the Lake George Club, where she is currently first vice president.

Eric moved to the region in 2006. He has taught law and education while publishing numerous articles and books in both fields. He has worked for the U.S. government in various capacities and directed an award-winning education program at the New York State Bar Association. He also served as an advier in external affairs, security, government relations and human rights for an international non-governmental organization while living in Haifa, Israel.

Ive already warned both of them that the current political climate has made their roles on the editorial board a little more prominent than when they first served.

The citizen representatives have been invaluable to our organization over the past decade. Weve learned from them and they have learned from us.

We hope it shows that we are comfortable having other community voices participate in solving the problems we all face.

We look forward to another challenging year.
Just when the excitement of opening presents abates after the last of the packages under the Christmas tree have been torn open, children and adults alike may discover that there are more treats to be had nestled inside of stockings hung on the mantle.

The hanging of Christmas stockings is a tradition with an extensive history. Several legends attribute the hanging of stockings to different people or events. Here is a look at some of the stories that have made Christmas stockings so popular.

St. Nicholas Day

Rather than hanging stockings on Christmas, many countries celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on Dec. 6, and this is when stockings are proudly left out for treats. The small, inexpensive trinkets are later unwrapped and enjoyed on Christmas Day.

Dutch heritage

One tradition says that, in 16th century Holland, children kept their clogs filled with straw in front of the hearth for Santas reindeer to find. They also left treats for Santa Claus.

In return, Santa would leave gifts in the clogs. Over time, stockings were swapped out for clogs.

Merchants family story

A popular tale tells the story of a merchant, his wife and three daughters. After the wife falls ill and dies, the man becomes devastated and squanders all of his wealth on frivolous things to mask his sadness.

When it comes time for the daughters to marry, the man does not have money for a dowry. St. Nicholas hears of the plight and knows the man would be too proud to accept charity.

Therefore, St. Nicholas anonymously tosses three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The mans daughters had done the laundry prior and left their stockings hanging by the fireplace to dry. The gold landed in the stockings, thus starting the Christmas stocking tradition.

Italian good witch

One stocking story does not attribute the tradition to Santa, but to a kind-hearted Italian witch named La Befana. La Befana arrives on a broomstick the night of Jan. 5 and fills the stockings of good children with sweet treats and toys.

Bad children are awarded lumps of coal. La Befana is also credited with being the old woman who the wise men ask for directions to Christs manger in the Christ childs story.

After turning down an offer to accompany them, La Befana later carried gifts in search of Christ.

Christmas stockings have become part of holiday traditions, and this beloved tradition has its own unique history.
Planning fees are due to increase by 20 percent in early 2018 as local authorities take advantage of new legislation.

Planning fees were set to increase by 20% from July, but is now poised to come into effect in the new year. The National Farmers Union (NFU) has labelled it as 'unwelcome news'.

The changes will allow local planning authorities to charge additional fees for all types of applications.

The NFU says farmers already pay considerable fees. For example, fees for agricultural buildings are based on the floor space and range from 80 to 250,000.

It says the government did not recognise this when they assessed evidence from the Rural Planning Review.

Excessive fees

Local authorities have pushed for the increase as it should allow them to apply more staff.

But the NFU said this would be a welcome move if it helps reduce the amount of time farm planning applications take to be processed.

Many farmers have been reporting three to six months rather than 8 weeks for their applications to be determined.

While the NFU cannot stop the government bringing in the fee increase, it will be lobbying further on this issue as "excessive fees" will put farmers off from applying for permissions.

It said that simpler planning rules benefit farmers and reduce local authority workloads so they dont need to charge more.

Rural growth

Ineffective planning policies and budget cuts have been blamed for the lack of rural economic growth.

According to speakers at the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants (BIAC) conference in October, there are a number of challenges in rural development.

Although the Government introduced permitted development rights to make it easier for landowners to convert redundant farm buildings into residential or commercial use, the process has been labelled as restrictive, meaning few developments are going ahead.

Indeed, latest figures show that 49% of the applications for permitted development rights to convert redundant agricultural buildings into new homes were refused in the last quarter from July to September 2017, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Planning barriers put people off investment, explained Ross Murray, then president of the Country, Land and Business Association (CLA).

Four-fifths of landowners want to invest more in rural development, but poor understanding of rural needs among planning departments is a real concern, according to the CLA.

Too often planning is a triumph of process over outcome, Mr Murray said.
A majority of Americans -- 54% -- are worried about not having enough money in retirement, according to a 2017 survey by Gallup. Social Security, designed to replace about 40% of pre-retirement income for average earners, will be a major help for most retirees. Indeed, the majority of elderly beneficiaries get 50% or more of their income from Social Security, while 23% of married elderly beneficiaries and 43% of unmarried ones get fully 90% or more of their income from it, according to the Social Security Administration.

Given all that, it's no surprise that many people wonder just how safe Social Security is.

When it comes to how safe Social Security is, there's both good and bad news. First, though, here's a bit of background information on this critical program.

Meet Social Security and its trust fund

Social Security pays close to 62 million Americans, with benefits totaling $955 billion in 2017. About 42 million recipients are retirees collecting retirement benefits (others are dependents of those retirees, disabled workers and their dependents, and survivors, including children).

Here's how Social Security works: As you might have noticed on your paycheck, workers get 6.2% of their wages withheld as a Social Security tax. What many don't realize, though, is that their employers cough up a corresponding 6.2%, for a total 12.4% tax on earnings. (Unfortunately, those who are self-employed have to pay both the employer and employee portions, forking over the entire 12.4% on their own.)

Some people assume that the money they pay into Social Security goes into an investment account with their name on it, growing until they're paid from it in retirement, but that's not how it works. Instead, the money that you and about 167 million other people pay into the Social Security system is used to pay the benefits owed to current beneficiaries. For a long time now, there has been more money coming in than going out, so the process proceeded smoothly, with the surplus funds going into the Social Security trust fund.

The "Social Security trust fund" term actually encompasses two funds: The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Managed by the Department of the Treasury, they permit our government to contain assets collected and to keep track of inflows and outflows. There's a board of trustees who watch over the trust funds and who report to Congress annually on their condition. By law, funds are spent only on benefits and administration, and assets in the funds are invested only in securities guaranteed by the U.S. government. The Treasury makes "special issues" available solely for the trust funds. They differ from traditional marketable Treasury securities by being less vulnerable to changes in value due to overall market conditions. In other words, these investments are structured so that they never lose value. They generate interest that can be used to pay benefits and they can be redeemed or sold over time, too.

Many people misunderstand this process, and some people (including some politicians) mischaracterize it, suggesting that the government is borrowing from, or "raiding" the Social Security trust fund. To help you see why that's not fair, consider this: If you invest in U.S. bonds, you're giving the government money, and the government is promising to pay back your investment at a certain time (when the bond "matures") and to pay you interest, too. You're lending money to the government, and the government is borrowing from you -- and rewarding you, too. It's not raiding your bank account or stuffing suspect IOUs into your pocket. The Social Security trust fund, like you, is simply investing money and is receiving interest along the way, too.

The good news: Social Security isn't disappearing

Another common misconception about Social Security is that it's going broke soon, and retirees won't be receiving any checks from it then. For example, 50% of Gen Xers and 51% of Millennials said they believed they would receive no Social Security benefits at all by the time they're ready to retire, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey. That's not likely to be the case --though the program does face some challenges.

When Social Security was created, and for many decades afterwards -- through today -- there were more Social-Security-tax-paying workers than beneficiaries, and that kept the system flush with funds. But as people have been having fewer children and living longer, the contributing-workers-to-beneficiaries ratio has been falling. Back in 1950, the ratio was 16.5, with about 48 million workers supporting close to three million beneficiaries. As of 2013, it was just 2.8 -- and it's expected to hit 2.1 by 2035.

Thus, while the Social Security trust funds have been running a surplus in every year since 1984 -- meaning that they took in more money than they paid out -- the surpluses are shrinking and likely to stop around 2020. All is not lost then, though. At that point, the Social Security system can rely on incoming interest payments to make up the funding deficit -- for a while. According to several government estimates, Social Security funds are likely to see their reserves run dry between 2033 and 2037 if no changes are made. If that happens, payment checks won't disappear, but they'll likely shrink by about 25%.

More good news: Social Security can be shored up and made safer

There's a reasonable chance that changes will be made, though, which could strengthen the program -- as most Americans would like to see that. A survey by the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) found that: "72% [of respondents] agree we should consider raising future Social Security benefits in order to provide a more secure retirement for working Americans. 77% agree that it is critical to preserve Social Security benefits for future generations, even if it means increasing Social Security taxes paid by working Americans, and 83% agree it is critical to preserve Social Security benefits for future generations, even if it means increasing taxes paid by top earners."

What changes, then, might be made to shore up Social Security? There are many possibilities. For example, it's been estimated that fully 77% of the trust funds' shortfall could be eliminated by increasing the Social Security tax rate for employers and employees from its current 6.2% to 7.2% in 2022 and 8.2% in 2052. This wouldn't be the first tax increase. The tax rate was increased in 1983, in order to bolster the program ahead of many Baby Boomer retirements.

Another possibility is taxing all of each worker's income, instead of just the first $127,200 of it. Many don't realize it, but there's a cap on how much of our earnings are taxed for Social Security -- for 2017, that cap is $127,200 -- and in 2018 it will be $128,700. Most of us are taxed on all our income, but those lucky enough to earn, say, $1,127,200 in 2017 will pay no Social Security tax on a million dollars of their income. Eliminating the earnings cap over a 10-year period, so that all of us are taxed on all our income, is estimated to be able to wipe out 71% of the trust fund shortfall.

The bad news: Social Security faces threats

All is not rosy and safe, though, when it comes to Social Security's future. The Republican party is currently in charge in Washington, and many GOP leaders are interested in shrinking Social Security instead of strengthening or expanding it. Here are some of the changes might they pursue:

Increasing the "full" retirement age at which retirees can begin collecting their full Social Security benefits. (Starting to collect earlier, as early as age 62, or later, up to age 70, will reduce or increase those benefits checks, respectively.) Right now, it's 66 for many people and 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Some Republicans are calling for the full retirement age to be hiked to 68, 69, or even 70. It's true that Americans are, on average, living longer than they did decades ago, but a later retirement age will still mean a shorter retirement for many people -- and fewer benefits paid to them, too.





Basing cost-of-living adjustments for benefits payments not on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) but instead on the "Chained CPI," which is more conservative. The Chained CPI assumes that consumers, when faced with a big price increase in one item, will look for cheaper substitutes, and it would result in smaller cost-of-living adjustments for beneficiaries.





Cutting back benefits for those wealthy enough to not need them so much. This won't be popular with wealthier Americans, who could argue that they paid into the system so should benefit from it. But it would remove many people from the pool of beneficiaries, saving money.





Privatizing Social Security. Many in the GOP would like Social Security fully or partially privatized. This could take various forms, but one might feature Americans put in charge of investing retirement funds for themselves, perhaps through an investment company -- not unlike how they manage their 401(k) accounts. Its downsides include the fact that many people are not very financially savvy and may not do well managing these vital funds, and that an economic downturn could whack many people's retirement coffers.

Since Social Security is to vital to so many of us, it's smart to know more about it and to keep up with developments regarding it. For example, know that the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit was recently $1,375, which amounts to $16,500 per year. If your earnings have been above average, though, you would collect more than that -- up to the recent maximum monthly Social Security benefit for those retiring at their full retirement age, which was recently $2,687. (That's about $32,000 for the whole year.)

There are strategies you can use to get the most out of Social Security. You might also want to make sure your representatives in Washington know whether you'd like them to protect or strengthen the program.
The first shipment of British Stabiliser cattle has reached northern France as part of an exclusive five-year deal to grow a nucleus herd and promote the breed.

Segments of French beef farmers are becoming aware that native cattle are too big for a market desiring increased marbling, according to French breeding research group Bovinext, which is overseeing the project.

But some in the industry would prefer to focus attention on developing native breeds such as the Charolais, rather than importing cattle.

One bull and 17 heifers travelled to the Grand Est region last month to lay the foundations for a multiplier herd based at an agricultural training and research hub in Lorraine (Alpa).

See also: How a maternal breed is Brexit-proofing Northumberland estate

Versatile sire

A combination of live and semen/embryo exports is expected to gain a foothold in the French beef industry, both as a suckler cow and a dairy-beef option.

French beef processor Charal has said the Stabiliser is suitable for its grass-based, light-carcass programme (Herbopack), which to date has mainly focused on the Hereford as a beef cross for the dairy herd.

Bovinext, the organisation set to grow the breed in France, formed in April and combines breeding co-operative Elitest, the Eastern Animal Production Association and a regional agricultural chamber.

The first batch of cattle will undergo a quarantine period at Alpa before heading to Elitests facilities for embryo work and marketing before returning to Alpa as a nucleus herd at 18 months old.

Win-win project

The contract, which was facilitated by AHDB, positions the UK beef industry as a model in Europe, says AHDBs French export manager, Remi Fourrier.

Mr Fourrier said: This new project is a good example to illustrate how AHDB can simultaneously improve the image of the English beef industry and support English farmers  it is a win-win initiative.

The Beef Improvement Group (Big), the European arm of the Stabiliser Cattle Company, said the advances in developing a net Feed efficiency estimated breeding value also attracted French interest.

Big said: In a trial measuring daily liveweight gain and feed intake, NFE improved feed-to-gain ratios by 10-15% in growing and finishing animals, while also reducing net feed energy maintenance requirements for breeding, growing and finishing animals by 10-15%.

The potential savings in feed costs are 80 to 100 a cow/calf pair per year, reducing methane production in beef systems by 20-30%.
UAE hires former US intelligence agents to build 'its own CIA': Report

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 09:18AM

The United Arab Emirates has hired former CIA agents to teach Emirati recruits "the tools of modern spycraft," as part of efforts to establish a professional intelligence service, according to a report.

The training sessions are taking place at two locations in Abu Dhabi  in a typical modern villa not far from the northeastern Zayed Port, and at another site outside downtown called "The Academy," which is equipped with gun ranges, barracks, and driving courses, the Foreign Policy magazine reported.

The trainees learn a range of skills from the basics of intelligence like working in surveillance teams to creating cover identities and how to groom and recruit intelligence assets.

The key figure behind the intelligence training operation is Larry Sanchez, a veteran of the CIA clandestine services who has been assisting the crown prince of Abu Dhabi to build Emirati intelligence for the past six years, FP said, citing multiple sources.

Sanchez is the same former intelligence officer who helped launch a controversial partnership between the CIA and the New York Police Department to monitor Muslims in New York.

But Sanchez is just one of many security professionals who have traveled to the UAE to provide intelligence and security training. They said they were drawn to the Persian Gulf country by the promise of interesting work and good pay.

"The money was fantastic," one former agent told FP. "It was $1,000 a day  you could live in a villa or in a five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi."

The UAE's reliance on Westerners to build its security and intelligence apparatus is not new, but details of that assistance have always been kept a secret.

Sanchez's role in the UAE's intelligence operation indicates just how far private contractors are willing to go in selling skills acquired from decades of working for the US military and intelligence agencies.

This has raised legal questions in the US as Washington struggles to decide how to govern former intelligence officials looking for lucrative careers aboard.

DarkMatter, the government-affiliated UAE company involved in managing the intelligence contract, is currently under investigation by the FBI.

Former US government employees said they believed that having private contractors create a foreign intelligence service was quite unprecedented. "The dream," one source told the FP, was to help the UAE create "its own CIA."

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Spooks for Hire: UAE Recruits ex-CIA Agents to Build Modern Spy Agency - Reports

Sputnik News

17:53 23.12.2017(updated 18:00 23.12.2017)

The United Arab Emirates is pulling out all the stops to develop its own modern and professional intelligence service modeled on Western counterparts. Former agents in Western intelligence agencies are finding it hard to turn down the lucrative propositions.

According to a recent report in the US Foreign Policy (FP) magazine, the UAE has gone about recruiting former CIA intelligence officers in a bid to create its own "spy empire". Training is ongoing at two locations in and around Abu Dhabi. One is a villa near the northeastern Zayed Port, and the second at a location known as "The Academy", roughly a 30 minute drive from the city's downtown, FP writes in the report.

At these locations, recruits are taught a range of skills. While the training begins with courses like "What is intelligence?", FP notes, later weeks move on to considerably more advanced topics. Prospective spooks go on to study topics such as the creation of cover identities, for instance while at a gala attended by diplomats, or how to groom intelligence assets, etc. "The Academy" has most of the characteristics of the CIA's very own "Farm" in southeastern Virginia, where training facilities include gun ranges, barracks, as well as driving courses.

The man behind the work to create the UAE's new intelligence service has been Larry Sanchez, former member of the CIA's clandestine services and who also played a role in initiating cooperation between the CIA and the New York Police Department in their effort to prevent radicalization by tracking people in Mosques, reports FP. He is now president of the intelligence contractor CAGN Global Ltd.

What allures the former spooks to their new workplace in the Persian Gulf is made no secret of.

"The money was fantastic," said one former agent to FP, adding that "It was $1,000 a day  you could live in a villa or in a five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi."

Paying the bills for this operation, as well as providing the leadership and training contract was LUAA LLC, an Emirati company headed by a former member of the British Special Air Service, the FP writes in the report.

However this has since changed and the operation is now under an Emirati firm that is a subsidiary of a company named "DarkMater", which works on cybersecurity and intelligence on behalf of the UAE's government. According to FP, DarkMatter is under an ongoing investigation by the FBI.

Despite the money and effort invested into this project, some former US government employees were uncertain whether the training was actually effective, legal, or even in the interests of the US, FP wrote.

 Sputnik

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Pakistani fire kills 3 Indian troops, one officer in Kashmir: India

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 06:58PM

India says "Pakistani" fire has claimed the lives of three Indian soldiers and an officer in Indian-controlled Kashmir along the unofficial border with Pakistan, known as the Line of Control (LoC), in the latest cross-border clashes between the bitter rivals in the disputed Himalayan territory.

The Indian army announced the news in a statement on Saturday, saying the Indian soldiers lost their lives in the Rajouri sector of the volatile region earlier in the day, when "Pakistani troops" purportedly started firing across the border.

Shesh Paul Vaid, the director general of police in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, further said in the statement that "Border Action Teams," which Indian officials claim are made up of Pakistani troops and militants, were behind the cross-border shooting.

There was no immediate response from Pakistani authorities to the incident.

New Delhi regularly accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants and allowing them across the restive frontier in an attempt to launch attacks on Indian forces. Pakistan, however, strongly denies the allegation and accuses India of committing "war crimes" in Kashmir and "exporting terror" to Pakistan.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both since the two were partitioned and gained independence from Britain in 1947. The two countries have fought three wars over the disputed territory.

The countries reached a ceasefire in Kashmir in 2003. The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has been monitoring the border for decades. However, sporadic skirmishes continue in Kashmir.

The Muslim-majority region has witnessed an increase in mass protests and violence since early July 2016, when Burhan Wani, a top figure in a pro-independence group, was killed in a shootout with Indian troops. Over 100 protesters have also lost their lives and more than 12,000 have been injured in the ensuing crackdown.

People in Indian-controlled Kashmir have for years demanded independence or a merger with Pakistan. India, however, has ignored the call and continues to police the region with a 500,000-strong military force. About 70,000 people have been killed in India's crackdown in Kashmir since 1989.

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Army will use 'absolute force' to end terrorism in Sinai: Egypt's Sisi

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 05:23PM

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi says the army will employ "absolute force" in a bid to eliminate terrorism in the Sinai Peninsula.

"We have to put an end to terrorism in Sinai. Sinai is our land, and the Armed Forces will employ absolute force to put an end to violence there. [We would rather] die than have anyone [harm] our land," said the Egyptian president at a ceremony to inaugurate a number of development projects in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia on Saturday.

Sisi also stressed that the Egyptian people should not fear any external threat as long as they were united enough to challenge the whole world, saying, "We are neither wicked conspirators nor are we after anyone's money or land. We only seek God's generosity to continue building and developing."

The Sinai Peninsula has been under a state of emergency since October 2014, after a deadly terrorist attack left 33 Egyptian soldiers dead.

Over the past few years, terrorists 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.

The Velayat Sinai group, which is affiliated with the Daesh Takfiri terrorists, 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, prompting Cairo to widen a controversial crackdown, which critics say has mostly targeted dissidents.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sisi also announced that his country would in the next two to three years embark on a $5.60 billion construction project in the volatile peninsula, whose south is peppered with Red Sea tourist resorts but its militancy-plagued northern parts is underdeveloped and lacks basic infrastructure and job opportunities.

"We have entrusted the ministry of housing and the engineering authority with a national project of comprehensive urban planning," he said, adding that the projects would be carried out whether he remained in power as president or not. Egypt's presidential election is due to be held in the first half of 2018. Sisi, however, did not provide a start date, potential financial sources or specific details of what would be built under the project.

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Russia ready to cooperate with US on Afghanistan

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 02:03PM

Russia says it is ready to engage in cooperation with the United States in Afghanistan as Washington struggles to contain a growing insurgency in the country some 16 years after it was invaded.

Zamir Kabulov, who serves as the head of the Asian region department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said Saturday that Moscow had already established contacts with American authorities on the issue of Afghanistan.

Kabulov said Alice Wells, the United States' acting Assistant Secretary of State, was in direct contact with Russian authorities to discuss the issue.

The official, who is also the special representative to the Russian president on Afghanistan, censured US authorities last month for allegations of Russia's support for certain militant groups in Afghanistan. He said Russia was in fact in contact with the Taliban to allow the representatives of the group to take a role in a future Afghan government as part of an initiative by the United Nations for establishing peace in the country.

Wells, a key figure in Washington's policy on Afghanistan, has also refused to endorse the views of certain US officials about Moscow's provision of weapons to the Taliban.

Under President Donald Trump, the United States has decided to expand its military presence in Afghanistan with the deployment of some 4,000 troops. That came after the Taliban, and other groups such as the Daesh Takfiri terrorists, managed to gain footholds across the country.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001. The Taliban was pushed from power afterward. However, the costly military adventure which has led to tens of thousands of deaths among the civilians and military forces has largely failed to establish security in the war-torn country.

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NATO 'worried' by Russian submarine activity

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 09:29AM

The US-led NATO military alliance has voiced concern about what it calls Russia's increased submarine activities in the Atlantic region.

NATO has had strained relations with Russia since conflict erupted in Ukraine in 2014.

Russia has long accused NATO of attempting to expand eastward, toward its borders. NATO has built up its forces in the Baltic states, near Russia's western borders, recently.

"The Russians are operating all over the Atlantic," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as cited by The Washington Post on Friday. "They are also operating closer to our shores," he added.

Other military figures within the alliance's leading members have echoed the concerns.

US Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Lennon, who is the commander of NATO's submarine forces, claimed, "Russia is clearly taking an interest in NATO and NATO nations' undersea infrastructure."

"It's a pattern of activity, and it's a vulnerability," British Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach said.

He had earlier voiced similar concerns.

Lennon and Peach, meanwhile, tried to suggest that Moscow could be targeting the data cables that provide Internet and other communication connections to North America and Europe.

"We are now seeing Russian underwater activity in the vicinity of undersea cables that I don't believe we have ever seen," Lennon said.

"Can you imagine a scenario where those cables are cut or disrupted, which would immediately and potentially catastrophically affect both our economy and other ways of living if they were disrupted?" Peach said.

According to the Post, NATO has responded with plans to reestablish a command post serving the North Atlantic, which was shuttered after the Cold War. Its member states are also speedily boosting their anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

On Friday, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the country's extended annual meeting of the Ministry Board that NATO had significantly bolstered its military presence on Russia's western border over the previous five years, Russia Today reported.

The escalation, he said, had forced Moscow to take retaliatory steps.

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Powerful Afghan Governor Defies Government, Refuses To Leave Post

RFE/RL December 23, 2017

One of Afghanistan's most powerful regional politicians has vowed to defy his ouster as governor of the northern province of Balkh, posing a potential threat to the shaky Western-backed governing coalition of President Ashraf Ghani.

The presidential palace said on December 18 that it had approved the resignation of Atta Mohammad Noor, who goes by the nickname "King of the North" and is a leading figure in Jamiat-e Islami, a party which represents Afghanistan's Tajik ethnic minority.

But Noor, addressing several thousand people on December 23 at a gathering in the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, said he would continue to serve as governor.

"I have said many times that no one can remove me with a decree," he said.

Noor also criticized his former ally, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who is also a leader of Jamiat-e Islami.

Noor called Abdullah "a snake up everyone's sleeve," accusing him of weakening his own party.

"Your teeth will not sink into us," Noor said, referring to Abdullah. "We will break your teeth."

Noor has used his position in Balkh, on the northern border of the country, as a power base to push for a major role on the national stage and was seen as a top rival of Ghani.

Noor is one of several powerful regional and ethnic leaders whom Ghani has struggled to control since he took office after a disputed election in 2014. Ghani, a Pashtun, has tried previously to remove Noor, but has also discussed a possible role in the government for him.

Ghani's national-unity government, formed after the 2014 election forced him into an uneasy power-sharing arrangement with Abdullah, retains the support of the United States and other Western states.

But it has faced mounting criticism from a growing array of opposition groups.

Parliamentary elections originally due to be held next year are in doubt and former President Hamid Karzai has called for a Loya Jirga, or traditional grand council of political leaders and elders to decide the future of the government.

Noor's showdown with Kabul also comes at a time when tensions between Tajiks and Pashtuns, Afghanistan's two biggest ethnic groups, have been rising.

It heightens uncertainty ahead of presidential elections in 2019. Noor has previously hinted that he may run for the presidency, while Ghani has not yet said whether he will run again.

The confrontation with Noor comes several months after Vice President Rashid Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek, fled to Turkey after he was accused of arranging the rape and torture of a political rival in 2016.

Noor recently called for Dostum's return. Earlier this year he met in Turkey with Dostum as well as Deputy Chief Executive Mohammad Mohaqiq, a senior figure in the mainly Shi'ite Hazara ethnic community, to form what they called the "Coalition for the Salvation of Afghanistan."

With reporting by ToloNews and Khaama

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-noor-powerful- governor-defies-government/28935131.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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U.S., EU Oppose Moves By Kosovo To Shut Down War Crimes Court

RFE/RL December 23, 2017

The United States and European Union say they oppose any action by Kosovo's leadership to press for an end to a war crimes court linked to its 1998-99 independence struggle, calling it a "terrible idea" that will lead to the country's isolation.

U.S. Ambassador Greg Delawie on December 22 said such a move would have "extraordinarily negative implications" for Kosovo.

"It is just a disgrace," he told reporters in Pristina. "This will be considered by the U.S. as stab in the back. Kosovo will be choosing isolation instead of cooperation."

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, was established as a result of pressure by the United States and EU on Kosovo's government to hold accountable those responsible for alleged war crimes by the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) against ethnic Serbs during the war for independence.

The court's judges and prosecutors are mainly U.S., Canadian, or European, but it was established under Kosovar law, giving Pristina jurisdiction over it.

It was set up in the Netherlands to minimize the risk of witness intimidation and judicial corruption. It has yet to hear any cases.

Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, President Hashim Thaci, and parliament speaker Kadri Veseli are former UCK commanders.

On October 9, Thaci accused the international community of failing to keep the promises made to the country in exchange for setting up the court, including a fast-track process for EU membership.

Lawmakers from the governing coalition are pressing for a vote to abolish the court. An attempt by 43 of 120 lawmakers to press the measure in parliament on December 22 failed for lack of a quorum amid an opposition boycott.

Parliament speaker Veseli said lawmakers would attempt to vote on the issue in the coming days.

Isa Mustafa, Kosovo's former prime minister and the leader of the opposition Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said the proposal was "devastating for our state and very damaging for justice."

Kujtim Shala, also of the LDK, said the move was "very dangerous" because it threatened its relations with the United States and the EU.

There was no immediate response from the Kosovar government to the U.S. ambassador's comments.

The United States has been a key ally and financial backer of Kosovo since it broke away from Serbia and then declared independence in 2008. The move was recognized by 115 countries, although not by Serbia or Russia.

The EU representative in Pristina, Nataliya Apostolova, also criticized efforts to end the court, calling it "appalling and extremely damaging."

The separate UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague convicted some Serbian military commanders for actions against ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo during Belgrade's intervention into the conflict.

An estimated 10,800 Kosovar Albanians and some 2,200 Serbs were either killed or disappeared in the war.

Kosovo is about 90 percent populated by ethnic Albanians and some 5 percent by ethnic Serbs.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, Reuters, AP, and Balkan Insight

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-eu-kosovo-kla-war-crimes- liberation-army-haradinaj/28934544.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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Australia Ending Role in Airstrikes Against IS in Iraq and Syria

By Phil Mercer December 23, 2017

Australia will end its airstrikes against Islamic State militant targets in Iraq and Syria after being part of a U.S.-led international coalition for more than two years.

Canberra's decision to stop its involvement in airstrikes on the insurgents was taken after consultation with Iraq and other allies.

Six Australian fighter jets will be recalled, although refueling and surveillance aircraft will remain in the region.

Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said their firepower helped to defeat Islamic State, also known as Daesh.

"There is no doubt that our airstrike operations have made a difference to the ability of the Iraqi security forces' campaign to defeat Daesh and to ensure that the extremists of this organization are prevented from spreading their toxic ideology further across the globe," Payne said.

Australia sent about 780 military personnel as part of the coalition. Canberra says the work of training and advising of Iraqi forces would continue.

Independent monitoring groups believe that as many as 6,000 civilians have been killed in the U.S.-led aerial bombing campaign in the conflict zone. But coalition commanders have estimated that 800 civilians have died as a result of 28,000 airstrikes.

Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that his troops were now in complete control of the Iraqi-Syrian border.

Australia has forces deployed in several locations around the world, including Afghanistan, Egypt and Sudan.

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Russia Says About 10,000 IS Militants Now in Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul December 23, 2017

Russia has estimated there are about 10,000 Islamic State militants in Afghanistan and their number is growing because fighters fleeing Syria and Iraq also are heading to the war-ravaged country.

Russian media on Saturday quoted Zamir Kabulov, Russia's special presidential envoy for Afghanistan, as saying Moscow is particularly worried about an increasing foothold of Daesh militants in northern Afghan provinces bordering Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for IS.

"Russia was among the first to be sounding the alarms in connection with the emergence of Daesh in Afghanistan.... Daesh has significantly increased its power in the country recently. According to our estimates, the number of militants exceeds 10,000 and continues to grow, particularly due to new fighters arriving from Syria and Iraq," Kabulov told the Sputnik news agency.

The Russian envoy alleged helicopters "without identifying insignia" are transferring fighters and delivering "Western [military] equipment" to the Afghan branch of the terrorist group.

He added that Moscow repeatedly has raised the issue with the United Nations and NATO, but has not yet received "a clear response" from them.

Kabulov says the situation in the Afghan provinces of Jowzjan and Sar-e-Pol are of particular concern because locals also have spotted Algerian and French fighters in the IS ranks. He went on to assert that the terrorist group aims to extend its influence to Russia's southern regions and its partner nations in Central Asia.

"We are regularly asking our NATO partners, who are in fact controlling the airspace over Afghanistan, about this issue, but we have not heard any reasonable answer yet," Kabulov insisted.

Officials at NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, which consists mostly of U.S. troops, blame Moscow for supporting and arming the Taliban, which has been waging a deadly insurgency to topple the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

Afghan officials are dismissing concerns IS loyalists have established a stronghold in the country, and they are playing down the threat posed by the terrorist group. Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told reporters earlier this week sustained security operations backed by U.S. airstrikes have in the past nine months killed about 1,600 Daesh fighters, including senior commanders.

IS began its extremists operations in eastern Afghanistan in early 2015, and at its peak had roughly 3,000 fighters, according to U.S. military estimates.

U.S. officials maintain counter-IS operations being conducted in partnership with local forces have since put persistent pressure on the terrorist group, significantly reducing its territory and eliminating one third of its fighters in the country.

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South Sudan Stakeholders Upbeat About Latest Cease-fire Deal

By John Tanza December 23, 2017

South Sudanese armed and unarmed groups who signed a cease-fire Thursday said they are optimistic that peace will return to South Sudan despite the government's refusal to renegotiate parts of the failed August 2015 deal.

Martin Elia Lumoro, head of the South Sudan government delegation at the just concluded talks in Addis Ababa, said despite the bitter arguments among various stakeholders, the cease-fire agreement is a good start for the country.

"We start from a very difficult phase in the [IGAD] council [of ministers' meeting], we managed to pass the view of the government through. Then we had deadlock on the issues of procurement or purchase of weapons. We were able to put our views through and [these] were adopted and we also went through on how to deal with verification mechanism CTSAM. So that was very good. I think we are making progress," Lumoro said.

South Sudan Foreign Minister Deng Alor signed the cease-fire accord on behalf of the SPLM Former Political Detainees. He called the accord a "good start."

"I feel happy because the most important issue in that document is the cessation of hostilities during the negotiations period which is very good, it creates confidence building and also gives peace to our people in South Sudan," Alor said.

The former detainees signed the August 2015 peace deal and were given ministerial and parliamentary seats in the Transitional Government of National Unity headed by President Salva Kiir.

The spokesman of the rebel National Salvation Front, Yen Matthew, remains skeptical. He said the deal looks good on paper, but the challenge is in its implementation. Matthew said he still remains hopeful that peace will return to South Sudan.

"I hope all the parties will commit to it and I would like on behalf of National Salvation Front to congratulate the South Sudanese people on this," he said.

The leader of the rebel National Democratic Forum, Lam Akol, could not hide his feelings. He said the cease-fire means a lot to South Sudanese.

The former minister of Agriculture in the Transitional National Government said the people of South Sudan have suffered enough and deserve peace.

''It is a Christmas gift for the people of South Sudan provided we respect it. We think that is a good agreement because it allows the guns to be silent, for the humanitarian access for the people and for the parties to be prepared in the next round of talks,'' he said

The SPLM IO is the first party to declare a cease-fire since signing the deal this week. The leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM IO) and former first vice president and rebel leader, Riek Machar, was not invited to the talks. He was instead asked to send three officials from his group to represent him. Machar has been confined to house arrest by South African authorities since last year.

Henry Odwar, deputy chairman of the SPLM IO Machar-faction, said the agreement looks good and it should be implemented.

"There is a sense of hope; there is a sense that the people of South Sudan are now having a glimpse of peace and hope," Odwar said.

The representatives of Norway, the UK, China, and Japan, the EU, United Nations, African Union and IGAD Forum member countries signed as guarantors of the cease-fire agreement. The representative of the United States declined to sign.

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On Visit to Niger, Macron Pledges Tough Fight Against Extremists

By VOA News December 23, 2017

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived Friday in the capital of Niger on a trip designed to bolster the morale of French troops in the country in their fight against extremists.

The French president was welcomed to capital city Niamey by his Niger counterpart Mahamadou Tssoufou. The two leaders will meet Saturday to talk about African forces taking a more prominent role in the fight against jihadists.

"We must not leave the Sahel to terrorist organizations," Macron said. "I do not want to give an ounce of territory to the terrorist forces in the Sahel and the Sahara."

The former colonial power has thousands of its military service members in Niger.

Niger houses France's largest overseas military operations.

France has a military base in the capital where Macron hosted a holiday dinner Friday night for the hundreds of French troops stationed there.

As a special treat, Macron brought the Elysee presidential palace chef to Niger with him to oversee the preparations for the dinner.

Some American, Canadian and German forces also were invited to the feast.

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China Corruption Drive Continues, But Graft Persists

By Bill Ide, Brian Kopczynski December 22, 2017

An expansive anti-corruption drive led by China's President Xi Jinping has seen more than 1.5 million officials investigated and the toppling of several high-ranking leaders as well. But despite the mind-boggling figures, corruption remains, as Xi puts it, "the biggest threat to the party."

While authorities state that the drive has already reached "overwhelming momentum," a pace that will continue in 2018, some analysts say it still hasn't gone far enough.

Ren Jianming, one of China's leading experts on corruption, said the general observation is that the fight has intensified since Xi Jinping rose to power after the 18th Communist Party Congress.

But, he says the 1.5 million officials investigated is just a fraction of the total number of officials who are corrupt. Communist Party membership is about 89 million.

"If there are a rather large amount of them continuing to be corrupt, then that means we need to think over why anti-corruption after the 18th Party Congress is still not intimidating and threatening enough," said Ren, who is a professor at Beihang University's school of Public Policy and Management.

And that raises questions, he adds, "about what changes should be made? Why is the problem like this? And should we reconsider our anti-corruption tactics?"

New appointees

Of the 18 ranking officials investigated in 2017  with all investigations supervised by the party's central leadership -- most were in their current post for less than two years. In one case, Yu Haiyan was investigated just two months after receiving a new appointment as vice governor of Gansu.

All of the high-ranking officials investigated in 2016, except for one, were appointed during Xi's first term in office.

Analysts say the short times between appointment and investigation raises questions about the selection of officials and pervasiveness of corruption.

Some analysts argue the situation also highlights the fact that Xi does not have enough competent officials to fill important posts.

Hu Xingdou, an economist and commentator, said that what China needs is a modern anti-corruption system.

"You need to carry out checks and balances, publication of officials' assets and the use of public finances' transparency," Hu said. He recommended that budgets and expenditures be decided through China's national and local people's congresses, and that news media should be encouraged to oversee officials' actions.

Party control

Currently, all corruption cases are first investigated by the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. So far, President Xi has rejected calls for a greater separation of powers and instead has highlighted the leading role the party should play in the fight.

The anticipated establishment of a National Supervision Commission next year is expected to add to the party's leadership in the anti-corruption battle. The commission, which aims to link up law enforcement with the party's anti-graft efforts, will oversee all public servants.

The new commission is expected to be responsible for administrative supervision, corruption prevention and crime prevention.

"In the future, the investigations of officials, especially after the establishment of the National Supervision Commission may get stronger," Hu said. And that, he adds, could make China's officialdom cleaner and more honest.

New system needed?

But even as efforts to crack down are increased, analysts note that what also is needed is a fundamental reform of the official selection and promotion system.

Currently, the system relies heavily on people's opinions, but as Ren Jianming notes more reliance on competitive guidelines could be used instead to make it easier to find and spot problem officials.

"If you largely rely on the personal understanding and judgment of top leadership, I personally believe it will probably be hard to solve the problems with the promotion of officials at a fundamental level," Ren said.

He said China could learn from Hong Kong's use of amnesty for minor corruption offenses. The move was key in helping Hong Kong transform itself from being one of the most corrupt cities in the world to one of the cleanest.

"We could borrow some past experience, including Hong Kong's use of amnesty which might let us resolve a great number of corrupt officials on a large scale," Ren said.

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China trade with North Korea edged up in November: Report

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 10:38AM

An official report says that China scaled up business transactions with North Korea last month despite tough sanctions imposed by the United Nations against the country over its military program.

Data released by China's General Administration of Customs on Saturday showed that Beijing's trade with Pyongyang edged up to 388 million dollars in November, but remained around its lowest levels this year.

The total is up 15.9 percent from October's $334.89 million but far lower than $613.2 million a year ago, according to the report.

China's trade with North Korea, despite showing a monthly pickup, has witnessed a decline since a round of UN bans came into force early in September and banned Pyongyang from selling coal, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood abroad.

Data showed Beijing had purchased goods worth 100.18 million dollars from Pyongyang last month, up from 90.75 million dollars in October but lower compared to 262.2 million dollars in 2016.

North Korea has been under a raft of crippling UN sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear tests as well as multiple rocket and missile launches. Pyongyang has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against the hostile policies of the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.

Beijing has backed the international bans on Pyongyang, but has emphasized such punitive measures should not affect North Korean people. It has also called for dialog on the North Korea issue.

North Korea has already demanded a halt to the "brutal sanctions" imposed by the UN Security Council, saying the previous bans imposed after Pyongyang's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 constitute "genocide."

The trade report came a day after the UN Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea for its November 29 intercontinental ballistic missile test that was claimed by Pyongyang to have placed the US mainland within the range of its nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang has firmly defended its military program as a deterrent against the hostile policies of the US and its regional allies, including Japan and South Korea.

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Lawmaker Says Russia Must Pressure All Sides To End Korea Nuclear Crisis

RFE/RL December 23, 2017

Konstantin Kosachyov, the chairman of the Russian Federation Council's International Relations Committee, says Moscow has to keep pressure on both North Korea and the United States in the search for a solution to halt Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

Speaking to reporters in Moscow a day after the UN Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions on North Korea in response to last month's launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang says is capable of reaching anywhere on the U.S. mainland, Kosachyov said Russia was bound to push all sides to end the crisis.

"Russia and China offered two tracks of resolving the issue to de-escalate tensions: North Korea's abandoning its nuclear program and primarily the U.S. eliminating its military presence on the Korean Peninsula," Kosachyov told reporters on December 23.

"As long as none of these tracks develop, Russia not only has the right, it should continue pressuring both North Korea on one side and the U.S. and its allies in the region on the other. And we do this consistently, one thing does not contradict the other and one thing does not replace the other," he added.

The new sanctions approved in the UN resolution on December 22 include sharply cutting limits on North Korea's imports of refined oil and orders the repatriation of all North Korean nationals working abroad by the end of 2019.

Kosachyov said the unanimous vote approving the sanctions showed the international community was in sync in its view on the crisis, just "differences" on how to address the issue.

To prevent North Korea from circumventing sanctions, all countries were authorized to seize, inspect, freeze, and impound ships suspected of carrying illegal cargo to and from North Korea.

The United States hailed the adoption of the new sanctions after warning North Korea's leadership last month that it would be "utterly destroyed" if war were to break out.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shot back on December 21 by asserting in a speech that his country has "rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the U.S."

With reporting by Interfax, TASS, and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-us-korea-kosachyov -says-must-pressure-all-sides-end- nuclear-crisis/28934824.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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To the Brink: New UN Sanctions Seen as Ineffective to Halt DPRK Nuke Development

Sputnik News

22:36 23.12.2017(updated 22:49 23.12.2017)

As Pyongyang digs in its heels and Washington continues its threats, global experts suggest that new UN sanctions against North Korea will not have the desired effect, only increasing the possibility of nuclear conflict in the region.

Following Friday's unanimous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) vote to place additional sanctions on the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK), global security experts have noted that previous actions have not been successful, as Pyongyang nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development continues unabated.

The new sanctions, beginning January 2017, will significantly affect North Korean heavy industry, including machinery, chemical and military equipment manufacture.

More invasive US demands, such as shutting off all oil imports and boarding all DPRK ships operating on the open ocean, would have pushed Pyongyang into a corner, suggested Korean affairs expert Lu Chao with the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences in the northeast China city of Shenyang, cited by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The new sanctions will see some 90 percent of refined oil imports cut off to the DPRK, as well as a ban on the profitable export of North Korean food products, machinery, electrical equipment, stone and wood.

Seeking to mitigate the possibility of desperate military moves by an increasingly throttled Pyongyang, the repatriation of DPRK laborers who work outside of the hermit state  sending much-needed cash back to the beleaguered country  was pushed back two years at the request of Russia, according to SCMP.

But new sanctions and bans are seen by many to be a last-ditch tactic to get the DPRK to end its nuclear weapons development and dismantle its missile operations, particularly as Pyongyang has insisted that it regards its nuclear weapons as a means of self-defense, and Washington continues to assert that the US will never accept North Korea as a nuclear power.

Beijing also has shifted its stance on restraining Pyongyang, now acknowledging that DPRK nuclear weapons could target vulnerable border territories between the two Asian nations.

As the most powerful nations in the world continue to argue over how to resolve the ongoing nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula, Chinese military and security experts observe that the new US-led UN sanctions against Pyongyang will be no more effective than previous moves in curbing the threat posed by DPRK nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile development.

Korean expert Zhao Tong with the Tsinghua Carnegie Centre in Beijing suggested that any new sanctions only serve to increase the rhetoric of war in the region.

"If economic blockades and diplomatic isolation are not enough to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear program, the risk of war is severe," Zhao said.

Professor of international strategic research Zhang Liangui, with the Communist Party's Central Party School, noted that simple economic pressure would not be successful in causing a policy about-face by DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, cited by SCMP.

"In the current situation, North Korea will continue with its policy of pushing forward its nuclear development program," Zhang asserted.

"The US has said that it won't acknowledge Pyongyang as a nuclear power," he pointed out, adding, "if the negotiations and sanctions fail to work and neither side backs down, war is inevitable."

 Sputnik

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China Calls for Restraint Following Adoption of UNSC Resolution on North Korea

Sputnik News

13:42 23.12.2017(updated 13:48 23.12.2017)

BEIJING (Sputnik)  Following the adoption of the UN Security Council's (UNSC) resolution on North Korea, China has called on all the parties concerned to show restraint and undertake joint efforts in order to de-escalate tensions on the peninsula, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement on Saturday.

On Friday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tightening sanctions against North Korea over its ballistic missile launch conducted on November 29.

"The Chinese side calls on the relevant countries to exercise restraint and make positive efforts to de-escalate the tensions on the Peninsula and properly settle the Korean Peninsula issue," the statement said.

The spokeswoman also called for the full compliance with all relevant UN resolutions in order to find a peaceful solution to the Korean crisis. She also reaffirmed China's commitment to the so-called double-freeze plan.

"We also hope that all relevant parties can give positive consideration to the 'suspension for suspension' initiative and 'dual track approach' proposed by China, work with China to stay committed to promoting dialogue and consultation and strive for the advancement of the denuclearization of the Peninsula and the realization of peace and stability on the Peninsula," the statement added.

The situation on the Korean peninsula has escalated since the beginning of the year over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests conducted in violation of the UN Security Council's resolution. In June, China proposed a so-called double-freeze plan, which was supported by Russia, providing for the cessation of North Korea's nuclear activity in exchange for halting the US-South Korean joint military drills. North Korea has yet to issue a response to the proposal.

 Sputnik

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France ready to enhance military presence in Sahel: Macron

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 06:59PM

French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his country's preparedness to beef up its military presence in the Sahel to fight alongside African forces against extremist militants in the region.

"France is ready, not only to maintain, but if necessary to strengthen its engagement in the region because the fight against terrorism in the Sahel is essential, in my opinion," Macron said during a joint news conference with his Nigerien counterpart Mahamadou Issoufou in the Niger capital Niamey on Saturday.

"The fight is not won today ... it is essential not only to maintain but to further improve our agility on the ground, to innovate more and to focus our priorities on the regions identified as the most vulnerable," he added.

Macron's remarks come despite France's previous plans to withdraw from the Sahel region with the help of a new regional African military force, known as the G5 Sahel.

The G5 Sahel, which consists of troops from Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, began its official operations in November. The African force is planned to patrol the region in collaboration with 4,000 French troops deployed there.

Over the recent years, the vast, poor, arid and politically volatile Sahara has turned into a safe haven and a training ground for extremist militants, including a local al-Qaeda affiliate and Daesh.

The Sahel region has become a magnet for Daesh since Libya descended into chaos in 2011.

In 2012, al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists overran the north of neighboring Mali, including the fabled desert city of Timbuktu.

Thousands of people have died in bombings and tens of thousands have fled their homes across the region.

The crisis leapt on to the front pages and TV screens in the United States in October when four US special forces troops were killed as they patrolled with Nigerien troops near the Niger-Mali border.

France intervened in 2013 to drive the extremists back but swathes of central and northern Mali remain wracked by violence, which has spilled across its borders.

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German Military Pilots Will Reportedly Use Civil Helicopters for Training

Sputnik News

21:36 23.12.2017

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - German military pilots will use civil helicopters for training because of the shortage in military ones, local media reported on Saturday.

According to the Spiegel magazine, on Tuesday the German Defense Ministry signed a 21-million euro ($25 million) contract with the ADAC automobile club, which will provide Eurocopter EC 135 civil helicopters for the training of military pilots.

The contract was signed because of the German armed forces lack military helicopters in working condition. According to the report, the Eurocopter Tiger and the NHIndustries NH90 military helicopters are often facing technical failures and are not always available for training flights.

The civil helicopters will be used by servicemen for getting piloting skills, while all military tasks will be trained during flights on military helicopters.

The German Armed Forces have been facing sharp criticism within last several years over the poor state of its armament. In 2016, a poll showed that about 43 percent of German soldiers mistrusted their weapons.

 Sputnik

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Iraq's Hashd al-Sha'abi forces deployed to Syrian border to back army: Commander

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 01:23AM

A top commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, says the paramilitary group has deployed forces to the border with Syria in a bid to support army troops, who have come under militant fire from the war-torn country over the past three days.

"After several Iraqi border guard positions came under several attacks by missiles, and backup from security forces was late, the 13th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Units was deployed and targeted the origins of the launch," the PMU commander for western Anbar, Qassim Mesleh, said in a statement on Friday.

There was no immediate report on who exactly launched the attacks from Syrian territory. However, it is likely that after suffering a total defeat in Iraq and losing urban strongholds in Syria, the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has resorted to guerrilla warfare against the Iraqi border guard troops.

"The operations command and the infantry brigade are now present on the Iraqi-Syrian border in border guard positions to repel any attack or movement by the enemy," Mesleh further said, adding, "This area is not within the PMU's remit but it is our duty to back up all security forces."

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, an Iraqi military spokesman, confirmed the deployment, saying it was temporary and "very normal" since it was the PMU's duty to back up government troops.

"The primary responsibility for the borders lies with the border guards and the army, however," he added.

The PMU is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of some 40 groups, which are mainly Shia Muslims.

The force reportedly numbers more than 100,000 fighters. Iraqi authorities say there are between 25,000 and 30,000 Sunni tribal fighters within its ranks in addition to Kurdish Izadi and Christian units. The fighters have played a major role in the liberation of Daesh-held areas to the south, northeast and north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, ever since the terrorists launched an offensive some three years ago.

Hashd al-Sha'abi, officially made part of the Iraqi security establishment by law, formally answers to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In November 2016, the Iraqi parliament voted to integrate the paramilitary group into the military.

Earlier this month, Abadi declared the end of military operations against Daesh after a three-year hard campaign by government troops and PMU fighters against the terror outfit.

Daesh began its reign of terror and destruction in Syria and Iraq in 2013 and 2014, respectively. In June 2014, the group declared its so-called "caliphate" in both Arab countries after it seized the Iraqi city of Mosul and pronounced it as the group's de facto capital in Iraq. Daesh also made the city of Raqqah as its main stronghold in Syria.

However, the terror group gradually lost the areas it had seized, thanks to the efforts made by government and pro-government forces in both Arab countries. In Syria, Daesh now holds just a few dwindling pockets of land.

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Chechen Leader Accuses Social Media Of Bowing To Pressure After U.S. Sanctions Tightened

RFE/RL's Russian Service December 23, 2017

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, has accused social-media networks of bowing to pressure from Washington and disabling his Russian-language pages after the U.S. Treasury Department hit him with financial and travel sanctions.

Kadyrov said he found his Russian-language Instagram and Facebook accounts were not functioning on December 23 and that he never received a response from Instagram after sending a request for service support. His English-language Instagram account was unaffected.

"Instagram's move, which still wants to pretend it is independent from official Washington" is weird, he wrote on the social-media site Telegram.

"They wanted to stir my indignation, but were wrong, and this is the only thing which pleases me in actions Instagram and their patrons in the White House are undertaking. I have planned already to quit the network. But I thought I could fail my friends and subscribers, as on Instagram and Facebook I have more than 4 million followers," Kadyrov added.

Representatives from the social networks and the U.S. government have yet to comment on whether the accounts were officially blocked.

However, Dzhambulat Umarov, Chechnya's press and information minister, called the issue a "vile sabotage cyberattack" by U.S. authorities.

"Each word, every look from Ramzan Kadyrov instills fear in the greedy hearts of overseas cowards, capable only of behind-the-scenes geopolitical fuss and bleeding nations," Umarov was quoted by the RBC.ru news website as saying.

Kadyrov said on Telegram that a new social network, Mylistory, was being tested in Chechnya and should be up and running in the New Year. He added that in the meantime he would continue to communicate through other social networks such as VKontakte, Twitter (RKadyrov), and Telegram.

One of the last Instagram postings before the page went down was a video recording by Kadyrov in which he responded to the sanctions, brought about under the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law that aims to punish Russians alleged to be involved human rights violations, by saying he had no current reason to travel to the United States.

Human rights groups say Kadyrov has used threats and abuses to maintain control over Chechnya, the site of two post-Soviet separatist wars and years of insurgent violence stemming from the conflicts since Putin appointed him to head the region in 2007.

The U.S. sanctions law is named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was arrested after blowing the whistle on what he said was the theft of $230 million from Russian state coffers through tax fraud.

He died in jail in December 2009, and relatives and rights activists said he had been tortured and denied medical care. A Council of Europe investigation concluded the conditions leading up to his death amounted to torture.

The Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta was the first to document evidence that police in Chechnya rounded up, tortured, and humiliated dozens people they considered to be gay.

The report was later corroborated in part by RFE/RL as well as Human Rights Watch, which said the "antigay purge" lasted from late February until at least early April and that "it was ordered and conducted by officials in Chechnya."

Kadyrov and the Kremlin have denied the accusations.

Relations between Russia and the United States are badly strained by tension over issues including Russia's aggression in Ukraine, its role in the war in Syria, and what U.S. intelligence agencies say was an "influence campaign" of interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-chechnya- kadyrov-off-facebook-instagram-after- us-sanctions/28934854.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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Saudi Arabia pressing billionaire prince to fork out $6 billion: Report

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 06:44AM

Saudi Arabian authorities are reportedly pressuring a billionaire prince whom they have detained as part of a purge to pay up a whopping USD six billion to secure his release.

Dozens of princes, ministers, and former ministers were detained last month on the orders of Saudi Arabia's so-called Anti-Corruption Committee, which is headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The detained individuals are facing corruption allegations but are widely believed to have been victims of a political purge.

Citing people familiar with the issue, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Prince al-Waleed bin Talal, a billionaire nephew of late King Abdullah, is now being pressured to pay USD six billion to be released.

His fortune is estimated by Forbes to stand at USD 18.7 billion, which would make him the Middle East's richest person. His Kingdom Holding, a Riyadh-based investment holding company, owns stakes in hotels like The Four Seasons, Fairmont and Raffles, as well as companies such as News Corp., Disney, 21st Century Fox, Citigroup, GM, Twitter, and Apple.

The crackdown in Saudi Arabia is widely believed to be aimed at consolidating the crown prince's grip on power; but it is also speculated that the kingdom is seeking to rejuvenate its economy  hit hard by the fall in oil prices and a costly and protracted war on Yemen  by extorting money from the detainees.

Many of the detainees have been released so far after forking out exorbitant amounts reaching as high as USD one billion.

Not without a fight

The money reportedly requested from Waleed bin Talal would bite deeply into his global business empire. The prince is trying to persuade the government to instead accept a large share in his company while still leaving him in charge, the Journal's sources said.

"Keeping [the empire] under his control, that's his battle," one person said.

The sources also suggested that Waleed bin Talal was not giving up without a fight.

"He wants a proper investigation. It is expected that al-Waleed will give MBS a hard time," another said, referring to the crown prince by his initials.

Salah Al-Hejailan, a lawyer who maintains contact with al-Waleed's family, meanwhile, said that "there are no formal accusations" against the prince, and that the prosecutor would only open a judicial case against him if no understanding is reached.

Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, who has attempted to portray the whole process as an "anti-corruption fight," has meanwhile been splurging money abroad himself.

Earlier in the month, it was reported that bin Salman had used a "proxy" to buy Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Salvator Mundi, which sold for a record $450 million at auction, and a yacht for $500 million.

Last Saturday, an investigation by The New York Times named Salman as the owner of the Chateau Louis XIV, a mansion outside Paris, which had been sold to him for more than USD 300 million back in 2015.

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Poroshenko, Merkel Agree On Need For Quick Prisoner Exchange In Eastern Ukraine

RFE/RL December 22, 2017

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have agreed on the need to expedite an exchange of prisoners held on both sides of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Merkel's office says.

A spokesman for Merkel on December 22 said the comments came in a telephone conversation between the two leaders. It also came a day after Merkel had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"This [a prisoner swap] will be an important step in the implementation of the Minsk agreements," the spokesman said.

"President Poroshenko stressed that he would do everything to ensure that the exchange took place as soon as possible," he added.

Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Poroshenko's government forces in eastern Ukraine in a war that has killed more than 10,300 people since it started in April 2014. Russia has also annexed Ukraine's Crimea region, a move not recognized by the international community.

The Ukrainian presidential press service said Poroshenko and Merkel supported the latest agreement reached in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) to establish a new cease-fire in eastern Ukraine.

The TCG -- Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) -- said on December 20 that they agreed on a holiday cease-fire to begin at midnight on December 23.

While welcoming the holiday cease-fire, both leaders agreed it should lead to a longer-term improvement of the security situation in the region, officials said.

Several cease-fire deals have been announced as part of the so-called Minsk agreements -- September 2014 and February 2015 accords aimed at resolving the conflict -- although they have met with little success on the ground.

During the TCG meeting, the parties also confirmed the need to move forward with the prisoner swap, although specific dates were not settled upon. Some officials have expressed hopes that the exchange would take place before the end of the year.

Reports say Ukraine has 306 separatist fighters in custody, while the separatists are holding 74 government soldiers.

The Ukrainian and German leaders expressed regret over Russia's decision to unilaterally withdraw its representatives from the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) for the cease-fire in the conflict region.

They urged Moscow to rejoin the JCCC effort and discussed the possibility of German and French representatives becoming involved in the process.

The planned cease-fire as well as the potential prisoner exchange were discussed by Putin and Merkel during a phone call on December 21, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin also told Merkel that Russia withdrew its military observers from the JCCC because of what Moscow said were "restrictions and provocations" by Ukrainian authorities, according to the Kremlin.

Kyiv criticized Moscow's decision, saying it could fuel hostilities

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-germany -poroshenko-merkel-russia-putin-prisoner -exchange/28934094.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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US to supply Ukraine with lethal weapons to deter 'aggression'

Iran Press TV

Sat Dec 23, 2017 07:19AM

The US plans to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons and enhanced military capabilities amid rising tensions in the country's east, which has been the scene of deadly fighting between Kiev's troops and pro-Russia forces.

"The United States has decided to provide Ukraine enhanced defensive capabilities as part of our effort to help Ukraine build its long-term defense capacity, to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to deter further aggression," the State Department said in a statement on Friday.

"US assistance is entirely defensive in nature, and as we have always said, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has a right to defend itself. The United States remains committed to the Minsk agreements as the way forward in eastern Ukraine," it added, referring to the ceasefire deals signed in 2014 and 2015.

The statement did not specify the capabilities being considered for supply to Ukraine, but earlier in the day, US media reported that Washington had planned to approve the sale of anti-tank missiles to the Eastern European country, including the advanced Javelin system.

"The total defense package of $47 million includes the sale of 210 anti-tank missiles and 35 launchers. Additional supplies will need to be purchased," an ABC News report said.

The reports came just days after the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which monitors the implementation of the peace accords in eastern Ukraine, reported a sharp rise in ceasefire violations there.

On Thursday, Russia also warned the US about the consequences of supplying arms to Ukraine, saying that the weapons would provoke "hotheads" among Ukrainian nationalists to seek to unleash new bloodshed in the country's troubled east.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had also warned in September that any decision by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to supply weapons to Kiev would fuel the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which pits Kiev's troops against pro-Moscow forces there.

The former US administration had refused to supply Kiev with lethal weaponry and, instead, provided Kiev with $600 million in military assistance, including training, equipment and advice.

The armed conflict erupted in Ukraine following the overthrow of pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, in February 2014 and intensified after people in the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea voted for reunification with the Russian Federation in a referendum in March 2014.

The West brands the reunification as annexation of the territory by Russia. The US and its allies in Europe also accuse the Kremlin of having a major hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, an allegation denied by Moscow.

The pro-Russians have turned the two regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east  collectively known as the Donbass  into self-proclaimed republics. The crisis has left over 10,000 people dead and more than a million others displaced, according to the United Nations.

In September 2014, the government in Kiev and the pro-Russia forces signed a ceasefire agreement in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk in a bid to halt the fighting in Ukraine's eastern regions.

The warring sides also inked another truce deal, dubbed Minsk II, in February 2015 under the supervision of Russia, Germany, and France.

Since then, however, sporadic fighting has occurred, with the parties blaming each other for initiating the violations.

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U.S. Says It Will Enhance Ukraine's Defensive Capabilities; Russia Derides Move

RFE/RL December 23, 2017

The United States says it will provide Ukraine with "enhanced defensive capabilities" to help it "deter further aggression," a move that deepens U.S. involvement and prompted an angry rebuke from the Kremlin as Kyiv battles Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said late on December 22 that the assistance was intended to help Ukraine, which has long sought to boost its capabilities to "defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to deter further aggression."

Russia swiftly denounced the decision, accusing the United States of fueling war instead of acting as a mediator.

"Today the United States is clearly pushing [the Ukrainian authorities] towards new bloodshed," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement on December 23.

"American weapons can lead to new victims in our neighbor," he said, adding that Washington had "crossed a line."

"I am grateful for the leadership of President Donald Trump, clear position of all our American friends, and for strong bipartisan support of Ukraine," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook in English.

"American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for offensive [purposes], but for stronger rebuff of the aggressor, protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense," he added.

"It is also a trans-Atlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression."

Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Valeriy Chaly, hailed the decision as a move that would help bring peace.

"Weakness encourages an aggressor," he said on Facebook. "Force helps deter him and push him toward peace."

s

The U.S. statement did not specify the type of weapons, but CNN and the Associated Press quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying they would include Javelin antitank missiles, which Ukraine has urged the United States to supply.

Nauert said only that "U.S. assistance is entirely defensive in nature, and as we have always said, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has a right to defend itself."

"The United States remains committed to the Minsk agreements as the way forward in eastern Ukraine," she said, adding that the State Department would not comment further on the situation "at this time."

Konstantin Kosachyov, a senior member of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, called the move a step toward war.

"Washington's recent decision, alas, once again is in favor of war, not peace," he wrote on Facebook.

Kosachyov added that the move "has an obvious, blatant, and even articulated political implication."

Ryabkov warned that the U.S. move could prompt a Russian response, saying that Moscow could not "remain indifferent."

"The American weapons can lead to more victims in the neighboring country, and we couldn't stay indifferent to that," he said.

Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Federation Council, said in remarks carried by Russia's TASS news agency that Washington had made a "big mistake" that would "pull them into Ukraine's internal conflict."

"With lethal weapons supplies, the U.S. gives a clear signal to Kyiv that it will support a military option," Aleksei Pushkov, the head of the upper house's Information Committee, said on Twitter.

The announcement comes after the State Department on December 21 said it had approved an export license for Ukraine to buy certain types of light weapons and small arms from U.S. manufacturers.

That license covered weapons in categories such as semiautomatic and automatic firearms up to .50 caliber weapons, combat shotguns, silencers, military scopes, flash suppressors, and parts.

However, the State Department played down the significance of the licensing after that announcement.

"Under the previous two administrations, the U.S. government has approved export licenses to Ukraine, so this is nothing new," Nauert said on December 21.

Sales of this type generally would require approval from Congress. It was unclear whether the administration had formally notified Congress, but lawmakers are unlikely to try to block it as moves to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine have strong bipartisan support.

Cease-Fire In Tatters

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently warned that violence is up about 60 percent in Ukraine this year, and Kyiv has urged Washington to provide heavier weapons, such as the Javelin missiles, to strengthen its capabilities against the separatists.

In the face of the surge in violence, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement on December 23 saying there was no alternative to a peaceful settlement in eastern Ukraine and that Russian officers should return to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC).

On December 18, Russia pulled its officers from the JCCC, accusing the Ukrainian side of obstructing their work and limiting access to the front line.

"In the light of the volatile security situation, they ask the sides for immediate and verifiable steps to remedy this situation," Macron and Merkel's statement said.

"It is necessary to implement agreements on disengagement and the withdrawal of heavy weapons behind the agreed withdrawal lines, withdrawal of tanks, artillery and mortars to the agreed storage sites," the statement added.

The increase in support for Ukraine's military comes amid preliminary discussions on the possibility of sending United Nations peacekeepers to the region to improve security for Ukrainians, as well as for special monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe who are on the ground in Ukraine.

U.S. media reported on December 22 that President Donald Trump was ready to authorize the sale of the missiles, although that was not referenced in the State Department statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against any U.S. move to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, saying it would fuel the conflict and could lead the separatists to expand their military operations.

Ukraine has been battling Russia-backed separatists who hold parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the eastern part of the country in a war that has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014.

Several cease-fire deals have been announced as part of the so-called Minsk agreements -- one in September 2014 and another in February 2015 -- although they have met with little success on the ground.

Russia denies interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs, despite compelling evidence that Moscow has provided military, economic, and political support to the separatists.

With reporting by CNN and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-ukraine-enhanced-weapons-javelin- missiles-russia-separatists/28934551.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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US Crossed Line By Announcing Decision to Provide Ukraine With Weapons - Moscow

Sputnik News

16:30 23.12.2017(updated 16:31 23.12.2017)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States crossed the line by announcing a decision to provide Ukraine with weapons, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Saturday.

On Friday, the US State Department announced plans to give Ukraine military assistance to help protect its territorial integrity.

"The United States crossed the line in a sense by announcing a decision to supply weapons of destructive power [to Ukraine] The US weapons may lead to new victims in a country that is neighboring us, therefore we cannot remain indifferent," Ryabkov said in a statement.

Ryabkov noted that Washington was acting not as a mediator in settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, but as an "accomplice in fueling war." He stressed that Washington was pushing Kiev toward new "bloodshed."

Ukraine, which has been engaged in a military conflict in the southeastern region of Donbass for three years, has repeatedly asked the United States for lethal and non-lethal weapons.

Russia has objected to this, warning that arms deliveries to Ukraine would only escalate the conflict.

 Sputnik

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'Entirely Defensive in Nature': US Agrees to Provide Lethal Aid to Ukraine

Sputnik News

04:33 23.12.2017(updated 07:53 23.12.2017)

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US State Department said Friday that the United States plans to give Ukraine military assistance to help protect its territorial integrity, in a move that is purely defensive and will not violate Minsk accords

"The United States has decided to provide Ukraine enhanced defensive capabilities as part of our effort to help Ukraine build its long-term defense capacity, to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to deter further aggression," spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

Earlier this week, the US State Department has approved a licensed commercial export of particular light weapons and small arms from the US manufacturers to Ukraine.

"U.S. assistance is entirely defensive in nature, and as we have always said, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has a right to defend itself. The United States remains committed to the Minsk agreements as the way forward in eastern Ukraine," the statement read.

Meantime, the United States has withdrawn favored trading status from Ukraine

because Kiev authorities have failed to act vigorously enough to enforce intellectual property rights, the White House said in a press release on Friday.

"President of the United States Donald Trump decided to withdraw Ukraine from the General System of Trade Preferences (GSP) due to insufficient efforts from Kiev to protect intellectual property rights," the release said.

In a letter to the leaders of both chambers of Congress on Friday, Trump said the preferences would be suspended on a number of types of products imported into the United States from Ukraine.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed the country's defense bill, authorizing $350 million in military aid

to Ukraine, half of which is conditioned on military reforms.

Meanwhile, a senior State Department official told ABC News that Washington planned to sell 210 anti-tank missiles and 35 launchers to Ukraine.

Ukraine, which has been engaged in a military conflict in the southeastern region of Donbass for three years, has repeatedly asked the United States for lethal and non-lethal weapons.

Russia has objected to this, warning that arms deliveries to Ukraine would only escalate the conflict.

The move is likely to escalate the three-year crisis in the county's east. The warring parties signed a truce in February 2015 in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, brokered by Russia, Germany, France, and Ukraine. The Minsk Agreements charted a roadmap toward deescalating the fighting. Frants Klintsevich, a deputy chair of the defense and security committee at the upper house of the Russian parliament warned last month that US military aid to Ukraine could start an all-out war.

 Sputnik

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Ukraine Grateful, Russia Critical of US Providing Lethal Weapons to Kyiv

By VOA News December 23, 2017

Ukraine's president thanked the United States Saturday for its decision to provide lethal weapons to the country, while diplomats in Russia warned that the move would only cause more bloodshed.

The angry response from Moscow comes a day after the U.S. announced it will provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, in an effort to help the country with its fight against Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country.

"Today, the United States clearly pushes [Ukrainian authorities] toward new bloodshed," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, adding that "American weapons can lead to new victims" in the neighboring country.

Kyiv, however, responded to the move with gratitude, thanking President Donald Trump for his "leadership" and insisting the weapons are not for offensive purposes.

"American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for offensive [purposes], but for stronger rebuff of the aggressor, protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense. It is also a trans-Atlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook in English.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement Friday that the decision to provide Ukraine with "enhanced defensive capabilities" is in keeping with the "effort to help Ukraine build its long-term defense capacity, to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The statement added that the "U.S. assistance is entirely defensive in nature."

An ABC-TV news report issued before the announcement said the "The total defense package of $47 million includes the sale of 210 anti-tank missiles and 35 launchers." The State Department did not confirm that those weapons would be among those supplied.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called for better relations with Moscow, but this deal would likely threaten that plan.

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned Russia that the stand-off over Ukraine was the single most important obstacle to warmer ties between the two countries.

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Pawan Tweets Only To Deny Credit To Jagan!

The series of tweets from power star and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan over the inhuman incident of a Dalit woman being assaulted and stripped by Telugu Desam Party leaders at Pendurthi in Visakhapatnam, evoked some sharp reaction from YSR Congress party.

Known for her strong attacks on Pawan, firebrand YSRC MLA from Nagari and actor R K Roja pooh-poohed the Jana Sena Party chiefs reactions on twitter  three days after the incident took place.

It is unfortunate and shameful on the part of Pawan Kalyan that he was not aware of the humiliation meted out to a Dalit woman in the hands of the TDP leaders till an NRI woman brought to his notice expressing her anguish over the insecurity to women in the TDP regime, Roja said.

She suspected that the belated reaction from Pawan Kalyan could be only to deny credit to YSR Congress party which reacted spontaneously and ensured that the accused were arrested immediately.

The series of tweets by Pawan appear to be a reaction only to see that our party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy does not get the credit. Moreover, his reaction was too mild towards the TDP, she said.

She reminded that it was only because of the intense agitation by the YSRC that the government had climbed down and agreed to provide 80 square yards of land and Rs 1 lakh cash from the SC Corporation.
GREENWICH  The 11 men and women sat around a long table inside Greenwich Librarys second-floor meeting room. Each of them had a reason that made the trek worthwhile on a winters eve.

One man had read Foreign Affairs Magazine for much of his life. Some of his tablemates still travel far and wide. And for local history teacher John Magoun, the evening chatter seemed an extension of his personality, curated by a constant eye toward past, present and future.

But for one participant  Dick Feder  the club offered another option.

I came here originally to meet girls, he said deadpan at this weeks meeting.

Globetrotting aside, the group actually meets to discuss foreign affairs and has been delving into different corners of the earth, digging for knowledge, for years.

Moderated by John Dolan, a consultant and former adjunct professor at Manhattanville and lecturer at Baruch College, the reading group meets the third Tuesday of the month, in general, and attracts primarily an older and fairly world-wise demographic.

This months book, Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause by Tom Gjelten, focused on Facundo Bacardi and the family rum empire he created.

Through its backdrop, it also examined Cubas tenuous political past as it collides with an uncertain present.

Dolan read Gjeltens chronicle before a trip to Cuba last May, and he decided to bring it into his reading group for the Dec. 19 gathering as context for the upcoming Cuban election.

While President Raul Castro announced earlier this year he was not seeking another term, he will be in office at least until mid-April, after plans for a Parliamentary election in 2018 were put on hold because of damage from Hurricane Irma.

The Castro family has held control over Cubas political mechanisms since the end of the Cuban Revolution in 1959. Either Raul or his brother Fidel Castro have held Cubas presidential office since 1976. Dolan said that the Cubans he spoke with during his visit last spring were excited to see how the election panned out.

He was not the only person in the room who had traveled to the Caribbean island. In 2002, far before President Barack Obama re-opened relations with Cuba and expanded forms of legal travel visas, another member who had fallen in love with the film Buena Vista Social Club visited the island via Mexico.

Others of the group knew little about Cuba, but were well-versed in international affairs. One, Paul Tillotson, had spent years in the liquor business and spoke with authority on the Bacardi label.

When he said he believed that  despite Bacardis millions of case sells per year  the rum empire would soon be gulped up by a larger spirits company, his colleague who had come for the ladies didnt think that was such a bad legacy.

So theyre dying magnificently? Feder asked. Thats the way I want to die.

The discussion meandered from alcohol and business history to Cubas international identity.

It seems like to be a Cuban is to be a revolutionary, Dolan said.

But Magoun countered that to be a Cuban also lent itself to a more feminine stereotype  the lady conga-ing in a summer breeze.

Indeed, the island itself has largely been depicted as a woman, seductive and steamy.

Magoun said Cubans, when they came to the U.S., were criticized for losing the fancy-free nature that marked their cultural brand. In fact, when Cubas revolutionary father Jose Marti was exiled stateside, one of his largest pet peeves about America was that its people almost never knew how to take the time to enjoy what was in front of them.

Half a century after Martis death, during the first years after the revolution, others like him were forced to relocate to the United States for a lifetime as political refugees. The book group delved into the frictions that must have arisen when some chose to move forward while others could only look back to a nostalgic image of their homeland.

Greg Gregorich, whose family fled communist Yugoslavia, empathized with Cubans like the Bacardis, who were sent far from the place they loved by a government that they felt betrayed them and nationalized their assets.

The Bacardis must have felt a little bit like my family. The country of their birth had turned basically against them socially, and thats a traumatic element to have to contend with, he said.

Near the end of the one-hour meeting, Dolan opened the discussion to conjectures on Cubas fate after the election.

Some believed China would get involved economically, positioning itself in Americas backyard as a show of muscle. Others thought that a new Cuban president might look at Puerto Ricos economic and infrastructural problems and shy away from an intimate relationship with the United States. Still others were hopeful that a Trump Tower might dot the Havana skyline.

As a special nod to the subject, Magoun and Dolan had brought in rum samples for everyone to set the scene.

Democratically, Magoun tried both Havana Club and Bacardi. Bacardi was smoother, he said.
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Week 51 in review: Samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+ debut, some hot leaks too

It's a rare sight to see a high-profile smartphone announced in December, much less so this close to Christmas, so the Galaxy A8 and A8+'s debut this week was somewhat of a nice surprise. The upper mid-rangers bring the first dual selfie cameras on Samsung smartphones and borrow more Galaxy S features than any of their predecessors.

Speaking of the Galaxy S flagships, the S9 and S9+ got their designs exposed by a bunch of case makers, who got the schematics and made renders based on them. Apparently only the plus version will have dual camera on the back with the regular S9 sticking to a single sensor.

The Nokia 9 is another hot upcoming device that made a memorable trip to rumorland. The FCC listing for the flagship revealed the majority of its key specs, which combined with some leaked design renders gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Check out our most popular stories from the past week to make sure you haven't missed anything important.



Nokia 9's FCC certification reveals its key specs An LG-made OLED screen and Snapdragon 835 are bound for the new flagship.





Case renders confirm only the Samsung Galaxy S9+ will have a dual camera Olixar was right on the money for the Note8 design and this year it shows that the base S9 will stick with a single camera setup.





Sony Xperia XZ2 alleged render shows the bezel-less design The phone will no bezels on three sides of its screen, similarly to the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.





Nokia 9 shows its bezel-starved face in leaked render The image tells us that HMD Global is finally ready to get with the times.





Apple confirms it's intentionally slowing down iPhones with old batteries The company said it decreased the performance in order to keep the battery life longer.





Samsung Galaxy S9+ benchmark scores look promising Samsungs next Galaxy flagship has been spotted on GeekBench with a Snapdragon 845.





Huawei unveils the Honor 9 Lite The phone comes with four cameras and FullView display of FullHD+ resolution.





The 5MP selfie cam on the Nokia 9 will actually be a dual camera Combined with the two cameras on the back that makes for a total of four cameras.





Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and Note5 getting new updates These are security updates that bring along Android fixes for the month of December.





Nokia launches a heartwarming holiday video The ad reminds to switch off devices this Christmas and give the gift of you.





Alleged photo of Galaxy S9 backplate suggests a single camera setup Based on a leaked photo, the S9 wont get the same dual-camera as the Galaxy S9+.





Samsung confirms Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) release date During a recent event in Vietnam, the South Korean company confirmed the devices will go on sale there January 6 onwards.





Upgraded AirPods for 2018 New Apple AirPods to launch in the second half of 2018





Nokia 5 survives scratch, burn, and bend test It looks like HMD Global wants to keep the brand's fame for creating solid devices intact.





Huawei Enjoy 7S is finally official The phone comes with Kirin 659 SoC and dual camera setup on the back.





Chrome Browser will start blocking ads on February 15 No, not all ads, just from websites that have ads that dont meet Googles acceptable guidelines.





Samsung starts mass producing second-gen 10nm RAM The new generation of 10nm class RAM is about 10% faster and 15% more efficient than the previous one.





Here are all the ways Android Oreo protects your phone and data Google has detailed all the hard work it's done to make Oreo safer than Nougat.


The Samsung Galaxy S8 snatched the 2017 compact flagship crown, securing just over a third of all votes over our week-long poll. A strong crowd-favorite, the Samsung phone ran pretty much unopposed, with the closest rival being 11 percentage points behind.

That runner-up didn't have it quite as easy, though. It was a rather close race between the Google Pixel 2 and the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact, but the Google phone prevailed in the end with 23% of all votes, to the Compact's 18%.



Google Pixel 2  Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

The rest of the contenders only managed single-digit shares with the LG G6 getting the most fan love among those that didn't make it to the podium - a total of 8%. The iPhone 8 ended up 1% short of its model name, while the Xiaomi Mi 6 got precisely 6% of the votes. Well, the Huawei P10 missed its target by a lot.

Stay tuned for round two of this poll, where it's the big bros' turn to battle it out - the Notes, Pluses, and XLs.
Published on 2017/12/24 | Source

A bus carrying 34 Korean tourists skidded on a road in Hokkaido, Japan and flipped over, injuring the driver and several others, NHK reported Sunday.

Advertisement

The accident occurred at around 4:30 p.m. in the Kamifurano area. Most passengers suffered bruises and other light injuries. The driver, who is in his 50s, suffered serious injuries including a broken pelvis.

The road where the accident took place was a one-lane road covered in fresh snow. Local police are investigating the exact cause.

The Korean Consulate in Sapporo said the injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals and their identities are being verified. The Foreign Ministry said no Koreans appear to have been seriously hurt.
ReminderBHC closed until Jan. 2

All Black Hawk College locations and facilities are closed for holiday recess until Tuesday, Jan 2.

Students can register online while the college is closed. Spring 2018 registration information is available at www.bhc.edu/register.

Walk-in registration  with payment due at registration  resumes Jan. 2. Spring classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Students get $76K in scholarships

The Black Hawk College Quad-Cities Foundation has distributed more than $76,400 in scholarships to more than 100 Quad-Cities Campus students for the 2017-18 school year.

We congratulate the 2017-18 scholarship recipients and wish you tremendous success at Black Hawk College, said Maureen Dickinson, executive director of the BHC QC Foundation.

Thank you to all the donors who established scholarships and provided resources for the foundation, she said. We are ever so grateful.

To view a list of the students and the scholarships they received, go to www.bhc.edu/news.

Start year with continuing ed classes

Black Hawk College Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) offers short-term career programs, professional development, community education and online learning.

PaCE schedules are mailed to Illinois addresses. Watch for the January-May 2018 schedule the first week of January or look up classes now at www.bhc.edu/pace.
ROCK ISLAND  Escaping the horrors of war gives a refugee family from Sudan quite a different perspective on Christmas.

Kalthoum Kadfour, a single mother of six children ranging in age from 8 months to 17 years, feels safe.

"I'm so happy," she said. "We have food to eat. We have each other."

And she has her dreams of a better life and higher education, Ms. Kadfour said.

When asked what she wanted most for Christmas, she told Julie Gray, director of Rock Island-Milan School District's Head Start Preschool Programs, about wanting only school supplies and materials to continue her college career.

"She is enrolled in the Black Hawk College Patient Care Assistant Program, and expressed concern about how she will afford the items needed this spring for her clinicals," Ms. Gray said,

"It's not only for me, but it's for my children to know how important education is," Ms. Kadfour said.

She never mentioned toys or gifts, other than when she looked on her table and saw the few things her baby had to play with.

Ever since Ms. Kadfour was a girl, she said she dreamed about becoming a doctor, but couldn't because of her country's unsettled condition.

"My kids understand how difficult it is and how important education is," she said.

"It's so bad in my country, I can't go back," Ms. Kadfour said. "When I was born, there was a war there. They kill children and civilian women there."

She credited humanitarian efforts by actor George Clooney for helping rescue people in Sudan and Darfur.

She and her children had lived in an Egyptian refugee camp from 2004, coming to the U.S., in 2015. They've been in Rock Island for almost two years, living in the Century Woods apartment complex.

When Ms. Kadfour completes the Black Hawk College program this spring, she will have first aid and phlebotomy certification, as well as certified nurse assistant credentials, which should equal a job.

"This should serve as a reminder to the rest of us of how fortunate we have it to be in the U.S.," Ms. Gray said.
How good are these two guys, Penn State fans? It may surprise you ...
When youre Billboards top female artist of the year, where do you stay when youre looking for a quaint little trip to the mountains of Colorado? Well, this is Ariana Grande were talking about, so the answer is: in the most lavish mansion one can find in that kind of secluded area.

As per TMZ, the Dangerous Woman pop star was recently up in Mountain Village, Colorado, a tiny resort town that has a population of less than 1,500 people. She, along with members of her family, were surrounded by luxury, renting an amazing mansion that boasts 8 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms and was the ultimate picture of northern vacation style. You can check out a picture of the digs below.

[Image via TMZ]

The house, which Grande rented through Airbnb, didnt come cheap either. With a nightly price tag of $7,280, its sure to be out of the budget range of many average Americans, but for Ariana, it was the space that a woman of her stature belongs in while hitting the slopes. Theres definitely a ton of outdoor activity opportunities in the area surrounding the mansion, but if its too cold to party outside, the inside is just as impressive. An indoor pool and hot tub, along with a movie theater and a bowling alley, came with the price of the rental. Not shabby at all.

Ariana Grande thanked the well-known rental facilitator afterwards for what she called the best trip ever. Check out more of her pictures and video from the ski vacation below and stay tuned for new music form the pop star, which will supposedly drop in the new year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdCgvEpnrVM

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc7-XtvHNP9

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc5nx_gnrpz

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdD6rkknUkm

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdD7g00HP8n



Ariana Grande
Looks like someone may have spiked that eggnog too hard.

Luann de Lesseps, best known as one of the stars Real Housewives of New York City, was arrested in Palm Beach, Florida on multiple charges including disorderly intoxication and battery on an officer.

According to the Palm Beach Post, the 52-year-old was taken into police custody early Sunday morning. The report quotes an unnamed source who says that the reality TV star kicked an officer and said Im going to kill you all before getting booked. She was subsequently released later on this morning without bond.

[Image via Palm Beach Post]

In a statement to BuzzFeed News, de Lesseps agent, Michael Heller, had this to say:

We are sure she will have her day in court and will be exonerated. She has always been a pleasure to work with and has always used her fame to help bring attention to different charity driven causes. She just finished a week long trip to the florida keys to help Red Cross with hurricane Irma. She didnt want to just donate to Red Cross she wanted to take action on her own and physically take her time to give back.

de Lesseps has been granted permission by a judge to travel back to the Big Apple and hire a defense attorney so that the charges shes facing, four of which are felonies, can be tackled appropriately in a court of law. Theres no word on when the next court date is scheduled for.

Luann de Lesseps
Right now, were awaiting TwelveLens forthcoming The Neighborhood Hero album, but before that time comes, the Miami-bred artist has decided to gift listeners with a preview via his latest SWIM EP.

The projects title spawns from an introspective question, Still Wondering Its Me? and the result is a seven-track journey of self-discovery.

I wanted to get personal and express my experiences with love, self-love, and hate, says TwelveLen. I come from a place with a thriving nightlife scene which I personally enjoy- from South Beach to the downtown bars, clubs, and strip clubs. I wanted the people to hear, see, and feel that in my records. So, I give you SWIM and look forward to giving you something greater even sooner.

Feel free to close out the year with a listen or two to the Carol City talents latest. Your mind, body, and soul just may thank you.
Vice President Mike Pence's obsequiousness at a recent Cabinet meeting -- "Thank you for seeing through the course of this year an agenda that is truly restoring this country ... " and on, and on -- might be appropriate at a Communist Party Central Committee meeting, or at a despot's birthday party. But it is not the language of any self-respecting republic.

The divestment of self-respect is a qualification for employment in the Trump administration. Praising the Dear Leader in a Pence-like fashion seems to be what the Dear Leader requires -- not in the way we might need dessert after dinner, but in the way an addict needs drugs. President Trump divides the world into two categories: flunkies and enemies. Pence is the cringing, fawning high priest of flunkiness. It is hard to know whether to laugh or puke (and difficult to do both at the same time).

It is precisely the claim of miracles by mediocrities that makes it hard for some of us to judge Trump's first-year record with any objectivity. In comparison to his claims of world-historic change, Trump has accomplished little. But how does Trump's record compare to more realistic expectations?

The Republican case for Trump comes down to: the appointment of conservative judges, including Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court; the "defeat" of the Islamic State; and tax and regulatory reform. Whatever your view of the merits of these actions, they are consequential. Add to this the facts that Trump hasn't blown up the world or suspended the legislature, and Trump is gaining a strange new respect among some conservatives.

There is less here than meets the eye. Trump chose Gorsuch from a Federalist Society list, and didn't fatally undermine Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's careful confirmation effort. The demolition of the Islamic State was largely the continuation and culmination of an Obama-era strategy. And the tax overhaul, with serious virtues such as the cut in corporate rates, also has serious distributional and deficit problems.

This agenda was remarkable only for being so typical. Any Republican president from the 2016 primary field would have appointed conservative judges, continued the offensive against the Islamic State and cut taxes and regulations. (He or she would also, in all likelihood, have succeeded at Obamacare replacement.) But this is precisely the point. Trump spent the political capital of his first year -- the highest it will ever be -- on a few, generic GOP goals. Despite the fulminations of the left, this is not as frightening as some of the alternatives.

It is important to count our blessings, even when they are meager. But for Republicans and conservatives, it is also important to count the costs -- the tonnage on the other side of the balance.

The war against terrorism has been rebooted on the basis of anti-Muslim bigotry, which undermines domestic law enforcement and anti-radicalization efforts. Authoritarian regimes around the world -- now shielded from human rights criticism -- feel more secure. Dissidents and democratic activists feel more lonely and abandoned. Fleeing refugees feel more desperate and friendless. The president is conducting delicate nuclear negotiations with demeaning pet names. Morale at the State Department is in collapse, leading to the hemorrhaging of diplomatic talent and experience. Trump has alienated important allies with demands for protection money. America has stepped back from effective economic competition in Asia, leaving China a more dominant regional power. Russia, in all likelihood, has helped elect a favorable American president in the largest intelligence coup of modern history.

Trump has tried to undermine the credibility of important institutions -- the courts, the FBI, intelligence agencies, the media -- that check his power and expose his duplicity. He has used his office (and Twitter account) to target individual Americans for harm without due process. He attacks the very idea of truth in a daily torrent of despicable lies. The moral authority of the presidency is in tatters. He has made our common life more vulgar and brutal and complicated the moral education of children. Racists are emboldened and included in the GOP coalition. He has caused a large portion of Republicans to live in an alternate reality of resentment and hatred, which complicates the possibility of governing and is likely to discredit the party among the young, minorities, women and college-educated voters for decades to come.

Trump's domestic agenda ... requires another column. But after a year, this much is clear: Almost all Trump's accomplishments are the work of traditional Republican policy staffers and congressional leaders. Almost all Trump's failures are functions of his character. And that isn't going to change.
Ideas. The good ones are like snowballs. It just takes one, a little push of inspiration and off it goes, growing greater with every roll.

As I look back on 2017  and even more so, ahead at the New Year  I am so grateful for all the ways Quad-Citizens have transformed this region through their generosity. Weve seen philanthropy in action in countless ways in our work at the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.

The year started out with the announcement of an exciting Transformation Grant that brought new young women to the Womens Leadership Council.

In the months that followed, students in our Teens for Tomorrow Program recommended and awarded $20,000 in grants to causes they believed are important to our future, and Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants infused more than $200,000 to nonprofits to strengthen their work. The Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund, Grant W. and Virginia M. Brissman Foundation, and others carried on the legacies of Quad-Citizens who made the commitment to the communitiesand peoplethey care deeply about.

Donors also played an important role in furthering our region through their extraordinary generosity, from donors like the late Robert and Edith Unterkircher to this years Philanthropists of the Year Bob and Blenda Ontiveros.

With each grant we award, with each donor we meet, I continue to be inspired by the ideas people bring to the table, their motivations for giving back to others, and their hopes and dreams for the Quad-Cities.

As we celebrate the holiday season, I can say with certainty that 2018 looks bright for the Quad-Cities. When we draw all the voices to the table, as our community continues to do through initiatives like the Q2030 Regional Vision, we can develop and implement solutions that strengthen all of us. The building of the new I-74 bridge is proof that our community is poised for change, and our citizens are the change makers. We are creating an environment where people can make it here, and enjoy an abundance of amenities.

We are a community and a Community Foundation with arms open  to new ideas, new opportunities, and the rise of new leaders, whose voices will benefit us all. Cheers to 2018, what is sure to be another great chapter in our history.
The digital age of consent refers to the age from which it is legal for data controllers to hold data gathered from minors

Children under 13 should not be allowed to sign up to gaming and social media without parental approval, Leo Varadkar has said.

After consultation and advice from children's charities, Tusla, the Children's Ombudsman and NGOs on new legislation, the Taoiseach said it was decided that 13 should be the digital age of consent.

The Government opened a consultation on the age issue last November.

"We agreed that the age should be 13 ... There was extensive consultation over and back and in the end we took the advice of organisations like the Children's Ombudsman, Tusla and different charities and NGOs in the sector and we went with that," the Fine Gael leader said.

The digital age of consent refers to the age from which it is legal for data controllers to hold data gathered from minors.

Under new legislation parental consent will be required up to the age of 13 and after that age from the individual.

Ireland is required to introduce a series of legislative measures in order to harmonise its laws with a European directive on data protection.

The EU General Data Protection Regulation will come into effect on May 25 2018.

Mr Varadkar also called on tech companies to do more to protect children from online paedophiles, criminals and bullies.

"I'm very conscious of the extent to which bullying has changed since you and I were kids.

"When we were kids, when it came to bullying, at least you could escape it, at least you could go home or you knew there was somewhere to hide.

"But the difference now is that this content and this form of bullying and intimidation can come with you everywhere you go.

"I definitely do think the tech companies could do more in this space," said Mr Varadkar.

He added: "What we are asking for is for tech companies to step up to the plate and to do a bit more to protect people."

The Taoiseach said, however, that he is nervous "of anything that involves restrictions on freedom of speech or the government trying to regulate the internet".

"I would just be very loath to go down that road unless it would work - and bear in mind this is the world wide web so national laws don't necessarily work - and secondly that it would actually be effective," he said.
Are the Government serious about sustainable energy initiatives for farmers? It's a key question from Cork dairy farmer Brendan Hinchion, who says he is "ready to go" as soon as the Government decides if it really intends to include farmers and rural communities in the drive for alternatives to fossil fuels.

"I have been talking to local farmers who are interested in putting solar panels on their farm buildings and converting their slurry into sustainable energy but the Government is only dealing with the big energy companies. Throughout Europe farmers and rural communities are involved in producing sustainable energy but in Ireland it's only the big companies. A cluster of farms in any given area would provide as much as energy as single big company project," Brendan states.

He believes rural Ireland would be revitalised if the Government followed the European sustainable energy model which sees farm buildings fitted with solar panels and slurry converted to gas.

His comments come shortly after the long-awaited launch of the Government's new Renewable Heat Incentive scheme which has been welcomed, but it farm bodies have expressed disappointment that biomethane injection from anaerobic digesters is not included in the first phase of it.

Brendan (54) runs a 120 acre dairy farm in Kilnamartyra with a further 130 acres rented, while his wife Virginia "dabbles" with a flock of 45 ewes on 78 acres of conservation land some 60km away on the Ring of Kerry.

He took over the family farm after completing his agricultural studies at Clonakilty around the time that his father Tim passed away prematurely in the 1990s and today he runs a pedigree of herd of some 150 Holstein Friesians and Norwegian Reds and is currently adding Jersey crosses to the herd.

The herd is rated within the Top 50 nationwide.

The origins of the Norwegian Reds within the herd arose when he participated in a Teagasc initiative some 10 years ago.

Both Brendan and Virginia are happy with the prices they are receiving for their milk and sheep. Although Brendan feels that his co-op- Dairygold is lagging behind the West Cork Co-ops in terms of cents per litre.

"I suppose the milk price is as good as it possibility can be for Dairygold considering what has happened over the past few years and it is certainly better than what we were getting two years ago, I am happy enough with the current price," adds Brendan.

But you get the distinct impression that the couple's real pride and joy is their adopted 11-year-old daughter, Thia, who is a native of Vietnam.

She came to Ireland as a three-month-old baby.

"Thia is a fabulous bubbly child" says Brendan with more than a little pride in his voice.

The adoption process was difficult and took up to three years to complete, Brendan outlines.

"When all the work was done on the adoption of Thia we left Ireland on Christmas Eve and arrived in Vietnam on St Stephen's Day and spent the month there completing the formalities like arranging visas.

"I wanted to have it all completed before spring calving and the evening we arrived back in home with Thia five of the cows had just calved in the sheds," Brendan recalls.

Off farm Brendan's main interest is GAA matches and music of the guitar variety played loud, long and locally when he has a few pints consumed, he quips.

All sorts of strumming from classical to traditional are allowed once the required consumption is achieved.

In conversation with Ken Whelan
The last time white Zimbabwean farmer Rob Smart left his land it was at gunpoint, forced out in June by riot police armed with tear gas and AK-47 assault rifles.

He returned on Thursday to ululations and tears of joy from former workers and their families who were also kicked out - a jubilant return and the first sign that the president who has replaced Robert Mugabe is making good on a vow to stop illegal land seizures and restore property rights.

Scores of jubilant black Zimbabweans nearly knocked the 71-year-old off his feet as he and his two children stepped out of their car and onto their land for the first time in six months.

Smarts case was taken up by Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwes then vice-president who heard of Smarts violent eviction while at an investment conference in Johannesburg.

Mnangagwa became president last month following a de facto coup that ended 93-year-old Mugabes rule. In the latter half of his 37 years in power, Zimbabwes economy collapsed, especially after the seizure of thousands of white-owned commercial farms under the banner of post-colonial land reform.

Land ownership is one of Zimbabwes most sensitive political topics. Colonialists seized some of the best agricultural land and much of it remained in the hands of white farmers after independence in 1980 leaving many blacks effectively landless.

Expand Close Commercial farmer Darreyn Smart looks on as private secuty gaurd unlocks the gate to his farm house at Lesbury Estates in Headlands communal lands east of the capital Harare,Zimbabwe, December 21, 2017. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo / Facebook

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Whatsapp Commercial farmer Darreyn Smart looks on as private secuty gaurd unlocks the gate to his farm house at Lesbury Estates in Headlands communal lands east of the capital Harare,Zimbabwe, December 21, 2017. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

Twenty years later, Mugabe authorized the violent invasion of many white-owned farms and justified it on the grounds that it was redressing imbalances from the colonial era.

White farmers complained that well connected people used state security forces to force them off their farms, sometimes in the middle of harvesting, even after the Mugabe government indicated, some four years ago, that land seizures were over.

We are overjoyed, over the moon. We thought we would never see this day coming, Smarts son, Darryn, told Reuters.

Getting back to the farm has given not just us, but the whole community hope that its a new Zimbabwe, a new country.

Rob Smart, whose father said he started the farm from virgin bush in 1932, expressed confidence in the new governments pledge to protect the commercial farming sector, a mainstay of the struggling economy.

Its early days but so far what they (the new government) said they are going to do they are doing, he told Reuters.

Expand Close Commercial farmers Rob Smart (R) and his son Darreyn gesture as they arrive at Lesbury Estates in Headlands communal lands east of the capital Harare, Zimbabwe, December 21, 2017. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo / Facebook

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Whatsapp Commercial farmers Rob Smart (R) and his son Darreyn gesture as they arrive at Lesbury Estates in Headlands communal lands east of the capital Harare, Zimbabwe, December 21, 2017. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

We just hope this whole incident will give hope to other farmers, whove had the same situation.

NO CONFUSION

Mnangagwa, who is under pressure to revive the economy ahead of elections next year, said on Thursday that he was resolute about the changes he was introducing.

There is no business as usual. Things have changed, its a new era, he said at a meeting with business leaders in South Africa.

Im from the military. If its left turn then its left turn. If its right turn its right turn. No confusion.

Mnangagwas new agriculture minister, Perrance Shiri, last week ordered illegal occupiers of farms to vacate the land immediately, a move that could ultimately see some white farmers who say they were unfairly evicted return to farming.

Shiri, a military hardliner who was head of the air force before being picked for the crucial ministry this month, called for unquestionable sanity on the farms.

For 83-year-old Anna Matemani, whose late husband worked on the farm, Smarts return was long overdue.

Im so happy he is finally back. He always helped us and the farm provides jobs for many of our young people, said the grandmother of 15, who grew up and raised her children on the farm and witnessed Robs birth, wiping away tears.

Some of the Smarts joy subsided as they walked into their ransacked farmhouses.

The occupiers had looted property, including clothes, the childrens toys, three guns, bottles of 100-year-old wine and Smarts late father Roys medals from when he served with the Police Reserve Air Wing in the former Rhodesia.

Im sad about my grandfathers medals, Darryn Smart said, surveying a ransacked room.

You can buy tables and chairs, you cant buy that family history. But thank goodness were here.
Irish analysts are tipping Ryanair to bounce back from its current woes in 2018, according to the annual Sunday Independent analysts survey.

After losing billions in shareholder value in recent weeks, in the midst of a turbulent row with pilots, the company is being tipped to be the best-performing Irish plc share next year.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary has had an annus horribilis and was voted the second-worst performing chief executive of an Irish plc in 2017. In last year's survey he was voted the second best-performing boss behind David McCann of Fyffes. The airline admitted to a disastrous error in scheduling pilot leave, which led to a glut of pilot holidays towards the end of the year and the cancellation of thousands of passenger journeys. To solve the problem, the airline said it would scale back its growth plans.

O'Leary then made the decision to recognise trade unions for the first time - though he still maintained he would not negotiate with pilots from rival airlines. He averted a strike from Irish pilots, but he couldn't stop German pilots announcing a four-hour strike on Thursday.

Expand Close Permanent TSBs Jeremy Masding was voted the worst-performing chief executive of an Irish plc in 2017 by the analysts taking part in our survey. Photo: INM / Facebook

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Whatsapp Permanent TSBs Jeremy Masding was voted the worst-performing chief executive of an Irish plc in 2017 by the analysts taking part in our survey. Photo: INM

Investors will be watching closely to see how the industrial relations environment evolves in the New Year.

Respondents to our survey - who were granted anonymity to encourage candour - voted Permanent TSB boss Jeremy Masding as 2017's worst performer. The bank's share price has dropped from around 2.70 to 2.20 in the space of a year and it remains weighed down by a large amount of non-performing loans (NPLs). Half-year pre-tax profits more than halved year-on-year in 2017. A further update on the NPL strategy is due in the first quarter. PTSB, which is 75pc State-owned, is also projected to be the worst-performing Irish stock in 2018.

Masding made headlines this year for a candid interview with the Irish Independent, in which he railed against what he perceived as "sycophancy" from the Irish Government and media towards foreign banks.

"If Air Force One arrived here from Spain, you'd all be there, in the way you all are, sycophantic and throwing flowers and giving them all Guinness ... well, it is sycophantic. When I look at the way the Government treats foreign banks here, when actually I'm one of the biggest employers in Ireland, it makes you feel undervalued," said Masding.

Expand Close Gene Murtagh. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Dalata boss Pat McCann and Kingspan chief executive Gene Murtagh were tied in the vote for best-performing chief executive of an Irish plc.

Dalata, Ireland's biggest hotels group, continued to perform strongly this year, adding more hotels to its portfolio and growing revenue per available room by almost 10pc this year in Ireland. Half-year pre-tax profit was up 80pc this year and the share price is up more than a third.

Kingspan shrugged off the Brexit vote with a record performance in its 2016 financial year, and this year it's projecting trading profit to grow around 10pc.

Its share price is also up more than a third, despite unwelcome headlines about the use of a small amount of its material in the Grenfell Tower, the London apartment block that was the site of a horrific fire in the summer.

Expand Close Pat McCann. Photo: Tony Maxwell / Facebook

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Kingspan said the material was used without its knowledge as "part of a combination for which it was not designed, and which Kingspan would never recommend". "Kingspan is very confident that, properly installed and specified, our products deliver safe, reliable and energy-efficient insulation solutions," the company added.

Respondents to our survey were near-unanimous in their optimism for the prospects of the Irish and global economies in 2018. Most projected growth in the region of 3-4pc for both.

Technology - particularly the so-called FAANG stocks (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) - was heavily tipped as a sector to watch, as was oil and gas, and fintech.

We also asked our respondents to project what one bitcoin would be worth at the end of 2018 - responses ranged from $100 to $27,000.
Its been a very good year for senior executives at Eir, in particular chief executive Richard Moat, following the companys buyout. Photo: Chris Bellew/ Fennell Photography

It has been a year more about good news than bad in the business world. The economy continued to power ahead, and exporting businesses were firing on all cylinders despite the weakness of sterling. The commercial property market was ebullient and some businesses saw a chance to cash in on the positive wave. But it wasn't good news for everyone, as even mature Irish corporate giants had a few banana skins along the way, while international threats to Ireland's competitiveness and dark clouds around Brexit still hung around.

Here is a flavour of those who had a good year and a bad one.

Good Year

1 Tracker mortgage scandal victims

After years of faffing around, the banks were finally forced to sit up and take notice of the tracker mortgage scandal - which they created. It wasn't easy. It took a detailed Central Bank probe, unfortunate individuals telling their stories to an Oireachtas committee, and direct high-level government intervention to get a serious response from banks. The numbers involved have increased dramatically, with the latest estimate from the Central Bank suggesting that around 33,700 people have been affected.

Banks have been dragged kicking and screaming into conducting complete and wide-ranging trawls of who they deprived of tracker mortgage rates.

For those directly affected, 2017 has been a good year. Not all of them have got their cash yet, and they will have to weigh up whether their compensation payments are sufficient. But thousands of people, who, this time last year, were likely to get nothing, have now been included in the redress scheme.

One case I came across recently involved a customer receiving over 29,000 in refunds for interest overcharged, interest on that overcharge of another 1,400 and a further 1,000 to cover professional advice.

The compensation element came to 3,100. Not a lot I would have thought for nearly 30,000 in overcharges.

The total came to 34,000. If this proved to be an average across 33,700 accounts, the total compensation bill will be over 1.14bn.

2 AIB

Notwithstanding its own role in the tracker mortgage scandal, the Department of Finance got a successful IPO of AIB away.

The State bagged over 3.4bn as it sold off 28pc of AIB. The shares have risen strongly since then and the debate will now focus on whether to sell down more of the bank stock at these prices.

If the State's remaining 72pc stake was sold at current price levels, the taxpayer would get back all of the 20bn or so put in to bail out the bank. However, it might make more sense to hang on to a majority stake for a while longer. But at least, it suggests we have a strong chance of getting all of our money back - excluding the opportunity cost, but let's not complain too much!

3 McCanns of Fyffes

It was a good year for the McCann family behind Fyffes. Shareholders in Fyffes approved a 750m takeover of the banana importer by Japanese company Sumitomo.

The deal ended the family connection with the company which began when Neil McCann's father, Charles, became an agent for Fyffes in 1902 and sold their produce in his Dundalk shop.

The McCann family shared out around 87m for their shares through the family's Balkan Investment Company. This company is owned by nominee companies and ultimately goes back to a family trust, so it isn't known exactly who in the family got what.

4 Eir executives

Senior executives at Eir, formerly Eircom, and big payouts, seem to go hand in hand. As a consortium controlled by billionaire French telecoms investor Xavier Niel agreed to purchase 64.5pc of Eir for an enterprise value of approximately 3.5bn, senior management are in line for payouts of up to 100m.

The biggest beneficiary will be Eir chief executive Richard Moat, who will leave the company with a very large cheque in his back pocket. It is understood he will receive the lion's share of the executive cash.

Moat has been in charge at Eir for just three years. He joins a long list of former Eircom executives who have made millions from shares they own in the company.

Moat has done a very good job in rebuilding and refocusing the business, but tens of millions in three years is one hell of a get rich quick scheme.

5 Border county residents

There have been few winners out of the Brexit debacle so far, and it still has quite a distance to run. However, the firm line taken by the Government on ensuring no hard border after Brexit has done a lot to calm the nerves of people who cross the Border daily for work, or do a lot of cross-border business.

The assurances given by the British government to Ireland, and therefore the EU too, guarantee a range of freedoms on the island from education, health and cross-border initiatives to no checkpoints. It is still uncertain, but it looks better than it did a year ago.

It is hard to put anything about Brexit in the good year camp, but there are positive signs that the UK is heading towards a softer Brexit. This could potentially help everybody in the country.

The level of solidarity shown by our EU partners was hugely surprising. A year ago, the debate was around how we would get a look-in at the negotiations in Brussels; how we didn't even have a dedicated Brexit minister; and how we were likely to get stitched up by Brussels, London or both.

6 Dairy farmers

They've had a great year. The miserable start to the end of milk quotas saw many borrow and invest for greater milk production in the midst of a sharp fall in prices. Last year much had improved and things got even better in 2017. Teagasc estimated earlier this year that average dairy net margins would hit 1,200 to 1,400 per hectare this year, compared to 795 in 2016. A year ago milk prices were rising and heading towards 30c per litre, but they are now firmly up around 33c. But be warned, farm groups say there is a price fall coming in 2018 and they want processors to use cash reserves to keep prices up. Get ready to hear some complaining again.

Bad Year

1 Apple Inc

It is hard to see how a global corporation, on track to become the world's first $1tn company could have had a bad year. Well, in an Irish context it did. The company has yet to agree a framework for ponying up the 13bn in back taxes to the Irish State demanded by the European Commission.

Delays to its plans for an 850m data centre investment in Athenry have now called the entire project into question. Apple would have built more than one data centre here and at a recent meeting with the Taoiseach, chief executive Tim Cook could not commit to the project going ahead in Ireland at all.

Apple's huge presence in Cork and Dublin keeps churning out profits and employing thousands of people, which is great news.

However, details of its new tax structure involving the island of Jersey appeared in the Paradise Papers, which doesn't do it any good.

2 Ireland's reputation on tax

2017 saw a whole new focus on whether Ireland is a tax haven. Donald Trump was name-checking us again in this context - the second successive US president to do so.

The Exchequer is relying more and more on rising corporation tax receipts to balance the books. So the attractiveness of our foreign direct investment package is as important as ever. There are possible big flies in the ointment on this, however. We will have to wait and see what happens with Trump's Corporation Tax reform package, and whether it will have a negative long term effect on inward investment.

Incentives in the Bill around repatriation of overseas profits could reduce the sums corporations have available to invest overseas. They may find it easier to repatriate billions and boost their share prices through buy backs.

Closer to home, the EU continues to have Ireland in its sights as it drives to impose a turnover tax on tech giants and pushes for greater tax harmonisation.

Ireland can technically continue to say 'no' on many of these issues, but in practical terms that cannot go on forever. Europe's enormous support on Brexit may be a favour to Ireland that will be called upon on tax in the future.

At the very least the pressure is building.

This has been another good year for Corporation Tax receipts, which are likely to exceed 8bn, but not so good for our tax reputation.

3 Ryanair

Ryanair's share price finishes out the year roughly a little ahead of where it was a year ago. Yet, the airline is facing into a whole new world, having finally agreed to recognise trade unions. Ryanair has been on the crest of an incredible growth wave but its problems this year were ultimately of its own making.

The airline made a mess of its pilot scheduling, lost too many pilots to rivals and simply failed to manage its rapid growth properly.

It had become a victim of its own success. But when trouble first erupted over its rostering back in September, the airline moved to dampen speculation that it didn't have enough pilots.

It also tried to play down the significance of having to cancel thousands of flights. It has been on the back foot since then, as pilots gained momentum in their drive for collective bargaining and trade union recognition.

The airline eventually caved in before Christmas and agreed to recognise unions. One could argue that 2017 was actually a good year for the company, on the assumption that its business model and scale will allow it to coast through the turbulence of industrial relations issues in the future, and recognising unions is a positive step.

At 100m per year in additional costs, the low-cost airline can afford to recognise trade unions. However, it also opens up a whole Pandora's box of fresh challenges and unknowns. Not least, how management will handle the changes required and whether Michael O'Leary will enjoy running a unionised airline as much as he enjoyed running a non-unionised one.

4 Paddy Power Betfair

It might seem odd to include a major Irish company that is growing profits and integrating a merger successfully into a bad year category. The Paddy Power Betfair profit machine continues to drive on but 2017 saw two bumps in the road. One is operational and the other is about management.

This year saw the impact of regulatory tightening around gambling in some of its markets, combined with the impact that greater competition in online gambling is having. Paddy Power Betfair is a giant in the industry and is among the best in the world at what it does. Its real growth potential lies in online but this has become a crowded market. Group online revenues actually fell around 3pc in the third quarter of this year despite a very solid overall group performance.

Aside from these changes in the marketplace, the main reason why it was a bad year for the group was the resignation of its chief executive, Breon Corcoran. He finishes up on January 8 having surprised the market during the summer with news that he was to leave. He has been instrumental in developing group strategy, implementing the merger and achieving cost savings.

Shares in Paddy Power Betfair tumbled on the news of his departure, and in August they were trading at 72, compared to 107 just 18 months earlier. News of Corcoran's successor, Peter Jackson, was well received and the shares have clawed their way back to 87. Jackson has a solid track record in the industry but filling Corcoran's shoes will not be easy.
A consortium linked to French telecoms tycoon Xavier Niel last week announced it was buying a majority controlling stake in Eir, valuing the former state telecoms company at 3.5bn. Photo: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg

Eir's new French billionaire owner will put a greater emphasis on developing state-of-the-art services in key urban locations, shifting the company's focus away from sparsely-populated rural locations, it is understood.

A consortium linked to French telecoms tycoon Xavier Niel last week announced it was buying a majority controlling stake in Eir, valuing the former state telecoms company at 3.5bn.

Niel is a major player in the French, Swiss and Italian markets. His NJJ Telecom Europe and French telecommunications company Iliad jointly become the ninth owner of Eir in as many years.

But despite the arrival of an industry player as the controlling interest in the company, annual capital investment in new services and improvements is unlikely to increase from the 250m to 300m Eir already spends, according to well-placed industry sources. Current investment is already towards the top end in an EU context compared to other incumbents, the sources say.

Previous commitments to bring better services to rural Ireland are likely to be honoured, it is understood, but improved services in both mobile and broadband in Dublin and other key urban locations will be a priority.

Eir is one of two companies, along with Enet, competing for the Government's massive but long-delayed National Broadband Plan, aimed at delivering state-subsidised high-speed broadband to hundreds of thousands of rural homes. The company also announced plans to bring broadband to 300,000 rural homes as a commercial venture ahead of the state-sponsored scheme.

But Eir's new French owners are understood to see the long-term rollout of much better services in Dublin and other cities as a key priority. The intense political focus on improving services in sparsely populated rural locations has meant that "urban Ireland has suffered and been at a disadvantage", said a source.

"A country is a social fabric amongst all its components, so you cannot neglect one for the other. But there needs to be a balanced approach between urban and rural," they said.

Eir's share of both the national mobile market and the retail broadband market in Dublin and other major urban areas is seen to be below the European average enjoyed by other big national players like KPN, Belgacom, France Telecom and Orange. Changing that will be a key goal of the new owners, it is understood.

Another priority for the new French entrant is likely to be an easing of the tension in Eir's relationship with regulator Comreg, said the industry source. The new owner's status as an industrial rather than financial player is understood to have been its key calling card when it came knocking, not least in how this could help improve the relationship Eir has with the regulator. It will be the first time the telco has been owned by an industry player for many years.

The new owners will need to "pacify this relationship and understand why it has been damaged" before improving transparency and governance at the company, said an industry source.

It is likely the new owners will seek to meet the regulator to discuss any grievances. Earlier this year it was reported that Comreg was seeking to impose multi-million-euro penalties on Eir over its alleged failure to comply with its obligation to allow other providers access its network.
It was the week from hell for Ryanair.

The past number of days has been nothing short of a pre-Christmas downer for the airline.

Already engaged in a three-month struggle with pilots, and a high-profile defamation case, it was threatened with a strike in Ireland.

Earlier this year, chief executive Michael OLeary had described pilot unions as a busted f lush, and airline union activity in Europe as a load of b****x.

But it was the pilots who eventually came up trumps, as Ryanair caved in and said it would not only recognise pilot unions across Europe, but also unions for cabin crew and other workers.

It seemed that things couldnt get any worse for the embattled airline and Michael OLeary.

But on Tuesday, the Irish Independent laid bare Ryanair executive Peter Bellews own damning assessment of the carrier and some of its work practices.

The chief operations officer  who just rejoined Ryanair this month from Malayisia Airlines, where he was chief executive  described Ryanair as an airline that had grown too fast, and whose culture was broken.

It seems that there was a culture that people who knew there was a problem that they were not listened to, or they were actively discouraged from even raising the issue any further, he said, speaking to pilots at London Stansted, Ryanairs biggest base, last week.

Basic, basic, basic things that had been operated here for many years just were thrown in the basement.

The culture was one where pilots could not even get answers in many cases to simple requests, Mr Bellew conceded during the meeting that was held just the day before Ryanair said it would recognise trade unions.

Everywhere I turned, I could see that people were asking for small things to be done and they just werent getting done, added Mr Bellew.

Or, not only were they not getting done, they were getting told: Piss off, leave me alone; I dont want to know about this.

He conceded that the airline hadnt made efforts to retain pilots who were planning to leave. Instead theyd been told: Theres the door. Foxtrot Oscar, a euphemism for f*** off.

The same day that the Irish Independent first published Mr Bellews comments, Mr OLeary broke his long media silence. He had stayed out

of the limelight since the airlines September pilot rostering fiasco.

This is not a ruse. This is serious, Mr OLeary told news agency Reuters of the airlines decision to recognise unions, which he added was

in many respects my idea.

But if someone is being unreasonable and we are being completely messed around by a union, we will still move aircraft away from that base or country, he warned.

Just hours before those comments were published on Tuesday evening, Mr Bellew and Ryanairs chief people officer, Eddie Wilson, sat down with officials from trade union Impact at a hotel close to Dublin Airport.

Those scheduled talks had averted a planned 24-hour strike last Wednesday by some Ryanair pilots in Ireland. But only a couple of hours after the talks began, the first, and unprecedented, negotiations between the airline and the union shuddered to a halt.

Impact demanded written confirmation from Ryanair that the carrier recognised the union as the legitimate representative of its pilots for collective bargaining purposes. The union gave the airlines executives a deadline of midday on Thursday to accede to the request.

If it didnt, the union was prepared to call for strike action again.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, officials from the German pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) took their seats at the table. But it was a disastrous start to the talks with the airline.

Ryanair was unhappy with some of the members of the union negotiating team, which included pilots who are currently suing the airline.

The pilots are part of the Ryanair company council established under the VCs union umbrella.

The union said it would not permit Ryanair to dictate who was an acceptable member of the union negotiating team. On Thursday it said its members who are staff members of Ryanair would strike for four hours on Friday, despite the union having agreed to meet Ryanair executives again in early January.

Just as the German union said on Thursday that it planned strike action, Impact said it had received written confirmation from Ryanair that it did in fact recognise the union for collective bargaining purposes.

And as evening rolled around, Ryanair suffered another body blow. It lost a long-running defamation case following an expensive High Court trial that had lasted seven weeks. Ryanair brought its case against three men who are members of the Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG) interim council, as publishers of a contentious email update which went to 2,289 Ryanair pilots back in 2013.

The case had heard evidence from Mr OLeary and other Ryanair executives, as well as the three defendants, Evert Van Zwol, John Goss and Ted Murphy. Ryanair has insisted it intends to appeal the verdict in the case. It brought to an end a frenetic week for the airline.

But it continues to face huge challenges in 2018, negotiating with unions in countries including Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

The next 12 months will test both sides mettle even further.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. | California has a possible solution to the problem of banks being unwilling to handle money from the state's multibillion-dollar legal marijuana industry, one that officials say would be the first system of its kind in the nation.

Talks are underway between the state, banks and federal regulators on a plan to allow banks to serve a marijuana market that is expected to grow to $7 billion annually by 2020 in California. Starting Jan. 1, it will be legal to grow and sell marijuana for recreational and medical uses.

State officials say without banks taking marijuana money, thousands of cannabis businesses will be storing and transporting billions of dollars in cash for paying employees, suppliers, and state and local taxes, which could result in robberies and violence.

"We know there is a concern with having so much cash flowing around on the street in transactions for what is now a state legal product," said Peter Williams, deputy secretary and general counsel for the state Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. "The administration is looking for a solution to the problem. We are all concerned about the public safety issue here, and we think this is an idea to help mitigate that problem."

For those who use, it could eventually mean you could use a credit card to buy. At the moment, purchases must all be made in cash. For those who live near marijuana shops, the banking system could mean fewer robberies and less violence in the neighborhood because large amounts of cash will no longer be sitting in shops or driven to tax offices.

The issue has implications beyond California. Twenty-nine states have legalized the possession and sale of marijuana for medical uses, and eight of those have approved cannabis for recreational purposes. Several other states are expected to have marijuana legalization measures on the ballot next year.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law so federally regulated banks have refrained from handling industry proceeds.

Officials in Gov. Jerry Brown's administration have quietly met with representatives of 65 banks and credit unions over the past few weeks about creating a network of financial institutions that would accept funds from marijuana businesses in a way that would guarantee federal banking regulators that the cannabis industry money is subjected to special tracking, oversight and transparency.

The green banking proposal: To designate one bank as a central correspondent bank that would hold accounts from other banks that are doing business with marijuana firms.

When a marijuana retailer wants to pay a distributor for a crop, the transaction would go from the retailer's bank through the central correspondent bank, which would instantly clear payment through the distributor's bank.

Setting up a special clearinghouse for marijuana money would allow the state to provide a second level of compliance oversight by assigning examiners to make sure special restrictions set by the federal government are followed, suspicious activity reports are filed, and the number and scope of transactions through the central bank are tracked.

"We think that adds to the transparency of our system that will also be looked upon favorably to the federal government," Williams said.

Some banks have expressed interest in participating, he said. The state will now await decisions by the boards of directors of banks that are willing to voluntarily participate in such a network. It will be up to those banks to design the network with contracts.

It would not take legislation, Williams said.

Similar central correspondent bank arrangements exist to help the credit union industry, according to Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for the state Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

Brown is not the only official concerned about the lack of banking for the cannabis industry. Last month, a task force created by California Treasurer John Chiang, who is running for governor in 2018, recommended that officials consider creating a separate, government-owned bank that could serve cannabis businesses.

The idea of a correspondence bank has been discussed by financial experts in the cannabis industry, including Chiang's working group and has merit, according to Hezekiah Allen, head of the California Growers Assn.

The idea, Allen said, is "clearly the most feasible, most direct path to expanded banking services." The correspondence bank is a completely different proposal than Chiang's government-owned bank.

Some leaders of the federally regulated banking industry are skeptical of any solution short of action by federal law enforcement and Congress.

"Until the federal government changes its position on the classification of the drug, a bank would be jeopardizing its charter by providing services to entities that take in money from these businesses," said Beth Mills, a spokeswoman for the California Bankers' Association. "The drug is still illegal at the federal level, and working through a correspondent bank were there to be one, would not change that fact."

Until federal law changes, the only solution would be direct immunity to banks dealing with the marijuana industry, Mills said.

Those who think the Brown administration's proposal has merit include Jim Brush, president and CEO of Summit State Bank in Santa Rosa.

"It will probably work," Brush said, noting banks already do business with the federal and state governments who accept taxes directly from the marijuana industry.

The Brown administration has consulted with federal officials on its proposal and has incorporated some suggestions from Washington, Williams said.

State officials don't expect the federal government to formally approve any plan.

"They don't sign off on anything," Williams said. "You will know that they don't like it because they will start shutting down banks that are doing it."
Starbucks has now overtaken O'Brien's to become the third-largest player in the market. Stock photo: Getty Images

The three largest coffee chains in Ireland account for 52pc of the market between them, with Insomnia. Costa Coffee and Starbucks leading the Irish cafe scene.

According to a new report by London-based consultants Allegra, Starbucks has now overtaken O'Brien's to become the third-largest player in the market.

Overall, the branded coffee markets grew by 23 stores in the past 12 months, an increase of 4pc.

The Galway-founded group Insomnia is the largest coffee shop chain in Ireland and opened a further two stores, bringing its estate to 128 outlets.

Costa Coffee delivered the largest growth, increasing from 88 stores in 2016 to 102 in 2017, increasing its market share by 2 percentage points to 17pc.

According to the Allegra World Coffee Portal Report, Starbucks had eight net new store openings over the past year, bringing its total number of outlets to 79. It says that O'Briens now has 73 stores.

Caffe Nero entered the Irish market in 2014 and has stated an ambition to expand to 40 outlets. It has nine stores with one new opening in the past 12 months,

High rents remain the biggest challenge to new openings, particularly in Dublin city centre. Some 90pc of industry leaders believe that is plenty of room for new branded coffee shops. During the year the price of medium lattes and cappuccinos rose 4pc.
Tesco Ireland is to donate 40 grocery home service vans to charitable groups across the country. Stock photo: Reuters

Tesco Ireland is to donate 40 grocery home service vans to charitable groups across the country.

The initiative is part of Tesco's 'No Time for Waste' campaign which aims to minimise food waste and increase surplus food donations nationwide.

Since 2014 the group has partnered with social enterprise FoodCloud, redistributing meals to over 275 community groups across the country. These donations have enabled the charitable sector to save over 6m off their food bills, according to FoodCloud estimates.

To help good causes increase storage capacity, Tesco Ireland recently committed to providing free fridges and freezers through its Community Chill initiative. Over 340 individual storage units are expected to be delivered to the successful community groups in January 2018.

Another issue is transport as many volunteers use their own personal cars and vans to carry out the day-to-day deliveries.

To address this, Tesco Ireland will donate 40 vans to charitable groups across Ireland over the coming months including Dublin Simon Community, DaisyHouse and Linx Ballymun.

Geoff Byrne, coo of Tesco Ireland, said: "Our surplus food donations programme has grown from a one-store trial back in 2013 to donating almost 4.5m meals with all of stores donating surplus food to their local communities with the support of FoodCloud."

Tesco is calling on new community groups which could benefit from receiving food donations to register with its surplus food donation programme via its website.
BMW, Ford, Mercedes and VW are among the firm's customers for the car components. Stock photo: Reuters

Galway wind turbine and car components manufacturer C&F Group, which reported EBITDA of 7m on 91m of sales in its most recent accounts, is closing down a factory in Germany that makes car components and moving the operations back here.

The firm, which is owned by Athenry-based engineer and entrepreneur John Flaherty, has been undergoing an extensive restructuring in recent years. He won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2008.

"An insolvency administrator was appointed to the German subsidiary by the German courts and that process is ongoing. The board intends to work in close co-operation with the administrator to bring the process to a successful conclusion for all parties," the accounts state.

BMW, Ford, Mercedes and VW are among the firm's customers for the car components.

Reports in the German media said that there are about 90 employees at the C&F Automotive factory in question, in Neunkirchen, which generates revenues of about 12m a year. Senior staff at the firm are said to have approached potential investors in the industry who might be prepared to take over the business.

C&F Automotive employs about 340 people in Collinstown, Co Westmeath, where the German operations will be transferred.

It manufactures exterior trim and other components for cars. The factory there has seen investment in skills and processes in recent months, and continued investment in its operations and efficiency are to follow, it is understood.

"The outlook for 2018 is very positive with an anticipated ebitda in excess of 8pc and further significant strengthening of the balance sheet," the accounts statement added.

It is understood the firm is achieving significant sales of its wind turbines after investing a substantial amount in the division.

C&F Group employs over 1,000 people across operations here, as well as in the Philippines, Czech Republic, China, UK and US.

It spent three years securing certification so that its turbines can be deployed in Japan, where they had to undergo rigorous testing to prove they can withstand extreme weather such as earthquakes and typhoons.

The move is now paying off through growing sales in Japan and more recently the US, while 2018 will see it target Australia and the rest of Asia, it is believed.

Its turbines range in size from 11kw to 250kw, and are suited to smaller sites than typically required by larger turbines and farms or industrial sites.

The company also carries out contract manufacturing for the IT, refrigeration and air conditioning sectors, for customers such as IBM, EMC and Thermo King.

Flaherty did not return calls or emails.
It's been quite a year for technology in our lives. As well as face-detecting iPhones and virtual reality headsets, there were lots of practical, helpful gadgets introduced to make our daily lives more comfortable. Here are 12 of the best. By our tech editor

Vodafone Smart V8

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(199 from Vodafone stores or Vodafone.ie)

Beside all the hoopla coverage that top-of-the-range models get, it's sometimes difficult to know which lesser-publicised, affordably priced smartphones are any good. From reviewing dozens of handsets this year, I found this one to be the best budget smartphone you can buy for under 200. It has a really bright, crisp 5.5-inch screen and some really great, usable features for the money. These include a 16-megapixel camera, a fingerprint reader (for security) and a decent 32GB of storage, which is considerably more than you'd get with some other budget phones. The only compromise is that it's locked to Vodafone: if you're sticking to another network, I'd recommend Motorola's new G5 (200 from Argos) instead.

Sky Soundbox

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(299/349 to Sky subscribers)

Ever feel a bit embarrassed by asking others to turn up the TV because you just can't hear it properly? Don't worry, it's not just advancing age; modern, skinny television have notoriously poor speakers that, even when at high volume levels, come across as tinny and inaudible.

There are lots of external speakers that help out here, but the best of the year is Sky's Soundbox. It plugs into your Sky set top box and delivers beautiful, balanced, warm audio. As a bonus, it's a very tidy rectangular box that's about the same length as a DVD player and about three times as tall. So there are few messy cables.

Microsoft Surface laptop

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(1,169 from PC World)

If you want to splash out and treat yourself to a quality laptop with all the latest features, but one that isn't the most expensive, this is the one to get. The 13.5-inch laptop is the perfect size with a beautiful screen that can be controlled by touch, as well as the normal trackpad. It's thin and light (1.25kg) without skimping on any power or storage - it has the newest Intel processors and up to 512GB of storage, more than enough for any casual user.

Kobo Aura One eReader

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(250 from Argos)

Here's the problem with many eReader devices such as the Kindle - their universal six-inch screens are too small for some people with wavering eyesight. This means you either have to increase the font size so that you're swiping between pages every few sentences or you're left squinting at the device. At eight inches across, Kobo's Aura One is about 50pc bigger than a standard Kindle screen. And if you're worrying about ebook choices, don't; outside the US, Kobo is now the only real mainstream competitor to the Kindle, so there are plenty of ebooks.

Sony MDR1000X noise-cancelling headphones

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(269 from PC World)

There are umpteen headphones you can buy that all promise you total calm. In my experience, Sony's MDR1000X model is one of the most reliable, comfortable sets that deliver. The wireless noise-cancelling headphones block out at least 80pc of all external noise around you, especially loud hums or whirs. The audio quality is top notch and a microphone means they can also take calls.

Apple iPad Pro 10.5

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(from 749 from Harvey Norman)

If you're looking for an excellent, featherweight-but-powerful alternative to a full laptop, Apple's iPad Pro can't be beaten. It's about twice the price of a normal iPad, but for that you get more power, more storage and a terrific 'smart' keyboard that doubles as a protective cover and a stand. The 10.5-inch screen is absolutely stunning and you can now divide it up into different sections to work on (or browse) different things. This is a wonderful half-and-half device for work and play.

Belkin Wemo Insight plug

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(75 in Argos)

Want to take a baby step into creating a 'smart home'? This is one of the easiest, cheapest and most practical ways to do it. The Wemo switch basically connects whatever is plugged into it to your phone (via a free Wemo app). That means when something like a lamp or a TV is plugged into it, you can switch it on or off (or set a timer for it) from your phone. This becomes very useful for security if you're away or for starting an appliance so it's ready when you get back home.

Fuji Instax Mini 9

(80 from Conns Cameras)

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Thought Polaroids were dead? Think again. The instant-printing camera category has made a serious comeback and, in an era when phone cameras have largely replaced our digital models, this gadget is the only one growing in the camera business. The Instax Mini 9's prints are 2.1 inches by 3.5 inches and it's fairly idiot-proof to use. A setting guide even lets you pick between lighting conditions. It comes in five different colours and has a flash. Replacement photos cost around 10 for a pack of 10.

Apple TV 4K

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(199 from CompuB)

Ever wish you could get Netflix on your telly but didn't know where to start? Apple's TV set top box makes it brilliantly simple. You just plug it in to your telly and follow its instructions. It connects to your home Wi-Fi and lets you use a number of apps, including Netflix. The newest version supports 'ultra high definition' (or '4K') for watching movies and TV series in the best possible resolution. This is the easiest way to get into online 'streaming' apps on your telly.

Roberts Stream 93i

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(189 from Harvey Norman)

We tend to overlook radios as gadgets these days, but some are really worth the investment. Roberts Stream 93i is a wireless for the modern era, with FM, DAB and internet radio that also connects directly to Spotify and external audio sources wirelessly or over cable, in case you want to hook up your own CD system, iPod or audio player. The sound quality, for a radio, is excellent with a three-way speaker system and a bass sub-woofer.

Panasonic Lumix GX800

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(469 with 12-32mm lens from Conns Cameras)

If you do want a good quality camera that won't break the bank, this is the best new affordable model of the year. The Lumix GX800 has the same basic optical technology (via its 16-megapixel sensor) that is seen in much more expensive models. It also has a really handy flip-up touchscreen, while photos are sharp and detailed. And if you ever want to expand your horizons, there are around 70 different lenses available to the system.

HP Sprocket

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(149 from PC World)

Printing photos is a bit of a pain, whether it's a trip to the pharmacy machine or trying to hook up a home printer. HP's Sprocket makes the whole thing good fun. It's a pocket photo printer that prints 2x3 photos directly from your phone. If you prefer, you can get it to print directly from your Instagram or Facebook accounts. An accompanying free app lets you edit the pics with fonts, borders and speech bubbles. The prints (which come in packs of 20 for 12.99) also have peel-off backs to make them into stickers.
The local school's annual nativity play is just as Christmassy as Midnight Mass and brussel sprouts.

Young school children take weeks of rehearsing to get it 100 percent right before parents and family visit the school to applaud pupils talents.

The staff, parents and pupils of Harold's Cross National School invited us to check out their nativity play and it didn't dissapoint. We even had a chat with some of the talented youngsters afterwards.

Take a look at the video above and see how they got on.
The pressures of Christmas are so extreme that one of Ireland's leading mental health hospitals has launched a new initiative to help people cope with the holiday season.

Doctors at St Patrick's Hospital have launched the country's first 'Seasonal Mental Health and Support Programme' for people who experience a deterioration in their mental health at this time of year.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Dr Declan Lyons described the emotional impact the holidays can have.

"We all know that negative life events are stressful, but sometimes positive life events can be stressful too, and expectations surrounding Christmas and how things 'should' be are high.

"Some people may be cynical about the holiday as a defence mechanism but nevertheless it does shine a magnifying glass on your well-being, your support network and the meaning and value you attach to your life."

Dr Lyons said that loneliness, which he described as "a fundamental human fear" and "something that is in our deep subconscious psyche" is more pronounced in the holiday season.

"We know from statistics that loneliness is as deleterious to your mental health as smoking and this is the time of year when it really does come to the fore.

"There can be a frenzy in the lead up to it and then it pares life back to the very bare essentials. You look at what you have in your life or indeed what you don't have. And it can be a very emotionally laden event for people.

"There is a tendency to think that there will be a respite from all the pain and the way you feel at Christmas but that doesn't always tend to happen."

Although Dr Lyons works specifically with patients over 65, he says the pressures of Christmas are felt across the board. "The aim of the programme is to help you deal with the consequences or the difficulties that arise from the cause of mental ill health [at this time of year]."

The doctor also called on people to check in on neighbours who may be alone, saying: "Exercise curiosity towards your neighbour. Go the extra mile now that the frenzy of preparation has passed. It's about reaching out and reverting to the true Christmas spirit in action, not just in aspiration.

"Drop in, make some communication, a smile or a greeting or an invitation under the door."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the definition of military neutrality has changed dramatically since Ireland declared itself a neutral state during World War II.

Mr Varadkar insisted neutrality meant "something different now" and said Ireland was not neutral when it came to human trafficking, the migrant crisis and cyber attacks.

"In the 1940s, it was about not taking part in the Second World War. It is different now because the security challenges and security threats are different," he said.

"For example, things like cyber security and cyber terrorism, people interfering in other people's elections using online tools. It's managing mass migration. It's human trafficking.

"That's why we've decided, for example, not to be neutral on those things and to get involved with other countries, particularly other European countries on an opt-in basis to play our part in dealing with those security threats."

The Taoiseach's comments come weeks after the Government signed up to a controversial new European Union military pact which allows members states to pool resources when buying defence equipment and taking part in training.

Left-wing TDs claim the so-called Pesco agreement is unconstitutional and a breach of our neutral status. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the deal was part of a plan to create an EU army.

However, the Government has insisted the country's neutrality will not be affected by the defence pact.

Speaking at a Christmas media briefing, Mr Varadkar said he had not always held the view that Ireland should be a neutral state but had come to learn that the country's lack of a military force could be a diplomatic asset.

"Ireland is a small country. We're never going to be a significant military power. Nobody is going to want to be close to us diplomatically because we have military assets and we just aren't ever going to have a big navy or a big air force. So where we can actually can be strong diplomatically and put our foreign policy forward is by doing things that are a little bit unique to Ireland," he said.

He said Irish officials were campaigning for a seat on the UN Security Council but insisted the country would not seek to join Nato.

A briefing document prepared for Junior Minister for Defence Paul Kehoe states that Pesco has "no implications for Ireland's policy of military neutrality or for the 'triple-lock' on the deployment of Irish forces overseas".

"Participation in Pesco should also be seen in a wider international security environment and the ever-changing complex security threats to European citizens. The Government attaches great importance to our position of military neutrality which is restated in the White Paper on Defence," it added.

Mr Varadkar last week visited Irish soldiers on United Nations duty in the Lebanon where he laid a wreath at a memorial for troops who died on duty. The UN-mandated mission began in 1978 and 47 Irish troops have lost their lives since then. There are 343 Irish soldiers on duty in Lebanon over the Christmas period.

The Taoiseach was joined on the visit by Mr Kehoe and Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett.

Mr Varadkar thanked the soldiers for their dedication and said they had made a major contribution to security and peace in the Lebanon and elsewhere around the world.

The Taoiseach also used the trip to criticise US President Donald Trump's recent decision to begin the process of moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Mr Varadkar said his US counterpart was making the "wrong long-term decision". Ireland voted in favour of a UN resolution condemning the US move.
South Dakota Commission on Gaming statistics released Friday show a modest increase for November gaming revenues in Deadwood casinos and a continued slide in gaming revenues for the year in the Northern Hills tourist town.

Table games  blackjack, poker, craps, roulette and keno  brought in $4.91 million, a 6.35 percent increase over November 2016. Slot machine play, by far the bulk of gaming action in Deadwood, tallied $75.26 million for the month, a .09 percent decrease from the same month last year.

November's $80.17 million handle was a slight 0.28 percent increase over November 2016.

Mike Rodman, executive director of the Deadwood Gaming Association, said table games, approved by the state legislature for play in Deadwood starting in July 2015, continued to account for any monthly growth in gaming revenues.

Weve only had four months this year weve been in the black, but in those instances the table numbers have been very strong, Rodman said.

He said the drop in slot machine activity may reflect a drop in the number of machines after Augusts closure of the Midnight Star Casino and other consolidations, including the Celebrity Hotel and Casino filing for bankruptcy protection.

But with December left to tally, 2017s overall take for Deadwoods casinos continues to be flat, with $1.02 billion thus far representing a 2.12 percent decrease from the same 11-month period in 2016.

Novembers slight increase in revenue matches a 1.3 percent increase in room occupancy rates for November, an increase of about 600 room nights, over the same month last year.

Rodman hadnt had a chance to look at the numbers in depth, but he said higher monthly hotel occupancy rates dont necessarily translate to higher gaming revenues.

A part of that disconnect, Rodman said, is a national trend for gaming communities showing fewer visitor dollars being spent on gaming and more on other activities.

Its going to take more visitors to keep those gaming numbers up, he said.

Rodman said this summers completion and opening of a new welcome center near the entrance to Deadwoods Main Street will serve as a gathering point for visitors seeking information on all activities in Deadwood, Central City, Lead and the northern Black Hills.

Deadwood is so unique in its history and really the setting in the Black Hills, its a natural place for people to come to, he said.

The gaming association continues to work with the city on plans for a pair of Main Street Square concepts. The Deadwood City Council moved this week to tear down the old Deadwood pavilion, a move that will increase parking for the nearby Deadwood Elementary School along with what we hope will be increased traffic on Main Street, Rodman said.

Deadwood will continue to face increased competition for gaming revenues from nearby states that also offer limited stakes gaming.

While state agriculture commodity prices remain flat, Rodman is seeing some light at the end of the tunnel with other factors also adversely impacting the regional economy.

Job losses in the Wyoming coal industry and in the North Dakota oil fields have started to see some reverses, he said.

Despite the ups and downs over the last two years, Rodman remains bullish on the 2018 outlook for Deadwood gaming, which started 28 years ago last month, on Nov. 1, 1989.

We hope all this comes together for a good year for Deadwood, he said.
Gardai at the scene of attack this afternoon (Photo: Mark Condren)

Gardai in Dublin are appealing for a young man who was seen in the company of a woman before she was viciously attacked to come forward.

The woman, who is 25-years-old and of Irish-Malaysian descent, remains in a "serious but stable condition" following a suspected bottle attack in Dun Laoghaire yesterday.

The victim was found near the baths at Queens Road at around 3.30pm and received extensive wounds to her neck and arm.

Speaking at Dun Laoghaire Garda Station this afternoon, Superintendent Martin Fitzgerald said gardai are looking to speak to an Irish man, aged in his teens or early 20s, who was seen accompanying the woman before the attack happened.

"The injured party parked her own car in Dun Laoghaire at around 12pm. At 12.06pm CCTV picked up the injured party walking past Dun Laoghaire Garda Station and heading towards George's Street," Supt Fitzgerald said.

"Shortly afterwards she is captured on CCTV walking towards Dun Laoghaire shopping centre and CCTV later captures the injured party at Windsor Terrace and on this occasion she was in the company of an Irish male described as being in late teens or early 20s who may have been carrying a rucksack and was wearing dark clothing.

"Further requests have been made for CCTV footage. We would also appeal to motorists who may have dascham footage and who were in the area at the time to contact gardai.

"Gardai also wish to speak to this accompanying male and ask that he contact us to assist in the investigation."

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Supt Fitzgerald said gardai are "keeping an open mind" in relation to a motive for the attack but believe it may have been an "isolated incident".

The injured victim has undergone emergency treatment and is currently in St. Vincent's Hospital, where her condition is described as serious but stable.

Anyone with information or who was in the Queen's Road area of Dun Laoghaire this afternoon between 3pm and 4pm should contact Dun Laoghaire Garda Station on 01 666 5000.
Ann says she loves the house she is in now. Photo: Jason Kennedy

An elderly woman spoke of the heartache she endured while living in a cramped converted attic for a number of years.

Portobello native Ann Parsons (66) lived in the one-room flat, which she said severely affected her mental health.

"I suffer with depression and I was there in that black hole of Calcutta. I spent my days and nights just sitting there, looking into space, feeling sorry for myself," she told Independent.ie.

"I get very nervous and this was not the place for me. I just wanted a little roof over my head.

"One of my friends would come to visit me and she said she would go home and cry after looking at me there in that one dark room, where you have to get into bed to keep yourself warm."

Ms Parsons, a former hairdresser, wrote to charity Alone describing the conditions she was living in and outlining her mental health issues. Following a series of interviews, Ann met with an employee for a final meeting in the cosy house she would eventually call her home.

"When I came to view here and saw here, 'my God,' I said. 'Wouldn't it just be lovely.'

"I would be so happy in myself, but, you know, I couldn't build my hopes up naturally."

Not long after, the charity got in touch with Ms Parsons to tell her the house was hers, much to her delight.

"I couldn't believe it. I was so overwhelmed and-- just so, so happy.

"All I can say is that I love it. I really do. I'm so happy."

Ms Parsons has now been living in her one-bedroom home for five years and has decorated it with family pictures, flowers and angel figurines.

She lives in Willie Bermingham Place - named after Alone's founder - alongside other older people, who regularly meet up for community activities.

Alone, which was set up in 1977, offers accommodation for senior citizens, many of whom would have been at risk of homelessness.

In the days running up to Christmas, the charity prepared 500 hampers, Christmas dinners and events so that at risk elderly people are catered for and happy.

For some people, the main part of the hamper appeal is not the hampers themselves, but rather knowing that someone is thinking of them, according to Alone's Service's Manager Brian Lamb.

"We're in touch with them, we're calling around to give the hampers and that gives us an opportunity to check in and make sure they know there's somebody there to help if times get tough."

Volunteering with Alone is not just about putting time aside to do a good deed, but rather about striking up a friendship, said long-time volunteer Bronagh Maguire.

"With the lady I visit, we put the kettle on straight away and have a cup of tea, have a chat and catch up on the week and see what she was up to," she said.

"She's very interested and she wants to get to know you as a person as well. It's really sweet."
Police are treating the death of a 53-year-old woman as murder

Pork has been thrown through the door of Belfast Islamic Centre.

The organisation appealed for members of the community to remain vigilant after Saturday night's hate attack.

A spokesman said: "The message behind the action was one of hate.

"We know this individual does not represent the majority of people in Northern Ireland and reject this attempt to stir up tensions and divisions between Muslims and non-Muslims in Northern Ireland.

"They will not succeed."

He said there have been a number of incidents recently and asked people to report any harassment to police.

DUP South Belfast MP Emma Little-Pengelly said such attacks achieved nothing and were wrong and entirely misdirected.
Children under 13 should not be allowed to sign up to gaming and social media without parental approval, Leo Varadkar has said.

After consultation and advice from children's charities, Tusla, the Children's Ombudsman and NGOs on new legislation, the Taoiseach said it was decided that 13 should be the digital age of consent.

The Government opened a consultation on the age issue last November.

"We agreed that the age should be 13 ... There was extensive consultation over and back and in the end we took the advice of organisations like the Children's Ombudsman, Tusla and different charities and NGOs in the sector and we went with that," the Fine Gael leader said.

The digital age of consent refers to the age from which it is legal for data controllers to hold data gathered from minors.

Under new legislation parental consent will be required up to the age of 13 and after that age from the individual.

Ireland is required to introduce a series of legislative measures in order to harmonise its laws with a European directive on data protection.

The EU General Data Protection Regulation will come into effect on May 25 2018.

Mr Varadkar also called on tech companies to do more to protect children from online paedophiles, criminals and bullies.

"I'm very conscious of the extent to which bullying has changed since you and I were kids.

"When we were kids, when it came to bullying, at least you could escape it, at least you could go home or you knew there was somewhere to hide.

"But the difference now is that this content and this form of bullying and intimidation can come with you everywhere you go.

"I definitely do think the tech companies could do more in this space," said Mr Varadkar.

He added: "What we are asking for is for tech companies to step up to the plate and to do a bit more to protect people."

The Taoiseach said, however, that he is nervous "of anything that involves restrictions on freedom of speech or the government trying to regulate the internet".

"I would just be very loath to go down that road unless it would work - and bear in mind this is the world wide web so national laws don't necessarily work - and secondly that it would actually be effective," he said.
The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has said there must be "radical" and immediate action to solve the housing crisis.

In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin said the State must urgently provide social and affordable housing but has also questioned the reliance on the economic and investment model around which the housing market is currently structured.

He has also said family life in Ireland was under threat from the crisis. "Access to a home is to me central to living a family life - which is then a great investment for society."

Archbishop Martin added: "I think 2018 needs to be the year we take the most radical steps necessary to do something about this homelessness crisis. The promises we have heard so far - albeit positive, that there will be an increase in the number of social housing units - these are all good things.

"But those at the cutting edge know it simply won't stop the huge need, that something more radical needs to be done.

"This is an issue for me, and certainly an issue for Government, for communities and for all of us."

Archbishop Martin said the issue was not just one for Christmas. "It's a crisis at Christmas, but in January and February it's still there.

"People need to have affordable housing. We've got social housing, we need to have sustainable mortgages, too. The homelessness issue is what we're seeing on the surface, but there's a much bigger iceberg under the surface.

"We take the right to have a home as a fundamental human right... Family can't exist without a home, and this responsibility falls on us all, particularly Government.

"Continuing to try to put a finger in the dam of homelessness - which is what I think is happening at the moment - is simply containing rather than trying to solve the problem."

He said what was needed was a "deep-level analysis, of the way we make economic and social choices; thinking about the way we allow some people to continue to increase rents way beyond what any typical family might be able to manage.

"The very families, five years ago, who were bringing hampers to the food banks, are now coming to food banks for hampers".

He also said he was "deeply" troubled by the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment.

"I just don't get it that the measure of a modern country and this is the word that's being used often, is that Ireland needs to be modern," he said.

"I don't believe that ultimately abortion is good for women."
The fourth biggest audience in British TV history was recorded on December 25, 1986 when over 30 million people - more than half the population - watched a half-purring, half-snarling Dirty Den hand divorce papers to his wretched wife Angie Watts in the Queen Vic as the half-sozzled regulars hawked each other hokey digital watches, blissfully oblivious to Den's ultimate act of Christmas Grinchdom.

This scene from EastEnders couldn't have played out here because both divorce and Christmas Day pub opening were outlawed at the time. Divorce was legalised in 1996, but dropping in to the local on Christmas Day remains a simple pleasure denied the Irish, who must vent their pent up dudgeons and danders in the pressure cooker of their own home.

Newly independent Ireland lost little time in clamping down on its citzens' freedom to get merry. But with the Good Friday pub ban to be lifted from next year, and the St Patrick's Day shut-down gone since 1960, Christmas Day 2018 will be the lone survivor of what was once a holy trinity of dry days.

Dr Seuss's Christmas Grinch turns 60 this Yuletide, but sworn enemies of the festivities are as old as Christmas itself, and alcohol has always been a top target. Exactly 100 years ago this week, on December 18, 1917, America's snowballing temperance lobby finally got their proposals for an outright booze ban on to the floor of the US Congress. Three years later Prohibition became law, and four years after that the New York Times told how rigorous enforcement by the police and coast guard was ruining the Christmas of 1924 for the small-time smuggler.

It reported: "Rum-running has altered almost unbelievably. The holiday aspect is gone. The rules are changed. The amateur is no more." In the early days of Prohibition, rum-running was minor-league stuff, carried out by dabblers smuggling rum from the Bahamas to Florida's speakeasies. By Christmas 1924, the small fry were getting scooped up as mob bosses like Lucky Luciano upped the profit margins by smuggling top brands of Canadian whiskey, French brandy and other spirits. It was the making of the Mafia.

Emboldened by the US Temperance Movement's success, and encouraged by its noisy Irish counterpart, Ireland's first Justice Minister Kevin O'Higgins could look back that Christmas of 1924 with satisfaction, having just brought in the first of two constrictive Intoxicating Liquor Acts.

Conservative revolutionaries

Cork TD John Daly seethed that the clampdown on Sunday morning opening was "a great hardship in country districts" as people "can hardly go to Mass at all without a drop". O'Higgins, who went on to inflict the Christmas Day ban in 1927, famously rejoiced: "We are the most conservative-minded revolutionaries that ever put through a successful revolution." For 'conservative' it's safe to read 'puritanical'.

The ultra-Catholics that formed the backbone of our early cabinets had far more in common with the puritanism of the hated Cromwellians than they could ever admit. For a millennium before the Reformation, the Christianised pagan festivities of mid-winter had acted as a safety valve for letting off social tensions at a time when a community's food, resources, spirits and tolerance were at their lowest.

Instead of acknowledging the therapeutic value of this break when everyone could let their hair down, the Puritans growled that not only was there no scriptural date for Christ's birth, but that this made-over pagan feast was an affront to Christian values. Philip Stubbe, in his Anatomie Of Abuses, framed the mindset: "More mischief is committed than in all the year besides. What masking and mumming, whereby robbery, whoredom, murder and what-not is committed? What dicing and carding, what eating and drinking, what banqueting and feasting is then used to the great dishonour of God and impoverishing of the realm."

So when they seized power following the English Civil War, the Puritans cancelled Christmas, outlawing street parties, bell-ringing, spruced-up trees, mince pies, the lot. In parts of England, the ban was welcomed, in others it was ignored, and in some it provoked riots. What upset the Puritans as much as the boozy frivolity was the concept of 'Misrule', which was especially close to the hearts of the native Irish. For the majority, Misrule was the collective safety-valve at its most fun-filled, where the social order was briefly stood on its head. In Ireland, for instance, the Christmas frolics closed with Nollaig na mBan, when the men of the house would wait hand and foot on their womenfolk, while the ladies put their feet up for one day of the year. That, at least, was the theory.

To the Puritans, Misrule and Nollaig na mBan were a Satanic subversion of God's natural order. While many amongst the Anglo-Irish ruling class continued to celebrate old style, they didn't go broadcasting the fact in the wake of Cromwell's savage rampage. We do know, however, that in 1654, at the height of the Puritans' bid to suppress Christmas, the Lord of Cork openly flouted the ban.

Puritanical patriots

The puritanical patriots of WT Cosgrave's first administrations were keen to let our biggest trading partner Britain know that the Free State was wide open for business.

Pitching itself as even more patriotic, Fianna Fail brought about a tariff war with Britain weeks before Christmas 1932, which skyrocketed the price of imported toys, cakes, puddings and sweets, forcing many householders to cancel their annual orders. De Valera insisted that Irish manufacturers would raise their game to plug the gap, but at such short notice they couldn't.

Despite the price hikes, the British firm Maynards pressed ahead with scaled-down deliveries of novelties including "The Original Lucky Snowman: Chock full of mysterious numbered parcels containing assorted toys", and "Smokers' Outfits: The ever-popular smokers' cabinets just like Daddy's, containing chocolate cigars, cigarettes, matches, etc".

By the 1960s, with Dev retired to the Aras, FF insisted they'd ditched their old protectionist economic policies, but they made an exception for Christmas. As with TV, cinema, schooling and everything else, the State insisted it knew best when it came to toys. There were tariff-protected factories in Dublin, Cork, Mayo and Galway, producing scooters, tricycles, seesaws and wheelbarrows, while cottage workshops turned out clunky wooden craft dolls, prams, forts and puzzles. For our leaders, these playthings served the dual purpose of supporting Irish jobs while keeping out toys that kids actually wanted made in godless Communist Poland, China and Czechoslovakia.

The State even attempted to enlist school principals in a campaign to badmouth foreign toys to their pupils.

But the kids didn't want worthy-but-dull varnished wood knicknacks. With not a patriotic thought between them, they wrote to Santa for the fantastic plastic and shiny metal objects of desire stamped with 'Made In Taiwan', and with those telltale marks of quality straight from the TV ads, like Waddington and Mattel.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Cuba's Fidel Castro was getting busy with his Red marker. Having struck out Santa, Rudolph and the decorated pine upon taking power in 1959, Castro cancelled Christmas entirely in 1969, claiming it hindered the sugar harvest.

With Pope John Paul II about to visit, he restored it on a once-off basis for 1997, but the will of the people trumped that of their dictator, and - in true happily-ever-after style - Christmas has been celebrated in Cuba every year since.
Give your leftover potato and veg a new lease of life with a post-Christmas brunch of festive fritters.

BUBBLE & SQUEAK FRITTERS

These are the best St Stephen's Day brunch - they're so quick to make and nothing goes to waste. I like mine with avocado and maybe a little gravy too, but you can also pop an egg on top. It doesn't really matter what leftover veg you use, just make sure you add in a good amount of potato or root vegetable for the perfect texture.

Makes 8. Gluten-free, dairy-free & vegan

Ingredients

450g leftover root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips)

200g leftover Brussels sprouts

Sea salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

To serve: Avocado, poached eggs, gravy

Method

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Add the leftover root vegetables to your food processor and pulse until you have a chunky mash (if you want to use mashed potato, skip this step and mix it in after you've blended the other vegetables).

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Add in the Brussels sprouts and pulse again until well combined. Don't overblend - you want the mix to come together but still have chunks.

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Season and shape the mixture into patties. Add the olive oil to a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the fritters. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side until crisp.

Top the fritters with eggs, avocado, gravy, or whatever you prefer, and serve.

INDY LOVES

Im always saying what a big fan of leftovers I am, and recipes like this prove that they can be even more delicious than in their original forms. Christmas is the one time you are practically guaranteed to have a fridge full of them, so its so important to make the most of it and not let them go to waste. I think turkey needs the most attention, as it quickly gets dry and lacklustre. But dont worry, Ive got you covered! A search for leftover turkey on thelittlegreenspoon.com will bring you to my two favourite recipes for transforming it: turkey chilli and Thai red curry.

IT'S SPROUT TIME

Brussels sprouts get such a hard time but I absolutely love them. Theyre in season from autumn until about March and youll notice them everywhere in the build-up to Christmas. While theyre in season, I have them all the time for dinner  theyre so delicious roasted and there are loads of ways to make them interesting. In my column last week, I shared my favourite way to prepare them with miso, sesame and garlic  even a sprout skeptic would fall in love with those ones. As you can imagine, theyre really nutritious and are packed with fibre, antioxidants, folate and lots of other health-boosting goodies. Whether youre a fan on Christmas Day or not, definitely give them a try for a regular dinner too.

SPICE UP BREKKIE

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If someone at your breakfast table is feeling in the mood for something sweet, then my favourite festive option is my Christmas spiced granola. Its a really simple recipe of crunchy oats, dried fruit and lots of warming spices  and its perfect for prepping ahead. The recipe is on my website and if you make a jar today, youll be sorted for the next few days of morning feasts.

thelittlegreenspoon.com
Rest for the night. Why not go solo on the Camino de Santiago?

Camino de Santiago: 20 photos that will make you want to get your boots on Close

More and more Irish are walking Spain's Camino de Santiago. What draws them to this epic hike with a heart?

The Travel Writer: Pol O Conghaile

'The whole point is the journey...'

When I finished my Camino, it felt like there were hard-boiled eggs inside my calves. My toes were pillowy with blisters. It was a hike over several days, not weeks, but I felt exhilarated. And the words of one fellow pilgrim, whom I found walking with her companion and a donkey towards Santiago, were ringing in my ears:

"But that's just the destination. The whole point is the journey."

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Whatsapp Walking through oak woodland on the final stretch of the French Way. Photo: Pol O Conghaile

On paper, it seems mystifying. Why spend your hard-earned holidays tramping some 25km a day? But I'm just one of an increasing number of Irish people drawn to the route. In 2008, 1,535 Irish pilgrims received certificates from the Pilgrims Office in Santiago. By 2016, that number had rocketed to 6,542. And that's just those who finished their Caminos in the city.

What's going on?

Air access has improved, with direct flights to Santiago, Bilbao, Vigo and Santander. Martin Sheen's movie, The Way (2010), sparked a surge of interest.

Set on the fringes of the Atlantic, it's also true that Ireland and Galicia share deep links, and Catholic pilgrims have travelled from points like St James's Gate in Dublin since medieval times. Many still walk for religious reasons, but there's also a growing trend for immersive experiences in travel, and the food, people and culture along the Camino are tantalising.

"A more cultured traveller has emerged in recent years, and the Camino resonates with them," says Maria Golpe of CaminoWays.com.

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In a survey of 3,000 pilgrims recently, it found just 28pc of respondents walked for religious or spiritual reasons. Some 28pc did it for the challenge; a further 18pc to connect with nature and escape the daily routine.

In truth, there are as many reasons to do the Camino as there are pilgrims, as our stories (below) attest. It can be done for as little as 5 a night, or you can pamper yourself in luxury Paradores. But for Irish people, the simple, social appeal is huge.

"There's an openness and camaraderie on the Way, and conversing with strangers and exchanging stories is in our nature," says Mark Folens of FollowTheCamino.com. We have also become more engaged with health and mental wellness in recent years, he says (they even do Camino Zen tours, mixing yoga and hiking).

Three years since my own Camino, a souvenir pebble still hangs from my backpack.

It's that kind of walk.

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The friendship: Catherine Dundon

'People were so happy to be part of the experience togther...'

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I walked the Camino del Norte with my friend Niamh. We did it in stages over three years. I suppose we really wanted to go back to something a little more simple, to disconnect from our high-paced lives.

"We did it very simply; we carried our own backpacks and stayed in a mix of hostels and guesthouses. We did the Camino del Norte, the one thats less popular, because we didnt want to be meeting up with too many people. We only found out afterwards that its recommended for the more seasoned hikers, which we certainly were not!

We went for about eight or nine days each time. A lot of people did what we did, because its really hard to take a month or the guts of five weeks off, unless youre retired. We usually did it in May or September, depending on how we could fit it into our own schedules. You meet people of all nationalities, and what we found great was that in Northern Spain, not a lot of English is spoken.

You meet a whole load of people, but you only know their first names  you dont know what they do, how much they earn, or who they are, which is great.

What was the most challenging aspect? Going uphill! That was the hardest part. When youre carrying 10kg and your own bodyweight over the mountains, its an awful lot harder on your legs. But once youre on the path, you just have to keep going. Its amazing how you put the kilometres behind you.

I dont think we had any specific expectations, other than to just go and take time out for ourselves. To experience a slower pace, to disconnect, and to count our blessings in a different kind of way. Plodding along does give you a lot of time to think. Its an amazing experience, its very hard to describe, to be honest. As you get towards the finish, you kind of dont want it to end.

There were a couple of times I wanted to quit, though. My socks would be wet, all of me was wet, and it was so dangerous on the slippery stones. Id just think: What are we doing? No matter how good your rain gear is, you still feel wet and sticky and disgusting.

My favourite part of the day was the 11am stop for a cafe con leche! Youd have already done a third of your walking at that stage, and you have a great sense of achievement once you have a big chunk of it done. Its lovely being up for sunrise before everywhere starts getting too busy. It was always so nice to sit, stop, and put the bag down.

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One thing that really surprised us was how people were prepared to share. You were literally carrying everything on your back  including your bit of chocolate, spare water, medical supplies but people were so happy to share and to be part of the whole experience together.

Weve done other walks since, but nothing is the same as the Camino.

- Catherine Dundon runs Dunbrody Country House Hotel (dunbrodyhouse.com) with her husband, Kevin (in conversation with Nicola Brady).

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The Guide: Juan Rodriguez

'There's nothing to be afraid of, just walk, walk, walk!'

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Im from a place called Tui, on the border with Portugal. The Portuguese Camino actually goes through my village, which is why Im so familiar with it  I was born on the Camino!

I first walked the Camino in 2004. It was my best Camino, to be honest. I think the best way to experience it is to put on your backpack and, without thinking too much, just start walking. There is nothing to be afraid of. Just walk, walk, walk!

Some people do yoga, or meditation, but walking the Camino is my own form of meditation. I do the entire French Camino every year on my own, as well as different sections with my customers many times, of course. Its a fantastic physical activity but a great psychological activity, as well.

"To me personally, its nothing about religion, but it is a very spiritual experience. Its so much more than just a long walk. Its about a community feeling, going back to that period when human beings had a sense of humanity and a sense of sharing.

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My favourite route is the French Way. It feels like I know every stone on that route, but every Camino teaches me something new. Its the most popular and there are a lot of people on it, but thats one of the things that makes it special  to share the experience with so many people from around the world.

You always make friends on a Camino, and I still have the same friends from my first one. I still have those friendships, and visit them now and again. Unfortunately, some of them have died, because they were older. But that memory is there and will be forever, because thats something you will always keep from the Camino. Many people meet and marry on the route, too. Those stories often happen and its real, its very special.

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In the end, what you experience on the Camino is the opposite experience to, say, jumping from a helicopter. Its about sharing bread, and reminding yourself how important the small things are.

What I really lke about my job is showing people my country and trying to convey what the real Camino is. I love to show off Spain, which is a country that I love, and particularly the region of Galicia. I love to show people all the little things that sometimes the guidebooks dont show. The little things that are difficult to explain, but that are very important when you do the Camino.

- Juan Rodriguez is from Galicia, and now guides pilgrims along the Camino with his company, Caminobytheway.com (in conversation with Nicola Brady).

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The First-timer: Geraldine Carton

'I was struck by the gorgeousness of the experience...'

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So, youre basically just going walking around Spain, non-stop, for a week?

Eh Yep, pretty much!

Thats how the majority of conversations went in the run-up to my walking the final 111km of el Camino de Santiago de Compostela this October.

Why do it? I wanted an adventure. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone, and I hoped to encounter some story-worthy characters along the way. That, plus having recently left a job meant there was time to play with before I flicked into proper quarter life crisis/ Oh-God-what-am-I-doing-with-my-life? mode.

Day 1 kicked off, admittedly, to a dubious start. I hobbled out of my B&B full of optimism and anticipation (hobbling because I had a bag about 47 times my body weight), and only then copped that I didnt have a clue where the trail actually began It was 9.35am, which, by Camino standards, is equivalent to starting your 9-5 office job at 3pm. There wasnt a soul to be seen. Eventually, a kind local woman took pity and pointed me towards the yellow arrows that marked the route. I was mortified to realise that these arrows were everywhere.

Nevertheless, I was officially on my way!

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The Camino is as much about the people as the path, and I met some real crackers along the way. There was the Canadian couple who whispered about a mysterious free-flowing wine tap (Disclaimer: I did not come across any wine tap). There was Shirley from LA, who recounted wistful stories about her late husband  the creator of R2-D2 in the first ever Star Wars movie.

And how could I not mention The Gals? This was a group of wonderful, Irish, 60-something women that I came to befriend and spend some of the happiest moments of my trip with. My heart swelled as they shared bashful tales of college sweethearts, proud accounts of 35-year marriages, and gentle descriptions of the little details that kept love flames flickering. All over walks, salad, bread, ice-cream and wine.

It didnt take long for a routine to be established. I covered about 20km a day, usually catching up with The Gals (who preferred an earlier start) around lunchtime. But the Camino wasnt what I expected. There were no epiphanies; not even one of those Aha moments that Oprah Winfrey is always going on about. What I did get was a good mental spring clean. Quiet mornings spent plodding along were incredibly peaceful, and during this time I had the opportunity to think about things I wouldnt usually: What happens when we die? Or Why are tampons taxed as a luxury item in Ireland?

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I remember stopping at one point and taking a deep breath as I looked out over cornfields. Nothing of note was really happening, but I was just struck by the gorgeousness of the experience. I hoped to be able to savour the feeling of pure, quiet contentment for years to come.

It took me six days to complete the 111km. The last day was a tough 26km slog, and I arrived into Santiago looking like a staggering wreck (visible sweat marks, extreme hat-hair, food stain on T-shirt Get in line, boys). I went to the Cathedral for traditions sake, but wasnt really that bothered. Completing this journey might have been a personal achievement, but its ending was anti-climatic and all I actually wanted was an ice-cream.

It wasnt until I heard my name being called out that I changed my tune. It was Siofra and Marion (two of The Gals) and they were waving madly. The relief and excitement I thought Id feel as soon as I got to Santiago finally washed over me as we hugged and congratulated each other at having finished that godforsaken walk.

I dropped my ice-cream, but I didnt care.

At that point I was basking in end-of-the-Camino joy, which is something that not even the best ice-cream in the world can replicate.

- Geraldine Carton (24) walked from Sarria to Santiago this October. Read her full Camino stories at camino-encounters.squarespace.com, or check out her Instagram at @geraldine_carton.

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The Fundraiser: Lucia Ebbs

'We were all there remembering someone...'

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My sister Kate lost her daughter Jenny in 2002 to Sudden Cardiac Death. Id always thought of doing something in her memory, and in 2014 I signed up to do the Camino with Kate and our niece, Aoife.

I was 50 that year, and decided to just go for it. The Camino was on my bucket list from the time I watched Martin Sheen in The Way, so when CRY decided to add the Camino Trek to our list of fundraising events it seemed to be a perfect match. Somebody had to go from our team so I thought: This is meant to be. There were actually 15 of us signed up that year, all taking part for CRY.

For me, it was a huge, massive personal challenge. I thought I was a walker before I headed out, but I definitely wasnt! I did a couple of 10km walks and one hike before I went, but I should have been walking a lot more. That said, you kind of just do it, putting one foot in front of the other. The mantra of the Camino is walk, eat, sleep and thats what I did.

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Your first day is the most challenging. If the weather doesnt work for you, it can be tough. I remember being on the bus to Sarria for two hours, and thinking, Oh my God, Ive got to walk all this way back! That was a big wake-up call. Its an amazing week, but its only when you get to Sarria you realise what a huge challenge it is.

I never wanted to quit. I had it set in my head I was going to do it. Particularly towards the end of the week; youre emotionally and physically drained, youve got all the aches and pains, but giving up was never an option.

It was a huge personal challenge for all of us. As a group we walked, we talked, we laughed, we cried, we sang. It was the hardest week of my life, but probably the best week.

We were all there remembering somebody, so it was an emotional time. Everybody shared their stories over that week, and talked about who they were remembering. When you get to Santiago, the sense of achievement is amazing. Youve walked for six days, and when you arrive into the city and just think about what youve achieved  thats a feeling Ill never forget.

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Although we hadnt all walked together during the days, we decided that on the last day we would walk into Santiago as a group. On our last night, we went to the Pilgrims Mass. The celebrant speaks in five languages, and it was a special moment when he welcomed us, the CRY group from Ireland. More tears. We had a clear view of the altar and the Botafumeiro, which is lowered from the ceiling and filled with incense. As the Botafumeiro swings, the choir and congregation sing. It was an amazing moment in the Cathedral  a profound and life-changing experience that I will remember forever.

- Lucia Ebbs is Business Operations Manager for CRY  Cardic Risk in the Young (cry.ie), a charity that raises awareness about Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). She walked the Camino Frances in honour of her niece, Jenny (in conversation with Nicola Brady).

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The Camino: 3 ways to do it

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1. The Easy Option

If you want your bags transported for, and the comfort of pre-booked accommodation, then book an organised tour. CaminoWays.com offers numerous options, including a seven-night trek on the Camino del Norte from 605pps, not including flights. Its offering 10pc off 2018 bookings made before December 31.

2. The Group Option

Dont want to tackle it alone? Travalue.ie is offering a Classic Camino Experience on the French Way from May 19 to 26 of 2018, so you can travel with a group. Bags will be transported and your accommodation is sorted, for 795pps (195 single supplement) including flights.

3. The DIY Option

Feeling adventurous? Go it alone. Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies to Santiago up to five times a week from March to October, from 54.99 one-way. From there, the easiest way to get to Sarria is by sharing a cab (120) with other pilgrims. The albergues (hostels) cost around 10 per night, and private double rooms are around 50.

- By Nicola Brady. Prices subject to change.

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The days leading up to the Black Hills mountain-lion season are much quieter than they used to be for John Kanta.

So are the nights.

At one point, and this was the final straw for my wife, a gentleman called me at, I think, 11:30 at night, Kanta says. Obviously, I was in bed. When I answered he said Is this Mr. Kanta? I said it was and he started yelling at me.

And yelling, and yelling, as Kanta tried to suggest that the man call him the next morning at the state Game, Fish & Parks Department regional offices here in Rapid City.

But he just went on and on yelling at me, Kanta says. And I set the phone in-between my wife and me, and she listened for a while and finally said: OK, tomorrow you need to get a new phone number, and it will be unlisted. And I said OK.

That was part of life for the soft-spoken regional wildlife manager during the early years of the mountain-lion season, which caused a major cat fight when it opened in 2005.

Some hated the idea of lion hunting and feared it would wipe out the cats. Others wanted more lions killed to protect elk and deer, and people. The angriest voices rose above the mass of people who seemed to support a limited lion season, werent worried either way or didnt know what to think.

We had those who said we have too small of a lion population and genetically we cant hunt them because well wipe them out, similar to the Florida panther, Kanta says. And then on the other side, we had folks saying the lions were going to wipe out the elk and deer.

The debate raged for several years, and I got to write about it. I also got some angry phone calls and in-person harangues over my coverage from readers who considered me biased in one way or another.

But I didnt get what GF&P got. And nobody got more of that than Kanta, sometimes in pretty threatening ways.

I dont want to call them death threats, he says. But I got some nasty letters, saying they would hold me personally accountable for whatever they thought was going to happen. So, yeah, it got pretty bad there for a while.

That was especially true when the elk and deer populations in the hills crashed and some hunters blamed lions. It was a lot more complicated than cats, of course.

Oh, they kill their share of elk, deer, bighorns and other wildlife. Thats how they make their living. But wildlife populations typically experience ups and downs tied to weather, available food and habitat and, yes, sport hunting, an important and imperfect management tool.

In increasing hunting pressure on elk and deer in response to landowner complaints over herd numbers, GF&P seemed to issue too many licenses and hit the herds too hard.

But license numbers were cut so the herds could rebuild, which they did. Meanwhile, hunting pressure on lions reduced cat numbers, also reducing their impact on wildlife. It also seems to have lowered the number of problem lions that end up killing livestock and pets or wandering around in town.

Look at the elk, the deer, and the lions, Kanta says. Right now weve got pretty healthy populations of all of them.

And that means pretty quiet days  and nights  heading into Tuesdays opener of the Black Hills season.

Who would have figured that? Certainly not Kanta  at least, not before he got that unlisted number.
A vintage double-decker bus tour is bringing a whole new meaning to the term 'city break' in Dublin.

Theres nothing a cup of tea cant solve.

That's the motto, or one of the mottos, for Vintage Tea Tours, a new tour taking customers around Dublin on a 1961 Routemaster bus.

The brainchild of entrepreneur Karen Nixon (above), the tours serve passengers a menu of big city sights and delicious afternoon treats.

Think Vanilla Panna Cotta with forest berry compote, dainty finger sandwiches or a Guinness brownie, freshly prepared by Italian chef Donato Romano.

"So many people said it would never work," Nixon says.

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"But I really believed it would. It's trying to create the conversation that happens in a household, in a busy kitchen... only on a bus.

"It's all about the chat, it's a really Irish feel, and it's working!"

Vintage Tea Tours run three times a day, with sights ranging from Phoenix Park to St. Patricks Cathedral and Trinity College. Tickets cost 40pp.

Along the way, to a soundtrack of 1950s jazz, the team share tidbits about Dublin and 'Pauline' - the name they've given their beloved bus.

The idea was inspired by a trip to London, Nixon says.

She felt that the romance and fun of being chauffeured in a double decker, while enjoying pastries and the likes, needed to be shared. So she bought 'Pauline'.

So far, passengers have ranged from individuals to hen parties, groups in fancy dress and corporate groups like LinkedIn, Nixon says.

"The feedback has been phenomenal. Passengers are getting giddy on board, and people have been taking photos from the street.

"I even had a call from a couple in the US looking to get engaged on her!"

Vintage Tear Tours depart at 11am, 1.15pm and 3.30pm from Wednesday to Sunday from City Hall. See vintageteatours.ie for more.

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Dan O'Brien Opinion While we catastrophise about Covid, we ignore risk of running out of cash

We Irish view the world in an increasingly strange and unhealthy way. We catastrophise about Covid in a way other European countries do not. We focus on how bad the effects of the virus could get, on how many more restrictions might be imposed by Government and how helpless we are in the face of the virus.
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Radio review: The thing about the Wolfe Tones is not that their music is Irish, but that its bad

We have established that nationalism in general is eejitry taken to such extremes it becomes a form of evil. And in the case of our version of nationalism, perhaps the ultimate eejitry is that many of us would broadly agree in theory with a United Ireland if it wasnt for the nationalists themselves  they have contrived somehow to be the main obstacle to their own ambitions.
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Mary Kenny Opinion If men want to yammer on about sport, then let them  it helps them connect emotionally

I was travelling on a train from Dublin to Cork, and near me sat two Dublin men. Throughout the entire journey they managed to keep up a fluent dialogue about English football teams. From Aston Villa to Sheffield Wednesday, from Crystal Palace to Manchester City the conversation flowed eloquently. I was in awe at the minutiae of their knowledge and expertise. And if the topic of their discourse lacked a certain variety, it was nonetheless better than sitting in sullen silence, or glued to their phones.
Seven suspected brothels were searched by gardai as part of a probe into potential human trafficking Stock image posed by model

Sir - It is with a genuine lump in my throat and a tear in my eye that I think of all the children who will not have a home for Christmas.

Where will these children wake up on Christmas morning to see what Santa has left? And the parents, who must feel like failures, through no fault of their own, will not be able to give their children the Christmas they had always dreamed of giving; the excitement of the children coming in and waking mammy and daddy to say Santa has been and left the things asked for in their letter.

My wish for 2018 is that the whole country can come together to give these people the dream of a happy life in a loving, warm home.

Can't the Government/Nama release land to build houses, in areas suitable for families? In the past, many families have moved from Dublin to smaller towns and villages, formed new communities and found it to be one of the best decisions they ever made. By doing so now, new jobs will be created in service industries.

The Government must play its part by giving incentives to encourage investment outside Dublin. Surely council planners and architects can design and price houses that are easy to heat and maintain, then offer them to contractors and material suppliers on condition they must only be allowed to add a 10pc margin, at the same time ensuring employees are given the going rate for their labour.

We have always been seen around the world as the most giving and generous country when it comes to helping our brothers and sisters overseas. Now it is time to pull together and lift our fellow brothers and sisters to create happier lives for themselves.

John Morgan,

Dundalk

More is happening in so much less time

Sir - It's Christmas once again. Where did the year go? A week feels like a day; a month feels like a week; a year feels like a month. Is time speeding up? Or perhaps life is so hectic that we don't have time for time. Science confirms this, it tells us that the rotation of the Earth is slowing, and time is speeding up.

Evidence for this assertion comes from the Schumann Resonance, which is like the Earth's heartbeat. Maybe we need to get back in harmony with that beat. The sensation that time speeds up as you get older is one of the mysteries of time. People across the world are experiencing the feeling that time is speeding up. While a day is still constituted in 24-hour increments, time seems to be moving faster than ever.

In today's computerised world, more is happening in less time. Days, weeks and years fly by. This isn't just a physiological symptom of those who are progressing in age, as every age from teens to the elderly is experiencing this phenomenon. One day it's Easter and before you know it, it's Christmas. Wouldn't it be amazing to take time out from time? Slow everything down and return to the long days when time was on our side.

Anthony Woods,

Ennis,

Co, Clare

I am

I feel; therefore I am

Call me Spirit on a journey

To experience a physical life.

A promise that is a dream;

To be loved; to give love.

To have the unconditional love a Mother gives.

This journey takes time.

It is called 'Life'

It is my life

It may be long or short

depending on what is allotted to me.

A heart beats above me.

Now my heart is beating too

I am warm

I am secure

This must be the 'unconditional love'

I am bud from seed

I will open into a beautiful world.

I know not what my future holds

or what I may bring to the world

Only that I am unique

A link in the chain that is humanity.

I feel

Therefore... I am

I cannot wait...

Clare,

Co Kildare

Nothing more beautiful, yet...

Sir - Christmas Eve, children tucked up in their beds awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, hoping he delivers what they've asked or written for.

There is nothing more beautiful than the excited faces of innocent children opening presents or receiving delivery of exactly what it is they requested.

There is, however, the cold hard side to this: the children who've never known the joy of Christmas, who from birth have struggled to survive on the poorest food and water. They are from war-torn regions of the world, their rulers showing no mercy to man, woman or child.

Elsewhere in the world, and nearer here at home, there is the hidden brutality of the innocents who are trafficked and forced to live in sub-standard conditions.

Christmas is a time of celebration, but let us not forget it is only one day out of 365.

They say what you give you can afford, be sure you are not giving to a charity with overpaid directors. Help those nearest to you who you know need help. Happy Christmas to all.

Fred Molloy,

Clonsilla,

Dublin 15

Slaughter of so many innocents

Sir - One of the stories associated with Christmas is that of King Herod and the slaughter of 2,000 innocent children. In his first days in office, President Trump authorised an attack on the village of Yakla in Yemen that reportedly killed 25 civilians, including nine children. Anwar Awlaki was one of those killed in 'collateral damage'.

Since the first Gulf War in 1991, up to one million children have died due to wars in the Middle East. One was an Irish child, Juliana Clifford McCourt, who was on one of the aircraft that was crashed into the Twin Towers in New York. Up to 500,000 children died as a result of UN sanctions on Iraq during the 1990s. A senior US official said: "Yes, it was worth it."

Over the 12 days of this Christmas, hundreds of children will die of disease, hunger and bombs in Yemen. "All across the lands" of the Middle East perhaps as many as 2,000 children will die. That star shining from the east may be a drone firing hellfire missiles. Perhaps King Herod was not so bad after all. We are not doing nearly enough to stop the slaughter of the innocents.

Edward Horgan,

Castletroy,

Limerick

Mary's vision of Christmas

"I had a dream, Joseph, I think it was about a birthday celebration for our son. The people were preparing for about six weeks. They went shopping many times, and bought elaborate gifts wrapped in beautiful paper with lovely bows. They gave the gifts to each other, Joseph, not to our son. I don't think they even knew him. I had the strangest feeling that if Jesus had gone to this celebration, he would have been intruding."

S O'Rourke,

Galway

Thank you, Joe

Sir - Just a few lines at the end of 2017 to say thank you to the Sunday Independent for all your news during the year. I look forward to it every Sunday.

I can't mention everyone but Joe Kennedy's column keeps us aware of all the nature around us. I love his reference of pier-axe plunges into the half frozen apple.

I think there's a bit of a poet in him.

Thanks again to all the people who work on your paper, it's really appreciated. Have a wonderful Christmas and happy and peaceful New Year,

Margaret M Deegan,

Portlaoise,

Co Laois

Trump that

Sir - Gosh, I'm reading that Donald Trump's father and grandmother had the middle name 'Christ'! That crazy guy sure had everything going for him.

God knows who'd want his job, but we hope and pray world peace will come and stay. Sure, you never know what's around the corner.

Kathleen Corrigan,

Coothill,

Co Cavan

Adoption story

Sir - I am embarking on a 'story' project on adoption and would be grateful if I could make contact with adopted persons (over 18), birth mothers and adoptive families

As a parent who has been fortunate to form a family through the adoption of two children, this subject is close to my heart.

I can assure each person that their details will be treated in the strictest confidence and that they may speak anonymously to me if they wish.

I am available at 091-792017 or email Drfhealy@outlook.com.

Fidelma Healy Eames,

Maree,

Oranmore,

Co Galway

SF hypocrisy

Sir - To most people, at first glance, it might seem puzzling that Sinn Fein and their supporters would direct more bile and venom at Bob Geldof than they do at the disgusting ethnic cleansers and war criminals of Myanmar.

That is until one realises that this is just a tactic to deflect attention away from the war crimes of the Provisional IRA, Sinn Fein's armed wing, who have yet to be held accountable for the bombing of crowded pubs (Birmingham) the firebombing of restaurant diners (La Mon) and the slaughtering of Protestant workmen on their way home to their families (Kingsmill). Not to mention the unspeakable act that they borrowed from Chile's General Pinochet, of disappearing their own people. Hypocrites doesn't begin to describe the pernicious grouping that is Sinn Fein/IRA. Bob is a saint by comparison.

Eddie Naughton,

The Coombe,

Dublin 8

Upcoming debate worse than in 1983

Sir - Last week's editorial (Sunday Independent, December 17) dealt with the upcoming debate that will take place on the abortion referendum which will be held in the middle of next year.

It is an indication of the type of conversations that will take place when you urge politicians to "set a proper tone, respectful to all sides and cognisant of the wider medical, legal and indeed ethical and moral issues...".

Abortion is a very divisive issue with pro-life and pro-choice people having diametrically opposed views. How do you reconcile such divergent views? In one respect it's a little like the irreconcilable views of Nationalists and Unionists in Northern Ireland.

The upcoming debate will be worse than the original one in 1983 because of social media when everyone is a broadcaster. As a pro-life activist, I am not hopeful of respectful conversations taking place in the coming months. The issue will be settled with a democratic vote.

I just hope the result is something we can all come to terms with, unlike the Brexit and American election results,

Tommy Roddy,

Galway

The relationship with Britain

Sir - Eoghan Harris's article ('Tubridy tries to have it both ways on the royal wedding', Sunday Independent, December 17) states that Great Britain "recently gave us 9bn to get us through the recession".

My first problem with this is that they 'gave us' 3.85bn and it was given as a loan and at a commercial rate of interest and as stated by William Hague, the then British Foreign Secretary, during the Queen's visit, it was very much in their interest to do so. The loan is being repaid with full interest and in time, as is only right and proper.

The way Mr Harris makes the statement suggests that the British authorities just handed us this wad of money for free, which is untrue. Several people of Unionist persuasion seem to be under the mistaken impression that this money was given to Ireland with no strings attached and that false impression needs to be corrected emphatically.

He also states "they also gave us parliamentary democracy". Well yes, but only to a point. When the Act of Union was passed in 1801, and only after a second referendum, the island of Ireland had one quarter of the overall then UK population, yet we were given 104 out of 680 seats. When I went to school, 104 was a long way from one quarter of 680. The fact that members were unpaid and travelling expenses were unheard of should have meant that the numbers should have been weighed more heavily in Ireland's favour, if anything.

He also states they also gave us railways - big deal. Every country in Europe, and many far poorer than Britain, built railways in the 19th Century. However, there were serious problems with the manner in which successive GB administrations dealt with developing railways in Ireland.

For long periods they left the development of the network to private enterprise. This was a disaster for Ireland as it meant that large tracts of the network were not completed until relatively late in the century, despite pleas by the prominent British MPs Lord Morpeth, in 1839, and George Bentwich, in 1846, that a special case for State intervention existed in Ireland, to build a comprehensive rail network with state funding, as had been done in Belgium and other European countries, where those networks were completed decades before they were finished in Ireland.

In passing, he also states there are more Catholics in Queen's University Belfast than Protestants. Again, why would there not be? Recent census records show there are more Catholics in NI in that age group, so it is no surprise there are more Catholics in any university in NI.

Overall, I often agree with Mr Harris and agree wholeheartedly that it is not in Ireland's interest for GB to Brexit, but as Leo Varadkar rightly points out, they created this problem themselves.

John Collins,

Carlow
Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan attend the National Television Awards on January 25, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

Actress Michelle Keegan has hit out at sexist critics who suggest that her time filming abroad poses a threat to her marriage.

The 30-year-old has been across the globe this year, filming in locations such as Nepal, South Africa and Malaysia for series three of BBC One drama Our Girl.

Her job as lead character Corporal Georgie Lane has meant time apart from her husband, The Only Way Is Essex star Mark Wright, sparking rumours about the longevity of their marriage.

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But setting the record straight, Keegan told the Sun newspaper: Its been hard enough being away anyway, but then to contend with all that It just comes from nowhere.

I dont understand how a couple cant have their separate careers, and why cant a newly married woman go off and do her job and a husband go off and do his?

Id say there is a slight degree of sexism to it.

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Keegan told that she was excited to spend some quality time with her spouse when she gets a longer break in December and spoke of her hopes to extend their family at some time in the future.

We always say we both want to have kids, definitely but when the time is right, she said.

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Our Girl returns to BBC One at 9pm on October 10.
Islanders who lost everything in Hurricane Irma in Barbuda are trying to block a government reform that they say will force them off their land and turn the sleepy Caribbean outpost into a ripe location for foreign developers.

John Mussington, the principal of the island's only secondary school, lost his home and school when the hurricane hit. He said the 1,800 residents had been taken to neighbouring Antigua. He had expected to return and rebuild but is now fighting not to lose the island.

Mr Mussington and his fellow islanders went to the high court of Antigua and Barbuda last week to fight the reform.

The land on Barbuda has been communally owned for generations. But Prime Minister Gaston Browne now wants to turn it into freehold territory, to be bought and sold.

 Telegraph

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
The latest UN sanctions against North Korea are an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against it, North Korea's foreign ministry said on Sunday, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad.

The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The U.S.-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea's foreign ministry said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting "more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country".

The new resolution was tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

"We define this 'sanctions resolution' rigged up by the U.S. 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.

"There is no more fatal blunder than the miscalculation that the U.S. and its followers could check by already worn-out 'sanctions' the victorious advance of our people who have brilliantly accomplished the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force", the ministry said.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Nov. 29 declared the nuclear force complete after the test of North Korea's largest-ever ICBM test, which the country said puts all of the United States within range.

Kim told a meeting of members of the ruling Workers' Party on Friday that the country "successfully realized the historic cause of completing the state nuclear force" despite "short supply in everything and manifold difficulties and ordeals owing to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the enemies".

North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

South Korea's foreign ministry told Reuters it is aware of the North Korean statement on the new sanctions, again highlighting its position that they are a "grave warning by the international community that the region has no option but to immediately cease reckless provocations, and take the path of dialogue for denuclearization and peace".

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The North Korean foreign ministry said its nuclear weapons were a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law.

"We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the U.S. nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the U.S," it said.

"The U.S. should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the U.S. mainland," it added.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face its wrath.

"Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this 'sanctions resolution' shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the 'resolution' and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done."

The North's old allies China and Russia both supported the latest U.N. sanctions.

Tension has been rising over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of U.N. Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called "brutal sanctions", saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3 constituted genocide.

U.S. diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Korea's leader.

China, with which North Korea does some 90 percent of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint from all sides.

China said on Saturday the new resolution also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution via talks and that all sides needed to take steps to reduce tensions.

Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said on Saturday the tougher resolution was aimed at preventing war.

It suggested the United States had wanted an even harsher resolution, and noted there was no indication in the resolution that the United Nations could grant the United States permission for military action.

"The difference between the new resolution and the original U.S. proposal reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the U.S. proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable," it said in an editorial.
Firefighters extinguish a fire at a shopping mall in Davao City, the Philippines, in this December 23, 2017 photo obtained from social media. Courtesy of Tristan Ainin /via REUTERS

Philippine firefighters recovered a body from a burning shopping centre and there was "zero" chances of survival for 36 other trapped people inside the four-storey building.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said firefighters told distraught relatives of the 36 trapped employees of a business outsourcing company at the top floor of the NCCC Mall in southern Davao city, that nobody could survive the extreme heat and thick black smoke.

"They were told that the chances of survival are zero," she said, adding that one of those trapped may be a Chinese or a South Korean, based on the name.

It is unclear when firefighters can break into most areas of the centre, where the blaze was put under control on Sunday morning although smoke continued to billow from the building.

The firefighters won't stop until all those reported missing are found, Ms Duterte-Carpio said.

Investigators will determine the cause of the fire and the prospects of lawsuits against the centre owners and officials would depend on the outcome of the investigation, said the mayor, who is the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Expand Close Firefighter extinguishes a fire inside shopping mall in Davao City, the Philippines, in this December 23, 2017 photo obtained from social media. Courtesy Filipino Chinese Firefighters Foundation /via REUTERS / Facebook

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Whatsapp Firefighter extinguishes a fire inside shopping mall in Davao City, the Philippines, in this December 23, 2017 photo obtained from social media. Courtesy Filipino Chinese Firefighters Foundation /via REUTERS

Mr Duterte, the mayor and Roman Catholic Church officials went to the site and met with relatives of the trapped office employees late on Saturday and asked them to pray.

The president was photographed wiping his eyes with a handkerchief, his head bowed, at an emotional moment with the relatives.

The centre's marketing manager, Janna Abdullah Mutalib, said the fire started on Saturday morning at the third floor where clothes, appliances and furniture are sold, after a storm hit Davao and flooded parts of the city.

Except for a grocery at the ground floor and the business outsourcing company at the top floor, the shopping areas were still closed to the public when the fire started mid-morning, preventing a bigger tragedy amid the peak Christmas shopping season.

Mr Duterte served as Davao mayor for many years before being elected to the presidency last year.

It's been a difficult year for the tough-talking, 72-year-old leader, who faced his most serious crisis when hundreds of pro-Islamic State group extremists laid siege on Marawi city, also in the southern third of the Philippines. He declared martial law in the south to deal with the insurrection, which troops crushed in October.
2017 certainly was a year for the history books. 2018 promises to be just as dynamic as the political, social and media landscape will continue to transform our lives in the year ahead.

The first year of Donald Trumps presidency brought many changes to the nation, the biggest being the tax bill he signed into law Friday that is embraced by some and reviled by others. President Trumps administration also has eliminated many regulations that have been characterized as burdensome by some and needed by others in the interest of public health, safety and commerce.

The president and Republican leaders now are looking at reforming entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The virtual elimination of Obamacare will likely have a big impact on health-insurance markets.

In South Dakota, voters have much to look forward to in 2018. The state will elect a new governor and U.S. House member and decide whether to support incumbents or fresh faces for a Legislature that last year decided not to implement the voter-approved Initiated Measure 22, which sought to reform campaign practices. Voters can expect more ballot measures in 2018, including ones that again challenge the status quo in Pierre.

Locally, Rapid City officials will be making their proposal to either replace or upgrade Barnett Arena in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. Voters will get a chance on Feb. 20 to either endorse or reject a water rate increase of 43 percent over five years in a special election, which are notorious for low turnouts. The city also is considering spending as much as $7 million for a proposed homeless campus near downtown Rapid City. Three of the five Pennington County commissioners  George Ferebee, Ron Buskerud and Deb Hadcock  will see their terms expire in 2018, which could lead to a reshaped governing body.

With so much at stake in 2018, it is important that the taxpayers who foot the bills get engaged with all levels of government. Go to meetings, study the issues, contact your representatives, write letters to the editor, make your voice be heard, demand accountability and above all take the time to vote, a privilege too many take for granted. Elections can and do lead to profound change, which Donald Trump has proven throughout 2017.

Soon, many will begin formulating resolutions for the new year. One to consider is to participate in the democratic process, especially in a year when so much could change for decades to come.

Its critical that we all try to participate rather than delegate in 2018.
The EU was hoping, as with all things, that it could wait it out. Instead, pro-independence parties won a majority of the seats in Catalonia's elections last Thursday.

"The Spanish state has been beaten," declared the region's would-be president, Carlos Puigdemont. This is a bit of an overstatement, but the nightmare has returned. Despite high turnout and a unionist rallying call, the three separatist parties snatched victory, winning 70 of 135 seats. They haven't won a majority of the popular vote - but that didn't stop them before.

Brussels, so far, has managed to stay out of this fight. It is not the EU's fault, though the euro crisis contributed, because it saw the rich Catalonia region sending more cash to Madrid in return for fewer services.

It will, however, become increasingly difficult for Brussels to stay out of it if the election leads to an ongoing confrontation between Catalonia's separatists and Madrid. Mr Puigdemont himself is, embarrassingly, holed up in Brussels to evade arrest, and won't return to Spain unless Madrid promises not to lock him up.

This isn't another Brexit. Whereas the UK is proceeding legally, under the rule of law, Catalonia's separatists trampled the legal order when they held a referendum without a mandate and unsuccessfully declared independence.

That is why Brussels bureaucrats find it impossible to intercede and broker a political outcome. Doing so would reward extra-legal behaviour - a big no-no. But if Catalonia's separatists manage to provoke another harsh Spanish retaliation, staying neutral will look heartless. Any overreaction by Spain easily transfers its bad aura to the EU, especially given that Mr Puigdemont insists he is leading a pro-European movement seeking EU protection. It would be especially awkward if Madrid were to reapply for an EU warrant to arrest him.

The EU is trying to cobble together a consensus to reform its institutions. It didn't need this headache. Unfortunately, it is now relying on Madrid to keep things calm. That's an uncomfortable place to be.

 Telegraph

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
President Donald Trump turns to talk to the gathered media during a Christmas Eve video teleconference with members of the mIlitary at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Donald Trump has attacked fake polls and fake news after a number of recent polls showed his approval rate is hovering below the 50pc mark.

The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is, he wrote on Twitter on Christmas Eve.

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.

A poll released last week by CNN found that his approval rating had tumbled to just 35pc, from the 45pc he enjoyed in March shortly after taking office.

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

While a nonpartisan poll released by the Wall Street Journal found the presidents approval rating stood at 40pc.

Polls from a number of other media outlets also how Democrats are gaining strength ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

However, in October a Fox News poll found that 83pc of Republican voters still approved of Mr Trump, compared to just 7pc of Democrats.

President Trump is spending Christmas in his South Florida home and has been very active on Twitter over the past two days.

Yesterday, he questioned the impartiality of the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

He wrote: "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 dollars (520,000) for wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

Mr McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by politicians on two separate committees as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clinton's email practices when she was secretary of state.

His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

Read More

With additional reporting from the Press Association
Earth may well have been visited by UFOs from outer space, the former head of a secret US government programme says.

Luis Elizondo said the existence of supremely advanced unidentified aircraft, using technology that did not belong to any nation, had been "proved beyond reasonable doubt".

Until two months ago, from his office on the fifth floor of the Pentagon, Mr Elizondo, a career intelligence officer, ran the innocuously named Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Programme (AATIP), which was funded with $22m in "black ops money" from Congress.

The existence of the real-life X-Files department, which began in 2007, was revealed last week and confirmed by the Pentagon.

In an interview, Mr Elizondo said much of what he could discuss was still classified.

That included whether his team had examined UFO sightings in other countries including the UK, or spoken to witnesses there.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that," he said. "But we took a very comprehensive approach. Nothing was too small to investigate."

He added: "In my opinion, if this was a court of law, we have reached the point of 'beyond reasonable doubt'. I hate to use the term UFO, but that's what we're looking at.

"I think it's pretty clear this is not us, and it's not anyone else, so one has to ask the question where they're from."

The exact number of UFO sightings investigated, and witnesses interviewed, is also classified, but Mr Elizondo said there had been "lots".

Geographical "hot spots" emerged during the investigations, sometimes near nuclear facilities and power plants.

Common factors between the movements of separate unidentified objects had also been identified by the Pentagon team.

"It was enough where we began to see trends and similarities in incidents," he said. "There were very distinct observeables. Extreme manoeuvrability, hypersonic velocity without a sonic boom, speeds of 7-8,000kmh, no flight surfaces on the objects. A lot of this is backed with radar signal data, gun camera footage from aircraft, multiple witnesses.

"There was never any display of hostility but the way they manoeuvred, in ways no-one else in the world had, you have to be conscious something could happen."

After the existence of the secret programme was revealed last week, attention focused on the release of footage of an unidentified object off San Diego in 2004.

US Navy pilot Commander David Fravor, flying an FA-18 near the object, described seeing a "white Tic Tac, about 40ft long with no wings" which was "something not from the Earth".

Mr Elizondo said Commander Fravor was a "national hero" for speaking out. He said: "The social stigma about this is unbelievable, it's very challenging. There are many other Commander Fravors out there who have come forward (to us), but he's brave enough to discuss his experience publicly."

Mr Elizondo said he had no preconceived ideas when he took the helm of the Pentagon programme, but later became convinced by what he saw. "We [career intelligence officers] tend to be sceptics by nature. For some of us working on it, the time came as an 'Aha!' moment; for others it was a slow progress towards the realisation that these are probably not any type of aircraft in any national inventory.

"I don't want to pre-suppose where they're from. We were looking at two things: What is it? How does it work?

"As to who's behind the wheel, and why is it here, that will fall into place. I think it's pretty clear it's not us, and it's not anyone else.

"What we were trying to do was basically take the voodoo out of voodoo science."

He refused to confirm or deny whether any technology had been recovered from any of the objects investigated.

However, buildings were modified by a private contractor in Nevada as a place to store anything discovered linked to the UFO incidents.

Witnesses to UFO sightings were also examined to see if there had been any physical effects on them.

Mr Elizondo said his team had developed theories about what was propelling the objects. "There are some tell-tale clues," he said. "We are getting to how it works, that's a significant step."

Despite the Pentagon saying funding for AATIP ended in 2012, Mr Elizondo said his team's UFO work carried on for another five years.

"When you're given a mission you guard your post until you're relieved of responsibility, and that never came for us," he said.

He eventually resigned in October, frustrated at excessive secrecy surrounding the programme. In a resignation letter to Jim Mattis, President Donald Trump's defence secretary, he wrote: "Why aren't we spending more time and effort on this issue? There remains a vital need to ascertain capability and intent of these phenomena."

Mr Elizondo said: "I'd say bolster the programme. We want Nasa to find life on different planets, but we have highly educated pilots here and they're seeing something they can't understand."

 Telegraph

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
President Vladimir Putin presented his vision for modernising Russia yesterday, while some of his challengers in next March's presidential vote were formally nominated for the race.

Putin, who is running as an independent candidate, pledged to offer broader incentives for business, fight corruption and pour extra resources into the underfunded healthcare and education system.

"Russia is a country with a 1,000-year history, but we mustn't treat her like our grandmother, just giving her pills to relieve her pain," he said in a speech televised live. "We must make Russia young, aimed into the future."

With his approval ratings topping 80pc, the 65-year- old is set to easily win another six-year term.

His most visible opponent, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, is barred from the race by an embezzlement conviction he calls politically motivated. Nevertheless, the 41-year-old anti-corruption crusader has staged waves of rallies to push the Kremlin to let him run.

The involvement of Ksenia Sobchak, a sharp-tongued TV host, could raise public interest in the contest.

Flash floods and landslides kill at least 75

At least 75 people were killed and another 58 were missing after a tropical storm unleashed flash floods and set off landslides in the southern Philippines.

Most of the deaths from Tropical Storm Tembin were in the hard-hit provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur and on the Zamboanga Peninsula.

A search and rescue operation is under way for more than 30 people swept away by flash floods in the fishing village of Anungan.

Actor Jonah Hill's brother dies aged 40

The long-time manager of Maroon 5 and brother of actor Jonah Hill has died.

A spokeswoman for the band confirmed yesterday that Jordan Feldstein had died unexpectedly at the age of 40.

The Feldstein family said in a statement that he called 911 after experiencing shortness of breath on Friday. He had gone into cardiac arrest by the time paramedics arrived and died a short time later.

Feldstein was the founder and chief executive of Career Artist Management and had managed Maroon 5 since the band was formed 15 years ago. His company also counts Miguel, the B-52s, Elle King and Rick Springfield among its clients.

Remote island in hunt for new police chief

One of Britain's most remote overseas territories is on the hunt for a new police inspector, offering a salary package of up to 47,000 (53,000).

The role will see the officer posted on Ascension Island, which lies in the South Atlantic Ocean and has a population of just 850.

St Helena Police has advertised for an inspector to lead a small team of officers responsible for the 24-hour policing of the territory.

The island is volcanic, has a sub-tropical climate and covers an area of just 88 sq km, meaning criminals will not have far to run or hide from the new recruit.

Merkel and Macron in Ukraine peace push

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are urging both sides in eastern Ukraine to live up to ceasefire agreements amid a recent upswing in clashes between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces.

Their statement comes a day after US officials said they would begin sending lethal weapons, including anti-tank missiles, to equip Ukrainian troops.

Merkel and Macron issued a joint statement yesterday urging combatants to observe the Minsk agreements aimed at defusing the conflict. Those provisions include the withdrawal of heavy weapons such as tanks and rocket launchers from the front-line area and an exchange of prisoners.

Aardvark killed in blaze at London Zoo

A ten-year-old aardvark called Misha has died, and four meerkats are missing, after a fire at London Zoo.

The fire broke out at 6am yesterday in the Animal Adventure section of the zoo and spread to an adjacent shop. Seventy-two firefighters attended the incident and the fire was brought under control by 9.16am.
In the late teens, young people test their limits, and in many cases, push beyond their limits.

This is due in part to increased activity in the corpus striatum, a small area deeply hidden away inside the brain.

According to previous research, that part of the brain in young people is more responsive to receiving rewards.

Sensitive

Leiden University scientists are now able to show that this increased activity in the corpus striatumdoes not have only negative consequences. The adolescent brain is very sensitive to feedback, says Sabine Peters, assistant professor of developmental and educational psychology and lead author of the article. That makes adolescence the ideal time to acquire and retain new information.



Peters used a large data set for her research with MRI scans. Over a period of five years, no fewer than 736 brain scans were made of a total of 300 subjects between the ages of 8 and 29. According to Peters, the data set is about ten times larger than that of most comparable studies. In the MRI scanner, participants had to solve a memory game. During that game, the researchers gave feedback on the participants performance.

Instructional feedback

It showed that adolescents responded keenly to educational feedback, Peters commented. If the adolescent received useful feedback, then you saw the corpus striatum being activated. This was not the case with less pertinent feedback, for example, if the test person already knew the answer. The stronger your brain recognises that difference, the better your performance in the learning task. Brain activation could even predict learning performance two years into the future.



It has been known for some time that adolescent brains become more successful when they receive the same reward as small children or adults. For example, it has already been proven that the use of drugs and/or alcohol in the teenage years is linked to powerful activation in the brains reward system. Peters: It explains why adolescents and young adults go on a voyage of discovery, with all the positive and negative consequences that entails. You see the same behaviour in many animal species, including rats and mice.



The research was funded from a research grant awarded to Professor Eveline Crone, who is also co-author of the article. In 2011, she received a so-called Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) and in 2016 an ERC Consolidator Grant. Crone has even more prestigious scientific prizes to her name, including the Spinoza Prize.
The antidepressant clomipramine may also alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), specifically in its progressive form, i.e. when it occurs without relapses or remissions. As yet, drugs for this type of MS have been virtually non-existent. Researchers collaborating with Prof V. Wee Yong, PhD, from the University of Calgary and Dr Simon Faissner from Ruhr-Universitat Bochum screened 1,040 generic therapeutics and, based on preclinical studies, identified one that is suitable for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. They published their results in the journal Nature Communications from December 19, 2017.

Today, twelve drugs have been approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; for the progressive types, on the other hand, only a few therapy approaches exist. The mechanisms causing damage in progressive MS are not always the same as in relapsing-remitting MS. This is why the latter requires different therapeutic approaches, says Simon Faissner. As postdoctoral researcher of the Department of Neurology at St Josef-Hospital in Bochum, he contributed to a study carried out at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary as a visiting scholar, funded by the grant for medical research awarded by the Ruhr-Universitats Faculty of Medicine.

Potential side effects already well-documented

The team worked with approved drugs, the side effects of which have already been amply documented. From among those drugs, the researchers selected 249 well-tolerated therapeutics that enter the nervous system safely; this is where chronic inflammation occurs in progressive MS. Using cell cultures, they tested which of the 249 substances are capable of protecting nerve cells from the damaging influence of iron. In MS patients, iron is released due to cell damage, damaging nerve cells in turn.

Following those tests, 35 potential candidates were identified; the researchers subsequently analysed them with regard to additional properties: investigating, for example, if they can reduce damage to mitochondria  the powerhouses of the cells  or if they minimise the activity of leucocytes that attack the insulation of nerve cells in MS patients. In the process, the drug clomipramine proved promising.

Positive results in preclinical studies

In the next step, the researchers analysed the substance in mice suffering from a disease comparable with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in humans. The therapy suppressed the neurological disturbances completely; as a result, damages to the nerve cells and inflammation were minimised.

In a subsequent test, they treated mice with a disease that resembles progressive MS in humans. Here, too, the therapy proved effective, provided the researchers applied it immediately after the first clinical symptoms became apparent. Symptoms such as paralysis were thus reduced  unlike in control animals that were treated with placebo drugs.

Clinical studies planned

Simon Faissner returned from Canada to Bochum in January 2017. As a member of Prof Dr Ralf Golds research group, he is continuously striving to identify new drugs with the potential of protecting from MS and to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the progressive type of the disease.

Based on promising preclinical data, our long-term objective is to study clomipramine as well as other therapeutics selected in the screening process on patients in clinical studies, explains Faissner. An advantage of generic drugs is the fact that there is ample clinical experience regarding their potential side effects. Accordingly, there is no need to perform phase-1 trials to study the tolerance of the drug in healthy volunteers. The funding of such studies always poses a considerable challenge, concludes Faissner.

Progressive multiple sclerosis

In the Western world, multiple sclerosis is the most common cause of neurological disabilities in young people. In MS patients, leukocytes damage the layer surrounding nerve cells, the so-called myelin sheath. This results in neurological disturbances; in 85 per cent of patients, the disease is characterised by clearly defined relapses and may cause e.g. visual impairment, paralysis or numbness. The majority of patients experience gradual deterioration after 15 to 20 years, which is referred to as progression. In ten per cent of the patients, the disease is progressive from the outset, without any relapses along the way.
Chennai, Dec 24 (IBNS): The counting of the votes for the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar bypoll is under process on Sunday at the Queen Marys College.

As the counting progressed, supporters of AIADMK and TTV Dhinakaran clashed inside counting hall leading to violence, media reports said.

Police had to step in to take control of the situation.

Counting was also paused briefly.

Initial trends indicate that TTV Dhinakaran is leading.

The RK Nagar seat had fallen vacant after demise of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in Dec last year.
Steven Zieglowsky, a Stevensville school counselor, and Dee Hensley-Maclean, who's served with the Parent Teacher Association and has children who graduated from Hamilton High School, are on a committee that will advise Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen on suicide prevention programs in schools and the economic impact.

The Suicide Prevention and Response Negotiated Rulemaking Committee was formed in response to a bill approved by the Legislature to promote more awareness and suicide prevention in schools.

The panel has 16 members with expertise in education, business, suicide prevention and response, culturally relevant practices, and school finance. It includes school district trustees, K-12 school administrators, K-12 teachers and counselors, school business officials, parents and taxpayers.

The members represent diverse cultures and geographic locations. OPI and Board of Public Education staff also are on the committee.

I am humbled to bring this highly qualified, diverse and passionate group of Montanans together to discuss how we can best promote positive mental health for all of our students, Arntzen said. Putting Montana students first through my Montana Hope initiative is my No. 1 priority.

Zieglowsky serves 15 locations from Florence to Darby as a school counselor, is a clinical supervisor for the Comprehensive School and Community Treatment (CSCT) mental health program at the Bitterroot Valley Co-op and also works on a suicide prevention grant with OPI.

His goal in serving on the committee is to ensure positive results.

I want to give my feedback about potential strategies that will lead to evidence-based outcomes and fewer suicide outcomes, Zieglowsky said. My intent in participating is that some suicide prevention articles have had a clear impact and some have not made measurable changes.

Zieglowsky said the Montana Youth Risk Behavior Surveys that are completed by students are considered by educators and health professionals to determine health-risk behaviors of Montana youth.

The surveys were started by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1988 with a goal of identifying social problems, mortality and illness of youth.

If you look at the annual percentage in Montana, every school has their own reports about kids thinking about suicide or attempting suicide  some of which were so serious they required medical intervention, Zieglowsky said. Completed suicides are a huge problem in Montana, but if the kids live through the attempts they may have ongoing health problems  like kidney damage.

Being part of the OPI committee, Zieglowsky hopes to help to find ways to identify at-risk youth and be able to intervene on suicide attempts to reduce the impact on youth.

It is an incredibly diverse committee with interesting stakeholders and different perspectives, Zieglowsky said. My thing is what is the best practice in terms of helping kids and what is feasible within a school system. There are some natural limitations based on a school setting.

He said suicide is a historical problem.

Montana has been in the top 5 percent for years and I know different groups have made good-hearted efforts to address the problem. But impacts are limited when budgets are tight, he said. Im hoping to bring practices that will be most effective to the table.

Zieglowsky works with Holly Mook at OPI.

We are collaborating to make online classes for educators for suicide prevention, he said. It will be six hours, three different courses, looking at the related factors and what educators can do to promote suicide prevention efforts at their school.

Content will be ready for rural access in January or February. The courses have outlines, video content, interactive tasks and quizzes to ensure educators get the information they need.

It is exciting, Zieglowsky said.

Hensley-Macleans children have graduated, but experienced grief when they were younger when kids they knew committed suicide.

When youre in a small community, the kids are affected by it. In 2014 Montana was No. 1 in suicides  thats a concern as a parent, she said. There is so much that affects kids including social media and stuff from every direction.

Hensley-Maclean said the committee is a step in the right direction.

It would be great if we could solve the problem, she said. If you spoke to parents whose children committed suicide, they say they were blindsided. As a parent you dont know the signs, its not talked about. The parents and school districts need information. Kids see the signs, if they know what the signs are.

Hensley-Maclean said the topic of suicide has not been faced head-on and the OPI committee will address it directly.

Its happening and we need to address it, she said. Weve got to get over mental health as an embarrassment. Weve got to look at it and say teens get depressed and how as a parent do you navigate and how as a school do you help these kids.

Hensley-Maclean said the committee is a step toward de-stigmatizing mental health.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, she said. Research has shown theres a direct link between the two.

Maclean has been through PTA training at both the state and national levels.

... When a school has a suicide, all the school counselors in the Valley come together and help that school, she said. The mental health professionals in the Valley get it and want to be helpful. I think this is a way to have more people understand and make a difference. It is hard and the school counselors get it and are supportive.

The OPI committee met Dec. 20 in Helena and will continue to meet in the future. Once the committee finishes its work, the results will go to the Board of Public Education and Arntzen.

For more information, visit OPI Suicide Prevention and Awareness Resources online: opi.mt.gov/Educators/School-Climate-Student-Wellness/Suicide-Prevention.
Srinagar, Dec 24 (IBNS): The Indian Army on Sunday clarified that the bodies of soldiers killed in LoC firing were not mutilated, as suggested by social media reports.

Four army men, including a major, were killed after Pakistan army opened fire on an army patrol in Keri area of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir around Saturday noon.

It is to inform that there has been no mutilation of bodies. The injuries suffered are due to splinters and gunshot wounds sustained due to firing by the enemy on the patrol. The reports on mutilation will be rebutted, said an army spokesperson.

Following the killings, reports were doing rounds on social media websites about the alleged mutilation of the bodies of the soldiers.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Ottawa, Dec 24 (IBNS): Canada and China have declared 2018 officially as Canada-China Year of Tourism, media reports said.

It was named so in September 2016 by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

The year 2018 would reportedly enable the two countries to share deep bonds of friendship and facilitate Canadians to celebrate its unique history.

Although nearly 10,000 km separate, more than 610,000 Chinese tourists visited Canada in 2016 and Government of Canada's goal is to double the number of Chinese tourists coming to Canada by 2021.

The fact that about 5 percent of Canada's population accounting for more than 1.7 million Canadians have Chinese ancestry, Canada is ready to welcome record numbers of Chinese visitors, and Canadian tourism operators are ready to show off all the excitement and adventure that the country has to offer.

Today the most spoken languages in Canada after English and French are Mandarin and Cantonese.

Currently Canadas second-largest trading partner after the United States is China.

In recent years Canada opened seven new visa application centres in China to speed up the arrival of Chinese visitors to Canada.



(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
Aurobindo Pharma's arm Eugia Pharma gets USFDA approval for Amphotericin B Liposome for Injection Aurobindo Pharma Limited has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary company, Eugia Pharma Specialities Limited, has received a final approval from the US Food & Drug Administration... November 18, 2022 | 10:35 am

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Innovators Facade Systems receives work of Rs78 crore; Stock dips 3% Innovators Facade Systems Limited has received Letter of Acceptance for work order of approx. Rs78 crore. As per the regulatory filing, the work order is for Design, Supply, Fabricat... November 18, 2022 | 9:48 am

Markets trade volatile; Asian Paints, Cipla, L&T, Tata Consumers top bulls The volatility continued on Friday during the opening bell in bolth the markets. Sensex was pushed off the cliff to the point it was even below 61,770-level. Nifty 50 has even erased 18,400-mar... November 18, 2022 | 9:38 am

Wipro opens its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) Headquarters in Dubai Wipro Limited has announced the opening of its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) Strategic Market Unit Headquarters in Dubai, UAE. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed ... November 18, 2022 | 9:19 am
There are some pictures speak volumes about our past and each of one of these photographs adds a completely different perspective to some of the most important historical moments.

All the history that we learned through school and college will fade into oblivion when you see some the iconic pictures that textbooks never featured. Heres a collection of rare images that are truly humbling.

1. When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose met Hitler and sought his help to support cause of Indias liberation from British Rule

Facebook/Thoughtshed

2. A Sikh soldier of the British Indian Army fits a gas mask on a mule (circa 1939  1945)

Facebook/Indian Army Fans

3. This powerful picture some 650 soldiers standing in a formation of a horses head, neck and a noseband. Around eight million war horses were killed during the conflict while countless mules and donkeys also died. The act was to pay a tribute to animals that died during the WWI

Facebook/Horse.com

4. The living logo of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is one of the most iconic images in the world and this is how it was shot. Theres an old urban legend that says that the original MGM lion, named Slats, went berserk while filming the clip of the logo. Rumor had it that he killed his trainer and two other people on the set

Facebook/Lynda Sajovic

5. Human chess, as the name might suggest, is a form of chess where the regular pieces are replaced by humans and it was played back in 1924 in St. Petersburg present as Leningrad. The black pieces were represented by the Soviet Unions Red army and the white pieces were being represented by members of the Soviet Navy

Facebook/ Historyinpictures

6. Dorothy Counts a black student, was admitted to the Harry Harding High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1957, but her parents pulled her out four days later after relentless harassment from the other students

Facbook/Doni Glover

7. Japanese women and teenagers see off the kamikaze pilots on their way to the airfield. Japan, 1945

Facebook/Leonidas Antonakopoulos

8. A British soldier in Belfast, Northern Ireland, poses with local children. The Belfast Agreement was signed 17 years later

Facebook/HistoryInPictures

9. This haunting black and white photograph taken on board one of the body recovery ships following the Titanic disaster shows a mass funeral for dozens of the dead being buried at sea. The ship's priest, the Reverend Hind. is seen praying over the victims that died

Facebook/History Daily

10. Behind the scenes of the picture of Marilyn Monroe standing above a subway grate and trying to keep her dress down

Facebook/Historyinpictures

11. Mahatma Gandhi wrote Adolf Hitler this letter in July 1939. It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world who can prevent a war which may reduce humanity to a savage state, Gandhi wrote. Must you pay that price for an object however worthy it may appear to you to be?

Facebook/David Hirsh
Akshay Kumar masters his personal and professional life like a boss. He knows that family comes first and he makes sure to take out ample time from his busy schedule for them.

Every year the Baby actor takes a month off for his family and goes on a vacay. This time too he is off to Cape Town with family and the superstar is already enjoying his free time.

Viral Bhayani

From his vacay he shared the picture of his daughter Nitara enjoying with buddy Valentino, whos his helpers son. Remember Valentino, last time the Padman actor had introduced Valentino on his social media saying, Boys & girls,meet Valentino,my house help's son here in Cape Town. Everyone's favourite in the house,he's blessed with an infectious spirit.

Boys & girls,meet Valentino,my house help's son here in Cape Town. Everyone's favourite in the house,he's blessed with an infectious spirit pic.twitter.com/5cietThAO2  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 30, 2016

And this time too he shared his picture along with his darling daughter Nitara, Happiness Is... meeting an old friend and starting exactly where you left off :) Nitara meets Valentino 2.0 . Thats sweet!

Happiness Is... meeting an old friend and starting exactly where you left off :) Nitara meets Valentino 2.0  pic.twitter.com/geGFyH1h72  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 24, 2017

Akshay has a handful of projects, he will first begin the promotion of Padman which is also the debut film of his wife Twinkle Khanna as a producer.

(ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar Wants 'Padman' To Create Awareness, Is Not Aiming For Box Office Collection)

After Padman Akshay will kick start the promotions of Gold along with TV hottie Mouni Roy whos making her debut in Bollywood with this film.
indiewest

I think gender pay gap is a global problem. It exits in every profession, be it Hollywood, Bollywood or the business sector where male are paid more than females. I feel it's a big problem and is not just confined to the film industry. My appearance on the top 10 list Forbes 100 celebrity list highlights the same problem.

Its jhakaas hero Anil Kapoors 61st birthday. Firstly, its difficult for anyone to digest that he is 61. He is defying his age like a boss and its just unbelievable."

Happiness Is... meeting an old friend and starting exactly where you left off :) Nitara meets Valentino 2.0  pic.twitter.com/geGFyH1h72  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 24, 2017

From his vacay he shared the picture of his daughter Nitara enjoying with buddy Valentino, whos his helpers son. Remember Valentino, last time the Padman actor had introduced Valentino on his social media saying, Boys & girls,meet Valentino,my house help's son here in Cape Town. Everyone's favourite in the house,he's blessed with an infectious spirit.





Twitter

Salman Khan is back to woo his fans with his Christmas release Tiger Zinda Hai. The Ali Abbas Zafar film starring Katrina Kaif has seen a gigantic opening on its very first day. It has managed to earn 33.75 crore, becoming the second highest opener of 2017, after Baahubali 2.

5.Lets Take A Minute To Applaud Kareena Kapoor For Her Amazing Weight Transformation Post Pregnancy

Twitter

Shes not just a good actress, but also someone that people look up to when it comes to fitness. Yes, we are talking about Kareena Kapoor. She won our hearts with her impeccable acting skills and now she has become an idol for newly-turned moms and expecting mothers. Why you ask? Well, because she has inspired us all with her massive post-delivery transformation.
You may have to read it again to believe, but Pakistani army indeed asked the government to improve relations with India. According to reports, Pakistan army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has urged the country's lawmakers to try to improve relations with India, assuring them that their efforts would be fully backed by the Army. His address comes in the backdrop of sustained American emphasis to Pakistani leadership on mending ties with India.

"The military is ready to back political leadership's initiative for normalization of relations with India," Gen Bajwa told lawmakers at the senate committee of the whole House during his first appearance before a parliamentary forum on Tuesday.

AFP

ALSO READ: Pak Army Admits Terror is Enemy No. 1

Gen Bajwa was invited by senate chairman Raza Rabbani and was accompanied by Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Naveed Mukhtar. Top military officers, Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and Major General Asim Munir. The session continued for nearly four-and-a-half hours.

Quoting senators, leading Pakistan daily Dawn said Gen Bajwa told legislators that he wants relations with all neighbours to be normalised and urged politicians to try to improve relations with India. He assured them that their efforts would be fully supported by the army. The army chief's offer was particularly significant given a general perception that the army was against peace efforts with India.

ALSO READ: India's 'Familiar Enemy' Pak Army Chief Gen Sharif Begins Farewell Tour, Hunt For Successor On

Reuters

But Gen Bajwa said a large part of Indian military deployments was mostly against Pakistan. He also accused India of fomenting instability and terrorism in Pakistan, stating that New Delhi had developed a strong nexus with Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security.

ALSO READ: Pak Army's Most War Mongering General, Raheel Shareef To Lead A Global 'Anti-Terror' Force. Lol
An account liquidation occurs when the holdings of an account are sold off by the brokerage or investment firm where the account was created. In most cases, this is down to satisfy margin requirements. When you sign up for a margin account with a brokerage firm, you grant that the legal right to liquidate your holdings if you are unable to meet the account's requirements.

There are two main brokerage account types: cash accounts and margin accounts. A cash account only allows an investor to purchase securities up to the amount of the cash held in the account. For example, if an account has $10,000 in cash, the account holder will only be able to purchase a maximum of $10,000 worth of stock.

With cash accounts, a brokerage firm does not have the same ability to liquidate unless it is due to an external factor like a personal bankruptcy. A margin account, on the other hand, allows investors to borrow up to 50% of the purchase price of marginable investments (the exact amount varies depending on the investment). Said another way, investors can use margin to purchase potentially double the amount of marginable stocks than they could using cash.

Margin Math

A typical requirement of a margin account is to maintain at least 25% equity, or your own money, of the total market value at any given point. Maintenance levels can vary widely depending on your broker, for stocks trading under $5, or if you're short selling. For example, suppose you purchase $10,000 worth of stock with $5,000 of your own money and $5,000 of margin money. If the value of this position were to fall to $7,500, your equity position in the investment falls to $2,500 ($7,500 - $5,000), which represents 33% marginabove the 25% requirement.

However, if the value falls to $6,500, your equity in the position would be reduced to $1,500 ($6,500 - $5,000), which puts your margin at 23%, falling below the minimum margin requirement of 25%. If the account does fall below the minimum maintenance margin level, you will either have to add more money to the account to meet the margin call or your account will be liquidated in part or in full.

In most cases, your brokerage will issue a margin call advising you to add money to your account or close positions until your account reaches the 25% requirement. If you don't take appropriate action, your brokerage will take steps to close open positions until the requirement is met. They can do this without your approval and they may even charge you a commission for the trade.
News from the Capitol in Helena unfortunately often emphasizes the partisan nature of modern politics. But today, we  a Senate Democrat and a House Republican  want to share something we both strongly support, a bi-partisan success story that has been quietly improving state government for decades. Its a function that helps state government serve Montanans by making sure state agencies obey laws and accurately balance their books, saves taxpayers money by finding efficiency in state programs, and protects sensitive information held in state computer security systems.

The Legislative Audit Committee is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Following the committees creation in 1967, the delegates at the 1972 Montana Constitution Convention felt the work of the newly formed committee was fundamental to the proper functioning of the state government. So, they put it directly in the Constitution  the only legislative committee given such status. The move essentially mandates the committees existence and helps safeguard the independence of the work performed by its non-partisan staff in the Legislative Audit Division. The staff follow strict standards to draw conclusions about the programs they review, and their dedication and professionalism have been central to our 50-year track record of making government work better.

Over time, the range of issues considered by the committee has expanded to meet the growing information needs of legislators. Beyond traditional financial activities, audit work now assesses broader aspects of government accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness. As computer systems gained importance in government operations, a process for auditing these systems was developed.

This work has provided the legislature and public with literally hundreds of reports over the years, containing thousands of recommendations to state agencies. In just the past few years, the office has:

 Found scores of errors in the states own annual financial report which, if uncorrected, could have threatened Montanas credit rating.

 Discovered that the Department of Corrections was illegally housing adult prisoners in youth facilities.

 Exposed problems in the Public Service Commissions handling of railroad safety.

 Brought to light inconsistencies and a lack of oversight in the ways state agencies approve pay raises for employees.

 Determined the Department of Administration needs to improve its ability to monitor the contract for State Employee Health Centers and validate the costs related to the centers.

 Unearthed a number of shortcomings in the states vital Child Protective Services program.

The information generated in audit reports provides valuable information to agency management, public stakeholders, and legislators when assessing the governments stewardship of public resources and compliance with law. The reports contain real-world solutions and actionable ideas for making state government better.

Legislative audits are a true picture of accountability in action, not just the hollow promises of reports gathering dust on a shelf. Agencies know their financial records will be regularly inspected and management will be held to task if there are problems. Accountability functions like legislative audits dont just save money through effective oversight, they strengthen the integrity of our public institutions and increase trust in state government. Thats something we all should support.

Even the public has a role to play. The Audit Division manages the states toll-free hotline for reporting fraud, waste, and abuse. We encourage anyone with concerns about fraud or how state government programs or activities are being managed to call (800) 222-4446, email LADHotline@mt.gov, or visit the website below. All of us share responsibility for ensuring state resources are being used wisely, especially in the difficult budget times we are currently experiencing.

As our committee begins its second half-century, we are confident that commitment to the vital mission of government accountability in Montana state government is stronger than ever. Additional information about the Audit Committee, copies of previous reports, and information about work in progress can be found on the webpage leg.mt.gov/audit or by calling the office at 444-3122.

 Mary McNally, chair of the Legislative Audit Committee, is a Democratic senator from Billings. Tom Burnett, a Bozeman Republican, is the committees vice-chair.
With the passing of the tax reform bill, many hard-working Montana families will begin seeing larger paychecks starting in February with their tax bill cut in half. It eliminates loopholes for the wealthy.

And yet, many just want to say that it is going to benefit the billionaires. Our Governor is telling us CHIP is no longer in the bill when in fact on Oct. 30, 2017, the House passed a bill to reauthorize CHIP for five years. Along with 350 of 450 bills that Congress has already passed, CHIP is stalled in the Senate.

Sen Steve Daines just fought hard for Main Street businesses with 68 percent of Montanas jobs created by them and he won! There is great dignity of work, pride of a paycheck and satisfaction of a job well done.

U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte just got his first solely sponsored bill approved, a pilot program of telecommuting as a way to boost Montanas economy and helping our families stay together.

The corporate rate dropped, businesses will move to, stay in and hire in America, boosting our economy, restoring hope to our struggling rural communities. We are Montana proud and the future belongs to us!

 Patricia Earnest, Hamilton
Christmas is about faith, the birth of Jesus and his impact on the world.

For Jared Clairmont, a registered nurse, faith is a verb, a way to have an impact on the lives of other people. He sums it up in a Bible verse, Galatians 5:6: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Clairmont was headed back to Billings for Christmas, but he gave an interview while on board a Mercy Ships floating hospital docked in Cameroon, Africa. He spent 3- months on the Africa Mercy, a Mercy Ships floating hospital that brings modern medical treatment and care to some of the most impoverished nations in the world.

Like all of the nurses, doctors, medical staff and the rest of the crew, Clairmont paid his own way, both for travel and expenses, to volunteer with the international faith-based organization. Some on staff stay for years, while others, like Clairmont, do shorter stints to help out however they can.

Clairmont, who grew up on a ranch outside of Polson, graduated from Montana State University in 2015 with a bachelors degree in nursing. He spent a year caring for cancer patients at Billings Clinic, and then the next year working in the hospitals emergency department.

He first heard about Mercy Ships watching a segment on 60 Minutes. Then he learned that another nurse at Billings Clinic had volunteered on board.

She highly recommended it when I was chatting with her, he said.

Nurses must have two years of experience to be considered, but people from all kinds of backgrounds can apply for other types of jobs, from working in the galley or being part of the deck crew. Clairmont applied to work on the ship in July and was accepted soon after.

Despite jet lag, after he arrived he hit the ground running as a pediatric ward nurse, taking care of younger patients before and after surgery. During his first six weeks on board, physicians dealt with orthopedic cases, and then they transitioned to conditions requiring plastic surgery.

A lot of people in Cameroon still use open fire as their source of heat for cooking, Clairmont said. So a lot of them end up getting burned at an early age, and when they grow up, their skin ends up contracting.

That denies them a full range of motion. But with skin grafts, their ability to move more easily can be restored.

In the orthopedic realm, Clairmont cared for youngsters treated for bowed legs, crooked legs or those with contractures, an abnormal shortening or shrinking of the muscle and tendon.

He told the story of Ulrich, a 12-year-old boy who had quadriceps contractures that were so severe, his back was parallel to the ground. He could only walk by holding sticks in his two hands.

Aboard ship, Ulrich underwent surgery first on one leg and, about a week later, on the other. An after photo of the youth, standing straight and balanced on crutches, showed him with a smile on his face.

The surgery that transforms kids lives brings their mothers and fathers a different kind of healing, Clairmont said. Parents feel so much of their childs pain, and in a world where cures are hard to come by, Mercy Ships gives them hope.

The first time Ulrich stood up, you could tell his mom was just really, really touched, he said. She had suffered with him for 12 years  some could argue she suffered more than him. For her to see him standing with straight legs, that was pretty amazing.

Clairmont was equally inspired by the medical staff he worked with. They seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus, he said.
Last year's fire season fanned the flames of controversy. Now, let's look at history, especially since much of it came from the Bitterroot. Our forests have always been managed for timber (and water) as per the Organic Act of 1897. Thirteen years later, as smoke and ash from fires in Montana and Idaho darkened the skies in D.C., the policy of 48-hour suppression was adopted to save those resources.

A mere 50 years later, the inanity of this policy became clear when large fires were uncontrollable, such as the Sleeping Child burn in Darby. The Forest Service planned the Meadow-Tolan sale to start restoring the natural vegetative mosaic. Something happened then that needs to be examined to see how we got in todays danger.

Meadow-Tolan was dissimilar in many ways to the non-fire dependent eastern forests. The Bolle Report was correct about timbers inappropriate priority in management. Both of these led to a serious contradiction.

Limiting clearcuts to 40 acres flies in the face of scientific management when applied to large continuous even-aged stands. It also was counterproductive as advanced roading to meet harvest quotas was increased. Forty-acre clearcuts in uneven aged stands were likewise unscientific, but used to make the cut.

But if you were a sincere environmentalist, why would you cause such contradictions and ignore forest ecology? Reagan did the same to the USSR  destroy your ideological opponent economically.

No more clear cuts attracted a movement more rhetorical than practical. It created a dichotomy among neighbors with common concerns and complicated resolutions.

At the Coffee Cup in Hamilton is a mural of photographs taken around early 1900s of the Bitterroots Front Rang. Note the absence of trees. Those foothills are now covered with dense stands of bull pine.

People now build houses in the pines. Arnos research showed these areas burned every eight to 12 years. Complicating protection is the unpredictable influence of the side canyons. Knowledgeable and sincere environmentalists are likewise frustrated by those incised with rhetorical naivety in the search for solutions. In some, indeed today in many instances, logging is the answer.

 Rick Torre, Phillipsburg
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By Evelyn Milagros Rodriguez | (The Conversation) |  

Leer en espanol.

Some say Puerto Rico has the longest Christmas in the world.

Though much of Puerto Rico remains devastated by Hurricane Maria, people are preparing to celebrate the holidays.

Lorie Shaull/flickr, CC BY-SA



For Puerto Ricans, who are 85 percent Catholic, Christmas starts after Thanksgiving, continues through Christmas Day, and extends beyond Three Kings Day, on Jan. 6, with the octavitas  an eight-day street party that concludes in the St. Sebastian Festival in Old San Juan in mid-January. Christmas trees and decorations stay up for almost two months. The new year is greeted in noisy fashion, with street concerts and fireworks and guns fired celebratorily  albeit dangerously  into the air.

At least, thats the tradition in my country. This year everything is different. In September, hurricanes Irma and Maria both battered Puerto Rico, killing perhaps as many as a thousand people and destroying much of the island.

Three months later, most Puerto Ricans still contend with some combination of unsafe water, no electricity, blocked highways, broken bridges, lack of internet and food shortages. Some 600 people are still living in shelters.

Can Christmas survive this catastrophe?

Survival first

Im considering this question from my home in San Juan, the capital, where a Christmas miracle has occurred: Last week electricity was restored to parts of the neighborhood.

Currently, about 65 percent of the island has electrical power, and everyone else is constantly hunting for it.

But were also seeking another kind of power, I think  the strength to get through this national disaster.

Rural governments are still trying to tend to thousands of people left without water, electricity and medicine. Meanwhile, Gov. Ricardo Rosello is handling Puerto Ricos hurricane aftermath while also reckoning with the islands bankruptcy. Everyone has been working so hard for so long.

There are signs of desperation. Suicides and post-traumatic stress are a reality here now. It will be a long time before anything here starts to look normal again, and we know some things may never be the same.

At my job, as a special collections librarian at the University of Puerto Ricos Humacao campus, our team is working from a tent outside while the library gets a deep clean. The building that houses the library leaked during Maria, so it soon became mold-infested. We lost our reference collection completely, along with all the furniture and computer equipment.

For a while there, I thought maybe Christmas might be one more thing lost to Maria.



Milagros Rodriguez , Author provided



After the celebrations

Puerto Ricans, as it happens, are good at adversity. Its a legacy of our colonial history.

Either way, the countrys resilience is on full display this Christmas season. Despite the blackouts that still affect even places where powers been restored and the cold showers, we will have our holiday.

It may not be the longest Christmas in the world this year. And there may not be a lot of decorated trees, wreaths or parties. But in homes across the country people are roasting suckling pig right now, preparing blood sausages and stewing rice and peas.

We may have to cook over a charcoal fire, but to be sure: There will be bananas for our pasteles, meat-filled pastries served wrapped in a leaf.

Families hum along to holiday favorites  Navidad, a salsa tune by Jose Nogueras, and Los reyes no llegaron, a Christmas bolero by Victoria Sanabria  accompanied by the roar of generators.



NAVIDAD CON JOSE NOGUERAS -MEDLEY



Since my house has electricity, were stringing the Christmas lights and planning to party. Even in homes without power, thats sometimes the case. As I heard one caller say on the radio, Well turn on the Christmas lights even if it means plugging them into a generator.

At work, the library team hung a Three Wise Men-themed decoration on our temporary library tent.



M. Rodriguez , Author provided



Elsewhere, sadness is more tangible. By November, 100,000 Puerto Ricans had fled Hurricane Marias aftermath, a number that grows daily. Many families will be missing their loved ones this Christmas.

Tragedy unites us all right now. In some places  like Santa Isabel, on Puerto Ricos southern coast, and Moca, a town near Aguadilla  locals have decked out the main square, transforming storm debris into makeshift Christmas trees and wooden nativity scenes, all strung up with lights.

Such scenes reflect the national sentiment that not destruction, or terrible crisis management, or bankruptcy can take Christmas from Puerto Rico. Celebrating the holidays this year means feeling, if only for a moment, normal. Its a sign of survival.

Evelyn Milagros Rodriguez, Research, Reference and Special Collections Librarian, University of Puerto Rico  Humacao

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
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I am honored to be a member of the medical profession. Being a physician is a great job and a highly rewarding thing to do. One of the aspects that I like most, unlike so many other desk or number jobs, is that you can never go home in this line of work thinking that you havent done something good with your day (if you do, theres something seriously wrong).

The everyday interactions with patients and families, getting to know them, and using ones skills to serve them  are not only deeply rewarding, but also very humbling as well. Its those positive interactions that sustain me, even on the worst days. I have zero regrets becoming a physician, something which Ive also written about previously.

Having said all of this, its no secret theres an epidemic of physician burnout and job dissatisfaction out there. This is for a multitude of reasons, but everything ultimately boils down to a monumental loss of autonomy and independence among doctors, as theres been a dramatic shift of power and clout away from individual physicians, towards administrators and the business side of health care. Somewhere along the journey, we have lost our direction completely. Unfortunately, in many ways, we have nobody but ourselves to blame collectively, because for any large and respected group of people to surrender so much autonomy so quickly, a lack of strong leadership must always be a factor.

I am a huge fan of the broken windows theory of starting to get a grip of a problem. In the 1980s and early 1990s, New York was a city in terminal decline. Growing up in England, I knew many people who came back from trips to America telling us about how terrible and dirty the city was. Times Square was basically a no-go area full of aggressive panhandlers. It was a dangerous and scary place. Enter Mayor Giuliani in 1994, and the city underwent a rapid transformation. I understand that some aspects of what Mayor Giuliani did were viewed by (some) as controversial, but not wanting to get into politics, however, the results were unquestionable. The broken windows theory of turning around New York City went something like this: Heavily target the minor offenses first. Zero tolerance for broken windows, graffiti, and other things such as squeegee men who would aggressive approach you when your car was at a red light. So the philosophy goes: Clamp down on the small infringements, and the bigger things will take care of themselves.

The results of this clampdown for New York City were indisputable. By the time I first visited America in 1998, New York City being my first stop on a countrywide tour with my family, Manhattan had become one of the safest and most pleasant places in the country. There was a visible police presence on every street corner, and the city was immaculately clean. Whatever people say  drastic circumstances call for drastic actions. Even today, Manhattan is still one of the safest cities in America and tourists from all over the world give glowing accounts of their stay in the Big Apple (in fact, low-level crime is actually much lower than many European cities, including my home city of London). Thank you, Mayor Giuliani.

We all probably have our own personal experiences of how true the broken windows theory is, and its everyday applicability. Teaching children behavior is one such example, when not allowing major bad habits to flourish starts with forbidding the small things first. But lets get back to health care, because for positive change to occur, here are seven broken windows for physicians:

1. Completely reject the word, provider. I have written previously about the implications of the now universal use of the word provider, and also penned an open letter with the president of the American College of Physician Specialties, William Carbone, to all Medical Societies and Organizations. The word really has taken over, especially evident during the last decade. I am equally shocked by how new residents are being churned out of some of the most prestigious academic centers in the country (my experiences are with the ones in Boston), and are adopting the word so casually, happily describing themselves as providers on correspondence including their social media accounts. The business and marketing world really has done a number on us and have run rings around the medical profession. Unfortunately, physicians are also very naive as a group in understanding the immense power of words, and how not calling ourselves doctors or physicians anymore is extremely bad for our profession. I personally am okay with many other terms if a more encompassing one is required for certain correspondence, including clinician or practitioner  but provider is deliberately dehumanizing, and also in my view, an insult. If you refuse to use the word, and call people out on it, they will stop calling you one. It should be removed from all administrative correspondence including information technology systems.

2. Insist on a good physician lounge in your hospital. Its so much more than a physician lounge. It is a marker of professional respect and autonomy. This (very small) job perk has rapidly fallen away. I recently wrote an article on this, which went viral online, being shared over 20,000 times. Thats because it struck a chord with thousands of physicians who have seen it happen. Lobby for its return in the hospital where you work, and encourage physicians to use it again in their downtime  even for brief meetings.

3. Stand your ground with administrators. As much as hundreds of thousands of employed physicians across the country have a fraught and tense relationship with their administrations, lets be realistic: Administrators are very much needed in any organizational structure, and health care desperately needs good ones. However, if you sense that any directive is coming through which will interfere with, or be detrimental to frontline care, its crucial you sensibly and of course, diplomatically stand your ground. If you dont stick up for good health care and your patients, nobody else will.

4. Fix electronic health records. Almost every current study of physician job satisfaction and career burnout, lists the burden of cumbersome and clunky electronic medical records at or near top of the list of everyday frustrations. Its an issue that is almost invisible to bureaucrats and administrators, but no doctor went to medical school to spend the vast majority of their day filling out click boxes and typing out bloated notes for billing purposes. Most electronic medical record systems (and Ive worked with nearly all of them, and in my opinion they all suck) can be optimized in small ways to improve workflow and reduce the click burden. What it does require is relentless feedback to your hospital IT department to do so (remember the main vendor has no motivation whatsoever to improve things, because they have a monopoly once installed). Electronic medical records are one of the only examples of technology where the end-user is not the customer (imagine how bad the iPhone would be if it worked like that). The companies sell to administrations, so its up to physicians to be as vocal as they can.

5. Keep other physician perks. Being a physician is one of the most intense and grueling jobs one can have. Practicing medicine is not for the faint-hearted. Yes, everyone in health care works hard  but no profession should be actively losing things. Are other useful perks like car parking, a nice office, or cleaning services being taken away from you? Well, they shouldnt. What about the other useful workflow issues, like the transcription service, axed to save costs (now stuck with tremendous inefficiency, with what used to be a thorough, logical note dictated in five minutes, now becoming a series of tick boxes, typed sentences, and incoherent computer-generated mishmash)? It may take multiple emails, phone calls or face-to-face meetings, but you should insist on keeping job perks that a professional of your level of education and intelligence deserves. If the executives in your hospitals have reserved parking spots and secretaries to make their lives easier, there is no way that the physicians should not!

6. Collegiality. No profession is anything without collegiality. Its one of the reasons why the physician lounge issue is so important. Doctors need to see themselves again as a unified profession  not one that is fragmented where everyone is in their own little corner specialty. Get to know as many different specialties as you can, organize social events where all physicians can mingle, and talk to each other about how you can get things done. Along the same lines, the link between primary care and hospital-based specialists has been breached by the fact that primary doctors no longer come to the hospital (even as a hospital medicine doctor myself, I see immense drawbacks to this). We need to restore communication between all physicians, especially the primary care offices.

7. Professional respect. I am all for respecting everyone I work with, and health care is a team-based effort. But when it comes to a clinical situation, the physician is the leader of the team. Period. However, there are lots of ways in which Ive noticed physicians nowadays being treated much more as co-workers rather than as the team leaders they are (and to be fair, physicians also need to step up to the mark). One such example Ive noticed is that many colleagues in the hospital now immediately address doctors by their first name instead of doctor, Now, Im not someone that minds being called by my first name, and thankfully most people ask first  but I just find something inappropriate when someone in the hospital, who may actually be much younger than me (frequently also including administrators), walks up and calls me off the bat by my first name. Interestingly, I have heard feedback that this actually tends to happen much more to female than male doctors. Every physician has earned the title, and deserves to be addressed as such initially in the professional setting. Again, this is not to sound haughty  but most doctors will find anything else a bit uncomfortable and not protocol. The same for certain other professions  be it a university professor, airline pilot or even the military  titles are the norm of introduction until told otherwise.

These are just seven of many relatively low-hanging fruit scenarios that physicians can, on a daily basis, work towards making sure they retain their professional status. Most of them are free or with minimal associated cost. Remember, we are an ancient and noble profession, and being a doctor is very special. Its a privilege to use our education and skills to help people get better each and every day. If you want to advocate for the medical profession, deal with low-level stuff, and the rest will start to take care of itself. Of course, there are undoubtedly much bigger things than the five seemingly small things noted above: reimbursements, overwhelming bureaucracy and information technology  to name just a few. They will all have their time and place to be dealt with. But doctor, start fixing those broken windows first.

Suneel Dhand is an internal medicine physician and author. He is the founder, DocSpeak Communications and co-founder, DocsDox. He blogs at his self-titled site, Suneel Dhand.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Stuff reports:

The embattled Royal New Zealand Ballet will be asked to meet with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in the new year as dancers continue to exit, stage left.

Ardern, who holds the ministerial responsibility for Arts, Culture and Heritage, said she had become concerned about the lack of New Zealand dancers in the national ballet company and fewer local shows for New Zealands regions.

The biennial Tutus on Tour used to bring top quality ballet shows to almost 50 regional towns in New Zealand. But in 2018, Tutus will tour only seven regional towns  which ballet lovers say will create problems at the grassroots of ballet.
There are lingering questions regarding a recent visit to the United Arab Emirates by Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff, despite Cheong Wa Dae's explanations.



The opposition camp and some local media outlets have raised suspicions that the purpose of Im's visit to the UAE was to assuage concerns on a nuclear power plant project in the UAE following the Moon Jae-in administration's announcement of a nuclear phase-out policy.



Cheong Wa Dae has fanned controversy over Im's visit by going back and forth on its explanations regarding the purpose of the trip. At first, the presidential office said that Im had gone to the UAE to raise the morale of Korean troops deployed there. But that explanation carried little weight as Defense Minister Song Young-moo visited the troops in the region only a month ago.



Im's visit came just ahead of President Moon's Dec. 13 visit to China, his first since taking office. It is highly unusual for the chief of staff to be out of town while the President is getting ready for such an important diplomatic occasion. These circumstances led many to believe that Im had been tasked with an urgent mission during his UAE visit.



So far, Cheong Wa Dae has not provided a clear explanation of exactly what Im was up to in the UAE. When its initial explanation failed to subdue the controversy, the presidential office seemed to blame the previous Park Geun-hye administration. A Cheong Wa Dae official reportedly told the press that Im had visited the UAE as a special envoy of the President to work on issues that had strained bilateral issues during the Park presidency.



It is disappointing that Moons' Cheong Wa Dae is blaming the previous administration for problems that are happening now. Im dodged the National Assembly's request to appear for questioning. He should clearly explain why he was in the UAE to quell suspicions once and for all.






Australian police stand near a crashed vehicle after they arrested the driver of a vehicle that had ploughed into pedestrians at a crowded intersection near the Flinders Street train station in central Melbourne, Australia, December 21, 2017. / Reuters-Yonhap



By Park Si-soo



Three South Koreans, including a four-year-old boy, were seriously injured in an horrific car "attack" in Melbourne, Australia, according to local reports.

They were among 20 people struck by an SUV that ploughed into pedestrians crossing Flinders Street in central Melbourne on Thursday afternoon (local time), according to The Age, a local news website.

The driver, Saeed Noori, 32, was arrested at the scene. He appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday afternoon charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one of endangering life.

The court was told that the motive for the attack was still being investigated and further charges were being considered. Noori was remanded to appear again on Wednesday.

The three injured Koreans are relatives of a Korean family living in the Australian city. The South Korean consulate there has confirmed this and is helping their families.

Detailed information about the three is unknown. The injured also include nine travelers from Venezuela, India, China, Italy and Ireland.
Guwahati: Maj Gen MS Ghura, VSM, Commandant Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare (CIJW) School on Saturday said that, friendly ties between India and Myanmar have entered a new high with the arrival of the Myanmar Army Contingent at the elite Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare (CIJW) School, in Variegate of Mizoram on November 25.

The Myanmar contingent consists of 35 personnel, including five Officers.

During their stay of four weeks, the Myanmar Army Contingent was given extensive and tailor-made training on various Counter Insurgency aspects with special emphasis on Insurgency in North East India and Myanmar.

Experiences of Myanmar Army on combating insurgency was also discussed and best practices of both Armies shared.

During this period, there was also an exchange of delegations consisting of three Officers from Indian and four Officers from Myanmar visiting each others countries. The delegation from Myanmar visited the CIJW School on December 12-16, while that from Indian side on December 10-14.

The visit of the delegates and contingent were mutually beneficial and facilitated the two Armies of operating together to counter terror.

The contingent departed for Myanmar tomorrow.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
This Christmas, the aid agency, GOAL, marks its 40th anniversary. As the organisations longest serving member of staff and current Head of Programmes, Fiona Gannon, looks back on some of the highs and the lows from her own time with the organisation, from the Rwandan genocide in 1994 to the Ebola epidemic of 2014-2016.

"I joined GOAL in 1989. I had my first encounter with the founder of GOAL, John OShea, very soon after I joined. He was inspiring. There is no other word for it. When you meet people who are like that, who are visionary, who are leaders, they inspire others to follow them.

"Ive been very lucky to work with GOAL and an incredible team of people over the past 28 years but there have been certain milestones along the way that have been particularly challenging and inspiring in equal measure.

"In 1994, 800,000 people were killed during a genocide that lasted 100 days in Rwanda.

"One million people crossed the border into Goma in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) from Rwanda in one day, in fear of violent retribution for the genocide. When something like that happens, its impossible to explain what it looks like.

"I had been working with GOAL for five years when Rwanda happened. Just when you think you know everything around aid work, you find yourself dealing with a situation on a whole different level. GOAL was very quick to react and it became the largest response in our history up until that point. We moved into Goma, which is just over the border from Rwanda and set up a base there.

"Simple things like water and sanitation became a huge problem in the camps and very soon after the people arrived, a cholera epidemic broke out. Cholera is such a horrible illness. It can cause a sudden loss of fluid from a persons tissues, causing people to die very quickly. So, parents who would have been looking after their children in the morning would be dead by the afternoon. It was incredibly traumatic.

"Approximately 40,000 people died in the epidemic and GOAL staff organised the burial of bodies. No one knew how to handle death at that scale and I think it was one of the bravest things we had ever done.

"I stayed in Goma for nine months, probably too long. It was a harrowing, traumatic experience and it took time to recover from it. I saw and bore witness to things in Goma that I would not wish to see again, anywhere.

"Ten years later, on St Stephens Day, 2004, a devastating tsunami hit South-East Asia, killing about 230,000 people and making millions more homeless. GOAL deployed teams to Banda Aceh in Indonesia, and to Sri Lanka. Again, we got there very quickly. What was unusual about the tsunami was the scale of it, and the sheer numbers of people affected.

"Because it was so catastrophic and on such a scale, and because of all the footage that was broadcast at the time, the tsunami became a huge focus for the public. Everybody, from schoolchildren to grandmothers, seemed to stop, down tools and raise as much money as they could. GOAL received more than 20 million from the Irish public. That had never happened in our history before. It was extraordinary.

"Very quickly, we had to decide the best way to spend this money. We were told by the Sri Lankan government that if we really wanted to help, then we should rebuild the schools, and build them back better. So that is what we did. We built 64 schools. That we could do so was thanks to all the people around Ireland who donated money to GOAL.

"In recent years, I worked as part of GOALs response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. I led the GOAL team that staffed and managed a 15 million, 100-bed Ebola treatment unit.

"The scale of the Ebola outbreak was unprecedented, and GOALs work to contain it was a new departure for the organisation. In fact, it was the first time that GOAL had committed to running a treatment unit like that.

"Considering the dangers involved at the time, Sierra Leone was an incredibly difficult place for the staff to work. I remain tremendously proud of the speed, professionalism and effectiveness with which all our GOAL staff met the challenge.

"Today we are working in Sierra Leone with Johnson & Johnson and the London School for Tropical Medicine to develop an Ebola vaccine. Should we be successful in our efforts, every person in Sierra Leone will be offered the vaccine free of charge. That would be an enduring legacy for GOAL in a country with one of the worlds most fragile health systems.

"With crises still happening right across the world, from conflict in Syria and South Sudan to drought in East Africa, it is sometimes hard to fully appreciate that we do make a difference to peoples lives. But after working with GOAL for almost 30 years, I know that we do. And I still see a cause for optimism. While there are still very marginalised and very poor people in need of support, so much is improving.

"Someone asked me recently how I define success as an aid worker. I told them that success to me is when we leave. That GOAL is no longer required. In other words, when the local people turn around and say: thank you, we can now do this ourselves.

"I hope someday that organisations like GOAL will be required less and less." - Fiona Gannon, GOALs Head of Programmes
Astonishing Earth

(Image credit: NASA)

For thousands of years, people have been studying planet Earth, and yet it continues to astonish us. Apart from being our home, Earth is the only world that we know of that supports any form of life. Its atmosphere and geology are dynamic and ever-changing. It has abundant liquid water, breathable air, and myriad ecosystems, some of which are lethal to all but the specially-adapted organisms that inhabit them.

In many ways, Earth's composition, structure and processes are understood and familiar. But there is still much about it that we are learning for the first time, and over the past year, scientists discovered many new and exciting secrets about our weird and wonderful planet.

Here are some of the most unexpected and unusual things we learned about Earth in 2017.

Hum a few bars

(Image credit: NASA)

You can't hear it, but Earth hums." It produces a perpetual, low-frequency drone, caused by the vibrations of ongoing, subtle microseismic movements that are not earthquakes and are too small to be detected without special equipment.

While scientists already knew about this persistent hum, they recently measured it from the ocean floor for the first time. Researchers traveled to the Indian Ocean, and over 11 months they captured the sound of the planetary vibration, known as "free oscillation." They found recurring peaks that occurred at several frequencies between 2.9 and 4.5 millihertz  about 10,000 times lower than the human hearing threshold, which is 20 hertz.

Hot rock "blob"

(Image credit: Vadim Levin/Rutgers University-New Brunswick)

From a geological perspective, not much has changed in the continental rock of North America's eastern coast for about 200 million years  other than normal wear caused by erosion from wind, water and glacial movements.

But when scientists peered beneath the continent's rocky layers in a special project that deployed thousands of seismic detectors, they discovered something entirely unexpected under an area in the northeastern coast of the United States  a "blob" of rising, molten rock in Earth's upper mantle, located about 121 miles (195 kilometers) below the surface.

While it is unknown what caused the hot blob  or if the formation of such structures is common under continents and oceans  its small size and high temperature led scientists to estimate that it formed relatively recently, and is likely tens of millions of years old.

Magma plume

(Image credit: NSF/Zina Deretsky)

About 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) under Antarctica's frozen surface, the icy continent hides a red-hot secret  a column of magma, pushing toward the surface.

A dome-shaped bulge in the crust under West Antarctica's Marie Byrd Land hinted that something might be brewing under the ice sheet. Scientists built a computer model to analyze the melting and freezing of ice in the region over time, using data gathered by NASA satellites. They discovered a magma plume estimated to be as much as 110 million years old, shooting 150 milliwatts per square meter (or about 11 square feet) of heat up to the surface.

100 secret volcanoes

(Image credit: Dylan Taylor/NASA JPL)

Under the West Antarctic Rift System in Antarctica lie 138 volcanoes that were recently mapped in a remote survey, and 91 of them were new to scientists.

The researcher who led the investigation became intrigued with Antarctica's volcanic history during his undergraduate studies. For the investigation, he and his colleagues used satellite data, aerial surveys, and radar data that peered deep below Antarctica's surface ice, identifying 91 locations with evidence of volcanic rock, a signature of volcanic activity from known volcanoes in that region.

Though it is not yet known how many of the hidden volcanoes are still active, prior studies show that Antarctica was overall more volcanically active in the past, during Earth's warmer periods. As arctic ice thins due to climate change, volcanoes that have been long inactive may awaken from their slumber, the scientists said in a statement.

Ancient underwater eruptions

(Image credit: K. Andreassen/CAGE)

Over 11,000 years ago, massive eruptions of frozen methane gas under the Arctic seafloor created enormous craters as wide as 12 city blocks, according to scientists who recently mapped the craters in detail for the first time.

They found that there were many more craters than previously suspected, with thousands of smaller pits alongside more than 100 of the biggest ones, likely formed as retreating ice sheets destabilized reservoirs of frozen gas.

Studying these craters could help scientists better understand the role that methane might play in our warming world, and could assist in the prediction of similar disruptive events under Antarctica's ice sheets, according to the researchers.

Massive undersea landslide

(Image credit: USGS/HVO)

Researchers creating a 3D map of the seafloor near a section of Australia's Great Barrier Reef discovered evidence of an enormous undersea landslide that took place around 300,000 years ago, tumbling vast amounts of rocky debris down the reef and generating a tsunami that towered about 90 feet (27 meters) high.

Sonar scans of the reef revealed eight towering structures on the seafloor of the Queensland Trough  an area that was expected to be flat  hinting to the scientists that they had been deposited by a cataclysmic event that caused a massive disruption in the sediment.

The amount of rubble produced by the landslide was estimated at about 7.6 cubic miles (32 cubic kilometers), a volume about 12,000 times that of the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the landslide was likely triggered by a powerful earthquake.

Primeval reservoirs

(Image credit: WHOI Geodynamics program)

Rocky specks from Earth's infancy are carried by lava flows that originate in dense reservoirs under the planet's crust, scientists discovered. These primordial particles date to 4.5 billion years ago, when Earth formed as a series of smaller rocky bodies colliding in the newborn solar system.

Decades earlier, researchers had detected ratios between helium isotopes in certain lava samples that did not correspond with expected ratios in the rock around it. Rather, that ratio's closer analogue was older planetary "building blocks," dating to Earth's formation, about 50 million years after the youthful plane took shape, the study authors explained.

They traveled around the world to sample 38 volcanic hotspots, and discovered that only the highest-temperature lava flows contained this unusual helium ratio, suggesting that these hottest hotspots were drawing their lava from the mantle's most buoyant plumes, which were able to draw lava from dense reservoirs lying at the boundary between Earth's mantle and core, where primeval rocky particles have survived for billions of years.

Ancient geomagnetic field spike

(Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

Pottery that was fired thousands of years ago in the Middle East's ancient kingdom of Judah  a region encompassing what is now Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and other nearby areas  retains evidence of an impressive spike in Earth's geomagnetic field.

By baking the clay to make jugs, the people of Judah sealed hints about the geomagnetic field into the clay's minerals. Meanwhile, dates that were stamped into the pottery enabled researchers to link geomagnetic fluctuations to specific time periods.

They learned that 2,500 years ago, during the late eighth century B.C., Earth's geomagnetic field was briefly 2.5 times stronger than it is currently. Evidence of other significant fluctuations suggested that not only could intense magnetic field changes take place, but also that they could wax and wane far more quickly than previously suspected.

The "eighth continent"

(Image credit: IODP)

New Zealand, New Caledonia, and several other nearby islands dotting the Pacific Ocean are actually the visible tips of a mostly-submerged eighth continent, according to geologists.

Dubbed Zealandia, the continent is estimated to be about 1.8 million square miles (4.9 million square kilometers), slightly larger than India.

Zealandia emerged about 85 million years ago after the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana. As Gondwana fractured, the land mass now identified as Zealandia "got stretched," according to researchers. The stretching thinned out the newborn continent's crust and caused it to sink.

Huge under-ice valleys

(Image credit: Michael Studinger/NASA)

Recently, scientists mapped a network of enormous valleys running below Antarctica's glacial sheets. The valleys channel warm ocean water under the frozen continent's glaciers and melt away ice from below, accelerating the glaciers' retreat.

The depths of the valleys far exceeded previous estimates, surprising scientists. Valleys underneath the Crosson and Dotson ice shelves originated at 3,930 feet (1,200 meters) below the ice, sloping upward to terminate about 1,640 feet (500 m) beneath Crosson and approximately 2,460 feet (750 m) beneath Dotson.

Researchers discovered the valleys by analyzing Antarctica's topography, taking measurements of ice motion, and incorporating data from NASA's Operation IceBridge mission, which monitors sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets from the air.
A heel spur is a condition where a calcium deposit grows between the heel and arch of the foot. What are the symptoms of heels spurs and what increases a persons risk of developing them? Heels spurs may happen independently or may be related to an underlying health condition. People often assume that heels spurs are the cause of any pain in the heel, but other factors can also cause heel pain. This article explores the symptoms of heel spurs, as well as other causes of heel pain. It also discusses the causes, risk factors, and treatments for the condition.

What is a heel spur? Share on Pinterest Symptoms of heel spurs may include heat radiating from the affected area, a dull ache in the heel, and a sharp pain in the heel when standing. A heel spur is a bony outgrowth that can occur on the underside of a persons foot. They are also known as calcaneal spurs or osteophytes. Heel spurs may be pointy, hooked, or shelf-like. The outgrowth of a heel spur extends from the underneath of the heel towards the arch (the middle of the foot). This area of the foot is called the plantar fascia. When seen on an X-ray, a heel spur may be up to half an inch long. If an X-ray is unable to confirm a suspected heel spur, a doctor may refer to the condition as heel spur syndrome.

Symptoms Symptoms of heel spurs can include: sharp pain like a knife in the heel when standing up in the morning

a dull ache in the heel throughout the rest of the day

inflammation and swelling at the front of the heel

heat radiating from the affected area

small, visible bone-like protrusion under the heel

point of tenderness at the bottom of the heel that makes it hard to walk barefoot If a person experiences these symptoms, a doctor may take an X-ray of their foot to determine the problem. Seeing the protrusion on an X-ray is the only way to be sure a person has heel spurs. Not everyone with a heel spur will experience all of these symptoms. Some people with heel spurs may experience no symptoms at all. These people may only discover they have heel spurs if they have an X-ray for another reason.

Causes Heel spurs happen when long-term muscle and ligament strain wears out the soft tissues in the heel. Tearing the membrane that covers the heel bone is also a cause. The heel can also become more vulnerable with age. A 2015 review of heel pain noted that as a person ages, the pads in the heel wear down and fail to provide shock absorption. Over time, calcium deposits can build up under the heel. These deposits form bony protrusions, which are heel spurs.

Risk factors Share on Pinterest

Risk factors for heel spurs may include athletic activities such as running and jumping. There is a range of things that increase the risk of developing heel spurs. These include: Athletic activities : Running and jumping can wear down the heel and arch of the foot.

: Running and jumping can wear down the heel and arch of the foot. Activity on hard surfaces : Frequently walking, running, or jumping on hard surfaces can wear down the heel.

: Frequently walking, running, or jumping on hard surfaces can wear down the heel. Trauma to the heel : Bruising the heel and tearing the membrane that covers it can lead to heel spurs.

: Bruising the heel and tearing the membrane that covers it can lead to heel spurs. Getting older : A 2008 study found heel spurs to be common in older men and women.

: A found heel spurs to be common in older men and women. Being female : A 2014 study found that heel spurs are more common in women than men.

: A found that heel spurs are more common in women than men. Being overweight : Researchers also found that heel spurs were related to obesity.

: also found that heel spurs were related to obesity. Improper footwear: Frequently wearing shoes that do not fit properly, have lost their support, or are not supportive, such as flip-flops, can lead to heel spurs. There are also some underlying medical conditions that may cause heel spurs. These include: reactive arthritis (Reiters disease)

ankylosing spondylitis

diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

plantar fasciitis

Heel spurs vs. plantar fasciitis Heel spurs are often confused with a condition called plantar fasciitis. Having plantar fasciitis increases a persons risk of developing heel spurs. Heel spurs often occur in people who already have plantar fasciitis. Up to 15 percent of people with foot symptoms that require medical attention have plantar fasciitis. There are important distinctions between heels spurs and plantar fasciitis. A heel spur is a calcium deposit that forms a bony protrusion along the plantar fascia. In contrast, plantar fasciitis is a condition where the plantar fascia gets irritated and swollen, which causes pain in the heel. Doctors often describe the plantar fascia as a bowstring-like tissue. It stretches underneath the sole and attaches to the heel. Plantar fasciitis results from an unusual amount of force on this part of the foot. Possible causes of significant force include: being obese

walking or otherwise exercising the foot for a very long time

wearing shoes that do not support the arch of the foot Having diabetes is also a risk factor for plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis usually goes away without treatment. Heel spurs, on the other hand, are permanent unless medically treated.

Treatment Share on Pinterest Resting the feet may help to reduce the swelling and pain of heel spurs. Treatments for heel spurs may include: Rest : Getting plenty of rest and taking pressure off the feet can help to reduce pain and swelling in the affected area.

: Getting plenty of rest and taking pressure off the feet can help to reduce pain and swelling in the affected area. Applying ice : This can help reduce pain and swelling.

: This can help reduce pain and swelling. Using custom-made orthotics (shoe inserts) : These donut-shaped inserts go inside the shoe to take the pressure off the heel.

: These donut-shaped inserts go inside the shoe to take the pressure off the heel. Wearing cushioned sports shoes : These may also help to relieve pressure and reduce pain.

: These may also help to relieve pressure and reduce pain. Anti-inflammatory medication : This helps to reduce swelling.

: This helps to reduce swelling. Cortisone injections : These reduce swelling and pain in the affected area. They are a stronger option if over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication is not effective.

: These reduce swelling and pain in the affected area. They are a stronger option if over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication is not effective. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the heel spur. However, the above treatments are usually effective, and surgery is not needed. If heel spurs are caused by an inflammatory type of arthritis, treatments for the underlying condition may also improve symptoms.
The 65 percent figure given for power restoration in Puerto Rico could be misleading by failing to measure how much electricity is actually reaching customers, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

The estimate by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority [PREPA] that nearly two-thirds of the grid was back on line only accounted for the amount of power being generated, but Hurricane Maria destroyed PREPAs ability to gauge how much of that power was reaching homes, Corps officials said.

They have not been able to get their system back on line to measure customer count, Col. John Lloyd, the Army Corps commander in charge of power restoration, said in a teleconference from Puerto Rico Wednesday.

So we measure things in, you know, lines -- how many lines were getting up -- and that load measurement is, right now, the best we can do to give us an idea of how well the grid is doing, Lloyd said.

There is a long way to go in restoring power and in the overall recovery mission, said Brig. Gen. Diana Holland, commander of the Corps South Atlantic Division.

The mission on Puerto Rico, which was dealt a glancing blow by Hurricane Irma and then took a direct hit from Hurricane Maria, has already surpassed every other post-hurricane experience in our history, Holland said.

Holland estimated that 95 percent of the island could have power by late February or early March but the folks at the end of the line in remote areas might not have electricity until May.

Holland said the Corps currently has about 4,300 people working on the island -- 800 Corps employees and 3,500 contractors.

The Corps employees were all volunteers and they come for 30, 60, or 90 days and they work seven days a week for the duration of their tour, Holland said.

In addition to power restoration, much of the Corps work has been in debris removal and in providing temporary roofs known as blue tops.

Its a human problem and for us every day that goes by that they dont get lights on, every day that goes by that we dont have a blue roof, just motivates us to keep going because we know theres a family that isnt back to normal, that hasnt had their lives restored, she said.

Weve installed 23,000 thousand blue roofs out of a projected total of 75,000 required, Holland said. Weve installed over 900 generators in support of hospitals, water facilities, and other critical infrastructure.

By comparison, we installed under 50 generators in Florida following Irma. And in fact, 900 generators is more than we installed after Hurricanes Sandy, Rita, and Katrina combined, and we expect to perhaps install another 400, Holland said.

At the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Corps was overseeing power restoration because the magnitude of the damage combined with the already unstable condition of the electrical grid before the storm was too much for the power utility to handle on its own, she said.

Holland stressed that her mission was limited to emergency repairs to the grid. Rebuilding the grid will require an additional authorization from Congress and a lot more time, she said.

An $81 billion disaster relief bill, about double what President Donald Trump initially requested, has stalled in Congress and likely wont be taken up until January.

The remarks of the Corps officials contrasted with those of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Dr. Ben Carson, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who visited Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Carson said he was surprised at the progress. "You know, interestingly enough from the reports that I had gotten, I had no idea that we had moved this far along," Carson told FEMA staff at the Joint Field Operations Center near San Juan.

I'm extremely impressed with the progress that's been made. It's better than what I had heard previously," Carson said.

"This has been a tough [hurricane] season," Nielsen said. "We're six, seven months away from the next season, so we'll continue to work on preparedness while you continue the work you're doing here on recovery."

Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com
KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that consensus and collaboration were necessary among political parties for the National Assembly formation.

During a meeting with Federal Socialist Forum Nepal leaders Upendra Yadav and Rajendra Shrestha at the Presidents Office, Sheetal Niwas, President Bhandari urged the political parties to forge consensus for National Assembly election in accordance with constitution and law.

There is no other alternative for parties than come together for National Assembly election, said President Bhandari according to Communication Expert at the Office of the President, Madhav Sharma.

No consensus has been forged among political regarding National Assembly Election ordinance.

Earlier on Friday, President Bhandari had held discussion with top leaders of Nepali Congress including Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.RSS
North Korea on Sunday condemned the latest U.N. sanctions as "an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade" and threatened to "punish those who support the measure."

The response follows a unanimous vote Friday by the U.N. Security Council for tougher measures against Kim Jong Un's regime for its November test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

With the resolution, the U.N. aims to limit North Korea's access to refined petroleum products and crude oil. In addition, the U.S.-backed resolution threatens to impose further restrictions if North Korea conducts another nuclear test or launches another ICBM, Reuters reported.

North Korea responded with a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency: "We define this 'sanctions resolution' rigged up by the U.S. 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.'"

After the country's latest ICBM test Nov. 29, Kim declared the country's nuclear force to be complete, and boasted of having all of the U.S. mainland within range.

But North Korea's foreign ministry insisted that the weapons were for self-defense and were not in violation of international law. However, North Korea has been pursuing its nuclear and missile programs for years in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been critical of China -- North Korea's biggest trading partner -- for not playing a bigger role in easing tensions. China has preferred to address North Korea with more measured solutions.

China said that the latest U.N. resolution highlights the need for a diplomatic solution to reduce tensions. A state-run tabloid in China suggested that the U.S. had pushed for even harsher sanctions, and that there was no way the U.N. would allow the U.S. to pursue military action on the Korean Peninsula.

"The difference between the new resolution and the original U.S. proposal," the tabloid said in an editorial, "reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean Peninsula. If the U.S. proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable."
Free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon would consider signing a minor league contract with one team  the Mets  Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (Twitter link). It could be a moot point, though, as the Mets have only shown minimal interest in Colon this winter, per Puma.

Theres already plenty of familiarity between Colon and the Mets, of course, as he pitched for the club from 2014-16 and emerged as a beloved member of the team during that stretch. Colon threw between 191 2/3 and 202 1/3 innings in each of those seasons and combined for a 3.90 ERA, 6.34 K/9 and 1.31 BB/9.

Colon parlayed his late-career success as a Met into a $12.5MM guarantee with the NL East rival Braves last winter, but his short tenure in Atlanta was disastrous, leading the club to release him in July. Colon finished the year with the playoff-bound Twins on a minors deal and performed better than he did with the Braves, but his results still werent appealing. All told, Colons age-44 season saw him post a 6.48 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 across 143 innings (28 starts).

Now, given that hes set to turn 45 in May and is coming off a dreadful season, a major league deal could be difficult to come by for Colon this winter. Still, Colon is looking to play one more season, which would be his 21st. With 240 victories, Colon is within striking distance of passing Juan Marichal (243) for most wins by a Dominican-born pitcher. While it would make for a nice story to see him accomplish that feat in a Mets uniform, it doesnt appear likely the two sides will reunite.
I too could have chosen to hide my identity and write under names such as Avea Nsoh, Ahmed Jinapor, Vincent Adhzalie Mensah etc., like the 'stomach direction' Professor at UEW, who hails from the Upper East Region, and has chosen the pseudo name, Victor K. Owusu.

I expect some blind followers of Prof. Avoke to sue me because they have patented their names and hold exclusive copyright to those names.

Prof. Victor K. Owusu and his team being used as a mouthpiece by the beleaguered officials of UEW, foolishly believe that same applies to me. I am NOT rich, and even if I was to be sleeping rough out there on the streets, apart from Allah, no one would have been able to persuade me with monetary or any other reward, to support their cause.

At the first UTAG UEW meeting that was convened a few days after the injunction application of Supi Kwayera was granted by the Winneba High Court, I wasn't given enough time by the then UTAG UEW President (Dr. Bekoe) to respond to the twisted facts put out by him. Dr. Bekoe, wasted over an hour to misrepresent the real facts as is his trait, to the august assembly.

The beleaguered VC, Prof. Avoke, stooped to the lowest ebb by attending that particular meeting. If he had expected his presence to stop some of us from speaking our minds, then it was a sad miscalculation. He wasn't expected to be there, and so I never saw him, and didn't see him leave the meeting after I had spoken.

An objective individual would see from the above that it was an attempt by Dr. Bekoe to spew out outright concocted lies cooked in the kitchen of Prof. Avoke and Ackorlie, that gave birth to individuals like me taking it upon ourselves to counter the misinformation of Dr. Bekoe that he is globally acclaimed for.

I could have simply answered Prof. Victor K. Owusu that if it is against the laws of Ghana for someone to be used to counter the arguments of both some nation looters and their paid agents, he should sue me. However, for the benefit of right thinking members of society (Prof. Avoke and his paid 'assassins', definitely not right thinking members of society), I have to offer the above explanation.

Prof. Victor K. Owusu, if there is nothing wrong with you fronting for the alleged nation looters, then what is wrong with Supi Kwayera fronting for Honourable Afenyo Markin?

Prof. Victor K. Owusu claim that the "Supreme Court of Ghana granted all the reliefs in a certiorari application by UTAG-UEW (Dr. Bekoe)", is falsehood at its highest!

In the words of the Supreme Court, "....it was setting aside the 1st Interested Party (Supi Kwayera) originating motion filed on the 23/05/2017 with liberty to him to issue a writ of summons to have his grievances redressed". The Supreme Court went further to state: in coming to this conclusion we are not without sympathy for the 1st Interested Party who, apparently out of public spiritedness, wants the right thing to be done".

Prof. Victor K. Owusu of UEW Ajumaku campus, might have a problem grasping basic English as used by the Supreme Court above.

To start with, it was the originating motion that was set aside, with liberty for the 1st Interested Party, Supi Kwayera to file a fresh case via a writ of summons.

Among some of the reliefs sought by UTAG UEW at the Supreme Court was the argument that Supi Kwayera had no locus standi! Was this granted? NO!

The Supreme Court pronounced that Supi Kwayera is at liberty to file his case at the High Court, Winneba, via writ of summons instead of an originating motion.

The above position of the Supreme Court provides a second pointer with regard to the argument of the supposed UTAG UEW that the High Court, Winneba, had no jurisdiction to entertain Supi Kwayera's suit. Supi Kwayera is at liberty to file his case at the High Court, Winneba, via a writ of summons. This provides an answer that the High Court, Winneba, is clothed with the necessary jurisdiction to hear Supi Kwayera's suit against UEW, the Ministry of Education and Others.

It is interesting to note that the Supreme Court did not miss the standpoint of Supi Kwayera, that is, "...out of public spiritedness, he wants the right thing to be done". Those who understand English will not fail to see the import of this statement.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court made it succinctly clear that: "before we rest this delivery, we noticed among the processes filed before us, a letter from the new Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Education, Winneba, announcing its due constitution in accordance with the provisions of Act 672. Since this case is about the governance of the university, we say for the avoidance of doubt that our decision does not affect whatever the newly constituted governing council has done".

The above quotation was specifically put in the judgement to avoid a situation where individuals with difficulty of reading basic English and imbued with mischief might have put out a different interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling.

A certain Ackorlie was sitting in Court that day, sending messages out thanking his equally myopic followers that he had won the case. It is not surprising, even the NDC John Mahama is still in the "commanding lead" over the NPP's Nana Akuffo Addo in the 2016 general elections!

I was expecting to see Prof. Avoke and his Finance Officer, back in office after the Supreme Court ruling, but unfortunately, they didn't turn up.

In much the same way that John Mahama was in the "commanding lead" but is nowhere near the seat of government after the 2016 general elections, so also did Ackorlie insanely believe that he won the Supreme Court case, and yet could not muster the courage to return to his office with his poodle of a VC. I thought Ackorlie was a man? Return to your office if you are a man!

Apart from the appointments of the beleaguered VC of UEW, Prof. Avoke and his 'money making machine' (Ackorlie), that Prof. Victor K. Owusu of UEW Ajumaku campus sees to be 'legitimate', all other appointments, including the appointment of Prof. Abaka as the Council Chairman of UEW by the President of the Republic, Nana Akuffo Addo; the appointment of Rev. Fr. Prof. Afful-Broni as Acting VC of UEW; and all the other appointments made by the Acting VC, are without due process in the eyes of Prof. Victor K. Owusu.

If not a 'waawa'; 'taakalmi'; 'mutum banza'; wanda beida bukaata'; (hausa acronyms), why is Prof. Victor K. Owusu not going to court to set aside the appointments of the Council Chairman, the Acting VC, including the President of the Republic's appointment of the 4 nominees on the UEW governing council, and all the other appointments that he claims are without legal basis?

Yes, a 'common akpeteshie seller' has been able to get your so-called clean Prof. Avoke out of office as VC of UEW, and you are not going to court to get the appointment of the Acting VC quashed with all the evidence at your disposal? Prof. Victor K. Owusu, don't you see how pitiful you and your Adhzalie, Jinapor and Bekoe are?

I stand by my statement that the beleaguered officials of UEW will end up in jail. I read my law nowhere. I wish Prof. Victor K. Owusu to drag me to court for not having even attended class one and yet, been appointed Coordinator of General Courses at UEW Business School. I have taken after my dad and mum, both of whom never stepped foot in a classroom. Am yearning for Prof. Victor K. Owusu to sue me!

If a contract is diabolically awarded to Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), based on a sham Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and cheques are later written in the format: Ghana Highway Authority/Lamas Ltd., and paid into Lamas' account, who are the beleaguered UEW officials attempting to fool? They think they are the only clever individuals? All such contracts are void abnitio, and all officials involved in the award of those contracts, should be told in no uncertain terms that a court of law in the not too distant future, will change their sleeping environment to one similar to what pertains at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, Insha Allah!

The defence of Prof. Avoke that he had nothing to do with those contracts, is bogus! Prof. Avoke signed PVs and cheques in respect of those contracts, so he is neck deep in shit.

Alhassan Salifu Bawah

(son of a peasant farmer)
Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Kanra Nunu Dauda has emerged the winner of the maiden edition of a two-day annual exercise dubbed: 'Master Commando' competition organised by the 64 Infantry Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The exercise, which covered a distance of 60 kilometres walk from Gondar Barracks (Burma Camp) to Asutsuare Training Camp, tested personnel of the Unit (64 Infantry Regiment) on leadership, endurance, offensive tactical operations, obstacle crossing, navigation, search and rescue and shooting skill amongst others.

L/Cpl Dauda triumphed over 21 men and two females who participated in the exercise to claim the bragging right as the 'Master Commando 2018' of the Unit and would be celebrated in the entire year of 2018 with his banner displayed at the Unit Headquarters.

L/Cpl Dauda for his reward received a cash prize of GH2,000, a plaque, certificate, brand new uniform, special sash and would participate in a Special Forces training in India.

Additionally, he would also enjoy a fully sponsored safari trip to Kenya and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Second Lieutenant Peter Kodjo Dawaye emerged second and received a cash reward of GH1,500, a plaque, certificate, brand new uniform, unit medallion and would participate in a Special Forces training in India.

Private Charles Sedjo emerged third and received a cash award of GH1,000, a plaque, certificate, brand new uniform, unit medallion and would participate in a Special Forces training in India.

Brigadier General Dan Mishio (Rtd), former Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Regiment who was the guest of honour congratulated the military personnel for their hard work and endurance during the competition and urged them to keep it on for the years ahead.

Brigadier General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the General Officer Commanding, Southern Command commended the out-gone and presenting commanding officers of the Unit for initiating the competition to determine the fittest personnel of the Unit and set the required standard for the Unit.

Lieutenant Colonel John Danso-Ankrah, a Directing Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College said the exercise would enhance the capabilities of the soldiers and help to promote esprit de corps among the soldiers of the Unit.

Lieutenant Colonel Fiifi Deegbe, the Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Regiment said in subsequent years other specialities such as paragliding, target demolition and armed combat would be introduced as part of the exercise.

L/Cpl Dauda in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) expressed gratitude to God for the success adding that ''endurance and staying focus was the key to achieve anything in life''.

Private Augustina Oforiwaa and Private Rebecca Gyan Borzah, the two female who participated in the exercise were also awarded with GH 500 each and would equally enjoy a fully paid safari trip to Kenya and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

GNA

By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

Mr. Joshua Agudah, leading member of the Tema East National Democratic Congress has stated that the names making rounds for a Presidential slot in their party were all winnable candidates for 2020 elections.

'If it were permissible, I would have urged NDC to cast lots to select our next flagbearer for 2020 - the list is too rich to vote to select one among the lot,' Mr Agudah added.

According to him, every single one of the names that had come up so far richly deserves to be flagbearer.

Mr Agudah who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the future of the NDC said the names making the rounds are; Rt. Honourable Doe Adjaho, immediate past Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ekwow Spio Gabrah, immediate past Minister for Trade and Sylvester Mensah, immediate past Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Others, he said are; Professor Joshua Alabi, immediate past Rector for University of Professional Studies (UPS), Mr Goosie Tanoh, respected Parliamentarian, Mr Alban Bagbin and former President Mahama.

'It is an understatement to call the list a galaxy of stars, I call it an assemblage of political titans. It will be very difficult for me, personally to choose just one out of all these titans to lead us into 2020,' Mr. Agudah said.

He said with Ex-President Mahama having already gotten his shot at the Presidency, both as Vice President and President, it was initially believed that he was going to give way for others to assume the mantle of leadership of the NDC into 2020.

'However, the body language of the former President indicates he might still be interested in a comeback, with some people, including; Ekwow Spio Gabrah publicly stating that they will only contest if he does not make a comeback.'

Mr Joshua Agudah said the sheer cachet of all the materials available to the NDC makes it impossible for him to pitch camp.

'All the possible aspirants are also foundation members of our party and I have tremendous respect for all of them and so I don't know how I am going to vote if the time comes for us to cast ballots.

'I probably will just wait and then throw my weight behind the one that emerges to lead us,' Mr Agudah said.

He said the NDC was winning back power in 2020 as all signs were all over the place that Ghanaians were getting disappointed.

GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

A new report says that Africa made slow progress in reducing poverty and inequality owing to limited decent employment opportunities and weak social insurance mechanisms.

It called for a harmonized and integrated approach to Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030, as well as for African governments to tackle inequality and this should be done in tandem.

The report titled '2017 Africa Sustainable Development Report: Tracking Progress on Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development' was launched jointly by the African Development Bank (AfDB), African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for African (ECA), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

It was launched during the 12th African Economic Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme 'Governance for Structural Transformation'.

In his keynote address during the launch, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu, Economic Advisor to the President of Nigeria, noted that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require Africa to accelerate her gains in overcoming extreme poverty, reducing inequality and increasing strategic investments in agriculture.

'Positive strides have been made in Africa, but more still needs to be done. It is clear that Africa needs to focus on reducing inequality and eradicate extreme poverty. This can be achieved by increasing incomes made by household farmers, strengthening infrastructural development and promoting trade,' he said.

In his discussion of the report's findings, Allan Mukungu of ECA, noted that agricultural added value on the continent is rising at a slow pace due to limited irrigation coverage and declining investments in the sector.

'Rising food insecurity and undernourishment are a big concern, considering that 355 million in Africa were moderately or severely food insecure in 2015,' he said.

Agriculture production in Africa is rising but remains below the global average. Therefore, improving agriculture production is vital to addressing food security on the continent.

Bartholomew Armah, Chief, Renewal of Planning Section, ECA, said strengthening capacity and systems for data gathering and management are vital in the fight for Africa's move towards the realization of the MDGs.

'For timely policy decisions and adequate comparison within and between countries in Africa, the national statistics institutions in each country on the continent requires a stronger capability to collect and analyze data on the economic, social and political issues affecting the population,' he said.

'It is important to generate data for baselines and to continuously assess the impact of policies, and trends in poverty, trade, employment, health, gender equality, agriculture and so on.'

Semia Guermas de Tapia of ECA said the successful implementation of the both Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 requires strengthened public institutions for a coordinated approach at solving the problems facing the continent.

'The role of stronger and capable institutions cannot be emphasized enough; it is key for long-term planning and policy coordination, as well as important in identifying gaps and challenges that affect the pace of advancement,' he said.

As the first comprehensive appraisal of its kind since the adoption of Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, the new report acknowledges the region's significant progress in increasing agricultural value up by 9 per cent.

It also shows that Africa made strides in reducing child and maternal mortality, although it is still high compared to other regions, and HIV infection fell by 62 percent between 2000 and 2015.

The report draws attention to the low agricultural value in Sub-Saharan Africa, recorded at only 62 percent of the world average, while only 5 per cent of agricultural land is irrigated, compared to 41 per cent in Asia and 21 per cent globally.

GNA

By Maxwell Awumah, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

The United States Agency for International Development has handed over four Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds to the Ketu North and South Districts in the Volta Region.

The facilities, built in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and the Korea International Development Agency (KOICA), formed part of USAID'S Systems for Health project.

The CHPS zones have clinical and residential units, with water, power and incinerator installations and are located at Lotakor, and Glitame in the Ketu South Municipality, and Kasu, and Klenormadi in the Ketu North District.

A press release made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said more CHPS compounds were under construction in other parts of the Volta and the Northern regions to improve health delivery, with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition.

Madam Sharon L. Cromer, USAID Ghana Mission Director, at a durbar at Lotakor to commission the facilities, said USAID partnership with the MOH and other stakeholders have improved access to quality services and also reduced preventable child and maternal deaths.

She expressed gratitude to the communities for their collaboration adding that interventions driven by local communities could improve the health system and "ultimately move Ghana towards its vision of self-reliance".

Madam Cromer said the CHPS zones would end the dilemma of pregnant women being transported on motorbikes over long distances in search of health care, and asked the people to help maintain the facilities.

She commended community health workers for their commitment to duty in the face of minimal resources.

Dr Timothy Letsa, the Volta Regional Director of Health Services, said the institutional maternal mortality ratio in the region stood at 161 per 100,000 live births and that well-resourced CHPS zones hold the key to curbing the situation.

He said CHPS accounted for 60 per cent immunization coverage in three years, and that although 420 of the Region's 684 CHPS zones were functional, very few had trained Community Health Officers and Management Committees, a situation affecting health delivery.

Dr Letsa said eight more CHPS compounds would be constructed in the Region in 2018, and that the Heath Service would continue to ensure the success of such initiatives.

Dr Koku Awoonor, Director, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, GHS said the Service would provide a CHPS compound for every 3,000 inhabitants and that the Assemblies would be engaged on the initiative.

Madam Enyonam Katapu, Senior Community Health Nurse at the Lotakor CHPS compound, told the GNA that the facility served 36 communities with three health workers.

GNA

By Samuel Akumatey, GNA
Intro

Greetings! I am a political scientist , specializing in International Relations , my research and teaching focus on ethnic conflict and civil-military relations . I watch way too much TV, and I like movies as well so I tend to write about both and find IR stuff in pop culture. I rant alot about American politics and sometimes about Canadian politics. I like to take ideas I once learned a long time ago and apply them to whatever strikes my fancy.


President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo has appealed to Ghanaians to remain united despite the political differences among the people.

He assured that with unity, his government would provide the necessary leadership for the economic transformation of the country to make it prosperous as all Ghanaians wish.

The President made the appeal at a durbar of chiefs and people of Upper Manya Krobo at Asesewa, as part of his three days visit to the Eastern Region.

He said Ghana is highly respected in all African countries and he is proud to be the president of the country.

He assured the people of Upper Manya Krobo that all the campaign promises he made to them as well as their request for the rehabilitation of their road network, market, provision of an ambulance service and the rehabilitation of the Asesewa Senior High School would be delivered one after the other during his four year term of office.

Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, said the President has directed him to ensure the rehabilitation of the roads in the Upper Manya District, and that, by the middle of January next year, work on the rehabilitation of the 17.5 kilometer Asesewa town roads would start.

He said within the first quarter of next year, work will start on the Apensu to Asesewa road and Aketewia to Sekesua, as well as other major roads in the district.

The Member of Parliament for the area and the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Tetteh, said during the campaign towards the 2016 election, he promised to rehabilitate all the roads in the district.

'To fulfil my promise, I personally acquired a grader and started reshaping and grading the feeder roads in the district to make the roads motorable until the award of a contract by the government.'

The Deputy Minister assured the President that if the roads in the district are rehabilitated, the NPP can comfortably maintain the Upper Manya Krobo Parliamentary seat for many years to come.

Earlier in a welcome address, Nene Sakite II, Konor of Manya Krobo Traditional Area, appealed to the President to rehabilitate the road networks in the Upper Manya Krobo area and the Asesewa market to help revive the economy of the area.

He appealed for the creation of another district in the area with the district capital at Sekesua as well as the provision of an ambulance for the Asesewa government hospital.

GNA
World Renowned Evangelist, Dr Lawrence Tetteh has joined the Jewish fraternity in Ghana to observe Hanukkah (Jewish Festival) in Accra.

Some personalities in the Diplomatic Community that participated in the celebration were Hungarian Ambassador to Ghana Andras Szabo, the British High Commissioner in Accra and friends of the Jewish people.

In a brief remark, DrTetteh said the Hanukkah festival of the Jews is a significant event as it marks a period of showing love, characterized by giving.

He noted that as a people and a nation it is important to bond and display the sense of belongingness at all times.

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of lights and it remembers the rededication of the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

This happens in the 160s BCE before Christ. Hanukkah last for eight days and starts 25th Kislev, the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December.

In 2017, Hanukkah began from the evening of Tuesday, 12th December till the evening of Wednesday, 20 the December.

Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, H. E. Ami Mehl hosted the event.

GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

The West Africa Network for Peace Building (WENAP) has expressed concern about the recurring confrontation and conflict between mining companies and the mining communities.

Mr. Albert Yelyang, its National Network Coordinator, said that was deeply disturbing and should not continue.

The companies should move quickly to deepen their community engagement - participatory development practices, to bring about transparency and promote good understanding.

He was speaking at a day's stakeholders conference on mineral resource governance held at the gold mining town of Obuasi.

It was under the theme 'Enhancing natural resource governance and community peace and security through dialogue' and brought together, miners, police officers, private security companies, assembly members and civil society groups.

The programme was organized by WANEP with support from the Fund for Peace.

Mr. Yelyang noted that confusion between companies in the extractive industry and the communities, where they had been operating often resulted from the failure to properly engage the communities to address their felt needs and concerns.

He reminded everybody about the need to accept to use dialogue to resolve whatever grievances they had.

'Violence is never the best option in solving problems and should be rejected by all.'

He also called for proper monitoring, accountability and transparency in the distribution of mineral royalties.

He added that that it was important that the people got to know how these royalties were being used.

He applauded the joint military/police taskforce assigned the job of checking illegal mining for good work it was doing and asked the officers to continue to remain professional in the performance of their duties.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abdulai Amadu, the Obuasi Municipal Commander, appealed to the people to give strong backing to the security agencies to rein in illegal miners.

GNA

By Abigail N-ebene Baka, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

Mr. Moro Bawa, the Headmaster of Dormaa Islamic Primary/Junior High School (JHS) has said the wearing of hijab to the school by all pupils and students is a decision by the school authorities.

"The veil or hijab is part of the school uniform, hence even non-Muslims in the school wear it as a mandatory covering and a requirement for all,' Mr. Bawa stated.

Mr. Bawa made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sideline of a durbar to climax the 10th anniversary celebration of the School at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of Brong-Ahafo Region.

He said the parents of non-Muslim pupils and students were made to understand 'this reality that wearing the hijab is part of the School's dress code, as it is an Islamic type.'

He said at a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, the parents were informed that although the institution is an Islamic school which taught Arabic language and Islamic beliefs; the mode of worship and traditions were not forced on non-Muslim students.

Mr. Bawa said the school's teaching materials and methods were based on the Ghana Education Service (GES) curricula and syllabi, and therefore, not only Arabic language was taught.

He said none of the parents of the non-Muslim pupils and students had complained about that, but indicated however, that the non-Muslims were made to compulsorily learn the Arabic language because "it's a language and not because we want to influence or convert them to be Muslims".

'When it's time to observe Muslim prayers, we don't allow the non-Muslims to pray but this is not so with the other missionary schools in the country, where others are forced to convert into the Christian religion," he stated.

Mr. Bawa added that at the JHS level, he was the only Muslim teacher working with six others who were Christians, stressing "this institution is not bias in terms of who we are and what we do".

GNA

By Robert Tachie Menson, GNA
Some members of the Tema West branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), have stated that it was not fair for their Party (NDC) to call for the resignation of Deputy Trade Minister Carlos Ahenkorah without investigations.

They therefore called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to disregard the call for the resignation of Mr Carlos Ahenkorah, until due process was strictly followed.

'Why should Carlos resign his position when no investigation has even been conducted into the issue? Mr Kofi Mensah, leader of the group queried in a News Conference held in Tema on Thursday.

He admitted that although Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa was playing his role as an opposition member of Parliament, it was not fair to call for the resignation of the Deputy Minister, when due diligence was yet to be carried out on the issue.

'We watched the video carefully and as Ghanaians, we regret that two fine gentlemen of our country's officialdom found themselves in such an unrestrained situation, but we do not think it is fair to lay the blame on one person.

'Personally my take is that, the two gentlemen acted the way they did because they were both passionate about our country - the Deputy Minister was passionately defending our President and our Ministry while the MP was passionately advocating transparency.'

He said although it worthy to applaud both of them for carrying out their responsibilities, they also need to be cautioned against using anger to drum home their points.

Mr Mensah said 'Fundraising is something that is done all over the world by government officials. This is not to say that Carlos Ahenkorah and the Trade Ministry did indeed raise funds, but even if they did, what is wrong with that?'

Mr Mensah said NDC had decided to wade into the issue because Mr Ahenkorah was their Member of Parliament and was also a successful private man and would not engage in such activities.

'We call on His Excellency the President to ignore the propagandist calls to fire him.'

Mr Ahenkorah and Mr Ablakwa clashed verbally in an interview outside parliamentary proceedings drawing more attention in the media.

The video has gone viral, a situation that necessitated the group to call on President Akufo-Addo not to sack the Deputy Minister without thorough investigations.

'The crux of the interviews were on the awards organised by the Millennium Excellence Foundation in Accra.'

GNA
Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, has said Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCE), Coordinating Directors and staff of Assemblies in the Region would sign performance contracts next year, 2018.

He bemoaned the poor performance of the Region on the District League Table, the 'embarrassing' report from the Auditor General on misappropriation of funds and other financial 'misdemeanors' and expressed the hope that the performance contract would help check the issues.

Dr Letsa who was speaking at the second session of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council meeting in Ho for the year called on the Assemblies to educate their staff on the contents of the contract and their roles in realising the achievement of the various 'deliverables under the contract'.

He called on the leadership of the various assemblies to factor indicators used by CDD/UNICEF, Local Government Service and other groups in assessing their performance in their development plans and ensure they were well executed.

Dr Letsa encouraged the MDCEs to build stronger and united relationship to enable them render good service to the populace and also deliver on government's programmes and initiatives.

He urged them to undertake 'self-introspection surgeries' to determine their weak sides and work on them as well as better their good sides.

Dr Letsa added that next year, they would need to work harder to ensure that all government's flagship programmes and initiatives became successful and reflected in the lives of the people.

The meeting was attended by heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

GNA

By Sumaiya Salifu Saeed, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

Increased surveillance by the Upper West Regional Command has led to the arrest of many suspected criminals and seizure of shotguns loaded with live ammunitions in the capital, Wa.

The Police, on December 16 upon a hint, arrested one Julius Annuoh, who was offering a foreign pistol for sale, and subsequently grabbed another Sulemana Adams of Babile, near Lawra, following a another tipoff.

The Deputy Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Edward Oduro-Kwarteng, told the press in Wa on Tuesday that police surveillance led to the arrest of Annuoh, who later led the officers to Adams' room and when a search was conducted a foreign pistol was discovered.

'He [Adams] claimed ownership of it [pistol] as well as the one found on Julius,' he said, adding that both suspects had been detained and the exhibits retained for investigation.

DCOP Oduro-Kwarteng explained that on December 18 at about 11:10 hours, one Daniel Suley's motor bike was seized at gunpoint by two young men around the Xavier Residential Area in Wa.

The victim, he said, was able to identify one of the suspects and gave vivid description of him to a police officer living nearby.

The officer was able to apprehend the suspect after seeking assistance from someone driving at the time.

'When a search was conducted on him, a foreign pistol loaded with six rounds of live ammunitions was found hidden in his crash helmet,' DCOP Oduro-Kwateng said, but he refused to mention his accomplice.

Meanwhile, the police had also arrested the Assemblyman for Kpaguri Electoral Area in Wa for allegedly leading a mob to vandalise a house and attack female occupants, accused of being commercial sex workers.

'Four of the victims of the attack have been discharged from hospital,' DCOP Oduro-Kwateng told journalists.

He said early this month, the Police arrested a fraudster, who has been swindling top state officials.

He added that six suspected drug dealers including a police constable were also nabbed in a major coordinated security operation.

The police command is expected to announce their deployment plan for the Region this week, ahead of the yuletide.

GNA

By D.I. Laary, GNA
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has highlighted the importance of harnessing the powers of religious and traditional leaders in communities to achieve national development and successes of some critical health interventions.

Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, the UNFPA's Country Representative, said his outfit was planning to hold a bigger consultation with Faith-Based Organisation (FBO) as key partners to create a network dedicated to promoting the agenda of ensuring a 'zero tolerance of maternal mortality, gender-based violence leading to rape, teenage pregnancies and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a Zero tolerance of unmet need for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH)'.

He said the UNFPA as an organisation has very vibrant and stout network of FBO as allies in support of its reproductive health agenda in the 'Post 2015 Development Processes', yet at country level and the Government of Ghana (GoG) and UNFPA Country programme Six (CP6), there was limited engagement with these key groups.

Mr Ojuolape, was addressing representatives of FBO at breakfast meeting organised by the UNFPA in partnership with the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs in Accra on Wednesday, to critically review its partnership with these key groups, brainstorm and make recommendations for the way forward.

The meeting, was therefore aimed at engaging identified Muslim and Christian religious leaders so as to provide them with information on the GoG and UNFPA CP6 which was just ending, further brief them on the Seventh Country Programme (CP7), which was scheduled to commence in 2018.

Mr Ojuolape admitted that 'strategic partnership between government and Community leaders, such as religious leaders, was a key to a nation's development and success in programme areas such the demographic dividend, sexual and reproductive health, family planning, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and empowerment of women'.

According to him, the endorsement of influential religious leaders to new ideas on demographic dividend, family planning, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and empowerment of women has been documented to helped communities accept and adopt these approaches.

'For example, the government of Indonesia's engagement with leaders of Islamic-based organisations has resulted in several fatwas (religious decisions) that have been instrumental in the acceptance of the issues by the wider community'.

He said 'Churches have accepted these new approaches and integrated them into youth counselling, pre-marriage counselling, primary and secondary education, and other religious events', which was worth replicating in Ghana.

Aside government, the UNFPA would work with all other key gate keepers who were closely linked to the people at the community levels, to build their capacities and also provide them with the technical assistance to provide comprehensive sexuality education especially targeted at young people at aged 10, to build a strong foundation of knowledge to help change the dynamics as far as bridging the current communication gap with the youth was concerned, he said.

Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) welcomed the UNFPA effort to revitalise its partnership with FBOs, who although had over the years played crucial roles in promoting various healthcare interventions and programmes, often did so from the periphery.

He pledged the full support and partnership of the CCG to the UNPFA's programmes to support the Demographic Dividend, sexual and reproductive health as well as family planning, HIV and AIDS, gender equality and empowerment of women within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Among the speakers from the Muslim community were; Sheikh Amin Bamba, the Director of Bamba Islamic Institute, Ghana and Principal Imam of the Qudwah Mosque in Tamale, Lt. Col. Umar Sanda Ahmed (Rtd) also an Imam, and Hajia Hajara Muhammed, a Member of the National Commission for Education.

They all welcomed the renewed partnership with the UNFPA and pledged their support to work towards improving education, communication and closing the health needs gap of the hard to reach communities.

GNA

By Christabel Addo, GNA
The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, the second largest referral centre in Ghana is making giant strides in providing critical care with the approval to procure its own oxygen plant to replace an obsolete, dysfunctional one.

This would also help the tertiary health facility serving the Northern sector and other sister countries save a daily bill of GH 12,000.00, for relying on private sources for the supply of the critical life-saving health consumable.

Dr Oheneba Owusu-Danso, Acting Chief Executive (Ag CE) of the Hospital announcing this at an annual staff reception and thanksgiving service on Wednesday said the KATH new Board and the Ministry of Health gave the green light for this and described it as a step in the right the direction to optimise the operation of KATH.

He said the new Board headed by Nana Effah Apenteng, Chief of Asante-Akim Bompata, had additionally given the go- ahead for the establishment of an endowment fund as part of a long-term strategy to address the logistical and infrastructure challenges of the facility.

The Ag CE said the fund would be launched early next year and management was going to approach public-spirited individuals and organisations to assist in the acquisition of critically - needed equipment valued over 60 million Ghana Cedis, to help the Hospital maintain its status as the centre of excellence.

Dr. Owusu-Danso hinted of other stepped- up internally- generated (IGF) efforts which includes the introduction of special private patients' services under which busy corporate executives, businessmen and individuals can access prompt, comprehensive and quality medical care at their convenience for premium fees under an intramural policy.

'We therefore need to be more innovative, more patient-centred and strategically position ourselves to survive the inevitable stiffer competition we would face with the coming on stream of more public and private hospitals, to remain a preferred choice for patients', he added.

He took the opportunity to thank, Mrs Rebecca Akuffo-Addo, the First Lady and her 'Rebecca Foundation 'Save a Mother, Save a Child Project as well as the Multi Media group through whose efforts attention was galvanised and voluntary funds mobilised for the construction of a new Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) and Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU) Centre awaiting commissioning soon after the Christmas festivities.

The Right Reverend Christopher Nyarko Andam, the Diocesan Methodist Bishop of Kumasi, in a sermon called on Ghanaians to show gratitude to God for His protection throughout the entire year.

GNA

By Gifty Amofa, GNA
The Ghana Non-Governmental Organizations' Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC), has expressed disgust at what it says is the increasing abuse of the rights of children on social media platforms.

It said it found it deeply disturbing the indecent manner in which minors were being depicted on some of these platforms.

The Coalition made reference to the recent reported gang-rape of a minor at Bantama in Kumasi, and the unprofessional manner the video on the said rape, was handled with faces of the under-aged suspects showing.

A statement signed by its Ashanti Regional, Mr. Bun Bida, said this was not right and totally reprehensible.

'In as much as we condemn the indecent act by the suspects, we are equally appalled at the way their faces continue to be shown on some social media platforms.'

It called for the media to be ethical and to maintain high level of professionalism in their handling of news stories involving children. They should do everything to protect their rights.

The statement applauded the police for apprehending the suspects and expressed the hope that the law would take its course for justice to prevail.

It underlined the need to provide the victim with appropriate counselling and medical care to help her overcome the psychological trauma she might be going through.

GNA

By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA
All African Churches (AAC) has called on Africa Leaders to ensure that justice, peace and good governance reign to encourage the youth to stay on to help in the development agenda of the continent.

According to the AAC, greed, lack of love for neighbours and bad governance were the major causes of the migration problems bedevilling the continent.

The Most Reverend Titus K. Awotwi Pratt, the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist of Ghana, who announced this at the end-of-year party and Nine Lessons and Carols in Accra, said the AAC issued the communiquA at the just ended meeting at Nairobi, Kenya.

He said the AAC also identified political instability and greed on the part of African leaders as the remote cause of migration problems in Africa.

Speaking on the significance of Christmas, the Presiding Bishop said the content of Christmas was peace and love, which led to all good things and urged Christians to set the pace to make the celebration meaningful.

He said Christmas needed to be celebrated properly and with dignity to show the way for unbelievers to follow.

'Christianity is built around the divine love of God and it teaches us to love and respect one another,' he said and urged Christian to shine in their corners by putting smiles on the faces of less privileged people during the Christmas season.

'As Christians we can influence society's perceptions positively through the way we celebrate Christmas. Christmas starts with salvation history and we must not celebrate it as the earthly will celebrate it,' he said.

The Church also used the occasion to present a token to all retired Ministers of the Church.

GNA

By Patience Gbeze, GNA
Prosecution have preferred new charges against Lawrence Abrokwa, the husband of Afia Schwarzenegger when he appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Abrokwa is now being held on two counts of domestic violence to wit emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, threat of harm, assault, publication of obscene material, carrying offensive weapon, causing unlawful damage and stealing.

He has pleaded not guilty and the court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin Doku asked Abrokwa to be on his former bail that is GH20,000.00-bail with three sureties, who should be gainfully employed.

The matter has been adjourned to January 16, next year.

Prosecuting Maxwell Oppong informed the court that the Police would like to amend the charge sheet and the court obliged them.

Earlier Abrokwa was charged with two counts of domestic violence, threat of harm, publication of obscene material and assault

The Prosecution had at an earlier sitting told the Court that the complainant, Afia Schwarzenegger, and Abrokwa were legally married and lived together at Dome Pillar Two, a suburb of Accra, in a house belonging to the complainant.

According to the Prosecution, about three weeks before the domestic violence incident, Abrokwa packed his things and left the house for Dansoman, following persistent misunderstanding between them.

However, on August 29, this year, Abrokwa was informed by their house help, one Afia Nyamekye, that her mistress had a male visitor who would be spending the night with her.

The Prosecution said based on this information, Abrokwa armed himself with a kitchen knife and a bottle containing some liquid purported to be acid.

The prosecutor said Abrokwa proceeded to the house of the complainant, scaled the wall and entered the compound.

The accused found a strange private car, which he believed to belong to the visitor parked on the compound so he deflated two of its tyres, and entered the house through the back door, with the assistance of the house help.

Abrokwa entered the bedroom with his mobile on and forced the bedroom door opened and found Afia and the male visitor in bed.

The Prosecution said Abrokwa threatened them to stay put as he had found them for him to film them otherwise he would pour acid on them to cause harm to their bodies.

Chief Inspector Oppong stated that the male visitor managed to escape during the confrontation, but Afia was prevented by Abrokwa, who ordered her to go on her knees, declaring that she was a prostitute, while he held the bottle of the alleged acid in his hand.

Afia obliged to his instructions, while Abrokwa continued filming the complainant in her nudity amidst pleas from her to stop the filming.

The Prosecution said in the process, Abrokwa assaulted Afia and chased her out of the house.

Afia run to a neighbour, who eventually rescued and clothed her.

After the incident, the Prosecution said Abrokwa transmitted the nude video of his wife to his second mobile phone before reporting the matter to the Police with all the items belonging to the visitor and the first phone used in for filming the incident.

When the complainant went to the house later, she realised that her bedside drawer had been forced opened and 2,000 dollars and 500 pounds had been taken by the accused.

Complainant reported the matter to the Police and Abrokwa was cautioned and granted bail later.

According to Prosecution, whilst the case was being investigated, Abrokwa transmitted the video from his phone to Afia's father on his phone on September 1, this year.

The video, however, went viral on social media and the bottle containing the said acid was sent to the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) for examination.

On September 13, this year, the Prosecution said the Police received a report from the GSA that the content in the bottle was water and not acid.

GNA

By Joyce Danso, GNA
Ghanaians have been urged to work together, avoid divisive tendencies and respect one another to ensure that the country forges ahead in her reform agenda in 2018.

Mr Richard Kwadwo Adu, the Wenchi Constituency Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), entreated public sector workers to rise above partisan benefits and take personal responsibility in their shared duty of supporting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to build a cohesive and peaceful nation.

In his Christmas Message, copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, he said petty wrangling, jealousy and divisive tendencies undermined national unity and harmony and consequently retarded progress.

Mr Adu affirmed that the support and loyalty of the Wenchi NPP Constituency executive to the Government and commended President Akufo-Addo for the bold decision he had taken towards the fulfillment of some of NPP's Election 2016 promises.

He called on citizens to play their individual and collective roles effectively to develop a country they would take pride of as their home and also honour their tax obligations for the Government to mobilise the required resources needed for development.

Without adequate funds, he said the Government would not be able to fulfill all her pledges as captured in the 2016 NPP Manifesto in infrastructural development and other priorities.

Mr Adu, who is the Assemblyman for Ntoase Electoral Area in the Wenchi Municipality, said the Government was committed and determined to expand education and socio-economic opportunities for all Ghanaians by building a good country beyond aids.

He said the Wenchi Constituency contributed immensely towards NPP's victory in the 2016 General Election, hence the need for President Akufo-Addo to consider, particularly, the former and current executive in his appointments.

Mr Adu said the Government was on course to creating a good economy that met everyone's basic needs, and asked Ghanaians to exercise patience and support it as it put in place pragmatic measures to alleviate the plight of the citizenry.

'2018 is definitely going to be a year of joy because many of the unemployed youth are going to get jobs to do as President Akufo-Addo continues to fulfill the NPP 2016 Election Campaign pledges geared towards job creation and poverty reduction,' he said.

Mr Adu said active participation of the private sector in the Planting for Food and Jobs and the One-District-One-Factory would make the programmes successful and beneficial to Ghanaians hence the need for the sector, an engine of growth, to support the Government in implementing those programmes.

GNA

By Dennis Peprah, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Dec. 21, GNA - Mr Cassel Ato-Forson, Ranking Member on Finance has described as profligate an amount of GH272 million allocated to the Office of the Chief of Staff for the 2018 financial year.

According to him, GH100 million out of the amount given for capital expenditure, is to be used for renovation works on the Flagstaff House, the Peduase Lodge and two other government lodges at Cantonment in Accra.

Mr Ato-Forson made the revelation during an interview with the media in Parliament.

The Minority in Parliament described as wasteful the allocation of GH1,948,846,372 to the Office of Government Machinery for the 2018 Budget estimates.

According to the Minority the 2017 and 2018 budget allocations to the Office of Government Machinery far exceeds what was allocated in the 2016 budget, which the then opposition NPP criticized.

Mr Ato-Forson said the amount given to the Office of the Chief of Staff is bigger than the budgets allocated to seven economic Ministries, including Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Works and Housing among others.

'GH100 million, equivalent to $23 million to renovate the Flagstaff House, the Peduase Lodge and other government lodges, was way too much, where is the priority of government,' he questioned.

He cited for example the capital expenditure for the Ministries of Health, Water Resource and Sanitation, and Roads as GH60 million, GH53 million, and GH200 miillion respectively, which are less than that of the office of the government Machinery.

Mr Ato-Forson said the previous administration moved to the Flagstaff House in 2013 and the Peduase Lodge was also renovated not long ago, so he does not see why such a huge amount is being allocated for the renovation of the facilities within this short time.

'They claim they are protecting the public purse, Mr President you are not protecting the public' he added.

He said the Minority would continue to scrutinise government expenditure and ensure accountability for the people Ghana.

GNA
Maxam Explosive Company Limited has addressed the lapses that were identified at their Tarkwa site when the Minister of Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, visited the site in October.

Poor ventilation at the chemical storage room, bags filled with ammonium nitrate placed in the open at the plant without shed as well as the six feet containers stationed in front of both high explosives and detonator magazines were some of the short falls that have been corrected.

Others include stagnant water in and around the magazine and plant area and the inadequacy of earth mounds at the facet of both high and detonator magazines.

On October 10, Mr Ambrose Dery, as part of his regional tour of facilities and agencies under his ministry visited the Western Region, detected some lapses at Maxam Explosive Company and ordered the immediate address of the situation.

The Minister inspected the activities of some mining and explosive companies in the region to ensure that they adhered to the regulation and safety measures.

At the Maxam Explosive Company Limited, the Minister identified gaps in the explosives and magazines firms operations and said they have failed to meet the safety standards.

As a result, Mr Dery directed the company to correct all the short falls by December 10, 2017, else his Ministry would not grant the company further permit to operate in the country.

Mr Samuel Amankwa, Director for Research, Statistic and Information Management of the Ministry of Interior told the Ghana News Agency that it has been two months since the Minister gave the directive.

He said the Ministry of Interior, decided to invite officials from the Ministry, Chamber of Mines, Minerals Commission and media to verify the work done when management of Maxam prompted the Ministry that they had completed reorganization process.

When the team arrived at Maxam, each person was provided with personal protective equipment like boots, helmet and goggles before they were ushered into the company's yard.

After the follow up inspection, Mr Amankwa said the team observed some positive changes that was quite impressive.

Mr John Amoanyi, Head of Minerals Commission, Takoradi told the Ghana News Agency that the chemical storage room which used to be glasses has been replaced with nets and said it has improved ventilation in the chemical storage room.

He said earth mounds which protects the explosive magazines has been raised to the approved standards as well as all containers obstructing visibility at the site have also been removed.

Mr Amoanyi said at the magazines site, the company has cleared the floor and has removed the unused ammonium nitrate shed from its current location.

He commended Maxam Explosive Company Limited for the good work and added that the stagnant water around the magazine and plant has been drained and the entire area graded.

He called on companies not to wait for the Minister to come over before they do what the law required.

GNA

By Erica Apeatua Addo, GNA
Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, the Associate Executive Director of Wacam, has said it is wrong to assume that because the large multinational mining companies are regulated, their activities do not destroy the environment.

She said the scale of the "Galamsey" menace should be regarded as part of the larger problem of irresponsible mining which has engulfed the nation resulting in the pollution of rivers, destruction of the environment and creating serious social, environmental and economic legacies for mining communities in the country.

Mrs Owusu-Koranteng was speaking at a workshop for journalists in Accra held under the theme: "Amplifying Community Voices for Responsible Mining, the Role of the Media."

She said irresponsible mining activities in the country over the past three decades have brought about detrimental effects on the development of the country.

For this reason the forum seeks to create an opportunity for media personnel and like-minded stakeholders to influence the process of ensuring sanity in the mining sector by making recommendations that would feed into government's policy action for lasting solutions.

She said the nation opened its doors too wide to attract mining investment through generous incentives to multinational mining companies to undertake surface mining operations without developing strong laws to regulate mining operations.

The result had been loss of livelihood, displacement of about 100,000 landlords, pollution of many rivers, the exacerbation of poverty in mining communities, destruction of forest reserves among others, she said.

She said it is important that journalists broaden the scope of the fight against illegal mining operations to cover the broad spectrum of issues in irresponsible mining.

She said the influx of multinational mining companies was associated with large redundancies in the existing underground mining operations and expressed solidarity with the Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU) in matters relating to the redundancy of 1,700 workers of Gold Fields Ghana Limited.

Mrs Owusu-Koranteng said the decision to declare 1,700 workers redundant in her opinion was motivated by the desire of the company to reap super normal profit.

'We wish to remind Goldfields Ghana Limited and all mining companies in the country that it has benefited from the windfall profits for many years which has been repatriated to shareholders outside Ghana.

'The company cannot use current operational problems to justify the decision to declare the workers redundant,' she said.

She urged Ghanaians to support the struggle of the GMWU against the redundancy of the 1,700 workers who have families and dependents to cater for.

Dr Doris Yaa Dartey, a Communications Consultant, speaking at the event, said mining communities over the years have experienced various challenges.

She said mining was a rootless exercise and all investors who come to engage in this activity do not love the country but rather want to take away the minerals just like the slave trade regime.

She said God has blessed this country abundantly with resources but until the right structures, policies, laws and people were used and implemented, mining would not leave any positive legacy in the respective communities and regions.

Dr Dartey said responsible mining should be comprehensive and open, should respect the rights of all, ensure multistakeholder engagement, must be environmentally friendly, free from human health impacts, embrace best international practices, uphold rule of law and its enforcement, should be safe for all.

She, therefore, urged journalists to use their professional ethics to report on these issues as it was of major concern to help comfort the afflicted in society.

GNA

By Samira Larbie, GNA
Civil Society Organisations under the KASA Initiative Ghana, working in the Natural Resource and Environment (NRE) Sector, have committed themselves to collaborate with government and its regulatory agencies through the CSO-Government Consultation Framework to protect the environment.

The organisations made the commitment at the end of the Eighth Annual CSO Parallel Review of the NRE sector at a workshop on Universal Periodic Reporting, organised by KASA, an NGO with support from Care Ghana.

This year's event is on the theme: 'Safeguarding the Environment for Posterity for whom the Bell Tolls.'

A Communique issued at the end of the two-day event and read by Mr Samuel Mawutor, the Coordinator of KASA Initiative Ghana, said the CSOs were committed to continuing to engage and share their perspectives and make input into the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project Document to present better alternatives for addressing illegal mining in Ghana.

It commended government and the various NRE agencies for the amendment of the Companies Act to legally require companies to disclose their beneficial owners and sanitise the mining sector through the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project.

It also commended government for the efforts at working with the different stakeholders to developing proposals to access funding from the Green Climate Funds to mitigate the impact of climate change and improve resilience.

On the forestry sector, the CSOs said to reverse the degradation and improve governance in the sector, government must exhibit greater political will to derive the much-needed reforms for tree tenures to provide the needed incentive for farmers and land owners to nurture and keep trees on their farms.

It said there must be greater effort by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to addressing the cocoa sector, which was driving deforestation and degradation of forests particularly in the high forest zones.

'There is the need to tread cautiously in the effort to developing the bauxite resources by mining the Tano Offin and Atewa Forest Reserves, considering the irreversible impacts on water, the environment and the large population of people that depend on these two forest ecosystems,' it added.

It said there was the need to expedite action to operationalise beneficial ownership disclosure in the mining sector to promote transparency and accountability and review the Minerals and Mining Act 703, 2006 considering environmental, social and polluter pay principles, and higher responsibility for mining companies.

On climate change and environment, the communiquA recommended that they should be a greater involvement of stakeholders and representation of civil society voices in the review and preparatory phases of the Ghana Nationally Determined Contributions to reflect a true national agenda.

It said it was important to ensure a true representation of CSOs in Green Climate Fund processes including the accreditation and development of proposals and the use of agro-chemicals to help the eco-system.
24.12.2017 LISTEN

A man who hid eight wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis in his hat has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Charged with possessing narcotic drugs, Danjiman Ibrahim has pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin Doku admitted Ibrahim to bail in the sum of GH 5,000 with a surety to reappear on January 15.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu said on December 6, this year, at about 2:00am, a Police patrol team from the Ghana Police headquarters went on patrol duties at Nungua and its environs.

Whiles on duty, prosecution said Police personnel saw the accused person in a suspicious manner at Nungua Kantamanso and arrested him

Prosecution said when Ibrahim was searched, eight wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was retrieved from the hat he was wearing.

When Ibrahim was questioned he told the Police that he bought drugs from a vendor at Nungua Shell but when he was escorted to the place, he could not identify anyone.

During Police interrogation, Ibrahim admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.
A Carpenter has been put before an Accra Circuit Court charged with conspiracy to commit crime, robbery and possession of firearms and ammunitions without lawful authority.

Eric Armah pleaded guilty.

However after his explanation to the court, a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.

Armah told the court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin Doku that one Raymond who is at large brought a bag to him in the house for safe-keeping and he did not know that the said bag contained arms.

According to Armah, he was asked by Raymond to bring the bag to him at Ritz Junction at Adenta.

However at Adenta, Armah said he heard gun shots and decided to hide.

The accused said soon as he came out from his hideout he was pointed out by some people as being among some robbers at the place.

Prosecuting Chief Kwabena Adu narrated that the complainant was Comfort Owusu Boafo, manageress of a cold store who also operates a ECG pre-paid vending shop at Agbogba, Accra.

On December 6, this year, the complainant went to work with her two attendants namely Raymond Kuduegah and Beradon B. Bekoe.

At the about 7:00pm, same day after close of work, Raymond and Isaac, both accomplices who are at large, armed themselves with pump action gun and entered the complainant's shop and took away the daily sales of GH2,420.

The police was informed of the robbery attack and they visited the scene and retrieved a motor bike with registration number M-15- GR 4069, one pump action gun, one cartridge and three rings belonging to Armah and his accomplices.

Prosecution said all the suspects however escaped from the scene on that day.

Prosecution said Police investigations revealed that Armah and Raymond went into hiding at Kasoa.

On December 11 this year at about 6:00pm, Prosecution said the Police had information that Armah and Raymond had in their possession a bag and was heading towards Ritz junction at Adenta with the said bag.

Armah was arrested but Raymond escaped when the bag was searched a single barrel gun and 13 AA cartridges were found in it.

GNA

By Joyce Danso, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

The Passion for the Needy, a charitable organisation, has donated hampers valued at GH16,540 to Help Age Ghana in Accra.

The hampers were made up of rice, biscuits, tomato paste, mackerel, drinks, frytol cooking oil and instant noodles, which were given to 240 old people.

Mrs Janet Torgbor El-Aschkar, the Chairperson of the Organisation, said the gesture formed part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.

She said the organisation was set-up by Senior Prophet T.B. Joshua to provide need-based assistance to individuals and communities and to create awareness for the needy and put smiles on their faces to restore hope.

"We are grateful to God for giving us this day to share the love of Christ to our brothers and sisters. We hope that these items will go a long way to put smiles on their faces this festive season,' she said.

Mr David Ashitey, on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the organisation for the support and appealed to other corporate entities to come to their aid.

GNA

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

Police officers in the Ashanti Region have been sensitized on steps to transform the service - to rank it among the top performing in the world.

This was at a day's workshop jointly organized by the Regional Command and the Hanns-Seidel Foundation.

This was dubbed, 'Sensitization project in support of Ghana Police transformation programme'.

It provided the platform for the officers to do soul searching and discuss ways of repairing the bruised image of the service.

Commissioner of Police (COP) Ken Yeboah, the Regional Commander, spoke of the need for team work to push ahead the agenda of turning it into a world class service.

He reminded them to maintain high standard of professionalism and avoid doing anything unethical.

Police Chief Superintendent Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, Director of the Transformation Programme, outlined strategies to boost their operations.

These involve putting information and communication technology (ICT) at the heart of its operations, transforming the criminal investigation department (CID) and ensuring the welfare of the personnel.

He announced the introduction of e-policing system to fast track crime investigations and said this was being piloted at the East Legon, Nungua and Airport Area Police Posts.

He added that the use of ICT was the way forward to efficiently deal with cyber and other complex crimes.

Hanns-Siedel Foundation has been supporting the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and peace across the world.

GNA

By Gifty Amofa, Mawuli Kporha, GNA
24.12.2017 LISTEN

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured that kraals and fodder banks are being constructed in the Afram Plains to contain the cattle of the Fulani herdsmen to help stop their clashes with farmers in the Kwawu area.

He commended the Kwahus for supporting the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in all general elections under the 1992 constitution and assured the area of its share of the National cake.

The President gave the assurance in responds to an appeal made by the Kwahumanhene, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyepong II, when he paid a courtesy call on him at his palace at Abene as part of his three days tour of the Eastern Region.

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, assured that most of the roads in the Kwahu area had been captured in next year's budget for construction.

Daasebre Akuamoah Agyepong appealed to the government to put in place measures that would solve the Fulani menace in the Kwahu Area.

He said the Fulani menace had led to loss of many lives, prevented children from going to school in some of the communities, destruction of farm produce, while residents of some of the communities have had to vacate their communities due to conflict between the people and the Fulani herdsmen which had affected socio-economic development in the area.

Daasebre Agyepong said the Kwahus have always voted massively for the New Patriotic Party(NPP) in all the general elections and also paid huge taxes as business people to enhance the country's economy and urged the government to reconstruct deployable roads in the area.

The Omanhene also appealed for the improvement of water supply to the Kwahu Ridge, completion of the District Hospital at Abetifi and to construct a bridge on the Afram River between Kwahu Adawso and Ekye Amamfrom in the Afram Plains for the evacuation of large quantity of foodstuffs produce in the area.

GNA
Banks are being encouraged to give their customers multiple channels from which they can access the GhIPSS Instant Pay (GIP).

This will ensure that bank customers enjoy the full complement of the convenience and speed that come with the service.

GIP is an electronic payment system that allows money to be transferred from one bank account to another of a separate bank instantly. It is the fastest and most convenient way to do interbank transfers.

All the major banks in Ghana now offer GIP but while some offer it through multiple channels others offer limited choices.

Mr Archie Hesse, the Chief Executive of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) in an interview, urged the banks to allow their customers to access the GIP service through their mobile phones, regular internet banking and any other channel that will bring convenience to them.

He explained that with GIP, bank customers can make and receive payments instantly regardless of where they were located.

'The world is fast drifting towards the instant pay technology, which fortunately is already live and running in Ghana. The instant pay allows quick turnaround for businesses as they can send and receive money instantly, without having to move from their physical location,' Mr Hesse said.

As vehicular traffic intensifies due to the yuletide, businesses and individuals can resort to GIP to make and receive payments without having to drive through the heavy traffic, Mr. Hesse advised.

He said the GIP can be adapted for several other real time payment solutions. He indicated, for instance that some international remittance agencies were using GIP to remit funds and the money is paid directly into the bank account of the intended recipients.

Mr. Hesse urged the banks to consider various solutions that they can developed based on the GIP service to create convenience for their customer.

He was certain that banks can use GIP to develop a lot more products and use that to attract customers.

There is an obvious drive towards electronic payments in the country. Banks are advertising and encouraging their customers to use their cards, major fuel stations are now accepting cards for payment, while many service providers are accepting electronic forms of payment. At the national level, government is undertaking a number of digitisation projects.

Mr. Hesse is hopeful that all these efforts will converge with a critical mass of the population embracing electronic forms of payments and advised businesses and organisations which are yet to invest in electronic forms of receiving payments to do so before they are taken over by events.
Mr. Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister for Defence, has called on the Judiciary to assist in the swift prosecution of offenders arrested by the Police and Military Patrol teams during the Yuletide celebrations.

Mr Nitiwul said this would boost the morale of the troops to combat crime and sustain the peace and stability the country is enjoying.

The Defence Minister made the call during the re-launch of Operation 'Calm Life' by President Nana Addo Damkwa Akuffo-Addo at the National Police Training School in Accra on Friday.

Operation 'Calm Life' a joint Police/Military operations was started in the year 2001 to confront some violent crimes which were mushrooming within Accra and its environs and later replicated in the nine regions.

Additionally, Operation Calm Life is to create the environment for citizens and residents to go about their normal economic activities without fear of crime or intimidation from any individual or groups.

He said pursuant to the numerous perceptions and complains from the public regarding the rise in armed related crimes such as armed robbery, highway robberies and Land guard activities, it had become necessary to redesign a workable plan to nib in the bud these activities which have the tendency to disturb the peaceful celebration of the Christmas and the New Year festivities and thereafter.

'It is in this regard that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo took the decision to retool the security services particularly the police and the military to ensure that law abiding Ghanaians have their peace undisturbed when celebrating the Christmas and New Year, which is usually the height of most of these violent crimes, and to sustain this momentum further,' he said.

Mr Ntiwul therefore called on the public to contribute their quota to these efforts by volunteering credible information that will help the security services succeed in their fight against these criminals and their activities.

Mr David Asante-Apeatu, the Inspector General of Police said the reactivation of Operation Calm Life is to ensure the Police and Military continue to provide a safe and serene environment for the people and residents in Accra and other parts of the country especially during this yuletide and beyond.

He said the level of enthusiasm with which the operation was started in 2001 had reduced mainly because crime was effectively brought under control within Accra and its environs and also across the country, adding that other regions with peculiar criminal tendencies have responses appropriately designed to contain the situation.

Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister of Interior, said government was committed to supporting the security services with the necessary logistics to enable them effectively undertake their duties.

He said government had taken several initiatives and focus actions against several criminal acts to ensure the stability of the nation which included the establishment of the Police Emergency Command Centre, the anti-cybercrime amongst other interventions.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured the nation of Government's commitment to promote the security of the citizenry, reduce crime and maintain law and order.

"I wish to assure the Ghanaian people that their safety and security at all times, are of the utmost concern and importance to government," he said at the re-launch of 'Operation Calm Life', in Accra on Friday.

Operation Calm Life, originally launched in the early 2000's, and re-launched severally, is a joint military and police operation aimed at combating crime and maintaining peace, security and stability in the country, through coordinated security exercises.

The re-launch has been necessitated by the perceived upsurge in crime, coupled with the emerging issues of vigilantism, the proliferation of light weapons, the menace of land guards and the vexed one on Fulani herdsmen.

At a smartly turned-out parade of personnel of Operation Calm Life at the Police Training School at Tesano, President Akufo-Addo reminded the public that security was a shared responsibility.

Thus, the public should collaborate with the security agencies to ensure that law and order was maintained in accordance with the rule of law.

"Our security agencies have been mandated to keep you safe...please help them in the discharge of their noble duty," he urged.

President Akufo-Addo said though 'Operation Calm Life' had been re-launched several times, owning to logistical constraints and the changing dynamics of crime, his administration intended to buck the trend by scaling up the exercise by providing the necessary input for its success and sustainability.

In furtherance of this, government has re-tooled the operation with 200 vehicles, as well as 300 motorcycles, to enable the personnel undertaking the operation to work effectively and efficiently to ensure security during the yuletide and the New Year.

The President said that apart from addressing the logistical constraints of the security institutions, government would invest heavily in technology to fight crime.

"Government, I assure you, is committed to resourcing the security agencies to effectively carry out their mandate and help maintain the stability of the nation in the quest to build a progressive and prosperous Ghana."

Commending the security agencies for their keen sense of patriotism and professionalism that has led to tons of stable security outlook for Ghana, President Akufo-Addo urged that the operation be carried out with the "seriousness and diligence it deserves".

He reminded them that the operation was to curb criminal activity and not intended for the harassment or intimidation of the population.

"I therefore entreat you to be mindful of the law and the rights of the citizenry in the discharge of your duties.

"I am confident that the professionalism not the men and women of the security agencies would be demonstrated and they would do their best to ensure the Ghanaian people enjoy a peaceful Christmas."

GNA
Kumasi, Dec 22, GNA - The Police in Kumasi has advised female passengers to board taxis only at designated taxi ranks and never by the road side in order not to fall prey to the nefarious activities of a criminal taxi driver gang operating in the Metropolis.

Ladies who also close from nighttime programmes during the yuletide should also move and hire taxis in groups and insist that drivers take the designated, main routes to their agreed destinations.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Juliana Obeng, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, gave the advice at a press briefing in Kumasi and added that this does not only happen at night under the cover of darkness, but in broad day light as well.

The advice comes in the wake of the recent upsurge of criminal taxi drivers who target only lady passengers and rob them of their monies and other valuables at obscure places en route to the agreed destinations and leave them to their fate in bushy areas.

She said one Cecilia Boakye Fordjour, 58, a victims sustained serious injuries and died on arrival at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, (KATH), about two-months ago.

'A three-member gang, made up of Emmanuel Fosu, alias Aljaji, Farouk Ahmadu, alias 'Burger' and Saliu Yakubu, alias Baba Tunde, who used an Opel Astra cab to rob unsuspecting female passengers within Kumasi and its environs had been arrested', she added.

ASP Juliana told the media that Amadu, had confessed to the crime and spoke of how he and his accomplices killed the victim.

The Police PRO said another person, Akwasi Yeboah, 26, belonging to a different syndicate but used the same modus operandi, was arrested on November 09, for the same offence, meanwhile, his accomplices managed to escape.

Trial is on course for the culprits, she said.
24.12.2017 LISTEN

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Aowin District of the Western Region has intensified its education on tax compliance within the various communities in the District.

The move is to assist government raise sufficient revenue to create jobs, support the Free Senior High School implementation and the School Feeding programmes, assist the poor and needy in society and provide amenities such as schools, electricity, hospitals, water and libraries.

Mr Dickson Amenuku, the District Director of NCCE, who revealed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, urged the public to pay their tax voluntarily to enable the Government to expand development projects to all corners of the country.

Mr. Amenuku said the unwillingness of tax payers to adhere to tax laws slowed down development and, therefore, entreated small and medium scale enterprises in the District to honour their tax obligations to avoid loss of revenue to the state.

He disclosed that budget for the nationwide sensitisation programme on tax compliance was inadequate, but the exercise has been successful in the District.

Mr Amenuku said because NCCE had no means of transport, officers had to walk for miles before they could carry on with the sensitisation.

GNA

By Erica Apeatua Addo, GNA
Light of Hope Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) working in Sumbrungu in the Upper East Region, has supported women to go into income generating activities.

Seventy-four women have been empowered and supported through microfinance and loans programmes to undertake economic activities such as basket weaving, craft work and other petty trading.

Light of Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organisation with the vision to easing the financial burden as well as improving the livelihood of rural women in Sumbrungu through entrepreneurial skills development and income generating activities.

Mr Elias Ayinbila Apasiya, the Founder of the NGO, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at a meeting with the women at Sumbrungu on Friday, said women would be supported to plant commercial fruit trees like mangoes to generate income.

He said the poverty situation in the area was unbearable and could not be handled by only the men hence the NGO's support to the women to help them contribute to the upkeep of their families.

'We assist them financially and in entrepreneurial development to engage them in businesses that would help pay their children's school fees and feeding of the family. It also helps them to pay for their medical bills, especially with registration and renewal of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).'

Mr Apasiya expressed the desire to extend support to other communities in the municipality whenever the NGO gets enough funds.

He appealed to donor partners, other NGOs, philanthropists and institutions that are advocates for women empowerment to collaborate with them to improve the living conditions of the rural communities in the region.

Mrs Atafila Akaribo, a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to the NGO and said it had relieved them of the economic stress they had endured over the years.

'The group has given us opportunities to be self-employed through the support and training we receive,' she said.

Madam Teni Ayamga, another beneficiary, said the NGO had brought stability, peace and love in their families since they were able to contribute to their upkeep adding that it had created unity among the women in the community.

The Light of Hope Foundation was formed in 2011 to help alleviate the financial difficulties of the people.

GNA

By Anthony Apubeo, GNA
Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, says the Finance Committee of Parliament did not do a thorough job at scrutinizing the budget of the Special Development Initiatives Ministry.

Kweku Baako said if it did, many of the grey areas which have become a subject of great controversy in the country would have been averted.

The Special Development Initiatives Ministry has been sternly criticised by the public after details of its estimated budget for 2018 was made public.

The Ministry in the estimated budget intends to use GHS800,000 to build a website and a further GHS10 million will be spent on purchasing 20 four-wheel drives.

The Ministry has also budgeted to build a six-unit classroom block at the cost of GHS770,000 each, while it looks to controversially spend GHS6.5 million on furniture and GHE15 million on renting an office space in 2018 alone.

Special Development Initiatives Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson

He also explained that the GHS500,000 budget for each four-wheel drive is not out of order.

For a ministry that has three development authorities under it, the veteran journalist believes that the specification is not unusual.

When you look at it from that perspective, you realize that 20 vehicles at the cost of GHS500,000 for this sector ministry and three development authorities, then it is not out of the ordinary in my candid opinion, he said.

He said if the Finance Committee had taken time to ask stringent questions and asked for a proper breakdown of the figures, maybe clarity would have been brought to the issue.

In his view, an appropriate discussion on the focus and coverage of the ministry, the things it is supposed to do will provide a better understanding.

Until that is done, peoples emotions are only being played on, and that one, once it is thrown into the street the ministry and government loses.

Randy Abbey

Host of Metro TVs Gooomorning Ghana programme, Randy Abbey who also contributed to the discussion said the change in figures from GHS800,000 to GHS80,000 was an afterthought.

He said the Special Development Initiatives Ministry stood by the figures it presented when it appeared before the Finance Committee and that the change was only triggered after the public outburst.

Checks suggest that at the level of the Committee, only two Ministries had to come back  the Special Development Initiative Ministry and Business Development Ministry - all others came just once and on all occasions, the GHS800,000 was there and they stood by it.

It was only when this issue was raised that [the figures were changed], it is clearly an afterthought, he added.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Naa Sakwaba Akwa | [email protected]
24.12.2017 LISTEN

Ms. Sarah Laaru Mwaawaaru, a business analyst at the Finnish-African Society, has urged Ghanaian Small and Medium Enterprises to consider Finland as a partner country in their businesses activities.

She said Finland's track record of innovative technologies and smart solutions made it an attractive counterpart for Ghana.

'Ghana is in the race to not only diversify its rich economy but to also tap into its wealth of resources. With a growing middle-income population, there is a need for more Smart Solutions and sustainable trade partnerships,' Ms Mwaawaaru said.

Speaking to a cross-section of the Ghana media in Accra to promote Ghana-Finland Trade and Cultural Forum scheduled for March next year, Ms Mwaawaaru said Finland has a good record of innovative technologies and smart solutions in the globalization of the economy.

The Trade and Cultural Forum is designed to give both Finnish and Ghanaian small and medium sized companies (SMEs) a realistic view on the various opportunities available in one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, Ghana.

The forum, being organised in collaboration with Pew Events, will involve Business to Business meetings, Match-making opportunities, New Markets, Trade, Tourism and Services discussions with Finnish captains of industry, as well as industrial visits to very big companies.

Ms Mwaawaaru said the general idea was to tell the Captain of Ghanaian industry that they were more than welcome to do business and joint partnership with the Nordic countries, particularly Finland.

'Finland is a favourable market. Ghanaians have been pushing and asking for a diversified economy. It is about time we partner with countries that are ahead of us,' she said.

'So with the upcoming event what we hope to offer Ghanaian industries is not just another trip to Finland for this event but an opportunity to participate in the Finn- Partnership match-making,' she added.

Ms Mwaawaaru said registration with Finn-Partnership would afford the Ghanaian SMEs to join a network and the database and get the chance to be matched with potential companies and enjoy the benefits.

'When it comes to finding the right partners you have stakeholders that will ensure that they find you the right partners,' she said.

Ms Mwaawaaru said Ghana is a favoured country in Finland because it is trustworthy, has an established democracy, understand the ease of doing business and Finnish companies and would be willing to use it as a base for Africa.

Mr Wakefield Ackuaku, Business Development Manager Pew Events, said as many Ghanaian companies were encouraged to apply to participate in the forum and forge the right partnership for the growth of their businesses.
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A former boss of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is adopting a wait and see attitude on the performance of the yet to be appointed Special Prosecutor before passing judgment.

Emile Short, however, believes the money expended in the setting up of the Special Prosecutors office could have been used to strengthen the Attorney Generals Department until such a time the country is ready to decouple the Justice Ministry from that of the Attorney Generals office.

He was speaking on Joy FMs news analysis programme Newsfile, Saturday.

The Bill on the Special Prosecutors Office has finally been passed by Parliament after the initial political drama and controversy.

It was a campaign promise by the NPP to institute an independent prosecutors office to take away the power of prosecution from the Attorney General and give it to the Independent Prosecutor.

On Saturday, the Independent Prosecutor controversy found space and expression on Newsfile once again.

In what seemed to be a star-studded appearance which had the Auditor General Daniel Domelevo, legal practitioner Ace Ankomah, and former Attorney General Dominic Ayine all sitting, the former CHRAJ boss did not appear to be in full support of the creation of the office of the Special Prosecutor.

He said he was initially in favour of the whole concept of the Special Prosecutors office but with recent developments, including the content of the Bill, and the misgivings raised by the Minority he began to wonder whether the whole exercise was necessary.

When you consider the amount of investment that is going to be made to the Public Prosecutors Office, I am beginning to wonder whether that could not have been invested in strengthening the Attorney Generals office which is already under-staffed and they are not happy with the conditions of service.

Until such time as we can amend the constitution to provide for an independent public prosecutor and have the minister of Justice to be the legal advisor to the government, this halfway house the NPP government has adopted [may be problematic] he hinted but was quick to add that time will be a better judge on whether the office will play its role well or not.

I have been wondering whether it is a misdirection of resources which we dont have he stated.

He said it was gratifying to see the Attorney General going to court to prosecute the alleged case of corruption by former NCA officials.

He wondered why the AG and the Director of Public Prosecution have not taken up cases like that and are rather waiting for the Special Prosecutors Office to be created first.

I guess it is a campaign promise so it has to go through but I want to suspend judgment [on the office] and see how it evolves."

But a private legal practitioner Ace Ankomah is convinced there will be harmony and better prosecutions if the same institution like the office of the Special Prosecutor were to conduct investigation and prosecution at the same time.

Under the current regime, the Attorney General must prosecute but it is the police that conduct investigation, a situation which he said has hampered public prosecutions in many ways.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah
Traditional rulers in the Dagbon traditional area have unanimously kicked against any attempt to include any part of the area in the creation of the proposed Eastern Corridor region.

Despite their differing positions on the pending performance of the funerals of the two overlords of Dagbon, they arrived at a consensus on the matter at a meeting in Yendi.

The said meeting which brought together chiefs from both sides of the chieftaincy divide in Dagbon was chaired by the Regent of Dagbon, the Kampakuya Yakubu Abdulai Andani.

The Council welcomed the Government policy of regional reorganization and pledged to support it. It reflected deeply on the implications of the creation of new regions out of the current Northern Region and how the reorganization will affect the fortunes of Dagb Traditional Area, a statement from the Council said.

The Council resolved that it will not cede any part of Dagb lands for the convenience of new regional formations. It will, however, continue to respect the legitimate demands of identified stakeholders for new regions to be carved out of the Northern Region.

Citi News gathered that a delegation will be sent to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to officially inform him of their position.

Below was a communique issued at the end of the meeting.

Dagb Traditional Council Meets on Regional Reorganization

Saturday, 23 December 2017

The Regent of Dagb, and acting President of the Dagb Traditional Council, Kampakuya-Naa, Andani Yakubu Abdulai called a special Expanded Council meeting to discuss the Government initiated Constitutional processes on Regional Reorganization.

The Special Meeting of the Dagb Traditional Council (DTC) was held at the forecourt of the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi today. The meeting brought together Paramount Chiefs, Divisional Chiefs and prominent citizens of the Dagb Traditional Area. In all, chiefs from 13 Districts, (Metro and Municipalities included) that makeup the Dagb Traditional Areas in the Northern Region attended the special expanded meeting.

These 13 districts are: Tamale Metro, Cheriponi, Gushegu, Kariga, Kumbungu, Mion, Saboba, Sagnarigu, Savelugu/Nanton Municipal, Tatale/Sanguli, Tolon, Yendi Municipal, and Zabzugu. These 13 districts encapsulate the jurisdictions of the Traditional Area.

The Council welcomed the Government policy of regional reorganization and pledged to support it. It reflected deeply on the implications of the creation of new regions out of the current Northern Region and how the reorganization will affect the fortunes of Dagb Traditional Area.

The Council resolved that it will not cede any part of Dagb lands for the convenience of new regional formations. It will however continue to respect the legitimate demands of identified stakeholders for new regions to be carved out of the Northern Region.

In consultation with the Regent of Bimbilla, it has been decided that the Dagb Traditional Council and the Nanung Traditional Council will issue a joint Memorandum to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Regional Reorganization, spelling out our demands. The two Councils have the highest confidence in the Government of His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo and the policy on Regional Reorganization and will continue to cooperate in the implementation of the policy.

Thank you.

SIGNED

Registrar

Dagb Traditional Council

cc: All Media Houses



By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post You cant use our lands for Eastern Corridor region  Dagbon Chiefs appeared first on Ghana News .
Richard Kofi Boahen, the Writer

24.12.2017 LISTEN

The year 2017 is gradually drawing to a close and in a matter of days it shall exit us to make way for 2018, which in my view, shall be full of Gods blessings, mercies, goodness, love and grace that surpass and transcend all human understanding.

2017 began on a confused note for some and a joyous note for others but which-ever way one found himself at the beginning of the year, we can at least be grateful to the Almighty God for bringing us all of us to this far hoping to experience greater and positive things in the years to come, especially in 2018 which is just around the corner.

This year began on an interesting note as there was a spill-over of the outcome the 2016 general elections in terms of people either still in the celebration mood and so felt in their hearts a new day dawning on their lives or still counting their loses after the heaviest defeat by all standards ever recorded in the history of Ghanas fourth republican era  relatively young John Mahama losing heavily to current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by over one million votes. What a wow!

January 2017

Even before his official inauguration on January 7, the then President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo found it necessary to name his backroom staff. His Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare and all others who would virtually ensure the effective day-to-day running of the Flagstaff House (formerly called the Jubilee House). Most of the names that came up were well known already by the public while a few others were relatively new to some of us but all the same, the President did very well by constituting his backroom staff ahead of his inauguration. It positively impacted on the inauguration ceremony, the beginning of government business and the effective conduct of the affairs at the presidency.

Saturday January 7 was the D-day and all roads led to the Black Star Square where the biggest inaugural ceremony ever held in the fourth Republic was being held. The colourful ceremony brought the whole of Africa and the rest of the world to Accra. Attendance was really impressive by all standards.

President Akufo-Addo hit the road running right away with the nomination of the first batch of Ministers of State for consideration and approval by Parliament. Parliament, I must say, did very well by kick-starting the vetting process in the same month with all the seriousness required. It was quite hectic, considering the number of Ministers and Deputy Ministers they had to vet and approve.

On Friday January 20, 2017, Parliament began vetting the Presidents nominees for some key ministerial portfolios. Among those who were first to be screened were Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Marfo, Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul and Kan Dapaah, National Security Minister.

While the vetting process was on-going, the President on Tuesday January 24 2017 named all the ten Regional Ministers. A day after, he out-doored David Asante-Apeatu as the Acting IGP as John Kudalor bowed out of office as the IGP.

Still in January, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia paid two surprise visits to some state institutions. He first touched base with the Registrar-Generals Department in Accra to among others, ascertain the challenges facing the department. Later in the month, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia visited the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

The Vice-President also chaired a consultative meeting in Accra on Thursday January 26, 2017 on the National Identification Project. In attendance were officials of the National Identification Authority, the Birth and Death Registry, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Statistical Service, the National Health Insurance Authority, the Ghana Revenue Authority and the National Development Planning Commission, among others.

President Akufo-Addo was also in Bamako, Mali in January to attend the Africa-France Summit.

Just before January ended, the first batch of 12 ministers vetted and approved by Parliament were sworn-in by the President. The President then left for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the 28th African Union Summit of Heads of State. Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorko Botchwey, who part of the Ghanas advance party to the summit, missed the swearing-in of the first batch of ministers and so the President swore her in, in far away Addis Ababa.

Also in January 2017, the Institute of Development Studies and the Department of Environmental Science; both of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in collaboration with WACAM, an advocacy group launched two reports on the adverse effects of the operations of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) on the lives of people living around the mine in the Asutifi North district of the Brong Ahafo Region.

The reports titled "Assessing the Social and Economic Effects of Mining on Women Affected by Newmont Ghana Gold's Operations" and "Exposure to Toxicants in Environmental Contaminants Within Newmont Ghana Gold Limited - Ahafo Mine: Human Health Risk Assessment Approach" were put together after a research work which was carried out in 2016 with financial support by the Ford Foundation.

Among others, the research work assessed the social, economic, environmental and health implications of Newmont's operations on people.

February 2017

It came out in February that a whooping seven billion cedi (Gh.c 7 000 000 000) hole had been left by the NDC government.

In preparing for the budget we realized to our shock that expenditure amounting to seven billion cedis was made by the previous government but never disclosed, citibusinessnews.com quoted the Vice-President as saying.

The $512m dubious Opuni COCOBOD deals involving about 51 contracts that were sole-sourced during the transition period also came to light in February.

Meanwhile, the Police administration announced a major shake-up within its ranks which saw DCOP Kofi Boakye move from the Ashanti Region as the Regional Commander to the national headquarters as the Director of Research and Planning. There were lots of movements from one place to the other by some senior members of the service.

In that same month, the President announced the appointment of Lt. Gen Obed Boamah Akwa as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Perhaps the biggest news in February was the declaration by the President that the much talked-about Free SHS policy would start in 2017. The President was speaking at the 60th anniversary of the Okuapeman SHS at Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region. The announcement was actually made on Saturday 11, 2017.

The election of regional representatives who were to serve on the Council of State took place on Thursday February 16 across the country. Reports from the various regions suggested that the elections were keenly contested for.

King Mohammed VI, King of Morocco was in Ghana in February for a 3-day official visit. He was here to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and discuss possible areas of mutual benefit to both countries.

On Tuesday February 21, President Akufo-Addo delivered his maiden State of the Nation Address to Parliament during which he made his intentions clear by stating that he was in a hurry to fulfill his campaign promises.

I have heard it said that I am behaving like a man in a hurry. Mr. Speaker, I am, indeed, in a hurry. The times in which we live demand that we all be in a hurry to deal with the problems we face, he said amidst cheers from the chamber of Parliament.

Also in February, Ghana got its first female Cabinet Secretary in the person of Ambassador Mercy Yvonne Debrah-Karikari. Her appointment took effect from February 14, 2017 (Vals Day! shiee what a wow!).

March 2017

March took off with the much awaited Asempa Budget which was delivered by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Thursday March 2, 2017. For the first time in the history of Ghana, the budget was greeted with wild jubilation by market women, kaya-yei girls and spare-parts dealers at Abossey-Okai and the Suame magazine, among others.

It was a budget statement that resonated very well with the masses and I think it was a plus for the governments economic management team. Nuisance taxes were abolished; capitation grant for basic schools was increased by 100% while the Free SHS policy also received its fair allocation in the budget.

Then came our 60th anniversary celebrations on 6th March which was another momentous occasion and as expected, we all joined in the commemoration of our independence from colonial rule.

As part of the celebrations, President Akufo-Addo and the Christian fraternity joined hands to commence construction works on a National Cathedral.

Still in March, Ghanas Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorko Botchwey paid a visit to South Africa to have a first-hand information on reported attacks on some foreigners in that country. She met with South African authorities who assured her of maximum security for Ghanaians and other nationals.

The President concluded on the selection of Ministers and Deputy Ministers in March and it was the first time in the fourth Republic that a President has been able to name all his Ministers and Deputy Ministers within the first quarter of the year.

On Monday March 20, 2017, the NPP marked the One Year anniversary of the passing of its former National Chairman, Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey who passed away in London on 20th March 2016.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly endorsed a former Ashanti Regional Minister, Osei Assibey Antwi, as its mayor with an emphatic victory which saw him securing 99.2% of the total votes cast.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was also in town to hold some discussions with President Akufo-Addo. Tony Blair was clear in his mind after his meeting with our President that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the interest of Ghana at heart.

Just as March was about ending, the Universal Merchant Bank was all over the place for making available a whopping $100m in support of the One-District, One-Factory policy of government. The Board Chairperson of the Bank, Betty Zormelo, made this known when management paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House (formerly called The Jubilee House).

Part Two of this write-up summarizes key events from April to December 2017. Your feedback is warmly welcome. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance.

Richard Kofi Boahen ( [email protected] )
24.12.2017 LISTEN

It is an open-secret that former President John Kofi Diawuo Agyekum-Kufuor was staunchly behind what the old political horse now mischievously calls the hiccupping activities that culminated in the indefinite suspension of Messrs. Paul AwentamiAfoko, Kwabena AgyeiAgyepong and Sammy Crabbe, the National Chairman, General-Secretary and Second-Vice Chairman of the then-main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), respectively. And so it is rather scandalous for the former President to pretend as if he had absolutely nothing to do with the well-documented subversive activities orchestrated against both the electoral fortunes of the party and its three-time Presidential Candidate, namely, Nana Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo, by the three suspended party executives that precipitated their well-deserved ouster.

I have personally been featured on a radio talking-heads show in which a prominent political scientist from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a vociferous member of the New Patriotic Party emphatically stated that Messrs. Afoko, Agyepong and Crabbe had the airtight backing of some political giants of the party who clearly appeared to have systematically and elaborately choreographed the patently anti-Akufo-Addo shenanigans of these three men. Indeed, one did not need a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics or Philosophy from an Oxbridge academy to be able to figure out precisely who these backers of the so-called Three Musketeers were.

For my part, though, I am very pleased that at least Mr. Alan John KwadwoKyerematen, the Trade Minister, has come to some sort of amicable working terms with the now-President Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo. Needless to say, Mr. Kufuor would be better off not to publicly and unwisely attempt to open up or rake over old wounds with such nauseatingly devious and downright mischievous comments, such as The Three Musketeers being on suspension for more than two years not being a part of the Constitution of the New Patriotic Party. You see, when he set Mr. Afoko up towards outmaneuvering Nana Akufo-Addo, by using Mr. Boafo, his onetime Asante Regional Minister, and the Kumasi courts, Mr. Kufuor ought to have thought deeply about the consequences of his actions.

Indeed, he may have been a likable President and quite a relatively good one at that, but the stark fact of the matter is that when it comes to good lawyering, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi City Council could still learn a thing or two from the likes of Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye and even the wet-eared Mr. Yeboah Dame. To speak much less about Nana Akufo-Addo, that is. Of course, it is scandalously tautological for Mr. Kufuor to opine that he was virulently against the indefinite suspension of Messrs. Afoko, Agyepong and Crabbe because he, together with his lock-stepping Chief-of-Staff, Mr. KwadwoMpiani, were the master-architects behind the 8-year languishing on the gray margins of political opposition of the New Patriotic Party (See I Opposed Agyapong [sic], Afoko Suspension  KufuorGhanaCrusader.com / Ghanaweb.com 12/22/17).

It is also inexcusably insulting for the former President to simplistically claim that Messrs. Agyepong and Crabbe had been indefinitely suspended primarily and merely because they had dared to criticize the Partys Disciplinary Committee for the latters sacking of Chairman Paul Afoko. No such claim could be at once more mendacious and insufferably preposterous. The fact of the matter, even as Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the former Presidents own brother, and Ghanas former Defense Minister, would frankly tell him, were he to ask, is that it was not only the NPPs Disciplinary Committee that took the noble decision to suspend Mr. Afoko, whose deliberately violent activities had precipitated the assassination of Mr. Adams Mahama, the Upper-Easts Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party.

Indeed, anybody who studiously followed the chaotic events leading up to the indefinite suspensions of The Three Musketeers or The Big Three, so-called, is fully aware of the fact that the sanctions exacted on these three men were the symphonic orchestration of the following standing committees and organs of the party, namely, the Disciplinary Committee, the Judicial Committee, the National Executive Committee, the National Council and the Council/Committee of Elders. I may have left out one or two others in the mention.

Rather than pretend to be smarter and more righteous than the rest of the New Patriotic Partys leadership, it would be better, by was of the preservation of his reputation and legacy, for Mr. Kufuor to render an unqualified public apology and allow the rest of us seriously wounded and traumatized fellow travelers to move on peacefully with our fast-healing and, for some among us, callused memories. The precarious state of the nation, largely the result of Mr. Kufuors avid desire to hand over power to Messrs. Mills and Mahama, does not offer the rest of us the luxury of indulging in such political sideshows. Remember what President Kufuor said in the wake of the burning down of Chairman Jerry John Rawlings Ridge residence? Not everybody can become President of Ghana. Dear Reader, who do you think my good, old Uncle Kofi Diawuo was referring to? Go figure!

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Emir Of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has arrived in Ghana for a two-day working visit. The Emir arrived in Ghana at about 6:50pm on Saturday.

He was received at the Jubilee lounge of the Kotoka International Airport by the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

President Akufo Addo and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are expected to hold bilateral talks at Peduase Lodge in Aburi on Sunday December 24.

The two Heads of State will then supervise the signing of five (5) Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between Ghana and Qatar.

It will be recalled that President Akufo-Addo, on Thursday 16th November 2017, as part of his 3-day official State visit to Qatar, paid a courtesy call on Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

During the visit, the discussions of two leaders centred on energy, infrastructural development, railways and roads, and also on the need to co-operate strategically for the mutual benefit of the two countries and their respective populations.

The reciprocal visit of the Emir of Qatar to Ghana from 23rd to 24th of December 2017, is expected to firm up the agreements reached between the two leaders last November.
The National Union of Ghana Students, NUGS Women Commission wishes to register our displeasure following the inhumane gang rape which was meted out on a young girl by some five young men in Bantama, a suburb of Kumasi. It is highly shocking to note how such a girl was allegedly violently gang-raped by the five boys and captured on video and making viral circulation on social media.

The international community, civil society organizations, and human rights groups have unanimously condemned the acts of alleged sexual violence on the girl. NUGS Women Commission welcomes and appreciates this show of support for the protection of human right, and for the protection of the civil and constitutional liberties of victims in such circumstances.

We challenge the law enforcement agencies to fast track the trial of this wrongdoing, we strongly believe that all the necessary evidences and witnesses be made available for a strict punitive judgment.

We further wish to make the following recommendations.

1) NUGS Women Commission stands with feminist, NGO's and the international community in calling for an independent, speedy, fair, and transparent investigation into the alleged violence gang rape.

2) that in full implementation of the matter, speedy arrests, prosecutions, and trials of all those persons found directly culpable within the shortest possible time.

3) there should be a full public disclosure of a comprehensive report in the case, the extent of damage and bruises on the victim's body if any.

4) We are also appealing to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection to expedite action in providing a counsellor and a clinical psychologist to the victim.

......Signed......

JOSCELINE ARTHUR

Women Commissioner

Elisha Oheneba Essumang

PRESIDENT

Kojo Matasa Blay

Press & Information Secretary
For those who cherish and celebrate it, Christmas is very special, because it is a seasonal holiday period that brings far-flung families together - and gives great joy to children especially.

One's prayer, is that those travelling to be with family and close friends across the country will get to their destinations safely, and that our nation will remain peaceful and stable throughout the Christmas holiday season.

Above all, we must think of those who still have to work throughout the holidays, to ensure that our system still functions normally. This blog salutes them.

Finally, May 2018 be a much better year for all Ghanaians and our very beautiful and welcoming homeland Ghana: the star of Africa.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Ghanas Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, Martha Ama Pobee, says Ghanas decision to reject the United States intention to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is in keeping with relevant UN and AU resolutions.

Ghana was among 129 countries of the UN General Assembly who decisively backed a resolution effectively calling on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The text says that any decisions regarding the status of the city are "null and void" and must be cancelled.

The non-binding resolution was approved by 128 states, with 35 abstaining and nine others voting against.

Israel, which has many economic interests in Ghana, expressed its disappointment through the Embassy in Ghana and called the decision a mistaken vote.

Replying a question on whether the US will sanction Ghana for voting to reject the resolution, Ambassador Pobee replied: "Ghana, like many countries that voted for the resolution, maintains excellent relations with the US. We will continue to engage with the US at the UN as partners in several other areas where we share common interests for our mutual benefit and for global peace and security."

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
Mr. Ishmael Ayittey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Friday donated assorted items to the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs in Dodowa.

The items include 20 bags of rice, five boxes of cooking oil, 12 cartons of black label whisky, a bull and an undisclosed amount of money.

'The donation is to wish the chiefs a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year,' he said, and called on them to unite the people and bring development to the area.

He commended the chiefs for their role in dispute resolution, saying they constituted an important figure in preserving the country's culture and ensuring peace and development in the community.

The Minister urged the chiefs to lead the crusade to unite all factions to pave way for development in the area, in that there cannot be effective development without peace and unity.

Mr Ayittey expressed concern about chieftaincy disputes in the Region, which retarded development and urged them to institute measures to resolve the issues and ensure peace and unity.

He said his outfit would continue to engage the House to chart the way forward in addressing any pressing issues affecting the community.

Mr Ayittey admonished the traditional authorities to seek the welfare of the youth and create opportunities for them to be productive than being a liability to society.

Nene Atiapa III, the Vice President of the House, thanked the Minister for the gesture and pledged to spearhead the development of the region.

He appealed to the Minister to improve the road network in the Dodowa enclave, furnish the office of the House with modern chairs and other logistical support to facilitate its work in an effective and efficient manner.

Members of the House present at the event were Nene Aadegbor Ngmongmowuyaa Kwesi Animle VI, the Paramount Chief of Osudoku Traditional Area, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku II, the Ada Mantse, Professor Odeifio Welentsi III, the Paramount Chief of Nungua Traditional Area, Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III, La Mantse, Dr. Nii Adjei Kraku ll, the Paramount Chief of Tema, Nii Ayi Bontey II, the Gbese Mantse and King Tackie Adama Latse II, the Ga Mantse.
Days, weeks and months have gone and there are only few days more to end of the year. The Trustee Board, Advisory Board and Executives would like to use this opportunity to wish GaDangme people inside Ghana, Europe and other parts of the world a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Indeed, the GDEu Organization is tackling the social aspects of GaDangmes in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana as well as the economic growth of her people.

Although much has not been achieved this year a widows mite donation was made to the people of Nungua. All the same GaDangme Europe has great plans for the upcoming year. This year has been a year of brainstorming from the meetings held with the Trustee and Advisory Boards, the member Associations and also the annual General Conference held in Dusseldorf, Germany.

In this regard, GaDangme Europe Organization believes and is eager that 2018 will be a year with great fortunes and achievements as the Food Security Project will commence in order to create jobs for the Greater Accra citizens.

As the children of today stand to be the future leaders of tomorrow, the Organizations goal and primary project stands on the educational programs and development of social activities.

As mentioned earlier, this year has been more of planning and establishing structures and channels to strengthen the foundation of the GDEu. The Organization believes that with a strong foundation she can effectively and efficiently work on its planned projects and programs that will start at the beginning of next year.

Once again GaDangme Europe wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

GADANGME EUROPE (GDEu)

www.gadadngme.eu

Face Book: Gadadngme Europe

You Tube: Gadadngme Europe

Email:- [email protected]
When I thought about this article, I had wanted the title to read; December 31, 1981- A revolution betrayed but that would have attracted the usual pundits of revolutionary theory who continue to question what was betrayed.

For the sake of argument, let us take the case of Cuba. If Fidel Castro had on the eve of the Cuban revolution back tracked because Cuba had too many problems, that the mighty United States was only 90 miles away, and that right-wing Cuban exiles were planning the Bay of Pigs (the attempted invasion of Cuba by the Central Intelligence Agency and Cuban exiles) what would have been the result? This is what happened in the aftermath of the December 31, 1981 coup which promised to herald a revolution which would transform Ghana.

The events of post 31 December 1981 are subject to various interpretations. Thirty-six years after the coup or revolution, the jury is still out there. However, let me state from the beginning that subsequent events following 31 December leads me to only one conclusion. That peoples aspirations, hopes for a better Ghana were betrayed.

Following the revolution millions of Ghanaian workers, farmers and indeed to poor moved cautiously to support the need for change. The students who volunteered to cart cocoa from the rural interior, the women whom we mobilised to start the 31st December Womens Movement, the youth we mobilised into the Democratic Youth League and Ghana, as a successor movement to Kwame Nkrumahs Young Pioneer Movement, and the dispossessed who saw some hopes. Going further, the thousands, indeed millions of workers, famers, soldiers, policemen men and women, market women who were mobilised into the Peoples and Workers Defence Committees.

Supporting these efforts were pre-revolution mass movements like the Movement on National Affairs (MONAS), the Peoples Revolutionary League of Ghana PRLG), the New Democratic Movement (NDM), Pan African Youth Movement (PANYMO) and several others. The June Four Movement (JFM) which had, against all better judgement, invited Rawlings into its ranks, suffered the most as Rawlings saw this as an impediment to his neo-liberal, pro-IMF, pro-western, corrupt, state capture type regime based on patronage and corruption.

All these movements were trampled under the boots of Rawlings and his cohorts, who having used radical left-wing movements to support and consolidate his rule, pandered to the whims and caprices of western nations under the leadership of the United States, to not only ban, but crush these emerging ass movements in return for aid from western donor nations.

Could Rawlings have achieved his goal of implementing the structural adjustment programme with the left in Government? Of course not. The June Four Movement and some sections of the New Democratic Movement (NDM) and the trade Unions had stated their objections to a SAP led economic transformation.

To make the regime attractive to imperialism, Rawlings first had to deal with two main forces: Firstly, the trade Unions, secondly, the radical left movements, and thirdly, the two leading elements who represented progressive politics in the PNDC Sgt Allolga Akata-Pore and Chris Atom, the leading ideologue of the revolution. Some have suggested that it was also about consolidating power of the coup regime and realigning class forces for what subsequently happened.

However, the tensions produced as a result of (a) the murder of the High Court Judges and the retired army officer, (b) fierce debates about economic policy direction and (c) the rising influence of the Peoples and Workers Defence Committees - centres of peoples power, led to some resignations from the Government.

The late Dr. Emmanuel Hansen, Secretary to the PNDC, HE John Agyekum Kuffour (later to become President), Brigadier Nunoo Mensah and myself resigned from the Government. These give way for Rawlings to dismantle all organs of peoples power, Leading cadres from the District and Regional coordinating committees of the Workers and Peoples Defence Committees were arrested, imprisoned and some were tortured without trial for no reason except that they wanted to see a better Ghana.

In 1983, the PNDC regime brutalised Ghanaian workers and people into acquiescing to the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) led by radicals turned neo-liberal adherents and cheerleaders for neo-colonialism in Ghana. They led the implementation of one of the most retrogressive, hard hitting, anti-people economic policy programmes in Ghanas post-independence history.

By mid-1983 onwards, any slight sign of dissent either by deed or thought was violently crushed in summary executions. In some cases, during the numerous search and destroy missions organised by the regime, many young soldiers, political activists, journalists and chiefs became victims.

No house, no compound, no institution was left untouched as Kojo Tsikata led Bulgaria trained spies and bunch of pro-IMF ideologues roamed round the country in search of enemies. So fearful was the atmosphere that Ghanaians called it the era of silence. (Anyone who doubts this should re visit and read the report of the Reconciliation Commission set up by President Kuffour and Nana Akuffo Addo, then Minister for Justice).

This dictatorship which could only be compared to that of General Pinochet in Chile. In spite of the appalling human rights record, the so-called international community including progressive governments continued to underwrite the regimes financial corruption, profligacy and excuses for bad behaviour.

By 1986, Ghana had earned the accolade IMF Baby, and Rawlings was feted like a hero except that the economy was on the downward slide. As usual, African radicals desperate for good lessons. ignored these facts and the reality that Rawlings was no radical transformational leader, and put him on pedestal. They even extoled the non-existent achievements of Rawlings.

As a major plank of the structural adjustment programme (SAP), all factories set up by the Kwame Nkrumah government and which even the 1966 coup detat could not touch were sold off cheaply to friends, family, wives, and all willing supplicants of the regime.

Ghanas economic fortunes suffered catastrophic down turns as a result, accentuating already existing high levels of inequality and poverty. Rawlings promoted an economic policy which led to high foreign debts, the control of the economy by western investors crumbling infrastructure, lack of pro-poor policies, piles of rubbish, high unemployment and runaway corruption. These are the legacies of the 1983 Botchway/Rawlings neo-liberal economic experimental doctrines.

At the risk of being described as a supporter of the Akuffo Addo government by those with tinted lenses, let me add that some of these bad economic anomalies that are being addressed today by the current government result from these disastrous policies. Ghana today is reaping the bitter fruits of the seeds sown in 1983 onwards, and continued by subsequent administrations of the NDC and to a lesser extent, the Agyekum Kuffour administration.

However, let me restate that the intentions the revolutionary process supported by well-meaning Ghanaian youth, workers, market women, soldiers, the security forces and the poor in general, were clear: To rid Ghana of corruption, change Ghanas neo-colonial economic direction that relied too much on cocoa as the only exportable commodity, restructure the economy to benefit the people of Ghana and promote a people doctrine based on popular participation, accountability, transparency, self-reliance, and rule of law.

The balance sheet of the Rawlings / Botchway economic performance is and remains was abysmal to say the least. While in 1982, corruption was brought down considerably to the extent that only those close to Rawlings dared get themselves involved in corrupt practices, this practice was given a new lease of life by the type of political system of patronage, influence peddling and lopsided development which favoured a tiny section of the middle class allied to the Rawlings regime.

Personal aggrandisement, profligate immoral personal habits, corruption, lack of a national spirit of patriotism and worse of all, lack of interest in national agenda became the hallmark of the Rawlings era. None of these were on the original agenda of the December 31 coup/revolution.

Sadly, the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) seems to be an embodiment of all the negative attributes of the Rawlings post 1983 era. It is incapable to weaning itself from some of the weak aspects of the Rawlings era in Ghanaian politics. Some of the leaders of the party repudiated the goals of December 31, 1981.

Current Ghanaian politics thrives on the sad decline of national values, unwavering personality worship, lack of a credible political debate on the future of the country, personal aggrandisement, runaway corruption and abuse of political opponents as a form of political culture. These are the attributes of a dictatorship inherited from from Rawlings. He is still chest thumping and able to promote these backward non-Ghanaian values.

Ghanas post-independence development agenda was torn to shreds by those who claimed to be part of transformational agenda. If the current government has to deal with the right to education, health, and runaway corruption and instil a sense of national purpose and developmental values, it is because of the deliberate actions of those who betrayed the aspirations of ordinary Ghanaians who supported the of December 31, 1981 process.

As Ghana celebrates the 36th year of the December 31st revolution some of us cannot help but remember a political process that had the support of the poor farmers, students, youth, women, academics, soldiers, policemen and women, and indeed the majority Ghanaians, even if some were sceptics.

It was a political upheavel that promised and had the potential to deliver a Castro/Sankara type social and political revolution, but was wasted on the rubbish heap of personality power grab fuelled by the ambitions of one man, the collective theft of national resources by a cabal of opportunists and nation wreckers who perpetuated their vile corrupt values on the rest of the nation.

What I hope is not repeated this time is the June 4, 1979 type narrative in which one man (Rawlings) descends on Ghana like superman to save us from harm. This narrative has dominated Ghanas recent history in which one man, Rawlings is the hero and everyone else an inconsequential villain.

However, many of the key actors of both June 4, 1979 and 31 December 1981 are still alive and can give us a different narrative. Some of it will be about the heroism of ordinary Ghanaians trying to save the nation from total collapse. However, many will also narrate gory stories of torture, murder, assassinations, lies, unemployment, and cover ups told at the National Reconciliation Commission. These remain the enduring legacies and hallmarks of the Rawlings era.

If recent discussions on social media are anything to go by, there are many aspects of the political events surrounding 31st December 1981 that require elucidation and honest clarity by the main actors. Some of us have a duty to admit our faults based perhaps on what someone called youth exuberance when it comes to 31 December 1981.

Those who seek to use this day to prop up a failing political experiment should decide which 31 December is being celebrated. The one based on probity, accountability, transparency, self-reliance and a genuine peoples revolutionary process, or the subsequent one based on neoliberalism, poverty skewed development, corruption, personality worship and a false national sense of being.

Well-meaning Ghana loving citizens should not fall for historical distortions, hubris, lies, crude political distortions and attempts to use 31 December 31 1981 as an excuse to perpetuate backward personalised corrupt politics which cannot lead to the elimination of poverty, deprivation and social injustice.

Defending the national interest, promoting patriotism, elimination of poverty and honesty were the main original goals of 31 December process, and should remain so. Ghana and its interest as a pan African nation should remain the focus. 31 December 31 does should not be hijacked by a political party or single individual.

This article is dedicated to the victims of 31 December 1981.

Zaya Yeebo is currently Managing Editor of Public Agenda, and is also the author of The Struggle for Popular Power: Rawlings, Saviour or Demagogue published in 1990 by New Beacon Books (London).

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24.12.2017 LISTEN

In a little overs a week ago, Bernard Mornah, Chairman of PNC and Irbad Ibrahim, the young man we have been made to believe is an expert in Security were thwarted from organising a rally to voice out concerns about the Togo crisis by Ghana Police Service.

The name of the group formed for this demonstration was Ghana Togo Solidarity Movement.

From their account, the police behaved in an unprofessional manner in spite of giving them the leeway to do the rally at Kawukudi Park and that should be condemned.

Just a couple of days ago, Ras Mubarac, Member of Parliament for KumbunguConstituency alongside Ibrahim and others held a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinians on United States decision to recognition Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

What is happening is that all these so called solidarity rallies and demonstrations on issues involving other nations are exposing us to security threats and infractions on our diplomatic relationships with the said countries.

The worst part is, most of these phantom groups usually bears the name of Ghana as a corporate body in spite of the fact that they are always sanction by individuals who dont represents Ghana in a anyway. Most of the people who go the extra mile to do demonstrations in the country in relation to matters in other countries are people sometimes paid by factions to the issues to use our peaceful nation to do their bidding.

We cannot look on for people to use something each of us represents to advance their interest and subject all of us to danger in the long-term.

The Israeli-Palestinianconflicts is one issue that common sense should teach every nation to be cautious about making their stance known publicly.

Irbad Ibrahim should know this if he is not just a google security expert. Ras Mubarac, for a Member of Parliament who needs to focus on advancing the interest of people in parliament and develop Ghana at large, he should never be allowed to be involved in these campaigns because the nation cannot give him the platform to be doing the bidding of of other nations.

For the most part of the week to the said demonstration, he went to parliament dressed like a Yasser Arafat.

What authority does Bernard Mornah and Irbad Ibrahim have to use the name Ghana to pursue their individual interest?

If a stop is not put to these demonstrations, a few Ghanaians will be making enemies for us at home and our compatriots in the said countries.

This is one reason why I am very uncomfortable with the decision of government to vote against Israel instead if recusing Ghana from the whole process due to our diplomatic relations with the countries involved.

In the 21 Century, it is so easy to make enemies without knowing and therefore this is never the time to take advantage of globalisation and interfere in the affairs of other sovereign nations.

If the need be and our input can resolve issues, it should be handled by the people mandated to represent our interest in such matters.

Demonstrations in Ghana wont solve problems in other countries but rather make enemies for us.

Even though I disagree with government decision to vote against the US and Israel in the same way Id have questioned their decision if they voted in favour of them, it better to handles these things at that level than to see individuals trying to make names for themselves at potentially our collective peril.

That said, Ras Mubarac and Irbad Ibrahim have no right or let me say should never have been given the right to do what they did.

Recently, when it was revealed that the right of blacks were being trampled upon in a burgeoning slave business in Lybia, none of these people thought it wise to demonstrate in solidarity with our compatriots in the North African country.

This was an issues that was in African with the lives of many Ghanaians at risk but they chose to ignore it because possibly, no one gave them that contract.

Ghana should never be a place for international political vigilantism

We have always been a humble nation that stays away from murky international issues that calls for factional alignment. This is why we are friends of our friends enemies.

When two friends have issues, it is not so smart for the third party to take sides.

Forming solidarity movements to advance the interest of one nation over the other endangers all of us and therefore the state should guard against.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is largely fuel by religious differences: this is why Ghana, a country that has Christians and Muslims living together peacefully should be tactful in our role and how we react to such things.

Clearly, those who took party were influenced partly by religion, it is not coincidental that the conveners are Muslims. What if Christians in Ghana who were clearly behind the US and Israel decided to do same to back Israel?

We need to tread cautiously, we are becoming too loud globally.
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The tip that led police to the man suspected of killing 3-year-old Rene Blancas Jr. wasn't initially sent to San Antonio police. A local TV station got the letter.

Eric Trevino, 22, was arrested Wednesday evening on a charge of capital murder. He is accused of shooting and killing Rene on Nov. 4 as he sat in a car with his parents and next to his 11-month-old sister.

An arrest affidavit made public Thursday details what police say happened that night and how Trevino was arrested.

RELATED: Man arrested in fatal shooting of 3-year-old in November

Now Playing: Eric Trevino, 22, is escorted by San Antonio Police Department Officers to a vehicle that will take him to the Bexar County Central Magistrates Office Wednesday, Dec. 20, at the Public Safety Headquarters, 315 S. Santa Rosa Ave. Video: By J. Del Valle

The family was traveling eastbound on Briggs Street and the couple said a driver of a Honda Civic drove past them, then made a U-turn to get behind them.

A shot rang out from the car, which struck the trunk and hit the Rene in the back of the head. He was pronounced dead early on Nov. 5, according to the affidavit.

A break in the case came on Dec. 6, when a KENS 5 reporter told police he got a letter that identified Trevino as the suspect. The author of the letter wished to remain anonymous, according to the affidavit, but the content included details not previously released to the public, like the directions the cars were traveling in.

Detectives continued investigating the lead and discovered Trevino had access to a 2008 Honda Civic, which matched the vehicle description, police said.

RELATED: East Side mom says someone walked into her son's room, fatally shot him in head

The car was purchased by Trevino's mother on Oct. 13, according to the affidavit. She suddenly returned the vehicle to the dealership on Nov. 10, saying she no longer wanted it.

Trevino's mugshot was also placed in a photo lineup and Rene's parents identified him as the shooter, according to the affidavit. Trevino was initially brought in on unrelated felony warrants before he was charged with the murder.

He denied shooting Rene while he was brought into custody Wednesday night.

"I didn't hurt nobody. I didn't kill no little boy," he said, using explicit language. "Ya'll ... got the wrong people."

Trevino is charged with capital murder, violating sex offender requirements, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and evading arrest, according to jail records. His bond is set at $1,055,600.

He was previously convicted in 2014 on a charge of possession of child pornography. He spent two years in prison before he was released. He last reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety for his annual sex offender registration on July 15, 2016. According to online TxDPS records, he absconded sometime after that.

Staff writers J. Del Valle and Caleb Downs contributed to this report | Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA
Lambert here: Lets remember that these are not biometrics, but representations of biometrics, with varying degrees of granularity and quality. And not all metrics uniquely identify a person over their life-time; Yves points out that her gait has changed multiple times over her adult life.

By Don Quijones, Spain, UK, & Mexico, editor at Wolf Street. Originally published at Wolf Street.

In 2018, banks in Mexico will face new regulations that will oblige them to collect biometric data (finger prints and iris scans) on all of their customers. Whenever a customer asks for a new home or car loan, cashes in a paycheck, applies for a credit card or opens a new savings account, the bank in question will have to request the customers digital fingerprints and then match those fingerprints with data against information in the database of the National Electoral Institute.

Foreign-owned subsidiaries of global banks like BBVA and Citi are thrilled with the initiative arguing that it will help them combat identity theft. Most high street lenders in Mexico have already agreed to help build a single biometric database, says Marcos Martinez, president of Mexicos Banking Association (ABM).

The ultimate goal is to develop a unique identification system that will work alongside the governments national ID scheme, which is in the final stages of development. According to the former Secretary of Finance and Public Credit (and now presidential candidate for the governing PRI party), Jose Antonio Meade, by the summer of 2018 all Mexicans will have a single biometric identification number.

These developments are moving fast and quietly. And as is the case with biometric programs being tried and tested all over the world right now, from the uncharted backwaters of long-forgotten war zones to the bustling metropolises of the West or East, no one is being consulted along the way.

Most national passports these days include biometric data. Driver licenses in the US (which serve as de facto ID cards) already have them or soon will. Meanwhile, millions  perhaps soon billions  of people have volunteered their digital fingerprints to log into their smartphones and other digital devices. In other words, were already giving away our most private data to work, communicate, cross borders or get on planes.

China has taken biometrics to a whole new level, using facial recognition technology to validate identities in virtually all forms of transaction, including the use of toilet paper in public bathrooms.

What sets the biometrics program in Mexico apart from what is happening in most other countries is that it is the countrys financial regulators and private banks  and not the government  that are requiring this, though the government is not far behind. The development of a single biometrics database to be used by banks and other financial institutions raises serious questions about financial security as well as data privacy.

Biometrics are tricky, Woodrow Hartzog, an Associate Professor of Law at Samford University told WIRED. They can be great because they are really secure. Its hard to fake someones ear, eye, gait, or other things that make an individual uniquely identifiable. But if a biometric is compromised, youre done. You cant get another ear.

Unfortunately, as recent data leaks have shown, most databases remain incredibly porous. In this years hack of the U.S. consumer credit bureau Equifax, the personal data that was stolen included names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, mortgage data, and payment history data, including to utilities, wireless service providers, and the like.

This, in itself, is highly compromising data that can be of huge value in the wrong hands. But imagine what could have happened if the database had included U.S. consumers most personal data of all  the biological traits that make them unique?

If the United States biggest consumer credit bureau can be hacked and key data on 143 million US consumers stolen with such apparent ease, what are the chances that a similar or even worse fate could befall Mexicos newly created biometrics data bank? Its not like Mexico is short of enterprising criminals with lots of liquid funds to hire gifted, mercenary hackers  or pull off an inside job.

Hackers are already engineering ways to spoof biometric authentication. Researchers were able to break into Apples Touch ID system with just a small piece of Play Doh.

The scariest thing about this mad rush by corporations, banks, credit card companies, governments and (yes!) some consumers to embrace biometrics is not the speed at which its happening, which is scary enough, but the complete lack of public debate taking place about the thorny issues it throws up. Those include the threat it poses to privacy and anonymity, the fact that use of data about your body parts is largely unregulated (and many companies want to keep it that way), or the deceptively public nature of biometrics.

A password is inherently private, says Alvaro Bedoya, Professor of Law at Georgetown University. The whole point of a password is that you dont tell anyone about it. A credit card is inherently private in the sense that you only have one credit card.

Biometrics, on the other hand, are inherently public, he argues. I do know what your ear looks like, if I meet you, and I can take a high resolution photo of it from afar, says Bedoya. I know what your fingerprint looks like if we have a drink and you leave your fingerprints on the pint glass. And that makes them easy to hack. Or track.

But this juggernaut has now been put in motion, and its unlikely to be stopped because the biggest benefits will be enjoyed by the governments, banks, and corporations that are busily rolling out these schemes for their own purposes. By Don Quijones.
A man who escaped from a Hawaii psychiatric hospital and flew to the Bay Area will be sent back to the islands.

The Hawaii attorney general's office said Friday the state of California issued a warrant authorizing Randall Saito's extradition.

The attorney general's office says it's arranged with the U.S. Marshal's Service to have Saito return on a non-commercial flight.

San Joaquin County Judge Michael Mulvihill scheduled a Jan. 5 hearing to discuss the extradition.

Saito has been a Hawaii State Hospital patient for nearly four decades since being found not guilty by reason of insanity of a woman's murder.

He walked out of the hospital on Nov. 12 and took a taxi to the airport. Police arrested him in Stockton three days later.
The Contra Costa County sheriff says an investigation has found no evidence that federal immigration detainees were mistreated at a Richmond jail.

Sheriff David Livingston said Friday that after interviewing more than 100 witnesses and watching hundreds of hours of video, investigators found that nearly all complaints of poor treatment at the West County jail were unfounded.

The Sheriff's Office houses immigration detainees at the jail under a $6 million federal contract. Thirty-eight women had complained to the San Francisco Chronicle of poor conditions. Some said they were forced to use plastic bags as toilets and one said she was locked up for 23 hours a day.

Livingston said those claims were false. He said detainees have cell keys and can leave for restroom breaks at any time.
A debris fire prompted the brief closure of the Civic Center BART station on Saturday afternoon.

BART officials said the blaze sparked in a fan room around 3 p.m., but no one was hurt or displaced.

The fire was doused a few minutes later, but is under investigation, fire department officials reported on twitter.

Trains passed through the Civic Center, but did not make stops there until about 3:20 p.m., they reported. The station has since reopened.

The incident caused a 20-minute delay in the directions of Pittsburg, Dublin, Warm Springs, Richmond, San Francisco International Airport and Daly City, acccording to the agency's Twitter page.
The last Native American village in Yosemite Valley, destroyed 40 years ago, is being rebuilt in the same spot so that Miwuk Indian youths can learn about their culture.

Bill Tucker, who is Miwuk and Paiute, said the project is personal.

The 78-year-old Tucker lived in the village that was razed by the National Park Service in the 1960s and says the village "is home."

"I lived here with my grandma," Tucker told the Fresno Bee. "My first child was  she didn't make it  but it was in this house where my wife had the labor."

Archaeological evidence shows Native Americans living in Yosemite Valley for at least 7,000 years.

Yosemite's native community dwindled in the mid-1800s when a battalion of state militia shot, hanged or captured Native Americans and burned their villages. Some fled to the foothills or eastern Sierra and found a way to survive.

More recently, they worked service jobs, were basket weavers and performed traditional dances for park visitors.

Their last village  15 small cabins near the Camp 4 campground, just down the road from Yosemite Lodge  was gradually leveled as its inhabitants lost seasonal or full-time employment in the park. Those who retained employment were moved into housing elsewhere.

Reconstruction of the village started in 2009 and so far a roundhouse foundation has been built. The project was halted in 2011 because of safety concerns but construction resumed last year after the native community proved the traditional roundhouse met building codes.

It is not clear when the project will be completed.

Tourists will be able to visit the village, although some spiritual ceremonies may only be open to tribal members.

The aim of the village is "to continue our culture and educate our youth, that's really the bottom line. Educate our youth," native elder Les James told the newspaper.

Members of the American Indian Council of Mariposa County/Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation and now-retired Park Service employees asked for their village back in 1977 but it took the federal government four decades to approve it.

"It's our job as the National Park Service to preserve and protect the park and the resources," Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said. "But telling the cultural history and telling the story about the Native Americans is equally as important to our mission, not just for us as the National Park Service to tell the story, but to have the tribes and the tribal members tell the story."
A Los Angeles Department bomb squad responded to a Bel-Air neighborhood Saturday night due to a suspicious package addressed to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Mnuchin's next-door neighbor on Bel Air Road received a suspicious package addressed to Mnuchin, according to LAPD West Los Angeles Area Watch Commander Rob Weise. The package -- which contained horse manure -- was dropped off at a neighbor's house. It was cleared by investigators around 8 p.m.

The Secret Service was also involved due to the connection to Mnuchin.

Mnuchin was at his home at the time of the incident and "was made aware of the situation," but was not in immediate danger, Weise said.



Aerial footage from NewsChopper 4 showed officers investigating a large box wrapped in wrapping paper. Multiple law enforcement sources tell NBC investigations that officers unwrapped the box to discover it was filled with horse manure.

A Christmas card was also inside the package, making some reference to Mnuchin and President Donald Trump, multiple sources told NBC.

The card did not contain a threat, but there was some kind of negative reference to Trump's $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, signed on Dec. 22, according to multiple sources.

Mnuchin did not have to evacuate his home during the investigation, Weise said, but the investigation did force a temporary closure of Bel Air Road.

NBC News' Andrew Blankstein and NBC4's Rudy Chinchilla contributed to this report.


The Salvation Army of Massachusetts is asking the public to help close a $800,000 gap in its fundraising needs for 2017.

Saturday is the final day of the Red Kettle Campaign for 2017 and the organization says that communities served by The Salvation Army in Massachusetts are now at risk of losing assistance because of the shortfall.

We are just hours away from the end of this campaign, and we desperately need help to reach our goal and to meet all of the need we anticipate in 2018, said Major David B. Davis, Massachusetts Divisional Commander. Time and again weve seen the miracle of human kindness and generosity take over when the people we serve most need it. This is one of those times, and The Salvation Army will be staffing every Red Kettle in Massachusetts to the very last moment possible.

The organization set a $3.5 million fundraising goal for 2017, however, many communities are seeing reduced fundraising.

In comparison to last year around this time, Athol is down 30 percent, Lawrence is down 40 percent, Malden is down 50 percent, Milford is down 22 percent and Plymouth is down 23 percent.

In order to reach that goal, close to $800,000 in new Red Kettle donations must be received by the end of the day on Saturday.

Davis believes that the changing consumer habits may be the main reason for the shortfall.

People dont necessarily carry and use cash in the same ways they have in the past, and every year more and more Christmas shopping transitions online, he said. This is something we are experiencing in 2017 perhaps more than ever before  and the impact on our fundraising has been severe.

Programs that the Salvation Army supports include feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, supplying meals at Thanksgiving and toys for children at Christmas, helping natural disaster victims, and much more.

Those who are not nearby to donate, can still make a donation by texting KETTLE17 to 4144 to give securely from a smartphone.
Crews have resumed recovery efforts for a missing 56-year-old snowmobiler believed to have fallen through the ice at a pond in Griswold last weekend.

Several agencies, including the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, began searching for the missing man, John Dubois, in Griswold around 6 p.m. on Dec. 16 after a snowmobile was found with no operator near the Pachaug Pond boat launch on Voluntown Road.

EnCon officers, Connecticut State Police troopers and K9 units, along with nearby fire departments and regional dive teams, searched through Saturday and into Sunday morning for Dubois before the search was suspended due to weather conditions.

Officials believe the rider went through the ice. Last weekend the search was deemed a recovery mission.

EnCon officers, Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut State Police dive team have all returned to Pachaug Pond to resume the search.
An elderly couple who was arrested in Nebraska with 60 pounds of marijuana in their truck told officers that the drugs were meant to be Christmas presents.

The York News-Times reports the couple were arrested Tuesday by the York County Sheriffs Department after they were stopped for a traffic violation.

Officers found the large bags of marijuana in the Toyota Tacoma driven by 80-year-old Patrick Jiron and his 70-year-old wife Barbara. (Officials initially gave her age as 83.) The couple told officials they were driving from California to Vermont.

The couple was being held in York County jail on suspicion of felony drug charges.
The Trump administration has approved a plan to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, a long-awaited move that deepens America's involvement in the military conflict and may further strain relations with Russia. Moscow responded angrily on Saturday.

The new arms include American-made Javelin anti-tank missiles, U.S. officials said late Friday. Ukraine has long sought to boost its defenses against Russian-backed separatists armed with tanks that have rolled through eastern Ukraine during violence that has killed more than 10,000 since 2014. Previously, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with support equipment and training, and has let private companies sell some small arms like rifles.

The officials describing the plan weren't authorized to discuss it publicly and demanded anonymity.

The move is likely to become another sore point between Washington and Moscow, as President Donald Trump contends with ongoing questions about whether he's too hesitant to confront the Kremlin. Ukraine accuses Russia of sending the tanks, and the U.S. says Moscow is arming, training and fighting alongside the separatists.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the U.S. decision will only make the conflict more deadly and suggested that Russia could be forced to respond. He also said the U.S. can no longer cast itself as a mediator. "It's not a mediator. It's an accomplice in fueling the war," Ryabkov said in a statement.

The intensified support for Ukraine's military also comes amid early discussions about sending U.N. peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine, to improve security conditions not only for Ukrainians but for monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe who are on the ground.

The U.S. and other nations were cautiously optimistic when Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to send in peacekeepers. But there are major disagreements about how and where the peacekeepers would operate, especially about whether they'd be deployed only on the "line of conflict" between separatists and the government. The U.S. and Ukraine want peacekeepers deployed throughout the separatist-controlled regions stretching to the Ukraine-Russia border.

By approving a plan to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, the Trump administration could see it as providing leverage in these negotiations. While some are skeptical about Putin's proposal, others suggest he may be looking for a way out of the conflict. Alexander Vershbow, former deputy secretary general of NATO and a former ambassador to Moscow, said a U.N. peacekeeping mission could serve as cover for Russia to withdraw its forces and weapons from eastern Ukraine.

Trump had been considering the plan for some time after the State Department and the Pentagon signed off earlier this year. President Barack Obama also considered sending lethal weapons to Ukraine, but left office without doing so.

The State Department, responsible for overseeing foreign military sales, would not confirm that anti-tank missiles or other lethal weapons would be sent. But in a statement late Friday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. had decided to provide "enhanced defensive capabilities" to help Ukraine build its military long-term, defend its sovereignty and "deter further aggression."

"U.S. assistance is entirely defensive in nature, and as we have always said, Ukraine is a sovereign country and has a right to defend itself," Nauert said.

The White House's National Security Council declined to comment.

Although the portable Javelin anti-tank missiles can kill, proponents for granting them to Ukraine have long argued they are considered "defensive" because the Ukrainians would use them to defend their territory and deter the Russians, not to attack a foreign country or seize new territory.

In thanking the U.S. for its support, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko addressed the concerns over how the weapons would be used.

"American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for an offensive, but for a decisive rebuff of the aggressor, the protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense," he wrote on Facebook. "It is also a trans-Atlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression."

Under law, the State Department must tell Congress of planned foreign military sales, triggering a review period in which lawmakers can act to stop the sale. It was unclear whether the administration had formally notified Congress, but lawmakers are unlikely to try to block it given that Democrats and Republicans alike have long called on the government to take the step.

The move comes as the United States and European nations struggle to break a long logjam in the Ukraine-Russia conflict that erupted three years ago when fighting broke out between Russian-backed separatists and government troops in the east. France, Russia and Germany brokered a peace arrangement in 2015 that has lowered violence but not stopped it, and a political settlement outlined in the deal hadn't been fully implemented.

In recent days, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned that violence is up about 60 percent this year. In Europe earlier this month, Tillerson called Russia's involvement the biggest tension point between the former Cold War rivals.

"It stands as the single most difficult obstacle to us renormalizing the relationship with Russia, which we badly would like to do," Tillerson said.

Both the Obama administration and the Trump administration had expressed concerns in the past that injecting more weapons into the conflict was unlikely to resolve it, especially considering that Russia is well-equipped to respond to any Ukrainian escalation with an even stronger escalation of its own. Sending lethal weapons to Ukraine also creates the troubling possibility that American arms could kill Russian soldiers, a situation that could thrust the two nuclear-armed nations closer to direct confrontation.

The United States, under Obama, also imposed sanctions on Russia for its invasion and annexation of Crimea. The Trump administration has insisted those sanctions will stay in place until Moscow gives up the Crimean Peninsula.

AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee, Lynn Berry and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
Authorities say the Coast Guard has confiscated a Mexican fishing vessel after finding its crew illegally fishing off South Texas.

The Guard says the four-person crew had nearly 2,000 lbs. (907 kilograms) of fish, primarily red snapper, when it was stopped Thursday night.

The crew was transferred to the U.S. Border Patrol for enforcement action.

The crew was found in a lancha, a slender vessel usually about 30 feet (9 meters) long that's popular with Mexican fisherman.

Guard Cmdr. Keith Pierre in Corpus Christi says the volume of red snapper and other fish being poached in U.S. waters is having a "devastating environmental and economic impact."

Guard crews based in Corpus Christi have detected this year nearly 150 lanchas suspected of fishing illegally and stopped about 30 of them.
California kicks off recreational sales on New Year's Day, becoming the largest state in the nation with legal marijuana. But Los Angeles officials announced Friday that dispensaries in the city won't be part of the celebration.

The city won't begin accepting applications to sell legal recreational pot until Jan. 3, and it could take weeks before those businesses are properly licensed with the city and state and open their doors.

"Come Jan. 1 in the city of Los Angeles, there are no legal, adult-use sales," Cat Packer, who heads the city's Department of Cannabis Regulation, told reporters at City Hall.

"We are starting a process. This is something that is not going to happen overnight," Packer said.

Los Angeles is California's largest pot market and the opening of legal sales was widely anticipated. In March, 80 percent of city voters endorsed a ballot measure that set in motion creation of the new pot marketplace.

The decision to delay licensing, even for several weeks, was a disappointment for growers and sellers who have feared they could be squeezed out of the market if LA lagged in licensing.

"It's a scary time for the operators," said Adam Spiker, executive director of the Southern California Coalition, a marijuana industry group.

"It's not just the retailers. There is still complete uncertainty to other aspects of the industry," such as cultivation and transportation, he added. "At the end of the day, the city is not ready."

Los Angeles struggled for months to get rules in place to license businesses for legal sales, only agreeing to guidelines earlier this month. Packer was hired in August, just months before legalization kicked in.

Under Los Angeles rules, neighborhoods would be largely off-limits to pot businesses, and buffer zones would be set up around schools, libraries and parks. The city has long been a hive of unlicensed dispensaries, and hundreds have been shut down.

So far, legalization has resulted in a patchwork of regulations around California.

Santa Cruz, San Diego, Shasta Lake, San Jose and West Hollywood are among the cities where businesses have been authorized for recreational sales. But Kern County is among the places that have banned all commercial marijuana activity.

In general, California will treat pot like alcohol, allowing people 21 and older to legally possess up to 1 ounce of the drug and grow six plants at home.

The slower rollout in Los Angeles will leave operators in a kind of legal limbo, at least temporarily. The state has said licensed businesses should only do business with other properly licensed operators.

However, Packer said that medicinal sales to consumers with a doctor's recommendation can continue. Medical marijuana has been legal in the state for two decades.

There could be more confusion to come.

The first licenses are expected to go largely to retailers. However, if not enough cultivators hold licenses, sellers would have to look elsewhere in California to stock their shelves.

"I will admit this is an incomplete process," Packer said.

The route to legalization began last year when state voters approved Proposition 64, which set the stage for recreational pot sales to adults.
As some of the youngest in South Florida will be spending the Christmas holiday in the hospital, one local police department wanted to brighten their day with gifts and a visit from Santa Claus.

Miramar Police officers, along with the jolly Mr. Claus and his wife, delivered toys to patients at Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital in Hollywood on Sunday for the ninth straight year. Officers visited the Pediatric Intensive Care unit in hopes of bringing a smile to the children and their families.

The event was organized after Officer Carlos Villalona lost his 20-month-old daughter, Amanda Ariana Villalona, in June 2009 after a battle with cancer. During her time, she was treated at the hospital in the Pediatric ICU.
Police continue to investigate an early morning shooting between a pair of Miami police officers and a man suspected of stealing a car and running it into a home before fleeing.

According to the Miami Police Department, the driver of a stolen vehicle crashed into a house in the area of Northwest 21st Avenue around 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

The suspect then got out the vehicle and started shooting at police, prompting officer to return fire at the intersection of 18th Avenue and 59th Street.

The two officers involved in the shooting were not injured and have been placed on administrative leave.

"They are in good heatlh and good spitits," said Miami Fraternal Order of Police President Edward Lugo. "A little shaken emotionally distraught, but they're in good health."

The suspect was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in stable condition. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over ther investigation.
The White House has lost another attempt to put a hold on a requirement that it allow transgender people to enlist in the military starting on Jan. 1.

A decision by the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is the latest court decision to go against the White House, meaning the issue may end up before the Supreme Court.

President Donald Trump tweeted in July that the federal government "will not accept or allow" transgender individuals to serve "in any capacity" in the military. That would reverse a 2016 policy change under President Barack Obama allowing transgender people to serve openly.

Trump later formally directed the Pentagon to extend indefinitely a ban on transgender individuals joining the military, and he gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis six months to come up with a policy on how to deal with those currently serving.

Several legal challenges to that proposed ban are ongoing. The Pentagon has said the enlistment of transgender recruits will start Jan. 1 and go on amid the legal battles.

At least four federal judges have refused to allow the ban to go into effect, including U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal in California. On Friday, Bernal rejected an administration request to throw out a lawsuit asking for the ban to be voided and issued a preliminary injunction against the ban going into effect.

The Justice Department has asked federal appeals courts to intervene and put the Jan. 1 requirement on hold.

The D.C.-based appeals court and the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, both turned away the administration's request.

Administration officials "have not shown a strong likelihood that they will succeed on the merits of their challenge to the district court's order," the judges on the D.C. appeals court panel said.
What to Know Kevin Williams was riding a bike just a block from his Bristol, Pennsylvania home when he was struck and killed.

A decorative eagle plate left on Bristol Pike (U.S. Route 13) was a critical clue for investigators.

Despite one of the vehicles believed to be involved was found, no one faced charges as of Sunday.

Police in Bucks County believe they have found one of the vehicles involved in possible street racing crash that killed a cyclist riding along a Bucks County road.

Police found the Mercedes in a garage in Levittown Saturday night, Bristol Borough police said. The owner of the car doesn't live in the area.

As of Sunday, no one faced charges in the hit-and-run death of 52-year-old Kevin Williams along Bristol Pike (U.S. Route 13) on Dec. 19. Investigators would examine the Mercedes to confirm it is the one that struck Williams.

Police are looking for the driver who struck and killed a bicyclist in Bristol Borough. NBC10s Denise Nakano spoke with the victims daughter who says he was on his way home from work when he was killed.

A decorative license plate with an eagle emblem and a mangled bicycle marked the scene along Bristol Pike near Corson Street where Williams died around 8 p.m. Tuesday.

A vehicle, believed to be a silver Mercedes Benz AMG, struck him then kept going, police said. Police believe the Mercedes was possibly street racing another car along Route 13 before the wreck.

"I don't understand how you would just leave someone there," Williams' daughter, Brittany Williams, told NBC10. "I don't know what that person was doing or what they were thinking. That you could just hit someone like that and leave them."



Williams lived less than a block away and was riding home from work at the time, Brittany Williams said. She saw the wreckage on Tuesday night but didn't realize her father died in the wreck until Wednesday morning.

"He was right here," she said while in tears. "He was so close to home."



Bristol Borough Police / NBC10 / Family Photo

Kevin Williams became a grandfather last year and did HVAC work for a company 10 minutes from his home. The deadly crash occurred a block away from where he and his wife raised three children.

"All of this just right before Christmas and it just, like I would just like the person to come forward and just accept what they did," Brittany Williams said.



Anyone with information is asked to contact Bristol Sgt. Pete Faight at 215-788-7813, ext. 2429. You can also contact Philadelphia Police who are helping with the investigation.


A challenging blaze for firefighters tore through the roof of a Mira Mesa home on the morning of Christmas Eve, leaving one person dead and another person injured.

Crews had difficulties putting out a large fire that erupted at the end of a cul-de-sac on Westmore Circle at about 4:15 a.m. Sunday, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) Battalion Chief John Fisher said.

When firefighters arrived on scene, flames were pouring from the back of the house and smoke was wafting from the roof and front of the house. Fisher called it a very, very large fire.

Four people were able to get out of the home on their own.

Crews attempted to make their way inside, but had trouble getting in.

The crews battled to get through the front door, but because of the large volume of fire and the amount of material inside the house, they were unable to push in more than 10 feet from the front door, Fisher said.

When firefighters were finally able to make their way in, the heat was too extreme and they were forced to battle the blaze from the outside, where not only the home, but also vehicles and trash cans were engulfed in flames.

After a lengthy battle, crews tempered flames and were able to enter the home. That is when they discovered one person had died in the fire. The individual was not identified.

A second person was transported to the hospital with minor injuries, Fisher said.

SDFD crews are investigating the incident.
A fire discovered in the garage of a Blue Creek area home Saturday night by homeowners spread into and ultimately destroyed their house, according to the Blue Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

Two residents of a home on the 5400 block of Collier Road reported at about 7:20 p.m. that a wall of their garage was on fire, said BCVFD Chief Rick Cortez.

When deputies from the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office arrived roughly 10 minutes later, the fire had spread into the house. No one was injured in the fire and one vehicle was confirmed destroyed, Cortez said.

It's possible gusty winds in the area helped push the fire into the roof of the garage and from there into the house, the fire chief said. The structure was fully engulfed in flames by the time the volunteer firefighters arrived, Cortez said.

Conditions outside Saturday night, including the wind, were described by Cortez as "extreme."

"I've been monitoring temperatures. We're fluctuating between five and 10 degrees ambient air temperature," Cortez said, speaking at about 11 p.m. "Wind chill is probably four, five, six below."

"And then also adding water to everything, it just makes it so much more dangerous to work around, because everything's slick and icy."

Firefighters had to work to ensure their water supply did not freeze, according to Cortez, who said he expected his agency to remain on scene trying to extinguish flames until about 3 a.m.

Without a fire hydrant or nearby water source to tap into crews resupplied from a water filling station near the Casey's Corner convenience store, located nearly five miles away.

Winding, hilly roads covered in ice and snow proved difficult to navigate at times, particularly when water tenders were empty and headed for a refill, Cortez said.

Additionally, the volunteer fire department was short-staffed due to it being Christmas weekend, Cortez said.

"Not a bunch of salvage and overhaul is going to be able to be done (tonight) just because it's slick and icy. It's going to be too dangerous," Cortez said.
If you want to know in real time whether Republicans will control the House of Delegates in 2018, you're in luck.

The State Board of Elections meets Wednesday morning to draw lots to break the tie in the 94th District in Newport News between Republican incumbent David Yancey and Democrat Shelly Simonds. Simonds thought she had a one-vote victory after a recount, but a three-judge panel declared a tie after examining a disputed ballot and awarding it to Yancey.

The elections board announced the drawing will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, and that WCVE, the Richmond-based public television station, will broadcast the drawing of lots on its Facebook page.

If Simonds' name is drawn, the House of Delegates will be evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
A 17-year-old boy will be charged with killing a husband and wife inside their home in Reston, Virginia, on Friday after he recovers from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Buckley Kuhn-Fricker and her husband Scott Fricker died after they were shot by the teen early Friday, three days before Christmas, police said. Kuhn-Fricker was 43, Fricker was 48, and they had three children between them.

The teen suspect was the boyfriend of Kuhn-Fricker's 16-year-old daughter, and the mother had just learned the 17-year-old was a Nazi supporter, Kuhn-Fricker's mother said. Just two days before the shooting, the family staged an intervention with the teen girl to try to convince her to stay away from the boyfriend.



Fairfax County police declined to confirm these details and only said the suspect, who they did not name because he is a juvenile, knew the couple.

A close relative of the teen suspect said the family knew nothing about reports that the teen repeatedly expressed admiration for Nazis. She said he struggled with mental illness.

At the family's house in Lorton, Virginia, on Wednesday, the woman sobbed as she told News4's David Culver she felt horrible for the victims. She asked News4 to withhold her identity to protect her privacy.

Fricker and Kuhn-Fricker found the teen boy in their home on the 2600 block of Black Fir Court in Reston about 5 a.m. Friday and confronted him, police said.

He shot them and then turned the gun on himself.

Kuhn-Fricker's daughter called 911, dispatch calls reveal.

"Caller advising her mother and father were shot," a 911 dispatcher told police.

When officers arrived at the home, they heard shots inside the home. The officers then found on the second floor of the home three people who had been shot.

Four family members who were home at the time of the shooting were not hurt.

The teen boy suffered life-threatening injuries and remains in a hospital under police guard. Because of his injuries, police have not been able to serve charges against him.

Janet Kuhn, Buckley Kuhn-Fricker's mother, said that days before the killings, Kuhn-Fricker had been consumed with concern about her teen daughter's boyfriend. Kuhn-Fricker had discovered the 17-year-old was a Nazi supporter.

"My daughter and her husband found out about a lot of the Nazi stuff just this past week, and they forbid their daughter to see him again," Kuhn said.

Neighbors told The Washington Post that the teen boy mowed a swastika about 40 feet across into the grass of a community field about two months before the shooting. The neighbors opted to talk to the youth's parents instead of going to police, Penny Potter said.

Buckley Kuhn-Fricker had a law practice and specialized in estate planning and elder law, according to her website. Scott Fricker worked for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"They were a wonderful couple," said Janet Kuhn, Buckley Kuhn-Fricker's mother.

On Saturday, neighbors and friends brought candles and flowers to place at the end of the family's driveway and held a quiet vigil across the street.

Some were thinking of the Frickers' young son, whom they often saw playing basketball outside the house.

"It's hard to imagine that he doesn't have parents anymore, and I can't imagine that Christmas will ever be the same for him again," a neighbor told News4.
As officials search for more clues about the motive for an Egyptian immigrants shooting rampage that targeted law enforcement in Pennsylvanias capital city, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is calling it a "terror attack."

Pennsylvania State Police, Harrisburg police and other Pennsylvania authorities have yet to classify Ahmed Aminamin El-Moftys Friday afternoon shooting rampage as terror.

The 51-year-old shot at local and state police during the shooting spree that spread two miles across Harrisburg. Law enforcement officers shot and killed El-Mofty. Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said he has "no doubt" the gunman targeted law enforcement.

Tyler Q. Houlton, the acting press secretary for DHS, posted a statement on Twitter late Saturday confirming El-Mofty emigrated from his native Egypt on a "family-based immigrant visa" and became a naturalized citizen before going on the shooting spree that Houlton called a "terror attack."

BREAKING: My statement on Immigration Backgrounds of Recent Terror-Related Suspects: pic.twitter.com/I3JfZOfuBh  DHS Press Secretary (@SpoxDHS) December 24, 2017

The gunfire began shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, when the man fired several shots at a state Capitol officer in downtown Harrisburg, striking his car several times and sending one shot "that went very close to hitting him," Marsico said. About 20 or 30 minutes later, he fired several shots at a state trooper, striking her once.

The trooper is "doing well," is in good condition and is expected to make a full recovery, Marsico said.

El-Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood, where city and state police encountered him.

"He approached them with two handguns ... firing many shots at those police officers," and the officers returned fire, killing him, Marsico said.

Eric Heisler / Dauphin County District Attorney's Office

The "series of shootings" in the center of Pennsylvania's capital city had the entire city gripped with angst and confusion. Those feelings lingered into the evening when news that gunman was dead emerged.

El-Mofty was armed with two handguns, believed to be 9 mm weapons, authorities said.

Marsico said El-Mofty has ties to the Middle East and recently traveled there, but the motive for the attack isn't yet known.

A relative, Ahmed Soweilam, told PennLive.com that he and his family have no idea what to make of the reported actions by El-Mofty, his sister's ex-husband.

"That's not his behavior at all," said Soweilam, co-owner of a Halal store in Camp Hill. "That's not him. I still don't believe it."

Soweilam said the family had been estranged from El-Mofty, who had been married to his sister until they separated about six years ago. He said El-Mofty worked as a security guard and then moved back to Egypt, his former home, until returning a few months ago. He said El-Mofty had no history of violence or mental illness.

"He's not the perfect guy, but he's not an aggressive person," Soweilam said.

Family members and friends told NBC affiliate WGAL that they were unaware El-Mofty had even returned to central Pennsylvania.

"The long chain of migration that led to (El-Mofty's) admission into the United States was initiated years ago by a distant relative," Houlton said.

Houlton said incidents like the one involving El-Mofty "highlight the Trump administration's concerns with extended family chain migration." He said chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by extremists.

"Not only are the programs less effective at driving economic growth than merit-based immigration systems used by nearly all other countries, the programs make it more difficult to keep dangerous people out of the United States and to protect the safety of every American," he said.

Gov. Tom Wolf said Saturday he had talked to the director of Homeland Security as federal, state and local law enforcement authorities investigate the "attack on law enforcement."

In an earlier series of tweets, he thanked officers who "were directly in harm's way."

"They did not hesitate and protected others from harm," Wolf said.

Grateful for the swift reaction to this incident by Capitol Police, @PAStatePolice and City of Harrisburg Police. Our officers were directly in harm's way but they did not hesitate and protected others from harm. https://t.co/s6E4ZQGvTX  Stronger Than Hate (@GovernorTomWolf) December 23, 2017

Marsico also expressed gratitude to state and local police for bringing a rapid end to an episode he said could have been much worse.

"This could have been a really tragic incidence with this individual firing many shots at police cars in downtown Harrisburg in the midst of rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon and then coming up here in a residential neighborhood and firing again many shots," he said.

The district attorney's office asked anyone with information about El-Mofty to call 911 or submit a tip online.

The Associated Pres contirbuted to this report.
President Donald Trump again questioned the impartiality of the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

In a tweet Saturday, the president wrote: "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 wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

The president weighed in again on Sunday, Christmas Eve, echoing his early tweet with a similar message and tagging @FoxNews.

McCabe plans to retire in about 90 days, when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing people familiar with the situation. Trump and his Republican allies have made it clear that they want McCabe out of the FBI. But McCabe is a civil service employee who cannot be fired without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

NBC News has not independently confirmed The Washington Post report.

A Justice Department official told NBC News that there has not been any formal notification of McCabes intent to retire but confirmed his eligibility to retire with benefits in March. The source said McCabe would not be required to indicate his plans formally this early.



McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by lawmakers on two separate committees as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clinton's email practices when she was secretary of state. His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

McCabe's wife, Jill, received $700,000 in donations from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015. The money was donated before McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation. McAuliffe is a longtime supporter of Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

McCabe became acting FBI director last May after Trump fired Comey, who was overseeing the bureau's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump maintains there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government, and has blasted the investigation as a "witch hunt."

From his South Florida home, where he is spending the holidays, Trump also tweeted that McCabe "is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

McCabe was among the candidates Trump interviewed for the FBI director's job after he dismissed Comey. He also has been a focus of Trump's ire for some time.

Trump originally tweeted about McCabe's wife's campaign in July, inaccurately describing the campaign donation as coming from Clinton: "Problem is that the acting head of the FBI & the person in charge of the Hillary investigation, Andrew McCabe, got $700,000 from H for wife!"

In a second tweet that month, the president asked "why didn't A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation," referring to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The FBI declined to comment on reports about retirement by McCabe, who was summoned to Capitol Hill this week and grilled for hours by two congressional committees.

Republicans charge that an anti-Trump bias exists in the bureau's ranks, citing the campaign donations to McCabe's wife and, more recently, the release of hundreds of text messages between FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Strzok and Page used words like "idiot" and "loathsome human" to describe Trump during the campaign.

Strzok was removed the team of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation, over the summer after the text messages surfaced.

Democrats accuse the GOP of diversionary tactics and say their criticism could embolden Trump to take steps to fire Mueller.

Trump said earlier this week that he's not considering firing Mueller.

This story has been corrected by deleting a reference to the Trump tweet falsely stating that Clinton gave money to McCabe's wife's campaign; the tweet referred to money from "Clinton Puppets," not from Clinton.
Firefighters from several neighboring towns responded to a 3-alarm fire at a school in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The fire was reported around 5:30 p.m. at the Rollins School at 451 Howard St.

According to its website, the Rollins School was built in 1892, and has both pre-kindergarten and kindergarten grades. It houses approximately 172 students and 50 staff members.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries, fire officials said Sunday.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Ice from Saturdays storm continues to melt on Christmas Eve, as New England enjoys quiet weather with a mixture of sun and clouds. Highs will reach the 20s in Northern New England, and the 30s to near 40 farther south.

There will be no travel concerns until about midnight. At that point snow will spread in from west to east, arriving first in Western and Central Massachusetts, as well as parts of Connecticut and Vermont.

This is in association with a developing storm that will impact us mostly during the first part of Christmas.

Many of those living along and north of the Massachusetts Turnpike, or in parts of northern Connecticut, will wake up with snow falling on Christmas. South of there mostly rain will likely be falling as warmer maritime air works in from the ocean.

Over the course of the mid and late morning hours, some bands of heavier snow will set up from central Massachusetts into New Hampshire and Maine.

The rain/snow line, which will sit near the Mass. Pike and Boston most of the day will collapse around noontime allowing colder air to rush in on the back side of the storm. That will end things as a burst of snow even along the coast.

During the afternoon the snow will continue to retreat farther north, with partial sunshine developing elsewhere.

Expect 0-1 from Cape Ann to Boston, into southeastern Massachusetts, and back into much of Rhode Island and the southern half of Connecticut. 1-3 is likely from Hartford into the Blackstone Valley, and into the suburbs just north and west of Boston as well as the Merrimack Valley.

From Worcester northward 3-6 will fall, but the totals jump to 6-9 once you hit the Massachusetts/New Hampshire/Vermont border. Similar totals will be common all across Northern New England, expect for some higher totals in the mountains and in Central and Northern Maine. Thats where 9-12+ is likely.

Strong westerly winds will also develop, gusting 40-50 MPH at times inland, and potentially over 60 MPH for parts of Cape Cod and the Islands. That may result in isolated power outages.

The winds will settle down somewhat heading into Tuesday, but cold air will continue to rush in. That cold will linger into the starts of 2018.
Police are investigating a shooting that left a Massachusetts man with serious injuries on Saturday night.

Bridgewater police and fire responded to 246 Pleasant St. at 6:23 p.m. after receiving numerous 911 calls about someone being shot.

When police arrived, they found a 29-year-old Bridgewater man who was shot twice - once in the forearm, and another time in the upper thigh area.

According to officials, the victim was conscious and alert and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to a preliminary investigation, two men came to the house, and one of the two suspects pulled out a firearm and shot the victim twice.

Police do not believe that this was a random act. They say that the victim appeared to have been targeted by the suspects and was familiar with one of them.

The first suspect is being described as approximately 510 weighing 185 pounds. The second suspect is being described as approximately 56 to 58 and wore a black sweatshirt.

The incident is under investigation and police are asking anyone who has any information about the incident to call Bridgewater police at 508-697-6118.
A man was seriously injured in a shooting in Boston's Roslindale neighborhood Saturday night, police say.

Boston police say the victim was shot near Washington Street and West Roxbury Parkway around 6:43 p.m.

Responding officers found the man with life-threatening injuries.

The shooting remains under investigation and no arrests have been made.

No further information was immediately available.
Public safety officials across Vermont encouraged people to avoid unnecessary travel Saturday night because of icy conditions.

One example of how bad the roads were could be found in the city of Winooski.

A pair of fire trucks got stuck heading up a hill when returning from a call.

Ice had formed on Union Street, then, snow fell on top of it, making it just too hard for one fire truck from St. Michaels Fire & Rescue and another from the Winooski Fire Department to get up the hill.

St. Mikes had chains on their tires and eventually made it, after considerable struggles in the tricky weather conditions.

The Winooski Fire Department temporarily shut down Union Street. The public works department plowed and salted the street so the second truck could get moving.

In my personal experience, this is the first time Ive been stuck while responding to a call, said Winooski Fire Department Captain Michael Antoniak. Weve had multiple callsgoing from one to another.

Neighboring communities helped out with calls while those trucks were stuck, Antoniak said.

In nearby South Burlington, the police department warned people to use extreme caution while driving, and only leave home if absolutely necessary.


Fostering a cultural shift in Norfolk child care

With a disproportionately high number of children living in care, Norfolk is in desperate need of more people to become foster or adoptive parents - people like Dave and Nicola Ford, who have provided a home for good for two siblings. Jenny Seal reports.
125 Years Ago

Christmas trees: Sioux City churches were decorated with evergreens while a huge tree sparkled and flashed with tinsel and baubles. Flanked on either side of that tree were pyramids of golden oranges, red apples and boxes of candy. Various colored candles were at each church.

Methodist novelty: At the First M. E. Church, its tree was not a tree at all, but a huge Japanese umbrella, under which lay the presents, candy and fruit for the children. Festoons of popcorn hung from the edges of the umbrella and Japanese lanterns were hung from every available point.

Icy streets: While on the way to a blaze at the George Shelby residence, 1606 Fourth St., Chief Kelloggs horse fell on tricky ice. It was so badly disabled it had to be returned to the firehouse, while the chief proceeded with a fresh relay. The fire was extinguished with little damage.

100 Years Ago

Looking for spies: Due to concerns their flour firms are in danger of incendiarism by German spies, the owners of four Sioux City mills are hiring armed guards to watch their plants day and night. The guards will be invested with the legal authority to carry firearms and will be supplied with shotguns. The mills are Mystic Milling, Martens and Ketels Milling, Akron Milling and Cereal Elevator.

Fancy wedding: Miss Anne Courshon, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Courshon, and Mr. E. Barish were married on Christmas Eve at noon at the home of Rabbi Emanuel Sternhelm. The bride wore a traveling suit of gray, decorated with a corsage of lilies of the valley. A wedding dinner was served at the Martin Hotel. After a western trip, they will make their home in Sioux City.

Not accosted: George Ward, commissioner of public safety, made an inspection tour downtown Saturday night to ascertain if he was living in a tough town after evangelist Dr. Jordan of Pittsburgh claimed he was accosted by 10 women of the street. Commissioner Ward was not approached by a single woman. Maybe its because Im not too hard a looker.

50 Years Ago

Cattle theft: Nine head of cross-bred Angus-Holstein fat cattle were stolen from a feed yard operated by Ernest Bartels of Dakota City and Jack Bartels of Homer on a farm 2 miles north of Homer, Neb. The cattle weighed between 900 and 1,000 pounds each and were about ready for market. Dakota County Sheriff said the cattle were hauled away in a truck at night.

Vietnam casualty: Army Pvt. William A. Cason, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Cason of Ida Grove, Iowa, has been killed in action in Vietnam by a snipers bullet Wednesday in the Central Highlands region on his 21st birthday. Cason joined the Army in 1966 and had been in Vietnam only two weeks.

In the news: Tom Rudersdorf, 17, son of Mr. and Dr. H. E. Rudersdorf, and Kathy Callaghan 17, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. A. J. Callaghan, were crowned Snow King and Queen of the annual Heelan High School Christmas Dance. The Sioux City Bird Clubs annual Christmas bird count will be taken in a 13-mile radius of Sioux City from dawn to dusk Saturday.

25 Years Ago

Christmas party: About 50 families attended a Christmas Eve party at Pizazz Ballroom Thursday thanks to Dawn Russell and her committee. Funds were raised to provide food and gifts to anyone who wished to attend. Many were back for breakfast on Christmas morning, which included singing and games. Santa Claus made a visit.

Milford fire: Three Milford, Iowa, businesses suffered thousands of dollars in damage Tuesday when fire gutted their building and damaged equipment. At about 3 a.m. the Milford Volunteer Fire Department was called to a building where Jones Construction, Western Transportation and Syndergaard Excavation were located.

Holstein decorations: For Pete Paulsen, the traditional German carol O Tannenbaum strikes a familiar chord. His family emigrated from Germany in 1952. His neighbors on Kastner Drive in Holstein chose a carol for each home and picked the obvious choice for Paulsen and his wife, Betty.

These items were published in The Journal Dec. 24-30, 1892, 1917, 1967 and 1992
World's longest glass bridge in China opens for public: All you need to know

Beijing : The world's longest glass bridge made in China has been opened for public from December 24, 2017.

Dimensions - The Bridge stretches 488 meters in length and two meters width. It has been made at a height of 218 meters above the valley between two steep cliffs in Hongyagu Scenic Area in Pingshan county.

Location - If you wish to walk over it, then it can be experienced at Shijiazhuang, Hebei province in China.

Material - The bridge has been made of 1,077 panes of transparent glass with each being four centimeters thick and weighs a total of 70 metric tons.

Experience - The main motive of the bridge is to thrill people walking on it, this is the reason it has been designed in a way that it swings a little when people walks to its centre.

Hebei Group, the local tourism company that built the bridge said that the movement of the bridge was included to create a thrill among the visitors.

Video -

Capacity and limitation - The bridge is capable of carrying up to 2000 people in one go but to keep the safety and thrill factor in mind only 500 people will be allowed to walk over it in one go.

Similar bridges - Last year, a 430 meters long and 6 meters wide bridge opened last year in the Grand Canyon Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. Located in the UNESCO world heritage site, it was temporarily closed after a huge influx of tourists. It was said to be the longest and highest bridge of its kind in the world.

Now, walking over it would definitely be a daredevil stunt. Would you like to try it? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
THIS is socialism: Venezuelan children are STARVING to death as food must now be delivered under armed guard

All of the various economic models employed by dictators, thugs, and autocratic rulers worldwide have produced nothing but misery, hardship, and death, yet far too many American Millennials are supportive and even fascinated by them.

They are, in no particular order, communism, Marxism, and socialism.

Communism, as practiced by the Soviet Union, was ultimately responsible for its demise.

Marxism, as practiced by Cuba, transformed over decades what was once a thriving Caribbean hotspot into an impoverished, decrepit nightmare.

And socialism, as its being practiced in Venezuela, is turning that once-prosperous South American jewel into a failed state. As reported by The New York Times, things have gotten so bad there that food transports cannot move without a military escort.

Whats worse, the countrys most vulnerable citizens  its children  are starving to death at a much higher rate than the adult population, which is also high:

With delivery trucks under constant attack, the nations food is now transported under armed guard. Soldiers stand watch over bakeries. The police fire rubber bullets at desperate mobs storming grocery stores, pharmacies and butcher shops. A 4-year-old girl was shot to death as street gangs fought over food.

It wasnt always like this. Before sycophantic, power-hungry revolutionaries Hugo Chavez and current leader Nicolas Maduro (a tyrant who holds onto power by blocking opposition candidates from running against him), Venezuela  an OPEC member with the worlds largest oil reserves  was the envy of South America. In fact, not long ago Venezuela, thanks to its oil riches, was the fourth-richest economy in the world. (Related: Banned video reveals the horrors of Venezuelas starving population.)

The country used its oil wealth like Democrats in the U.S. use the Treasury: To pay for heaps of social programs and subsidize everything from transportation to wages.

The problem with that socialist approach is that eventually when market conditions change and national income falls, the programs dont go away and must still be paid for. Worse, over decades, the population comes to depend on them as alternatives to the socialist structure eventually fade away.

Venezuelas crunch came in the late 1980s and into the early 1990s with an oil glut; the country doubled down on their own misery when they began electing out-and-out socialists rather than free-market capitalists who would have diversified the economy so that it wasnt reliant on a single industry.

Yet today, as the world is experiencing another oil glut, Venezuela still relies on oil for 95 percent of its exports. With exports down, national income is down and as such, there is less and less money to pay for so many government programs, including wage subsidies.

So Venezuelans are starving because the country cannot import or grow enough food for its people. And now, the country rests on the precipice of catastrophe. Or self-destruction.

If there is no food, there will be more riots, said Raibelis Henriquez, 19, who waited all day for bread in Cumana.

The Times noted further:

In the last two weeks alone, more than 50 food riots, protests and mass looting have erupted around the country. Scores of businesses have been stripped bare or destroyed. At least five people have been killed. This is precisely the Venezuela its leaders vowed to prevent.

Nearly nine-in-10 Venezuelans (87 percent) say they dont have enough money to buy enough food to eat, according to a recent assessment of living conditions by Simon Bolivar University.

Citizens say they are spending nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of their monthly incomes on food alone  that is, when they can find it. And many say that on any given day, they will not have yet had a single thing to eat.

This is socialism. Its not pretty, its not fair, and the equality it brings is making everyone but the governing elite equally miserable.

Americans who truly believe socialism is better than U.S.-style capitalism have never lived in a place like Venezuela. (Find more news on the collapse of the food supply at FoodCollapse.com.)

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

NYTimes.com

WEForum.org

NaturalNews.com

Submit a correction >>
A ceasefire between pro-Russian forces and Ukraine has been re-established after a flare-up in the fighting.

The US recently agreed to provide Ukraine with anti-tank and other weapons.

Above  Soldiers with USs FGM-148 Javelin, an anti-tank missile

Previously the Obama administration refused to provide weapons to Ukraine. This lack of support was despite assurances given to Ukraine in 1994. At the insistence of the two strongest powers in the world  Russia and the United States  Ukraine agreed to give up their 2000 nuclear weapons in exchange for perpetual guarantees of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The War in Donbass is an armed conflict in the Donbass region of Ukraine. From the beginning of March 2014, protests by pro-Russian and anti-government groups took place in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine, together commonly called the Donbass, in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and the Euromaidan movement. These demonstrations, which followed the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation (February to March 2014), and which were part of a wider group of concurrent pro-Russian protests across southern and eastern Ukraine, escalated into an armed conflict between the separatist forces of the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics (DPR and LPR respectively), and the Ukrainian government. In the Donetsk Peoples Republic, from May 2014 until a change of the top leadership in August 2014, some of the top leaders were Russian citizens. During the middle of 2014, Russian paramilitaries were reported to make up between 15% and 80% of the combatants. There were an estimated 6,000 Russian troops and 40,000 rebels in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as of September 2017.

Each side has lost about 4000 soldiers each and 2800 civilians have been killed. About 25,000 have been wounded and 1.4 million Ukrainians have been displaced.
The US Air Force has recently released UFO videos which has caused a surge of speculation about aliens. There is also the possibility that the sightings were of something other than alien spaceships.

18 year veteran F18 pilot with video evidence believes it was aliens

U.S Navy pilot, Cmdr. David Fravor was the commanding officer of the A-41 Black Aces, a squadron of F/A-18 Hornet fighter planes doing an exercise some 60 to 100 miles off the coast between San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico, in advance of a deployment to the Persian Gulf for the Iraq War, he said.

An order came in for him to suspend the exercise and do some real-world tasking, about 60 miles west of their location, Fravor said. He said he was told by the command that there were some unidentified flying objects descending from 80,000 feet to 20,000 feet and disappearing; he said officials told him that they had been tracking a couple dozen of these objects for a few weeks.

When they arrived closer to the point, they saw the object, flying around a patch of whitewater in the ocean beneath.

A White Tic-Tac, about the same size as a Hornet, 40-feet long with no wings, Fravor described. Just hanging close to the water.

The object created no rotor wash  the visible air turbulence left by the blades of a helicopter  he said, and began to mirror the pilots as they pursued it, before it vanished.

As I get closer, as my nose is starting to pull back up, it accelerates and its gone, he said. Faster than Id ever seen anything in my life. We turn around, say lets go see whats in the water and theres nothing. Just blue water.

If it was aliens then they traveled at least 100 million times farther than the moon

The distance to the moon is 238000 miles.

The distance to the Sun is 93 million miles which is 380 times further than the moon.

A light year is 63400 times farther than the distance from the Earth to the Sun.

The nearest star is about4.2 light years. This is thus over 100 million times further than the moon.

NASA has made over 1000 unmanned missions. There have been about ten times more unmanned versus manned missions.

Voyager 1 is 141 AU from Earth and Voyager 2 is 117 AU from Earth.

New Horizon recently visited Pluto and is now 41 AU from Earth.

Our unmanned space missions have gone over 53000 times further than our manned missions.

The fastest outward-bound spacecraft yet sent, Voyager 1, has covered 1/600 of a light-year in 30 years and is currently moving at 1/18,000 the speed of light. At this rate, a journey to Proxima Centauri would take 80,000 years.

If deceleration on arrival is desired and cannot be achieved by any means other than the engines of the ship, then the lower bound for the required energy is doubled to mass times velocity squared.

The velocity for a manned round trip of a few decades to even the nearest star is several thousand times greater than those of present space vehicles. This means that due to the square of velocity term in the kinetic energy formula, millions of times as much energy is required. Accelerating one ton to one-tenth of the speed of light requires at least 450 petajoules or 4.5010^17 joules or 125 terawatt-hours (world energy consumption 2008 was 143,851 terawatt-hours) without factoring in the efficiency of the propulsion mechanism.

If the F18 pilot in 2004 saw aliens, then the Tic Tac F18 sized ship probably weighed about 20 tons. The aliens had to decelerate in order to be flying around the Earth.

The minimum energy used to travel normal space would be about 2500 terawatt hours. This assumes the aliens originated from the nearest star. They might need to travel 10 times, 100 times or thousands of times further.

A sample return mission would cost at least another 2500 terawatt hours to fly back to their home system. This would not seem to be worthwhile as any analysis would be doable by a 20-ton vehicle. Also, recall that the Air Force said they were tracking a couple dozen objects for a few weeks. If there were 25 that were the same size then it was 500 tons worth of alien vehicles. Sending one ton of spaceship uses up 0.85 times the energy of our entire civilization for one year. 500 tons of spaceship is at least the power for 425 years of a civilization like ours.

We have already discovered that our solar system has abundant water and all other materials. Earth has nothing that is not abundant elsewhere in the solar system. For life on Earth, it would be far more energy efficient to alter a biosphere to support life than to go to another solar system and take over a biosphere.

Ferdinand Magellan traveled 42,000 miles in his travels around the world with his sailing fleet. Interstellar aliens would be at least like Magellan to an island civilization that never left a 200-yard lagoon. This is the comparative distance of the manned moon missions. However, they did float bottles out two miles.

If humans develop interstellar capabilities then it will first be with vastly better telescopes which could image the surface of exoplanets down to about 1-mile pixel resolution or less. Gigapixel and terapixel imaging of exoplanets out to 100 light years should be doable and affordable. This can happen over the next twenty years.

The next and possibly parallel steps would be to send one gram or so chipsail ships out via laser propulsion for flybys of the nearest stars. This can happen over the next thirty to forty years. It is not just the time to develop the infrastructure and technology it is also the flight times. Once the initial launch systems are created then it would make sense to repeatedly launch the probes. Missions could be sent once per day. A swarm of probes would be sent.

Scaling up the launch systems to send larger vehicles would cost more energy.

We would be very interested in the first alien life forms that are encountered on interstellar missions. We might justify sending many unmanned missions and setting up deceleration on the receiving end. This would be regardless of the technology level of the aliens we encounter.

It is probable that there would be more lower technology or even no technology civilizations than high technology civilizations. If this is the case if humans explored out a few hundred light years and investigated thousands to millions of systems then there would be less interest in the low technology civilizations.

On Earth only a small fraction of the jobs are related to investigating animals and plants.

On Earth, the first lower technology civilizations did not get good treatment. Eventually some lower technology civilizations were not harmed but only studied.

In general it would probably be far safer for us if the Aliens were experienced with interstellar encounters and were even bored with lower technology civilizations.
New housing permits issued in Connecticut last month were up 55 percent over November 2016, according to the state Department of Economic and Community Development.

There were permits issued for 324 new housing units in 104 Connecticut communities last month, compared 209 during November 2016. There have been 3,522 units that have received permits issued through 11 months this year, which represents a 9.8 percent decrease when compared to the same period last year.

Connecticut communities issued permits for 4,095 new housing units in 2016. In order to finish 2017 at that level, communities around the state would have to collectively issue permits for 573 units in December.

The last time that at least many units received permits during December was in 2006, when 604 were approved statewide.

Simbsury led all towns in new housing activity last month with permits issued for 50 units. Essex led New Haven-area communities in new housing activity with permits issued for 12 units.

Essex First Selectman Norman Needleman said the growth in new housing is a mix of age-restricted homes, single-family dwellings and multi-family units that include an affordable housing component.

Were having a pretty good year and it shows that Essex is an attractive place to live, Needleman said. Im especially excited about the affordable housing component because were hoping it will attract some young families, which are the lifeblood of any community.

Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven-based DataCore Partners, said the November housing permit numbers offered a good news, bad news scenario for the states economy.

The good news is that in the short term picture, we had some strength in November, he said. But the longer view is that we are still down in the year-to-date numbers by nearly 10 percent, which is significant. There is monthly volatility in the data, so the longer term view tells a more complete story.

And the story is that decreases in Connecticuts labor market make it hard for the states new housing sector to gain any traction, according to Klepper-Smith. New housing permits are considered to be a leading indicator of future economic activity because of the impact that home building has on other industries, such as banking, employment, construction and manufacturing.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
ORANGE CITY, Iowa  The I-29 Moo University collaboration will be offering its Winter Workshop Series Jan. 11 in Orange City, Iowa.

All dairy producers, students, stakeholders and industry personnel are encouraged to attend.

The series focus is From Field to Bunk: Growing and Feeding Dairy Quality Forages.

Register by Dec. 29 and it's $50 per person and $25 for students. Late registration is $65 per person and $30 for students. Late registration fees begin December 30. To register, visit iGrow.org/events.

The Iowa workshop will be held at the Sioux County Extension Office, 400 Central Ave. N.W., Suite 700.

More information is available from Northwest Iowa Extension Dairy field Specialist Fred M. Hall at 712-737-4230 or at fredhall@iastate.edu.
Nick worked on some of our very early forklifts, the old three-wheel Hyster lifts, and he kept them running and doing the job at the plant, which allowed us to focus spending on other important improvements, said Sioux City Brick CEO Mark Mahoney. Nick is a great mechanic.
'Medicine can also be studied in Tamil medium!' - CM Stalin's efforts are getting a growing response

Mayor Priya is not the puppet but the savior - How did Chennai recover from the floods?

MGR's death anniversary observed in Tamil Nadu

India

oi-Madhuri

The AIADMK paid homage to party founder MG Ramachandran on the former chief minister's 30th death anniversary.

The AIADMK leaders are at the memorial at Marina beach on the occasion of 30th death anniversary.

Also, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam paid tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran at his Marina Beach memorial.

M G Ramachandran floated AIADMK in 1972, after he was suspended from DMK for alleging that the ministers were induling in corrupt practices. He became Chief Minister in 1977 and continued to be in office till his death on December24, 1987.

Meanwhile, counting is underway for the RK Nagar bypolls. Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran is leading the by-election in RK Nagar Assembly seat of Tamil Nadu with more than 590 votes, while the party's official candidate E Madhusudhanan is trailing at the second spot, followed by the DMK.

The bypoll is primarily as a contest between Dinakaran and the merged faction of chief minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The result will decide the battle for the political legacy of the late CM J Jayalalithaa, whose death last year necessitated the by-election. While Dinakaran contested as an Independent candidate, the EPS-OPS faction had fielded Madhusudhanan.

OneIndia News
AIIMS doctors ask PM to live their life for a day to understand 'stress'

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, December 24: Resident doctors of AIIMS have asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "live" their life for a day to understand their stress as they backing the protest by doctors in Rajasthan for higher pay and promotions.

In a letter to Modi, the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) urged the PM to understand the tremendous pressure on doctors at government hospitals due to the poor infrastructure and misbehavior of patient's kin during emergency situations.

"We are lucky to have an active PM like you... Now RDA AIIMS requests you to put (on) white apron and spend one day as a government doctor to understand the tremendous amount of pressure we face, the agony of patients who did not get treatment, the dying health care system due to lack of resources and infrastructure," AIIMS RDA president Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti wrote in the letter.

He said it will also set an example to ministers who level allegations against doctors for cheap publicity. "Your one day as a government doctor can be a turning point for the health care system as it will restore faith in the medical profession," the letter read.

Several doctors in Rajasthan were arrested as the state government invoked the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) for three months after the All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors' Association warned of indefinite strike in support of their demands.

"Rajasthan doctors are on strike from December 16, this strike is helplessness rather than intentional because the state government arrested 86 doctors by imposing RESMA," read the letter.

"Their demands were previously accepted by the Rajasthan government but now they refuse to fulfil them resulting in mistrust and anguish among the hardworking doctors. Please instruct the Rajasthan government to fulfill their promises and stop all atrocities against doctors," it said.

PTI
Weather update: IMD issues yellow alert for U'khand, Himachal, UP for next 2-3 days

4th Vande Bharat train to be unveiled by PM Modi in Himachal

Himachal was valued less on strength, more on Parliament seats before: PM Modi

BJP may announce Himachal Pradesh CM today, Nadda in race

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The suspense over the next Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh may end on Sunday when the BJP Legislative Party meets and may announce a name.

Five-term MLA Jairam Thakur and Union minister J P Nadda are the frontrunners for the chief minister's office.

The two central observers defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar are scheduled to visit the state capital on Sunday along with party's in-charge for Himachal affairs, Mangal Pandey.

A lack of consensus among the newly elected MLAs had resulted in the two central observers returning to Delhi from Shimla on Friday to hold fresh consultation with the central leadership.

Although Thakur was seen a frontrunner for the job till recently, Nadda may emerge as the most acceptable candidate in this changed scenario, a BJP source said.

"There is speculation in media that I am in race for the post of the chief minister. I had made it clear on the day of the result that I am not in any race," Dhumal said.

A meeting of BJP MLAs has been convened on Sunday and they would be addressed by the central observers, the party's state unit chief Satpal Singh Satti said today in Shimla.

The two-member team of central observers, which was in the state on December 21 and 22, had taken feedback from members of the state BJP's core committee, MPs and some MLAs.

The leadership issue cropped up following the shocking defeat of Dhumal. He who was defeated from Sujanpur by Rajinder Rana of the Congress.

The BJP ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 of the 68 seats in fray.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)

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Story first published: Sunday, December 24, 2017, 7:32 [IST]
Madrasa survey in UP complete, next up is meeting with government: Minister

By-elections: BJP retains Sikandra Assembly seat

India

pti-PTI

Kanpur, Dec 24: The BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat of bandit Phoolan Devi fame in a bypoll by a margin of over 11,000 votes. According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 per cent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 per cent).

The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes. While the SP and Congress had contested the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, in an alliance, the two parties had decided to go alone in the bypoll.

The scene turned ugly during the counting of votes today after the SP and Congress candidates and their agents claimed that the seals of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) were broken. They alleged that the authorities had deliberately tampered with the machines to ensure the BJP nominee's win.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ratan Kant Pandey, however, denied that there was any disturbance during the counting of votes.

"The SP and Congress candidates twice attempted to create a nuisance, claiming that the seals of the EVMs were broken. The EVMs had three seals and all of those, including the presiding officer's seal, were intact," he said.

On December 21, braving a cold weather, nearly 53 per cent of the total 3.21 lakh eligible voters had exercised their franchise in the bypoll. The Sikandra constituency falls under the Kanpur Dehat district, a place which had gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs by "bandit queen" Phoolan Devi and her gang to avenge her rape.

Phoolan Devi had surrendered before the police in 1983. After completing her jail term, she had successfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket and became an MP from Mirzapur. The bandit-turned- politician was shot dead by masked gunmen outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.

The Sikandra bypoll was necessitated following the death of its sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22. In the Assembly polls, Pal had polled 87,879 votes, defeating his nearest Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rival, Mahendra Katiyar (Bablu), who had secured 49,776 votes. A total of 12 candidates were in the fray in the bypoll, including five independents.

PTI
Congress will win 135 seats in 2022 Gujarat polls, predicts Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-PTI

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who met party leaders here to discuss assembly election results, claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much talked- about Gujarat development model was debunked during the polls.

The Congress chief held zone-wise "introspection meetings" here to ascertain reasons for the party's defeat. "You fought very well. We managed to 'gherao' the BJP, as you could see that they were not able to give reply to our questions," Gandhi told party workers.

"Modiji, in the end, spoke about himself, about (former prime minister) Manmohan Singh. But all earlier talk about development and Modi model was debunked by Congress workers and the people of Gujarat," he said.

The entire country was asking what happened to the Gujarat model. Modiji would not be able to talk about it in the future, Gandhi said.

"The question asked three or four months ago was can the Congress fight elections, nobody was talking about us winning it. The Gujarat Congress has shown the entire country that if it fights in one voice on the basis of its ideology, it won't get defeated," he said.

"We lost in the elections, but we won. That is the reality. We won because they (the BJP) fought with anger, they had all the equipment, money, chief ministers of different states (to campaign), industrialists, but we had truth," the Congress chief said.

At one time the BJP said the Congress would get only 15- 20 seats, he said, adding the "new leadership" in the Assembly would bring the Congress to power in Gujarat in 2022.

Gandhi alleged Modi and the BJP ran a campaign of "lies and defamation" over the last two decades and it was the "main reason" for the Congress's defeat in the polls.

"My main challenge was to make the Congress accept that it was going to win the elections. You believed 70 per cent of it, and you saw the results," he said.

"Now, the Gujarat Congress has regained confidence. You know that the Congress can win elections. Now see the kind of results we will get in the Lok Sabha and next Assembly (polls). It will be a good result, and in the next Assembly we will form the government," Gandhi said.

"The BJP said it will get 150 seats (in 2017 polls)... We will get 135 seats (in 2022 Gujarat polls)," he said.

Action will be taken against "5-10 per cent" renegade party workers while those who worked with devotion will be rewarded, the Congress chief said.

"You have to show the people of Gujarat that Congress MLAs fight for people's issues and never backtrack. Whatever we had said about the Gujarat government during the election is true and the fight has not ended yet," Gandhi said.

"The BJP will run the government of five-ten industrialists and will work to snatch lands from farmers. It is our duty to protect the people of Gujarat, its farmers and youths...We will give a fight to the BJP at every level," the Congress president said.

Gandhi met newly elected Congress MLAs, defeated candidates and district unit presidents to elicit their views on the results.

The reasons cited by the leaders included late declaration of candidates, lack of management at the local level and lack of state-level coordination, party sources said.

PTI

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Story first published: Sunday, December 24, 2017, 8:44 [IST]
There is so much television these days you could make dozens of best lists and still not cover it all.

Indeed, keeping up with the series on Netflix and Amazon, alone, is difficult. Never mind the offerings from Hulu, Crackle, Starz and dozens of others.

Too much TV? The era has begun. While broadcast television struggles to define itself as the home of big events, boutique outlets have been able to make inroads with the kind of programs we once only found on HBO or Showtime.

Now, the doors are open, the ideas are coming and ones who didnt have the same benefits (Roseanne, Will & Grace and Twin Peaks) are returning to test new boundaries.

The best of 2017? In order, here are shows that met the gold standard.

1. THE HANDMAIDS TALE (Hulu)  Creator Bruce Miller (no relation) was able to take a decades-old novel and make it seem as relevant as todays news. Using the incredible Elisabeth Moss as his guide, he showed us a world where a class system emerges following a civil war. Women are told what to do, kept in the dark about much of the outside and expected to cater to the ruling class. From the series costuming to its key performances, Handmaids Tale drew enough parallels to worldwide current events to make us wonder what could prompt this and where it could go. As mesmerizing as any series, Handmaids Tale stood out like a red cape in a sea of blue.

2. BIG LITTLE LIES (HBO)  Put a bunch of Hollywood names in one HBO extravaganza and youre golden, right? Ah, but this series let Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon have the kind of parts movies arent that willing to offer. Both got meaty moments that let them comment on domestic abuse, censorship, bullying and female relationships. It benefited from director Jean-Marc Vallees vision and a pretty gritty performance from Alexander Skarsgard as Kidmans abusive husband.

3. OZARK (Netflix)  One of the joys of this drama was seeing Jason Bateman in a new light. As a financial planner gone bad, he made us feel every nervous step he took to protect his family and keep a drug lord at bay. Setting up shop in the Ozarks, he and his wife (Laura Linney, whos always good) found a place that had more secrets than they. As each addictive episode unfolded, we discovered plenty about the lengths people go to look like nothing is afoot. Bring on season two.

4. AMERICAN VANDAL (Netflix)  What could have been a quick mockumentary turned out to be a fun look at teens today and the way they consume information. Students using a documentary format to find a vandal among them (one of the students was charged with painting penises on cars in the school parking lot) got plenty to open up about the way the system works and why the boy everyone assumes is the culprit really isnt. Creators Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda kept the guessing game going, then showed viewers how they, too, could have pinpointed the guilty. Taking the idea of Making a Murderer and running with it, they got one of the best concepts of the year.

5. FEUD (FX)  Ryan Murphy has a way with old Hollywood that is second to none. With Feud he let us revel in the world that used to be and the folks who thrived in it. Jessica Lange made Joan Crawford sympathetic; Susan Sarandon made Bette Davis understandable. Together, they were a force, just trying to hang on to a business that had all but abandoned them. The miniseries featured great production values and offered a glimpse few get. It was sad, too  a valentine to an era that no longer exists.

6. FARGO (FX)  A good third season? Few series can boast that. But Fargo is blessed with the writing skills of Noah Hawley, who knows how to craft a quirky but engrossing drama. This time out, he featured twins (both played by Ewan McGregor), a sketchy mob and the always good Carrie Coon in a story that was part Looney Tunes, part Hitchcock. If the Coen Brothers are looking for a long-lost brother, they just need to head to Hawleys house. He has their back.

7. BROCKMIRE (IFC)  There are so many Brockmires in the world it was just a matter of time before someone made him a bona fide character. Hank Azaria, working off an impression he created years ago, brought a washed-up announcer to life in this look at second chances. His Jim Brockmire accepted a job with the Morristown Frackers and, in the process, found a new life online. While Azaria was the teams captain, there were standout performances as well from Amanda Peet and Tyrel Jackson Williams. They came to play.

8. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)  Just when you thought portraying Bernie Sanders was going to be Larry Davids calling card, the very funny hyphenate came back with a ninth winning season. In this years installment, Larry had to deal with a fatwa after poking fun at the ayatollah on Jimmy Kimmel Live. With his crew of regulars, he cruised the treacherous waters nicely, even getting in digs at Hamilton, Judge Judy and waiters.

9. SUPERSTORE (NBC)  If this isnt on your weekly viewing list, it should be. Like The Office, it inhabits a world you know oh-so-well but never took the time to consider. America Ferrera, Ben Feldman and, especially, Lauren Ash gave us reason to smile about jobs that really dont deserve it. Creator Justin Spitzer has done such a wonderful job lighting little office fires he should be given the keys to the executive washroom.

10. CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (CW)  Another series with two years under its belt, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend tossed its characters a curve this season and let star Rachel Bloom go deeper with the drama  and the humor  that propelled her character to West Covina, California. The songs and dances were still top-notch (come on, Emmy voters), but it was the self-reflection that resonated. This may be the one show you arent watching but should.
UP ATS picks up two more accused in Al-Qaeda radicalisation case

Assembly bypoll results: BJP wins Pakke-Kasang, 28-Likabali, Sikandra; TMC bags Sabang

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday won the Sabang Assembly constituency by-poll. While BJP bagged Pakke-Kasang in Arunachal, Sikandra Assembly in Uttar Pradesh bye-election results.

Sabang: TMC wins



West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday won the Sabang Assembly constituency by-poll.

Trinamool candidate Gita Rani Bhunia has won by a whopping margin of 64,172 votes over her nearest rival Rita Mondal of the Left Front backed CPM candidate.

Sabang constituency is being seen as a litmus test for Mukul Roy who recently joined BJP after leaving ruling TMC in the state.

The by-election to Sabang assembly constituency, was a crucial test for both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP and wass held amidst tight security with eight companies of central paramilitary force personnel deployed for it.

Trinamool Congress, CPM, BJP and Congress are the key players in the fray that have fought independently after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Congress had an alliance in the last two assembly elections - with Trinamool in 2011 and CPM in 2016.

Unlike in most bypolls, where the turnout is comparatively low, Sabang stood out with 85% polling on December 21. According to estimates, 208,470 votes were polled the total number of voters in Sabang is 245,259.

Sikandra: BJP wins

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the Sikandra bye-election leaving behind Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party and the Congress.

Sikandra constituency falls in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by Phoolan Devi and her gang to avenge her rape.

The Sikandara Assembly seat in Kanpur Dehat district is vacant since the demise of BJP MLA Mathura Prasad Pal on 22 July.

Nearly 53 percent of the total 3.21 lakh electorate had cast their votes in the Sikandra Assembly seat. A total of 12 aspirants were in the contest, including five independent candidates.

Pakke-Kasang: BJP wins



The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won Pakke-Kasang and 28-Likabali Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Six candidates are in the fray for the by-election to Pakke-Kessang and Likabali assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh. Likabali seat fell vacant after death of Health and Family Welfare Minister Jomde Kena passed away on 4 September this year.

EVMs and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system were used for the first time in the state. Pakke-Kessang recorded 86 per cent polling, while Likabali constituency recorded 51 per cent. Notably, 28-Likabali (ST) constituency seat fell vacant following the death of Health and Family Welfare Minister, Jomde Kena on September 4 last year.

OneIndia News
Karnataka Assembly Elections: Will claims of resolving Mahadayi row help the BJP?

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

With just months to go before Karnataka heads into elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled its best trick out of the hat (yet), or so it thought when the saffron outfit played the Mahadayi (also known as Mandovi in Goa) river water card.

Armed with just a letter written by the Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday almost claimed to have resolved the at least four-decade-old dispute between the states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The announcement coming at a time when the state is heading into election year and the BJP has been pushed to the defensive by the Siddaramaiah led Congress government on issues including renewed demands for a separate religion for Lingayats (believed to be the single largest community in Karnataka), remaining silent on Karnataka flag, anti Hindi imposition protests as well as charges of inciting communal violence among others serious issues. While the BJP in Karnataka is hoping to score brownie points by raising the Mahadayi issue, the matter has ruffled feathers of BJP and its allies in Goa.

With elections fast approaching, the BJP has promised to resolve both river water disputes--Cauvery and Mahadayi--if voted into power; and thereby trying to play the water card- considered one of the most sensitive- in the drought-prone state of Karnataka.

"...in principle the state of Goa would not oppose the reasonable and justified quantum of water meant to be utilised for drinking," Yeddyurappa read out from the letter, emphasising on 'would not oppose', to thunderous applause and cheer by the people of Hubballi--about 410 kms from Bengaluru--which is among four other parched districts of North Karnataka that would stand to benefit from any such resolution, if there is indeed one.

Though Parrikar had stated nothing more than what has already been established before, the BJP in Karnataka spared no time to claim victory on social media platforms.

Political analysts say that the strategy is justified (from the BJP's viewpoint) after the Lingayat- Veerashaiva row threatened to eat into the saffron party's votes

"Basis of BJP's vote-share comes from North Karnataka and it is now under threat thanks to the Lingayat row. As a result, they are looking at Mahadayi but it is not easy," said Professor Harish Ramaswamy, Psephologist and professor at Karnataka University, Dharwad.

He adds that the sensitive topic being discussed within the BJP raising doubts if the party was genuinely interested in resolving the issue or just working towards self-interest. "It is a huge problem for the BJP if it is proven that this is a partisan activity carried out only in the interest of the party and not people," Ramaswamy added.

Yeddyurappa's claims to resolve (at least the Mahadayi river) issue stems from the fact that there is a BJP led government in Goa. However, the missed opportunity to resolve the matter from 2008-2013 (when the BJP was in power in Karnataka) going on to iterate that river water sharing is decided on state's interests rather than same-party-in-power perspective.

"If one hears the first reaction coming from the allies, they appear content at giving up the Water resource Ministry rather than withdraw their support," said Prof Rahul Tripathi, Head of the Department of Political Science, Goa University.

The Congress choosing not to be a mute spectator and fighting back on all available platforms, considering that the very future of the party is at stake at next years elections as Karnataka is one of the last big states governed by the grand old party.

#Mahadayi:

When @CMofKarnataka met @PMOIndia-negative response. Wrote to Goa CM-negative response.

Fixed meeting-Goa CM didnt turn up.

Suddenly on eve of election @manoharparrikar writes to @BSYBJP & not to our CM.

Another Jumla by @AmitShah & BJP??  Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) December 21, 2017

While hijacking the Mahadayi issue is unlikely to be a cakewalk for the BJP in Karnataka, the situation for the party, albeit tough at first, may be favourable later in Goa, analysts suggest. "In the short run it certainly will dent the government's image as having yielded to pressures from Delhi but in the long run, it gives an opportunity to put in place verifiable mechanisms to ensure that Goa's interests are not harmed," Prof Tripathi added.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Sunday, December 24, 2017, 7:23 [IST]
Mevani to attend 'Dalit victory day' at Bhima Koregaon

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Newly elected Vadgam MLA, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, will attend the event to commemorate the victory of 200 years of Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Maharashtra. Mevani has been invited to speak at the two-day conference on December 31st to January 1, 2018. Mevani rose to prominence after leading the agitation against the flogging of dalits in Una in July 2016.

What is Battle of Koregaon?

The Battle of Koregaon was fought on 1 January 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima. The 28,000-strong Marathas, led by Peshwa Baji Rao II intended to attack Pune. On their way, they were met by an 800-strong Company force that was on its way to reinforce the British troops in Pune. The Peshwa dispatched around 2,000 soldiers to attack the Company force stationed in Koregaon.

Led by Captain Francis Staunton, the Company troops defended their position for nearly 12 hours. The Marathas ultimately withdrew, fearing the arrival of a larger British force led by General Joseph Smith. The Company troops included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore the Dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in Dalit history.

The 'Mahars' were considered untouchable in the contemporary caste-based society. They see the Koregaon battle as a symbol of their victory over the high-caste oppression. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar visited the site on 1 January 1927. To commemorate his visit to the site, now thousands of his followers visit the site every New Year's Day.

OneIndia News
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RK Nagar bypoll result: TTV Dinakaran officially declared winner

India

oi-Madhuri

The result of RK Nagar by-election will be announced on Sunday. Around 77.68 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the battle for this prestigious assembly seat in Tamil Nadu.

The constituency was represented by late J. Jayalalithaa who passed away in December last year.

The by-election became a prestige battle between the two factions of AIADMK. TTV Dhinakaran, M Ganesh of DMK and E Madhusudhanan of AIADMK are main candidated in the fray for the bypoll. The bypoll campaign was marred with reports of distribution of cash for votes by different groups.

Here are the LIVE updates:

05:00 pm: TTV Dhinakaran officially declared the winner.

04:30 pm: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 68392 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan at 36217 votes, DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh at 18924, BJP's Karu Nagarajan at 1126 votes at the end of counting round 14.

02:31 pm: TTV Dhinakaran pays floral tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at MGR memorial in Marina Beach

TTV Dhinakaran pays floral tribute to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran on his 30th death anniversary at MGR memorial in Marina Beach #Chennai pic.twitter.com/mcMp9jiHoH  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

02:28 pm: Official EC trends: TTV Dhinakaran continues to lead with 39548 total votes, AIADMKs E. Madhusudhanan gets 19525 votes and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 10233 votes at the end of counting round 8

02:25 pm: Current Leads:

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 42,050

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 19,525

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 10,292

Others: 6,490

01:41 pm: "The people of RK Nagar have given me a big victory. I am an independent candidate just for namesake, all party (AIADMK) workers are with me. I also have Amma (Jayalalithaa)'s wishes," says TTV Dinakaran.

01:15 pm: After the seventh round, TTV Dinakaran is leading with 30,457 votes in RK Nagar by-election, followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 15,949 votes and DMK's Maruthu Ganesh, who has 8364 votes.

01:11 pm: Official EC trends shows TTV Dhinakaran leads with 29255 total votes, AIADMKs E. Madhusudhanan gets 15181 votes and DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 7986 votes at the end of counting round 6

12:34 pm: TTV Dinakaran has reached Chennai and will now travel straight to the Amma memorial in Marina Beach. He is leading the RK Nagar by-polls with a huge margin and is likely to win the seat.

11:11 am: Current Leads:

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 15,868

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 7,033

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 3,750

Others: 2,229

10:53 am: The people of RK Nagar are reflecting the mindset of the people of Tamil Nadu. Symbol is not important, candidates are important: TTV Dinakaran

10:23 am: Clashes at counting centre again

10:22 am: Supporters of TTV Dhinakaran celebrate, burst crackers outside his residence as official trends indicate his lead

10:14 am: TTV Dinakaran is currently leading with 10391 votes in RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 4520 votes, while DMK's Maruthu Ganesh gets 2323 votes.

10:08 am: AIADMK agents and cadres are demanding that journalists be evicted from the center as they are spreading information about the leads.

10:02 am: Chennai district Electoral Officer says "Police restored peace, nothing alarming. Compilation of second round going on"

09:49 am: A massive fight has broken out inside the Queen Mary's college, where the counting for RK Nagar by-election is taking place.

09:46 am: There are unconfirmed reports that counting officials have been attacked by AIADMK agents inside the center.

09:45 am: Supporters celebrate outside a counting center as early official EC trends indicate Dinakaran's lead

09:37 am: According to reports, counting was interrupted due to clashes between TTV Dinakaran and EPS-OPS supporters

09:27 am: Official EC trends: Early trends indicate DMK's N. Marudhu Ganesh gets 1181 votes

09:20 am: "It might seem like someone is initially leading in a race but in the end, we will win," says AIADMK candidate Madhusudhanan.

09:00 am: Official EC early trends indicate TTV Dhinakaran leading with 5339 votes, AIADMK's E. Madhusudhanan gets 2738 votes

09:08 am: First round of counting ends: TTV leads with 5399 votes

09:04 am: Current Leads:

TTV Dinakaran (Independent): 1891

E Madhusudhanan (AIADMK): 646

N Maruthu Ganesh (DMK): 360

09:02 am: Second round of counting begins

08:55 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran at his Marina Beach memorial

#Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam pay tributes to late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran at his Marina Beach memorial pic.twitter.com/Q75NeOsMV0  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

08:54 am: TTV Dinakaran leading with 1,891 voters. Supporters begin celebrating outside his home.

08:30 am: EP-OPS to visit Jayalalithaa's memorial

08:28 am: The AIADMK leaders are at the MG Ramachandran memorial at Marina beach on the occasion of 30th death anniversary

#Visuals from late AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran memorial at Marina Beach in #Chennai on his 30th death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/bFFEK1pHTg  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

08:24 am: TTV Dinakaran is leading with 598 votes in RK Nagar by-election. He is followed by AIADMK's Madhusudhanan who has 243 votes, while DMK's Maruduganesh gets 120 votes.

08:04 am: Security beefed up at Queen Mary's College where counting of votes is scheduled

07:44 am: Apart from BJP other parties that contested used corrupt practices and distributed money in a big way, says Karu Nagarajan, BJP candidate from RK Nagar

7:30 am: Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Visuals from outside a counting center in Chennai

#RKNagarByPoll: Counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Visuals from outside a counting center in #Chennai pic.twitter.com/ORKYAc9LF7  ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2017

7:25 am: "Exit poll in RK Nagar puts TTV Dinakaran ahead with 37 % votes and winner," says BJP MP, Subramanian Swamy."

RK Nagar Election Exit Poll by NewsX has predicted TTV Dhinakaran as the clear winner. This is how much votes all parties will get:

TTV Dhinakaran - 37%

AIADMK -26%

DMK -18%

BJP - 2%

Others - 17%

Of the 59 candidates in the fray, the fight was essentially triangular with the key contenders being ruling AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and TTV Dinakaran who contested as an Independent.

OneIndia News
This govt will fall in 3 months, says Dinakaran after victory

TTV Dinakaran visits Sasikala in jail for the first time as R K Nagar MLA

RK Nagar bypoll result: Two AIADMK factions could merge before 2019 polls, predicts Swamy

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Sunday predicted merger of the two ADMK factions for 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Even as the RK Nagar bypoll results favoured a win for TTV dinakaran, the BJP leader took to twitter and said Dinakaran seems to have won the R K Nagar election caused by JJ death. I expect to see the two ADMK factions now to unite for 2019 LS poll.

Dinakaran seems to have won the R K Nagar election caused by JJ death. I expect to see the two ADMK factions now to unite for 2019 LS poll  Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 24, 2017

TTV Dinakaran might win the prestigious RK Nagar byelection, defeating AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan and DMK's N Marudhu Ganesh, he had said earlier.

Speaking to News18, Subramanian Swamy said the ruling AIADMK, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, is not in the race.

Calling E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam spineless wonders, Dr Swamy said the duo can't lead the AIADMK. "Both of them are incompetent. They don't have the backing of the cadre. I believe most are still with the TTV, who is now emerging as the main challenger to DMK," he said.

The former union minister described DMK as a 'Hitler party' which has to be decimated to save Tamil people from their corrupt, criminal activities. TTV Dinakaran can only save Tamilians, the BJP MP said.

TTV Dinakaran has established a firm lead of over 5000 votes over his rivals. AIADMK is lagging in second with 4520 votes and DMK is in third with 2323. The BJP, it appears is nowhere where in the contest.

OneIndia News
Sawai Madhopur accident: Juvenile was driving the bus

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The bus, which fell off the bridge into the river Banas killing 33 people in Sawai Madhopur district was driven by a 16-year-old boy. Passengers were from Rajasthan and other states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. Several of them were going to offer prayers at a temple in Malarna Chour in the district.

According to reports, the bus on its way to Lalsot from Sawai Madhopur. The bus was being driven by a 16-year-old conductor who was speeding and lost control over the vehicle which fell off the bridge near Dubi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences for the deaths. He tweeted, " Anguished by the bus accident in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. State Government is closely monitoring the situation, including rescue operations and providing all possible assistance to those affected."

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed her condolences to the families of the victims.

(With agency reports)

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Story first published: Sunday, December 24, 2017, 9:31 [IST]
Plea in Delhi HC for equal status to 'Vande Mataram' as that of national anthem

75 Vande Bharat trains to connect different parts of country in 75 weeks of 'Amrit Mahotsav': Modi

No \"hello\", instead use 'Vande Mataram' when answering calls: Maha minister to govt officials

Why should Vande Mataram bother anybody, asks Venkaiah Naidu

India

oi-PTI

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday wondered why should anybody have a problem with singing "Vande Mataram", meaning salutations to the mother, a song that inspired millions during the country's freedom movement.

"Mother is not the photo but our motherland. 'Vande Mataram' is saluting the mother. Why should anyone have a problem with this," Naidu said at an event in this temple town in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.

"Irrespective of our caste, creed and religion, we are one nation, one people and one country," Naidu said, after inaugurating the Global Sai Temple Trust Summit organised by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi, for trustees and representatives of Saibaba temples in India and abroad.

Naidu also rejected as "irrelevant" the issue whether Saibaba, the 20th century saint, was a Hindu or Muslim, saying: "he (Saibaba) was a universal teacher who blended the core principles of Hinduism and Sufism".

Saibaba's teachings of service to mankind and living in peace and harmony with others need to be imbibed by all and that would be the real tribute to him, Naidu said.

"Serving the mankind is serving God. Saibaba is an embodiment of this culture," he said.

An official statement quoted Naidu as saying that being an Indian national amounts to being spiritual, as it is all about seeking a larger identity rising above narrow and divisive considerations.

"India is a larger collective and to be known as Indian is going beyond the identity based on birth, caste, region or religion and coming together for a larger cause," he said.

He said nationality and nationalism are instruments of larger unity and integration, uniting the people, thereby going beyond primary identities. This unifying principle of nationalism should not be misunderstood. To feel, think and act as an Indian or 'Bharatiya' involves overcoming one's primary and divisive identities, he added.

"So, in my view, to be an Indian is being spiritual, as it elevates us to a higher level of identity and shared experience, purpose and actions," Naidu said.

Shirdi, located 238 km off Mumbai, has the famous shrineof Saibaba. In October, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the newly-built airport at Shirdi.

PTI

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Story first published: Sunday, December 24, 2017, 11:59 [IST]
In the killing of those protecting Hindus in Punjab, a massive ISI plot revealed

The Sikhs are fighting the biggest battle of their lives and that is forced conversion to Christianity

World Punjabi Organisation urges CM Amarinder to declare Dec 27 'dry day'

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, December 23: The World Punjabi Organisation (WPO) has written to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urging him to declare December 27 as 'dry day', the martyrdom day of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru, in Punjab.

WPO, a non-political body of Punjabis to foster social, economic and cultural bondage among the community around the globe, wrote a letter to Singh on December 20 in this regard.

December 27 is observed as the martyrdom day of Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, the young Sahibzadas (sons) of the 10th Sikh guru.

In the letter the WPO said that December 27 should be declared a 'dry day' "keeping in view the supreme sacrifice by the Sahibzadas for the upkeep of human values, secularism an peaceful coexistence of mankind in undivided India (sic)".

PTI
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, mother to meet him in Pakistan tomorrow

International

pti-PTI

Islamabad, Dec 23 : Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office said. They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day.

Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat. "India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors. Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies. It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.

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MERIDEN, Iowa | While Easter is often considered the customary holiday for sunrise worship services to celebrate Christ's resurrection, at least a few local churches meet at dawn on Christmas Day to celebrate Jesus' birth.

At Oakdale Evangelical Free Church north of Meriden, the candlelight service begins at 7 a.m. Monday, an hour, if not two hours, later than in Christmases past.

"We used to enter the church in the dark, maybe at 5 a.m.," said Merle Wester, 88, of nearby Cherokee, who recalled attending the Swedish Julotta Christmas service as a child. "They'd have a candle in each window."

Candles also illuminated the tree within the church, prompting Wester's great uncle, August Anderson, to keep his eyes on the tree, making sure it didn't catch fire.

Julotta, the traditional Swedish church service on Christmas morning, is translated this way: "Jul" is Swedish for Christmas; "otta" is Swedish for the time just before dawn.

In Sweden, the holiday rite called for church-goers who lived the greatest distance from the church to start their journey toward church well before dawn. Walking or traveling by sleigh, they carried lanterns and stopped at farmhouses along the way, picking up other Christians on a pilgrimage that culminated in a candlelit service to announce the birth of Jesus.

Founders of the Swedish Free Mission Church Class, which was named Oakdale Evangelical Free Church in 1923, carried the Julotta tradition with them upon settling north of Meriden. There are other churches in the region, in cities such as Albert City and Cherokee, among others, who still celebrate Julotta as well.

Four of the eight children of the late Mabel and Elmer Wester, including Merle Wester, pastor emeritus, plan to take their places at Oakdale Evangelical Free Church on Christmas morning to celebrate Julotta, as they have for years.

"I don't remember going to Julotta by sleigh, but I do remember how cold it was when I got up on Christmas morning because the fire hadn't yet been started," said Lorraine Mortenson, 90, of Cherokee, one of the four surviving Wester children. "And to think, someone had to be at the church that early to get the fire started there."

Another sibling, Evelyn Kludas, 83, of nearby Aurelia, said she recalled the children attending that Christmas service clad in their pajamas. And when they returned home, they always found that Santa Claus had visited their farm.

Jeanette Johnson, 82, who resides north of Meriden, is the fourth Wester child who will attend Julotta on Monday.

Merle Wester and his wife, Eleda Wester, helped keep the Julotta tradition going on another continent as the couple served as missionaries for 43 years in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The missionaries before us had Swedish backgrounds, although they were from the United States," Eleda Wester said. "They had introduced Julotta before our arrival."

So, for four decades of Christmas celebrations, the Westers joined as members of the congregation arose around 3:30 a.m. each Dec. 25 to the sound of drums.

"People carried kerosene lanterns to church and Merle would always fire up his Coleman pressure lamp to help light the church," she said. Their Julotta service in the Congo often ran from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. and was heavy on Christmas music and Scripture readings announcing the birth of Jesus Christ.

"There were no sleighs there," Eleda quipped.

"Temperatures in the day-time was often around 90 with humidity," Merle Wester added.

After the Julotta service concluded in the Congo, church-goers would carry their lanterns out into rural villages while inviting others to join them for a second service, which commenced at 8 a.m.

At Oakdale Evangelical Free Church, the Julotta service lasts 45 minutes, officiated this year by The Rev. Jonathan Caldwell. Ross Peterson, 33, grandson of the late Dale Wester, said he'll help lead Christmas carols while playing his guitar.

"It's sentimental for me," said Peterson, whose parents, Lloyd and Nancy Peterson, share Julotta traditions from Oakdale (Nancy's home church) and Evangelical Covenant Church (Lloyds' home church) in Albert City, a Buena Vista County community known for its Swedish heritage. "I grew up with this service and I remember seeing a lot of kids here in their pajamas. As a family, we'd open our stocking stuffers after church."

Some years, Peterson said, everyone holds a candle through part of the Julotta service. Other years, there are minimal lights.

This much has changed in the century since Julotta was first celebrated here: Nobody walks to church.

"When my folks first got married, they would have taken the sled or horse-and-buggy," Mortenson said. "I remember sitting in the car going to church, sitting between my mom and dad. We rode five people in the front, five in the back."

Merle Wester smiled while reflecting on Christmas hymns sung in Swedish during Julotta, always a well-attended celebration. He predicted a crowd of 240 for the service this year, which won't quite fill this beautiful church built one decade ago.

"There's not necessarily a message, but more Scripture and hymns," Eleda said. "It's quite a worshipful service."

"As a church family, it's great to get together and put first things first," Ross Peterson concluded. "We celebrate His coming and celebrate His coming again."
Jerusalem Post 13 Nov 2022

While the land would reportedly double the size of Efrat, Palestinians are concerned it would block future development of..
I had visions of sugar plums dancing in my head for todays column.

My grand plan was to reprint a letter written by my dad, Guy Wharton, on Dec. 24, 1944, to my mom, Eleanor, my sister, Marilyn, and my brother, Butch. It was one of those V-Mails or Victory Mails that soldiers used to communicate with their families during WWII. It was a beautiful handwritten note that underscored how much my dad missed his young family and was praying that this war would end so he could return to his job of driving a bread truck in Pana, Illinois.

Many years later he told me he wrote that Christmas Eve V-Mail in a foxhole in the middle of the Ardennes Forest. The night was pitch black. The ground was frozen solid, and the snow was waist-deep. It was difficult to dig a foxhole. Dad said the German army was so close he could hear them singing Christmas carols in the stillness of the night. Stille Nacht. Helige Nacht. Silent Night. Holy Night.

In the short letter Dad told my sister, Marilyn, that he hoped she was listening to her teachers and doing well in school. He told Butchie to help his mommy around the house while his daddy was away. He told my mom he loved her and missed her and told her not to worry because the guys in the 7th Armored Division think this war will end soon." Dad also asked about his dog and hoped she would remember him when he came home.

Dad was smack in the middle of what was soon to be called the Battle of the Bulge. Days after he scribbled that V-Mail he was hit by a tree-burst mortar shell and was critically wounded. After being in military hospitals for nearly a year he finally made his way home to Illinois to reunite with his family and start over.

My whole column was going to be centered around that short letter that was written 73 years ago today. Alas, I cant find it. My nieces and nephew have turned over every box they have, and it is nowhere to be found. Im hoping my buddy St. Anthony can help us find that precious note.

In its absence, allow me to share a few of my memories of Christmases past as a boy growing up in central Illinois.

Upon his return from the war dad went to work in my Grandpa Whartons gas station in Nokomis. When a vacancy occurred at the local post office, dad took the test and ended up being appointed postmaster. Back then, postmaster appointments had to be confirmed by the U. S. Senate. I have dads certificate signed by President Harry S. Truman.

Mom was a stay-at-home mom. With four kids, she had all she wanted, but always made sure Christmas was special.

Those of my vintage will remember the balsam fir trees with the silver tinsel. To this day Im amazed our house didnt go up in flames. Bubble lights before they went retro. Huge colorful Christmas bulbs. The angel at the top of the tree.

One of my best gifts ever was a Lionel train set. My dad and brother-in- law, Bob, set it up under the tree after I went to bed on Christmas Eve just to make sure it worked. They apparently enjoyed it too much because when I awoke Christmas morning I discovered that they had left the transformer on overnight and burned it up. My Lionel train was derailed before I even saw it.

Fact is, I remember very little about the gifts. I do remember a lot about my immediate and extended family at Christmas. My Grandma Pearl holding court with gifts stacked up to her waist. Pearl loved the attention. Cousins running around the house making my mom nuts. Aunts in their aprons and uncles all smoking and enjoying a highball.

Christmas is so different these days. Many of us have too much. I plead guilty as well. As we prepare for the birth of our Savior, lets center on the real meaning of this season. In quiet times I think of my mom and dad and what Christmas must have been like for them in 1944. Then I ponder what I have today. Blessings abound.

For unto us a child is born. To us a son is given. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas.

Next week: Steve Warnstadt

Jim Wharton, of Sioux City, is a former member of the Sioux City Council and a former mayor of Sioux City. He and his wife, Beverly, have one daughter, Dr. Laura Giese, and three grandchildren.
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As we have said before, expressing our profound admiration for the giving nature of Siouxlanders is something of which we never tire.

To this end, we again this year are moved by supporters of The Journal's Goodfellow Charities and its mission of putting smiles on the faces of children at Christmas.

Thanks to you - individuals, families and businesses - Mr. Goodfellow exceeded this years goal of $135,000 in this, the charity's 103rd year. Through the program, 14,000 toys and 7,000 books were delivered to more than 7,000 children for Christmas this month.

To everyone who donated money to our Goodfellow program, we say this: Whatever amount it was, your contribution was important and valued. Please know all of your money, every penny, will go to buy toys.

Mr. Goodfellow functions because of volunteers. Again this year, we share our deep gratitude to all of you who donated invaluable gifts of time, labor, expertise, goods and services. Every year, volunteers buy, box and bag, store, load, and distribute toys, and businesses provide food for them while they work. Board members oversee the Goodfellow program and Tailwaggers solicit donations. Free veterinary care is donated for the Little Yellow Dog.

We don't have space to mention every volunteer by name, but all of you should know how indispensable you are to this annual effort.

Thank you to the Ancient and Effervescent Order of the Little Yellow Dog and everyone who helped make the 82nd Little Yellow Dog Auction at the downtown Ho-Chunk Centre a success, from volunteers who set up and took down risers and chairs, to emcee Dave Nixon Sr., to the band who entertained, to veteran Goodfellow auctioneer Bruce Brock, to anyone who made a bid or simply stopped to watch.

This year, we extend a special note of thanks for the contribution to Mr. Goodfellow of:

* Darlene Erickson, who purchased Samantha, a Maltese and this year's Little Yellow Dog, for $15,000.

* President Ryan Callaghan and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, based RP Constructors, LLC and Civil Engineers & Constructors, LLC, who donated use of a suite at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for the Dec. 17 Minnesota Vikings game. An online auction produced a winning bid of $10,751 for the Mr. Goodfellow campaign.

* The late William E. Johnson, who donated the bulk of his estate of more than $2.1 million to 29 charitable organizations related to work with children, including a $64,619 Goodfellow donation.

We are humbled by such generosity.

Time after time, this region rises to the occasion to meet a spectrum of needs, challenges and causes. We understand Mr. Goodfellow is but one of many local and area civic and charitable projects to which the wonderful people of our tri-state region provide support not only at this time of holidays, but throughout the year, year after year.

That strong spirit of helping others is one of the biggest reasons why Siouxland is a special place to live and work.

On behalf of The Journal and Goodfellow Charities, a heartfelt thank you to all of you whose support produced another successful campaign this year.

Merry Christmas.
From Strategic Culture

Fighting terrorism is now morphing into clamping down on human migration, as far as the European Union is concerned. France's President Emmanuel Macron is leading the charge, claiming at a conference in Paris last week that terrorism and human trafficking are part of the same problem, requiring the deployment of a military force spread across Africa.

The melding of the two concepts provokes serious legal and moral questions. But so desperate, it seems, is the EU to halt illegal migration into the bloc that it is moving to militarize the problem in Africa -- under the guise of "fighting terrorism."

This is tantamount to European Neo-imperialism. That is, attempting to sort out deep-seated socio-economic problems down the barrel of a gun. Not only that, but using futile heavy-handed methods to deal with problems that European powers themselves are responsible for creating.

Such an approach will only worsen humanitarian problems for millions of displaced war-torn and impoverished people. In typical arrogant imperialist fashion, the EU is not addressing root causes of the problem -- its own role in shattering African societies from illegal wars and predatory economics.

The panicky reaction this week in Brussels to the formation of the new Austrian government led by populist Chancellor Sebastian Kurz shows that the other European powers are still rattled by the rise of nationalistic politics across Europe and the underlying long-term problem of migration into the EU.

Kurz's People's Party has formed a coalition government with the Freedom Party. Both share anti-immigration policies and are deeply critical of the EU. The new Austrian administration has been described with trepidation in the news media as the first "far-right" government in the European Union. That epithet appears to be aimed at demonizing the new Austrian authorities with the taint of "fascism."

However, what seems to be the real concern among the pro-EU governments of Germany and France is that Austria rekindles wider fears in regard to large uncontrolled flows of refugees entering into Europe and the knock-on effect of rising anti-EU populist politics that those fears tend to fan.

Another sign of the EU's concern over the flow of migrants into the bloc is the attempt by France, Germany and Italy to morph the issue of refugees into one of "fighting terrorism." This is an audacious, not to say reprehensible, step of treating a humanitarian crisis with military force. But because the emotive "anti-terror" card is invoked, the intention is to mask the controversial, unethical move with a veneer of humanitarianism.

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a summit in Paris which was billed as countering terrorism in the Sahel -- the vast Northwest desert region of Africa. Macron has taken the lead earlier this year in forming what is known as the Group of Five (G5) countries straddling the Sahel region, comprising Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania.

The leaders of the G5 were hosted by Macron at a chateau near Paris on December 13. Also in attendance were German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italy's premier Paolo Gentiloni. Significant too was the attendance at the summit by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In a brazen appeal for financial funding, Macron asked the Saudis and Emiratis to stump up money for the G5 military force. Both the oil-rich states responded with pledges of $100 million and $30 million, respectively. Other donors to the G5 "anti-terror operations" were the EU and the United States, each pledging $60 million. In other words, the Saudis and Emiratis are bankrolling the G5 "anti-terror" military coalition to the tune of nearly half its total budget.

The G5 comprises some 4,000 troops from the five mentioned African countries -- all of them former French colonies. The French forces in the region are believed to number around the same. There are also American special forces operating, as was shown by the dramatic deadly shootout in Niger in October when four US troops were killed in an ambush.

What Macron is claiming to do is to replace the French forces with local troops from the G5. That move will save Paris millions of euro it is currently shelling out on the presence of its military in the Sahel. Knowing that these poor African countries would never be able to finance the operations, the French president is deftly involving the Saudis and Emiratis in the funding.

Macron's proposal beggars belief. Given the record of the Gulf Arab hardline Sunni regimes in sponsoring terrorism across the Middle East, it is absurd to propose that these same regimes could support "anti-terror" operations in the Sahel.

The contradiction raises the real issue and purpose. France, Germany and Italy, on behalf of the EU, are actually using the moral and political cover of "fighting terrorism" in Africa to further their agenda of stemming the flow of migrants from the continent to Europe. And getting the Gulf Arabs to pay for it. The latter get PR value in return.

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This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.



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North Korea, notes Prof. Michel Chossudovsky ,[1] "was the only declared nuclear weapons state which voted YES at the UN General Assembly, in favor of the prohibition of nuclear weapons under Resolution L.41[2]"

Whereas North Korea is a non-belligerent country, it is surrounded by Western forces which have threatened its very existence since the Korean War Armistice was signed in 1953.

Koreans understand that the threats to its very existence are credible. They do not underestimate President Trump's "Fire and Fury" threats, nor should they. The Korean War exacted a tremendous toll. Roughly 30% of North Korea's population perished beneath the bombs and bullets. Compare this, notes Chossudovsky, to World War Two, where .32% of the U.S population lost their lives.

Excerpts from Prof. Chossudovsky's presentation at New Vision Church in Hamilton, ON.

Past U.S deeds also lend credibility to the threats. According to the best available reports, the atomic bomb that the U.S dropped on Hiroshima alone exacted a terrible toll: about 150,000 casualties[3], mostly civilians. And this is a conservative figure.

[See this and this.]

North Korea has every right to defend itself from the West's global war on humanity, yet the West, including Canada, has no right to impose its credible threats on North Korea and its peoples, or any other country.

North Korea is by no means an "outlier" by virtue of the fact that it possesses nuclear weapons. In addition to the 9 "declared" countries which possess nuclear weapons (U.S, France, Britain, Russia, India, Pakistan, China, Israel, North Korea), there are also "undeclared" nuclear states. Included in this list are Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Turkey, all of which, notes Chossudovsky, have nuclear weapons (Made in America) under national command. Turkey has five times as many nuclear weapons as North Korea, while Belgium and the Netherlands together have about four times as many nuclear weapons as North Korea.

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I went to a PlyWood Trail informational meeting. This is what I took away:

Even though it has been explained there are no taxes being used, these points dont seem to penetrate. A combination of private donors and federal and state grant monies will be used to build and maintain the bicycle/walking trail. Its either use the grant monies or lose them to another community.

The Iowa Constitution at Article 1, Section 18 states: Eminent domain cannot be used for bicycle/walking trails. The owners of the land on the proposed trail are free to negotiate the sale of the land or simply refuse to sell the land. A bicycle/walking trail will increase the safety of those using the trail over using roads. It has been horribly demonstrated in the recent and past history that walkers and riders of bikes are injured and/or killed regularly using the road system.

Detractors seem to look at the glass as half empty. The comments of two Plymouth County supervisors served to muddy the conversation: Only a few will use it. Not many people use the gravel roads and million dollar bridges, either. The towns along the trail need roads or a wastewater treatment facility. These are tax money projects.

Its time the Plymouth County supervisors get on board rather than subtly condemn and misrepresent the project. - Earl Draayer, Le Mars, Iowa
Apparently, in a reconfiguration of positions in the geopolitics, Turkey, a NATO member, has signed a $2 billion deal to buy the S-400 Russian air-defense missile system while Russian Duma voted on Thursday (Dec. 21) to extend Russia's lease of a naval base in Syria for 49 years.

Vladimir Kozhin, a presidential aide who oversees Russia's matters of military cooperation, said Thursday that the deal was now finalized and Moscow would begin delivery of the system to Ankara in late 2019. "The first deliveries are likely to begin at the end of 2019, beginning of 2020," according to Kozhin.

He said no more issues remained about the deal, which was discussed between Russia's President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the former's visit to Ankara on December 11.

Russian missile system

S-400, acronym for the Triumf Mobile Multiple Anti-Aircraft Missile System (AAMS), is an advanced Russian missile system designed to detect, track, and destroy planes, drones, or missiles as far as 402 kilometers away. It has previously been sold only to China and India.

"All aspects have been resolved over the past few days ... All parameters, all technologies, the entire deal has been agreed ... Practically speaking, the contract is entering the phase of realization," Kozhin said.

The official added that Russia would grant a credit to Turkey to help finance the deal.

"The contract will consist of two parts financially: part of it will be paid by Turkey and part through a credit provided by Russia," Kozhin said about the agreement, which has been valued at about $2 billion.

The deal comes as Turkey has been establishing closer relations with Russia after its relations soured with Western governments following a crackdown on people linked to Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) allegedly behind the July 2016 failed coup to overthrow the Erdogan government.

Russia returns lost positions by expanding Navy base in Syria

Russia returns lost positions and ensures presence in the Middle East by expanding the naval base in Syria's Tartus port, Andrey Krasov, first deputy chairman of the State Duma's Defense Committee, told the Russian news agency TASS.



"Russia needs this base to be present in this region," Krasov said, reminding that Syria has always been the strategic partner of Russia and USSR. "Unlike NATO, the Russian Federation is the guarantor of security in the world," he asserted.

"In Syria, we fight against international terrorism not only by words, but also by deeds. Both Russian Aerospace Defense Forces and Russian Navy's ship groups demonstrate their professionalism, high qualifications in supporting the Syrian Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism," he noted.

"When in the 1990s we did not hold any drills and closed our bases one by one "- in Cam Ranh (Vietnam), in Cuba "- no one cared about this, everybody was clapping their hands," Krasov said.

"And now, when we rose from our knees, when we started to actively train our forces - and we are doing this on our own territory - our defense-industrial companies produce the most modern weapons, and no other army in the world has such equipment and such weapons - this worries someone," he said.

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From Consortium News



President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel at the United Nations General Assembly

(Image by (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)) Details DMCA



In investigating Russia's alleged meddling in U.S. politics, special prosecutor Robert Mueller uncovered evidence that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressured the Trump transition team to undermine President Obama's plans to permit the United Nations to censure Israel over its illegal settlement building on the Palestinian West Bank, a discovery referenced in the plea deal with President Trump's first National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

At Netanyahu's behest, Flynn and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner reportedly took the lead in the lobbying to derail the U.N. resolution, which Flynn discussed in a phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak (in which the Russian diplomat rebuffed Flynn's appeal to block the resolution).

I spoke on Dec, 18 with independent journalist and blogger Richard Silverstein, who writes on national security and other issues for a number of blogs at Tikun Olam.

Dennis Bernstein: A part of Michael Flynn's plea had to do with some actions he took before coming to power regarding Israel and the United Nations. Please explain.

Richard Silverstein: The Obama administration was negotiating in the [UN] Security Council just before he left office about a resolution that would condemn Israeli settlements. Obviously, the Israeli government did not want this resolution to be passed. Instead of going directly to the Obama administration, with which they had terrible relations, they went to Trump instead. They approached Michael Flynn and Jared Kushner became involved in this. While they were in the transition and before having any official capacity, they negotiated with various members of the Security Council to try to quash the settlement resolution.

One of the issues here which is little known is the Logan Act, which was passed at the foundation of our republic and was designed to prevent private citizens from usurping the foreign policy prerogatives of the executive. It criminalized any private citizen who attempted to negotiate with an enemy country over any foreign policy issue.

In this case, what Flynn and Kushner were doing was going directly against US foreign policy, because Obama wanted the resolution to pass; He just didn't want to vote for it because that would cross the Israel lobby in the United States. The US finally ended up abstaining on the resolution and it passed 14-0.

But before that happened, Flynn went to the Russians and to Egypt, both members of the Security Council, and tried to get the resolution delayed. But all of Israel's machinations to derail this resolution failed and that is what Mueller was investigating, the intervention and disruption of American foreign policy by private citizens who had no official role.

This speaks to the power of the Israel lobby and of Israel itself to disrupt our foreign policy. Very few people have ever been charged with committing an illegal act by advocating on behalf of Israel. That is one of the reasons why this is such an important development. Until now, the lobby has really ruled supreme on the issue of Israel and Palestine in US foreign policy. Now it is possible that a private citizen will actually be made to pay a price for that.

This is an important development because the lobby till now has run roughshod over our foreign policy in this area and this may act as a restraining order against blatant disruption of US foreign policy by people like this.

Bernstein: So this information is a part of Michael Flynn's plea. Anyone studying this would learn something about Michael Flynn and it would be part of the prosecution's investigation.

Silverstein: That's absolutely right. One thing to note here is that it is reporters who have raised the issue of the Logan Act, not Mueller or Flynn's people or anyone in the Trump administration. But I do think that Logan is a very important part of this plea deal, even if it is not mentioned explicitly.

Bernstein: If the special prosecutor had smoking-gun information that the Trump administration colluded with Russia, in the way they colluded with Israel before coming to power, this would be a huge revelation. But it is definitely collusion when it comes to Israel.

Silverstein: Absolutely. If this were Russia, it would be on the front page of every major newspaper in the United States and the leading story on the TV news. Because this is Israel and because we have a conflicted relationship with the Israel lobby and they have so much influence on US policy concerning Israel, it has managed to stay on the back burner. Only two or three media outlets besides mine have raised this issue of Logan and collusion. Kushner and Flynn may be the first American citizens charged under the Logan Act for interfering on behalf of Israel in our foreign policy. This is a huge issue and it has hardly been raised at all.

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From WSWS

As AT&T announces holiday layoff of hundreds of workers



AT&T

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The enactment of the largest tax cut for the rich in modern history has triggered a series of announcements by major corporations that they are going to "do more for their employees" by using a small portion of the windfall to increase wages and pay bonuses.

These actions are cynical in the extreme, as the companies involved are passing on only a fraction of the bonanza they will receive from the slashing of the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. AT&T, for example, is expected to rake in $1.6 billion in additional income next year just from the lower tax rate -- not counting other favorable provisions, whose impact is still unreported -- of which it is setting aside $200 million, one-eighth of the total, to pay $1,000 bonuses to its 200,000 corporate employees.

Meanwhile, the telecom giant is going ahead with the holiday layoff of an estimated 600 workers in five states it announced on December 16. The workers, both indoor and outdoor technicians in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, will be out of a job as of January 4.

In February of 2016, the New York Times, citing "senior executives" at AT&T, reported that the company was planning to slash its workforce by up to 30 percent, or 60,000 jobs, over the next five years. The article quoted CEO Randall Stephenson as advising AT&T workers to "learn new skills or find your career choices are very limited" -- a threat to carry out mass firings.

The actual cost of AT&T's "generosity" will be considerably less than $200 million, since the company will write off the cost of the bonuses as a business expense, reducing its net income and cutting its tax liability accordingly. Meanwhile, workers will pay taxes on the bonuses, slicing the value by $150-$350, depending on their salary level.

AT&T has an additional motive for becoming the first and most prominent corporate endorser of the Trump tax cut. Its proposed $85 billion merger with Time Warner is currently being held up by the Justice Department on anti-trust grounds, amid reports that Trump has demanded that the company sell off CNN as a condition for approval in order to punish the network for what he deems to be overly critical news coverage.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts announced a similar $1,000 bonus for 100,000 employees. His company owns, among other properties, the NBC television network and its cable affiliates MSNBC and CNBC. While the nominal cost of the bonuses is $100 million, Comcast's haul from the tax legislation could be as much as $1.22 billion from the rate cut alone, besides other benefits.

The four other corporations announcing bonuses, new investments or "corporate giving" linked explicitly to the passage of the tax cut include Boeing, Nexus Services, Wells Fargo and Fifth Third Bancorp. Boeing is a huge government contractor, while Wells Fargo, after a series of corporate scandals, needs to generate favorable publicity and curry favor with the federal regulators and prosecutors.

The two banks said they would increase their minimum wages to $15 an hour, a token gesture given that low-wage jobs such as cleaning and security are already outsourced to contractors. Fifth Third will spend $3 million on employee bonuses, while it stands to net more than $200 million in tax savings from the Trump bill.

Trump celebrated the corporate bonus announcements as vindication of his claims that the tax cut legislation was designed to benefit workers by creating jobs and raising wages. He tweeted Friday morning: "Our big and very popular Tax Cut and Reform Bill has taken on an unexpected new source of 'love' -- that is, big companies and corporations showering their workers with bonuses."

Later in the day, Trump signed the $1.5 trillion bill into law before heading off for Christmas to his private estate and luxury resort in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

The political strategist for the US Chamber of Commerce was more straightforward about the motivations of these companies. "It's an extremely clever way to get the president's attention," Scott Reed told the Washington Post. "It reinforces his signature legislative success, and it probably gets them some good points inside the White House."

Trump's media apologists at Fox News and the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal celebrated the corporate bonus announcements as though they refuted charges that the tax bill is a handout to the wealthy. But even these media outlets were compelled, in their news coverage, to acknowledge the completely one-sided, pro-corporate character of the tax bill.

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Males have been in charge of the world for the last 10,000 years. We've created some things that are really worthwhile: yoga, chocolate, the Apollo moon shots, streaming video. In some other areas, our performance has been more questionable: traffic jams, form 1040, nuclear weapons, Windows 10. I say it's time to give women a chance to run things. Undoubtedly they'll do things differently, have different triumphs, make different mistakes. It seems only right that we give female hegemony a try--though in fairness, we should limit their tenure to 10,000 years. -- Josh Mitteldorf

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The U.S. was in a post-war recession and Americans were afraid that immigrants would steal their jobs when the 1924 Immigration Act was passed. It restricted the immigration of Europeans, particularly Italians, Slavs, Eastern European Jews and Africans, and it completely banned the immigration of Arabs and Japanese. This is the inspiring story of how 2.6 million Americans responded in an historic project that most people have never heard about.

According to the U.S. Department of State, the purpose of the 1924 Immigration Act was "to preserve the ideal of American homogeneity," and limit unemployment resulting from the perceived "economic threat posed to white businessmen and farmers." (No restrictions were put on Hispanic countries, however.)

The Rev. Dr. Sidney Gulick, an educator, author and Congregational minister who had spent 25 years in Japan, was deeply concerned by these new policies. He believed that whatever discord there might be between nations or governments, "citizens will strive to conquer it and make friends," and that the future of the world was in the hands and hearts of children.



Rev. Sydney Gulick meets Miss Nagoya in Chicago along with Ryukichi Sekiya and the Japanese Consul, Tamara Tajiro. A local Girl Scout. Miss Elizabeth Getch. inspects the kimono, Chicago, December 15, 1927.

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Gulick organized the "Doll Messengers of Friendship" project as a vehicle for children in the U.S. and Japan to develop friendships. Over two million Americans responded to Dr. Gulick's invitation to participate.

The "Doll Messengers of Friendship" project was a significant event in U.S. history. Nearly 2.6 million Americans participated in the 1927 Friendship Doll project, a large portion of whom were the women and girls who dressed and prepared the dolls. This represented about 2.5% of the total US population, which was 106,400,000 according to the 1920 census. For comparison: that's more than twice as much support, by percent, as the Women's March on Washington garnered--the January 2017 Women's March comprised about 3 million participants, and represented about 1% of today's population of approximately 300 million people.

Womens March on Washington

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In January, 1927, almost 13,000 dolls, along with handmade travel wardrobes, luggage and letters of friendship, were shipped to Japan in time for the annual Hinamatsuri (Doll's Day festival) in March. The Japanese celebrated the dolls' arrival with parades and events.

Before the end of the year, Japan sent 58 artistically crafted dolls to America as reciprocal gifts. Each one was nearly three feet tall.

Every doll was accompanied by a wardrobe, furniture and a passport addressed "To all young friends in the United States," which read: "You are kindly requested to accept the pretty bearer of this passport of good will as a messenger sent by your young friends in Japan to convey to you their sentiment of warm regard and friendship. Please be good to her, and she will stay with you all her life, always a pleasant companion and a true friend." Signed, "All the People of the Land of Cherry Blossoms. October 30, 1927."

The dolls were named after each Japanese prefecture (geographical subdivision), and were called "Torei Ningyo," Ambassador Dolls.

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Global Cancer Vaccines Market to grow at a CAGR of +15% during forecast period 2017-2021

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Cancer vaccines are being developed as a method of preventing certain types of cancer, and as therapeutic treatments to treat existing cancers across a range of indications in oncology, either as stand-alone therapies or in combination with traditional cancer therapeutics such as chemotherapy and surgery. The high mortality rate associated with cancer and its resistance to conventional treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy has led to the investigation of a variety of anti-cancer immunotherapies, which have a lower toxicity associated with their use than traditional chemotherapies.This report presents a 360-degree overview of the competitive scenario of the Global Cancer Vaccines market. The report includes massive data relating to the recent product and technological developments observed in the market, complete with an analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future development. The research report analyzes the global Cancer Vaccines market in a detailed manner by explaining the key aspects of the market that are expected to have a quantifiable influence on its developmental prospects over the forecast period.Get Sample Copy of this Report:Key Players:AstraZeneca plc, Aduro BioTech, Cytos, Galena Biopharma, Juvaris Biotherapeutics, MedImmune, Oxford BioMedica, Prima BioMed, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Merk&co, Ubivac, VaccinogenThe study also examines the numerous policies that regulate processes in the global Cancer Vaccines industry, precisely, the ones that are currently active, along with an analysis of the top news stories about the global Cancer Vaccines industry. This report also offers an important analytical guidance on the trends and developments in this industry. The report also provides a professional and comprehensive analysis on the global Cancer Vaccines market while articulating industry insights into its current state of affairs.It provides a refined view of the classifications, applications, segmentations, specifications and much more for Cancer Vaccines market. Recent developments and policies with respect to this market are clarified with maximum data. The report also examines the cost structures and pricing regarding the suppliers, raw materials, labors, equipments needed, and many other. This study is a compilation of primary and secondary research, which allows the readers and players to have a strong understanding of the overall market.Avail Discount up to 30% on this report now at:A birds eye view of the Cancer Vaccines industry made available in the report helps readers to understand the key drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities that are shaping the global Cancer Vaccines market. Furthermore, the report evaluates challenges experienced from buyers and sellers side. The report offers advice from key industry experts on how these challenges can be overcome.The analytical tools such as investment return and feasibility analyses have also been employed in this research to determine the market attractiveness. The report evaluates the products available in the market on the basis of the production volume, their pricing structure, and the revenue generated by them. Production chain and the dynamics of demand and supply has also been assessed in this report. The research report also analyzes the market hierarchy carrying out a SWOT analysis of the key players operating on the global Cancer Vaccines market in order to provide an overall picture of the competitive landscape in the industry and assist the participants to come up with market winning strategies to gain an edge over their peers.Get Complete Report@:About USResearch N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
Sen. Jon Tester has another good article and photo in the paper about a round table discussion on crime. He is smart for doing that, but here is my question: What are the current GOP candidates for the U.S. Senate doing in the media to explain to the people why Montanans should vote for them instead of Tester? Perhaps we need a new crop of Republican candidates, or maybe they need to bump up their campaigns like Sen. Tester is doing. I am a retired lieutenant colonel and former Reagan political appointee who thinks the senator needs to be sent back to farming, but who is best to replace him?
In response to the writer of "Biased," a Dec. 19 Letter to the Editor, there is nothing biased about the media reporting the truth.

This tax bill is nothing but a giveaway to the rich, Donald Trump included. I recall Trump saying the tax bill is "not good for me, believe me." I'm sorry, but every time he says "believe me," I don't, and neither should you.

Makes me wonder, are our senators and representatives working for the people or are they working for Trump, the Republicans and the rich? It is too bad the Civil Liberties Union can't see the government to stop this fiasco or to recall all of our representatives.

Get the real facts about this tax bill. If you are middle class, find out just how long your tax break will last. - Marvin Nelson, Sioux City
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.
November is a truthful month  it doesnt indulge fantasies of permanence, such as mortals sometimes cling to, because it demonstrates unmistakable change from start to finish. Read moreAging for Amateurs: November is a dance on the foggy coast
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
The area had been blocked off by city officials. No one was hurt and nothing damaged. The wall has been menacing passersby for many years. A fix is in the works. Read morePortion of old brick wall by Charleston's Second Presbyterian Church gives way
Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the attack on her husband, Paul, by an intruder in their family home made her think about staying on as the House Democratic leader. She says she almost thought about being leader again because she couldnt give them that satisfaction of intimidating her out of politics. Pelosi spoke to reporters Thursday at the Capitol after announcing she would step aside for a new generation of leaders. She will remain the congresswoman from California. Pelosi says shes not sad about her choice to step aside but feels balanced in her decision. She has no plans to endorse a successor and no desire to meddle with the new leadership's vision. Read morePelosi's big decision: 'Theres a life out there, right?'
So the Republican/Russian Partys tax giveaway scam passed - barely. All Iowa members of said party chose party over country - again.

This leads to many questions.

Where are the deficit hawks? Oh, this poorly-put-together piece of legislation added the Bob Corker (and Donald Trump) kickback in the conference reconciliation. But they couldnt get rid of carried interest? Another in the long and continually growing list of broken Trump campaign promises.

There is continuous reference to the Reagan tax cuts as an example of a tax cut that stimulated the economy. Why is there no reference to the fact that the Reagan administration tripled the national debt? About half of the current $20 trillion belongs to Reagan/Bush 41/Bush 43. And this scam will add, not pay down, trillions.

Where are the Tea Party and Grover Norquist? Do they not understand that non corporate tax cuts will expire in a few years and results will be tax increases? Im sure they do, but once again, Republican/Russian (R/R) Party over country.

If you have any Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid/VA benefits, hold on very tightly, especially if you live in Iowa. We have seen what the R/R Party has done with privatizing Medicaid and a 1 percent increase in school funding.

Someone is going to have to pay for this scam as it has been proven many times in the past that tax cuts/trickle down economics is a myth. See Reaganomics and Bush 43. - Bob Payer, Storm Lake, Iowa
Celebrations of special occasions are most often started with cakes.

PR-Inside.com: 2017-12-24 11:21:35

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Myfloralkart

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,





Delhi 110049



Sunil Singh

PR Head

+919899886258

email

https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes-delivery-cities/





# 379 Words

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,Delhi 110049PR Head+919899886258

Celebrations of special occasions are most often started with cakes. Cakes signify happiness, health, and love. So, convey these sentiments to your loved ones and send cakes to Dehradun ( https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes-delivery-dehradun.html) from Myfloralkart. The company has tied up with many bakers across the city, owing to which it has an extensive Online Cake Delivery in Dehradun to cater to the celebrations of your special occasions. You can order cake for all occasions like birthday, anniversary, wedding, Mothers Day, or any other special event. From our wide range of offerings, we are sure that you will end up buying something for your beloved. Great taste combined with economical prices drive our business in Dehradun, and elsewhere in India. We will continue doing the same for the year to come. says Mrs. Alka Arora, marketing head at Myfloralkart.com Myfloralkart.com is one of its kind Indian internet gifting portal which through which you can send gifts across the country online in the shortest time possible. The company offers gifts keeping the Indian festivals in mind, like Diwali, rakhi, Holi, Karwa Chauth, etc. You can also shop for gifts for Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Christmas, New Year, and many such occasions. Besides, you can also shop for gifts for several occasions that we celebrate throughout the year, like birthday, weddings, anniversaries, parties, etc. The offerings of Myfloralkart are cost effective and high on returns which superior quality products.Celebrations with your loved ones wont be hampered if your loved ones are living away from in Indore. You can Online Cake Order in Indore from https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes-delivery-indore.html . The wide range of cakes, the company offers is just taking care of all your cravings. The bakers of Myfloralkart get you exotic cakes of several flavors which you wont find in a local cake shop close to you. Run through their offerings and make the best pick for the upcoming occasion. Besides, they also Midnight Cake Delivery in Indore which takes care of your celebrations of birthday and anniversaries, and other occasions.About MyFloralKartMyFloralKart is an online florist and gifting website in India.Media ContactName: Sunil SinghDesignation: PR Marketing HeadContact: +919899886258Email: info@ myfloralkart.com
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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for New Age Farm Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - New Age Farm Inc. (CSE:NF). has issued a press release with the following headline:New Age Farm 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 New Age Farm Inc., 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/New Age Farm Inc.Source: New Age Farm Inc. (CSE: NF, FWB: ONF, OTC Pink: NWGFF, WKN: A12C9F, ISIN: CA64157D1087)Date: December 23, 2017Time: 3:40 PM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of New Age Farm Inc. 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.)
On every special occasion, we relish cakes. Cakes since decades have been an integral part of the human culture.

PR-Inside.com: 2017-12-24 11:21:26

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Myfloralkart

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,



Delhi 110049



Sunil Singh

PR Head

+919899886258

email

https://www.myfloralkart.com/combo/flower-with-cake.html





# 384 Words

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,Delhi 110049PR Head+919899886258

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Are there any occasions that you have celebrated without cake?

PR-Inside.com: 2017-12-24 11:21:19

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Myfloralkart

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,



Delhi 110049



Sunil

PR Head

+919899886258

email

https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes/five-star-cakes.html





# 396 Words

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,Delhi 110049PR Head+919899886258

Is there any occasions that you have celebrated without a cakes? Like birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, New Year, parties, weddings etc. all invariably call for cakes. That is why cakes hold a very crucial place in our lives. If you are planning to send cakes to Jaipur ( https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes-delivery-jaipur.html) , then drop by Myfloralkart.com and explore through its wide range of portfolio of cakes. If you are distanced miles apart from your friends, family, relatives, or anybody else, for any event, you can make it a grand affair with Myfloralkart. The company has a great Online Cake Delivery in Jaipur which enables them to get your orders right at your doorstep. Our delivery channel partners are equipped with modern GPS devices, which enables us to bring your orders precisely at your location within the time mentioned. Says, Mrs. Alka Arora Marketing head at Myflroalkart.com Myfloralkart is Indias one of the largest online gifting portal which helps you connect to your loved ones on special occasion and otherwise through its wide array of gifts. The company has gifts for all Indian occasions like Diwali, Rakhi, Karwa Chauth, Holi, and many festivals. Besides, you can also shop for other occasions like Valentines Day, Fathers Day, Mothers Day, New Year, Christmas, and other events like birthdays, wedding, and anniversaries. The company boasts its offerings to be cost-effective. It delivers gifts to any part of India with its wide delivery network across. It offers same-day delivery, midnight delivery, and fix day delivery of cakes and gifts to many parts of the country in just one click.Myfloralkart has its delivery operations in Agra as well. You can Online Cake Order in Agra ( https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes-delivery-agra.html) from any part of the country and send it the city without any hassle. All you have to do is to log in and choose the cake of your choice. Then, enter the shipping address, and rest assured. Getting connected to your loved ones on special occasion has become simpler with Myfloralkart. And, more importantly, surprising your loved ones is easier with its Midnight Cake Delivery in Agra that delivers your order right at 12 a.m. at midnight.About MyFloralKartMyFloralKart is an online florist and gifting website in India.Media ContactName: Sunil SinghDesignation: PR Marketing HeadContact: +919899886258Email: info@ myfloralkart.com
We all know that no matter what the occasion is, we celebrate it with a cake.

PR-Inside.com: 2017-12-24 11:21:05

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Myfloralkart

Shop No.L-11, Jain Mandir Market, South-ex-2 New Delhi,



Delhi 110049



Sunil Singh

PR Head

+919899886258

email

https://www.myfloralkart.com/cakes/five-star-cakes.html





# 401 Words

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Letters from the Street has been carefully arranged into three parts  Features, Tributes and Interviews. This you will agree is an excellent compartmentalisation acceptable in standard journalistic circles. This has made it easy for the reader to distinguish whose opinion you are reading, who has provided the facts, whose interests the facts are serving, etc. Leafing through the pages of this book, you are not in doubts about this. The distinction and clarity are crystal clear for all to see.

Whether it is the Features section, the Tributes or the Interviews, you are confronted, face to face, with articles and contents well researched and indepth. The presentation style is pretty straight forward to make it easy for the ordinary man on the street with a fair fluency in the English language to be able to read and understand. There is no bogus use of high sounding words, no verbosity in being over-detailed, no over-emphasis. In short, the writing has seen a transformation of the writer from a trained Performing Arts graduate to a full blown journalist. Again, the training in Performing Arts came in handy in the presentation of perspectives with an infusion of dramatic effects in terms of the choice of words, with visual and picturesque connotations and denotations.

Moreover, in the series of interviews published, the book presents a string of attempts  a failed one though  at nation-building in Nigeria. The challenges at nationbuilding, the issue of leadership, the matters of corruption, greed, ineptitude, conflict and competition for power, the abuse of power, etc., are presented for our leaders and politicians to learn from history and correct the course of a repeat of our inglorious past. For those singing and dancing to the drums of war-mongers in Nigeria, the interview with Pa Jen, a first and second world war veteran, gives a conclusion to the matter. War is evil, it destroys only. Read it up in this book.



Journalists, because of space constraints in the print, have fashioned a unique way of writing, which succinctly puts the information across, and addresses the essentials needed by the reading Public. Journalistic writing tools and style, I am educated, are captured in the five Ws and H  WHO did WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY and HOW? I have seen a generous dose of this deployment throughout the length and breadth of this book. It is a nice piece of journalistic artistry.

The ultimate goal of every journalist is to serve as a catalyst for societal development and advancement. This is done by giving voice to the voiceless, highlighting the cause of the oppressed, defending the defenceless, challenging the status quo and holding government accountable to the people.

From the ordeal of Citizen Ibrahim Abiodun in the land of liberty, the Ifowodo episode, to the Tongedi Island neglect and abandonment, Letters from the Street has attained the ultimate  from my point of view  in the quest for societal change for the better.

The book has come at the right time to provide deeper and better perspectives to our struggle as a nation on the way to nationhood. As a matter of fact, as politicians jostle for 2019, we see a repeat of those issues and events that characterised the days of the Babangida and Abacha transitions and self-succession attempts.

The catch is, whether at all as a people, we have learnt from history. The spate of insecurity in the land, the state of the economy, the level of poverty and hunger in the land, have challenged each and everyone of us to re-dedicate ourselves to the cause of common good and societal development. This, in my opinion is what Semiu Okanlawon has set to do by putting together this book at this auspicious time in history.

I, therefore, commend Letters from the Street as a reference material for students and scholars alike in history, politics, law, arts, and, in fact, all fields of human endeavour and all those genuinely committed to a better Nigeria.

Jeleel Ojuade, a professor, is director, Advancement Centre, University of Ilorin, Nigeria and president, Association of Dance Professionals and Scholars in Nigeria.
There are several reasons and examples of late bloomers to encourage us to persist in life; and not to give up. Although there is the tendency to rule out the examples of Abraham, Moses and others, who were blessed with new life in their later years, as unrealistic in the current generation, they are good examples of late bloomers.



There are also many modern day late bloomers to keep hope aglow in the present generation. Late blooming adults are people who do not discover their talents and abilities until later than normally expected, sometimes well into retirement years.



Although it is generally believed that intellectual development peaks in young adults and then slowly declines with increasing age, and that the ability to form new memories and concepts may indeed diminish, older people have the advantage of accumulated knowledge, associations between concepts, and mental techniques that may give them an advantage in some fields.



More importantly, many people are known to have been blessed by the God, in defiance of age, in His own time, called the due season. And these are not examples from the Holy books!



Among them is the classic example of Colonel Harlan David Sanders, which we will look at in the first of our three-part series. Next will be the natural and supernatural reasons why people bloom in later years; and indeed, why you should not give up or jump into the lagoon to end your life. For example, God is known to take time to develop people through painful lessons for special assignments He has for them. Your current travails may be an example of that, so why do you want to give up now?



Colonel Sanders: He founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken company at 65, and went on to become a multimillionaire. It all started when Sanders opened a service station in Corbin, Kentucky, and cooked dishes such as country ham and steaks. He served customers from his adjacent home. As his popularity in the region grew, the business moved to a restaurant where he developed his secret recipe for fried chicken.



Today, there are many outlets of the company in Nigeria and if you patronize any, you have eaten the amazing success story of the Colonel. He had been cooking for most of his life but the business concept, a brand new one, only came to him in his sixties.



As a young man, he worked in a variety of jobs that had nothing to do with cookingfarmer, steamboat pilot, and insurance salesman. When he hit forty, he opened a service station and starting selling chicken dinners to his customersdeveloping his pressure frying method over a number of years.



Eventually, he opened a popular restaurant. But soon, an Interstate road, which diverted traffic away from his location, was constructed, throwing him out of business. He could have given up, but that turned out to be the divine touch in his success. If the road had not been constructed, he might have remained a local legend (local champion) only. He eventually had to sell the Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe after being rejected 1009 times to earn him the success story we all learn from today.



He had failed at every job he tried earlier on in his life  lawyer, salesman, etc. Records show that the Colonel was already married at the young age of 19 to his wife Josephine, had 3 children, then had frequent affairs and the marriage ended in divorce. He didnt have the best of lives growing up.



Colonel Sanders Success Lessons

Expectedly, experts have drawn key success lessons from the Colonels remarkable story for you to end the year with if you are feeling like giving up. DONT GIVE UP! Your Creator, who had the purpose of your life written before you were born, will be disappointed. Here are some of the lessons.



The God factor: This part is often left out in the narrative about the Colonel, but it is a very key in the story. If an Interstate road had not been constructed, he would have been contended with his popular local restaurant, and might have remained a local champion.



The collapse of the business because of the diversion of traffic from his popular restaurant made him sell his recipe and today Kentucky Fried Chicken is sold in over 105 countries. In Britain alone, 114 million KFC hot wings are sold each year  thats 3.6 every second.



The misfortune counted for good in the end, just like in the case of Joseph where a butler he had helped and expected to recommend him the Pharaoh forgot all about it. But indeed, if he did, Joseph might have been released before the Pharaoh had the difficult dream, in which case he would have headed to his village to meet his father; and not appointed a Prime Minister.



While it may be argued that the Colonel didnt formally covert into Christianity until 1967, there are many examples to suggest that sometimes Gods plans for individuals He has His eyes on are somehow activated before their full conversion.



According to reports the Colonel became close to God. He is reported to have said:

My prayers have always been of thankfulness. God has been so good to me. Ive been a great believer in tithing.



The Bible says you owe 10%. I believe, even if you are a crook, you still owe 10% per cent to the Lord. Tithing is a great inspiration in my life.



Just before his death at the age of 90 in 1980, he added: I always figured there is no use being the richest man in the cemetery. You cannot operate from there. People dont know that I gave most of my money away. Most of it goes to churches.



Age is Just a Number

You are as old as you think. You are never too old to start a business. You can start a business any time. You can start a business even if youre a high school student, you can start a business even if youre in your sixties. Age has got nothing to do with the success of your business. Colonel Sanders started KFC in 1952 at the age of 65.



He was 75 years old before he finally sold Kentucky Fried Chicken for $2 million. (Over $15 million today), and he remained as the spokesmen for the company after the sale.

At that age the majority of people, at least 95% give up way earlier in life. People stop thinking they can be successful even in their 30s! And yet, the Colonel didnt think this way, and ended up being the founder and face of a billion dollar brand. So before you start to think that you cant achieve your dreams, because youre 30, 40, 50 years old stop. Youre never too old to achieve success in life.



Be resilient.

Failure happens to all of us. In fact, if you never fail, thats most likely because you never tried. Failure is inevitable on the way to success.

Since failure is inevitable, what matters is how you respond to it. If you respond correctly, failure cant stop you.



Thats what happened in the story of Colonel Sanders.



He once had a successful restaurant. Life seemed good for him. But then something unexpected happened: authorities moved the highway junction in front of his restaurant to another site. As a result, the number of visitors to his restaurant plummeted. He eventually had to sell his restaurant. Worse, he was already 66 years old at that time. Many people might lose hope in such a situationbut not Sanders. He didnt lament his bad fortune. He didnt blame someone else for the situation. Instead, he thought about what he could do to overcome the difficulties. He was resilient.



Make the most of what you have.

While being in a bad situation, many people focus on what they dont have. They complain about not having this or that. But thats not the way to go. What you should do is look at what you do have. Thats what Col. Sanders did. After the failure of his restaurant, he didnt have muchbut he did have one thing: his fried-chicken recipe. So he decided to make the most of it. He decided to sell his fried-chicken to restaurants.

Thats what winners do: they make the most of what they have to turn a situation around.



Be persistent.

Its not easy to sell fried-chicken the way Col. Sanders did. He must have experienced many rejections. But that didnt stop him. He kept moving forward. He was persistent.



Giving up is the Only Sure Way to Fail

You can fail at a lot of things in life, but the KFC story proves that giving up is the only sure way to fail. If youre some like the Colonel, no matter how many times you fail, the possibility of success is still always on the table.

Youre not a failure until you finally stop trying.



Hard Work Always Pays Off

Colonel Sanders had a tough life; he did hundreds of odd jobs before founding KFC in 1952. He worked in various professions but quit the jobs in due time. But he never let himself to be decided by fate instead he kept on working.



The Colonels conversion and a miracle that saved his life



According to reports, Dr Bob Rodgers, whose father, Waymon Rodgers, was the Colonels pastor, has written a book about the legendary fried chicken entrepreneur  and reveals some startling information about the man.



He tells how his father baptised the multi-millionaire in the River Jordan in 1967, shortly after he had turned to Christianity.



Rodgers writes: My dad knelt down beside him and asked, Colonel, would you like to get born again?



The old Colonel, with tears in his eyes, said, I really would. Do you think that Jesus could save me to the point where he would take away my cussing?



Dad then said, Colonel, God is going to save you tonight and youll never cuss again. That night the Colonel genuinely received Christ into his heart. He was truly born again. He became a new creation in Jesus Christ. From that time on he never used the Lords name in vain.



A few days after his conversion experience, the Colonel donated more than 15,000 to Pastor Rodgers church in Louisville, Kentucky  a major sum at the time.



The Colonel told the pastor: Since I prayed the sinners prayer, things have completely changed in my life. I have not cussed even one time since then. It has really made a difference with me.



I am getting ready to come into a large sum of money. I want to give the church the tithe.

Dr Rodgers book also reveals how the Colonel experienced a supernatural healing when scheduled to have an operation on his colon to remove a growth. He was awaiting surgery in hospital when his pastor came to pray for him.



A day later, Sanders wrote: I dont need surgery. My pastor came in and prayed for me and God healed me.



The doctor said, Colonel, when I opened you up there werent any polyps.



The KFC founder continued to give generously to the church for years to come.

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Months after the Federal Government announced plans to restart local vaccine production at the Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory, Yaba, Lagos, nothing significant has changed at the facility, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation has revealed.

The Yaba Vaccine Production Laboratory located at no 1, University Road, Yaba, Lagos is currently under lock and PREMIUM TIMES could not gain access to the compound.

The vaccine production centre was active for about six decades, between 1940 and 1991, producing large quantities of vaccines against smallpox, rabies, yellow fever for not only Nigeria, but neighbouring countries like Cameroon, Central Africa and a few other countries in Africa.

It was closed in 1991 by the federal government which said it wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility. This is yet to be done until today.

At a press conference in April, the minister of health, Isaac Adewole, said after a Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting that the government had decided to set up a joint venture company with May and Baker, a pharmaceutical company in Nigeria, to commence local production of vaccine at the Yaba facility.

The minister said the country was set to restart producing local vaccines in collaboration with the pharmaceutical giant.

Mr. Adewole said May and Baker was to assist in the production of local vaccines to improve immunisation routines and reduce dependency on international donors.

According to him, the agreement proposed to create a company called Biovaccines Limited which would be jointly owned by the federal government and May and Baker Plc at 49 and 51 per cent equity participation respectively.

The centre between 2017 and 2021 will produce many of the basic vaccines that we need. We have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health, but we need to guarantee the security of all Nigerians particularly our children. And so with this agreement, we will be able to produce these common vaccines and from 2021, and beyond other vaccines that are necessary would also be put on board to administer to Nigerians, the minister said.

Mr. Adewole explained the need for the country to start local production in the country to stop its dependence on international donors, especially Global Vaccine Alliance, GAVI.

GAVI is an international finance mechanism that enables developing countries to procure vaccines at very cheap prices. By 2022, Nigeria will no longer be on the GAVI list as it would have to pay full costs for vaccines procured.

Since the closure of the Yaba laboratory in 1991, Nigeria has relied 100 per cent on imported vaccines and donations while the Yaba facility rots away.

While that has happened, episodes of deadly disease outbreaks have met the country always ill-prepared, with thousands killed by Lassa fever, Meningitis, Yellow Fever, and Ebola over the years.

In 2017 alone, Meningitis killed over a thousand people in different states across the country. Also, a shortage of anti-snake venom for three weeks led at least 250 preventable deaths.

May and Baker

There is yet no evidence the government is keeping its plan to restart local production of vaccines.

Information provided on May and Bakers website says Biovaccine, meant to be the public-private vehicle for the project, was incorporated in 2005 by the company and government as a vaccine production and distribution company.

According to May and Baker, the company is currently located at two facilities in Yaba, Lagos as follows: 445 Herbert Macaulay way Yaba and no 1, University Road, Yaba, Lagos.

PREMIUM TIMES visit to the other facility located at 445 Herbert Macaulay way Yaba, showed that the place was largely deserted with only a few staff available.

One staff said the facility was still being developed and about to take off.

A spokesperson for May and Baker, Innocent Adulugba, who is the companys corporate communication officer, later referred PREMIUM TIMES to previous media interviews by the companys managing director/CEO May and Baker, Nnamdi Okafor.

Mr. Okafor while talking about the agreement with the federal government to the media as at July 6, said the firm was yet to sign off the agreement.

We are yet to put final touches here and there before we sign off. But it is a joint venture agreement. May and Baker is going to provide management. The company, Biovaccine, will be managed as a private venture. It is not going to be a government business. Government will have no influence in the day-to-day running of the company, he said.

May and Baker will provide technology and management. Government will provide the chairman of the board, you know in the private sector, the role of the board is supervisory, to provide direction, they do not run the business.

The managing director also added that apart from the government asset, Federal vaccine production lab at Yaba, the government was not putting in any money in the project.

May and Baker is bringing the cash. Of course, a new company, Biovaccines, was constituted to run the company, we are going to source financing, even right from the equity provided by the owners of the business. They will run the company and run it in a manner that will ensure that the business succeed, he said.

The director of media in the Ministry of Health, Akinola Boade, told PREMIUM TIMES that the ministry had already said that the production of vaccine is expected to begin between 2017 and 2021.
The President of Turkey, Recep Erdogan, has called on parents in Africa to withdraw their children from Turkish-run schools across the continent because the schools are run by those he described as terrorists.

In an exclusive interview with AllAfrica.com prior to a three-country official visit to Sudan, Chad and Tunisia this week, Mr. Erdogan said the schools are run by an organisation that uses education as a facade to hide their real intent.

The schools are linked to United States based Cleric, Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Mr Erdogan turn arch-rival. Mr. Erdogan accused Mr. Gulen as being the mastermind of the July 2016 attempted coup that left 250 people dead. Mr. Gulen has denied the accusations.

Without any further ado, I will like to mention something. Whether your nephews, nieces and your children, do not send them to either one of these network schools, Mr. Erdogan said.

Education is just a disguise for the terrorists working for these organisations, even religion is a disguise for the Fethullahists. In the Quran, Allah condemned those who are using prayers as disguised as they will never be conscientious to the practice of prayer that is why we would remain alert. We would never be manipulated. The coup plotters are the Fethullahists.

They have all been identified and some of them have been sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment. These Fethullahists came to kill me and my family members but Allah protected us and in a matter of minutes we were saved from their bombs, their attacks but two of my security guarded were killed there are 29 martyrs around the presidential complex which was attacked that night as well.

We are warning all our brothers in Africa not to be deceived because the Fethullahists have great sums of money out of their actions. In 1999, the Chief terrorist, fled to the United States to live in Pennsylvania. We have demanded his extradition immediately.

Mr. Erdogan threatened that if the United States refuses to extradite Mr. Gulen to face terrorism charges in Turkey, he would reject any demand made by the United States for Turkey to extradite terrorists to the United States.

We have amassed 85 boxes filled with evidence proving that he was the major perpetrator of the coup but he has not been extradited yet. But tomorrow if the United States asked for the extradition of a terrorist I will say no to them because this man is the killer of 252 martyrs, 292 veterans; still residing in the United States.

Mr. Erdogan said the Turkish government has established an education foundation to take control of the schools linked with Mr. Gulen. He said the policy is already working well in the countries he will be visiting.

Many African countries, including Nigeria have, however, turned down Mr. Erdogans requests to either take control or close schools linked to Mr Gulen. Soon after the attempted coup, the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Cakil, called on the Nigerian government to close 17 Turkish schools. His request was however turned down by the government.

In a statement in October, Nigerias Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, confirmed that the Nigerian government indeed received a request for the schools to be closed and for the extradition of Mr Gulen loyalists.

The minister said while Nigeria would not allow its territory to be used as breeding ground for terrorists, the country considered the dissidents political refugees who are protected by the United Nations.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjC1_IVskIo&w=560&h=315]

For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry wishes to state in clear terms that, no such agreement was entered into.

Every individual, of whatever nationality, legally residing in Nigeria is guaranteed full protection under Nigerian and international laws, he said.

The presidency later explained that the ownership structure of many of the Turkish schools in Nigeria has been changed to put Nigerian partners in charge.

Since the failed coup, the Turkish government has arrested tens of thousands of people including teachers and journalists amidst condemnation by international rights groups and countries.

PLEDGE TO COMBAT TERRORISM

Meanwhile, Mr. Erdogan pledged to cooperate with other African countries to fight terrorism in the continent. He said Turkey has been under constant attack of terrorists in the last 40 years but the government has had enough and is doing everything to fight all terrorist organisations including the so-called Islamic State.

We have been fighting terrorism for the last 40 years. We have paid a hefty price and we no longer wish to pay any price whatsoever while fighting terrorism. That is why terrorism has become a priority for us. We are fighting terrorism internally. By the way, we are fighting Daesh (another name for ISIS) internally as well.

Whether cultural or political we are ready to cooperate with all of our friends in Africa and number one priority for us is solidarity with our African brothers.

He said as the term chair of the Organisation of Islamic States, OIC, Turkey has help to provide relief materials and other social services to African countries.

SLAVERY IN LIBYA

Mr. Erdogan also frowned at selling of African immigrants into slavery in Libya, describing it as un-Islamic. The Turkish leader called on the several factions of the Libyan government to rise in condemnation of slave trade in the country. He advised them to work towards a lasting peace in the country.

When it comes to slavery, we would never allow the refugees to be traded off as slaves. I will like to call out to the Libya administration and the Libyan youth, please do not be fooled. Slave markets are prohibited by our religion, do not resort to them, do not fall for them. Please do everything you can to save those that have fallen to the slave market. The biggest wealth of all Muslims is to extend a helping hand to all in need.

Libya is a very wealthy country. Libya was put in this situation deliberately by the powers of the world. Those proud to be sovereign are keeping the money of the Libyans in their central banks. That money is not in the bank of Libya, it is in the bank of other central powers.
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.




The presidency on Sunday said President Muhammadu Buhari played no role in the removal of Umar Doguwa as chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kano State.

Mr. Doguwa, believed to be a loyalist of a former governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was removed as APC chairman and replaced with Abdullahi Abbas, a loyalist of the current governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Messrs. Kwankwaso and Ganduje are involved in a political feud for the control of the party in the state. Efforts by the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the crisis have failed.

The feud is also believed to have been responsible for Mr. Abbas resignation as chairman on Thursday, after he which he was appointed commissioner by the governor.

The feud also got worse last week when Mr. Gandujes deputy, Hafizu Abubakar, said on a radio programme that he may not contest alongside his principal when Mr. Ganduje seeks re-election in 2019 as expected.

Kano, the largest state in Northern Nigeria, is also where President Buhari got his largest votes, almost two million, in the 2015 presidential elections. Mr. Buhari who recently paid a working visit to the state, still enjoys a large support from there. Mr. Kwankwaso, a serving senator, also has a large following in Kano.

The presidencys statement on the controversy is contained in a statement by Garba Shehu, Mr. Buharis spokesperson.

Mr. Shehu said the reaction was in response to claims by a group, Concerned Members of the APC in Kano State, believed to be loyal to Mr. Kwankwaso.

The Presidency wishes to refute a false accusation that President Muhammadu Buhari was behind the removal of the erstwhile Kano All Progressives Congress, APC chapter chairman Hon Umar Haruna Doguwa, Mr. Shehu said.

Let me assure all our party members and the general public alike at no time did the President involve himself in the internal conflict of any APC chapter in the country, and would never do so.

Mr. Shehu said, President Buhari would not risk his integrity to support one side against the other in the affairs the APC or any other political party anywhere in the country.

Anybody who knows the presidents principles would not believe any allegations linking Buhari to interference in the election or removal of party leaders across the country.

The spokesperson made reference to the presidents neutral role in the election that brought Bukola Saraki as the senate president contrary to the stance of the party.

In fact, it is an irony that President Buhari, who was accused in the past of not taking control of the National Assembly by imposing in the President of the Senate and Speaker, two critical institutions in the running of our democracy, will now be accused of abandoning those principles to order the removal of the chairman of the Kano APC party chapter.

I am 100 percent convinced that this group, which is being associated with the respected senator representing Kano, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso did not seek his permission or clear their script with him before they dragged the name of the President into this matter. Governor Kwankwaso knows President Buhari too well to reduce him to this level.

This group is hereby advised to stop belittling the person and office of the President by dragging his name into their local party quarrels. It is unfair to attack President Buhari over an issue he knew nothing about, Mr. Shehu said.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, on Sunday disclosed that it recorded new national peak with the transmission of 5,222.3 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity into the national grid on December 18.

TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement in Abuja that the achievement was the highest ever recorded in the nations power sector to-date.

Mrs. Mbah said the current peak transmission surpassed the 5,155.9 MW attained on December 8, and the 5,074.7 MW earlier recorded on February 2, 2016.

She said TCN developed the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion programme to enable it prioritise and execute critical transmission projects, to properly key into the incremental power policy of the Federal Government.

This necessitated the clearing of the companys stranded containers carrying various transmission equipment at the sea ports, to enable it complete previously abandoned projects to further expand the grid capacity.

Of the 759 containers abandoned by contractors at the sea ports within the last five years, 454 have been cleared from March to-date.

Payment for 193 containers has been made and they are being cleared, while payment for the outstanding 112 containers has yet to be made, she said.

Mrs. Mbah further explained that all the 454 containers cleared from the ports had been taken to its various construction sites in Yola, Gulak, Katsina, Jos, Dambatta, Ganmo, Abeokuta, Onitsha and Benin.

She said that other construction sites that the containers had been deployed to included Odoguyan, Ede, Igangan, Okene, Walalambe, Akwanga, Kachia, Kumbotso, Kaduna and Yola.

According to Mrs. Mbah, the containers had been abandoned at the ports for 2 to 6 years by contractors for various reasons.

One of the reasons, according to her, included suspension of TCNs Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) in 2013 by the Ministry of Finance.

She said other reasons were slow processing of IDEC by TCN in the past and inefficiency of the contractors.

The result was several uncompleted transmission projects in various parts of the country.

TCN reiterates its commitment to continue to work to further stabilise, rehabilitate and expand the grid, she said.

Mrs. Mbah urged all Nigerians to assist the company in safeguarding electricity installations nationwide.
The anti-graft agency, EFCC, has filed fraud charges against Innoson Motors and its embattled chairman, Innocent Chukwuma.

The third defendant in the suit is Mr. Chukwumas brother, Charles.

The four-count charge is dated November 30, and filed at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division.

Mr. Chukwuma was arrested by the EFCC at his residence in Enugu on Tuesday morning. He was then transported to Lagos where he was granted bail on Wednesday night.

His arrest follows allegations he forged some documents in a transaction involving GTBank.

Mr. Chukwuma dismissed the charges in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES Sunday, saying the EFCC lacks professionalism and legal intricacies.

The businessman has been locked in a long drawn legal battle with GTBank over alleged arbitrary deductions in his bank account.

The bank accused Mr. Chukwuma of forging shipping documents to obtain under financial gratification for himself and his company.

The EFCC charges bordered entirely on the allegations raised by the bank.

The four-count included attempt to obtain under false pretense, obtaining under false pretense, theft and forgery of shipping and financial documents.

All the alleged offences contravene several extant criminal statutes in Lagos State and are punishable there, court filing shows.

The EFCC listed 10 witnesses who would support its case before the court.

The whereabouts of Charles Chukwuma is still unknown to federal authorities.

It is not immediately clear if a judge has been assigned to hear the case or when proceedings would commence.

In a response to the development Sunday night, Cornel Osigwe, a spokesperson for Innoson Group, said the EFCC has become so incompetent that it now abuses court processes at will.

This is clearly an abuse of court process, Mr. Osigwe said. It seems like the EFCC does not have intelligent officers anymore.

Mr. Osigwe said the EFCC had previously investigated the complaints which gtbank brought against Innoson in 2012.

During the investigation, he was invited and he honoured the invitation. After the investigation EFCC filed a charge against him at Lagos State High Court.

The charge was subsequently struck out.

However Innocent Chukwuma and Innoson Nigeria Ltd. appealed against the order striking out the case on the basis that it ought to be dismissal in its entirety so that it will never be filed again.

The appeal number is CA/l/1330CM/2017 and is, till date, still pending at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.

Since then, EFCC never invited him, Mr. Osigwe said.

He accused GTBank of instigating the EFCC in order to divert attention from the damages ruling which Mr. Chukwuma had procured at different courts, including the Court of Appeal.

A spokesperson for GTBank declined comments about the claims Sunday night, telling PREMIUM TIMES the matter is already before the law court.

In corporate governance standards, an ethical institution does not comment about a matter that is already before the court, said Meksley Nwagboh, GTBank head of corporate communications.

BELOW IS OUR EARLIER (BREAKING) POST PLUS COURT PAPERS

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The anti-graft agency, EFCC, has filed fraud charges against Innoson Motors and its embattled chairman, Innocent Chukwuma.

The third defendant in the suit is Mr. Chukwumas brother, Charles.

The four-count charge is dated November 30, and filed at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division.

Mr. Chukwuma was arrested last week and released a day later.

His arrest follows allegations he forged some documents in a transaction involving GTBank

The businessman has denied any wrongdoing.

Details later

Below is a copy of the court papers.

EDITORs NOTE: This post has been updated with an extended version, containing additional information.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has challenged the civil society to work with the media and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigerians never forget, for one moment, the damage done to the country by treasury looters.

The minister threw the challenge at the launch of the Anti-Corruption Situation Room, ACSR, which includes civil society organisations, media groups, government agencies and other stakeholders, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Those who turned our treasury to their piggy bank are once again presenting themselves as the saviours of the nation. They say the best time for Nigeria was when the proceeds of their corruption subsidized many and gave the illusion of economic boom. They are so emboldened as to say Nigerians are earnestly yearning for them. No contrition. No apologies. No shame. Just sheer bravado. Unbridled arrogance. Revisionism.

The Civil Society, the media and indeed all stakeholders owe it a duty not to allow Nigerians to forget, to say Never Again to those who view Nigeria as nothing but a cash cow to be milked to death, he said.

Mr. Mohammed said the formation of the ACSR could not have come at a better time, as the Buhari Administrations fight against corruption is gaining momentum, and the government is winning the war.

But there is a challenge: There seems to be a feeling of numbness among the citizens about the conduct of those whose actions brought us here, those who looted the national treasury dry. Suddenly, these same people are engaging in revisionist history and blaming everyone but themselves for the mess their actions put the country into, he said.

Reeling out the cost of corruption to the nation, the minister listed the conversion to a slush fund of the 2.1 billion dollars meant to buy weapons for the Nigerian military to fight Boko Haram; the fact that country could only generate 2,690 megawatts as at 29 May 2015 despite spending billions of dollars on power and the failure of past governments to save for the rainy day, even when oil was selling above

$100 a barrel for many years.

He listed some of the gains of the anti-corruption fight as raising the countrys foreign reserves from $23 billion to $38 billion; stoppage of the payment of phantom subsidy of between 800 billion and N1.3 trillion; and the recovery of at least $43 million and 56 houses from just one official of the immediate past Administration.

Other gains of the fight against corruption, according to Mr. Mohammed, include the recovery of $2.9 billion from looters so far; the Whistle-blower policy which has led to the recovery of $151 million and N8 billion in looted funds from just three sources; the elimination of thousands of ghost workers, which has saved the nation N120 billion and the elimination of the N108 billion in maintenance fees payable to banks, pre-TSA.

He commended those behind the formation of the ACSR, a platform to build synergy among anti-corruption CSOs, the labour movement, the law enforcement agencies, the Parliament and the Judiciary, as well as to ensure that Nigerians take ownership of the fight against corruption.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun has described President Buhari as a patient man who has reformed himself in line with democratic ethos.

I wish I had his patience. He would listen to everybody, and then take a decision, the Ogun State governor said. He is a reformed democrat.

Mr. Buhari ruled Nigeria between late 1983 and August 1985 as a military head of state following a coup detat.

Amongst the major concerns his critics raised when he was campaigning to rule Nigeria again as a democratic leader was his respect for democratic institutions.

Mr. Amosun featured alongside Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Babatunde Fashola in a documentary series that is set to hit the airwaves beginning tonight.

Excerpts of the documentary, which the State House billed as an attempt to make Nigerians see the human side of Mr. Buhari, were made available to PREMIUM TIMES Sunday morning.

Presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina said the documentary titled: The Human Side of President Buhari would depict the septuagenarian in a way never before.

It is made up of interviews from close aides of the President and some others who have worked closely with him, carefully put together to show a side of the President that many would love to see, Mr. Adesina explained. .

He gives you things to do, and leaves you strictly to do those things. No interference at all, once he has confidence in you.And he cracks those jokes, and manages to still keep a straight face, Mr. Osinbajo said in his description of the president.

He gave me some priority projects: Mokwa/Jebba road, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, and Second Niger BridgeHe never appends his signature to anything, unless youve explained, and he understands it. Mr. Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said.

The 55-minute documentary is scheduled to air on NTA tonight from 8:00 p.m.

Channels Television would broadcast it on Monday, December 25, 2017 (Christmas Day) between 8-9:00 p.m.
The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of deceiving Nigerians with empty platitudes.

The party said this in its reaction to a Christmas message by the president.

In a civilised environment, a score card of failure and evidences of failed promises after three years of governance are enough indices to tender a letter of resignation and not words of assurances of a better tomorrow, the opposition party said in a statement signed by Diran Odeyemi, its deputy spokesperson.

Mr. Odeyemi said Mr. Buharis Christmas message to Nigerians was devoid of accountability.

Mr. Buhari sent his Christmas message to Nigerians Saturday night, urging his compatriots to be patient, resilient and hopeful.

The president specially sympathised with the victims of Boko Haram assault across the North-east, expressing confidence in the ability of a united Nigeria to defeat the dreaded sect.

The PDP slammed the president for not telling the truth about the state of the Boko Haram war to Nigerians.

The party wondered why Mr. Buhari is planning to spend another $1 billion on the war efforts, despite repeated claims that the insurgency had been defeated.

Although Mr. Buhari and Nigerias military chiefs have been proclaiming victory over Boko Haram since 2015, the administration has denied planning to spend all of $1 billion to fight the insurgents.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the money, which would be drawn from the excess crude account, would go towards improving security across the 36 states.

The vice president weighed in after the matter generated a nationwide uproar, with Governor Ayo Fayose alleging that Mr. Buhari wanted to warehouse the cash ahead of 2019 elections.

The PDP said Nigerians should compare the years when it led the country to what currently obtains under the All Progressives Congress, APC.

A government once reigned here that was ready to take bullet to ensure its citizens live in comfort and here is another government with all trappings of medieval king that scourged his subjects with scorpions, tormenting them by creating artificial scarcity of the most important product on which our national life and wellbeing is built, Mr. Odeyemi said.

The APC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, did not immediately respond to requests for comments about the latest attack from PDP, but the ruling party had urged the opposition to desist from commenting on national issues.

The APC said the agony the PDP allegedly inflicted on Nigerians through unconscionable looting of the treasury at all levels while it was in power was still fresh.

The PDP led Nigeria at the centre between 1999 and 2015, producing three presidents.

The partys reign had been marred with widespread allegations of fraud and economic mismanagement.

Several members of the party, especial those that served under the last administration of Goodluck Jonathan, are currently facing corruption charges.

The party dismissed all allegations of wrongdoings brought against its members by federal authorities, saying they are being persecuted because they refused to decamp to the ruling party.
Some state governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have explained that they supported the emergence of Uche Secondus as PDP National Chairman because of his strength, character and honesty.

Also, PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus prophesied that the new National Working Committee will take the party to the Promised Land.

The governors stated that Mr. Secondus as National Deputy Chairman stood for the truth and ensured that rules were adhered to during party primaries.

They spoke at the Thanksgiving Service in honour of Mr. Secondus, National Chairman of the PDP, at the Rivers State Ecumenical Centre in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said every governor gave testimony on how the National Chairman stood firm for the right thing to be done.

He said as deputy national chairman, Mr. Secondus relegated monetary considerations and always ensured the promotion of PDP interests.

Mr. Wike said that Mr. Secondus insisted on his emergence as PDP governorship candidate because he felt it was in the best interest of the party, even though other groups preferred an ethnic candidate.

He said: This position is an opportunity to give Nigerians what they want. I cant understand why people are suffering untold hardship. Imagine the fuel scarcity with people buying a litre of fuel between N300 and N400.

He said that Mr. Secondus emerged through a credible process where all candidates tested their popularity. He said the governors and other stakeholders preferred Mr. Secondus because of his experience and track record.

For the first time in the history of our party, we had an election to elect a national chairman. It was not like the case before where the president and governors decided on a consensus candidate, Mr. Wike said.

The Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, said that he encountered Mr. Secondus when they had a major challenge in the delegates list of the party, but the former deputy national chairman insisted on correcting the illegality without inducement.

He said all the governors who worked for the emergence of the national chairman did so because of the unflinching support Mr. Secondus gave them in the past.

The Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, said: Secondus stood with me when the promise of man failed.

He said that all the governors resolved to work with Mr. Wike in canvassing for Mr. Secondus because of his character and content. He said that the governors turned their backs on those who took money in the past.

In his remarks, Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, commended the presence of mind of Mr. Secondus, which he said would be beneficial to the party.

He said: We are prepared to go the whole route with Prince Uche Secondus. He will be an exemplary party leader in Africa.

Also speaking, Mr. Secondus said that the PDP is poised to take over the leadership of the country.

He said: We are going according to the plans and purpose of God. This country will be returned to the PDP, whether you like it or not, it approved in heaven. You cannot do otherwise .

While thanking God for his grace and blessing that delivered the position of the national chairman, Mr. Secondus said God used Mr. Wike and his colleagues to bring the post to fruition.
The perfection of a man is based on his ability to distinguish between facts and fiction through deductive reasoning  Socrates

There have been many counter narratives on the reason why EFCC arrested Innoson and equally we have seen GTB response on its running battle with Innoson and his company Innoson Nigeria Ltd.

According to C.P Scott Comments are free but facts are sacred. Now that this fight has become an open issue and the public is yearning to know the truth concerning the issue Innoson has with GTB, I will in a three (3) part series of articles reveal to Nigerians and the world what really happened.

In a saner society, the company secretary of GTB should have resigned by now and apologize to the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of the bank, because every legal advice and decision it gave to GTB backfired, thereby putting the bank in harms-way.

The battle between Innoson and GTB started from a dispute between Innoson and customs when GTB decided to cry more than the bereaved by appealing a valid court ruling ordering GTB to pay Innoson judgment debt of N2.4B being the cost of his goods unlawfully seized and auctioned by The Nigerian Customs.

The Genesis of Innoson Vs Customs Court Case

Innoson established the first indigenous motorcycle assembly plant in Nigeria and based on this effort, the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Finance gave a concession to him to pay 5% on his imported motorcycle CKDs. The approval is in form of a certificate. The certificate runs for 12 months after which it is renewed.

Between October and December 2004, Innoson imported about 25 containers of motorcycle CKDs, his certificate was yet to expire. The certificate expiration was on 12th July 2005.

When the goods arrived in Nigeria, Innoson made efforts to clear the goods. He paid the required duty as calculated by COTECNA- the inspection agent and he was issued a Clean Report of Inspection (CRI) which showed the duty he was expected to pay.

After receiving the CRI from COTECNA, he paid the duty by issuing cheque to be drawn in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria. His bank, GTB paid the money to the Federal government. And then he was issued with a Customs Revenue Receipt. The Receipt was issued by GTB that made the payment. The original copies were handed over to the customs.

After the payment of the duty, Innoson submitted all relevant documents to the Nigerian customs but the customs failed to release the goods. The goods were not released because they alleged that Innoson under paid the duty. The Customs said he was to pay 30% duty rate. When Innoson learnt of this, he referred them to the concession certificate which allowed him to clear his goods based on 5% duty rate.

In spite of showing the certificate to them, Customsrefused to release the goods and showed his clearing agent a circular which didnt mention the name of Innoson among the list of companies enjoying such concession.

Upon receiving the letter, Innoson protested by sending a written protest to the Minister of Finance. The Minister of Finance gave a directive through a letter to The Nigerian Customs to allow Innoson clear its goods. The Nigerian Customs then instructed their officers to allow Innoson clear its goods at the concessioned rate of 5%. The directive was also done in writing via a letter dated 13/12/2005.

With the letter from the Minister of Finance as well as The Nigerian Customs, Innoson re-submitted its documents to the Nigerian Customs officials to enable him take delivery of the goods.

After the submission of the documents, they still delayed in processing the documents. After the delay, Innoson was given approval to take its goods as overtime cargo through a written approval dated 1st Feb 2006, 2nd Feb 2006 and 9th Feb 2006 for the three bill of laden respectively.

After receiving the written approvals, Innoson made attempts to clear the goods. After customs had passed the entry, Innoson could not locate the goods at the wharf. His clearing agent continued searching for the goods at the wharf until the 1st of March, 2006 when they learnt that 18 of the 25 containers had been sold by the customs.

Upon hearing that the goods had been sold by the customs, Innoson contacted its solicitors to write to the Ministry of Transport, Finance and the Comptroller-General of Customs which they did.

After sending the letter, the Minister of Finance invited Innoson to a meeting. At the meeting, Innoson was referred to the Chairman of the Presidential Special Committee on Port Decongestion and the Comptroller-General of Customs, the meeting between the three parties was held on 12th May, 2006 at Customs office in PZ Complex, Ikorodu Town, Lagos.

At the meeting of 12th May 2006 with the Hon. Minister of Finance, Transport and the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs and other stakeholders, the Chairman of the Presidential Special Committee on Port Decongestion referred Innoson to the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs. The Assistant Comptroller-General directed Innoson to forward all relevant documents to his office so that he can be compensated.

On 18th May, 2006, Innoson forwarded the documents requested for by the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs through his solicitors.

The Customs ignored the documents that was forwarded and sold the remaining containers. Innoson is yet to come to terms why customs sold his containers. First of all, he was not notified that his container was seized. He was not informed that his containers were to be sold.

His containers never contained any contraband goods but contained motorcycle CKDs. He did not at any time abandon the containers containing the motorcycle CKDs at the port. He was never taken to court. Innoson was not aware that there was a court order to sell his goods. The Federal Government gave him a concession to pay less duty because he owns an automated assembly line and as a result of the promise to increase the local output. The assembly line had a workforce of about 750 workers.

The questions that remained unanswered include:

 Whether the Customs has the right to refuse the release of the goods as stated in the CRI? The CRI reflected the 5% concession.

 How long do goods stay before it is declared as an overtime cargo? Do goods stay in the port for 3 months and thereafter become overtime

 Were the Customs Officials actually carrying out their official duties or was there a conspiracy to destroy Innoson by some people?

 There was a time lapse between the period the goods were to be cleared. Innoson never appliedfor an overtime clearance at any time. His goods were never gazetted before they were sold.

Innoson tried without success to pay the duty stated on the CRI but was rejected by the customs. The customs insisted that Innoson must pay 30% but Innoson still referred the Customs to his concession certificate.

Innoson was not given any notice to the effect that its containers were to be sold as overtime cargo after the approval granted to him to clear the containers as overtime cargo.

Even as an overtime cargo, there are procedures to be followed in selling it. These procedures were not followed. The usual procedure when there is conflict of figures for payment, a protest is lodged.

Innoson is not aware that any committee was set up to sell his containers. The customs equally did not advertise the sale of his container in any newspaper.

The procedure the presidential Special Committee on Ports and the Customs for selling good by auction is as follows;

(a) To notify the owner of their intentions to sell the goods by auction

(b) To give notice of the intended auction sale to the public through newspaper publication

(c) Set up a joint disposal committee to sell the goods by auction.

None of these provisions of the law was adhered to in auctioning his goods for sale. Therefore the Presidential Special Committee and Ports decongestion had no basis for auctioning Innosons goods after all genuine efforts by him to clear its goods.

Based on the damages that were incurred by the seizure and subsequent auction of his goods by the customs, Innoson through his solicitors sued the Nigerian Customs to the Federal High Court, Ibadan division with the following pleas;

1. Judgment for the sum of N1 billion

2. 22.5% interest for the sum of N1 billion

3. 22.5% on Judgment debt from the date of judgment until the liquidation of the debt

4. Judgment for any other claim as per the amended statement of the claim.

The Court Victory

The legal tussle between Innoson vs Customs lasted for some years. After Innoson had presented his case to the trial judge by providing all available facts and evidences to the trial judge and having the Defendants presented its own arguments and defenses.

The trial court therefore ordered the Custom to pay Innoson the sum of N2.4B being the cost of his goods and damages incurred.

Furthermore, Innoson got a garnishee order from theCourt ordering GTB to pay the judgment debt of N2.4B to him. GTB refused to pay this money.

Innoson had a loan he was servicing with GTB at the time he got the judgment. Innoson had expected that GTB would deduct their money and pay him the balance. The reason why GTB refused to pay Innoson his money to ease him off from the damages and loss he suffered was unclear to Innoson.

GTB decided to cry more that the bereaved by appealing the court ruling on the garnishee to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division.

However in a unanimous judgment, delivered on 6thFebruary 2014, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the trial Court and ordered the Defendant (GT Bank) to pay the said sum of N2.4B to Innoson.

Still aggrieved, GTB appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is yet to deliver its judgment. Today that judgment debt is above N5B.

The questions Nigerians should ask GTB

1. Why did it not pay Innoson the Judgment debt as ordered by the court?

2. Does The Customs money ordered by the court belong to GTB?

3. With N10B of Customs money in GTB, why did it-GTB not pay this money, why did they decided to appeal the judgment since The Customs never pretested the judgment?

To be continued.

Cornel Osigwe

Head Corporate Communications

Innoson Group
A former Boko Haram Chief Intelligence Officer, CIO, Abdulkadir Abubakar, has warned the leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, to stop using innocent girls who are being hypnotised as human bombs.

Mr. Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, also warned other factional leaders of the group like Mamman Nur, Abbor Mainok, Abu Musad Albarnawi and Abbah Minok to repent from their deadly ways and embrace peace.

Mr. Abubakar was the CIO of the terror group and one of its top commanders, until his arrest in June by the military in Buni Yadi in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The Commander who spoke to PRNigeria in his cell in Maiduguri, regretted that a lot of innocent young girls were captured, tortured, hypnotised and used by Abubakar Shekau in the suicide bombing.

I am calling on Abubakar Shekau, Mamman Nur, Abbor Minok and Abu Musad Albarnawi to lay down their arms and to stop the senseless killings.

Shekau has continued to demonstrate his cruelty and atrocities against humanity. He had killed a lot of souls, destroyed homes and rendered people homeless.

He continued to exercise Gods authority to himself by killing innocent souls at will without any justification. This was why all his commanders left him. He doesnt have pity for the aged, women, children as well as young girls, who are mostly suffering and dying in his camp.

His followers are raping and committing all sort of atrocities under his nose while he continued to show no concern. Many who dared to question his dastardly acts, were promptly eliminated by Shekau.

Some of his commanders like Aliyu and our Chief Mechanic known as Paper were killed for begging Shekau to provide food to mothers and their children at the time our camp in Abiso ran out of food.

When Shekau was told to help them, he said he did not come to Sambisa to feed the Children of Handak he said if 100,000 of them die every day, thats none of his business.

At some point women became beggars to feed their children in Sambisa, while at least 13 children get killed of malnutrition and other hardship meted on them by Shekau.

This is the reason why Mamman Nur, Albarnawi, Man Chari, Abbor Minok and Abba Albarnawi including myself deserted him and form our own factional groups. Mamman Nur moved to the shores of Chad while Albarnawi and Abbah (Last born of Muhammad Yusuf) remained at the shores of Magumeri.

All of us as at then were all hunting to kill Shekau just like the Nigerian military because of the atrocities he committed under our name. We had fought nine times with him and killed many of his men.

Shekau must know that all those women he is sending with Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs), in places of worships, market and schools are our sisters and mothers and they dont deserve to die.

He must know that one day he would be called and to account for all the atrocities he has committed in the name of Islam. There is no compulsion in religion. Indeed God has really allowed the truth to prevail over falsehood.

There is no verse of the Holy Quran that permitted Muslims to kill anybody. God will punish even those who feel happy while we are killed not to talk of killing innocent souls. So you cannot kill anyone who doesnt believe in your faith or practice.

Arrogantly, Shekau declared a whole country and people living it as infidels and ordered that everyone living in that city and not Sambisa must be killed. Islam can never be synonymous to senseless killings.

Shekau should remember that he was nobody but ordinary student. He remember that he had only two sets of cloths when we were in Maiduguri. I remember ever telling him that Brother Shekau why cant you buy more cloths to wear? And he told me that he was afraid of meeting God in the day of judgement.

He should look at himself and ask himself if he has achieved from the senseless course. Despite all the looted wealth and power he had acquired, was he able to buy himself good health. He is now a cripple isnt that a lesson for him to learn and understand that God is punishing you for the pain you inflicted on others.
The Kaduna State Government has condemned the Friday night attack at Nindem village in Jemaa Local Government Area of the state.

No fewer than four people were killed and eight others injured in the attack said to be by a lone gunman.

The commander of a security task force in the area, Operation Safe Haven, Idong Ekpeyong, told journalists on Saturday in Kafanchan that the gunman opened fire on a group of people who were observing Christmas Carol at a village square.

The colonel said troops of the Operation Safe Haven responded to a distress call over the attack and helped some of the victims.

He said the victims were conveyed to the Patrick Yakowa Hospital, Kafanchan for medical attention.

He said the army and the police were conducting an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, in a government statement signed by Mr. El-Rufais spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, the governor said that the hard won peace in the area must be sustained and the culprits brought to book.

Security forces have informed the Kaduna State Government that there was an attack in Nimdem village on the night of Friday, 22nd December 2017. The government was further briefed that arrests have been made and investigation is ongoing.

The government condemns this incident, and calls on all stakeholders to help uphold peace by working to avoid escalation and by supporting the security forces.

Government commiserates with the families of the victims in this sad moment. The grief and pain these acts of violence leave in their wake can be devastating. It is important that all communities stand firm against any threat to peace, and reject those who might want to reprise the terrible events of December 2016.

Government appeals for calm as security forces take action to restore peace and stability. Nobody should be allowed to truncate the right of citizens to live in peace and enjoy safety, or thwart their legitimate expectations of celebrating Christmas and the New Year in peace.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot NASA

Speeding through the atmosphere high above Jupiters equator is an east-west jet stream that reverses course on a schedule almost as predictable as a Tokyo trains. Now, a NASA-led team has identified which type of wave forces this jet to change direction.

Similar equatorial jet streams have been identified on Saturn and on Earth, where a rare disruption of the usual wind pattern complicated weather forecasts in early 2016. The new study combines modeling of Jupiters atmosphere with detailed observations made over the course of five years from NASAs Infrared Telescope Facility, or IRTF, in Hawaii. The findings could help scientists better understand the dynamic atmosphere of Jupiter and other planets, including those beyond our solar system.

Jupiter is much bigger than Earth, much farther from the Sun, rotates much faster, and has a very different composition, but it turns out to be an excellent laboratory for understanding this equatorial phenomenon, said Rick Cosentino, a postdoctoral fellow at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and lead author of the paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets.

Earths equatorial jet stream was discovered after observers saw debris from the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano being carried by a westward wind in the stratosphere, the region of the atmosphere where modern airplanes achieve cruising altitude. Later, weather balloons documented an eastward wind in the stratosphere. Scientists eventually determined that these winds reversed course regularly and that both cases were part of the same phenomenon.

The alternating pattern starts in the lower stratosphere and propagates down to the boundary with the troposphere, or lowest layer of the atmosphere. In its eastward phase, its associated with warmer temperatures. The westward phase is associated with cooler temperatures. The pattern is called Earths quasi-biennial oscillation, or QBO, and one cycle lasts about 28 months. The phase of the QBO seems to influence the transport of ozone, water vapor and pollution in the upper atmosphere as well as the production of hurricanes.

Jupiters cycle is called the quasi-quadrennial oscillation, or QQO, and it lasts about four Earth years. Saturn has its own version of the phenomenon, the quasi-periodic oscillation, with a duration of about 15 Earth years. Researchers have a general understanding of these patterns but are still working out how much various types of atmospheric waves contribute to driving the oscillations and how similar the phenomena are to each other.

Previous studies of Jupiter had identified the QQO by measuring temperatures in the stratosphere to infer wind speed and direction. The new set of measurements is the first to span one full cycle of the QQO and covers a much larger area of Jupiter. Observations extended over a large vertical range and spanned latitudes from about 40 degrees north to about 40 degrees south. The team achieved this by mounting a high-resolution instrument called TEXES, short for Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph, on the IRTF.

These measurements were able to probe thin vertical slices of Jupiters atmosphere, said co-author Amy Simon, a Goddard scientist who specializes in planetary atmospheres. Previous data sets had lower resolution, so the signals were essentially smeared out over a large section of the atmosphere.

The team found that the equatorial jet extends quite high into Jupiters stratosphere. Because the measurements covered such a large region, the researchers could eliminate several kinds of atmospheric waves from being major contributors to the QQO, leaving gravity waves as the primary driver. Their model assumes gravity waves are produced by convection in the lower atmosphere and travel up into the stratosphere, where they force the QQO to change direction.

The results of simulations were an excellent match to the new set of observations, indicating that they correctly identified the mechanism. On Earth, gravity waves are considered most likely to be responsible for forcing the QBO to change direction, though they dont appear to be strong enough to do the job alone.

Through this study we gained a better understanding of the physical mechanisms coupling the lower and upper atmosphere in Jupiter, and thus a better understanding of the atmosphere as a whole, said Raul Morales-Juberias, the second author on the paper and an associate professor at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro. Despite the many differences between Earth and Jupiter, the coupling mechanisms between the lower and upper atmospheres in both planets are similar and have similar effects. Our model could be applied to study the effects of these mechanisms in other planets of the solar system and in exoplanets.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the 16 local government chairmanship and 177 councillorship seats in the local polls conducted in Ekiti State on Saturday.

Addressing journalists and other stakeholders, Chairman of the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission, EKSIEC, Kayode Bamisile, said the elections were peaceful, free and fair.

He said according to results turned-in by all the Returning Officers, who were senior academic staff members from tertiary institutions in Ekiti and Ondo states, PDP swept the poll.

In Ido Osi, council, PDPs Aladedemi Tunde was declared winner having polled a total of 24,432 votes against his closest in National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP) candidate who polled 121.

In Ekiti East, PDPs Ogundana Sikiru Sunday was winner having polled 27, 918 votes against candidate of the NDLP who polled 231 votes

Also in Irepodun Ifelodun council, PDPs Dapo Olagunju won having polled 31,724 votes against candidate of the ADP who polled 1361 votes.

In Moba LGA, PDPs Ayeni James emerged winner having polled 20,444 votes to defeat candidate of the ADP who polled 237.

In Ikere-Ekiti, PDPs Ayeni Ezekiel, polled 22,354, to emerge winner and in Oye LGA, Sunday Alonge of PDP polled 29,380 to emerge a winner.

Ikole LGA has Abiola Olukayode of the PDP who polled 29,956 while in Efon LGA, Yemi Owoeye, emerged winner with 11,900 votes.

In Ekiti South West, Omolase Lanre of the PDP polled 24,657, to emerge winner while Akindele Ogidi also of PDP in Gbonyin LGA scored 24,940 to emerge the winner.

In Ise-Orun LGA, Kolawole Oluropo polled 26,420 to emerge winner and in Ekiti West LGA, Ayodeji Daniel polled 23,162 to emerge the winner.

Also in Emure LG, PDPs Olubayode Okeya polled 15,293 votes against ADPs candidate who polled 201 votes, as the winner.

In Ilejemeje LGA, PDPs Awolola Sunday Johnson polled 7303 to emerge winner.

In Ijero LGA, Bayo Ojo, PDPs Dada Biodun emerged winner having polled 23,587 votes as against the candidate of the NDLP who scored 233.

In Ado Ekiti council, PDPs Bamisile Clement emerged winner by polling 43,262 votes against ADPs candidate who polled 770 votes

The EKSIEC boss expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for supporting the states electoral umpire to achieve a peaceful, free and fair election

We took our work seriously and put in the best, hence we have conducted a free and fair election. We had visited all LGAs, traditional rulers, security agencies, political parties and others to seek for their support and for them to mobilise their people for participation in the poll.

They had showed readiness for election and fulfilled their promise to vote. We have protected our peoples rights in deciding cautiously their representatives

We particularly appreciate Gov. Ayo Fayose for strengthening democracy. It is an indisputable fact that he always follow the constitutional dictates to conduct LG elections as at when due.

LG is closest to the people, this is why its election is very important. The use of caretaker committee is an aberration which we must all reject. We appreciate all stakeholders.

In totality, PDP has won all the 16 council and councillorship seats. I appreciate Ekiti people for peaceful conduct.

I implore all to accept the results, no victor nor vanquished as we are all working together for good of all. Certificates of return to be given to all winners in not too-distant time, he said

NAN reports that the All Progressives Congress boycotted the exercise, owing to alleged lack of trust in the election managers.

Five other parties participated. They are the Action Democratic Party, National Democratic Liberty Party, PDP, Peoples Party of Nigeria, and Social Democratic Party.

(NAN)
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




DALLAS, March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Distinguished real estate investor and developer, Marcus Hiles notes that LEED Certification, among a number of other housing design projects, is one of the most on demand and cost-effective construction methods highly regarded by today's rental consumer. As he notes LEED's tenfold increase over almost a decade, Hiles' projects illustrate in solid numbers that the LEED combination of healthy materials, focus on performance, smart grid thinking, and efficient water use are directly related to optimized health and productivity of residents, improved public relations, as well as significant savings in expenditures for energy and operating costs.

Founded in 1993 by a group that included Rick Fedrizzi, the U.S. Green Building Council, USGBC, and the LEED certification system, an acronym for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, has grown rapidly. Over the last decade, the organization expanded to 14 billion square feet in registered, certified space, with buildings located in 150 countries according to Forbes Magazine. The rapid growth is the result of a meeting of the minds between business and environmentalists. Marcus Hiles cites The Guardian, acknowledging that "sustainability is profitable and that profitability can be sustainable." Fedrizzi adds, in his book titled Greenthink, " Developers, owners and tenants see significant savings and environmental benefits from green buildings, while USGBC members see significant financial returns." The concept has been embraced even by the most venerable of financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs and the biggest of tech firms  Intel whose $1 billion Ho Chi Minh City chip factory voluntarily seeks USGBC certification.

Marcus Hiles placed himself ahead of the curve early on, using his intuition to satisfy market demand for healthier lifestyles and wellness environments among apartment rental customers through his companies under the Western Rim Properties umbrella. With more than 15,000 upscale residential properties under his wing across the state of Texas, Hiles continues to advance the industry, acting on opportunity to create appealing, affordable high-end developments attentive to green standards.

Marcus Hiles - Chairman & CEO of Western Rim Property Services: http://www.MarcusHiles-News.com

Marcus Hiles Images - MarcusHilesImages.blogspot.com: http://marcushilesimages.blogspot.com

Marcus Hiles (@marcus_hiles) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcus_hiles

Marcus Hiles - New Luxury Apartments in Frisco, TX - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmsJNbfOh-g

SOURCE Marcus Hiles
DALLAS, Jan. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing the importance of safety net in the time of economic uncertainties, Marcus Hiles and his company Western Rim Property Services offer medical benefits to staff members at no cost. With Republican President Donald Trump's proposed prioritization of policy changes, Western Rim Property Services is leading the way in business ethics and conscientious responsibility. As the healthcare industry in the United States continues to develop, company subsidized wellness benefits form an integral cornerstone of compensation packages in the labor market.

Although the Affordable Care Act requires most businesses to support medical coverage, the number of companies that offer to pay 100% of premiums has decreased since 2001. The emphasis on benefits by Western Rim Property Services is an ambitious and concerted effort to prioritize preventive medicine in the United States.

Western Rim Property Services offer a competitive and comprehensive benefit package to full-time staff that includes medical insurance, dental insurance, and life insurance. Further benefits include paid vacation, holiday, sick days, profit participation, retirement contribution accounts, and tuition reimbursement.

Marcus Hiles, Founder of Western Rim Property Services, believes that wellness is important to American job seekers and their families. By providing 100% company paid benefits to its staff members, Western Rim Property Services positions itself as an outstanding model of ethical leadership in business. This value-based decision making is reflected in the quality of services offered to both customers and employees.

As a philanthropist, volunteer, and real estate expert, Marcus Hiles raises the bar for citizenship and entrepreneurship. His commitment to service stretches beyond his extraordinary success in real estate development as the Chairman and CEO of Western Rim Property Services. His dedication to family and community is exemplified by contributing over $2.5 million to K-12 school programs -- including hundreds of brand new Dell computers donated this year to inner city youth. As the son of a humble minister, his charity includes 59 personal acres of land gifted to the public for parks and environmental conservation and the construction of two churches.

Marcus Hiles - Chairman & CEO of Western Rim Property Services: http://www.MarcusHiles-News.com

MarcusHilestx (Marcus Hiles) - DeviantArt: http://marcushilestx.deviantart.com

Marcus Hiles (@marcus_hiles) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcus_hiles

Marcus Hiles - New Luxury Apartments in Frisco, TX - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmsJNbfOh-g

SOURCE Marcus Hiles

Related Links

http://www.MarcusHiles-News.com


The auction house Mossgreen has gone into voluntary external administration. Mossgreen billed itself as one of Australias largest auction houses.

The move came December 21 with the appointment of three administrators from accountants BDO, James White, Nicholas Martin and Andrew Sallway.

It followed failed fundraising attempts in early December. The first meeting of creditors is January 4, 2018. It is understood creditors will be told Mossgreen are "restructuring" with no plans to close any outlets or lose staff, and creditors would be paid. Westpac is listed as having a registered security interest over the company. On the eve of the decision, Jack Gringlas of Jadig Investments Pty Ltd is understood to have been advised December 20 given his status as a secured creditor of the company which has showrooms in Melbourne's Armadale, Queen Street, Woollahra in Sydney and Parnell in Auckland. The Australian Financial Review's Peter Fish reported in August that Mossgreen had parted company with its chairman and major financial backer, Jack Gringlas. One of the recent major contents auction was for the contents in the Macleay Regis penthouse, home of the late esteemed gynaecologist Professor Malcolm Coppleson and his late wife, Patricia, who was Vogue Livings editor-at-large. The 172 lots (pictured onsite) included the sale of a $192,200 Ian Fairweather work which had an $80,000 to $120,000 price guidance. A Tim Maguire fetched $117,800. Mossgreen was known for its single-owner sales, especially since the estate of the late art patron Ann Lewis in 2011, and then an array of objects from much-loved artist Margaret Olleys Paddington, Sydney home. Its first auction in its Armidale premises in 2013 was the collection of John and Marita McIntosh. McIntosh is a Melbourne establishment stockbroking doyen. In 2014 there were the contents of Musk Farm, the Stuart Rattle country Victoria estate. Its most recent auction on December 7 was contents of Dr John Sheehy and Jean Sheehy with just 274 of the 438 lots being sold. It was in late September 2017, that BDO was approached by the companys accountant, Laura Raymer of CFO Strategic, to provide assistance to the Mossgreen in assessing its financial position.

BDO was formally engaged on 26 October 2017 to undertake an independent business review. A final report was issued to Mossgreen on 8 November 2017 after documentation was provided relating to its financial position and operations. A December 12 meeting between Mossgreen and BDO got an "update on the companys financial position including attempted fundraising attempts." It was also attended by David Hall of Allunga Advisory.

Paul Sumner has over thirty years experience working in the art and antiques industry with international and Australian auction houses.

Sumner, the son of art and antique dealers, took his first auction at age 17.

He emigrated to Australia in 1987 to commence work with Sydney Auction house Rushton Fine Art and joined Christies Australia in 1990, becoming their Sydney manager in 1992.

He was then headhunted by Sothebys Australia, and at age 32 became their youngest ever managing director.

Paul held this position until 2001 when he was appointed the Managing Director of Sothebys London Auction house at Olympia, London.

He returned to Australia after this contract period to set up a new company Mossgreen with Amanda Swanson.

After nine-years of growth Mossgreen merged with Leski Auctions in 2012. Mossgreen and Leski had a combined turnover in its first financial year of $22 million.

The Mossgreen Melbourne rental premises were sold by Jagid Commercial Pty Ltd mid-year when buyers were advised the annual income was $481,960 per annum with favourable 3.5% rental increases every year, plus the benefit of a mid-term market review in 2020.

The former Armadale Theatre building in High Street, Armadale sold for around $10 million to an investor, John Karkar after a marketing campaign that saw 10 plus offers.

The property, 926-930 High Street,adjoins Armadale train station. It had Mossgreen Tearooms-Melbourne, in partnership with Peter Rowland Catering, which offered one of the finest high tea experiences in Victoria.

The premises had last traded in 2012 for $5.06 million. Previously, the building was occupied by art dealer Sothebys.

CBREs Retail Strip Investments team comprising Josh Rutman, Rorey James and Lewis Tong negotiated the sale.

Rutman said the international marketing campaign appealed to a mix of local and offshore investors.

Rutman noted that "the international marketing campaign appealed to a mix of local and offshore investors who were attracted to the long-term lease, location and confidence in the Mossgreen business."

Long-term, secure leases are hard to find in the current market, with many economists taking a lower for longer view on investment returns. The fixed annual rental increases will prove highly attractive to prospective investors looking to house their funds in bricks and mortar assets, Mr Rutman said.

James said the significant capital appreciation - almost $5 million in less than 5 years - in such a short period of time highlighted the lack of blue chip investment properties available in the Melbourne market.

Since the administration was formalised, Paul Sumner advised clients by email that "Mossgreen has chosen to take a path of voluntary administration during the month of January at a time that will least impact our clients and which will allow the company to re-structure its business.



"The company is looking forward to a very strong calendar of auction-sales that are contracted and already catalogued for the first half of 2018, starting in February.



"No vendors will lose any money in this process and neither will any of our staff, who will also be fully supported through this process."
On Nov. 22, two juveniles and two 17-year-old boys were found to be in possession of marijuana on the Intramural Fields Parking Deck.
How many steps will it take to walk off Thanksgiving dinner?
At least seven civilians were killed when a roadside bomb hit their van in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, local officials said.

Three others were wounded in the blast, which occurred in the district of Marja early on December 24, said Mirza Hussain Alizada, a provincial council member.

Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said there were 10 casualties and that the exact number of dead was still unclear.

Local media reported that there were women and children among the victims.

According to the United Nations, 371 Afghan civilians were killed and 432 others wounded by improvised explosive devices between January and the end of September 2017.

Based on reporting by dpa and tolonews.com
Iraq's Oil Ministry invited oil companies on December 24 to submit statements of interest in building a new pipeline from the northern city of Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

The state-run Oil Projects Company said that the planned 350-kilometer oil pipeline will carry up to 1 million barrels a day.

A 305-kilometer gas pipeline to feed pumping stations, tanks, and other service installations will be included in the project, it added.

The ministry has set January 24 as a deadline for interested companies to submit their statements.

The new pipeline will be built alongside an existing 1.6 million barrel-per-day pipeline, which has been idle since it was badly damaged by militant attacks in 2014.

Iraq has the world's fourth-largest oil reserves.

The country's oil and other infrastructure suffered extensive damage during the fighting against Islamic State militants. The costs of the war, along with low oil prices, have taken a heavy toll on Iraq's economy.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP


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
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.
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California is days away from launching a legal marketplace for adults to buy and sell recreational marijuana. On Jan. 1, the state will carry through on a vision voters endorsed by passing Proposition 64 last year.

Yet as legal cannabis moves from campaign pitch to reality  amid lots of lobbying by industry groups along the way  some details of the plan have changed. State regulators approved the official rules last month and will update them in about a year.

Some of the things that were touted (during the Prop. 64 campaign) definitely have been changed or reneged, said Andrew Acosta, a political consultant who worked on the campaign against the initiative.

Here are a few ways the new rules differ from what voters may have expected:

Protecting small farms? Campaign literature supporting Prop. 64 last year said the initiative protects small farmers, so Californias marijuana industry isnt overrun by mega-corporations. The measure was crafted to give small-scale growers a five-year advantage by forbidding licenses for pot farms bigger than one acre until 2023.

Now many of the mom-and-pop growers who were supposed to benefit are crying foul. They say the new rules wont protect them because theres no limit on the number of small-farm licenses a business can get.

A grower can get 10 licenses and effectively be a large grower. That seems like a loophole, said Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, which represents more than 1,000 marijuana businesses, including many small farms in the northern reaches of the state.

Legislators from the north coast went even further, with state Sen. Mike McGuire calling the current rules a broken promise. A Democrat from Healdsburg, McGuire issued a statement saying that without a cap on the number of licenses, large corporations will crush the livelihood of small family farmers.

A spokesman for the Department of Food and Agriculture, which regulates cannabis farms under Prop. 64, said the rules dont include a cap on small licenses because Proposition 64 did not provide authority to impose such a limit.

However, spokesman Jay Van Rein said, local jurisdictions may impose that type of limit on their own if it meets the needs of their constituents.

Tap-an-app delivery to your doorstep. Backers of Prop. 64 said emphatically last year that the initiative was not intended to allow on-demand delivery of recreational marijuana, a popular service among medicinal users that allows them to order cannabis products from an online menu and have drivers deliver the drugs to their door.

The Prop. 64 campaign even made the argument before a judge, saying the initiative would not allow customers to place orders online  only in a brick and mortar establishment.

They were trying to beat back opposition from law enforcement groups that argued that Internet-based home delivery would make it too easy for teenagers to get marijuana.

Now it turns out California will allow on-demand delivery of recreational cannabis, including for orders placed online.

That was something we have heard a lot about from the very beginning, about how people wanted to be able to deliver to peoples homes, said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the Bureau of Cannabis Control, which held public meetings around the state during the process of drafting the recreational marijuana rules.

After hearing the reaction from people in the industry, from patients, from people who came to summits and town halls, it became clear that it was something we needed to look at.

Prop. 64 spokesman Jason Kinney said many local governments wanted rules that would allow for on-demand delivery. Some cities wanted to prohibit cannabis storefronts, but allow businesses to deliver it to customers who order online.

We give them the authority to decide what takes place in their jurisdiction, Kinney said, noting that online delivery services must have a distribution premises licensed by local officials. We dont view it as being in conflict with arguments made in the Prop. 64 campaign.

Restrictions on advertising. Promises that Prop. 64 would ban cannabis ads aimed at youths permeated the campaign last year. The measure does restrict how licensed marijuana businesses can advertise, forbidding them from mounting billboards alongside interstate highways, as well as near schools and playgrounds.

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.

But it turns out that the language of the law doesnt cover all businesses that have a commercial interest in marijuana. It leaves out companies  like the popular website Weedmaps  that promote cannabis businesses but dont directly sell marijuana themselves.

Thats because the law restricts advertising only by licensed marijuana businesses, and a Web platform that doesnt directly sell marijuana doesnt need a state license.

Weedmaps billboards  some sporting phrases like High California, High Hollywood and High Sactown  have popped up around the state. The company has 120 billboards up in California, including three along interstate highways, said spokesman Carl Fillichio. He said Weedmaps does not advertise near schools or playgrounds.

A bipartisan team of state legislators thinks the website should be subject to the same rules as other marijuana businesses.

They are clearly promoting use of cannabis and advertising cannabis, and in my view, they should be subject to the same rules and regulations as licensees, said Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Alameda. Hes one of five lawmakers who signed a letter asking state regulators to find a way to limit ads by marijuana-focused Web platforms.

Maybe we thought at the time when we adopted Prop. 64 that licensees was the appropriate universe to cover, but certainly Weedmaps is driving a truck through a loophole that should be closed, Bonta said.

Kinney, the Prop. 64 spokesman, is also a lobbyist whose firm represents Weedmaps. The company spent at least $850,000 to help pass Prop. 64 last year and an additional $172,000 lobbying this year on its implementation.

He said he couldnt comment on how Weedmaps will respond to lawmakers demand to limit advertising. But he noted that regulating advertising by a media platform is a slippery slope.

I assume well be actively part of a discussion next year, he said.

Laurel Rosenhall writes for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
The suspect in a Friday night stabbing in Kelso is in custody at the Cowlitz County Jail.

Booking records show that Kelso police arrested Austin G. Murray, 25, Saturday evening and booked him at 7:30 p.m. on allegations of second-degree murder.

Murray is suspected of slaying 35-year-old Ryan Hoven in the 800 block of North First Avenue in Kelso.

Police had put out a request for the public to help locate Murray and said he was believed to be armed and dangerous, but no information was available Sunday morning on how and where the suspect was located or whether Murray surrendered peacefully.

Cowlitz County Coroner Tim Davidson said Sunday his office was never called to investigate the death, which means Hoven did not die in Cowlitz County and may have been taken outside the area for medical treatment. However, police have not released further details in the case and could not be reached for comment Monday.

Cowlitz County Jail records indicate that Murray had been incarcerated there in connection with a felony drug offense between Sept. 28 and Nov. 21. He was there again on a Department of Corrections hold from Nov. 24 to Dec. 7, according to the jail staff.
Alexa, wheres Santa?

Amazons diligent, computerized know-it-all is the latest technology to enlist in NORAD Tracks Santa, the military-run program that fields phone calls and emails from children around the world eager to ask when Santa will arrive.

Now entering its 62nd year, NORAD Tracks Santa will go live Sunday, with about 1,500 volunteers answering calls and emails at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. Updates will be posted on social media and at www.noradsanta.org.

And if you have an Amazon voice-activated Echo device, you can ask Alexa once you enable the function.

Technology has always been at the heart of NORAD Tracks Santa, which got its start in 1955 with an old-school glitch.

An advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper that year invited kids to call Santa, but it mistakenly listed the number for the hotline at the U.S. Continental Air Defense Command. CONAD, as it was called, had the job of monitoring a vast radar network from a combat operations center in Colorado Springs, searching the skies for any hint of a nuclear attack by the onetime Soviet Union.

Col. Harry Shoup, who was in charge of the operations center, took the first childs call. Once he figured out what was happening, he played along, he said in a 1999 interview.

Here I am saying, Ho, ho, ho, I am Santa, said Shoup, who died in 2009. The crew was looking at me like I had lost it.

He told his staff what was happening and told them to play along, too.

Its not clear what day the first call came in, but by Dec. 23, of that first year, the Associated Press reported that CONAD was tracking Santa.

Note to the kiddies, the story began. Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command combat operations center here which began plotting his journey from the North Pole early this morning.

Preston Schlachter, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a U.S.-Canadian command that eventually succeeded CONAD, said TV and radio stations began broadcasting Christmas Eve bulletins, And by the 1980s, NORAD was soliciting phone calls from children. The number is now (877) 446-6723.

The Santa-tracking website was added in 1997. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube followed in 2008. Mobile apps came in 2011, Instagram in 2016.

Last year, NORAD got nearly 154,200 phone calls and drew 10.7 million unique visitors to its website. It snared 1.8 million Facebook followers, 382,000 YouTube views and 177,000 Twitter followers.

And this year, Alexa joins the party.

Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian whose books include Santa Claus: A Biography, said NORADs Santa tracker is one of the only technological upgrades the public has welcomed into the Santa story.

Santa is incompatible with most technology, Bowler said, because he represents something timeless, and people dont want him to become dated.

We dont want him using a fax machine or carrying around one of those 5-pound cell phones.

Dan Elliott is an Associated Press writer.
UFO? No, SpaceX Rocket!

Space.com/Tariq Malik

On Dec. 22, 2017, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 10 Iridium Next communications satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, creating dazzling views across Southern California. See the photos here! This Image: Space.com managing editor captured this cell phone view from the I-5 freeway in Irvine, California. See video by spectactors here!

SpaceX Rocket Over City Lights

SpaceX

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket arcs over city lights of Southern California in this long-exposure of the launch of 10 Iridium Next satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Dec. 22, 2017.

SpaceX Rocket Launch by Hany Girgis

never_unpacking on Instagram) captured this stunning view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch on Dec. 22, 2017 from La Jolla, California while dining with friends.">Hany Girgis, Instagram: never_unpacking

Hany Girgis (never_unpacking on Instagram) captured this stunning view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch on Dec. 22, 2017 from La Jolla, California while dining with friends.

Streaking to Space

SpaceX

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks into space carrying 10 Iridium Next communications satellites in this long-exposure view of the launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Dec. 22, 2017.

SpaceX Rocket Over Hollywood: Erica Kelly Martin

Photographer Erica Kelly Martin captured this amazing view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket soaring over the palm trees of Hollywood, California after its launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Dec. 22, 2017.

Falcon 9 Soars Over SpaceX HQ

SpaceX

A SpaceX Falcon rocket soars into space in this stunning view from SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. A used Falcon 9 first stage stands in the foreground.

The SpaceX View from Big Bear

Jennifer Garrison

SpaceX's dazzling Falcon 9 rocket launch only added to the festive holiday lights for Jennifer Garrison of Apple Valley, California, who captured this view from Big Bear on Dec. 22, 2017.

A Family Rocket Launch

Jennifer Garrison

Skywatcher Jennifer Garrison and her two sons Nicholas, 8, and Ethan, 5, observe SpaceX's dazzling rocket launch from their location in Big Bear, California on Dec. 22, 2017.

Liftoff for SpaceX Iridium-4

SpaceX

A used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to deliver 10 Iridium Next communications satellites into orbit on Dec. 22, 2017.

SpaceX Launch View from Tucson

Jeff Ladderud

Skywatcher Jeff Ladderud captured this view of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch of Dec. 22, 2017 from Tucson, Arizona. "It was only taken with an iPhone camera, so quality isn't stellar; but I was impressed that we could see the launch all the way from Tucson, AZ--some 575 miles away!" he told Space.com.

SpaceX Launch View from an Airplane

Rafael Vecchi

Skywatcher Rafael Vecchi caught this view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch on Dec. 22 from his seat on an airplane flying from Phoenix to Salt Lake City. "The pilot came on the intercom to say that there was something he had never seen out the left window. He probably didn't mean to say it like that, but it was unsettling to hear your pilot say that. So we all crowded to the windows. A few minutes he came on to say it was a rocket launcher from Vandenberg Air Force Base. I've read Elon Musk's biography and have watched some YouTube live launches, and it was amazing to see it in person," Vecchi said.
Over the years, it seems, the world has lost what Christmas symbolizes, except for one place, the Church of the Nativity.

The church, on Manger Square in the heart of Bethlehem, is a sacred site, and it is widely recognized as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The oldest operating church in the world, it has survived more than 2,000 years of earthquakes, fires, war, death, destruction and looting.

Justin Martyr, in his Dialogue with Trypho, was the first person to claim Jesus was born in a cave in Bethlehem. A Catholic theologian in the Roman Empire, Martyr died in Rome around 165 A.D.

Other historians attest to Christ being born in Bethlehem, including Eusebius of Caesarea, in his written works on the first three centuries of the Christian church. In Constantine the Great, Christianity, and Constantinople, author Terry Jillian quotes Eusebius writings: Now all agree that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and the cave is shown there by inhabitants to those who come from abroad to see it. Jillian goes on to write that it is possible the cave originally was the back room of the inn.

Today, the cave is known as the Church of the Nativity. Dedicated in 339 AD, the original church was built around 326 AD under the direction of St. Helena, mother of the Byzantine emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity, according to a story written by Dennis Sadowski of the Catholic News Service on catholicphilly.com.

The churchs octagon-shaped floor was built directly over the cave with an approximately 4-meter hole in the floor surrounded by railing so people could peer into the cave and view where Mary gave birth to Jesus.

The original church was demolished and a larger church was built around 530 AD by Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great. Over the years, the church has been expanded to cover nearly three acres.

Legend has it that when the Persians invaded in 614 AD, they were so enamored by the paintings inside the church, including Mary and Jesus, various saints and the three Wise Men of the East dressed in Persian clothing, that the soldiers did not harm the church and left it intact.

During the 11th century, Muslims prevented the endorsement of Egyptian ruler al-Hakims 1009 decree ordering the destruction of all Christian monuments. They stopped the ruination because the Muslims had been permitted to use the south transept of the church for worship since around 639 AD, according to information in The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700, by Jerome Murphy-OConnor.

The 14-pointed silver star that marked the site in the church where it is believed Jesus was born was stolen in 1847. The theft, along with disputes over the occupation of holy lands and sites around the region, has been cited by scholars as one of the reasons for the Crimean War, according to Wikipedia. And, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation online, the Crimean War altered the balance of power in Europe and set the stage for World War I.

When the Israeli Defense Forces occupied Bethlehem during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, dozens of Palestinians fled to the Church of the Nativity for refuge. A couple hundred Franciscan monks also were in the church. Israeli sources claimed the monks were being held hostage by gunmen, according to several websites, but the monks maintained they were not hostages.

The Church of the Nativity is so significant to humanity, it deserves special recognition.

In 2016, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) placed the church on the World Heritage Site. Landmarks or areas chosen by UNESCO for placement on the WHS have cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance and are legally protected by international treaties, notes Wikipedia. According to the UNESCO site, The outstanding universal value of the Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem, lies, in its association with the birthplace of the founder of a great religion, which for Believers saw the Son of God made man in Bethlehem.

Pew Research notes Christians make up about a third of the worlds population and more than 70 percent of the population in the United States. Meanwhile, the Muslim religion makes up about 18 percent of the worlds population and about 2.1 percent of the U.S. population.

So what does this abbreviated history of the Church of the Nativity mean?

Statistically, it signifies the church is important and it is viewed as a holy site to about half of the population of the world and approximately three quarters of the population in the U.S.

Whether you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, the words arent important.

For many people, Christmas and Advent, the time leading up to Christmas, is a period of anticipation for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ  who is in our hearts every day  and the anticipation of the second coming. All year, but especially this time of year, we are more concerned with the needs and wishes of other people than with our own. Christmas means glad tidings of joy, love and peace.

We hope the words found in the Gospel of Luke have meaning for everyone, including Chapter 2, Verses 10-14: The angel said to them, do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

We hope one day there will be peace on Earth and goodwill toward all.

Merry Christmas.
MISSION VIEJO, Calif.  SpaceX's launch of a Falcon 9 rocket Friday night (Dec. 22) was by all accounts a dazzling sight (and for some, an unsettling one) in the night sky and the photos are simply spectacular.

The launch, which lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, north of Los Angeles, carried 10 Iridium Next communications satellites into orbit just after sunset, leaving a vast glowing plume in its wake as it soared into space on a southward trajectory. [See more of the SpaceX launch photos here]

That glowing cloud sparked thoughts of UFOs for some observers, which they shared on Twitter (SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made a UFO joke, too), and the Los Angeles Fire Department even issued a statement alerting the public that the "mysterious light in the sky"' was just a SpaceX rocket launch.

Photographer Erica Kelly Martin captured this amazing view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket soaring over the palm trees of Hollywood, California after its launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Dec. 22, 2017. (Image credit: Erica Kelly Martin

Photographer Erica Kelly Martin captured a stunning view of the launch from Hollywood, California, with the Falcon 9's second stage streaking spaceward.

In La Jolla, the launch surprised Hany Girgis during a dinner out with friends.

"We had someone in the group that knew it was the SpaceX launch. Otherwise, everyone at the table had no idea what it was," Girgis, who posted the photo on his Instagram never_unpacking, said in an email. "Everyone there started pulling out their phones and taking video and photos. It was an incredible sight with the sun setting and the palm trees in the background."

Hany Girgis ( never_unpacking on Instagram) captured this stunning view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch on Dec. 22, 2017 from La Jolla, California while dining with friends. (Image credit: Hany Girgis, Instagram: never_unpacking

For Michelle Snyder in Coronado, California, the launch was a surprise, but one she'll never forget.

"Caught off guard and had no idea what was happening at first ... must say it was one of my life's coolest moments!!!," Snyder told Space.com in an email. She captured the stunning video of the launch the Hotel del Coronado featured above. "A forever memory with my daughters and parents who were in town visiting for the holidays. FOREVER MEMORY!!!

In Big Bear, California, where Jennifer Garrison of Apple Valley was spending the holidays with family, the launch was a welcome addition the festive Christmas lights around the neighborhood. And, of course, it was a family event.

"My 8-year-old, Nicholas, and 5-year-old, Ethan, are in a few of the photos, enjoying the view!" Garrison told Space.com.

Skywatcher Jennifer Garrison and her two sons Nicholas, 8, and Ethan, 5, observe SpaceX's dazzling rocket launch from their location in Big Bear, California on Dec. 22, 2017. (Image credit: Jennifer Garrison)

Reports of launch sightings came from far and wide, including some on Twitter from Tijuana in Mexico and others from Tucson, Arizona.

It was in Tucson where observer Jeff Ladderud spotted the Falcon 9 lighting up the sky. He grabbed his iPhone, snapped a photo and sent it in to Space.com in an email.

Skywatcher Jeff Ladderud captured this view of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch of Dec. 22, 2017 from Tucson, Arizona. The launch originated from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. (Image credit: Jeff Ladderud)

"It was only taken with an iPhone camera, so quality isn't stellar; but I was impressed that we could see the launch all the way from Tucson, AZ  some 575 miles away!" Ladderud told Space.com via email.

The launch was also clearly visible from the air. Rafael Vecchi was on a commercial flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Salt Lake City, Utah, when the flight's pilot made a surprise announcement.

"The pilot came on the intercom to say that there was something he had never seen out the left window. He probably didn't mean to say it like that, but it was unsettling to hear your pilot say that," Vecchi told Space.com. " So we all crowded to the windows. A few minutes he came on to say it was a rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base. I've read Elon Musk's biography and have watched some YouTube live launches, and it was amazing to see it in person."

Skywatcher Rafael Vecchi caught this view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch on Dec. 22 from his seat on an airplane flying from Phoenix to Salt Lake City. (Image credit: Rafael Vecchi)

Amazing, indeed! The launch was so well-observed that the stories here are just a few of the hundreds of photos and sightings we've received at Space.com. We'll keep adding images to our gallery here over time.

And for the record,here's my view of the launch from the I-5 freeway in Irvine, California.

Not enough photos? Here are some amazing launch photos by SpaceX:

Editor's note: If you captured an amazing photo of video of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments to: spacephotos@space.com.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
J eremy Corbyn has urged people to consider those who are left "cut off and lonely" or are living in war-torn nations at Christmas time.

The Labour leader called on Brits to "show them you care" and said his Christmas wish is to improve their circumstances and society.

In his second Christmas message as Labour leader, Mr Corbyn highlighted Britain's pride in being a "compassionate nation".

"At Christmas we spend time at home with family and friends," he said. "It's a time of the year when we think about others.

Like those who have no home to call their own or who are sleeping rough on our streets.

"We think about those who feel cut off and lonely. Many older citizens to whom we owe so much will be spending what should be a time of joy alone.

"We think of others such as carers who look after loved ones, people with disabilities or dementia.

Jeremy Corbyn in 2017: A look at the Labour leader's spirited year

"And abroad we think of those living in nations like Yemen, Syria and Libya in fear of bombs and bullets, of injury and death.

"None of this is inevitable. We pride ourselves on being a compassionate nation.

"My Christmas wish is that we all do more to help bring about the kind of society and world we want to live in.

"Whenever you can show people love, show them you care and enjoy your Christmas."
S adiq Khan has used his Christmas message to pay tribute to the heartwarming generosity of Londoners following a difficult year for the capital.

The Mayor of London also praised the incredible bravery of emergency crews who battled to rescue victims in the aftermath of four terror attacks  at Westminster, London Bridge, at a mosque in Finsbury Park and in Parsons Green - and the Grenfell Tower blaze.

He said: Theres no doubt our city has endured a difficult year with the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower and horrific terrorist attacks.

But amid the pain and heartache, weve also found reasons to be hopeful. Weve seen the incredible bravery of our emergency services many of whom will be working to keep us safe over Christmas.

And heartwarming generosity from ordinary Londoners helping those in their time of most need. During this time of Christmas hope lets take inspiration from these examples of Christian values and thank Londons Christian community for all they do.

The mayors message came after Theresa May echoed the praise for the UKs emergency services.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the heroes in the emergency services who responded to Grenfell Tower and terror attacks in a year beset with tragedy for the UK.

She also referred to the importance of people being able to practice religion "free from question or fear" and urged Brits to take pride in the countrys Christian heritage at Christmas.

The Prime Minister urged her countrymen and women to "come together confident and united" and called on them to spare a thought for those facing persecution around the world, including the Rohingya Muslims.
T heresa May is set to abandon her manifesto plan to overturn the fox hunting ban, according to reports.

The Prime Minister will drop plans to give MPs a free vote on whether to overturn the ban, the Sunday Times reported.

Mrs May is due to announce the proposal in early 2018 to permanently drop the commitment to a House of Commons vote, in a move which would risk infuriating rural Tories.

A Downing Street source described the report as "pure speculation", but reiterated the Government's position: "There is no vote that could change the current policy on fox hunting scheduled in this session of Parliament", which ends in 2019.

According to the Times, the plans come in a bid to re-brand the Tory party as caring.

Fox hunting: Conservatives shelve free vote on the ban / Getty Images

Michael Gove has prioritised animal welfare issues since Mrs May appointed him Environment Secretary after the June election.

But Jeremy Corbyn repeatedly criticised Mrs May for saying she was in favour of fox hunting during the election, which shattered the PM's authority after the Tories lost their Commons majority.

The Tories had pledged in their manifesto to hold a free vote on a Bill in Government time to allow Parliament to decide the future of the Hunting Act 2004.

During a factory visit to Leeds during the election, Mrs May said: "As it happens, personally I have always been in favour of fox hunting, and we maintain our commitment, we have had a commitment previously as a Conservative Party, to allow a free vote."

But the policy's omission from the Queen's Speech, which outlined the legislative programme for the current parliamentary session of 2017 until 2019, was the first indicator the plan had been put on the back burner.

Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, which campaigns against the hunt ban, said any such move by Mrs May and Mr Gove could be disastrous.

"Conservative membership has already gone through the floor, so now it has only about 130,000 members. We have 100,000, while the British Association for Shooting and Conservation has 150,000," he told the Times.

"There are tens of thousands more in organisations like the National Farmers Union. There is a lot of overlap between their supporters and ours  who would not be happy."

The law, introduced by Labour in 2004, bans the use of dogs to hunt foxes and other wild mammals in England and Wales.
L ord Buckethead  who ran against Theresa May in the General Election  has released a festive tune in time for Christmas.

The independent candidate, who took on the Prime Minister in her constituency of Maidenhead, is a self-proclaimed space lord.

He released his song, a Bucketful of Happiness earlier this week, promising fans that change will come, will no matter how long it takes  despite his failed attempts to become an MP.

The jingle will raise money for homeless charity Shelter and Crisis for Christmas.

He told Press Association: I just fancied having a laugh. Clearly it is superior to any other track in the ether at the moment, but will that be enough to topple the mighty Shere Anne (Ed Sheeran) in time for a Number One? I somehow doubt it.
T he Royal family have attended a Christmas Eve service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

Prince Philip led the way joined by Prince Andrew while the Queen, clad in a pale blue skirt suit and matching hat arrived with Sophie Wessex.

Princess Anne was also pictured making her way to the service wearing a festive dark red coat.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie wrapped up against the Norfolk cold as they entered the church.

The Queen was handed a bunch of daffodils by a toddler as she left the service / PA

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the country roads hoping to catch a glimpse of Meghan Markle.

The American actress will be the first unmarried partner to join the Royal family for Christmas Day following her engagement to Prince Harry last month.

No images emerged of Ms Markle at the Christmas Eve ceremony but she is expected to attend the same church on Christmas Day.

Queen Elizabeth II donned a pale blue suit for the occasion / PA

A Kensington Palace spokesman said earlier this month: You can expect to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Ms Markle at Sandringham on Christmas Day.

The move is a break with tradition as the invitation to spend Christmas with the royal family is not usually extended to partners until they are married.

Princess Anne wore a festive red coat / PA

It was previously reported that Prince Harry had asked the Queen to make an exception in order for Ms Markle to join the family for Christmas.

The Duchess of Cambridge did not spend Christmas with the royal family after her engagement to Prince William was announced in 2010.

Prince Harry and Ms Markle will marry next May at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Queen's annual Christmas Day speech will be broadcast at 3pm tomorrow.
R ussian opposition politician Alexei Navalny claims he has gathered enough nominations to challenge Vladimir Putin in next years presidential election.

It came as his supporters met in 20 cities across the country to secure signatures for his nomination.

Mr Navalny remains unlikely to run as officials ruled that he is ineligible because of a corruption conviction that he said is politically motivated.

Speaking at a gather in Moscow, Mr Navalny branded Mr Putin a bad president, telling his supporters that he would call a boycott of the election if he were not allowed to stand.

Mr Navalny is widely regarded as the only candidate with a chance of challenging the president, who is seeking a fourth term that would see him become the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.

Russian socialite and TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak is standing in the election but some regard her as a "Kremlin stooge.

An opposition rally was also held, called by activist Ilya Yshin, in the countrys capital on Sunday.

Dozens attended and demonstrators were heard chanting Russia will be free and Putin is a thief.

Police declared it "illegal and provocative but according to reports no arrests were made.
T he festive season sees surly French detective Maigret return for his second outing on ITV this year, following Aprils Night At the Crossroads.

As ever, hes puzzling over a seemingly inscrutable Paris-based case which will require all of the inspecteurs cunning and ingenuity to solve.

Heres everything you need to know.

1. Rowan Atkinson returns as Maigret

Its a testament to Atkinsons acting skills that the man instantly recognisable as icon of slapstick comedy Mr Bean has managed to be convincing enough as an ill-natured Parisian police officer to see the show re-commissioned.

According to 62-year-old the latest instalment of the crime drama, which sees Maigret explore the seedy underbelly of Paris, is the best yet.

He told Whats On TV: The underworld or the dodgy world is his world. Its not completely alien to him, as hes a seasoned old codger! I think this is the best Maigret film yet.

2. Its set in Paris but filmed in Budapest

It might surprise viewers to know that the series, which is set almost entirely in Paris, isnt actually filmed in the City of Light itself.

Instead, Budapest stands in for the French capital as its architecture has changed too much to accurately represent the 1950s Paris of the Maigret stories, while the Hungarian city is less developed.

3. It focuses on two seemingly unconnected murders

The fourth Maigret instalment sees the detective head to the North of Paris, Montmartre, to investigate the murders of two women, which at first appear unconnected, but in fact share a crucial link.

The first woman is Arlette, a showgirl from the red light district, who reports a conversation between two men about the murder of a countess to the police. After rushing from the building before concluding her interview with officers, shes found strangled in her flat.

Next Maigret is alerted to the death of a countess, also strangled, in circumstances that match Arlettes testimony. Mysterious indeed.

4. It will be a feature length episode on ITV

The 90-minute episode will air on December 24 at 8.30pm on ITV  the perfect way to while away the countdown to Christmas Day.
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca on Sunday met at the southeastern Kogalniceanu military base with the US Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer and the commander of the US Marine Corps four-star general Robert Blake Neller, a release sent to Agerpres by the National Defence Ministry (MApN) reads.

The event was attended by the US ambassador to Romania Hans George Klemm, alongside the Air Forces' Chief of Staff Brigadier General Viorel Pana and Fleet Rear Admiral Mihai Panait, Chief of Staff of the Fleet Command.

During the meeting, the Romanian and the US officials talked about the joint activities unfolded in 2017 and the future 2018 ones, have met with commanders and talked with the American and Romanian troops in the Kogalniceanu military base, who are to spend the Christmas and New Year's holidays here, together.

"The strategic partnership with the US and the NATO is the fundamental pillar of Romania's security and national defence. Romania advocates the development of a strong, permanent trans-Atlantic relationship as an essential prerequisite for the Euro-Atlantic area's security and stability. Following the Warsaw's NATO summit's decisions, the allied troops' deployment on Romania territory is underway, in a clear solidarity, integration example. The US troops stationed at Mihail Kogalniceanu base do enhance the potential of the defence and deterrence posture of the entire Alliance, not only of Romania's. It is a clear proof of Alliance's solidarity and determination to defending the NATO territory against any aggression," the MApN release adds.
WASHINGTON  As Vice President Pence fawningly praised Donald Trumps achievements at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, the camera caught Defense Secretary Jim Mattis shuffling his papers, adjusting his water glass and fidgeting in his seat until the adulatory speech ended.

As this year winds down, Mattis remains the good soldier, seated at Trumps left and guarding his flank, trying to avoid the political fracas of this presidency. Hes the rare Trump appointee who doesnt seem to have been damaged by his proximity to power. His Pentagon is a force for stability at a time when so many other American institutions are stressed.

Mattis only problem may be this bipartisan popularity: Hes the Trump official whos admired by people who dont like Trump. That rubs some Trump enthusiasts the wrong way. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon is said to view Mattis as too close to the traditional foreign policy establishment. But Trump himself seems respectful of the retired Marine general he likes to call Mad Dog.

The chivalrous Mattis is an unlikely partner for Trump. Hes a Stoic, with an almost superstitious dislike for the spotlight. Its notable that he has avoided gloating this year about victory over the Islamic State, recalling Gen. Ulysses S. Grants refusal to visit Richmond after its collapse to the Union army in 1865. Mattis clearly abhors the political parlor games that are part of Trumps Washington.

Mattis watched the near-dismemberment this year of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, his friend and ally. After White House leaks about Tillersons prospective firing, Mattis seemed to embrace him more closely in interagency debates. The controversy around Tillerson was a reminder that theres no adult swim in this administration; Trump owns the pool.

Rumors of Tillersons death proved premature: Hes still the administrations point man on North Korea, traveling to Canada this week to discuss new pressures on Pyongyang, including blacklisting ships that have been evading sanctions. Perhaps by keeping Tillerson in place, Trump perversely wants to show that reports of his troubles were just more fake news.

Trump insiders still predict that Tillerson will depart sometime in the new year, and that he will be replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo. The open, gregarious Pompeo would be an easier fit with Trump, and he appears to have developed a solid working relationship with Mattis as well. Whether Mattis and Pompeo can work well as a team may be crucial for the administration.

Mattis will have continuity at the Pentagon during this period of global turmoil. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford and Vice Chairman Paul Selva were recently reappointed to additional two-year terms. Patrick Shanahan was confirmed as deputy defense secretary in July; the former Boeing executive is beginning to shape acquisitions and technology decisions, two areas where Mattis is weak.

The rest of Mattis team is finally in place. John Rood has been named undersecretary for policy, a key job to which Mattis had once hoped to appoint former Ambassador Anne Patterson. (She was nixed after opposition from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., among others; Cottons rumored appointment to head the CIA if Pompeo leaves might be awkward for Mattis). Adm. Joe Kernan, a former Navy SEAL, is undersecretary for intelligence. Ellen Lord, a former CEO of Textron, is undersecretary for acquisitions.

The trickiest challenge for Mattis next year will be North Korea. The defense secretary backs Tillersons strategy of diplomatic pressure; the goal is slow asphyxiation. But Trump wants military options, too, and the Pentagon is working hard to deliver them. Dunford must be prepared for a possible North Korean nuclear-missile launch, anytime.

John Hamre, a former deputy secretary of defense, recently cautioned colleagues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which he heads, that a high-level administration official had admonished him that we are running out of time on North Korea. To which Hamre responded: What the hell are you talking about? ... Everyone in Washington should just calm down. Stop working ourselves up to a fevered pitch with breathless rhetoric that has no policy direction. We have lived with this before and we will live with it now.

Will Mattis offer similar patient counsel, born of his experience as a battlefield commander? Will a new secretary of state be as effective a partner for Mattis as Tillerson has been? Can Mattis remain so widely respected, among Republicans and Democrats, without drawing the wrath of a peevish, prideful president? Those are some of the Pentagon puzzles for 2018.

Mattis has been reckoned as a force for calm, but it may be that the storm is only just beginning.
Most Westerners don't understand how important tribal politics is to the persistent mayhem in so many parts of the world. Not every group of armed men wearing uniforms and carrying modern weapons belong to what is generally considered organized security forces. No, a large number of these gunmen are irregulars and members of some tribal or clan group, usually described as a militia or self-defense force. What creates and controls these men, who account for most of the death and destruction attributed to military conflict, answers to tribal or clan leaders not governments recognized by the United Nations. These tribes are not represented at the UN nor do they have ambassadors or embassies,

Because of this "tribal politics" is something most Westerns just can't take seriously, or even get their heads around. Consider that in the main combat zones of the war on terror (including Arab states in general, South and Southeast Asia and Africa), tribal politics cannot be ignored. Yet in many parts of the world, where the tribal forces predominate, it is because the tribal organizations are the ones people trust the most. The national governments are often seen, accurately, as a bunch of larcenous strangers who are only interested in stealing from you, or worse. For most of these countries the national government (and their lackeys running provincial and country governments) have never done anything positive for most of its citizens. While the introduction of mass media (radio and TV) has created the illusion of nationhood, when you get right down to it, people look to their tribal leaders (usually synonymous with the "tribal elders") for help. This should not be surprising, as the tribes are based on long tradition, and family connections. Given a choice, who are you going to trust; a second cousin you've never seen before, or a government bureaucrat you've never seen before? Those most dependent on tribal leadership tend to be the less educated, and more religious.

Much of the current Islamic radicalism and terrorism has its origins in tribalism, a curse that has largely disappeared in the West. A few thousand years ago nearly everyone lived in a tribal (a collection of families and clans related by blood) culture. But since then, the tribal social relationships have faded, superseded by kingdoms and then nations. But there are still several large tribes left in Eurasia and they are at the center of much of the unrest on the planet these days.

First, there are the Pushtuns of central and south Asia. This is a collection of dozens of tribes sharing language and customs. There are over 40 million Pushtuns and their range is from eastern Iran to western Pakistan. They are a minority in every country they live in, although they are the dominant minority (40 percent of the population) in Afghanistan. Then there are the 24 million Kurds, who live as minorities in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. There are also fifteen million Baluchis, living as minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The Baluchis are also unique in that they have not really caught the nationalist fever. They want more autonomy in Pakistan and Afghanistan. And they are fighting for that. But calls for forming a Baluchistan have, so far, been muted.

What these three tribes have in common is that they have never been able to form their own nation. The Italic tribes did this in Italy over 2,000 years ago, the Germans did it later in Germany (and Austria and Switzerland), the Greek tribes in Greece eventually formed a nation (after first creating city states), the Turkish tribes in Turkey (and other Turkic tribes like the Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Azeris, and Kirgiz in Central Asia) all eventually coalesced into nations over the last few centuries. The Mongol tribes have had their own nation for centuries. The Tajiks, who are like the Pushtuns, Baluchis, and Kurds an Indo-European people, have their own country (although most Tajiks live in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan).

When a large tribal population does not, in this day and age, have its own nation, there tends to be a strong desire to form one. The Tajiks got lucky, having been conquered by the Russians in the 19th century and then able to set themselves up as an independent nation when the Soviet (Russian) empire fell apart in 1991. That independence may not last but, for the moment, the Tajiks have a place they can call their own. It's different with the Kurds and Pushtuns. Both are cursed with the desire for nationhood and the inability to settle internal disputes. Both tribes have been sitting where they are for over a thousand years, uniting temporarily only to fight outsiders. The other mega-tribes of Eurasia eventually found a string of strong and resourceful leaders who united the tribes and formed nations.

The Kurds are blocked from statehood by the more powerful nations they inhabit. The Turks, Iraqis, and Iranians are particularly resistant to giving up real estate and population to form a Kurdistan. Fortunately, the Kurds never embraced Islam in a big way and their separatist groups tend to be socialist, or simply nationalist. Thus the Kurds are allies of the West in the war on terror, not an enemy.

The Pushtuns are another matter. While the Pushtuns basically control Afghanistan, that's not saying much. Afghanistan is little more than a tribal coalition, with tribal politics more important than national level stuff. Most Pushtuns live in Pakistan, where they are a small (less than ten percent) minority. The Pushtuns are less educated (or even literate) than the non-Pushtun majority in Pakistan and thus never a major threat to the majority. The Pakistani government kept the British colonial policy of allowing the Pushtun tribes to use tribal customs instead of national laws and essentially government themselves in their tribal territories. That included letting the tribes fight each other as long as they did not bother the majority (or anyone outside the tribal territories).

The British was one of the few European nations with recent experience dealing with troublesome tribes. At the same time the British were taking over what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and so on, they were dealing with the last armed and organized tribal group in Europe; the highland clans in Scotland. The British carried this out in a particularly brutal fashion but, worse of all to the British, it was expensive in terms of cash and people. The British went on to adopt more creative, and less expensive ways to deal with the many tribes it encountered and had to deal with in the 19th and 20th century. That worked for the British as long as the tribes were far from Britain. But when they are next door it is a different matter.

That can be seen playing out now as the Pakistani and Afghan Pushtun tribes are also going through their own civil wars and revolutions. New technologies and new ideas are upsetting the ancient traditions. The Pushtun tribal leadership is being threatened from several directions. Young men, made wealthy and well-armed by the drug trade, refuse to obey their tribal elders. Other tribesmen, hearing a call from God (to join the Taliban or al Qaeda) have also ignored their tribal leaders. The government has backed the tribal leaders, creating a bloody generational conflict. Tribal politics is a dirty business and always has been. The violence in the tribal areas of Pakistan, just from battles with the army and police, has been escalating over the last decade. Now it is war and the Pushtuns are facing yet another defeat.

While the Kurds are embracing education and modern life, the Pushtuns, at least the most violent ones, are embracing an Islamic past. Thus do the lost tribes of Eurasia stay lost.

Africa was different. North Africa was on the Mediterranean and all areas around the body of water were exposed to new ideas quickly. Thus these tribes quickly evolved into city-states, kingdoms and empires. Egypt was one of the earliest examples of empire building and those concepts were improved on by the Greeks (early democracy), the Romans (the Republic for 500 years than an empire that lasted for over a thousand years). Republics persisted in Italy and were key to the renaissance, industrial revolution and modern democracy. But getting from the Roman Republic (which voted by tribes) to modern democracy took over 1,500 years and tribalism was a major obstacle for most of that time. Do not underestimate the persistence of tribalism and get lost seeking a quick solution.

The persistence of tribalism can be seen in many of the current hotspots. Libya continues to be torn apart by tribalism and Egypt still has problems with it in the Sinai. The Syrian civil war may be over in late 2017 but the Assad government inherited a devastated country dominated by tribal militias that remained loyal to the Assads or are willing to become loyal again. There is a similar situation in Iraq and Arabia, well Arabia was always and still is dominated by tribalism. This is still the case in parts of the Philippines, India, Burma and Indonesia. Most areas troubled by tribal violence usually have local political groups that incorporate factions from several tribes. But the tribal loyalty gets in the way of national unity. Even when tribalism loses it power the regions of a country tend to be dominated by ethnic groups that can break away and form local militias to defend themselves. This was common after most communist governments in Europe lost power between 1989 and 1991. This included the dissolution of the Soviet Union into 14 nations. Many of those new states still suffer tribe based violence.

Another former communist state that came apart, Yugoslavia, did so without any tribal component. The Yugoslav mess in the 1990s was all about ethnic identity. That ethnic separatism has long characterized the Balkans where Yugoslavia was a failed attempt to overcome it. Nearly all the tribal structures in the Balkans faded as they did in the rest of Europe although some remain among the Albanians.

The most persistent wars are usually in areas where tribal or clan organizations are dominant. Each new generation brings with it new recruits for tribal militias who are willing to continue battles that have been going on for many generations. These ancient feuds are often ignored or underestimated when peacekeepers or some other pacification force arrives and discovers that there is no quick solution to problems that regenerate with each new generation.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday that his country has the highest economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, despite the sanctions imposed against it. | Read More
WASHINGTON  Of the deluge of sexual harassment stories gushing forth in recent weeks, one of the most disturbing  one of the creepiest, really  has also been one of the least noted: the allegations involving federal appeals court judge Alex Kozinski.

There are, certainly, more egregious fact patterns. But of the powerful and prominent men who have been accused of preying on powerless women, Kozinski occupies a uniquely troubling role: There are few jobs whose occupants are more insulated from scrutiny than that of federal judge.

That insulation is appropriate; indeed, it is constitutionally mandated. Yet as we have seen in case after case, Harvey Weinstein to Charlie Rose to John Conyers, it may be precisely that untrammeled power, the sense of invulnerability from consequences, that enables such abuse. When youre a star  or a judge  they let you do it.

A week ago, The Post reported allegations that included Kozinski calling a clerk into his chambers to show her pornography and ask whether it aroused her; suggesting to a clerk for another 9th Circuit judge that she should work out naked; and making other court staffers uncomfortable with sexual innuendo or outright ogling. Friday evening, the allegations crossed the line into unwanted physical contact, with additional women coming forward, including four  a law student, a lawyer, a law professor and a former judge  who described Kozinski touching them without consent.

Bad enough, because Kozinski holds a lifetime appointment to the federal bench, where his duties include hearing appeals involving sexual harassment and sexual assault. Bad enough, because a judge and law clerk enjoy a relationship that is at once uniquely intimate and inherently unequal.

But it would be wrong to understand Kozinski as just one among 179 federal appeals court judges. He is among the most influential and celebrated, an icon among conservatives and  perhaps another explanation for why the reports about his behavior took so long to surface publicly  a reliable feeder judge for those seeking Supreme Court clerkships.

Kozinski has always been known as a brilliant, transgressive provocateur. His willingness to push the boundaries not only of stodgy judicial writing but also of stodgy judicial behavior was part of his charm, or so it seemed.

After the Los Angeles Times reported in 2008 that Kozinski maintained a publicly accessible website that included pornographic images, a judicial investigation reprimanded him for poor judgment.

Kozinski dismissed the allegations, telling the Times, If this is all they are able to dredge up after 35 years, I am not too worried, and, in a statement Friday, cited his unusual sense of humor.

It remains to be seen whether such insouciance is justified. Writing for Slate, Dahlia Lithwick recounted how, as a young clerk to a different 9th circuit judge in 1996, she called Kozinskis chambers to firm up drink plans with one of his clerks. Kozinski himself answered the phone. Lithwick recalls: The judge asked where I was. I said I was in my hotel room. Then he said, What are you wearing?

Southern Methodist University law professor Joanna Grossman tweeted that during her 9th Circuit clerkship, in 1994 and 1995, Kozinski sent a memo to all the judges suggesting that a rule prohibiting female attorneys from wearing push-up bras would be more effective than the newly convened Gender Bias Task Force.

And, most heartbreaking, former clerk Heidi Bond, one of the women who went on the record with The Post, elaborated on Kozinski in an online essay. She described how Kozinski, during her clerkship in 2006-2007, referred to her as his slave and asserted his complete control of her behavior.

How, after an abusive outburst, he would ask, Heidi, honey.... Do you still love me? and kiss her cheek, expecting a kiss in return. How he showed her a knock chart... listing all the girls that he and his friends had banged while they were in college. How she felt like a prey animal.

How the trauma of working for Kozinski almost dissuaded her from moving on to clerk for Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day OConnor and Anthony M. Kennedy. How she could not escape the notion that my career success was built entirely on my silence.

Even before the latest story broke, one or more Kozinski clerks took the extraordinary step of resigning, and 9th Circuit Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas ordered a judicial misconduct review. Let the process proceedbut if the behavior is anything like what has been alleged, this man has no business sitting in judgment of others.
Governor John Kasich. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Ohio governor John Kasich, a longtime anti-abortion crusader, signed a bill that bans abortion following a diagnosis of Down syndrome, Time reports. Under the law, which is set to take effect in 90 days, doctors who perform the procedure could face 18 months in prison, a $5,000 fine, and have their medical license revoked.

This bill isnt the first of its kind. This past September, an Indiana judge struck down similar legislation that then-Governor Mike Pence had signed in March 2016, deeming the law unconstitutional. North Dakota also has a ban on abortions for Down syndrome, though Time notes it isnt enforced because the states sole abortion-providing clinic doesnt perform the procedure after 16 weeks gestation. Down syndrome is typically diagnosed between the 15th and 20th week.

Those in favor of these laws say they protect people with Down syndrome from discrimination, while those opposed say they advance anti-abortion agendas disguised as concern for people with Down syndrome. Following Kasichs signature, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio condemned the governors move in a statement.

When a woman receives a diagnosis of Down syndrome during her pregnancy, the last thing she needs is Governor Kasich barging in to tell her whats best for her family, executive director Kellie Copeland said in the statement. This law does nothing to support families taking care of loved ones with Down syndrome, instead it exploits them as part of a larger anti-choice strategy to systematically make all abortion care illegal.

A few months ago, the Cut spoke to a handful of women about abortions for Down syndrome and their thoughts about Ohios then-proposed legislation.

This [Ohio] bill makes me incandescent with rage, Lillian, a woman who terminated her pregnancy after getting a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, told the Cut. To have someone else decide how you can build your family or what your choices will be  its so anger-inducing, theres almost not a way to categorize it.

Stacey Calcano, another woman who spoke to the Cut  but who gave birth to her son, who has Down syndrome  echoed Lillians sentiments.

I feel like these bills are representative of politicians using children like my son as political currency, without any thought or concern for quality of life, once theyre actually born, she said. Theyre very much pro-birth bills; they have nothing to do with actual life.
Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin received a literally shitty present last night when a Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad responded to a suspicious package addressed to the real-life Bond villain. Turns out the only thing explosive about the package was its stench, as it was filled to the brim with horse poop. Merry Christmas!

According to KTLA, the Christmas-paper-wrapped package showed up on Mnuchins block in Bel-Air with a return address of the American people. Inside the present, police also discovered a Christmas card, which was presumably covered in feces. While the cards exact words have not yet been disclosed, the New York Post reports that it made negative references to Donald Trump, Mnuchin himself, and the Republican tax bill.

After police determined that the package contained poop, not a bomb, it was swiftly removed from the scene. This post will be updated as police release additional information.
BRADENTON  Last Thursday, the Manatee County Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a proposed solar-powered resort community in Cortez. Hunters Point Resort & Marina would see 86 cottage-style residences built on 18.7 acres north of Cortez Road and east of 126th Street West.





The units would be steel-framed, two-bedroom homes with only 484 square feet under air, with another 966 square feet for exterior decks and the usable rooftop. Plans also include 45,620 square feet of non-residential that would include a section of two-story lodges with 62 hotel rooms, a clubhouse, retail and dining.





Boaters would have access to an existing 17-slip marina, as well as a 31-slip dock that would be built on a canal that could be used to access the Anna Maria Sound. An electric water taxi is planned, to take passengers to Anna Maria Island.









Developer Pearl Homes plans to partner with the U.S. Department of Energys Zero Energy Ready Home program and the Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida to design what they refer to as "coastal cottages" with solar panels that would make the homes energy independent. Tesla will provide the solar panels, while Panasonic delivers a high-speed fiber optic network, street lighting and security monitors.





The developer said that Hunters Point, which was the original name of the Cortez Village before it was changed in the early 19th century, would respect the old Florida look of Cortez with energy efficient "cracker cottages" that include the more modern design features and conveniences of new homes.





The reaction from residents in the area was mixed. Several, including Cortez resident and restaurateur Karen Bell, praised the plan for its innovation and scale. Others, including former Manatee County Commissioner Jane Van Hahmann, also a Cortez resident, were concerned that it could become dominated by renters who would not bring the same concern for the stewardship of the community that has always been a core tenet of Cortezians.





A site plan will come before the Manatee County Commission at their January 11 land use meeting.




3-Year-Old Boys Adoption Photo Goes Viral

An adorable 3-year-old boy from Peoria, Arizona found a forever family just in time for Christmas when he was adopted by his foster family.

Little Michael Brown quickly became an internet sensation after his overjoyed adoptive sister tweeted photos of the 3-year-olds reaction to the adoption.

I just tweeted, We are his forever family. It just blew up on Twitter, older sister, Dea Brown, told WAFB.

Tara Montgomery, Michaels adoptive mother, said the boy was placed in her care two years ago on Feb. 14 and was supposed to reunite with his biological mother.

Michael was placed with us on Feb. 14, 2015, when he was 18 months old. We were his third foster family, Montgomery told ABC News. His original case plan was reunification with his bio-mom. When that plan failed, a new plan was set. As a single parent, I was not looking to adopt, just to help kids during transition.

After spending 832 days in the foster care system, Michael was officially adopted on Dec. 20 in Phoenix, Arizona, after living with Montgomerys family for more than a year.

My childrens last name is Brown. Hes already a Brown. Everyone says he looks like the girls, Montgomery told WAFB.

Montgomery is a single mother of three girls, ages 23, 17, and 16. She said the adoption was just meant to be.

We got him on Feb. 14, Valentines Day and now this for Christmas, its meant to be, she told the news station.

The tweet garnered more than 141,000 likes and received over 56,000 retweets as of Dec. 24. Many social media users were happy for the family.

he looks like there his actual family  heisrell (@tyrelltoomer) December 21, 2016

I cried seeing this thank you for posting it such a beautiful family inside and out wish you all joy for years to come  ||  || (@nimeshab) December 23, 2016

precious. Adoption is God's reminder that children's lives matter, every baby belongs & has a purpose on this Earth.  Mo B. (@MoBettaMo) December 23, 2016

What an adorable little dude! This story made my day. What a wonderful Christmas present for him and your family <3  ?Norma Bates ?? (@bluelighttv) December 23, 2016

I can only hope my smile matches his today. Every time I re-enter Twitter-sphere, I'm RTing this to MAKE ME SMILEI love  him  Doc Hughes (@kennettehughes) December 23, 2016

The adoptive mother is happy that the photo of Michaels adoption has gone viral as it helps raise awareness about adoption and the need that exists, reported WAFB.

If you are thinking about it [adoption], just do it. The impact you are making will last a lifetime on the child, Montgomery said.

Officially adopted? We love you Michael. pic.twitter.com/iw9dllBYWv  jordae (@jordaebrown) December 20, 2016

From NTD.tv
Enraged Postal Worker Goes on Killing Spree in Ohio

DeShaune Stewart of Columbus, Ohio, killed two colleagues at a post office where he works, according to police, who added that relatives and friends of the two who died are at a loss.

Police said that both killings were workplace violence, and they added that Stewart blamed them for his impending termination, Fox News reported. Stewart allegedly killed his supervisor and then killed the postmaster in Dublin outside an apartment complex where she lived.

Police: Postal worker kills supervisor in Dublin post office, then kills another co-worker. Supervisor identified as Lance Maurice Herrera Dempsey, 52. https://t.co/y5k8XcBaRP  Randy Ludlow (@RandyLudlow) December 23, 2017

Stewart was apparently naked and carrying a weapon during both killings, officials said.

He arrived at 4:30 a.m. at the Dublin post office and shot Lance Herrera-Dempsey, 52, the supervisor. Stewart then shot him as he fell to the floor, police said.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Stewart was seen three hours later, naked and armed with a gun, chasing the postmaster through a parking lot. Then he grabbed Ginger Ballard, 53, and threw her to the ground, and she died, police said.

Police: Naked postal worker kills 2 supervisors in separate shootings #Topbuzz https://t.co/Ds28CCw1Nr  kraig lager (@LagerKraig) December 24, 2017

According to The Associated Press, citing a report in the Franklin County Municipal Court, Ballard died instantly of blunt-force trauma to the head after she was thrown.

Police Sgt. Dave Sicilian said Stewart was under investigation at his workplace, NBC4i reported.

One was his supervisor, the other was an investigator who was investigating him for some type of misconduct, said Sicilian. There had been some type of investigation into his misconduct and it had culminated and to possibly him being terminated and this was apparently his response was very violent.

Ohio postal worker facing dismissal kills 2 bosses while naked, police say https://t.co/oKMsc6FtnR pic.twitter.com/2AOoXBKRfY  MyNBC5 (WPTZ) (@MyNBC5) December 24, 2017

Meanwhile, the United States Postal Service inspection office issued a statement on the killings.

We can confirm that shooting incidents occurred at the Dublin, Ohio Post Office along with a related shooting at the Bowland Place apartment complex in the early morning hours of December 23, 2017, the statement reads.

Because this tragic matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Postal Inspection Service and local law enforcement, we are not yet in a position to provide details concerning the incidents, although we can say the suspect believed to be responsible for the shootings was apprehended and is in custody. We are referring all additional media inquiries to the Southern District of Ohio U.S. Attorneys Press Office and they will provide additional information at the appropriate time.
U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher speaks at a forum about human rights abuses in China held at the Cannon office building on Capitol Hill on Dec. 20, 2017. (Paul Huang/The Epoch Times)

Congressman Speaks About Reversing Chinese Regimes Fascism

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher praises movement to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Congress is beginning to take a more skeptical view of the Chinese regime. On Dec. 20, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) joined a panel organized by a group dedicated to disintegrating the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Our No. 1 challenge in the years ahead is [dealing with] a fascistic, totalitarian, aggressive China, said Rohrabacher. If the situation continues the way it is in China, if you have an unbridled force like that  there will be horrible things happening to all the countries in the world within our lifetime.

[China has a] fascist state dictatorship, trying to control peoples life in a dictatorial way without any opposition and press, and its taking away resources from people who are less powerful.

Serving as a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the congressman from California is outspoken on international relations. He is particularly well-known for being a long-term critic of the CCP and its many abuses of human rights, among which he has repeatedly singled out the persecution of the spiritual practice Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) as one of the regimes greatest sins.

Rohrabacher stressed that the solution for the United States is in working with the Chinese people. Our hope for peace with China rests on the people of China, and not in [siding with] the government of China, he said.

Tuidang

Rohrabacher delivered his remarks at a forum titled Human Rights Abuses and the Tuidang Movement in China, held on Capitol Hill and sponsored by the Tuidang Center.

Tuidang translates literally as withdraw from the [communist] party. The Tuidang Center says it is in the business of freeing hearts and minds in China, and it works to assist all Chinese people worldwide to renounce the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. These include the Young Pioneers and the Communist Youth Leagueof which nearly all young people in China are members.

The CCP considers such a withdrawal a dissenting act, since the Party does not allow its members to leave. They can only be kicked out by Party leadership.

Our No. 1 challenge in the years ahead is [dealing with] a fascistic, totalitarian, aggressive China.  Dana Rohrabacher, congressman

Started in 2004, the Tuidang Center has recorded more than 292 million renunciations by Chinese people inside China and around the world. For safetys sake, they usually use pen names.

Rohrabacher praised the Tuidang movement for giving Chinese people living under the one-party dictatorship a chance to get out and to not participate in the repression.

Persecution

The persecution of Falun Gong in China was an important theme of the forum.

King said that he has supported the many congressional resolutions condemning the Chinese regimes persecution of Falun Gong because he believes the persecution is a trampling on the fundamental rights of freedom. They just want to peacefully worship and live free, King said, of Falun Gong practitioners.

Falun Gong involves practicing meditative exercises and living according to the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. In 1999, then-leader of the CCP Jiang Zemin, fearing the popularity of Falun Gong, ordered a systematic persecution of the practice, in an effort to eradicate it from China.

One case of such human rights abuses was described at the forum by Xu Xinyang, a 16-year-old girl originally from China. Xu related how her father was imprisoned in China for practicing Falun Gong and died in 2009 due to the torture and the poor conditions he suffered in jail. Xu and her mother, who was also wanted by the police for the same crime, narrowly escaped China that year, and the two of them have since resided in Maryland.

Du Haipeng, who also lives in Maryland, came to the forum to raise awareness about the case of his mother. Yuan Xiaoman of Dalian was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to 42 months in prison for attempting to file a lawsuit against Jiang for crimes against humanity. Dus father was also arrested in the early years of the persecution, jailed for three years, and severely tortured.

Congress recently has been taking an increasingly tougher stance against the Chinese regime. One week prior to the forum, on Dec. 13, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China held a hearing titled The Long Arm of China: Exporting Authoritarianism with Chinese Characteristics. Congressional members and the experts who were called to testify all expressed urgent concern that the Chinese regime is not only oppressing its people at home but also extending its authoritarian reach overseasincluding to the United States

The forum was moderated by professor Sen Nieh, vice president of the Tuidang Center, and featured a number of well-known critics of the Chinese regime including famed human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who outlined some of the latest human rights abuses in China. Trevor Loudon, a New Zealand-based author, compared the Chinese regimes influence operations targeted against New Zealand with those mounted against the United States.

Other participants included Tsuwei Hwang, spokesperson of the Falun Dafa Association of Washington; Rong Yi, president of the Tuidang Center; Edward Griffin, an author and filmmaker; Theresa Chu, a human rights lawyer from Taiwan; and Dong Li, a columnist and commentator for independent Chinese media New Tang Dynasty Television.
Kentucky Woman Mauled to Death by 2 Pit Bulls, Husband Injured

A Kentucky woman was killed by two dogs in Bell County, and officials are now asking residents to keep an eye out for one of the animals, Lex18 reported.

The Bell County Sheriffs Department said it received a call about the dog attack at 10:20 a.m. from Highway 66 in the Wiser Branch area of Arjay.

Police responding to the scene discovered a woman and her husband had been savagely attacked by two pit bulls, reported Lex18m, according to a police statement.

The caller said that his brother and sister-in-law were attacked by two of their neighbors dogs. The caller said they were pit bulls.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband was taken to a nearby hospital, officials said.

The husband was able to shoot both dogs. However according to the sheriffs department, one of the dogs had managed to escape.

Sheriff Mitch Williams is asking the community to be on the lookout for a brown pit bull that is injured, according to the statement. Under no circumstances are you to engage this dangerous animal.

It comes about a week after a 22-year-old Virginia woman was mauled by two of her pet pit bulls while she was going for a walk.

Officials said that Bethany Stephens was killed by her two pit bulls while she was walking in Goochland County, Virginia, last week. Goochland County Sheriff James Agnew said that one of the pit bulls had a history of aggressive behaviour. He said the dogs previous owner became pregnant and the dog snapped at her a couple of times, and she got concerned and returned the dog.

Most Abused Dogs On Earth

Animal rights group PETA said that pit bulls are the most abused dogs on Earth.

Pit bulls are left at shelters in record numbersand since they are difficult to adopt out, reputable shelters (that dont slam the door in the dogs faces) are finding that they must euthanize more pit bulls and pit bull mixes than all other dogs combined, the group says.

Karen Delise, research director for the National Canine Research Council and author of The Pitbull Placebo, has investigated hundreds of dog bite incidents.

She writes My study of dog bite-related fatalities occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of regular, positive human interaction, often for negative functions (i.e. guarding/protection, fighting, intimidation/status); owners failing to humanely contain, control and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs; and owners failing to spay or neuter dogs not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program.
This overpassIndiana Avenue over the southbound lane of I-75 in Toledowas the site of the lethal assault. (ScreenshotBing Maps)

Man Struck by Sandbag Thrown Off I-75 Overpass Dies4 Ohio Teens Charged

A Michigan man is dead, a victim of a sandbag tossed from a highway overpass in Toledo, Ohio, by a group of teenagers.

Marquise Byrd, 22, of Warren, Michigan, was riding in the passenger seat of a friends car when he was struck by a sandbag thrown off the I-75 overpass at Indiana Avenue on Dec. 19. The sandbag shattered the windshield and struck Byrd in the head.

Police responded to an emergency call at about 10:10 p.m. on Dec. 19. They found the car stopped on the side of the interstate.

Byrd was hospitalized at St. Vincent Medical Center in critical condition.

He died on the night of Friday, Dec. 22.

Four Ohio teens were arrested and charged with felonious assault. They remain incarcerated in the Lucas County Juvenile Justice Center.

Police said the four had been throwing various items, including the sandbag, onto traffic passing below.

Toledo police spokesman Sgt. Kevan Toney told the Columbus Dispatch that the teens: Sean Carter, 14; Williams Parker, 14; Pedro Salinas, 13; and Demetrius Wimberly, 14, will all likely face further charges now that Byrd has died of his injuries.

From NTD.tv
A pedestrian watches a monitor in Tokyo, Japan showing an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in a news report on North Korea's Sept. 3, 2017. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)

North Korea Claims New U.N. Sanctions an Act of War

BEIJING/SEOULThe latest U.N. sanctions against North Korea are an act of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade against it, North Koreas foreign ministry said on Sunday, threatening to punish those who supported the measure.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers abroad.

The U.N. resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The U.S.-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Koreas foreign ministry said the United States was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country.

The new resolution was tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

We define this sanctions resolution rigged up by the U.S. 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.

There is no more fatal blunder than the miscalculation that the U.S. and its followers could check by already worn-out sanctions the victorious advance of our people who have brilliantly accomplished the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the ministry said.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Nov. 29 declared the nuclear force complete after the test of North Koreas largest-ever ICBM test, which the country said puts all of the United States within range.

South Koreas foreign ministry told Reuters it is aware of the North Korean statement on the new sanctions, again highlighting its position that they are a grave warning by the international community that the region has no option but to immediately cease reckless provocations, and take the path of dialogue for denuclearization and peace.

Balance of Force

The North Korean foreign ministry claims its nuclear weapons were a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law.

We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the U.S. nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the U.S, it said.

The U.S. should not forget even a second the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the U.S. mainland, it added.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face its wrath.

Those countries that raised their hands in favor of this sanctions resolution shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the resolution and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done.

The Norths old allies China and Russia both supported the latest U.N. sanctions.

Tension has been rising over North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, which it pursues in defiance of years of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called brutal sanctions, saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3 constituted genocide.

U.S. diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on North Koreas leader.

China, with which North Korea does some 90 percent of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint.

By Ben Blanchard and Hyonhee Shin
One of the Pit Bulls that Mauled Woman Had History of Aggression, Police Say

One of the pit bulls that mauled 22-year-old Bethany Lynn Stephens to death had a history of aggression, according to a report.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Goochland County Sheriff James Agnew said the pit bullnamed Pacmanwas adopted and returned due to troubling behavior.

She became pregnant and the dog snapped at her a couple of times, and she got concerned and returned the dog, Agnew told the paper of the previous owner.

Officials think Stephens was killed by her two pit bulls while she was walking in Goochland County, Virginia, last week.

Agnew added that the two pit bulls were euthanized after her family gave officials permission to do so. Their bodies are being preserved as the investigation persists, the report said.

BREAKING: Dogs that @goochland Sheriffs office says mauled Bethany Stephens to death euthanized Saturday. Family gave permission. Presser at 4pm. @CBS6 pic.twitter.com/QqZH6poCVC  Laura French (@lfrenchnews) December 18, 2017

We have a lot of other things to follow up on and confirm, Agnew added. So, everything that we have found so far, you know, is another piece to try to explain what happened. Were still looking, interviewing and following things up.

Stephens, 22, was found dead in a wooded area last week at around 8:20 p.m. local time off Manakin Road, Goochland, Virginia, according to local broadcaster WTVR. Her father had called 911 after 8 p.m. to report that he found her in the woods.

Deputies who responded to the incident described a grisly scene, saying the dogs were eating her, a local sheriff said.

Let me cut right to the chase, the most important detail that we did not release because we were worried about the well-being of the family is that in the course of trying to capture the dogs early Friday morningwe turned and lookedI observed, as well as four other deputy sheriffs, the dogs eating the ribcage on the body, Agnew said Monday.

The injuries were very severe, the sheriff added. The most prevalent damagethe damage was so extensive [on the body] that there was nothing left to compare the bite marks to.

A friend, Barbara Norris, told WWBT in Richmond that its unexpected that her dogs would attack Stephens.

She said, Those dogs would not attack her. Theyd kill you with kisses  I cant tell you if it was a blunt force or if it was a mauling, but I know those dogs didnt do it The only time they got aggressive is if they thought there was a threat going towards her.
Plane Crashes in Polk County, Florida; 4 Dead on Christmas Eve

A plane crash in Polk County, Florida, has left several people dead, according to officials on Sunday.

A Cessna 340 aircraft crashed on departure from Bartow Municipal Airport in Florida at about 8 am today. Four people were on board, local authorities will release their names and conditions, the FAA will release the aircraft registration after that, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement, reported WFTV.

Authorities say multiple people have died in a small plane crash in Florida: https://t.co/QoiGPwRekx pic.twitter.com/y1DGhlVpWm  NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) December 24, 2017

Four died when the twin-engine plane crashed at the end of the runway of the airport in Bartow, according to the report.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told ABC News there were no survivors.

I have reviewed some footage, and clearly no one should have tried to a takeoff from this airport at 7:15 this morning, Judd said. The airport was totally socked in with fog.

Judd said that he personally knows one of the people who died on the plane.

I have known him for years and years and years, he said.

National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigators will look into the cause of the crash.

We were assisted by Polk Fire Rescue, which put out the fire. We know upon impact that there was a huge fire, the sheriff added.

Judd added, I am not a plane crash investigator but from all indications the plane was in the air and came back to the ground. And no there was no survivors, no chance of anyone surviving.

Dispatchers described poor visibility.

I do see Polk County Fire units, unfortunately on the runway the fog is so low we cant see anything on the runway and are investigating and we did not see or come across any pilots or planes on the runway at this time, the transcription of the dispatch said, as ABC reported.

Another noted the following: Engine 461, Battalion 4, were on scene now at the air base its really foggy. Were unable to see it from our location, Im going to try to make it out onto the airfield.

This is an absolutely horrific tragedy, especially on Christmas Eve. Please keep these victims and their family members in your prayers, the Polk County Sheriffs Office tweeted about the accident.

#BartowPlaneCrash update "This is an absolutely horrific tragedy, especially on Christmas Eve. Please keep these victims and their family members in your prayers."  Grady Judd, Sheriff pic.twitter.com/dD2zutHT5X  Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) December 24, 2017

PCSO & @PolkFire on scene of twin-engine plane crash with several deaths near end of runway @ Ben Durrance Rd on Bartow Airbase. Cross street Bomber Rd. PIOs setting up media staging. FAA & NTSB enroute. PCSO will do death investigations. More info soon via Media Alert & Twitter.  Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) December 24, 2017
On behalf of Montana Rescue Mission and the guests we serve, I would like to thank each of you for the blessings you bestowed on our ministry this year.

Because of you, there are families no longer living in their car. Because of you, there are men and women who are learning to overcome their addictions. Because of you, the broken who come through our doors are healed. Because of you, a hot meal is provided to the hungry. Because of you, we are able to rescue men, women and children from the streets.

So, on behalf of the 2,200 guests who slept in our shelters, on behalf of the individuals who received 90,000 meals, on behalf of the individuals who have warm coats, hats and gloves, and on behalf of those individuals who received clean clothes, hot showers and nice shoes, I Thank You. May God bless you for your generosity.

Perry Roberts

executive director

Billings
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends an interview with Reuters at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey on April 25, 2017. (Reuters/Umit Bektas)

Turkey Dismisses More Than 2,700 With Emergency Rule Decree

ISTANBULTurkey said on Sunday that 2,756 people were dismissed from their jobs in public institutions including soldiers, teachers and ministry personnel over links to terror organizations.

The dismissed personnel were found to be members of, or linked to, terror groups, structures and entities that act against national security, according to a decree published in the Official Gazette.

Some 50,000 people have been arrested since a failed putsch in July last year and about 150,000 have been dismissed or suspended from their posts, including soldiers, police, teachers and public servants, over alleged links with the movement of U.S-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The government accused Gulen of organizing the attempted coup.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied the accusation and condemned the coup.

Rights groups and some Western allies fear President Tayyip Erdogan is using the attempted coup as a pretext to stifle dissent.

The government argues the crackdown is necessary due to the gravity of the coup attempt, in which 240 people were killed.

By Ezgi Erkoyun
Update: 5 Confirmed Dead in Plane Crash in Florida

More details on the deadly plane crash in Florida on Sunday morning were released by officials.

Five people were killed, including family members, in the Sunday crash in Polk County, according to a news release from the Polk County Sheriffs Office. The plane took off 7:15 a.m. from the Bartow Municipal Airport and went east into the fog before the crash.

JUST AWFUL: On Christmas Eve, prominent Lakeland lawyer John Shannon among 5 killed, including two daughters, son-in-law and family friend, in small twin engine plane crash in Bartow this morning. @PolkCoSheriff says Shannon filed a flight plan to Key West. @10NewsWTSP pic.twitter.com/RXSrRdMbCH  Josh Sidorowicz (@joshsidorowicz) December 24, 2017

The people on board the plane perished upon or immediately after impact, the office said.

The office identified the victims, and they were John Shannon, a 70-year-old lawyer, and his daughter Olivia Shannon, who was a 24-year-old student at Southeastern University.

Authorities say multiple people have died in a small plane crash in Florida: https://t.co/QoiGPwRekx pic.twitter.com/y1DGhlVpWm  NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) December 24, 2017

Other victims include Victoria Shannon Worthington, a 26-year-old school teacher and Johns daughter; Victorias husband, Peter Worthington Jr.; and 32-year-old family friend Krista Clayton, of Lakeland, according to officials.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Shannon, Worthington, and Clayton families. This is a tragedy any time, but it is so much worse because it happened on Christmas Eve, Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement about the crash. We are providing all of our resources to assist them with anything they need to help them get through this horrific tragedy.

There was a fire after the plane crashed, which was put out by Polk County Fire Rescue personnel, the sheriffs office added.

Judd said that he personally knew some of the people who died on the plane.

A photo from the scene of the Cessna 340 plane crash at the #BartowAirbase. FAA has arrived, NTSB is en route. Once we can release more about victims we will. Praying for these victims & their families. #BartowPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/5jhFmPu1dS  Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) December 24, 2017

I have known him for years and years and years, he said.

National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigators will look into the cause of the crash.

Final news release on #BartowPlaneCrash please pray for these families pic.twitter.com/ZQBrtcM5OK  Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) December 24, 2017

We were assisted by Polk Fire Rescue, which put out the fire. We know upon impact that there was a huge fire, the sheriff said.

Judd added, I am not a plane crash investigator but from all indications the plane was in the air and came back to the ground. And no there was no survivors, no chance of anyone surviving.

Dispatchers described poor visibility.

I do see Polk County Fire units, unfortunately on the runway the fog is so low we cant see anything on the runway and are investigating and we did not see or come across any pilots or planes on the runway at this time, the transcription of the dispatch said, as ABC reported.

Another noted the following: Engine 461, Battalion 4, were on scene now at the air base its really foggy. Were unable to see it from our location, Im going to try to make it out onto the airfield.

This is an absolutely horrific tragedy, especially on Christmas Eve. Please keep these victims and their family members in your prayers, the Polk County Sheriffs Office tweeted about the accident.
Woman Arrested for Fatally Shooting Three Roommates After Argument

A Las Vegas woman was arrested by police after fatally shooting three people at a house described as a problem house on Dec. 22, according to authorities.

Christine Sanchez, 47, had been in an ongoing argument with her three roommates. Two men and one woman arrived at the property and an argument ensued with Sanchez.

During the dispute, the 47-year-old produced a handgun and shot at her three roommates seven to eight times, reported the Las Vegas Sun.

Police arrived at the property on Del Santos Drive at around 1:30 p.m. to find three bodies: the woman in the bedroom and two men in another, Lt. Dan McGrath told the newspaper. Sanchez had fled the property before the police arrived.

Sanchez was later arrested near the 700 block of Digger Street and charged with three counts of open murder with a deadly weapon.

According to authorities, as many as eight people were at the property at the time of the shooting. McGrath described the crime scene as a crash house where people come and go and a problem house on the street that everyone is aware of. He added that officers have responded to the address at least a dozen times this year, reported the Las Vegas Sun.

Sanchez was already known to authorities for another murder case which was dismissed earlier this year, reported the newspaper. Police alleged that she shot and killed 52-year-old Bonnie Rice at a North Las Vegas apartment in 2014.

A couple of months before Rices death, Sanchez was arrested on one count each of domestic battery and attempted murder with a deadly weapon, reported the newspaper citing court documents. However, those charges were dismissed the following month.

Clark County Coroners Office will release the identity of the victims and cause of death at a later date.

From NTD.tv
Woman Claims United Gave Her First Class Seat to US Congresswoman

A woman on a flight from Houston to Washington D.C. accused United Airlines of giving her first-class seat to Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, and threatening to remove her off the plane for taking a photo of the congresswoman.

Jean-Marie Simon from Washington D.C. was preparing to board the last leg of her flight home from Bush International Airport on Monday, Dec. 18, when she was told she was not in the system, reported Chron.

The flight attendant asked whether she had canceled her own ticket.

I said that was impossible. I had a boarding ticket in hand and I just wanted to get home.

The 63-year-old, who had just flown from Guatemala to Houston on return tickets, was then simply told her seat 1A was taken and there was nothing the airline could do to reverse it.

I said I wanted my seat, that I had paid a lot of miles for that seat, and that it was Uniteds responsibility to undo the seat assignment and return it to me, the person who had paid for it. He said no, because I had unreserved my seat and it had been given to another passenger, that s/he had been upgraded, Simon wrote in a Facebook post on Dec. 20.

He said I could stand here and argue and miss the flight or book another flight with another airline, meaning that I would lose my first class ticket and pay for a second one, she added.

Eventually, the airline compensated Simon with a $500 voucher and another ticket for that flight in Economy Plus.

The teacher and attorney later learned that seat 1A was reassigned to Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

Simon believes United removed from her seat to accommodate for the congresswoman, which the airline denied.

After thoroughly examining our electronic records, we found that upon receiving a notification that Flight 788 was delayed due to weather, the customer appears to have canceled her flight from Houston to Washington, DC within the United mobile app, United said in a statement, reported the newspaper.

As part of the normal pre-boarding process, gate agents began clearing standby and upgrade customers, including the first customer on the waitlist for an upgrade.

Simon denies canceling the ticket and has screenshots of only one inactive reservation for a flight to Houston in August to visit her daughter which was canceled because of Hurricane Harvey, reported Chron.

United said the screenshot doesnt show the December flight as canceled as she ended up taking the flight.

Simon initially was not aware who the passenger was in her pre-purchased seat, but was told by a fellow passenger that he had seen the congresswoman do it twice before, Simon wrote on her Facebook Post.

Simon said a flight attendant came, sat next to her and told her that if she created problems she would be removed from the flight.

A flight attendant sat down next to me and asked if I was going to be a problem on the flight. I asked if she heard me shouting or complaining. She said no, but I had taken a photo, Simon wrote on her Facebook post. The flight attendant said that security would remove me from the plane if I created problems.'

Lee issued a statement regarding the incident on the flight on Dec. 22.

After receiving my boarding pass, I boarded the plane in the normal process. I did nothing wrong. I asked for nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary and received nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary. I proceeded to take my seat and work on legislative issues on my way to Washington, Lee said.

The congresswoman said she noticed a concerned individual speak to a flight attendant and later learned it was to do with the seat she was sitting on. She suggested in her post that it may have something to do with the fact that she was an African American woman.

Since this was not any fault of mine, the way the individual continued to act appeared to be, upon reflection, because I was an African American woman, seemingly an easy target along with the African American flight attendant who was very, very nice. This saddens me, especially at this time of year given all of the things we have to work on to help people. But in the spirit of this season and out of the sincerity of my heart, if it is perceived that I had anything to do with this, I am kind enough to simply say sorry. I understand the airline is working to address the passengers concerns. I am glad of that, the congresswoman said in her statement.

Simon told Chron that she had no idea who was in her seat when she complained at the gate that her seat was given to someone else.

There is no way you can see who is in my seat from inside the terminal, Simon told the newspaper.

Since the flight, Simon has been contacted by United multiple times, who apologized for the incident. She said she wants a formal apology from the airline.

Although I want an apology from United, this is really more about how this kind of behavior by an airline continues to go unchallenged, she wrote in another post on Dec. 23.

From NTD.tv
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.
Cubas leader, Raul Castro, will be postponing his retirement and will now step down in April instead of February. Castro, 86, had originally planned to retire on February 24, 2018, the end of his second five-year term. Now, the naming of Castros successor will take place April 19.

The official announcement said the decision was made because of the impact of category 5 storm Hurricane Irma, which hit Cuba in September. The destruction caused by Irma delayed the islands elections process, which in turn delayed the appointment of the Cuban National Assembly, which selects Cubas president.

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Provincial elections where candidates are selected by slates determined by electoral commissions were postponed until March 25, while the election of a new National Assembly and the selection of a new president will occur on April 19. This is the first time since 1976 that the Cuban government has changed the dates of the elections.

Castro has given first Vice President Miguel-Diaz Canel his blessing to be the next president of Cuba. Born in 1960, Diaz-Canel is a more modern figure, using an electronic tablet during government meetings and rumored to like rock n roll music. However, he has been seen in a video bashing Cubans who celebrate Halloween, saying they are copying Americans.

Cuban officials say Castro is prepared to turn over the day-to-day operations of the government to a new leader. When Diaz-Canel takes office, it will be the first time that Cuba was ruled by a leader not named Castro since 1959. The revolution that year ended with Raul Castros older brother Fidel Castro in power. Castro is still expected to remain First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, a powerful title, until 2021.

Cuba is currently dealing with increased tensions between it and the United States due to mysterious acoustic incidents that have negatively affected the health of American diplomats stationed there. The incidents caused hearing loss and other health problems for 24 diplomats stationed in Havana. The U.S. hasnt directly blamed Cuba for the incidents, but says that Cuba had a responsibility to protect American diplomats while in the country. The U.S. has also ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats from Washington.
SUPERVALU INC., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a grocery wholesaler and retailer in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The Wholesale segment engages in the wholesale distribution of various food and non-food products to independent retail customers, such as single and multiple grocery store operators, regional chains, and the military. It also provides professional services, such as pass-through programs; and various services comprising retail store support, advertising, couponing, e-commerce, network and data hosting, training and certifications classes, and administrative back-office solutions. The Retail segment operates retail stores that provide groceries and various additional products that include general merchandise, home, health and beauty care, and pharmacy products. It provides its products under the Cub Foods, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, and Hornbacher's names, as well as 1 Rainbow stores. The company's stores offer a range of branded and private-label products comprising perishable and nonperishable grocery products. As of February 24, 2018, it operated a network of 3,437 stores, including 3,323 wholesale primary stores; and 114 retail grocery stores. The company was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
The following companies are subsidiares of Clean Harbors: Ace/Allwaste Environmental Services of Indiana LLC, Altair Disposal Services LLC, Aquilex Finance LLC, Aquilex Intermediate Corporate Holdings LLC, Aquilex Intermediate Holdings LLC, Aquilex LLC, Baton Rouge Disposal LLC, Bridgeport Disposal LLC, CARBER Holdings Inc., CB Canada Acquisition Inc., CB Canada Holdings Inc., CB US Holdings Inc., CH International Holdings LLC, Car-Ber Investments Inc., Clean Harbors Andover LLC, Clean Harbors Aragonite LLC, Clean Harbors Arizona LLC, Clean Harbors BDT LLC, Clean Harbors Baton Rouge LLC, Clean Harbors Buttonwillow LLC, Clean Harbors Canada Inc., Clean Harbors Caribe Inc., Clean Harbors Chattanooga LLC, Clean Harbors Clive LLC, Clean Harbors Coffeyville LLC, Clean Harbors Colfax LLC, Clean Harbors Deer Park LLC, Clean Harbors Deer Trail LLC, Clean Harbors Development LLC, Clean Harbors Disposal Services Inc., Clean Harbors El Dorado LLC, Clean Harbors Energy Services ULC, Clean Harbors Energy and Industrial Services Corp., Clean Harbors Energy and Industrial Services LP, Clean Harbors Energy and Industrial Western Ltd., Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc., Clean Harbors Exploration Services Inc., Clean Harbors Exploration Services LP, Clean Harbors Exploration Services ULC, Clean Harbors Florida LLC, Clean Harbors Grassy Mountain LLC, Clean Harbors India LLP, Clean Harbors Industrial Services Canada Inc., Clean Harbors Industrial Services Inc., Clean Harbors Innu Environmental Services Inc., Clean Harbors Kansas LLC, Clean Harbors Kingston Facility Corporation, Clean Harbors LaPorte LLC, Clean Harbors Laurel LLC, Clean Harbors Lodging Services LP, Clean Harbors Lodging Services ULC, Clean Harbors Lone Mountain LLC, Clean Harbors Mercier Inc., Clean Harbors Pecatonica LLC, Clean Harbors Production Services ULC, Clean Harbors Quebec Inc., Clean Harbors Recycling Services of Chicago LLC, Clean Harbors Recycling Services of Ohio LLC, Clean Harbors Reidsville LLC, Clean Harbors San Jose LLC, Clean Harbors San Leon Inc., Clean Harbors Services Inc., Clean Harbors Surface Rentals Partnership, Clean Harbors Surface Rentals ULC, Clean Harbors Surface Rentals USA Inc., Clean Harbors Tennessee LLC, Clean Harbors Westmorland LLC, Clean Harbors White Castle LLC, Clean Harbors Wichita LLC, Clean Harbors Wilmington LLC, Clean Harbors of Baltimore Inc. (DE Corp.), Clean Harbors of Braintree Inc., Clean Harbors of Connecticut Inc. (DE), Confined Space Services L.L.C., Cousins Waste Control LLC, Crowley Disposal LLC, Cyn Oil Corporation, Debusk Industrial Services Company LLC, Disposal Properties LLC, Emerald Services Inc., EnviroSORT Inc., EnviroSORT Inc., Eveready, Evergreen Holdings, GSX Disposal LLC, Global Vapor Control Inc., Green View Technologies Inc., HPC PetroServ Inc., Hilliard Disposal LLC, HydroChem Canada ULC, HydroChem Industrial Cleaning LLC, HydroChem LLC, HydroChemPSC, IISG Central Region LLC, IISG Gulf Coast LLC, IISG Real Estate LLC, Industrial Service Oil Company Inc., Inland Industrial Services Group LLC, Inland Waters Pollution Control Services LLC, Inland Waters of Ohio LLC, Jesco Industrial Service LLC, LJ Energy Services Holdings LLC, LJ Energy Services Intermediate Holding Corp., Lonestar Sylvan Inc., Lonestar Vacuum Inc., Lonestar West, Lonestar West Enterprises LLC, Lonestar West Inc., Lonestar West Services LLC, Murphy's Waste Oil Service Inc., Northeast Casualty Insurance Company, Omnichem LLC, PMS Industrial Services LLC, PSC Industrial Holdings Corp., PSC Industrial Inc., PSC Industrial Outsourcing LP, PSC Industrial Outsourcing of Michigan LLC, PSC LDAR Services LLC, Peak Energy Services, Philip Services/North Central LLC, Plaquemine Remediation Services LLC, Power Vac Construction L.L.C., RMF Aquilex Corp., Roebuck Disposal LLC, Romic Environmental Technologies, Rosemead Oil Products Inc., SK D'Incineration Inc., Safety-Kleen, Safety-Kleen Canada Inc., Safety-Kleen Envirosystems Company, Safety-Kleen Envirosystems Company of Puerto Rico Inc., Safety-Kleen Inc., Safety-Kleen International Inc., Safety-Kleen Systems Inc., Safety-Kleen of California Inc., Sawyer Disposal Services LLC, Seaport Environmental LLC, Service Chemical LLC, Speed Industrial Corporate LLC, Speed Industrial Service Catalyst LLC, Speed Industrial Service LLC, Speed Industrial Service of Beaumont LLC, Speed Industrial Services of Lake Charles LLC, Speed Industrial Services of Louisiana LLC, Speed Industrial Services of Texas LLC, Spring Grove Resource Recovery Inc., The Solvents Recovery Service of New Jersey Inc., Thermo Fluids, Thermo Fluids Inc., Tri-vax Enterprises Ltd., Tulsa Disposal LLC, Universal Environmental, Veolia North Americas U.S. Industrial Cleaning Services Division, Versant Energy Services Inc., Versant Energy Services LP, and Vulsay Industries Ltd..

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Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics (Dx) and Labcorp Drug Development (DD). It offers various tests, such as blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, PAP tests, hemoglobin A1C and vitamin D, prostate-specific antigens, tests for sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company also provides specialty testing services comprising gene-based and esoteric testing; advanced tests target specific diseases, including anatomic pathology/oncology, cardiovascular disease, coagulation, diagnostic genetics, endocrinology, infectious disease, women's health, pharmacogenetics, and parentage and donor testing; and occupational testing services, medical drug monitoring services, chronic disease programs, and kidney stone prevention tests. It provides online and mobile applications to enable patients to check test results; and online applications for managed care organizations and accountable care organizations. It offers end-to-end drug development, medical device, and companion diagnostic development solutions from early-stage research to clinical development and commercial market access. It serves managed care organizations, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostics companies, governmental agencies, physicians and other healthcare providers, hospitals and health systems, employers, patients and consumers, contract research organizations, and independent clinical laboratories. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has a collaboration agreement with Tigerlily Foundation to increase clinical trial diversity for women of color. The company was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Burlington, North Carolina.
GameStop Corp. is a specialty retailer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Grapevine, Texas. The company was originally known as GSC Holdings Corp. but later changed its name following its IPO. Originally a brand of then dominant Babbages, Gamestop altered the way video games were distributed and it is now the world's largest retailer of video games and video game accessories. The company went public in 2004 and operated 4,573 stores at the start of 2022. Brands under the company umbrella include Gamestop, EB Games, and Micromania as well as 50 pop-culture-themed Zing Pop locations.

Gamestop Corp. provides video games and entertainment products through its global network of e-commerce properties and stores. The company sells new and pre-owned gaming platforms and accessories like controllers, headsets, memory cards, and gaming software as well as in-game products like digital currency, downloadable content, and games. The company also sells new and used memorabilia and collectibles. Genres include TV, movie, comic book, and game characters as well as many other items from pop culture. GameStop Corp. also operates Game Informer, a magazine and website dedicated to the gaming industry including reviews, updates, and new developments in technologies.

Game enthusiasts enjoy two primary benefits of using Gamestop. The first is access to the full range of games and gaming accessories. The second is the ability to sell or trade their old equipment and games for fair prices. All old equipment is refurbished to a like-new state before resale.

In 2021 Gamestop announced it was entering the world of cryptocurrency. The company revealed plans to build an NFT (non-fungible token) platform for listing, selling, and holding digital or digitized artwork and collectibles. The beta version launched in 2022 and has so far seen great success with an average daily volume exceeding $1 million. The NFT marketplace also featured Web3.0 games in which characters and in-game items are held forever on the blockchain. As of September 2022, the most successful retailer on the NFT marketplace was Gamestop Presents, a collaboration of cover art from Game Informer Magazine. Sales at the time were just under 168 ETH or about $221,500.00.

GameStop began a slide in 2016 following a series of bad investments that included a foray into the world of mobile phones. The slide came to an end in late 2021 when shareholders using the Reddit thread Wallstreet Bets orchestrated a short-squeeze and brought on the age of meme stocks.
The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, and program managers. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.
Obaidul Quader`s praiseworthy move

AWAMI League General Secretary and Communication Minister Obaidul Quader is opposed to formation of party's students wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) committees in schools. He made his position clear after the move was strongly opposed by civil society leaders and people from ordinary walks of life. BCL has become a symbol of terror, theft and all sorts of vandalism since 2009 and even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had once threatened to resign from as its organizational chief. They are blurring the image of the student wing and the party altogether and their latest move to set up committee at schools jittered the nation all the more. It means to destroy peace at schools and degenerate young students from their studies in daily life.







Mr Obaidul Quader has rightly said schoolchildren are already burdened with textbooks and studies and it does not augur well to put the burden of acrimonious politics on their shoulders. BCL leaders in November this year said formation of such committees is important to spread the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman among the students. It is also important to strengthen the foundation of the student organization further to create leadership from local to national level. The move triggered sharp criticism and educationists expressed concerns it would adversely affect the tender minds of children and lead to violence on school campuses as seen in public colleges and universities. Their fear soon came true. On November 29, a Chhatra League leader of a newly formed committee at a Pirojpur school beat up a teacher.





The BCL men started drawing added attention for their unruly behaviour as soon as the AL returned to power in January 2009. Even at one stage the PM office ordered the Home Ministry to take action against BCL leaders engaging in tender snatching and such other violence. Needless to say many ruling party leaders are also at work to give shelter to such errant party cadres to fulfil their own interest. Meanwhile, at least 125 party men were killed and as many injured in intra-party clashes in colleges and universities in the past eight years. The victims include 71 BCL leaders and activists, of whom 60 were killed in internal feuds and 11 in clashes with rival organizations. The rest were general people, including children. According to rights organization Ain-o-Salish Kendra, two people were killed and 156 injured in 20 incidents of BCL infighting from January to September this year.





We express our thanks and appreciation to AL General Secretary for realizing the pulse of nation on such crucial issue. No one wants to see teenagers are becoming involved in party politics at schools only to become victims of clashes and get harmed. Party politics create rivals not good citizens. We will lend all support to the party General Secretary; who himself was the leader of the student wing to stop the spread of such politics at school level.






Tributes paid to Prof Khaled

Chittagong Bureau :

The death anniversary of former lawmaker of Raozan and Editor of popular Bangla daily Dainik Azadi was observed with religious fervour at Raozan native village on Thursday.

Different political and socio-cultural organization paid rich tributes to the demise and placed wreaths at his grave .

On behalf of the ruling party and its front organizations, panel Mayor Jamiruddin Parvez alongwith other ruling party leaders placed wreaths at the grave of the demise .

Among others, leaders of central voice of Raozan, Juba League, Chhatra League were present on the occasion, our Raozan Correspondent said.

Condolence meet for of Purbakone Editor held: A meeting was held to condole the death of Taslimuddin Chowdhury, Editor of the Dainik Purbakone, a vernacular daily of Chittagong, at the Chittagong Press Club premises on Saturday.

The Chittagong Press Club organised the meeting.

Presided over by Kalim Sarwar, President of Chittagong Press Club (CPC), the meeting was addressed among others by Dr Ramizuddin, Managing Editor of the Dainik Purbakone and the younger brother of late Taslimuddin Chowdhury, Abu Sufian, Former President of CPC and Director of Rupali Bnak Limited, Suklal Das, General Secretary of CPC, Ratan Kanti Debhashsis, Senior Vice President of Chittagong Union of Journalist (CUJ), Chowdhury Farid Joint Secretary of CPC, and Mustak Ahmed, former President of CUJ.

The speakers lauded the role of late Taslimuddin Chowdhury as an Editor of a daily of the port city.

They said that late Taslim was dedicated to his profession and improve the standard of the daily under his leadership.




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A meeting was held to condole the death of Taslimuddin Chowdhury, Editor of the Dainik Purbakone, a vernacular daily of Chittagong at Chittagong Press Club premises on Saturday.
UGC Chairman speaks at DIU

Prof Abdul Mannan, Chairman, University Grand Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) speaks on \"The Making of a Nation, Its People and Politics: A View from the Sidelines\'\' on the celebration occasion of a book namely \'Nation, People and Politics\' written by

Campus Report :

Prof Abdul Mannan, Chairman, University Grand Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) spokes on "The Making of a Nation, Its People and Politics: A View from the Sidelines'' on the celebration occasion of a book namely 'Nation, People and Politics' written by himself held at 71 Milonayoton of Daffodil International University (DIU) recently. DIU organized the program to mark the celebration of this book.

Presided over by Prof Dr Yousuf Mahbubul Islam, Vice Chancellor, DIU, the function was addressed by Prof Dr SM Mahbub Ul Haque Majumder, Pro Vice Chancellor, Hamidul Haque Khan, Treasurer, Prof Dr Engr AKM Fazlul Hoque, Registrar, Dr Mark Bartholomew, Advisor, Quality Assurance, Syed Mizanur Rahman Raju, Director of Students' Affairs and many other faculty member, officials and students were also present at the program.

While addressing Prof Mannan said, Bangladesh is the only country in the world where history changes just after changing of government. So, I have cordially tried to write the book from neutral point of view, so that young people can know the right history of our liberation war. Prof Mannan also said that after 46 years of independence, Bangladesh has achieved lots of success and the best achievement of Bangladesh is to build Padma Bridge by own financing.

Dr Mark Bartholomew said to his speech that best heroic history of Bangladesh is its liberation war. The book written by Prof Abdul Mannan about this history which will help young generation to know about the real history liberation war of Bangladesh. I am feeling proud to being attached with this book by editing, added Dr Mark.

Dr Mark also said that he had been worked in British Council office of Bangladesh for a long period. On that time he observed that Bangladeshi English medium school students celebrate 21st February, 26 March and 16 December. But, the history of liberation war has not cultivated in yearlong.


Forge movement against graft

UNB, Dhaka :

President of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) AQM Badruddoza Chowdhuryon Sunday said there will be no terrorism and corruption in the country if youths can forge a social movement against the menaces.

"People are now feeling insecure as looting and corruption going on

everywhere. But, there's no protest against these. There'll be no terrorism and corruption if youths come forward against the menaces," he said.

B Chowdhury, also a former President and convener of Juktafront, a new alliance of four political parties, was addressing the annual convention of the National Youth Forum of Bangladesh at the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium.

The theme of this year's convention was: 'Cyber Ethics and Youth against Cyber Crime'.

There was corruption during the tenure of every government and the incumbent government is no exception, the BDB chief said, adding that corruption will come down by 80 percent if public servants stop indulging in irregularities. "For this, the youth will have to forge a social movement. Bangladesh will be freed from terrorism and graft and it'll make a turnaround through this movement."

Youth Forum Chairperson Rumana Islam Setu presided over the programme while BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and ex-MP Golam Maula Roni spoke on the occasion.
40 primary teachers fall sick

About 40 primary assistant teachers fell ill on second day of their hunger strike for removing pay discrimination. This photo was taken from central Shaheed Minar on Sunday.

Staff Reporter :

At least 40 primary school teachers fell sick on the second day of their hunger strike against a 'discriminatory pay scale' at the Dhaka's Central Shaheed Minar.

Of them, at least 10 have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment and others were given primary treatment.

The hospitalised teachers are Siddiqur Rahman, Abu Taleb, Saleha Akter Mukta, Rafiqul Islam, Abdur Rahim, Ekhlasur Rahman, Firoze Alam, and Md Alauddin. The identity of the two teachers could not be known immediately.

The assistant teachers of the government primary schools under the banner of Primary Assistant Teachers Okiya Jote started the indefinite hunger strike on Saturday.

The agitating teachers from across the country swore to continue the strike until the pay disparity is washed away by elevating the trained assistant teachers to grade 12 under the wage board. "There is a three-tier gap between the assistant teachers and head teachers. We have been asking for an elevation for more than three years now," said Shahinur Akter, President of National Primary Assistant Teachers Foundation.

This gap prevails despite trained head teachers and trained assistant teachers having similar education qualifications, said Md Anisur Rahman, President of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers Union.

"The gap was not there till 1984," he said. "Now the trained head teachers get wages under grade 11 while we are paid our salary under grade 14.

"It implies that the head teachers will start jobs with grade 12, but the assistant teachers will end with that. This means, after working for 16 years, assistant teachers will get Tk 11,300 a month under grade 12. This is humiliation."

Shahinur Al Amin, President of Bangladesh Primary Teachers Society said, "Earlier we formed human chains, staged demonstration and held several meetings with the ministers. But the administration didn't pay any heed to us, forcing us to go to hard line." On December 9, the assistant teachers threatened to go on fast-unto-death from December 23 if their jobs were not upgraded to 11th as per the eighth national pay scale by December 22. But their demand was not met by then.
Prime accused held over death of baby during mugging

Staff Reporter :

The prime accused in the mugging case filed in connection with the death of a five-month old baby who died during the mugging incident in the city's Doyaganj area has been arrested from the capital.

The arrested man identified as Rajib, 27, is the lone accused in the case, said Anisur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Jatrabari Police Station.

He was interrogated in the police station, the police official said, about the mugging incident and death of a

infant in the capital's Doyaganj area on December 18.

When the baby's mother was on her way to a relative's house by a rickshaw at dawn, a mugger suddenly tried to snatch the victim's bag. The force of the pull jerked Aklima, the mother, and the rickshaw, along with the baby who was on her lap.

The baby, Arafat, sustained serious wounds in his head falling. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Aklima said she and her husband, with their two sons-Arafat and four-year old Al Amin-were going to her sister's Sanir Akhra residence in the city from Sadarghat.

"Arafat was in his mother's lap while Al-Amin was in my lap," said Arafat's father Shah Alam.

"Soon after we passed Doyaganj intersection at 6:10am, a man, aged around 22 to 25, in a t-shirt and a pant, crossed the road from the opposite side," he said.

"The youth suddenly pulled the bag hanging from my wife's shoulder and she fell down with Arafat," Shah Alam said.

"My son cried out once and then fainted. I jumped from the rickshaw and picked up Arafat's unconscious body," he told the media, tears streaming down his face.
A 71-year-old anti-poverty activist has filed a $1-billion class-action lawsuit against several grocers after Loblaw Companies Ltd. and George Weston Ltd. revealed Tuesday that they participated in an industry-wide bread price-fixing arrangement for more than a decade.

Irene Breckon, president of the Anti-Poverty Coalition in Elliot Lake, Ont., regularly bought loaves of Country Harvest bread at a No Frills grocery store.

When she heard that Loblaws was offering their customers a $25 gift card as a gesture of goodwill, Breckon said she was outraged.

When I first thought about it, I thought a $25 gift card for 14 years . . . is nothing, Breckon told the Star on Saturday night.

My biggest concern is that these people have been overcharged for all those years for such a basic necessity in life. Bread is a staple and many people need it. Im hoping these corporations get punished and Im hoping that people will receive better reimbursement.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and the class-action lawsuit would have to be certified by a judge to proceed.

The suit names grocers Canada Bread, Walmart, Sobeys, Giant Tiger and Metro as well as Loblaw Companies Ltd. and George Weston Ltd. as defendants, according to a statement of claim filed by Toronto-based law firm Sotos LLP.

Breckon is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, filed on behalf of all Canadians who purchased bread at their stores starting in January 2001.

Jean-Marc Leclerc, a lawyer with Sotos LLP and co-counsel to the case told the Star on Sunday that he cannot yet confirm whether accepting the $25 gift card will have an effect on someones ability to claim damages.

We will argue to the court that this is a gratuitous offer that is being made by Loblaw, and does not represent in any way an adequate award of damages, Leclerc said in a phone interview.

If the defendants attempt to argue that gift card recipients cant participate in the suit, Leclerc said Sotos LLP will go to the court on very short order to say that is improper, and that we want relief from the court relating to that issue.

Leclerc stressed that the matter remains before the court, which will ultimately decide whether the gift card will impact damages awarded to participants of the suit.

Loblaw Cos. chairman and chief executive officer Galen G. Weston described the bread price-fixing scheme  from 2001 to 2015  as an industry-wide issue.

But Giant Tiger and Metro Inc. issued releases saying they had no reason to believe or evidence to suggest that any of their employees had been engaged in the scheme.

Marie-Claude Bacon, senior director corporate affairs for Metro Inc., told the Star via email that the company would not be commenting on the class action lawsuit.

Giant Tiger has no reason to believe at this time that we, or any of our employees has been involved with a price fixing scheme or has violated the Competition Act. We are continuing to cooperate with the Competition Bureau during their investigation and look forward to reviewing their findings once complete, Alison Scarlett, a spokesperson for Giant Tiger, said via email.

Sobeys took its response to the allegations a step further.

Although Loblaw and George Weston have admitted wrongdoing by their companies and certain of their employees, it is important to note that their reckless assertion of industry-wide price-fixing has not been proven, according to the Sobeys release.

Breckon said shes hoping to use part of the money she receives to give back to food banks and families living in her community.

I want to see families benefit from this. I definitely want to see that these corporations dont take advantage again.

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In Karin von Althens family, preparations for Christmas would begin in October, not with a trip to the mall, but with a hike into the bush in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

The whole family set out in search of the perfect tree, which was inevitably a balsam fir, picked for its broad, flat needles and rich scent. They marked it with a coloured ribbon so that Friedrich, her husband, could find it again in December, chop it down and hide it in the basement.

For the German-born couple, it was verboten for their three daughters and two sons to see the tree before Christmas Eve.

They decorated it with tinsel and shiny balls, but what made it really special were the candles  real ones in the early years, then later white electric candles for safetys sake.

It was not so different from the millions of other trees that illuminate the December darkness in homes across Canada. But the tradition is dearer to von Althen, 80, than to most anyone else. The Christmas tree is her connection to her ancestors and the ritual they brought to this country 236 years ago.

I always remind my Canadian friends at church or my neighbours that without me, they wouldnt have a Christmas tree.

Its a story that begins with von Althens great-great-great-grandparents, German general Friedrich von Riedesel and his wife, Baroness Friederike Charlotte Riedesel, in the community of Sorel, Que.

It tells of war and hardship, of cultures and customs, of communion and connection forged around Canadas first illuminated Christmas tree back in 1781.

Every Christmas, everybody has to listen to this story, says von Althen. I always talk about it.

We can rhyme off the names of flying reindeer but have forgotten the couple responsible for a holiday tradition crossing the Atlantic and taking root in the frozen ground of colonial Canada. The story of their Christmas gift is contained in dusty archives and in the out-of-print memoirs of the general and the baroness.

In von Althens retelling, however, it leaps off the page.

The gift of this particular holiday tradition was given in a turbulent time of loss. Unrest over British rule in the American colonies led to protest, resistance and the American War of Independence. By May 1776, a sizable German mercenary force led by Maj.-Gen. von Riedesel had arrived in Quebec on a mission to help protect British territory and interests.

The generals wife followed her husband to Canada with two young daughters and an infant girl (their first two children each died a year after birth) in June the next year.

Upon first coming into view, Baroness von Riedesel wrote in her diary, (Quebec) appeared quite handsome.

Her perspective changed when she stepped off the boat.

The city of Quebec itself ... is as dirty as possible, and very incommodious, for one is obliged to ascend a great mountain in going through the streets. There are, also, few handsome houses, but the inhabitants are polite people.

No sooner had the general reunited with his wife and children than they were captured, along with German and British forces, after a battle in Saratoga, N.Y. They were held in Boston, transported to Virginia in late 1778, then released to British-controlled New York after about a year.

From there, von Riedesel was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1781 and moved to Canada. His post in Sorel, northeast of Montreal, was strategically important, but the conditions were rough. It prompted the embarrassed governor general of Canada, Sir Frederick Haldimand, to sweeten the offer by throwing in a stately home for the general and the baroness. Already partially built, it was purchased in mid-November with orders that it be made ready to occupy by Christmas.

On Dec. 3, 1781, Gen. von Riedesel wrote to Haldimand: The inclement season of the year retards operations on our house, but I hope we will be able to move into it at the end of two weeks.

Baroness von Riedesel takes up the tale in her diary: To our great astonishment we were able to eat our Christmas pie in our new house  with which dish the English always celebrate Christmas Day.

In the generals memoirs and letters, published in 1854, German military historian Max von Eelking noted: Some English officers, who had been invited in, helped the German family to celebrate the holidays which were thus observed partly in the English and partly in the German manner.

It was this collision of cultures against a backdrop of war that led to the first recorded instance of a tree being chopped down, dragged into the newly built home and decorated with candles  a German tradition that had not yet been adopted elsewhere.

History is made in such small gestures. Only after  sometimes long after  is the significance appreciated.

As Quebec historian Mathieu Pontbriand notes, 1781 marked the first Christmas feast that the von Riedesel family spent in freedom following years of captivity. They were in a garrison town, fearing invaders and spies lurking among Loyalist refugees fleeing the American states.

A Christmas tree would have meant comfort, a memory of their far-off home.

And although they settled in to Sorel, life was hard. In addition to a sixth child, daughter America, born in 1780, the baroness gave birth to another girl, Canada, in 1782. But the baby died a few months later, in 1783, under the helpless watch of her mother.

We buried our beloved dead little one in Sorel, the baroness wrote.

That August, the von Riedesels returned to Germany.

Had it not been for this homesickness I should have been perfectly contented in Canada, the baroness wrote. For the climate agreed well with my children and we were beloved by and on a very pleasant footing with the people.

In Germany, the von Riedesels had two more children: Charlotte and Georg, the last-born of the couples nine offspring.

Georg married a cousin, Caroline. They had a son named Karl.

Eventually Karl married Marie. They had a son named Otto.

Otto married Ottonie and Erika was born.

Erika married Joachim and they had a daughter named Karin.

Karin married Friedrich Wilhelm von Althen, a German immigrant working with the Canadian Forest Service. In 1960 she joined him in Sault Ste. Marie, where they raised their five children.

In the mid-1990s, Karin von Althen received a book in the mail from her mother in Germany. It was the published diary of Baroness von Riedesel, recounting her time in North America and the Christmas of 1781. Her mother included a sort of family tree explaining how von Althen was related to the baroness.

She thought it was just an exciting story about a distant relative, until she helped her youngest child with a school project on the von Riedesels adventure in colonial North America and happened upon the Christmas tree story.

If the von Riedesel tale is not well known, its not because of anyone in Sorel. For decades, the town had been receiving visiting descendants of the family, who have been welcomed like royalty.

In 1966, a commemorative plaque was installed outside the home in which the von Riedesels lived  a building now known as Maison des gouverneurs for having housed several governors general in the early 1800s. Shortly after, Sorel received a large framed line drawing from the noble von Riedesel family depicting that special evening in 1781.

Canada Post marked the bicentenary of Sorels Christmas tree claim in 1981 with a commemorative stamp.

Perhaps it was this 15-cent flash of national attention that sparked the grand ambitions that seized Sorel in 1986: a four-day festival to celebrate the German tradition that was spawned in this most French-Canadian of towns.

Planned for months, it opened with von Riedesel impersonators in period clothing and shiny wigs leading a tree-lighting ceremony.

Moustachioed men in historically accurate blue-and-white uniforms and muskets over their shoulders portrayed von Riedesels German troops while the costumed couple visited schools, hospitals and churches, led a parade and hosted a community banquet. People dressed in colonial-era gear, the likes of which would have graced Sorels muddy roads in 1781.

There was German food and drink, German music and even a troop of Toronto-based German soldiers who came to visit a town better known for its heavy industry, where massive container ships pass by on their way to and from the ocean, and where just 320 of the 36,000 inhabitants claim German origins, according to the 2016 census.

In those four days, someone probably heard the song that was created for Dezemberfest, as the festival was known. Lost to a generation of lips but preserved in the citys archives, it sings of Sorels pride at being the first to have erected a modest tree that shines across the country.

Organizers were left feeling a little disappointed by the participation of German Canadians and German diplomats in Montreal.

Maybe they didnt take us seriously, organizers wrote in a post-event report.

Maybe they were right not to. A few years later, Dezemberfest was discontinued. But not everyones enthusiasm died.

In August 2016, Karin von Althen made a bucket-list road trip to Sorel with her reluctant son, Peter.

I had planned it for years and years and years, she said. It was just the way I thought it would be.

Peter, who used to roll his eyes when his mother recounted the Christmas tree story every year, was, to his great surprise, touched by the visit.

Today, he is met with the rolling eyes of his own teenage son when he makes mention of the boys great-great-great-great-great-grandparents and the family tradition now celebrated across Canada.

Thats what it is for me, he said. Its just about connection.

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Police are seeking witnesses to what they describe as a vicious assault of a parking attendant earlier this month in the Harbourfront area.

Toronto police responded to the scene near Queens Quay W. and Yonge St. at around 10 p.m. on Dec. 9 and found one person with extensive injuries.

It was quite a vicious assault on this person, who ended up in the ICU in hospital, Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook said Sunday.

The victim was in stable condition following the assault, and Douglas-Cook confirmed he has since improved.

The first suspect is described as between the ages of 30-35 and around five-foot-eight with an average build. He has black hair, a black beard and a black jacket.

The second suspect has a similar description but with a cubby stature. He wore a red-and-white toque, and a red-and-white scarf which may be TFC memorabilia.

The men were in the company of a woman. The trio was last seen leaving the scene in a dark SUV, possibly a mid-2000s make Honda CRV.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS.

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What happens if police never find out who is responsible for the deaths of Honey and Barry Sherman?

An autopsy concluded last weekend that the billionaire couple died from ligature neck compression, or hanging or strangulation with a ligature. Homicide investigators have taken over the case, but it hasnt been labelled a homicide.

There are only two possibilities, David Perry, a 28-year veteran of Toronto polices homicide and sexual assault squads now working as a private investigator, told the Star. These two people died at their own hands or somebody elses.

So thats what theyre trying to figure out and, I would imagine, its quite a piece to put together to come up with an exact or definite determination. And there are cases where we cant, you know?

The bodies of Barry Sherman, 75, founder of generic drug giant Apotex, and his wife, 70, were discovered in their North York home on Dec. 15. Their deaths were deemed suspicious and an investigation began.

Read more:

After the deaths of Honey and Barry Sherman, how do police investigate?

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Though its still early in the case  Perry was quick to note that its been just over a week since the bodies were found  he recalled cases hes worked on or reviewed where police didnt rule a death one way or another because they could not say with 100-per-cent certainty that it was a suicide, a death by misadventure, or a homicide.

So the case kind of stays open, he said. Sometimes, everybody looking at the case would agree on a theory about what happened  but they didnt have the evidence to support it.

You might know the manner and the mechanism of how somebody died, but youre not sure at whose hands, Perry said.

Even in cases where a determination is made, the public can still be left without answers. An intentional explosion in Mississauga last year that destroyed dozens of homes and killed the centre houses inhabitants  Robert Nadler and Diane Page  prompted similar questions to the Sherman case. Was it murder-suicide? An accident?

In the end, Nadlers and Pages deaths were deemed double suicide. There had been speculation during the months-long investigation that the explosion was Nadlers idea  he had a past criminal record including a conviction for a Peel Region murder decades before. Investigators found no evidence to suggest that was the case. No one can know for sure what happened inside that day, and whether one spouse persuaded the other to go along with it.

In other cases, such as the case of Cameron Bailie, the cause of death could remain unknown. Bailies body was found in Lake Ontario in the summer, after he disappeared from his Oshawa home in January. His death remains listed as unexplained following the autopsy, Staff Sgt. Bob Elliot of Durham Regional Police said Saturday. The toxicology report could offer more insight, but it has yet to be completed, he added.

Even when a death is ruled a homicide, it may still go unsolved. Of the 61 deaths ruled as homicides this year in Toronto, 36 remain unsolved, according to the Toronto police website. Twenty-eight of the 74 homicides in 2016 and 18 of the 57 homicides from 2015 also remain unsolved.

In the Sherman case, another possibility Perry floated was that police were prepared to make an announcement, but are holding back out of respect for the family, to let them grieve and bury their loved ones before an announcement was made.

The family has criticized media reports of police sources divulging an early theory that the deaths were a murder-suicide.

Given the high-profile nature of this case, and the fact that the family is already concerned about what the police have said and what police sources have said, I think theyre going to make sure that theyve really got it right before they make any announcements, Perry said.

Beyond the police investigation, the Sherman family has sought the help of lawyer Brian Greenspan to conduct an independent investigation into the couples deaths.

Meanwhile, police continue their investigation at 50 Old Colony Rd., the Shermans house near Bayview Ave. and Highway 401.

Police have inspected the roof and taken one of the Shermans cars away for examination. A car search could be looking for signs of a struggle, blood, or any other evidence to hone the investigation, Perry told the Star.

On Saturday, investigators took their search underground to the sewer system. Sewer searches can sometimes find objects that someone tried to stash, an officer stationed outside on watch the Sherman house told the Star.

A Toronto police spokesperson, Allyson Douglas-Cook, said there were no new announcements from homicide about the case Saturday.

In the days since his death, Barry Sherman has been remembered as a generous philanthropist, as well as a shrewd and litigious businessman. Under his leadership, Apotex launched hundreds of lawsuits against competitors.

In one of Apotexs most high-profile battles, the company went head to head with Dr. Nancy Olivieri, a blood disease specialist at SickKids who was researching the drug deferiprone as an alternative treatment for thalassemia, a disorder that can lead to unsafe buildups of iron.

Olivieri and Dr. Gideon Koren, the discredited doctor at the centre of the Motherisk scandal, were running a clinical trial for Apotex.

When Olivieri, the lead researcher, raised concerns about the efficacy and potentially life threatening risks of the drug, Shermans company threatened legal action and pulled funding for her clinical trial. Neither Apotex nor Koren, who would later disparage Olivieri and her supporters, shared her concerns.

In the years that followed, lawsuits were launched by both parties. It was more than a decade before Olivieri and Apotex settled in 2014.

Research integrity and patient safety were at the heart of the issue, said Arthur Schafer, a University of Manitoba professor and the founding director of the schools Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics, who supported Olivieri as an unpaid ethics consultant throughout the legal battle.

The Olivieri scandal was the greatest ethical scandal I would say in Canadian corporate history and certainly in pharmaceutical history, he said. Its included now in bioethics textbooks, its a standard illustration of how drug company power can be used to subvert the integrity of research hospitals and universities when the profitability of the company and the effectiveness and safety of their drugs is challenged by a researcher.

The company was ruthless, he said, adding that neither the University of Toronto nor SickKids supported Olivieri and in fact attacked her integrity when she came under fire from Apotex.

While Sherman may have sincerely believed Olivieri was wrong, the case doesnt say much for his concern about patient safety or research integrity, Schafer said.

I think it took a tremendous toll on her, he said, but ultimately, she was completely vindicated.

With files from Ainslie Cruickshank and Rachel Mendleson

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The City of Toronto is facing renewed criticism for its handling of the citys shelter crisis following a story last week about a badly injured homeless woman who spent the night on the floor of a drop-in centre after she was hit by a car because no shelter beds were available.

We are playing with peoples lives, and this shell game, at some point we are going to lose and losses will be significant, said Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale).

Wong-Tam said she felt anger, heartbreak, and shame when she heard the story of the homeless woman, identified only as K.A. She suffered a broken shoulder, a gash above her eye and bruising when she was hit by a car near Parliament St. and Bloor St. E. in the early hours of Dec. 7. It was five days before she could access a bed in respite care.

Most of the shelter workers Ive spoken to tell me absolutely, in no uncertain terms  and actually theyve been a lot more forceful in their language lately  that Councillor, we are full,  she said.

While the City of Toronto has a target of a 90 per cent occupancy rate, the shelter system was at 95 per cent capacity on Dec. 21  with more than 5,400 people staying in shelters.

In a statement Mayor John Tory said he has asked city staff to investigate what happened in K.A.s case, which he called an incredibly sad story.

He added that he is deeply concerned about the plight of people who are homeless in Toronto.

Thats why a majority of councillors voted this month to expand the Citys shelter system by 400 beds to deal with the unprecedented demand that we are facing. It is also why over the last three years, we have worked to expand the shelter system by more than 1,300 beds while, at the same time, we have worked to get people off the street and into permanent housing, he said.

While these are steps in the right direction, Wong-Tam said, the citys most recent announcement is ultimately just another temporary Band-Aid.

Dr. Glen Bandiera, the chief of emergency medicine at St. Michaels Hospital, where K.A. was treated following her accident, said, while he cant comment on the specifics of her case, the hospital does have a number of options available to it for patients who may not have anywhere to go or any supports at home, including admitting them to hospital, referring them to long-term care, or respite care.

It depends a lot on the nature of the injuries and what type of environment is most suitable to create a healing environment, he said, adding it also depends on whether the patient wants to avail themselves of any of those options.

While Bandiera said we would not send the patient home if we didnt think it was safe to do so, space is often an issue.

Its not unusual that we have patients that come to St. Michaels and we try to get them into the shelter system and were told that theyre full, he said.

Bandiera said St. Michaels also has a Rotary Centre for patients who are medically discharged but may need time to organize support in the community. But Jessica Slotnick, a community health worker who works with K.A., said they were told the Rotary Centre admissions were only for 18 hours, so K.A. couldnt have spent the night.

Cathy Crowe, a street nurse well known for her work with the homeless, said 70 homeless people have died between January and September.

The mayor has to call a state of emergency around the homeless shelters, she said, adding that shes also calling for the city to commit to 1,000 new shelter beds and to open the armouries for emergency relief.

The mayor, however, is unlikely to call a state of emergency.

Torys director of communications Don Peat said he has been advised that calling a state of emergency wouldnt be an appropriate use of the law. Peat added that the Better Living Centre is preferable to the armouries. The last time the armouries were used, they could only be accessed during the evening hours and for a limited time.

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In the week before Christmas 1867, a horse bolted down Yonge St. in the early evening, wild, free and dangerous.

The Toronto it galloped through, in year one of Confederation, was an industrial place with coal dust in the air. Factories for artificial limbs, hoop skirts, liquor, candy, glue, cabinets and brooms sent their fumes into the low-profile skyline dominated by church steeples. The homes were brick and wood, many were ramshackle, and the outlying streets were dirt, but Yonge and King were paved with crushed stone, bordered with gas street lamps and Yonge was dissected by streetcar rails from King St. northward.

Horses moved the city, pulling streetcars and wagons  and the job was much easier after a good snowfall, an event hailed with joy. Thats because when sleigh runners replaced wheels, it was easier to get around, and even the Toronto Street Railway Co. was prohibited from removing the snow off their tracks and compelled to put on sleighs, Conyngham Crawford Taylor, a local businessman, wrote in Toronto Called back from 1886-1850.

One cannot imagine how animated and brilliant is Toronto when she puts on her snow shoes and gets herself up on runners and tills all the air with the chimes of the sleigh bells, he wrote.

Runaway horses werent a daily occurrence, but they werent uncommon either. The Leader said this horse belonged to Captain Wyatt. The only male Wyatt living in Toronto in 1867 was George H. Wyatt, a ship broker who lived with his wife, children and two servants in a very fine two-storey home near the corner of Front and Peter Sts. Theirs was a neighbourhood of merchants, lawyers and men who listed their occupation simply as gentleman.

Wyatt was in his late 30s, with a beard curling softly off his face, and a thick moustache. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, and his deals included selling the likes of the Bowmanville (which made runs between Havana and Spain); the Queen of the North (ran barley to Ohio); and the Georgian, a steamer that he and a partner sold for around $16,500 during the Civil War.

The Civil War transaction set off a flurry of diplomatic letters, with U.S. authorities claiming it was destined for Confederate agents and a plot to disrupt shipping on the Great Lakes. Wyatt and his partner maintained it was sold to a man for lumber shipping in Michigan, according to the U.S. Naval War Records office.

On Dec. 17, the night his horse broke free, it was around -7 C, the warmest it had been in 10 days, and the bay would freeze soon. Christmas was becoming more commercial, and in the papers, retailers were advertising books, gold jewelry, photographs of eminent politicians, flags of all nations, corn brooms, the finest furs of mink, sable and ermine.

You could also purchase a $10 Christmas case from Lewis Gordon, filled with three bottles of port, three bottles of sherry, two bottles of brandy, one bottle of Scotch whisky, one Jamaican rum and one Old Tom Gin.

It had snowed a few days ago, so the clomping of horseshoes might have been muted as the horse galloped down Yonge St., past the shops that now had their stock of Christmas fruits, including oranges from Spain.

Just past Queen St., the horse collided with its first pedestrian  a woman who was dazed, but OK. She was carried into Henry Roses drug shop at Yonge and Richmond. Yonge St. was a staple for working and middle-class people, with grocers, hardware shops and druggists. King St., where the horse was headed, was a touch grander: jewelry, carpets, furs, dressmakers. It was a place to be seen. Doing King was a trend that would soon catch the attention of the Canadian Illustrated News, a publication launched in 1869.

Would you wish to hear the last imprudence of young Harum Scarum or the progress of Miss Slowcomes engagement? Taylor wrote, quoting the Illustrated News piece. You may be sure before you take half a dozen turns some conversant intelligent busy body of your acquaintance will have whispered the facts of the case in your ear.

At the intersection of King and Yonge, newsies  many of them children  sold Torontos three daily papers, the Globe, the Daily Telegraph and the Leader, where you could read the latest instalment of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collinss No Thoroughfare, or assess the zingers from Ottawa, as politicians debated the route of the railway promised to the Maritime provinces.

Railways were speeding up the world, but progress came at a price, which would be headline news tomorrow when two train cars derailed and rolled down an embankment in western New York, igniting a blaze that killed close to 50 people in one of the worst U.S. railway incidents of the 19th century. The Angola Horror would lead to safety reforms, but that was in the future, and right now, the greatest danger was not a train, but a horse running directly toward the corner of Yonge and King, where 13-year-old Esther Hewitt sold newspapers.

Esther was the eldest child of Mary Ann and Allen Hewitt, a couple in their mid-30s who left England for a new life in Canada in the early 1860s. The family tried Quebec first but landed in Toronto by 1866. In the first year of the new dominion, Mary Ann, Allen and their five children lived at 39 University St., north of Osgoode Hall.

It was a street where landlords owned tracts of homes and rented them to carpenters, shoemakers, wagon makers, carriage builders, stonecutters, and labourers like Allen Hewitt. The homes were filled with large families, and a dozen houses north, seven cattle grazed in the yard. Esther, like many children in Toronto, was working to help pay the bills.

We were not a city that looked after the poor and the destitute  there were thousands who lived on the streets, says Bruce Bell, a local historian and tour guide. Were talking families living underneath wharves and piers, orphans as young as 5 and 6 abandoned, begging outside the market.

The Leader newspaper had its headquarters at the eastern edge of where the King Edward Hotel now stands, and it was the only paper to file a report on Esther, who was lying on the ground with deep gash on her head. She wasnt making sense; bystanders guessed she was bleeding internally, and they were right. Esther died on Christmas, and was buried at St. James Cemetery, in the St. Georges Society plot. In 1869, her younger brother would join her there.

Bill Britnell, a volunteer genealogist at the cemetery who researched the Hewitts, said the society buried people from families who approached them, so long as they were in need and faithful to the British flag.

Most people in Toronto were British. By the 1871 census, 96 per cent cited English, Irish or Scottish ancestry. The rest of the city was a small sample of the multiculturalism to come, according to research from Black Creek Pioneer Village: 985 German, 572 French, 551 African, 85 Welsh, 81 Russian/Polish, 62 Dutch, 34 Italian, 21 Swiss, 20 Scandinavian, 11 Jewish, nine Spanish/Portuguese, four Indian, one Greek, one Half Breed and 10 various other origins.

Wayne Reeves, the citys chief curator, says there was also a surge in Catholics at this time, challenging Protestant dominance, and a growing number of people born in Canada, like some of the younger children in the Hewitt family.

After Esther was run down by the horse, while the crowd was carrying her into a nearby drugstore, the beast turned east, galloping toward the jumble of warehouses and wharves of the old city, which still had a maritime feel, even though railways had moved onto the waterfront, transforming Toronto into a regional transportation hub.

Goods were arriving for Christmas: Spanish ports and sherries, English cheese, French vases, Parisian marble statuettes, New York oysters. Torontonians mostly ate local meat and vegetables, but by 1867, its the beginning of a transition from a very local food system to a globally connected one, says Daniel Bender, food historian and director of the Culinaria Research Centre at University of Toronto Scarborough.

The horse collided with a military cadet at Church and King (he was fine) and then the animal aimed for St. Lawrence Market, where the busiest season of the year would soon be underway. The harvest was over, animals had been awarded ribbons at the Provincial Fair, and this was slaughtering season. At Christmas, the beef, mutton and lamb were fresh, and not salted, or slathered with cream or brandy to mask the unpleasant taste of bad meat.

In a few days, the building would be packed with families picking their perfect Christmas dinner, gourmands eyeing up the fat of the mutton, and children staring at the carcass of the magnificent black bear that James Britton had in Stall 13, alongside his steer and sheep  the markets largest, he claimed, angling for an edge over John Mallon. Mallon also had a black bear, a prize heifer and a steer who could not be beaten in the New Dominion, according to the papers.

The horse didnt hurt anyone near the market  it was captured and returned to Captain Wyatt. At the inquest on Dec. 26, the jury returned a verdict against Wyatt, but no penalty was noted. Esthers father said hed sue, but there is no evidence that he did, and by 1871, the Hewitt family had moved to London, Ont.

When Christmas arrived, it was a warmer than usual, with not enough snow on the ground for sledding. People walked to church and visited friends, and alcohol flowed. Maybe, if they were lucky, families went to the Lyceum, where Aladdin of the Wonderful Lamp was on the boards, a play of comedy and sensational surprises. Most shops were closed, except for taverns and candy purveyors.

The St. Georges Society, the same society that paid for Esthers burial, handed out 350 tickets to the English poor, redeemable for meat, bread, tea, coffee, rice, raisins and currants.

They likely took care of the Hewitt Christmas dinner. As a small gesture, it would have been appreciated.

Because even during the holidays, when a fresh coat of snow dulled some of the citys edges, life was difficult. Toronto was a hard place in any season.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story mistakenly stated that The Leader newspaper had its headquarters where the Royal York Hotel now stands.

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WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.President Donald Trump again questioned the impartiality of the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

In a tweet Saturday, the president wrote: 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?

McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by lawmakers on two separate committees as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clintons email practices when she was secretary of state. His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

McCabes wife, Jill, received $700,000 in donations from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffes political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015. The money was donated before McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation. McAuliffe is a longtime supporter of Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton.

McCabe became acting FBI director last May after Trump fired Comey, who was overseeing the bureaus investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump maintains there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government, and has blasted the investigation as a witch hunt.

From his South Florida home, where he is spending the holidays, Trump also tweeted that McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!

McCabe plans to retire in about 90 days, when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits, the Washington Post reported Saturday, citing people familiar with the situation. Trump and his Republican allies have made it clear that they want McCabe out of the FBI. But McCabe is a civil service employee who cannot be fired without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

McCabe was among the candidates Trump interviewed for the FBI directors job after he dismissed Comey. He also has been a focus of Trumps ire for some time.

McCabe, who was appointed deputy director in January 2016, has endured one of the most contentious periods in the FBIs history. He has had to deal with mass shootings and terrorist attacks that have rattled the country while navigating the incendiary politics of two highly charged investigations.

He dealt with the FBI investigation into whether Clinton mishandled classified information when she used a private email server. Republicans, including Trump, have relentlessly criticized the FBI for the way it handled that investigation. Clinton was not charged, nor were any of her aides. McCabe has also been deeply involved in the FBIs investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 election and the potential involvement of the Trump campaign.

Trump originally tweeted about McCabes wifes campaign in July, inaccurately describing the campaign donation as coming from Clinton: Problem is that the acting head of the FBI & the person in charge of the Hillary investigation, Andrew McCabe, got $700,000 from H for wife!

In a second tweet that month, the president asked: Why didnt A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation, referring to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

His defenders say he has done his job admirably in the face of intense partisan attacks while navigating crisis after crisis.

The political hit job on McCabe  his supposed ideological bias, the fact his wife ran for office as a Democrat, the attacks on his competence  are way out of line, said Frank Montoya, a former senior FBI official who retired in 2016 and worked closely with McCabe. The people who are making these baseless accusations dont know McCabe. I do. The guys a total pro. His only motivation is to support and defend the Constitution.

His detractors see McCabe as an ambitious creature of Washington who did not spend enough time as an agent working with informants and making cases. Those critical of McCabe believe he lacked the operational experience to become director and needed to spend more time in the field.

But even among some of those who dislike McCabe, he earned their grudging respect when he stood up to Trump and defended the FBI and Comeys tenure during a heated congressional hearing in May while he was acting director.

The FBI declined to comment on reports about retirement by McCabe, who was summoned to Capitol Hill this week and grilled for hours by two congressional committees.

Republicans charge that an anti-Trump bias exists in the bureaus ranks, citing the campaign donations to McCabes wife and, more recently, the release of hundreds of text messages between FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Strzok and Page used words like idiot and loathsome human to describe Trump during the campaign.

Strzok was removed the team of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the Russia investigation, over the summer after the text messages surfaced.

Democrats accuse the GOP of diversionary tactics and say their criticism could embolden Trump to take steps to fire Mueller.

Trump said this week that hes not considering firing Mueller.

With files from the New York Times

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WASHINGTONJust in time for the peak holiday travel season, D.C. congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is issuing a not-so-friendly reminder to Transportation Security Administration officers.

Yes, the District of Columbia is a real place. Yes, its in the United States. And yes, D.C. residents can use their D.C. drivers licenses to travel through airport security.

In a letter sent to TSA Administrator David Pekoske this week, Norton said she was dismayed to learn that D.C. residents are still encountering problems at airport security using their licenses to board domestic flights.

She described the latest episode as humiliating.

According to Nortons letter, a D.C. resident was stopped in the TSA line at Newark Liberty International Airport at Thanksgiving.

The TSO [transportation security officer] refused to accept her District license as a valid form of ID, Norton said. It is my understanding that other TSOs came over and discussed whether it was valid before letting her through, although the resident nearly missed her flight as a result.

Mishaps related to the District of Columbias licenses first arose in 2013, after the design of the ID cards were changed from saying Washington, D.C. to District of Columbia. The alteration was made so the design of the licenses would conform with the official, charter-enshrined name of D.C.

Since then, TSA agents charged with checking passengers IDs have occasionally rejected the cards featuring the new design. At times, those agents appeared unaware that District of Columbia was the origin of the D.C. abbreviation.

In her letter on Wednesday, Norton requested that TSA managers remind their staff that the licenses bearing District of Columbia are a valid form of identification.

As Im sure you can imagine, Norton added, it can be humiliating for a U.S. citizen to be delayed because a federal government employee does not recognize the name of the District of Columbia.

On Thursday, a TSA spokesman said agency officials have re-upped the notifications to ensure that D.C. ID-bearers arent turned away in airports.

TSA will continue to work with congresswoman Holmes Norton about her concerns and reminders have been distributed to officers, the spokesman said.

But its not just airport security officers who have gotten confused by seeing the Districts full moniker.

Last year, several Washingtonians reported that they were not allowed to purchase beer at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, because vendors mistakenly believed the identifications hailed from a foreign country. (Its unclear whether they were confusing Columbia with Colombia, the nation in Latin America.)

The ongoing complications with the District of Columbia licenses is part of the reason that, earlier this year, D.C. officials decided to return to using Washington, D.C. as the primary identifier on D.C.-issued IDs.

The administration determined Washington, D.C. better represents the city and will reduce confusion in other jurisdictions, D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles director Lucinda Babers said at the time.

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SEATTLEA federal judge in Seattle has partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees.

U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled Saturday for the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service after they urged him to halt the ban on refugees from some mostly Muslim countries.

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications. He said his order does not apply to refugees without a bona fide relationship to a person or an entity within the United States.

President Donald Trump restarted the refugee program in October with enhanced vetting capabilities.

It came after the heads of three U.S. agencies sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees must be excluded unless additional security measures are implemented.

It applies to the families of refugees already living in the U.S. and all refugees from 11 countries.

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Merry Christmas, Montanans! Donald Trump and the Republican Congress have just delivered what Trump is calling a massive tax cut as a Christmas gift just for you this year. So when you look under your Christmas tree what are you going to find? It wont be massive and it wont be middle class. They saved the massive part for corporations and the wealthy.

When Trump and Congress went shopping for your Christmas gift, unfortunately, they hadnt gotten your wish list yet but the lobbyists, corporations, donors and the wealthy had been sitting on Santas lap and whispering in his ear all along. So, their gifts were at the top of the list. And just like you, Congress found that all those gift requests exceeded the Christmas budget. And just like you, Congress pulled out the credit card. But unlike you, they dont intend and dont have to ever pay it off. According to the Congressional Budget Office, if all of the rosy assumptions used to cost this tax bill are met, this Christmas gift will increase the national credit card balance by a mere $1.445 trillion.

Oh, and the one thing they forgot to tell you, there is a Grinch that comes with your Christmas gift. In eight years, the Grinch is going to make you give your Christmas gift back while the corporations get to keep their gift. So dont forget to send a big thank you to our two debt-loving fiscal conservatives, Steve Daines and Greg Gianforte. There would have been no Christmas gift without their votes.

Art Foeste

Billings
Home Ministry silent on specific allegations

NHRC to draw President's attention

Sagar Biswas :

Getting apparently 'no response' from the Home Ministry about specific allegations against law enforcement agency members regarding increasing incidents of human rights violation, the National Human Rights Commission [NHRC] has decided to bring the matter to President's attention.

According to information available, the NHRC has sent letters to the Home Ministry seeking reports on human rights violation on 185 incidents -- particularly abduction, force disappearance and extra-judicial killing. But it has not got any response.

"We'll inform the matter to the President. The NHRC is a State organization. We've got the right to seek report from Home Ministry on human violations. The government service holders are accountable to the people. If they fail to accomplish their duty, stern action should be taken against them," Chairman of NHRC Kazi Reazul Hoque told The New Nation on Sunday night.

The NHRC Chief said, "As the President is the Head of the state, he can taken decision about what action will be taken. If the President thinks, he can send the matter in the Parliament."

Despite increasing incidents of human rights violations, including abduction, force disappearance and extra-judicial killing; the NHRC has allegedly failed to take any effective steps to deal with the matter.

Although the NHRC Chief has expressed anxiety at the increasing number of human rights violation incidents across the country, in fact the commission was able to investigate four incidents only in the ongoing year.

Interestingly, the NHRC tried to shift blame on the shoulders of the law enforcement agencies, especially the Home Ministry, alleging that they do not bother four letters to the Home Ministry in 2012, 10 in 2013, 53 in 2014, 73 in 2015, 16 in 2016 and 29 in 2017. Even, it sent a letter compiling all the allegations to the same Ministry in February this year. And surprisingly, in most cases the Ministry failed to response.

In this backdrop, the NHRC has taken further initiatives to prepare another list of allegations with update information in a bid to send to the Home Ministry and police headquarters.

Expressing annoyance, the NHRC Chairman said, "It is a total failure of Home Ministry. It seems, the Home Ministry doesn't do any work. Whereas, they are bound to give report to the NHRC."

"If we seek any report about specific allegations against any member/members of police and other law enforcement agencies, the Home Ministry doesn't pay any heed. In this regard, they are violating the country's existing law. Now, the state will take action," he said.

It is learnt that most of the allegations have been raised against the members of law enforcement agencies in the cases of abduction and other human rights violations. In these cases, the Home Ministry seeks report from concerned police stations. It's a funny thing that the Officers-in-Charge often submit their reports giving 'clean chit' to the accused law enforcement agency members.

There are widespread allegations that the NHRC seeing no other alternative now has become busy with meetings and seminars instead of playing positive role in resisting increasing incidents of human rights violation. The NHRC Chairman, however, denied the allegation.


WASHINGTONBuckley Kuhn-Fricker was so disturbed by what she discovered about her teenage daughters boyfriend that she spent a tumultuous week pushing for a breakup. By Thursday, she texted a friend saying the outspoken Neo Nazi was out of their lives.

But just hours later, the family said the 17-year-old boyfriend had shot and killed Kuhn-Fricker, 43, and her husband, Scott, 48 in their home in Reston, Va. It happened about 5 a.m. Friday, while the couples children and relatives were inside. They had gathered to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

The teen, who shot himself and is in critical condition at a hospital, was charged with two counts of murder Saturday after police spent Friday investigating at the large, green, single-family home decorated with Christmas wreaths and snowflakes. The Washington Post generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes unless they are charged as adults. The family of the teen declined to comment.

Fairfax County police would not offer a motive for the double slaying, but family members and friends tied it directly to the couples struggle to keep hate out of their home, as one friend put it. They agreed to talk about the efforts because they said it was important to expose what happened.

Friends and family said Kuhn-Fricker, who owned an elder-care business, was tolerant and passionate about civil rights and social justice, so she put her foot down after discovering alarming tweets and Twitter messages she believed were connected to her 16-year-old daughters boyfriend after looking at the girls phone. She believed the messages were posted under an assumed name.

On Sunday night, Kuhn-Fricker alerted the principal of the Fairfax County private school that her daughter and the boyfriend attend, attaching numerous images of the account that had retweeted missives praising Hitler, supporting Nazi book burnings, calling for white revolution, making derogatory comments about Jews and featuring an illustration of a man hanging from a noose beneath a slur for gay people.

In a series of private Twitter messages, the account Kuhn-Fricker attributed to the boyfriend responded to a photo of a candy shop that featured a display of a dreidel by writing, ima run in there with my swastika armband right now.

I would feel a little bad reporting him if his online access was to basically be a normal teen, but he is a monster, and I have no pity for people like that, Kuhn-Fricker wrote in the email. He made these choices. He is spreading hate.

The Post could not independently confirm that the accounts were tied to the boyfriend. A friend with whom Kuhn-Fricker shared the email provided it to the Post.

Kuhn-Fricker wrote that her daughter told her over the summer that the boyfriend was very good at history and that her daughter asked, Did you know that Jews are partly to blame for WWII?

Janet Kuhn, Kuhn-Frickers mother, said her daughter told her she believed the boyfriend was trying to indoctrinate the girl with white-supremacist ideas. Kuhn and friends said the girl spent hours on the phone with the boyfriend, often just listening to him talk.

The pair began dating in June.

Friends described it as a passionate relationship that quickly deepened. In the email to the principal, Kuhn-Fricker said her daughter grew so upset in recent weeks when she told her to stop seeing the boyfriend the teenager refused to eat.

We cant allow her to see someone associated with Nazis, a friend who spoke on the condition of anonymity recalled Kuhn-Fricker saying. We dont associate with hate groups in our house.

Janet Kuhn said the family staged an intervention with her granddaughter on Wednesday, taking her to the District of Columbia to a friends house to try to persuade her to stay away from the boyfriend. There was anger, crying and a long discussion about the Nazis, she said, but the teenager eventually agreed it was in her best interests to end the relationship.

After the girl broke it off, Kuhn-Fricker texted a friend Thursday night, saying she had sent the following message to the boyfriends mother: The boyfriend was sneaking into our house at night . . . and is an outspoken Neo Nazi. These things render any legal redemption void.

Repeated efforts to obtain comments from the boyfriends family were unsuccessful. A woman who answered the phone at one number associated with the teens family hung up when called by a reporter. A woman who answered another number linked to the family declined to comment. A man who later answered the same number hung up when reached by the Post.

Janet Kuhn said her daughters last Facebook post came late Thursday night. Her daughter put up a famous quote from the Irish philosopher and statesman Edmund Burke: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Kuhn thinks it was a reference to the situation with her granddaughter. Her daughter had also asked for recommendations of documentaries about the Second World War that the family could watch together.

Kuhn said a detective revealed that her daughter and son-in-law went to check on her granddaughter in the early hours of Friday morning, after possibly hearing a sound. The parents discovered the boyfriend in their daughters bedroom, according to the detectives account.

Scott Fricker yelled at the boyfriend to get out of the house and to never return, Kuhn said the detective told her. At that point, the boyfriend pulled out a gun and shot both parents, the detective told Kuhn.

The boyfriend then shot himself in the head, Kuhn said.

Kuhn said her daughter grew up in McLean, Va. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, before getting a law degree from the University of Denver. Kuhn-Fricker became interested in elder issues because her mother was an elder-law attorney.

She started Buckleys, her elder-care company, in 2005 and wrote a book about the topic. Friends said she could have charged more for her services, but genuinely wanted to help the elderly.

She was interested in politics and had served as a precinct captain for former president Barack Obamas campaign, a friend said.

Scott Fricker had a doctorate and worked at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Janet Kuhn said. She described him as a wonderful, loving and engaged father.

The pair were married in 2005.

Kuhn said her daughter had an adult son, who lives on his own. The teenage daughter and a 10-year-old son live in the Reston home. The two older children are from her daughters first marriage, Kuhn said.

Friends and family wondered if the resurgence of hate groups in the country, represented by events like the deadly protest in Charlottesville over the summer, have emboldened those with racially divisive ideas.

Im in shock, Janet Kuhn said. I havent been able to cry yet.

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DENVERAlexa, wheres Santa?

Amazons diligent, computerized know-it-all is the latest technology to enlist in NORAD Tracks Santa, the military-run program that fields phone calls and emails from children around the world eager to ask when Santa will arrive.

Now entering its 62nd year, NORAD Tracks Santa will go live Sunday, with about 1,500 volunteers answering calls and emails at Peterson air force base in Colorado Springs. Updates will be posted on social media and at www.noradsanta.org.

And if you have Amazons voice-activated Echo device, you can ask Alexa once you enable the function.

Technology has always been at the heart of NORAD Tracks Santa, which got its start in 1955 with an old-school glitch.

An advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper that year invited kids to call Santa, but it mistakenly listed the number for the hotline at the U.S. Continental Air Defence Command. CONAD, as it was called, had the job of monitoring a vast radar network from a combat operations centre in Colorado Springs, searching the skies for any hint of a nuclear attack by the onetime Soviet Union.

Col. Harry Shoup, who was in charge of the operations centre, took the first childs call. Once he figured out what was happening, he played along, he said in a 1999 interview with The Associated Press.

Here I am saying, Ho, ho, ho, I am Santa,  said Shoup, who died in 2009. The crew was looking at me like I had lost it.

He told his staff what was happening and told them to play along, too.

Its not clear what day the first call came in, but by Friday, Dec. 23 of that first year, the AP reported that CONAD was tracking Santa.

Note to the kiddies, the story began, under a Colorado Springs dateline. Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defence Command combat operations centre here which began plotting his journey from the North Pole early this morning.

Maybe hoping to soothe a jittery nation, the story added: CONAD, Army, Navy and Marine Air Forces will continue to track and guard Santa and his sleigh on his trip to and from the U.S. against possible attack from those who do not believe in Christmas. That was probably a reference to the officially atheist Soviet Union.

The history of the program over the next few years isnt well documented, said Preston Schlachter, a spokesperson for the North American Aerospace Defence Command or NORAD, a U.S.-Canadian command that eventually succeeded CONAD.

But TV and radio stations began broadcasting Christmas Eve bulletins from CONAD and NORAD. And by the 1980s, NORAD was soliciting phone calls from children. (The number is now 877-Hi NORAD or 877-446-6723.)

NORAD added its Santa-tracking website in 1997. It went on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in 2008. Mobile apps came in 2011, Instagram in 2016.

Last year, NORAD Tracks Santa got nearly 154,200 phone calls and drew 10.7 million unique visitors to its website. It snared 1.8 million Facebook followers, 382,000 YouTube views and 177,000 Twitter followers.

And this year, Alexa joins the party.

Technology and the Santa Claus story have a long but uneasy history together, said Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian whose books include Santa Claus: A Biography and Christmas in the Crosshairs: Two Thousand Years of Denouncing and Defending the Worlds Most Celebrated Holiday.

Every new technology gets tried on Santa, Bowler said. In the late 1800s, for example, he was depicted chatting with children on the telephone, then a new and wondrous invention.

But NORADs Santa tracker is one of the only technological upgrades the public has welcomed into the Santa story, Bowler said.

I think that it will be ultimately incompatible with most technology, Bowler said. Im sure of it, because he represents something timeless, and we dont want him to become dated.

We dont want him using a fax machine or carrying around one of those five-pound cellphones, he said.

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Even in death, Charles Manson is troublesome.

A month after the mass murderer died in a Bakersfield, Calif., hospital, several people claim his remains. This has put the final disposition of Manson in limbo, setting the stage for a macabre and unusual legal battle.

With so many parties competing for the body, Kern County lawyers filed paperwork in Los Angeles County Superior Court in hopes of determining who should receive the remains.

Read more:

219 people who died in 2017, and why they were important

Evil, sophisticated con man Charles Manson dies in California

A reporter reflects on the surreal spectacle that was the Charles Manson trial

The Kern County coroner doesnt want to release the remains to the wrong person and end up getting sued, the county attorney said.

This is a really weird legal case, said Bryan Walters, a deputy attorney in the Kern County counsels office. Weve had pen pals that claim they have written wills. Its like a circus, and nothing is clear where we should hang our hat on.

Kern County became the custodian of Mansons body by chance  he just happened to die in its jurisdiction.

We have the following problem were trying to cope with here: The Department of Corrections asked the Kern County Coroner to receive the body because we have refrigeration and they dont, Walters said. When we received it, we thought no one would claim the body. We assumed it would be an easy matter to take care of.

But this is Charles Manson, the mastermind of the gory rampage that claimed the life of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others on two August nights in Los Angeles in 1969.

A grandson in Florida and pen pals in California and Illinois all say they have a right to the remains. Two men who say they are Mansons sons  one in Van Nuys, the other in Wisconsin  could also stake a claim, according to Kern County attorneys.

Ben Gurecki is one of those people. Gurecki lives in Illinois and maintains a website dedicated to his correspondence with Manson and the killers music. His YouTube channel, Mansons Underworld Productions, includes videos of Gurecki talking about Manson and listening to recordings of his phone conversations with the killer.

Gurecki said he is working with Matthew Robert Lentz, who says hes one of Mansons sons, to bury him. Lentz, of Van Nuys, has claimed that the killer sent him a signed will giving him his entire estate.

Its a circus. It shouldnt even be a question. Hes got a son, his son has got the will, Gurecki said Friday. We want to give him a proper burial.

Another person who appears ready to stake a claim is Michael Channels of Los Angeles County, according to the Kern County court filing. Channels runs the website Mansonsbackporch.com, an online museum dedicated to the killer on which he posts images and recordings going back more than 40 years.

Soon after Mansons death, the celebrity news site TMZ reported that it had obtained a copy of a last will and testament from Channels signed by Manson and stamped Charles Manson AUTHENTIC. Its unclear whether the will is authentic.

Channels did not respond to a request for comment.

Walters, the Kern County counsel, said the only court filing hes found regarding Mansons remains belongs to Jason Freeman, Mansons reported grandson in Florida.

In Freemans petition, filed in Los Angeles County through two intermediaries he hired to handle the case, he provides his birth certificate and a judgment of entry from 1986 that shows he is the son of Charles Millis Manson Jr.

Freemans father killed himself in 1993. He has taken it upon himself to do what he says is right by his grandfather.

I think of my father. My father would do the same steps that Im doing to bury his father, he said. Blood is thicker than water and the roots run deep. Im a fighter, Ive always been a fighter and I know my grandfather has been too.

Freeman said if he were given Mansons estate and his body, he would try to reverse the pop-culture tide that has raised his grandfathers legacy to iconic status.

He would cremate Mansons body, spread the ashes in a small, private service and not disclose the location to anyone.

Its not fair to the victims of this situation, he said. It causes a ripple effect. It moved from my grandfathers generation into my fathers generation and into my generation. I hope through the course of time to tell the other side.

Before finding out who gets Mansons corpse, officials must determine the venue for that court battle, Walters said.

The proper jurisdiction for administering a decedents estate is the county where they were domiciled, according to state health and safety code.

What is the domicile of Charles Manson? He wouldve returned to Los Angeles? He couldve been shipped everywhere by the prison system. Is it where he was housed? Walters said.

Manson lived in Los Angeles County before he was imprisoned and was arrested in Death Valley, in Inyo County. He was incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison, in Kings County. He died Nov. 19 at age 83 in a Kern County hospital.

Santa Ana-based attorney Alan Davis filed the petition on behalf of Freeman in Los Angeles this month. Davis said hes not surprised others are seeking to claim Mansons estate.

Im sure there will be more. People will come out of the woodwork whenever someone famous dies, he said. I didnt really expect that we were going to make a lot of money out of it. Its just like any other probate to me.

Walters said his office is considering seeking a court order to determine who should get Mansons body. That request would be filed in Kern County because thats where the body is stored.

The corpse is here, so that court should have jurisdiction, he said. Of course, I cant find any case law. It kind of follows the general feel of jurisdiction.

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North Korea said sanctions imposed by the United Nations last week are an act of war and has vowed to bolster its nuclear force in an outright rejection of the resolution.

We define this sanctions resolution rigged by the U.S. and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic and as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the region, North Koreas foreign ministry said in a statement on state media Sunday.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously Friday to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests. It was the third time this year that the council had placed sanctions on North Korea, this time further squeezing its oil imports and demanding that other countries repatriate North Korean guest workers within two years.

Read more:

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The sanctions are the latest effort to get the North Korean regime of leader Kim Jong Un to negotiate and eventually abandon development of nuclear weapons. The previous round of sanctions, imposed in mid-September, was followed by more than two months of calm. That was shattered by a Nov. 29 test of what Pyongyang called its most powerful intercontinental missile ever.

The North Korean foreign ministry said the sanctions are tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea.

If the U.S. wishes to live safely, it must abandon its hostile policy toward the DPRK and learn to coexist with the country that has nuclear weapons and should wake up from its pipe dream of our country giving up nuclear weapons which we have developed and completed through all kinds of hardships, said the statement, carried by the Norths official Korean Central News Agency.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the Security Council that the most recent test was another attempt by the Kim regime to masquerade as a great power while their people starve and their soldiers defect.

We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the U.S. nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the U.S., North Koreas foreign ministry said Sunday.

The Trump administrations success in achieving the resolution won praise from the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin of Maryland. That was a good move, the senator said, a major accomplishment. Cardin said the stepped-up sanctions should be followed by diplomacy aimed at bringing the U.S. and China together on a sustained effort to ease tensions in that region. Cardin spoke on Fox News Sunday.

But the resolution doesnt include even harsher measures sought by the Trump administration that would ban all oil imports and freeze international assets of the government and its leader, Kim Jong Un.

The resolution drew criticism from Russia for the short time the Security Council nations had to consider the draft, and last-minute changes to the text. Two of those changes were extending the deadline for North Korean workers to return home from 12 months to 24 months  which Russia said was the minimum needed  and reducing the number of North Koreans being put on the UN sanctions blacklist from 19 to 15.

With files from The Associated Press

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BANGKOKAfter facing international outrage and charges of ethnic cleansing, Burma made a pledge: Rohingya Muslims who fled the country by the hundreds of thousands would start their journey home within weeks.

With so many obstacles, however, and no real sign of good will, few believe that will happen.

The returns are supposed to be voluntary. But many members of the religious minority, now living in sprawling refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, are afraid to go back.

They dont trust the nationalist-led government and feel widely hated by the general population. Meanwhile, the military, which violently ousted them, says the refugees shouldnt expect to return in large numbers.

Read more:

She gave birth in no-mans-land. I went to learn the name of her son

What have they done to us? Survivors recount brutal massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Burmese village

At least 6,700 Rohingya killed in Myanmar between August and September, aid group says

Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country of 60 million also known as Myanmar, was basking in international praise just a few years ago as it transitioned to democracy after a half-century of dictatorship. Since then, a campaign of killings, rape and arson attacks by security forces and Buddhist-aligned mobs have sent more than 850,000 of the countrys 1.3 million Rohingya fleeing.

Denied citizenship by the Burmese government and targeted by what other countries call ethnic cleansing, the Rohingya are among the most mistreated people on Earth. And within this traumatized population, women are uniquely vulnerable. All too often, a Rohingya woman is fated to be passed, like chattel, from man to man  father to husband, soldier to sex trafficker  even in the supposed safety of the refugee camp.

The mostly stateless Rohingya have been sequestered and preyed upon by Burmas military for years. Human rights groups have long accused the Tatmadaw, as the countrys security forces are known, of regular assault of Rohingya girls and women. (The security forces have been accused of that pattern with women of other ethnic minorities as well.)

But the latest campaign of gang rape against the Rohingya has been so brutal and systematic that Pramila Patten, a United Nations special representative on sexual violence in conflict, deemed it a calculated tool of terror aimed at the extermination and removal of the Rohingya as a group.

Their home for generations, the northern tip of Rakhine state, is now virtually empty.

Doctors Without Borders estimated this month that at least 6,700 Rohingya men, women and children met violent deaths in Burma from late August to late September. Nearly 70 per cent of the victims died of gunshot, the medical aid group said, adding that its mortality figure was almost certainly an underestimation.

With so many men missing, single mothers now head 17 per cent of Rohingya households in refugee camps in Bangladesh, according to the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

In an apparent effort to quiet criticism, Burma reached an agreement with Bangladesh last month saying refugees would start returning home before Jan. 23.

There is no way that will happen, says Chris Lewa, a leading expert on the Rohingya and the policies that have made them one of the worlds most persecuted minorities. The government, she notes, has done almost nothing to prepare.

While Burma said the Rohingya would be allowed to settle in their original homes, few of which remain standing, some officials have talked about putting them in camps in northern Rakhine.

Already, two barracks have been constructed next to a police post in the Rakhine state village of Taungpyo Letwe to receive returnees, the Ministry of Information said. The government has stockpiled material and started breaking ground for 41 modular houses.

The idea, the ministry said, is that returnees can stay there temporarily.

That scares Arif Ullah, a 34-year-old Rohingya living at the Balukali camp in Bangladesh. He worries it could lead to something more permanent like apartheid-style camps erected after violence broke out in Sittwe, the state capital, in 2012.

Five years later, those camps remain home to 120,000 people. International aid agencies are effectively banned and the Rohingya have little access to food, education or basic medical care. Mothers regularly die in childbirth. Babies and children have clear signs of malnutrition.

We miss our home, said Arif Ullah, married and a father of two. But we are human beings.

If the Myanmar government is really willing to take us back and give us our rights, they could have built houses on the land where our houses were burned down, he said. But clearly they dont want to do that. And we are not going back to just live in the camps.

Anagha Neelakantan, Asia director of the International Crisis Group, meanwhile, warned of potential security risks. She also does not believe large numbers of Rohingya will be returning from Bangladesh any time soon.

And the presence of so many traumatized, hopeless refugees in Bangladesh, she said, could be a recipe for further instability and possible cross-border attacks by Rohingya militants, known as ARSA.

Attacks by ARSA inside Rakhine state  first in October 2016 and then again in August  triggered the armys heavy-handed, indiscriminate response.

Well-trained and funded in part by the Middle East, the militants agenda appears to be localized. They want the Rohingya to enjoy the same rights as others in Burma. But if the situation does not improve, there are fears the militants could be exploited by transnational jihadists with their own aims.

Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, says the decision as to who returns and when should not be left to governments. It should be for residents inside Burma to decide.

It is impossible to accept the number of persons proposed by Bangladesh, he said last month in a statement. Emphasis must be placed on wish of local Rakhine ethnic people who are real Myanmar citizens. Only when local Rakhine ethnic people accept it, will all the people satisfy it.

Though many Rohingya have been living in Burma for generations, they are seen by most people in the country as foreign invaders from Bangladesh. They have been denied citizenship, effectively rendering them stateless.

In addition to saying the Muslim minority should be allowed to return freely, safely and in dignity, Burmas agreement with Bangladesh says Rohingya will need to provide evidence of their residency  something many say they do not have.

While the agreement says that the UN High Commission for Refugees will play a role in the repatriations, Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson in Geneva, said they have so far been excluded from initial discussions between Burma and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh wants them to be involved, sources say. Burma does not.

After the widespread atrocities, safe and voluntary return of Rohingya will require international monitors on the ground in Burma, said Bill Frelick, refugee rights director at Human Rights Watch. This, he says, means a central role for the UNHCR.

But how that can happen and when is just one of the many obstacles to a Rohingya return to Myanmar that many fear, many simply dont want  and that, in the context of the months of violence that 2017 brought to so many people, is for the moment a political talking point and very little else.

With files from the New York Times

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Carnival Corporation & plc is a leisure travel company operating a fleet of cruise ships, hotels, and resorts with international destinations. Brands under the Carnival Corporation umbrella include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Seaborn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, and Cunard. The companys goal is to provide extraordinary vacations at an exceptional value. As of 2022, the company laid claim to nearly half of the global cruising market share with several new ships in the works.

Carnival Cruise Line was launched in 1972 with one second-hand ship and a tank of fuel. The first port of call was San Juan, Puerto Rico, but soon more were added. The original growth strategy included a festive atmosphere, features and amenities unlike any other cruise line at the time. Slow to start, the growth strategy shifted into overdrive in 1980 when Carnival shocked the world by building its own ship. The Tropicale became an iconic name in the cruising industry and sparked a wave of shipbuilding that is still underway.

The companys growth hit a new stride in 1987 following the IPO which floated 20% of the company on the open market. The proceeds from the IPO allowed the company to embark on a voyage of acquisition and now Carnival is the worlds largest travel and leisure business.

Today, Carnival Corporations 87 ships visit approximately 700 ports worldwide and employ more than 120,000 people while serving more than 13 million guests annually for a total of 85 million passenger cruise days per year. Net revenue, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, peaked out at over $6.5 billion annually.

Carnival Cruise Line is the companys largest brand serving guests on all coasts of North America. The brand's 22 ships make 1500 voyages per year with trips ranging from 2 days to 3 weeks and ports of call from the Caribbean to Alaska. The company's largest ship is named Panorama and can accommodate more than 4,000 passengers.

Carnivals 9 brands provide access to a wide range of cruising styles and destinations including the Caribbean, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, England, and ports in Asia. The company is headquartered in Miami, Florida and has offices around the world. The company also has the distinction of being the only company included in both the S&P 500 and FTSE 250 indices.
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets household, personal care, and specialty products. It operates through three segments: Consumer Domestic, Consumer International, and Specialty Products Division. The company offers cat litters, carpet deodorizers, laundry detergents, and baking soda, as well as other baking soda based products under the ARM & HAMMER brand; condoms, lubricants, and vibrators under the TROJAN brand; stain removers, cleaning solutions, laundry detergents, and bleach alternatives under the OXICLEAN brand; battery-operated and manual toothbrushes under the SPINBRUSH brand; home pregnancy and ovulation test kits under the FIRST RESPONSE brand; depilatories under the NAIR brand; oral analgesics under the ORAJEL brand; laundry detergents under the XTRA brand; gummy dietary supplements under the L'IL CRITTERS and VITAFUSION brands; dry shampoos under the BATISTE brand; water flossers and replacement showerheads under the WATERPIK brand; FLAWLESS products; cold shortening and relief products under the ZICAM brand; and oral care products under the THERABREATH brand. Its specialty products include animal productivity products, such as MEGALAC rumen bypass fat, a supplement that enables cows to maintain energy levels during the period of high milk production; BIO-CHLOR and FERMENTEN, which are used to reduce health issues associated with calving, as well as provides needed protein; and CELMANAX refined functional carbohydrate, a yeast-based prebiotic. The company offers sodium bicarbonate; and cleaning and deodorizing products. It sells its consumer products through supermarkets, mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs, drugstores, convenience stores, home stores, dollar and other discount stores, pet and other specialty stores, and websites and other e-commerce channels; and specialty products to industrial customers and livestock producers through distributors. The company was founded in 1846 and is headquartered in Ewing, New Jersey.
ACC seeks Bachchu's banking transactions data

Staff Reporter :

Anti-Corporation Commission on Sunday wanted documents of all banking transactions of former BASIC Bank Chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bachchu and his family members.

The ACC has sent a letter to the Bangladesh Bank requesting to send those documents, a source of the anti-graft body said it.

The anti-graft body on December 4, grilled Bacchu over the loan scams involving about Tk 4,500 crore. Bachchu denied his involvement in the scam.

A Bangladesh Bank enquiry revealed that about Tk 4,500 crore was siphoned off between 2010 and 2013 when Bachchu was the Chairman of the board of directors.

The BB enquiry found that Bacchu illegally influenced all the activities of the bank which made the bank hollow.
CarMax, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. The company operates through two segments, CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance. It offers customers a range of makes and models of used vehicles, including domestic, imported, and luxury vehicles, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles; and extended protection plans to customers at the time of sale, as well as sells vehicles that are approximately 10 years old and has more than 100,000 miles through wholesale auctions. The company also provides reconditioning and vehicle repair services; and financing alternatives for retail customers across a range of credit spectrum through its CarMax Auto Finance and arrangements with various financial institutions. As of February 28, 2022, it operated approximately 230 used car stores. CarMax, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Richmond, Virginia.
Rangpur debacle is proof enough that govt cannot face free election

The victory of Jatiya Party (JP) mayoral candidate Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa in Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) election with a landslide margin in a rather peaceful election invariably showed voters can even playfully defeat ruling party candidate in a free and fair election.







Awami League candidate got a heavy thrashing by the candidate of General Ershad who was condemned by people as a hateful anti-democracy dictator. It is time for the Awami League leaders to think where they have taken the biggest democratic party built by so many of its leaders though their blood and sacrifice.







The people are now preferring General Ershad's party discarding once a great party Awami League. It has also been exposed that the government's boast of success for its politics of development is nothing but baseless lies and false propaganda. The people expressed their mind rejecting all false claims about development. Rangpur voters use the free election to reject Awami League in power with anger and vengeance.





Of course, Awami League leaders know they are terribly unpopular and that is why no free election is possible keeping them in government. They fear people's vote. So their plan is to win the next general election while not giving up power to make free election out of question.







Free general election is a nightmare for the government. So the crisis for holding the general election free and fair will be denied making violent confrontations inevitable. We urge the government not be so power hungry and be ready to accept the people's verdict and give up relying on corrupt and incompetent people surrounding the government. Go the peaceful way and not against the people.







RCC election has clearly showed once again like the miserable defeat of ruling party's mayoral candidate in Comilla City Corporation election in March this year people are well informed of the political reality in the ground. The people are not being misled by false propaganda about development, it was not helpful to the people.







In Comilla City Corporation election early this year even ruling party cadres backed by police and local administration had failed to defeat BNP candidate for he was highly popular in city voters. It happened in Rangpur this time again to clearly suggest the government has no popularity to face a free and fair election. Their plan is to win election with the help of the bureaucrats denying free access to people to vote.







Surprising the nation Mostafa got 1,60,489 votes while his rival party Awami League candidate and outgoing mayor Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu bagged 62,400 votes in total reverse of election results of 2012 when both candidates had faced each other in the RCC polls. That time Awami League candidate won 106,225 votes as against 77,805 votes for JP candidate Mostafa. BNP candidate is at a far distant third this time although the number of votes increased.





Some analysts want to say former dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad's popularity has won the massive victory for his party candidate this time in an election not grossly rigged by ruling party cadres.







But this myth has not many takers who believe it is Awami League's unpopularity and BNP's failure to run a well organized electioneering campaign for various police hindrances, most people voted for the other viable candidate.




Spreen, Bedford North Lawrence give Bloomington South a hard time

No. 4 BNL shows off all its weapons to go to 4-0 on the season
Looking back at the tech landscape of 2017, this year could go down as the one where machine learning-powered smarts really found their way into devices you wouldn't assume would see much benefit from an added set of brains. And Pixel Buds, Google's wireless earbuds released alongside the Pixel 2 smartphones, are a good example of just such a device.

Don't get me wrong: these earphones have taken their share of deserved knocks. In fact, I delivered a lot of those knocks when I reviewed the Pixel Buds: they're not that cleverly designed, they're a pain to set up and the sound isn't as good as you should demand from a set of $159 earbuds.

Not included on that list of flaws, however, is the smarts Google baked into the Pixel Buds. That's because features like access to the Google Assistant and the ability to do real-time translation aren't the sort of tasks you'd expect your earbuds to handle. And yet, Google Pixel does handle them  and very well at that. It's a healthy reminder that even a middling product can have moments of genius.

Assistant at the Center

Let's start with the Google Assistant, which you can access just with a tap of the right earbud. Without having to fumble for your phone or say "OK Google," you've got full access to Google's knowledge graph, giving you the ability to get a weather report, listen to notifications and upcoming appointments, place calls and texts to contacts and even play music from a host of streaming services.

MORE: Most Innovative Tech of 2017



The best thing about having Google Assistant in your ear, though, is that it gives you access to Google's much touted translation feature (provided you're using a Pixel phone). You can use the Google Assistant to launch Google Translate and carry on a relatively hiccup-free conversation with someone in any of the 40 languages the feature supports.

The translation feature resulted from how Google approached the experiences it wanted to enable with Pixel Buds, Adam Champy, a senior product manager explained to me. The Pixel Buds team looked at different experiences that could be enable both by audio and Google's unique computational capabilities.

"Translation touches that," Champy said. "You're using standard technology while presenting a cool augmented reality."

Testing Translation

You trigger Pixel Buds's translation feature by tapping and holding the right earbud and saying "Help me speak Spanish" (or whichever language you want to translate  Pixel Buds handles everything from Afrikaans to Vietnamese). The Translate app launches on your Pixel, and anything you saying while pressing and holding on that earbud is translated to the language you've selected. The person you're speaking with presses an on-screen button on the Pixel to speak, and the translation is beamed directly to your ear.

(Image credit: Google)

That process can be a little awkward at first, but it's a result of Google studying how people used the technology in a way that felt natural. Champy said the Pixel Buds team looked at how people "would start a conversation with a friend or concierge. We spent a lot of time on user research."

"It's not just how accurate you can translate something. It's how realistic it sounds to the other user."

That research informed how Google implemented the translation feature, with users touching either the Pixel Bud earbud or an on-screen button when they're being translated. "When people think they're being translated, they insert pauses and speak very deliberately," Champy said. "In many ways, these pauses are unnatural. [So] the accuracy of capturing the entire phrase is more important than the machine [automatically] switching between who's speaking."

I found that to be true when testing the Pixel Buds with a friend of mine who speaks Swedish. He's very fluent in the language, having lived in Sweden for several years, but when we were conversing, I noticed that he would choose his words in Swedish more carefully. Because he was pressing down on the Translate button while pausing and mulling over what he would say next, the app was able to capture his complete sentence instead of providing a partial translation. To me, that more than makes up for the awkwardness of handing over a phone to someone and having them press buttons.

Perhaps the best element of the translation feature is how natural a language sounds when it's spoken by Google's AI. My Swedish-speaking pal was suitably impressed by the enunciation on the translation broadcast to him, and the translation of his speech featured only a minor screw-up over a colloquialism. (In Swedish, "for example" gets abbreviated as "t.ex," and Translate assumed incorrectly that my friend had said "Tex.")

"It's not just how accurate you can translate something," Champy said. "It's how realistic it sounds to the other user."

Looking Ahead

Google has some work ahead of it improving Pixel Buds. But it also has an opportunity to build on the machine learning-powered features it introduced successfully in this version.

Champy was understandably tight-lipped on what Google could do to add to the Pixel Buds's bag of tricks going forward, though he said the team was excited by the potential for audio to be what he described as "radically helpful" to end users.

"We're excited in the way that audio and voice enable an almost friction-free experience where you feel like you're just speaking to someone else," he said.

Credit: Philip Michaels/Tom's Guide


It might help to tell us

Where you are from

What your major interests are

What you general budget level is

You need to go to the forum for each of the places you want to visit to get much more detailed information.

Not sure of flights from where you are coming - they may well not have non-stops to LV - do check flight options, routes and timing before you finalize your itinerary. You might look at the Air travel forum.
Ignore the dark part if you are not driving yourself. It is better to travel in AM or afternoon, of course, but when you r being driven, it is not as crucial. For researching transportation options, especially the choices, times and rates of shared shuttle vans, see https://geckotrail.com/transportation/ . Use drop down menus for Liberia, then for SJO, and you will get a few choices, different companies, including Interbus, which we used a lot of times and can recommend. They deliver you right to your hotel.

Check the pick up instructions carefully. By SJO, for ex., Interbus or Caribeshuttle do not pick up straight from the airport. You need to first get a short taxi ride to the parking lot of Danny's where these particular shuttles pick up. If you spend too long at the customs (in SJO we once stood in line for 1.5 hrs) or if your flight is delayed (our plane was parked on the field of SJO for additional 30 min.m as there was no terminal gate for us, though we landed on time), the shuttle leaves and keeps your $$, as they are prebooked and prepaid. I think we were told they wait max 10 min.

Edited: 4 years ago
For getting from La Fortuna, for ex., to AOL, see the Local shuttle info on their site - https://www.arenalobservatorylodge.com/shared-shuttle-arenal-observatory-lodge-la-fortuna-town . US$8 one way pp, + US$10 day pass cost to access the hotel/trails.

Their site has a toll free phone # from US, if needed.

SkyAdventure Arenal park is located very close to AOL. See their FAQs section and read the section Transportation - http://skyadventures.travel/faq/ . When you book a time slot with them, they can provide transportation to pick you up literally 15 min prior to the tour start time.

In comparison to the cost of the local shuttle between AOL and La Fortuna ($8.00), the taxi quoted to us by the hotel costs US$30 each way, per car, not pp.

For the location of many hotels and attractions in the area, see this Arenal site with maps - http://www.arenal.net/arenal-costa-rica-map.htm .

If you find yourself in La Fortuna, wanting to visit different attractions without renting a car or hiring private transportation, you may want to look into the day Arenal shuttle pass - http://www.lachozainnhostel.com/arenal-shuttle-pass/ .
My wife and I are flying from HKG to TVU (Taveuni) via NAN (Nadi) on Fiji Airways. If we had booked the round-trip flights on the Fiji Airways website, the domestic flight options are very limited and required a 7hr layover in Nadi.

Additionally, their "Add a flight" button is broken when making a multi-city booking. I complained several times but they replied without addressing the issue.

A travel agency offered the most ideal itinerary where the layover in Nadi is only 1.5hrs, but the price was high-ish.

At the end, it was most cost effective to book the international HKG-NAN flights with the travel agency, then the domestic NAN-TVU flights (outbound via SUV) on the Fiji Airways website.

Yes, this means two separate flight itineraries, where one is booked by an agent and the other directly with Fiji Airways. And we lose out on the 23kg baggage allowance all the way to TVU (domestic allowance is only 15kg).

But does this also mean that at NAN, we would have to pass through immigration, collect our bags, then recheck in at the domestic terminal? Assuming the HKG to NAN arrives on time, we only have 1.5hrs to make the transit -- technically 1 hr because domestic counter closes 30mins prior to flight departure.

Or can we try our luck and sweet-talk the staff at HKG to check our bags all the way to TVU (or at least to SUV where we have a second 1.5hr layover)?

To add to my confusion, some posts on TripAdvisor insists that any layovers less than 6hrs means we are required to stay in the transit lounge. But if by default our bags are not checked all the way to TVU, then how are we supposed to recheck them in if we can't leave the transit lounge?
Parents demand Suu Kyi is cut from children's book of role models

The Guardian :

It is one of the most popular children's books of 2017, a collection of stories about female role models from Amelia Earhart and Marie Curie to Hillary Clinton and Serena Williams, inspiring girls to aim high and challenge the status quo.

But Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, likely to be in many Christmas stockings, has run into controversy because of one of the 100 women included in its pages. When the book was written last year, Aung San Suu Kyi



was deemed a worthy subject: winner of the Nobel peace prize and epitome of courage in the face of oppression. But her fall from grace over her response to violence against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, described by the UN as possible genocide, has triggered calls for her to be taken out of future editions. In response, the authors, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo, are considering removing her from reprints.

The book, aimed at children aged six and over, devotes two pages to each of its role models, including commissioned illustrations by female artists. It quotes Aung San Suu Kyi as saying: "Since we live in this world, we have to do our best for this world." It charts her story from her protests against the junta through 21 years of house arrest to her release and leadership: "She won the Nobel peace prize, and inspired millions of people in her own country and across the world, all without leaving her house."

On the book's Facebook page, Lenka Uzakova wrote: "As much as 99 per cent of book is inspiring, I found it absolutely disgusting that you have included someone suspected of genocide in the book. Aung San Suu Kyi has no place between those women. Someone who does nothing and perhaps is directly involved in massacres, rapes, burning of kids alive  I am speechless she is in the book."
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- Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris was left frustrated by the condition of patients in KNH

- Passaris claimed accident victims have been detained as they cannot pay bills

- The victims sleep on the floors at the hospital

- Passaris now wants President Uhuru Kenyatta to act and have the patients released this Christmas

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther was on Saturday, December 23, left emotionally drained after she visited accident victims at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

Passaris, through a video she shared on Twitter, was met with patients detained at the hospital and living in devastating conditions as they cannot raise the bills required.

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The accidents victims, according to the MP, sleep on the floors in the hospitals, making their lives even more vulnerable.

READ ALSO: NASA abandons push for dialogue, reaffirms inauguration plan

Passaris also said their families are devastated as they cannot afford a smile over the same.

Passaris made an emotional appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta and begged him to act and ensure the detained patients are released this Christmas to re-unite with their loved ones.

Patients said even those who want to visit the patients are not allowed because of the conditions they are living in.

READ ALSO: Kenyans defend Governor Mutua after he was attacked for tarmacking a road within hours

READ ALSO: NASA abandons push for dialogue, reaffirms inauguration plan

Passaris was elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, beating Jubilee's Rachel Shebesh who was also the incumbent.

Swearing in of Raila Odinga is a huge mistake, the Attorney General warns on TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
An aardvark was killed and staff members were injured in a fire Saturday at the London Zoo. Four meerkats were missing and presumed dead, zoo officials said.

More than 70 firefighters in 10 trucks took nearly three hours to put out the blaze, the cause of which wasn't immediately known.

Eight staff members at the zoo were treated for smoke inhalation.

"We are all naturally devastated by this, but are immensely grateful to the fire brigade, who reacted quickly to the situation to bring the fire under control," read a statement issued by the zoo, adding that it expected to reopen Sunday.

The London Zoo, home to more than 20,000 animals according to its 2017 inventory, sits in the capital city's iconic Regents Park and attracts 1.2 million visitors each year.


A federal judge ruled Saturday that the U.S. military must provide legal counsel to an American citizen who was picked up months ago on the Syrian battlefield and accused of fighting with Islamic State militants.

The unidentified American, who has not been charged, surrendered to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria around Sept. 12 and is being held in Iraq as an unlawful enemy combatant.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a court petition challenging his detention and asking to act on his behalf to provide him access to legal counsel.

American detained

Late last month, the U.S. government acknowledged that it has detained an American citizen accused of fighting with IS for months without fulfilling his request to see a lawyer. Responding to a court order, the government said the man picked up on the Syrian battlefield indicated he was willing to talk to FBI agents but felt he should have an attorney present.

In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied the Defense Departments motion to dismiss the matter and ordered the military to let the ACLU immediate and unmonitored access to the detainee so that it can determine whether he wants the ACLU to represent him. The judge also ordered the Defense Department not to transfer the detainee until the ACLU tells the court of the detainees wishes.

This is a landmark ruling that rejects the Trump administrations unprecedented attempt to block an American citizen from challenging his executive imprisonment, said Jonathan Hafetz, senior staff attorney for the ACLU. Ensuring citizens detained by the government have access to a lawyer and a court is essential to preserving the Constitution and the rule of law in America.

What to do with detainee

Kathryn Wyer, an attorney in the Justice Departments civil division, earlier told the court that the U.S. military was working diligently on the matter, but had not yet decided what to do with the detainee. Wyer cited case law stating the executive branch should be given a reasonable period of time to determine a detained individuals status.

The government said that during questioning that FBI special agents advised the detainee of his right to remain silent even though he might have spoken earlier to other interrogators. That was an apparent reference to intelligence agents who are believed to have questioned the detainee first. The government said the detainee also was advised of his right to an attorney.

But the government also acknowledged that the detainee said he understood his rights and said he was willing to talk to the agents, but also stated that since he was in a new phase (of questioning), he felt he should have an attorney present.
For the first time in the more than three years since Islamic State militants took over vast swaths of Iraq and Syria, Iraqi Christians have gone to church to celebrate Christmas in Mosul  a former militant stronghold. Worshipers and Muslim activists say they are hoping the holidays may bring some healing.

During the time Islamic State militants ruled Mosul, this church was a prison.



Today, worshipers celebrate Christmas here for the first time since Islamic State militants took over the city in 2014, forcing the entire Christian population  about 200,000 people  to flee.

The situation made us so sad. This is our city, our grandparents city. We lived here, we grew up here. We built our schools, universities, churches families and friends here, said Fadi, a worshipper.



During the nine months Iraqi and Coalition forces battled to take back Mosul, another million people fled their homes, nearly all Muslims.

Worshipers at this church say they hope to go home if or when they are more confident Mosul is safe, but so far, less than a dozen Christian families have returned.



Both Christians and Muslims attended the service today hoping that once again Mosul will start to re-grow its diversity.




The U.S.-based research company hit by a fire in the Philippine city of Davao Saturday now confirms that 37 employees "were lost" in the blaze.

In an press release, Research Now SSI, says it employs 500 people in its local call center operation, and is offering counseling to workers and condolences and prayers to the families of the victims.

The mayor of the southern Philippines city says fire fighters recovered a body Sunday from a mall fire and have also determined that there is no chance that any of the 36 people trapped inside a call center on the fourth floor survived the inferno.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said relatives of the missing workers were told that their loved ones' "chances of survival are zero."

The fire erupted Saturday and by Sunday it was brought under control, but smoke continues to billow from the building.

Davao fire marshal Honeyfritz Alagano told Agence France-Presse that the blaze may have started in a furniture store on the third floor.

Late Saturday, the mayor who is the daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, accompanied her father and Roman Catholic officials who went to the mall to console relatives of the trapped employees of the call center.
4 Artists painted to look like tigers are reflected in a mirror backstage as they wait to perform during a cultural event in Bengaluru, India.
The number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe continued to fall last month, and the European Union says its policies to ease the crisis are working. But Amnesty International claims the bloc's collaboration with Libyan groups involved in the detention of migrants makes it complicit in gross human rights abuses. Henry Ridgwell looks back on Europe's migrant crisis in 2017, as the political fallout from the huge influx in previous years continues to be felt.
The number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe continued to fall last month, and the European Union says its policies to ease the crisis are working.

On the so-called central Mediterranean route from North Africa, arrivals were down by a third. And Europe claimed success in slowing the arrival of migrants.

But Amnesty International claims the blocs collaboration with Libyan groups involved in the detention of migrants makes it complicit in gross human rights abuses.

Maria Serrano of Amnesty International says this has come at a terrible human cost.

Europe has decided to cooperate with Libyan authorities, knowing the kind of torture, abuses, detention that migrants and refugees are exposed to in Libya, she said.

Apparent slave market

In November video emerged apparently showing migrants being sold at a slave market in Libya, prompting international outrage and calls for urgent action from the Donald Tusk, president of the European Council.

Let me repeat my call to impose U.N. sanctions on human smugglers and traffickers, he said.

European countries are providing tens of millions of dollars and training to the Libyan coast guard and armed groups under the control of the Tripoli unity government.

That makes Europe complicit in the abuse, says Amnestys Serrano.

They are sent to official detention centers, then militias and other armed groups and Libyan officials control these centers. So, this is a source of money for them. Migrants are extorted, they are forced to call their families, and their families are listening to the awful abuses they suffer, so they receive beatings, they are tortured, women are raped.

The European Union has funded emergency repatriation flights to take migrants stranded in Libya back to their home countries. But there appears to be little political willingness to soften Europes stance.

EU leaders have trumpeted the falling migrant numbers as a way of countering anti-migrant populist forces, says political analyst Leopold Traugott of Open Europe.

The repercussions of the recent influx in 2016 and 2015 are still felt in most European countries, he said. So, until the EU decides and implements a new reform of its migration policies and is able to deliver sustainable solutions, the migrant crisis will still be an issue for European countries.

In 2015, Germany took in more than a million migrants. The backlash boosted support for the far right and cost Chancellor Angela Merkel votes at the September election.

But supporters say her ultimate victory is proof that Germany, and Europe, can successfully integrate the migrants.

Nevertheless, the European Union appears determined to close the routes across the Mediterranean. Despite the risk of torture, abuse and drowning, more than 160,000 migrants made the journey in 2017.
The U.N. refugee agency is urging Greek authorities to speedily transfer thousands of refugees and migrants living under grim conditions on Greek islands to the mainland where they can receive better care.

The agency acknowledges that about 6,000 asylum seekers have been moved to the mainland since mid-October. But, it notes, that still leaves some 10,000 living in crammed, sub-standard conditions in government-run facilities on the islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos.

The agency says people must urgently be transferred to the mainland as winter begins to bite. UNHCR spokeswoman, Cecile Pouilly, says time is of the essence. She says many people will suffer as accommodations on the islands are inadequate to deal with the winter cold.

Tension in the reception centers and on the islands have been mounting since the summer when the number of arrivals began rising," she said. "In some cases, local authorities have opposed efforts to introduce improvements inside the reception centers.

The UNHCR reports nearly 20,000 people have reached the Greek Aegean islands since July. More than 70 percent of all arrivals this year are Syrian, Iraqi or Afghan. It says four out of 10 are children.

Pouilly tells VOA the European Unions plan for relocating refugees to different member states appears to have stalled.

You are right pointing out the fact that there is a need for fair relocation," she said. "And, we have been calling for a mechanism within the EU to be able to deal with emergency situations and to help states that receive most arrivals. In this particular case, with Greece and Italy.

Meanwhile, Pouilly says the UNHCR welcomes the support of mayors of towns and cities of its accommodation scheme on the Greek mainland. She says she hopes the agencys goal of moving 22,000 asylum seekers into these places by the end of the year will be met.
The Guinea-Bissau Writers Association gathers dozens of people from different backgrounds who share the same goal: to improve the literature of a small West African country with one of the world's lowest literacy rates.

The authors and poets trickle in one by one, to the meeting of minds taking place at a plain-looking educational building. Among them is a dancer. Another is an officer in the country's military.

WATCH: Guinea-Bissau Writers Want to Help Country Turn a New Page

Despite their differences, they are all here for the Guinea-Bissau Writers Association's poetry gathering. At these regular meetings, the nearly 40 members come to share their thoughts and help one another hone their craft. Many hope this will, in turn, help develop their country.

But with only a 55 percent literacy rate, it is hard for authors to reach a large audience, say association members.

"The reading community is not that big, so we cannot expect to make money writing books, at least not for a living," said Abdulai Sila, an author and the association's president.

First step: Imagine it

Sila said that despite the challenges, the writers' shared vision of improving their country and forging a national identity through literature keeps them going.



"For someone to be able to fight for something, first of all he needs to be able to imagine it," he said. "One of the tasks of the writers association and the writer is to draw that image that then can be shared by the rest of the citizens. If you are able to imagine something, you can be able to fight for it."

The former Portuguese colony has been plagued by military coups and instability since its independence in 1974. Today it is ranked among the bottom 10 countries on the U.N. Human Development Index. Currently, the country's president and ruling party are locked in a political battle that has left parliament out of session for more than two years and caused stagnation.

Of the 40 members of the group, at least half are poets  a style that meshes well with the region's rich history of oral storytelling. The genre also provides a practical platform for shorter works for those authors who are busy with day jobs.

One of those poets is Manuel da Costa, a major in Guinea-Bissau's army.

Da Costa began writing during the country's fight for independence, and more recently he has also written about drug trafficking in the country. The military officer said the genre allows him to be subjective and leave things open to interpretation. When asked whether he thought that writing about trafficking conflicted with his day job as a member of the military  a branch often implicated in the country's drug underbelly  he said he did not worry about getting into trouble because of poetry's nature.

"Poetry language is subjective. When are you writing, it's only you who knows what you are writing. Anyone who is reading it can have their own interpretation," he said.

Language choice

Da Costa, as most other poets in the group haved done, chose to write in the country's Portuguese-based Kriol language.

Association member and author Antonio Afonso Te has just published a book focused on how to write in Kriol. He said learning how to write in Kriol and integrating that into the national education program can help develop the country  and its literary scene.

IN PHOTOS: Writers Seek to Form National Identity Through Literature for Guinea-Bissau

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"Kriol should be introduced for education in Guinea-Bissau, because most people speak Kriol. And another thing that is important is the teachers," Te said, adding that they have more mastery of Kriol than the other languages that they use for teaching.

Whether it's poetry or novels, in Kriol or Portuguese, the writers of this country say they hope they can use their craft to help Guinea-Bissau turn a new page toward improved development.
More than 100 ethnic Somali scholars, politicians and traditional leaders from across the Horn of Africa region have concluded a three-day forum in Djibouti that touched on the issues of peace, security and regional integration.

The forum was organized by The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies in Somalia, an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank in Mogadishu.

Abdirashid Khalif Hashi, executive director of the think tank, said the forum was the first of its kind to provide such an opportunity for Somalis across the region to discuss issues of concern through professional experiences.

Constructive ideas

The forum, which was the first of an annual event, was intended to provide space for Somalis to come together and discuss constructive ideas supporting Somalias peace, reconstruction and [the] best ways to reconcile among the Somali society in the Horn of Africa, Hashi said.

Several panels at the forum gathered to address concerns of regional security development and integration of ethnic Somalis in the region, and considered the ways that could shape the political and socioeconomic future of Somalis.

Somalis representing Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia were invited to the forum, as well as those from across the region and the diaspora communities in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere.

Future of Somalia

At the conclusion of the forum, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Gulleh, whose country hosted the event, urged participants to use the discussion as an opportunity to improve peoples lives.

Every Somali in the region, regardless of his national country, whether it is Ethiopia, Kenya or Djibouti, should contribute to the progress of his or her society, Gulleh told those at the forum. I am very happy that such Somali elites have gathered here to discuss the future of their people.
Italy's ruling Democratic Party (PD), hit by internal divisions and a banking scandal, is continuing to slide in opinion polls, with a new survey on Saturday putting it more than six percentage points behind the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.

The survey by the Ixe agency, commissioned by Huffington Post Italia, came days before parliament is expected to be dissolved to make way for elections in March.

It gave the center-left PD just 22.8 percent of voter support, down almost five points in the last two months, compared with 29.0 percent for 5-Star, which has gained almost two points in the same period.

Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia (Go Italy!) is given 16.2 percent, with its right-wing allies Northern League and Brothers of Italy at 12.1 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively.

This bloc is expected to win the most seats in the election but not enough for an absolute majority, resulting in a hung parliament.

With the PD's support eroding in virtually all opinion polls, several political commentators have speculated that its leader, Matteo Renzi, may choose or be forced to announce he will not be the party's candidate for prime minister at the election.

Renzi has given no indication so far he will take this step.

The PD has split under his leadership, with critics complaining he has dragged the party to the right.

Breakaway groups united this month to form a new left-wing party called Free and Equal (LeU), which now has 7.3 percent support, according to Ixe.

The PD's popularity seems to have also been hurt by a parliamentary commission looking into the collapse of 10 Italian banks in the past two years.

The commission's findings have put the PD on the defensive, allowing the opposition to claim a conflict of interest involving one of Renzi's closest allies who was active in trying to save a bank where her father was a board member.
A federal judge in Seattle on Saturday partly lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the United States.

U.S. District Judge James Robart heard arguments Thursday in lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and Jewish Family Service, which said the ban was causing irreparable harm and put some people at risk. Government lawyers argued that the ban was needed to protect national security.

Robart ordered the federal government to process certain refugee applications but said his directive did not apply to people without a "bona fide relationship'' to a person or entity in the United States.

President Donald Trump restarted the refugee program in October "with enhanced vetting capabilities.''

Agency chiefs' memo

The day before his executive order, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats sent a memo to Trump saying certain refugees had to be banned unless additional security measures were implemented.

It applied to the spouses and minor children of refugees who had already settled in the U.S. and suspended the refugee program for people coming from 11 countries, nine of which are mostly Muslim.

In his decision, Robart wrote that "former officials detailed concretely how the agency memo will harm the United States' national security and foreign policy interests.''

Robart said his order restored refugee procedures in programs to what they were before the memo and noted that this already included very thorough vetting of individuals.

The ACLU argued the memo provided no evidence for why additional security was needed and didn't specify a time frame for implementing the changes. The groups said the process for imposing the policy violated a federal law.

August Flentje, a Justice Department attorney, told the judge that the ban was temporary and "was a reasonable and appropriate way for agency heads to tackle gaps'' in the screening process.

Lawsuits consolidated

The lawsuits from the two groups were consolidated; they represent refugees who have been blocked from entering the country.

The ACLU represents a Somali man living in Washington state who is trying to bring his family to the U.S. They have gone through extensive vetting, have passed security and medical clearances, and just need travel papers, but those were denied after the ban.

Lisa Nowlin, staff attorney for the ACLU of Washington, said in a statement they were happy that their client, "who has not yet had the opportunity to celebrate a single birthday with his younger son in person, will soon have the opportunity to hold his children, hug his wife in the very near future, and be together again as a family for the first time in four years.''

Two other refugees included in the Jewish Family Service lawsuit are former Iraqi interpreters for the U.S. Army whose lives are at risk because of their service.

Another is a transgender woman in Egypt "living in such extremely dangerous circumstances that the U.S. government itself had expedited her case until the ban came down,'' said Mariko Hirose, a lawyer with the Jewish Family Service case.

Yet another is a single woman in Iraq, Hirose said. Her husband divorced her after she was kidnapped and raped by militants because she worked with an American company. Her family is in the U.S. but she's stranded by the ban, Hirose said.
The United States and other Western countries swiftly condemned a move in Kosovo to scrap a war crimes court, warning that if successful, it would hamper efforts for Euro-Atlantic integration.

It will be considered by the United States as a stab in the back. Kosovo will be choosing isolation instead of cooperation, and I have to say we would hate to turn the clock back for Kosovo on progress when it has come so far, U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Greg Delawie said Friday.

The United States has been a key ally and financial backer of Kosovo since it broke away from Serbia and then declared independence in 2008.

Tonight could be Kosovos most dangerous night since the war, British Ambassador Ruairi OConnell said.

Lawmakers' petition

Both ambassadors were at Kosovos Parliament building Friday. They and other Western ambassadors met Saturday behind closed doors with Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to discuss the issue, after 43 lawmakers moved to present a petition by former fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which seeks to amend the 2015 law that governs the court.

Haradinaj said Saturday that he would respect any decision by the parliament.

Isa Mustafa, Kosovos former prime minister and an opposition leader, said the proposal was devastating for our state and very damaging for justice.

Lawmakers from the governing coalition, which holds a majority, are pressing for a vote to abolish the court. The vote was scheduled for Friday, but it failed twice because of opposition from other parties.

Parliament speaker Kadri Veseli said lawmakers would continue to attempt to vote on the issue in the coming days. The body is now on recess, however, and this issue most likely will not be taken up until sometime in January.

Kosovo Specialist Chambers

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers court, based in The Hague, was set up as a result of U.S. and European pressure on Kosovos government to confront alleged war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) against ethnic Serbs.

Former fighters in Kosovos independence movement allegedly have collected more than 16,000 signatures for a petition on the law, seeking to extend its jurisdiction to include Serbs, their former adversaries in a war for independence.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said on Twitter, Its important that everyone continues to be confident about Kosovos future and its democratic processes. Kosovos society and leadership remain fully committed to democracy, rule of law, reconciliation, dialogue and relations on an equal and fair basis.

Thaci, Haradinaj and Veseli are former KLA commanders.

Against abolishing court

On Saturday, U.S. Ambassador Delawie reiterated on Twitter calls not to abolish the court.

Critics of the court, including former KLA fighters, consider it to be discriminating against Albanians. They insist it would punish victims rather than perpetrators, referring to the Serbian campaign against Kosovo that killed about 10,000 Albanian civilians before NATO started airstrikes on Serbia that forced Belgrade to withdraw its troops in 1999.

Unwise move

But Daniel Serwer, a Balkans analyst and director of the Conflict Management Program, told VOAs Albanian service Saturday that it would be very unwise to change the mandate of the court.

Kosovo is a sovereign state, its a democracy, and parliamentarians can open any issue they want, but that doesnt mean its wise to open those issues, said Serwer, a senior fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

He maintains those who are pushing these moves are trying to escape accountability.

If there are people who were responsible for any wrongdoing, they should be brought to justice, Serwer said. Just because you flew the flag of protecting human rights and protecting Albanians from an autocratic and brutal Serbian regime doesnt mean that you never did anything wrong in the way that you conducted that fight.

Court review

The court was expected to review accusations that KLA fighters were involved in killings, illegal detentions, persecution and abductions of Serbs, Roma and Kosovo Albanians suspected as collaborators with the Serbian regime during and after the 1998-99 conflict.

Serwer said the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, which closed its doors this month, brought to justice Serbs responsible for crimes, but he notes the Kosovo court would handle alleged wrongdoings that happened after the formal hostilities were over.

The separate U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague convicted some Serbian military commanders for actions against ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo during Belgrades intervention into the conflict.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 and is recognized by more than 110 countries, including most Western nations, though not by Serbia itself, Serbias key ally Russia, or China.
Mexico has this year registered its highest homicide total since modern record-keeping began, according to official data, dealing a fresh blow to President Enrique Pena Nieto's pledge to get gang violence under control with presidential elections due in 2018.

A total of 23,101 homicide investigations were opened in the first 11 months of this year, surpassing the 22,409 registered in all of 2011, figures published on Friday night by the Interior Ministry showed. The figures go back to 1997.

Pena Nieto took office in December 2012 pledging to tame the violence that escalated under his predecessor, Felipe Calderon. He managed to reduce the homicide tally during the first two years of his term, but since then it has risen steadily.

At 18.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, the 2017 Mexican homicide rate is still lower than it was in 2011, when it reached almost 19.4 per 100,000, the data showed. The rate has also held below levels reported in several other Latin American countries.

According to U.N. figures used in the World Bank's online database, Brazil and Colombia each had a homicide rate of 27 per 100,000, Venezuela 57, Honduras 64 and El Salvador 109 in 2015, the last year for which data are available.

The U.S. rate was 5 per 100,000.

Still, Pena Nieto's failure to contain the killings has damaged his credibility and hurt his centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which faces an uphill struggle to hold on to power in the July 2018 presidential election.

Amnesty for gangs

The current front-runner in the race, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has floated exploring an amnesty with criminal gangs to reduce the violence, without fleshing out the idea.

Mexican newspaper Reforma said Saturday that after a campaign stop in the central state of Hidalgo on Friday, Lopez Obrador again addressed the issue when asked whether talks aimed at stopping the violence could include criminal gangs.

"There can be dialogue with everyone. There needs to be dialogue and there needs to be a push to end the war and guarantee peace. Things can't go on as before," Reforma quoted Lopez Obrador as saying.

Such a strategy harbors risks for the former Mexico City mayor.

A poll this month showed that two-thirds of Mexicans reject offering an amnesty to members of criminal gangs in a bid to curb violence, with less than a quarter in favor.

Pena Nieto is barred by law from seeking re-election.
Pakistani authorities have initiated an inquiry into allegations that members of the Sikh religious minority have been forced to convert to Islam in the countrys northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The Sikh community in Hangu district last week filed a complaint, accusing a government official of forcing them to convert to Islam.

The provincial government reportedly suspended Tehsil Tall Yaqoob Khan, assistant commissioner of Hangu, on suspicion of involvement in the case.

Investigation underway

The government confirmed that a high-level investigation is underway and measures have been taken to avoid such incidents in the future.

The government takes such sensitive matters very seriously. The official who demanded the Sikhs to convert was suspended promptly, Shaukat Yousufzai, spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, told VOA.

Islam and our constitution doesnt allow forced conversions, Yousufzai added.

Small community

Sikhs are a small religious minority in Pakistan. According to government statistics published in 2012, there are about 7,000 registered Sikhs living in Pakistan, mainly in the countrys Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including the semiautonomous tribal region that shares a border with Afghanistan.

The community, which could number as many as 20,000 countrywide, has been subject to continued discrimination and violence over the years because of their religious affiliation. The Sikh community complains the recent incident in Hangu shows that discrimination against them is systematic and official.

Had it been from someone ordinary, it would have never been felt so offending, but when you hear such things from a government official, it becomes something really serious, Farid Chand Singh, a Sikh community leader from Hangu, told Pakistans Express Tribune, a daily English-language newspaper.

The Sikhs say they feel extremely vulnerable in Pakistan and the recent allegations indicate that those who are supposed to protect their rights instead force them to convert to Islam, according to media reports.

Indian reaction

Pakistans neighbor, India, which is home to tens of millions of Sikhs, reacted to the incident.

Sushma Swaraj, Indias minister of external affairs, said in a tweet Tuesday that India will discuss the matter with Pakistan.

Mohammad Faisal, Pakistans foreign office spokesperson, Thursday confirmed the incident and said the government is investigating the matter. Reacting to Swarajs tweet, Faisal said what occurred in Hangu is an internal issue for Pakistan to deal with.

Once all facts are available to us, we will then give an official and detailed response to the Indian minister, Faisal told the media.

Violent incidents

Over the years, there have been a number of religiously motivated attacks against minority Sikhs in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In some cases, they have been kidnapped for ransom.

In 2014, unknown gunmen opened fire on Sikhs in a bazaar in Peshawar, killing one Sikh shopkeeper and injuring two others.

In 2016, Sardar Suran Singh, a Sikh leader and a provincial lawmaker, was killed near his home about 160 kilometers from the provincial capital, Peshawar.

Such actions have led some Sikhs to relocate to other regions of Pakistan or leave the country.

Rights activists are concerned about the plight of religious minorities and a growing intolerance toward them in Pakistan.

These incidents bring [a] bad name to Pakistan and can incite violence and hatred in the country. The government must ensure that all minorities feel safe and can carry on with their religious activities freely, Mehdi Hassan, a Pakistan-based human rights activist, told VOA.

If the government will not take sufficient actions, the society will divide, and we as a nation cannot afford it, Hassan warned.

Qibla Ayaz, head of Pakistans religious affairs watchdog, the Council of Islamic Ideology, said government officials must ensure that all religious minorities living in Pakistan are granted constitutional protections.

The constitution of Pakistan gives equal rights to the people of any faith or minority in Pakistan, and there is no room for anyone to force anybody else to change their religion, Ayaz said.

He added that the government must provide the necessary training to its employees so that they are aware of the rights granted to religious minorities living in Pakistan.

Our government officials should read the constitution so that theyll have a better understanding on the matter and such incidents could be avoided, Ayaz said.

VOA Urdus Shahnaz Aziz and Muhammad Ishtiaq contributed to this report.
A six-nation parliamentary conference has begun in Pakistan to debate challenges of terrorism and inter-regional connectivity. House speakers of Pakistan, China, Russia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran are leading their respective delegations at the event underway amid tight security in the national capital.



The chairman of the Pakistani Senate, upper house of parliament, used the high-profile conference to denounce what he called U.S. President Donald Trump's policy of blaming Pakistan for failures of the United States in Afghanistan. Raza Rabbani went on to criticize the Trump administration for ignoring sacrifices Pakistan has made while fighting terrorism.



"We saw two days ago that the Vice President of the United States has the gall, has the audacity to say that he puts Pakistan on notice. But let the word ring out in clear terms that Pakistan is a sovereign state and is not in the habit of taking notices from anyone, least alone the United States," Rabbani asserted.



He was referring to Vice-President Mike Pence's remarks while addressing American troops during a visit to Afghanistan Thursday. Pence said that Pakistan has for too long provided safe haven to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.



"But those days are over," Pence said. "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice.Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the United States and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists."



The Pakistan government swiftly and sharply responded to Pence's criticism, saying "allies do not put each other on notice".



"On notice should be those factors responsible for exponential increase in drug production, expansion of ungoverned spaces, industrial scale corruption, breakdown of [Afghan] governance, and letting Daesh gain a foothold in Afghanistan. Finally, externalizing blame should be put on notice," said a Foreign ministry statement.



U.S. and Afghan officials allege that sanctuaries on Pakistani soil have enabled the Taliban and its ally, the Haqqani terrorist network, to sustain and expand insurgent activities in Afghanistan.



Pakistan rejects accusations of having ties to insurgents and cites its "unprecedented" national counterterrorism gains as its resolve against the menace of terrorism. Islamabad is also touting its deepening relations with China, Russia and other regional countries as proof of its efforts to promote peace in Afghanistan and the region in general.


Palestinian boy and girl scouts kicked off Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem on Sunday with a colorful march through Manger Square. Playing drums and bagpipes, they paraded past a giant Christmas tree outside the ancient Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

But religion mixed heavily with politics in this little West Bank town, which is ruled by the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority. Two big signs in Manger Square declared that Jerusalem will always be the eternal capital of PALESTINE.



That was a play on words regarding Israeli claims  backed in a declaration by U.S. President Donald Trump three weeks ago  that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel.

Jerusalem goes to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For Israelis, it is home to the Temple Mount, the site of the two biblical Temples and the holiest place in Judaism. But the Mosque of Al-Aqsa sits on the site today, the third holiest place in Islam and a national symbol for the Palestinians.

The Trump administration has said its decision on Jerusalem does not mean it is pulling out of the Middle East peace process and that the U.S. would support a two-state solution if it is agreed to by Israel and the Palestinians.

However, Palestinian Authority President Mahmound Abbas says he no longer wants the U.S. involved in peace efforts following its recent decision.

Trump with his announcement became part of the conflict and not an honest mediator in the Palestinian and Israeli peace process, said Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman, adding that Trump took the joy out of Christmas.

Salman, a Roman Catholic who was elected six months ago, spoke to VOA in his office in Manger Square, sitting under large pictures of two prominent Muslims: the late and legendary Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat and the current Palestinian President Abbas.

Ironically, Bethlehem today has a strong Muslim majority of at least 70 percent, with only 30 percent Christians. But the mayor noted that the Palestinians are one people, and Jerusalem is sacred to Palestinian Christians and Muslims alike.

There is no way we can accept Trumps declaration because it compromises our national principles, our national rights, our national future, Salman explained. And everybody in Bethlehem and Palestine refuses and rejects this statement.

Trumps decision has sparked violent Palestinian protests in Bethlehem and other parts of the West Bank, scaring many pilgrims away. Salman played down the scope of the unrest, insisting that Bethlehem is not dangerous. Security was tight in the city as paramilitary Palestinian police armed with assault rifles patrolled the cobblestone streets.

Both the Palestinians and Israelis are making sure that tourists feel safe here, said Michael Valentine, who came from Brooklyn, New York.

Still, many tourists cancelled plans to visit Bethlehem due to the unrest and turnout at the Christmas celebrations was sparse.

Michael Kumsiyeh sat in his empty souvenir shop in Manger Square and put the blame squarely on Trump. He makes a problem. He doesnt make any solution, asserted the Palestinian, who opened his store 47 years ago. He doesnt find any solution for the problem.

Cafe owner Hader Kanaan said customers are few and far between. This Christmas this year is very sad, he lamented. No celebration. Nobody [is] happy. [Its a] bad situation. Everything [is] bad.

Nevertheless, those who made the Christmas journey to the Grotto of the Nativity were glad they came.

I consider it a favor from God because this is the place that I can touch and sense in my spirit that really Christ was born in Bethlehem, said Sarah Dauda, a pilgrim from Nigeria. I have heard about it since childhood but now I can see and touch. Hallelujah, blessed be the name of the Lord.

For pilgrims, visiting Jesus birthplace on Christmas is an experience of faith. But for Palestinians, Christmas is a gloomy reminder that Bethlehems message of peace on Earth has not been fulfilled 2,000 years on.

WATCH: Trump's Jerusalem Declaration Overshadows Christmas in Bethlehem
In his newly unveiled National Security Strategy, U.S. President Donald Trump vows to ensure the balance of power remains in Americas favor in key regions of the world.

The Indo-Pacific led the list of key regions identified by the White House, followed by Europe and the Middle East. How Washington will accomplish this strategic goal is being closely watched, as China, identified as a rival, shows no sign of lessening its interest in a region that is witnessing dramatic power shifts.

The Trump administrations new National Security Strategy is remarkably critical of China, but they have yet to explain how this approach will apply to and be implemented in the South China Sea, two American scholars recently wrote, referring to a contentious issue considered reflective of American and Chinese strategic intentions.

While power politics unfolds, at least one country in the region appears willing to downplay territorial disputes, for now, in favor of strengthening its economic muscle.

No new construction in South China Sea

In a year-end speech, Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, the Philippines ambassador to the U.S., focused the audiences attention on his countrys economic growth, citing a massive redevelopment of the countrys physical infrastructure as a top priority for the Filipino government, led by Rodrigo Duterte.

Asked if the urgency concerning the South China Sea has receded, Romualdez gave a qualified yes: The situation has calmed down in the sense that were now working with China on how to resolve the issues, he told VOA. Theres no new construction going on; if thats how you describe calm down, thats what it is.

His government, he says, is talking with China both bilaterally and through the regional platform facilitated by ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with 10 member states.

Earlier, Chinas construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, where several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, contest sovereignty, was widely criticized as acts that deliberately changed the status quo.

China insists that the vast majority of the waters comprising the South China Sea has belonged to China since time immemorial.

Worries of Chinas global investments

Since Duterte became president of the Philippines in June 2016, bilateral discussions between Manila and Beijing appear to be leaning toward trade and investments, and away from competing sovereignty claims.

China is now seen as bankrolling much of the Philippines ambitious infrastructure projects, and Washington has taken notice.

China is investing billions of dollars in infrastructure across the globe, the newly unveiled National Security Strategy pointed out.

To Washington, this could be worrisome.

China and Russia target their investments in the developing world to expand influence and gain competitive advantages against the United States, the security strategy asserted.

Romualdez, the Philippines envoy, defended his countrys broadening approach: With a view in diversifying our markets, we have strengthened our economic development and relationships with other major trading partners, he said.

China and Japan competing with each other

Romualdez singled out agreements signed between his country and Japan, another regional power, to illustrate this multipronged approach, part and parcel of the Philippines independent foreign policy put forth by President Duterte.

Tokyo has agreed to fund a subway system in Manila as well as flood mitigation projects, he added.

Japan and China are competing with each other to be the No. 1 investor in the Philippines, Romualdez later told VOA.

We would like to see more from the United States; theyre our allies and our friends, he added.

While Manilas chief diplomat in Washington spoke of multilateral ties through the lens of economics and investments, scholars are less hesitant to point out the inherent strategic factor.

In a paper published on the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) website dedicated to issues surrounding the South China Sea, a researcher at the Philippines National Defense College describes the current Filipino governments approach as less ground-breaking but more of a return to the hedging strategy habitually employed by many countries in Southeast Asia.

Manilas strategic partnership with Tokyo, in Mico A. Galangs opinion, forms a crucial component to the hedging approach.

US must compete for positive relationships

Manilas overtures to Beijing and Tokyo aside, U.S.-Philippines relations remain important to both, said Hank Hendrickson, a former U.S. diplomat and current executive director of the US-Philippines Society.

A strategic partnership with the Philippines has been integral to Americas engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, Hendrickson told VOA. From a Southeast Asian perspective, the United States continues to play a stabilizing role as the balancer of choice.

The former diplomat says he is also encouraged by continued high-level engagement between Washington and Manila under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD). In addition, he points to both sides willingness to explore a potential free trade agreement following the Trump-Duterte meeting in Manila as among concrete and positive measures which, in his opinion, should encourage greater trade and investment between the U.S. and the Philippines.

The newly unveiled National Security Strategy indicates that Washington is waking up to an increasingly complex and competitive global environment.

Today, the United States must compete for positive relationships around the world, the document said.
FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the focus of criticism over the past year from President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, plans to retire in 2018, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

McCabe, 49, is the No. 2 official in the FBI and had been acting director after Trump fired the former director, James Comey, in May. According to the Post, McCabe plans to retire once he becomes eligible for a full pension in March.

Shortly after the newspaper report was published, Trump retweeted his earlier contention that McCabe's wife, Jill, who ran unsuccessfully for the Virginia Senate in 2015, had been given nearly $700,000 by allies of Hillary Clinton at a time when Andrew McCabe was involved in the investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state.

The FBI has said McCabe did not start overseeing the Clinton investigation until his wife's state Senate campaign was over. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, the two major donations that Jill McCabe received, totaling nearly $700,000, came from a political action committee of Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat and Clinton friend, and from the Virginia Democratic Party.

Trump, who is spending the holidays at his Florida resort, said in a second tweet Saturday, "FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

An FBI spokesperson declined to comment.

Under pressure

McCabe has come under fire from Republicans over the past year because of the bureau's investigation into the Clinton email issue as well as the probe into possible collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia.

Earlier this year, the U.S. intelligence community released a report that stated Russia had meddled in the 2016 election, showing a preference for Trump over Clinton, his opponent. Russia denies meddling in the election, and Trump has denied any collusion.

Shortly after Comey's firing, former FBI Director Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel of an investigation into whether any members of Trump's campaign conspired with Russian agents during the campaign.

McCabe faced questions about that probe as well as the email issue when he testified earlier this week before three congressional committees.

"Andy's in a difficult position now ... because of the hyperpartisan political environment,'' John Pistole, who held the FBI's No. 2 job for six years under Mueller, told the Post. He said McCabe was "weathering the storm."

Republicans have said they want answers to why Comey publicly discussed the Clinton investigation and then announced that the bureau would not seek to bring charges. Critics say the Republicans' focus on Clinton is merely a tactic to distract from Mueller's investigation.
Russia's Civil Initiative Party has officially nominated journalist and TV personality Ksenia Sobchak to run as its candidate in a presidential election next year that is widely expected to hand President Vladimir Putin another six-year term.

The decision, adopted by a party congress on Saturday, followed an announcement by Sobchak, the daughter of Anatoly Sobchak, the reformist mayor of St. Petersburg in the early 1990s and a mentor to Putin, that she was seeking the nomination to run for the post in a March 18 vote.

The 36-year-old has been featured in television shows such as Russia's equivalent of Big Brother and A Blonde in Chocolate, in which she often cursed, appeared drunk and wore revealing clothing. She has also been on the cover of the Russian version of Playboy magazine.

Sobchak, sometimes called the Russian Paris Hilton for her reality-TV fame, has said she wants to make her country's "extremely intolerant" society and political system more open and democratic.

Critics of Sobchak  including liberal opposition Yabloko party leader Grigory Yavlinsky  say her effort to run plays into the hands of the Kremlin, merely giving the appearance of a democratic process by having another well-known person on the ballot.

Crimea position

Sobchak has also irked some Kremlin supporters with comments saying that Crimea is legally part of Ukraine despite its annexation by Moscow.

Russia-backed separatists have been fighting government forces in eastern Ukraine in a war that has killed more than 10,300 people since it started in April 2014. Russia's annexation of Crimea has not been recognized by the international community.

Russia denies interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs, despite compelling evidence that Moscow has provided military, economic and political support to the separatists.

She has also called for the resignation of top Russian officials she says are responsible for the country's sports-doping scandal and has rejected Kremlin claims of U.S. meddling in Russian politics, saying interference by foreign players could not significantly impact domestic affairs.

Earlier Saturday, the Russian Communist Party unanimously approved Pavel Grudinin as its nominee in the election.

Aleksei Navalny, Russia's most well-known opposition politician, has also declared his intention to run in the March election, although the authorities are blocking his candidacy based on a criminal conviction Navalny says is politically motivated.

With approval ratings regularly exceeding 80 percent, Putin, who is running as an independent, appears set to easily win his second consecutive term, and fourth overall, in the balloting.
Spain is trying to turn back a growing wave of African migrants who seek to enter the country through its southern coast or its small enclaves in North Africa.



About 800 migrants rushed the border fence in the enclave of Ceuta on Friday. At least 30 managed to climb over the seven-meter-high fence according to Spanish police, who turned back hundreds more with help from Moroccan riot police.



Ceuta and another city along the Moroccan coast, Melilla, have been Spanish possessions since the 1500s.



Earlier in the week, the Spanish coast guard rescued about 60 migrants trying to cross the narrow sea strait that separates Spain from Africa in flimsy rubber boats.



The number of immigrants reaching Spain, most of them from sub-Saharan African countries, tripled from 9,000 last year to 27,000 in 2017, according to Spanish Interior Minister Juan Zoido, who has said that controlling illegal immigration is one of his government's "top priorities."



The influx remains well below that of Italy's, which has received over 100,000 immigrants this year.



But Spain is preparing for more scenes like the one in Ceuta.The United Nations refugee agency says African immigration routes are increasingly shifting away from Libya, the African country closest to Italy, and into Algeria and Morocco, which are are closest to Spain. Incidents of abuse and enslavement inflicted by Libya-based human traffickers are causing the change.

Spain enhanced border protection recently by placing concertina wire atop the fences that surround the 15 kilometer perimeters of Ceuta and Melilla. Heat-sensitive thermal cameras monitor movement along the fences at night, when most border crossings take place.



Often, Spanish police also direct heavily-armed Moroccan teams to points where they detect groups of aliens massing near the fence.



Despite these defenses, large groups have managed to jump, cut or crash through barriers on at least three occasions this year.



"This is starting to look like the U.S. border with Mexico," a senior Spanish security official told VOA.



Once on Spanish soil, African migrants apply for European Union passes that give them the right to travel anywhere in Europe. The passes usually take just three or four months to process. Immigrants from Guinea and Cameroon, interviewed by VOA at a temporary detention center in Ceuta, say they are headed for France.



Spanish Interior Minister Zoido recently criticized NGOs that offer legal aid to new arrivals for ignoring security concerns.



Most of the migrants come from from Islamic-majority countries, and Spain fears terrorist attacks by Islamic State and other militant groups. Authorities in Ceuta this year rounded up two cells linked to IS that were allegedly preparing attacks.



A Spanish Civil Guard general, Franciso Espiosa, was recently appointed to head an EU military task force that will operate in Africa's Sahel region, in hopes of stemming the immigrant tide. Espiosa is in charge of activities that range from training local gendarmes to direct missions against human trafficking rings and suspected terror cells.
New U.N. sanctions on North Korea have won rare praise for the Trump administration from a leading Democrat not known for his kind words for the president.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, called the U.S. sponsored resolution toughening sanctions "a good move" and a "major accomplishment."



"I give our team a lot of credit for getting that done," Cardin said on the Fox News Sunday broadcast.



"They're pretty strong additional sanctions to be imposed against North Korea because of their continued testing of ballistic missiles. So, that absolutely was a strong move forward and it was great to see China and Russia join us in that."

Cardin said the next step needs to be diplomacy. He says China and the United States must work with the "same strategy" to ease tensions and get North Korea to change directions.



The resolution that the Security Council passed unanimously Friday puts more limits on the amount of gasoline and diesel North Korea can import.



There will also be tighter inspections of ships suspected of illegally bringing in coal and oil to the North.



The resolution also orders all North Koreans working in foreign countries to return home within two years  a move aimed at cutting off a source of revenue for the Kim Jong Un regime.



His government regularly confiscates at least some of their earnings.



The United States estimates as many as 80,000 North Koreans work in China and at least 30,000 in Russia.



North Korea is calling the latest sanctions an "act of war" and "tantamount to a complete economic blockade."



A statement carried by the official North Korean news agency said Pyongyang "categorically rejects the resolution" and calls it an act of U.S. terror in reaction to the North's successful nuclear and missile programs.



"If the U.S. wishes to live safely, it must abandon its hostile policy...and learn to co-exist with the country that has nuclear weapons," the statement said. It threatened that all nations that back the resolution will "pay a heavy price."



Previous U.N. sanctions on the North have failed to deter it from testing missiles, pursuing nuclear weapons, and bring the North to the bargaining table.



The U.S. has rejected North Korea's offer to freeze its nuclear ambitions if the U.S. suspends military exercises on and near the Korean peninsula.



The Trump administration also wants China, North Korea's biggest ally  to lean more heavily on Pyongyang.
Two recent incidents have bolstered the Trump administrations stance against the United States family-based immigration system, which the president says threatens national security.

Tyler Houlton, acting press secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement Saturday that his agency could confirm the suspect involved in a terror attack in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and another suspect arrested on terror-related money-laundering charges were both beneficiaries of extended family chain migration.

He said both cases highlight the Trump administrations concerns with extended family chain migration.

Pennsylvania case

On Friday, a gunman in Harrisburg, who was an immigrant from Egypt, fired at police and state troopers in several locations before they shot and killed him.

Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty shot one state trooper, but officials say she is expected to make a full recovery.

A relative of El-Mofty said the family is perplexed by his actions. Ahmed Soweilam told the media that his sister had been married to El-Mofty, but they separated six years ago. He said his brother-in-law had worked as a security guard and had moved back to Egypt, but returned to the U.S. a few months ago.

Hes not the perfect guy, but hes not an aggressive person, Soweilam said.

The long chain of migration that led to El-Moftys admission into the United States was initiated years ago by a distant relative of the suspect, said Homeland Securitys Houlton.

Pakistani woman charged

In a separate incident, a Pakistani woman who entered the U.S. through the family-based immigration system has been accused of laundering bitcoin and wiring money to Islamic State jihadists. Zoobia Shahnazs lawyer says her client was trying to help Syrian refugees.

Houlton said family-based migration has been exploited by terrorists to attack our country. He said the family-based system makes it more difficult to keep dangerous people out of the United States and to protect the safety of every American. He said a merit-based immigration system is used by nearly all other countries.

Merit-based immigration

Proponents of merit-based immigration say the current system lowers wages and discourages assimilation.

Supporters say a merit-based system also would help lower immigration rates and ensure that the immigrants who do come are highly skilled and less likely to need public assistance.

Earlier this year, President Trump said, For decades, the United States was operated and has operated a very low-skill immigration system, issuing record numbers of green cards to low-wage immigrants.

This (family-based) policy has placed substantial pressure on American workers, taxpayers and community resources, Trump added.

Critics of merit-based system

But critics say the American economy also needs low-skilled workers and a merit-based system would hurt industries that rely on them.

A merit-based system would also cost the government more because the government would have to review the applications and pay resettlement costs that are currently covered by sponsoring families.

Critics also see the merit-based system as un-American.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has said the merit-based system abandons the fundamental respect for family, at the heart of our faith, at the heart of who we are as Americans.
Turkey dismissed more than 2,700 employees from its public service sector Sunday - the latest firings in a widescale crackdown since a failed military coup in July 2016.



A total of 2,756 people, including academics, soldiers, and military personnel were dismissed on Sunday, accused of links to what Ankara has labeled as terror groups, according to the Official Gazette.



In a separate emergency decree Sunday, Turkey the country's defense procurement agency was ordered to report to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instead of the defense ministry. Seventeen Turkish institutions, including two newspapers, were also ordered shut.



Under emergency rule introduced last year following the botched military coup, more than 50,000 people have been arrested and 150,000 others have lost their jobs over suspicion of links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.



Turkey claims that Gulen and his movement, which it calls the "Fethullah Terrorist Organization" was behind the failed coup in July 2016 and has asked the U.S. to extradite him. Gulen has denied all involvement.


Rescuers continued to search for survivors of a storm that ravaged the Philippines this week as the death toll neared 200.

Rescue missions were slowed as rains continued and bridges and roads on the island of Mindanao were destroyed or blocked by landslides that followed Tropical Storm Tembin.

Disaster officials said over 70,000 people had been forced from their homes in the southern Philippines following the storm. Officials say that many residents did not heed warnings to evacuate and were later surprised by the strength of the storm.

The Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons and storms each year and has a history of typhoons striking near the end of the year.

In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan plowed into the Philippines as one of the deadliest tropical cyclones on record. Also known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda, the storm killed 7,800 people, according to national emergency management officials.
The year has been a tough one for Puerto Ricans, Floridians, Texans and Californians, and recovery efforts continue for those three areas hit by hurricanes and one, California, struggling to contain wildfires. In a year of disasters, even the Federal Emergency Management Agency is struggling to cope.

At a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee November 30, FEMA head Brock Long asked lawmakers for supplemental funding to handle its operations after a year studded with natural disasters.

Long told lawmakers that Hurricanes Harvey, which hit Texas, Irma, which targeted Florida, and Maria, which walloped the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, added to the ongoing California fires have compelled FEMA to push its limits.

Long noted that about 25.8 million people were affected by the three hurricanes, which took place in rapid succession in August and September. He said that as of November 13, more than 4 million storm survivors had registered for FEMA assistance. He asked for $23.5 billion for FEMAs disaster relief fund for fiscal 2018 to help with continuing recovery efforts. He said the agency is committed to the long-term recovery of all impacted individuals as well as conducting this recovery in a fiscally responsible and prudent manner.

Puerto Rico response criticized

But FEMA has been criticized for its response to the crisis in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean islands that took a double hit from Irma and Maria within the space of a month. Three months after the second storm, only 65 percent of Puerto Rico has its power restored, thanks to an aging infrastructure and bungled reconstruction deals. The Army Corps of Engineers now estimates that power may not be fully restored to all communities until May.

Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia reported that protests broke out in the municipalities of Aguas Buenas and Trujillo Alto Thursday, among frustrated residents who want the lights back on.

Vox News, citing statistics by the research firm Rhodium Group, reports that Puerto Rico is now the site of the longest blackout in U.S. history in terms of lost customer-hours of service.

FEMA has reported that more than 450 people are still living in shelters in Puerto Rico, and it is still distributing tarps, food and water to some communities. More troubling, Florida officials say more than 269,000 people have arrived in Florida from Puerto Rico since the storm, and some 10,000 Puerto Rican children have enrolled in Florida schools.

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at City University of New York says the exodus is likely not over. It estimates that 470,335 Puerto Ricans will leave the island by the end of 2019, driven out by poor services and slow recovery. Experts fear that many of the displaced may not return to the island; as full U.S. citizens, they are legally able to move anywhere within the United States.

Virgin Islands overshadowed

In the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands, often overshadowed by its more populous neighbor, conditions are similar. The San Juan Daily Star reports about half of electrical customers remain without power, and about one quarter of the tourism-reliant island still lacks mobile phone service.

FEMA reported Thursday that more than $870 million in federal funds have been provided to survivors of Irma and Maria in U.S. territories, including grants, low-interest loans, and flood insurance claims.

But the tough times may get tougher before they ease: FEMAs voucher program for displaced storm victims expires January 15.

Death toll

One more major point on which U.S. officials have been criticized is the storm-related death toll in Puerto Rico. The official total was placed at 64, but both Vox news and the New York Times published analyses in the past week comparing historic death rates from September and October with the death tolls from this year. They both found more than 1,000 more deaths occurred this year than in previous years, and both publications attributed the higher tolls to the stresses of storm recovery.
Starion raises $2,100 for Cops and Kids

Twenty men at Starion Bank in Bismarck and Mandan participated in No Shave November, which resulted in a $2,100 donation to Cops and Kids, which is coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police Missouri Valley Lodge No. 3.

Mitch Wardzinski, vice president for the organization, said about 85 children in Bismarck and Mandan went shopping and had lunch with a police officer.

Dominos contributes to mentoring program

Domino's Pizza gave Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bismarck-Mandan a donation of $10,000 to support one-on-one mentoring in the community.

Credit unions move toward merger

First Community Credit Union, based in Jamestown, and Citizens Community Credit Union, based in Devils Lake, have entered into an agreement to merge.

First Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in North Dakota and, after the merger is finalized, will have assets of about $800 million.

The combined credit unions will be headquartered in Jamestown and operate under the First Community Credit Union name.

Steve Schmitz, president and CEO for First Community Credit Union, will serve in those roles for the combined credit unions. The transaction is expected to close Jan. 1, with an operational merger later in 2018.

Slumberland donates mattress sets

Slumberland Furniture in Bismarck donated 12 mattress sets and some quilts, with the help of the Salvation Army, as part of the companys Making Homes for the Holidays program.
Venezuelas leftist government prepared to release some 80 jailed anti-government activists Saturday, and threatened to expel envoys from Canada and Brazil after criticism over rights.

Delcy Rodriguez, head of the pro-government Constituent Assembly, told reporters the legislative superbody was recommending the detainees be given alternative punishments such as community service and compensation for victims.

Thirteen activists were later paraded in front of state TV cameras during a meeting with Rodriguez, a hard-line ally of President Nicolas Maduro. They looked stony-faced as they sat listening to her admonishments in the formal surroundings of Venezuelas colonial-era foreign ministry.

Rights groups and foes of Maduro say authorities are unfairly holding 268 political prisoners for protesting against dictatorship. Maduro, the 55-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez, says all jailed activists are there on legitimate charges of violence and subversion.

Let it be understood that the events promoted by the extremist Venezuelan opposition, which caused Venezuelans deaths, must not be repeated, Rodriguez said.

Some 170 people died in violence around two bouts of anti-Maduro street protests in 2014 and earlier this year.

The assembly president told the detainees at the meeting they would return to their detention centers for medical tests then be freed to spend Christmas with loved ones.

Canada and Brazil angered

The releases, albeit with alternative sentences, could inject life into stuttering political talks between the government and opposition set to resume in the Dominican Republic in early January.

Western nations and Latin American neighbors have been increasingly critical of Maduro this year, accusing him of stomping on democracy and human rights. The government says foreign nations are trying to encourage a right-wing coup.

Rodriguez said the Constituent Assembly, which various foreign countries refuse to accept, was also recommending Brazils ambassador Ruy Pereira and Canadas charge daffaires Craig Kowalik both be declared persona non grata.

The Canadian government, which has imposed sanctions on Maduros administration, said it would not be cowed into easing pressure on the anti-democratic Maduro regime in Venezuela.

Canadians will not stand by silently as the Government of Venezuela robs its people of their fundamental democratic and human rights, and denies them access to basic humanitarian needs, said Global Affairs Canada, the government department that manages its foreign and trade relations.

Brazils foreign ministry also responded sternly.

If confirmed, the Venezuelan governments decision to declare Brazils ambassador persona non grata shows once more the authoritarian stance of Nicolas Maduros administration and its lack of willingness to engage in any dialogue, it said, promising reciprocal measures.

U.S. President Donald Trumps administration has been especially critical of Maduro, also imposing sanctions on him and other senior Venezuelan officials this year.

Under new stewardship with the arrival of charge daffaires Todd Robinson last week, Washingtons embassy in Caracas called Saturday for the freedom of all jailed activists.

We urge Maduros regime to respect human rights, it tweeted. Free them during this holiday time.
Venezuela's leftist government released the first of 80 prisoners promised to be freed Sunday, in a rare goodwill gesture to the opposition.

Reuters reported that 36 of the 80 were released Sunday.

President Nicolas Maduro's government announced Saturday that it would release at least 80 people who were detained after participating in anti-government demonstrations.

The prisoners were being released one at a time.

Rights groups say the government is holding as many 268 political prisoners.

Maduro says that all of those jailed were in prison on legitimate charges of plotting to overthrow the government and promoting violence. The 80 pardoned to spend Christmas with their families have been released on alternative sentences including community service.

Roughly 170 people have been killed in two rounds of anti-Maduro protests which turned violent in 2014 and earlier this year.
An Iranian official says Saudi Arabia should know that if Iranian missiles were used in the Yemen conflict, the outcome of the war would be totally different, as Tehran continues to push back against allegations that it is arming Houthi rebels.

"We have announced repeatedly that the Yemeni army and people have the support of Iran. However, we have also made it clear that we have not given any missiles to Yemenis," said Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, the spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, speaking Sunday.



Houthi rebels of Yemen fired a second ballistic missile into Saudi Arabia last Tuesday. Saudi air defense said the missile was successfully intercepted. Houthi-affiliated al-Masirah TV stated that the ballistic missile targeted the al-Yamamah royal palace in Riyadh, the official headquarters of the Saudi king.



"As your crimes and tyranny increase, you will find nothing but our missiles," Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised speech.



The Yemeni Houthi movement and its allied forces said that these missiles are the only means they have to defend their nation against a Saudi-waged war.

Earlier this month, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, displayed what she said was residue of the first ballistic missiles that landed near Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Nov. 4, 2017.

Speaking in front of a display filled with missile fragments, Haley said that the U.N. found evidence that Iran supplied Houthis with missiles and other arms made by Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, a firm based in Iran.

Tehran rejected all claims and called the evidence fake.

Who are Houthis?

Yemeni Houthis are armed militants mostly from northern tribes of Sa'dah. They are part of the Zaydis, a sect of the Shia Muslim minority. Houthis control various media outlets throughout the country that trumpet anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rhetoric and attack Arab leaders, calling them puppets of the West.

Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was killed by the Houthis in Sana'a last month, was a Zaydi himself.

"They charged Saleh with massive corruption to steal the wealth of the Arab world's poorest country for his own family," Bruce Riedel, a Washington-based researcher, wrote in his research on Houthis.

Tension between the Houthis and Yemen's central government grew when a political transition failed following an uprising that forced Saleh to hand over power to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi in 2011. This created an unprecedented alliance between Houthis and Saleh against the Saudi-backed Hadi.

"It was a remarkable and a hypocritical reversal of alliances by both the Houthis and Saleh. Much of the army remained loyal to Saleh and his family, so together with the Houthis the two had a preponderance of force in the country. Hadi was deeply unpopular and seen as a Saudi stooge," Riedel said.

Khaled Al-Hammadi, a Yemeni political analyst and journalist, asserts that Iran is arming the Houthis and predicts that "Iran's overwhelming support to these Shi'ite insurgents... will turn Houthis into a force similar to Hezbollah in Lebanon."

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated during the past months and gone beyond rhetorical attacks to a heated proxy military war.

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of inciting Houthis against Saudi interests. Riyadh has used its close connection with Washington and Trump's discontent with Iran's nuclear deal, while Tehran accuses Saudi Arabia of leading an inhuman war against defenseless civilians in Yemen.

"Foreign players, who want to fulfill their regional goals or political ambitions, have changed the balance in Yemen and taken a toll on the people of Yemen," Cairo-based Yemeni affairs analyst Maysaa Shojae Al-Deen told VOA.
Palestinian boy and girl scouts kicked off Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem on Sunday with a colorful march through Manger Square. Playing drums and bagpipes, they paraded past a giant Christmas tree outside the ancient Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

But religion mixed heavily with politics in this little West Bank town, which is ruled by the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority. Two big signs in Manger Square declared that Jerusalem will always be the eternal capital of PALESTINE.



That was a play on words regarding Israeli claims  backed in a declaration by U.S. President Donald Trump three weeks ago  that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel.

Jerusalem goes to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For Israelis, it is home to the Temple Mount, the site of the two biblical Temples and the holiest place in Judaism. But the Mosque of Al-Aqsa sits on the site today, the third holiest place in Islam and a national symbol for the Palestinians.

The Trump administration has said its decision on Jerusalem does not mean it is pulling out of the Middle East peace process and that the U.S. would support a two-state solution if it is agreed to by Israel and the Palestinians.

However, Palestinian Authority President Mahmound Abbas says he no longer wants the U.S. involved in peace efforts following its recent decision.

Trump with his announcement became part of the conflict and not an honest mediator in the Palestinian and Israeli peace process, said Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman, adding that Trump took the joy out of Christmas.

Salman, a Roman Catholic who was elected six months ago, spoke to VOA in his office in Manger Square, sitting under large pictures of two prominent Muslims: the late and legendary Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat and the current Palestinian President Abbas.

Ironically, Bethlehem today has a strong Muslim majority of at least 70 percent, with only 30 percent Christians. But the mayor noted that the Palestinians are one people, and Jerusalem is sacred to Palestinian Christians and Muslims alike.

There is no way we can accept Trumps declaration because it compromises our national principles, our national rights, our national future, Salman explained. And everybody in Bethlehem and Palestine refuses and rejects this statement.

Trumps decision has sparked violent Palestinian protests in Bethlehem and other parts of the West Bank, scaring many pilgrims away. Salman played down the scope of the unrest, insisting that Bethlehem is not dangerous. Security was tight in the city as paramilitary Palestinian police armed with assault rifles patrolled the cobblestone streets.

Both the Palestinians and Israelis are making sure that tourists feel safe here, said Michael Valentine, who came from Brooklyn, New York.

Still, many tourists cancelled plans to visit Bethlehem due to the unrest and turnout at the Christmas celebrations was sparse.

Michael Kumsiyeh sat in his empty souvenir shop in Manger Square and put the blame squarely on Trump. He makes a problem. He doesnt make any solution, asserted the Palestinian, who opened his store 47 years ago. He doesnt find any solution for the problem.

Cafe owner Hader Kanaan said customers are few and far between. This Christmas this year is very sad, he lamented. No celebration. Nobody [is] happy. [Its a] bad situation. Everything [is] bad.

Nevertheless, those who made the Christmas journey to the Grotto of the Nativity were glad they came.

I consider it a favor from God because this is the place that I can touch and sense in my spirit that really Christ was born in Bethlehem, said Sarah Dauda, a pilgrim from Nigeria. I have heard about it since childhood but now I can see and touch. Hallelujah, blessed be the name of the Lord.

For pilgrims, visiting Jesus birthplace on Christmas is an experience of faith. But for Palestinians, Christmas is a gloomy reminder that Bethlehems message of peace on Earth has not been fulfilled 2,000 years on.
Its one of those military traditions that has stubbornly resisted the digital age: U.S. Marine recruits cannot make calls or send emails from boot camp, but they can write letters.

Some might bemoan the difficulty in sending their loved one an electronic holiday greeting this time of year, but a Crystal City start-up called Sandboxx has figured out a way around the problem.

The firm has developed an app allowing family members to type a note on their smartphone and have it turned into a printed letter and mailed the old-fashioned way.

The companys founders regard the app as more than just a mailing service. Its a bridge between the austere basic training environment and the smartphone-obsessed world recruits leave behind.

Among those leading the effort is Ray Smith, a decorated Marine general who earned the nickname e-tool for allegedly killing a man with a entrenching tool, essentially a shovel, when his service weapon malfunctioned at a critical moment. (He told Task and Purpose, a military blog, that the story was more of a legend, which he defined as a pack of lies that was built on an original kernel of truth.)

Smith, now 71, said he is devoting his retirement to getting his four-year-old start-up off the ground.

I was supposed to be an old retired guy, but now Im not, Smith said.

Smith has teamed up with Sam Meek, a Marine sergeant who left the military in 2007 to work for a Wall Street hedge fund.

The two met in 2011 and discussed a mutual interest for connecting the extended military community, not just enlisted service members but also wives, husbands, parents, friends, siblings  anyone with a connection to the armed forces.

Meek said he first saw the power of social media when he returned from his first tour of duty in Iraq, made a Myspace page for his battalion and began to think over business opportunities.

We thought to ourselves, Whats the choke point for the audience? It happens to be boot camp, Meek said.

So they founded Sandboxx in 2013 and launched the letters app the following year.

Ultimately, he said, their goal is to identify friction points in the military journey and look for creative ways to solve them. One of Smiths earlier ventures was a website for military spouses to stay in touch with deployed loved ones.

Smith sees a generational divide between the young, smartphone-toting men and women enlisting for the first time and the regimented military environment they become a part of at basic training. The culture shock of suddenly losing contact with the online world can take a toll on morale and interfere with training.

Its a very traumatic shock to be forced off the grid that way, he said. Its a really big deal for this younger generation.

The letters platform, available for Apple iOS and Android smartphones, has yet to attract a huge audience, but company executives say the users they do have are devoted, sending close to 900,000 letters since the app was released.

To give the app a boost for the holidays, the company is teaming up with Veterans of Foreign Wars, one of Americas oldest veterans associations. The VFW offered to pay for the next 5,000 letters sent through the app. So until the 5,000 cap is reached, anyone who sends a letter to a deployed service member through the app is notified that the letter is courtesy of Veterans of Foreign Wars, and their fees are waived. A single message typically costs $3 but there are discounts available for buying in volume.

About 70 percent of the companys current letter volume comes from the Marine Corps, but the app is expanding fast. More and more people are using it to contact deployed Army soldiers and Air Force personnel, and the app will be offered to new Coast Guard members starting next month.

To build Sandboxx into a thriving technology company, the two former Marines teamed up to build the apps features with a handful of young techies, many of whom work out of the Crystal City offices of 1776, a Washington-area start-up incubator.

The company grew with the help of $2 million from an undisclosed group of angel investors. More recently, the firm has raised another, larger tranche of funding that it hasnt disclosed. Advertising director Shane McCarthy said the company employs about 26 people full time and another 10 part-timers, with plans to hire 10 more in the near future. He said the company turned a profit last year.

While the letters platform has been the companys main product so far, Smith and Meek said they hope to eventually build a social media platform unique to the military community. They have already created another social media app called units based on the militarys organizational structure. Any current or former member of the U.S. military can log in, put in their unit and year, and be connected solely with people from that unit and year.

The units app could be the basis for a larger platform to connect the military community.

We have the force structure of all the military services built into our back-end, Smith said in a recent phone interview. Units that have gone into mothballs, we have those units in our system.

For Smith, the work represents a labor of love, a continuation of his military service and a moneymaking venture.

We believe we can do good  and make money, in plainspeak  while doing things that need to be done, Smith said.
Many U.S. charities are worried the tax overhaul bill signed by President Trump on Friday could spur a landmark shift in philanthropy, speeding along the decline of middle-class donors and transforming charitable gift-giving into a pursuit largely left to the wealthy.

The source of concern is how the tax bill is expected to sharply reduce the number of taxpayers who qualify for the charitable tax deduction  a big driver of gifts to nonprofits. One study predicts that donations will fall by at least $13 billion, about 4.5 percent, next year. That decline is expected to be concentrated among gifts from the middle of the income scale. The richest Americans will mostly keep their ability to take the tax break.

That could create new winners and losers in philanthropy. Nonprofits have long noticed that the wealthy are more likely to cut big checks to support museums and universities, while smaller donors tend to give to social-service agencies and religious organizations. Charities fear that this shift could change how the public views donating and alter the priorities of nonprofits.

The tax code is now poised to de-incentivize the heart of civic action in America, said Dan Cardinali, president of Independent Sector, a public-policy group for charities, foundations and corporate giving programs. Its deeply disturbing.

The tax bill's treatment of charities led the Salvation Army to express serious concerns, and it's why United Way opposed the legislation, as did the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Cardinali's group turned its home page  normally a place for a feel-good story  into a call to protest, with the banner headline: "KILL THE TAX REFORM BILL."

View Graphic Will your taxes go up or down in 2018 under the new tax bill?

At the United Way, there is widespread concern because middle-class donors are the charitys bread and butter, said Steve Taylor, vice president for public policy at United Way Worldwide.

The charitys average annual gift is $379, mostly from people who pledge during workplace campaigns to have $5 to $10 a week deducted from their paychecks. United Way has big donors, too, who drive up that average, such as the nearly 30,000 people who give $10,000 a year. They are known as Tocqueville donors, named for the French writer who in the 1830s remarked on the American affinity for forming private groups to address public needs.

Taylor worries the tax bill will force United Way to change whom it targets for fundraising.

We dont have any choice but to look to those higher-end donors more. We have to, Taylor said. But its not really what we want to do, and its not really healthy for the charitable sector in America.

No one expects the middle class to stop giving to charity. But the tax code changes are projected to affect the size and timing of those gifts, said Una Osili, economics professor at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. But no one knows how the changes will play out.

We really havent had a significant change like the one were describing now, Osili said.

A higher percentage of Americans give to charity than vote. Last year, gifts from individuals made up nearly three-quarters of the $390 billion donated to philanthropies, outpacing the money flowing from foundations, bequests and corporations. And the tax code has encouraged these gifts since the charitable deduction was created in 1917.

The average charitable deduction has hovered around $4,400 in the past few years, according to Internal Revenue Service data. The deduction allows taxpayers to avoid paying federal income tax on the donation if they itemize their taxes.

But the number of people who qualify for the charitable deduction is projected to plummet next year from about 30 percent of tax filers to as low as 5 percent. Thats because the new tax bill nearly doubles the standard deduction and limits the value of other deductions, such as for state and local taxes. The biggest change is expected to be among households earning $75,000 to $200,000 a year  a bracket in which more than half of filers itemized their taxes under the old code.

Over two days last summer, several leaders from the philanthropic world, including Cardinali, pleaded their case to Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), the main tax bill writer in the House. They also were fighting to preserve the Johnson Amendment, which bars nonprofits from endorsing political candidates.

In Bradys office, the nonprofits pushed to make donations a universal deduction  available to anyone, regardless of whether they itemize their taxes. This would have been a major expansion, but also the only way to preserve the deductions power. Brady sounded sympathetic but argued that people would soon have more money to donate because of the economic growth driven by the bills tax cuts, Cardinali recalled. A House Ways and Means Committee staffer agreed with that account.

The universal charitable deduction also died in the Senate, where Sen. James Lankford, (R-Okla.) proposed it. Lankford said that he was disappointed but that the projected price tag was too high for a bill filled with tax cuts.

You couldnt get enough senators to buy in, Lankford said.

The Republican tax changes come at a time when charities are already worried about the fate of small donors.

Thats a trend that has mirrored wealth inequality  the skewing of giving towards fewer but larger donations, said Benjamin Soskis, research associate at the Urban Institutes Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy.

The new tax code further reduces the privileged status of charitable gifts, treating them the same as purchases from Walmart for the vast majority of taxpayers.

The government has always seen fit to reward the goodness of Americans with a tax incentive, said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, development secretary at the Salvation Army. Now thats being taken away.

The Salvation Army relies on both ends of the wealth spectrum for donations. In 2004, the organization received a $1.5 billion bequest from the estate of Joan Kroc, the billionaire widow of McDonald's owner Ray Kroc. But the group also has 23,000 red kettles set up across the country with bell ringers asking for spare change during the holidays. Those bring in about $150 million each year.

Now, the charity is facing a significant shift, Busroe said. He expects a surge in online donations in the dwindling days of 2017 as people race to make gifts while they can still claim the deduction. The Salvation Army typically raises more in the last two days of the year than in all of November.

We dont anticipate seeing that at the end of 2018, Busroe said.

The traditional surge in December donations  dwarfing all other months  tells you everything you need to know about whether the tax code affects charitable gifts, said Mike Geiger, president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Charities will face more uncertainty about finances beyond next year, Geiger said. Some donors might not know about the tax code changes and continue donating as a result, only to be surprised when they pay taxes in 2019. Others might stop making regular $1,000-a-year donations and bundle several years together into a single $5,000 gift now to take advantage of the old tax rules. That will create budgeting challenges for nonprofits, he said.

Sarah Caruso, president of the Greater Twin Cities United Way, said she also worries about the impact of the new tax bill but is not giving up on any donors just yet.

Im not going to plan a retreat right now, Caruso said. I plan to go out and make the case for the need. And the need in the community is not changing.


Students from the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education listen during a workshop. (Hermela Welday)

Matheos Mesfin traveled to the United States in 2007, coming from Ethiopia to reunite with his mother, who had lived here for some time. He enrolled in a D.C. public school, an educational transition that was a real culture shock. It was a school with a metal detector, something he hadnt encountered in his homeland.

It was a time where I had to sort of navigate by myself, find my niche, get involved, he said.

That led to a nomination for a scholarship, which led to Grinnell College, a liberal arts school in Iowa. It was an unfamiliar place. He met a hipster there, he said, a dude who had "said no to shoes." So, that was a shock, too.

Academically, it was one of the most intense places Ive ever been, he said. It was just full of erudites, full of intellect. So I had a lot of catching up to do.

All of this is to say that the 25-year-old Mesfin gets it. He knows how it feels to be a young student in an immigrant family, trying to wade through the American higher education system. He knows the challenges. He understands the concerns.

Now, Mesfin is trying to make things a little better for other students. He is founder and executive director of the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education, a nonprofit that works with high school students of East African heritage who are immigrants or the children of immigrants. The nonprofit  known as IEA Councils  helps students navigate the dizzying admissions process and makes sure they understand what it means to be a college student.

We jump in at that critical moment and say these are the schools you can consider, these are the benefits of going to this school, Mesfin said. This is why we believe youre worth this institution. You have every credential that they are listing. Why in the world do you not see yourself going  whats holding you back?

[She had been in the U.S. for hours when an explosion changed everything]

Among the students the IEA Councils has helped: Bitseat Getaneh, an 18-year-old who came to the United States from Ethiopia in 2016. Just hours after Getaneh arrived in the country, a massive explosion ripped through the Silver Spring apartment building where she was staying, killing seven people. Getaneh suffered burns and a fractured collar bone. She spent weeks in the hospital.



Bitseat Getaneh, whose apartment was destroyed in a fire on her on her very first day in the United States after arriving from Ethiopia. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Getaneh is now college-bound, headed for Bucknell University, a private liberal arts school in Pennsylvania. She has been awarded a scholarship covering tuition for four years.

I couldnt imagine the college process without their help, Getaneh said. I couldnt imagine it at all.

Judy Tsegaye, a freshman at Stanford University, took part in IEA Councils last year, traveling on Saturdays from her familys home in Woodbridge, Va. A friend told her about the nonprofit.

Tsegaye gained exposure to different types of colleges, including liberal arts schools that she had never heard of. She got help with her writing.

When I went to visit the school in April, they flew me out, and one of the people who worked for the admissions office wanted to talk to me, Tsegaye, 18, said. When we talked, he was saying how much he loved my essay, and how much hes looking forward to what Im going to do at Stanford.

[Why this small college in Iowa is going global]

IEA Councils was founded in 2016, and in its first year, the nonprofit served more than a dozen students, kids who went off to schools that included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University, according to Mesfin.

I have never done work quite like this, said Hermela Welday, who volunteers with IEA Councils. Its just the passion the students have, their eagerness to learn, and knowing that giving them a little bit of my time and my energy and my Saturday will change their future.

The whole operation, Mesfin said, runs on a pretty tight budget. (Some of its money has come from Donald Graham, chairman of Graham Holdings Co. and former Washington Post publisher.) A handful of volunteers chip in their time. Mesfin works as a staff accountant for another nonprofit; helping out these high-schoolers isn't his full-time gig.

The joy I feel in helping complete strangers, I cant monetize it, I really cant, Mesfin said.

Some of the work is practical: Heres how to improve your college essay, here are some interview prep tips. Some of it is reassuring nervous parents, who worry about sending sons and daughters away to college. Some of it is reminding these kids there are competitive colleges of all sizes that might want them.

Its an incredible void that were filling, Mesfin said. And its a void that really needs to be filled.

Noah Yared, a D.C. high school student who works with IEA Councils, was born in the United States, and briefly lived in Ethiopia before returning to America. The nonprofit has helped him with time management and with buffing his essays.

Theyre constantly egging you to go beyond what you think that you can do, Yared, 17, said.

If given the chance, he said he would like to come back and help others kids someday.

The program gave so much to me, Yared said. Its sort of a way to give back. Hopefully, theres somebody else who, like me, has potential to go reach high, but all they need is a little bit of guidance.
Columnist

I first learned of Jordan Fields, an African American student at a New Jersey high school, in 2014 when she was struggling to get into the best math classes so she could become an engineer.

Despite excellent middle school grades and scores, she had to fight to get into ninth-grade geometry. When she needed help in Algebra 2 the next year, her teacher instead allegedly told her parents she just doesnt seem to get it and suggested she choose a less demanding career.

That apparent reluctance to support minority students led to the creation of the Black Parents Workshop to make changes in the relatively affluent South Orange and Maplewood school district. The school board was unfortunately not cooperative. It fired an independent consultant hired to recommend how to comply with a federal civil rights agreement, and instead gave the job to a district staffer. The data it eventually released showed racial disparities in some instances as bad as before.

Fields managed to take two Advanced Placement courses, calculus and English, despite the warning that she was in over her head. She is now a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, but her high school is still stuck with biased assumptions about student potential.

Despite promises to provide more challenges, not everyone at Fieldss alma mater, Columbia High, seems to understand what that means. The school lets students and their families decide whether to take demanding courses, unlike more successful schools that try to persuade timid students with potential to try something harder. Students struggling early in AP can drop to a lower course, something AP teachers I know consider a bad idea.

District spokeswoman Suzanne Turner said the district "is actively working to address the underlying issues which have previously contributed to disparate placements and outcomes for students." The district expressed the same optimism to me three years ago, and I don't see much improvement compared with similar schools.

Since the majority of African American students are stuck in Level 3 classes, said Walter Fields, a journalist who specializes in civil rights and is Jordan Fieldss father, they are hesitant to enroll in an AP course, nor are they encouraged.

Most high schools in the Washington area removed those barriers two decades ago. But they are an exception. Few districts have parent groups like the Black Parents Workshop with the insight and will to overcome ingrained low expectations.

Compare Columbia High with James Hubert Blake High School in Montgomery County, Md. Columbia has about 1,850 students, 45 percent of them black. Blake has about 1,600 students, 41 percent of them black. At Columbia, 21 percent of the students are from low-income families. At Blake, the portion is 35 percent.

Yet on The Washington Posts 2017 Americas Most Challenging High Schools list, Blake is far ahead of Columbia. It has an AP-tests-to-graduating-seniors ratio of 2.833 (ranked 805 out of 22,000 U.S. schools). Columbias ratio is 1.882 (ranked 1,502). Blakes percentage of seniors with passing grades on AP tests is also higher.

The Black Parents Workshop points to signs of racial insensitivity. When a school dance group performed to Billie Holidays song about lynching, Strange Fruit, a group of white teachers complained that it made them feel unsafe in the auditorium. Last month, the only African American student in an honors class was falsely accused by his teacher of being on drugs  leading to a search of his body and locker  after he laughed with other students about his correct answers to several questions, the parents group says.

The Black Parents Workshop protested when one African American student, despite his teachers and his counselors support, was told he couldnt take an honors history class. They did the same when another African American student was barred from taking honors geometry.

Interim superintendent Thomas Ficarra overruled both decisions. But seeing few improvements, the parent group has announced it will sue the district in state court for violating state and federal civil rights laws.

Those in charge at Columbia High should visit Blake High. It is worth the three-hour drive to see good examples of what students from all backgrounds can do when the entire staff believes in them.
Asya Akca, left, and Oluwaseyi Shae Omonijo are friends at the University of Chicago and active in the effort to change the schools presentation of history. (Andrea Popova)

When Shae Omonijo started as an undergraduate at the University of Chicago, she ate most of her meals surrounded by large portraits of white men, famous founders and illustrious graduates of the college. Compared with back home in Baltimore, where many black leaders and activists are honored in public spaces, it seemed strange.

Her friend Asya Akca had been struck by the lack of statues honoring women at home in Louisville. Over the years, through friendship, research and sheer doggedness, the two found a way to help make the center of student life at Chicago better reflect the campus.

Last month, a sculpture of the first black woman to earn a doctorate at the prestigious university was unveiled.

At a time when so much attention focuses on efforts to tear down Confederate memorials and other markers, some universities and students are commissioning and creating new testaments to the past, challenging people to view the institutions history through a more complicated and nuanced lens.

There are, Akca said, so many stories that arent told here.



Confederate statutes removed from the University of Texas are secured to a trailer in August. (Eric Gay/AP)

Its part of an evolving conversation nationally, said Stephanie Meeks of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, about the way our collective past is reflected in our cultural landscape, our public spaces, our college campuses. We see different institutions wrestling with this question of difficult history, or missing history, in different ways. The National Trust, for example, announced last month an effort to preserve important and overlooked sites in African American history.

Were at an important inflection point in our nation, Meeks said.

In some places, monuments are being torn down, as at Duke University, where officials removed a sculpture of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the days after a white-nationalist rally turned violent in Charlottesville.

In some places, such as the University of Mississippi, monuments remain in place but with greater explanation of the broader context. In others, names of buildings are changed, as at Yale University, where a residential college that long honored John C. Calhoun, a graduate who was a U.S. vice president and an ardent advocate of slavery, is now known for Grace Hopper, a graduate who was a pioneering mathematician and computer scientist.

And at other schools, people are creating something entirely new.

In June, the University of Virginia announced plans for a large and visible memorial to commemorate the estimated 5,000 enslaved people who helped build and take care of the school in its early years.

At Princeton University, student activists a couple of years ago demanded the name of former U.S. and university president Woodrow Wilson be stripped from buildings because of his support for segregation. The name remains, but an effort, endorsed by trustees, grew to diversify the art and iconography on campus, including considering commissioning pieces that honor people who helped to make the school more inclusive. This fall, a committee began considering nominations for new portraits. Recently, works have been commissioned from artists, including a two-part outdoor piece by Maya Lin.

A wall-size photo of Wilson was removed from a dining hall, to be replaced by a new commissioned piece of art thats more reflective of the university as it is today. In Wilson College, a residential college, something will probably be created that delves into the namesakes complicated legacy, said James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum.

Martha Sandweiss, a professor of history and the founder and director of the Princeton & Slavery Project, began delving into the universitys past with her students in 2013. But as a former museum director, she was aware of both the power and the limitations of academic research. In scholarship, she said, they have to live and die by their footnotes. She contacted artists who could bring that history more vividly to life.

Recently, plays were performed (to sold-out audiences, Sandweiss said) that had been written by playwrights given access to the Princeton & Slavery research. And an eight-foot-tall sculpture stands, until mid-December, in front of the historical home of early Princeton presidents.

The sculpture, by Titus Kaphar and commissioned by the Princeton University Art Museum, layers portraits of the school president from 1761 to 1766 with those of a black man, woman and child. They represent the slaves who worked at the presidents home and those who were sold at auction on that site.

Its in a prominent setting  clearly visible to people walking out of the J. Crew store across the street, Sandweiss said, or waiting at a bus station  and a powerful one, given the history.

It has internal lighting, so as dusk falls the sculpture changes, transforming from one in which a sketch of enslaved people is seen over a silhouette of a mans face. At night, his presence comes out and exists there along with the images of the people that were sold, Sandweiss said. Those two worlds coexisted uneasily.

Steward sees the piece as an anti-monument, both literally  because its a carving in relief overlaid by a ghostlike image  and figuratively, because it presents complications rather than just honoring a man. It reinforces the idea that we constantly rewrite our histories, he said. Thats a very different impulse than most public monuments. He remembers seeing, as an 18-year-old first-year student at the University of Virginia, the Confederate monuments in Charlottesville at the center of violent clashes this summer.

At the University of Chicago, Akca and Omonijo found the women they wanted to honor by chance, through a coincidence that makes them laugh. Both political science majors, they often talked about their research. Omonijo told Akca how her work in the archives had led her to a black woman who was forced out because of her race many decades before.

She knew there was a dean who had supported that student, Georgiana Simpson, despite complaints by some white students, but didnt know the deans name. Akca did.

Dean Marion Talbot! Akca told her. Talbot, the historical figure who most inspired Akca at the school, a female administrator at a time when that was rare, had been directly involved in a pivotal point in the history of Simpson, the person who most inspired her friend. That was an amazing moment, Akca said.

Despite Talbots attempt to help Simpson, Harry Pratt Judson, the president of the university in 1907, decided Simpson must live off campus.

Simpson continued her education despite that, earned her doctorate and went on to join the faculty of Howard University.

The two friends created the Monumental Women Project, hoping to honor Simpson and Talbot, starting with Simpson.

Monuments matter, they argue; leaving something behind, a lasting legacy, means stories arent hidden, and a more complete history can be told.

After raising nearly $50,000, selecting an artist and earning support from administrators, Akca and Omonijo chose a location for the sculpture. The bust of Simpson now stands in the former mens club of the university, facing a sculpture of the president who chose to exclude her, Judson.
A damaged ceiling at the nonprofit Family Crisis Center Inc. of Prince Georges County, which operates the only shelter that provides temporary housing for women and their children. Residents have complained about the conditions of the housing and food at the shelter. (N/A)

The director of a womens shelter in Prince Georges County was asked to resign this week after clients staying at the domestic violence safe house complained about rotten food, pests and mold inside the home.

The women and children staying at the Family Crisis Center Inc. of Prince Georges County were moved to other accommodations this weekend after the board of directors for the independent nonprofit group asked executive director Sophie Ford to resign Thursday.

Ford was accused by residents of neglecting their complaints about poor conditions at the home, which can house up to 55 people and is the only emergency temporary shelter for domestic violence survivors in the county.

I know we owe the community an apology and weve learned some hard lessons, said Andrea Morris, who sits on the nonprofit board and was appointed interim director of the center. She will oversee repairs during the next week.

We regret the situation tremendously and the board realized we need to have more direct ongoing oversight of the organization, she said.

Morris said the board had misplaced its trust in Ford, who initially denied the allegations from residents, but after both the county and state government sent officials to inspect the safe house, the board asked the executive director to step down.

The center was founded in 1981 and receives all its funding from public sources, including an annual contract with Prince Georges County, which leads the state in domestic violence-related slayings.

This is not the first time the shelter has run into problems. In 2015, the countys Office of Ethics and Accountability received a tip that later proved credible about a lack of quality controls at the shelter and recommended greater oversight and a facility repairs plan for the facility.

The Prince Georges Department of Family Services, which contracts with the shelter, is helping the nonprofit group pay to move the more than 40 women and their children to safe locations during the holiday season. They expect to move everyone back into the home by Jan. 1 before school begins and construction work is done.
Johnny Fox, a professional sword swallower and magician who entertained audiences across the country to help them, as he said, forget about the sadness and the madness in the world, died Dec. 17 at the home of a friend in Damascus, Md. He was 64.

His death was announced by the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, where he had performed for 37 years, including as recently as in October. He had liver cancer, and his death followed two seizures, said his companion, Barbara Tammy Calvert.

Mr. Fox was, by his count, one of 20 or fewer sword swallowers in the United States  a group that travels from festival to carnival preserving the traditions of sideshow arts. He did coin tricks as well as comedy and was known, according to the Renaissance Festival, to drive an eight-inch spike into his nose and to swallow five-foot balloons.

He swallowed fire until he learned it was detrimental to his health.

But his calling card was his sword act, which he taught himself for job security when he was in his 20s; copycats could and did attempt to replicate his magic shows, but few if any would dare to open wide and turn the sharp end of a sword in the direction of their throat.



Mr. Fox died Dec. 17 at age 64. (Steve Parke)

Thousands if not millions saw his act on the television shows hosted by Merv Griffin and David Letterman. Thousands more watched him perform at Renaissance festivals and other gatherings.

He said the most important trait of a sword swallower was the ability to conquer fear, not to mention the gag reflex.

"You have to surrender and open up," Mr. Fox told the New York Times in 1999. The trick, he continued, is "the ability to relax and dilate your throat, the pharynx and the epiglottis. . . . When we swallow, they both open."

To counter suspicions that he was using a retractable blade, he sometimes used a glowing sword that made light emanate from his throat. He was said to swallow swords up to 22 inches long, and up to 16 swords at a time.

In another feat, he swallowed a screwdriver.

"Twist it around a couple of times so my butt doesn't fall off," he told NPR in October, "and make sure I do it clockwise, not counterclockwise."

John Robert Fox was born in Minneapolis on Nov. 13, 1953. An uncle entertained their relatives by inserting needles into his thumb, the Times reported.

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Mr. Fox grew up in Connecticut, where he was living when his father took him to the Eastern States Exposition, a New England fair where he saw curiosities including The Giant From Reykjavik, Iceland, 8-foot-8, The Lobster Boy, Alive and The Monkey Girl, Alive. Such so-called freaks, he told the Syracuse, N.Y., Post-Standard, were his superheroes because they had the courage to stand in front of the public, hearing people say nasty things.

The fair also provided his introduction to sword swallowing. He recalled his brother admonishing him, Dont believe it, its fake.

Mr. Fox's father encouraged the boy's interest in magic, giving him a book about escape artist Harry Houdini. Mr. Fox began his performing career in Florida but gradually became known across the country. He appeared in a Maalox antacid commercial, munching on lightbulbs.

In New York City, he operated a museum, the Freakatorium, El Museo Loco, that featured such items as a narwhal tusk, a two-headed turtle, conjoined piglets preserved through pickling, and relics billed as clothing having belonged to Tom Thumb and entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.s glass eye. The museum closed in 2005 after five years because of an increase in rent.

Mr. Fox was married and divorced four times. He lived in Seymour, Conn.

Survivors include his partner of two years, Calvert, of Bowling Green, Ky.; a son from his second marriage, to Susan Kelly, Kelly Fox of Breckenridge, Colo.; a brother; and a sister.

Mr. Fox delighted in providing his audiences with a means of escape from daily life, and the struggle it often entails, with an act that was both difficult to watch and impossible to ignore.

Its gross and disgusting I know, he once told The Washington Post. But youll watch.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier comforts aMaureen Althea Jenkins at the crime scene where her son was shot and killed outside a church in 2015. (J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post)

It was the height of a homicide spike in 2015, and the anger and grief spilled into view on a public street.

A mother cried near her slain son, and the police chief embraced her behind crime scene tape. Other relatives tried to get by the officers guarding the body. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) railed against using guns to settle petty disputes. Police worried about retaliation.

Amari Jenkins, 21, lay under a sheet on the front lawn of St. Luke Catholic Church on East Capitol Street. It was just past noon on a Tuesday in August. Police said two men wearing masks and blue latex gloves had rolled up in a blue Honda Odyssey, jumped out the side door and ran at Jenkins, shooting as they approached.

When Jenkins collapsed near a statue of Jesus, police said the gunmen stood over him and fired again. And again. And again. They counted 28 shots.

More than two years later, police said they have found the shooters.

Authorities announced on Dec. 14 that Rondell McLeod, 24, and Joseph Antonio Brown, 27, each were charged with first-degree murder in the killing. Both suspects were already in jail awaiting trial in another killing, also in 2015.

[Surge of violence across District as homicide count rises]

For the neighborhoods of Clay Terrace and Fort Dupont, the shootings were part of a local turf battle that would continue in the weeks after Jenkins died. Police havebeen able to piece together a deadly back and forth rivalry that led to at least three deaths in neighborhoods along East Capitol Street, shedding new light on what had seemed at the time to be unconnected crimes.

For the District, the shooting at the church represented a small slice of the type of violence that instilled fear and worried a new mayor for whom crime had not been an issue during her campaign. And it informed Bowser and then-Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier's narrative as they tried to explain the crime spike  that it was caused by a small number of people using guns to settle their disputes. That year ended with 162 killings, a 35 percent increase from 2014 and the highest total since 2008. That number dropped to 135 in 2016 and 110 so far this year as of Friday .

Jenkinss shooting gained widespread attention given the time it occurred  shortly after noon  and the location. The spate of homicides had already concerned residents and officials, but the daytime slaying at a house of worship helped propel the crime issue to the top of the citys agenda.

[Residents for first time in years list violence as top concern]

The raw emotion from the scene was compelling, but it was Jenkinss mother, Maureen Althea Jenkins, whose public display of anguish seemed a metaphor for a deadly year. Photos of her burying her head into Laniers shoulder again appeared in the news after the arrests earlier this month. On Dec. 15, the 42-year-old Jenkins was at the D.C. Superior Court building to watch McLeod and Brown face a judge for the first time in the case.

Jenkins said she relives that day two years ago like its everyday. She added, Its just heartbreaking. Later, after having read the court documents, Jenkins talked a bit more, though she remained reserved, afraid of saying something that might impede the trial.

She said the gunmen roaming D.C. streets dont understand what theyre doing to families being left behind. Its really hard for mothers to go through this. Speaking as if addressing her sons killers, Jenkins said, You didnt hurt my son, you hurt me.

Jenkins said she remembers being embraced by Lanier but doesnt recall what the chief told her. I just wanted to get to my son, she said. Thats what I told her. I didn't care about the investigation. I needed to hug my son, just one more time.

Jenkins said she couldnt address some of the allegations made about her son in the court documents, saying she preferred to wait until trial before deciding whether to believe them. Attorneys for the suspects McLeod and Brown did not return calls seeking comment.

Court documents state that as a teenager, Amari Jenkins had been in a rap music video that aired on YouTube. In 2011, shortly after he turned 18, police said he lured the cameraman back to his apartment where he and another man held him up at gunpoint. He pleaded guilty to stealing the camera and a cellphone and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Police said they found a gun loaded with 27 full metal jacket bullets inside the home where Jenkins lived.

After getting out of prison, Jenkins was put on probation and required to take a course offered to help unemployed D.C. residents find jobs. That program was held at St. Lukes.

Police said in court documents that in late July 2015, Jenkins shot at Brown on 37th Street in Southeast, near where he had grown up.

On Aug. 18 2015, according to an indictment filed against Brown and McLeod, the two men were tipped off about a class at St. Lukes. A man named Leon Reid, 35, told Brown that he had to retaliate against Amari Jenkins because of the earlier shooting, the court document says. Joseph A. Brown then agreed that Amari Jenkins should be killed.

The indictment says Brown, McLeod and Reid went to the church in the Honda. Brown and McLeod, according to police, exited the vehicle as Jenkins emerged, both firing their guns.

Prosecutors said in the indictment: Amari Jenkins then fell to the ground and Joseph A. Brown and Rondell McLeod stood over him and repeatedly shot him.

Police said the violence didnt stop there.

The arrest affidavit says a few months later, on Oct. 29, Antwan Baker, a 29-year-old small-time PCP dealer, fatally shot Reid on Dix Street in Northeast. Court documents say Baker had learned Reid was planning to kill him as he walked his children to school, and shot Reid in what a witness described to police as a preemptive strike.

Two weeks later, on Nov. 12, authorities said, McLeod and Brown killed Baker, shooting him six times in the back of the head on a horseshoe-shaped street in Clay Terrace NE. Police said there were eight seconds of sustained gunfire during a shootout involving several gunmen.

Brown and McLeod were each charged earlier this year with first-degree murder in Bakers killing. A trial is scheduled for June. They were being held when they were charged with killing Jenkins.
D.C. taxi drivers, struggling to hang on in an industry in decline, are getting a boost from the city in the form of subsidized fares.

They are ferrying foster children to school, taking cancer patients to treatment and helping veterans get to job interviews. The trips are subsidized by city programs designed to provide access to transportation for residents who are low-income and have special needs. The additional fares are a welcome source of income for cabbies, whose livelihoods have taken a hit with the rise of ride-hail services such as Uber and Lyft.

Without these fares I would probably be out of business, said David Turner, who has been driving a cab in D.C. for 15 years. There is hardly any more flagging of cabs like there used to be. You dont even see that anymore because everybody is going to the app now.

The rise of smartphone hailing has pushed out the legacy taxi, which has historically depended on street hails. For those drivers sticking to the profession, the District-subsidized trips, though still a fraction of all fares, are a blessing.

Most of those fares result from Transport DC, a program the city launched two years ago to use taxis as an alternative option to the costly MetroAccess program, the Metro shared-van service for the elderly and people with disabilities.

But most recently the city's Department of For-Hire Vehicles, which regulates taxis, has expanded on the success of Transport DC to issue new contracts to extend free or reduced-price rides to veterans, foster children and fixed-income cancer patients.

[Meet the Districts most productive traffic officer]

Taxis make as many as 17,000 Transport DC trips a month. Customers pay a flat $5 fare to travel anywhere in the District, and the city pays a $23 subsidy per trip. Those fares have become a significant share of taxi dispatched calls. The new programs, paid for through various city agencies, add a few hundred fares daily to the ailing industry.

It definitely helps. It adds extra trips for drivers, and at the same time it benefits residents, said Jeff Schaeffer, vice president of Transco, a District taxi conglomerate of 19 companies and about 600 taxis. It is a win-win.

As part of the effort to make use of the available taxi resources, the city also partnered last year with Transco to launch neighborhood shuttles in Wards 4, 7 and 8. The services were subsidized through a city grant that sought to provide fixed-route service in areas historically underserved by traditional and new transportation services.

City officials say the investment in the new transportation options has had an immediate positive return. Transport DC, for example, has helped reduce the citys MetroAccess subsidy by 100,000 trips  or about $5 million.

The DC Child and Family Services Agency, which sponsors the taxi option for foster children, is saving about 40 percent on the transportation by switching from a more expensive van provider, officials said. The taxi option, introduced in May, also allows multiple pickups to accommodate siblings living in different homes.

The testing period with 50 students was such a success, officials said, that the starting grant of $50,000 for the program was expanded to $500,000 and the agency is doubling the number of children using the service.

Beyond the numbers in terms of cost savings and increased business for taxis, there is a deeper and more positive human consequence said Ernest Chrappah, director of the Department of For-Hire Vehicles. Lives are being transformed.

Inez Williams, 50, a Southeast Washington resident who was diagnosed with cancer five months ago, said the taxi option has made trips to her infusion sessions much easier and reliable. Williams had struggled for months to get across town to MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Northwest for medical treatment. She is unemployed, she said, and cant afford the taxi fare. So she used another subsidized van service that required a reservation for the round trip at least two days in advance. The van often would arrive late, she said. And when her treatment lasted longer than she had estimated, she would end up stranded at the hospital with no transportation.

This makes life a bit easier, said Williams, who has used the taxi service three times.

For veterans, the VetsRide program that launched last month allows veterans earning less than $30,000 a year to take a taxi to medical appointments and to educational and employment opportunities. Ely S. Ross, director of the D.C. Mayors Office of Veterans Affairs, said the program can be a game-changer for people who find transportation a barrier to finding jobs and stability. As many as 5,400 veterans could benefit, he said.

A spokesman for the For-Hire Vehicles department said contracts were granted to taxi companies after a competitive selection process. Taxi drivers, who are already vetted by the agency, are enrolled automatically. The city finds contracting with taxis much easier and beneficial than using other transportation services because the industry provides accessible vehicles needed to serve some of the programs beneficiaries.

Chrappah said the programs are doing what they aim to do, which is to improve transportation equity for our residents and bring new business opportunities for an ailing or underutilized taxi industry.

Taxicab fares have dropped year after year since the ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft entered the market, luring away customers to the app-based services. The industry is still ailing years later, despite efforts to maintain its ground through innovation, taxi apps and fleet improvements.

[New regulations aim to bring the D.C. taxi industry into the digital age]

Industry leaders and drivers say the citys over regulation on taxis puts them at a disadvantage. The citys 8,000 licensed taxicab drivers undergo more rigorous background checks, and the fleet is required to meet strict requirements. Regulators don't have any direct control over Uber and Lyft operations  as many as 178,000 private sedans operate in the city.

And the city contracts arent making up for all the losses of the past years, drivers say.

The city is benefiting from lower costs and the taxicab industry is showing that it is versatile enough to take any new business coming its way, said Roy Spooner, the general manager of Yellow Cab Co. We got the technology, we got the ability, we got the experience and we have the accessibility.
PENNSYLVANIA

Prosecutor: No doubt man targeted police

There is no doubt a gunman who fired at police in several locations in the Pennsylvania state capital, wounding one of them before they shot and killed him, was targeting police officers, a prosecutor said.

Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired at a Harrisburg police officer Friday afternoon and later at a state trooper, wounding her, Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said.

The gunfire began shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, when the man fired at a Capitol Police officer in downtown Harrisburg, hitting his car several times, including one shot that was very close to hitting him, Marsico said. About 20 or 30 minutes later, he fired several shots at the state trooper, hitting her.

The trooper is expected to make a full recovery, Marsico said.

Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood, where city and state police encountered him.

He approached them with two handguns . . . firing many shots at those police officers, and the officers returned fire, killing him, Marsico said.

Mofty had ties to the Middle East and recently traveled there, but the motive for the attack was unknown, Marsico said.

 Associated Press

NEVADA

Woman charged in killing of 3 roommates

A Las Vegas woman is facing multiple murder charges Saturday in the shooting deaths of her three roommates, who lived in what authorities described as a problem house.

Christine Sanchez, 47, was being held in a county jail on three counts of open murder with a deadly weapon. Las Vegas police said she had been in an ongoing dispute with her roommates. When the victims returned to the home Friday afternoon, all four got into an altercation. Sanchez pulled out a handgun and shot the trio multiple times, police said.

Two men in one bedroom and a woman in a second bedroom were all pronounced dead at the scene.

 Associated Press

Funeral held for Calif. firefighter: A state firefighter who died battling the largest wildfire in California's modern history was remembered Saturday as a devoted family man who didn't hesitate to do his job, no matter the danger. Gov. Jerry Brown joined family, friends and colleagues honoring Cory Iverson. Iverson's smudged firefighter's coat was displayed during the service. A bagpiper played "Amazing Grace." The 32-year-old Cal Fire engineer died of burns and smoke inhalation Dec. 14 while tackling the Thomas Fire that burned more than 700 homes in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Miss America officials resign amid email scandal: The top leaders of the Miss America Organization resigned Saturday after the revelation of emails in which previous pageant winners were disparaged and called crude names. Sam Haskell stepped down as chief executive, and board members Lynn Weidner and Tammy Haddad also resigned, as did pageant President Josh Randle. The resignations came after the publication Friday by HuffPost of emails between Haskell and organization staff and board members that included sexist, insulting comments about former Miss Americas and laid bare deep dysfunction within the organization.

 Staff and wire reports
FEDERAL APPEALS court judge Alex Kozinski has long been an icon in the American legal community. Young lawyers who clerked in his chambers often went on to do the same work for Supreme Court justices. He was known for his brilliance and lively writing style. And now, he has resigned from his position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit after facing more than a dozen allegations of sexual harassment and a pending investigation into his reported misconduct.

The Post first reported on the stories of six women who say Mr. Kozinski treated them inappropriately during their time as clerks or junior staffers in the 9th Circuit. Two former clerks remember Mr. Kozinski showing them pornography in his office. One woman described Mr. Kozinski openly fantasizing about her exercising naked. "If this is all they are able to dredge up after 35 years, I am not too worried," Mr. Kozinski said  before nine more women came forward to share their own stories of harassment.

One-time Kozinski clerk Heidi Bond recalled the judge describing her as his "slave" and calling her into his office alone to share a list of the women he and his friends had slept with in college. Mr. Kozinski also left her with the impression that judicial confidentiality  the principle that neither clerks nor judges should share what takes place in a judge's chambers  barred her from speaking out about his misconduct. Another 9th Circuit clerk harassed by Mr. Kozinski, Emily Murphy, felt similarly adrift: As Mr. Kozinski was the circuit's chief judge at the time, any complaint she filed would go to him.

Mr. Kozinski's story marks the judiciary's first confrontation with the national reckoning over sexual harassment and assault sparked by the allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. The charges against Mr. Kozinski are not nearly as dire as those against Mr. Weinstein, who stands accused of numerous violent assaults. But the story is otherwise familiar. "Everybody knew," wrote former 9th Circuit clerk Dahlia Lithwick. And yet, as with Mr. Weinstein, no one did anything. Both men held incredible power over young people at critical points in their careers. Both used their clout and their reputation for brilliance to shield themselves from consequence. Law professors continued to recommend clerkships with Mr. Kozinski to their students, and the Supreme Court continued to draw from his pool of clerks.

The judicial branch must put in place confidential mechanisms for clerks and other judicial employees to report misconduct. It has taken some welcome steps already: The Federal Judicial Center has amended the Law Clerk Handbook to make clear that judicial confidentiality does not prevent the reporting of harassment or abuse. And Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has directed the establishment of a working group to combat sexual harassment and assault  which should include current and former law clerks who can shed light on their particular experiences.

Mr. Kozinskis betrayal was all the greater because of his assigned role as an arbiter of justice. For that same reason, the judiciary has a particular obligation to prevent abuses like his.
Tom Fitton, president of the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, said our concerns about Mueller are beginning to take hold. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

For months, efforts to discredit special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign flickered at the fringes of political debate.

Now, the allegation that FBI and Justice Department officials are part of a broad conspiracy against President Trump is suddenly center stage, amplified by conservative activists, GOP lawmakers, right-leaning media and the president himself. The clamor has become a sustained backdrop to the special counsel investigation, with congressional committees grilling a parade of law enforcement officials in recent days.

Until recently, it has been a lonely battle, said Tom Fitton, whose conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch has helped drive the charges by unearthing internal Justice Department documents. Our concerns about Mueller are beginning to take hold.

The partisan atmosphere is a sharp departure from the near-universal support that greeted Mueller's selection as special counsel in May  and threatens to shadow his investigation's eventual findings. Trump, while vowing to cooperate with the special counsel, has also encouraged attacks on Mueller's credibility, tweeting that the investigation is "the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. political history."

The controversy, percolating for months, escalated dramatically in early December with the revelation of text messages in which one of Muellers former top investigators, Peter Strzok, called Trump an idiot last year and predicted Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win the election in a landslide.



Special counsel Robert S. Mueller departs the U.S. Capitol after a closed-door meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in June. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

As the deputy head of counterintelligence at the FBI, Strzok played a critical role in both the Clinton email investigation last year and the Russia probe before he was removed by Mueller this summer.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who met with Fitton earlier this year and has for months alleged that the FBI was working against Trumps election, said in an interview that many of his Republican colleagues now share his view that there has been an orchestrated effort against Trump.

Ive had all kinds of Republicans come up to me and say, This is unbelievable, it looks like the FBI was trying to put its finger on the scale here,  Jordan said.

[Trump teams meeting with Muellers office poised to ratchet up tensions]

Among current and former law enforcement officials, the public attacks on the FBI are seen as an indirect way of trying to discredit Mueller and blunt future findings he may issue, a view shared by many Democratic lawmakers.

There is a concerted push from the White House . . . and their allies to bring the investigations to a halt, Rep. Adam B. Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview. They are also trying to attack Muellers credibility and the credibility of the FBI, so that whatever Mueller finds can be rejected . . . as a fake.

The White House would like to have the best of both worlds, he added. They make the public case that they are cooperating, while their allies do the dirty work.

In response, Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer overseeing the response to the Russia investigation, said in a statement that the President respects the Special Counsel and his process and will continue to fully cooperate with the Special Counsel.

A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment.

Some of the key players in the campaign against the special counsel probe are veterans of politically charged investigations, having helped drive attacks against the Clintons in the 1990s and during last years presidential campaign.

One leading critic is David Bossie, a former Trump deputy campaign manager. He was a congressional investigator who examined President Bill Clintons campaign finances in the late 1990s and currently leads Citizens United, a conservative advocacy group that produced movies critical of Hillary Clinton and other Democrats.

Bossie now makes frequent appearances on Fox News and other conservative media outlets, arguing that the special counsel is being used to try to delegitimize Trump. He said it is crucial to make a sustained fight against the probe.

It is not that I wake up and say, How do I match the Clinton playbook?  Bossie said. I just have the experience of understanding the rapid-response aspect of messaging. You have to be out there with a counter, set-the-facts-straight message or highlight what the problems are very quickly, or these things get away from you.

He argues there is no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

Im not against Mueller; Im against the concept of an investigation as a red herring, he said.

Fittons Judicial Watch group, too, has a long history of investigating the Clintons, having filed numerous lawsuits against the administration of President Bill Clinton. During the 2016 campaign, the organization obtained thousands of emails written by Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state.

This year, Judicial Watch has helped stoke the attacks against the Mueller probe with material it obtained through lawsuits and Freedom of Information Act requests. The nonprofit group, which has a $35 million budget and 50 employees, does not release the names of its approximately 500,000 donors, Fitton said.

Fitton has frequently gone on Fox News, conservative websites and Twitter to report his findings. On Dec. 2, after Fitton tweeted that Trump "needs to clean house at FBI/DOJ," Trump retweeted another user's summary of Fitton's statement.

In one email obtained through a Judicial Watch lawsuit, Andrew Weissmann, a senior lawyer working for Mueller, wrote in January that he was so proud of then-acting attorney general Sally Yatess decision to defy Trumps executive order banning travel by certain immigrants. The FOIA request was filed in May and was received in the fall, Fitton said. Other requests have taken longer or been rejected altogether, he said.

[Trump calls conduct at the FBI disgraceful in latest criticism of bureau]

Judicial Watch also obtained emails regarding FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe that the group says show he was involved in helping his wife, Jill, run as a Democratic candidate for a state Senate seat in Virginia.

McCabe was told in one email that then-Director James B. Comey had "no issue" with McCabe's wife seeking the seat. Another document said Hillary Clinton attended a June 2015 fundraiser for Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's political action committee, which in turn gave nearly $500,000 to Jill McCabe for her state Senate bid.

Republicans have also raised questions about the FBIs handling of a dossier produced by Christopher Steele, a former British spy who was hired by a research firm called Fusion GPS to investigate Trumps ties to Russia. Senate Intelligence Committee investigators on Thursday interviewed Bruce Ohr, a Justice Department official whose wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS in 2016.

In a recent court filing, Fusion GPS said it was being targeted by congressional committees coordinating with the President [and] his personal lawyers . . . to misdirect attention to Fusion . . . due to their perceived role in exposing the ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians.

Jay Sekulow, one of Trumps outside attorneys, has called for a second special counsel to be appointed to investigate the Fusion GPS matter. He said in an interview that his proposal is in no way related to Robert Mueller, with whom he said he has a professional and cooperative relationship.

The pressure on Muellers team has increased as prosecutors unveiled charges this fall against four former Trump advisers.

Less than two weeks after former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, the Justice Department disclosed anti-Trump and pro-Clinton texts that Strzok exchanged with another senior FBI official, Lisa Page, while they were having an affair and managing sensitive political investigations of those candidates.

The texts were uncovered in July by the Justice Departments inspector general, which has been investigating FBI decision-making during the probe into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server when she was secretary of state.

When the inspector general warned Mueller in the summer about what the probe had found, Mueller immediately removed Strzok from his team. Strzok was reassigned to a job in the FBI's human resources division. Page had also worked on the Mueller team but left two weeks earlier for what officials said were unrelated reasons.

The Post has reported that in a 2015 text, Strzok said that Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), who sought the Democratic nomination against Clinton, was "an idiot like Trump. Figure they cancel each other out." In 2016 texts, Strzok wrote, "God, Hillary should win 100,000,000-0" and that he was "worried about what happens if [Clinton] is elected."

Former colleagues defended him, saying Strzoks opinions had no impact on how he conducted investigations.

To think Pete could not do his job objectively shows no understanding of the organization, said Michael Steinbach, former executive assistant director of the FBIs National Security Branch, adding: We have Democrats, we have Republicans, we have conservatives and liberals. . . . Having personal views doesnt prevent us from independently following the facts.

But as news of Strzok's text messages spread, Trump jumped on the story, tweeting: "Report: 'ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE' Now it all starts to make sense!"

Republicans in Congress took the cue, seizing upon the texts to attack the credibility of the FBI and the Mueller investigation.

The senior levels of the FBI have been infected with an intractable bias that seemed to favor Hillary Clinton and work against President Donald Trump, said Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida on Fox News on Wednesday, adding, Its time for Bob Mueller to put up or shut up: If theres evidence of collusion, lets see it.

The calls for Muellers ouster are strongest in the House, where a group of Republicans has been calling for the special counsel to resign.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) has said Muellers investigation should proceed without interference. But he has allowed several committee investigations that are calling into question the integrity of the probe.

The House has a constitutional obligation to exercise congressional oversight, and the speaker is supportive of our committee chairmen carrying out their work, said Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong.

In recent days, for example, three House committees grilled McCabe over his participation in the FBIs Russia investigation and his role in the FBI examination into Clintons use of a private email server.

Democrats called it a thinly veiled attempt to weaken McCabe and slow down Mueller's probe. McCabe plans to retire in a few months when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits, people familiar with the matter told The Post.

Those people should be investigating the real crime, which is Russias interference in our democracy, and instead theyre being hauled before a six-hour series of interviews, said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.).

At the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and a small group of Republican lawmakers are discussing writing a report next year that would highlight alleged corruption at the FBI, according to people familiar with the plans. Such a report would focus on information about the conduct of FBI officials in the course of the Russia investigation, those people said.

On the Senate side, one of the loudest voices has been Republican Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Judiciary Committee and has raised questions about the impartiality of Muellers probe.

He has called for McCabe to be fired and shown a willingness to dig into Mueller's past tenure as FBI director, complaining Thursday that the FBI and the Justice Department have been too slow to rout out people peddling "political influence."

Grassley has also called for a second special counsel to look at decisions the FBI and the Justice Department made at the time that the Obama administration approved a uranium deal giving Russia a significant stake in the U.S. market. The inquiry would bring de facto scrutiny of Mueller, who was FBI director at the time.

Grassley said that his staff is in touch with Nuness staff, though he would not specify exactly what elements of their committees parallel inquiries they were communicating about.

I wouldnt want to say theres coordination, Grassley said. Theres communication.

He insisted that he was not aiming to discredit Mueller, adding that he has got confidence [Muellers] going to be able to do what hes doing.

Trump, meanwhile, has continued to urge on the questions. This month, he tweeted that after the FBI's "phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more) . . . its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness."
When you look at some of the audiences cheering for Republicans sometimes, you look out there and you say, Those are the spasms of a dying party,  Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said on ABCs This Week. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Republicans could easily lose their congressional majorities in 2018, two retiring GOP lawmakers warned Sunday, pointing to a lack of diversity in the party and President Trumps pattern of catering to his narrow conservative base as likely harbingers of bad news for their party.

When you look at some of the audiences cheering for Republicans sometimes, you look out there and you say, Those are the spasms of a dying party,  Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said on ABCs This Week. By and large, were appealing to older white men, and there are just a limited number of them.

Clearly the Republican Party, my party, is going to experience losses. It remains to be seen whether well lose the majority, Rep. Charlie Dent (Pa.) said, appearing on the same program. I tell my colleagues, look, were going to be running into a head wind, youve got to be prepared for the worst. . . . Its going to be a very tough year.

Flake and Dent are frequent critics of the president and his advisers, particularly former chief political strategist Stephen K. Bannon, who has promoted what Flake termed "ultranationalist, ethnonationalist, protectionist" politics in the GOP. Yet their criticism is taking on new significance in the wake of Democrat Doug Jones's U.S. Senate victory in Alabama this month  a loss that many blame on Bannon and his allies insisting that the GOP base would secure a win for conservative Roy Moore in the deep-red state, despite allegations against him of sexual misconduct with teenage girls while he was in his 30s.

Since that loss, GOP leaders who in the past refrained from directly criticizing Bannons politics have challenged him head-on.

View Graphic Can Democrats win back the House in 2018? Itll be tough.

Let me just say this: The political genius on display of throwing away a seat in the reddest state in America is hard to ignore, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters on Friday when asked whether he blamed Bannon for the loss.

Despite McConnells criticism, it is not clear that Trump will pivot the GOP away from Bannons brand of political strategy.

[Will the tax bill help or hurt Republicans in 2018? It depends on whos talking.]

Trump finished off last week by signing a sweeping tax bill into law, the first significant legislative achievement of his presidency. But he interrupted his own victory lap over the weekend with tweets disparaging FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, after reports that McCabe would be retiring in the new year, while the White House scrambled to disavow a report in the New York Times that Trump had used racially charged language to describe Haitians, Nigerians and other ethnic groups in closed-door discussions about his immigration policies.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, defended Trumps tweets about McCabe and said the White House would wish him well as he retired next year.

Trump, who is vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, also took to Twitter on Sunday to address the weekends news, touting the very thing that lawmakers like Flake and Dent have cautioned against relying on: his base.

"The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is," Trump tweeted.

In their interviews, which were taped before Sunday, Flake and Dent had words of caution for the president: If you cater only to your base, other voters will look for an alternative.

If we continue to go down that path, just to drill down on the base, then I think you have a lot of people realize theres no future for them in this party, Flake said. I do worry that in the future well be faced with President Trump running for reelection on one side, drilling down hard on a diminishing base, and on the other side you might have somebody like [Sen.] Bernie Sanders . . . that leaves a huge swath of voters in the middle that may be looking for something else.

Flake said that if Trump finishes his term and seeks reelection, he will face an independent challenger in 2020, if not also a Republican challenger. The senator did not rule out running himself in 2020, though he added, Thats not in my plans.

[No longer a lonely battle: How the campaign against the Mueller probe has taken hold]

Sanders, appearing Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, did not speculate as far out as 2020. But he pointed to recent Democratic victories in statewide elections in Alabama, Virginia and New Jersey as being a referendum on Donald Trump.

If I were the Republicans, Id be worried very much about 2018, the independent senator from Vermont said.

Democrats need to gain two seats to claim the majority in the Senate and about two dozen to flip the balance of power in the House. The looming midterm elections are, thus, likely to cast a pall over the legislative agenda in 2018, as Republicans look for areas in which they can secure much-needed Senate Democratic cooperation to rack up more legislative accomplishments, while Democrats weigh what ventures are worth a compromise just months before a critical election cycle.

Policy challenges such as welfare reform and a solution to keep hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation  as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program expires  are likely to end up in bitter partisan fights, while Sanders said that "we can make some progress" on infrastructure if Trump approaches the Democrats in good faith.

But the Republicans appearing on talk shows Sunday suggested that as long as Trump is in the Oval Office, it will be difficult to work across the aisle if doing so means crossing him.

Before Donald Trump became president, the litmus test, it was really about the ideological purity and conformity with Republican ideas, Dent said. Now the litmus test has changed: Its loyalty to the man.

If I set myself on fire for them, they would complain that the temperature of the flame isnt hot enough, the GOP lawmaker said, explaining how Trump was a factor in his decision to retire after his term ends next year. Its not about ideology anymore, its about loyalty to the president.

David Weigel contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and politician Choe Ryong Hae arrive for the opening of the Ryomyong residential area in Pyongyang last April. (Wong Maye-E/AP)

As 2017 opened, Kim Jong Un delivered a New Year's address in which he declared that North Korea had "entered the final stage of preparation for the test launch of intercontinental ballistic missile."

As 2017 draws to a close, Kim can reflect on a year in which he's not only kept his resolutions, he's also exceeded them: A missile that can fly 8,000 miles to reach Washington, D.C.? Check. A hydrogen bomb 17 times the size of the one the United States dropped on Hiroshima? Check. The whole world paying attention to him and taking him seriously? Double check.

For good measure, Kim had his half brother and potential rival murdered in a gruesome chemical attack, and dispensed with a bunch of top apparatchiks who might have had different ideas about how to run the country.

And he's done it all while facing a new and unconventional adversary in Donald Trump, a U.S. president who has mocked Kim as "Little Rocket Man" and has repeatedly threatened military action.

Its been a good year for Kim.





Kim has now consolidated power internally, is 90 to 95 percent done with the nuclear program and there are no signs of serious dissent within the regime, said Sue Mi Terry, a former Korea analyst at the CIA who is now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Thats cause for cheer in the dictators household.

[What made North Koreas weapons programs so much scarier in 2017]

Six years ago this month, when the 27-year-old Kim succeeded his father, there was widespread skepticism that the inexperienced young man would be able to maintain the worlds most totalitarian state. He was viewed as something of a cartoon villain.

But he's proved to be just as ruthless and controlling as his father and grandfather before him  perhaps even more so. And he has consolidated his leadership of the regime, most recently by promoting himself to "Third General," replacing his grandmother in the North Korean holy trinity of revolutionary leaders.

Far from struggling with the job, he appears more confident and bolder than ever. On a trip this month to Mount Paektu, the spiritual home of the Korean people but one that has been co-opted by the Kim regime, the third-generation leader appeared to put himself on equal footing with his grandfather, Eternal President Kim Il Sung.

The Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Workers Party, ran 60 photos of the visit. Fifty of them showed Kim, including ones of him standing in a wool coat and dress shoes after he  according to the paper  climbed the 9,000-foot snow-covered mountain.

It's a far cry from the predictions of imminent collapse when he took over at the end of 2011.

After 25 missile launches this year, including three of an intercontinental ballistic missile, and a powerful nuclear test, North Korea probably has only one key threshold to cross to become a full-fledged nuclear power, Terry said: building a reentry vehicle that can carry the nuclear warhead safely through the upper atmosphere.

It is possibly just one technical step away from being able to credibly threaten the U.S. with a nuclear weapon, she said.

Even Kims standoffs with Trump have served him well, said Nam Sung-wook, a former head of the South Korean intelligence service think tank who now teaches North Korean studies at Korea University.

[ U.S. declares North Korea carried out massive WannaCry cyberattack ]

If Kim were one of Nams students, hed get an A for his years work.

Hes had a successful year by directly confronting Trump, Nam said, adding that Kims international status has only risen because of the tensions.

From the North Korean perspective, Kim Jong Un is doing well as a young leader, standing equal with Donald Trump, he said. The recent war of words between Kim and Trump must have helped his leadership status domestically.

There are plenty of signs that Kim has continued to strengthen his grip on the regime.

He is accused of ordering the assassination of his older half brother, Kim Jong Nam, in an airport terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in February, eliminating one of the few other people who could stake a claim to carrying on the Kim family leadership. Yet he suffered no repercussions for the brazen attack.

More recently, he has banished members of the old guard. South Koreas intelligence service thinks Hwang Pyong So, head of the armys General Political Bureau, has been purged  or worse. Kim Ki Nam, a propaganda chief who worked for Kims grandfather, hasnt been seen for months.

The turnover at the upper ranks within the Workers Party apparatus is notable, said Ken Gause, a North Korea leadership expert at CNA, a Virginia-based consulting firm. The patronage networks that his father established have been swept away, and a new generation of apparatchiks who owe their loyalty entirely to Kim has been installed.

Lot of things changed inside North Korea, Gause said. It is not the same North Korea that it was in 2016.

[ North Koreas leader is a lot of things  but irrational is not one of them ]

But the nuclear-backed threats and the purges have provided ammunition to those in the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill who say Kim is a madman who cant be deterred in the way that the United States has been deterring North Korea for seven decades.

Trump has said Kim is "obviously a madman who doesn't mind starving or killing his people," while Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has asserted that the North Korean leader is not rational.

But all of Kims actions, while often callous, have solid reasoning behind them, Gause said. He is a ruthless leader, but he is a very pragmatic leader and thinks through everything he does, he said.

Kims top priority is regime survival. Getting rid of rivals or naysayers, or threatening to fire a nuclear-tipped missile at the United States if attacked, helps him achieve that goal.

Every one of his actions which, on the surface, seems potentially crazy, actually makes perfect sense for somebody who is consolidating their power in the very rough-and-tumble environment of North Korea, Gause said.

So what will 2018 hold? Kim will supply some hints in his next New Years address, to be delivered Monday.

I expect Kim Jong Un to declare that he and his nation are ready to fight against the U.S. and to promise that North Korea will continue pressing ahead with its nuclear and missile ambitions, said Nam, the South Korean expert.

As he makes progress, will Kim be willing to hold direct talks with the United States? Some analysts say the prospects for diplomacy are improving as North Korea gets closer to achieving its weapons goals because Kim wants to meet on equal footing.

Hes willing to now have discussions or negotiations with us under certain conditions, Gause said. But denuclearization is probably a nonstarter.

Read more

Sanctions are hurting aid efforts  and ordinary people  in North Korea

Life under Kim Jong Un

Retired military leaders urge Trump to choose words, not action, to deal with North Korea

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, scored a personnel victory when his chosen candidate for East Asia adviser was nominated by the White House. Patrick Doyle/Bloomberg (Patrick Doyle)

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has publicly acknowledged having no big diplomatic wins to notch on his belt, but he scored a significant bureaucratic victory last week when the White House nominated his preferred candidate to become his top adviser on East Asia.

If the Senate confirms Susan Thornton as the assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, she will become the first career Foreign Service officer to be elevated to a permanent slot in the hierarchy of senior officials. Thornton, who is considered one of the pre-eminent Sinologists in the State Department, has held the position in an acting capacity since March.

In a brief interview at the State Department Christmas party, Tillerson said he had come to have enormous confidence in Thorntons knowledge of Asia, exhibited during strategy sessions on China and North Korea. She has accompanied him on trips to Asia, including a harrowing flight to Guam in August when North Korea was threatening to launch a missile nearby.

Tillerson had wanted her in the job for months, but said the turning point was during President Trumps trip to Asia in November.

The president spent face-time with Susan during the Asia trip, Tillerson said. He had a chance to interface with her and came away very impressed with her.

Thornton's nomination says as much about Tillerson and White House palace intrigue as it does about her credentials. And it could help revive flagging morale among Foreign Service officers in the State Department, many of whom have felt Tillerson does not value their advice.

White House advisers had blocked Tillersons early efforts to get Thornton nominated. Chief among them was Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist.

Just days before his departure in August, Bannon singled out Thornton in a call to the American Prospect as he boasted of marginalizing the professional Asian hands at the State and Defense departments because they weren't hard-line enough on China.

Im changing out people at East Asian Defense, he said. Im getting hawks in. Im getting Susan Thornton out.

Though being castigated by Bannon is a badge of honor to many in the foreign policy field, Thornton may face more broadsides from him now that he has returned to the helm of Breitbart News. The National Interest reported this week that Bannon and "the Breitbart crowd" intend to work against Thornton's confirmation.

Since joining the State Department more than 25 years ago, Thornton has mostly worked on Asia issues. She has served in embassies in China, Armenia and Kazakhstan.

I think the world of her, said Daniel Russel, who was assistant secretary for East Asia until March and recruited Thornton to become his deputy. Shes an immensely competent Foreign Service officer. When I left, I was confident there was essentially nothing Secretary Tillerson wanted from the assistant secretary that he couldnt get from Susan. Its to his credit he stuck to his guns.

That Tillerson waited Bannon out, and finally got who he wants, suggests he is willing to play the long game. White House officials have repeatedly leaked scathing criticisms of Tillerson and suggested his departure is imminent, but he has dismissed the rumors as false and ridiculous, and insisted he plans to stick around.

Secretary Tillerson, who has famously had a very contentious relationship with the Foreign Service, really saw Susans tremendous capabilities, said Abraham Denmark, Asia program director for the Wilson Center. I expect a lot of Foreign Service officers will take some comfort in the fact that Susan has been so successful.

Denmark said Thorntons nomination could allay skepticism by some Foreign Service officers that Tillerson is willing to seek their input on foreign policy. It remains to be seen if its a one off, or an indication of a broader trend, he said.

A diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly about morale, said other diplomats are pleased at Thorntons ascent, but it may be too late to change the perception that Tillerson is unapproachable.

The fact he has been so standoffish and so uninterested in what Foreign Service officers can contribute is well-established, and irreversible, the diplomat said. Nobody could mistake this for an embrace by Rex Tillerson of the Foreign Service professionals. Its clearly an anomaly.

Tillerson said that he has considered other Foreign Service officers as assistant secretaries, and that they were accepted by the White House but met resistance in the Senate. He said he is open to considering others.

Im looking at the full talent pool, he said. I dont have any restrictions. I just look for the best person.
As a presidential campaign with predictable results kicks off in Russia, opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Sunday announced his dark-horse bid despite the government's warnings that he will be disqualified before the ballots are printed for the March election.

In a small forest and dacha community in the outer reaches of Moscow, exactly 742 supporters raised small red voting cards in support of the whistleblower turned opposition leader, who over the past half-decade has become the most dogged foe of President Vladimir Putin. Navalny needed at least 500 people to formally nominate him.

Vladimir Putin, you should not be president anymore, he said during the meeting of an initiative group to register his bid. You are a bad president. You have no positive platform. We are sending you a message in these elections and are ready to win.

It was a rare, focused political spectacle in Russia that marked a contrast to the ebb and flow of protest over the past five years, one with a clear political agenda: to register the countrys most prominent opposition politician for the presidential election despite a seemingly open-and-shut government case to keep him out.

Navalny, who was convicted of fraud in a 2014 verdict that he called politicized, is not allowed to run for president under Russian electoral law, which bars anyone with a criminal conviction from seeking elected office. He says nothing in the constitution prevents his bid, which is true, and argues that he should be allowed to run.

It is not clear that the argument will hold water with Russias electoral commission. But Navalny supporters at the Sunday gathering shrugged off the doubts and reveled in the moment.

The only thing I can compare it to is like a political rally in the West with the confetti coming down, said Danill Bankin, a 20-year-old political studies student who attended the meeting in Serebryany Bor, a wealthy community blanketed with snow on Christmas Eve. A lot of people say Russians are apathetic, but I think the youths are really becoming active again.

There were signs that this is anything but a normal presidential bid. The official address of the registration was Fourth Street Serebryany Bor, Beach No. 3. It was so cold the printers froze before they could spit out all the documents needed to be furnished to the electoral commission.

Everything was perfect, totally in accordance with the law. Even the election workers [who attended the event to ensure everything was above board] had no gripes, said Alexander, a 30-year-old Moscow resident who later joined a protest of about 1,000 Muscovites in Lermontov Square. He did not provide his last name, saying he did not trust journalists and was worried about repercussions at work.

He said he was drawn to opposition politics because of official corruption. You look at them on TV and you know immediately theyre lying. Their mouths say one thing, but their eyes say something completely different, he said.

The head of Russia's Central Elections Commission, Ella Pamfilova, has said repeatedly that Navalny would not be allowed to run for president because of his previous conviction. Yet procedure must be followed, and the issue of disqualification would come later. On Sunday, workers at the electoral commission said they would wait for Navalny to deliver his nomination papers.

We all know that Putin is going to be president, Boris Stoyanov, a 45-year-old history teacher, said at the later rally. But our candidate matters to me, and Ill stand out here until Im sure that I can vote for him in March.

Read more:

All this circus: Putin takes heat from broke, angry Russians in live call-in show

Putin quietly becomes longest-serving Russian leader since Stalin

Russia issues stern warning U.S. is fueling new bloodshed in Ukraine

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Directed by Alexander Payne; co-written by Payne and Jim Taylor

Alexander Paynes new film Downsizing, is an uneven, but engaging science-fiction satire that proposes to solve the earths ecological and other problems by downsizing, or physically shrinking, human beings.

The creator of such noteworthy films as Election (1999), About Schmidt (2002) and Nebraska (2013), Payne employs, in Downsizing, a generally light touch in attempting to address pressing social ills.

His film features Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig as Paul and Audrey Safranek, a lower-middle-class couple with thwarted dreams and nearly empty pockets. Paul, always having wanted to be a surgeon, is now an occupational therapist at Omaha Steaks in Omaha, Nebraska. The Safraneks drab and financially overstretched lives render them susceptible to the claims of Norwegian scientistswho have invented a technology capable of reducing organic material at a cellular levelthat miniaturization will solve myriad problems.

For example, the Safraneks are informed that their net worth of $150,000 will be the equivalent of $12 million in the tiny model community called Leisureland. In addition, it will not only be financially advantageous to be reduced dramatically in size, but the procedure will help save the planet! Flashy sales seminars, with cameos by Neil Patrick Harris and Laura Dern, extol the virtues of being reduced to five inches high. The amusing Jason Sudeikis as Dave Johnson, connected to Pauls high school days, enthuses over his dollhouse-size existence.

Paynes film is at its drollest when it visualizes the shrinking process. Dental fillings must be removed so heads dont explode and giant (that is, normal size) nurses transfer the newly miniaturized into tiny hospital beds with spatulas. Audrey backs out after her head and one eyebrow have been shorn, leaving her husband to sign divorce papers with a pen several times his size.

As for Paul, he soon realizes that Leisureland is not the Shangri-la he was told to expect. Not only is his Serb neighbor Dusan (a wonderful Christoph Waltz) loud and vaguely depraved (along with his friend, played by the veteran and practically inimitable German-born actor, Udo Kier), but the community is afflicted by acute social polarization, with dark slums hidden away from the glitzy moneyed class. In fact, included in Dusans team of house-cleaning maids is Ngoc Lan Tran (Hong Chau), a one-legged Vietnamese activist shrunk against her will by the government of that country. (Chau, who was born in Thailand to Vietnamese parents, grew up in Louisiana. Unfortunately, her harsh Vietnamese accent, intended to be humorous, is mostly grating.)

As problems with Leisureland begin to emerge, so do the problems with Downsizingit becomes somewhat unfocused and even unclear in its attitude toward climate change. Paynes movie seems finally to go off in several directions at once, none of them satisfying. However, its conclusion suggests that its better to dig ones heels in and fightand livewith the rest of humanity rather than bow to the inevitable, and that seems healthy.

Paynes Downsizing does deliver a bite with questions such as, Should you [tiny people] get the same rights as normal-size people? and its references to the concerns of Homeland Security: shrinking illegal immigrants and terrorists will make breaching American borders that much easier!

Payne, born in 1961 in Omaha, Nebraska to a Greek-American immigrant family, has been one of the more interesting satirists working in the American film industry for two decades, since Citizen Ruth (1996), about the debate in the US over abortion rights. He has demonstrated a particular interest in and acuity about social and psychological life in Middle America.

His Election featured the memorably abominable Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), a conniving, ambitious and devoid-of-principles high school student, as we noted on the WSWS, and the well-intentioned, hapless Mr. McAllister (Matthew Broderick) in a lampoon of the American political landscape. Flick, a sharp and amusing film creation, aspires to be student body president and at one point appeals to Dear Lord Jesus to go that one last mile and make sure to put me in office where I belong so that I may carry out your will on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

About Schmidt, one of the few current movies that tries honestly to offer social satire and criticism, and Nebraska, which concerned itself with the bleak lives of decent people without prospects, have been other high points of Paynes career.

In interviews about Downsizing, Payne pointed to the multiple issues that were on his and screenwriter Jim Taylors minds. He told Variety, Its a summing up of all the themes that Ive been working with.  Theres the look at class in America, theres political satire, a humanist point of view...

I liked the idea of trying to solve the worlds greatest problem through something as preposterous as miniaturization. But when you think about it, theres no better solution. If we are going downand it sure looks that waywhat are we supposed to do? Colonize another planet? Allow plague, food riots, starvation and natural disaster to just kill us all off?

Now, with our horrible times, we need horror films like we did in the 50s, he says. No other genre does a better job of conveying a type of collective anxiety. You look around and think its probably a good idea to remake Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

In regard to Donald Trumps plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and its echo in Downsizing, Payne told Esquire that a lot of the elements of the screenplay have more significance now: the wall that surrounds Leisureland, and the [fact that] the Mexicans and Central Americans who work in Leisureland live on the other side of that wall. We had no idea that the wall would acquire significance.

In any case, of course, there are better solutions to the worlds greatest problems, and one suspects Payne knows that, but the filmmaker is better at this point at feeling and intuiting those problems than at theoretically grasping them. Downsizing sticks in ones memory less because of the depth of its analysis than its slightly muddled, chaotic, well-meaning, bemused, troubled concern for humanity and its future.
Hollywood and technology investor Prince al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia holds a potential get out of jail card  but its not free.

The prince, who has been held in detention since his November arrest on hazy corruption charges along with dozens of other Saudi royals, reportedly can pay a $6 billion fine to win his freedom, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Even for a man enormously wealthy, thats a hefty bill.

al-Waleeds Kingdom Holding company has has held major stakes in Fox, Time Warner, Citigroup, Twitter, Apple, Motorola and many other well-known companies over the years, as well as several satellite television networks that are prominent in the Arab world. If he pays the fine, the company might need to liquidate some or all of those assets.

His arrest came as part of a power struggle to consolidate the grip of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the top adviser of King Salman. At age 32, the Crown Prince is a major voice in Saudi foreign relations, military, economics and social policies, drawing grumbling from other royals.

RelatedSaudi Arabia Lifts 35-Year Ban On Cinemas; Movie Theaters Expected In March 2018

King Salman decreed a new anti-corruption committee, headed by the crown prince, hours before the arrests. The committees broad powers included freezing assets, arrests, travel bans and other areas, all part of any alleged investigation into corruption.

The Saudi government has not revealed details on the alleged graft that caused the arrests. al-Waleed and other royals are being held at the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton.

The Kingdom board reportedly met in Riyadh last Wednesday, its first public meeting since al-Waleeds arrest.

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Luann de Lesseps was arrested in the early morning hours on Sunday after reportedly attacking a police officer in Palm Beach  nearly a year after she wed now-ex Tom DAgostino in the Florida destination.

The Real Housewives of New York City star, 52, was charged with disorderly intoxication, battery on an officer/firefighter/EMT, resisting arrest with violence and threatening a public servant, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office.

An assistant states attorney told the Palm Beach Post that de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked at least one police officer. She also reportedly told people, Im going to kill you all, before her arrest.

This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions, de Lesseps told PEOPLE in a statement. I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior. I am committed to transformative and hopeful 2018.

The reality star was released on her own recognizance, Sunday, according to the Palm Beach Post, and Judge Ted Booras said she would be allowed to return to her home state of New York. However, he warned her not to ignore the charges against her. I dont think it would be that hard to find you, he said.

She is due back in court on Jan. 25, 2018.

The office of the State Attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Luann de Lesseps

In an Instagram story posted on Saturday, de Lesseps narrated as a female friend held up dresses. Said de Lesseps, Getting ready for pre-Christmas Eve.

A source tells PEOPLE Luann was out with a girlfriend at the Colony Hotel where she had her wedding brunch just a year ago  it was the first time she had been back to Palm Beach since the wedding.

Memories from that day came flooding back, she was emotional and her behavior was out of character, adds the source.

Its been a tumultuous year for de Lesseps.

After nearly eight months of marriage, de Lesseps announced in early August that she and Tom DAgostino were divorcing. They wed in a lavish, three-day wedding in Palm Beach last year over New Years weekend.

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A source close to the Housewives previously told PEOPLE that de Lesseps had hesitations and reservations before their nuptials  she had confided in friends that she knew something was up and that it didnt gel  but she had to put on a good face to avoid embarrassment.

One cause of well-documented friction between Tom and his bride? The former lifelong bachelors previous alleged infidelity and flirtatious personality created a lot of trust issues for the reality star, who was married to Count Alexandre de Lesseps from 1993 to 2009 and gave up her Countess title when she wed DAgostino.

DAgostino broke his silence on the divorce in September, telling E! News, I fell in love, got married quickly and am very sad that two people in love are not together.

The publicized reasons for the divorce make for a great reality TV story line, he continued, adding, I wish Luann much happiness and love.

The reality star is currently filming season 10 of the Bravo hit, which is expected to premiere this spring.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is celebrating Festivus, the fictional non-commercial holiday popularized by TVs Seinfeld. As required by tradition, Paul is doing an online airing of grievances about government waste, Washington politics, and a certain White House occupant with a penchant for tweeting.

Festivus, for the uninitated, is celebrated each December 23 as a Christmas alternative. Created by Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) as an answer to treacly holiday traditions, it features a Festivus pole without decorations, Feats of Strength, and a dinner, after which comes the annual airing of grievances.

The holiday was first featured in a 1997 Seinfeld episode titled The Strike, during which it was identified as Festivus  a holiday for the rest of us. The notion was quickly embraced by those non-traditionalists who shunned the commercial aspects of the formal Christmas holiday.

To everyone, thanks for checking in here today for my annual #AiringofGrievances. This is always fun, but in all seriousness #HappyFestivus  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2017

We spent over $170k to build trails in national parks. Seems like not too bad until you read the next line that the parks were in Russia  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2017

Im back to celebrate #Festivus with some more #AiringofGrievances, this time about how the government spends your money  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2017

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Scott Disick and Sofia Richie stepped out for coffee on Friday afternoon before doing some last minute holiday shopping.

The couple was spotted heading out to grab a cup of joe before hitting up Neiman Marcus in Woodland Hills, California.

Disick, 34, kept it cool in a black hoodie, green cargo pants and white sneakers. Richie, 19, wore a head-to-toe black ensemble  matching her new brunette hair with a long-sleeve turtleneck, skinny jeans, shiny boots, and a bag.

Scott Disick and Sofia Richie

Richie and Disick appear happy as ever as they head into their first Christmas together.

The couple were first linked in May and have spent much of their time since then traveling, taking in trips to Miami, Venice, Milan, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos (to name a few).

A source recently told PEOPLE the two are very serious and that Richie has been a positive influence on Disick, who has openly struggled with alcohol abuse and is the father to sons Mason, 8, Reign Aston, 3, and daughter Penelope, 5  all with ex-girlfriend (and Keeping Up with the Kardashians star) Kourtney Kardashian.

[Sofias] been great for him, the source said. Shes made a big impact on his life and hasnt partied at all since they met.

His friends adore her and nobody notices the age difference, the source added. She is very mature, she grew up in Hollywood and has always been in older situations. They seem really happy.
RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN AND RESPECT FOR AMERICA:

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP: YEAR ONE OF MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears; inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past; and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.

 President Donald J. Trump

JUMPSTARTING AMERICAS WORKERS AND ECONOMIC ENGINE: President Trump has put the American economy into high-gear, creating jobs and increasing wealth.

o The Tax Cuts Act provides $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, of which $3.2 trillion, or nearly 60 percent, goes to families.

o A typical family of four earning $75,000 will save more than $2,000 in income tax cuts.

o The Tax Cuts Act nearly doubles the standard deduction.

o The vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page.

o The Tax Cuts Act will repeal Obamacares burdensome individual mandate.

o Third quarter GDP growth rate was 3.2 percent.

o Second quarter GDP growth rate was 3.1 percent.

o The manufacturing industry has created 159,000 jobs.

o The mining and logging industry has created 57,000 jobs.

o Thirteen states have reached record low unemployment rates.

o Since President Trumps election, more than $5 trillion in wealth has been added to the U.S. economy.

o The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index rose in November to a 17-year high of 129.5.

o The National Association of Manufacturers Outlook Index had the highest annual average in its history.

o The Executive Order sets in motion a new process that will make it easier for businesses to create and scale apprenticeship programs, providing many more Americans access to an affordable education that leads to a good-paying job.

o Leading private sector technology companies and organizations pledged over $300 million to amplify the Presidents computer science initiative.

o This year, the Small Business Administration has lent approximately $500 million more than last year in capital to women-owned businesses.

ENDING JOB KILLING REGULATIONS: President Trump is rolling back wasteful and costly regulations that have stood in the way of hardworking Americans.

o President Trumps Administration surpassed the 2:1 ratio, eliminating 22 regulations for every new regulation.

o In FY 2017, President Trumps Administration saved over $8.1 billion in lifetime regulatory costs.

o According to a study by NERA Economic Consulting, implementing the Obama Administrations plan under the Paris Climate Agreement could have cost the United States economy nearly $3 trillion and 6.5 million industrial sector jobs by 2040.

PROMOTING FAIR AND RECIPROCAL TRADE: President Trump is putting America first in trade so American workers arent put at a disadvantage.

o Renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement are underway to modernize the deal so all countries benefit from it.

o South Korean companies announced 64 projects that will invest more than $17 billion in the United States over four years and will purchase $58 billion in goods and services.

o Foxconn announced it was investing $10 billion in Wisconsin to build a factory that will employ thousands of workers directly and up to 22,000 workers indirectly.

o Toyota and Mazda announced a $1.6 billion investment in a new manufacturing plant in the United States that will create an estimated 4,000 jobs.

o At the White House, Broadcom Limited announced they were moving their headquarters back to the United States, bringing $20 billion in annual revenue.

o On his first overseas trip, President Trump and King Salman of Saudi Arabia oversaw the signing of a historic $400 billion in deals between U.S. and Saudi companies.

o To defend U.S. national security interests, President Trump blocked a foreign company from acquiring a U.S. business for only the fourth time in history.

o Since President Trump was sworn into office, the Department of Commerce has initiated 79 antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) investigations.

o The U.S. Trade Representative self-initiated a Section 301 investigation into whether Chinese policies, acts, and practices related to technology transfer, licensing, and intellectual property are unreasonable or discriminatory. This is the first use of Section 301 since 2001.

ADVANCING AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE: President Trump is reversing years of policies that locked-up American energy and restricted our ability to sell to other countries.

o President Trump signed an Executive Order to expand offshore oil and gas drilling and to reissue a leasing program to develop offshore resources.

o New guidance will allow financing for coal and other fossil energy projects, which will increase access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy around the world.

o The Administration streamlined Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal permitting, including the Lake Charles LNG terminal.

o Under the Trump Administration, our allies have received, and will continue to receive, American LNG exports, which will prevent dependence on single suppliers.

o The Trump Administration has approved the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, which will create an estimated 42,000 jobs and $2 billion in economic benefits.

o The Administration has expedited new pipeline approval and production, including the New Burgos Pipeline, which will export U.S. gasoline to Mexico.

o The Department of the Interior is boosting responsible oil and gas development on Federal lands.

o According to NERA Economic Consulting, the CPP would have increased electricity rates by as much as 14 percent, costing American households up to $79 billion.

PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE HOMELAND: President Trump is enforcing our immigration laws, protecting American communities and American jobs.

o This action gives Congress the opportunity to consider appropriate legislative solutions, as required by our Constitution.

o Over the same time period, removals that resulted from arrests increased by 37 percent.

o Of the illegal aliens arrested by ICE, over 92 percent had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, were ICE fugitives, or were illegal reentrants.

PROTECTING AMERICAS COMMUNITIES: President Trump is protecting American communities and restoring law and order so that every American can feel safe in their community.

o President Trump signed an Executive Order to restore state and local law enforcements access to surplus Defense Department equipment through the 1033 program, including safety equipment.

o This includes the alleged leader of MS-13s East Coast Program.

MAKING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE: President Trump is following through on his promise to drain the Washington swamp and make the Government accountable.

o As of December 14, President Trump has nominated 73 Federal judges.

o Twenty-two judges have been confirmed, including a record-setting 12 circuit judges.

o President Trump signed an Executive Order on lobbying that included a five-year ban on lobbying and a lifetime ban on lobbying for foreign countries.

o President Trump has donated his salary, following through on his promise to the American people.

o Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has called for business reform in the DOD to instill budget discipline and effective resource management.

COMBATTING OPIOIDS: President Trump and his Administration are fighting back against drug addiction and opioid abuse.

o Anyone who possesses, imports, distributes, or manufactures any illicit fentanyl-related substance will be subject to criminal prosecution similar to other controlled substances.

o The DOJ announced its first-ever indictments against two Chinese nationals and their North American-based associates for distributing large quantities of fentanyl and other opiate substances.

PROTECTING LIFE: President Trump recognizes the precious gift of life and protects the sanctity of life at all stages.

o President Trump de-funded a U.N. agency for colluding with Chinas brutal program of forced abortion and sterilization.

SERVING OUR COUNTRYS VETERANS: President Trump is making sure the government fulfills its commitment to our countrys veterans.

o Under President Trump, the VA has fired 1,298 employees, suspended 425, and demoted 73, as part of President Trumps efforts to restore accountability.

o The legislation streamlines the lengthy process that veterans undergo when appealing disability benefits claims with the VA.

o This funds the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members, including tuition, fees, books, housing, and additional costs.

o Anywhere to Anywhere VA Health Care allows VA providers to use telehealth technology to serve veterans no matter where the provider or veteran is located.

o VA Video Connect allows veterans and providers to connect by video across the country.

o The Veteran Appointment Request (VAR) application allows veterans to schedule appointments at VA facilities on digital devices.

PROMOTING PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH: President Trump is rebuilding our military, defeating terrorist organizations, and confronting rogue nations to protect America and our allies.

o With U.S. leadership, the United Nations Security Council unanimously sanctioned North Korea for its continued rogue actions.

o The Trump Administration sanctioned Chinese financial institutions aiding the North Korean regime.

o President Trump signed an Executive Order sanctioning North Korean trade and financing, signaling to the world that they have to make a choice: deal with the United States or the rogue regime in North Korea.

o The new financial sanctions prohibit dealings in new Venezuelan debt and its corrupt oil company. The regime will no longer be able finance its debt using U.S. banks.

RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN AND RESPECT FOR AMERICA: President Trump has used an America First foreign policy to restore respect for the United States throughout the world and to advance our interests.

o Three student athletes from the University of California, Los Angeles, were released from China after President Trumps personal intervention.

o An American, a Canadian, and their three children were released from Taliban custody after United States Government and Pakistani forces secured their release.

o The Trump Administration secured Otto Warmbiers release from North Korea.

o Sandy Phan-Gill was released from Chinese detention after President Trump and his Administration intervened.

o Aya Hijazi was released from an Egyptian prison and welcomed to the White House by President Trump.

o South Korea and Japan both pledged to build closer defense relations with the United States, and the President underscored the U.S. commitment to providing advanced military equipment.

o President Trump boosted cooperation between the Quad countries (the United States, Japan, India, and Australia) on the sidelines of ASEAN in Manila.

o President Trump reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to promote prosperity and security in the region, including by modernizing Americas development finance institutions and increasing their coordination with Japanese counterparts.

o President Trump visited Mecca, Jerusalem, and Rome, three of the worlds holiest places.

o While in Saudi Arabia, President Trump pushed for a coalition of nations to confront Iran and attended the opening of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology.

o At the May 2017 NATO Leaders meeting, President Trump persuaded our allies to agree to develop national plans to boost defense spending to 2 percent of GDP by 2024, and for NATO to formally join the defeat-ISIS coalition.

o With G-20 partners and the World Bank, the United States championed the establishment of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (WeFi), which could leverage in excess of $1 billion in financing to support women entrepreneurs.
Police are denying an attack on a 14-year-old Muslim girl, which was caught on video and went viral, was a hate crime, saying instead that it was over a boyfriend.

A 14-year-old Muslim teen is recovering after receiving a savage beating at the hands of her peers. Video of the encounter is going viral.

According to police, Manaal Munshi went to a park in Boca Raton, Fla., earlier this week to try to work out her differences with another girl. When she arrived, she found a crowd of students and more than one girl waiting for her.

A video posted on Facebook already has well over 2 million views.

As the video begins, one girl already has Munshi by the hair, spinning her around and throwing punches. As Munshi falls to the ground more girls join in and begin pounding her with their fists. Shouts of Beat her ass! and Pull her hair! can be heard.

Its unclear what caused the dispute, or if it was racially or religiously motivated, but an investigation has been launched. Police are denying the attack was a hate crime, saying instead that it was over a boyfriend.

This case is being investigated by a deputy in our West Boca District. Nothing at this time indicates a hate crime, it was apparently over a boyfriend. Our deputy will be following up with School Board to identify the multiple subjects in the video. Criminal charges are pending  PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) December 22, 2017

At NO time was race or bullying ever discussed, determined or considered to have played a role in that altercation, writes the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Department in another tweet:

PBSO is Investigating an Incident that took place in West Boca Raton where an altercation took place. Here is the press release: pic.twitter.com/7twAiDfQoC  PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) December 22, 2017

Munshis family disagrees, however. They say their daughter has been bullied in the past because of her faith and has been called names like terrorist.

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She has bruises on her face. One eye is black  neck, had nails, big nails, on her neck, and there are lots of big bumps on her face, her head, the girls father, Shakeel Munshi, told NBC Miami in a FaceTime interview. She used to say that theyre making fun of her  that shes terrorist, kind of thing.

The superintendent of the Palm Beach county school district, Dr. Robert Avossa, has weighed in, saying in a statement: I am saddened by this senseless violence. I am further concerned about individuals who stood by to videotape the incident instead of coming to the assistance of their peer by calling 911. As a community, we cannot ever get to a place where we are passive bystanders of such acts. We must expect more from one another and certainly, I expect more from our students, he said.

Munshi and the girl in the video are from two different schools, West Boca Raton High School and Olympic Heights High School, raising questions whether school rivalries were somehow involved.

The Center for American-Islamic Relations has called for a full investigation into the matter and has reached out to the Munshi family. We called for a full investigation of these events precisely to clarify the circumstances under which this teenager was hanged [sic] up by other three females. That is why we prefer also the involvement of the State Attorneys office on this matter, a CAIR spokesman told Buzzfeed in an interview.

The Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office said in a statement posted on Facebook that a full investigation into the matter will be conducted with the school board.

Meanwhile, members of the community commenting on the incident are posing questions and raising doubts about the officials statements.

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Who is Everitt Aaron Jameson, the San Francisco terrorist suspect?

The FBI announced on December 22nd that they had arrested a man planning an attack on San Francisco on Christmas. Heres what we know about the suspect in the Christmas terror attack.

The 26-year-old suspect, Everitt Aaron Jameson, was arrested at his home in Modesto, California, on December 20th. He said that he was working in support of ISIS. Jameson is a tow truck driver, and, according to the Los Angeles Times, he told an FBI agent posing as an ISIS leader that he thought San Franciscos Pier 39 would be ideal for a terrorist attack.

Jameson is accused of providing information to a foreign terrorist organization from October 24th through December 20th, according to an FBI affidavit obtained by NBC Bay Area. The agent who filed the affidavit, Christopher McKinney, also recorded that Jameson said he would do anything for the cause.

The suspect reportedly was planning to build a pipe bomb. Rifles and ammunition were discovered at his residence. Jameson chose Pier 39 as the location of the attack because it was a crowded tourist spot. He said he was inspired by the October 31st attack in New York and the December 2015 attack in San Bernardino, California.

FBI agents said they found a suicide note at Jamesons house that took issue President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Jameson graduated from basic training with the U.S. Marines in 2009 with the rifle sharpshooter qualification. But he was discharged when military officials discovered he had concealed his history of asthma.

Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was arrested for allegedly planning a terror attack on #SanFrancisco's Pier 39. FBI says he embraced 'radical jihadi beliefs' and 'liked' pro-ISIS content on Facebook https://t.co/VnArLatL9r pic.twitter.com/etOGFA1Suz  KRON4 News (@kron4news) December 22, 2017

Jameson is a recent convert to Islam. According to the FBI documents, he had recently been posting and liking pro-terrorism content on Facebook. The affidavit also said that Jameson espoused radical jihadi beliefs.

Jameson, a California native, shows that terrorists can come from any background and that stricter immigration policies wont stop terrorist attacks. The reality is that terrorism is a complex issue, and that people like Jameson exist everywhere. But for now, were relieved that Jameson was arrested and that this attack on San Francisco was prevented. We hope that everyone in the Bay Area stays safe.
The happiest time of the year has taken a tragic turn for Jonah Hill and his family. The Lego Batman Movie stars elder brother, Jordan Feldstein, has been confirmed dead by the LA county coroner to E! after suffering a cardiac arrest on Friday evening.

Feldstein is survived by two children, Hill, his sister and Lady Bird actress Beanie Feldstein, and his two parents, who gave a statement to the outlet about his untimely death. Unfortunately, Jordan called 911 last night for shortness of breath, when paramedics arrived it was determined he went into a full cardiac arrest and passed away shortly thereafter, it read. His family asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time.

They also announced that they would be requesting donations for charity in place of the usual gifts that accompany such a tragedy. In lieu of food and flowers, the family will announce a charity in the coming weeks where memorial donations can be made in Jordans name.

The 40-year-old was the CEO of Career Artist Management, whose client roster included such musical acts as Maroon 5, Elle King, Chromeo, The B-52s, Rick Springfield, and more.

He was also briefly married to Clint Eastwoods daughter, Francesca Eastwood, in 2013.

Our hearts go out to Jonah and his family during this difficult time.

If you or a loved one is struggling with loss over the holiday season, visit centerforloss.com or call 970-226-6050. You are not alone

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From Town & Country

Real Housewives of New York star Luann de Lesseps was arrested in the early hours of Christmas Eve in Palm Beach.

The 52-year-old was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer or firefighter, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest with violence, and crimes against a person, the Palm Beach Post reports. Four of de Lesseps's five charges are felonies.

She was booked taken to Palm Beach County Jail at 1:25 a.m. after reportedly telling people prior to her arrest, "Im going to kill you all," the states attorney said. She also allegedly slammed a door and kicked at least one police officer.

De Lesseps was released without bond after she appeared before Judge Ted Booras, who said, "I dont think it would be that hard to find you." Booras suggested she hire a criminal defense attorney in Palm Beach instead of ignoring the charges.



Booras also advised de Lesseps not to incriminate herself when he said she might have a drinking problem. "Dont say anything," he told her, according to to the Post. She is due back in court on January 25.

De Lesseps held onto the title of Countess after her 2009 divorce from French Count Alexandre de Lesseps until she married Tom DAgostino, Jr. in Palm Beach last New Year's Eve. The two divorced earlier this year.

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On Wednesday, all eyes were on Meghan Markle as she made her first royal holiday appearance.

Meghan and her future husband, Prince Harry, rolled into the annual royal pre-Christmas dinner looking as regal as ever. There, the duo dined with Meghans future brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with Prince Charles and Camilla, and of course the Queen and Prince Philip.

But beyond the immediate family, guests also included the extended Windsor network including Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Zara and Mike Tindall, and about 50 other guests. One guest was Princess Michael of Kent, who chose to wear a rather interesting brooch for her first meeting with Meghan.

As Lainey Gossip first pointed out, the Princess wore a brooch known as a Blackamoor, which New York University explains as a trope in Italian decorative art especially common in pieces of furniture, but also appearing in paintings, jewelry, and textiles. NYU added that the figures are commonly fixed in positions of servitude  as footmen or waiters, for example  the figures personify fantasies of racial conquest.

An interesting choice for her to wear to her first meeting with Harrys biracial fiance to say the least.

While we don't know if Meghan broached the topic of the brooch with her future in-law, we do know this isnt Princess Michael of Kents first experience with conscious or unconscious racism. According to The Cut, while traveling in New York in 2004, the Princess told black diners at a restaurant to go back to the colonies. Shortly after this event the Princess told a reporter on ITV1 that she couldnt possibly be racist because "I even pretended years ago to be an African, a half-caste African, but because of my light eyes I did not get away with it, but I dyed my hair black.

She then added, "I traveled on African buses. I wanted to be a writer. I wanted experiences from Cape Town to right up in northern Mozambique. I had this adventure with these absolutely adorable, special people and to call me racist: It's a knife through the heart because I really love these people."

Good luck with your new in-laws, Meghan.
Sofia Richie is ready to celebrate Christmas all night long!

The 19-year-old model got into the holiday spirit on Thursday night, dancing around the kitchen to her father Lionel Richies 1983 classic All Night Long (All Night) while dressed in some skin-showing Santa-themed themed sleepwear  minus the pants.

Her routine was put on for boyfriend Scott Disick, 34, who documented Sofias routine on his Instagram Stories.

Wearing a long-sleeve sweatshirt designed to mimic St. Nicks classic red-and-white coat and black belt, Sofia appeared to be having the time of her life and she let loose. She paired the top with some white briefs and matching cozy socks.

Sofia Richie

Sofia Richie

Sofia Richie

Sofia and Disick appear happy as ever as they head into their first Christmas together.

The couple were first linked in May and have spent much of their time since then traveling, taking in trips to Miami, Venice, Milan, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos (to name a few).

Sofia Richie and Scott Disick

A source recently told PEOPLE the two are very serious and that Sofia has been a positive influence on Disick, who has openly struggled with alcohol abuse and is the father to sons Mason, 8, Reign Aston, 3, and daughter Penelope, 5  all with ex-girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian.

[Sofias] been great for him, the source said. Shes made a big impact on his life and hasnt partied at all since they met.

His friends adore her and nobody notices the age difference, the source added. She is very mature, she grew up in Hollywood and has always been in older situations. They seem really happy.
Whats SpaceX? The company just launched a rocket into the sky

Earlier this evening, residents all over Southern California were treated to a spectacular light show as SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket into the sky. While stunning, the event left many Southern Californians confused  and thinking that they were actually spotting a UFO flying around.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), it seems no aliens were involved in this evenings SpaceX launch, which saw the Falcon 9 rocket sent into Earths low-orbit with 10 Iridium NEXT satellites. But with the exception of the companys very famous founder, Elon Musk  and his plan to send people to Mars  the company isnt as widely known as the entrepreneurs other famous venture, Tesla.

So, what is SpaceX?

SpaceX is an aerospace manufacturing company founded by Musk in 2002. The company hopes to advance existing space technology with a goal of developing the technology to allow people to live on Mars, and potentially other planets. While the company is currently working on numerous technologies that would make interplanetary travel  and potential settlement on Mars  a reality, SpaceX has contracts with numerous government (like NASA and the U.S. Military) and commercial organizations to develop and use its technologies and crafts. Additionally, Musk and SpaceX have been developing and testing reusable orbital launch system that would allow for launch systems  like rockets  to be reused over and over again.

What was the objective of tonights launch?

One of SpaceXs major commercial contracts is with Iridium Satellite Communications, launching its NEXT satellites into Low-Orbit to provide data and mobile services all over the world. The Falcon 9 launched earlier this evening was carrying 10 Iridium NEXT satellites, which would replace a current set of older satellites.

Is SpaceX really developing technology that would send people to Mars?

In short, yes! While Musk has a personal goal is to create technology allowing for human exploration and potential permanent settlement on Mars, the majority of SpaceXs Mars-related plans revolve around actually transporting people to the planet. In 2016, Musk unveiled plans for an Interplanetary Transport System program that would explore technology that would allow for interplanetary travel, which could serve as a precursor to developing the technology allowing sustainable settlements on the Mars. He also told The New York Times that hes hoping to send the first people to Mars in 2024.

While today, SpaceX is known for tricking thousands of people into thinking theyd seen a UFO, soon, itll probably be taking us to Mars in the very near future.
Its the battle over semantics that conservatives have long been up in arms about: the war on Christmas.

The war is finally over. No, not the one in Afghanistan. And no, its not even the war on drugs. Its the battle over semantics that conservatives have long been up in arms about: the war on Christmas.

President Donald Trump has been patting himself on the back in recent weeks for apparently bringing Christmas back. For those not familiar, Christmas is a little-known holiday where worshippers celebrate the birth of Jesus while being simultaneously outraged at anyone else who might not.

Remember I said were bringing Christmas back? Trump bragged at a rally earlier this month in Utah. Christmas is back, bigger and better than ever before. Were bringing Christmas back.

America First Policies  a nonprofit started by former Trump campaign aides  is set to air a new Christmas day commercial in which everyday Americans are standing to thank President Trump.

That includes letting us say merry Christmas again, according to a cherubic child in the ad being used to gain political points.

As The New York Times pointed out last year, theres no actual evidence of anyone declaring a war on Christmas, but the partisan issue took solid root in 2012 with conservative Fox News host Bill OReilly, who constantly attacked then-President Barack Obama for having the nerve to say happy holidays.

Obamas' Holiday Card Doesn't Mention Christmas for 8th Yearhttps://t.co/wNY4yyzwHE  Fox News (@FoxNews) December 14, 2016

Liberals are tying the Christmas situation into secular progressive politics because they wanted a new America, and traditional Christmas isnt a part of it, OReilly said in 2012.

For all his bloviating about the importance of Christmas, Trumps own children dont seem to care about the the phrase that started the war: Happy holidays.

Happy holidays! daughter Ivanka Trump tweeted earlier this month, clearly unaware her father had won the war and she could finally say merry Christmas.

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Trumps son, Eric, had a similar reaction.

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We dont mean to make you paranoid, Mr. President. But if youre looking for the true culprits of continuing this brutal, pointless war  start with your children.

And merry Christmas!

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has broken with Washington over its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital but, popular as it is domestically, analysts question how long that tough stance can last.

The 82-year-old Abbas is habitually cautious but, as protests have gripped the Palestinian territories since US President Donald Trump's controversial policy shift, he has adopted unusually harsh language.

He refused to receive US Vice President Mike Pence during a scheduled visit -- later cancelled -- earlier this week, and on Friday said he would accept no further US role in the Middle East peace process.

Washington was a "dishonest mediator", he said, and "we will no longer accept any plan from it".

That stance plays well with Palestinians for whom Jerusalem is the iconic symbol of nationhood. Some 86 percent of respondents said they backed severing ties with the United States in a recent opinion poll.

Abbas also announced they would seek full membership at the United Nations.

But Washington is the only power that holds any real sway over Israel, currently ruled by what is widely regarded as the most right-wing government in its history.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly criticised the United Nations and the European Union, two of the other members of the so-called Quartet of mediators in the peace process.

Abbas has sent envoys to the fourth -- Russia -- and also to China to try to secure their engagement.

But Israel knows no government is as well disposed to it as the United States and is unlikely to accept any other mediator.

That puts Abbas in a bind. His popularity ratings have plummeted in recent years as his policy of working with Israel and the United States in the hope of a negotiated settlement has led nowhere.

One recent poll found that some 70 percent of Palestinians want him to step down. his term as president expired in 2009 but political divisions have prevented fresh polls.

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- Saving face -

Nine Palestinians have now been killed in clashes with Israeli troops since Trump's announcement and each one puts more pressure on Abbas not to back down.

"The Americans for a long time have been with the Israelis -- more Zionist than the Zionists," one protester, Imad Mohammed, told AFP.

"But Trump, because he is stupid and undiplomatic, has shown America's true face."

Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group think-tank said Abbas would look "to consolidate the international consensus in opposition to the US position and to refuse negotiations as long as there is no fair mediator."

"Abbas sees this policy as his least worst option," Zalzberg said.

But he stressed there would be a cost -- without Washington as mediator, there would be no more peace talks.

Nadia Hijab, executive director of Palestinian think-tank Al-Shabaka, said Abbas would need to obtain significant concessions to return to the table without losing face.

"The obvious thing would be for the Americans to step back from Jerusalem recognition but I can't see Trump doing that," she said.

"Short of that, Abbas would look very bad if he went back to talks."

- On the ground -

Grant Rumley, author of a book on Abbas, said Palestinian leaders know "deep down that they'll need the US at some point."

As such, Trump has calculated "the Palestinians will eventually come back to the table," he said.

In the short term, the Palestinians risked losing a significant chunk of the more than $400 million in annual aid they get from Washington, Rumley said.

Draft legislation currently going through Congress would make some aid conditional on Abbas blocking payments to the families of Palestinians killed while carrying out attacks against Israelis.

Many Palestinians consider such attacks resistance against military occupation and Abbas has held out against cutting the payments for years.

But without Trump's support, the so-called Taylor Force Act could see US aid cut by more than half.

Israel has also announced thousands of new homes in settlements in the Palestinian territories since Trump's election, with his administration's public criticism of such expansions less vocal than under Barack Obama.

Abbas's riposte has been a renewed drive for full recognition of Palestinian statehood but Rumley said that will do little to change the reality of Israeli occupation.

"The international campaign has diminishing returns at this point. It was useful when peace talks were on the horizon for garnering leverage," he said.

"International recognition does little to change the reality on the ground."
By Christian Shepherd and Stella Qiu WENZHOU, China (Reuters) - When authorities in China's southeastern city of Wenzhou outlawed Sunday School earlier this year, Christian parents determined their children must still learn about Jesus and the Bible. Churches in Wenzhou started teaching children in private homes or at other venues. Some billed Sunday School classes as daycare, not education, or moved them to Saturdays, more than a dozen local Christians told Reuters. Wenzhou, sometimes known as "China's Jerusalem" due to its sizable Christian community, is at the forefront of a growing standoff between China's leadership and the country's devout over religious education for children. The ruling and officially atheist Communist Party has increased efforts to curb the influence of Christianity, tightening restrictions on faith classes and warning against the religion's "Western" ideas. But Christians say the resolve of the community in Wenzhou suggests the party will struggle to exert control over the next generation of the country's 60 million Christians. In her house, "faith comes first, grades come second," said one parent surnamed Chen, asking not to use her full name due to the sensitivity of the matter. Immaculately turned out in a cream fur coat and wearing a giant turquoise ring, Chen is one of Wenzhou's numerous wealthy Christians who say their children must attend Bible classes because state education fails to provide sufficient moral and spiritual guidance. "Drugs, porn, gambling and violence are serious problems among today's youth and video games are extremely seductive," she told Reuters. "We cannot be by his side all the time so only through faith can we make him understand (the right thing to do)." In some districts of Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, an official edict has prohibited Sunday Schools since August, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangsu, Henan and the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia have barred children from faith activities including summer camp, Christian news site World Watch Monitor reported in September. Sources spoken to by Reuters were unaware if the policy was a local government initiative or centrally mandated. They also did not know of any similar bans in other regions of China. Also in September, new rules were released expanding state oversight of religious education nationwide in what officials say is an attempt to create a new generation of religious leaders loyal to the party. China's State Administration for Religious Affairs and the foreign affairs office of the Wenzhou city government did not reply to faxed requests for comment. EXPLOSION OF BELIEF In the last four decades of economic prosperity, China's faithful have multiplied rapidly. Official numbers say there are now around 30 million Christians, while independent estimates suggest the number is about 60 million, most of whom are Protestants. In Wenzhou, a small Christian community started by 19th century missionaries has bloomed to over one million Christians. Until recent years, they had enjoyed a relatively relaxed relationship with local officials, residents said. Then, in 2014, a government campaign to demolish "illegal" churches and tear down the crosses that adorned them sparked an outcry from the Christian community and sowed mistrust of authorities among believers. The campaign came shortly after President Xi Jinping, who had been communist party chief of Zhejiang from 2002 to 2007, was appointed General Secretary of the party. But attempts to stem the rapid growth of believers has struggled in Wenzhou where churches, often funded by devout local business owners, are ubiquitous. "Wenzhou government does not let churches register, because there are way too many, so there are lots of house churches and it is tough for the government to manage them," Zhao Gang, the minister at Wenzhou's Church of the Rose-tinted Clouds, told Reuters. Sunday School textbooks have been especially sensitive in the clampdown in Wenzhou, teachers said. The government restricts religious publications, and churches often use translated texts from overseas. One teacher said classes resumed when they stopped using unsanctioned textbooks and avoided the words "Sunday School". FREEDOM FOR ALL Chinese law officially grants religious freedom for all, including children, but regulations on education and protection of minors also say religion cannot be used to hinder state education or to "coerce" children to believe. Local governments in troubled areas of China, such as the far western region of Xinjiang, ban children attending religious events, but Christian communities elsewhere rarely face blanket restrictions. This year, the party has been unusually strict in warning university students, state-owned enterprise employees and officials themselves against celebrating Christmas, with admonitions such as to "resist the corrosion of Western religious culture", according to state media reports. While parents in Wenzhou want to control their children's education, the government is working to create a new crop of religious leaders loyal to the party. New rules governing religious schools from China's cabinet, due to take effect in February, are necessary to meet China's "pressing need" for patriotic religious leaders, Wang Zuoan, the head of China's official State Administration of Religious Affairs, told Reuters in written comments in October. "We hope that the talent graduating from religious schools will be up to standard in both their political and religious character and will do a good job of combining love for the country with love for religion," he said. But for many Christians allowing the party to control religious education is unacceptable, as it requires putting the party before God, according to Sarah Cook, a New York-based analyst at Freedom House, an advocacy group. As such, the party can only do so much to control faith education. "There are always going to be kids at home whose bedtimes stories are from the Bible," Cook said. For Chen in Wenzhou, faith should be at the forefront of education until believers outnumber atheists in China's young. "There will definitely be more Christian believers in the next generation," she said. "The ability for the Christian faith to be inherited and passed on is ever growing." (Reporting by Christian Shepherd and Stella Qiu; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
London (AFP) - Volunteers at a drop-in centre in north London hand out food, healthcare and advice to homeless people as they do every Christmas -- except that this year, the numbers needing help have reached crisis point.

At a school emptied of children for the holidays, visitors are offered a hot meal and a chat, dental and medical check-ups, and even a sewing repair service for damaged sleeping bags.

The pop-up centre is among 13 set up across Britain by homelessness charity Crisis to provide some festive cheer to an estimated 4,500 people who might otherwise be on the streets.

Among those stopping by for a cup of tea before Christmas was Paula, a 48-year-old former care worker who spent three months living in her car after being evicted following problems with her landlord.

"My car was my safest bet because I could lock the doors, but it wasn't warm -- luckily it was summer," she told AFP.

It was also deeply uncomfortable and exacerbated an existing back problem, to the point that she collapsed and had to be taken to hospital.

She has since found a new place to live, but Crisis warned that cases like hers are increasingly common, estimating that thousands of people across Britain are forced to sleep in cars, trains, buses and tents.

These "hidden" homeless are in addition to the more than 9,000 people living on the streets in England at any one time, up 134 percent since 2011, according to a scathing report by lawmakers published this week.

The MPs said the growth was "appalling", adding: "The extent of homelessness across England is a national crisis."

- Housing shortages -

Opposition Labour lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn highlighted the plight of rough sleepers in his Christmas message on Sunday, as well as that of an estimated 78,000 households who are living in temporary, often sub-standard accommodation.

He has previously described it as a "national disgrace".

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said there were numerous reasons why people lost their homes, including the breakdown of relationships, but the biggest recent factor has been the ending of a private sector tenancy.

Story continues

"What's becoming really clear to us is that the impact of not building social houses, the impact of spiralling cost of housing, the impact of welfare reform and cuts to benefits is creating and driving a really worrying growth in rough sleeping and broader homelessness," he told AFP.

The MPs said the government's attitude in the face of a growing problem had been "unacceptable complacent".

They too warned about the impact of a lack of affordable, decent homes, calling for a "renewed focus" on housing policy.

Challenged on the subject earlier this month, Prime Minister Theresa May said the government was investing A500 million (563 million euros, $668 million) in tackling homelessness.

Speaking in the House of Commons, she also noted measures announced in last month's annual budget to increase the supply of affordable housing.

"We are going to be a government who put a clear focus on housing, on building the homes that people need, on ensuring that people are given help to get into those homes, and on acting to prevent homelessness before it happens," she said.

At the drop-in centre, volunteer Mhari Colvin, who has worked with Crisis for 13 years, reflected on "just how easy it is for people to become homeless".

"They are just you and me, they're the same people, they've just had one or two runs of bad luck and it can be just one thing and their whole world falls apart," she said.
Kameron Prescott, 6, was killed by a stray bullet as deputies shot at a woman outside his home. (Photo: GoFundMe)

A Texas community is grappling with the death of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in his home Thursday as sheriffs deputies shot at a woman they were chasing outside. Deputies also killed the woman.

The boy, Kameron Prescott, was hit in the abdomen by a stray bullet that went through the wall of his mobile home in the city of Schertz. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, The San Antonio Express-News reports. Four Bexar County Sheriffs deputies were pursuing a female suspect, who was identified by her family as 30-year-old Amanda Lenee Jones. Police said the woman they were chasing was suspected of stealing a car. There is no known connection between Jones, Prescott or his family.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said at a Friday news conference (below) that deputies opened fire on the woman after she forced her way into the home where Prescott lived and threatened people inside. He said she went back outside and threatened deputies with an object that they believed to be a weapon.

Investigators have not recovered any firearms from the scene, but they did find a tubular object that they now believe was the item deputies mistook for a gun. At the conference, Salazar called what happened a tragic accident.

In a statement released by Kamerons school district, his first-grade teacher described him as a boy who loved to make everyone laugh.

Kameron was the kindest-hearted little boy that I have ever had the pleasure of teaching, said Shanda Ince.

School counselor Maria Morales remembered him as an energetic, intelligent kind soul who could strike up a conversation with anyone.

Kamerons uncle, Christopher Gonzales, has said that he wants to see the deputies held accountable for what happened.

Yall just killed a little boy, if it was yall, he told KENS5. Theres no weapon, so it wasnt that lady.

Local news outlets have reported that a GoFundMe page has been set up for Kamerons family to assist with funeral costs.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
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Mr McCabe became acting FBI director after the President fired James Comey, who was overseeing the bureaus Russia investigation: Getty

Donald Trump has intensified his attack on the deputy director of the FBI.

The US President appeared to quote Fox News in a tweet about Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being attacked for alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

Mr Trump said: @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.

.@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

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

In another tweet posted yesterday, Mr Trump said: 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 dollars for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?

Mr McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by politicians on two separate committees, as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clintons email practices when she was Secretary of State.

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His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

Mr McCabes wife, Jill, received $700,000 [520,000] in donations from Virginia governor Terry McAuliffes political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015. Mr McAuliffe is a longtime supporter of Ms Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The money was donated before Mr McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation.

Mr McCabe became acting FBI director last May after Mr Trump fired Mr Comey, who was overseeing the bureaus investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump maintains there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government, and has blasted the investigation as a witch hunt.

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

Tweeting from his home in South Florida where he is spending Christmas, Mr Trump also said Mr McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!

Additional reporting by AP
Mr Trump has made immigration a central issue in his political career: Chris Kleponis/Getty Images

Frustrated with the numbers of incoming refugees into the United States, President Donald Trump declared in the Oval Office that the incoming Haitian refugees all have AIDS, according to the New York Times.

Mr Trump, months after taking office, reportedly made the comments after entering his office for a meeting with documents that detailed the number of refugees and immigrants that had arrived, including those from Haiti, Nigeria. Mr Trump was reportedly dismayed by what he deemed inadequate efforts to curb the number of US Visas available to foreigners.

Of the Nigerians, Mr Trump reportedly said that they would not go back to their huts, even though some of his top aides noted that many of the visas were first-time, and temporary, visas.

The White House has denied that Mr Trump said that all of the Haitian refugees have AIDS, and the Nigerian huts comments  or that he used those words to describe immigrants from any countries. The New York Times notes, however, that some of their sources were so taken aback by the comments that they had mentioned it to others at the time. Other people in the room said that they do not recall those comments.

Mr Trump campaigned on a promise to strictly cut down on immigration into the United States, opening up his campaign with a harsh assessment of Mexican immigrants travelling into the US.

During the campaign, Mr Trump also promised a ban on Muslim immigration into the United States, following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California.

Since taking office, Mr Trump has attempted to make good on those promises, and is pursuing the construction of a border wall. Mr Trump has also overseen travel bans on several Muslim-majority countries, which have been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States after challenges from the states.
Davao (Philippines) (AFP) - At least 37 people, including call centre staff from an American firm, are believed to have perished in a fire that tore through a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Davao, local authorities said on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte, himself a Davao native, visited distraught relatives outside the burning building overnight but told them there was "zero" chance their loved ones had survived, witnesses told AFP.

Firemen found one body as the blaze was brought under control Sunday, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, the president's daughter, told reporters.

Firemen have concluded that all those trapped in the building are dead, she said, adding: "They assessed that no one would survive in that heat and with that thick, black smoke."

The deadly fire adds fresh misery for the mainly Catholic Philippines at Christmas as the death toll from a tropical storm that hit the south on Friday topped 200 and displaced tens of thousands of others.

The blaze started at the four-storey NCCC Mall on Saturday morning sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky over Davao.

With low wages but strong English language skills, the Philippines is a popular destination for international companies to set up customer call centres.

The mall's top floor housed a 24-hour call centre for US multinational SSI, a market research company.

Jimmy Quimsing, a retired seaman, was one of the relatives desperately waiting for news.

His 25-year-old son Jim Benedict worked at the call centre and had not been in contact since the fire broke out.

Quimsing said he spoke to President Duterte and had been told to prepare for the worst.

"He told us zero, no one would survive under these circumstances," he told AFP.

Duterte's special assistant Christopher Go confirmed the bulk of the conversation to AFP.

Paolo Duterte, the president's son and the vice mayor of Davao, also wrote on Facebook that fire officials had told him there was "zero" chance of anyone trapped surviving the blaze.

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- 'No ventilation' -

In a statement on its local Facebook page SSI Philippines Davao said it would set up a "command centre" for relatives of those missing.

"Please continue to pray for everyone's safety," the firm added.

Davao fire marshal Honeyfritz Alagano said the blaze may have started with a spark on the third floor of the mall, which had a furniture section.

"One of our firemen here has a kid who is an (call centre) agent in there. He told us some of them went to collect their stuff at their lockers and were trapped," Alagano told AFP.

"The mall is an enclosed space with no ventilation. When our firemen tried to enter they were pushed back by smoke and fire," she said.

Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards.

"It's possible that while they were working, they did not immediately notice the fire spreading," Davao police officer Ralph Canoy told AFP, referring to the call centre workers.

Davao, with a population of about 1.5 million people, is the biggest city in the southern Philippines. It is about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Manila, the nation's capital

The president served as mayor for more than two decades and continues to go home there on weekends from his work at the presidential palace in Manila.

His daughter succeeded him as he ran for president, with one of his sons also winning the vice mayoralty post.

Most of those killed by the recent tropical storm were also in the southern region of Mindanao.

There have also been horrific fires in bigger buildings and factories, where corruption and exploitation mean supposedly strict standards are often not enforced.

Seventy-two people were killed in 2015 when a fire tore through a footwear factory in Manila. Survivors of that blaze blamed barred windows and other sweatshop conditions for trapping people inside the factory.

In the deadliest fire in the Philippines in recent times, 162 people were killed in a huge blaze that gutted a Manila disco in 1996.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces on Sunday killed nine suspected militants in a shootout in the Nile Delta province of Sharqiya, the interior ministry said in a statement. The ministry said security forces had received information that the militants were using a farm in Sharqiya as a hideout and were trained there to use weapons to carry out attacks in north Sinai. It said their attacks had resulted in the deaths of a number of police and army personnel. "Upon raiding the farm, security forces were surprised by gunshots in their direction which were dealt with, resulting in the killing of nine," the ministry said. It said it was still trying to determine the identity of the suspects. Weapons and ammunition were found at the farm. In a separate raid in Cairo on a "terrorist hideout", police arrested nine other suspected militants on Sunday, the ministry said in the same statement. Those arrested all have ties with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, it said. Security forces have battled Islamist militants in the mainly desert region stretching from the Suez Canal eastwards to the Gaza Strip and Israel, since 2013. Militants there have killed hundreds of police and soldiers. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the armed forces to end the insurgency within three months after an attack on a mosque in North Sinai last month that killed more than 300 people in Egypt's worst militant attack in modern history. (Reporting by Mohamed Abdellah; Writing by Arwa Gaballa; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Harare (AFP) - A white Zimbabwean farmer forced from his land as part of controversial mass evictions became this week the first to return to his property under a new government bid to reverse illegal land seizures.

Robert Smart, 71, was thrown off his tobacco and corn farm in eastern Zimbabwe in June as part of chaotic and often violent land grabs led by ex-president Robert Mugabe's government.

Smart told AFP he and his family were evicted at gunpoint "with whatever we had on our backs at the moment" to make way for a cleric close to Mugabe.

But last month the 93-year-old ruler was ousted following a military takeover after more than three decades in power

The government of his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa in early December ordered people illegally occupying formerly white-owned commercial farms to vacate.

Many people had illegally taken over farms cashing in on the land reforms.

After returning to his plot on Thursday, Smart said the new president was "showing he means what he says".

The farmer said his family had been forced to rely on the kindness of friends and "complete strangers" to survive after their eviction.

And they will have to continue to rely on donations after discovering that their house was now "just a shell".

"A lot of the property that was inside the house was thrown out and trashed. What little was left was stolen," Smart said.

"We have to start building from scratch again."

But returning "is a pleasant feeling. It's the plus side of things," he added.

Mugabe launched the disastrous land reform programme in 2000, justifying it as an effort to stimulate economic growth for black Zimbabweans.

The evictions, often brutal and arbitrary, were blamed for a collapse in agricultural production and chronic food shortages that forced the one-time breadbasket of Africa to become dependent on imports of staples.

Economic output fell by half following the start of the land seizures, as more than 4,000 of the country's 4,500 white farmers were stripped of their land.

Mnangagwa has vowed to revive the country's economy by lifting agricultural production and attracting foreign investment.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reportedly thwarted a terror attack planned for Christmas.

Authorities have arrested Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, who they say was planning an attack for Dec. 25 in San Francisco in the name of ISIS, CBS News reports.

Jameson has since been charged with providing material support for terrorism, according to federal court documents.

Prosecutors say Jameson planned to detonate an explosive on the city's Pier 39 on Christmas because he knew it would be heavily crowded, the station reported.

A Facebook user reportedly flagged Jamesons suspicious activities on Facebook after the 26-year-old allegedly posted GIFs of attacks in the U.S., including the October New York City attack that left 8 people dead.

The FBI said it found a letter signed by Jameson in which he took credit for his planned attack, according to reports.

Jameson allegedly wanted to detonate the explosives to funnel people into an area where he could cause more casualties. He initially told undercover FBI operatives that he had no escape plan because he was ready to die, reports said.

After searching Jamesons home on Dec. 20, authorities discovered multiple firearms and explosives materials.

Authorities believe Jameson may have known he was being investigated because he later told an undercover agent, "I also don't think I can do this after all. I've reconsidered."

Jameson was previously discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps for failing to disclose his latent asthma. He attended basic recruit training and earned a sharpshooter rifle qualification.

He was trained in both M16 and AK-47 rifles, CBS News reported.

"Our incredible law enforcement officers have once again helped thwart an alleged plot to kill Americans. I want to thank the FBI agents and federal prosecutors and everyone else who helped make this possible,"Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement Friday.

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Mr Trump often attacks the media: Getty

Donald Trump has launched a new broadside in his long-running attack on CNN - tweeting an image showing the President with the networks logo splattered under his shoe.

The President has long accused CNN and other media outlets of being fake news for any coverage he disapproves of. The network has stood its good, recently tweeting that it was not CNNs job to represent the US to the world - thats yours, after Mr Trump criticised coverage of CNN International he had watched overseas.

In his latest swipe at the cable news channel, the President retweeted an image posted by a Twitter user with the handle @Oregon4Trump.

It showed a picture of Mr Trump in the rear of a limousine, talking on a car phone and bearing the headline Winning.

On the sole of Mr Trumps left shoe appears to be a splatter mark, along with the CNN logo.

The former director of the Office of Government Ethics under Barack Obama, accused Mr Trump of being a wannabe autocrat after the President retweeted the image.

The wannabe autocrat just retweeted an image depicting CNNs blood on the sole of his shoe. These colicky tweets reveal hes hurting this weekend. They make him (and our country) look weak.  Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) December 24, 2017

The wannabe autocrat just retweeted an image depicting CNNs blood on the sole of his shoe, said Walter Shaub, a lawyer who has emerged as a frequent critic of Mr Trump.

These colicky tweets reveal hes hurting this weekend. They make him (and our country) look weak.
Three new at BND

Allison Volk, Annemette Omvig and Sarah Metzger are new employees at the Bank of North Dakota.

Volk was hired as the human resources and organizational development manager. She earned a bachelors degree in information media-instructional design and training from St. Cloud State University and a master's degree in management-organization development from College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minn. She previously was the training and development administrator for N.D. Human Resources Management System.

Omvig is a collections officer in student loans. She had worked as a paramedic at Metro Area Ambulance Service.

Metzger also is a collections officer in student loans. Metzger previously was an administrative assistant at the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights.

Six join DEI staff

Six people recently joined the staff of Dakota Eye Institute, Bismarck.

Joshua Baker, a Mandan native with four years of sales experience, is an optician.

Trina Hornbacher, from Bismarck, is a surgery coordinator. She has an associate's degree and is a licensed practical nurse.

Darcy Brooks is a receptionist. From Bismarck, Brooks earned an associate's degree from North Dakota State College of Science. She has more than 13 years of customer service experience.

Hannah Faul, Kayli Gross and Stacey Holder are ophthalmic technicians.

Faul is a native of McClusky, has an associate's degree in massage therapy and has eight years of experience in health care as a certified nursing assistant and medication administrator.

Gross is a native of Aberdeen, S.D. She has a year of experience at an eye clinic.

Holder is a native of Selby, S.D., and attended Valley City State University.

Helbling achieves

Sarah Helbling, a human resources generalist with Innovative Energy Alliance Cooperative, Mandan, has earned the SHRM certified professional credential after taking an exam through the Society for Human Resource Management.

Helbling joined the cooperative in July.

Hartje with bank

Lisa Hartje has joined First International Bank & Trust in Bismarck as BSA fraud manager. She has experience in fraud, internal audit and operations areas.

Jeffers obtains

Joshua Jeffers recently was awarded the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation.

Jeffers is a risk analyst III with MDU Resources Group and has been with the company five years. He earned his bachelors degree in business administration from the University of North Dakota and his master's degree in business administration from the University of Mary.

Fortner selected

Jonathan Fortner will become director of government relations at the Lignite Energy Council on Jan. 2.

Fortner earned an undergraduate degree from Presentation College in Aberdeen, S.D., and masters degrees in business administration and public administration from the University of North Dakota. He has been working as a research consultant for the Minnesota House of Representatives.
CARBONDALE  A community radio station manager claims the station's Board of Directors has been hands-off and absent in the management and day-to-day operations of the business, and he and volunteers need them to resign so the entity can move forward.

In an open letter to the Southern Illinois community, Dave Armstrong, station manager at WDBX 91.1 FM, Advisory Board members and some volunteers called for the resignation of the station's governing board  the Heterodyne Broadcasting Co.'s Board of Directors  Armstrong's bosses.

The station volunteers shared the letter on the radio station's Facebook page, calling for the resignation of the Heterodyne Board of Directors, which runs the station. The radio station is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation.

The letter-writers criticized the now two-member board for being distant and disengaged in the oversight of the station.

Armstrong said he planned a meeting with the board on Dec. 12, intending to discuss future direction for the station.

Shortly after they came together, the three board members entered executive session, to which Armstrong said he was excluded. During that meeting, one of the board members, Navreet Kang, resigned. He said the other two board members left without talking to him.

Armstrong said the next day, he and some advisory board members and volunteers wrote an internal email to Egert and Turk, setting the one-week deadline to respond to their concerns.

After the seven-day deadline, the group posted the open letter to its Facebook page.

In the open letter, the letter writers suggest that once the board resigns, that a committee convene to appoint a new seven-member governing board.

"A timeline of one week was set to begin this process  to have a meaningful meeting with this goal in mind, and to start the difficult work necessary to move forward," the open letter reads. "It was also made clear that after that week, a lack of meaningful engagement from the Board members would result in our public expression of those demands, and a call for the resignation of all current Heterodyne Board members."

The letter was signed by Armstrong and five advisory board members, 11 volunteers, one underwriter/volunteer and one listener-supporter.

Sometime after the station was founded, the Heterodyne Board appointed an advisory board. Armstrong said that after some time, the advisory board members realized they had no real power or say in the management of the station.

Armstrong said, overwhelmingly, the community response to the letter has been positive.

Gene Turk, one of the Heterodyne Board members, said Armstrong plans to take over the station and privatize it. Turk, who said he was also speaking on behalf of fellow board member Tom Egert, said his next steps were to enjoy the coming holidays.

Its sad  that he is using a public forum for his own personal soapbox, not even soapbox, trying to take over, Turk said.

"I want to enjoy Christmas," Turk said, "and then after Christmas, well sit down and try to figure out what should we do here."

Kang noted that anyone considering taking over the station or the board needed to note that that came with a financial responsibility, such as management of about $75,000 in loans for the station. He and Turk said about $70,000 of that was for the building mortgage and the other $5,000-plus for a lot next to the station on Washington Street.

WDBX is run by about 100 volunteers  excluding Armstrong, its only paid staff member. The station has an operating budget of $100,000, about two-thirds of which comes from community donations and the other one-third from underwriters and sponsorships.

Now that Kang, who handled the station's financial matters, has resigned, Armstrong said he is not sure who would authorize the payment of his paycheck. But,he added, he is not worried about that at this point.
The room is a raw warehouse space that is partitioned off with curtains, hiding the bulk of it from view.

Im at the back of a group of girls that is nervously dropping its phones into a plastic box for safekeeping, to be returned on exit. The reason for the curtains, and the no-phone policy, is that we are about to be some of the first people outside of the Disney Imagineering group to ever see a model of the full-length and breadth of Star Wars: Galaxys Edge -- an area coming to the companys East and West Coast parks in the next couple of years.

The girls are part of a Girls Who Code Summer Immersion program that Disney hosted in and around its studios in Glendale, Calif., this year. The participants, which are mostly high school girls, take coding courses with a Disney flavor and interact with executives from the company. They also take field trips like this one into the various departments of Disneys company including Imagineering. I tagged along on one of those tours as a part of research for stories about the way Imagineering is approaching the worlds of robotics, VR, AR and more in a unique way. But today, its all about the big reveal.

We shuffle forward on the concrete floor, parting the curtains and then we see it. An enormous 20-plus-foot model of the announced but as-yet-unrevealed Star Wars Land. Unlike the way its presented a few weeks later at Disneys D23 conference, the model is clearly shown as segments of a wooden platform that have been built up by Disneys engineers and artists to form the backwater planet Batuu.

The model is incredibly detailed, with droids, trees, decals and weathering adding life to the buildings, show structures and pathways through the rockwork. Way in the back you can see the Millennium Falcon at rest.

The girls immediately start peppering Imagineers Scott Mallwitz and Margaret Kerrison with questions about the model, how it will translate to the real thing and how long its going to take them. The rocks that form the rear facade, for instance, will not be recreated in a computer.

Story continues

Instead, this physical model will be scanned and fed directly into a bar-bending machine that will create the framework to support individual chunks of facia, and the sculpting itself will get direct printed from the physical model (scaled up many times, of course). This decision came from years of Disney working out the best way to translate the three-dimensional sketches they create in these models to the theme works in the parks.

From specific technical questions to broader philosophical ones, the group blasts away. The group is getting a solid picture of how the software engineering and other things theyve been learning about in the program translate to the real physical business of building the parks.

And this is just one stop on the tour.

Disney girls who code

"Disney opened the door to so many opportunities for our girls, says Girls Who Code VP of Marketing and Communications Kelly Parisi. You can't be what you can't see, and Disney did a phenomenal job showing our girls incredible role models and experiences. From bringing in fantastic speakers, running a panel with women in tech, to showing the girls the technology behind the magic at Disneyland, they gave our girls a glimpse of so many potential futures.

Parisi says that the girls loved hearing from Osnat Shurer about working on Moana. The girls were blown away by the amount of work that went into creating Moana - both the technical development, as well as the cultural work making Moana meaningful.

For its part, Disney clearly invests some resources into putting on the program. There is plenty of hands-on work thats shepherded by Imagineers, executives and creatives at the company that talk to the girls and a lot of access. And not just show-and-tell access but real exposure to the technology that runs Disneys moviemaking process, its parks and its conferences.

One of the first stops was to show off a new effort that Disney is undertaking to create small semi-autonomous and interactive pods that can add life to the parks. Imagineer Leslie Evans took them through the control scheme for three small creatures sitting on a log that react to visitors who talk to them.

With the twist of the dial, Imagineers can change their personality, the way that they spend their time when not interacting, and just how vocal they are. The hardware inside is a blend -- as much of Disney hardware is -- of off-the-shelf tech that gets the job done and bespoke parts that Disney makes itself or designs and has manufactured.

The controller and the creatures are all built in-house by designers and craftspeople and programmed by software engineers. Many of those people were on hand to talk to the Girls Who Code participants and to help them understand how you get from the lines of code they work with to these real, tangible things.

I already expected the girls to be brilliant, but was surprised by how much they grew over the course of a seven-week period. To see each of them start with little-to-no knowledge of computer science, and end the program creating mobile apps, websites and VR experiences was absolutely amazing, said Sarah Tilley, VP, Tech Talent Management and Talent Acquisition.

One thing that stood out was their genuine curiosity and comfort in interacting with our Disney employees and cast members. They asked really smart questions, which helped accelerate their learning. Were excited to stay in touch with them, and also about the prospect to potentially welcome them back to the company one day.

I also reached out to some of the participants in the program and they seemed pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

My favorite part of the program was working on my final project because I got to collaborate with other girls and build programs that I have always wanted to create, but before girls who code, lacked the necessary skills. says Riya Dulepet. More importantly, I really loved the final project because it showed me that coding isnt just about logic, but rather it requires a lot of creativity and imagination.

Student participant Megan Naji said that the program was one of the best experiences of my life from learning the basics of computer science and dabbling in various languages to learning about so many different possible careers and futures.

Megan said that the Disney interactions were key to making the program feel special.

Every single person we met and talked to through Disney was incredibly supportive of us and what we were doing and was willing to actually have a conversation with us and stay in contact and give us advice, said Megan. Disney also gave us behind-the-scenes access to so many different parts of the campus and so many different projects being worked on from the Imagineering division to the Animation Studios to what happens behind the scenes at Disneyland itself, and I feel like we learned so much from these out-of-classroom experiences and tours.

Hands on sticks

At one point during the day, the girls were escorted into a multi-purpose room used for Imagineering briefings and taught how to solder together their own version of Disneys networked infrared controllers. These are used in the light-up elements of Disneys California Adventure, including wands, ears and World of Color accessories. They wirelessly communicate via IR bursts and are programmed via an iPad with an internal-only app called Ear Jockey.

The whole system was up and running in the lab for them to play with and was explained by Imagineers. When they were done, they had a small white unit that they could take into the parks and watch activate right alongside the other systems running there.

Yes, the physical aspects of some of the lessons did help my code feel more real, says Rachel Shin. For example, when we used mini robots and LED lights, I was actually able to see the effects of my code. Seeing the robots move and the LEDs light up made my code feel alive and real. 

I asked one participant what she thought of the soldering project. She found it fun and compared it positively to an experience she had recently putting together circuit boards for satellites. This, though, was much more immediate and fun, she said, because she got to see the result working right away.

It seemed to me that the practical lessons of application really hit home.

Definitely, to me coding something that you can see be carried out is very satisfying, said Megan. This was true both when we worked with hardware and coded our mini robots to flash lights and dance and when we made our own little LED light boards that we got to bring to Disneyland and have sync up via Bluetooth connection to their light shows. It was also the case when we worked with HTML and CSS, which I did even more through my final project, and which allowed us to see our code bring a website to life and add color and design and other extensions. For me personally, I definitely enjoyed the front end design and hardware lessons the most, and they really seemed to bring the code to life.

Girls Who Code is a national non-profit that works to close the gender gap in STEM and technology. Disney is a huge multinational corporation that can only benefit from more girls and women wanting to enter these fields. There was a unique opportunity here for a company like Disney to illustrate the cause and effect that code can have on the physical world. But its not alone and Id hope to see other companies link up with Girls Who Code for these kinds of programs.

The investment of resources is worth it, according to Susan ODay, EVP, Enterprise Technology and CIO at Disney. Programs like this help expand the pipeline of talent entering these fields, often with participants who dont have exposure to these types of topics early in their academic career. Technology has always played an important role in the experiences we offer Disney consumers, and our partnership with Girls Who Code helps introduce these girls to some of the technologies that will be important to future Disney storytelling.

ODay says that Disney works closely with Girls Who Code in developing a curriculum that makes the opportunities available to students who pursue STEM education very clear. And then illustrates them with Disney experiences.

Another experience was a trip inside The Dish. This is a curved chamber inside a nondescript Disney building that houses multiple incredibly high resolution projectors that functions, most simply, as a holodeck. Disney uses it to visualize rides and VR experiences.

The girls got to don the master 'Bowler Hat' that tracks their movements and walk around inside a space that changed and shifted to perfectly match their perspective. It's a great example of existing systems that have been bent to Disney's specific purposes and a great way to show off how writing lines of code can result in a transformative experience on the other end.

I asked whether the speakers and experiences they got at Disney changed how they thought about using code. Megan Naji says that shes now planning to major in computer science as a result of the program.

One hundred percent! Before attending this program I never even considered a future in coding. I did not think I was a very techie person but that was primarily because I had never had the opportunity to try to be, she says.

Throughout the summer I found myself repeatedly enjoying what I was doing and interested in doing more and more...I came into the summer without direction, hoping that maybe I would find something that I was interested in or at least find people who I was interested by and I came out of the summer with heaps of both. Girls Who Code and Disney gave me the opportunity to find a direction, and it is one that I am sticking with as I apply to college, and at this point at least plan to major in computer science!

These kinds of reactions, in my experience, are far from rare when you open up access to STEM education early and in an engaging way.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Catalonia's separatist leader Carles Puigdemont on Saturday called on the Spanish government to allow him to return to Spain in time for the opening session of the Catalan parliament by January 23 so that he can become the region's next president.

Puigdemont, who ruled in Catalonia until October and faces arrest in Spain for his role in organising an illegal referendum on independence and proclaiming a Catalan republic, is currently in a self-imposed exile in Belgium.

Separatist parties secured a parliamentary majority in a regional election on Thursday, though it is still unclear whether Puigdemont and other jailed leaders of the movement will be able to attend the sessions of the assembly.

"I want to come back to Catalonia as soon as possible. I would like to come back right now. It would be a good news for Spain," Puigdemont told Reuters in an interview.

Asked if he would be back in time for the opening session which has to take place at the latest on January 23, he said: "It would be natural. If I am not allowed to be sworn in as president, it would be a major abnormality for the Spanish democratic system."

"I am the president of the regional government and I will remain the president if the Spanish state respects the results of the vote," he also said.

Puigdemont, who has called for a dialogue with the Spanish government to resolve the current tensions between the turbulent region and the authorities in Madrid, said he was ready to listen to any offer from Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy even if this offer was short of independence.

(Reporting by Clement Rossignol; Writing by Julien Toyer; Editing by Ingrid Melander)
Jerusalem (AFP) - An Israeli court ordered the release from custody Saturday of three Turkish tourists a day after they were arrested over a confrontation with police at a Jerusalem holy site.

Police said the three were detained on Friday for being "involved in an incident in Jerusalem's Old City after Friday prayers on the Temple Mount", the Jewish term for the Al-Aqsa mosque compound.

They were arrested for attacking a police officer and resisting arrest.

But Jerusalem magistrates' court ordered their release in a hearing late Saturday, denying a police request to extend their detention by four days, AFP reporters said.

"The court rejected the police's argument which is basically that they were liable to interfere with the police investigation, and also that they pose a threat to the general community," their lawyer Nick Kaufman told AFP after the hearing.

"It was obvious that this case was a politically charged case, and the judge released them."

A video circulating on social media shows a number of men wearing red shirts with the Turkish flag scuffling with police in the Old City.

Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu said two of the three hold dual Turkish and Belgian citizenship.

US President Donald Trump's December 6 announcement that Washington recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and would move the American embassy there galvanised the Arab and Muslim world.

Eleven Palestinians have since been killed in clashes between protesters and Israeli forces in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

At the forefront of international condemnation of Trump's announcement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on December 10: "We will not abandon Jerusalem to the mercy of a state that kills children."
A federal judge ordered President Donald Trumps voter fraud commission to turn over internal documents to one of its Democratic commissioners who had accused the panel of withholding crucial information from him.

The ruling is a victory for Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, who filed a lawsuit in November against the commission that Trump appointed him to. Dunlap has received no information about the commissions activities since its last public meeting on Sept. 12 and said he had been excluded from communications in which the commissions work was discussed, including the planning for that September meeting. There are currently 11 members on the commission, four of which are Democrats.

There are seven Republicans and four Democrats on the commission. Dunlap and Democrat Alan King have openly expressed frustration over a lack of information on what the panel is working on. Republicans deny theyre excluding Democrats, though a document in another lawsuit shows Republican panelists have communicated privately.

Justice Department lawyers, representing the commission in court, argued Dunlap wasnt entitled to all commission documents but only those that were prepared for the entire panel.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, rebuked the Justice Departments position in her Friday opinion and said the commission must turn documents over to Dunlap.

Plaintiff has a right, as a commissioner, to fully participate in the proceedings of the Commission. In the Courts view, his assertion that he will be unable to fully participate without the information contained in relevant documents that the Commission has not shared with the public has merit, she wrote in her 24-page opinion. He has a right to access documents that the Commission is considering relying on in the course of developing its final recommendations.

Kollar-Kotelly declined to give a line-by-line order of the documents the commission must turn over to Dunlap but provided two examples of information he should have received. One was a draft of a controversial letter sent to all 50 states from Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the Republican vice chair of the commission, requesting that election officials hand over voter information. Before he sent that letter, Kobach communicated privately with Republicans Hans von Spakovsky and J. Christian Adams, two future commissioners on the probe who had not yet been appointed.

Story continues

Kollar-Kotelly also wrote that Dunlap should have had more input in the planning for the Sept. 12 meeting, which was planned by Kobach and New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner (D). She also said Dunlap should have more of an opportunity to plan the panels next meeting, though it remains unclear when that will be.

This ruling is a clear vindication of what I have fought for from the start: the right to participate in the important work of this commission and hopefully achieve an outcome that benefits the American people, Dunlap said in a statement released through American Oversight, the group representing him in the litigation. I have always been confident that we are on the right side of the law, but unfortunately, through legal arguments and bombastic public statements, the commissions leadership denigrated straightforward efforts to fulfill my responsibilities as a member of the commission. This decision sets the commission on a path of redemption, and my hope is that I and the other commissioners will finally be able to participate fully.

The White House and Kobach did not respond to a request for comment late Friday evening.

Dunlaps lawsuit was harshly attacked by Kobach, who called it baseless and paranoid. Von Spakovsky and Adams called on Dunlap to resign.

The commission has met only twice publicly so far, and its goals and activities remain unclear. A document produced in another suit against the commission shows officials have communicated with the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration, but it is unclear what was discussed. Officials have indicated the panel may want to compare voter roll data against federal databases of non-citizens to try to identify people on the voter rolls, a plan election experts have raised questions about.

The commission, formally called the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, has been closely watched since its creation in May. Critics say it is an attempt to substantiate Trumps claim of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 election, despite several studies and investigations that have shown it is not a widespread issue. Kobach, Adams and von Spakovsky have pushed the suggestion that voter fraud is a widespread problem and have supported restrictive voting policies.

Dunlap also asked Kollar-Kotelly to block the commission from issuing a final report unless he was fully included in the process of writing that. On Friday, Kollar-Kotelly declined that request, saying it would be premature.

The commission had offered to let Dunlap inspect the documents he was entitled to but not take notes or make copies. Kollar-Kotelly said this was not a reasonable offer and Dunlap should be able to make copies and take notes if he wants.

Related Coverage

New Document Shows Inner Workings Of Trump's Voter Fraud Probe

Trump Voter Fraud Commissioner Says Panel Should Be More Transparent Or Disband

Voter Fraud Commissioner Is Suing The Panel Trump Tapped Him To Serve On

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Good news, the government cant deny legal counsel to an American citizen whos being imprisoned indefinitely on no charges.

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. must allow the American Civil Liberties Union access to an American citizen being held in U.S. military custody in Iraq, according to the AP.

An unidentified American suspected of fighting for the so-called Islamic State has been in U.S. custody for three months. But authorities have never charged the detainee and have denied the individual access to legal counsel. The military admitted back in November that the man did request a lawyer.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan says the ACLU must be given immediate and unmonitored access to John Doe so that he has the opportunity to obtain legal counsel if he still wishes.

ACLU attorney Jonathan Hafetz says this ruling helps ensure that American citizens wont be subjected to the Trump administrations executive imprisonment.

The man surrendered to a Syrian rebel group and was turned over to U.S. authorities in mid-September.

Though viewed as a step in the right direction, some law experts say the time it took to reach this ruling raises concerns.

It took exactly 100 days to get this far, University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck tweeted Sunday morning. Thats a terrifying precedent for how long government can evade review.

Also on HuffPost

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Palestinian president:  The US has proven to be a dishonest mediator

Emmanuel Macron receives Abbas in wake of US policy shift on Jerusalem

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, meets his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on Friday. Photograph: Francois Mori/AFP/Getty Images

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has said that he would no longer accept any peace plan proposed by the United States, instead calling on France and Europe to play a stronger role in peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.



His comments on Friday came after the UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly to denounce Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, largely ignoring Trumps threats to cut off aid to any country that went against him.



One Palestinian man was killed and another four were wounded on Friday, during renewed protests over Trumps Jerusalem announcement.



Washingtons unilateral change of policy on Jerusalem continues to reverberate in the Middle East and European diplomats are pessimistic about the Trump administrations peace plan which is being prepared behind closed doors and will be presented to both sides in 2018.

Of all the issues at the heart of the enduring conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, none is as sensitive as the status of Jerusalem. The holy city has been at the centre of peace-making efforts for decades.

Seventy years ago, when the UN voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, Jerusalem was defined as a separate entity under international supervision. In the war of 1948 it was divided, like Berlin in the cold war, into western and eastern sectors under Israeli and Jordanian control respectively. Nineteen years later, in June 1967, Israel captured the eastern side, expanded the citys boundaries and annexed it  an act that was never recognised internationally.

Israel routinely describes the city, with its Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy places, as its united and eternal capital. For their part, the Palestinians say East Jerusalem must be the capital of a future independent Palestinian state. The unequivocal international view, accepted by all previous US administrations, is that the citys status must be addressed in peace negotiations.

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Recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital puts the US out of step with the rest of the world, and legitimises Israeli settlement-building in the east  considered illegal under international law.

The United States has proven to be a dishonest mediator in the peace process and we will no longer accept any plan from it, Abbas told a joint press conference with the French president, Emmanuel Macron.

Macron repeated his earlier condemnations of the US decision on Jerusalem, but he also ruled out recognising Palestine as a state unilaterally, which France has mooted previously.

The Americans have marginalised themselves and I am trying to not do the same thing, Macron said, conscious that any move to recognise Palestine would antagonise the Israelis.

On Thursday the 193-member general assembly adopted a resolution by 128 to nine with 35 abstentions that rejected the US decision on Jerusalem.

The defeat for the US came despite threats from Trump and the US ambassador, Nikki Haley.

Abbas hit out at efforts by the US to intimidate countries ahead of the vote.

I hope that the others will learn the lesson and understand that you cannot impose solutions by using money and trying to buy off countries, he added in Paris.

Abbass visit to Paris less than a fortnight after a trip here by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has raised speculation about whether Macron might be tempted to mediate in the worlds most intractable conflict.



He and French diplomats have ruled out any fresh French initiative, insisting that the American effort must run its course first.

An unarmed Palestinian protester faces an Israeli border guard north of Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Friday. Photograph: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images

Vice-President Mike Pence postponed a trip he was due to make to the region this week, after Palestinian and Arab Christian leaders expressed reluctance to meet him.

The 40-year-old Macron has emerged as a dynamic international figure since his election in May but his team insists he is focused on reforming the European Union, avoiding instability in Lebanon, and anti-terror efforts in Syria and west Africa.

But Abbas, like Netanyahu before him, praised the young centrist at the Paris news conference, notable for the warmth of the exchanges and the relaxed body language.

We have trust in you. We respect the efforts made by you and we count heavily on your efforts, Abbas told him.

Macron replied that he had committed myself very clearly to doing everything to further the peace process and would visit the Palestinian territories in 2018 and intensify contacts between the French and Palestinian governments.

Palestinians have been clashing with Israeli troops since Trumps Jerusalem announcement on 6 December. Nine Palestinians have been killed and dozens more wounded so far.



In Bethlehem on Friday, some Palestinian protesters held anti-Trump banners reading Mr. Trump, its not your land to decide to whom it belongs, Jerusalem is ours and it belongs to us and Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.
San Francisco (AFP) - Federal agents are probing the background of a former US Marine for allegedly plotting a Christmas attack in San Francisco inspired by the Islamic State jihadist group, according to court documents.

Tow-truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target the city's busy Pier 39 tourist spot, according to an affidavit submitted Friday by FBI Special Agent Christopher McKinney.

The suspect is said to have outlined to undercover agents a plan to use explosives to target crowds at the pier -- which is lined with restaurants, shops and bars -- between December 18 and 25 because "Christmas was the perfect day to commit the attack."

Jameson professed not to need an escape plan as he was "ready to die," the document said. As a former soldier, he said, "I have been trained in combat and things of war."

The FBI said the public was "never in imminent danger."

Yet McKinney acknowledged an FBI misstep that could have endangered the investigation.

He said that on Monday, an FBI employee using a telephone number with a Washington DC area code had mistakenly called Jameson's cell phone. When Jameson answered, apparently in Arabic, the employee immediately hung up.

When Jameson called back, he got a voicemail message giving the employee's name but not identifying the agency.

That evening, Jameson told his undercover contact, "I don't think I can do this after all. I've reconsidered."

FBI agents raided the suspect's home in Modesto, California two days later, allegedly finding his last will and testament along with a .22-caliber Winchester rifle, handguns, fireworks and ammunition.

Jameson attended basic training with the Marine Corps in 2009, obtaining a "sharpshooter" rifle qualification, the FBI said, but was discharged after failing to disclose a history of asthma.

According to McKinney, Jameson selected Pier 39 because he "knew it was a heavily crowded area."

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- 'Radical jihadi beliefs' -

"Jameson explained that he also desired to use explosives" in an attack that could involve his tow truck as an additional weapon, McKinney stated.

The suspect revealed his plans to an undercover FBI agent he believed to be a senior leader of the Islamic State group (IS), according to the court document.

Jameson said the US needed "another attack like New York or San Bernardino," involving vehicles and firearms.

He had voiced support for the October 31 attack in New York in which a jihadist drove a pickup truck into a crowded bike path, killing eight. He allegedly had messaged "I'm glad to know we Muslims are finally hitting back," the FBI said.

In the 2015 attack in San Bernardino, California, a married couple used firearms to kill 14 people at a government building.

According to the 11-page criminal complaint, Jameson "has espoused radical jihadi beliefs." He had "liked" pro-IS posts on Facebook, including an image of Santa Claus standing in New York with explosives.

In a letter seized at his home, presumably intended to be found after his death, Jameson wrote that "You've allowed Donald J Trump to give away Al Quds (Jerusalem) to the Jews," a reference to the president's controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

- 'Gentle, kind' -

He was charged in the Eastern District Court of California with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. A preliminary hearing is slated for January 5.

Local newspaper the Merced Sun Star published a video interview with the suspect's father, Gordon Jameson, who described his only child as "the gentle, kind type of Muslim person."

"The FBI isn't saying much to me, but I know my son wouldn't harm nobody. He wouldn't do that to innocent people," he said, adding that he had been told his son was on suicide watch.

The Sacramento Bee quoted the grandfather of Jameson's ex-wife Ashley Monett Jameson as saying the couple have two young children.

The paper said Ashley Jameson is in prison -- the reason was unclear -- and the children are in foster care.

Gordon Jameson said his son was "devastated" after being told he would never regain custody of his children.

The FBI affidavit describes Everitt Jameson as messaging an undercover agent just 10 days ago to assure him and his ostensible jihadi superiors that he was ready to act.

"Tell them anything... I am ready. Give the word and it shall be done."
Interstate 57 was closed for five and a half hours Saturday morning between Whittington and Ina while police investigated a fatality, according to a press release from Illinois State Police.

Illinois State Police said their preliminary investigation indicates that a Ford Expedition was disabled in the roadway at 4:16 a.m. after being involved in a property damage only traffic crash on I-57 northbound milepost 90.5.

The occupants of the Expedition exited the car and were standing in the road way when an International truck tractor driven by Robert Miller, 71, of Effingham, struck 22-year-old Amanda Beem of Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Amanda Beem was fatally injured. A juvenile female, also of Port St. Lucie, was transported by ambulance to a regional hospital with major injuries.

Emory J. Beem, 20, and Dennis Beem, 45, both of Port St. Lucie, were not injured.

Illinois State Police said no charges were filed.

-- The Southern
Washington (AFP) - Bruce McCandless, an astronaut who was the first to fly untethered from his spacecraft in a gripping scene watched around the world, has died at the age of 80, NASA announced on its website.

The US space agency did not give the cause of death on Thursday for the longtime resident of the western state of Colorado.

The son and grandson of decorated war heroes, he graduated near the top of his class at the US Naval Academy. In the navy, he learned to pilot at least nine different aircraft, rising to the rank of captain.

At age 26 in 1966, NASA picked him as the youngest member of a newly recruited 19-man astronaut group.

He was a member of the support crew for the Apollo 14 mission and a backup pilot for the first manned Skylab mission, before serving as mission specialist on two space shuttle missions.

- 'Heckuva big leap' -

On a 1984 mission, he performed the world's first untethered spacewalk. Using a bulky jetpack, which he had helped design, McCandless moved more than 300 feet (90 meters) from the shuttle Challenger.

He later recalled the dramatic moment when he left the relative security of the Challenger as "a heckuva big leap."

Photos of the spacewalk, showing the clear blue arc of the earth and the black void of space in the background, made him instantly famous.

On a mission six years later, he helped deploy the Hubble Space Telescope.

McCandless, who trained as an electrical engineer at Stanford University, won a patent for designing a system to tether tools during spacewalks.

In all, he logged more than 300 hours in space.

But late in life he said he was most proud that children would still come up to him and say they had seen the iconic picture of his spacewalk. He hoped it would inspire them.
PARIS (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged the parties involved in an increase of ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine to implement decisions they have already agreed upon as soon as possible. Ukrainian officials, security monitors and Kiev's foreign backers had warned on Wednesday that Moscow's decision to withdraw from a Ukrainian-Russian ceasefire control group could worsen the fighting in eastern Ukraine. Macron and Merkel said in their statement there was no alternative to an exclusively peaceful settlement and called for a return of the Russian officers to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination. Russia had accused the Ukrainian side of obstructing their work and limiting access to the front line. "In the light of the volatile security situation, they ask the sides for immediate and verifiable steps to remedy this situation," Macron and Merkel's statement said. "It is necessary to implement agreements on disengagement and the withdrawal of heavy weapons behind the agreed withdrawal lines, withdrawal of tanks, artillery and mortars to the agreed storage sites". "Other aspects of the Minsk agreements, like the withdrawal of foreign armed formations or the return of control over the Russian-Ukrainian border need to addressed seriously as well." Fighting in eastern Ukraine has escalated to the worst level in months, officials monitoring the conflict said on Tuesday. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Michelle Martin BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives hope to draw the Social Democrats (SPD) into coalition with offers on healthcare and employment, one of her ministers said, but the two camps remain far apart on tax issues. Merkel's CDU/CSU alliance won a national election in September, but she has so far failed to agree terms with other parties on a coalition that would enable her to serve a fourth term. Her best chance now appears to be a reboot of the "grand coalition" with the centre-left SPD that ran Germany from 2013 to 2017 and continues to govern in a caretaker capacity. Peter Altmaier, acting finance minister and Merkel's chancellery chief, told newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung he thought such an alliance was again possible. The SPD had previously said it intended to go into opposition after suffering its worst election result in more than eight decades. But Germany's two biggest political groups are now set to start exploratory coalition talks next month and hope to decide by Jan. 12 whether to open full-blown negotiations. Asked what offers the conservatives would make, Altmaier said: "We'll of course talk with the SPD about problems in hospitals and nursing care, improvements for families and children, broadband expansion, qualification for new jobs and how we can reach full employment." There is overlap with the SPD on these areas, he said, adding that helping Germany's 900,000 long-term unemployed needed to be a key project - an idea likely to go down well with the SPD. NO RED LINES, BUT... Taxation could be a sticking point, however. Senior SPD member Andrea Nahles told German magazine Der Spiegel her party wanted to press for a higher top rate of tax for individuals and non-listed companies and ensure the wealthy paid more. The conservatives have rejected the idea of higher taxes for the rich. Altmaier said that while the conservatives would not draw any red lines ahead of the talks, they wanted a coalition treaty to include a pledge not to raise taxes or increase debt. The SPD also wants to scrap Germany's dual healthcare system of premium private care and more widely accessible public care to replace it with a single "citizen's insurance". The conservatives fear that would harm competition. Nahles said employers and employees needed to pay the same amount towards public healthcare and doctors' fees for public and private healthcare systems should be reviewed. While the conservatives have made clear they are keen on another "grand coalition", the SPD has kept the option of tolerating a minority Merkel-led government on the table. The chancellor rejects that idea. Senior SPD member and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told the Funke newspaper consortium that some of his party colleagues were ready to live with a minority government. But he said he worried about the implications for Europe's stability. "I'm rather skeptical," he said in an interview published on Friday as political crisis gripped Spain, where separatists were set to regain power in Catalonia following regional elections. "A shaky government in Germany would probably lead to an earthquake in Europe - but we need to talk about it." (Reporting by Michelle Martin; editing by John Stonestreet)
The Vice President spoke to troops at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan: AP

Vice President Mike Pence has claimed that victory in Afghanistan is closer than ever before in a surprise trip to the war-torn country.

Mr Pence met with Afghan leaders and addressed US troops in a brief visit intended to promote President Donald Trumps four-month-old military strategy for the country.

The road before you is promising, but its perilous. And this commander-in-chief is clear-eyed about the threats you face and the challenges that lie ahead, Mr Pence told troops at the USs Bagram military base. But today, let me assure you: President Trump has your back.

Mr Pence also met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul, assuring them that the US was here to see this through.

The Vice President is the highest-ranking member of the Trump administration to visit Afghanistan to date. He planned the trip in secret and flew in on an unmarked C-17 transport plane to minimise security risks.

When Defence Secretary James Mattis visited the country in September, the Taliban fired rockets at the airport where his plane was parked. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited in October, but remained in the military base and had Afghan leaders flown in from Kabul to meet him.

Still, Mr Pence assured the troops that Mr Trumps strategy to stabilise the region was working.

Weve dramatically increased American airstrikes, the Vice President said. And together with our Afghan partners, weve put the Taliban on the defensive. Weve prevented them from launching a major campaign against a provincial capital for the first time in three years.

Mr Trump, who regularly criticised Americas involvement in Afghanistan on the campaign trail, sent nearly 4,000 more troops to the country this autumn. He also plans to send hundreds more US Army trainers to the region next year, as part of what he calls a fight to win strategy.

US officials estimate the number of troops in the country could reach nearly 16,000 by early next year  almost double the number stationed there when former President Barack Obama left office.

Story continues

Mr Trump outlined his strategy for ending the 16-year-old war in a policy address this August, saying he would focus on attacking US enemies, obliterating Isis and al-Qaeda, preventing Taliban advances, and stopping terrorist attacks against Americans. He also emphasised the importance of regional cooperation with nations like Pakistan and India.

Mr Pence singled out Pakistan in his address to troops on Thursday, accusing the country of providing a safe haven to Taliban insurgents.

President Trump has put Pakistan on notice, Mr Pence said, from a stage decorated with a Christmas tree and an inflatable Santa Claus. As the President said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the United States, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists.

Pakistans Foreign Office said on Friday that Mr Pences comments were at odds with their previous conversations with the Trump administration.

Allies do not put each other on notice, the Foreign Office added in a statement.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell mocked former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon for promoting a Republican candidate who lost in deeply conservative Alabama.

The political genius on display, throwing away a seat in the reddest state in America, is hard to ignore, Mr McConnell told reporters. The unlikely victory by Democrat Doug Jones shaved Mr McConnell's already-tenuous majority in the Senate to a single vote.

Formerly a top campaign adviser and aide to Mr Trump, Mr Bannon left the White House and has continued to promote a nationalist agenda from atop the website Breitbart  an agenda that often clashes with the views of a Republican leadership Mr Bannon openly despises. He has said it is a season of war against a GOP establishment.

The Alabama Senate race put those fractures in the Republican Party on vivid display. Mr Bannon championed far-right candidate Roy Moore throughout the race, breaking with establishment Republicans like Mr McConnell.

Voters sided with Mr Bannon during the primary, elevating Mr Moore over the more centrist Luther Strange, who drew the backing of party grandees including Mr Trump himself.

Mr Moore was already problematic for some Republicans because of his controversial history: he was twice removed from the Alabama Supreme Court for defying the law, said a Muslim person should not be allowed to serve in Congress and called for homosexuality to be outlawed.

But he became toxic to Mr McConnell and others in the party leadership after allegations emerged he had engaged in sexual misconduct with teenage girls (Mr Moore denied the accusations, saying I have never engaged in sexual misconduct).

But Mr Bannons website, Breitbart, dispatched journalists to try and discredit reporting around those allegations, and Mr Bannon himself continued campaigning with Mr Moore until the end, when voters rejected his chosen candidate.

Soon after those results came in, verifying that Republicans had surrendered a seat in a state where victories are almost automatic, allies of Mr McConnell began blaming Mr Bannon. The head of a McConnell-aligned political committee that seeks to elect Senate Republicans released a statement that evening blasting Mr Bannon.

Story continues

Not only did Steve Bannon cost us a critical Senate seat in one of the most Republican states in the country, but he also dragged the President of the United States into his fiasco, said Senate Leadership Fund CEO Steven Law, who served as Mr McConnells chief of staff.

While Mr Moore has not yet conceded the race, continuing to appeal to his supporters, the Alabama Secretary of State said in a statement that Democrat Doug Jones' victory would be certified next week.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The U.S. decision to supply weapons to Ukraine is dangerous as it will encourage Kiev to use force in eastern Ukraine, Russian officials said on Saturday. The U.S. State Department said on Friday the United States would provide Ukraine with "enhanced defensive capabilities" as Kiev battles Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country. U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the weapons included Javelin anti-tank missiles. Washington has argued in the past that such weapons would help stabilize the situation and cannot effectively be used to take territory. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook on Saturday the weapons would be used to protect Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. Supplies of any weapons now encourage those who support the conflict in Ukraine to use the "force scenario," Russia's RIA state news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin as saying on Saturday. Franz Klintsevich, a member of the upper house of the Russian parliament's security committee, said Kiev would consider arms supplies as support of its actions, Interfax news agency reported. "Americans, in fact, directly push Ukrainian forces to war," Klintsevich said. Since Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine and Russia have been at loggerheads over a war in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces that has killed more than 10,000 people in three years. Poroshenko said in his Facebook post that he had confirmed the weapons deal with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, calling it "a transatlantic vaccination against the Russian virus of aggression." "American weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers are not for offensive, but for stronger rebuff of the aggressor, protection of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, as well as for effective self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter," Poroshenko said. Kiev accuses Moscow of sending troops and heavy weapons to the region, which Russia denies. The Russian foreign ministry said the U.S. decision once again undermines the Minsk agreements, TASS state news agency reported on Saturday. The agreements, intended to end the fighting in Ukraine, were signed by Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France in the Belarussian capital in early 2015. (Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow; additional reporting by Chris Sanders and Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Stephen Powell and Steve Orlofsky)
He's made his list, he's checked it twice, he already knows who's been naughty and nice. That's right: Santa Claus is coming to town  and you can follow him as he makes his way around the world.

Every year, the boffins at Norad (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) kindly dedicate December 24th to tracking Father Christmas as he darts from chimney to chimney, country to country, and continent to continent, delivering gifts while voraciously consuming sweetmeats.

When will Santa arrive in the UK?

Their service began by happenstance in 1955, when a Sears ad in a local paper offering the chance to speak to Santa mistakenly printed the top secret phone number of Conad  Norads predecessor. US Air Force Col. Harry Shoup took the first call from a young boy wanting to talk to Santa in good humour, and so a Christmas tradition was born.

Now, every year, thousands of volunteers staff telephones and computers to answer calls and e-mails from children (and adults) around the world. As of 2007, search engine Google has also provided an online tracker, in partnership with Norad.

Join us below to follow Santa's snow-flecked footsteps around the world. And keep your fingers crossed that when he arrives at your house, he'll find your name on the good side of that list ...

8:25PM

The Acropolis

Santa has just done a fly-by of another of the new wonders of the world - the Acropolis in Athens:

7:56PM

Santa is on schedule

#NORAD confirms #Santa has arrived over Chisinau, Moldova. #Santa reported the weather is clear and his is on schedule  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017

Story continues

7:43PM

Santa is in Europe!

The Big Man was last spotted in Vilnius, Lithuania.

#NORAD confirms #Santa has arrived over Vilnius, Lithuania  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017

7:33PM

The 'Nanny State' Christmas lunch: Everything you should be eating, according to official advice

With a measly portion of turkey, pallid boiled potatoes and just a quarter of a glass of champagne, this is what Christmas dinner might look like if public health guidelines were followed to the letter, Sophie Jamieson writes.

Dubbed the "nanny state approved Christmas lunch", the menu to keep you below Public Health England (PHE) recommended calorie intake allows for only a quarter of a pig in blanket, a tenth of a serving of Christmas pudding and a twentieth of a mince pie.

Taxpayers Alliance handout showing a visual representation of a Christmas lunch as approved by the National Health Service's nutritional guidelines

PHE guidelines say the average man should keep below 2,500 calories per day. The figure is 2,000 calories for women.

The bleak festive spread was created by the pressure group the TaxPayers' Alliance, who say PHE spend 40 million a year telling people how to live healthy lives.

Read the full story.

6:57PM

The best Christmas TV

When you're taking a break from following Santa's journey around the world, here are the best TV offerings this year, including All Star Musicals and Mary, Mel and Sue's Big Chistmas Thank You.

Dr Who Credit: BBC

6:25PM

How does the Santa tracker work?

People always ask how #NORAD tracks #Santa on Dec 24th! We use infrared sensors from Rudolphs nose to determine Santas exact location throughout the night! To talk to a NORAD Santa Tracker, call 1-877-HI-NORAD. https://t.co/gSvRD6ezKo#NORADTracksSanta (Desktop browsers only)  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017

5:44PM

Children in Russia - it's time to go to bed!

#NORAD Just spotted #Santa over Russia! Children in Russia, it's time to go to bed. #NORADTracksSanta  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017

5:43PM

How to host a family Christmas... without having a breakdown

Do you remember waking up on Christmas day, filled with excitement and joy? Did you jump out of bed and rush downstairs to see if Father Christmas had successfully navigated the chimney/central heating system and delivered that all-important toy on your wish list?

Good times. The chances are your first waking moments of Christmas Day are sprinkled with slightly different thoughts these days. Has the turkey finished defrosting? Will the kids like their presents? Is there still time to barricade the house to prevent the in-laws gaining access?

Well, worry no longer. Read our guide that answers all you anxiety-ridden prayers.

How to have the perfect Christmas

5:16PM

Taj Mahal

Santa has just visited India - cameras picked him up flying over one of the modern wonders of the world:

4:53PM

The Christmas crystal ball

Christmas Day is a bit like Groundhog. You wake up, stick the turkey in the oven, placate yourself with an odd concoction of coffee and Bucks Fizz, watch the kids tear open their presents, slave away in the kitchen some more, and finally pass out on the sofa. Tick, there goes another year.

Here are the 24 things bound to happen at your big family Christmas tomorrow.

4:42PM

Conquering Everest

Santa is going to have to tug hard on those reins and get the reindeer flying high. He's coming into Nepal, home to eight of the 10 world's highest peaks, including the tallest Mount Everest.

Nepal guess who is coming soon...thats right.Time for good boys and girls to get to  and catch some . pic.twitter.com/7EQUPdofev  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) 24 December 2017

4:36PM

Getting through Russia

Santa is back working his way through Russia. It's a long, hard slog - Russia takes up an eighth of the Earth's land area - but Santa misses no one out on Christmas Eve.

4:12PM

Christmas code-words

Are you expecting to welcome friends and relatives tomorrow?

Christmas day can be a bit of a war-zone, but everyone just tries to dust their resentment under the carpet because hey it's Christmas, and in the spirit of said holiday, thou shalt lie and deceive rather that tell the truth.

If you do actually want to find out what everyone round the dinner table is actually thinking than read this:

What people say at Christmas... and what they really mean

4:00PM

No holiday on Christmas day in Thailand

Santa is now dropping off presents in Thailand.

85 percent of the population in Thailand is Buddhist, and 14 percent practice Islam. As such, Christmas day is not taken as a holiday in Thailand but many lights and decorations still adorn the streets of Thailand's capital Bangkok during the month to celebrate the King's birthday on 5 December.

Since the previous king passed away last year though, the celebrated holiday has moved to 28 July.

3:28PM

From Saint Nick to Saint Graham

Credit: Christopher Baines/BBC

From one jolly bearded fellow to another - read Graham Norton's Christmas special agony uncle column here while you wait for the other one to hurry up with your presents already.

3:19PM

The Las Vegas of Asia

Santa is about to go over Macau, an autonomous region on the South coast of China dubbed the 'Las Vegas of Asia' because of it's bounty of casinos, and the bustling nightlife. You might want to turn down the light on Rudolph's nose Santa - you're not going to need it to light the way over here.

The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel Credit: Kin Cheung/AP

2:52PM

What to do after unwrapping the presents?

After the presents, there is the turkey, but then how about a winter walk or maybe a film (and none of those slushy romantic ones please)? You could even book yourself into a mindfulness retreat if it's all become too much.

We've wracked our brains for a range of activities to try out once Santa has done his job and all the presents have been ripped open.

How to keep the family entertained over Christmas

2:37PM

Great wall of China

Santa has just crossed over the Great Wall of China, which was built by the Qin dynasty to keep northern invaders out of their territories.

No such problems for Santa - nothing can get in the way of him and his reindeer tonight, they've got presents to deliver.

Santa has a great view of the Great Wall #NORADTracksSanta thanks to @verizon for boosting our signal! pic.twitter.com/rEpRMxwkZW  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) 24 December 2017

2:20PM

1 billion presents delivered!

A congratulations are in order for a certain Mr Claus, who has just dropped off one billion presents this evening.

However with 6.6 billion more people still waiting for their pressies, Santa still has a long night ahead of him.

2:16PM

Valentine's Day on Christmas Eve

Santa is in Japan. Christmas Eve is a big deal for young Japanese couples, who treat the evening as we would do Valentines Day.

No one is quite sure why the evening became an event for couples, but pop-star Tatsuro Yamashitas 1988 song, Christmas Eve about the sadness of spending Christmas alone, popularised the romantic ideals of being close to that special someone on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile over here we're just thinking about all the pressies Santa is about to drop off.

2:02PM

There's the Sydney Opera House

It's flashback time. Here is Santa doing some sightseeing as he flys over some of Sydney's most famous landmarks.

1:54PM

Have yourself a very smug Christmas

Are you watching Santa scoot around the world safe in the knowledge that all your Christmas day plans are sorted?

I bet you're feeling pleased with yourself, and so you should be.

However, if you're still flying around frantically trying to tie up all the loose Christmas ends then have a read of our guide to having a smug Christmas, and catch a glimpse of how the other (more organised) half live?

How to have a smug Christmas, in ten supremely self-satisfied steps

1:35PM

White Christmas? Not in Australia

Santa has touched down in Australia. No dreaming of a white Christmas here as it's the height of summer in Australia, with average temperatures of 30C

However in 2010 the ssemingly impossible happened as 11 inches of snow fell in New South Wales just a few days before Christmas day. No such luck this year mind.

1:27PM

Have you got Christmas dinner covered?

While Santa is busy going around the world sorting out the presents, who is sorting out the turkey covered on the big day?

We recommend you start your prep for the big Christmas day meal today and save yourself any extra stress on the day.

You can prep the vegetables, make the stocks for the gravy and roll up your stuffing balls. Still feeling nervous about cooking Christmas dinner? Take a gander at our ultimate guide to cooking the perfect Christmas dinner.

How to cook the perfect Christmas dinner

1:10PM

We hope Santa has wrapped up warm

Santa is currently flying over the Eastern tip of Russia with the temperature at -17C.

Chilly stuff - so make sure you put some warmed mince pies out on the side for when he eventually comes round to you.

1:02PM

Change of Telegraph Christmas Elf

That's me done for the year. Over to Richard Jones for more Santa tracking tracking...

12:41PM

A peaceful place

Santa is currently on his way to the Federated States of Micronesia, population 104,937, which we've previously listed as one of 16 countries that do not have an army. Can you guess the 15 others?

12:13PM

The rise of the Christmas Eve box

In case you haven't already heard, there's a new Christmas trend in town  and today is the day when it comes to fruition.

The Christmas Eve box is a package full of small gifts that kids get to open the night before Christmas. Think of as an early bird's stocking, only without the connotations of mouldy feet.

You can find out more about what to put in these boxes (there's still time to cook one up at home  though you'll need to get creative) by reading our useful guide.

Ho ho ho, merry Christmas Eve.

11:41AM

Q: Why is Rudolph's nose red?

A: Because it's hotter than the sun.

Here's some science from Norad, on how they use the heat from Rudolph's nose to follow their man...

Santa spotted on DSP satellite from the heat off Rudolph's nose! https://t.co/ODGqIM3THR  NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017

11:31AM

Eyes to the skies

He's off!

We have our first Santa spotting of Christmas Eve 2017, with Norad reporting that his red sleigh is currently zooming over Russia, en route to New Zealand and Australia.

Now that they've got Santa locked on their radar, you can follow his progress in the video at the top of this article.

Godspeed, Santa Claus.

Santa

11:31AM

Urgent: Presents needed

Are you just waking up to the realisation that it's Christmas Eve? Have you hitherto buried your head in the snow, unwilling to even countenance the idea that you might need to buy a semi-random assortment of objects for your friends and loved ones? Does the thought of a last-minute trip to the heaving High Street make you want to heave in an entirely different manner?

Then fear not, because we've rounded up some gift subscription ideas that a) will make great presents, and b) can be bought from the comfort of your front room, without so much as the need to put on a pair of pants.

Take a look at the below, and heave a sigh of relief.

Last-minute Christmas gift guide: how to do all your shopping ... without going to the shops

11:30AM

The wait is nearly over

Well boys and girls, we're getting close. It seems that Santa is currently doing some last minute quality control. Here's a leaked image from his HQ in Greenland...

Norad Santa tracker

11:30AM

Santa's journey in numbers

Santa will travel an estimated 510,000,000km on Christmas Eve, which means he'll average 10,703,437.5km/hr, or about 1,800 miles per second.

According to calculations in 2014, there are roughly 1.85bn children who can hope to receive presents. With an average of 2.5 children per household, that means Santa has to slide down 740m chimneys.

To hit those numbers, Santa needs to visit 390,000 homes per minute  or 6,424 per second.

And what of the big guy's expanding waist line? Well, if each house places a 200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk and a mince pie by the fireplace, Santa will make his way throughy 148m litres of milk  enough to fill around 60 Olympic-size swimming pools  and chomp on 740m mince pies.

As there are around 250 calories in a mince pie and 100 calories in the glass of milk, that means Santa will consume 259bn calories on Christmas Eve alone.

Let's hope his trousers are elasticated.

11:30AM

Fake news?

A quick word on sources.

This time last year, the Santa tracking world was split asunder by an apparent disagreement between the two main tracking organisations.

While's Google's tracker reported its first sighting of Santa at 10am GMT, Norad's tracker lagged about 30 minutes behind. And it remained thus for the rest of the day: where one would see Santa arrive in, say, Madrid at 11pm GMT, the other would spot Santa in the same location half an hour later.

Little has been said publicly about the confusion since then. The two organisations have apparently closed ranks after the division  leaving online conspiracy theorists to run amok. Are there two Father Christmases, sharing the burden of delivering gifts to every (good) child in the land? Was one tracker detecting an echo in time, the logical consequence of the vertiginous speeds at which Santa must travel? Had Google picked up a genuine unidentified flying object?

No one has the answers to these questions  but suffice to say that if the same happens again this year, we at The Telegraph will treat Norad's tracker as the official timekeeper. No disrespect, Google, but those guys have got the nukes...

11:29AM

Why does NORAD track Santa?

While we wait for Santa to file all the obligatory flight plans and put the finishing touches on his sleigh packing (we imagine he's much like any father on Christmas Eve right now, desperately pushing another bag of presents into a car boot that's already jammed full), let's take the opportunity to look back on how this Santa tracking business started.

The year was 1955, and an advert promoting Santa's Toyland at the Sears department store had been published in the Colorado Springs newspaper, offering excited children the chance to speak to big man himself. The only problem? Rather than listing a dedicated Sears phoneline, the advert referenced a top secret hotline at Conad  Norads predecessor.

The Sears advert that started it all

Over at CONAD, all was calm and well, when US Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, director of operations at the nuclear missile base, noticed the red phone on his desk ringing. Col. Shoup had two phones, and you can imagine what the red one was for. "Only a four-star general at the Pentagon and my dad had the number," recalled his daughter Pam.

Presumably fearing the worst, Col. Shoup picked up the receiver. Pam continues: "And then there was a small voice that just asked, 'Is this Santa Claus?'"

Shoup was a straight-laced and disciplined man  much as you would expect for the director of operations at the US's nuclear HQ  and he reacted with due annoyance, suspecting he was the victim of a practical joke. But then the little voice started crying.

"And Dad realised that it wasn't a joke," says Shoup's daughter. "So he talked to him, ho-ho-ho'd and asked if he had been a good boy and, 'May I talk to your mother?' And the mother got on and said, 'You haven't seen the paper yet?

"'There's a phone number to call Santa. It's in the Sears ad.'"

Shoup took the reins and ran with them. Soon, he was on local radio every hour, updating listeners on the whereabouts of an unidentified flying object that had the unmistakable look of a sleigh.

From one small mistake, a tradition was born. Every year hence, the nuclear has run a Christmas Eve hotline for children, updating them on the whereabouts of the Great Benefactor In The Sky.

The Norad Santa Tracking Operation HQ, in 2014

Over the years, Conad/Norad and Santa have proved to be a perfect fit. After all, who better to spot where Santa's sleigh is flying than a major operation dedicated to monitoring the skies? And what better way for the joint US-Canadian military division  men and women who routinely spent their time checking radar screens for signs of impending nuclear apocalypse  to spend their down time than talking to children about what they wanted for Christmas?

In 2007, Norad partnered with Google to put the Santa tracking ritual online, and now children around the world can follow Santa's snow-flecked footsteps as he delivers presents during the night before Christmas.

With the help of our live blog, of course.

11:29AM

Good morning...

... and welcome to The Telegraph's Christmas Eve live blog, where we'll be tracking the movements of good ol' Santa (that's Father Christmas or even St. Nick to you and I) as he dashes around the world, delivering gifts and joy to all those children who have been well behaved over the course of the last 12 months.

According to (un)official estimates, there's a while to go before Santa starts doing his thing. So, put the kettle on, get some breakfast inside you, fish out those dusty binoculars from wherever you left them this time last year, and get ready to join us for the ride.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Friday signed into law a ban on abortions if the fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb  even as critics warn that the measure could be unconstitutional.

The law, which is set to take effect in 90 days, will not only bar women from seeking an abortion following a diagnosis of Down syndrome  a genetic disorder that results in a number of developmental, intellectual and physical abnormalities, according to the Mayo Clinic  but also slap physicians who perform the procedure with felony criminal charges, the Cincinatti Enquirer reports.

Under the law, doctors could face 18 months in prison, a $5,000 fine, the loss of their medical license and potential lawsuits in the event of patient injury or death.

A federal judge in Indiana struck down similar legislation, the Chicago Tribune reports, deeming it unconstitutional. (The states attorney general has said he will appeal the decision.) A ban is on the books in North Dakota, the Enquirer adds, but it is not enforced because the states only abortion clinic does not perform the procedure after 16 weeks of pregnancy. Down syndrome is often diagnosed between the 15th and 20th weeks, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

Kasich has long supported such legislation, even though he declined to sign the heartbeat bill, which would have prevented abortion after a fetal heartbeat was detected, for fear it would be found unconstitutional, according to the Enquirer.

Down syndrome and abortions has always been a controversial topic. While many experts believe women should have ultimate say over the decision to continue or terminate a pregnancy, some Down syndrome advocates fear that children with the condition are in danger of disappearing.
Americas health concerns followed the roller coaster of news in 2017, from the battle over the Affordable Care Act to the growing opioid crisis to the solar eclipse. These topics, among others, saw the greatest increases in online searches this year, according to data from health publisher WebMD.

Though the flu, high blood pressure, cold symptoms and diabetes are always the most-searched topics among WebMDs 79 million monthly visitors, the following issues saw the largest spikes in search traffic relative to 2016:

1. Powassan Virus

Searches up 4,400%

This rare and potentially life-threatening tick-borne disease was in the news in the spring of 2017, after researchers found the pathogen in Maine ticks, and Connecticut reported its first-ever human case of the virus. Though less common than Lyme disease, the Powassan virus is deadlier, and appears to be transmitted faster.

2. Glioblastoma

Searches up 1,400%

Following Senator John McCains brain cancer diagnosis in July, WebMD saw a spike in searches for brain tumor symptoms and treatments. Glioblastoma affects about 5 people out of 100,000 each year; about half of all cancerous brain tumors are glioblastomas.

3. Popcorn Lung

Searches up 790%

Inhalation of diacetyl,the artificial butter chemical previously found in popcorn, has been linked to irreversible damage to the lungs smallest airways, a disease called bronchiolitis obliterans and known colloquially as popcorn lung. The condition was in the news this year amid health concerns over diacetyl found in e-cigarettes.

4. Opioids

Searches up 390%

The impact of Americas opioid crisis has continued to grow, and President Trump declared a public health emergency in October. Opioid overdoses claimed over 33,000 lives in 2015, a figure that increased in 2016, with more overdose deaths caused by synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, than prescription painkillers, such as OxyContin and Percocet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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5. The Solar Eclipse

Searches up 254%

A total solar eclipse crossed the country in August, leading many Americans to search for information about potential damage to their eyes. WebMD saw an increase in searches about protective eyewear and the consequences of staring into the sun.

6. Lead in Water

Searches up 230%

Public concern about the safety of drinking water remained high in 2017, as reports documented excessive lead levels across the U.S.

7. Affordable Care Act

Searches up 22%

Between repeated attempts to repeal Obamacare and the GOPs recent removal of the individual mandate in the tax bill, the fate of the Affordable Care Act was in the news all year long.
A tropical storm unleashed devastating floods and landslides in southern Philippines, killing at least 123 as it swept away residents and left communities buried in mud, authorities said.

Tropical Storm Tembin slammed into another set of Philippine islands late Saturday, hours after it battered the southern island of Mindanao.

Officials have given conflicting death tolls since the storm ravaged towns and displaced thousands.

At least 123 people have been killed and 159 are missing, spokeswoman Mina Marasigan of the Philippines' national disaster management agency said Sunday.

Earlier, the CEO of the Philippine Red Cross tweeted that 156 people have died.

Tembin, also known as Vinta in the Philippines, made a second landfall Saturday night over Balabac Island, at the southern tip of Palawan province.

Forecasters warned residents to brace for high winds and heavy rain, the same conditions that devastated parts of Mindanao hours earlier.

Tembin initially struck Friday, dropping more than 140 millimeters (5.5 inches) of rain in some parts of Mindanao, overwhelming artificial dams and sending floodwaters from mountainous areas down to communities below.

The Mindanao province of Lanao del Norte was especially hard-hit. Video there showed people holding onto ropes Friday as they tried to cross a rushing, muddy river of floodwater that had crashed through a community.

The storm has displaced more than 70,000 people in southern Philippines, 50,000 of whom were staying in shelters, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Saturday.

At least 291 people are missing and 86 were injured, Philippine Red Cross CEO Richard Gordon tweeted.

Burying the dead

By early Sunday, the center of the storm was 290 kilometers south of Pagasa Island, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration. The agency referred to it as Typhoon Vinta early Sunday.

The storm system will bring moderate to heavy rain to Palawan province's southern end -- a largely rural area with vast forests and palm oil plantations. Light to heavy rains also could continue to fall in the central and southern Philippines through Sunday.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (75 mph) Sunday morning.

Tembin is forecast to head out over the South China Sea, potentially getting close to Vietnam's southeastern coast by Monday.

Tembin is the Philippines' second deadly tropical storm this month. Last weekend, a storm known there as Urduja struck the central Visayas region, killing at least 27 people.

4-year-old among those killed

Most of the deaths resulting from Tembin on Mindanao were in Lanao del Norte province, with additional ones elsewhere on the island, including Payao and Lanao del Sur.

"(When) these artificial dams were not able to withstand the pressure anymore, flash floods came down from the mountains," said Mina Marasigan, spokeswoman for the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Among the dead were a 4-year-old who was trapped in a landslide in Payao and a prisoner who was killed when the roof of a jail collapsed from strong winds and rains in Butuan City, CNN Philippines reported, citing the Philippine Red Cross.

Journalist Buena Bernal and CNN's Bijan Hosseini, Allison Chinchar, Stella Ko and Euan McKirdy contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to give the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) access to an American suspected of fighting for Islamic State and held in secret U.S. military detention in Iraq for more than three months.

In a ruling issued late on Saturday, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan denied a government request to dismiss an ACLU challenge to the unidentified man's detention, rejecting the claim that the organization has no standing in the matter.

Chutkan ruled that the Defense Department should provide the ACLU with "temporary, immediate and unmonitored access" to the man to determine if he wants the organization to pursue a habeas corpus petition on his behalf and provide him with legal advice.

Using such a petition, a person can ask a court to review the legality of their detention.

The man surrendered in mid-September to U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters pursuing an offensive against Islamic States former stronghold of Raqqa, in northeaster Syria. He was turned over to the U.S. military, which classified him as an "enemy combatant," and transferred him to a secret location in Iraq, according to Chutkan's ruling.

Aside from two visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the detainee has had contact only with U.S. government officials, according to the ruling.

The judge pointed out that in a Nov. 30 brief, the Defense Department disclosed that in an interview with FBI agents, the detainee said that he felt that he wanted an attorney present.

Chutkan dismissed as "disingenuous at best" a Pentagon argument that the ACLU has no standing in the case because it has been unable to confer or meet with the detainee, and cannot prove that detainee wants the group to pursue a habeas corpus petition on his behalf.

The Defense Department is "the sole impediment" to the ACLU's access to the detainee, the judge said.

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She also called "remarkable and troubling" the Pentagons contention that the detainee's request for a lawyer should be ignored until it decides what to do with him and when he should be given access to an attorney.

Chutkan barred the Defense Department from transferring the detainee to another location before the ACLU can interview him and then inform the court of his wishes.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
SpaceX launched its final rocket of the year on Friday, which put on a spectacular show as it streaked across the night sky in Southern California. But not everyone in L.A. got the memo about the rocket launch. Some thought it was aliens. Or worse.

Social media users posted pictures of the rockets and speculated about what the lights in the sky could be  with opinions ranging from aliens to fairy godparents to Santa.

Aliens are real and it's over for mankind pic.twitter.com/FnmKbnynCF  blake (@Yungasshat) December 23, 2017

In the sky tonight. Santa? Aliens? Meteor? Fairy Godparents? pic.twitter.com/GLJAn8iyl9  Butch Hartman (@realhartman) December 23, 2017

that wasnt aliens that was santa. yall know the story. chill.  JOSH LEVI (@JoshLeviWorld) December 23, 2017

Even as news that the lights were really a SpaceX launch spread, some still werent convinced. Twitter users speculated the explanation was a government cover-up.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying 10 Iridium voice and data relay satellites was seen throughout Southern California on Dec. 22, 2017

what if this spaceX launch is really just a coverup. what if our government is really just having a scheduled meeting with the aliens and theyre covering up this weirdness in the sky with a launch. hmmm.  mommy (@CorinnaKopf) December 23, 2017

Space x is a coverup for aliens ????  Dev Isaac (@Devthecuban) December 23, 2017

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk also let himself have fun with the conspiracy theories and played along with the idea that aliens were lighting up the skies.

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It was definitely aliens  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2017

Musk even implied the rocket was a nuclear alien UFO from North Korea.

Nuclear alien UFO from North Korea pic.twitter.com/GUIHpKkkp5  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2017

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying 10 Iridium voice and data relay satellites was seen throughout Southern California on Dec. 22, 2017

Musk also announced on Twitter that he was planning another launch for January.

The next rocket will fire from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County  another chance for pyrotechnics over Southern California.

Or, you know, aliens.
Lima (AFP) - Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski narrowly survived an impeachment vote late Thursday by lawmakers accusing him of graft in relation to disgraced Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.

"The demand for vacancy on grounds of permanent moral incapacity has not been approved," the speaker of the opposition-dominated chamber, Luis Galarreta, said after the motion received 79 votes in favor, 19 against and 21 abstentions.

The motion failed by eight votes, as at least 87 votes were required to approve an impeachment.

"Peruvians. Tomorrow begins a new chapter in our history: reconciliation and reconstruction of our country. One single force, one single Peru," a triumphant Kuczynski wrote on his Twitter account.

Dozens of people went to the presidential palace to congratulate him on the outcome.

The motion had been put to the lawmakers after a 14-hour session that started with a two-hour appearance by Kuczynski to defend his position.

He had called the move against him a "coup" and an "attack" on democracy.

Analysts had predicted that Kuczynski would be impeached, especially as 93 lawmakers had last week voted for the impeachment motion to be put to Congress.

The 79-year-old center-right president was accused of lying to cover up $5 million in payments received from Odebrecht that both he and the company insist were for legitimate consulting fees.

The money was received between 2004 and 2013, a period in part of which Kuczynski was economy minister and head of cabinet for then-president Alejandro Toledo.

- Odebrecht scandal -

Odebrecht has admitted to paying millions of dollars in bribes to officials in several Latin American countries to secure lucrative and inflated public works contracts.

It has said it paid $20 million in kickbacks to Toledo, whom Peru wants extradited from the United States to face charges.

Another former Peruvian president, Ollanta Humala, is in jail in Peru, also on suspicion of having illicitly received millions from Odebrecht in campaign funds.

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The Brazilian company agreed over the past year to pay $2.6 billion in fines to the Brazilian, Swiss and US governments for its corrupt practices.

Kuczynski is one of the highest-profile politicians to be caught up in the scandal.

Last week, Ecuador's vice president, Jorge Glas, was sentenced to six years in prison for taking Odebrecht kickbacks.

In his defiant defense before Congress early Thursday, Kuczynski regretted being "careless and sloppy" about his business dealings, but the former Wall Street banker stated that his moral capacity should not be impugned.

He has repeatedly maintained that "I did not lie. I am not corrupt."

- A 'close call' -

Political analyst Luis Benavente was one observer who had predicted that impeachment would happen, telling AFP before the vote that "President Kuczynski's luck has run out."

Maria Luisa Puig, Latin America analyst with the Eurasia consulting firm, had said it was a "close call" as to whether Kuczynski would be toppled, noting "the case has provided the opposition with the necessary justification to oust him with public support."

While Kuczynski saw off the impeachment threat on Thursday, public anger at perceived pervasive corruption in Peruvian politics was ignited. Demonstrations were held on Wednesday condemning graft.

One opposition party that led the impeachment drive, Popular Force, is also under a cloud formed by Odebrecht.

Its leader, Keiko Fujimori -- daughter of a former president who was imprisoned for corruption and human rights crimes -- has yet to answer to prosecutors about suspicions of Odebrecht-related wrongdoing.
Warsaw (AFP) - Poland on Friday launched a multi-million euro investment fund to pay for the restoration of Europe's largest Jewish cemetery located in Warsaw and largely neglected since the Holocaust.

Culture Minister Piotr Glinski said that profits generated from the fund valued at 24 million euros ($28 million) would ensure maintenance of the site that bears witness to Warsaw's lost Jewish community.

The cemetery dates back to 1806 and spans 33.5 hectares (83 acres). It is is the final resting place for about 250,000 people, mostly Warsaw elites, according to its director Przemyslaw Szpilman.

In 1939, Jews made up more than 30 percent of the population of the Polish capital and numbered 3.5 million in Poland as a whole, or 10 percent of the national population.

Only 200,000 to 300,000 of them survived the Holocaust masterminded by Nazi Germany.

After the war, most Jewish survivors emigrated, with the last wave of departures taking place after an anti-Semitic campaign organised by the communist regime in 1968.

"This project creates an unparalleled opportunity to deepen and spread knowledge about the heritage of the Jews of Poland, and to strengthen the Polish-Jewish dialogue," Anna Chipczynska, president of Warsaw's Jewish community.

Invested through banks or in secured bonds, the permanent fund will generate a profit of around 600,000 euros per year, culture minister Glinski said.

Largely abandoned since the end of the Second World War, the cemetery is mostly overgrown but there are still some 20 burials each year.
That cigar-shaped asteroid might be covered in organic goo

A strange visitor to our solar system became the subject of headlines around the world after alien-hunters scanned the cigar-shaped rock `Oumuamua.

But while the initial scans didnt show any sign of alien technology, they may have had an unintended effect, says Nick Pope, former head of the Ministry of Defences UFO project.

Pope  a well-known UFO enthusiast  says that the scans may have awoken the intelligence inside `Oumuamua.

Speaking to The Sun, Pope said, While nothing has been found yet, theres another intriguing possibility: If this ship is an alien probe, its possible that our scans will awake the intelligence inside.

Mystery of alien cigar asteroid deepens with surprise ice discovery

Popes views fly in the face of the scientific evidence  after multiple teams scanned the object and concluded it was simply an asteroid.

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Australia will now discuss with the Papua New Guinean government the building of a lasting memorial and ways to preserve the site.

But Pope says the fact that the exterior resembles an asteroid doesnt necessarily mean its not a spacecraft.

Pope says, Because theres no air in space, an alien spaceship wouldnt need to be designed in the same way that our aircraft have to be.

Rather than building an interstellar spacecraft from scratch, it makes perfect sense to take an asteroid and then build your ship around it, or hollow it out and build inside it, for the protection youd derive from being surrounded by so much rock.

A team from Queens University Belfast observed `Oumuamua while it was still within reach of the largest telescopes in the world.

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They found it was covered in a layer of organic material  but looks much like asteroids in our own solar system.

Professor Alan Fitzsimmons commented: We have discovered that the surface of `Oumuamua is similar to small solar system bodies that are covered in carbon-rich ices, whose structure is modified by exposure to cosmic rays.

We have also found that a half-metre thick coating of organic-rich material could have protected a water-ice-rich comet-like interior from vaporizing when the object was heated by the sun, even though it was heated to over 300 degrees centigrade.
Mr Trump has asked his military not to enroll transgender soldiers: Rex

Just over a week before the policy was set to go into effect, yet another federal court has blocked President Donald Trumps attempt to delay or eliminate a policy that would allow transgender recruits to enroll in the military.

A federal appeals court in Washington became the second court in a week to halt Mr Trumps bid to block transgender troop enrollment before a January 1 deadline, on Friday. All told, four federal judges have ruled to block the anti-transgender troop policy. The Trump administration has appealed the three previous rulings.

A three-judge panel on the Washington D.C. federal court of appeals said in a six-page opinion that the Trump administration had not shown a strong likelihood that they will succeed on the merits of their challenge to a district court blocking the ban.

That ruling followed a Thursday ruling in the federal court in Richmond, Virginia, to deny the Trump administrations effort to overturn a district decision blocking the transgender ban.

These federal court injunctions could push the Trump administration to ask the United States Supreme Court to weigh in. That court leans conservative, with a five to four split in the judgeship.

The Trump administration had argued that the January 1 deadline was problematic because it would require the training of tens of thousands of personnel in the military in order to process medical standards related to transgender troops. They said the military was not ready for that processing.

Mr Trump issued a memorandum in August that gave the military until March to stop its policy that would allow transgender troops to begin enrolling in the US military. That memo also included an order to halt the use of government funds for gender reassignment surgery for active-duty personnel.

The Obama administration had given the military a July 1, 2017 deadline to begin accepting transgender troops, but Mr Trumps Defense Department postponed that deadline until January 1.
By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday said a shifting landscape will lead him to work with Democrats on immigration and financial regulation early in the new year, following a year of acrimony and partisan legislation. In an end-of-year news conference, McConnell touted a list of Republican accomplishments since President Donald Trump took office in January. It started with the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and ended with an overhaul of the U.S. tax code. But in January, McConnell's already razor-thin 52-48 Republican majority will shrink to 51-49 with the swearing in of Senator-elect Doug Jones, the Democrat who surprised the political world with a win in a special election in the deeply Republican state of Alabama. Adding to McConnell's difficulties, special Senate procedures are fading that allowed him to pass a tax bill and try to repeal the Affordable Care Act this year without any Democratic support. That means that McConnell's victories - if he has them - will require more collaboration and less confrontation. The pivot was the centerpiece of his news conference remarks. "There are areas where I think we can get bipartisan agreement," McConnell said. First on his list was legislation to change Dodd-Frank banking regulations that he said would help smaller financial institutions. The Kentucky senator noted that Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo has advanced legislation that is co-sponsored by several Democrats. McConnell also pointed to bipartisan efforts to help undocumented immigrants, known as "Dreamers," who were brought into the United States when they were children. If negotiators from both parties can come to a deal for the Dreamers that Trump's administration can support, "we'll spend floor time on that in January," McConnell said. On Thursday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer complained that throughout 2017 Republicans "have been hell-bent on pursuing a partisan agenda." When asked by a reporter of possible bipartisan successes in 2018, Schumer pointed to the need for infrastructure improvements but said that Trump has been "all over the lot" on how to accomplish road, airport and other construction projects. With the November 2018 congressional elections approaching, Democrats might have less incentive to cooperate with Republicans, especially after Schumer's party won decisive victories in special elections this month and last in Alabama and Virginia. McConnell hinted it would be tougher to find agreement with Democrats on some other legislative issues, including welfare reform, which Trump says he wants to push ahead with in 2018. McConnell said he would consult with Trump and House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan in January over prospects for welfare reform. (Reporting By Richard Cowan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket blasts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. (SpaceX via YouTube)

SpaceX has sent 10 more satellites into orbit for the Iridium NEXT constellation, passing the halfway point in its 75-satellite launch contract.

The satellites went into space aboard a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket launched at 5:27 p.m. PT today from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and were deployed sequentially into pole-to-pole orbits.

The first-stage booster was initially used for an Iridium mission in June, and then was recovered and refurbished for todays launch. The contrail that was created during the boosters descent provided a spectacle that was visible in sunset skies throughout Southern California:

Falcon 9 launch from Studio City in video form. Watch when the contrail hits sunset in the upper atmosphere and lights up. #AvGeek #SpaceGeek pic.twitter.com/zNEnKsnI1T  David Biggar (@DavidNBCLA) December 23, 2017

This time, SpaceX decided against trying to have the booster fly itself to an oceangoing platform for yet another round of reuse. Instead, it made a controlled splashdown into the Pacific Ocean.

Iridium NEXT is an ambitious, multibillion-dollar project to replace the satellite companys existing constellation with a fleet of next-generation spacecraft in low Earth orbit, marking whats arguably the biggest tech upgrade in space.

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Eighty-one satellites are being manufactured and tested in partnership with Thales Alenia Space, and SpaceX is launching 75 of them in batches of as many as 10 satellites at a time. The first three launches were completely successful, and those 30 satellites are undergoing system checks.

The new constellation will open the way for new services from Iridium, including a next-generation Certus satellite communications platform for the Internet of Things as well as other aviation, maritime, terrestrial and governmental applications.

Another service is the Aireon system for aircraft tracking and surveillance. This system will provide air traffic control centers and aircraft operators with real-time, global visibility of aircraft that are equipped with ADS-B equipment.

Just a minute before SpaceXs launch, on the other side of the Pacific, a Japanese H-2A rocket sent two research satellites into orbit. The spacecraft, known as Shikisai and Tsubame, will study Earths carbon cycle and test a thruster technology aimed at keeping satellites stable in super-low-altitude orbits.

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The resignation of members of Congress  John Conyers, Al Franken and Trent Franks  should serve as a reminder to parents to talk to their children about sexual misconduct.

As a law professor with a focus on domestic and sexual violence, I know that the law alone does not deter sexual misbehavior. Parents have an important role to play in helping prevent children from becoming perpetrators, now and as adults.

Children as perpetrators

Children are typically thought of as victims of sexual misconduct. But children can be perpetrators too. In fact, 36 percent of the sex crimes against juveniles are perpetrated by other juveniles. The U.S. Supreme Court described one such incident when it clarified schools responsibilities under Title IX, the federal law that addresses sexual harassment in schools. The case involved a fifth grader who acted in a sexually suggestive way to a classmate. Among other things, he allegedly put a door stop in his pants and rubbed his body against hers. The victim was so distraught that she wrote a suicide note. The young perpetrator eventually pleaded guilty to sexual battery.

Lessons about appropriate conduct can matter for childrens behavior during childhood, but the benefits of parental instruction extend beyond childhood. While young perpetrators do not necessarily continue perpetrating into adulthood, some do. Even those who start offending in adulthood might not have if they had internalized right and wrong at an earlier age.

What can parents say and do to reduce the chance that their children will behave badly?

Proactive parenting

Proactive parenting is essential. The concept includes prearming children with strategies that reflect the parents values and guiding them through decision-making. In one study, psychologist Laura M. Padilla-Walker and her colleagues found that childrens behavior reflected their parents values when their parents were proactive.

Guiding children is important because rules in adulthood are not always clear or practical. For example, many people swear by the mantra: Never date anyone at work. But office romances are common and can end well. According to one survey, 14 percent of couples that meet at work end up marrying, like Barack and Michelle Obama.

Others say never sleep with someone who has had anything to drink. Yet women frequently drink and have sex.

Moreover, even very clear rules are routinely violated. Accusers have alleged that Harvey Weinstein committed rape, and Kevin Spacey propositioned a minor by placing him on a bed and climbing on top of him.

Adults and children are more likely to obey the law and successfully navigate nuanced scenarios if they are taught early about clear communication and the reasons behind the rules.

Affirmative consent

Parents can explain that clear communication minimizes the risks of becoming a perpetrator. Parents can teach that affirmative consent is a necessary prerequisite to any sexual behavior. Affirmative consent is now the standard commonly used by universities during student disciplinary proceedings.

Children must learn how to seek affirmative consent respectfully, how to convey affirmative consent when they want to give it, and how to recognize what is not affirmative consent. Silence, or acquiescence, is not the same as an enthusiastic Yes! Parents can find tips about affirmative consent from prevention specialists at colleges and universities.

Principles are important too

Affirmative consent is a method to help ensure that people respect sexual agency and gender equality. These are the values behind the laws and social norms that proscribe sexual harassment and assault. Parents should teach the importance of sexual agency and gender equality because children will be more likely to seek affirmative consent, obey the law, and act appropriately in more ambiguous situations if they know the why.

Sexual agency, also described sometimes as individual autonomy, is the idea that everyone gets to say who can touch them and whether other sexual behavior is welcome. If a person does not obtain permission first, he or she risks violating the other persons sexual agency.

Even if consent is obtained, the consent isnt sufficient if the other person lacked the capacity to consent, either because he or she was drunk, on drugs, a minor or mentally deficient. Coercion also invalidates consent, and coercion can exist when there is any sort of negative repercussion from a refusal.

Gender equality is the idea that people of all genders have the same rights, including the same right to sexual agency. All people have the right to initiate sex, to say yes when invitations appeal to them and to say no when they are uninterested. Emphasizing gender equality is essential. Psychologist Antonia Abbey and her colleagues explain that perpetrators typically have attitudes about women that can encourage treating women as sexual commodities.

These principles can be discussed whether the child is 8, 12 or 16 years old, although the language will obviously differ. A parent can also use these principles to promote the childs sympathy for victims of sexual misconduct  encouraging moral reasoning and appropriate behavior.

Bystander intervention

Parents who teach their children about these principles may reduce sexual misconduct by others too. Peer norms influence sexual misconduct in college. People offend less when their friends send a signal that sexual aggression is unacceptable and gender equality is important.

Bystanders views can make a difference outside of the college context as well. Scholars Christina Bicchieri and Ryan Muldoon explain that social norms are most effective when people believe others expect them to follow those norms.

Parents can help create a world in which everyone respects sexual agency and gender equality. Its on us to do so.
Donald Trumps former chief strategist has called Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner the railhead of all bad decisions in a Vanity Fair interview

Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump stand together in the Oval Office of the White House. I dont know what Jared and Ivanka bring to the administration, said one Republican analyst. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner are under fresh scrutiny over their influence at the White House after a very public eruption of their feud with former chief strategist Steve Bannon.

In a gloves-off interview with Vanity Fair magazine, Bannon laid bare the mutual enmity with the senior advisers to the president, one of the worst-kept secrets of the Trump administration.

The railhead of all bad decisions is the same railhead: Javanka, he said, using a nickname that conflates the couple.

Bannon, who returned to rightwing site Breitbart News after being forced out of the White House in August, recalled an Oval Office meeting in which he accused Ivanka of being the queen of leaks. The first daughter allegedly retorted: Youre a fucking liar!

Ivanka was a fount of bad advice during the campaign Steve Bannon

He also condemned Ivanka over her handling of the recent US Senate special election in Alabama, where Republican candidate Roy Moore denied accusations of sexual misconduct with teenagers. Ivanka said pointedly during the campaign: There is a special place in hell for people who prey on children.

Bannon, who supported Moore despite the allegations only to see him lose the Republican heartland to a Democrat, responded in the Vanity Fair interview: What about the allegations about her dad and that 13-year-old?  a reference to an unproven allegation from a California woman that Trump raped her as a teenager (last year the woman dropped a lawsuit making the claim). Trump has faced multiple claims of sexual misconduct and denies all of them.

Bannon added to Vanity Fair: Ivanka was a fount of bad advice during the campaign.

As for Kushner, Bannon made little attempt to disguise his contempt. He doesnt know anything about the hobbits or the deplorables  using two ironic terms for Trump supporters.

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It was Kushner who reportedly encouraged the president to fire FBI director James Comey, a move that could come back to haunt him during the investigation into alleged collusion with Russia in the election campaign. Bannon said: Its the dumbest political decision in modern political history, bar none. A self-inflicted wound of massive proportions.

There was never much love lost between Bannon and Javanka as, like medieval courtiers, they competed for the ear of the president. Bannon, 64, has an unkempt appearance  one congressman recently remarked that he looks like a disheveled drunk  and grew up in a working-class, Irish Catholic family in Virginia. He embodies Trumps instincts of insurgent nationalism and anti-globalisation and has been accused of stoking antisemitism, which he denies.

Kushner is Jewish and, at 36, from a different generation, with a clean-cut smartness that contrasts with Bannons scruffiness. The scion of a New York property empire, he was previously a Democratic donor who mingled with the wealthy east coast elites that Bannon despises. Ivanka, also 36, also belongs to the New York faction and is seen as the favourite of Trumps five children.

Liberal observers had expressed a hope that Javanka would tame Trumps wilder impulses but there have been constant disappointments. The presidents decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate deal was a notable victory for Bannon.

Rick Tyler, a Republican analyst and co-founder of consulting firm Foundry Strategies, said: These things are very difficult when family is involved with any elected official. They have a different relationship with the principal and its very difficult to work around if theres a problem.

I dont know what Jared and Ivanka bring to the administration. Some said they were going to moderate the president and keep him presidential but theres not much evidence of that. I think a lot of advice they provided to the president has not been good.

Ivanka came under fire this week after promoting Republicans sweeping tax reform, her fathers first major legislative achievement. During a sycophantic interview by Fox News, which praised her for securing an increase in the child tax credit, she claimed: Im really looking forward to doing a lot of traveling in April when people realise the effect that this has  The vast majority will be [doing their taxes] on a single postcard. Critics were quick to point out the postcard was a publicity stunt and a promise that has not been kept.

Steve Bannon, left, and Jared Kushner listen as Donald Trump meets with members of his cabinet at the White House on 12 June 2017. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

A headline in the Washington Post read: Once again, Ivanka Trump shows off her cluelessness. Columnist Jennifer Rubin wrote: Shes a walking advertisement for the danger of nepotism, an exemplar of class privilege and a perfect representative for Republican know-nothingism. She was supposed to be the brains of the family and the moral ballast; instead, shes a self-righteous enabler.

Kushner, meanwhile, appears to be in retreat. Once ubiquitous, his public appearances have declined. It has been widely reported that his gigantic portfolio has shrunk and his influence is on the wane, raising questions over how long Javanka will remain in Washington.

This may in part be because of speculation that he will be the next big fish caught in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in last years presidential election. There has been a steady drip of revelations about his part in the intrigue. Kushner was also forced to apologise in July for filing incomplete security clearance forms. He has denied any kind of collusion with Russia.

Also, according to media reports, Kushner was key to Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move that earned considerable international blowback. This week the UN general assembly voted by a huge majority to reject Americas stance.

Tyler, former campaign spokesman for Republican Ted Cruz, added: Jared has shrunken from the spotlight. He seemed to be seen in every photo and was keenly aware of where the photographers were and what type of lens they were using. But we never heard from him and, when we did, it wasnt terribly impressive.

Usually when we put people in positions of great responsibility and authority we have knowledge of their commensurate qualifications and experience; with Jared we know of none.
By Andrew Cawthorne CARACAS (Reuters) - Three dozen opponents of Venezuela's socialist government were released from prison and reunited with their families on Sunday as part of a wider Christmas release, a local rights group said. Lambasted by critics at home and abroad for holding around 270 activists in prison, President Nicolas Maduro's administration said on Saturday it was freeing 80 of them with alternative sentences like community service. Thirteen were paraded in front of TV cameras at a meeting with a senior official, Delcy Rodriguez. She harangued them for violence and subversion, but also wished them a happy Christmas. Alfredo Romero, whose Penal Forum group tracks the detention of activists and protesters, said 36 "political prisoners" had been freed by Sunday morning. But he criticized the government for not giving a blanket amnesty. "They should release not just some but all of them, and not imprison any more," he said. The best-known among the released prisoners were former provincial mayor Alfredo Ramos, opposition electoral adviser Roberto Picon and a dozen policemen who worked for the opposition-run Chacao district of Caracas. "I'm happy to be free. I'm with my family," Ramos was quoted as saying in local media. "It was a tough ordeal, very difficult. It was an arbitrary detention, unjust. I didn't commit any crime." 'CRUEL FARCE' Maduro, the 55-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez, refutes the term "political prisoners", saying all of the jailed activists were there on legitimate charges of plotting to overthrow his government and promoting violence. Some 170 people died during two rounds of anti-Maduro street protests in 2014 and earlier this year. Opponents say they are fighting for freedom against a "dictatorship" that has destroyed the OPEC nation's economy and democracy. Maduro accuses them of being part of a global right-wing plot to topple him in a coup. U.S. lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a fierce critic of both Venezuela and Cuba's Communist government, called the pre-Christmas releases in Venezuela a hypocritical gesture. "Maduro in Venezuela cynically 'releases' 80 political prisoners who were actually innocent, parades and humiliates several on state TV ... and expects thanks for Christmas 'mercy'," tweeted the Republican U.S. representative from Florida. "What a cruel farce." Nevertheless, the releases could inject life into stuttering mediation talks between Venezuela's government and opposition due to resume in the Dominican Republic in early January. The releases "concretely demonstrate the Revolution and President Nicolas Maduro's firm desire for dialogue," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said. "Let's hope the opposition knows how to interpret this and isolate its violent factors." Venezuela's best-known detained politician is Leopoldo Lopez, who remains under house arrest in Caracas, accused of spearheading violence in 2014. "Though they have turned his house into a jail, I know his mind is strong and he will keep fighting tirelessly for a better Venezuela," said his mother Antonieta Lopez, lamenting he was spending a fourth Christmas detained. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Mary Milliken)
The Thomas Fire is now the largest wildfire in Californias recorded history, burning 273,400 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire.

Despite more than 2,500 firefighters still battling the blaze, it remains only 65 percent contained. However, firefighters appear to be getting a handle on the blaze, securing established containment lines adjacent to communities and other infrastructure while monitoring for flareups and new fires. Weather is helping, as increased humidity and lowered winds aid the crews.

As residents return from evacuated areas, the government warned that Santa Barbara and Venture counties may seen an increase in wildlife in local communities. Residents were warned to keep their distance and contact animal control about any perceived threats.

The Thomas Fire was concentrated near the celebrity havens of Montecito and Santa Barbara, with more than 100,000 people evacuated and damages to date estimated at more than $120 million. At least two deaths, including one firefighter, have been attributed to the Thomas Fire.

Montecito is home to such celebrities as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Drew Barrymore, Jeff Bridges, Rob Lowe, Malcolm McDowell, Al Gore, Megyn Price, Eric Schmidt, Jane Seymour and Patrick Stewart.

The Thomas Fire surpassed the size of the Cedar Fire near San Diego, which destroyed 273,246 acres in 2003. The Thomas Fire began on December 4 and expanded rapidly from strong Santa Ana winds in Ventura County.

Santa Barbara firefighters, never forget the gratitude we citizens feel for your bravery and dedication.  Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) December 17, 2017

Our greatest thanks to the Portland Fire Department, the Montecito Fire Department, and all the fire departments making a stand and defending our street and our neighbors streets from the Thomas Fire.  Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) December 12, 2017

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Three Indian soldiers were killed in Kashmir along the unofficial border with Pakistan Saturday, Indian police said, in the latest skirmish between the bitter rivals in the disputed Himalayan territory.

The soldiers were killed in the Rajouri sector of Indian-administered Kashmir after Pakistani troops started firing across the border, said Shesh Paul Vaid, the director general of police in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Initial reports say three soldiers were killed during (a) BAT operation," Vaid told AFP, referring to the "Border Action Teams" that Indian officials say are made up of Pakistani troops and militants and carry out cross-border attacks.

Vaid added that an officer was among the dead, and another soldier was injured.

There was no immediate response from Pakistani authorities to the incident.

New Delhi and Islamabad regularly accuse each other of firing across the heavily-militarised de facto border in Kashmir, called the Line of Control.

Kashmir has been divided between the Pakistan and India since the end of British colonial rule over the subcontinent in 1947. Both sides claim the territory in full.

Firing across the Line of Control has killed and wounded dozens of soldiers and civilians on both sides in recent years.

Indian officials accuse Pakistan of conducting such operations to help anti-India militants to sneak across the border to carry out attacks on Indian forces.

Pakistan denies the allegations, saying it only provides diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination.

Separatist rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir have been waging an insurgency since 1989, with roughly half a million Indian soldiers deployed in the region. The rebels want either complete independence for Kashmir or its merger with Pakistan.

This year has been the bloodiest in a decade for Kashmir, after the Indian military launched a large-scale operation and killed at least 210 alleged rebels, most of them local residents.

The violence was sparked by the killing of a popular young rebel leader by government forces in July last year.

The unrest, including the cross-border firing, also killed 78 Indian security forces and 57 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to officials and rights groups.
Usually when the Christmas season prompts talk of the truth about St. Nicholas or Santa Claus, the problem is how to explain to kids how all those presents really get under the tree. But theres another question history-minded holiday celebrants might ask about Father Christmas: Who was the real St. Nicholas, and how did he become associated with Christmas?

As it turns out, that story is a mysterious one too.

The Christmas concept of the gift-giving saint is thought to start with a riff on Saint Nicholas, who is said to have been the 4th century bishop of the Lycian Greek town of Myra (now the Turkish town of Demre). St. Nicholas Day is marked annually by many Christians on Dec. 6. However, according to Judith Flanders, author of the new Christmas: A Biography, that person is almost certainly an invention, because there arent reliable historical documents that prove he was real. All thats left for experts to work off are writings, such as diary entries, that show what people believed him to be.

Historians do know that St. Nicholas has had a reputation for generosity, deserved or not, that dates back centuries. For example, the book The Golden Legend, which a Genoese churchman published around 1260, claimed that St. Nicholas heaved three bags of gold through a poor noblemans window at home so that the man could provide dowries for his three children so that they wouldnt be sold into prostitution.

As the legend of St. Nicholas developed, that reputation stuck around. In some parts of 16th and 17th century Europe, St. Nicholas was depicted as someone who handed out apples, nuts and baked goods, symbols of a bountiful harvest. In the Netherlands, for example, St. Nicholas Day was a time for a person dressed up as the saint to go from house to house with a servant, either rewarding or punishing children depending on the work they had done. The good students got a gift meant to resemble a sack of gold, while the bad ones got lumps of coal. (Sound familiar?) In France and England, books became the gift of choice as more people became literate, Flanders notes. Gradually, small jewelry, wine and luxury foods became gifts of choice as well.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

But how St. Nicholas came to North America and eventually became merged with Santa Claus is deeply mysterious, Flanders argues. There are two small references to Santa Claus in Rivingtons New-York Gazetteer in the 1770s, one of which refers to St. Nicholas, otherwise called Santa Claus. That debunks the theory that the writer Washington Irving coined Santa Claus, because Irving was born in 1783. And then the name or word is impossible to find in print for a couple of decades.

What Irving does deserve credit for is promoting the mythical Dutch past of the benevolent St. Nicholas. In his early 19th century satirical history of New York, Knickerbockers History of New York, he claimed that celebrating the saint was an old Dutch tradition of early New Amsterdam. He positioned St. Nicholas as a symbol of a simpler, kinder way of life at odds with the growing, more bustling New York City in the early 1800s. His version of early New York history was definitely not accurate: he mentions a church named after St. Nicholas, when in reality New York didnt get its first church with that name until the 20th century, and glosses over the fact that New Amsterdams Dutch Reformed Church actually banned saints from religious observance.

When the book appeared, people knew it was satire, but that was quickly forgotten, Flanders says, and it began to be treated as history.

So what really happened? If anyone brought the name Santa Claus to the Americas, Flanders says credit should probably go to the roughly 25,000 Swiss people who settled in large concentrations in New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. They came from regions that marked St. Nicholas day, and St. Nicholas in various dialects of Schweizerdeutsch, or Swiss-German, becomes either Samichlaus or Santi-Chlaus, both of which sound far more like Santa Claus than the latter, supposedly Dutch derivation from Sint Niklaas.

A lithographic book plate from one of McLoughlin's Christmas books shows Santa Claus by the chimney and was published in New York City in 1895.

The idea of St. Nicholas as the man who would come down a chimney to deliver presents is much easier to trace.

It was Clement Clarke Moores 1822 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas  which famously starts Twas the night before Christmas  that painted that memorable picture. As the industrial revolution made consumer goods more affordable for all, popular depictions of that version of Santa Claus increased as well, along with the traditions of Christmas cards and Christmas trees. Later that century, Christmas became a federal holiday. Christmas customs encouraged a sense of community and unity at a time when urbanization, industrialization and the memory of the recent Civil War had made many people feel more unsettled than ever, historian Penny Restad explained to TIME last year.

But the lack of knowledge about St. Nicholas doesnt necessarily put a damper on the holiday  in fact, thats part of what has allowed interpretations of him to flourish. This much is clear: St. Nicholas, now and throughout history, is whoever people want him to be.
Critics say that the potential rules would cause incredible stresses on children coming from violent conditions back home: Getty

The Trump administration is considering a plan that would separate families entering the United States illegally or seeking asylum, a policy that immigrant groups say is a dangerous and inhumane step that could threaten lives and lead to extreme distress for children.

The proposed policy, which has not yet been made public, would alter the current standard, which attempts to keep families in tact while asylum or deportation issues are concerned. And, some immigration groups say that the Trump administration has already been separating families on occasion, and the effects of a widespread policy can already be illustrated.

Weve seen several toddlers in recent months who were separated from their fathers, their mothers, Jessica Jones, the policy counsel for the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, told The Independent.

Ms Jones said that children, especially those who are under five, experience a range of response when separated from their parents, including inconsolable crying, having trouble eating, and anxiety tics.

To us, thats incredibly concerning, just from a child welfare perspective, because its so traumatic for traumatic for these kids, she continued.

The US has seen a slight up-tick in border crossings in recent months, as people continue to flee dangerous situations in Central America, where high crime and gang activity have led to some of the most dangerous living conditions in the world.

That recent up-tick is contrast to a drop that occurred just after President Donald Trump took office, which was a sign that fewer people were crossing the border. Just 11,677 people were apprehended at the border in April, making for the lowest rate in 17 years, according to statistics from Customs and Border Protection.

But, that number reached 29,086 in November, the highest rate sense January, and signalled cause for some concern that it may represent a trend. That month some 7,000 family units and 4,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended attempting to cross the border.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a statement, didnt comment on the proposed rule to separate families, but said that it is cruel and dangerous for families to attempt to illegally cross the border.

Its cruel for parents to place the lives of their children in the hands of transnational criminal organisations and smugglers who have zero respect for human life and often abuse or abandon children, Tyler Houlton, the acting press secretary for DHS, said. The dangerous illegal journey north is no place for young children, and we need to explore all possible measures to protect them.

Immigrant groups argue that cutting asylum admittance and separating families seeking asylum  who generally arrive at points of entry with their refugee claims  only serves to push children and immigrants into the hands of those smugglers and other criminals. Without legal avenues, people are still going to make risky decisions if the alternative is death in their home country, they say.

A order-wide policy of family separation will drive vulnerable asylum-seekers, and other border crossers, into the hands of unscrupulous smugglers. Such a policy would have a tremendous emotional impact on these children and their parents, and also present numerous additional obstacles to accessing the legal process, Katie Shepherd, the national advocacy counsel for the American Immigration Council, told The Independent.

Several immigrant advocate groups filed a complaint earlier this month saying they had documented at least 150 cases in which immigrant families arriving at the border had been separated.

Those cases include the story of Jose Fuentes, who presented himself to agents at the border alongside his 1-year-old son in November. He and his family had fled El Salvador, where murder rates have soared recently, and were attempting to make it into the United States. But, according to reports in the New York Times, he and his child were separated four days later, when Mr Fuentes was transferred to a detention facility 1,000 miles away from his son.

Can you imagine? Olivia Acevedo, Mr Funtes wife, who is in Mexico, told the New York Times during a recent phone interview. Its inhumane to take a baby away from its parents.

Other complaints provided to The Independent tell similar stories of immigrants being separated from their families, often involving young children and large distances.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a statement that the separation was done because agents werent able to verify that Mr Fuentes was the actual father of the child, and that the case is awaiting further proof.

Historically, some criminal smuggling organisations have paired non-relative children and adults with each other to minimize the chance of being detained if caught being smuggled across the border. In view of these criminal tactics, and for the safety of the children involved, ICE must require documentation of these family relationships. ICE was unable to verify Mr. Fuentes' relationship to the child during the custody review.

Immigrant groups say that theyre waiting to see if DHS goes through with an actual policy change, but that they will review any decision and take any relevant legal action from there. In addition to the concerns that the policy would be inhumane, it may also violate state and international laws, and could interfere with due process rights considering one individual may be in possession of relevant documents for a family member separated far away.

I think theyre really walking a fine line in terms of what is legal. We already have court cases establishing that it is not legal to detain people in order to deter some future person from seeking safety, Michelle Brane, the director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program with the Womens Refugee Commission, told The Independent. I think the same principle applies to punishing through separation. If this is being done to deter people form seeking protection, we will be looking into legal measures to stop it.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump may face competition to be the Republican party's nominee for the 2020 White House race if he decides to pursue a second term, a US senator said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

"I do believe if the president is running for re-election, if he continues on the path that he's on, that that's going to leave a huge swath of voters looking for something else," Jeff Flake, one of the few elected Republicans to publicly criticize Trump, said in an interview on ABC's "This Week."

"If he's the Republican nominee again, we're likely to see an independent candidate" in the November 2020 presidential election, said Flake, who announced this fall that was stepping down from his Senate seat in late 2018.

"He's probably inviting a Republican challenge as well" for the 2020 primaries to tap a nominee for the Republican party, he warned.

Sitting presidents are typically considered shoo-ins as the nominee for their party at the end of the first term, although an intra-party challenge is not unheard of.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter faced off against Senator Ted Kennedy in 1980, and four years before that, Republican President Gerald Ford clashed with Ronald Reagan.

Flake is among the few Republican lawmakers who have publicly criticized the president, both on a personal level and for his policies which the senator deems extreme.

"You look at the audiences cheering for Republicans... you look out there and say, those are the spasms of a dying party," he said in the interview.

"By and large, we're appealing to older white men. And there are just a limited number of them. And anger and resentment are not a governing philosophy."

Flake was circumspect when asked if he was considering a run in 2020.

"I don't rule anything out but it's not in my plans," he said.

Congressman Charlie Dent, a leading Republican moderate in the House of Representatives who is also stepping down next year, on Sunday denounced what he characterized as the party's blind loyalty to Trump.

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"The issue is loyalty to the man. To the president. And for some, loyalty is not enough. You have to be angry and aggrieved," he said on ABC.

"I have said to folks, if I set myself on fire for them, they would complain that the temperature of the flame is not hot enough."

Dent said that even though he expects Republicans to maintain their legislative majority in mid-term elections in November 2018, the party can still expect to lose seats.

His advice to colleagues: "Be prepared for the worst because this could be a really tough year."
Aboard Air Force Two (AFP) - The war in Afghanistan may be entering its 17th year, but screams of military jet engines in the twinkling skies above Bagram Airfield show no sign of quieting.

This city-scale military base just north of Kabul has -- like similar facilities in Kandahar and Jalalabad -- become central to Donald Trump's promise to succeed where his predecessors failed, and end the Afghan war on favorable terms.

Trump concluded a months-long strategy review in August. During that soul searching, the White House came to believe that the Obama administration underutilized America's total aerial superiority. The skies, they believe, could hold one key to unlocking the conflict.

Trump will likely send a few thousand more troops to the country -- a development sure to grab the headlines -- but the days of having 100,000 US military personnel in the country are over.

The ground war is likely to fall more and more to Afghan government forces, and early political efforts will be trained, in part, on getting Pakistan to stop providing safe havens for jihadists across the border.

But the first tangible moves have been a significant increase in the tempo and intensity of airstrikes, an effort to take the war to the Taliban.

The US, which is the only foreign force in Afghanistan carrying out airstrikes, targeted the Taliban and Islamic State group militants with 751 bombs and missiles in September, the month after the strategy review.

That was up 50 percent from August and the highest since October 2010, according to US Air Force data.

US Air Force personnel on the ground in Afghanistan report a significant shift in how air power is being used.

Before, jets patrolled for up to four hours waiting to provide air support to ground forces. But they often returned to Bagram without having fired a shot in anger.

- Chocks away -

Today, according to Captain Lyndsey Horn, they are much more likely to come back having engaged the Taliban, the Islamic State group or having targeted an opium production facility.

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"For a long time here we stagnated," said a second officer. "The effects so far are positive, the long term effects are harder to tell."

Vice President Mike Pence, who on Thursday became the most senior member of the Trump administration to visit Afghanistan, says the strategy is starting to make a difference in Taliban morale.

"President Ghani informed me that in 2017 we have eliminated more senior leaders of the Taliban than were eliminated in all the prior years combined," Pence said after his meeting in Kabul.

"They have begun to see a sea change in the attitudes among the Taliban" he added. The Taliban "are now beginning to question their future, and our hope is, as we take the fight to the enemy... that eventually the enemy will tire of losing and will be willing to come forward."

Lofty claims of progress are hard to verify, and the Taliban were able to lift their momentum even after the deaths of their first two chiefs, including Mullah Akhtar Mansour who was killed by a US drone strike in 2015 ordered by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama.

Afghan forces, beset by desertions and corruption, have seen casualties soar to what a US watchdog has described as "shockingly high" levels since NATO forces officially ended their combat mission in 2014, and the figures are now classified in an effort to save morale.

The Taliban continue to control or contest 45 percent of the country's territory, according to a September analysis by the respected Long War Journal, and have stepped up raids on security installations across Afghanistan.

No recent arrival at Bagram, and certainly not Trump's Afghan-savvy former generals who had a hand in the new strategy -- namely National Security Advisor HR McMaster and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis -- believe the Taliban is about to surrender wholesale.

But the White House hopes overwhelming force will exacerbate divisions in the Taliban ranks and help lure more members to the negotiating table, where America's diplomats will be waiting.

Officials admit the US strategy is not without risk, and the longer it runs the more costs will accrue.

More bombing almost invariably means more civilian casualties, which could further mobilize Afghans against the United States.

And while the US recently wiped out 10 Taliban labs used to process opium into heroin, counter-narcotics experts believe three million Afghan farmers make their living from the crop, which has been described as "a low-risk crop in a high-risk environment."
Thurman D. Shuler, an Orangeburg native and 1957 graduate of South Carolina State University, donated $15,445 to help S.C. State graduates enroll in a graduate program of their choice.

An avid supporter of S.C. State, Shuler is always eager and proud to assist his alma mater, which has afforded him many opportunities.

If there is anything I can do to support my alma mater, I will. I received a tremendous amount of support as a student here, and I hope to give back to those in need. As I always say, my blood runs garnet and blue, Shuler said.

In 2007, Shuler donated $30,000 to S.C. State and graciously contributes to the university every year. He hopes to continue to see the university progress with the enduring support of alumni.

Im hoping that S.C. State continues to thrive, despite the issues that have transpired. I also hope that we will continue to cultivate leaders who are concerned about the well-being of the university. We have come a long way, and support does not have to be solely financial, Shuler said.

Iva Gardner, director of Alumni Relations, Annual Fund, said Shulers gift will help the university and its students substantially.

These funds will help our students continue to further their education and advance the mission of the university, which is to nurture students who lead productive lives in this dynamic, global society. We appreciate generous alumni such as Shuler. We also encourage all alumni to be proactive givers as no amount is too small, except none at all, Gardner said.

S.C. State President James Clark also expressed appreciation for Shulers contributions.

We certainly appreciate Mr. Shuler for his contributions over the years. He is a selfless giver who realizes that S.C. State needs support in order to thrive and transform to the next level. We continue to be grateful for his generosity, Clark said.

Shuler earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a masters degree in education from S.C. State. He was also commissioned into the U.S. Army through S.C. States ROTC program. Later on, he completed doctoral studies in British literature at the University of South Carolina.

He taught on the secondary school level for 31 years in Calhoun, Orangeburg, Williamsburg and York counties, and served as president of the Calhoun County Education Association.

Also a dedicated musician, Shuler served as the minister of music for his church, Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Orangeburg, for 47 years. He also volunteered as a musician for the Orangeburg County Council on Aging for 20 years.

After retiring, he published a book of poetry and other writings titled, Potpourri: A Medley of Literary Works.

Currently, Shuler serves as a musician and Sunday school instructor at his church, and is a member of the Orangeburg-Calhoun Education Association. Moreover, he is an active member of S.C. States National Alumni Association and the NAACP.

In March of 2018, Shuler will officially become a member of the Thomas E. Miller Society, which is the universitys largest giving society. The organization consists of members who each give cumulative philanthropic gifts that total at least $100,000 and are committed to serving S.C. State University.

For more information, contact Angelia Jackson, director of Operations, Institutional Advancement, at 803-536-7190 or ajackson@scsu.edu.
At least two Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli troops, as protests raged over the USs decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

A day after the UN voted to condemn the USs unilateral action, thousands of Palestinian protesters confronted Israeli forces, many of them carrying rocks, along the Gaza fence in all seven cities in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Trump Admin threat to retaliate against nations that exercise sovereign right in UN to oppose US position on Jerusalem is beyond outrageous. Shows @realDonaldTrump expects blind loyalty and subservience from everyonequalities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats.  John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) December 21, 2017

In a high-profile global rebuke to President Trump and his administration, the UN General Assembly voted 128 to 9  with 35 abstentions  for a resolution demanding the US scrap its 6 December decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In advance of the vote, Mr Trump had threatened to withhold aid from countries that supported the measure. Afterwards, the USs UN Ambassador Nikki Haley invited countries which had abstained or voted against the motion to attend a thank you party in Washington.

Mr Trumps threats were widely condemned, including by former CIA chief John Brennan who suggested Mr was acting like a vengeful autocrat.

Trump admin threat to retaliate against nations that exercise sovereign right in UN to oppose US position on Jerusalem is beyond outrageous, he said on Twitter.

Palestinians and their supporters celebrated the vote that rebuked Mr Trumps decision, which breaks with 50 years of international consensus that the status of Israel should be part of a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

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Ms Haley, however, said the the resolution (which had no legal impact) was null and void.

Israel said the vote was similar to a UN resolution passed in 1975 that equated Zionism  the movement that supports a Jewish homeland in historically recognised territory  with racism. That was only scrapped after intense US lobbying.

Its shameful that this meeting is even taking place, said Israels UN Ambassador Danny Danon. Israel completely rejects this preposterous resolution. Jerusalem is our capital. Always was, always will be.

Reuters said the protests by Palestinians marked an intensification of those that broke out after Mr Trump made his announcement, and that have continued daily ever since.

Israeli troops killed at least two Palestinian protesters and injured dozens (Getty)

In Bethlehem, smoke from burning tyres filled the streets. Meanwhile in southern Gaza, at least two Palestinians were shot and killed and up to 40 wounded, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Health officials said at least one Palestinian suffered a live bullet wound in the West Bank, and some 30 protesters were hit by rubber bullets. Others were overcome by tear gas.

In a statement, the Israeli military said 2,000 Palestinians had faced off against troops at the Gaza border fence, facing firebombs, rocks and burning tyres.

It said the crowd threw stones and rolled burning tyres at soldiers, who responded with riot dispersal measures and fired live rounds selectively towards main instigators.

The news agency said that protesters chanted: Trump is a coward. Trump is a fool. Among the wounded was a man dressed as Santa Claus.

When you hear about "Palestinian demonstrations," what do you think they're REALLY like? pic.twitter.com/MIwljfK1hg  IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) December 18, 2017

The Palestinian military puts the number of demonstrators at about 1,700 and the injured at six.

In a Christmas message, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Mr Trumps decision an insult to millions of people worldwide, and also to the city of Bethlehem.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN the US's Jerusalem declaration recognised an historical truth.

Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel for 3,000 years from the time of King David. It has been the capital of the state of Israel for 70 years, and it's about time that the United States said, and I'm glad they said it, 'This is the capital and we recognise it' and I think that's going to be followed by other countries, Mr Netanyahu said.

He would not name the countries he referred to, but said that they are seriously considering following the US's lead and moving their embassies to Jerusalem.

While the Prime Minister described the vote as preposterous, his deputy minister for diplomacy appeared to play down support for the resolution shown by many countries Israel considers friends.

We have an interest in tightening our bilateral relations with a long list of countries in the world, and expect and hope that one day they will vote with us, or for us in the United Nations, Michael Oren told a radio station in Tel Aviv.

But I am not prepared to suspend all cooperation with important countries, such as India.

Mr Netanyahu, who hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July, is due to visit New Delhi next month.
Almost exactly 60 years ago, in the crisp, early spring of 1958, a young boy from California named Darius shuffled through the streets of Warsaw. He shivered; it still felt like winter, and snow frosted the bullet holes that peppered the citys buildings, a stark reminder that the Second World War had concluded little more than a decade previously. Poland was in Russias sphere of influence, and Darius was there as part of a mission orchestrated by the U.S. State Department. His brief: to gain exposure to foreign cultures, and not cause any trouble.



This moment was a new experiment in what is known as cultural diplomacy. Darius was tagging along because his father, the famous pianist Dave Brubeck, was a jazz ambassador.

Darius Brubeck, left, as a young boy on his father Dave Brubeck's 1958 tour. He is accompanied by his brother Mike and jazz promoter Ronnie Scott

The State Department hoped that showcasing popular American music around the globe would not only introduce audiences to American culture, but also win them over as ideological allies in the cold war. The Brubeck Quartets 12 performances in Poland were some of the first in a long tour that would never stray far from the perimeter of the Soviet Union. They passed through Eastern Europe, the Middle East, central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Other tours would allow jazz legends like Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie to trumpet American values in newly decolonized states in Africa and Asia. The idea was always the same: keep communism at bay by whatever means possible.

In Poland, audiences were used to more formal, Soviet-approved culture like ballet and opera. Early jazz had flourished in the country in the 1930s, but after the Soviet takeover following the end of the war, jazz was forbidden from the airwaves, believed inferior to the high arts that had government support. An underground scene resisted this repression; they tuned in, when they could, to Jazz Hour, a shortwave radio show broadcast by Voice of America. Brubecks performances  the first of any American jazz band behind the iron curtain  were an exceedingly rare opportunity for Poles to see jazz played live.

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The response to Brubecks first concert, performed in Szczecin on the border between Poland and East Germany, was rapturous. It was uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time, Darius Brubeck, now in his 70s, tells TIME. Our whole era of propaganda and demonization just evaporated in seconds.

His father, who was moved by the dedication of Polish jazz fans, would often address the crowd at his performances. No dictatorship can tolerate jazz, he said. It is the first sign of a return to freedom.

The State Department had first realized jazzs potential as a cold war weapon just three years before the Brubeck family found themselves in Poland. In that moment, the U.S. and the USSR both saw themselves as models for developing nations, says Penny Von Eschen, a professor at Cornell and an expert on the jazz ambassador program. They were in fierce competition to win the hearts and minds of the world. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., a congressman with close ties to the jazz community, first suggested sending jazz musicians around the world on state-sponsored tours in 1955. No time was wasted, and by 1956 the first jazz ambassador, Dizzy Gillespie, was blowing Americas horn in the Balkans and the Middle East. Americas secret weapon is a blue note in a minor key, proclaimed the New York Times.

Gillespies first tour was a great success, and provided the blueprint for a whole host more in the following decades. Jazz bands had toured abroad independently for years, but State Department support allowed the music to reach geopolitically strategic locations lacking real profit incentive.

The music of jazz, which was structured around improvisation within a set of commonly agreed-upon boundaries, was a perfect metaphor for America in the eyes of the State Department. Here was a music of democracy and freedom. What the bands looked like was important too. The racism and violence within the U.S. was getting international exposure, says Von Eschen. For President Eisenhower and his Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, this was a great embarrassment. By sending bands comprised of black and white musicians to play together around the world, the State Department could engineer an image of racial harmony to offset the bad press about racism at home.

In the late 1950s, as the civil rights movement took hold, the violence intensified, says Hugo Berkeley, the director of a new film, Jazz Ambassadors, premiering on PBS in the spring. The film shows how in 1957, in protest against the Little Rock crisis, Louis Armstrong cancelled plans for a State Department tour through the Soviet Union. It was not until 1961, when the civil rights movement had made significant headway, that Armstrong changed his mind, and agreed to tour Africa. There was this feeling that a page was being turned in the political discussion of race, Berkeley says.

Berkeleys film sets out to answer the question of why black musicians chose to cooperate with the State Departments mission of making a case for America as the greatest country in the world. This question was clearly a paradox, Berkeley says. They were being asked to do this thing, but they didnt feel good about the way their country treated African American people. The question is, how do they go to present a positive version of their nation at the same time?

The first ambassador, Gillespie, was a black man who had grown up in the South, who had no illusions about the irony of promoting Americas freedom abroad whilst remaining a second-class citizen at home. He refused to be briefed by the State Department before a performance. Ive got 300 years of briefing, he said. I know what theyve done to us and Im not going to make any excuses.

American jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong plays the trumpet while his wife sits listening, with the Sphinx and one of the pyramids behind her, during a visit to the pyramids at Giza.

When Dave Brubeck and Louis Armstrong returned home from their tours, they set out to tackle the ironies of the program in a musical titled The Real Ambassadors. The script was written primarily by Brubecks wife, Iola, who accompanied him and the children on the 1958 tour. She cast Armstrong as a version of himself, a jazz ambassador touring the globe. The story begins with him being mistaken for a real ambassador, which leads him to ponder his position. Whos the real ambassador? Armstrong asks in a musical interlude. Though I represent the government, the government dont represent some policies Im for.

The musical was designed to bring home the absurdity of institutionalized political racism in the U.S., says Darius Brubeck, reminiscing decades later. To ask, how can we preach to the world about democracy, when we had a situation where the south was still segregated? The musical was only performed once in public during the 20th century, at Monterey Jazz Festival in 1962, and then fell into relative obscurity. A flurry of activity recently suggests interest is growing again. Performances at high profile venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, and interest from documentary makers like Berkeley, seem poised to throw the jazz ambassadors back into the limelight.

After all, it may not be too much of an exaggeration to say the jazz ambassadors could have saved the world. The cold war was a militarized conflict, which was diffused by cultural exchange, says Berkeley, between rushes of his documentary at a studio in London. And you needed both of those, because if you didnt have cultural exchange, the militarized conflict could get out of hand.

Thirty years after the concerts in Poland, in 1988, Dave Brubeck was invited to soundtrack nuclear disarmament talks between Reagan and Gorbachev, in Russia. That really did work, in terms of breaking the ice between the delegations, Darius says. It was something they could focus on, where they could just have some fun together and be human beings. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed soon afterwards, limiting the possibility of a catastrophic nuclear war breaking out.

The spirit of the jazz ambassador program is still going strong, though most state funding has dried up. Now, a patchwork of initiatives are keeping the idea of cultural diplomacy alive, including institutions like the Fulbright program and the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. Darius Brubeck remains a key advocate, carrying the flame of his father, who died in 2012.

Although Darius, his brother Mike and his mother Iola were forbidden by the State Department from following the quartet on the tour past Turkey, the experience stuck with him throughout his life.

You can say that theres an element of cultural imperialism, but it really was in the spirit of sharing, he says. Now a professional pianist himself, he played in Poland a few years ago, and people who were at the concerts in 1958 came. Some were in their 90s.

It wasnt so much that they had to hear me play, he says. It was a way of demonstrating what it meant to them at the time.
Washington (AFP) - The new US ambassador to the Netherlands apologized Saturday after denying he once said the country was in "chaos" because of Muslims and accusing an interviewer of peddling "fake news," only to be caught out by Dutch television in a bizarre exchange.

Pete Hoekstra, who starts as ambassador to The Hague next month, made the blunder while being questioned by a journalist from Dutch broadcaster NOS over remarks made at a 2015 conference.

When the reporter challenged him about referring at that event to Muslim-inspired "chaos" and to dangerous "no-go zones" in the Netherlands, Hoekstra responded: "That is actually an incorrect statement -- we would call it fake news.

"I never said that."

But in a clip played from the event, Hoekstra can be heard saying: "The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos. Chaos in the Netherlands -- there are cars being burned, there are politicians that are being burned."

"And yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands."

When pressed further during the interview, the Dutch-born ambassador denied having accused his interviewer of "fake news" altogether.

"I didn't call that fake news," said Hoekstra, a former representative from Michigan. "I didn't use the words today. I don't think I did."

The exchange, which appeared on Dutch current affairs program Nieuwsuur, has circulated on social media, drawing widespread mockery. One tweeter quipped that Hoekstra was "even giving fake news a bad name."

In a Twitter message Saturday, Hoekstra said: "I made certain remarks in 2015 and regret the exchange during the Nieuwsuur interview. Please accept my apology."

He vowed to "move on in the spirit of peace and friendship with the people and the leaders of the Netherlands."

NOS interviewer Wouter Zwart later told CNN that Hoekstra said the "no-go zones" comment was intended to refer to "a broader context of European problems with 'those areas.'"

The "no-go" reference was reminiscent of remarks by Donald Trump during his campaign for the US presidency.

Blaming Muslims, he said parts of Paris were so radicalized "that the police refuse to go there," that London police in some districts were "afraid for their own lives" and that parts of Brussels were a "hellhole."
Washington (AFP) - The US administration is considering a plan to separate immigrants who enter the country illegally from their children, newspapers reported on Friday after a rise in the number of border crossers.

Slowing the flow of people sneaking into the United States from Central America was a major campaign promise of President Donald Trump, whose administration has cracked down on a number of fronts against undocumented migrants and refugees.

Citing officials briefed on the proposals, The New York Times said plans call for apprehended parents to be sent to adult detention facilities while their children would go to shelters or to a "sponsor," who could be a relative.

In a similar report, The Washington Post said the proposal is among other measures being considered and which would also crack down on undocumented migrants already in the US who pay smugglers to bring their children across the border.

"People aren't going to stop coming unless there are consequences to illegal entry," a Department of Homeland Security official told the Post.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, which patrols the frontier, said this month that there had been a slight month-to-month pickup in the number of people it has caught since May, underscoring the need to boost surveillance and detection.

In overall numbers, CBP said it had apprehended 310,531 people trying to sneak in this year, nearly all along the southern border.

This was, however, a drop from the previous year and the lowest level on record.

Trump has called for a wall to be built along the Mexican border to stop illegal crossings.

In the fiscal year to September 30, agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency arrested 143,470 people it said were in the country illegally, 30 percent more than the previous year.

In September, Trump said he was scrapping a program that shielded from expulsion hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children, known as "Dreamers."
Mrr Mattis says there is still a chance for a diplomatic solution: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has urged American soldiers to be ready for anything, saying that storm clouds are gathering over the Korean Peninsula.

Mr Mattis stopped short of forecasting any real armed conflict between the United States and North Korea, but emphasised that diplomacy with the rogue regime in Pyongyang is best backed up with the clear threat that American military might is at the ready.

My fine young soldiers, the only way our diplomats can speak with authority and be believed is if youre ready to go, Mr Mattis told several dozen soldiers and airmen in North Carolina during a two-day pre-holiday tour of bases.

The comments came as the United Nations Security Council voted to impose strict new sanctions on Pyongyang that target one of the main financial sources of North Korea. The new sanctions would compel to sharply reduce the sale of oil reserves to North Korea, and would send back all North Korean expatriates within the next two years, a key source of income for Pyongyang.

In their efforts to convince North Korea to stop its quest for nuclear weapons capable of hitting the mainland United States, and from further proliferation, President Donald Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly threatened military action, should it come to that. In doing so, the Trump administration is hoping to pressure North Korea into negotiations, and also to put pressure on regional powers like China to push Pyongyang to stop their nuclear efforts.

In the meantime, the military is looking to be as prepared as possible for a potential conflict.

Knowing what went wrong the last time around is as important as knowing your own testing, so that youre forewarned  you know what Im driving at here, Mr Mattis told soldiers, recommending they read a book about the Korean War. So you gotta be ready.

Mr Mattis wasnt all gloomy projections, though. He repeatedly insisted to the soldiers that he believed a diplomatic solution could still resolve the conflict, and said that he doesnt believe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would try anything untoward during the Winter Olympics next year in South Korea.

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I dont think Kim is stupid enough to take on the whole world by killing their athletes, he said.

AP contributed to this report
A Ukrainian soldier stands on top of an armored personal carrier in a trench: Getty

Russian officials have warned that the US decision to supply weapons to Ukraine is dangerous and could encourage to use force in the easter portion of the country.

The American State Department announced that it would begin supplying Ukraine with enhanced defensive capabilities as it battles with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, prompting the Russian officials to say that the decision could force a conflict in the region.

Franz Klintsevich, a member of the Russian parliament, said that the arms supplies would encourage Ukraine, and send a signal that the Americans support their efforts to fight against and potentially reclaim the east.

Americans, in fact, directly push Ukrainian forces to war, Mr Klintsevich said, according to Interfax news agency.

Grigory Karasin, Russias deputy foreign minister, told state media that it threatened peace talks in the region.

It raises the danger of derailing the process of peaceful settlement in Ukraine, he said.

More than 10,000 people have reportedly been killed in east Ukraine as a result of fighting between the Ukrainian government and those Russian-backed separatists, while as many as 1.7 million more have been displace day the conflict. The fighting has taken place over the past three years.

There are millions of people in the conflict zone that are affected day in and day out, and recently a lot of schools, hospitals and other places where civilians gather have been shelled, Michael Bociurkiw, a former spokesman for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, told Al Jazeera, noting that at least 450 civilians have been killed there just this year.

The US decision is likely to further add strain to tensions between the United States and Russia, and follow accusations that Russia is sending heavy weapons and troops to eastern Ukraine.

The arms sales, according to a report form the Associated Press, include American-made anti-tank missiles to combat the tanks that are said to be used by the pro-Russian separatists.

The United States has previously supplied Ukraine with support systems, training, and has allowed smaller arms dealers to sell weapons to the country.
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan authorities late Saturday began releasing some of those detained during demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government, a rare goodwill gesture to the opposition at the end of a politically torrid year.

Delcy Rodriguez, the president of the assembly and head of its Truth Commission investigating the protests, said that Christmas was "a moment of reconciliation" as she announced the decision to release around 80 people.

Among the first freed was Alfredo Ramos, mayor of the northwestern municipality of Iribarren, who was arrested late July and handed a 15 month sentence, and a dozen police officers from Chacao municipality, an opposition stronghold of Caracas.

State television showed image of Rodriguez meeting with the group.

"You go back to jail for the medical check and then you go home to spend Christmas with your families," she said.

"I feel happy for my freedom," Ramos told journalists upon his release. "It was a hard test, quite difficult."

But he also lashed out at his sentence.

"It was an arbitrary, unjust detention -- I committed no crime," he added.

Venezuela, whose oil reserves once made it the region's richest country, has been paralyzed in recent years by economic collapse and political conflict.

Opposition forces accuse Maduro of dismantling democratic institutions and setting up the Constituent Assembly to rubber-stamp his policies, with widespread protests breaking out this year.

Supplies of food and medicine have become scarce, taking an ever-greater toll on people's health, and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have chosen to emigrate.

The fate of those imprisoned has been a subject of negotiations between the government and the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) in the Dominican Republic, as both sides seek a solution to the country's grave political and economic crisis.

A third round of talks is set for January 11 and 12.

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Earlier this week, Venezuelan opposition leaders asked Maduro to free "political prisoners" -- whose numbers one non-governmental group has put at 268 -- before Christmas as a gesture of good will.

On Thursday, the regional trade bloc Mercosur also called for their release.

The government has insisted that all are being held for acts of violence, conspiracy or treason, not as "political prisoners".

Rodriguez said those affected were being held in both civilian and military prisons, and she suggested community service as an alternative to imprisonment.

Some were detained in 2014 protests, and others this year.
By Fabian Cambero

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's leftist government may release 80 anti-government activists, and expel two senior diplomats from Canada and Brazil after criticism over rights, an official said on Saturday.

Delcy Rodriguez, head of the pro-government Constituent Assembly, said the legislative superbody was recommending those detainees be freed shortly and given alternative punishments such as community service and compensation for victims.

Rights groups and opponents of President Nicolas Maduro say authorities are unfairly holding 268 political prisoners being punished for protesting against "dictatorship."

Maduro, the 55-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez, says that is nonsense and all jailed activists are there on legitimate charges of violence and subversion.

"Let it be understood that the events promoted by the extremist Venezuelan opposition, which caused Venezuelans' deaths, must not be repeated," Rodriguez told reporters.

Some 170 people died in violence around two bouts of anti-Maduro street protests in 2014 and earlier this year.

The potential release of dozens of opponents, albeit with alternative sentences, could inject life into stuttering political talks between the government and opposition due to continue in the Dominican Republic in early January.

Western nations and Latin American neighbors have been increasingly critical of Maduro this year, accusing him of stamping on democracy and human rights. The government says foreign nations are trying to encourage a right-wing coup.

Rodriguez said the Constituent Assembly - which various foreign countries refuse to accept - was also recommending Brazil's ambassador Ruy Pereira and Canada's charge d'affaires Craig Kowalik both be declared "persona non grata."

There was no immediate response from either nation.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has been especially critical of Maduro, imposing sanctions on him and other senior officials earlier this year.

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"We urge Maduro's regime to respect human rights," the U.S. Embassy tweeted on Saturday, calling for the freedom of the 268 people activists consider political prisoners.

"Free them during this holiday time."

(Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
Los Angeles (AFP) - All 58 victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting died of gunshot wounds, including the gunman who killed himself, a Nevada coroner said on Friday.

"The 58 victims died from a gunshot wound or wounds. Their deaths were ruled homicides," said John Fudenberg, the Clark County coroner who led the forensic investigation into the deaths.

"Suspect Stephen Paddock's manner of death was suicide, the cause was an intraoral gunshot wound to the head," he said in a statement.

Paddock, a wealthy retired accountant, had stockpiled an arsenal of firearms in his room at the Mandalay Bay hotel when he opened fire on a country music festival where some 22,000 people had gathered on the night of October 1.

He killed 58 people and wounded almost 500, the worst mass shooting in recent US history.

Police are still investigating what made Paddock, 64, a compulsive video poker player who took Valium for anxiety, open fire that night.

The Islamic State group claimed the former accountant as one of their "soldiers," but investigators have found no link to any extremist group.
Bamberg Police Department

An employee of EZ Shop No. 18 in Bamberg was arrested for breach of trust on Dec. 14. The arrest of the 26-year-old Sparrow Court woman occurred after her supervisor contacted police with video footage showing her pocketing money from the cash register and scratching off lottery tickets that had not been paid for, according to the incident report.

A $213.87 discrepancy was noted at the end of the employees shift, and $42 worth of lottery tickets had not been correctly entered in the register, the report states.

In other reports:

A 50-year-old Lazy Lane man was arrested and charged with assault and third-degree battery. The arrest occurred after officers responded to a call about an assault at the intersection of U.S. 301 and 78 just after noon on Dec. 16.

The man was located after he jumped out of a vehicle and headed down Bamberg Street, the report states. He admitted he had pushed the victim, a 58-year-old woman who was in the car, and then left the scene, the report notes. According to the incident report, he smelled of alcohol. The woman alleged the man had hit her in the face, the report states.

A 23-year-old Apache Road man was arrested on Dec. 16 and charged with driving under suspension and disregarding a stop sign. The arrest occurred after officers observed him driving through the stop sign at the corner of Race and Zeigler streets, the report states.

The mans license had been suspended for failure to pay numerous traffic tickets, according to the report.

A Railroad Avenue man was arrested on Dec. 18 and charged with public disorderly conduct after he was found lying on the grass in front of the Bamberg Police Department around 4:40 a.m., according to an incident report.

The man appeared to be passed out and/or unresponsive, the report states. After he was awakened, he was deemed intoxicated, the report states.
Farmer Darryn Smart and his family are welcomed back to their farm by workers and community members - AP

A white Zimbabwean farmer evicted by the government of Robert Mugabe has returned to a hero's welcome as the first to get his land back under the new president, in a sign of reform on an issue that had hastened the country's international isolation.

With a military escort, Robert Smart made his way into Lesbury farm about 124 miles east of the capital, Harare, on Thursday to cheers and song by dozens of workers and community members.

Such scenes were once unthinkable in a country where land ownership is an emotional issue with political and racial overtones.

"We have come to reclaim our farm," sang black women and men, rushing into the compound.

Two decades ago, their arrival would have meant that Smart and his family would have to leave. Ruling Zanu-PF party supporters, led by veterans of the 1970s war against white minority rule, evicted many of Zimbabwe's white farmers under an often violent land reform program led by Mugabe.

Farmers, Darryn, left and Robert Smart, right, are welcomed back to their farm Credit: Farai Mutsaka/AP

Whites make up less than one per cent of the southern African country's population, but they owned huge tracts of land while blacks remained in largely unproductive areas.

The evictions were meant to address colonial land ownership imbalances skewed against blacks, Mugabe said. Some in the international community responded with outrage and sanctions.

Of the roughly 4,500 white farmers before the land reforms began in 2000, only a few hundred are left.

But Mugabe is gone, resigning last month after the military and ruling party turned against him amid fears that his wife was positioning herself to take power. New President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a longtime Mugabe ally but stung by his firing as vice president, has promised to undo some land reforms as he seeks to revive the once-prosperous economy.

The family who were evicted by gun-wielding police and a mob associated with the ruling party returned to a hero's welcome Credit: Farai Mutsaka/ AP

Mr Smart is the first to have his farm returned. On Thursday, some war veterans and local traditional leaders joined farm workers and villagers in song to welcome his family home.

"Oh, Darryn," one woman cried, dashing to embrace Mr Smart's son.

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In a flash, dozens followed her. Some ululated, and others waved triumphant fists in the air. "I am ecstatic. Words cannot describe the feeling," Darryn told The Associated Press.

Smart's return, facilitated by Mnangagwa's government, could mark a new turn in the politics of land ownership. During his inauguration last month, Mnangagwa described the land reform as "inevitable," calling land management key to economic recovery.

Months before an election scheduled for August 2018 at the latest, the new president is desperate to bring back foreign investors and resolve a severe currency shortage, mass unemployment and dramatic price increases.

Zimbabwe is mainly agricultural, with 80 percent of the population depending on it for their livelihoods, according to government figures.

Earlier this month, deputy finance minister Terrence Mukupe traveled to neighboring Zambia to engage former white Zimbabwean farmers who have settled there.
The White House has denied a new bombshell report from The New York Times in which sources said President Donald Trump referred to Haitian immigrants as all having AIDS and that Nigerian immigrants would never go back to their huts after seeing the United States.

The report, published Saturday, details a meeting Trump had in the Oval Office in June regarding immigration, a perceived problem for the president.

The Times cited six officials who attended or knew about the meeting, and who discussed the presidents behavior with the publication.

After White House adviser Stephen Miller gave the president a list of how many immigrants had received visas to enter the U.S. in 2017, Trump allegedly referred to Afghanistan as a terrorist haven and said that the 15,000 Haitians who had immigrated to the U.S. all have AIDS. Forty-thousand Nigerians who had entered the country would never go back to their huts, the president said, two sources told The Times.

In a statement to The Times, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied the president used the words AIDS or huts.

General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims, she said. Its both sad and telling The New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous sources anyway.

Read the full New York Times story here.

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Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's new President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday named the former army chief who led a coup that ended Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, as one of his two deputies in the ruling party, the presidency said.

Presidential press secretary George Charamba said in a statement, retired general Constantino Chiwenga and long-serving state security minister Kembo Mohadi were appointed as Mnangagwa's deputies in the ZANU-PF party "with immediate effect."

The party appointment is a first step in their elevation to state vice presidents. Two other top military officials were earlier this month awarded ministerial posts.

Chiwenga retired this week, slightly over a month after the military temporarily took control of the country on November 15 as internal feuding escalated in ZANU-PF over then president Mugabes succession.

The takeover which the army said was targeting Mugabes corrupt allies came days after the 93-year-old leader had fired then deputy Mnangagwa who has strong military ties and was widely tipped as the likely successor.

Mugabe's wife Grace had indicated interest in succeeding her husband.

The armys intervention was followed by mass street protests against Mugabe and a motion to impeach the veteran ruler who resigned in a letter to parliament as proceedings to recall him began.

The ruling ZANU PF party then appointed Mnangagwa as Mugabe's replacement, leading to his inauguration as the country's president on November 24.
Who would have thought? The strongest man in the coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's devout and fanatic loyalist and the star of television studios raised the white flag Wednesday.

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Only several weeks ago, David Bitan was still toying with the idea of receiving a promotion and serving as minister (Netanyahu had already given him his word), but on Wednesday he briefly announced his decision to give up the position of coalition chairman, which had turned him into the star of Israels 20th Knesset.

What applies to Netanyahu apparently doesnt apply to Bitan (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

The current situation makes it difficult for me to do my job, and I do not want to impede the work of the coalition, Bitan said as he explained why he had decided to step down.

Its strange, however, that he didnt urge the prime minister follow in his footsteps. After all, this is the same Bitan who has been explaining to everyone in the past year why Netanyahu can keep serving as prime minister under police investigations. Its the same Bitan who passionately defended the custom-made equation that Netanyahu has no problem running the states affairs, even under an investigation and even under recommendations for an indictment? So why is Bitan unable to do same?

If Netanyahu can remain in office despite being up to his neck in accusations and investigations, how is it possible that his coalition chairmanhis own political flesh and bloodcant keep his position? What applies to Netanyahu apparently doesnt apply to Bitan.

Knesset Member Bitan became the darling of both right-wing and left-wing lawmakers, as well as most of the journalists covering him. He is blatant, sharp, controversial, belligerent, but there is something real about him.

I say what I think, he vouched for himself. Thats probably the simple truth. Bitan knows he cant keep serving in the demanding position of coalition chairman with a heavy, grey cloud of suspicion hovering above him, which is why he stepped down and moved aside.

Erdan (R) and Saar. Many of the ministers who demanded Olmerts resignation about a decade ago are being enlisted today to explain why Netanyahu can keep the same seat (Photo: Yaron Brener)

The Likud leadership, the ministers and MKs, remained confused. Only several years ago, they had fervently demanded the resignation of a different prime minister who was under investigation: Ehud Olmert.

Netanyahu was the first person to call on Olmert to resign, before anyone even dreamed of police recommendations. He was joined by many. Have mercy on Israels citizens and free them of Olmerts presence in the prime ministers bureau, Gilad Erdan said at the time. The prime minister cannot remain in office. The government is up to its neck in corruption investigations, Gideon Saar argued.

Politics sometimes turns into the art of the impossible. In the political reality Netanyahu has imposed on them, many of the ministers and senior Likud members, who demanded Olmerts resignation about a decade ago, are being enlisted today to explain why Netanyahu can keep sitting in the same chair.
During Hamas preparations for its 30th anniversary celebrations, the organizations leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar , disappeared. It was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth.

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One would expect him to appear in public, present achievements and inflame the Palestinian street following US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital , but the man and the group surrounding him were somewhere else. Until last Thursday afternoon, when Sinwar showed up on the stage at a mass rally in Gaza , facing 100,000 Hamas supporters.

Israeli officials took note of Sinwars temporary disappearance. No one can provide an explanation as to why the Hamas leader and his people vanished, and that is quite concerning. In the past, such unusual behavior pointed to a change of direction in the struggle, to an impending conflict.

Last Thursday's rally marking Hamas' 30th anniversary (Photo: EPA)

Sinwar is not just a military leader. He is Hamas elected leader in the Gaza Strip, and essentially in the West Bank too. His absence from the public arena, just as he gets the opportunity to inflame the West Bank and gain power, is unnatural. His public in Gaza and the West Bank is being incited by the people he beat in the elections. He left the stage to the opposition, Khaled Mashal and his associates. Even Ismail Haniyeh, who replaced Mashal as head of the political bureau and who has almost zero political power, took control of the microphones.

Sinwars disappearance from the public spotlight began around the time of Trumps announcement, on October 6. This kind of behavior, going to ground, is typical of a leadership preparing for an IDF offensive. They likely took into account that if Israeli citizens got killed as a result of rocket fire, Israel would use its heaviest deterrence weapon: A targeted assassination of the Hamas leadership in the strip.

At the moment, there is no substantial change in Hamas military moves. The organization evacuated its men from the frontline posts for fear of direct Israeli tank fire. Most of the rockets fired at Israel since Trumps speech have been launched by Salafi organizations using locally-produced short-range rockets. Its still unclear who launched the rocket that hit Sderot , and Hamas members may have been involved, but the organization doesnt seem particularly happy with this wave of rocket fire.

On the one hand, Hamas is encouraging protests on the border fence and isnt so strict about limiting rocket fire. On the other hand, the organization is still carrying out arrests among Salafi organizations. In any event, the smell of gunpowder is in the air. Its enough that one incident gets out of controlwhether a rocket kills someone or an Air Force strike diverts from its targetand the Hamas forces seeking to make use of the tunnels as long as they are effective will grow.

There is another possible explanation for this temporary disappearance of the Hamas leadership. Since the beginning of the year, the organizations heads have been struggling with a key strategic issue: What should they do when Israel finds an effective response to the tunnel weapon?

Earlier this month, after Israel uncovered and neutralized a Hamas attack tunnel near Kibbutz Nirim, the matter became critical: Should they increase the pace of digging and try to infiltrate Israel even before the obstacle project is completed, or should they give up the attack tunnels and start investing in other capabilities that could go around the obstacle and present a new deterring threat to Israel?

The Hamas leaders are likely racking their brains together and holding urgent discussions on the Israeli solution, which is why they vanished. The obstacle includes sensors, and Hamas is trying to study the system and collect accurate intelligence on it.

Hamas got the message

In July-August, Israel began building the obstacle on six points along the border simultaneously. Hamas realized that the speed of the obstacle construction could leave the organization without cross-border tunnels by the end of 2018. Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, began devising plans to sabotage the work, but the sabotage attempts were thwarted by the IDFs offensive and defensive activities.

The heads of Israel's defense establishment warned Hamas, both covertly and publicly, no to disrupt the work conducted on Israeli territory. At the same time, the other side saw military forces deploying opposite the Gaza fence and heard manned and unmanned aerial vehicles flying over its head throughout many hours of the day. On November 30, Islamic Jihad launched a failed attempt to sabotage the work in an alleged attempt to avenge the killing of 12 of its people in a tunnel demolished by the IDF a month earlier. In general, however, the Gaza factions got the message.

The Hamas tunnel uncovered near Kibbutz Nirim (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The realization that they were about to lose their main strategic weapon hit the strips terror organizations when the two tunnelsHamas and the Islamic Jihadswere destroyed. The reports that IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot had ordered the army to destroy all cross-border tunnels by the end of 2018 made them realize that Eisenkot holds a solution allowing him to issue such an order. If they fail to do something about it soon, another tunnel will be destroyed every few weeks.

This realization came as a major blow to Hamas, as most of its military wings budget had been invested in the tunnel project. The excavation of a 2-3-kilometer-long attack tunnel took two-to-five years, depending on the type of land and resources. The cost of building one tunnel was NIS 10-15 million, depending on its length. In Gazan terms, thats a lot of money. More than 30 cross-border tunnels in different construction stages were uncovered during Operation Protective Edge. As a result, the Iranians entire annual security aide to Hamas in Gaza$60 millionwent down the drain.

To construct an attack tunnel, the Gaza groups need to build a concrete plant, buy huge amounts of cement, transport the materials and evacuate the sand on railway cars, rent buildings from which the tunnel comes out of and purchase large air-conditioning and electricity systems. Some of the tunnels have elevators, which lead the militants dozens of meters underground. Some allow an infiltration with motorcycles, so they must be wide.

The tunnel diggers work three different shifts, and their salaries are relatively high compared to the average wage in Gaza, due to the dangerous nature of the job. While a government worker in the strip earns about NIS 1,800 a month, a tunnel digger could earn double. Dozens of people have already been killed and hundreds have been injured during the digs, and the terror organizations pay huge sums in damages to their families.

Israels citizens are naturally focusing on the attack tunnels, but Hamas is equally concernedand perhaps even more concernedabout the future of the internal tunnels located dozens of kilometres under the strip, which serve as the heart of the military wings defense plan against a possible Israeli occupation of Gaza.

These are the tunnels that connect the fronts, its where the commands are located, where the military force goes to take cover during airstrikes, where some of the rockets are launched from, where the fighters will burst out of to attack Israeli forces and kidnap soldiers during a ground invasion (thats how Hadar Goldins body was taken in Operation Protective Edge). If Israel has the ability to detect a tunnel, map it and destroy it, these tunnels will also be threatened in the event of a ground operation.

Israel, however, isnt quick to rejoice about the technological achievements and the abilities developed against the tunnels, perhaps so as not to jinx it or because the enemy could be hiding another trick up his sleeve. And most importantly, Israel doesnt want to encourage Hamas to make decisions that will make the organization stop playing by the rules. The anti-tunnel systems are still in an evolutionary development process, Israeli officials say cautiously, but the direction seems promising.

What next?

With its entire military worldview collapsing, Hamas is at a crossroad: What next? This has been the worst year in the organizations history. Not only is it beginning to lose the tunnels as a weapon, but the Shin Bet has clipped its wings in the West Bank and prevented a significant terror attack, despite the incitement and funds flowing into the strip from Turkey and the Gulf emirates.

In the first 11 months of the year, the Shin Bet thwarted 130 Hamas cells in the West Bank. Earlier this month, it was cleared for publication that Israel had foiled a plan to kidnap a soldier during the holiday of Hanukkah. The incitement coming out of Gaza, which is aimed at encouraging lone-wolf terrorists, is being curbed by the IDF and Shin Bet as well. Every week, 25 to 30 lone-wolf attacks are thwarted.

Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. A failure of the reconciliation process and the loss of security assets may push him into a corner (Photo: AP)

In the five days after Trumps announcement, the number of attacks spiked to more than 90 incidents of different types: Molotov cocktails, arson, shooting, stabbing, rockets and explosive devices. Nevertheless, the Israeli society continued its normal life. As far as Hamas is concerned, thats a failure. Hamas will likely try to carry out major attacks in honor of its 30th anniversary celebrations, but its attempts to build a significant infrastructure in the West Bank have failed.

The Israeli race against the tunnels is about to end. The next threat from the strip is waiting around the corner. Hamas doesnt have many options for getting around the Israeli obstacle after the tunnel era. If Gaza is a reflection of what Hezbollah is doing, we should examine what the Lebanese terror organization did during the fighting in Syria.

One of the ways to get around an obstacle is a remote-piloted vehicle, or the technological hit adopted by all armies of the world: Quadcopters. In the war in Syria, Hezbollah used armed quadcopters that carry explosives and release them above a certain target or crash into it, while a camera allows the operator to choose the target and direct the quadcopter to it. A quadcopter can be operated by any child, and the advancements allowing quadcopters to carry weapons keep improving.

And not just Hezbollah. The Islamic State, for example, used armed quadcopters against the Iraqi army in Mosul. Every few minutes, they released three or four quadcopters that exploded in certain points. If this technique is copied to the strip, and explosive quadcopters start falling on Israeli communities or traffic routes every few minutes, it will sow panic among the residents. Hamas is already making a major effort to smuggle quadcopters into the strip, the UAVs and the RPVs destroyed in Operation Protective Edge are much more complicated and difficult to smuggle.

The quadcopter is hard to detect and intercept, as its radar profile is similar to that of a stealth aircraft, but there already are solutions for that in the world. If and when the IDF is forced to deal with quadcopters, Israels defense industries will likely be waiting with reasonable solutions.

Larger quadcopters, which could carry a human being, are already being developed in the world, by the way. These developments are aimed, first and foremost, at solving transportation problems, but the option of using them for military purposestransferring an armed person from one place to another and evading an obstacleis coming up.

Another option Hamas can focus on is known as the underwater tunnel, secretly crossing the sea. In December 2016, flight engineer Mohammad al-Zawari was assassinated in Tunisia. He was hailed as the father of Hamas drone program, but the eulogies published in the Arab press after his death mentioned his developments in the underwater field as well, like manned and unmanned midget submarines.

Hamas naval force keeps developing. One of the main targets bombed by the IAF in Gaza in recent days was one of the naval force's equipment warehouses. At the same time, Hamas is focusing its efforts on smuggling naval fighting equipment to the strip. The Israeli response to this option lies both in the Navys offensive abilities and in defensive areas, like deploying sensors along the shore and in the sea to try to locate vessels, swimmers and divers who would try to reach Israels shores to try to carry out a massacre.

Another possibility is an attempt to forcibly break through the obstacle being built by the IDF. Even if there are no intelligence warnings to that end, the IDF must be prepared for such a situation. We have already seen Hamas attacks in the southern strip and ISIS attacks from Sinai aimed at breaking through the border and forcibly infiltrating Israel. A car bomb or truck bomb explode on the obstacle, one force widens the breach and another force enters Israel. Theres no doubt that Hamas special Nokhba forces have been practicing such operations with different vehicles, including motorcycles. A surprise operation of this kind could be effective. The IDF, we are told, is capable of dealing with this option through look outs and the use of fire.

And there also is the developing cyber warfare in the strip.

We may also assume that Hamas has other surprises in store, not to mention the means it already possesses, like antitank missiles, rockets with particularly heavy warheads, which could infiltrate fortified buildings in the Gaza border area, and long-range missiles threatening central Israel.

Israel is trying to lower the flames. In a recent visit to Sderot, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman left the impression he is interested in a moderate response to the rocket fire, which wont lead to escalation. But the political-economic distress Hamas may experience if the reconciliation process fails, and the loss of its security assets, could push Sinwar and his people into a corner, and their only way out would be another round of hostilities against Israel. So the recent drizzle of rockets in the Gaza border could mean much more than simply an act of blowing off steam by Salafi organizations.
Only days after a video made the rounds online of a German man praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust, a similar anti-Semitic incident was documented in London on Friday.

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A truck driver passing through the neighborhood of Stamford Hill in the British capital leveled a verbal anti-Semitic attack against one of its Hasidic residents.

"Hitler was a great man, he knew what he was doing," the driver, apparently from the Caribbean, told an ultra-Orthodox Jewish resident of Stamford Hill.

X

"You think you own the world? You don't own the world. This is Stamford Hill, it's not Israel," the truck driver added before driving away.

The incident occurred shortly before the beginning of Shabbat.

Stamford Hill is considered one of London's ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods. Because the neighborhood residents are easy to identify as Jewish because of their clothing, they have experienced many anti-Semitic incidents over the past year.

In 2016, a record number of anti-Semitic incidents were reported in Britain, which prompted the British government to allocate 11 million GBP to fighting anti-Semitism and strengthening the security of Jewish British citizens.
With his recent engagement and forthcoming marriage to an American woman, Britains Prince Harry is again the hot topic of broad international conversation. Not surprising. People are fascinated with the Royals: They always have been.

The announcement of his impending nuptials as well as this season of the year have also taken me back 10 years to a wartime Christmas in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. It was there in 2007 that I had the honor of meeting and working for a time with then-Lt. Harry Windsor (aka Prince Henry of Wales, best known as Prince Harry).

It was a rather strange period in which the world believed Harry was home in the UK. In fact, he was in Helmand making his way to a remote forward operating base for the British. The period was also unique in that most Americans were then focused on the surge in Iraq even as the insurgency in Afghanistan was growing exponentially.

Both the Americans and our British counterparts in Helmand felt as if we were serving in a "forgotten war." And we were greatly under strength when compared to the huge military footprint in Iraq.

I had deployed from the capital of Helmand, Lashka Gah, to a FOB near enemy Taliban lines over the Christmas period.

The trip from Lashka Gah began Dec. 20 when I traveled with key leaders of my advisory command and several Afghan National Security leaders to a remote base in the south.

That location was one of the few places in Afghanistan, or even Iraq, with a conventional battlefield: Friendly forward lines facing Taliban forward lines, separated by only a few hundred meters of extremely dangerous "no man's land."

As soon as we arrived, I could hear British mortars on the FOB firing at enemy positions only about a kilometer away. They were supported by artillery being fired from a separate location at the enemys positions. We were quickly told to take cover in the event of an enemy missile or mortar attack, which happened frequently.

We soon learned the base was manned by a company of Ghurkas, which were Nepalese soldiers serving in a distinct unit within the British Army.

During the deployment to this tiny base, named FOB Delhi, our party of U.S. and Afghan leaders visited locations throughout the local district center of Garmsir.

As senior advisers to Afghan troops, we were helping prepare the Afghan leaders to move a large unit into the fight against the Taliban and assist the coalition. As part of our visit with local Afghan leaders, we were invited to an elaborate "Eid' meal. I knew about the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan, but discovered this was actually the "Haj Eid. The Haj Eid was a three-day celebration held around our Christmas holiday in which the Afghans take time off from work and invite guests to huge meals. This was no different. Hours spent socializing and feasting. Eating with your right hand and using Afghan bread to wrap pieces of chicken and goat.

The primary purpose of our visit and meal was to reassure the local Afghan leaders of the plan to move in Afghan Security Forces.

Two days before Christmas, our group moved up to a forward position facing the Taliban. This was critical in helping us see the ongoing operations and to better prepare the Afghan forces in our charge. We moved up, knowing we would stay on this position for the two days until Christmas, well aware that we would be under direct threat of snipers and periodic attacks. The soldiers, including the Ghurkas, had to remain vigilant for immediate attacks, with body armor on and weapons nearby.

Attacks allowed only seconds to prepare but usually ended quickly due to heavy coalition firepower. Combat is unforgiving and any mistakes would be a death sentence.

Prince Harry deployed to FOB Delhi as soon as he arrived in Helmand, and went straight up to our forward position when he arrived. This was for him to visit a few of the soldiers he would command.

I remember first seeing Harry in his full "battle rattle" of body armor and weapons. It was obvious he wanted to be viewed and treated not as a prince but like any other junior officer. Of course, the Ghurkahs wanted to take pictures with him. He seemed nice enough and more than willing, though making it clear that pictures could not be released until he returned home.

After seeing his soldiers and meeting the Ghurkahs, Harry returned to FOB Delhi. We spent the night on the position.

The following morning, Christmas Day, my little party returned to FOB Delhi, exhausted from the days on the outpost.

I again saw Harry at the operations headquarters, where his job was to call in air strikes, hitting Taliban positions attempting to attack the forward positions.

Harry immediately came out to greet our little American group and inquired about his men on the line. Following the practice of the British military, in which junior officers from lieutenant through major call each other by first name, UK and American officers called Harry by his first name throughout.

Throughout Christmas Day, Harry stayed busy with the mission while the Ghurkas held makeshift Christmas celebrations and games. The UK commanding general of Helmand came to visit, though even he had not been informed of Harry's presence. Harry was a well-guarded secret, and we Americans agreed we would not disclose the secret until it was made public. No Americans divulged the secret throughout Harry's time in Afghanistan, despite the money media would have paid.

In the days following Christmas, all of the officers ate our meals together and participated in various meetings.

Harry clearly did not expect or want special treatment, He worked hard to learn his job. I periodically saw him reading books about air support. Harry also liked to talk about various subjects, including strategy. He and I discussed the operational strategy in Helmand, and British coordination with U.S. forces.

Harry also liked to talk about his storied regiment, the Household Cavalry, and the fact that his company of the Blues and Royals had hundreds of years of tradition and lineage. He was exceedingly proud of that.

I served with Harry for that week before and after Christmas, and then again during combat operations in northern Helmand during February.

Harrys service, particularly over Christmas 2007, earned our respect and gratitude.

He could have served in a safe location in Afghanistan and demanded VIP treatment. Instead, he chose the most dangerous spots in the most dangerous province. I thought Harry's service was in the tradition of the ancient ideal of "Nobless Oblige: "To those whom much has been given, much is expected. This is in contrast to so many of the children of the modern "elite" families in the United States and in the UK showing little of that ethos.

I will never forget that Christmas of now-10 years ago and the brave young American and British soldiers there on the line. And I will never forget the service and great example of the young prince.
Austria's new Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, called for an end to "failed" attempts to achieve a quota system for distributing asylum seekers around the European Union and urged new efforts to help refugees in their country of origin.

When he was foreign minister, Kurz, a conservative now governing in coalition with the far-right Freedom Party, was a strong critic of Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to open Germany's borders to more than a million fleeing migrants in 2015.

Since becoming Chancellor this week, he has aligned himself with central European neighbours like Hungary and the Czech Republic in opposing German-backed proposals to distribute asylum seekers around EU member states.

"Forcing states to take refugees doesn't take Europe any further. The discussion makes no sense," he told Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "Migrants who set off for Europe don't want to go to Bulgaria or Hungary. They want to go to Germany, Austria or Sweden."
The Likud Party accused the left-wing on Saturday night of inciting to the murder of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a protester at the Tel Aviv anti-corruption rally the same night was spotted walking around with a prop guillotine.

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"The guillotine this evening on Rothschild is an incitement to the murder of Prime Minister Netanyahu, alongside the derogatory calls being made against Zionism. The left-wing protest on Rothschild has crossed all the red lines," Likud wrote in a tweet.

The protester who made the prop guillotine, Amit Brin, rejected the claims of incitement, saying, "They're diverting your attention away from the purpose of the protest."

The guillotine at the Tel Aviv rally

"I am against any type of violence, and those who thought I was calling for violence have been misled," Brin added in a post on Facebook.

"I've never used violence my entire life, and I have no intention of doing so in the future. This is how I educate my children, and I ask anyone who interpreted something I said or did as a call to violence to stop and not do it," he stressed.

Explaining why he chose to bring a prop guillotine to the protest, Brin said, "A cigar cutter connotes disproportionate hedonism in our day and agecorruption and disconnect. A guillotine is imagery that serves as a historical reminder of the victory of the citizenry over a corrupt ruler who broke their trust."

Brin then stressed again that violence was not the intention behind bringing the props, arguing that Likud's complaints were merely a diversion from the important factors.

"Neither I, nor anyone else I know, have any intention of using either of these. But those who point to these images to sic you against me are trying to draw you attention away from the purpose of the protest and use you to incite us against each other so they can shirk off their public responsibility," Brin said.

He went on to add he had no ties to a political party. "I am not a member in any organization or movement. I don't fund nor am I a registered voter of any party, and I don't take part in any organized political activity other than independently coming to street protests to realize my right to protest," he wrote.

He stressed he has "no ties to the protest leaders, its organizers, its operators or its financers. I've never met any of them, and we have no contact even now."

President Rivlin (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

President Reuven Rivlin also issued a condemnation of the prop guillotine, saying it is "clear incitement, which crosses the lines of the freedom of speech and protest. I condemn and denounce the clear statements evident in such a display."

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon stressed that "the right to protest is not the right to incite," adding that the guillotine display "constitutes the crossing of a red line."

Kahlon went on to say that "we need to let law enforcement authorities to work in peace, without political pressures, without de-legitimization of gatekeepers and without incitement on the streets."

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel called for an immediate police investigation against Brin. "The fact the organizers are not outright condemning this in the most clear way is grave in and of itself," Ariel told Ynet.
Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel is organizing a mass prayer for rain at the Western Wall on Thursday as Israel prepares for a year of drought.

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Israel's two Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau, farmers, settler leaders and heads of agricultural organizations will attend the prayer, which will be held at 3:30pm on Thursday.

"Unfortunately, after four years of drought, we've only had a little be of rain so far (this year), less than the multi-annual average, and this winter is shaping up to be dry," Ariel said.

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Photo: Marc Israel Sellem)

"I call on the public to take part in the prayer on 10 of Tevet, which as you know is a day of fast, and bring umbrellas because together we will rip open the skies," he added.

Ariel talked about the steps taken by the Agriculture Ministry to help farmers suffering from the drought. "Over the past year, we've worked to improve the water situation for farmers. We've reduced the price of freshwater by 20 percent and formulated a planalong with the Energy Ministry and the Treasurywhich was adopted by the Water Authority, according to which there will be no cuts in water quotas without compensation.

"At the same time, the Agriculture Ministry is working to invest in water-saving crops and direct water to plantations rather than field crops, while encouraging farmers to make efficient use of water. We will continue making efforts to benefit the farmers," he said.

Secretary General of the Moshav Movement and Director of the Israel Farmers Association, Meir Tzur, called on Israelis to "take part in the welcomed initiative by the agriculture minister, which unites all of us around the wish for rainfall. This prayer event is meant to create comradeship and unity among all farmers."
GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Roni Numa made an appearance Thursday at a Lod court hearing a defamation suit against "Jenin, Jenin" movie creator Mohammad Bakri.

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Numa arrived at the courthouse to support the plaintiff, Lt. Col. (res.) Nissim Magnagi, who took part in the fighting in the Jenin refugee camp during the 2002 Operation Defensive Shield, and is suing Bakri for NIS 2.6 million for slander.

Magnagi claims in his suit that he appears in the movie walking by an army jeep while a Jenin resident is heard describing how IDF soldiers entered him home and stole all of his savings during the fighting.





Mohammad Bakri, left, with Joint List leader Ayman Odeh in court (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Magnagi's suit comes five years after the Supreme Court rejected a similar suit by five other soldiers. The court determined the soldiers have no grounds to sue because they do not appear in the movie and their names are not mentioned at all.

However, the court held that the entire movie constitutes slander based on Bakri acting without good faith and with a deliberate intention to distort matters.

In an unusual move, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit joined Magnagi's suit.

Nissim Magnagi (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

In addition to Maj. Gen. Numa, bereaved parents also arrived at court to demand Bakri is convicted, 16 years after the movie's release.

"We demand the judicial system to give justice to IDF soldiers, it is its duty," one bereaved parent said. "Despite the fact judges have determined time and time again these are lies, defamation and slander, they still allow Bakri to remain on top with no verdict against him."

Maj. Gen. Roni Numa in court (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

In his defense, Bakri claimed the footage in question was taken by the IDF, and that the shot that shows Magnagi is "part profile, part from the back."

Following the hearing, the Palestinian director claimed that "this trial is part of political persecution that started in 2002, and since the rise to power of the right wing it has only gotten worse. No one has a monopoly over the truth, not even me or the court. It was determined to be defamation, but I brought to light the truth of the Palestinians who experienced this difficult ordeal and talked about it. To the common Israeli this is defamation, but to the Palestinians this is the truth."
Palestinian rioters vandalized a memorial Friday of Danny Gonen, an Israeli who was murdered in a terror attack when a Palestinian shot him and his friend at point blank range in 2015.

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The latest act of vandalism has become a regular feature of the Palestinian days of rage in the West Bank over US President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Danny Gonen who was killed in the attack

It is the fourth time Gonens memorial has been destroyed by Palestinians near Ein Buvin spring, where his life was snatched. Gonens friend, Netanel Hadad, was also moderately wounded in the attack.

Every time this happens I feel like they have murdered Danny again, said his mother, Devorah Gonen.

The last time Gonens memorial was vandalized was in April this year. After receiving the news that Gonens memorial had been smashed to pieces, Devorah said she wrote to Binyamin Brigade commander Yuval Gaz.

Danny Gonen's memorial smashed to pieces

This is what a lack of responsibility looks like, this is how the armys inaction looks. It is inconceivable that a memorial monument for Danny is destroyed for a fourth time and no appropriate answer is given, she wrote.

The terror attack took place in June 2015 at the height of the wave of terror in Israel when Gonen and a friend had finished swimming in the Ein Buvin spring, located in a mountainous area between the settlement of Dolev and the Palestinian village of Dayr Ibzi.

Devorah Gonen at her son's memorial

As they made their way by car toward the main road, they were flagged down by a Palestinian who appeared to need help.

When the two stopped their car, the man asked, "Is there water in the spring?" before he shot them at point-blank range.

Gonen was shot in the upper body and was transferred, unconscious and critically wounded, to Tel Hashomer Hospital by IDF helicopter where he was pronounced dead. His friend was moderately wounded. In January this year, the terrorist received two life sentences.
Rabbi Chuck Davidson is a criminal in the eyes of Israeli law. However, he wouldn't be put behind bars for his crime in most countries. His offense: conducting rogue weddings in defiance of Israel's Chief Rabbinate.

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Even though Davidson belongs to the officially recognized Orthodox stream of Judaism, he is among a growing cohort of Jewish groups running afoul of the law by performing weddings without the rabbinate's sanction. Critics like Davidson believe the rabbinate has grown too strict in its interpretation of religious law, making it unnecessarily difficult for Jewish couples to marry.

Rabbi Chuck Davidson (Photo: AP)

Berman said that an estimated 20 percent of Israelis are getting married outside the rabbinate, compared to 16 percent in 2010. She expects that number to keep growing, which she considers a sign of a growing lack of faith in the religious body. "There are plural ways of being Jewish and it's better to acknowledge it," Berman said.

Israel does not have a system of civil marriage, and Israeli law mandates that Jewish marriages must be conducted by a rabbi authorized by the Chief Rabbinate. That means Jewish couples wanting to marry in Israel have little choice but to undergo an Orthodox marriage.

An amendment to Israel's marriage law passed in 2013 made the punishment for anyone performing or taking part in an unsanctioned wedding two years in prison. Shortly thereafter, Davidson, a 58-year-old American-born Israeli rabbi, started performing renegade weddings. He said he has conducted over 170 since then.

"An Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas has more meaning to the state than me, an Orthodox rabbi," said Davidson.

The existing marriage law prevents interfaith and same-sex weddings. It also rejects ceremonies conducted by more liberal streams of Judaism popular with American Jews.

Interfaith, same-sex and civil marriages performed abroad, however, are recognized retroactively by Israel's Interior Ministry, making nearby Cyprus a popular destination for secular Israeli weddings. Israel also recognizes common law spouses who share a home, though they don't have the same rights as married couples.

A poll conducted earlier this year by Hiddush, an organization pushing for religious pluralism in Israel, found that over 70 percent of Israelis support civil marriage.

Davidson has moved into an area where even Jewish men and women who ostensibly meet the rabbinate's standards run into problems trying to get hitched.

Such couples may lack documentation, such as their parents' wedding certificate, proving their Jewishness. Some turn to the rebel rabbi out of frustration with dealing with the rabbinate. Others may do it on principle.

He estimates around 400,000 Israeli Jewsor roughly 6 percent of the Jewish populationhave "no marriage options" because they do not meet the rabbinate's stringent standards.

One Ethiopian Jewish woman who was married by Davidson in October said she objected in principle to the manner in which the rabbinate demands proof of Judaism.

"We're both certifiably Jewish," she said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of concern for possible legal complications. She and her husband could have legally married through the rabbinate, "but we don't believe in the institution itself," she said. "I have no problem in principle with proving someone's Judaism, but the very concept of how the rabbinate perceives Ethiopian Jews is problematic for me, and I'm not willing to cooperate with an institution that doesn't consider me Jewish." Nonetheless, she said it was important for them to marry according to Jewish tradition.

The group Havaya helps Jewish couples marry outside the rabbinate by organizing wedding ceremonies for partners who are recognized as common-law couples.

Havaya Director Inbar Oren said the organization has conducted several thousand weddings since it was established in 2007, allowing interfaith and same-sex couples in Israel to enjoy more egalitarian or secular ceremonies than the rabbinate permits.

"People are looking for a solution to their situation," said Oren.

While sending a defiant message, these weddings are not a complete solution. Because they are not legally binding, the couples must still either go abroad or go to the rabbinate for a private ceremony. The Ethiopian woman, for instance, said she and her husband are weighing recognition as a common law couple or flying to Cyprus for a civil ceremony.

No one in Israel has been arrested or charged with participating in an illegal marriage, but Oren and Davidson wish someone would.

"I don't hide this, I do this over the radar, I am hoping to be arrested," Davidson said, saying it would raise awareness "of how insane this is."

He said he's confident the Supreme Court would rule against the law: "If not I'll sit in jail."
In recent weeks, week after week, I have been going to the left-wing protest . Its easy to understand why a right-wing person would find it difficult to be there.

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In the last elections, the Zionist Union won 34.26 percent of the votes in Tel Aviv, the city where an absolute majority of the protestors likely came from. Meretz won 13.03 percent of the votes. The Arab Joint List won 3.25 percent. Most of the Joint List voters in Tel Aviv are likely Hadash members. Hadashs presence in the protest, however, at least according to the signs, is close to 50 percent. So the Right rightly needed a separate protest.

Saturdays right-wing anti-corruption protest in Jerusalem. Hundreds who represent thousands (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

The poll published on Channel 13s Meet the Press on Saturday evening should concern Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. First of all, 59 percent of the public believe the police, and only 27 percent believe Netanyahu. Second, the majority of the public believes Netanyahu should resign if the police recommend an indictment against him, both on fraud and breach of trust offenses and on bribery offenses.

In other words, the prime ministers horror speech last week was counterproductive. Even if we consider the polls standard deviation, a clear majority of the public is still on the law enforcement authorities side rather than on Netanyahu's side. The speech didnt help Netanyahu; it hurt him.

Where is the Right in the picture? Well, the majority clearly doesnt include only left-wing people, but also a considerable part of Likud voters. The Right has the same problem as the Left: It is incapable of getting masses out on the streets. The masses arent going out to protest. That doesnt mean they support Netanyahu.

And when one of the prominent leaders of the national-religious Right, Rabbi Haim Druckman, issues a statement against the protest, the difficulty to speak out against Netanyahu grows. We should pay attention, however, to the fact that Druckman is doing exactly what the Left did to former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during the disengagement from Gaza. He isnt saying that Netanyahu is innocent and flawless. He is just saying that the Right must not do anything which would jeopardize the right-wing rule. He is keeping Netanyahu out of public criticism.

In the past few months, Netanyahu himself has become less and less stately. Last weeks speech against police recommendations wasnt directed at the public. Its purpose was to motivate his fool fans in Likud. And they are indeed becoming much more aggressive. But its counterproductive: As Netanyahu and his blind followers become more and more blatant and less and less stately, they lose more and more members of the liberal, thinking Right, which puts the national interest first.

In general, the repeated attempts to urge the Right to launch a pro-Netanyahu protest against the Left were completely futile. I saw them there, again and again, in their wretchedness. Its hard to say that there were several dozen of them there, because there werent. There were only few people, with a noisy microphone, which failed to cover up the disgrace.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's horror speech last week was counterproductive (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Likud has a significant stately component. Nationalism is stateliness too. His anti-stately approach goes against the Rights entire doctrine. Even the ideological Right, in the difficult moments of the disengagement, eventually chose the stately approach. But Netanyahu, in a moment of personal pressure, chose an opposite approach.

It isnt helping him. On the contrary: Anyone paying attention to the discourse developing recently in the Right in general, and in Likud in particular, knows that the frustration there is on the rise. The things being said about Netanyahu, and not just behind closed doors, are far from expressions of unconditional support. Most importantly, they know that Netanyahu could have defended himself with slightly better arguments, and he has better arguments. But Netanyahu favors Netanyahu over stateliness.

The Right that protested in Jerusalem on Saturday evening is only the tip of the iceberg. They are hundreds who represent thousands. One of Netanyahu's foolish followers referred to them as useful idiots of the Left. Thats a baseless claim and a baseless comparison, because the useful idiotstoday and in the pastare the ones who support, defend and justify regimes of tyranny and terror and who are mainly characterized by blindness. Thats exactly what characterizes Netanyahu's foolish followers today. The right-wing people who are taking to the streets to defend the rule of law and to fight corruption are not the ones suffering from blindness.

Netanyahu is waging a double battle, both legal and public. He already knows that hes about to lose the first battle, once the police recommendations are published. His rivals are not the ones who are creating cracks in the Right that will lead to a loss in the public arena as well. Its Netanyahu himself. Its his conduct. Its his anti-stateliness. He is bringing few people closer, but driving many others away.
Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel called for an immediate police investigation against a protester carrying a prop guillotine at the Tel Aviv anti-corruption rally.

"The fact the organizers are not outright condemning this in the most clear way is grave in and of itself," Ariel told Ynet.
Shin Bet Director Nadav Argman warned Sunday that Hamas "is relentlessly trying to carry out terror attacks" in the West Bank, and said that despite successes in thwarting attacks, the number of attempted attacks is on the rise.

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"The Palestinian arena over the past year has been very unstable. Both in Gaza and in Judea and Samaria, especially after Trumps declaration, and the coming days will show that, Argaman told the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Palestinian riots after Friday afternoon prayers (Photo: AP)

The calm is misleading, there's stirring on the ground, and Hamas is relentlessly trying to carry out attacks in Judea and Samaria and undermine the stability of the Palestinian Authority," Argaman said.

The coming days will tell whether the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas will succeed and what the significance is for all of us, he added.

Shin Bet Director Nadav Argman (Photo: Hillel Meir/TPS)

Argaman also noted that "the number of attacks over the past year has dropped, but the amount of attacks thwarted has increased. We thwarted 400 significant attacks, 13 of them suicide attacks, eight abductions and 94 'sacrifice' attacks."

According to the Shin Bet director, the security organization foiled 1,100 potential lone wolf attacks. This notwithstanding, 54 lone wolf attacks succeeded compared to 108 the preceding year, he said as he continued to list the fresh statistics on the fruits of the Shin Bets actions.

Riots on the Gaza broder (Photo: Reuters)

Overall, the scale of thwarting operations in impressive, but this is only an example that explains the scale of terror underneath the surface, he warned.

Israeli security forces have been on high alert in anticipation of Palestinian violence that has continued to rage since Trumps Jerusalem declaration.

Two Palestinians were killed in on the Gaza Strip border by IDF rounds on Friday afternoon, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, as thousands of Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces in the strip and throughout the West Bank following the conclusion of Islamic Friday prayers, in yet another 'day of rage' over Trumps declaration.
Khaled Abu Jaudah and his half-brother Zahi Abu Jaudah, two Bedouin from Kuseife, were indicted Sunday morning for the murder of IDF soldier Ron Kokia in Arad a month ago.

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Khaled Abu Jaudah was charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of a knife, making preparations to commit a terror attack and the use of weaponall of which are considered acts of terrorism.

Zahi Abu Jaudah was charged with attempted murder which is considered an act of terrorism, illegal possession of a knife which is considered an act of terrorism, aiding and abetting after the fact and obstruction of justice.

Sgt. Ron Yitzhak Kokia

The investigation revealed that Khaled identified with terror organizations and harbored extremist views, and that Zahi served as his confidant.

According to the indictment, Khaled watched videos on websites and on social media of IDF operations in the Gaza Strip and videos praising Hamas on numerous occasions. These videos influenced Khaled, who started praising Allah and Islam on his Facebook page.

On October 30, 2017, Khaled wrote on Facebook: "Allah, protect the land of the Muslims, bring down your enemies, the enemies of the faith, and give us victory over the tribe of heretics."

The Be'er Sheva District Attorney's Office argued that following this post, Khaled decided to carry out an attack against an IDF soldier to show his support for the Palestinian people and Hamas.

Khaled originally planned to kidnap a soldier by using anesthesia to which he had access in Soroka University Medical Center in Beer Sheva where he was gaining work experience for his studies. He planned to use him as a bargaining chip to secure the release of Palestinian security prisoners.

Revising his plan, Khaled intended to kill the soldier and use his rifle to carry out more attacks.

Kokia's funeral (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

At a certain stage of his preparations, Khaled shared his intentions with Zahi, asking his half-brother to reconnaissance the area with him and find a soldier to attack. Zahi agreed, and the two conspired to carry out a terror attack together.

The two planned to find an armed soldier alone at nighttime, stab him to death with a knife and snatch his weapon. The two agreed to use the code word "pizza" for the weapon, so they could discuss their plans without their true intentions being revealed. Khaled also showed Zahi the knife he would later use in the attack.

The two half-brothers went on several night trips to the Arad area, during which they scouted bus stops and cafes in search of a victim. The two spotted many soldiers walking alone at night, but they were unarmed, so the terrorists passed up on them.

At a certain point, the two moved their focus to the Tel Arad military base, which is located near their home, and marked it as a place where they could find a possible target. The two traveled to the base area on two occasions, looking for soldiers to attack. On both of these occasions, the terrorists did not spot a soldier on his own, only a group of soldiers, and therefore could not carry out the attack.

The murder

In his Shin Bet and police interrogations, Khaled Abu Jaudah admitted to carrying out the stabbing attack "as revenge for IDF activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip" and to help the Palestinian cause.

According to the indictment, on November 30, Khaled spotted Sgt. Ron Kokia on his own at a bus stop in Arad and decided to carry out the attack. He called Zahi and told him that "there's pizza."

Khaled then exited his car armed with a knife and walked towards the soldier, who was sitting on a bench. Khaled approached Kokia from behind and stabbed him several times in different parts of his body, while trying to snatch Kokia's weapon.

Kokia's bag left by the bench he was attacked on (Photo: Ilana Curiel)

The soldier held onto the weapon to stop it from being taken, but Khaled was eventually able to overpower Kokia and escape to Kuseife with the weapon, leaving Kokia behind to bleed to death.

Kokia was able to walk for several steps onto the road, where passersby saw him bleeding from his neck and mouth and heard him saying "I am dying, I am dying." He was declared dead shortly after that.

When Khaled returned home to Kuseife, he met Zahi and showed him the bloody knife and the soldier's weapon. Khaled told Zahi he had murdered a soldier and stolen his weapon, thus realizing their plan.

The two hid the weapon, while Khaled washed the knife to clean it of the victim's blood.

Afterwards, the two went out for pizza, with Zahi telling Khaled that he must not confess to the murder and must not reveal Zahi's own role in it. The two agreed that if they are arrested, they would give a false alibi, saying they were eating at a pizza place in Arad at the time of the murder.

Less than 24 hours later the two were arrested in a joint operation of the Shin Bet and Israel Police.
Two rabbis were acquitted Sunday from charges of inciting IDF soldiers to disobey orders after a judge ruled that "the test of democracy is the application of freedom of expression also when the expression irkes or even offends."

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Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo, 68, from Beitar Illit, was accused of encouraging soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate settlements in two different instances in 2009 and 2011.

Wolpo and Rabbi Shabtai Weintraub were indicted in 2009 for handing out Heroes of Israel awards to IDF soldiers who were waving placards bearing the words Shimshon Battalion wont evacuate Homesh during an IDF swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall.

Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

The two also handed out envelopes containing cash for days of imprisonment to soldiers who refused to take part in the evacuation of the Homesh in the West Bank. For each day of prison served over the incident, Wolpo and Weintraub offered NIS 1,000.

During the October induction ceremony, a group of cadets raised a sign that read "Shimshon won't evacuate Homesh."

Calling for IDF soldiers to refuse commanders orders is outrageous. However, freedom of speech has a special constitutional status and constitutes an essential condition of democracy and the protection of other fundamental rights, wrote Joya Skappa-Shapiro in her verdict in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.

Freedom of speech does not only apply to expressions that garner a broad consensus, and the test of democracy is the application of freedom of expression also when the expression irkes or even offends, as in this case, Skappa-Shapiro added.

Rabbi Wolpo, a prominent rabbi in the Chabad movement, was indicted for another incident in 2011 after he praised an IDF soldier for disobeying orders by not showing up to his mission that involved the evacuation of the Migron settlement, which was relocated the following year. The soldier was sentenced in a military court to 20 days in prison.

(Photo: Miri Tzachi)

There is some light, Wolpo said at the time about the soldiers actions, denouncing the crime of demolishing homes, evacuating homes and expelling Jews from the Land of Israel. Therefore, in an offense like this, the soldiers must refuse an order, a manifestly illegal order, and God forbid not to evacuate Jews.

Wolpo, who gave the soldier's parents NIS 20,000, said: A commander who sentences a soldier to prison for disobeying an order should know he is giving him a reward. I want soldiers who refused orders to go to their commanders and tell them, do us a favor and give us a few days in prison, the situation at home is not good. We have already done this a few times  The commander will know he is giving a reward to the soldier.

Wolpos and Weintraubs attorney, Yitzhak Bam, described the judges decision as extremely significant for freedom of speech, adding that freedom of speech for the Right is not a given. The fact is that an indictment was filed and the courts considered the matter for three years. This freedom of speech is a right that we need to fight for every day and we will fight.
The government unanimously approved Sunday a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Welfare Minister Haim Katz to allocate NIS 1.45 billion to raise disability pensions starting next month.

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The decision still needs to pass in the Knesset's Finance Committee, which needs to approve the additional funding.

The bill will also be brought to the Knesset for approval as a government legislative proposal, and the Finance Ministry is working to bring it to a first reading vote on Monday.

Israel's disabled protest may have achieved its goal, with the government approving an NIS 1.45 increase in disability benefits (Photo: TPS)

This is the first stage of an agreement signed with representatives of some of the groups of disabled protesters. The additional funds will allow the National Insurance Institute to prepare to pay out increased benefits starting January, in accordance with government commitments.

In addition, budgeting for the next stages of the agreement will be brought to the government's approval in the coming month as part of overall discussions regarding the 2019 state budget.

"We're a government that does great things in the social field," Netanyahu said after the decision's approval. "We are bringing a massive funds increase, the likes of which hasn't been seen in dozens of years. It is a welcome step."

Kahlon added the agreement was a "correction of a historical wrong to a population that deserves this money, a population whose benefits haven't been updated in many years. It wasn't an easy journey, but I'm glad we remedied it."

The increase to disability benefits will be done as part of Welfare Minister Haim Katz's government bill proposal, which will be adjusted to fit the current budgetary framework. It will also include 75,000 elderly people with disabilities, who were not initially part of the agreement signed in September. In addition, NIS 50,000 will be added to disabilities for the blind.

The increase will be attached to Welfare Minister Katz's existing bill (Photo: George Ginsberg)

The bill is expected to be approved Sunday when the Ministerial Legislation Committee convenes. Katz welcomed the intra-governmental agreement, saying, "I'm pleased I was able to convince the government increasing the benefits of elderly disabled people and the blind cannot be skipped."

The bill and increased budget, however, make no reference to the further benefit increases agreed upon with representatives of the disabled organizations. Those same organizationswhich were party to the original agreement reached with the government this past Septemberare now split following the government's decision to raise benefits.

Chairperson of the "Disabled Protest Headquarters" Naomi Moravia welcomed the decision and said, "We are positive that the issues of incremental raises and linkage with the average wage will conclude as we expect when the bill is prepared by the Labor and Welfare Committee for its second and third readings."

Chairman of the "Disabled, Not Half a Person" organization Alex Friedman, however, was far more combative. "We wish to express our unequivocal objection to the agreement and consider it a breach of the deal that was led by Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Avi Nissankorn," Friedman said.

'Disabled, Not Half a Person' Chairman Friedman said he considered the new framework a breach of the original agreement (Photo: Eli Segal)

"Concern for the disabled elderly is well-placed and important, but including them in the NIS 4.2 billion framework was not part of the agreement and will significantly reduce the agreed-upon addition to the benefit, thereby rendering it irrelevant considering the high cost of living. The government must honor its agreements," he concluded.

Chairman of the Meretz party's parliamentary group MK Ilan Gilon, who submitted a bill seeking to raise disability benefits to minimum wage levels, responded by saying, "The compromise agreement we signed includes raising benefits to NIS 4,500 in four increments with an NIS 4.2 billion budgetary framework. Any other decision constitutes an attempt by the government and Finance Ministry to dissolve and abdicate the agreement."

"So long as the agreement is not enacted in full, including all of its articles, I will consider it to have been breached and plan accordingly, which may include going back to the streets. Raising disability benefits is righting a perpetuated wrong against a quarter of a million Israeli citizens with disabilities," Gilon said.

Echoing his sentiment, disabled organizations have threatened to take back to the country's streets and roads if the agreement is not passed in the Knesset by December 31.

Representatives of the organizations objecting to new agreement claim they have worked out an alternative deal with Finance Ministry Kahlon, in a meeting he held with four of them last week. They further maintain Kahlon promised them as part of the new agreement to raise benefits to a higher sum than was approved by the government, and in a smaller number of increments than contained in the September agreement.
CAIRO  Egyptian authorities have detained 15 people pending an investigation into an attack on an unlicensed Coptic Christian church in a village south of Cairo, a security source said on Sunday.

Dozens of Muslims from the village of Kafr al-Waslin attacked the church after Friday prayers, smashing the windows and breaking everything inside, the archdiocese of Atfih said in a statement.

The diocese had applied to legalize the status of the church, which has housed worshippers for 15 years after a church building law was passed in 2016, the statement said.

Those detained are accused of stirring sectarian strife, harming national unity and destroying private property, one judicial source told Reuters.
Likud MK Amir Ohana's bill giving the interior minister the power to revoke the permanent residency of people convicted of security offenses was approved for a preliminary reading Sunday by the Knesset's Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

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Should the bill be voted into law, The interior minister will be able to revoke permanent residency, following the High Court's ruling from earlier this year that struck down an 11-year-old decision by former Interior Minister Roni Bar-On to revoke the residency permits of four east Jerusalem Arabs following their election to the Palestinian parliament as representatives of Hamas.

Likud MK Amir Ohana (Photo: Knesset)

Muhammad Abu-Tir , Muhammad Umran Tuttah and Ahmed Muhammad A-Tun were elected to the Palestinian parliament representing Hamas in January 2006.

MK Ohana commented on the bill's passage, saying, "I was of the opinion the law enabled the interior minister to (revoke residency permits) even before, and that the High Court should not have intervened in previous interior ministers' decisions, but since it has decided to do so anyway, I searched and found the solution allowing the State of Israel to impose the sanctions it so sorely needs vis-a-vis Hamas operatives."

"It is inconceivable for them to remain living here and enjoying the Israeli taxpayers' money," Ohana added, "when they're calling for their deaths. Jerusalem may have justices (referencing former Prime Minister Menachem Begin's famous quoteed), but it also has legislators."

The High Court's original decision came in 2006, when Bar-On decided to revoke the four's status as residents on the grounds of "breach of trust."

The justices ruled he had no legal standing to do, but delayed the implementation of their decision to allow the Knesset to enact a law permitting the residency revocation.
The Bank of Israel is examining issuing digital currency as a means of creating a faster payments system as well as reducing the amount of cash in the economy, a central bank source said on Sunday, though he stressed no decision had yet been made.

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The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the government was ready to legislate or include the issue in its 2019 budget and economic package if the central bank gave the green light.

The emergence of bitcoin and other so-called cryptocurrencies has led some economists to predict the technology could be used one day across entire economies, with digital currencies created by central banks.

Bank of Israel may decide to issue digital currency (Photo: Getty Images)

But the Israeli source said any digital currency introduced by the country's central bank would be centralized, safe and abide by money laundering rulesin contrast to bitcoin and its peers, which are decentralized and whose value has often oscillated wildly.

"Central banks around the world are examining (the use of digital currencies) so we should as well," the Israeli source told Reuters.

The Bank of Israel declined to comment on the issue.

Cryptocurrencies allow parties to transact payments directly without a central intermediary, by means of blockchain technology that uses a shared ledger that verifies, records and settles transactions in a matter of minutes.

The Israeli government has been seeking to limit the amount of cash in the economy for a few years since the black economy is estimated at some 22 percent of national output.

The recent prevalence of bitcoin led to conjecture digital currencies may be used across entire economies (Photo: MCT)

Last month, the Bank of Israel published a public consultation asking for proposals for the creation of at least one infrastructure that would support immediate payments in Israel, similar to that used in Britain and Sweden.

In such a system, the initiator of the payment is debited immediately and the beneficiary is credited within a very short period of time, the central bank said, adding payments can be made 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A fast payments system is one option, while "a central bank-issued digital currency is another form of an advanced payments system which currently does not exist," the source said.

Earlier this year, the head of the Palestine Monetary Authority said the Palestinian Authority itself was planning for the territory to have its own digital-only currency within five years, in a move designed to safeguard against potential Israeli interference.

Last week, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said he saw "fundamental problems" with the idea of a digital currency issued by a central bank that could be used by the general public.
Another course will conclude in the Israeli Air Force's flight academy next week, with only one female pilot receiving the vaunted admission into the ultimate boys' club. The pilot will join her 48 predecessors, since the High Court's rulingwhich said women may also fly in combatin a petition submitted by Alice Miller in the nineties.

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Lieutenant L., the only female graduate of the course, had a clear message: "Come and live your dream."

Lieutenant L. called on more women to join the air force (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

"I think it's significant service that contributes a lot and anyone who is capable of doing so should attend and graduate from the course," L. said, adding in a female-specific message, "Not all young women know they are capable of being here. Anyone who has that dream or thinks she wants to give it a shot, I call on them to attend the flight course and live their dream."

"The last three years have meant so much to me, and I went through experiences you simply can't see elsewhere. It was challenging, instructive and it's just the beginningI'm ready for what's next," the new pilot declared.

L.'s statements notwithstanding, the relatively scant number of women to graduate the air force's flight course perturbs senior air force officials, who point to the fact that young womenunlike menare not obligated to attend selection for the flight academy if called upon as one of the factors behind the discrepancy.

The air force is taking steps to increase female participation in its flight course (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

In order to encourage those same young women to undertake the course, the air force has decided to take two measures. The first is saving quality positions in operational and technological units, in flight squadrons for instance, to women who drop out of the course. The second is a significant promotion of female officers to senior positions with the force, as has been the case with Col. (Dr.) Yifat Erlich-Shoham, the air force's surgeon-general, or Maj. A., recently appointed the first female fighter pilot.

Col. Omer said the force was after more quality pilots, regardless of gender

"We're using up every available candidate when it comes to men, and there's no reason not to use half the population to increase the pool of people vetted for the course, with the end goal being to have more quality pilots, regardless of gender," explained Col. Omer, commander of the force's flight school. "I'm also in favor of women being obligated to attend the course."

Head of the air force's personnel group Brig.-Gen. Nathan Israeli said, "Our decision to encourage more prospective candidates to attend the flight course was not born of any particular agenda, but an operational necessity. They can improve not just the flight school but the entire force. There's nothing gender-oriented about carrying out an operational flight."

Brig.-Gen. Israeli said decision to increase female numbers was more operational necessity than agenda

"For the first time ever, we've created a sort of safety net for women who drop out of the flight course, landing them in quality operational and intelligence positions within the force. We're taking great pains and transforming processes to make the selection for the course a better fit for women. The threshold for selection was and continues to be professional and high," Israeli added.

While the air force is not planning to hold recruitment sessions for female high school students, a special conference on the positions earmarked for women who drop out of the course was held, with some current female pilots in attendance to recommend recruitment. Not all current pilots attended however, citing their desire to "not make a big deal out of their being women."
Expert Advice with Kevin Turner. 25/12/2017

Although 40 per cent of Australian real estate agents are concerned about fraudulent activity, only 2.17 per cent use a verification app to confirm they are dealing with the true owner despite tough Verification of Identity regulations that can lead to heavy fines, licence cancellation and disqualification. That needs to stop according to Lee Baillie.

Listen to the interview now:

Transcript:

Kevin: In the past weve talked a fair bit about online security as the Internet opens up more and more possibility for us to do just this. I guess, like me, youre probably a little bit concerned about how much information is going onto the Internet and how secure it really is. In the past, weve spoken to PEXA about online transactions and so on, but Im interested now to talk to my next guest, Lee Bailie. Lee is the General Manager for Product and Innovation at InfoTrack, and they have a product called IDfy.

Is that what its called Lee?

Lee: Yes, thats it, Kevin. IDfy is how we pronounce that.

Kevin: Tell me a little bit about the product, and then I want to ask you more about security. How does IDfy work?

Lee: IDfy is a product weve enabled and weve built within InfoTrack to perform a verification of identity for any clients who are in the process of buying or selling property. What IDfy essentially enables the person using it  so the agent or the conveyancer or the lawyer involved  is to sit down in front of their clients and using a single app, be able to actually take a picture of that client, take a picture of their documents, verify their documents, and then actually save that in a secure environment where we can actually store that within InfoTrack for up to nine years as part of the cloud service we have, but also receive a summary document that goes to the party involved that says when the verification was completed, the identification that was completed, who was there, the time and date, and where it was actually located.

Kevin: So, where do you see this thing used?

Lee: From our point of view, this should be used when a real estate agent is potentially listing a property. There has been a number of cases  and you may be aware of some  where properties have been sold without actually the owners consent, whether thats a distressed tenant who might be thinking Im going to try and get away with this, or a Nigerian scam whereby theyve actually tried to sell a property from overseas.

The best course of action an agent can take is to ensure they are speaking with who they think theyre speaking to, and they actually do that by way of verification.

Kevin: Just help me understand a little bit here, Lee, the actual sequence. An agent goes in. Im an agent, and I go through the process of taking a photograph, uploading all this material. Does that thing cross-check somewhere, or is that the first entry point into being identified?

Lee: No, at the moment, that doesnt cross-check against something like a DVS system (data verification service), but it is something we are looking into at InfoTrack at the moment. What it essentially requires still is the person present  so, if that was the real estate agent  to ask the vendor or the person about to list the property to show them something such as their drivers license and their passport.

What the real estate agent would do at that stage would be sat down with Kevin Turner, as an example, and would check the drivers license says Kevin Turner and it has the address marked, take a picture of that, and would then ask for the passport and check that the passport says Kevin Turner as well, take a picture of that, and then they actually move on to sign off so that both parties agree that what theyve actually been presented and taken pictures of is correct. And then that is the document that is completed and therefore completes the verification of identity.

Kevin: Okay, but it doesnt necessarily verify that that person actually owns that property does it, Lee?

Lee: No. What weve actually built in within the system is a title search ordering functionality. So, in the same platform, you can actually order a title search, and in doing so, you can actually reconcile that against the title that youre looking at and check that Kevin is actually at the top of that title. So, we tried to enable that.

The take up of that, its a little bit slower in people actually ordering the full title because that obviously comes at a cost when actually completing that. But the reality is at some point during the process, the agent and certainly the conveyancer or the lawyer would order a title to that property and check the relevant details against that title.

Kevin: Who do you say as the driving force behind making sure this is all implemented? Is it the real estate agent? Is it the lawyer? And where does the consumer come into this?

Lee: Thats a really good question, Kevin, and probably one of the toughest for us to move forward to at the moment. The Office of Fair Trading has some guidelines around it, but simply put, thats what they are at the moment. ARNEC  which is the body that works with PEXA and the real estate bodies across the country  has some very clear guidelines if a transaction was to settle on PEXA, but the reality outside of that, its going to be self driven.

In some surveys that weve recently done earlier this year through InfoTrack, we found out that approximately 48% of real estate agents are concerned about fraudulent activity in the property space but yet less than 2% actually use VOI verification apps and probably approximately 35% to 38% have in-house processes that they actually do themselves, and that could be anything from getting a scanned copy of the drivers license or getting a scanned copy of a recent utility bill, but to that degree, it still doesnt verify the identity of the person involved.

Kevin: Being in the industry myself, I can tell you that I joined almost 50% of agents who are concerned about security, but probably like them, Im among the 2%. Well, no, it was only 2% I think who were actually doing something there. But I would guess that the majority of the others dont know what to do, Lee, because there arent too many opportunities or ways that this is being promoted.

Lee: No, absolutely, Kevin. I think thats the part of the role that were trying to play. In Queensland, were actually doing some work with REIQ, and weve created a subset of IDfy that is called AgentID specifically for that reason, to actually give some guidelines and some clarity to the agents in Queensland about how they can use the app to ensure theyre protecting both themselves and the consumer.

In the UK, theyre concerned that fraudulent activity is growing at 300% per annum, and they starting to see more and more of that. In a recent case here in ACT in Australia, we saw a couple on honeymoon  I think it was  had their property sold by a scam that was being completed outside of the country.

So, I think the guidelines that we need to start to work with, particularly the real estate environment and also a greater aspect to the legal environment, we need to start to educate the consumer of what they should look for when they are choosing a real estate agent or a conveyancer or a lawyer to go through the property transaction process.

Kevin: Okay. So, IDfy is really only operating in Queensland through the REIQ at this point in time. Whats been the uptake like, and what sort of feedback are you getting from agents and consumers?

Lee: Sorry, just to be clear, Kevin, IDfy is across the country. AgentID is the app that weve actually built with REIQ.

Kevin: My apologies.

Lee: Im being very honest. From a real estate agent point of view, its still quite slow, but Im here in Sydney today, and Ive just walked out of a seminar. That was one of the areas we spoke about, and there was a lot of interest in people understanding it.

To your earlier point, I think people just dont know what is out there at moment and theyre not sure what their obligations are. So, I think working with some of the professional bodies, such as REI Queensland, REI across the countries, that is going to be the way that we can help educate the real estate agent to actually move towards this.

I think from a national point of view, those conveyancers and lawyers who are operating on the PEXA platform or intend to operate on the PEXA platform probably are quite aware of the ARNEC requirements, and in the ARNEC requirements, it stipulates there must be verification of identity of the clients involved in the transaction. But to that degree, fewer than 20% of transactions are currently occurring on PEXA.

Kevin: Its fairly obvious to me that there has to be some kind of legislation or driving force behind this, because I think if you just left it up to agents, with respect, its probably never going to happen. It almost needs to be This is a requirement of your listing your property that you become properly identified. Its good protection for everyone.

Can I ask you, Lee, just before I let you go, just in terms of security generally, how are we in Australia? How secure is the information were putting on the Internet now? Should we be concerned about that?

Lee: I think from a general view, we probably have to be more aware of what we do put on the Internet in a very simplistic term. Someone said to me many, many moons ago, its like a postcard. Its out there, everyone will get to see it, unlike a sealed letter.

I think from our point of view, weve taken this very seriously. Weve worked in the legal space and the corporate space for many years, and so with that in mind, weve actually built our cyber security to a level certainly of that of the major banks in the country but also getting very close to that of military-grade security.

We encrypt everything that goes into our cloud-based services, and we ensure throughout that we have very clear audit trials and everything that goes through our platform. We can actually audit by way of date, time, we can see hes actually logged in and looked at a certain piece of information. We actually hold that information for up to nine years for the clients we are working with, and that certainly is what is intended with the VOI and IDfy.

But I do know that there is a growing concern of Okay, what is actually happening with that information? And for that purpose, the clients were working with being the real estate agents and the lawyers, were not expecting them to have that level of security, and therefore we provide that on their behalf through the platforms and through the products were offering.

Kevin: We certainly need to be very concerned about this, and I applaud what you and your company are doing, Lee. Lee Bailie has been my guest. The company is called InfoTrack, InfoTrack.com, where you can get a lot more information.

Lee, thank you so much for your time, and all power to you, mate.

Lee: Thanks, Kevin. Thanks a lot for having me.

Real Estate Talk  the only place where you hear all Australasias leading property experts.

Originally published as: https://realestatetalk.com.au/preventing-property-id-fraud-lee-baillie/

...................................................................................................................................................

Kevin Tuner worked in radio as General Manager of various east coast radio stations. He started in real estate in 1988 and was ranked in the Top 10 Salespeople in the state until he was appointed as State CEO 1992.

He operated a number of real estate offices as business owner and was General Manager of several real estate offices in Christchurch.

He now hosts a real estate show on Radio 4BC and a weekly podcast at www.realestatetalk.com.au. He is the host of a daily 7 to 10 minute podcast show for real estate professionals at www.reuncut.com.au.

To hear more podcasts by Kevin Turner, click here

Disclaimer: while due care is taken, the viewpoints expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Your Investment Property.
December 24 is the birthday of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.





Aliyev was born in Baku on December 24, 1961. He entered the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO) in 1977 and graduated it in 1982. Upon his graduation, Ilham Aliyev continued his education as a postgraduate student at MGIMO and received a Ph.D. degree in history in 1985.





He taught at the Moscow State University of International Relations between 1985-1990. From 1991 to 1994 Ilham Aliyev was involved in the private business sector, heading a number of industrial-commercial enterprises.





He was vice president, and later the first vice president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) from 1994 to 2003. He was actively involved in the implementation of Heydar Aliyev's oil strategy.





Ilham Aliyev was twice elected to the Milli Majlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan in 1995 and 2000, and resigned from his post in 2003 due to his appointment to the post of prime minister.





In addition to his existing responsibilities, Ilham Aliyev has been presiding over the National Olympic Committee since 1997. Ilham Aliyev was re-elected to this post in 2016.





He has been elected deputy chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party in 1999, first deputy chairman in 2001, and party chairman in 2005.





He headed the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 2001 to 2003.





Ilham Aliyev was elected deputy chairman of PACE and member of the PACE bureau in January 2003.





Ilham Aliyev was appointed Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan after his candidacy was approved by the country's parliament August 4, 2003.





Ilham Aliyev was elected president of Azerbaijan on October 15, 2003, gaining over 76 percent of total votes. He assumed his post on October 31, 2003. He was re-elected as president for the second term, gaining 88 percent of votes in the elections, held on October 15, 2008. He assumed the duties of the presidency on October 24, 2008.





On October 9, 2013, Ilham Aliyev was elected for a third term by an overwhelming majority of voters (84.54 percent) for the next five years. He assumed the post on October 19, 2013.

The Azerbaijani people made their choice, voting for political stability, prosperity and sustainable social and economic development.





The unity of the Azerbaijani people and the country's president was once again demonstrated in 2016. Thanks to the care and attention given to the army building by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, today Azerbaijan has the strongest army in the region.





The valiant Azerbaijani army under the leadership of the Supreme Commander of the country's Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev gave a rebuff to Armenian aggressors in April 2016.





The Azerbaijani army liberated a large area occupied by Armenia, thus opening another glorious page in the country's history. That demonstrated the world the power and aspiration of Azerbaijan for returning the occupied territories at any cost.





These events once and forever changed the recent situation and proved the unacceptability of the status quo in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.





By having voted in a referendum on amendments to the country's constitution in September 2016, the Azerbaijani people supported President Aliyev's initiative, which became a guarantee of the country's political and economic stability.





The act of referendum signed by the Azerbaijani president envisaged amendments to 29 items of the constitution. Results of the referendum reflected the Azerbaijani people's will. The Azerbaijani people voted for each of 29 items, which became the beginning of a new stage of Azerbaijan's development.





The year of 2017 marked a new stage in the development of the Azerbaijani economy, particularly, the non-oil sector. The 12 Strategic Road Maps adopted by President Ilham Aliyev in late 2016 laid the foundation for a new strategy of the country's economic development until 2025 and beyond, which are designed to ensure the economy's competitiveness and social welfare on the basis of sustainable economic development in Azerbaijan.





The year of 2017 saw such significant events as the beginning of negotiations on a comprehensive cooperation agreement with the European Union, the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is the shortest and most reliable way for cargo transportation between Europe and Asia the extension of the "Contract of the Century" until 2050, the successful continuation of construction of the Southern Gas Corridor, including the TANAP and TAP pipelines that will ensure energy security of Europe,. All these were the result of the far-sighted policy of President Ilham Aliyev.





As part of the announcement of 2017 as the "Year of Islamic Solidarity" by President Aliyev, a number of major international events were held in the country, including the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games.





The bright success of Azerbaijan's foreign policy was the recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty of member countries in the statement adopted on the results of the Eastern Partnership Summit of the European Union. The latest report on the "EU common foreign and security policy" by the European Parliament, dated December 13, has become a logical continuation of the process fixed in the joint statement of the Eastern Partnership Summit, held in Brussels on November 24 and which President Aliyev called as the diplomatic success of Azerbaijan.





The European Parliament confirmed for the first time its commitment to the EU's commitments to support the territorial integrity of all the Eastern Partnership countries within their internationally recognized borders.





The staff of TODAY sincerely congratulates President Aliyev on his birthday!




By Trend





President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"Dear Mr. President, I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday and express my best wishes," the message reads.

"In recent years the relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Azerbaijan have been developing dynamically, the mutual political trust between our countries is strengthening, and the two countries support each other firmly in the issues of mutual interest. Cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, humanitarian and other spheres is developing. The preliminary results have been achieved in the co-operation within the joint construction of the "One Belt, One Road" project.

I attach great importance to the development of relations between our states. For the benefit of the people of the two countries, I am eager to take efforts with you to deepen further friendship between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I wish you good health, best wishes. "
Schmidt recognized

North Dakota State University faculty and staff received awards for excellence in research, teaching, Extension and support staff efforts in an awards ceremony Dec. 7.

Rick Schmidt, an Extension agent in Oliver County, received the AGSCO Excellence in Extension Award.

FCSM gets award

Farm Credit Services of Mandan has received the first Rural Leadership North Dakota Champion Award.

RLND is North Dakota State University Extension Service's 18-month leadership development program. Participants learn leadership skills, such as thinking critically and creatively, communicating effectively, self-awareness, decision making, strategic planning and managing conflict. They also learn about agricultural and rural policy, marketing, civic engagement, the value of coalitions and partnerships, industry and community advocacy, the agricultural economy and trends that could affect North Dakota agriculture, and finding innovative ways to fund local and regional development projects.

Over the past eight years, Farm Credit Services of Mandan has supported the RLND program in multiple ways, championing the mission of the program, said Marie Hvidsten, RLND program director.

Farm Credit Services of Mandan has been a tuition sponsor for four classes and a program sponsor at the $2,500 level for four classes. The agency also helped RLND secure a $10,000 National Farm Credit grant for one class, asked leaders at AgriBank in St. Paul., Minn., to visit with three class during RLND's Minneapolis/St. Paul seminar and hosted numerous RLND council meetings. In addition, FCSM employees served on the RLND council for several years.

Grants awarded

The Tom & Frances Leach Foundation Inc. board of directors held its annual board and grant meeting in November.

The foundation awarded $1 million in grants for 2017 to the following: Abused Adult Resource Center, $15,000; Aid Inc., $5,000; Anne Carlsen Center, $50,000; Big Brother/Big Sister Bismarck, $5,000; Bismarck Art & Galleries Association, $4,000; Bismarck Library Foundation, $3,000; Bismarck-Mandan Chamber Foundation, $25,000; Bismarck-Mandan Chamber Foundation, $20,000; Bismarck-Mandan Civic Chorus, $3,500; Bismarck-Mandan Meals On Wheels Inc., $10,000; Bismarck-Mandan Orchestral Association, $10,000; Bismarck State College Foundation, $5,000; Boy Scouts of America, $7,500; Boy Scouts of America-Capital Campaign, $15,000; Central Dakota Children's Choir, $1,500; Central Dakota Humane Society, $6,000; Charles Hall Youth Services, $15,000; Child's Hope, $14,000; Cross Training Ministries, $5,000; Dakota Stage Limited, $5,000; Dakota Zoological Society Inc, $10,000; Farm Rescue, $5,000; Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation, $5,000; Gateway to Science Center, $5,000; Girls Scout Dakota Horizons, $7,500; Golden Age Club, Mandan, $10,000; Great Plains Food Bank, $20,000; Heartview Foundation, $32,000; Home on the Range, $20,000; Make A Wish N.D., $5,000; Minot State University-Special Ed, $5,000; Missouri Slope Areawide United Way, $25,000; Missouri Slope Areawide United Way-Homeless Shelter, $26,000; Missouri Valley Family YMCA, $100,000; N.D. Fellowship of Christian Athletes, $10,000; N.D. FFA Foundation Inc, $6,000; North Dakota Safety Council, $50,000; North Dakota Teen Challenge, $5,000; Prairie Learning Center, $10,000; Pride Inc., $3,000; Ruth Meiers Hospitality House, $25,000; SAAD North Lights Youth Service, $6,000; Salvation Army, $12,000; Scottish Rite Speech, $6,000; Sleepy Hollow Summer Theater, $10,000; Soup Cafe, $40,000; Special Olympics North Dakota, $3,000; State Historical Society, $10,000; State Historical Society of North Dakota, $120,000; THEO Art School, $3,000; Theodore Roosevelt Foundation, $50,000; Tracy's Sanctuary House, $3,500; Turtle Mountain, $5,000; United Tribes Technical College, $5,000; University of Jamestown, $5,000; University of Mary, $80,000; Volunteer Caregiver Exchange, $5,000; Welcome House, $2,500; and Young Life, Bismarck, $25,000.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a multispecialty hospital, reduced the amount of domestic water it was using by 30 per cent - saving more than four Olympic swimming pools worth of water per month - in the first nine months of the year.



According to a report released today by the hospitals in-house sustainability team, monthly water usage within the hospital fell from 28,787 cu m in December 2016 to 19,830 cu m in September 2017.



That means that over the first nine months of 2017, without compromising patient safety and while providing excellent care, the hospital has saved more than 20 million gallons of water  enough to fill 400,000 baths or nearly 40 Olympic swimming pools.



By using condensed water from the air conditioning system for irrigation and by changing the plant mix in its grounds to include more native species, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi succeeded in cutting the amount of mains water it used for irrigation by two thirds.



Irrigation water usage fell from 3,978 cu m in December 2016 to just 1,092 cu m in September 2017  saving the equivalent of one and a half Olympic swimming pools worth of water a month.



From last month -- November 2017 -- around 70 per cent of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabis hot water demand has been met by solar water heaters  something which will save the hospital Dh750,000 ($204 million) a year on its utility bills and further reduce the hospitals carbon footprint.



Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi was designed to meet the highest sustainability standards in the GCC, said Mawadhah Al Hashemi, sustainability manager at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. In the journey of sustainability, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels  we are constantly looking for ways to innovate and reduce our use of resources including water and electricity.

The healthcare industry globally is one of the most resource-intensive commercial occupiers in the world and I am very proud our hospital continues to work hard every day to become more and more environmentally sustainable.



To reduce carbon emissions, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi this year became one of the first hospitals in the Mena region to use a greenhouse gas tool to quantify and exhaustively log the exact amounts of greenhouse gas emissions the hospital produces in the hope of then being able to reduce them.



In 2014, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi became the largest hospital in the GCC to have been awarded a Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold sustainability certificate for new construction.



The hospital has been designed to include an innovative double skin exterior which provides an air buffer between the indoor and outdoor environment, reducing the amount of cooling the iconic building requires.



In contrast to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabis sustainability efforts, hospitals typically use around twice the amount of energy of similarly-sized office buildings and the number of new hospitals opening across the GCC region is set to grow by more than 10 per cent over the next three years.



By highlighting the sustainability results that Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is achieving throughout the year, we hope that others in the healthcare sector will take their own steps to reduce water and energy consumption and find new ways to become more resource-efficient in their operations, Al Hashemi concluded.- TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi City Municipality has announced the completion of a comprehensive project involving extensive maintenance infrastructure works at key areas of Al Wathba, Zayed City and Musaffah covering rehabilitation of roads, greens, lighting and irrigation networks, and pavements.



The project is part of the overall maintenance plan aimed at upgrading and renovating the infrastructural components as well as protecting the urban appearance of cities and providing the best service facilities, said state news agency Wam.



The Abu Dhabi City Municipality has accomplished the operation and maintenance of landscaping and local irrigation networks project in the Mainland, namely Al Wathba, Al Nahda and Al Faya, it stated.



The municipality has completed the operation, maintenance and landscaping work in addition to irrigation networks in the area to the south of Abu Dhabi  Suwaihan Road. As for agricultural works, ADM has completed the maintenance of Baniyas Park, said the report.



Wide-ranging maintenance works such as readying green landscape at the entrance of the second bridge in the direction of Mohamed bin Zayed City and trimming soil cover in an area of around of 5000 sq m.



In Zayed City and suburban areas, the municipality has carried out maintenance infrastructural works including operating and maintaining landscaped areas as well as local irrigation networks, trimming soil covers in Al Fursan Street and Al Raha Mall, removing flowers and marigold, cutting greens at the Airport Street and removing weeds, reported Wam.



The general maintenance and rehabilitation plan will roll on to cover all areas under the environs of the municipality in a bid to uplift and maintain the calibre of public facilities to realise the needs and expectations of the community and partners and contribute to boosting the standards of sustainable development, it added.
Sharjah-based Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Gulf Publishing Company, a leading independent media company with focus on the global energy industry.



HFZA, the second largest hub for petrochemical, oil and gas of the UAE, said the GPC team flew in specially from Houston, US, to Sharjah for the occasion.



The deal is aimed at promoting the authority, and its investors at the global level using the companys print and online platform and maintain its brand awareness on an international level, it stated.



In turn, the Sharjah free zone will assist the GPC to carry out activities that will improve and expand its global reach, it added.



Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, the director of the HFZA and the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, signed the agreement with Andy McDowell, Vice-President of the GPC, in the presence of Rakesh Ranjan, Chief Development Officer, HFZA, Catherine Watkins, Publisher of Hydrocarbon Processing, and other senior officials.



Expressing delight at the deal, Al Mazrouei said: "We ar looking forward to collaborating with them to achieve our strategic goal of becoming one of the most attractive and well-known hubs for the petrochemical, oil and gas sector."



The GPC will publish a special report on the HFZA showcasing its strength in the petrochemical, chemical, tank storage, oil and gas sectors.



This report will be distributed along with GPCs leading publications, Hydrocarbon Processing, Pipeline & Gas Journal, World Oil and Gas Processing during the year.



The authority will host a strategic planning exercise event early next year in Hamriyah Free Zone with the GPC and its petrochemical, oil and gas investors to expand marketing, brand awareness and networking activities, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The value of non-oil foreign trade between Dubai and Japan reached Dh31 billion ($8.44 billion) in the first three quarters of 2017, compared to a total of Dh44 billion during the whole of 2016, according to the Director of the Dubai Customs, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih.

The fgures were revealed during Musabih's meeting with the Japanese Consul-General in Dubai, Akima Umezawa, to discuss the strengthening of cooperation to promote trade between the UAE and Japan, said a Wam news agency report.

Welcoming the consul-general, Musabih emphasised the commitment of Dubai Customs to engage in constant coordination with members of the Japanese diplomatic corps to boost trade between Dubai and Japan by catering to the needs of the Japanese business community in terms of customs and border services.

"We ensure our trading partners have the finest of customs facilities that give real added value to their active business sectors in Dubai," Musabih said.

"Dubai Customs is keen to directly engage with all Japanese businesses based in Dubai so as to solve any issues they may face and help maximise their performance and trade returns," he added.

Noting that Dubais smooth customs procedures have benefited the flow of bilateral trade, he added: "We seek to add more growth to this trade through enhanced communication and cooperation with all Japanese business actors, in a way that also benefits the sustainable economic development of Dubai and the UAE."
Huawei, a global ICT solutions provider, has launched its OpenLab with industry alliance and partners in Cairo, Egypt aiming to build ICT ecosystem in Northern Africa in response to industry digital transformation.



Cairo OpenLab represents the 8th OpenLab targeting enterprise customers, is located in Egypt to serve and influence all of Northern Africa. This OpenLab, situated in the Smart Village office of Cairo, has been operating as a Research and Development facility for about a year and now is officially open to customers and partners.



Currently, the OpenLab is approximately 400 sq m and is estimated to expand to over 1,000 sq m in the next two years.



Cairo OpenLab focuses on the innovative areas of public safety, smart grid, smart city, smart government and smart education. The business operates through four functional centers: Partner development center, solution joint innovation center, talent training and certification center, and industry experience center.



Ni Zheng, president of Huawei Enterprise Business Group, Northern Africa Region, said: We established the OpenLab in Cairo so that we can make full use of the advantages of Egypt and serve all of Northern Africa.



First, the ICT industry market in Cairo is relatively mature and its marketing capabilities influence surrounding countries. Second, Egypt recognizes the significance of industrial digital transformation, and the local industry chain ecosystem supports this transition for a number of industry enterprises. In addition, the education industry in Egypt is relatively well developed, with more than half of the top 15 African universities of UK QS Ranking located in Egypt, also contributing to the advancement of the region.



Xu Guoyu, vice president of Industry Marketing & Solutions, Huawei Enterprise Business Group, said: Cairo OpenLab is an important part of Huaweis global OpenLab plan as Huawei serves local regions through its global expertise, talents, technologies, and customer business successes. As a result, Huawei contributes to industry ICT ecosystem development locally.



Compared to traditional technology-centric labs, Huawei OpenLab is market-oriented, and aims to develop hardware and software services as well as solutions with industry alliances and partners based on customers requirements during their digital transformation.



For business success in the digital transformation of enterprises, the Huawei OpenLab platform and ecosystem strategy provides distinct advantages for R&D, human resources, and joint marketing, Ni Zheng added.



Until now, Huawei has established seven OpenLabs targeting enterprise customers globally, including Suzhou, Munich, Mexico City, Singapore, Dubai, Johannesburg, and Bangkok. OpenLabs have become the centers for joint innovation, development, verification, and expertise for customers and partners, including collaborative development with more than 400 solution partners.  TradeArabia News Service
GAC Motor, China's fast-growing automaker, will showcase its latest line-up of innovative new vehicles at the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), to be held next month, in the US.



The events launch ceremony will be held on January 15, at the Cobo Center in Detroit.



GAC Motor will be debuting its high-end flagship MPV model that represents the highest level of independent research and development (R&D) capabilities, a new signature sedan, and an electric concept car that targets the young generation in the US market, said a statement.



Yu Jun, president of GAC Motor, said: We are privileged to be able to showcase our new models to U.S. customers once again at the grand trade fair that gathers the world's top automotive manufacturers.



The US has one of the most advanced auto industries in the world; its consumers have reached a social consensus on the essential attributes of cars, he said.



Entering the US market is an essential step for GAC Motor to bring premium vehicles to global consumers that adapt to their needs, he added.



GAC Motor has sold more than 460,000 vehicles from January to November in 2017, a 38.9 per cent year-on-year increase, while establishing sales and services networks in 14 countries supported by top global suppliers, covering the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa and North America.



By emphasising independent and innovative research, adhering to the highest international standards in product quality and establishing world-class car manufacturing systems, we aim to become a world-class brand built on highly developed production, R&D and marketing capabilities," concluded Yu.  TradeArabia News Service
Up Highway 14, high above Shell and Greybull but not quite to the top of the Big Horn Mountains, long, white, vertical lines shine through the dark forest.

Their meaning is unmistakable. They make up what was once the Antelope Butte Ski Area, a mom-and-pop hill started in the 1960s and closed in 2004. Theyre a remnant of times past when most mountain towns had a lodge with a lift or two.

And this winter, theyre coming back to life.

The Antelope Butte Foundation, a group of local residents, has been working since 2011 to restart the resort as a nonprofit. Its been a long road full of fundraising, U.S. Forest Service permits, water damage and broken machinery. And while its far from over, theres hope.

The foundation has a new executive director, Casper native John Kirlin, a Forest Service permit allowing work to be done and more than $1.6 million raised to their goal of $4 million.

The resort also has snow.

Here, everywhere youre looking at is something spectacular, Kirlin said. To really truly understand what it could do people need to go up there and see it.

Tough history

Running a small-town resort at a time when skier numbers have plateaued and winters are shorter is a tall order. But its not an impossible one.

Antelope Butte had been owned and operated by a Wyoming corporation called Fun Valley Inc. They ran the lifts for skiers and snowboarders for about four decades before abruptly shutting down in the spring of 2004 because of personal issues, Kirlin said.

The lodge, lifts and runs then languished, ravaged by hard, cold winters, hot summers and wind. The Forest Service tried selling the lodge and leasing the land, without success.

After a few years, the Forest Service was ready to tear down the structures. Then a coalition of community members from the surrounding area stepped in to form the Antelope Butte Foundation.

They hoped to raise enough money  $3 million at the time  to bring the area back to life. But first they needed a permit. In March 2016, the Forest Service agreed to allow the group to make renovations to the lodge and work on the ski hill.

Its a nonprofit and it will always operate as a nonprofit, Kirlin said. Grants and private dollars are then used to help better the community.

Road forward

If potential donors in the Sheridan area were waiting for progress on the hill before giving, Kirlin is ready. He fixed the 41-year-old Sno-Cat affectionately named Bertha and has been plowing the 1-mile long dirt road from the highway to the hill.

Hes working on acquiring equipment to groom the 6 miles of Nordic ski trails that snake around the resort and is even hosting a dog sled race this winter. Renovations are underway on the historic lodge.

The fundraising goal is $4 million now  $3.6 million to finish the lodge, update the lifts and buy grooming machines and another $400,000 to begin an endowment. With $1.63 million raised, and a plan in place, Kirlin doesnt worry about raising the remaining money.

Neither does Jordan LeDuc, owner of Sheridan Bicycles in Sheridan.

It will make the quality of life better for Sheridan and the community, LeDuc said. We moved to town when it was closing, and it was a big blow to the surrounding counties. It took some winter fun away.

LeDuc skis, but doesnt sell ski equipment. Hes looking forward to a re-opened Antelope Butte largely because of summer options.

The Antelope Butte Foundation board got permission from the Forest Service to run the resort year-round. That means they can target not only skiers and snowboarders interested in a community resort with 500 acres of skiable terrain and 1,000 feet of elevation gain, but also bring in summer tourists.

I want it to be a fun escape no matter what time of year youre around, Kirlin said. It will be an easy thing for families to offer for their kids. A place where kids and parents alike can explore and learn new things and can do that for the rest of their lives.

Its a strategy many resorts are turning to in order to make ends meet.

While long-time Jackson Hole Mountain Resort president Jerry Blann said recently that summer activities wont ever replace revenue gained in winter, it can help. And Kirlin said it will likely make an even larger difference in area run as a nonprofit.

As we move forward, our summer will end up subsidizing our winters when we have nine months of dry season and we can have mountain bike rentals and clinics and maybe zip lines and hiking and climbing opportunities there in Shell Canyon, he said. The summer potential will outweigh winter.

Kirlin wont speculate on when the resort may or may not open lift lines and send new skiers and snowboarders down those long slices through the trees. He would love to say next winter, but it depends on fundraising.

What Kirlin does know is that the area has snow, the Sno-Cat is up and running and he and the board are ready.
CHEYENNE  In the 2017 legislative session Gov. Matt Mead used his line item veto power to soften some drastic cuts the lawmakers wanted.

They wanted them so badly that the legislators voted to override Meads vetoes.

Thus thwarted, governor went ahead with the position freezes last April.

Now that the revenues have perked up the governor is asking the Legislature to back off its plan to eliminate an additional 90 full time positions.

A new government spending and efficiency study sided with the governor on some cuts.

The reduction in the number of state employees has resulted in the loss of staffing for key revenue generating positions in the audit and revenue agencies.

Replacing those key staff members should be a priority for the coming legislative budget session, said the report by the Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, Alvarez and Marshal.

It never made much sense to cut the revenue and audit departments, yet previous governors and Legislatures have also done just that through the across-the-board percentage cuts.

The idea was to make the suffering equal across all segments of government, regardless of the wisdom of the cuts.

The $300,000 consultants study contains tons of information that was compiled within the short time frame of three months.

As I was writing that sentence, I could hear in my head the mutterings of the agency heads who had to hustle to provide the consultants with the information contained in the report.

The A and M consultants estimate it will cost Between $12 and $17 million to put into effect its recommended efficiency and modernization initiatives.

They suggest that an investment of $13 million could yield $112 million in savings. Or an investment of $18 million could yield $228 million in savings. Sounds good.

Some recommendations in the massive report provoked that old deja vu feeling, in particular the finding that each agency continues to maintain administrative functions that overlap with centralized services including, human resources, finance, IT and procurement.

I thought the overlap was solved years ago with the centralization of these functions through creation of the Department of Administration and Fiscal Control which later evolved in the Department of Administration and Information.

Most of the interaction with the central procurement division is for compliance rather than process support, the report said.

The state does not provide ready access to data for the procurement staff to conduct meaningful analysis of expenditures or procurement practices. System integrity issues create the arms length access to data.

What I think this batch of governmentese prose means is that the agencies are not seeking or not getting advice on how to get better prices on volume purchases, and the procurement staff needs faster access to information that could save the state money with purchases. The agencies still are in their silos.

And then there is the recommendation for a bonus system for state employees who come up with ideas to save the state money either by themselves or part of a team.

This has saved huge amounts of money in other states, the consultants said.

Wyoming has had programs like that in the past.

The states efforts, however, never held the grand title recommended by the consultants The Governors Annual Ideas Festival.

The report identified Wyomings cultural bias against all things federal, a historical stance that results in over-reliance on state money.

The report cited numerous examples of agencies bypassing federal funds.

Wyoming is the only state that does not seek reimbursement for Medicaid funds for school districts. Participation in federal child nutrition programs is well below benchmarks and numerous schools have dropped out of the programs, the report said.

There are other interesting tidbits of information in the report. For example, crafty agency heads, expecting a hiring freeze of vacant positions, tried to fill them before the deadline.

The freeze went into effect on April 30, 2017. By then there were only 3 vacant positions, a decrease from 96 counted a month earlier.

The entire study actually prompts that deja vu feeling because it was preceded by so many similar efforts that had less than stunning results.

Maybe this time...

Phase two of the study is up next.
While new technologies and a wave of private spaceflight ventures have created a so-called New Space industry, one Tucson company is going strong more than two decades after starting out in the space business.

Tucson-based Paragon Space Development, a maker of life-support and thermal control systems for spacecraft, is not only thriving as a resurgent NASA looks to resume human space exploration, but its looking to ride the swelling wave of private space development as well.

I joke that were the grandfather of New Space in Tucson, said Grant Anderson, Paragons co-founder, president and CEO.

Private contractors have helped NASA launch space vehicles since the agencys inception, but the new commercial space industry really began to blossom about a decade ago, when NASA began encouraging private launch providers.

Since then, space-launch firms like Elon Musks SpaceX have launched numerous payloads to supply the International Space Station and to put commercial and government satellites into orbit.

More recently, startups like Tucson-based Vector have been working to perfect small rockets to place micro-satellites into orbit to meet a huge unmet demand for such launch services.

Paragon itself fostered what could be considered a New Space company, though its vehicles dont quite reach space.

In 2013, Paragon co-founders Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum spun off startup World View Enterprises , which developed a system of steerable, balloons that can ascend to the stratosphere for tourism flights and as an lower-cost alternative to geostationary satellites for commercial applications like Earth imaging.

The new space ventures provide new opportunities to Paragon, which since its founding in 1993 has established itself as a key provider for life-support, environmental and thermal control systems for NASA, the U.S. military and major contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

The companys first project for NASA was an aquatic ecosystem  essentially a fish tank  that went up on the space shuttle in 1996 and later flew on the Russian space station Mir and the International Space Station.

Paragon later became a key partner of Lockheed Martin, providing life-support systems for projects including the Orion manned spacecraft, which has been in development since the early 2000s and scheduled for its first manned flight by 2021.

Continuing its work on numerous NASA and defense programs, and the company is on a trajectory of growth after inking several key developments in 2017:

In May, Paragon announced a teaming agreement with aerospace giant Honeywell under which the two companies will design, build, test and deploy environmental control and life-support systems for future human NASA and commercial programs.

In July, private spacecraft maker Sierra Nevada Corp. chose Paragons radiator technology for its Dream Chaser space cargo vehicle, expected to resupply the International Space Station starting in 2019.

Also in July, the Navy awarded Paragon a small-business research contract to develop systems to control heat on batteries that power electric propulsion and weapons systems.

In September, Paragon announced it was partnering with Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies  one of NASAs biggest engineering services contractors  on a NASA multitask contract that funds on-demand engineering work for the International Space Station. The contract is worth up to $500 million over five years, spread over many tasks and contractors.

GROWTH, IN ALL WAYS

Anderson said Paragon  which landed on the Inc. 5000 list of the nations fastest-growing companies in 2013  has revenues in the $5 million to $10 million range and grew revenues by 20 percent this year. He expects similar growth in 2018.

While focusing on its core life environmental, life-support and thermal control businesses, Paragon has stepped into non-space industries, including developing a hazardous-materials dive suit for the Navy for use in contaminated waters and an air-purification system for emergency refuge chambers in underground mines.

The World View spinoff reflects Paragons strategy to focus deeply on a core array of technologies, and to spin off other developmental ventures, Anderson said.

Were probably the most focused, unfocused company you can get, he said.

World View was essentially incubated at Paragon and the companies still work together, Anderson said. Poynter and MacCallum still have ownership stakes in Paragon, which is closely held by 11 co-founders and investors.

Paragon was the lead contractor and developer of a special pressurized spacesuit worn by Google executive Alan Eustace on a record-setting human high-altitude flight in 2014, with World View providing the flight systems and later acquiring the technology.

While World View has flown off on its own, Paragon is busy developing, fabricating, testing and assembling an array of systems at its 26,000-square-foot headquarters on Tucsons south side, featuring dry and wet laboratories, a vacuum test chamber, a full machine shop and a clean room.

The company employs about 50 people, more or less depending on contract work, and its payroll includes several University of Arizona engineering graduates, Anderson said.

Anderson said Paragon is constantly trying to adapt the latest technologies to its systems, showing off a cold plate the company is developing as part of the Navy battery-cooling project, an intricate latticed structure made with advanced 3-D printing.

Another example is the companys patented adaptation of a technology to fuse metal, known as friction stir welding, to bond thin extrusions into highly efficient aluminum radiator panels for spacecraft.

In November, Paragon was awarded the Innovator of the Year for small companies in the Governors Celebration of Innovation for its XRad radiator system.

In September, Paragon won a Copper Cactus Nextrio Award for Innovation from the Tucson Metro Chamber for its work on a water-purification system expected to fly to the International Space Station in 2019, under a $5 million NASA contract awarded in 2016.

Paragon says its patented technology can extract more than 99 percent of contaminants from urine that is already treated and recycled on the space station, a significant leap from the current system that will save NASA significant transport and waste costs.

Beyond Paragons current contract work, Anderson said the teaming agreement with Honeywell could lead to big things in the future.

In announcing the agreement, a Honeywell executive said the partnership comes at an opportune time of renewed interest in developing a deep-space habitat needed to reach the moon and Mars, citing the extended reach of unmanned spacecraft.

Unmanned achievements are now giving way to long-distance and long-duration human missions, said said Marty Sheber, Honeywell vice president for space. The technology developed by Honeywell and Paragon will give humans the opportunity to explore space for longer periods than ever before.

Anderson said the agreement, which allows either company to act as subcontractor to the other as it makes sense, will enable the companies to provide integrated systems to NASA .
New Hope This Christmas For Assyrians in Iraq

Lyon's Archbishop Cardinal Philippe Barbarin puts up a statue of Virgin Mary on the wall during a visit to the church of the Holy Spirit in east Mosul on July 25, 2017. ( Safin Hamed/AFP/Getty Images) Last year, after my trip to the then recently liberated Nineveh Plains, I wrote that I did not have any good news for Christians last Christmas. After seeing the genocidal destruction brought about by Daesh in Christian villages and hearing from survivors, I doubted that there was any future for followers of Christ in the Nineveh Plains or other regions affected by Daesh. A year later, I have some good news for Christians in the Middle East and more hope for the future. Indeed, over the last year, a lot has happened. The international community and states have taken some steps to address the needs of the survivors. Legal Steps The international community took steps towards bringing Daesh to justice. On December 21, 2016, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to establish a new mechanism to collect and preserve the evidence of all atrocities committed in Syria since 2011, including the evidence of Daesh atrocities against religious minorities. On September 21, 2017, the UN Security Council, led by the UK, passed the resolution 2379 establishing an investigative team to collect and preserve the evidence of Daesh atrocities committed against religious groups in Iraq. Despite the fact that neither of the teams is operative yet (which is especially concerning in relation to the mechanism for Syria as the resolution passed a year ago, while the resolution on Iraq passed only 3 months ago), the successful passage of these resolutions sends a clear message - the political will is finally there. Slowly, but surely, the steps to follow could ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

In terms of ensuring justice for the victims, it is still not clear where the perpetrators will be punished. In relation to the crimes committed by Daesh in Iraq (and as in accordance with the resolution 2379), these atrocities are meant to be tried in Iraqi courts. This may not be possible as Iraqi courts may be lacking the capacity to do so. The issue would have to be reviewed, and if true, other options would have to be considered. Similarly, it is yet unclear how the crimes committed in Syria will be brought to justice. Whether at the International Criminal Court, an ad-hoc tribunal, a hybrid tribunal or else, those considerations should be undertaken as soon as possible as they take time. Reconstruction Last year, I was also very skeptical about the reconstruction of the Nineveh Plains in Iraq. During my trips I remember seeing some people coming to the villages of ash and rubble, to see what was left from their properties. Last year, I could not imagine how, considering the level of destruction, such reconstruction could be achieved. Only in the Nineveh Plains, Daesh destroyed over 13,000 homes. The costs of reconstruction are in millions of USD. Nonetheless, only a few months after my trip to the Nineveh Plains, the reconstruction started. Again, slowly but surely, the reconstruction proceeded. During an Aid to the Church in Need conference in Italy earlier this year, I spoke to an Iraqi architect who is overseeing the reconstruction of the houses in Quaraqosh. During our meeting he explained how the houses are assessed, whether they could be rebuilt or not, and in what sequence. He explained that despite the fact that some houses would seem to be in a 'good condition', this may be deceptive. In fact, some of the burnt houses had been burning for an extended time, their structure may be damaged and hence would constitute a hazard in the future. Hence, they would not be able to be rebuilt at all. At the time of our meeting, over a thousand homes in Quaraqosh were already rebuilt. Additionally, upwards of 600 were being refurbished. Once a home is rebuilt, it is returned to its lawful owners. The progress of the reconstruction is slow and dependent upon funding. This funding has been provided by organisations like Aid to the Church in Need and the Knights of Columbus. In the next few weeks, Aid to the Church in Need is to announce its new campaign to assist the persecuted. Another substantial donor is the new Hungarian initiative, Hungary Helps, that provided significant funding to rebuild some villages in the Nineveh Plains and other places. In addition, Hungary Helps provides other assistance to the persecuted, including a scholarship to students from the persecuted communities to continue their education in Hungary. Hungary Helps will be also expanding the scope of their assistance provided - both geographically and in terms of the services provided. Many good news for Christmas and for the New Year there. The question of reconstruction in Syria is still a long way away. Work for the Coming Months The 'to do list' for the New Year is complex. Further assistance is needed to rebuild the region, to rebuild not only the private houses but also the infrastructure and to ensure that the region does not have to depend on financial assistance but can become sustainable. The security concerns need to be adequately addressed. In Iraq, the issue of post-Daesh security and the escalating instability in the region caused by the Iraqi-Kurdish claims to the disputed areas has been placing an extra strain on the Nineveh Plains. The conflict needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency - for the sake of all Iraqis and for the future of the Nineveh Plains. In Syria, the security concern is at a different level. The Syrian Civil War is ongoing. The Daesh held territories are significantly smaller. However, Daesh is not gone yet. Another issue that will need to be addressed is to ensure that the rights of religious groups are adequately protected. Iraq and Syria have international obligations to protect religious minorities. Ensuring that the human rights of religious minorities, that are protected in these government's constitutions, meet international standards is crucial for the survival of minorities in the region. However, the rights must also be adequately enforced. To address the issue in Iraq, together with Aid to the Church in Need, I have been advocating for the establishment of a new office of an Iraqi Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief (or a Special Envoy on Minority Issues). The mandate could be modelled on the office of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief or the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, although with a much narrower geographical focus limited solely to Iraq. The Special Envoy could prepare annual reports on the situation of religious minorities in Iraq, the implementation of protective mechanisms, and on the progress made in ensuring that religious minorities are fully integrated into society. The Special Envoy could also receive complaints and support the local police in their investigations to ensure an additional overview of the situation of minorities in Iraq. Ultimately, while the clear legal guarantees of human rights are elementary, without an adequate enforcement and review mechanism, there will be no change to the lives of minorities in Iraq. The above described progress in assisting the survivors of Daesh's genocide refers predominately to the work done in Iraq. Syria remains in a state of civil war (or as argued by some, an international armed conflict) and hence any assistance of the survivors (whether of the Daesh atrocities or crimes perpetrated by others) is largely limited. Some of the progress made this year shows that there is hope for Christians and other religious minorities in the areas where Daesh tried to annihilate their presence. The key is for international communities and states to work together. Such unity of purpose is crucial, and as it is clear from the above examples, such a unity and cooperation is possible (despite some unavoidable differences). This Christmas, and beyond, let's remember all those persecuted for their religion by Daesh and paid the ultimate price. Let's remember those who, after encountering persecution, started a new life. Let's remember all those who still await a new hope.

Ewelina U. Ochab is a human rights advocate and author of the book Never Again: Legal Responses to a Broken Promise in the Middle East.
Degrees from NSU

Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D., held its winter commencement on Dec. 9.

Area students among those receiving degrees include Kaci Ulrich, Elgin, who earned a master of science in education in educational studies, and Kylie Belle Rusch, Bismarck, who earned a bachelor of music education in honoribus in vocal and instrumental music, summa cum laude.

Earns master's

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee held commencement exercises Dec. 17.

Joni Gjermundson, of Taylor, earned a master of library and information science degree.

Nursing inductees

Several area students were among those inducted Nov. 4 into the Xi Kappa-at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing at the University of Jamestown.

Inducted were Marlee Pierson, Carson; Brenna Thoele and Austin Schwandt, both of Jamestown; and Julia Snedaker, Harvey.

The ceremony recognizes senior nursing students and community nurse leaders who have demonstrated achievements in nursing, leadership qualities and high professional standards.

NDSU inductees

Several area students are among those initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at North Dakota State University.

The students are Sarah Behles, Garrison; Connor Candrian, Beulah; Alexandra Hennix, Kenmare; Kelli Pavlicek and Chandra Selinger, both of Dickinson; Lauren Schaubert, Bismarck; and Alexandria Thompson, Kief.

Approximately 30,000 people are initiated each year into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Only the top 10 percent of college seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Dec. 24 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.
Four former Tucson-area law enforcement officers have lost their state certifications for police work, officials said last week.

A fifth former deputy has also lost his certification for three years, and two other men are facing the loss of theirs.

In a Wednesday meeting of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, members accepted agreements with former Tucson police Officer Jaime Gutierrez and former Oro Valley police Officer Elijah Woodward, allowing the men to voluntarily relinquish their certifications, said spokeswoman Sandy Sierra.

The board also voted to revoked the certifications of former Tucson police Capt. Decio Hopffer and ex-Pima County sheriffs Deputy Kenneth Kimpel, Sierra said.

Also during the meeting, the board voted to suspend the certification of Arnold Romero, a former Pima County sheriffs deputy, until March 2020, at which time it no longer be valid, Sierra said.

The board also voted to initiate proceedings to revoke the certification of Tucson police Officer Charles Foley, who still works for the department, after winning his job back after in an appeal of his termination with the citys Civil Service Commission.

Anthony Levy, who was fired by Tucson police two days before he was due to start training at the academy, is also facing the loss of his certification, after the board voted to initiate proceedings against his certification, Sierra said.

The board heard the case of an eighth former officer, Michael Sauber, who was fired by Tucson police in August and voted to resolve the case in the future.

Without a valid peace officer certification, a person is barred from working in law enforcement in Arizona.

Jaime Gutierrez

Gutierrez, a three-year veteran of TPD, was fired from in January 2016 after an internal investigation found that he lied to his supervisors and violated department policies, according to AZPOST records.

In May 2015, Gutierrez failed to document an incriminating statement by a suspect in an officer-involved shooting, the records show.

Gutierrez denied he had done anything wrong and said he planned to write the report up later, acknowledging that he knew the suspect was involved in the incident, according to the records.

He changed his story when he spoke to investigators, saying he didnt know the suspect was involved in the shooting. Gutierrez was fired for untruthfulness, but later reinstated by the citys Civil Service Commission.

He was fired again, after the results of an investigation into a second May 2015 incident showed he lied to a supervisor about an incident involving the release of a domestic-violence suspect whom other officers intended to arrest, according to AZPOST records.

He appealed the second firing, but the Civil Service Commission upheld it.

Decio Hopffer

Hopffer, a 22-year TPD veteran, resigned in lieu of termination in April after he rear-ended a car and left the scene of the crash, AZPOST documents show.

The driver of the vehicle he hit called the police after Hopffer left the scene and provided officers with his license plate number and a description of Hopffer, according to the documents.

When investigators spoke to Hopffer, he admitted hitting the womans vehicle, but said she drove away and he lost her in traffic. He said he didnt report the crash to the department because there was no damage to his car and he couldnt find the woman, the documents show.

Surveillance cameras verified the womans story and during subsequent interviews with TPD investigators, Hopffer didnt change his story. Investigators found there was ample proof that (Hopffer) lied in the investigation, according to the documents.

A criminal case against Hopffer for hit-and-run was presented to the Pima County Attorneys Office, which declined to file charges. Hopffer was instead issued a ticket for leaving the scene , and he submitted his retirement to TPD days later.

Kenneth Kimpel

Kimpel was fired from the Sheriffs Department in April after he tested positive for cocaine during a random drug test and failed a follow-up test a week later, AZPOST documents show.

After the second failed test came back on March 30, Kimpel provided investigators with several different theories as to how cocaine could have gotten into his system, saying he went to a concert and left a beer unattended, frequented a bar where the bartender calls him detective and also used an e-cigarette that belonged to an unknown woman, according to the documents.

Kimpel had been employed by the Sheriffs Department for 11 years.

Arnold Romero

Romero had worked for the Sheriffs Department for nine months when he was terminated in March, after he lied to his field training officer about obtaining the date of birth from a person who reported suspicious activity near a local elementary school, according to AZPOST documents.

While Romero ultimately admitted to forgetting the date of birth from the reporting party, he initially searched through the departments computer system for the persons name and used the date of birth for a person with a similar name, the documents show.

When he was confronted by his supervisor with the inaccurate information, Romero first lied, saying hed asked the man for his date of birth before admitting that hed forgotten.

The AZPOST suspended Romeros certification effective March 14, 2017, through March 20, 2020, at which time it will lapse, Sierra said.

Anthony Levy

Tucson police recruit Levy was dismissed from the department Oct. 9, three days after he was accepted into the police academy, AZPOST documents show.

On Oct. 6, Levy went to a bar to celebrate his acceptance into the academy. At about 3:30 a.m. the next morning, Levy was driving on the south side of town when his truck left the roadway, hit a curb and crashed into a bed of cacti, according to the documents.

When TPD officers responded to a 911 call by a neighbor, Levy told them hed been drinking with friends the night before but had stopped drinking around midnight.

Levy told them he was due to start the academy on Monday and when he was completing a field sobriety test, he told officers Im under the influence and I cant do this, I had too much, the documents show.

At one point while he was talking to officers, Levy said, Look at my truck, I was drunk when I crashed, according to the documents.

Subsequent breath tests revealed Levys blood-alcohol content to be 0.143, nearly twice the legal limit.

He was cited for DUI and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident before being released to an Uber at the scene, the documents show.

Levys DUI case is pending in Tucson City Court, according to online records.

Charles Foley

Foley was fired by TPD in June after a criminal investigation by the Sheriffs Department revealed he forged his ex-wifes name on a jointly held investment account check, according to Arizona Daily Star archives.

Foley, a 16-year TPD veteran, came under investigation after his ex-wife called to report the theft, saying her ex-husband had forged her signature without her knowledge and failed to give her half of the money from the check, as was ordered in their divorce decree, Star archives show.

When sheriffs detectives interviewed Foley via telephone, he denied signing his ex-wifes name, saying he didnt know who did.

When Foley spoke to police investigators, he said hed emailed his ex-wife to let her know he received the check, but could not provide proof of the email.

The office of professional standards determined Foley lied during the police investigation and committed felony forgery.

The Sheriffs Department presented the forgery case against Foley to the Arizona Attorney Generals Office, which declined to file charges, according to TPD documents.

Foley appealed the firing and in October, the citys Civil Service Commission voted to overturn the termination, saying that while there was evidence Foley engaged in misconduct, there wasnt just cause for the firing, Star archives show.

As of Dec. 21, Foley was assigned to TPDs communications division.

Michael Sauber

Sauber, a probationary officer, had worked for TPD for a year when he was fired in August after he was accused at pointing a handgun at his father while he was off-duty at a family gathering, according to AZPOST documents.

A family member who was at the gathering and standing behind Saubers father believed he could have been shot if the gun had gone off and told another family member about the incident, who reported it to police, the documents show.

On July 28, Sauber was in the front yard of a family members house during a birthday party when he and his father began roughhousing by pushing and jabbing each other, according to the documents.

There were words exchanged in a joking manner between Sauber and his father, the documents say. Sauber then told his father, Hey, I have my gun, its right here.

Sauber told investigators he always did this as a courtesy so his father would be aware, then lifted his shirt and pulled his gun out of his holster inside the waistband of his pants and showed it to his father, the documents say.

When he spoke to detectives, Sauber said the gun was pointed at the ground until he returned it to his holster, according to the documents.

Sauber was arrested, but the Pima County Attorneys Office later declined to file charges.

Sauber was fired for failing to meet and maintain standards as a result of his involvement in an incident that led to a felony arrest, the AZPOST documents show.

During the AZPOST meeting, board members felt that there wasnt enough information to make a decision about Saubers certification, and voted to resolve the issue in the future, Sierra said.

Elijah Woodward

Details regarding Woodwards departure from the Oro Valley Police Department werent immediately available, as no case overview was provided to the AZPOST.
Christmas came about a week early for about 70 immigrant Latinas.

They each received something, but not gifts  certainly not the kind you buy in a store or order online. The women worked for what was proudly handed to them: certificates of achievement.

The women, nearly all of whom were born in Mexico, had taken part in the Latina Leadership Institute offered through the Womens Center for Economic Opportunity at the YWCA of Southern Arizona. On Saturday, Dec. 16, the women, most accompanied by family members, heard their names called out as they walked up to the front for an abrazo, a proud and happy hug.

You are the heart of this organization, Alba Jaramillo, director of the institute, told the women in her opening remarks. You are the movement.

The women all came to this country not knowing the language. They labored to find jobs and to hold their families together while attending the weekly sessions. Several of the women are undocumented, and some are victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence. They are all steadfast survivors.

They all have their individual stories and struggles, and they all shared a common road to personal and professional growth through the leadership program, which will empower them to bring positive change to an immigrant community that has long been maligned.

You are brave and you are leaders in the community, Jaramillo said to the future role models at the YWCA, 525 N. Bonita Ave.

The weekly bilingual workshops dealt with diverse themes.

Some women, having completed several phases of the program, earned the titles of promotoras. They will counsel and support women who are victims of domestic violence. Another session dealt with personal growth and household money management. A third stream focused on professional development, including opening and owning a business. The institute also offered English as a Second Language classes and other women earned their GED high school equivalency diplomas through the Pima Community College Adult Education department.

Jaramillo wrote on her Facebook page after the ceremony that 96 percent of the programs graduates in the past two years have found employment, opened or expanded their businesses, or returned to school for a GED or college education. In addition, the graduates have created a true fellowship/mentoring program that creates space for other Latinas and immigrant women to leadership and to demand justice for our immigrant women in Arizona, she wrote. The programs also emphasize worker and immigrant rights advocacy.

Some of the women have participated in several of the institutes programs, each time moving up the ladder.

Marlen Espinoza, who received her GED diploma and has participated in several workshops over the past several years, urged her companeras to take full advantage of the leadership programs.

We cannot remain content with one step, one class, she exhorted. No, keep moving. Take the steps even if they are small ones.

For Ana P. Valdez, a volunteer program leader for more than a year, the leadership program is critical to the womens development in Tucson. It has also fomented her growth as a businesswoman and advocate for victims of domestic abuse.

It is the most fulfilling thing I have done in my life, she said days before the graduation event.

For the volunteer mentors, participation is their passion, their mission.

Imelda Esquer, a mother of two who studies at Pima Community College and serves as a mentor, said, My salary is the liberation of women.

The program has existed for nearly 10 years but has evolved in the past two years, said Jaramillo.

There is a strong emphasis in mentorship and fellowship, and now leadership training and opportunities are part of each one of the classes, she wrote in an email. The programs are now peer led and taught by the women themselves.

The confidence-building that the women came away with is immeasurable. Its the foundation for accomplishing more, overcoming other obstacles, said Karina N. Orduno, another volunteer leader who has been with the program for four years. Her goal is to open a business and continue her education.

Its not just adult women who are involved. The institute has a leadership component for young girls. Ordunos daughter, Alin Rodriguez, a 17-year-old Flowing Wells High School senior, has been a participant and youth leader for three years in the mother/daughter and Y-Teens program.

To maintain the momentum, to ensure a stronger community and the development of new leaders, Jaramillo urged the graduates to recruit family members and friends to the new series of workshops, which begin Jan. 27.

This is where and how change begins.
A red flag went up Oct. 17 when Placido Villa Luna crossed the border at the Lukeville Port of Entry, prompting his arrest and the eventual indictment of 20 suspected members of a marijuana-smuggling organization linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Villa Luna, a 41-year-old Mexican citizen, was the main target of a sprawling federal investigation of the Los Terrones smuggling organization, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson. When Villa Luna, who was traveling with his wife and his sister-in-law, used his Border Crossing Card at Lukeville, Homeland Security Investigations agents responded to the port of entry and arrested him on drug-smuggling charges.

Villa Luna is accused of running the Terrones organization with his brother Nicolas from Caborca, Sonora, a major smuggling hub about 100 miles southwest of Sasabe, HSI agents wrote in search warrant affidavits. The Nov. 15 grand jury indictment charged Villa Luna and 19 suspected members of the Terrones cell with smuggling 2,600 pounds of marijuana in 17 incidents from March 2016 to June 2017. Nicolas Villa Luna was not among those indicted.

The indictment came after federal agents spent more than a year tracking footprints from Mexico to houses on the Tohono Oodham reservation, watching houses in Phoenix, following vehicles in Tempe, seizing cellphones from suspected smugglers at Border Patrol checkpoints and recording phone calls as marijuana shipments were arranged, according to court documents.

The smuggling routes used by the Terrones organization, which HSI officials said is a cell of the Sinaloa Cartel, stretched from Caborca to the international border, then through the Tohono Oodham Reservation and north to the Phoenix area, where the marijuana is distributed throughout the United States.

Villa Luna was charged with 18 counts of drug smuggling and money laundering in the indictment, which also included the suspected main money launderer for Los Terrones in Avondale, stash-house operators on the Oodham reservation, load drivers, recruiters and smuggling coordinators.

Backpackers

and drivers

Search warrant affidavits and criminal complaints filed in the sprawling investigation provide a rare look inside a smuggling organization.

After marijuana bales arrived in Caborca, backpackers hauled the marijuana across the international border and delivered it to Pisinemo, a village about 20 miles north of the border, and other villages on the reservation, HSI agents wrote in affidavits.

The marijuana stayed hidden in stash houses until a driver was hired to take it through or around Border Patrol checkpoints and deliver it to the Phoenix area. Several drivers told agents they were paid $650 to $1,000 for each bale of marijuana they delivered to Phoenix.

The most common path for drivers was through remote federal routes on the reservation that lead to Arizona City and Casa Grande. But in at least one case, drivers connected with Interstate 10 near Tucson.

After arriving in the Phoenix area, drivers delivered the marijuana to apartments and houses or they contacted fellow smugglers and switched vehicles in parking lots of restaurants, shopping centers or apartment complexes.

Money launderers

and stash houses

While Villa Lunas role was to oversee the smuggling and sale of the marijuana, Enrique Quintero Cecena was the cells main money launderer who made sure drivers were paid and the Caborca-side of the cell received its share of marijuana sales, HSI agents wrote in search warrant affidavits.

A month after Villa Luna was arrested in Lukeville, HSI agents broke down the door of Quintero Cecenas home in Avondale and arrested him on his living-room floor, court records show. Agents seized six cellphones, multiple debit cards, vehicle titles, receipts, ledgers and other financial documents from Quintero Cecenas house.

One of Quintero Cecenas roles was to send couriers to pick up money withdrawn from the cells various bank accounts, agents wrote. Three electronic vehicle trackers were found in his house.

Another suspected high-level member of the cell was Susana Leon Quintero, who faces 17 counts of drug smuggling and money laundering. Agents said she coordinated the drivers who picked up the marijuana loads from stash houses.

Leon Quintero told agents she was in constant contact with drivers as they moved the marijuana from a stash house, through Border Patrol checkpoints and finally to delivery in the Phoenix area.

The role of Shane Havier, who faces eight counts of drug smuggling, was to recruit other members of the Oodham Nation to stash and transport marijuana, according to HSI agents.

Organizing the stash houses on the reservation was the responsibility of Sabrina Lorenzo, according to agents. When Timothy Garcia, who faces five counts of drug smuggling, received marijuana loads at the stash house he ran in Pisinemo, he would contact Lorenzo to arrange pickup of the loads, agents wrote.

The remaining 14 people indicted were charged in connection with individual smuggling incidents, court records show. HSI officials said the Terrones cell could contain hundreds of other members, when all drivers, guides, and backpackers are included.

Footprints, flowers

The Oct. 17 arrest of Villa Luna was based on a series of recorded phone calls in April in which Villa Luna arranged a shipment of marijuana bales stamped with blue flowers from the Oodham Reservation to the Phoenix area, according to an Oct. 18 criminal complaint.

Agents seized the 230-pound marijuana load on April 27 and arrested four people.

In subsequent phone calls, Villa Luna discussed the arrests and questioned whether the load was stolen.

In the April 27 bust, agents learned a blue Dodge Durango loaded with marijuana was heading north on I-10 near the Cortaro Road exit northwest of Tucson, according to an April 28 criminal complaint. Agents followed the vehicle, also using an aerial surveillance platform to track it.

The driver of the Durango drove to a shopping center in Phoenix.

An hour later, a Jeep Cherokee and a Nissan Maxima parked near the Durango. The driver of the Durango walked away and a passenger in the Maxima got out and took the wheel of the Durango.

Agents followed the Durango to a Tempe apartment occupied by Daniel Madrigal Ramos, 50, and Jacqueline Ledezma Campos, 37. Two men unloaded several bales of marijuana from the Durango and took them into the apartment, agents said.

The Durango then headed to a McDonalds restaurant, where the driver left it in the parking lot. An hour later, it was picked up by the occupants of two other vehicles.

The three vehicles left the McDonalds with HSI agents following them. Minutes later, one drove through a stop sign and fled, another stopped in the road to block agents, and the driver of the Durango pulled into a cul-de-sac, got out and started walking away.

Agents arrested the occupants of two of the vehicles and seized the marijuana in the apartment and the Durango.

Affidavits filed by HSI agents also describe a June 4 text message exchange between Villa Luna and an unidentified smuggler in which they arranged payment to a driver for hauling marijuana.

Villa Luna texted he would have to wait for Quintero Cecena to provide money for a previous sale of marijuana so Villa Luna would know how much he could pay the driver.

After several hours of waiting, the unidentified smuggler texted a sad-face emoji to Villa Luna, who responded a few minutes later to wrap up the deal.

A few days later, the unidentified smuggler met with Quintero Cecena at a phone store in Phoenix. Quintero Cecena brought $4,000 for the smuggler and $3,500 for the Oodham members who drove previous loads.

The issue of paying drivers came up again in a June 7 recorded phone call when Havier refused to drive a load of marijuana that he had stashed on the reservation until he was paid for driving a previous load.

Also in June, Border Patrol agents followed footprints left by backpackers to a group of houses in Pisinemo. They and HSI agents searched one of the houses. The search didnt turn up any marijuana, but agents saw a familiar red Chevrolet Suburban parked in a nearby driveway.

The Suburban had been seen in the same driveway an hour before Fabian Monte was busted May 22 driving the Suburban through a Border Patrol checkpoint on Federal Route 15 with 100 pounds of marijuana. The house where the Suburban was parked belonged to Lorenzo, agents wrote.

Madrigal Ramos pleaded guilty Nov. 28 to his role in the April 27 smuggling incident and Ledezma Campos pleaded guilty Dec. 13, according to court records.

Villa Lunas trial is scheduled for April. Trials for the rest of the people in the indictment are scheduled for January.
A woman fatally injured after she was struck by a car as she crossed South 12th Avenue Saturday evening has been identified by Tucson police as 25-year-old Jimena Jimenez.

Jimenez stepped in front of a 2006 BMW sedan about 6:30 p.m. near West Canada Street, police said in a news release Sunday. She was not in a crosswalk.

Jimenez died at a hospital a short time after being struck.

The driver, who was northbound in the median lane, was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting Jimenez, say police. The driver was not impaired and stayed at the scene as police initiated their investigation.

Police have not determined if speed was a factor in the wreck.

The death of Jimenez marks the 25th pedestrian fatally in the city this year, Tucson police said in the release.
Atlas, according to Greek mythology, was a Titan, a giant with incredible strength who was condemned by Zeus to carry the world on his shoulders for eternity.

When the Marist College was built in 1915, at 72 W. Ochoa St. at South Church Avenue in downtown Tucson, the builders saw fit to place two Atlas figures on the north-side entrance under the balcony of the two-story adobe structure. Its a good thing they did.

It could be that the building, if not literally then at least metaphorically, has been resting on their shoulders for years. Most notably was when the buildings northwest corner was laid open like a gaping wound.

Vacant for more than a decade, coveted by developers for years and the home of countless generations of pigeons, it may be the citys most beloved and cherished structure.

It has also been an eyesore.

It is now undergoing a new phase as the Phoenix-based Foundation for Senior Living converts it into an affordable senior-living facility with eight units and a community center. Renovation of the College is expected to cost $2.8 million.

It is part of a $22 million project in which an additional 75 apartments are also under construction on the site of the former Bishop Manuel D. Moreno Pastoral Center, at 111 S. Church Ave. Together they are to be called The Marist at Cathedral Square.

During the renovation, under local contractor Tofel Construction, the day-to-day operations now rest on the shoulders of another pair: Dave Watts, the superintendent, and Louis Stroble, the project manager and superintendent.

The building is really important to Tucsonans, Watts said. Ive got people driving up all the time, stopping their cars and saying, Finally, somebody is doing something to this building, he said.

Bringing a crumbling adobe structure into the 21st century by next summer could be quite the challenge  but Watts and Stroble are ready for it.

I love the challenge, Ive worked on a lot of projects in my life and this is interesting, Stroble said.

To begin with, the building has undergone a significant structural transformation. It has been changed from a mostly adobe building to having a steel moment frame inside the structure that supports the whole building, Stroble said.

A steel moment frame is like a steel skeleton inside the existing building. It now has eight steel columns with 24 crossbeams that are connected, he said.

Getting the steel in place was the most challenging component of the project. That was the part that made me nervous, said Jim Tofel, a vice president with Tofel Construction, which started here in 1984.

Watts and Stroble both spent a lot of time working with local sub-contractor J.B. Steel to develop a steel-installation plan.

The vertical steel beams had to be lowered through holes in the ceiling. Then, once they were anchored, the horizontal beams were slipped into place by cutting holes in the side of the building.

Those days were insane, Watts said of the installation. It was, he said, his worst week of the project to date.

Stroble saw it differently, saying it was the best part. They had them in at the end of that first week, he said.

Even so, in some places the steel is next to the wall like it was designed that way, Stroble said, but at another point the wall is off by as much as 3 inches.

Shimming, using material to fill the gaps, was needed to make the steel rest against the walls.

The building is pretty square, but the walls are not level and neither is the floor, Watts said. All the steel is level, but the building wasnt, so we had to fix it.

Tofel added, Its basically a steel building now with an adobe veneer.

Steel bands, one on the inside and one on the outside are sandwiched together and will hold the adobe together, Tofel said. Then exterior plaster will go over the steel so it will not be visible, so it looks like its still an adobe building.

This is not your run-of-the-mill type of project, Tofel said. From a personal perspective, I really like the challenge of the project.

As far as subcontractors on the project are concerned, Watts and Stroble have relied on several local businesses such as Tellez Masonry, Oden Construction, Escalante Concrete, Southwest Hazard Control and J.B. Steel.

Theres a lot of coordination among the subs, Stroble said, so they got the ones they were comfortable with. He and Watts continuously sit and brainstorm, figuring out each procedure, minimizing problems and maximizing how they are going to use the other companies. We figure out whats the best way and away we go, Stroble said.

We were very careful in terms with our subcontractor selection and making sure we had the right guys on his project, Tofel said.

Tellez is doing the plaster and Oden is working on the windows. Tofel said thats important, because, The plaster and the windows, thats what everyone is going to see from the outside.

The process of asbestos and lead removal took Southwest Hazard four months to complete, Watts said.

I couldnt have asked for more with those guys, he said. They had 12-15 guys a day most of the time.

Stroble noted they used diamond bits to grind the asbestos off the Atlas figures.

They had these pencil grinders that they used to grind them so as not to destroy the beards and hair.

Watts even suited up with protective clothing to watch the process, because he wanted to know what their tools were doing to the figures.

At one point, a beehive weighing between 50 and 100 pounds was removed from one of the old chimneys, Stroble said. There were fireplaces in the building that were removed, but the chimneys were still in place. Once they were removed, it took a couple of days before all the bees left.

In addition to working constantly with the subcontractors, Watts and Stroble also meet every two weeks with the owners, he said.

The owners seem satisfied with what we are doing and they like the progress. They like what they see.

Stroble added, The city is going to love it when we are finished because right now were a sore spot and once were finished and gone, its going to be really nice.

He can tell by the feel

As far as dirt goes, not just any dirt will do for Brian Tellez of Tellez Masonry. Its got to be the good stuff.

What he looks for is the right combination of clay, silt and sand, but not necessarily in equal portions, he said. These ingredients, plus some straw, are essential to making good, solid adobe bricks, he said.

I look for material from different places and usually look for clean soil, Tellez said.

He has been doing it for so long now that he can tell by the feel.

On occasion his workers will use grass or other fiber, including some horse manure, just to put it to the mix.

And he should know, because Tellez comes from a line of masons and cowboys starting with his grandfather, who established Edward Tellez and Sons Masonry in the 1970s, he said.

My grandfather, my father, my great uncles were all masons and cowboys, Tellez said.

He has been in the masonry trade for 22 years, not counting the years he was in culinary school and the 10 years he was a chef.

The methods he uses seem to work because he is contacted regularly for historic adobe projects around town, usually for downtown restoration projects, he said.

His crews make adobe in a somewhat traditional manner. Instead of mixing the mud by hand or by using their feet, they have a backhoe to mix the dirt with some straw and water, then scoop it into a cement mixer.

They then use a wheelbarrow, which again is not so traditional, using it to carry the mud over to the wood forms that are used to make the individual bricks. Once the mud dries for a short time, the forms are removed and the bricks are left to dry in the sun. The forms are then used again for the next batch of mud.

Tellezs crews made the new adobe bricks in the traditional style of baking them in the sun to replace the crumbling, decomposed bricks taken from the Marist College.

They are about 14 inches wide, 16 inches long and 4 inches thick, Tellez said.

They are really dense and weigh about 50 pounds, Tellez said.

When in full production, My guys can make as many as 300 to 400 bricks a day, he said. He anticipates needing to make as many as 5,000 bricks for the college.

Once the workers put them in place, they are finished with a traditional lime plaster to allow the bricks to breathe.

This is important to protect the adobe from the elements.

A lime plaster covered the adobe bricks when it was built in 1915, but over the years, the original bricks around the Marist building were resurfaced with concrete stucco, according to the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation.

Because of changing building methods during the middle of the last century, it was thought best to use concrete, or stucco, to prevent deterioration of the adobe on the building, the foundation said in a report.

The problem is that concrete is less porous and it traps moisture, and moisture is like kryptonite to adobe.

This is what contributed to the deterioration of the Marist College in the first place. A problem with the drainage system that became clogged with debris caused the partial collapse of the corners of the building, according to the foundation.

It said the eroded solder joints on the downspout drainage system compromised the structural integrity of the roof. That, along with the cracked stucco, prevented the bricks underneath from drying properly.

History of Marist College

Marist College started as a parochial boys school that had boarders as well as students who attended daily classes from elementary grades to high school sophomores, according to the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation.

It was also the citys first integrated school, long before public schools were desegregated in the early 1950s.

Four Marist Brothers, who were invited to Tucson by Bishop Henry Regis Granjon in 1914, were the first to teach students at the school. The Marist Brothers are a religious order dedicated to combating illiteracy by teaching young people about Jesus, especially those who have been neglected by society.

Bishop Granjon designed the building and collaborated with master adobe mason Manuel Flores. They also worked together to build the adjacent Our Ladys Chapel and the Cathedral Parish Hall.

At 52 feet high, the Marist College is considered to be the tallest mud adobe building in Arizona. It is constructed in an Italian Renaissance and Spanish Colonial Revival Style.

The basement has 21-inch thick concrete walls rising to the main level. From there, the adobe walls are 18 inches thick up to the top of the parapet, according to the foundation.

The adobe walls were first covered in a pale green lime plaster that allowed the adobe to breathe, but were later covered with concrete stucco. The trim was originally painted red.

When it was new, a statue of Mary was mounted on the northwest corner of the building and a crucifix was at the top, in front of the building. Neither is in place now.

The Marists operated the school until 1924, when it was taken over by the Sisters of St. Joseph and, later, the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart. Then the school became open to both sexes and all races. The school closed in 1968.

The college was converted into office space for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson until 2002, when the building was found to be structurally compromised and was vacated.
Change of duty

Soldiers of the North Dakota Army National Guard formally recognized a new state command sergeant major during a change of responsibility ceremony Dec. 9 at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck.

Command Sgt. Maj. Brad Heim relinquished duties as the state's top enlisted leader and retired after more than 30 years of service. Command Sgt. Maj. David Lien assumed responsibility as the North Dakota Army National Guard's 10th state command sergeant major.

Lien will be the principal senior adviser to the Army commander on enlisted affairs of the North Dakota Army National Guard.

Lien, of Bismarck, began his career in the Guard in 1986 with Company C, 164th Engineer Battalion, enlisting as a combat engineer. In 1994, he transferred to Company A, 141st Engineer Combat Battalion, where he started working full-time for the organization. From 1994 to 2006, Lien held a variety of positions within the unit, including administrative noncommissioned officer, readiness noncommissioned officer, squad leader, supply sergeant and training noncommissioned officer. He served as the unit's operations sergeant during a deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. Lien again deployed in 2009 as the intelligence sergeant major with the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade during a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

Skager in position

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kiel Skager assumed responsibility as the North Dakota Army National Guards fourth command chief warrant officer in a ceremony Dec. 9 at the Raymond J. Armory in Bismarck.

His predecessor, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Shelly Sizer, retired after nearly 40 years of service.

As command chief warrant officer, Skager, of Bismarck, will serve as the personal adviser to the North Dakota adjutant general and the North Dakota National Guard Army Component commander and his staff.

Skager began his career in the North Dakota Army National Guard in 1984 when he enlisted as an administrative specialist. He spent 15 years serving as an enlisted soldier before graduating from Warrant Officer Candidate School in 1999 and commissioning as a military personnel technician in the state's Joint Force Headquarters. Skager later joined the organization's Information Technology Division and became a trained and certified member of its Computer Network Defense Team.
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Saturday blamed dirty politics and the caged parrot for the conviction of party chief Lalu Prasad in the fodder scam case.

Speaking to reporters, RJD leader Manoj Jha said the caged parrot (as Supreme Court once referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, or CBI) had been unleashed on political rivals who did not bow before the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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He emphasised that this decision would not weaken the RJD workers resolve to fight their rivals politically.

Targeting the BJP, Jha said that 11, Ashok Road (the BJP headquarters in Delhi) is a washing machine that washes all taints of a person who goes there and bows before them.

This conviction by a lower CBI court can possibly get quashed in the high court. We have seen many such cases. But our concern is the politics behind it, the politics that tries to subdue you through such means because it cannot counter you politically, Jha said.

What do we do of the caged parrot that does not see a 16,000 times spike in a persons income because that person is influential. Two people are running the country and are shattering traditions and demolishing institutions, he added.

The 16,000 times spike in a persons income comment is a reference to the increase in turnover of a company headed by BJP President Amit Shahs son, after the party came to power.

He said that the strings of the CBI were being pulled from the BJP headquarters.

Let me give an example. The CBI had filed a disproportionate assets case against Lalu Prasad. But he came out clean and won the case in the Supreme Court. One of the judges had observed that the CBI was evidently biased against Lalu Yadav.

Pointing to the Rs 880-crore Srijan scam, without naming anyone, Jha said a person allegedly involved in the scam was a Chief Minister.

But Saheb and the caged parrot would not look at it, because the Chief Minister has bowed before them and thus washed off all taints, he said.

The Srijan scam refers to fraudulent transfer of huge government funds to the account of a Bhagalpur-based NGO called Srijan Mahila Sahyog Samiti between 2004 and 2014. The RJD has accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of being responsible for the scam.

We have full faith in the judicial system and traditions of this country. But we know what kind of forces are incessantly trying to harass Lalu Prasad  a socialist ideology and the political power that refuses to bow before you. But the parrot will have to bow before the judicial process, Jha said.

Our people are taking this decision very seriously and it has only strengthened our resolve. We will fight politically and through the judicial process. It would neither shrink our political ground nor will they win in the judicial process, he added.
An unnamed teenager from Lorton, Virginia, is being charged with murdering his girlfriend's parents. The 17-year-old shot Keith and Buckley-Kuhn Fricker to death before turning the gun on himself. It is being reported by MSN that he has survived, but his name is not being released because of his age. The Frickers became alarmed at the Anti-Semitic posts the young man had on his Twitter account and reported him to the private school where both he and their daughter attended. They later caught him in their 16-year-old's bedroom at 5:00 AM and this is when the lives of the Lorton, Va., couple abruptly came to an end.

Standing up to hate can be costly

Keith Fricker and his wife had been concerned because of the hate filled posts their daughter's boyfriend had been posting on social media. Buckley-Kuhn Fricker was so alarmed, that on December 17, she sent copies of his Twitter rants to the principle of the private school. The young man had retweeted items he read regarding being in support of Nazi book burnings, calling for a white revolution, negative comments about Jews, and praising Hitler.

The mother added that she reported the young man because she believed his social media postings made him a monster. On Wednesday (Dec. 20), the Frickers decided to intervene by taking their daughter to the home of a friend in Washington D.C.

There they convinced her that it would be in her best interest to sever ties with the young man and she agreed. These choices by the Virginia couple to stand up to hate cost them their lives.

A family's lives are shattered because they fought Anti-Semitism

The police do not have a motive and no statement from the Fricker's daughter has been released.

Family members, however, believe Keith and Buckley-Kuhn lost their lives because they stood up to Anti-Semitism. It is possible they may have heard a noise, which sent them to their daughter's bedroom around 5:00 AM. The father shouted at the teen to leave his home, and at that point, he and his wife were shot. The teenager then turned the gun on himself.

The alleged shooter is said to be in critical condition and his family has declined to comment on this tragic situation.

Even so, one thing certainly is known regarding this horrible turn of events. A teenage girl no longer has her parents and two families lives have been forever changed. All because a Virginia couple decided to take a stand against hate. Keith and Buckley-Kuhn Fricker's loved ones should be proud of them.
Oprah posted a video and shared it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to warn her fans about fake social media accounts impersonating her. Some of the profiles promised a giveaway of $5,000 to the first 100,000 followers. According to BBC, they also claimed to be affiliated with OWN, Oprah Winfreys TV network and asked their followers to send money to Jamaica to cover taxes and fees.

Oprah responded by sending a message to her fans on Twitter.

Fraud warning from Oprah

Hi everybody, I just wanted you to know that somebody out there is trying to scam you using my name and my avatar on social media asking for money if you sign up for an OWN account on Instagram, she said in the video.

Its a fraud! Its a fraud! Its a fraud! Dont believe it. Dont give up any of your bank Accounts or personal information to anybody posting as me or anyone else for that matter, and have a Merry Christmas!

The OWN Television Network retweeted her video and updated all of their social media accounts by posting, Please be aware that social media accounts promising money using OWN and/or Oprah Winfreys name are false. We have notified the social media platforms who are working diligently to deactivate these accounts."

Instagram has officially removed 100 fake accounts so far.

Too many fake accounts

BBC News reported that Oprah isnt the only one being impersonated as a celebrity to scam followers for Christmas cash giveaways.

Director Tyler Perry and Boxer Floyd Mayweather are also victims as well.

The fake accounts convince the users to follow their pages and share the profiles with other friends in order to receive $5,000 as a gift. After the users follow the accounts, they receive a direct message in their inbox to send their e-mail address and financial information to receive their payments.

One of the accounts posted, Money distribution has been slower than expected. For a quicker distribution, please send your CASH APP usernames to @OwnChistmas_direct messages. It was a scam.

Cash App is an application that allows anyone to transfer money easily from their phones.

Ways to prevent getting scammed on social media
Watching Congressional leaders exult in their re-written tax code favoring the well-off over the worn-out middle-class brings to mind an almost 50-year-old etching by social realist painter Jack Levine. The image shows three government officials puffed up with self-importance. Titled Feast of Pure Reason, words taken from James Joyces Ulysses, are plainly mocking. The eyes of the figures are notably closed, as if their opinion is fixed and theres no point in trying to change it.

Activist art

Levine, a Boston native, drew the image in 1971 to satirize corrupt politicians in his hometown.

But it also is an unwitting proxy for the way the GOP rammed the tax legislation through last week without a public hearing, expert testimony or a single Dem vote. Thats the way with good art: it transcends time. Levine wanted more painters like him to take on current events, famously saying that the world needed more artists who make art, as well as Ted Williams, could hit  a clear dig at the Abstract Expressionists. (More about that in a moment).

The emperor wears no clothes

Given the tribal politics in the Trump era, the scathing imagery by Levine, who died in 2010, serves as if it were made this morning. Of course, hes not the only painter who turned to satire to make art. In the 19th century, Honore Daumier pilloried the French king Louis Philippe by likening him to a gargantuan eating his people alive.

The same goes for the painter Francisco Goya toward the end of the 18th century who pictured abusive rulers as monsters.

Rebels with a cause

Levine, then, was a latter-day Daumier and Goya- fiercely against corruption, which made him uppity about Abstract Expressionism: You cant disrespect the whole world for some silly paint spots, he wrote in the exhibit catalog for his show at the Whitney Museum of Art.

Before anything, I have to find out the valid thing to do as an artist...therefore I shall always have to repudiate certain contemporary concepts because Ive got a job that has to be done. I cant agree. Abstract Expressionists were part of a counter-culture, rebelling against so-called norms as diligently as the Social Realists.

Crime and punishment

Its worth mentioning that painters who put their brushes aside to draw political satire did not escape punishment. When Daumier pilloried King Philippe, he was jailed for six months and prevented from doing it again. Goya was called before the Inquisition, although friends in high places kept him out of jail. And Levine was subpoenaed by The House Un-American Activities Committee. But by then, the purge was losing ground and that was that. Levine took pride in the governments attention: You get denounced by the president of the United States, youve hit the top. But the way things are going in the Trump era, who knows if artists who fault him will escape punishment.
Catt Sadler had a career spanning two decades as a co-host for a two-hour, midday E! News show called Daily Pop. It was an emotional goodbye as she left the show. Catt spoke of her broadcasting experience. This experience for me at this table has been an absolute dream come true, she said. Its live. Its daytime. Its so real. Its so raw. A report by the Washington Post relayed most of the facts used in this article.

Leaving on principle

So why was she leaving her dream job? The answer resides in a recent personal Blog Post that reflected the ongoing debate about national gender pay inequality.

An E! News company executive leaked to Sadler that her co-host Jason Kennedy, who she nicknamed my TV husband, was making about double her salary despite the fact that their jobs were identical in nature.

Setting a good example

Sadler stated in her blog post that she wanted to set a good example for her two children. Sadler was also inspired by women who came forward with stories of sexual assault and sexual harassment that launched the continuing #MeToo movement. Countless brave women have come forward this year to speak their truth, Sadler wrote. Females refuse to remain silent on issues that matter most because without our voices, how will we invoke lasting change?

How can we make it better for the next generation of girls if we do not stand for what is fair and just today?

An attempt at negotiating

Sadler attempted to negotiate with the network and she said she and her team asked for what I know I deserve and were denied repeatedly. Sadler explained why she left the network. Know your worth, she advised.

Sadler expressed, I have two decades experience in broadcasting and started at the network the very same year as my close friend and colleague that I adore. I so lovingly refer to him as my TV husband and I mean it. Catt inquired, But how can I operate with integrity and stay on at E if theyre not willing to pay me the same as him?

Or at least come close? How can I accept an offer that shows they do not value my contributions and paralleled dedication all these years? How can I not echo the actions of my heroes and stand for what is right no matter what the cost? How can I remain silent when my rights under the law have been violated? No spokesman for E! responded to Sadlers statement.

A big issue

This issue has caused much debate in this country since the end of World War II when many women entered the workforce. Women who worked full time in 2016 made 81 cents when a man made a dollar. Being a college graduate widens that gap and is a gap that is far larger in business, finance, and legal careers than in science and technology jobs. Age further increases the gap, especially with women who marry and start having children.

More cases of pay inequality

Its even worse for those employed by President Trump since the White Houses gender pay gap has more than tripled. In August, the Trump administration ceased an Obama policy that required large companies to report pay data on race and gender to promote better policies to ensure equal pay. In 2011, Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski revealed that her co-host and now husband Joe Scarborough made 14 times more in salary than she. It was my fault, ultimately, that I was in that position because I accepted a deal that wasnt right for me, Mika said. She added that it took four tries with MSNBCs Phil Griffin to get it right for myself.

In 2015, Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence posted on Facebook, Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars? She commented, I dont think Ive ever worked for a man in charge who spent time contemplating what angle he should use to have his voice heard.

Its just heard. She added, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, and Bradley Cooper all fought and succeeded in negotiating powerful deals for themselves. If anything, Im sure they were commended for being fierce and tactical, while I was busy worrying about coming across as a brat and not getting my fair share.
Beth Campbell likes to think of the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum as similar to an ant farm.

Weve got all this pretty, smooth stuff on top, said Campbell, visitor services coordinator. Then you get down below and theres all this activity that you just dont generally see.

While the public galleries of North Dakotas largest museum could take days to fully appreciate, it would take a lifetime to view the entire collection of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Over the next several days, The Bismarck Tribune will give readers a glimpse of what its like behind the scenes.

In the lower level of the Heritage Center, paleontologists and volunteers work to prepare specimens they find in the field.

The division estimates it has about 120,000 specimens, and thats a conservative estimate, senior paleontologist Clint Boyd said.

The most complete fossils, such as Tyrannosaurus rex teeth found south of Bismarck last summer during a public dig, go upstairs in the Heritage Center. Others are on display in more than 20 off-site exhibits around the state.

But the displayed items represent less than 1 percent of what the state owns. Other fossils in the collection, from a triceratops pelvis too large for the gallery, to broken, fragmented specimens in drawers and cabinets, are in a secure storage area, often accessed by researchers.

First-time visitors to the paleontology lab are often surprised, Boyd said.

Everyone is shocked by how much we have in terms of material and how much work is going on, he said.

Meanwhile, the museum division has more than 70,000 objects in the collection, with about 2.5 percent to 3 percent on display at a given time.

We collect the history of North Dakota and her people, said Mark Halvorson, curator of collections research.

Much of the collection is stored in the lower level of the Heritage Center, where hallways are wide enough to bring in a vehicle, buggy or large exhibit case through a loading dock. A 10-ton lift gets large items upstairs.

The collection features everything from drapes that once hung in the governors house to examples of household appliances throughout the years to Native American headdresses.

Soup to nuts, we have it all, Halvorson often says as he walks through the aisles of storage.

Vehicles and larger items are housed in two auxiliary storage buildings. The vehicles include a horse-drawn fire engine from about 1914 owned by the city of Petersburg and a 1928 hearse from the Haut and Marckel Funeral Home in Gackle.

The archaeology and historic preservation division has 12 million artifacts, Wendi Field Murray, archaeologist and collections manager, said.

That includes every tiny little flake, she said.

With less than 1 percent of those artifacts on display, staff are working to take more photos of collections and make more available online.

What were really trying to do is increase public access to those collections using technology, Field Murray said.

The Heritage Center expects to launch a new program in 2018 that will allow the public to browse some collections on the Internet that are not on display, she said.

A 97,000-square-foot expansion and renovation to the Heritage Center was completed in 2014. Field Murray, who joined the staff in 2011, said anthropologists visiting for a recent conference were blown away by the facility.

The quality of our spaces for curating are state of the art, Field Murray said.

Staff in the archives division work to digitize more and more of the collection, which includes about 5 million feet of film. The film collection includes news reels and personal and home videos, with about 9 terabytes of film stored on a server to date.

Three large rooms in the archives division are full of floor-to-ceiling shelves housing a multitude of documents.

A manuscript collection features documents, such as the Oscar H. Will Seed Co. collection with business records, family photos and personal journal and scrapbook entries.

There are periodicals, even JC Penney catalogs used for identifying past items sold. There are nonfiction books on the state and Great Plains region. And there are newspapers being transferred to microfilm, a collection that grows daily with each new issue state papers put out.

Campbell takes new volunteers on behind-the-scenes tours, and theyre amazed by the size of the collection.

The amount of stuff in there is just mind-boggling, Campbell said. You could never get through all that information in a lifetime if you tried.

Reporter Jessica Holdman contributed to this story.
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The White House strongly pushed back on a report that President Donald Trump spoke about immigrants in a dismissive and demeaning fashion during a June meeting with top administration officials.

The denial came in response to explosive reporting from the New York Times, which wrote that, according to two unnamed officials, Trump said during a meeting in June that people coming from Haiti "all have AIDS," that recent Nigerian immigrants would never "go back to their huts" in Africa and that Afghanistan is a terrorist haven.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders issued a statement blasting the paper and denying that Trump had made the comments.

"General Kelly, General McMaster, Secretary Tillerson, Secretary Nielsen, and all other senior staff actually in the meeting deny these outrageous claims and it's both sad and telling the New York Times would print the lies of their anonymous 'sources' anyway," Sanders said.

The report said the Oval Office meeting during the summer included Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and senior officials, including White House adviser Stephen Miller, who the Times said had provided Trump with a list of how many immigrants received visas to enter the United States in 2017.

The Times report said Kelly and Tillerson tried to respond by saying many of the visas were for short-term travelers, but that as Trump continued, Kelly and Miller "turned their ire" against Tillerson, who threw his arms up and retorted that perhaps he should stop issuing visas altogether.

The Times said its report was the product of more than three dozen interviews. The explosive and disparaging remarks about immigrants attributed to the president were sourced to a pair of unnamed officials, one who the Times said was present in the meeting, and another who was briefed about the comments by a second attendee. But the Times says several other participants told them they "did not recall" the President using those words.

CNN's Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
A woman called Andrea Nguyen has written books about Vietnamese cooking.

She believes that the food people eat can tell you a lot about their culture.

Her love of cookbooks started when she was a child.

She also learnt a lot from her mother.

Andrea Nguyen has authored many English books featuring Vietnamese cuisine that are more than cook books, offering glimpses into national history, culture and traditional customs. Born Nguyen Quynh Giao in 1969 in Viet Nam, the California-based author has several acclaimed books to her credit, including Asian Dumplings, Asian Tofu, The Banh Mi Handbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and The Pho Cookbook. She has written for many magazines and newspapers, created the Asian Market Shopper app and set up the vietworldkitchen.com website. She speaks to Minh Thu about the motivation and inspiration for her culinary stories.

Inner Sanctum: How did you develop your passion for cooking and feel the need to write so many cookbooks?

I have been reading cookbooks since I was about 10 years old. Cookbooks were a way for me to learn about other cultures through their cuisines. When I did not see a cookbook about Vietnamese food the way my family and other Vietnamese-American brethren prepared it, I wanted to write my own. That journey started many years ago. Who thought I would be writing cookbooks for a career? I am fulfilling a childhood dream.

Inner Sanctum: Who influenced and inspired you to cook?

My mother taught me how to cook when I was young. First it was rice, then nuoc cham (dipping sauce), and dumplings. She taught me to be detail oriented. She measured with rice balls but also used to scale. She read cookbooks, newspapers, and also wrote down recipes. She was a model for me.

I also watched shows in America. My heroes included good teachers like Julia Child and Irene Kuo, who owned restaurants and wrote great Chinese cookbooks that I learned a lot from.

Inner Sanctum: You had another career. How did that happen, and how did you return to cooking?

Since the age of 10, Ive been reading and studying cookbooks. I perused cookbooks, both Eastern and Western food, as if they were novels.

I fantasised about doing something in food but Ive been a bank examiner, university administrator, and communication consultant. But in the midst of those careers, I cooked and read the classics as well as new interpretations of food, trying to find cultural and culinary links between cuisines. I read Vietnamese cookbooks in English and Vietnamese, trying to figure out how to best present the unfamiliar and exotic to a broad audience of cooks.

To test my determination, I cooked professionally for one year in the early 1990s. It was the hardest work Id ever done. Hands down. My father offered to put me through cooking school, a bold move on his and my moms part since they didnt initially take to me getting a university degree. But I demurred and figured that Id be better off in something more conventional, so I got a graduate degree and forged a career as a communication consultant for clients in education. I wrote as a freelancer on the side to hone my writing and research skills and eventually built a website and won a cookbook contract with Ten Speed Press for my debut work, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. It was the book that Id been wanting to write since I was 10.

I have no formal culinary training. I never went to cooking school. My lifelong curiosity about food, cooking, and culture fuels my work. At the end of the day, my aim is to capture the human connections to food and demystify Asian food without dumbing it down.

Inner Sanctum: So Into the Vietnamese Kitchen reinforced your confidence and passion?

It was published in 2006, a landmark publication with over 175 recipes. The work is the first comprehensive full-colour cookbook devoted to Vietnamese food in the English language. Leading food writers have praised the book for its attention to detail, accessibility, and thorough research. I work to demystify Vietnamese cuisine while bridging culinary traditions with contemporary practices.

Another one about the Vietnamese baguette, The Banh Mi Handbook, was released in 2014. Its my way of drawing people into Vietnamese cooking through the ease and simplicity of making a darn good sandwich. Many people are interested in bold flavours and banh mi sandwiches are a fabulous way to enjoy and explore them.

Inner Sanctum: Can you share some memories of your learning to cook?

Rice was the first thing I learned to cook from my mother. She made me wash the rice 10 times before I could add water to cook it. I made the rice for our family and my father liked his rice dry. If the rice was wet and mushy, I apologised to the family. But then I kept practising and that is what cooking is about  practising and learning so you can develop skills. Edible mistakes get eaten up and you keep moving forward.

Inner Sanctum: How would you position the traditional cuisine of Viet Nam in the modern society ?

Vietnamese food is very popular now in the US. People are very curious about the flavours, ingredients, and techniques. The general healthiness of the cuisine is also attractive. Many people are travelling to Viet Nam and going to Vietnamese restaurants here in America. They want to make Vietnamese food part of their regular lives. It is an exciting time for Vietnamese food culture. Vietnamese food is just as good as any other cuisine.

Inner Sanctum: There is an opinion that women are not going to be masters at cooking anymore, because there are so many restaurants and other options now. What do you think?

The best food is made at home because you can make small amounts of food and really perfect them. You can control flavours, apply good techniques and use excellent, fresh ingredients.

I know many home cooks that make food that is just as good or better than restaurant food. Just because you can go to restaurant for convenience does not mean that the restaurant food is better for you. It is healthier and more economical to cook at home. I have restaurant chef friends who come to my house to cook and eat with me.

Inner Sanctum: Your latest cookbook on pho introduces both traditional and adventurous recipes. Is this to make pho more popular in countries where the peoples tastes are different from the Vietnamese?

Pho is very adaptable and customisable. It was created by resourceful cooks who had little to work with, and there has been a lot of innovation over the past 100 plus years. In Viet Nam, Ive eaten pho cuon (summer roll), pho ga tron (chicken noodle in sauce), and stir-fried pho -- non-traditional pho dishes.

In America, we have pho dumplings, pho - banh mi and pho burritos. My aim in writing The Pho Cookbook is to tell the story and history of pho and then to invite others to learn the foundations for making it, and then create their own pho flavours and dishes.

Americans are making excellent pho at home now. Many tell me that their pho tastes better than the pho at restaurants.

By cooking Vietnamese food, people learn about the rich and diverse culture of the country. Ultimately, there is better human understanding. That is why I write my cookbooks. VNS





GLOSSARY

Cookbooks were a way for me to learn about other cultures through their cuisines.

Cuisine means cooking.

When I did not see a cookbook about Vietnamese food the way my family and other Vietnamese-American brethren prepared it, I wanted to write my own.

Brethren means people who feel as close as family.

She taught me to be detail oriented.

To be detail oriented means to pay attention to detail and to focus on things very closely.

I perused cookbooks, both Eastern and Western food, as if they were novels.

To peruse cookbooks means to spend lots of time reading them carefully.

Novels are books containing stories that are not true.

I fantasised about doing something in food but Ive been a bank examiner, university administrator, and communication consultant.

To fantasise means to dream about things that are your greatest wishes.

But in the midst of those careers, I cooked and read the classics as well as new interpretations of food, trying to find cultural and culinary links between cuisines.

Culinary means to do with cooking.

I read Vietnamese cookbooks in English and Vietnamese, trying to figure out how to best present the unfamiliar and exotic to a broad audience of cooks.

If something is unfamiliar to you, you do not know much about it.

Exotic means foreign and often interesting.

But I demurred and figured that Id be better off in something more conventional, so I got a graduate degree and forged a career as a communication consultant for clients in education.

To demur means to show that you are not keen on something.

I wrote as a freelancer on the side to hone my writing and research skills and eventually built a website and won a cookbook contract with Ten Speed Press for my debut work, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen.

A writer who is a freelancer is not employed by a publication but sells his, or her, work to whichever publication may wish to use it.

I have no formal culinary training.

Formal means ordered and traditional.

My lifelong curiosity about food, cooking, and culture fuels my work.

To have curiosity means to want to know all about what is happening around you.

At the end of the day, my aim is to capture the human connections to food and demystify Asian food without dumbing it down.

To demystify something means to make it easier to understand.

The work is the first comprehensive full-colour cookbook devoted to Vietnamese food in the English language.

Comprehensive means in full, with nothing left out.

Devoted means loyal.

Leading food writers have praised the book for its attention to detail, accessibility, and thorough research.

Accessibility means being able to reach things.

I work to demystify Vietnamese cuisine while bridging culinary traditions with contemporary practices.

Contemporary means to do with the present. In other words, to do with now.

Another one about the Vietnamese baguette, The Banh Mi Handbook, was released in 2014.

A baguette is a type of French bread.

Edible mistakes get eaten up and you keep moving forward.

If something is edible you can eat it.

Pho is very adaptable and customisable.

If something is adaptable, it can be changed to fit different uses.

If something is customisable it can be made to suit a certain need.

WORKSHEET

State whether the following sentences are true, or false:

Andrea Nguyens mother made her wash rice three times before cooking it. There are Vietnamese restaurants in the United States. Andrea Nguyen now lives in the United States. Andrea Nguyen cooked professionally for a year in the 2000s. Andrea Nguyens father used to like his to be dry.

ANSWERS:

 Duncan Guy/Learn the News/ Viet Nam News 2017

1. False; 2. True; 3. True; 4. False; 5. True.
SOUTHERN REGION  As Typhoon Tembin approaches the mainland, inexperienced localities in the south, which rarely face heavy storms, are actively preparing for worst case scenarios.

These include mass evacuations, closure of schools and businesses, and strict bans on fishing vessels venturing out to sea.

Agriculture Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong, head of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, has warned that Tembin is the most powerful late season storm to ever enter Vietnamese waters.

The committee, in its meeting on Saturday, noted that local people and authorities of southern provinces were in general inexperienced in dealing with powerful storms, and the regions infrastructure was not designed to be storm-resistant, but this time, serious efforts must be expended to be ready for the storm.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday issued a dispatch, asking localities and agencies not to be complacent and avoid past mistakes.

Experts have said that losses inflicted by the recent typhoon Damrey and the 1997 Linda typhoon would not have been so tragic had people heeded warnings and made proper preparations.

Local preparations

In the Mekong Deltas Can Tho City, authorities have urged localities seen as vulnerable to evacuate residents to safe places.

Typhoon Tembin, the 16th tropical storm to enter the East Sea this year, is likely to force over 137,000 people in Can Tho to relocate. Significant damage to infrastructure and crops is also foreseen.

Typhoon Tembin, which landed in the Philippines on December 23, killing 200 people and leaving dozens of others missing, is forecast to also impact a number of other Mekong Delta localities.

At 4pm on December 24, the storms centre was 120km east of Viet Nams Truong Sa Lon island, the fourth largest one in the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, with sustained wind speeds of 115-135km per hour.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF), in the next 24 hours, the storm will head fast westward at 25km per hour, causing strong waves that can seriously threaten infrastructure on the Spratly Archipelago.

At 10am of December 25, the storms centre can be expected at about 220km east of Con ao Island, off the waters of Ba Ria  Vung Tau Province. Strongest wind speeds may reach 115-135 km per hour.

On Saturday, leaders of Ba Ria  Vung Tau Province inspected preparatory work at local coastal localities including Vung Tau City and the districts of Long ien, at o and Xuyen Moc.

According to the Vung Tau Peoples Committee, 49 ships with 362 crew on board are currently operating at sea. All of them have been updated about the storms developments and advised to seek shelter immediately.

The city has set up two evacuation plans for 16,500 households with 36,752 people.

Meanwhile, the southernmost province of Ca Mau has banned all fishing vessels from leaving the shore as of 16:00 on December 23. Authorities have contacted 862 fishing boats operating at sea, including 372 offshore fishing vessels, and asked them to find shelter. So far, 743 vessels have docked in safe ports.

The provincial Peoples Committee also asked agencies, departments and localities to call on locals to reinforce their houses and production facilities so as to minimise losses.

As many as 250,000 students and teachers in Ca Mau Province, including tens of thousands in coastal localities, have been allowed to stay at home on December 25-26, just in case typhoon hits the province.

Similarly, HCM Citys coastal district of Can Gio has also shut down schools on December 25-26 and directed nearly 1100 vessels to safely anchor at ports. Preparations have been made to evacuate 5,000 people living in unsafe houses to schools, culture centres, and government buildings in the worst case scenarios.

HCM City authorities have also directed the citys power utility to ensure continuous supply of power during and after the storm.

On December 24, the Peoples Committee of ong Thap Province convened an urgent meeting with 12 localities to launch plans to cope with the storm. Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Duong has asked the localities to update locals on storm developments, reinforce dykes and irrigation works, and promptly complete crop harvesting.

Khuong Le Binh, director of ong Thaps weather agency, said that when the typhoon makes landfall, localities from Ba Ria  Vung Tau to Ca Mau will be directly affected.

The Peoples Committee of Bac Lieu Province started relocating locals from risky places on Saturday. Bac Lieu plans to move over 85,000 households with 365,700 people in 31,000 vulnerable locations.

More than 12,000 people and 24,000 vehicles have been mobilised. The province has also applied measures to protect 33,000 hectares of rice-shrimp farms, 46,000 hectares of rice fields and 76,000 hectares of aquaculture farms.

Bac Lieu has 1,232 fishing vessels, of which 177 are operating at sea and heading to the port.

In Tay Ninh province, locals residing around Dau Tieng Lake, Sai Gon and Vam Co rivers have been asked to move to safer places and reinforce their houses.

Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast in Tay Ninh for December 25-26.

Earlier, on Friday, the central province of Binh Thuan banned fishing vessels from going to sea from 16:00. The 252 vessels with 1,875 people on board operating at sea on Friday have been informed of the storm and asked to seek safe shelters.

Emergency meeting

Yesterday PM Phuc also chaired an online meeting with leaders of southern localities expected to be affected by the typhoon Tembin.

PM Phuc demanded that the authorities quickly guide farmers to harvest their crops early and take forceful measures to prevent fishing vessels from violating the sea travel ban before and during the storm.

According to the national steering committee, all localities have issued a ban on fishing activities starting December 23.

Four provinces and cities have reported their progress on evacuation and 13,564 people out of 853,604 residents in the high-risk areas in the nine southern provinces have been relocated.

However, the Prime Minister ordered that some sections of sea dykes stretching 276 km along the 774 km of the southern coast need to be watched carefully as they were recently consolidated to guard only against weaker storms with lower waves. Twenty-three critical points have been identified from Ba Ria  Vung Tau to Ca Mau Province.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded the effective cooperation between Japanese and Vietnamese businesses as he received the Special Advisor to the Japanese Cabinet Isao Iijima in Ha Noi on Saturday.

As Viet Nam and Japan have enjoyed an extensive strategic partnership in various fields, with especially strong cooperation in economics, the Prime Minister expressed his hope that Japan would take the lead in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Viet Nam.

He said he hopes that enterprises from the Northeast Asian nation would have more opportunities to invest in the country as the Vietnamese Government puts forth the equitisation of state-own enterprises and large firms make plans to launch initial public offerings (IPOs).

In recent times, shares of giant groups like Vinamilk and Sabeco have been sold successfully to foreign investors, he noted.

Isao Iijima, for his part, informed his host that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appreciated the phone talks with Prime Minister Phuc on December 22.

Japanese groups were interested in joining in the equitisation of Vietnamese state-owned enterprises as well as enlarging operations in the Southeast Asian nation, he added.  VNS
The first edition of the dance-music fest on picturesque island revealed shortcomings that organisers are determined to avoid; Epizode 2 is set to get feet tapping and hearts thumping, Peter Cowan reports.

Pristine pearly-white sand beaches. Melodic house during the day. Dirty, thumping techno at night. Thousands of revellers dancing for days on end, watching the sun set and then rise again.

This may sound like a scene from the white isle of Ibiza off the coast of Spain or from any one of a litany of festivals that take place in Croatia each summer.

But this underground dance music festival isnt in Europe.

Epizode 2 is coming to Viet Nams Phu Quoc Island, and Southeast Asia has never seen anything quite like it before.

International names

Set to take place from December 31 until January 10, 2018 on Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang, Epizode 2 is organised by Sagrado Corp, a Russian company that puts on musical and cultural events in Eastern Europe and Asia.

The first edition of Epizode was held on the island from December 31, 2016 until January 14, 2017, but its hard to overstate how much the organisers have scaled up since then.

While the first edition featured a couple of well-known international names in the underground dance music scene, including Claptone and Sammy Dee, most of the line-up was populated with Eastern European DJs without much name recognition outside of that corner of the world.

Sunny,sandy: The better climate in Phu Quoc lasts from November until April.  VNA/VNS Photo Le Huy Hai

Epizode 2s line-up however, is packed with wall-to-wall titans of the wheels of steel. Legendary British house and techno DJ Carl Cox will play on New Years Eve, Grammy-nominee Dubfire will spin on January 3, while Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann tops off a techno-heavy selection curated by Berlin-based party promoters HYTE on January 9.

With Ricardo Villalobos, Peggy Gou, Loco Dice, Stanton Warriors, Jamie Jones, Call Super and Dixon also booked to play during the festival, its safe to say Viet Nam and Southeast Asia have never seen an underground dance music event of this magnitude before.

But is Viet Nam ready for Epizode 2?

In a country where EDM is king of the dance floor and commercially-focused acts like Hardwell and Martin Garrix pack out stadiums, it remains to be seen if theres a large appetite for the more avant-garde musicians that will descend on Phu Quoc for almost a fortnight.

Building a scene

In the days leading up to the performance of Dutch trance DJ Tiesto (and symbol of everything thats wrong with commercial dance music) in Ha Noi, it became obvious how popular this form of dance music is in Viet Nam.

Tickets for the December 9 performance cost a staggering VN770,000 (US$34) in My inh Stadium, a price which may help explain his reported $39 million yearly income.

Even more staggering though was the demand on the resale market, with young Vietnamese and expat EDM fans alike scouring Facebook groups for tickets.

So on the surface at least, one could argue Epizode has been dropped in Viet Nam as if from another planet, and the first edition did indeed come under fire for a lack of Asian faces among the attendees.

Dig a little deeper though, and its clear the underground scene in Viet Nam has been building towards an event like this.

Ballooning: Revelers enjoy the first edition of Epizode festival in early 2017.  Photo courtesy of the organisers

Forward thinking

The Observatory was launched in Ho Chi Minh City in 2013 in District 1 before moving to District 4 a year later. The club opened with a clear mandate to promote alternative music in the southern hub and it did this with aplomb, quickly becoming renowned in the region as a space for forward thinking music.

Though the club has been without a home since September this year due to issues with the District 4 venue, the people behind The Observatory have continued to run nights in and around the city.

Savage meanwhile, flies the underground flag for the capital Ha Noi. The brainchild of French DJs Julie Mira and Ouissam Mokretar, the club opened in Tay Ho District in 2016 and has become a go-to spot for late night partying and top acts such as Lena Willikens and Roman Flugel.

Mokretar told Ha Noi-based online magazine Hottable that after some teething problems, Savage is now home to a community of music-lovers, local and expat alike.

This community has grown to the point where Mokretar co-founded the house and techno festival Equation, which debuted on the outskirts of Ha Noi in 2017 and is set for a sequel next April.

The Epizode organisers have clearly taken note of this growing community, with the pre-festival Asia tour set to make a stop at the club on December 29.
The annual high level aircraft cleaning will be taking place at RAF Museum Cosford from Tuesday the 2nd to Friday January 5th, 2018. The work will be focused on the suspended aircraft displayed within the Museums National Cold War Exhibition and will be carried out by Total Access, specialists in working at height. In addition to cleaning the aircraft, the Total Access team will also be carrying out safety checks on the suspension cables. Work will take approximately four days to complete and the media are invited to film and photograph the team at work during this period. Following an induction on the morning of January 2nd, the working hours for the team will be 9am to 4pm each day. Some of the aircraft involved in the cleaning operation will include iconic British jets such as English Electric Lightning P.1B/F-1 XG337, Gloster Javelin FAW.1 XA564, and Hawker Hunter T.7A XL568.

The museums English Electric Lightning P.1B, shown above, rolled off the production line at Warton, Lancashire in the late 1950s as the last of 20 pre-production F.1s to a 1954 contract No. 6/Acft/10351/CB7 (b). More commonly referred to as Development Batch aircraft, these Lightnings, in serial batch XG325 through XG337, took part in development and familiarization flights. Her first flight took place on September 5th, 1959 from nearby Samlesbury, Lancashire with J.K. Isherwood at the controls. As a pre-production aircraft, this Lightning was never intended to reach front line use, and spent its entire ten year flying career in trials and weapons development. XG337 sported an overall silver/natural metal finish during her service life, which ended in March 1969 following 698 flights totaling 476.25 hours in the air. For a more detailed look at her service history, please click HERE. XG337 has been on display in its dramatic vertical pose within the National Cold War Exhibition Building at RAF Museum Cosford since June, 2006.

Like Lightning XG337, the museums Gloster Javelin FAW.1 (shown above) spent its entire, albeit brief, flying career in development trials. This All Weather Fighter (hence the designation FAW) was part of an order for forty Javelin FAW.1s that the Royal Air Force ordered from the Gloster Aircraft Company in 1952 to contract 6/Acft/8336 (serialled XA544  XA572 and XA618 to XA628). Gloster built XA564 at its factory in Hucclecote. Due to its rather unusual, delta winged shape, the Javelin received the rather apt moniker of Flat Iron. It was not a particularly successful design, as there were many development problems, and other aircraft, such as the Lightning, largely superseded its mission before the main flaws were conquered. Even so, the type, still engenders much affection from those who flew them. As intimated above, XG337 had a very short flying career, retiring to ground instructional use in July, 1957, just two years after her first flight. Interestingly, during her final posting, the aircraft served as a ground instructional airframe at RAF Cosford with the No.2 School of Technical Training. The airframe joined the RAF Museum collection in 1975, and sat on external display at Cosford until 2004 when she underwent a full restoration at the newly-opened Michael Beetham Conservation Center colocated at Cosford. Following her restoration, museum staff suspended XA564 from the ceiling in the brand new National Cold War Exhibition Building, again at RAF Museum Cosford.

Built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd at their Kingston factory (under contract number 6/Acft/12626) as one of the first production batch (XL563-XL579) of T.7 two-seat trainers, Hawker Hunter XL568 started service with the RAF in December 1957. The RAF eventually acquired 45 new-build T.7s, plus a further six converted from single seat F.4 fighter variants. This Hunter flew for the first time on April 6th, 1958. Interestingly, in July 1959, the museums Hunter took part and won the Daily Mail Bleriot Anniversary Air Race, between the Marble Arch in London and the Arc de Triomphe Paris, completing the journey in 40 minutes and 44 seconds. This Hunter had a long and distinguished career, which you can learn more about by clicking HERE. She didnt formally retire until November, 1993. In April 2006, XL568 moved into the National Cold War Exhibition building at Cosford for suspended display.

Article based upon an RAF Museum press release.
SingleSpeed

wins award

WATERLOO  SingleSpeed Brewing Co. has won another award for its historic renovation of the former Wonder Bread building.

1000 Friends of Iowa announced Wednesday the project in downtown Waterloo was chosen as one of 11 winners of the organizations annual development awards, taking the renovated commercial category.

The $6 million project turned a 1927 building at West Third and Commercial streets into a production beer brewery, tap room, restaurant and coffee shop. It opened in April 2017.

1000 Friends of Iowa, founded in 1998, is a statewide nonprofit organization focused on promoting responsible land use and sustainability in community, state and federal development decisions.

An awards ceremony is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. Jan. 16 in the Capitol Rotunda in Des Moines.

Extension offers

workshop series

DYERSVILLE  A three-part series of workshops for female beef and dairy producers will be held in Northeast Iowa in January.

Iowa State University-Extension and Outreach will offer Boots in the Barn workshops Jan. 4, 11 and 18. Dairy topics will be discussed from 1 to 3 p.m. and beef topics from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Iowas Clayton, Delaware and Dubuque counties are home to 25 percent of Iowas dairy herds and 5 percent of Iowas beef-cow herds. Dairy and beef production have much in common, such as reproduction and basic ruminant nutrition. But they also have slightly different perspectives, such as nutritional requirements for maximum milk production, feed-quality requirements and grazing options.

Jan. 4, Commercial Club Park Community Room, 225 11th St. SE, Dyersville  Leo Timms, professor and dairy specialist at Iowa State University, will discuss milk quality and udder health for the afternoon dairy session. Schwab will present the beef session. A veterinarian will discuss herd health and a herd-management calendar.

Jan. 11, Fast Stop Shed, 32199 Old Castle Road, Dyersville  Grant Dewell, associate professor in beef production and beef veterinarian at Iowa State University, along with others from Iowa State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, will use a life-size cow model to teach calving management, dystocia and delivery. Participants will have an opportunity to deliver a fully jointed life-size calf and to practice difficult deliveries on the model.

Jan. 18, Commercial Club Park Community Room, 225 11th St. SE, Dyersville  Hugo Ramirez, assistant professor and Iowa State University-Extension dairy specialist, will focus on feed delivery and tools to measure feed quality. Attendees are encouraged to bring a feed sample for discussion. The beef session will discuss quality silage; Schwab will discuss basic beef-feed budgeting and cost control.

Cedar Valley

firm honored

WATERLOO  Cedar Valley Corp., Waterloo-based contractor, is the winner of two 2017 American Concrete Pavement Association Excellence in Concrete Pavement awards. This brings the companys total winning ACPA projects to 33 over the last 13 years.

Cedar Valleys Dickinson County project on M-56 (County Roads Category) and Allamakee County project on B-38 near Postville (Overlay Street and Roads Category) were recognized with gold awards as being the best projects built in the United States.

Veridian seeks

board members

WATERLOO  Veridian Credit Union is seeking candidates to serve on its board of directors. Applications are due Jan. 19, and five candidates will be elected to the board by the credit unions membership at an annual meeting April 21.

Veridian is governed by an unpaid, volunteer board, which sets the credit unions strategic direction and ensures its financial condition. Directors serve a three-year term, consisting of monthly meetings and an annual multiple-day planning session. For eligibility, board candidates must be a member in good standing and at least 18 years of age, among other requirements. More information and applications are available at veridiancu.org, or by contacting Betsy Meehan at administration@veridiancu.org.
CEDAR FALLS  The starting wages for many of the jobs right out of high school: more than double the minimum wage. The schooling: free  and you could even get paid to sit in a classroom.

The catch: Maybe there wasnt one?

When you think about opportunity costs and whats starting wage, thats a really good deal, said Ethan Wiechmann, a lead instructor at Cedar Falls High Schools Center for Advanced Professional Studies, or CAPS.

Wiechmann, other instructors and a panel of business owners were addressing a group of about 60 Cedar Falls High School students, mostly upperclassmen, on the benefits of apprentice training during the Skilled Trades Career Fair on Wednesday afternoon in the schools choir room.

Theyll train you for free. Theyll pay you while youre doing it, said Nate Clayberg, a CAPS business liaison. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Business owners at places like Dalton Plumbing and Heating, PCI, Croell and K and W Electric were on hand to introduce themselves and the jobs they offered to the dozens of students.

Most of the students had already shown an interest in the high school industrial technology curriculum, and more than a few werent sure if they wanted to attend a four-year college, something Koch Construction founder Jeff Koch said applied to himself as well.

I just barely got out of this building in 1979, he told the students.

Instead, Koch said he valued other skills  skills the students were already learning in shop class, skills that make a good construction worker.

If youre good with your hands, weve got a place for you, Koch said.

Many employers said, as long as a student was 18, they could begin training or working with them right away. OSHA regulations specify only adults can work with most types of machinery.

Students also could choose to start some type of schooling either before or during their apprenticeship period with a company.

You do one day in the classroom and four days working, so youre making money while youre doing it, said Loren Gardner with the Blackhawk School of Apprenticeship in Waterloo. You can also just come to the school, and we will find you a job.

Students had a chance to speak one-on-one with several of the employers at booths the businesses had set up in the hallway after the presentation, which most students took advantage of  even if graduation was more than a year away.

I wanted to get information and see whats out there, said junior Brock Azbill.

That was the whole idea, said CFHS guidance counselor Chris Wood, who noted it was the second year the school has held a career fair and attendance had doubled.

The idea is to get them thinking about whats next, Wood said. These employers are gung-ho to hire right now.

Walt Jackson, a project manager with PCI, said he was hopeful businesses like his could have more opportunities in more high schools in the area in the future.

Were always looking for people  the construction industry is always growing by leaps and bounds, Jackson said.
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WATERLOO  Fourteen of the 27 schools in the Cedar Valleys two largest districts are showing improvements on a statewide ratings system.

The online Iowa School Report Card  recently updated to include 2017 data  tracks 10 measures such as proficiency, progress toward closing achievement gaps, graduation rates, college and career readiness, attendance, and staff retention. Based on each schools performance over two years, the Iowa Department of Education gives one of six ratings from priority to exceptional. Rating assignments are determined by where each school falls on a 100-point scale.

For 10 Waterloo Community Schools buildings, that number increased from 2016, with three moving up a category. Those were Lincoln Elementary School, George Washington Carver Academy and East High School. Three of the remaining eight that decreased also dropped a category, including Kingsley, Lou Henry and Orange elementary schools.

In Cedar Falls Community Schools, the number increased for four buildings. Those were North Cedar, Orchard Hill, and Southdale elementary schools plus Holmes Junior High. Two of the remaining five schools that decreased also dropped a category, including Cedar Heights Elementary School and Peet Junior High.

Statewide, a fifth of all public schools received a higher overall rating than last year while about half stayed the same, according to the Department of Education. Just under 30 percent received a lower rating.

Seven of the 10 measures that make up the rating are drawn from results on the reading and math portions of the Iowa Assessments, a standardized test that all students in third through eighth and 11th grades take each spring.

On the proficiency measure, combined math and reading scores in Cedar Falls show minimal changes of about 1 percentage point or less between 2016 and 2017. Two of its schools grew in proficiency while the others declined.

Similar small changes in proficiency happened at six Waterloo schools, with two increasing and four decreasing. Larger growth happened at six schools, with the highest changing 3.7 percentage points. The remaining six declined up to 3.3 percentage points.

Charles McNulty, Waterloo Community Schools associate superintendent for educational services, said the district has already made adjustments to instruction based on the testing data, which officials received months ago.

This is really more of that summative assessment of what we did six to eight months ago, he said. As a result, administrators are already targeting interventions to schools with the priority and needs improvement ratings. Seeing the report card makes us more confident that weve chosen the right targets.

McNulty appreciates the ability to compare schools to others in the state using the online tool, including between those that are among its eight largest districts. He noted that while Expo Alternative Learning Center is one of two priority schools in Waterloo, it is the second-ranked alternative school in the state.

The report card doesnt tell the whole story about how students are doing in the district, though. Theres more to achievement than a high-stakes test in the spring, he said.

Cedar Falls Superintendent Andy Pattee made the same point about the report card. Its something that we review and look at, as well as multiple other data sources.

On another point largely unrelated to student achievement, he noted the district had a lot of retirees last year, which was counted against us on the staff retention measure. We anticipated it, but it comes across in an adverse way in some of the reports.

To look up the results for a specific school or district, go online to reports.educateiowa.gov/schoolreportcard.
HARVEY  Civic leaders in this central North Dakota town expect Canadian Pacifics decision to pull dozens of jobs out of the area to have sweeping effects on a local economy thats become intertwined with the railroad since it sprung up along the tracks more than a century ago.

The company plans to decommission its Harvey terminal on or after March 15. About 12 of the 73 train and engine positions based in Harvey will remain after the change, but mechanical, engineering, signals and communications positions wont be affected, a company spokesman said.

The implications of that decision have government and business officials worried about the future of a town that can trace its founding to the construction of the Soo Line Railroad. They said it will affect every local business to some extent, and the housing market and school enrollment are expected to take a hit.

These are the people who sit in the pew on Sunday, said Mark Friedt, rural market president of First International Bank and Trust. These are community members. They are not here to collect a paycheck and just go to their job. This is their home.

Canadian Pacific, based in Calgary, said the move was prompted by investments in its track and signal infrastructure that made its rail corridor safer and boosted efficiency.

With higher speeds and an efficient signaling system in place, most crews can make the trip from Enderlin to Portal, without stopping in Harvey for a recrew, within the federally mandated 12-hour work period, company spokesman Andy Cummings said in an email. For trains that cannot make the full distance, our new crew base at Minot will be better positioned to handle the workload.

Friedt said local railroad workers declined to talk to a reporter, and a man inside the CP building in Harvey deferred to company officials elsewhere.

Cummings said workers will have a job at CP if they want it. Relocation assistance is available, he said.

We do not seek to erase or forget what came before, or the generations of dedicated Soo Line and CP workers that have called Harvey home, he said. They will always be part of our companys rich history.

But Harvey officials were clearly frustrated by the move. Friedt said this was ripped out from underneath of us on such short notice, and Mayor Ann Adams said it shows how large corporations only care about the bottom line.

A railroad town

Harvey, a town of more than 1,700 people in Wells County, was founded in the 1890s when the Soo Line was built, according to a community fact survey on file at the State Library in Bismarck. A steam engine is on display in a local park named for Soo Line, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Pacific in 1990.

The rail line runs from Portal at the Canadian border to North Dakotas southeastern corner, passing through Minot, Carrington and Valley City on its way to the Twin Cities.

Canadian Pacific recorded $6.2 billion in revenue in 2016. Nearly a fourth of its freight revenue that year came from grain, and it serves 84 grain elevators in North Dakota.

Harvey is hardly alone in crediting the railroads for its founding. The lines connected the wheat fields of the Dakota Territory to major markets elsewhere, and towns along the tracks acted as commercial centers where farmers sold their crops, according to the State Historical Society.

Today, business and government officials said the Harvey community is still closely connected to the railroad. Indeed, 40 percent of the few dozen businesses polled by local leaders employ someone whose spouse or partner is employed by Canadian Pacific.

Taxable sales are expected to decline by up to $2.95 million per year due to the loss of CP jobs, leading to a $53,000 drop in annual sales tax income for the city of Harvey, according to figures provided by Chad Friese, the owner of a local insurance business and a board member for the Harvey Job Development Authority, which gathered the economic impact figures.

We have businesses that are 100 percent CP rail, Friedt said. They will close when this happens.

Community leaders have reached out to members of the states congressional delegation and state leaders, and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford visited last month to hear about their concerns. Locals formed a new entity, dubbed Operation Community Partnership, to raise awareness of the moves economic impact and to lure new businesses to help fill the massive void Canadian Pacific will leave.

We know we cant stop them, but were looking to the future, Adams said.
WATERLOO -- A snow arrived Sunday morning just in time to make a white Christmas for the Cedar Valley - but apparently not so much snow as to cause any major problems locally.

An early to mid-morning snow deposited what appeared to road crews to be 1 to 2 inches on the lawns and streets. It came after two months of unseasonably warm conditions. Mother Nature provided some flurries and a temporary dusting over the past week and half as colder weather settled in. Sunday morning, the ground was covered and it promises to stick around due to plunging temperatures.

Waterloo police reported only a couple of minor accidents, noting traffic wasn't as busy on a Sunday and a holiday eve.

Road crews were out treating streets and arterials.

Cedar Falls public work and parks manager Brian Heath said city crews were out at 6 a.m. sanding and salting arterials as well as inclines and declines. He said crews were making a second pass through the early afternoon to apply deicing materials in anticipation of falling temperatures Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day.

Conditions were a little dicier to the south. The Iowa Department of Tranportation reported snow covered roads all over southeast Iowa, from about Cedar Rapids south and east, as well as portions of central, south central and southwest Iowa.

The National Weather Service showed clearing conditions headed into the evening and Christmas day but much colder, with a Christmas Day high of 14 and a low Christmas night of 6 below zero. Tuesday's high is projected to be 8 above zero and a low of 5 below zero. Wednesday will be 13 with a 50 percent chance of snow Wednesday night.
WATERLOO  The oohs and aahs were in plentiful supply as students from Waterloos Highland Elementary School packed into Grout Museum District buildings for a museum school field day recently.

They saw science demonstrations at the Bluedorn Science Imaginarium and learned about Waterloos early history at Rensselaer Russell House, traversing that historic houses winding staircase and seeing and hearing about precious ceramics and other artifacts in the late 19th century home.

They pulled together in a hands-on demonstration on levers at the Imaginarium when asked to imagine themselves helping Waterloo pioneers George and Mary Melrose Hanna chop wood for their first home with a lever  an ax. The ax was a toy and the wood was Play-doh, but they quickly got the picture.

Museum School, which attracts third-graders in and around Waterloo-Cedar Falls and beyond, is one of the Grout Museum Districts most popular programs. Kids tell their folks and grandparents about it and bring them back to the Grout. Museum School, like many other Grout programs, is supported by donations.

Those donations, however, dont support the less exciting aspects of the museum districts operating expenses  like keeping the lights on, the buildings maintained, the plumbing and mechanical systems in operation.

Those are paid for by the people of Waterloo, who plugged a financial leak and put the museum district back on an even keel.

Two years ago, Waterloo voters approved a special property tax levy to support the Grout Museum District and its various locations. That doesnt mean the nonprofit organization is rolling in dough. Those who may have been expecting a Disneyland of new museum attractions would be sorely mistaken.

Since then, the organization has been able to build back up a previously dwindling endowment fund and has built its membership up to their highest point in at least 10 years.

The levy approval stopped the bleeding, board members say. Now theyre looking to the future with a strategic plan to incrementally grow the districts business and attractions  while maintaining its role as the official archive of Waterloo-area history and repository of historic artifacts.

The levy is raising about $620,000 a year and supporting basic operations of the Grout district staff and its various sites  the original 1955 museum; the Five Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum; the Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, which will mark its 25th anniversary next year; and the historic Ressselaer Russell House and Snowden House.

That money pays salaries, utilities and upkeep insurance and other basic expenses. It relieved the need for the Grout to dip into its reserves, which had dwindled to $1.2 million at the time of the levees passage and has now built back up to about $1.5 million. The district draws from its investment income on that endowment to also help support operations.

The levy revenue makes up less than half of an operation budget of about $1.5 million. That means the district has to come up with the rest from additional revenues, such as gift shop sales, grants and additional basic fundraising. The district is currently in the middle of a semiannual fund drive.

That budget has always been planned with a specific amount in donations, and receiving the levy didnt change that about, said Grout board member and trustee Barbara Corson, who helped lead the levy campaign. The levy really replaced what we were drawing from the trust and borrowing from the bank. Our donations are more important than ever, I would say, to hold the line on our budget.

We were in an unsustainable situation financially, said another board member, Dave Allbaugh, who also worked on the levy campaign. Because for a period of time since the Sullivan Veterans Museum opened, in 2008, we had been withdrawing $300,000 to $400,000 a year from the endowment.

When the new (Sullvan Brothers) museum opened, we knew that the operating budget was going to increase, Allbaugh said. But the hope was that we would see additional revenue as a result of the museum opening, and that the stock market would keep going up, yielding additional investment income from the endowment.

And of course, everything from an investment standpoint collapsed with the international financial crisis of 2008. The market was crashing. Our investments went down, donations went down and we really struggled there for a number of years. Which prompted the need to do the levy.

The museum also had received an amount of hotel-motel tax money from the city in the 1980s along with other nonprofits, but that money went away amid that decades economic downturn, Grout executive director Billie Bailey said.

With the advent of the levy we have stopped withdrawing from the endowment, Allbaugh said. The stock market has gone up in the last two years. Plus we have had one, if not more, significant gifts to the endowment.

When the levy was passed, the trustees passed a motion not to withdraw from the trust fund. And we have not withdrawn any money from the trust fund since then, Allbaugh said.

The museum district took out a line of credit to start a cash flow until levy revenues started coming in in the fall of 2016, board treasurer Jack Locke said. That borrowing is being paid off.

The museum also has pared its staff down to 20 full-time equivalents from about 25 over the past three to four years. It also relies on about 250 unpaid volunteers.

Donations needed

The museum still needs a fund drive to grow and enhance its programming.

Government support for museums is not unusual, Locke said. Board members may think the Grout is city owned, but it is not. It is a nonprofit organization.

Support for the museums in general and the Grout specifically comes from all sorts of different sources, Locke said. Revenues come from grants, facility rentals, memberships donations, store and gift shop sales and other sources. The levy provides nearly 40 percent of the museum districts overall income.

The three biggest pieces, Allbaugh noted, are the levy; grants, at 17 percent and 19 percent from donations, such as those from the current semiannual find drive. Admissions, gift shop store sales and memberships account for another combined 10 percent. The districts various buildings attract a combined 93,000 visitors a year.

Our donations still fall somewhat below the national average of donations to museums, Corson said. Its just hard. Waterloo enjoys a lot of tax supported benefits that are out there, the SportsPlex, the Center for the Arts, the library. We have these wonderful attractions, and they all need support. And theres not that many people in this geographic area to support all those things. So the same people are constantly being requested to donate. They try to do the best they can to help everybody. But its a constant struggle.

Its a competitive market out there for charitable donations, Bailey said.

Theres just a lot of things. But they all make our city attractive, Corson said. So its hard for people who really appreciate Waterloo and want to keep it strong to know, Where can I best my money? or Where should I give it this time around? 

Museum School, I think is the single biggest thing that shows that we reach beyond Waterloo, Grout board chair Judy Griffith said. People get their third-graders, their grandkids, in here and they become familiar with the museum. That really helps us as we reach beyond Waterloo for contributions.

Generational link

Thats also true from families from Waterloo who may no longer live in the area, Corson said. We have people outside our geographic area that give but almost all of them have a Waterloo link, or a veteran link, due to a connection with the Grouts Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum.

It makes a huge impression on these eight-year-old kids, Allbaugh said.

Locke noted he recalls coming to the Grout and visiting the museums blacksmith shop or buying rocks for his rock collection. And now Ive done that same sort of thing with my grandson who was here for Museum School in November, he said. Same reaction. He came home and we spent a whole evening talking about the Sullivans, talked about making rock candy, old clothes, swimming suits from the 20s, everything hed seen. Its a great museum.

Membership numbers run about 700, up from around 600 at the time the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum opened. It has increased steadily since.

The museum district is looking to pump up all its sources of revenue as the result of strategic plan put in place after the levy passed, Griffith said. We generally have smaller, more attainable goals, and people are making those, but its a long process with a lot of planning involved.

We know numbers for how many people are coming; there are goals to increase that, Griffith said. The district also is looking to increase revenues from its gift shops at the Grout/Sullivan museums and the Imaginarium.

What price history?

There are some aspects of the operation, like preserving and recording its collections of historic artifacts and maintaining historic archives, that dont necessarily produce revenue, Griffith said. We have to maintain the collection.

Artifacts have to be preserved in temperature-controlled, climate-controlled, humidity-protected, safe areas. Griffith said. And you have to have people to do that  skilled people, Allbaugh said. And facilities.

The Rensselaer Russell House is the biggest artifact we have, he said. You can imagine how much it costs to maintain that old Victorian mansion, which admissions dont support. Theres an example of where we feel its important to Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Cedar Valley history to maintain that structure. And were willing to spend our own money to do that knowing full well its not a profit center for us. A friends group supports maintenance of that and nearby Snowden House.

The Grout district issues an annual report, makes reports to the city of Waterloo. Two City Council members, Steve Schmitt and Pat Morrissey, sit on the districts board of directors as liaisons to the city.
WATERLOO  The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley needs help with the following:

Americans for Independent Living needs volunteers to sort and display donated household items, clothes, linens and towels and more.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is hosting open volunteer times Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, and Jan. 6 from 1to 3 p.m. Volunteers will be filling bags for backpack program and repacking donated bulk product. This volunteer opportunity is family friendly. Youths younger than 15 are asked to be accompanied by an adult.

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois are seeking a volunteer to manage cookies sales for the Waterloo Service Unit from Jan. 1 to March 31.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley are recruiting volunteers on Jan. 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. to assist with registration and silent and live auctions at Comedy for the Cause at the Isle Casino Hotel.

For more information, call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087, or go to www.vccv.org.
Sean Hannity, the Fox News anchor and Trump cheerleader, says the United States is on the brink of becoming a banana republic. Hes correct, but for all the wrong reasons.

Hannity worries special counsel Robert Mueller is getting too close to the White House and threatening the Trump presidency. Thats why he and other Trump enablers have escalated their attacks against Mueller and other law enforcement agencies. This typical tirade comes from former House speaker Newt Gingrich: Mueller is corrupt. The senior FBI is corrupt. The system is corrupt.

The real issue, however, is not the integrity of Muellers investigation. Its the determination of Team Trump to undermine Mueller and the rule of law.

The definition of a banana republic is an unstable country run by an unrestrained and unaccountable dictator. Thats why the attacks on Mueller are so dangerous: Their target is not just one man or one office. These are assaults on the American system itself, on our cherished tradition that no one, and certainly no president, is above the law.

The president and his supporters have despised Mueller since the day he was appointed, but their campaign of calumny has clearly accelerated since the special counsel brought indictments against two former Trump aides and extracted guilty pleas from two others.

One Republican congressman warned darkly that Mueller was planning a coup detat overturning the election. Another Fox News host, Jeanine Pirro, said the Justice Department and FBI should be cleansed of anti-Trump conspirators who shouldnt just be fired, but who need to be taken out in handcuffs.

Trump tweeted that the FBI is in tatters with a reputation that is the worst in history. That battle cry was picked up by Republicans in Congress, who berated FBI director Christopher Wray for pursuing the president during a contentious hearing.

If you kicked everyone off of Muellers team who was anti-Trump, I dont think thered be anyone left, complained Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

These denunciations are only going to get worse. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, was certainly right in warning Wray: I predict these attacks on the FBI will grow louder and more brazen as the special counsel does his work and the walls close in around the president. Your job requires you to have the courage in these circumstances to stand up to the president.

One part of the Trumpian strategy is to undermine Muellers credibility if the walls close in and more charges are filed against more White House aides. But theres a second goal as well: Prepare the way for firing Mueller.

That would cause a grave constitutional crisis, and Trump told reporters he has no plans to terminate Mueller. But anyone who thinks Trump is incapable of such an impulsive and incendiary move is not paying attention. In less than a year, he has already fired FBI Director James Comey and a platoon of senior aides.

The only way to forestall such a disaster is for Republicans to have the courage to stand up to the president and warn him away from self-immolation. They should follow the lead of Karl Rove, the former adviser to President Bush 43, who wrote in the Wall Street Journal dismissing Mueller would be a terrible idea.

Firing the special counsel would only make Mr. Trump look as if he had something to hide, wrote Rove. The president would ignite a political conflagration that would consume him, those around him and his entire presidency.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also endorsed Mueller, telling hostile Republican lawmakers, I believe he was an ideal choice for this task.

Few Republicans on Capitol Hill have shown the courage to stand up to Trump, but heres one useful step: Support two bipartisan bills that would make it harder for Trump to dump the special counsel. The measures have languished since a September hearing, but moving them forward would warn the president hes playing with fire.

I want the president to know that there is a process in place and there are checks and balances long before you got here, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who co-sponsored one of the bills. And they will be here long after youre gone.

Brave words, but they must be followed by actions. The Trumpistas threaten to turn this country into a banana republic where those checks and balances lose their meaning. They have to be told, as clearly and as firmly as possible, that they will fail.
Sometimes the habitual complainer of foul play gets a little embarrassed when fairness rules the day after all.

Thats how opponents of voter identification laws should be feeling after the recent Alabama Senate race. Despite their dark premonitions, voting laws didnt hurt turnout or seem to affect the outcome.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Alabama is one of 34 states with voter identification laws. It requires its citizens to present a photo ID prior to voting. Voters may use a drivers license, a nondriver, state-issued or federal-issued ID, a U.S. passport, a student or employee ID from a college or university or a military or tribal ID. If the citizen does not possess any of these, he or she may receive a free Alabama photo voter identification card from their county Board of Registrars office. In addition, the Alabama Secretary of States office visited every county with mobile units to offer another way to receive a free voter identification card.

The Alabama program sounds reasonable and helpful  not a burdensome hindrance intended to suppress the vote as opponents of voter identification cards have argued.

And yet there persisted much grumbling about these laws. Just days before the election, the New York Times, MSNBC, the Huffington Post and the Daily Beast all ran stories fretting about how voter identification laws would likely hurt turnout and possibly swing the election to Republican candidate, Roy Moore.

Elections without a presidential vote typically have lower turnouts. The 2014 midterm election in Alabama had a 33 percent turnout, and expectations for this special Senate election were to equal that number or come in lower.

Instead, voter turnout surged to 40 percent, and Democrat Doug Jones won the election.

It was also a win for the merits of voter identification laws. There may have been some isolated instances of short-term voting delays, but the long-term benefit of knowing that the vote was legitimate exceeds any inconveniences.

Many elections in this country over the past 200 years have been decided by a mere percentage point or two. The Jones-Moore race falls into this category. The Alabama Secretary of State lists the unofficial results of the election as Jones beating Moore by 1.54 percent. Thats close. But because the state had voter identification laws, we know the Alabama election was run with the highest integrity possible. Moore, who hasnt conceded yet, should do so.

And while lawmakers like to fuss about voter identification laws, it doesnt match the sentiment of most voters  no matter what their political persuasion. According to a 2016 Gallup poll, 80 percent of all voters were fine with them.

Voter identification laws dont suppress the vote. Apathy does, and thats not something that can be legislated. When people choose to participate in the political process, their voice is heard.

Iowa just enacted its own voter identification laws. According to the Secretary of States website, During calendar year 2018, voters will be asked to show their ID before voting at the polls. Anyone who does not have the necessary ID will be asked to sign an oath verifying their identity, and will be allowed to cast a regular ballot. Beginning January 1, 2019, Iowa voters will be required to show a drivers license, nondrivers ID, passport, military ID, veterans ID or voter ID card at the polls before they vote. Voters without the necessary ID will be offered a provisional ballot and can provide ID up until the time of the county canvass of votes.

These voting laws will be a good thing for Iowa.

And as Alabama has shown, it will be fair for all.
Remember when President Donald Trump was going to exploit the vulnerability of Democratic senators from red states and entice them to vote for his agenda? On Wednesday, the Senate passed the Republican tax-cut plan without a single Democratic aye. It wasnt an anomaly; party-line votes are a mainstay of the Trump era.

Ten Democratic senators are up for reelection in 2018 in states won by Trump. These are the Democrats who were poised to work with Trump not just on an imagined infrastructure bill but on taxes and opioids, deregulation and energy. A handful of Democrats represent carbon-energy-producing states: How hard could it be to get their votes?

I was an easy pickup. Very easy pickup, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a state Trump won by 42 points, told Politico. And a couple, two, three other Democrats would have been easy pickups, if they had just made an effort.

Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri represents a state thats only been getting tougher for Democrats. Back in January, she seemed to be signaling her readiness to work with Trump. Our country does its best work in the center, McCaskill told a town hall last summer.

Why Trump wasted the opportunity to enlist McCaskill and the others is an important question. Trump had powerful reasons to court Democrats. A plurality president who had lost the popular vote by almost 3 million votes, he was historically unpopular in the country and despised by the guardians of democratic norms and government ethics in Washington.

His frequent appeals to racial resentment may have powered his 2016 campaign, but they put him on the downside of electoral demographics: He will face a browner electorate in 2020 than he did in 2016. A couple of Democratic supporters could have provided a little extra cover for his sins and stumbles.

Yet instead of working to become less polarizing, Trump has become more so. The stunning victory of Democrat Doug Jones in the special Senate election in Alabama was largely due to a spectacularly bad opponent. But it also underscored how uncompelling Trumps agenda is even in a die-hard conservative state.

Paul Maslin, Joness pollster, said the campaign was mostly able to sidestep Trump altogether. I dont think it ever occurred to (Jones) or us to consider being more supportive of Trump, Maslin emailed. We were simply never going to engage Trump on any terms  supportive or not.

While government-by-mood-swing may explain much of Trumps style, it doesnt explain his consistent partisanship. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made no effort with Democrats either, which suggests the cause is not incompetence.

Middle-class tax cuts, infrastructure spending and other Trump campaign promises could have lured susceptible Democrats, at least occasionally, into a GOP-led majority. Instead, Republicans focused on rewarding GOP donors, undoing whatever Barack Obama had done and appealing to the partys resentful base  all while sanctioning Trumps personal money grubbing. There was nothing in that mix for any Democrat.

The drive to please the party base has been in place  certainly among the Republicans  for some time, said George Washington University congressional scholar Sarah Binder in an email. Binder points to President George W. Bush celebrating his narrow victory in 2004 by launching an unpopular partisan effort to privatize Social Security. Why move to the center  or why accommodate the other partys interests  if the rewards at the ballot box are delivered by turning out the base?

For Obama and Democrats, mostly party-line votes on a post-financial-crisis economic stimulus plan, Dodd-Frank bank regulations, an auto-industry rescue and the Affordable Care Act were worth the political pain. It seems Trump and his party have reached a similar conclusion about their transfer of wealth from tomorrows taxpayers to todays plutocrats.

Its hard to view Trumps failure to co-opt Democrats as anything but intentional. He had the opportunity to split Democrats  moderates working with Trump wouldve driven the left insane  and protect himself, by advancing popular legislation. Trump is frequently out of his depth, but he knew what he was doing here. There was no point in recruiting Democrats to a presidency they were sure to gag on.
By The Associated Press Dec. 23, 2017 | 09:24 AM | NEW YORK, NY

The wave of sexual misconduct allegations that toppled Hollywood power brokers, politicians, media icons and many others was the top news story of 2017, according to The Associated Press' annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The No. 2 story was Donald Trump's tumultuous first year as president. A year ago, Trump's election victory over Hillary Clinton was a near-unanimous pick for the top news story of 2016.

Placing third this year was the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people and injured hundreds among a crowd attending an outdoor concert. Fourth was the onslaught of three hurricanes that ravaged Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands.

The first AP top-stories poll was conducted in 1936, when editors chose the abdication of Britain's King Edward VIII.
By The Associated Press Dec. 23, 2017 | 10:45 PM | WEST PALM BEACH, FL

President Donald Trump is again questioning the impartiality of the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

In a tweet Saturday, the president wrote: "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 wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by lawmakers on two separate committees. The appearances came as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clinton's email practices when she was secretary of state. McCabe's role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

McCabe's wife, Jill, received $700,000 in donations from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015. The money was donated before McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation.
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Woman found in freezing temps overnight

WEST FARGO -- West Fargo Police are warning the public to dress warmly after discovering a 51-year-old local woman shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday, showing signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

The female did not have the proper clothing on to be out in the extremely cold temperatures, a police announcement states, noting that she was sent by ambulance to Sanford Hospital for treatment.

Vince Godon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Forks, said the local temperatures were about 4 degrees in West Fargo when the woman was found, with a wind chill of about negative 7 degrees.

The winds could have been a lot stronger. Its not as bad as it looks like its going to be coming up this week, he said. Anytime youre out in the cold, it can be quite dangerous.

Man in crash under influence of alcohol

North Dakota Highway Patrol officials have released details of an early Saturday morning rollover crash near Fessenden in Wells County that left the driver headed to jail for driving while intoxicated.

According to a patrol announcement, 46-year-old Michael Brown of Jamestown was driving west on Highway 15 when entered the north ditch and his Mercury Mountaineer rolled over.

The vehicle came to rest in the north ditch on its top, the release states.  Mr. Brown was pinned in the vehicle upside down. Rescue workers were able to remove (him) without incident.

Brown, who was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, is receiving medical care for non-life threatening injuries in Carrington.

- Forum News Service
Matthew Rozsa in Salon:

Earlier this month, a 3-mile wide asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon passed by earth. It didn't strike us (obviously), and if it had it's not clear whether its impact would have completely obliterated humanity or merely been devastating. But scientists believe it could hit us in the future  and even if it doesn't, there are plenty of other celestial bodies out there which are large enough to wipe out all life on this planet and which could very well strike us. This raises an important question: If humanity were to go extinct, would we as a species be collectively ready for it? I don't mean would we be able to avoid it somehow. Are we able to make peace with our own death as a species, much as specific human beings often try to make peace with their own deaths as individuals?

There are many compelling reasons for us to ask this question right now. Global warming is reaching a crisis point, and while it's impossible to predict how exactly that will end, humanity's extinction is certainly within the realm of plausibility. The threat of nuclear war has loomed over our species since that fateful day in 1945 when Harry Truman dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and today could come about either through the actions of Islamist extremists or the dueling man-children Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. Epidemics have become increasingly likely, as diseases evolve into antibiotic-resistant superbugs. There are even dropping sperm countsamong men in the Western world which, if mirrored by men everywhere else on the planet, could wipe us out while leaving most other species intact.

More here.
Backing the protest by doctors in Rajasthan for higher pay and promotions, resident doctors of AIIMS asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to live their life for a day to understand their stress.

In a letter to Modi, the AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA) on Saturday urged the PM to understand the tremendous pressure on doctors at government hospitals due to the poor infrastructure and misbehavior of patients kin during emergency situations.

We are lucky to have an active PM like you Now RDA AIIMS requests you to put (on) white apron and spend one day as a government doctor to understand the tremendous amount of pressure we face, the agony of patients who did not get treatment, the dying healthcare system due to lack of resources and infrastructure, AIIMS RDA president Harjit Singh Bhatti wrote in the letter.

He said it will also set an example to ministers who level allegations against doctors for cheap publicity.

Your one day as a government doctor can be a turning point for the healthcare system as it will restore faith in the medical profession, the letter read.

Several doctors in Rajasthan were arrested as the state government invoked the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) for three months after the All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association warned of indefinite strike in support of their demands.

Rajasthan doctors are on strike from December 16, this strike is helplessness rather than intentional because the state government arrested 86 doctors by imposing RESMA, read the letter.

Their demands were previously accepted by the Rajasthan government but now they refuse to fulfil them, resulting in mistrust and anguish among the hardworking doctors. Please instruct the Rajasthan government to fulfil their promises and stop all atrocities against doctors, it said.
A former vice chancellor has supported allegations that North Dakota higher ed leader Mark Hagerott created a hostile workplace for staff, though his office showed relatively little turnover during a period of major cuts.

According to human resources data, the Bismarck office of the North Dakota University System, of which Hagerott is chancellor, shed four employees between May 1, 2016 and Sept. 1, 2017. That number that includes Linda Donlin, a vice chancellor, and Hagerotts former executive assistant Rebecca Duben. The other two employees worked in finance and other parts of the system office.

Hagerotts former chief of staff Lisa Feldner has accused Hagerott of routinely discriminating against employees on the basis of gender, health and age. Feldner, who also served as a system vice chancellor before Hagerott fired her without cause in mid-September, filed a complaint against Hagerott in November with the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights.

That complaint has led to an official charge of gender discrimination that will be investigated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal civil rights agency.

Donlin, who retired from the NDUS in January and has been identified as a witness in Feldners case, has previously said her role in any coming investigation would prevent her from commenting on the claims of her former colleague. However, after Feldners charge was picked up by the EEOC earlier this week, Donlin said she believed an included description of conditions in the NDUS office was an accurate account of the chain of events.

I applaud Lisa Feldner for being the first to step forward to shine a light on this troubling situation, Donlin said Thursday, Dec. 21.

Through the past year alone, NDUS institutions as a whole lost the equivalent of almost 481 full-time workers as deep budget cuts impacted all facets of the state government. The NDUS central office currently has 24 employees. While layoffs swept other parts of the system, the handful of office staff who left in the period identified by human resources did so through early retirements or resignations.

Duben resigned from the NDUS in October 2016 and is not listed as a witness to Feldners charge. She said shed worked for the NDUS for 15 years before learning of an employment opportunity elsewhere that she couldnt pass up.

Duben preferred to keep a neutral stance toward the allegations against Hagerott.

Theyre both friends of mine and its unfortunate that it went like this, she said. I support Lisas move to do this, but I support Dr. Hagerott all the same.

Duben said her work with Hagerott was seldom one-on-one and that Feldner likely would have worked more closely in direct contact with him. All the same, Duben described her opinion of the two as both very brilliant people.

In the months before she left the office, Duben was present to handle a summer 2016 open records request that allegedly caused Hagerott to become overly agitated in the office. That event prompted an office climate study that produced an unflattering view of Hagerott as a militaristic leader who treated men better than women.

Duben didnt speak to the study, but chalked up Hagerotts response to the records request as part of navigating a learning curve in office.

Every chancellor has their own style, Duben said. Sometimes with their style, heads butt.  I hold Lisa in very high regard, and Mark too, for that matter. Theyre wonderful people to work with and its unfortunate that there had to be a fallout like that.
Former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is playing dirty games to hide its own scams.

The Jharkhand police on Saturday took the RJD chief into custody and brought him to Birsa Munda Central Jail here after he was found guilty in a fodder scam case.

Taking to Twitter, he said, The sly Bharatiya Janata Party plays dirty games with the spirit of unethical and malice in politics to cover its scam and carcasses and spoils the public perceptions of the opposition to get votes.

The RJD chief, taking to Twitter, said that the truth can be portrayed as a lie through a bias-driven propaganda.

Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win, he tweeted.

Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end Truth will win  Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. But still prevailsIn the end though, the former Bihar chief minister added.

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. .But still prevailsIn the end though.  Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 23, 2017

He further asserted that in this war, he is not alone, but the entire Bihar stands together with him.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Saturday found former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad guilty in a fodder scam case.

Fourteen others have also been found guilty, while seven accused have been acquitted, including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra.The court is scheduled to pronounce the quantum of sentence on January 3, 2018 for the 15 guilty, including Lalu Prasad.

Lalu has been convicted in the case relating to embezzling of more than Rs. 89 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.

Justice Singh had completed hearing the case on December 13 and asked all accused in the case to remain present in court for the judgment.

There were tight security arrangements outside the court ahead of the verdict.

Before the judgment, Lalu told reporters: I am confident, will get justice.

The fodder scam involved the embezzlement of about Rs 900 crore from the Bihar exchequer.

The corruption scheme involved the fabrication of vast herds of fictitious livestock for which fodder, medicines and animal husbandry equipment was supposedly procured over a period of 20 years.
The raging issue whether to make forced marital intercourse and sexual acts part of offence of rape in penal law have been extensively debated and now it cannot be considered as a criminal act, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which defines the offence of rape, has an exception clause that says the intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, not below 15 years, is not a rape.

The apex court, however, sought to know as to whether Parliament debated the aspect of protecting married girls, between the age group of 15-18 years, from the forced sexual acts by their spouses.

It also asked whether the court could intervene to protect the rights of such married girls who may be sexually exploited by their spouses.

Parliament has extensively debated the issue of marital rape and considered that it was not an offence of rape. Therefore, it cannot be considered as a criminal offence, a bench of justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The apex court also said that marriage of a girl, who is below the age of 15 years, was illegal.

There are cases when college-going teens, below 18 years of age, engage in sexual activities consensually and get booked under the law. Who is going to suffer? The boy is not at fault. The punishment of seven years is too harsh, the bench observed.

It said, similarly, a problem arises when a girl, under 18 years of age, elopes and engages in a consensual sexual activity, the male gets booked for rape.

In these cases, we do have a problem if look at various aspects, the bench said as it asked the Centre to apprise it about the number of prosecutions under the Child Marriage Act for past three years in three weeks.

It also asked Centre to apprise it about the appointment of the Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO) under statutory provisions in the country and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

The bench was hearing a plea questioning the constitutionality of a provision permitting a man to have a physical relationship with his wife even if she is aged between 15 and 18.

The apex court said according to prevailing law, if a man has physical intercourse with a girl under 15 years of age, it is termed as rape irrespective of consent or no consent and if she is below 18 years of age, but more than 15 and married, then no offence of rape is made out.
What can be more sad news than this? BJP came to power boasting the befitting reply to Pakistan, but sustained three years just getting our army personnel killed and mutilated. Modi has failed to address issues. Yesterday an officer of the Indian Army and three soldiers were killed and their bodies mutilated by Pakistans Border Action Team or BAT in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district. Pakistan troops infiltrated almost 400 metres across the Line of Control to target Indian Army soldiers. Major Ambadas, 32, belonged to the Bhandara district of Maharashtra and is survived by his wife Avoli Moharkar. Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, 34, came from Amritsar in Punjab and is survived by his wife Kuljit Kaur and a daughter. Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh, 30, belonged to Bhatinda in Punjab and is survived by his wife Jaspreet Kaur and two children. Sepoy Pargat Singh, 30, belonged to Karnal in Haryana and is survived by his wife Ramanpreet Kaur and a son.

Though there have been stray incidents in the adjoining Nowshera sector of small arms fire from the Pakistan side on forward Indian positions for the last two-three days, unprovoked firing at such a scale, leading to casualties on the Indian side has come after a month. On November 16, the Pakistani troops had resorted to mortar shelling in Shahpur and Degwar areas of Poonch, making the district administration order closure of schools in Gulpur and Nakarkot areas near the border as a precautionary measure. At least a dozen people, including civilians and soldiers, have been killed in nearly 300 incidents of ceasefire violations along the border in 2017  a sharp rise from 228 such incidents last year. The escalation along the border had led to suspension of cross-LoC travel and trade on the Poonch-Rawalakot road through Chakan Da Bagh for nearly four months, besides migration of a large number of people from villages near LoC in Nowshera sector. Though travel and trade between two sides resumed last week, those who migrated are yet to return. The ceasefire violation to a growing desperation on the Pakistan side to push in armed terrorists into India before closure of the mountain passes this winter. The security forces and the police have killed over 200 militants, including many top commanders, this year.

A military confrontation between India and Pakistan is not new thing, but the deaths of Army men in recent past are on rise. In April, two soldiers were murdered and mutilated near the Line of Control. It was suspected to be an attack by the Border Action Team. Weeks later, the Army released a video of a massive fire assault on Pakistani posts on May 23. India had thwarted the last such effort in September this year when a large team of BAT soldiers were forced to retreat. In June, India had managed to kill two of the intruders when a similar attack by a much-smaller team was carried out but two Indian soldiers had also lost their lives. PM was on his maiden visit to Leh and Ladakh, as usual he gave all promising speeches and packages to people of Jammu and Kashmir. He verbally slammed Pakistan for continuing its proxy war of terrorism against India, saying it has lost the strength to fight a conventional war. On his second trip in two months to Jammu and Kashmir, Modi visited Kargil, where a massive crowd had turned up to hear him speak. But they never imagined he can only speak but cannot act on what he said so far. He is the first Indian PM in 15 years to visit Kargil. Addressing soldiers at his first stop, Leh, Modi said Pakistan has lost the strength to fight a conventional war, but continues to engage in the proxy war of terrorism. Then Modi said, there is no point in pursuing peacekeeping with Pakistan. They will always be the provokers. Unfortunately, NDA too seems enamoured by the goody-goody posturing of Nawaz Sharif. All that rhetoric that Modi made in his pre-election speeches is like words written on water. He has proved to be a cat in lions clothing. Most weak prime minister to deal with Pakistan, on the day of swearing in ceremony, the gift and emotional exchanges has compromised his stand on Pakistan issue. PM is focusing a lot on borders as he has nothing else to offer to India. He is in the saddle by luck after some well-rehearsed performances. India needs some mature leadership, not someone who offers short cuts. We need to create an equivalent of Iron Dome for hand held firing to be relieved from the pestilence of the Pakistani militia.

Modi held that the Indian armed forces were suffering more casualties from terrorism than from war. Noting that this is a global problem, the humanitarian forces of the world should unite to fight it. India was committed to strong armed forces, well-equipped with modern arms and technology. The jawans should be assured that the entire country supports them. Our government was never serious in reform of soldiers families and the wellbeing of jawans when they are at borders. Our soldiers remain undeterred in spite of the many negatives and struggles that their families face in day-to-day life and this energy and sense of duty inspires him. Modi promised the troops that a National War Memorial would be built that would inspire future generations of India. But he failed to explain, how that war memorial will help Jawans and their families?

Modi had promised the defence personnel that the government is committed to making India self-reliant in defence manufacturing, but when? And for that whom are you planning to invite to India as production giants? The agreement between Pakistan and India for LOC is far from acceptance for the present generation. If Pakistan violates it pertinently then let us violate and decide at the strength of our muscle instead of involving in this proxy war. The statement of PM that we are fighting a war with terrorists not with regular army is much more treacherous than fighting regular army is correct. The fight against corruption and terrorism should be on war footing. We the common people can just pray for wellbeing of them wherever they are standing and protecting us in such extreme condition.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)








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The Democrat Doug Jones has beaten his Donald Trump-backed Republican rival Roy Moore in the diehard Republican state of Alabama, setting off a political earthquake likely to shake Washington in due course.

Doug Jones was able to become the first Democrat in a decade to win any statewide office in Alabama by beating a close ally Trump Moore, who had faced multiple allegations of sexual assault during a campaign which exposed Republican Party fault lines. His victory in a special election for a US Senate seat  by a margin of 49.9 to 48.4 with 100% of precincts reporting  is a major personal blow to the president and his efforts to pass tax reform on Capitol Hill.

Jones emerged to a euphoric reception just before 10pm local time. Folks, I gotta tell you, I think that I have been waiting all my life and now I just dont know what the hell to say, he said, beginning a 10-minute speech. I have always believed that the people of Alabama had more in common than what would divide us.

The margin of victory is well above the half a percentage point which would have triggered a recount. Jones told his supporters in a victory speech that the "entire race has been about dignity and respect". The 63-year-old is a former lawyer known for helping convict two Ku Klux Klan members who bombed a black church in 1963 in Birmingham, killing four girls. He has never held elected office.

The election had never been either about him or Moore, he insisted. This entire race has been about dignity and respect. This campaign has been about the rule of law. This campaign has been about common courtesy and decency and making sure everyone in this state, regardless of what zip code you live in, is going to get a fair shake. His speech was met with cheers and applause and chants of USA! USA!

At Jones election night party hundreds of supporters, many waving signs, erupted in cheers at a hotel ballroom in Birmingham when, on giant TV screens, CNN declared the race for the Democrat. There were hugs, smiles, tears and chants of We want Doug! The raw emotion was evident.

John Parker, 26, a bartender, said: I think its astounding and unprecedented in Alabama politics, and a response to what were seeing nationally. This is a direct response to President Trump. Roy Moore is unfit for any job, let alone a public servant. Alabama tonight voted for America. He added: There is hope and joy. Tomorrows another day in Alabama. Caitlin Barringer, 29, who works in healthcare, said: We finally have a person who will represent all of Alabama. I cant believe its taken this long for people to realize that Roy Moore is not what he says he is.

However, Roy Moore, who was refusing to concede the race, had been favored in the deep red state until two women came forward to claim that Moore assaulted them when they were teenagers; a number of other women said the Alabama Republican had romantically pursued them when they were underage. Moore has denied all the allegations. Top officials in the Republican Party were reluctant to back Moore, particularly after the Washington Post allegations of sexual misconduct were revealed, but Trump steadily ramped up his backing for the beleaguered candidate.

Though Trumps and Roy Moore's evangelical fervor grabbed more attention, Jones is also a Christian - specifically, a Methodist. He has worshipped at the same church for more than 30 years, and has said the message of Christianity should be one of fairness and inclusivity, not extremism.

Moore was supposed to be Steve Bannon's first big victory, a cannonball fired into the heart of the Republican establishment and a visible example of the populist-evangelical electoral alliance he was crafting. Instead, the former Trump campaign head and senior White House adviser has been humbled. His candidate, it turns out, was deeply flawed and he ended up losing what should have been a slam-dunk Senate election.

Bannon has declared all-out war against Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whom he views as insufficiently supportive of Trump's "America first" agenda, and promised to field 2018 primary challengers against every Republican senator running for re-election save Texan Ted Cruz.

Senator Douglas Jones

Jones is the first Democrat to win a US Senate seat for Alabama in 25 years. Joness Senate victory probably won't be the president's last word on the matter but for now, his reaction could reflect an acknowledgment that despite his support for Moore, it wasn't enough to pull his man over the finish line, even in conservative Alabama.

Alabama is a deeply conservative place, as its voting record amply demonstrates. Until Doug Jones came along the state hadn't picked a Democrat for the US Senate since 1992 - and even that man, Richard Shelby, went on to defect to the Republicans. But on 12 December Jones, 63, painted the old red seat blue when voters chose him to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions's former berth. So what do we know about the man who fought and beat Republican Roy Moore for the heart of Dixie?

Gordon Douglas Jones, known as Doug, studied political science at the University of Alabama, followed by law at the state's Samford University in 1979. He rose to prominence in 1997, when Bill Clinton named him US Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

Politics took an early hold on Jones, who began his career as a staff counsel to the US Senate Judiciary Committee, working for Alabama Senator Howell Heflin. From 1980 he spent four years as an Assistant US Attorney, then from 1984-97 worked for a criminal defence firm in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2013, he co-founded his own firm - Jones & Hawley.

Jones counts former Vice President Joe Biden as an old friend, having led his 1988 presidential campaign in Alabama. Biden said of him at an October 2017 rally: "I can count on two hands the people I've campaigned for that have as much integrity, as much courage."He added that Jones "helped remove 40 years of stain and pain from this state" with the church bombing convictions.

After his appointment as US attorney in Birmingham in 1997, Jones led a team of federal and state attorneys during trials that resulted in the convictions of Thomas Blanton Jr in 2001 and Bobby Frank Cherry in 2002.

One was aware he was facing poor odds in Alabama, which backed Donald Trump in 2016 with a 28-point landslide. Policy-wise, Jones has pitched himself as a moderate Democrat, calling for an increase in the minimum wage, but also lower corporate taxes "to try to get reinvestment back into this country". He supports renewable energy, but is hawkish on the need for increased defence spending, saying it will protect the US and shore up Alabama's economy.

Fall of Trump

The results are nothing short of an embarrassment for President Donald Trump and a disaster for Republicans in Washington as the reliably red state of Alabama elected its first Democratic senator since the early 1990s. "I think I have been waiting all my life and now I don't know what the hell to say," Jones said Tuesday night. "I am truly overwhelmed," he added. "We have shown, not just around the state of Alabama, but we have shown the country the way that we can be unified." "This entire race has been about dignity and respect. This campaign -- this campaign has been about the rule of law," he said. "This campaign has been about common courtesy and decency and making sure everyone in this state, regardless of which ZIP code you live in, is going to get a fair shake in life."

Alabama defeat is an especially awkward outcome for Trump, who endorsed Moore and rallied for him at a campaign event just across Alabama's state line. "This is an earthquake... it's devastating for the President," a source close to the White House said.

A cunning Trump has distanced himself from Roy Moore after the Republican suffered a historic defeat for the party in conservative Alabama. The victory for Democrat Doug Jones narrows the Republican majority in the Senate to 51-49, which could complicate Trumps legislative plans.

Trump's gut instinct got him the Republican nomination against all the odds and won him the presidential election. But on Alabama he's now found himself on the losing side - twice. First backing Luther Strange and then, after he lost, sticking with Roy Moore even when it became clear he was a political liability after repeated allegations of sexual abuse against teenage girls emerged.

Why this matters is that for two years now Donald Trump seems to have defied the laws of political gravity. But suddenly this president is no longer operating in a weightless environment. He has tumbled to earth with a bump. When someone seems invincible with his defeat of big lady Mrs Clinton, but turns out to be mortal after all, it will affect how your friends and enemies approach you.

Moores defeat marks a major personal blow to Trump personally as reigning president, who endorsed the Alabama Republican and held a rally on his behalf just over the state line in Pensacola, Florida. Although most national Republicans rushed to distance themselves from Moore in the aftermath of the allegations, Trump reaffirmed his support through tweets and public statements.

If the president or his aides take a closer look at the state's exit polls, there is certainly cause for concern, as 41% of Alabama voters "strongly disapproved" of the president, while only 32% "strongly approved". While Trump may dismiss opinion surveys that show his approval ratings in the mid-30s nationally, the Alabama results are actual voters casting actual ballots.

Among Democratic voters, African-Americans went to the voting booths in particularly strong numbers and voted overwhelmingly for Jones. According to exit polls, they accounted for nearly 30% of Tuesday's electorate, while only making up 26% of the state's total population. In 2016 lower black turnout proved costly for Mrs Clinton in states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida. In Alabama they were the Democratic lifeline.

Candidate quality

Earlier, the president tried to claim he had always known Moore would lose, recalling his backing for opponent Luther Strange in the Republican primary that had preceded the special election. The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), Trump wrote, is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election. I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him! That is Trump double jump: had his candidate won, he would said have some something totally different. .

Cory Gardner, the head of the National Republican Senate Committee, which flatly refused to back Moore, said: Tonights results are clear: the people of Alabama deemed Roy Moore unfit to serve in the US Senate. Steven Law, the head of the McConnell-allied Senate Leadership Fund, said This is a brutal reminder that candidate quality matters regardless of where you are running, Law said. Not only did Steve Bannon cost us a critical Senate seat in one of the most Republican states in the country, but he also dragged the president of the United States into his fiasco.

While national Republicans accepted defeat, at Moores election night event, the candidate and his supporters still held out hope.

Prior to Election Day, Alabama officials estimated that about 20% of Alabama registered voters would show up to vote in this special election. It's a trend that echoes the results in Virginia - the other big electoral test of 2017. In November, Democratic voter participation in that more narrowly-divided state surged, carrying the party's candidate for governor to an easy victory and nearly winning enough seats to take control of the state legislature. Progressives have touted their "resistance" to the Trump presidency, and it appears that - at least so far - their enthusiasm is translating into numbers at the ballot box. That will bode well for the party's prospects in the big congressional mid-term elections that loom on the horizon in November 2018.

The Republican candidate had a cloud of controversy hanging over his head - not just from allegations of sexual impropriety, but also a history of inflammatory statements and legal run-ins that knocked him out of the Alabama Supreme Court twice. The former judge had a loyal base of support, but there were traditionally Republican voters who found his views on homosexuality, Muslims and civil rights distasteful. Despite his obvious flaws as a candidate with any broad appeal, the impact of this defeat will be felt in several ways.

Democrats gain by default

What is it the Democrats stand for? Are they the party of Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders? What is their distinct economic message? How do they win back the blue collar workers (and a lot of other groups besides who went over to Donald Trump in 2016)?

The Democrats are right to bask in their success today. Why wouldn't you? But the problems that led them to lose in November 2016 have not gone away with their astonishing victory in Alabama.

The maverick Christian conservative Republican Partys Judge Roy Moore , who enjoyed the full-throated supported of Steve Bannon, the slightly-more-tempered endorsement of Donald Trump and the outright antipathy of certain sections of the GOP, has failed in the reddest of red states.

It's not clear how much the allegations played a part in his defeat but politicians across the US will surely be taking note.

In the past week, three members of the US Congress - two Democrats and one Republican - have announced their resignations because of reports of sexual impropriety. While their actions hinted that there would be a political price in the new environment of sexual-harassment sensitivity, the true test would come at the ballot box. Moore faced accusations - which he denied - of improper relations with teenage girls when he was an assistant district attorney in his 30s.

It appeared possible that Alabama voters would elect him to the Senate anyway, with Moore's supporters arguing that their man had been vindicated or, perhaps, absolved by the voters.

Bannon, the self-declared Leninist wanting to rip down the walls of the establishment, looks a weaker man today. Not finished by any means, but certainly undermined. This is a result where you can be sure the Republican establishment will be savoring a Bannon defeat almost as much as the Democrats are rubbing their eyes in wonderment at their victory.

Donald Trump, aside from finding himself on the losing side - which his opponents will revel in - will now find getting legislation through the Senate much more difficult. There will now be 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats.

It means the awkward squad in the GOP now has much more leverage over legislation. Senators Flake and Corker, who are standing down and loathe Donald Trump, will need to be courted rather than abused by the president. Those of a more liberal bent might seek to rein in the president's more far-reaching proposals.

The problems that led the Democratic Hillary Clinton to lose in November 2016 have not gone away with their astonishing victory in Alabama. Democrats have to defend a number of at-risk seats - in Trump-leaning states like Missouri, Indiana, West Virginia and North Dakota - but if their incumbents manage to hold on, there are two clear pick-up opportunities in Nevada and Arizona.

Though they have got the US Senate seat for Alabama by default and not because they deserve it, but because the people hate Trump led Republicans.

Observation

Trumps Jerusalem gimmick has not acted in favor of the Republican candidate for the post of senator in Alabama. This was not a decisive vote for Democratic Party politics; this was a referendum on erratic Trumps presidency. A huge defeat for Trump as he thinks he has won Jerusalem. the Democrats. After a dreadful 18 months they have a victory to crow about. They have won in Alabama. Surely this is the platform for sweeping the board at the mid-terms! Taking back control of Congress! A hammer blow to the Trump presidency!

Moore's defeat amid allegations of child molestation and sexual assault could fuel growing calls from Democrats for Trump to resign from office over the accusations of sexual assault against him.

Jones has proved he is capable of causing a stunning upset in the ruby red Yellowhammer state. Now he'll be returning to work for the federal government for the first time since making his name with the church bombing prosecutions.

Needless to say - and understandably - most of the attention will fall on the humiliation this represents to Donald Trump, but the bigger loser is his erstwhile White House head of strategy Steve Bannon. Alabama was to be the Petri dish for next November's mid-term elections.

Alabama win brings the Democratic Party into focus once again. The Republican majority in the Senate narrows to 51-49 and the party can only afford to lose a single vote on any measure, thanks to Vice-President Mike Pence's power to break a tie. The Alabama seat was made vacant by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this year. Alabama will have a Democrat in the US Senate. It's an outcome that seemed all but impossible a year ago and still seemed unlikely even as voters headed to the polls on Tuesday.

The Democratic victory will reduce the Republican majority in the Senate to 51-49 once Jones takes his seat on Capitol Hill. This significantly reduces the margin for error as Republicans attempt to push through a major corporate tax cut. They already have one defector in senator Bob Corker, and Joness election means a single additional Republican breaking ranks would sink the legislation.

The ramifications of this unexpected victory are clear. The Republican majority in the Senate will narrow, considerably improving the chances Democrats could gain control of the chamber in the 2018 mid-term elections. It could also be seen as a rebuke of President Donald Trump, who gave full-throated support to Roy Moore even when other leaders in his party were hesitant. After winning governor races in Virginia and New Jersey in November, some Democratic supporters will be hoping that an anti-Trump electoral wave is forming.

Elections don't lie, and the election results have a serious message for the president less than a year into his term. It's a line of defense not too different from the one being constructed by the White House, as allegations made by more than a dozen women President Donald Trump have received renewed consideration. "The people of this country, at a decisive election, supported President Trump, and we feel like these allegations have been answered through that process.

Jones probably won't be seated until early January, which means the Republicans still have time to pass their tax-cut bill and vote on any year-end budgetary resolutions, but after that the window for legislative success narrows considerably. More than that, it also puts control of the Senate squarely in play in the 2018 mid-term congressional elections. If they had lost the Alabama race, the next tier of states - Tennessee and Texas - were much bigger reaches.

Of course, Alabama has shown that, given the right confluence of candidates and controversy, anything is possible.
Iraq Christmas Service Takes Place in Mosul After IS Defeat

Christmas in an Assyrian refugee camp in North Iraq. (BBC) -- A Christmas service at a church in the Iraqi city of Mosul has taken place for the first time since militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS) were driven out of the region. Under IS the public performance of any Christian rituals was dangerous and difficult. Many Christians fled persecution, with IS forcing worshippers to convert to Islam, pay a tax or face death. Iraqi forces defeated IS in Mosul in July. Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the three-year campaign to expel IS from Iraq had been successful. During the service, armoured vehicles sat outside Saint Paul's church and, inside, white sheets covered up bombed-out window frames. The patriarch of Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Church, Louis Raphael Sako, requested that followers pray for "peace and stability in Mosul, Iraq and the world". Farqad Malko a Christian who returned to the city after the defeat of IS, said the service was "important to relaunch Christian life". The service at St Paul's church in Mosul was the first Christmas service in years. ( EPA) Saint Paul's is the only functioning church in Mosul, and is only open thanks to the efforts of volunteers, the AFP agency reports. Despite the end of IS rule, the security situation in the city is still tense. ( EPA) Before the advance of IS in 2014, church leaders estimated Mosul had a Christian community of 35,000.
GRAND FORKS  Today is Christmas Eve, and the Rev. William Sherman will begin this day much the same as the dozens of Christmas Eve days before it  with prayer and adoration.

Retired now for more than 14 years, the longtime and much-beloved priest of St. Michaels Catholic Church in Grand Forks says with certainty he does not miss the half-century of midnight Masses, his weekly homily homework or the long hours spent prayerfully listening to confessions. Yet, hes equally sure he has not tired of spreading the word of God. There is always time for that.

I was there at St. Michaels for 27 years, and I was all pooped out when I left, Sherman says with a laugh. But my friends bring me happiness. I have a lot of visitors. I have people who come up to this apartment of mine, and just talking to them about world affairs brings me comfort.

The priest who baptized, married and otherwise shared happy and sorrowful moments with thousands of people through the years no longer preaches to parishioners packed elbow to elbow in the pews, but friends still show up daily to hear him say Mass in his home.

Services begin at 4 oclock sharp, and he and his brother, the Rev. Edward Sherman, take turns leading prayers in front of a small altar backed by dark wooden panels and a crucifix.

Shelter in storm

I say prayers all the time, Sherman says.

Then, pointing with his finger: In my head, I have a long list of people whove had troubles, so I pray for them. People sometimes need somebody, and I just happened to be the person they needed.

So, too, he was that person in the days of the 1997 flood. Whether in church or praying the rosary atop neighborhood dikes, the no-nonsense priest described at times as both gruff and affable was the steady rock others leaned on.

And 40 years before that, as a young priest of only two years, Sherman in 1957 was the sole clergyman on duty at the Fargo hospital in the wake of a catastrophic tornado. A small saucer, holy water and gauze in hand, Sherman walked the halls to baptize and give last rites to the many victims who lay injured or dying. Some survivors later would tell him he had turned them to God.

Call to faith

Sherman is 90 years old now, but good-natured as always, he will tell you to quit rubbing it in.

Dressed comfortably in a plaid shirt and covered with a fleece Minnesota Twins blanket, he sits with his feet up in an easy chair as he says he thinks hes accomplished all he would like to accomplish here on Earth.

I am happy with what Ive done in life, he says. I was a soldier in the Army (during World War II). I worked in the Minnesota packing houses. I worked on farms in my younger years.

Then, there was that surprise 48-year stint as an active minister of the faith. Sherman says his family was not religious, and he never intended to be a priest.

Youre going to have to ask the good Lord how that happened, he said about his decision to choose a religious vocation. Along with his ordained brother, his sister was a nun.

Sherman says the priesthood idea somehow rubbed off on him while attending St. Johns University in Collegeville, Minn., on the G.I. Bill.

Most of the professors there tended to be priests or monks, so I started thinking of that priesthood business, he said. I didnt like the idea (at first) because once you become a priest, you have to say goodbye to the girlfriends.

Eventually, the priesthood idea won out over the girls, and he attended four more years of seminary before he was ordained in 1955. At the bishops request, he continued studies in rural sociology at UND. He earned a masters degree in 1965 and went on to teach and write several books on ethnic history in North Dakota.

Trying times

Still an avid reader and 24-hour news hound, Sherman is well aware of todays constant political jousting, global unrest and ugly hate crimes.

But as he takes a quick pinch of Copenhagen long-cut tobacco, he contemplates the state of the world.

First of all, things are not so bad nowadays. Things could be worse, and they have been worse, he says. There could be wars. My gads, we had wars going on in Asia and Europe. Things are pretty darn good today. Its really peaceful other than a lot of nutty people going around shooting people.

Despite the worlds rough spots, Sherman sees plenty of love and hope. And Christmastime is the perfect time to slow down and reflect on all that is good.

People need to think a little bit about it and remember Christmas is not just a family gathering. It gives a person meaning to their life, he says. Its such a confusing world and having a good religion

gives them that meaning. Not only a meaning of life here but a meaning of life in the next world.

So, with todays joyful songs and all year long, Sherman has this advice to share: Be a nice person, say your prayers and go to church. When you die you want to be sure you go to the right place.
Millions of domestic and international travellers from all corners of the globe count on Air New Zealand (ANZ) to unite them with family and friends over the festive season.

Many more rely on the national carrier for another important holiday occasion  their Christmas lunch.

ANZ helps the nations farmers send nearly 3,000 tonnes of meat to international markets  primarily Europe and the US  each year. Approximately 30% of that annual total is sent in the months of November and December alone.

In terms of fruit and vegetables, it is Central Otago cherries on top of the international Christmas wish list. ANZ expects to carry more than 700 tonnes of local cherries over the summer season. Thats approximately 43m individual cherries.

Export channel manager for ANZ Cargo, Greg Edmonds, said: We carry around 900 tonnes of lamb in chilled compartments in the bellies of our aircraft over the eight weeks leading up to Christmas. Most of it goes to the United Kingdom, which simply cant get enough of the world-class lamb our farmers produce.

Germany and Holland make up the big three European countries importing New Zealand lamb for Christmas, and ANZ has grown its meat programme to meet the needs of these two emerging markets.

Rather than finish our responsibility at Cologne and Amsterdam airport, we have developed a unique solution that takes care of the journey from New Zealand all the way to the buyers door. Its a service our customers love and it helps maximise sales for New Zealand producers, said Edmonds.

Central Otago Apricots, North Island blueberries, strawberries and capsicums from greater Auckland and crayfish are other in-demand export items Air New Zealand transports around the world this time of year.

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John Allen, the new CEO of the Huntsville Committee of 100, says he is building on a foundation laid by the group's first emeritus member, retired CEO Carol Madry Bell.

"Now that I'm in this position I see the touch of her hand on everything that we do and how we do it. I certainly recognize all the hard, difficult challenging work that this position entails. I'm thankful to her for being willing the last 20 years of her career to carry this torch forward," Allen said. "Carol's ability to pull people together and collaborate within the community and bring people to the table that can help us make that difference has been crucial."

By his 102nd day as CEO, Allen had already met with 118 people, including community leaders, elected leaders, volunteers, and members, to introduce himself, share what the committee is doing, and talk about the opportunities there are to work together in the greater Huntsville-Madison County region.

"Not one organization or one person can solve some of the large challenges we have in the community by themselves. It takes a community to do that, and it takes a community conversation. It takes trust and honesty and all the perspectives around the room to bring lasting change to some of these community issues that we've been talking about for years on end," Allen said.

Conversation starters

The members of the 22-year-old Huntsville Committee of 100 take pride in being intentional conversation starters in the region. The group of 246 members, including area business CEOs and professionals, focus on three core areas  "stimulating economic development, supporting high-quality public education, and encouraging cooperative local government."

The committee works to influence public policy in the Huntsville/Madison County region and also endorses candidates in local elections through its "non-partisan political action committee" called BizPac.

Allen, a Huntsville native, says his desire to be involved in the Committee of 100 began with his regional roots in the area. He grew up in the Chapman Mountain area and graduated from Lee High School. He earned a degree at Auburn University in mechanical engineering and came back to north Alabama. He and his wife, Beth Ann, made their home in the City of Madison.

Throughout his professional career Allen worked for NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center, Amoco Chemical Company and Cornerstone Engineering Group, both located in Decatur, and Southern Construction & Design Inc., in Huntsville. He opened Southern Construction & Design with his father-in-law in 1997 and went full-time there in 2002.

Allen has been a member of the Committee of 100 since 2002. He served as a board member from 2006 to 2017, a BizPac board member from 2005 to 2011 and served as BizPac chair from 2015 to 2017. He also was a member of the committee's Madison Task Force, the Superintendent Task Force (2017) and the Career Education Task Force.

For Allen, the journey to becoming a member began after he served as campaign chair for Jan Wells' second run for mayor of the City of Madison in 1999. Wells won the race and served as mayor of Madison from 2000-2004. Allen says after that election process many local City of Madison officials and community members came to know each other and in 2001 they began meeting regularly to discuss issues in the City of Madison community.

"In the fall of 2001 we really started to think about how we could create this Committee of 10 in Madison, because we had heard of the Committee of 100 and they looked like they were pretty effective in what they do. I reached out to the CEO at the time, which was Carol Madry Bell," Allen said.

About six months later, after talking with Bell, Allen said around 5 people in the Madison group joined the Huntsville Committee of 100 because they realized it was not about succeeding as individual cities but about succeeding as a region.

Regional vision

Going forward Allen says he wants to get even more business leaders involved regionally and re-introduce the Committee of 100 to the community.

"From a boarder prospective, what I believe we need to do is reach out to our networks and collaborate, reach out to our individuals that we may agree with or may not agree with, but at least have conversations so we have perspectives," Allen said. "Get all perspectives around the table and then decide which directions we move out in. A lot of it is just sharing perspectives, information, and learning, and making sure we have that perspective around the table as we make choices, internally, as the Committee of 100 which we push out externally to our members."

The Committee of 100 will be focusing on "Hot Topics" within the community such as moving Huntsville City Schools out from under a desegregation court order to the conversation involving a search for a city manager for the City of Madison to supporting home rule for Madison County.

The committee also recently introduced the "Launch 2035 Regional Visioning Effort" focused on entrepreneurship, land use planning and workforce development for the next 20 years with business leaders in Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties.

"I am fortunate to be able to be chosen for this role and represent 246 stellar community leaders that want to make a difference for the better of the community," Allen said. "That's a very exciting part of this opportunity, which is you have individuals, from the businesses that are mom and pops to the multi-thousand employees, that are willing to engage and willing to find a way to make a difference through the Committee of 100 and their membership in the issues that are important to us. That's very exciting to know that you have that level of horsepower to draw on for some of these big topics that we're dealing with."
We're in full-on holiday mode this week, recommending five new music releases for your listening pleasure. Merry Christmas! Mary Colurso | MColurso@AL.com

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Lindsey Stirling, "Warmer in the Winter"

The electric violinist  and recent runner-up on "Dancing with the Stars"  has an elfin stage presence and a powerhouse musical style. Stirling dares to be different, as you'll hear on this compelling holiday collection. She tackles 13 tracks with passionate skill, from "What Child Is This" to ""Carol of the Bells" to You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." Guest artists Trombone Shorty, Sabrina Carpenter, Becky G and Alex Gaskarth offer a little help along the way.

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Fantasia, "Christmas After Midnight"

We always knew Fantasia had soul. Ms. Barrino's outsize talent and ability to slip into the world of a song were obvious, too, during her winning season on "American Idol" in 2004. But who suspected Fantasia would be an elegant, passionate interpreter of holiday tunes? She sparkles brightly on this collection, finessing her way through 12 tracks that range from "Merry Christmas, Baby" to "What Are You Doing New Years Eve?"

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Steelism, "Linus & Lucy"

If Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is close to your heart, make room for an update of one classic tune. Steelism, a Nashville instrumental duo, pays homage to "Linus & Lucy" with a clever, classy cover that blends guitar and pedal steel. "We have been experimenting with live arrangements of Guaraldi's classic for several years now, but we wanted to break down the composition for this new recording and era," the band says in a press release. Mission accomplished with this spot-on single, which manages to sound fresh and familiar at the same time.

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The Minus 5, "Dear December"

Here's something that makes us feel merry and bright: an album of 11 original holiday tunes. It's a bold move from Scott McCaughey, the prime mover of the Minus 5, and his unorthodox strategy pays off. Power pop does have a place in the Christmas pantheon, and the Minus 5 knows exactly how to walk the line between whimsy and wisdom. Tracks include "I See Angels," "Yule Tide Me Over," "The Fourth Noel" and "When Christmas Hurts You This Way." The list of guest artists is killer, too: the Posies, Ben Gibbard, Chuck Prophet, Mike Mills, Kelly Hogan and more.

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Reba McEntire, "My Kind of Christmas"

Chestnuts with twang. What else should we expect from a queen of country music? McEntire's fans are bound to like this collection, which includes "Hard Candy Christmas," "O Holy Night," "Winter Wonderland," "White Christmas," "Silent Night" (with Kelly Clarkson and Trisha Yearwood) and nine more holiday tunes. McEntire's got the pipes to sing just about anything and make it sound effortless. Overall, the vibe is folksy under the mistletoe.

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More on the Christmas season:

Christmas events in Alabama 2017: Holiday lights, parades, ice skating, trees, concerts and more

The best Christmas movies you can stream on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and HBO right now

29 awesome holiday gifts for those who love the outdoors

Sneak Peek: Santa's Underground Workshop at Rickwood Caverns State Park

40+ Huntsville & Madison Events to put you in the holiday spirit
When Wayne Colburn woke up in a hospital bed, he wasn't sure why he was there, or how he got there. But he did know that the woman standing by his side was sent from God.

"Mr. Colburn, I know you don't know me..." she began.

"I know who you are. You're my angel," he said to Jennifer Folds, a nurse in the intensive care unit at Providence Hospital in Mobile.

Jennifer had been driving on Airport Boulevard on her day off, passing Burger King, when she saw something that seemed not quite right. Within seconds, she realized a man was lying on the pavement between his car and the curb.

She found herself pulling off Airport and running to him.

That morning, Wayne and his wife of 48 years, Shirley, had left home in Lucedale, Miss., and headed south to Pascagoula, where he bought her a new car. The last thing he remembers is getting on I-10, bound for Mobile, where he had a doctor's appointment at Providence.

Shirley, meanwhile, hadn't noticed that anything was wrong with her husband. He doesn't usually talk much while they're driving, anyway, she says. They decided to stop at a Burger King not far from the hospital, but, as Wayne got out of the car, he fell, hitting his head on the curb. He lay there gasping for air, his face turning blue.

Shirley ran inside the restaurant, asking one of the employees to call 911, then waited for the ambulance by her husband's side. She threw her hands in the air and called to God for help.

And that's when help arrived, in the form of Jennifer. Wayne was on his side, so she turned him over onto his back and opened his shirt, noticing the scar on this chest from open-heart surgery. She started CPR on him and continued with chest compressions until the paramedics arrived.

'I think I have a purpose now'

Wayne is "a very lucky man" to be alive today, says Jennifer, who earned her nursing degree in 2014 and is in the process of becoming an acute care nurse practitioner. He was in full cardiac arrest, with no pulse, when she got to him. The paramedics shocked him, and he coded five times more in the hospital, she says.

Jennifer and her now-fiance were on their way to eat lunch that day, with her 2-year-old in the back seat, before picking up her two older children from school. "I try to avoid Airport Boulevard like the plague," she says, but she ended up there - heaven-sent, perhaps - navigating through the traffic.

Jennifer is following in the footsteps of her mother, a nurse practitioner who has a doctorate. "I hope I can live up to be half the nurse she was," she says.

She remembers, as a child, driving north on I-65 on a family vacation and encountering a big wreck. Both of her parents got out to help the injured. "I'm grateful I was brought up in a family that's willing to put themselves out there," she says. "I'm privileged in that sense."

Earlier this year, while on vacation, Jennifer was on the scene of an accident on Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores. Still in their bathing suits, she and a nurse friend rushed to help the driver, whose leg was nearly severed. They applied pressure, using some shirts a bystander happened to have in her trunk because she planned to donate them.

The victim was removed from the vehicle by Jaws of Life and taken to the University of South Alabama Medical Center via air ambulance. When Jennifer called later to check on him, she learned that he'd survived, and his leg had been saved.

Then, in August, she stopped for Wayne and Shirley Colburn.

"It's been an interesting year," she says. "I think I have a purpose now."

'Tell me God isn't real'

Wayne and Shirley grew up living only about 500 yards from each other in Lucedale, but they went to different schools and didn't meet until they were teenagers. "I saw her on a bus and said, 'That's who I'm going to marry,'" he remembers.

On that morning this past August, the couple had been driving to Mobile so that Wayne could have an MRI done on his left leg, where he was wounded by gunfire during the Vietnam War. The U.S. Marine Corps veteran is the recipient of a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He has a sore on that leg that requires medical care at the wound-care center at Providence.

Wayne served in Vietnam for 61/2 months before he was wounded. He spent four months in a hospital in Guam, then two more months recovering in Pensacola. He was told he would walk with a cane for the rest of his life, but he returned to Lucedale and did his own version of physical therapy in which he would climb up and down a ladder every day. After three months, his leg was strong enough that he could put the cane aside.

He's nothing if not tough. Four years ago, right before he underwent sextuple-bypass surgery, Wayne went to Dollywood with his family. "Me and this one rode the roller coaster," his son, Wayne Colburn Jr., says incredulously as he nods toward his dad.

Shirley cries as she remembers the large group of family members, friends and clergy who came to pray for Wayne in the hospital after Jennifer helped save his life. "You could feel the Holy Ghost coming through there," she says. "The nurse told me that if he'd coded one more time, she didn't know if they'd be able to save him or not."

But their daughter, Debbie Williams, had no doubt that her father would make it. "I told my uncle, 'It's not his time,'" she says. "Why would God have put that angel there?"

Wayne's kidneys were failing, so he underwent dialysis and, almost immediately, started to improve. The next day, according to Wayne Jr., the external defibrillator came off, and soon he was taken off the ventilator.

"He was healed almost as fast as he went down," Shirley says.

Before he was released, his doctors found an 80 percent arterial blockage and fixed it with a stent.

"I'm still alive, and I still have all my functions," says Wayne. "You tell me God isn't real."

Jennifer says Wayne's recovery is nothing short of incredible. "It was truly a miracle for him to make it that far and not have any deficits. He's been given a second chance."

Since then, Wayne and Shirley took a cruise out of Mobile for their anniversary. "We celebrated 48 years together this year," she says. "This has made us so strong."

'Best part of humanity'

While Wayne was still in the hospital, his family tried to learn more about the nameless nurse who'd come to his rescue. They didn't know if they would ever be able to thank her.

Meanwhile, Jennifer had been thinking about Wayne. She knew that the EMTs had rushed him to Providence. She called a friend in the hospital's emergency room who gave her hard news: Things weren't looking good. "My heart dropped," Jennifer says.

So she was thrilled when she learned that Wayne had pulled through and was recovering at the intensive care unit on her floor. "I ran over there," she says.

Shirley, of course, recognized Jennifer from the Burger King parking lot, but Wayne hadn't seen her then - or so she thought. As soon as he saw her face, he knew she was the angel who'd shown up at just the right time.

Jennifer feels a little embarrassed by the attention. "This was such a humbling experience," she says. "I really feel like I was just doing the right thing. I was just doing what we all should be doing for each other, just helping."

What touched her the most, she says, was the way that so many people, from all walks of life, pitched in that day to help. "Everyone did what they could, as fast as they could," she says.

The parking lot scene was chaotic, she recalls: Her glasses and Wayne's wallet had fallen to the ground, their cars left running, as everyone's attention and efforts were focused on getting Wayne to the hospital before it was too late.

"The best part of humanity in every way was there," Jennifer says. "There's a lot of bad in the world, but so much good is still out there."

As Christmas approaches, Wayne's tight-knit family is constantly reminded how thankful they are that he is here with them. "For me, Christmas came early, in August," says his daughter, Debbie, wiping away tears of joy. "What a Christmas gift we got."
A Tennessee man has been formally charged after police say he was highly intoxicated and assaulted a flight attendant on a Southwest Airlines flight that was diverted to Birmingham Friday night.

Birmingham police charged Logan Polley, 25, with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, said Sgt. Bryan Shelton. He is from Franklin, and has already been released from the city jail on bond.

Authorities said Polley became disruptive during the trip from Nashville to Tampa and assaulted the attendant. The attendant wasn't harmed.

Passengers subdued the man and restrained him until the plane landed at Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport shortly after 6 p.m. Once the plane landed, Birmingham police officers tried to remove Polley from the plane, but he became confrontational and resisted the officers.

Ultimately, they were able to gain control and take him off of the plane. Shelton said the suspect was highly intoxicated. Shelton said it wasn't clear whether the flight attendant would also press charges against the man.

No passengers were injured. The plane resumed it's travel and landed in Tampa about one hour late.
At least three hundred. I like the title, not the one on the first panel, but the one at the top of each frame, which I have also given as the title of thi...

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Most British Muslims have religious-only ceremonies and almost 30 percent have no idea union is unprotected by law.

London, England  When Maureen wed her husband Rashid in a Muslim ceremony in 1973 in Bradford, she knew that should the relationship fall apart, she would not be entitled to share his assets.

Her marriage was sanctified in the eyes of God, but in the eyes of the state it was unregistered, not legal; thus, financial protections codified in law to protect married couples headed for divorce did not apply to her.

The couple separated in 1987 and Rashid died the following year in a car accident.

Maureen and her then 12-year-old son, Conor, were forcibly evicted from their family home in Bradford registered in her husbands name. They were left homeless and without any financial support because Maureens marriage was not recognised by English family law.

I fought for seven years through solicitors with my husbands family, but in the end, we didnt get a penny. They got nothing and I got nothing because my husband didnt make a will, she told Al Jazeera.

The house was in his name and we werent married in English law. In the end, my son and I were thrown out of the house. I remember I had to beg to be let back in to get some clothes we left behind. We just got passed around by the council from place to place until we got a maisonette. I eventually got three little jobs that got us by, but at that time, everything was just a nightmare.

Forty-four years since Maureens relationship ended, the effects of unregistered marriages continue to affect Muslim women and children who have fallen into this legal black hole.

Sixty percent of Muslim marriages unregistered

Recently, British broadcaster Channel 4 commissioned the largest survey of its kind, collecting data from 903 British Muslim women to determine the extent of unregistered, religious-only marriages.

According to the 1949 Marriage Act, in England and Wales, only Anglicans, Jews, and Quakers are required by law to have a civil ceremony alongside a religious ceremony.

In the event of a divorce, the starting point of proceedings, when it comes to the splitting of financial assets, is an equitable 50 percent split. However, Britain has become more diverse since this act. As well as Islam, the countrys second-largest religion, Sikhism and Hinduism are not included in the act.

The reason religious-only marriage is increasingly acceptable to Muslim couples, in my view, is that it mirrors cohabitation. So if couples in wider society can be a family without a formal marriage, why not Muslims? by Rajnaara Akhtar, researcher

Campaigners such as solicitor Aina Khan, and Conservative peer Baroness Caroline Cox argue that legislative change should see all religious marriages needing to be registered. However, other research suggests the solution is not this simple.

Sixty percent of women surveyed by Channel 4 had a religious-only marriage. A majority of 66 percent knew their union had no legal status. Almost half said that they did not intend to have a civil ceremony.

Rajnaara Akhtar, a researcher of British Muslim issues and a lecturer at Leicesters De Montfort University, summarised the survey.

The reason religious-only marriage is increasingly acceptable to Muslim couples, in my view, is that it mirrors cohabitation. So if couples in wider society can be a family without a formal marriage, why not Muslims? she told Al Jazeera.

Cohabitees are the fastest growing family group in the UK.

While she recognised some womens difficulties, Akhtar said a blanket recognition of religious marriage would be problematic.

For some Muslim women, she said, not registering a marriage comes with certain benefits.

Where you have a couple [without] assets, there really isnt a reason to formally marry because it means that the process of divorce, if that were to happen, is going to be long-winded. I have read research findings where you have women on their second marriage, who, having gone through a formal marriage and a formal divorce the first time around and realised how difficult it was, purposely opt out of a registered marriage.

For them, having a marriage that is religiously recognised but not recognised by the state is preferable. So this comes down to a question of autonomy.

Of those in unregistered marriages, 28 percent said they did not realise that their Islamic ceremony was not legally recognised.

This could be because of the myth of the common law spouse, Akhtar said, the false assumption that cohabitants carry legal status in English law.

This lack of awareness is not exclusive to the Muslim community.

Remedy needed

In a survey conducted by British Social Attitudes in 2006, 58 percent of respondents thought that cohabiting couples who split up had the same legal status as married couples.

Jakki Smith, an NHS employee from Chorley, Lancashire, understands the legal limitations of cohabitation.

She was denied bereavement damages when her partner of sixteen years, John Bulloch, died in 2010 after doctors failed to spot an infection.

Had she been married by law, she would have been eligible.

However, Smith and Bulloch were each previously divorced, and decided they did not want a civil ceremony.

I was the person who lived with him, loved him the most, and I couldnt even register his death, she told Al Jazeera.

As a common law spouse, I was aware that I wasnt entitled to claim his pension, but I wasnt fully aware of the complete limitation of not being recognised at all. I wasnt even aware there were bereavement damages until I spoke to my solicitor.

The government has to accept people are changing, people prefer to live together without being married. Its about personal choice.

In November, she won a legal battle against the government on the grounds her human rights were breached.

Lady Brenda Hale, the first female president of the Supreme Court, was quoted by The Times newspaper last month as saying that there should be a remedy for unmarried couples in English law.

A Cohabitation Rights Bill addressing the rights of cohabiting couples has been presented at the House of Lords consecutively for the last three years, had its first reading earlier this year, and will have a second reading on a date yet to be announced.

Editorial note: The writer of this piece contributed to the Channel 4 survey.
An ambitious Israeli cabinet minister, a thrusting Saudi crown prince, a son-in-law of a US president and a long-abandoned railway. Could this be the start of an anti-Iran axis that in a further twist of an extraordinary tale pulls a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians like a rabbit out of a hat?

The cabinet minister is Yisrael Katz who holds both the portfolios of intelligence affairs and transport in the current Israeli government. He is considered to be a leading candidate to take Benjamin Netanyahus job should swirling corruption charges finally bring down Israels second-longest-serving prime minister.

The crown prince is, of course, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) who now exercises a panoply of powers unseen since the days of his grandfather Ibn Saud, the founder of the modern-day Saudi kingdom. MBS is as ruthless as he is ambitious, having despatched his rivals to the throne in short order.

The son-in-law is Jared Kushner, a New York real estate developer who was anointed a senior adviser to the president and charged with securing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

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The railway is the 1,300km track the Ottomans built in 1908 between Damascus and Medina, Islams second-holiest site. A branch line connected the Mediterranean port of Haifa to the main line via the Jezreel Valley and modern-day Jordan. The railway closed in 1920 as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

Now Minister Katz is pushing a freight railway revival as a key element in an anti-Iran axis, one that would use trade to pull Saudi Arabia and other Arab states into a close alliance with Israel. In a recent interview with the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, he stated that Iran is the big enemy, adding Its very clear we [Israel and Saudi Arabia] are practically on the same side  All Sunni countries are against Iran. We wish to have a peace agreement in parallel with advancing regional economic development initiatives.

The minister, a member of Netanyahus Likud party has already overseen the opening of 60 kilometres of track from Haifa, through the Jezreel Valley in northeast Israel to the border of Jordan. And though he is a fervent opponent of the two-state solution, he has offered Palestinians living in the West Bank an intriguing carrot: a spur line that would connect the Palestinian city of Jenin to the main railway. If the Palestinians connect to a railway system, the entire area will get a significant economic boost, he told Haaretz newspaper.

Meanwhile, he has been busy wooing MBS. On December 14, he openly courted MBS with an offer to hit Iranian missile plants in Lebanon. The Saudis, though they wont say so openly, have been badly rattled by two missile attacks on Riyadh. They accuse Iran of supplying the long-range missiles, fired by Houthi rebels inside Yemen, through their regional proxy Hezbollah. It is a charge the Iranians deny.

Katz called the 32-year-old Saudi Crown Prince a leader of the Arab world and proposed that Saudi Arabia sponsor a new Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The minister added that Israel would be happy to participate in such negotiations. And he invited MBS to visit Israel to meet senior Israeli government officials and Katz himself. Such a meeting presumably would take place in Jerusalem where the Israeli parliament, the Knesset and government ministries are located.

That may be a step too far, at least at this stage. Still the official Saudi response to US President Donald Trumps statement declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel has been surprisingly muted given that the kingdoms leadership over several decades has pushed, often only tepidly, for a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.

Just how muted can be measured by a remarkable meeting MBS had in early December with Robert Satloff who runs the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The WINEP is a pro-Israeli think-tank linked to AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), itself a powerful organisation that lobbies strenuously on Israels behalf in Washington.

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Satloff had an 80-minute session with MBS in Riyadh, something that would have been unthinkable even a few months ago. The fact that the meeting happened just after Trumps declaration on Jerusalem, that it lasted over an hour, and that MBS only mentioned Jerusalem after prompting from Satloff, makes it even more remarkable.

A week later Satloff published an article on WINEPs website titled Mohammed bin Salman Doesnt Want to Talk About Jerusalem. He wrote the following:

If we hadnt asked him directly about Trumps announcement, it may never have come up [] He limited himself to a single word of disappointment about the Presidents decision  literally  and then quickly turned to where Riyadh and Washington could work together to limit the fallout and restore hope to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

That peace process increasingly looks to be a deal cooked up by MBS and Jared Kushner. It is the so-called sanctuary plan which would see a new Palestinian state created by combining Gaza with North Sinai. West Bank Palestinian towns and cities now being increasingly encircled by Israeli settlements would fall under the jurisdiction of Jordan. For their part, the Saudis would commit hundreds of millions of dollars to support the project.

The plan anticipates an exodus of Palestinians to Sinai from the West Bank, from a terribly overcrowded Gaza and from Israel thus defusing the demographic time bomb the Israelis would face if they declared a one-state solution with equal rights for all, a democracy where Palestinians would inevitably become the majority.

Declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel is the first step in the grand plan to close, in Trumps words, the ultimate deal. Katz with his transport ministers cap on has already offered to build an artificial island off the coast of Gaza that would serve as an airport and transport hub for the new state.

That the sanctuary plan flies in the face of reality on the ground seems to have escaped Katz, MBS and Kushner. The Palestinians are not likely to be gang-pressed into abandoning their decades-long struggle for their homeland. Nor are Egyptians living in North Sinai going to take well being forcibly relocated west of Suez. And will President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, already stung by criticism for giving up two islands to the Saudis, offer up a big chunk of the Sinai Peninsula? Finally, where will the increasingly cash-strapped Saudis find the money to fund this madcap enterprise?

For now, though, the real danger remains the heightened anxiety over the growing clout of Iran in the region, one that could lead the Israelis, the Saudis and the Americans into a full-scale proxy war. And Katz has already signalled that he is up for it. Speaking recently of the 2006 Hezbollah-Israeli war in Lebanon, he said, What happened in 2006 will be a picnic compared to what we can do [] I am telling you that we will return Lebanon to the Stone Age.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny plans to compete against Vladimir Putin in the 2018 presidential elections.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has officially submitted the documents needed to be a candidate in next years presidential elections.

His move late on Sunday came hours after thousands of his supporters gathered in about 20 cities across Russia to formally get his name on the ballot.

Russias central election committee now has five days to decide if Navalny is eligible to take part in Marchs vote. The commission has previously said he will not be eligible to run due to a suspended prison sentence.

We are capable of opposing the current authorities. Our key demand is to be allowed to take part in the elections, said Navalny, an anti-corruption campaigner who has long been the most visible opposition figure to President Vladimir Putins rule.

Earlier in the day, nearly 750 of his supporters in Moscow raised small red voting cards at to endorse his candidacy. An independent hopeful needs at least 500 people to formally nominate them and initiate a presidential bid.

Its you, Vladimir Putin, who turned this country into a source of personal enrichment for yourself, your family and your friends. Its why you shouldnt be president anymore, its why youre a bad president, Navalny told the crowd that had gathered on a river beach on the outskirts of Moscow.

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You dont know how to rule a country and we defy you in these elections and we are set to win.

Thousands of Navalny supporters also gathered in cities across Russia  from St Petersburg to Vladivostok  to show their support for the opposition leader.

However, chances of the 41-year old being officially registered as a candidate by the central election commission are slim as he is banned from running because of a conviction for fraud.

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In a retrial of a 2013 case, a court in the city of Kirov handed down in February a five-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of about $8,500 to Navalny for embezzling timber worth about $500,000. Navalny has always maintained that the conviction was politically motivated.

Its unlikely still that the Kremlin is going to allow him to run, Al Jazeeras Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said.

And its unlikely he would ever actual beat Putin in a head-to-head race, but he is still a political threat to the Russian system.

Anti-corruption rallies

A staunch Kremlin critic, Navalny rose to prominence in Russian politics in 2008.

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He started blogging about alleged corruption at some of Russias large, state-controlled corporations, using social media to reach out to predominantly young followers.

Navalny was the driving force behind massive anti-Putin protests in 2011 and 2012, rallying tens of thousands of people across the country.

The Russian president announced earlier this month he plans to run for another six-year term.

Putin, 65, was president from 1999 until 2008. He then served as prime minister from 2008 until 2012, before becoming president again.
Security forces raid farmhouse in Sharqiya, killing nine people suspected of involvement in deadly attacks in the Sinai.

Egypts interior ministry says police have shot dead nine people suspected of belonging to a cell behind deadly attacks in the Sinai Peninsula.

The nine were killed in a shoot-out during a dawn raid on a farmhouse in the Nile Delta province of Sharqiya, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

They were suspected of planting explosives and targeting security checkpoints in northern Sinai, which led to the deaths of a number of police and army personnel.

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The Sharqiya farm was a hideout and a training centre for weapons and explosives, the ministry said, adding that the cell was planning to carry out further attacks in North Sinai.

The identity of the suspects is still being determined, it said.

In a separate raid in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, police arrested nine others and confiscated weapons and explosive devices, the ministry said in the same statement.

Four of the detainees were involved in a July attack in Cairo that killed two people, it said.

Egypts security forces are fighting a group affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, where hundreds of police, soldiers and civilians have been killed since 2013.

That rebellion gained pace after the military overthrew Mohamed Morsi, Egypts first democratically elected president, in June that year.
Israeli court has released three Turkish men a day after they were arrested at entrance to al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

An Israeli court has released three Turkish men a day after they were arrested at the entrance to al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem.

The men were taken into custody on Friday evening. Two of them, Abdullah Kizilirmak and Mehmet Kargili, who are also Belgian citizens, were accused of carrying out an assault on police officers just outside of the compound.

The third one, Adem Koc, was accused of disturbing public order and attending an illegal demonstration.

Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld told news agencies that the three had planned on taking part in a demonstration. No casualties were reported.





A video from a bystander showed a group of Turkish people standing at one of the gates leading into the compound, which is Islams third holiest site. Some were wearing T-shirts emblazoned with Turkeys flag.

The Daily Sabah reported that Israeli soldiers at the gate refused to let the group in unless those wearing the T-shirts took them off, leading to a brawl.

Umeyr Ahmed Merrid, one of the lawyers representing the three Turks, told the Anadolu Agency that his clients did not accept any of the charges against them, noting that they were badly treated by Israeli police.

Merrid added that his clients, who were brought to Jerusalems Magistrates Court on Saturday, were released on bail on the condition that they do not enter the Old City until the beginning of 2018.

Surge of protests

Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian territories have witnessed a surge of protests in the last two weeks, in response to the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. So far, 15 Palestinians have been killed and more than 500 arrested by Israeli security forces.

The status of Jerusalem has long remained a sensitive topic and is one of the core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After occupying the citys eastern part in the 1967 War, Israel annexed the territory. In 1980, it proclaimed Jerusalem as its eternal, undivided capital.

The Palestinian leadership in the West Bank, however, sees East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

On the international level, Turkey led the push for the United Nations General Assembly to hold an emergency session on the US decision. The session, held on Thursday, resulted in an overwhelming vote to declare US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void.
Death of Kameron Prescott by sheriffs deputies in southern state renews debate over deadly police encounters in US.

The fatal shooting of a six-year-old boy by police gunfire in the US state of Texas has sparked outrage and renewed the debate over police brutality in the country.

Kameron Prescott was killed on Thursday in the small town of Schertz in Bexar County, after a stray bullet shot by a sheriffs deputy pierced through the wall of his mobile home and hit his abdomen.

A suspected car thief  a 30-year-old woman identified as Amanda Lee Jones  was also killed by police as she tried to break into Prescotts home.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar described Prescotts death as a tragic accident and said the shooting is under investigation.

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The incident is the latest in a series of deaths at the hands of police officers in the US.

A total of 952 people have been shot and killed by US police in 2017, according to the Washington Posts Fatal Force database.

#JusticeForKameron

Victims of police brutality are often children.

In May, police officers in a Dallas suburb shot and killed Jordan Edwards, a 15-year-old black American, for aggressively reversing towards them. Video footage later contradicted the officials claims.

Gun violence and fatal police encounters have led to widespread protests in recent years.

Following news of Prescotts shooting, many took to Twitter to condemn his death, which came just days before Christmas.



https://twitter.com/Attackonmarina/status/944616988340400128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Meanwhile, others criticised the US police force and called for reform.

You cannot claim there is no problem in the institution when a child, a six year old purely innocent CHILD just got murdered by police. Accident or not, there needs to be justice and improvement #KameronPrescott  Laura (@lauhhra) December 23, 2017



https://twitter.com/welcomewords/status/944449184635133952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I will not stop tweeting #KameronPrescott until justice is done. He did not die in vein. Police reform NOW!  Nicole Goodwin (@stormy1025) December 23, 2017

A crowdfunding campaign was launched on Gofundme to pay for Prescotts funeral. A total of $13,736 was raised in two days, exceeding the goal of $12,000.

According to the Guardian newspapers The Counted database, at least 1,092 people were killed by police in the US in 2016.

Of that total, nearly a quarter were African Americans, although the group only accounts for roughly 12 percent of the total US population.

In a high-profile case in 2016, the aftermath of the shooting of black motorist Philando Castile by a Minnesota officer was streamed live on Facebook.

The killing of another black man, Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by white police led to a wave of protests across the country.
Christmas Returns to Northern Iraq

Christmas overlooking Prophet Jonah's Hill in East Mosul, Iraq. ( Martin Banni) Just one year ago Mosul was the seat of the Islamic State's so-called caliphate in Iraq. With 1.8 million people under siege, December was a time when residents used old furniture and cut down trees to keep warm and to cook whatever paltry edibles could be scrounged up --including roadside weeds and stray cats. Today, while Christians throughout the region enter the holiday generally apprehensive about their place in a turbulent Middle East, the diverse Armenian, Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac communities in northern Iraq have something special to celebrate.

Christmas trees have appeared in market places and Santa Claus has been sighted on the streets of Mosul. "It might seem strange to hear that a female Santa Claus has appeared in this city," said seventeen-year old Ghenwa Ghassan. "But I wanted to give the people here a simple gift -- to bring Christmas to a place where it had been banished." Dressed as Santa, Ghassan distributed toys and school supplies to Christian and Muslim children in the rubble strewn streets of Old Mosul. After three years of domination by ISIS, which included killing, abduction, and banishment of Christians from Mosul and the surrounding area, the return of Christmas marks a moment of hope that more people may be able to return along with the holiday. "The young people spent the night decorating our town with lights just like we used to before ISIS came," said Bernadette Al-Maslob, a fifty-nine year old archaeologist, in Karamlesh, eighteen miles southeast of Mosul. Chaldean, Assyrian and Syriac Christians who live in Nineveh Plain towns kindle a "Christmas Flame" in the courtyards of their ancient churches -- many of which had been desecrated and burnt by ISIS. "Celebrating Christmas here is a message, that despite all the threats, persecution, killing and what we faced in Iraq, we have hope that this country will change, "said Rev. Martin Banni, Karamlesh's Chaldean Catholic priest. Making the point tangible, it is the Chaldean Church that is distributing Christmas trees. "The last Christmas mass here was in 2013. Now, the cross is lifted again over the Church of St. Paul," Banni told The Media Line. Secular and liberal Muslims are also taking comfort in the return of Christmas -- they say the tafkiri ideology of ISIS threatened their way of life just as it did for the region's Christians. "It was heartwarming and tear-shedding to enter my morning class and see the lighted Christmas tree after three dim years of ISIS rule," said Ali Al-Baroodi, 29, a lecturer of English at Translation Department at Mosul University's Faculty of Arts. More Christians have returned to the more modern areas of east Mosul than to the historic neighborhoods such as Hosh Al-Bai'ah in the west where Ottoman villas, Assyrian and Chaldean Christian churches before the devastation wracked by ISIS. "Yesterday, a group of Mosul youths have cleaned a church here so Christians can celebrate, attend the mass and ring the bells," said Saad Ahmed, 32 Muslim resident of East Mosul. "Restaurants and shops are decorated with Christmas trees and Santa Claus images." But other churches are still damaged or seized by the government -- for example the church in Al-Muhandisin District is now being used as a prison," Ahmed told The Media Line. The celebrations in Iraq come after a tense autumn when many Christians were forced to flee their homes in the Nineveh Plain, the country had about 1.5 million Christians at the start of the 2003 US invasion. Christian aid and advocacy groups believe that number could now be as low as 300,000. "Emigration of members of minority communities continues as the chances of seeing restored stability are still far away," said Mervyn Thomas Chief Executive at a London based Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Community leaders say a full-fledged return of Christians to their neighborhoods in Mosul and its environs remains unlikely for the foreseeable future. "The Chaldean Church has a political agenda, welcoming back those who return and disparaging those who leave," said Samer Elias, a Christian writer from Mosul who sought safety in Iraqi Kurdistan after the ISIS onslaught. "When I come back, I feel broken because my neighbors stood by and watched as our possessions were looted in front of their sight. Too many have bought into the ideology that we are infidels or Dhimmis," Elais told The Media Line. Evon Edward, a clinical psychologist in Alqosh- an Assyrian Christian enclave in the Nineveh Plain-- says holiday decorations and familiar rituals can't soothe her anxiety about the year ahead. "Yes there are lighted trees and people are talking about their preparations for the feast," said Edward. "The community is still severely affected by the war, people are celebrating out of habit with dulled senses and cold emotions."
President Rodrigo Duterte breaks down in tears with victims as officials say 37 feared dead in southern city.

At least 37 people are believed to have died in a fire that engulfed a shopping mall in the southern Philippines, according to government officials.

The fire broke out Saturday morning in Davao City on the third floor of the New City Commercial Center, trapping shoppers inside.

President Rodrigo Duterte met victims at the scene, about 1,000km southeast of the capital Manila.

The Philippines leader previously served as Davaos mayor for more than 20 years. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that Duterte broke down in tears as he comforted victims.

There was zero chance of survival for the missing, said Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, the presidents eldest son, writing on Facebook.

Firefighters have recovered one body from the scene so far.

It is not clear what caused the blaze, which spread to a call centre on the top floor.

The fire was still burning before dawn on Sunday morning, preventing firefighters from entering other areas of the four-storey shopping centre.

The fire comes as the Philippines struggles to deal with the devastating impact caused by Tropical Storm Tembin, which led to mudslides and flash floods on the countrys second largest island, Mindanao, on Friday.

At least 200 people are feared dead and hundreds more are missing as a result of the storm.
Anger follows action by UN Security Council strangling energy supply and ordering North Koreans abroad to return home.

North Korea has slammed the latest round of UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Pyongyang as an act of war and vowed to consolidate its nuclear programme.

In a statement published by the state-run KCNA news agency on Sunday, the foreign ministry said new measures proposed by the US infringe North Koreas sovereignty and violate peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.

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,' the ministry said.

The 15-member UNSC unanimously voted on Friday to impose tough new sanctions on North Korea in response to its latest missile test and vowed to prevent Pyongyang from furthering its nuclear programme.

The measures order North Koreans working abroad to return home within two years and ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to the country.

In its statement, North Korea defended its missile and nuclear weapons programme.

The United States, completely terrified at our accomplishment of the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, is getting more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country, said the foreign ministry.

It added: We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the US nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US.

Anger at US

Al Jazeeras Florence Looi, reporting from Seoul, said South Korea has not yet responded.

Pyongyangs statement comes as no surprise, according to policy watchers and foreign analysts, she said. The language is something that North Korean policy watchers are quite familiar with.

The statement also seems to have directed much of its anger at the US and this is again not a surprise as it is the US who negotiated the latest round of sanctions.

Following the vote on Friday, US President Donald Trump endorsed the stricter measures, saying The World wants Peace, not Death! on Twitter.

The latest UN sanctions were the third imposed on North Korea this year.





North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns government has conducted several missile tests this year, which have drawn condemnation from the international community.

The fresh sanctions, which also prohibit the supply of industrial machinery to North Korea and the purchase of food and agricultural products from the country, are in response to North Koreas test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on November 29.

Both Russia and China supported the new move, despite previously raising concerns that not enough was being done to promote diplomatic resolutions to tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this sanctions resolution shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the resolution and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done, North Koreas foreign ministry statement read.

An estimated 93,000 North Koreans work abroad and send money back home, helping the government to fund its weapons programmes.
Palestinian Christian leaders reject US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital, calling it dangerous and offensive.

Palestinian Christian leaders have rejected US President Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital, calling it dangerous and insulting.

Trumps December 6 announcement has sparked protests across the Muslim world and drawn international condemnation.

The US move is offensive to Christians and Muslims around the world who consider Jerusalem as an incubator of their most sacred, spiritual and national heritage, Atallah Hanna, the archbishop of Jerusalems Greek Orthodox church, said in a statement on Saturday.

We, Palestinians, Christians and Muslims reject the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, he added.

The US gave the occupation what it does not deserve.

Message of unity

His comments came as Christian Palestinians on Sunday took part in festivities taking place on the eve of Christmas.

Al Jazeeras Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Bethlehem, said many Muslims were also attending the annual events in a show of solidarity against Trumps decision.

This message of unity is one Palestinians are very adamant to convey, especially while there is this political crisis taking the area by storm, she said.





Maher Canavati, a member of Bethlehems local council, told Al Jazeera the celebrations are intended to deliver messages of peace, love and understanding.

We want peace with our neighbours [but] we need to be able to share Jerusalem and to have easy access to Jerusalem as Palestinians [as well].

Bethlehem, normally brimming with tourists at this time of year, has been almost empty of visitors in recent days due to nearby confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters in the wake of the US decision.

Unfortunately, after the statement of Donald Trump a lot of people were not sure about the security in this area. Many of those who were in the country did not make it to Bethlehem, they stayed in Jerusalem and in the northern part of the country, said Canavati.

But we are here are celebrating, welcoming everybody  it is very important for us that all of the Christians coming to Bethlehem supporting the Muslim and Christian community here are taken care of.

Life in Gaza a prison

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Christians held a vigil to express their support for Jerusalem as Palestines capital.

Al Jazeeras Malcolm Webb, reporting from the besieged territory, said anger at Trumps decision is shared among Christians and the majority-Muslim populating living in the besieged territory.





Everyone we have spoken to here is in opposition to the US move, and they say it only adds to the frustration of life here, he said.

The Israeli blockade of the occupied Gaza Strip, in its current form, has been in place for more than 10 years.

Gazas isolation has devastated its economy, impoverished much of the Strips two million people, and left them without adequate electricity, water and health services. Since 2007, Israel has launched three wars against the Hamas-governed Strip.

Some 1,000 Christians live in the Gaza Strip, fewer than half the amount 10 years ago.

According to sociologist Samir Quta, many Christian families have fled Gaza in recent years in search of safety and financial security.

Christian families in Gaza usually have a high socio-economic level, and the more people have options and money, the more they look for a better life, he told Al Jazeera.

This is not available in Gaza. Even with money in Gaza you cannot have a good life.

Rosette Saygh, a Christian still living in Gaza, told Al Jazeera life in the territory has become like a prison for those who have remained behind.

Life is very difficult in Gaza, we live under siege and we cannot move anywhere  We have witnessed many wars, during the bombing we had to sleep in the church for safety, she said.
Mohammed Sami al-Dahdouh was shot in Gaza protesting Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israeli capital.

A Palestinian youth has died from wounds sustained in clashes with Israeli forces, along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel earlier this week, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Mohammed Sami al-Dahdouh was injured after being shot during a protest on December 8, in the east of Gaza City, against US President Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

He died of his wounds on Sunday, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement.

Dahdouhs death brings to 15 the number of Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip after the US move on December 6.

The United Nations General Assembly voted by a huge majority to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void.

US veto

A similar resolution was rejected at the UN Security Council on December 18 after it was vetoed by the US, one of five permanent members of the UN body holding veto power.

Occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian territories have witnessed a surge of protests in the last two weeks. More than 500 Palestinian protesters have been arrested by Israeli security forces.

The status of Jerusalem has long remained a sensitive topic and is one of the core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After occupying the citys eastern part in the 1967 War, Israel annexed the territory. In 1980, it proclaimed Jerusalem as its eternal, undivided capital.

Palestinians hope that East Jerusalem might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state. Israel sees the entire city as its capital.
Pontiff defends refugees, urging the world not to ignore plight of people driven from their land.

Pope Francis has defended refugees at his Christmas Eve mass, strongly urging the world not to ignore the plight of people who are driven from their land because of leaders willing to shed innocent blood.

The leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Roman Catholics on Sunday led a solemn ceremony for about 10,000 people in St Peters Basilica in the Vatican, while many others followed the service from the square outside.

In his homily, Francis likened refugees to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and said faith demands that foreigners be welcomed.

So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary, said the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants.

We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away, but driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.

Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood, said the 81-year-old.

Herods of today

Wearing white vestments in the flower-bedecked church, Francis called for a new social imagination  in which none have to feel that there is no room for them on this earth.

Francis has made defence of migrants a major plank of his papacy, often putting him at odds with politicians.

The pope also condemned human traffickers who make money off desperate refugees as the Herods of today with blood on their hands, a reference to the Biblical story of the king who ordered the killing of all newborn male children near Bethlehem because he feared Jesus would one day displace him.

More than 14,000 people have died trying to make the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean to Europe in the past four years.

On Christmas Day on Monday, Francis is set to deliver at noon the traditional Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) message and blessings from the central balcony of the Vatican basilica.
Humanitarian group warns of lost generation as Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh lack access to schooling.

A humanitarian organisation has warned of a lost generation with more than 500,000 Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh unlikely to receive schooling in 2018.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said unless interventions are urgently funded, the humanitarian needs of children will only increase.

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Education in emergencies is a life-saving and life-changing intervention  helping children recover and cope with the continuing adversity they face, said Sarah Smith, the IRCs senior director for education, on Friday.

This is incredibly urgent for Rohingya children; no one is paying attention to their needs, and they face some of the highest levels of trauma the IRC has ever seen.

Until childrens rights to education in the Rohingya crisis are realised, we face the threat of a lost generation of what is already one of the worlds most vulnerable populations.





Less than two percent of humanitarian funding goes towards education, the most underfunded sector in response to the Rohingya plight, the IRC said.

Evan Schuurman, part of the Save the Childrens emergency response team in Coxs Bazar, said in October that schooling was particularly important for traumatised refugee children.

School isnt just about learning, he wrote in a piece published by Al Jazeera. It provides routine and a sense of normality, a place where children can make friends, play and remember what its like to be children.

Its also a critical form of protection from exploitation and abuse, such as trafficking.

According to the Oxford Burma Alliance, a student-run organisation at Oxford University, more than 60 percent of Rohingya children between the ages of five and 17 have never been to school due to poverty, government restrictions on their movement, and a lack of schools in Rakhine State, Myanmar.

More than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since August 25 in fear of abuses by Myanmarese soldiers, which the United States and UN described as ethnic cleansing.

The ongoing crisis has been described as the biggest forced exodus of 2017.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a deal last month for the return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, but little is known of its details.
Just hours after ceasefire came into effect, rebels and government forces accuse one another of ceasefire violations.

South Sudans army and anti-government rebels have both accused one another of violating a ceasefire just hours after it came into effect.

The peace agreement, in place since 00:01 local time on Sunday, was brokered earlier this week after days of internationally mediated talks in neighbouring Ethiopia to allow for humanitarian aid to get to civilians caught up in the fighting.

It marked the latest attempt to end a devastating civil war that began in 2013 when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir started fighting those allied to his former deputy, Riek Machar.

However, a spokesman for Machars SPLA-IO group said in a statement on Sunday that rebel bases in the north of the country had come under the most aggressive attack earlier in the day.

Lam Paul Gabriel said the groups fighters had repulsed an attack by government troops in northern Koch County.

He added that SPLA-IO positions in southwestern Yei County were being bombarded and accused the military of sending in soldiers to attack rebel bases in the western Wau region.

These are all acts against the peace process as the government in Juba wants the SPLA-IO to respond so that war continues and they continue to loot the resources of the country, said Gabriel.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Lul Ruai Koang, a spokesman for the army, denied the allegations.

Its actually the opposite  The rebels violated the ceasefire today in Koch, he said by phone.

Koang accused the SPLA-IO of instigating the attacks in Koch, adding that government troops regained control of the Bieh Payam town in the area by afternoon.

There were no clashes in the country late on Sunday, he said.





Koang also accused the armed oppositions forces of ambushing an aid convoy in southern Amadi state on Saturday.

The fighting is an indication that the rebels are not in full control of their troops, Koang said, adding that the government would continue to respect the truce.

Humanitarian crisis

South Sudans warring sides agreed on Thursday in Ethiopias capital, Addis Ababa, to end hostilities and immediately freeze in their locations.

They also said they would grant unhindered access for aid workers to all areas and release all political detainees as well as abducted women and children.

South Sudan plunged into civil war just two years after gaining independence when Kiir accused Machar, who he had sacked earlier in 2011, of plotting a coup.

The clashes that followed between forces loyal to Kiir  who is from the Dinka ethnic group  and rebels allied to Machar  a Nuer  set off a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the worlds newest country along ethnic lines.

A peace accord was signed two years later, and Machar returned to the capital in April 2016 to share power with Kiir.

The deal, however, collapsed in July and violence broke out. Machar went into exile and the fighting continued with new armed opposition groups joining the war over the past year.

The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of people being killed and a quarter of the countrys 12 million population forced from their homes

According to the UN, six million people  half of the countrys population  are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

More than 1.2 million are at risk of famine if humanitarian assistance is not delivered by next year.

South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011.
International repudiation of US embassy move will have broader ramifications for Israel, according to Haaretz.

US President Donald Trumps failure to rally support at the United Nations for his decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital amounted to a gift to Iran, according to an analysis published by the Haaretz daily news website.

The UN vote on December 21, in which a resounding majority of member states declared Trumps move to be null and void, constituted a worldwide vote of no confidence in the US president, from which Israel will suffer the next time it seeks to draft the international community to some joint effort against Iran or any other enemy, stated the analysis, published on the weekend.

Hostility between the European Union, Russia and China and the United States regarding the sanctions and fear over a major breach in the nuclear agreement also impacted the vote on Jerusalems status, generating negative momentum in which any new American proposal on Iran could encounter international opposition just by the fact that it was Trump who proposed it, and thats the danger to Israel, the Haaretz article stated.

From Irans perspective (and that of the Arab countries), there could be no happier outcome, despite the votes declarative and non-binding nature.

Trump must decide by mid-January whether he will continue to waive sanctions on Iran, according to the terms of the historic nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Under the agreement, Iran has been limiting its uranium enrichment programme in return for sanctions relief. Trump has repeatedly derided the pact as the worst deal ever negotiated, while Israel has warned that the agreement could enable Iran to obtain a nuclear arsenal within a few years time.

In his December 6 announcement recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital, Trump said the US would begin preparations to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. No country currently has an embassy in the holy city, which has particular significance for Muslims, Christians and Jews.

The US decision has triggered a series of protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and around the world.
Move comes after UAE-based carrier blocked Tunisian women from boarding their Dubai-bound flights.

Tunisias transport ministry has announced the suspension of all Emirates Airlines flights to and from the North African country.

The move on Sunday came two days after Tunisian women were denied boarding their flights to Dubai on the United Arab Emirates-based carrier.

The transport ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page that it has decided to suspend flights of Emirates Airlines to and from Tunisia until the company can find a suitable solution to operate its flights in accordance with international laws and treaties.

According to Tunisias state-run news agency, Salem Zeabi, the UAE ambassador to Tunisia, was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday to provide clarification on the measure banning Tunisian women from flying to or transiting through the Gulf states territory.

Zeabi reportedly said the measure was temporary and relating to security arrangements.

Earlier on Sunday, Anwar Gargash, the UAEs minister of state for foreign affairs, also cited security as the reason for the travel restriction.

We have contacted our Tunisian brothers about security information that necessitated taking specific and circumstantial measures, Gargash wrote on Twitter.

He also said that the UAE appreciates and respects Tunisian women, adding that we should avoid attempts at interpretation and errors.

Stopped from boarding

Speaking to Mosaique FM, a local Tunisian radio station, one of the women described her experience at the Tunis-Carthage International Airport on Friday.

When we arrived here, we found the situation really chaotic. They (Emirates Airlines staff) told me that a Tunisian woman under the age of 30, with a Tunisian passport, cant get on the Emirates flight, she said.

I told them it was just a transit flight  they told me, No, dont step foot on the plane.'

Another female would-be passenger said men and male children were allowed to board flights  but not women under 30.

So the daughter and the mum stay in Tunisia but the husband and son can travel. Is this logical? Its degrading. Its degrading to the Tunisian woman, to our nationality  to everything.

In a statement on Friday, Tunisias Ministry of Transport said such actions were illegal and contradictory to the regulations in force in international civil aviation.
More than 600 military staff and 360 gendarmes among the public employees dismissed by emergency decree.

Turkey has dismissed 2,766 people from their posts in state institutions over alleged links to terror organisations, according to an emergency decree published in the countrys official legal database.

On Sunday, a decree in the Official Gazette said 637 military, 360 gendarmerie personnel, 61 police and four coastguard members were among those sacked.

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Some 341 people were dismissed from the Directorate of Religious Affairs.

The rest were civil servants from other institutions.

The decree also said 115 employees who were dismissed in the past were reinstated.

Arrests and purges

Turkey has arrested or sacked tens of thousands of people from state institutions after a failed coup attempt in July 2016.

Local and international rights groups as well as Turkeys Western allies accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government of using the failed coup as a pretext to silence opposition in the country and tighten its grip on power.

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The government says that the purges and detentions are aimed at removing supporters of Fethullah Gulen from state institutions and other parts of society.

Gulen is a US-based, self-exiled religious leader who Ankara blames for the attempted coup.

Metin Gurcan, a security analyst, told Al Jazeera from Istanbul that the decrees show that Turkey is committed to the purges some 18 months after the 2016 coup attempt.

Ankara is still inclined to prioritise de-Gulenification of the army personnel rather than operational effectiveness of the military, he said.

The European Union recently shrunk so-called pre-accession funds for Turkey for the first time in the 2018 budget, due to what it called the countrys deteriorating situation in relation to democracy, rule of law and human rights.
The two countries agree to establish a strategic cooperation council and to increase bilateral trade relations.

Turkey and Sudan have agreed to establish a strategic cooperation council and to increase trade tries, sealing an historic visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Khartoum.

Erdogans arrived in the Sudanese capital on Sunday as part of a three-day trip that also includes stops in Chad and Tunisia.

Following a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart, Omar al-Bashir, Erdogan said the two countries aimed at boosting bilateral trade from its current value of $500m a year to $1bn initially and then $10bn.

We encourage businessmen to invest in Sudan, Erdogan said during a joint news conference, adding that his country was aware of Sudans economic potential.

Sudans official state news agency also said that the two leaders had agreed to set up a strategic planning group to discuss international affairs and intended to conclude a military deal involving the two countries armed forces.

US wrong on Jerusalem

Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said Erdogans visit was hailed as historic.

This is the first visit by a Turkish head of state since Sudan became independent in 1956, she said.

Talks between the two presidents mostly focused on political and economic development, added Morgan, noting that more bilateral agreements were expected to be signed on Monday.

For his part, al-Bashir said Erdogans visit would boost ties between the two Muslim countries.

The issue of US President Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6 was also discussed by the two leaders.

This step by the United States is one of distress and as chairman of the Islamic conference I have requested support from unbiased countries, said Erdogan, who earlier this month hosted an extraordinary summit in Istanbul under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation which rejected Trumps move as dangerous.

The US is wrong and the world is right.

Earlier this week, a resounding majority of member states at the UN General Assembly voted in favour of a resolution declaring Washingtons Jerusalem move null and void.
A group of Gainesville and UF researchers will delve into the history of St. Augustine and explore Cuba on a documentary airing nationally on PBS on Tuesday.

The episode, Secrets of Spanish Florida, will be part of PBSs Secrets of the Dead series and will air at 9 p.m. It features four UF professors, the curator of the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History and a Florida Museum of Natural History retired archaeologist and a current project historian.

Jack Davis, a UF history professor who teaches the course Florida to 1 845, will speak on his expertise in Spanish Floridas history in the documentary.

Florida has an aboriginal and European past that is unique and fascinating, the stuff of a good book or Steven Spielberg movie, Davis said. Why he hasn't made one of the life of Francisco Menendez is his and Hollywood's loss.

The documentary was dedicated to former UF history professor Michael Gannon, who died at 89 in April, according to Alligator archives.

The episode focuses on Spanish settlers who discovered St. Augustine, the first permanent European settlement in the U.S., in 1565, decades before English Protestants founded Jamestown.

Alligator File Photo The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine.

U.S. historians typically exclude colonial Spanish Floridas roots from textbooks and opt to only mention British colonization, Davis said. This documentary explores the Spanish colonization that may be missing from manys knowledge on the countrys foundation.

Among the Spanish settlers was a melting pot of people from Africa, Ireland, Germany and Italy who integrated with local tribes, according to a summary from PBS.

The programs highlights include the discovery of manuscripts written by the Timucuan people, a tribe indigenous to Florida and Georgia, and interviews with two members of the lost tribe known as the Yamasees.

The documentary also details the story of a community of about 100 African-born slaves who fled the Carolinas to St. Augustine for freedom, said Jane Landers, a Florida Museum of Natural History historian and Vanderbilt University history professor, who is also in the episode.

People walk past the Benet House, now Tedi's Olde Tyme Ice Cream, in downtown St. Augustine on a Tuesday afternoon in September 2008.

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After the English seized Florida, the African and Spanish exiles of St. Augustine were given land grants in Cuba, she said.

PBS filmed Landers on a trip to Cuba as she digitally preserved the records of the runaway slave community who founded a new town near Havana.

Landers said she hopes viewers learn more about the history of enslaved and freed Africans in the Americas in the century before Jamestown.

Everybodys worked so hard to bring this thing to life that Im excited that its going to happen finally, she said.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org. Follow Amanda on Twitter @amandanicrosa.

People walk past St. Augustine Art Glass, housed in the historic but dilapidated Paredes Dodge House at 54 Saint George Street in St. Augustine Tuesday afternoon in September 2008.
According to a new twist to an international test, American students are much better at group collaboration than they are doing academic work on their own. If true, is that an advancement or setback for education in America?

One thing is certain: This first-ever attempt at assessing collaborative problem-solving (CPS) -- the holy grail for workplace-oriented education reform -- did succeed in vaulting American teenagers to a much more respectable ranking among the worlds developed nations than their scores on individual tests of mathematics, science, and reading ever have.

On previous triennial testing of 15-year-olds by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a project of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, U.S. students performance has been mediocre, at best, and often closer to worst than first.

For instance, the latest batch of PISA scores from the 2015 round of testing, which were released in November, show American individual scores in mathematics ranking 40th out of 70 nations and other entities. (Average PISA score: 490. U.S. average: 470.) However, on the new assessment of the so-called soft, 21st-century social skill of CPS, the United States ranked 13th, rarefied air for Americans in these international comparisons.

PISA officials said they ventured into the collaborative realm because business leaders informed them the ability to work in groups is what they seek from their workers. That is no surprise, because business, government, and foundation elites have put preparation of children to solve problems in workforce groups high on their school-reform agendas, beginning with the Outcome-Based Education craze of the 1990s and continuing through the current drive for Common Core standardization.

On the Common Core State Standards website, a set of frequently asked questions provides this indication of the importance the standards assign to student collaboration: The middle school and high school standards call on students to practice applying mathematical ways of thinking to real-world issues and challenges. Across the English language arts and mathematics standards, skills critical to each content area are emphasized. In particular, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and critical-thinking skills are interwoven into the standards.

PISA had received related criticism for focusing too heavily on skills transmitted expertly via the structured educational systems of South Asian nations, which emphasize the sort of repetitive drills and memorization detested by American progressives. Thus, adding CPS to the testing mix could help apologists for U.S. government schools soft-pedal their failures to teach kids the basics of literacy and computation.

Indeed, a relatively good grade on CPS could help excuse results of a separate international literacy test recently showing U.S. 4th-grade literacy skills tanking since 2011, the very year Common Core began to infect the government education standards of most states.

Interestingly, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea were the highest scorers in the softer-skills CPS testing, despite lacking the U.S. elites obsession with compulsory teamwork. They also were top-10 scorers for individual achievement.

A legitimate question arises as to the accuracy of the first-year assessment of collaboration. At this point, CPS-PISA is more comparable to an experiment than an established form of testing. For instance, computer simulations are used to assess a student test-takers ability to adjust to the human dynamics within the supposedly cooperative group. That method must have its limitations.

A much more important question is whether functioning as part of a workforce team should be such an all-consuming feature of education -- or corporate management, for that matter. Legitimate criticisms of groupthink are out there, just dont expect them to be the feature of any lavishly financed educators or workforce-preparation conferences.

In an Inc.com article, "Collaboration Creates Mediocrity, Not Excellence, According to Science," Geoffrey James cited a study of collaborative work environments that found cooperative contexts proved socially disadvantageous for high performers. It turns out that instead of viewing top performers as inspiring models, mediocre employers tend to see them as threats, either to their own position in the company or to their own feelings of self-worth. What often results are internal efforts to sabotage the work of the stars, or to steal credit for it.

Open, unwalled working or instructional areas intended to foster togetherness and collaboration pose special problems for introverts, who need privacy to be productive. Susan Cain has devoted a book and a blog to fighting what she calls The New Groupthink and advocating for introverts. Cain reminds us that solitude has long been associated with creativity and transcendence. As Cain notes, Picasso said, Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.

A central narrative of many religions is the seeker -- Moses, Jesus, Buddha -- who goes off by himself and brings profound insights back to the community, Cain added.

Obviously, teamwork can play a role in final decision-making. However, education should be about preparing well-informed, independent-thinking individuals who can bring fresh ideas to the table. Thats hard to do when children are trained to become nothing more than cogs in elites exceptionally large wheel.

Robert Holland (holland@heartland.org) is a senior fellow for education policy with The Heartland Institute.
The Iran nuclear agreement should be considered a treaty much as other accords governing arms control were, particularly SALT I and II in the 1970s. Throughout the negotiations, there were many points of contention, but also agreement. Congress, Nixon, Brezhnev, and others cooperated to resolve their differences, all within constitutional restraint.

Whereas SALT culminated in a historic treaty that heralded the fall of communism in the following decade, the Iranian nuclear "agreement" was nothing more than capitulation. Its provisions missed the point while Iran's bellicosity missed the form. The implications of a nuclear-armed Iran are real for both the U.S. and our allies.

SALT I, signed on May 26, 1972 in Moscow, had two important provisions. These provisions could be considered quid pro quo provisions with the net result of parity between the USA and the USSR. The first provision was designated the Treaty of Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Systems. The treaty limited each side to only one ABM deployment area (i.e., missile-launching site) and 100 interceptor missiles. Here we see a beautiful, symmetrical commitment. Also, it is worth noting that this treaty was ratified by the Senate, whereas, to the consternation of concerned citizens throughout our country, the Obama treaty with Iran was presented not as a treaty to be ratified by the Senate, but as an agreement or deal to be voted through by votes of confidence in the House and Senate.

The other important provision of SALT I was called the Interim Agreement and Protocol on Limitation of Strategic Offensive Weapons. This agreement froze each side's number of ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) for five years. Again, there was parity. The arms race was dramatically slowed down. Both sides clearly benefited.

SALT II was a much more complex negotiation between the USA and the USSR, taking close to seven years. Finally, agreement was reached limiting and equalizing the number of MIRVs (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles  i.e., missiles with multiple warheads, each capable of being launched separately) as well as heavy bombers. It is worth noting that it took seven years and was called a treaty, meaning it had to be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the U.S. Senate. There was no faked sense of urgency such as we saw with "the deal" consummated by the Obama-Kerry negotiations. Rather, the whole SALT process had a gravitas befitting negotiations intended to make a safer world. However, before SALT II came to a vote in the Senate, Carter took it off the table as a response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Compare those serious and technical SALT negotiations, which resulted in parity of arms reduction, with the long march of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), the Security Council of the United Nations, and the P5+1 (namely, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States plus Germany) to deal with the Iranian efforts to produce 20% enriched uranium as well as plutonium (both essential for weapons-grade nuclear production) through the Clinton and Bush years, and even into the Obama presidency. It is especially concerning to think Russia is on board with the deal affirmed by Pres. Obama, since Russia has been helping Iran play its strategic mind games since the 1990s and the Clinton presidency. It is a timeline of deception and duplicity. Facilities were being hidden by Iran and then acknowledged by Iran when they could no longer remain hidden.

The mullahs have made it clear that they cannot be trusted to implement the agreement with fidelity. The recent emergence of dubious "side deals" gives Iran wide latitude to undermine inspection and enforcement regimes, particularly at Parchin and Natanz. Moreover, funding will be used for support of her military and terrorist proxies once assets have been unfrozen. As recent events have shown, Russia is already modernizing air defense systems and intending them for Iran. The potential for the annihilation of Israel and the U.S. because of these is now not so far remote. If history is a guide, then time will prove the consequences far more detrimental than even its stalwart supporters envisioned.

It does not need to be so. At the very least, the administration could have seized upon the opportunity for preconditions as gestures of goodwill. Four Americans now sit in Iranian jails, and a demand for their immediate release would have been most opportune. A renunciation of terror and recognition of Israel's right to exist, to say nothing of our own, are essential demands that were not to see the light of day. The release of Iranian assets should have come in stages and been made contingent upon all of this.

Finally, good deals can be negotiated only through positions of strength and a willingness to learn from history. Good deals are made only when each side trades something in return for what it wants more. Much to the consternation of its most discerning critics, the administration acted with reckless abandon by using the opportunity not as a means to weaken Iranian resolve, but as a pretext to preserve legacy. The U.S. got nothing. While Pelosi cheerleads the agreement as a "masterwork of diplomacy," "the deal" makes it easier for our security to be destroyed with impunity by the duplicitous mullahs and ayatollahs. Iran now has a clear path to a nuclear bomb because of Obama's hatred of a Republican Congress.
In the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the working girls sing that the shuttering of the brothel will mean a hard candy Christmas for them. The passage of the tax bill and the other steps taken this week by the administration which I will summarize means this will be a hard candy Christmas for them, too.

The Tax Cut

The Democrats idea of economic stimulation runs like this: Give the government more money and they will invest it in useless projects like Solyndra, urban streetcars, and fast trains to nowhere, which eventually get scrapped because, as I said, they are useless and of benefit only to the Democrat politicians donors. The Republicans' idea has been to let you keep more of your money and spend it in ways that meet your needs. The contrast could not have been clearer this week, for as soon as the law was passed, companies like ATT, Boeing, Fifth Third, Wells Fargo, and Comcast announced salary increases, major investment plans, increased philanthropic spending, tagging the shift to the tax cuts. And this has and will continue to cascade to more and more businesses and this money will help more and more communities as money is spent to supply the needs and wants of those who earned it.

Of course, the president gamed this ahead of time with the CEOs of these large companies. Unless you have a 1930s comic book outlook on the world, CEOs, unlike Daddy Warbucks, do not just hand out millions of dollars without first coordinating this with their boards, and they could not do this all within 24 hours. The President, like Patton explaining how he knew Rommels strategy, read the book. In this case, the Democrats have played true to form: class, race, and sex warfare. So they were sure to scream this was a payoff to the rich at the expense of the poor. A coordinated response like this shows it was not. It was a masterful refutation of the presciently anticipated left-wing response to the cuts.

Even apart from that, beginning with the first paychecks in January, taxpayers who pay attention should notice a reduction in their withholding. Happy New Year! CBS, for example, picked three families with differing incomes from different areas of the country to see how the cuts would affect them, doubtless hoping it would evince proof of the Pelosi-Schumer-media poppycock. An accountant examining the families returns last year and assuming their incomes would be stable, found to their surprise each and every one would get a welcome tax cut.

Younger, healthier people will probably forego paying mortgage-sized ObamaCare insurance payments for policies with such high deductibles they constitute only a payoff to the insurance companies and a subsidy to others. Now theres no tax penalty for refusing to play.

Foreign Policy

Just as the President has been dismantling the socialist narrative and policies of Obama and the media, he has been working to undo and right the feckless foreign policies of his leading from behind predecessor whose aim, it appears, was to diminish us on the worlds stage, not further national interests. Ive not seen a better explication of this than Commentary Magazines:

Even as early as March of 2017, it was clear that the Obama administrations foreign-policy professionals were quite insecure about how posterity would remember their stewardship of American interests abroad. They had every reason to be. For now, at least, the Trump administration has declined to govern as Trump campaigned; not as a populist firebrand but a conventional Republican. Susan Rice and her former White House colleagues have every reason to worry, but not for the United States. Their reputations, however, are another matter entirely.

Aided by our first-rate UN ambassador, Nikki Haley, he fired a shot at the anti-American corruptocrats of the United Nations this week, too. Thieves, tyrants, and the moronic weaklings of the West who the great Iowahawk accurately described in a tweet as the He-Man Jew Haters club.

In this respect, Josh Meyer of Politico (decidedly not a right-wing publication) had the blockbuster revelation of the week on Project Cassandra. In a meticulously researched piece, he describes how Obama halted an investigation into and prosecution of drug trafficking by the Iranian-supported Hezballah as it was funneling cocaine into the U.S. And he did it because he feared the investigation might interfere with the nuclear deal with Iran.

Consider this -- the messiah of the black community refused to halt a drug operation that had its greatest negative impact on those communities which most strongly supported him.

And what was the deal? Pallets of cash and numerous concessions for what? To permit Iran to control the Middle East.

As a former FBI agent who agrees with strategists that Iran doesnt actually want to develop nuclear weapons noted to me:

So why would Iran enter into the Nuclear Deal with Obama, if they don't actually intend to go nuclear? Well... It's an excellent opportunity to shake down the US. Play hard to get, get everything they can get for a deal that doesn't actually change their policies. A pass for Hezbollah, etc. What's in it for Obama? Adulation from globalists? Sure. Money? That's an interesting concept. After all, I'm sure there were plenty of US strategists to second what those Israeli strategists were saying, have been saying, for years. There really never was anything in the deal for the US, since Iran wouldn't actually be giving up anything that it really wants and would only be collecting concessions. It even probably gives Iran political leverage with the US if it wants it. So would the adulation be worth it for Obama? For a narcissist like him, maybe. But adulation measured in money might be a very interesting path to explore.

Indeed. If were looking for a dollar payoff, Id start with the unprecedented $60-million-dollar advance the Obamas received from the German giant publishing house Bertelsmann which, among other things, owns 75% of Penguin Random House. Bertelsmann is privately owned in Germany, so its finances are not readily transparent. Earlier this year, this publication ran a well-researched article on how George Soros and Bertelsmann are moving to control not only the media but the book publishing business in the U.S. as well, to advance German interests in the U.S.

The books it published had earlier given a huge boost to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

The Wall Street Journal reported when the deal was announced The company is courting potential minority investors, mainly long-term funds, including pension funds, family offices and the like, Mr. Rabe [Bertelsmanns chief executive] said, adding that there was plenty of interest in the U.S. and the U.K. Maybe one of those was Iran. Of course, I could be wrong. It could be that readers around the world really will buy $60 million worth of ghost-written books praising the work of a man whose minor achievements are being erased day by day. What do I know as opposed to these publishing moguls? Maybe the Iranians just pre-purchased millions of dollars of this pap to shield their nuclear facilities.

The Deep State

Mueller keeps chugging along, and I agree with Kurt Schlichter that the President should just leave him there. Hes eviscerating his own reputation all by himself.

Surely, the rest of us are moving to an inescapable conclusion that the absurd, unverified Dossier paid for by the opposition, and perhaps even the FBI, was the basis for the FISA warrant that led to the spying on Trump. And by law, that warrant had to be signed by then Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who would never conceivably have done this without consultation with Obama.

This farce is grinding to a halt, threats that Mueller may try to drag it out for another year notwithstanding. Improperly seizing the transition emails was not a flexing of Muellers atrophied muscles but a confession that he is spinning his wheels. The transition, you know, came after the election that was supposedly influenced by all this invisible collusion. But hey -- perhaps someone sent an email on a .gov account saying, Gee, remember how we worked with Vlad to get him to buy $100,000 of Facebook ads promoting the Hillary wants to outlaw the flag story from Truz Newz targeted at working class whites in Wisconsin and how that won the election? Good times! Unlikely. Even Team Smartest Woman In The World Who Still Lost To Donald Trump was smart enough to use its own servers for its illegal activities. Mueller and his Loretta Lynch mob dont have squat. They know it. We know it. Even somewhere in the back of their minds, past the voices and the demons, the Never Trumpers know it. The Grand Marshal of the HIPAA Court is not going to arrest everyone in the White House for treason. Mueller is going to come out with a report with lots of innuendo and a few outright lies, but no yellow scalp. A year from now -- three years from now, and if the wins keep coming, seven years from now -- Donald Trump will still be president. Dont fire him, Mr. President, at least not yet. Do something even crueler. Let Mueller and his pack of Democrat clowns keep making fools of themselves.

The Counteroffensive

Timing, as the saying does, is everything. Well, maybe timing plus persistence and preparation, and now that the tax bill is done and our military operations against ISIS are proving successful, among other things, the counteroffensive against the corrupt Deep State is taking place. Attorney General Session announced he is probing the Cassandra Project revealed by Meyers, Uranium One, and the Clinton Foundation.

James Baker, the FBI general counsel, was demoted. It was reported that he contacted David Corn about the Dossier. (Corn is the propagandist who, by the way, crafted the notion that Valerie Plame was a covert agent deliberately outed to punish her husband Ambassador Joe Wilson for claiming Bush lied to get us into war.) Corn has denied that Baker was his source. And thats probably true. Most likely the contacts were to introduce his cutout to peddle this nonsense and maybe follow up to thank him for taking the meeting. One expects the FBIs general counsel to be smart enough to use flunkies to do this.

Even more importantly, this week, the White House announced an executive order under the Magnitsky Act, which should raise even more alarm bells in the Deep State.

I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the prevalence and severity of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, such as those committed or directed by persons listed in the Annex to this order, have reached such scope and gravity that they threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons. I therefore determine that serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

The list of persons and entities whose property will be frozen reads a lot like a list of Clinton and Clinton Foundation contributors, a compendium of international crooks. And theres still the mysterious Pakistani-born Awan Brothers case pending, made even more intriguing by a report that a virus found inside the DNC server is linked to a company based in Pakistan.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, who overpaid the Awan Brothers and gave them access to many key Democrats online accounts and emails, should also be having a hard candy Christmas.

I hope you wont. The next year looks even better for the U.S. as the rot which has been exposed in the media, Hollywood, and now the Deep State, gets a thorough excision by our consequential president and his talented cabinet which my online friend Miss Marple has dubbed the living Justice League.
Teddy's description of the Chappaquiddick "accident" was enough to convict him of involuntary and voluntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment.

Today you can add homicide by vehicle while intoxicated, a mandatory three-year prison term in most states.

The facts are simple. Kennedy drove fast, probably drunk, off a bridge at about 11:30 P.M. The pond was only about six feet deep. The front end of the car was angled down.

Kennedy walked away, went to his hotel, and waited until the next morning to report to the police. The car was discovered by two boys fishing in the morning. The boys, unlike Teddy, went to a nearby house to report the car in the water. Had Teddy done this instead of leaving, Mary Jo Kopechne probably would have been saved.

Kennedy spent the night at his hotel room drying out so there would be no alcohol in his system, and to fabricate with his fixers the statement he gave the police. During the time Kennedy was at his hotel with his fixers, Mary Jo died from suffocation.

It was negligence to drive too fast and off the road while drunk, which is involuntary manslaughter. But it was far more criminal to leave her in the car for eight or more hours, without calling for help, which may get into voluntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment. Kennedy had to explain why he waited almost eight hours to report to the police and had to explain why he left Mary Jo in the car.

The substance of the statement concocted by Kennedy and his fixers is that it took him until morning to realize what happened, and he did not know that Mary Jo was in the car when he left the pond.

This is Teddy's statement to the police:

On July 18, 1969, at approximately 11:15 p.m. in Chappaquiddick, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, I was driving my car on Main Street on my way to get the ferry back to Edgartown. I was unfamiliar with the road and turned right onto Dike Road, instead of bearing hard left on Main Street. After proceeding for approximately one-half mile [800 m] on Dike Road I descended a hill and came upon a narrow bridge. The car went off the side of the bridge. There was one passenger with me, one Miss Mary Kopechne, a former secretary of my brother Sen. Robert Kennedy. The car turned over and sank into the water and landed with the roof resting on the bottom. I attempted to open the door and the window of the car but have no recollection of how I got out of the car. I came to the surface and then repeatedly dove down to the car in an attempt to see if the passenger was still in the car. I was unsuccessful in the attempt. I was exhausted and in a state of shock. I recall walking back to where my friends were eating. There was a car parked in front of the cottage and I climbed into the backseat. I then asked for someone to bring me back to Edgartown. I remember walking around for a period and then going back to my hotel room. When I fully realized what had happened this morning, I immediately contacted the police.

The lawyerly lies are breathtaking:

"The car went off the side of the bridge."

Should say, I drove off the side of the bridge.

"I have no recollection of how I got out of the car."

This means he is lying, or else he admits he was so drunk that he does not know how he got out.

"I came to the surface and then repeatedly dove down to the car in an attempt to see if the passenger was still in the car."

He does not even bother to humanize Mary Jo by using her name. She is a "passenger." He does not say he tried to get her out. He is setting up a defense that he did not know if Mary Jo was in the car. Maybe he thought she had walked away to meet with her lawyers.

"I was unsuccessful in the attempt."

Does he mean he could not see if Mary Joe was in the car? This is clever lawyer BS to make it sound as if Mary Jo may have escaped the car. Kennedy and his lawyers wrote this to make it appear that Kennedy did not know that Mary Jo was still in the car. This goes to the criminal intent to leave Mary Jo in the car, which is reckless disregard of Mary Jo's life. Teddy is setting up the defense that he did not know if Mary Jo was in the car. Sounds like the "no criminal intent" Crooked Hillary defense. A real district attorney would point out that if he could not see Mary Jo in the car, it means he was too drunk, or more likely he never looked and never tried to help her. The pond was only six feet deep. He knew that Mary Jo was in the car when they left the party and were alone in the car, so where did he think she went?

"I was exhausted and in a state of shock."

Kennedy and his lawyers wrote this to negate the criminal intent of knowingly leaving Mary Jo in the car to die. He was in "shock," did not know if Mary Jo was in the car, and therefore could not be responsible because he was in shock and therefore unable to form the intent to leave her in the car. Teddy is trying to explain why he did not "see" Mary Jo, and why he walked away without calling for help.

"I recall walking back to where my friends were eating. There was a car parked in front of the cottage and I climbed into the backseat. I then asked for someone to bring me back to Edgartown. I remember walking around for a period and then going back to my hotel room. When I fully realized what had happened this morning, I immediately contacted the police."

This is beyond belief. Kennedy says he was walking around, goes back to his friends, gets in a car, and someone drove him to Edgartown, walks around some more, then went to his hotel room. He did not "fully realize" what happened until the morning, and then he called the police.

Note that Kennedy never says he recalls that Mary Jo was still in the car until he "fully realized" it the next morning.

The entire statement is written to show that Kennedy was in a state of shock and did not know until the morning that Mary Jo was in the car.

Teddy forgot to put in his report that he and five other married friends were at a party with six single women and that he left with Mary Jo.

Kennedy was charged only with leaving the scene of an accident, with a two-month suspension of his driver's license.

See Senatorial Privilege, the Chappaquidick Cover-Up by Leo Damore (Regenery Gateway,1988). The Damore book contains all the facts of Chappaquidick and the cover-up.

Kennedy's account would make even Crooked Hillary and Bubba blush.

This is the man who criticized Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas as unfit to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. He accused Bork of forcing women to have back-alley abortions. He accused Thomas of harassing Anita Hill.

This is the man who ran in the 1976 Democratic presidential primaries and almost won. Had he beaten Jimmy Carter, Kennedy would have most likely defeated Gerald Ford to become our president.

This is the man who was called the Lion of the Senate by the Democrats and their cheerleaders in the media, who contacted the Soviet Union commie leaders to ignore Reagan and was the leader of the Democratic Party that represents itself as the party to help women.
James Comey is at it again, backseat-driving for the job he was fired from to claim all of the personnel changes being made at the FBI are "attacks," for "partisan gain."

According to The Hill:

Former FBI Director James Comey is accusing current FBI leadership of bowing to political pressure by reassigning the FBIs top lawyer. Sadly, we are now at a point in our political life when anyone can be attacked for partisan gain, Comey tweeted Friday night, in a rare public statement. James Baker, who is stepping down as FBI General Counsel, served our country incredibly well for 25 years & deserves better, he continued. He is what we should all want our public servants to be.

No, these public statements aren't "rare" and this isn't the first time Comey has been caught whining.

Comey is upset because another crony of his, FBI General Counsel James Baker, got "reassigned" after getting caught meeting with Mother Jones's radical leftwing David Corn just before the news organ broke the first story of the existence of the Steele Dossier.

It follows news that former FBI counterintelligence deputy director and Special Counsel investigator Peter Strzok exchanged hate-Trump emails with his FBI mistress and spoke of an "insurance policy" in the event that Trump was elected president. That sounds an awful lot like a bid to overturn an election. Strzok also changed the wordiing of James Comey's statement on Hillary Clinton's illegal private server to shield her from criminal charges. He also is the one who got Hillary's staff off the hook with nothing in return for their role in aiding and abetting Hillary's private server.

It also follows news that FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is planning to retire early based on his behavior - hosting an anti-Trump meeting in his office between Strzok and his mistress and the news that his wife, running for office in Virginia in 2016, had received large sums of campaign cash from a Hillary Clinton ally.

It also follows news that another FBI attorney, Aaron Zebley, served as former FBI Director Robert Mueller's chief of staff at the FBI and then defended Justin Cooper, the man who set up Hillary Clinton's private bathtub server and helped smash the evidence of it literally with a hammer.

There is also Robert Mueller, himself, a former FBI Director, Comey buddy and now Special Counsel investigating President Trump, who hired only leftwing Democrat lawyers in his quest for the collar of Trump.

And Comey is complaining about partisan attacks? Who started this? Why is it partisan to move people with obvious conflicts of interest out of the spotlight in independent counsel investigations while excusing this long and inexorable record of partisan attacks on an incoming president by a corrupted FBI senior staff?

Comey is either blind as Mister Magoo in this endeavor or else a typical leftwing charlatan out projecting his side's weaknesses onto the other political side. My bet is on the latter.
Have you ever wondered what the story of Santa Claus would be like if it were written today?

Santa Claus would probably be a transgender woman of color. He/She might still have reindeer, but they wouldn't be called Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. They would probably be called something like Fidel, Enrique, Mohammed, Mohammed, Young-Suk, Alyssa, Robyn, and Mohammad. Unless they got rid of the reindeer altogether, because of their large carbon footprint, in which case they would be replaced with flying animated legumes.

Santa would no longer work out of the North Pole (too white up there!), but probably would have a base of operations at the United Nations, where U.N. peacekeepers would be kept busy making toys to keep their hands busy and out of trouble.

Santa would still give gifts to children, but they would be more calibrated.

1) Christmas gifts would be means-tested. Children whose parents had incomes above a certain threshold would find their gifts redistributed to more worthy ones.

2) Girls would receive boy gifts, like toy soldiers and trains, and boys would receive girl gifts, like dolls, toy kitchens, and makeup kits.

3) Santa would not only know which children have been good or bad, but also know which children want to be a different gender. For the boys, Santa would leave some female hormones in their stocking and testosterone for the girls.

4) Alternatively, Christmas might still take place but have its name changed to Eid Al Fitr and take place in June. If reindeer are still employed, the female ones will have to be segregated and not allowed to drive. Children not members of the Islamic faith would receive all manner of colorful gifts, all of them booby-trapped. Santa's Sunni elves would be sent on a rampage to kill all the Shi'ite kids of the world, unless Santa's elves were Shi'ite, in which case it would be the reverse.

5) Or instead of #4, Santa might be turned into a global warming warrior, spreading not only cheer, but Luddite greetings to the children of the planet, encouraging them to replace their family cars with bicycles, their hamburgers with Brussels sprouts, and their electric heaters with warm thoughts.

If Santa Claus were just created today, how else do you think liberals would pervert him?

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.
Earlier this month, the Pakistani National Assembly (N.A.) slavishly followed suit with most of the Muslim world and the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly in condemning United States president Donald Trump's declaration that recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. "Debate" on the resolution was characterized by threats of violence and knee-jerk condemnation of the U.S. and Israel. The resolution itself called the U.S. move "a direct attack on the Muslim Ummah," which is a significant term for it to use. Ummah is an Arabic word meaning "community" and is used to refer to a single, supranational community of Muslims with common interests that supersede any others. Its use implies that all Muslims would have the same or similar positions regarding the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Legislator after legislator dutifully condemned Pakistan's major benefactor (the U.S.). Former  and disgraced  prime minister Nawaz Sharif cried: "To hand over [to Israel] the holy city of Jerusalem, known historically for over millenniums [sic] as Al Quds Al Sharif, is to add salt to the wounds of the people who have been suffering untold miseries for 70 years." How misguided. The U.S. government did not hand over anything to anybody. Jerusalem is Israel's capital, and as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said, the announcement was "just reality" and something "the American people have asked for." That's how it works in a democracy but not how it works in places like Pakistan, where people are commanded to take the same position on every issue because they belong to the same, religious community.

Even in a country where dissent often carries a de facto death sentence, however, one member of Pakistan's N.A. and that Muslim Ummah rose in opposition to the resolution. Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, dared to stand and speak truth to the lie that all Muslims find Israel odious and are "outraged" to the point of violence by American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Pakistan's semi-official newspaper Dawn did indeed report that Achakzai "ridiculed" the resolution, but it and the Pakistani government tried to sanitize his comments and ignore his open support for Israel and the United States  for that opposition contradicts the narrative they are trying desperately to promote. Dawn led with a banner headline reading, "NA unanimously assails US move on Jerusalem" (it was not unanimous), and it attributed Achakzai's opposition to mere procedural matters and his (and his party's) stance of neutrality on all international matters and focus on Pakistan's serious domestic issues. How can "a house that could not save the country's Constitution save the Palestinians"?

According to my Pakhtun (Pashtun) sources, however, "his speech was stopped and cameras turned down." His fellow party members told me he frequently responds to statements about "oppressed Palestinians" by pointing out that it is the Jews who face oppression and that the real focus should be how "Pashtuns are oppressed under the Pakistani army[.] ... Gaza and West Bank [are] none of our concern." That's heresy for those who demand fealty from all members of the Muslim Ummah. In fact, one notable distinction between non-radical and radical Muslims, including people who may not throw bombs but provide ideological cover for those who do, is the latter's insistence that Islam is a Muslim's single identity of consequence. Achakzai's public life has been devoted to the cause of self-determination for Pakistan's various nationalities, as opposed to the single Pakistani state that was created on the basis of religion and is officially an Islamic Republic.

This is not the first time Achakzai has bucked Pakistan's anti-U.S., anti-Israel wave in Pakistan's parliament. When the rest of the Pakistani parliament rushed to condemn Israel for its war with Hamas in Gaza, Achakzai said Pakistan itself had become a Gaza and cited "human rights violations, internal strife, aerial bombardment and displacement of tens of thousands of people from North Waziristan Agency." He refused to support Hamas and the Palestinians over Israel. According to other members of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, his recent actions showed the resolution on the U.S. action and "support for Palestinians [to be] a laughing stock."

Pakistan is rife with ethnic conflict and insurgencies. Baloch, Sindhi, Pashtun, Kashimris, and others contend that the Pakistani government commits ongoing human rights violations against their people; attempts to suppress their national identity; and is trying to change the demography of their lands by flooding them with Islamists and Punjabis, Pakistan's dominant ethnic group. Achakzai and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party represent Pakistan's Pashtun population, which is located in places like Waziristan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where Afghan terrorists often find safe haven. Although many Pashtun fill the ranks of Islamist groups in the region, the majority of Pashtuns oppose the radicals and are often their victims. In fact, the latest incarnation of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party specifically excluded Islamist parties. The party's official position demands equal rights for all ethnic groups in Pakistan and control over the resources in their territories. Many Pashtun, however, seek independence from Pakistan. They tend to be very positive about the United States, with the exception of aid to the Pakistani government and military.

Dr. Benkin was helped with this article by Umar Daud Khattak, a young Pashtun Muslim, who works extensively for Pashtun freedom and strong ties with the United States and Israel.
On December 25, millions of Christians in countries whose leaders voted against the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, as well as Pope Francis, who joined in the condemnation, will be celebrating the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, in the Holy Land of Israel. We wish them and our readers a Merry Christmas!

Growing numbers of Christian-majority countries seem too willing to rewrite history by adopting the newly invented Palestinian state's lies, which include the denial of more than two millennia of Jewish presence in the Holy Land, even claiming that Jesus was not a Jew, but a Palestinian, and a Muslim!

The Christian identity of Europe has been eroded not only by growing secularism, but also by the threat of Islamist terrorism. And it all started with the Palestinians who from the beginning were in the business of extorting concessions from the West. They did it again on Thursday. Only this time, they didn't even have to hijack passenger planes of any of the 128 countries that voted against the U.S. at the General Assembly. By now, most of the 128 countries that endorsed the Palestinians condemnation of President Donald Trump's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem have learned to dread violence committed by the growing numbers of radicalized second-generation Muslims and refugees who often cite Palestinian lies  about Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jews  as a motive for terrorists' attacks. Besides, their leaders oppose U.S. president Donald Trump and are mostly anti-Israeli. Then there is the financial motive. How can they justify spending billions of dollars on aid to the terrorists in Gaza and the West Bank? Moreover, they are greedy. They would rather do business with the mullahs in Iran, Turkey's Muslim brother President Erdogan, Qatar, and other Islamist entities.

The General Assembly's condemnation of the U.S. for declaring the relocation of its Israel embassy to Jerusalem, the capital, came after several resolutions passed earlier by the anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian U.N. purportedly cultural body, UNESCO. Last May, as Israel was celebrating its 69th Independence Day, 22 of the 58 member-countries in UNESCO passed a resolution denying the Jewish State of Israel's legal and historical rights anywhere in Jerusalem or at any other Jewish holy sites that have repeatedly been documented for more than 2,000 years as belonging to the Israelites. Twenty-three countries that lacked the courage to openly resist the Palestinian-led Arab-Muslim initiative abstained. Most of the ten countries that opposed UNESCO's deplorable resolution lacked the courage to oppose the General Assembly's resolution. Why?

The emergency session of the General Assembly was initiated by Turkey, which was joined by Yemen as representatives of the Arab countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This was an opportunity that Erdogan, who aspires to become the sultan of a reconquered Ottoman Empire, could not miss. And on his official Facebook page, he posted a caricature showing him wearing a Tarbush, with prayer beads in one hand and the other hitting Trump, who is bleeding, unable to respond. Erdogan's message is not only a boast that he can beat the U.S., but also a call for Muslims to do the same.

Erdogan's support of the Palestinians and especially of the Muslim Brotherhood's terrorist group Hamas (which recently removed any mention of this association from its website) is nothing new. Nor is his closeness to Iran and Qatar and criticism of the latest Saudi reforms and alleged rapprochement with Israel. His anti-U.S. vote initiative at the General Assembly and his Facebook posting are aimed to encourage the Sunni Muslim world to view him as their new leader.

It is time to finally recognize that Erdogan's Turkey is no longer a U.S. ally. The U.S. should remove the 50-90 nuclear weapons it keeps as NATO's deterrence force in the Incirlik base in Turkey.
For at least 50 years, Australian taxpayers and other innocents have supported a parasitic industry in academia, bureaucracy, law, media, and the tax-exempt Green Alarm "charities," all studying, regulating, inspecting, and writing about yet another "imminent threat to Queensland's Great Barrier Reef."

It has become the never-ending battle of the Coral Sea.

The threats change, but there is always a doomsday forecast  Crown-of-Thorns, oil drilling, fishing, cane-farming, coastal shipping, global warming, ocean acidity, coral-bleaching, port-dredging, chemical and fertilizer runoff, coal transport, river sediments, loss of world heritage status, etc. Every recycled scare, magnified by the media and parroted by politicians, generates more income for the alarm industry, usually at the expense of taxpayers, consumers, or local industries.

The reality is that sea creatures would starve in pure water  all marine life needs nutrients, salts, and minerals. These come from other life forms; from decomposing rocks and organic matter carried to the sea by rivers; from dissolving atmospheric gases; or from delta and shelf sediments stirred up by floods, cyclones, dredging, or coastal shipping. No one supports overuse of toxic man-made chemicals, but well run cane, cattle, and coal companies can coexist with corals.

Corals have proven to be one of Earth's great survivors. They outlasted the Carboniferous Forests, the Permian and Cretaceous extinctions, the dinosaurs, the mammoths, the Neanderthals, and the Pleistocene cycles of ice age and warming. They thrive in warm tropical water; cluster around hot volcanic fumaroles; and survive massive petroleum spills, natural oil seeps, tidal waves and volcanic dust. They have even recolonized the Montebello Island waters devastated by atomic bomb testing in the 1950s.

The ENSO oscillation of blobs of warm Pacific water, which caused recent coral bleaching, can be identified in historical records for at least 400 years. Corals have survived El Nino warmings for thousands of years, and they will probably outlast Homo alarmism as Earth proceeds into the next glacial epoch.

Corals do not rely on computer models of global temperature to advise them  they read the sea level thermometer, which falls and rises as the great ice sheets come and go.

In the warming phase like the one just ending, ice melts, sea levels rise, and the reef that houses the corals may get drowned. Corals have two choices  build their reef higher or just float south or inshore and build a new reef (like the Great Barrier Reef) in shallower, cooler water. When islands sink beneath rising oceans, corals may build their own coral atolls as fast as the water rises.

Then when the cold era returns, ice sheets grow, sea levels fall, and the warm-era coral reefs get stranded on the new beaches and coastal plains. Usually, the process is slow enough to allow the coral polyps to float into deeper, warmer water closer to the equator and build another reef.

This eminently sensible policy of "move when you have to" has proved a successful survival policy for the corals for 500 million years.

Humans should copy the corals  "forget the computer climate models but watch real data like actual sea levels and ... move when you have to."

Further Reading:

How Coral Atolls form:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/media/supp_coral04a.html

https://www.livescience.com/31975-how-coral-atolls-form.html

Corals Thrive in warm acid waters:

http://www.c3headlines.com/2017/10/study-debunks-97-percent-consensus-corals-prosper-global-warming-acidification.html

https://principia-scientific.org/the-end-of-the-ocean-acidification-scare-for-corals/

Corals that Survived the peaks of Holocene warming will survive a bit of El Nino bleaching:

http://joannenova.com.au/2017/09/scientists-surprised-that-reef-that-survived-the-hotter-holocene-is-already-recovering-from-2016-bleaching/

Coral Reefs drowned in the rapid sea level rise as the great ice sheets melted:

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/09/28/catastrophic-sea-level-rise-in-the-past-may-have-drowned-corals-in-hawaii/

Corals thrive in warm tropical waters and can adapt to periodic warming:

http://www.2gb.com/podcast/peter-ridd/

Corals and Atom bombs:

http://surfdivenfish.com.au/other-adventures/montebello-islands-safaris/

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=montebello_islands+corals&qpvt=montebello_islands+corals&FORM=IGRE

Corals, hot tropical waters and Volcanoes:

http://oceans.taraexpeditions.org/en/jdb/kimbe-bay-the-land-of-coral-and-volcanoes/
The bright lights of Christmas should be seen against the larger political darkness from which they emerge. The less popular narration provided by Matthew may be part of what Mahmoud Abbas recently divined as Jews being "really excellent in faking and counterfeiting history and religion"  yet 2,000 years later, the narrative continues to compel and revive global humanity besieged by political darkness ranging from the profound threats of genocide to the mundane weight of government taxes. According to Matthew, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus endured the full range of these political circumstances, including poverty and immediate obscurity.

Matthew 2: 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

That this Jewish family fled from Nazareth to Egypt is ironic. They would be safest to return to the origins of Hebrew bondage in the African state of Egypt. The desperate flight of this young family against a vicious swirl of political intrigue reminds listeners that political circumstances can always change. No matter how desperate the present condition, the beloved community can survive, and God can redeem seemingly irreparable political savagery.

That hope is vivid among the 10% of Egyptians who are Christian. They face daily harassment that extends to extravagant acts of genocide that would make King Herod proud. This past week, Islamic supremacists stormed a Christian church to tear it down and prevent the government from offering a building permit to a place of worship fifteen years old in Cairo. Not far away in Syria, Christians once again celebrate Christmas in the aftermath of the defeat of genocidally driven ISIS. It is important for intellectuals to confess: the refusal to actively condemn Islamic supremacism around the world is Islamophobic. Hezb'allah, Hamas, ISIS, and Shia supremacists do not love Muslims. No one is killing as many Muslims as these radical groups. The bodies at the morgues of Mosul cry out against the same injustices found in Matthew 2. Thousands of Muslims slaughtered in the name of ISIS' supremacist vision. We must develop a consistent anti-genocide ethic against the Islamic supremacists for the sake of all people.

The present American and global fascination with Christmas tends to surpass and cause greater attendance than the more theologically significant holiday of Easter, where Jesus's slaughter by the machinations of the State are conquered by his resurrection. The appeal of Christmas is its political idealism. No matter how cruel the State, no matter how desperate the flight, no matter how cruel the poverty and meanness of estate  there is a higher sovereign coming with Good News. There are angels and light. There are humble couriers of favor like the shepherds, hiding but emerging from the shadows cast by enduring political evil.

Christmas is a political reset. It is a euphoric chorus of delightful sound after an era of disturbing silence.

The annual return home for Christmas will cause most minds to think of how the hurts of the past might be forgotten and the hope for the future renewed. The friction and anger of politics remain our present darkness today, and this holiday continues to beckon with a piercing light. We wish for our own wise men to cleverly evade the plotting of persistent tyrants. With those sentiments in mind as intoned by Jewish author Matthew, we do well to wish one another a Merry Christmas.

Ben Voth is an associate professor of corporate communication and public affairs and director of debate at Southern Methodist University. He has written two books that grapple with these issues: The Rhetoric of Genocide (2014) and James Farmer Jr.: The Great Debater (2017).
There is no doubt that the events of 2017 will have a lasting impact on our Community. The ravaging effects of this years hurricane season will cast a long shadow over our Community for some time yet.

Six of our Members and several of our Caribbean neighbours experienced the wrath of unprecedented back-to-back Category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The heavy toll of lives, property and infrastructure had an effect wider than the affected countries. Our Community has bonded together, as its governments, people and institutions render yeoman support to the stricken countries. The international community has been at our side in the relief undertaking in a highly appreciated show of solidarity.

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, (CDEMA) the Communitys specialised institution, performed magnificently as it coordinated the relief efforts and helped to set the stage for recovery. I must extend the Regions gratitude to the Agency for a job well done. The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) was also prompt in meeting its commitments to the affected countries with the appropriate policies.

The climatic events that we have been enduring, whether floods, droughts or storms have become our new normal. We are living climate change.

The recovery and reconstruction phase is underway with an emphasis on building resilience in our Community to withstand the expected onslaught of more intense and frequent storms powered by the effects of climate change. Given the magnitude of the damage caused by the hurricanes, the Region cannot rebuild without the support of the international community.

Last month, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we sought their assistance at the CARICOM-UN High Level Pledging Conference; Building a More Climate-Resilient Community. The process of ensuring that the financial and technical assistance offered there will reach the affected countries is in train.

It is encouraging to note that our relentless advocacy with respect to the lack of access to concessional development financing appears to be bearing fruit. There is some re-thinking on this issue taking place at the level of the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and some of our international development partners (IDPs). The stark reality of our vulnerability to external shocks, including climatic events, was laid bare by the twin assault of the Hurricanes. This emphasised the urgent need for the international community to dispense with GDP per capita as a primary criterion for access to concessional development financing.

Classification of most of our Member States as middle to high income countries denies them access to such funding. The criteria must now take into account our vulnerability as a matter of urgency. We will continue to advocate strongly for this change and to seek the help of friendly countries in this regard.

Significant advances were made in the past year, particularly in regard to human resource development and energy. In July, Heads of Government received and endorsed the Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy. The Strategy was drawn up in recognition of the imperative for a radically reformed system to address the requirements of 21st century economy and society. It outlines actions for basic education, from early childhood through secondary, the tertiary sector and life-long learning.

Also in July 2017, Member States signed the Agreement establishing the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE). The Centre is based in Barbados and is the implementation hub for sustainable energy activities and projects within the Region. The Strategic Plan for the period 2015-2019 identified energy as a key driver in the pursuit of economic and climate resilience building within the Region. The Centre will play a major role in the Communitys thrust to increase the renewable energy share in power generation to 47 percent by 2027, with the resulting lowering of costs to the consumers and benefits to the environment.

We were able to expand opportunities for our private sector with the signing of the Second Protocol to the CARICOM-Cuba Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement. This Protocol allows for duty free access to Cuba for CARICOM producers of approximately three hundred items which include meat, fish, dairy produce, fruits and vegetables, beer, rum, cement, soaps, articles of apparel and clothing.

CARIFESTA XIII in Barbados was another highlight of 2017 bringing together the peoples of CARICOM as well as the wider Caribbean, under the theme Asserting our Culture: Celebrating Ourselves. The enthusiasm for the cultural extravaganza was not dampened by the threat of Hurricane Harvey as the people of the Caribbean showcased their creativity at various venues across the island. The business aspect of the creative industries took center stage in keeping with the Heads of Government endorsement for exploring the potential of the cultural and creative industries to contribute to the economic development of the Region.

As the year ends we are just past the midway point of our Strategic Plan and in the final stages of making the transition to a Results-Based Management System for the Community. This will enable us to measure the benefits being provided to our Member States as well as make us more accountable to the people of the Community.

The task ahead in 2018 and beyond is not an easy one. But we have shown that we are a resilient people and we have demonstrated time and again that we achieve our best results when we work together. The same spirit and energy that drive us to be each others keeper in times of disaster is what we need to propel our integration movement forward. Let us harness that spirit and energy and build a truly resilient Community that benefits us all.

I wish all happy holidays and a productive, prosperous and happy 2018 and urge that we keep in our thoughts those for whom the holiday cheer will be muted this year.
CAMEROUN :: Cameroon: Note on the Collective for the Release of Patrice Nganang's inaugural press conference

The Collective takes place against the backdrop of a long and rich tradition of struggle and internal conflict among Cameroonian intellectuals and activists regarding the quality and form that resistance to the Biyas regime should take.

Joel Didier Engo, president of the CL2P situates his work within a radical tradition inspired by Dr Martin Luther King and encouraged a form of struggle untainted by tribalism, political partisanship and personalized ad hominem attack politics which consist of arguing with people rather than ideas which is incredibly corrosive. From the beginning, Engo criticizes the sort of reductionist thinking saying that it *isnt* just  or even primarily  an act of outrage against Paul Biya so much as a fight against the injustice of the powerful preying on the weak. To its credit, the collective emphasizes a refusal to construe its fight against all oppression into the narrow argument of being for or against the Biyas regime. It gives the Collective a strong sense of purpose on a very deep level and their strong understanding of solidarity.

Thus, Crepin Nyamsi of Code France emphasizes that a real debate is needed because it sharpens collective analysis  bringing us closer to the tools we need to achieve liberation.

Abdel Aziz Mounde emphasizes the legitimacy and social status of the engaged African writer and Nganangs human right activism through his foundation Generation Change, Hence, once we inhabit the space of the social critic  and, in truth, there is a little bit of a social critic in all of us  we cannot simply abandon debate when it has become intense. Nor should we allow others, seeking to foment division for their own ends, co-opt the conversation like sewage duelers, when they look up and see anything in the swamp or above it, they drag them into their sewage with no way out.

Mounde blames the rise of hysteria and lynching that is replacing a long tradition of Cameroonians intellectual tradition citing professor Nlep, Charlie Gabriel Mbock, Augustin Kontchou, Mono Ndzana, Mongo Beti, and Celestin Monga. The culture we have created today is one where debates fall into call-out tropes; where we silo our conversations to social media. While this is an incredible tool, can we facilitate healthy debate off social media? Do we have the interest, ability, patience and compassion to have face-to-face conversations? Social media is not the only space we should rely on.

Dr. Nyamsi adds that dictatorship, patriarchy and paternalism are inherently parasitic. The Cameroonians leadership is failing the country. The collective highlights how out of touch the Cameroonians regime is with the country and the communities they claim to represent. Indeed, no Cameroonian president will be perfect because they inherit an inherently flawed neocolonial system of government that demands exploitation and violence. Unless theres radical systemic overhaul, expecting progressive politics to be feasibly championed by these institutions is a pipe dream. As Patrice Nganang points out the Biyas regime fell short, it perpetuates a neocolonial state that still oppresses its minorities and wages war against so-called political opponents. Hence, we will never be human within these systems. Were not here to perform for their gaze. Were here to be fully human to ourselves, fully accountable to each other.

It is great to see how Cameroonian civic right leaders such as The Nganangs collective refuses the politics of victimization and militates for equality for all and moves forward with fortitude against any odds that confront all of us. This is important in a country where good talented people are indoctrinated into believing themselves as non-achievers, victims, and somehow less worthy citizens. As with Patrice Nganang, the Collective signals a passing of the torch from the generation that was willing to compromise to get along but has no direction with a new generation that stuck to its principles at all costs.

Therefore, a lesson for those who are hysterically criticizing Nganang, instead of the dictators Biya, his minions and their apologists. Hence, we must focus on your opponents, not on your friends. Nganang is a great writer and human right activist whose contribution to educating younger men and women deserves not to be shamed, hectored, or insulted.
The cop set the popular South actress' picture as her WhatsApp display picture, after which he agreed to meet her.

Patna: Nayanthara would have been unaware about her contribution in cracking a case recently, an incident that is going viral now.

Popular South actress Nayanthara herself would not have known how much of an important role she played in catching hold of a thief in Bihar recently.

Thats because she neither met the criminal, filed a complaint nor provided any evidence, but its her photograph that worked wonders for this particular case, according to a report in Gulf News.

A man named Mohammad Hasnain was on the run after stealing Bhartiya Janta Party leader Sanjay Kumar Mahatos expensive phone in Darbhanga, 150 kms north to Patna.

A complaint was filed at the Darbhanga police station, and the case was handed over to Madhubala Devi, the assistant sub-inspector of police.

The thief had not switched off the phone and continued using it, according to the analysis of the call detail records.

The police tried to arrest him several times, but he managed to give them the slip every single time.

Thats when Madhubala Devi came up with a master plan to honeytrap him by calling him regularly like a girlfriend. Initially, Hasnain didnt show any interest to meet, but one day he asked her to sent him her photograph.

Devi then set Nayantharas picture as her WhatsApp display picture, after which he fell into the trap.

He appeared mad with joy after seeing the photograph and agreed to meet me at a place in Darbhanga town. Finally when he reached the designated place, we arrested him with the help of other policemen in civilian clothes, Devi told the news website.

Like we see in several films, Devi had donned a burqa for the meet to avoid getting recognised.

Hasnain confessed to his crime during interrogation, but claimed that he had bought the phone for Rs 4500 from another person, who was also arrested later on.

Madhubala Devis clever idea in nabbing the thief has also prompted the police department to announce a reward for her.
Rajasthan has already witnessed a hugely successful farmers agitation that resulted in a loan waiver scheme.

New Delhi: Based on its impressive performance in rural Gujarat, the Congress has decided to tap on farmers issues in the upcoming Assembly polls next year, specially in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh.

However, the experts are divided over whether it is actually agrarian distress or caste-based politics that has paid dividends for the party in Gujarat.

An analysis of data post elections shows that there has been no perceptible increase in the vote share of the grand old party in rural areas, however, it has gained in the number of seats it won.

The total vote percentage of Congress went up by 2.2 per cent across the state both in urban and rural areas and the BJPs by one percent, Sanjay Kumar, Director of the Centre for Developing Societies said.

Mr Kumar said that the Congress good showing in rural Gujarat could be attributed to the vote distribution across constituencies and also to the fact that Patidars who have somewhat shifted to the grand old party in these coming polls are more thickly concentrated in rural Gujarat than in urban areas.

However, a senior Congress leader who did not wish to be named said that the party has benefited from rural distress and would make it an issue in coming elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as well.

Rajasthan has already witnessed a hugely successful farmers agitation that resulted in a loan waiver scheme. In Madhya Pradesh too a huge farmers agitation had left the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government red faced. A hue of Opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, had descended on Mandsaur in MP where six people had been killed while agitating.
According to draft draft bill, there is a provision of imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and fine for violators.

Supreme Court declared the practice of instant divorce 'void, illegal and unconstitutional', the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Cabinet on December 15 approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal. (Photo: Representational Image)

Lucknow: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday held an emergency meeting in Lucknow ahead of the tabling of Triple Talaq bill in Parliament.

After the Supreme Court declared the practice of instant divorce 'void, illegal and unconstitutional', the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Cabinet on December 15 approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha.

The drafted bill says that "any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal".

There is also a provision of imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and fine for violators.

The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance.

"Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in any other law for the time being in force,a married Muslim woman upon whom talaq is pronounced, shall be entitled to receive from her husband such amount of subsistence allowance for her and dependent children as may be determined by the Magistrate," says the draft bill.

It also has a provision for the divorcee Muslim women to have the custody of their minor children.

"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a married Muslim woman shall be entitled to custody of her minor children in the event of pronouncement of talaq by her husband, in such manner as may be determined by the Magistrate," the draft bill says.

The offences under the purview of this bill will be cognizable and non-bailable.

It shall extend to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
The swearing-in ceremony of the next CM could take place on December 27.

PK Dhumal camp has indicated that if not him, then Union minister J.P. Nadda should be declared as the CM. (Photo: PTI))

New Delhi: The stalemate over who will be the next chief minister of Himachal Pradesh continues five days after the BJP won the elections by securing 44 of the 68 Assembly seats.

While supporters of P.K. Dhumal, the partys chief ministerial candidate who lost to a Congress candidate, and Jairam Thakur, senior leader and Seraj MLA, have been lobbying hard for their candidates, there are indications that the party top brass final choice will be with an eye on Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

Himachal Pradesh has four parliamentary constituencies. The legislature party of the BJP is likely to meet on Sunday to select its leader after the BJP top brass, which is holding consultations on the issue, finalises the name of the CM. The swearing-in ceremony of the next CM of the state could take place on December 27.

The party high command had desperately tried to overcome factionalism in its state unit by declaring Prof. Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate just few days ahead of polling. But its come to the fore again after he lost.

Though a major section within the state cadre is backing Mr Jairam Thakur, supporters of Prof. Dhumal, the two-time former chief minister, allege that a conspiracy was hatched by some leaders to sideline the Dhumals. They argue that some party leaders had sabotaged his chances of winning elections after he shifted from his Hamirpur Assembly segment to Sujanpur as suggested by the party top brass. A couple of BJP MLAs, in fact, have offered to vacate their seat if the party leadership decides to go with Prof. Dhumal. But the RSS, sources said, is in favour of an elected MLA to head the state.

Name of four-time Shimla legislator Suresh Bhardwaj is also doing the rounds for the top post. Both Mr Jairam Thakur and Mr Bhardwaj have an RSS lineage and are popular among the cadre.

Speculation is also rife that the BJP top brass could decide a name other than that of Mr Jairam Thakur, Mr Bhardwaj and Prof. Dhumal as the party top brass choice will have an impact on Lok Sabha results in the state.

Sources disclosed that amid uncertainty over his name being chosen for the CMs post, Prof. Dhumals camp has indicated to the leadership that if not him, then Union health minister J.P. Nadda should be declared as the CM. They are of the view that if Mr Nadda is made the CM, it will help Prof. Dhumals son and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur in the next Lok Sabha elections as the Union ministers constituency, Bilaspur, is part of the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency.

However, sources said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in favour of disturbing his Cabinet.

BJP state unit was also abuzz that to break the stalemate, Mr Anurag Thakurs name was suggested by a Cabinet minister for the top post.
The order said the class monitors should maintain a register recording names of students who used the toilets.

The order issued recently by Jagdish Sonkar, CEO of zilla panchayat of Dhamtari district, has said low cost toilets have been built in 1,405 schools under 355 gram panchayats under the Swachchh Bharat Mission programme. (Photo: PTI/Representational Image)

Bhopal: A bizarre order by a chief executive officer (CEO) of a zilla panchayat of a Chhattisgarh district directing local teachers to click pictures of students while peeing in toilets in their schools has sparked protests from different quarters leading to its withdrawal.

The order issued recently by Jagdish Sonkar, CEO of zilla panchayat of Dhamtari district, has said low cost toilets have been built in 1,405 schools under 355 gram panchayats under the Swachchh Bharat Mission programme.

It added it was mandatory on the part of the teachers to post regularly information on maintenance of the toilets along with pictures of students while they were using them as evidence.

The order said the class monitors should maintain a register recording names of students who used the toilets.

The teachers, however, protested the order describing it infringement on the privacy of the pupils.Besides, they argued that it would be inappropriate to take pictures of girl students while they were using toilets in the schools. The women teachers also expressed their reservation on clicking pictures of boys when the latter were using the toilets.

Pictures of students peeing in the school toilets had gone viral in the social media, forcing their parents to come forward to lodge a protest against the order. Following this, Dhamtari district collector R. Prasanna on Saturday asked the zilla panchayat CEO to withdraw the order immediately.
ED counsel Nitesh Rana filed the chargesheet before the court of special judge N.K. Malhotra.

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday filed chargesheet against RJD chief Lalu Prasads daughter Misa Bharti and her husband in a money laundering case.

ED counsel Nitesh Rana filed the chargesheet before the court of special judge N.K. Malhotra.

The probe agency had earlier attached a Delhi farmhouse in connection with its money laundering probe against Ms Bharti and her husband, Shailesh Kumar.

The farmhouse, located at 26, Palam Farms in south Delhis Bijwasan area was attached provisionally under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

It belongs to Ms Bharti and Mr Kumar and is held in the name of Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited, the Central probe agency said.

It was purchased using `1.2 crore involved in money laundering in the year 2008-09, the ED alleged.

The agency had also conducted raids at this location and few others in July as part of its probe against two brothers, Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain, and others who have been alleged to have laundered several crore rupees using shell companies.

The Jain brothers were arrested by the ED under the PMLA. It had also arrested a chartered accountant, Rajesh Agrawal, who mediated and provided a cash amount of `90 lakh to the Jain brothers in advance so as to invest in Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt Ltd as share premium.

One of the firms that the arrested duo dealt with was Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited.
Pawar is the most creative agriculture minister I have ever seen, says Manmohan Singh.

Aurangabad: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday praised NCP leader Sharad Pawar saying he was equal partner in ushering in economic reforms in the country.

Dr Singh, who is considered the architect of the economic liberalisation measures unleash-ed in 1991 under the P.V. Narasimha Rao government, also termed Mr Pawar as the most creative agriculture minister he had ever seen.

The senior Congress le-ader was speaking here at the release of Mr Pawars biography Padma Vibhushan Sharad Pawar: The Great Enigma, written by Sheshrao Chauhan.

Sharad Pawar had always been striving for the welfare of the nation and he was equal partner with me in bringing in economic reforms in the country, he said.

Mr Pawar is a Maharashtrian, but he is known across the country for his handling of crises. During his tenure as the Maharashtra chief minister, he had skillfully handled the situation after the 1993 Mumbai blasts, post-Babri mosque demolition riots and the Latur earthquake. Very few politicians care for industrial development, and Mr Pawar is one of them. His policies have brought reforms in the economic field, he said.

He recalled that when he was the finance minister and Mr Pawar was the defence minister, he had urged the latter to help him in the austerity measures. Mr Pawar cut down the defence budget by Rs 500 crore. This paved way for other Cabinet colleagues and they too assisted in the noble cause, he said.

Mr Pawar is the most creative agriculture minister I have ever seen, Dr Singh said, adding, I take his guidance during times of crises and a larger part of the credit for the success of UPA-I and II governments goes to him.
Family of 8-yr-old who died of dengue was charged Rs 15.88 lakh for 21 days by Gurgaons Medanta Hospital.

Gurgaon Police PRO says, 'We received a complaint at Police Station Sadar yesterday. The complainant has levelled the allegation on Gurgaons Medanta Hospital.' (Photo: PTI)

Gurgaon: In a case similar to that of Fortis Hospital, the family of an eight-year-old boy suffering from dengue, who later died, was charged Rs 15.88 lakh for 21 days by Gurgaons Medanta Hospital.

The child was referred to a different hospital after Medanta made the family shell out huge amount.

We received a complaint at Police Station Sadar yesterday. The complainant has levelled the allegation on Gurgaons Medanta Hospital, said Gurgaon Police PRO.

He added that their child was suffering from dengue and was admitted to the hospital, but was imposed with a huge bill penalty.

Speaking to ANI, the grieving father of the deceased child said, My child was there in the hospital for 21 days, the hospital gave us a bill of Rs 15.88 lakh. We had to request people for money; the hospital has looted us in the name of treatment.

He added that when the doctors at Medanta Hospital felt that the child's condition is such that he can no longer be kept there, they pushed us to shift him to a government hospital, so we shifted him there.

The investigation is underway.
The incident occurred in Central Auckland when a drunk driver jumped a red light and ploughed into Syed Abdul Raheem Fahads car.

The family of a 27-year-old man hailing from Hyderabad, who was killed in a road mishap in New Zealand, has urged Sushma Swaraj, to bring his body back at the earliest. (Photo: ANI)

Hyderabad: The family of a 27-year-old man hailing from Hyderabad, who was killed in a road mishap in New Zealand, has urged the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, to bring his body back at the earliest.

The incident occurred in Central Auckland when a speeding and the drunk driver jumped a red light and ploughed into Syed Abdul Raheem Fahads car, killing him.

Brother of the deceased, Syed Nehmath Ullah, spoke to ANI and said, My brother Fahad went to New Zealand two years ago on a student visa. Today in the morning we received information that he met with an accident and succumbed to injuries, we request MEA Sushma Swaraj to help us and make our brother's body to reach India soon.

One of the family members of the 27-year-old student added, We have established contact with the concerned embassy, but we would like to request EAM Sushma Swaraj to help bring his body here at the earliest. We also want compensation.
Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement issued in the winter capital, paid rich tributes to the Army Major and two jawans.

Srinagar: An Army officer, a Lance Naik and two jawans were killed and another jawan wounded in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district on Saturday.

The Army officials in Jammu said that the Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing at a foot patrol of the 120-Infantry Brigade Battalion of the Army in the LoCs Keri sector. The firing started at 12.15 pm and continued for some time. It was sudden firing resorted to by the Pakistani troops without any reason or provocation from our side in violation of the November 2003 ceasefire understanding, said a Nagrota (Jammu)-based defence spokesman. He added that the Indian troops retaliated to the Pakistani firing strongly and effectively and that martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain. The defence spokesman said that Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and jawan Pargat Singh were grievously injured during the ceasefire violation and succumbed to their injuries. Two other personnel also sustained injuries and are under medical treatment, he added.

Maj. Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, 32, belonged to Maharashtra and is survived by his wife Avoli Moharkar. Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, 34, was a resident of Amritsar district of neighbouring Punjab and is survived by his wife Kuljit Kaur and a daughter. Jawan Pargat Singh, 30, belonged to district Karnal in Haryana and is survived by his wife Ramanpreet Kaur and a son, a statement issued by the Army in Jammu said.

It added, Maj. Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and jawan Pargat Singh were brave and sincere soldiers. The nation will always remain indebted to them for their supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty.

Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement issued in the winter capital, paid rich tributes to the Army Major and two jawans. She conveyed her heartfelt sympathies to the families of slain soldiers.

Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, while paying tributes to the slain officer and jawans, said, The sacrifices rendered by the martyrs would be remembered forever.
China's push to clean up the environment is creating a huge renewable energy market, tempting industry leaders.

Automakers, for example, are vying for a larger share of the world's fastest-growing new energy vehicle market.

[File photo: VCG]

U.S. automaker Tesla is reportedly in talks with Shanghai to build a factory, and the company is "deeply committed to the Chinese market."

Ford recently announced a joint venture with Anhui Zotye Automobile to produce and sell electric cars in China, with plans to launch 15 models by 2025.

The growing interest comes with China's intensified efforts to ease pressure on the environment through tax exemptions and subsidies for new energy cars.

Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, said China is taking the lead in the electric vehicle market as there is a real government push to clear the air.

It is not just the automobile industry that sees opportunities in government initiatives. Companies from chemical producers to natural gas providers are thrilled by the push for long-term, sustainable growth.

Clariant, a Swiss chemicals company, is looking for Chinese partners to commercialize its "sunliquid," which converts agricultural residue such as wheat straw into ethanol. According to Markus Rarbach, head of biofuels and derivatives at Clariant, the company's technology could be in widespread use in 2018.

In September, the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration decided to increase use of bioethanol gasoline by 2020, and to build an facility that will produce 50,000 tonnes of cellulosic ethanol a year.

"Given China's huge population and growing economy, our sunliquid technology can play a key role in helping the country make that important fuel switch," Rarbach said.

The transition in fuel is also helping eliminate winter smog. This year, Beijing has shut down more than 4,000 coal-fired boilers used for winter heating, replacing coal with natural gas and electricity, prompting state oil companies to look overseas for new gas sources.

Sinopec will take the lead in exploration of liquified natural gas (LNG) in Alaska, according to a deal signed during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China.

The project could create 70,000 new jobs in the United States, while helping China cut 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

In an interview with Xinhua, Governor Bill Walker of the U.S. state of Alaska said the project could provide a long-term LNG supply at a stable price and meet China's rising demand.

"We have a tremendous opportunity in Alaska to bring liquefied natural gas to China on a very long-term basis," Walker said.

With the country's continued opening-up and better environmental protection in the years to come, more foreign firms can benefit from China's clean energy drive.
J&K witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past 7 years, along the LoC and the International Border (IB).

The Pakistani troops started firing from heavy and light weapons from across the border, targeting forward posts and villages in Shahpur sector around 12.55 pm, a police official said. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Jammu: Pakistani troops on Sunday resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, a day after a similar incident took the lives of four Army personnel in nearby Rajouri district.

The Pakistani troops started firing from heavy and light weapons from across the border, targeting forward posts and villages in Shahpur sector around 12.55 pm, a police official said.

He said the Indian troops guarding the LoC retaliated effectively and that the firing between the two sides was going on when the last reports came.

However, there is no immediate report of any casualty in the skirmishes, the official said.

The latest ceasefire violation comes a day after the Pakistani troops killed an Army Major and three jawans and injured another in Keri sector of nearby Rajouri district.

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along the LoC and the International Border (IB), resulting in the death of 34 persons.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end this year.

Thirty persons -- 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel -- were killed in such incidents.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November, 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations wherein 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations was 405; 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010.
The verdict in the fodder scam case comes at a time when Lalu was preparing to stitch a larger secular alliance at the national level against the BJP.

Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday after being convicted in the fodder scam case lashed out at the BJP for its alleged vendetta politics and claimed that people of Bihar were with him and he will continue to fight against the BJP.

The RJD chief also played the caste card and attacked the BJP through a barrage of tweets after he was pronounced guilty. Powerful people and powerful classes always managed to divide society into ruling and the ruled classes. And whenever anyone from the lower hierarchy challenged this unjust order, they would be deliberately punished, he said.

The verdict in the fodder scam case comes at a time when Mr Yadav was preparing to stitch a larger secular alliance at the national level against the BJP.

After the dramatic collapse of the Grand Secular Alliance in June this year, the RJD chief had managed to stay in alliance with the Congress in Bihar despite opposition from a faction who wanted to end all ties with his party on grounds that he was facing a string of corruption charges.

There is a buzz in political circles that a section in the Bihar unit of the Congress may oppose high commands decision to remain in alliance with the RJD after he was found guilty and convicted for the second time.

The speculation that Mr Yadavs conviction will impact the political equation and break the Grand Secular Alliance was, however, dismissed by many RJD leaders.

Lalu Yadav is considered a messiah of the poor and backward... Not only Lalu Yadavs family, but the entire RJD has full faith in the judiciary, RJD legislator Moham-mad Neamtullah told this newspaper.

The RJDs vote share has been about 18-20 per cent in the last four elections, even after losing power in Bihar in 2005. Muslims and Yadavs, who form over 30 per cent of Bihars population, consider Lalu Yadav as their messiah.

But the scenario may change. According to observers here, Mr Yadavs conviction in the fodder scam case may also give rise to infighting within the RJD as several seniormost party leaders may not accept Tejashwi Yadav as their leader.
Fodder scam involved embezzlement of Bihar govt money for fictitious medicines, fodder for cattle in 1980-90s. It came to light in 1996.

Ranchi: In a major blow for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, a special CBI court here on Saturday held him and 15 other accused guilty in a fodder scam case and sent him to Birsa Munda jail.

CBI judge Shivpal Singh acquitted six others, including former chief minister Jagannath Mishra, in the case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar treasury between 1991 and 1994 when Mr Yadav was the chief minister of Bihar.

This is Mr Yadavs second conviction out of the six cases filed against him in the scam involving embezzlement of over Rs 940 crores from the state exchequer for fictitious medicines and fodder for cattle over a period of 20 years in the 1980-90s.

The quantum of punishment in the case will be decided on January 3. Of the 38 accused chargesheeted on Oct. 27, 1997, 11 died, three turned approver while two others confessed and were convicted in 2006-07.

Mr Yadav blamed the BJP for his conviction. I will not be cowed down with such frightening action conspired by the BJP and the RSS Ill not take rest until the BJP is wiped out from the country, he said soon after his conviction.

Powerful people and powerful classes always managed to divide society into ruling and the ruled classes. And whenever anyone from the lower hierarchy challenged this unjust order, they would be deliberately punished A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes... But still prevails... In the end, the RJD chief tweeted after he was taken into custody.

Truth can be made to appear as a lie, as ambiguous or a half lie by concerted onslaught of bias driven propaganda. But blurred layer of bias and hatred will still be removed, come what may! In end truth will win (sic), he said.

Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and casteist minds. No one should expect any different treatment, he said in another tweet.

In May, the Supreme Court had ordered a trial against Mr Yadav and directed that it be completed within nine months, after it allowed a CBI plea which opposed the dropping of charges against the former chief minister. The apex court had set aside a 2014 Jharkhand high court order which had stayed trial against Mr Yadav.

On September 30, 2013, the RJD chief was convicted in another fodder scam case related to fraudulent withdrawal of `37.50 crore from Chaibasa treasury. The conviction got Mr Yadav five years in prison, disqualification from Parliament and a ban on contesting elections. Later, he was given bail by the Supreme Court in December 2013.

After the judgment in Ranchi court on Saturday, RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters, This is not a final verdict, we will move the high court against CBI courts order which convicted Lalu Yadav in the fodder scam case.

The BJP latched on to Mr Yadavs conviction to hit out at the Congress, an ally of the RJD, saying the UPA is an alliance of corruption.

Read: Lalu Prasad Yadav attacks powerful BJP for vendetta politics

Union minister J.P. Nadda said, It has been proven that Lalu Yadav indulged in corruption and the decision has been given by the court. How does the BJP figure in it? It is the alliance between the Congress and Lalu Yadavs party when all such actions have taken place.

Facing BJP heat, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that criminal cases and political coalition are separate matters and that the RJD leader is fully capable of fighting his legal battle.

We would like to ask BJP why the Srijan scam is not being investigated? Because the central charge in Srijan scam is also the same. The central charge is embezzlement from state treasury and the quantum of embezzlement is of a much greater order, he said, calling the CBI a pet performing parrot of this government.

The issue related to the fodder scam was raised in Bihar Assembly in the 1994 by BJP leaders Sushil Kumar Modi and Saryu Rai.

Evidence produced before the court by the CBI during the Deoghar case trial suggests that fake bills and vouchers were used for withdrawal of money from the government treasury. A total of 18 witnesses appeared in court from Mr Yadavs side while the CBI produced 120 witnesses against the accused.

According to senior lawyer Y.V. Giri, Since this is the second conviction in the scam, Lalu Yadav may have to face imprisonment for a longer period this time.

The current jail stint of Mr Yadav is his third in Ranchis Birsa Munda prison in fodder scam cases. He first landed in prison in 2001 after being remanded to judicial custody. In 2013, he spent four months in jail after reaching the prison on an elephant.

Saturdays verdict came at a time when Mr Yadav was preparing to stitch together a larger secular alliance at the national level against the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

After the dramatic collapse of the Grand Secular Alliance in Bihar in June, the RJD chief had managed to stay in alliance with Congress despite opposition from a faction within the Congress.

There is a buzz in political circles that a section in the Bihar unit of the Congress may oppose the high commands decision to remain in alliance with the RJD after Mr Yadavs latest conviction in the scam.

According to observers, Mr Yadavs conviction in the fodder scam case may also give rise to infighting within the RJD as several senior party leaders may not accept the RJD chiefs son Tejashwi Yadav as their leader.
Russia has been one of major suppliers of arms and ammunition to India.

New Delhi: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin on Saturday held wide-ranging talks with a focus on further boosting the bilateral defence and security ties through joint manufacture and co-development of key military platforms and weapon systems.

Official sources said various aspects of the defence relationship between the two countries were discussed threadbare during the delegation-level talks with an aim to enhance the cooperation further.

Ms Sitharaman apprised Mr Rogozin about various policy initiatives taken by the government to encourage the domestic defence industry and added that Russian companies can take advantage of the reform measures and share defence technologies for manufacturing of military equipment and platforms.

In a major step towards defence indigenisation, the Indian government had in May unveiled a strategic partnership model under which select private firms would be engaged along with foreign entities to build military platforms such as fighter jets, submarines and battle tanks.

Russia has been one of major suppliers of arms and ammunition to India. However, it has been a long-standing grievance of armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time affecting maintenance of military systems procured from that country.

India has been conveying to Moscow the need for having a robust and reliable after-sales support mechanism with regards to serviceability of Russian-origin equipment.
Gandhi took to Twitter in the morning to launch a fresh salvo before leaving for Gujarat on a stock-taking visit.

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi is at it again. After putting the BJP in a tight corner with his barbs in the run-up to Gujarat polls and accusing the saffron party of having an architecture and foundation based on lies, Mr Gandhi on Saturday said that if ever the BJP has a film franchise, it would be called Lie Hard, drawing an analogy with the famous Hollywood film series, Die Hard.

Mr Gandhi also continued his efforts to claim the Hindutva space by offering prayers at the famous Somnath temple in Gujarat while on a post-poll visit to the state.

The BJP, which has over the past few months been forced to react to quite a few of Mr Gandhis attacks, accused the Congress chief of indulging in cheap barbs and lowering the political discourse in his bid to gain power.

Mr Gandhi had on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for lies. In October, Mr Gandhi had famously expanded the GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, likening it to Bollywood blockbuster Sholays iconic villain Gabbar Singh who covets peoples earnings.

On Saturday, Mr Gandhi took to Twitter in the morning to launch a fresh salvo before leaving for Gujarat on a stock-taking visit.

The self-confessed movie buff tweeted, You all know the truth now about 2G, the truth is in front of you. If BJP had a film franchise it would be called Lie Hard.



On Thursday, a special CBI court in Delhi had acquitted all the accused in the 2G spectrum scam, an alleged corruption scandal which is said to be one of the reasons for the defeat of the UPA-II, led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in 2014.

On Friday, Mr Gandhi had said that the foundation of the ruling party was based on lies and Mr Modis Gujarat model was flawed and fake. He had alleged that whether it was Mr Modis poll promise of putting `15 lakh each in peoples bank accounts, the 2G spectrum case or Mr Modis development model, one by one the lies are coming out.

BJP national spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao hit back saying, Rahul Gandhi, is this the low level of political discourse that you are capable of? To gain power by all means, would you indulge in such cheap barbs?

Whatever Mr Gandhi might say, his party will not return to power as people know its corrupt face, Mr Rao added.

On Saturday, Mr Gandhi was back in Gujarat for stock taking after the Assembly poll results were announced on December 18. He began his day by offering prayers at the Somnath temple before heading out to meet party leaders. During his campaign in Gujarat, the Congress president had made it a point to visit 26 temples, inviting allegations of peddling soft Hindutva.

On Saturday, Mr Gandhi interacted with leaders from the four regions of Gujarat and reviewed the partys performance in each sector.
Khant won the seat after defeating BJP's Vikramsinh Dindor by a margin of over 4,000 votes. The BTP's candidate, Alpesh Damor, came third.

Bhupendrasinh Khant, who was with the Congress before the polls, had contested as an Independent after the party offered the seat to its ally Bharatiya Tribal Party as part of a seat-sharing agreement. (Photo: PTI)

Ahmedabad: An Independent candidate who won from Morva Hadaf, a Scheduled Tribe reserved constituency in Panchmahal district, on Saturday joined the Congress.

With this, the number of Congress MLAs in the Gujarat Assembly has risen to 78.

Bhupendrasinh Khant, who was with the Congress before the polls, had contested as an Independent after the party offered the seat to its ally Bharatiya Tribal Party as part of a seat-sharing agreement.

Khant won the seat after defeating the BJP's Vikramsinh Dindor by a margin of over 4,000 votes. The BTP's candidate, Alpesh Damor, came third.

Khant on Saturday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and joined the party.

"I contested as an Independent and won. Today, I came back to the party but on the condition that the party will give me a ticket again from the same seat. I told this to Rahul Gandhiji and he agreed," Khant said.

Khant's mother, Savitaben Khant, had won the 2012 Assembly elections from the same seat as a Congress candidate but unfortunately died of a heart attack on the day the results were announced.

In the by-election held in 2013, BJP's Nimisha Suthar defeated Bhupendrasinh Khant.

Of the three Independent legislators elected to the Assembly in the 2017 polls, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani has declared support to the Congress while Ratansinh Rathod, the Independent MLA from Lunawada constituency in Mahisagar district, has declared his support to the BJP.
Five-term MLA Jairam Thakur and Union minister J P Nadda are the frontrunners for the chief minister's office.

Shimla/New Delhi: Prem Kumar Dhumal on Saturday ruled himself out from the race for the post of Himachal Pradesh chief minister, a day before a meeting of BJP MLAs to elect their leader.

Five-term MLA Jairam Thakur and Union minister J P Nadda are the frontrunners for the chief minister's office.

A lack of consensus among the newly elected MLAs had resulted in the two central observers -- Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar -- returning to Delhi from Shimla on Saturday to hold fresh consultation with the central leadership.

Although Thakur was seen a front runner for the job till recently, Nadda may emerge as the most acceptable candidate in this changed scenario, a BJP source said.

"There is speculation in media that I am in race for the post of the chief minister. I had made it clear on the day of the result that I am not in any race," Dhumal said.

The statement of Dhumal, a former chief minister who was the party's candidate for the job again but suffered a shock defeat in the polls, that he was not in contention has come following a nudge from the BJP leadership, sources said.

Supporters of Dhumal and Thakur had raised slogans as central observers met state leaders on Thursday.

A meeting of BJP MLAs has been convened tomorrow and they would be addressed by the central observers, the party's state unit chief Satpal Singh Satti said on Saturday in Shimla.

The two-member team of central observers, which was in the state on December 21 and 22, had taken feedback from members of the state BJP's core committee, MPs and some MLAs.

The leadership issue cropped up following the shocking defeat of Dhumal. He who was defeated from Sujanpur by Rajinder Rana of the Congress.

Satti, who himself lost from Una, said that inspite of "unexpected results" in some constituencies the performance of the party was spectacular. The party ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 of the 68 seats in fray.
Counting of votes halted for about 15 minutes as a clash broke out between AIADMK and Dhinakaran supporters at the counting centre.

idelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran's margin further widened over that of his rivals by 8,000 plus votes at the end of third round of counting of votes. (Photo: PTI)

Chennai: Rival AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday surged ahead with a significant lead against AIADMK and DMK candidates in the RK Nagar bypoll, and claimed victory from the prestigious segment represented by late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

As soon as he registered a lead of about 20,000 votes against his AIADMK rival E Madusudhanan, Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent, visited the memorials of party stalwarts--the late M G Ramachandran (party founder) and Jayalalithaa--at the Marina Beach and paid floral tributes.

He also prostrated at Jayalalithaa's mausoleum.

At the end of the eighth round, Dhinakaran bagged 39,548 votes, about 20,000 more than Madhusudanan who got 19,525.

DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh got 10,233 votes.

A beaming Dhinakaran told reporters in Madurai, "We are the true AIADMK...people of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor".

The surging leads show that people want change of regime, he said, taking a dig at the AIADMK government headed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

"During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the 'pressure cooker' (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," Dhinakaran said.

Claiming victory, the rebel leader said, "This is the best gift for the 1.5 crore party supporters" on the 30th death anniversary of party founder Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR.

On the AIADMK party symbol issue wherein the Election Commission awarded it to the Palaniswamy-led camp recently, Dhinakaran said only a candidate determines the symbol.

"We are the true AIADMK. A candidate determines the symbol. I have already said the 'two leaves' will be a success symbol only if it was with Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Amma (Jayalalithaa). Will the people vote if it is handed over to M N Nambiar and P S Veerappa," he asked, amidst chuckles from his supporters.

Nambiar and Veerappa are famous yesteryear villains, with the former being cast against MGR in many of the matinee idol's films.

Dhinakaran said the Palaniswami government will "end in three months".

Dhinakaran later returned to Chennai and was given a rousing reception at the airport by his supporters, even as scores of well-wishers thronged his Adyar residence.

Jubilant supporters celebrated by distributing sweets and bursting crackers, while exuding confidence that their leader would triumph with a thumping margin.

Earlier, counting of votes suffered a temporary disruption following an alleged altercation between supporters of Dhinakaran and Madhusudhanan.

A senior electoral official said the "altercation caused disruption," even as the two sides charged each other with roughing up counting agents.

Another official said the police restored peace and that the second round of counting was on.

"Police restored peace, Nothing alarming. Compilation of the second round going on," he said.

The counting of votes is on progress at a women's college amid tight security.
Find out what you might have missed this year.

The year 2017 had its share of memorable moments.

Twitter was abuzz with a variety of topics from politics to nuggets.

Here are some of the most popular tweets and accounts this year.

* Most popular tweets

1. Carter Wilkersons campaign for free nuggets for a year

The most popular tweet of the year goes to Carter Wilkersons campaign for free Wendys chicken nuggets for an entire year. If he gained 18 million retweets, the company said his wish would be granted. Despite not reaching the mark, Wendy decided to award him for his efforts. Nothing ventured nothing gained right?

HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3  Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017

2 Former US President Barack Obama's tweet in response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia was also among the top re-tweets.

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion..." pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017

3. Ariana Grande's tweet after the Manchester bombing in May

broken.

from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words.  Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 23, 2017

4. Obama gained another spot on the list when he thanked the public as president and expressed gratitude, as his time in office was nearing its end.

Thank you for everything. My last ask is the same as my first. I'm asking you to believenot in my ability to create change, but in yours.  President Obama (@POTUS44) January 11, 2017

5. LeBron James' tweet about US President Donald Trump

While his individual tweets did not make the most popular tweets list, Trump certainly was a hot topic this year. LeBron's tweet commenting on Stephen Currys invitation to the White House went crazy viral. Mainly because of his statement to the president.
No casualties, 92 patients evacuated.

New Delhi: A major fire broke out at a hospital in East Delhis Preet Vihar on Saturday. Ninety-two patients were evacuated from the building, officials said.

Some patients suffered minor injuries in the fire, which broke out on the second floor of the Metro Hospital and Cancer Institute.

The fire broke out on the second floor of the hospital. When I arrived at the scene, I saw smoke coming out from that floor, said a hospital official.

We immediately evacuated all patients and staff. Of the 92 patients admitted at the hospital, 43 were sent to Metro Hospital in Noida while others were moved to Max Patparganj and some government hospitals nearby, the official said. He said that everyone was evacuated from the five-storeyed building and no casualty or major injury was reported. At the time of the incident, 240 staffers were present in the hospital. The fire started in an air conditioning vent and then spread to other floors, a senior police officer said.

Local police immediately rushed to the spot and started evacuating the patients. 84 patients were evacuated and shifted to the Noida branch of Metro Hospital at Sector 11. DCP (East) Ombir Singh Vishnoi and DC (East) Kulanand Joshi personally supervised the rescue operations on the spot. A senior officer from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said a call was received at 3.20 pm alerting them about the blaze, which intensified in the next 20 minutes. Twelve fire tenders were rushed to the spot, he said.

But it was controlled by 4.15 pm and completely doused by 4.50 pm, the official said.
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!
Boards proposal has been affected due to financial constraints.

A team of the Boards scientists have found that particles from salt mines of Afghanistan push up the levels of air pollutants, especially PM2.5, in Delhi.

New Delhi: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) plans to project powerful laser beams in the sky to shed more light on the composition of pollutants present in the air of the Delhi-NCR, but the proposal has hit a financial roadblock. The CPCB has drafted a proposal to mount five LIDAR (light detection and ranging) equipments across the region, which will act as pollution monitoring towers. Officials, who are in the know, said that the plan was drawn up last year. However, it has not made much progress due to monetary constraints.

LIDAR projects throws laser beams towards the sky. Subsequently, the interplay of light with the objects falling on its path through absorption, reflection, scattering help determine the composition of particulates by studying the wavelengths, an official said.

The project document, pegged the each such device between Rs 60 and Rs 70 lakh. The plan was to install five such devices for the time being.

The devices may also help determine the trajectory of the pollutants present in the upper layers of the atmosphere, which are not possible through the conventional surface-level monitoring.

It becomes easier to pinpoint the source of pollutants through this technique, a CPCB scientist said. In fact, Nepal has a facility of vertical monitoring of air under UN-funded project to study the transboundary nature of pollutants. India has seven stations along its eastern and western borders under a similar project, an offshoot of the Male Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia. But in this case too, the fund crunch has forced India to abandon the project, he said. In such a situation, it would not be fair to expect comprehensive pollution data. We need to put in place a monitoring network and that requires money. And CPCB with an annual budget of Rs 40 crore for air pollution monitoring is not in a position to deliver, the scientist said.

But there have been a few findings in the recent past, which point towards the need for such advanced monitoring.

A team of the Boards scientists have found air-borne particles from salt mines of Afghanistan are pushing up the levels of air pollutants, especially PM2.5 in Delhi.Winds carry the salt particles from those areas of Afghanistan that have large salt pans.
If one can vote at 18 then why not fight elections at same age, says Yuva Sena chief.

Mumbai: Yuva Sena president Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday demanded that the age to contest elections for legislative bodies be lowered to 21 or 18 years. The current minimum age for fighting the Lok Sabha or a state Assembly election is 25. Party sources said the leader is trying to get more youths into politics, which could boost his outfit.

Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, said if one could vote at 18 then why couldnt one fight polls to become a lawmaker.

In some countries, one can contest elections at the age of 18. Our youth is responsible and energetic enough to be the change and do good things, he tweeted.

When contacted, the 27-year-old said that lowering the age limit would help youngsters become part of the legislative system.

It will help in deeper engagement of young and passionate people with the system and make it more vibrant, said Aaditya Thackeray, whose organisation is the youth wing of the Shiv Sena.

Earlier this year, some Yuva Sena candidates contested the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls and also got elected. There was a demand for more tickets for Yuva Sena workers then.

A few years ago, when Aaditya entered politics, there were reports that he would be contesting the polls. However, he was below 25 years then and did not show keen interest in actually contesting elections.

In the recent Gujarat polls also, 23-year-old Patidar leader Hardik Patel could not contest, as he did not fulfil the age criteria.
In an industry like Bollywood, it takes a second for a friend, more like a brother, to turn your biggest arch rival.

Mumbai: In an industry like Bollywood, it takes a second for a friend, more like a brother, to turn your biggest arch rival.

We have seen many such examples like Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn, Govinda and David Dhawan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, to name a few. The latest to be added to the list might be Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra/ Akshay Kumar and Neeraj Pandey.

Akshay got one of his biggest hits Baby from Neeraj. Sidharth and his bond is like brothers as the two supposedly connect on a different level (they even worked in the movie Brothers).

But Akshay and Neeraj-Sidharth will be competing on the big screen as Padman and Aiyaary are both slated to release on Republic Day.

However Akshay recently spoke about the clash at an event. He said, Both the films are absolutely different. Neeraj is a dear friend of mine. There is nothing like a clash. The word clash is media created. My film might get screened in 2,800 screens or so. Their movie would be screened in 1,600-1,800 or more theaters. There are 4,000-5,000 screens, so how can there be a clash? That film is different and so is ours. So there is no clash as such.

This banter seems to get interesting, since Sidharth had earlier stated that it is a clash between two friends.
While the PPP is no longer a factor in national politics, it still currently has enough seats to play the role of official Opposition.

Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. Nawaz Sharif, forgetting this adage, lashed out at the judiciary and the military in a white-hot rage, and is now paying the price. Squeezed by these two powerful institutions, he now faces the very real possibility of seeing his younger brother becoming the next Prime Minister. This odd reversal of fortune goes to show how volatile our politics has become, and how weakened the executive now is compared with the military, the judiciary and the media. It was always subservient to the Generals and had surrendered to the clergy, but now other actors have taken centre stage.

The rise of Imran Khan  not long ago a figure of fun in national politics  underlines the shifting patterns that have become a feature on the countrys landscape. In the 1990s, the PPP and the PML took turns at being elected, only to be turfed out by the military, the president and a compliant judiciary. The first decade of the century was dominated by Musharraf.

Then flick!, the kaleidoscope is rotated, and the bright bits of glass create an entirely new design. Imran Khan and his PTI gain traction, while the PPP is relegated to provincial status. The MQM, too, is unexpectedly cut down to size, with several factions squabbling for pole position. Though this churning may be good for democracy, it is disastrous for any sense of continuity. All three major parties have widely differing agendas, and each says it wont support any of the others.

In the US, the two parties that have vied for power for over a century are the Republicans and the Democrats, while in the UK, it is the Conservatives and Labour that confront each other at the hustings. Despite the rise and fall of the Liberal Democrats, UKIP and the Green Party, it is the Tories and Labour who have consistently faced off against each other for nearly a century.

This consistency lends society and the economy a certain continuity and predictability that we have long lacked. As soon as one party is elected, it sets about dismantling the programmes and policies of its predecessor, even if they had been successful. Then, of course, there is the Sword of Damocles  otherwise known as accountability  that hangs over the heads of defeated politicians.

In such a situation, there is every incentive for the sitting government to hang on for as long as possible. Had there been no nasty stuff awaiting them by the exit, they might not need to rig the elections to cling to power.

Recently, the Chinese delegation to the CPEC talks raised this very point as they requested some stability in our politics. The Chinese are generally very polite, so we should interpret their request as a demand. When their President is forced to cancel a state visit because Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri are staging a sit-in outside Parliament, it is a sign that the Chinese are dealing with a banana republic.

While the PPP is no longer a factor in national politics, it still currently has enough seats to play the role of official Opposition. The MQM, once kingmaker, has splintered into four factions.

But the major electoral battle will be fought in the cities and plains of Punjab. Personally, I am caught in the usual quandary: who to vote for? For obvious reasons, I could never support a religious party, and I think Imran Khan would be a disaster, given his arrogance and stubbornness. Politics is about compromise, and give and take. Military-supported parties are out, too. The PML(N)? I have never voted for it, and I think its far too conservative for my taste.

So like it or not, that leaves the PPP. Having voted for it for years, I now find that the stench of corruption is too strong for people of conscience to vote for a party now led by Asif Zardari. Young Bilawal, although no doubt well-intentioned, has little clout despite his title of chairman.

And yet the party has some decent, dedicated members in its upper echelons. Raza Rabbani, Aitzaz Ahsan, Farhatullah Babar, and Sherry Rehman come to mind. But until they can rescue the soul of the PPP from Zardari, it is difficult to see how I could vote for a party I have long supported.

By arrangement with Dawn
Only the Adivasi Mahapanchayat should be vested with the power to give mineral exploitation licenses to corporations.

There is a huge groundswell of unrest sweeping the adivasi areas of Central India. The Central and state governments are unable to fashion a policy response to this besides terming it as Naxalite-inspired and hence requiring a shoot and kill solution. The Naxals typically have no idea about what is to be done? There is no need to seek solutions in Vladimir Lenins prescriptions. And for that matter in Mao Zedongs. This not a Naxalite issue at all, but a colossal failure to implement the Constitution. The solutions lie within the Indian Constitution and in the universal principles of justice and equality.

The Fifth and Sixth Schedules under Article 244 of the Constitution in 1950 provided for self-governance in specified tribal majority areas. The Fifth Schedule provides for the administration and control of tribal lands (termed scheduled areas) within nine states of India. The Fifth Schedule provides protection to the adivasi (tribal) people living in the scheduled areas from alienation of their lands and natural resources to non-tribals.

This constitutional safeguard is now under imminent threat of being amended to enable the transfer of tribal lands to non-tribals and corporate bodies. This move has serious implications for the very survival and culture of the millions of tribal people in India. The Fifth Schedule covers tribal areas in nine states of India  namely Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Rajasthan.

The governors have been endowed with certain special powers with regard to the Fifth Schedule areas. The judicious use of these provisions enshrined in the Fifth Schedule will certainly make a very positive impact on the tribals living in these regions. Under these powers, the governors can not only direct that any particular law or part thereof may not apply to a scheduled area  that can also make regulation for good governance and peace in these areas. The governors can intervene in areas relating to prohibition or restriction of the transfer of land by or among Scheduled Tribe members; regulation of allotment of land in such areas; and the regulation of money-lending activities. The governor has basically been given the legislative power to make regulations for the peace and good government of any area which is a scheduled area. The words peace and good government are of very wide import and give wide discretion to the governors to make laws for such a purpose.

One can recall the observations made by the President at the Governors Conference held on September 16 and 17, 2008 regarding the need for an authoritative legal opinion with respect to the powers of governors under the Fifth Schedule. The matter has since been examined in consultation with the ministry of law and justice and the attorney-general of India has given his opinion that in performance of the functions and exercise of the powers under the Fifth Schedule, the governor is not bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers of the state. The provisions of Articles 244(1) and 244(2), which provide for the administration of the scheduled areas within a state in accordance with the Fifth and Sixth Schedule respectively, emerge from the excluded and partially-excluded areas as envisaged under the Government of India Act 1935.

But there are several paradoxes that must also be dealt with first. The most important of these is that to provide good government in the worst of law and order environments, a better civil administration structure must come up in place of the one we have at present. This means the best officers drawn from across the country. Perhaps it is time to constitute a new all-India service, similar to the former Indian Frontier Administrative Service. The IFAS was an eclectic group of officers drawn from various arms of the government. Unfortunately, it was later merged into the IAS.

All tribal-majority areas must be consolidated into administrative divisions whose authority must be vested with a democratically-chosen leadership. It could be called the Adivasi Mahapanchayat and must function as a largely autonomous institution. All laws passed by the state legislatures must be ratified to the satisfaction of the Mahapanchayat. Instead of the state capital-controlled government, the instruments of public administration dealing with education, health, irrigation, roads and land records must be handed over to local government structures. The police must also be made answerable to local elected officials and not be a law unto themselves. The lament of the adivasi about their role in their government is well known. It is the subject of many a folk song.

The local community must get all the royalties for the minerals extracted from their areas. Till recently, the royalty paid by the extractors was a meager Rs 27 per metric tonne. While it has been announced that this has now been raised to 15 per cent of the market price, it is learned that in reality this has been raised just tenfold to Rs 270 per tonne. The cost of extraction is estimated to be not more than Rs 250 per tonne. The export price has never fallen below Rs 1,500 per tonne and has been as high as Rs 6,800 per tonne. The Indian steel industry essentially profits by low iron ore costs.

The worlds biggest steel producer buys iron ore for Rs 6,000 per tonne, while Indian steel producers derive it from captive mines for merely about Rs 500-550 per tonne. The implications of this price difference should be obvious.

What perhaps is not so obvious to most is that this is essentially a profit extracted from the nations mineral reserves, which mostly lies in the adivasi homelands and which by constitutional rights should be theirs. The irony is that it is this low cost of iron ore extracted from its adivasi homeland mines that provides companies like Tata Steel the financial muscle to make huge overseas acquisitions. Ultimately, it is the poor adivasi who pays for it with his home and hearth and gets no credit for it!

But the real problem is that this relatively small amount of over Rs 4,600 crores because of the enhanced royalty will accrue to the state governments coffers and like before little will filter down. It now needs to be mandated by law that for minerals extracted in tribal areas the royalty received should be entirely earmarked to the local administration. Only the Adivasi Mahapanchayat should be vested with the power to give mineral exploitation licenses to corporations.

We have before us the experience of the National Mineral Development Corporations giant iron ore extraction project at Bailadila in Bastars Dantewada district. The locals get nothing but the most menial jobs and in return their hitherto pristine environment is ravaged beyond recognition with the streams choked with the debris of excavation. Clearly, this kind of exploitation of tribal homelands and loot of the state has got to stop. And above all, if natural resources must be exploited, then the local communities which bear the brunt of the suffering and burden due to displacement and pollution must benefit the most. This is possible only when the public administration system is decentralised to ensure that local governments feel responsible for their people. That is why the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, under Article 244, were enshrined in the Indian Constitution in 1950. Clearly, seven decades is long enough to give the provisions of the Constitution life.
With a wingspan of 38.8 metres, powered by four turbo-prop engines, it is capable of carrying 50 people and can stay airborne for 12 hours.

The plane codenamed 'Kunlong' according to state news agency Xinhua, took off from the southern city of Zhuhai and landed after roughly an hour long flight. (Photo: AFP)

Beijing: China's home-grown AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft in production, took to the skies on Sunday for its maiden flight.

The plane codenamed "Kunlong" according to state news agency Xinhua, took off from the southern city of Zhuhai and landed after roughly an hour long flight.

With a wingspan of 38.8 metres (127 feet) and powered by four turbo-prop engines, the aircraft is capable of carrying 50 people and can stay airborne for 12 hours.

"Its successful maiden flight makes China among the world's few countries capable of developing a large amphibious aircraft," chief designer Huang Lingcai told Xinhua.

The amphibious aircraft has military applications but will also be used for firefighting and marine rescue, with at least 17 orders placed so far with its state-owned manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China, state media reported.

While it is around the size of a Boeing 737, the AG600 is considerably smaller than billionaire Howard Hughes' flying boat, better known as the Spruce Goose, which had a wing span of 97 metres and a length of 67 metres but only made one brief flight, in 1947.

The AG600's flight capabilities put all of China's island building projects in the South China Sea well within range.

The aircraft can fly to the southernmost edge of China's territorial claims -- the James Shoal -- in just four hours from the southern city of Sanya, state-owned Global Times reported.

The shoal is also claimed by Taiwan and Malaysia, and is currently administered by Malaysia as the collection of submerged rocks lies roughly 80 kilometres from its coastline and about 1,800 kilometres from the Chinese mainland.

Beijing's buildup in the South China Sea, through which some USD 5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes, is hotly contested by other nations.

The Philippines for many years was one of the region's strongest opponents of Chinese expansionism, and brought a complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal.

The panel ruled in 2016 that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis, but the Philippines has backed away from the dispute under its new president Rodrigo Duterte.

The launch of the new amphibious aircraft also adds to China's rapidly modernising military.

Earlier in 2017, it launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, which complemented the Liaoning, a second hand Soviet carrier commissioned in 2012 after extensive refits.

China's military expenditure in 2016 was an estimated USD 215 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, putting it in first place in Asia, well ahead of India (USD 56 billion), Japan (USD 46 billion) and South Korea (USD 37 billion).
Faisal had earlier said that the meetings photo and video foot-age will also be issued.

Islamabad: Jailed former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhavs wife and mother will arrive here on Monday for a meeting with him, the Pakistan foreign office said amid indications from Islamabad that it is in no hurry to hang the prisoner convicted on charges of espionage and terrorism.

For the much-awaited meeting on Christmas day, the mother and wife of Mr Jadhav will arrive by a comm-ercial flight on Monday and return later in the day. Indian deputy high commissioner J.P. Singh will accompany the two during the meeting at the ministry of foreign affairs.

India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat, foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted on Satur-day night. Mr Faisal had earlier said that the meetings photo and video foot-age will also be issued.

The foreign ministry said that this is not the last meeting of Mr Jadhav with his family. Pakist-an has nothing to hide which is why Indian med-ia was permitted to cover the meeting. However, India voted against this, said Mr Faisal.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Mr Jadhavs wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him. Mr Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May. The ICJ halted his execution on Indias appeal pending the final verdict by it.

On Sunday, Mr Faisal said that Pakistan is in no hurry to hang Mr Jadhav.

He said that Mr Jadhavs mercy appeal is pending before Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and even if he rejects it, the death-row inmate has a chance to file another plea before President Mamnoon Hussain.

The foreign office spokesman said that India had requested Pakistan not to allow media interaction of Mr Jadhavs mother and wife to ensure their privacy.

We had invited the Pakistani and Indian media for coverage in addition to the international media but India did not favour such an interaction. We have not issued visas to the Indian journalists keeping in view the Indian request (against media interaction), he said.

Mr Faisal said that Pakistan had a strong case in the ICJ against the India plea. The ICJ has not give a decision and at the most they can seek a re-trial or ask us for consular access, he said.

The spokesperson said that India needs to identify whether Kulbushan Jadhav is Hussain Mubarik Patel or Jadhav. They admit he is a former navy official but have not given us any details. If he is retired, we need details. They need to tell us what he was doing in Pakistan, he said.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Mr Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. India, however, maintains that Mr Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
Dozens of groups have pulled out of planned visits to Bethlehem after being scared off by the announcement and subsequent violence.

The annual scouts parade in Bethlehem will march through Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus and where celebrations will culminate with midnight mass. (Photo: AFP)

Bethlehem (Palestinian Territories): Preparations were under way in Bethlehem Sunday for Christmas, with tensions still simmering in the city and the region following Washington's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The controversial December 6 announcement by President Donald Trump unleashed demonstrations and clashes, including in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city Bethlehem, where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus in a midnight mass.

Bethlehem is normally flooded by tourists at this time of year, but has at times appeared almost empty of visitors as nearby clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army keep people away.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said "dozens" of groups had pulled out of planned visits after being scared off by the announcement and subsequent violence.

"Of course this created a tension around Jerusalem and this diverted attention from Christmas," the Catholic church's top official in Jerusalem said of Trump's announcement, but stressing that Christmas celebrations would go ahead as planned.

Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two per cent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Israel's tourism ministry has said that Christmas preparations have not been affected and that it expects a 20 per cent increase in the number of Christian pilgrims this year compared with 2016.

The ministry plans to operate a free shuttle service for the short distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem for mass.

An Israeli police spokesman said that extra units will be deployed in Jerusalem and at the crossings to Bethlehem to ease the travel and access for the "thousands of tourists and visitors".

The annual scouts parade in Bethlehem will march through Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus and where celebrations will culminate with midnight mass.

Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and interpreted Trump's statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the

Americans deny this.

In a statement ahead of Christmas, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump's announcement "encouraged the illegal disconnection between the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, both separated for the first time in over 2,000 years of Christianity".

Abbas called on "world Christians to listen to the true voices of the indigenous Christians from the Holy Land...that strongly rejected the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital".

"They are the descendants of the first followers of Jesus Christ and an integral part of the Palestinian people," Abbas said, calling the local Christian community "an inherent part of our societies".

In neighbouring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017.

Hundreds entered the church, chanting slogans calling for its demolition, destroying furniture and attacking worshippers before security forces restored order.

But in Iraq, 2017 marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Christmas mass will be celebrated there for the first time in years following the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July.

IS seized Iraq's second most populous city as part of a lightning offensive in 2014, driving out many Christians, and only small numbers have since returned.

Christian dignitaries as well as Iraqi political and military leaders are expected to attend the annual service at St Paul's Church in the eastern sector of Mosul.
Wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jhadav will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. (Photo: File)

Islamabad: Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office said on Saturday.

They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
At the Angelus, Pope Francis recalls the victims of Tropical Storm Tembin, in the Philippines, which has caused hundreds of deaths and launches a new appeal for the release of all kidnapped persons. The "contrast" between the promises of the angel, "which opens unheard-of perspectives" and the response of Mary "short" and "humble". Find a few moments to stop in silence before the nativity scene "to worship in our hearts the mystery of true Christmas, that of Jesus".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - A brief reflection on the Gospel of the Annunciation, a prayer for peace in the world and a thought for the flood victims in Mindanao (Philippines) today marked the appointment of Pope Francis with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the recitation of the Angelus.

The Pope reflected on the Gospel passage of the Annunciation, which is proclaimed in today's Mass (Sunday IV of Advent, B, Luke 1: 26-38). He noted the "contrast between the promises of the angel and Mary's response" . The angel speaks to Mary with a long revelation, which opens unheard-of perspectives. The child who will be born of this humble girl of Nazareth will be called the Son of the Most High: a dignity higher than this is inconceivable. And after Mary's question, with which she asks for explanations, the revelation of the angel becomes even more detailed and surprising."

"Mary's response is a short sentence, which does not speak of glory or privilege, but only of openness and service".

"Mary is truly humble and does not try to show off. She recognizes that she is small before God, and is happy to be like that. At the same time, she is aware that the realization of God's plan depends on her response, and that therefore she is called to adhere to it with her whole self ".

"Mary presents herself with an attitude that corresponds perfectly to that of the Son of God when he comes into the world: He wants to become the Servant of the Lord, to place himself at the service of humanity to fulfill the Father's plan. Mary says: "Behold the servant of the Lord"; and the Son of God, entering into the world, says: "Behold, I come [...] to do, O God, your will" (Hebrews 10,7.9). Mary's attitude fully reflects this declaration of the Son of God, who also becomes a son of Mary ".

"As we admire our Mother for her response to God's call and mission, we ask her to help each of us to welcome God's plan in our lives, with sincere humility and courageous generosity".

After the Angelus prayer, Francis invited everyone to pray for "the gift of peace for the whole world, especially for the populations that suffer the most from the ongoing conflicts".

He also renewed his appeal that for Christmas, the kidnapped persons - priests, religious men and women religious and lay faithful - are released and can return to their homes".

The Pope continued: "I would like to assure my prayer to the population of the island of Mindanao, in the Philippines, hit by a storm that has caused numerous victims and destruction. May God the merciful welcome the souls of the dead and comfort those who suffer from this calamity ". The two appeals were followed by some moments of silent prayer.

"In these hours that separate us from Christmas - he concluded - find some time to stop in silence and prayer before the nativity scene, to worship in our hearts the mystery of true Christmas, that of Jesus, who comes to us with love, humility and tenderness ".
Hi All,



I'm currently on 457 VISA, brought my wife to Australia on tourist visa 600(no further stay condition is not mentioned in this VISA).After she came here, i got the invite for 189 PR application. I've lodged the PR application, and got bridging VISA A for both of us as we applied from onshore. As her tourist visa is active, bridging visa is in dormant state now. But as per her VISA condition, its a multiple entry visa and can't stay for more than 6 months in one entry, with total validity of 1 yr. Now that she is going to finish her 6 months stay, can we switch to bridging visa so that she can remain in Australia ? or should she still leave the country and come back ? In this case will she lose her bridging visa ?Please help..
The New York Times :

According to six officials who attended or were briefed about the meeting, Mr. Trump then began reading aloud from the document, which his domestic policy adviser, Stephen Miller, had given him just before the meeting. The document listed how many immigrants had received visas to enter the United States in 2017.

More than 2,500 were from Afghanistan, a terrorist haven, the president complained. Haiti had sent 15,000 people. They all have AIDS, he grumbled, according to one person who attended the meeting and another person who was briefed about it by a different person who was there.

Forty thousand had come from Nigeria, Mr. Trump added. Once they had seen the United States, they would never go back to their huts in Africa, recalled the two officials, who asked for anonymity to discuss a sensitive conversation in the Oval Office.
Raymond James Stadium looked a lot more like Santa's workshop on Saturday as dozens of local churches, non-profits, and local businesses came together to give back to their community for the 8th annual "Joy of Giving" event.

Joy of Giving held Saturday in Tampa

WWE's Titus O'Neil helps lead event

Many families still recovering after Hurricane Irma

Link to learn more: Joy of Giving



This year's event was spearheaded by WWE Superstar Thaddeus Bullard, a.k.a Titus O'Neil and was bigger than ever before. Organizers said it's because more families are in need this year.

Surrounded by the sights and sounds of the holiday season, many Bay Area residents couldn't help but think of a recent disaster that almost destroyed their Christmas.

"The hurricane has affected us it's like a domino effect," resident Nicole Black said of Hurricane Irma.

Three months later, families are still trying to recover from Irma. The storm damaged homes, knocked out power and forced residents like Black to miss work.

"My job was affected, I think this is the first two weeks I've seen 80 hours," Black said.

Black was one of 10,000 residents getting gifts at the Joy of Giving event. O'Neil has made it his mission to pay it forward in honor of those who helped him.

"I got a remote control car at 12 years old," O'Neil said. "A lady said she got the gift specifically for me because I wanted you to have a nice gift. That was the only gift I got that year, I grew up poor.

"I want this community to continue to strive and I want the people within it to understand that we literally live in one of the best cities in America," he said. "So I want it to continue that way, and the only way I can do that is to actively be involved in making sure that happens."

Families said the community's generosity and support have saved their holiday.

"To tell you the truth we bought chicken quarters for Christmas because we just couldn't make it," Black said. "I'm working but by the grace of God because guess what? We've got Christmas dinner, so God is good all the way around," Black said.

Families at the Joy of Giving event were also given access to vital community resources like counseling, health care, and legal assistance.

For more information on Joy of Giving and a list of all organizations who helped make the event happen visit www.joyofgivingtampa.com
Sunday morning travel out of the Tampa Bay area will include morning fog. During the afternoon, the weather will not hamper travel around here. For those flying out, there will be very changeable weather to encounter across the country. In the morning there will be snow developing in the Central Plains shifting into the Midwest by early afternoon.

From the afternoon into the evening, snow will spread from Illinois to Indiana, Ohio, Southern Michigan, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Western New York.

Another storm pushes into the Northwest Coast in the afternoon spreading snow as far east as Idaho and Utah by evening.

Christmas Eve high temperatures will be around normal for most of the country, but Florida remains warm for one more day. Very chilly air will be pushing from Canada into the Northern Plains, Montana and Wyoming. Sunday morning will start out below zero for these areas.

Christmas will be white in the morning for the Northeast as snow is likely from New York state through New England. Snow will also continue in the mountains of Colorado, Northern Utah, through Wyoming, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

Tuesday's travel weather looks a little better for most places, but there will be a little snow for parts of Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. There will also be a lake-effect snow pattern setting up for the east sides of the Great Lakes. Very cold air continues for the Northern Plains. Temperatures may not get above zero all day for Montana and Idaho.
The West's Steadfast Misunderstanding of Turkey and Islam

Turkish regimes committed their greatest attacks on Anatolian Christians during the 1914-1923 genocide against Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians (Syriacs/Chaldeans). Sadly, there has been no public protest in Turkey against the government's refusal to acknowledge the genocide, in which at least three million Christians were killed. Pictured above: Armenian civilians, escorted by Ottoman soldiers, marched through Harput, April 1915. ( American Red Cross/Wikimedia Commons) Since the Trump administration's official recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been ramping up his anti-Israel rhetoric, calling the country "a state of occupation and terrorism." This is worse than ironic. The Jews are not "occupiers" in their ancient native homeland, where they have lived for more than 3,000 years. Turks, on the other hand, 3,000 years ago were most likely in Central Asia, nowhere near the area that is now Turkey. To add hypocrisy to injury, Erdogan also said about his own country, "Let it be known that there has never been any holocaust or genocide in this nation's past. There's no campaign of ethnic cleansing, massacres, persecution, or torture in this nation's history." Oh really? The cities in today's Turkey -- most of which are in Anatolia (Asia Minor) and the Armenian highlands -- were actually built by Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians; and Jews have lived there since antiquity. Turkic jihadists from Central Asia invaded and conquered the Christian Byzantine Empire in the eleventh century, thereby paving the way for the gradual Turkification and Islamization of Anatolia and Armenia. The Ottoman invasion of Constantinople (Istanbul) in the fifteenth century brought about the complete destruction of the Byzantine Empire. Throughout those years, many Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians in the region converted to Islam to escape death, exile, or the exorbitant "protection" tax, the jizya, imposed on non-Muslims. As a result, only around 0.3% of Turkey's population remains Christian or Jewish at this time. According to Dr. Bill Warner, director of the Center for the Study of Political Islam:

"The process of annihilation [of Greek Christian civilization in Anatolia] took centuries. Some people think that when Islam invaded, the Kafirs [non-Muslims] had the choice of conversion or death. No, absolutely not. Sharia law was put into place and the Christian dhimmis continued to have their 'protected' status as People of the Book who lived under the Sharia law. The dhimmi paid heavy taxes, could not testify in court, hold a position of authority over Muslims and was humiliated by social rules. A dhimmi had to step aside for the Muslim, offer him his seat, could not carry a weapon and defer to a Muslim in every way. In all matters of society the dhimmi had to yield to the Muslim. Over the centuries, the degradation, lack of rights and the dhimmi tax caused the Christian to convert. It is the Sharia that destroys the dhimmis. "Today, Turkey is 99.7% Muslim. The Christian and Greek civilization of Anatolia is gone. It is annihilated. "What is tragic is that it seems that no one knows or cares..."

"... activated social forces by the policies they pursued, including the proclamation of jihad at the beginning of World War I, to mobilize religious fanaticism among the population of the empire. "After the proclamation of jihad on November 14, 1914, the killing of Armenians was seen to bear legitimacy in religious terms. In many areas, clerics led the columns of Muslims and blessed them for punishing the unbelievers... One slogan was repeated everywhere: 'God, make their children orphans, make widows of their wives... and give their property to Muslims.' In addition to this prayer, legitimization of plunder, murder, and abduction took the following form: 'it is licit for Muslims to take the infidels' property, life and women.'"

Even today, expansionist Islamic raids against non-Muslim peoples have been and are accompanied by mass murder, rape, sex slavery, forced conversions, looting, plundering and deportations, by Islamic State, Boko Haram and others. The goal of this jihad is to expand Islam and submit people worldwide to sharia [Islamic law] and Islamic supremacy. Once under Islamic rule -- such as during the Ottoman Empire -- Christians and Jews become: third-class, "tolerated" citizens forced to pay a tax in exchange for "protection." No matter how much money they pay, however,are never allowed the same religious rights or freedoms as Muslims. This is something that Turkish school children are not taught. Instead, they learn in school about the "glorious" Ottomans, and how bestowingstatus on non-Muslims was an example of Ottoman mercy, justice, and compassion -- not a tool for humiliating and enslaving them. Far more recently, as Erdogan knows but aggressively denies, Turkish regimes committed their greatest attacks on Anatolian Christians: the 1914-1923 genocide against Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians (Syriacs/Chaldeans). Sadly, there has been no public protest in Turkey against the government's refusal to acknowledge the genocide, in which at least three million Christians were killed. There are several reasons for this:Turks are continually exposed to the denial of the genocide in school, the media, and in parliament. Millions of Turks have been brainwashed to believe that what took place was not genocide, but rather a legitimate act of self-defense against "treacherous" Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian elements According to official myths, the Turks have never wronged or victimized any other people; it is they who have been wronged and victimized throughout history. As a result, according to these myths, any and all violent actions they may have committed were carried out in self-defense.Turkey fears what it calls derogatorily as the Armenians' "Four T" Plan (Propaganda, Recognition, Compensation, and Territory). The government worries that if the Armenians are successful in their efforts to obtain international recognition of the genocide, they will demand money and land. This concern is shared by those who inherited property seized from the victims of the genocide. Such Turks fear losing the wealth they amassed through the spoils of mass murder.The political doctrine of Islam, which was largely responsible for the Christian genocide, still plays a role in Turkey's denial of it. In his contribution to a recently released collection of essays on the topic -- " Genocide in the Ottoman Empire: Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks, 1913-1923 ," edited by Professor George N. Shirinian -- historian Suren Manukyan writes that the planners of the Armenian genocide:The Ottoman Tanzimat reforms in the nineteenth century had "abolished" thestatus accorded to non-Muslim subjects. Regardless of this official change, non-Muslims continued to face various forms of institutional discrimination. Similarly, when the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923, non-Muslims no longer possessed the legal status as, but their unofficial dhimmitude continued, if not intensified. In 1934, there was an anti-Jewish pogrom in eastern Thrace; in 1941-1942, there was an attempt to enlist and enslave all non-Muslim males in the Turkish military -- including the elderly and mentally ill -- to force them to work under horrendous conditions in labor battalions; in 1942, a Wealth Tax was imposed to eliminate Christians and Jews from the economy; in 1955, there was an anti-Greek pogrom in Istanbul; and in 1964, Greeks were forcefully expelled from Turkey. All of the above contributed to the previous ethnic cleansing of Turkish Christians and Jews. Not only has the Turkish government not recognized, apologized for or given reparations for any such incidents in its history, but there is little media coverage of the current intimidation of and violence against Christians, Jews, and Yazidis in Turkey. In addition, fundamentalist Muslims in Turkey -- and elsewhere -- do not see jihad, forced conversions or other forms of persecution against non-Muslims as criminal. On the contrary, their religious scriptures openly command them "to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding," among many other openly violent teachings. Hence, what the rest of the world would describe as "genocide," "massacre," "persecution," or "ethnic cleansing" is viewed by radical Muslims as a "righteous" way of spreading Islam and of liberating(infidel) lands. Erdogan is clearly such a radical, which is why he takes pride in his country's criminal history, while chastising and rewriting that of other states, such as Israel. The West's misunderstanding of all this knows no bounds.
Hopes faded of finding more than three dozen people still alive after they were trapped in a huge fire that broke out in a mall packed with Christmas shoppers in the southern Philippines, rescuers, firefighters and officials said Sunday.



One cadaver had been recovered from the inferno at the New City Commercial Complex (NCCC) mall in Davao City, but 37 other people remained missing as firefighters were still trying to put out the blaze, which began a day earlier, Mayor Sara Duterte said. Many of the missing were believed to be employees of a business outsourcing firm whose offices were located inside the mall.



Do not stop until you find the 37, people, Duterte said she had told the firefighters, adding that victims families were being aided by the local government. She described the fire as an unfortunate incident.



The mayor, who is the daughter of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, advised the public to avoid speculating about the fires cause, which had yet to be determined, according to officials. The flames engulfed the mall amid a security alert over potential threats by Islamic State- inspired militants to target crowded public places to avenge their recent defeat in the southern city of Marawi during a five-month battle with the Philippine military.



The mayors brother, Paolo Duterte, who is vice mayor of Davao, had said earlier that firefighters had declared that the survival chances of the missing people trapped inside the burning building were at zero.



The fire was believed to have originated near a furniture section at midmorning Saturday, and 24 hours later, on Christmas Eve, firemen had not yet put out the blaze.



Our firemen are still struggling to find a way in as the fire is still burning, Paolo Duterte said Sunday.



As firefighters were battling the inferno at the mall, city officials and emergency relief workers were busy responding to victims of flash floods in other parts of Davao. The flooding was caused by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Tembin, which left some 200 people dead as it battered the surrounding southern island of Mindanao, according to reports on Sunday.



One mall official had earlier assured Duterte that the fire was under control.



Thea Septaan Padua, a spokesperson for the NCCC mall, said the fire started on the third floor of the mall. The situation was under control, she said, adding that the extent of the damage had yet to be assessed.



We are currently coordinating with the authorities. However, there are no reported casualties, Padua said hours after the fire started.



President Duterte, the citys former mayor whose residence is near the mall, visited the site unannounced late on Saturday, and spent time with relatives of the missing people who were waiting at another establishment for word about the fate of their loved ones.



Photos released by the presidential office showed Rodrigo Duterte consoling the relatives. In one photo, the president appeared to be wiping tears.



Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte had assured the relatives of the victims that the government would extend help.



The Bureau of Fire Protection is currently determining the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, Roque said.



The fire so close to the Christmas holiday in the predominantly Catholic Philippines came nearly seven months after a gunman, believed to be a heavy gambler who was down on his luck, walked into a Manila casino, fired an assault rifle and torched the place, killing 36 people.



While the government discounted any terror links in that fire, authorities remained on heightened alert in urban areas.



Officials in Davao were bracing for the possibility that Islamic militants could carry out a Christmastime bombing or other attack.



In September 2016, radical militants who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State bombed a night market in Davao, killing 15 people, also as President Duterte was visiting his hometown.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte comforts a relative of one of the victims of a fire that engulfed a shopping mall in Davao City, Dec. 23, 2017. AFP Photo/Presidential Photographers Division/Kiwi Bulaclac
Von: By Julian Ropcke

Since 2009, the Russian Federations General has been conducting the Zapad (West) exercise every four years (one was previously conducted in 1999). Its aim is to train the defensive capacities of the Russian Federations army in the Western Military Sector. Last September, the Russian army announced: The Zapad 2017 anti-terror exercise is a purely defensive one.

Zapad 2017  War against NATO

However, BILD recently spoke to two leading analysts from a western intelligence service who revealed that Zapad 2017 was neither an anti-terror exercise nor purely defensive, but a dry run for a full-scale conventional war against NATO in Europe. According to these sources, the drill rehearsed the capture of the Baltic states (and Belarus) as well as a shock campaign against Western European NATO nations such as Germany and the Netherlands, but also against Poland, Norway and the non-aligned states of Sweden and Finland.

Tanks of the Russian army practice during the Zapad 2017 exercise

Capturing the Baltic states within a week

According to the two sources, Kremlin forces rehearsed capturing NATOs region of vulnerability, according to the Russian view, namely the three Baltic states. To realize this, you would have to quickly do the Suwalki gap operation in order to cut off Poland and NATO reinforcements from Lithuania. This is exactly what Russia did, creating the artificial state of Veyshnoria at the exact location of the 40-kilometre land bridge between Poland and Lithuania (carried out on Belarussian territory, however).

At the same time, Russia rehearsed neutralizing or taking under control air fields and harbours (in the Baltic states), so there are no reinforcements arriving from other NATO states there. The sources emphasized that, in the case of an emergency, this would, in the first few days, be a purely military operation. This does not mean that you have to occupy the countries and declare Peoples Republics or something like that, but that you have to occupy the harbours, airports and so on.

Rehearsing the bombing of Western Europe, particularly Germany

The sources revealed that Russian air force strategic aviation, long-range aviation, took part in the exercise on two days and conducted simulation flights over the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. They exercised bombings of Western European targets, approaching the German and Dutch coast from the North Sea as well as Swedish, Finish and Polish mainland from the Baltic Sea. The drill included waves of Tu-95 strategic bombers as well as support aircraft like fighter jets and refuelling planes.

Russian Sukhoi air force jets prepare for drills during the exercise

These bombers rehearsed launching missiles and cruise missiles. They returned to their bases before reaching NATO shores. In a real-life situation, their targets would include critical infrastructure, that is, air fields, harbours, energy supplies and so on, in order to shock the countries and make the populations demand from their governments that we shouldnt be involved here, we should go for peace instead.

Auch interessant

In war, another aim of these Russian activities would be to prevent them (NATO armies) from taking military action, deploying troops and reversing Russian army gains in the Baltics. Hence, German naval bases at the Baltic Sea and the North Sea would be prime targets for such aerial attacks. Although the sources did not know which German, and possibly Dutch, targets exactly the Tu-95 bombers were directed at, they stressed: This was part of their exercise in September!

The sources added that, of course, in war time, Russian bombers would have approached from the East as well, but in peace times, this attack direction (towards Germany) along the Norwegian coast would make sense. Russia could not practice strategic air attacks from the East due to the Belarussian and Ukrainian airspace between Russia and its potential targets. Moreover, the sources made it clear that strategic air raids would have been flanked by large-scale missile attacks on NATO targets, using Iskander tactical missiles in the Kaliningrad region for targeting NATO strategic assets in the Baltic Sea countries. It is not clear, but likely that such attacks were also rehearsed in the Zapad 2017 drills.

According to the sources, these risky manoeuvres (over the North Sea) could show that Russia has planned show of force attacks that deeply penetrate Western-dominated air space and a surprise element, as NATO missile defences are better prepared in the East of Europe than in NATO states like Norway, Denmark, the UK, and Germany.

Baltic Sea drills against NATO submarines, ships, and airplanes

In order to cripple NATOs capacities in the event of a large-scale ground offensive against Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the exercise involved anti-submarine warfare and air-defence drills throughout the Baltic Sea. The focus area was the eastern Gotland Basin.

Russian naval forces also rehearsed anti-aircraft and anti-ship operations in the area, as well as anti-combat-diver operations. The obvious aim of such exercises was the destruction of NATO forces in the Baltic Sea that might try to reach Baltic waters and ports in order to help NATO allies under attack there.

Attack rehearsals against Finland, Sweden, and Norway

According to the interviewed Western intelligence sources, Sweden and Finland would come under attack in the case of a real war against NATO. These attacks were also rehearsed in September. We know that, in case of a war with NATO, Russia would not expect Sweden and Finland to remain neutral, although they are not part of NATO. Stockholm and Helsinki would allow NATO aircraft to use their airfields and so on. The source alleged that most Swedish and southern Finish air fields would therefore come under Iskander missile attacks.

The sources pointed towards the Murmansk region on the Kola peninsula, bordering on Finland and Norway. There were very interesting activities here, which makes us think that they were practicing something for northern Finland, but unfortunately I cannot tell you more, as we are not the source of this information. Pushed about the issue, the sources revealed that, during the Zapad 2017 exercise, Russian army forces from other parts of the country were moved to Kola that do not belong there. This makes us think that they did not just play out the scenario on the map, but also in real life. The point of this operational direction is to defend against NATO air attacks. So we think that they planned to neutralize assets in the region as well.

In October, a Norwegian magazine reported, referring to six Norwegian defence establishment sources, that Russia had practiced bombing and invading Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago in the Barents Sea, during Zapad 2017. According to the report, two waves of Tu-95 and Tu-22m3 bombers rehearsed bombing runs on the strategic islands between Russia and the resource-rich Arctic Ocean. 50 vessels participated in the drill in the Barents Sea. This confirms with what BILD learnt from its two Western intelligence sources. From Russias strategic perspective, it would be necessary to carry out parallel attacks on Finish and Norwegian mainland targets.

What would trigger such war between NATO and Russia?

One of the sources explained to BILD what a trigger for such events could be. I am always asked, is this an offensive or a defensive operation? The answer is, it is an escalation operation. So-called coloured revolutions, for example in Belarus or other post-Soviet states, could lead to the war that was trained in Zapad 2017. Such a revolution, which would of course be a plot by the CIA, according to them, could get Russia involved. If the US or another NATO country then gets involved, this could be the starting point for the scenario they trained for in September.

In general, a military operation against the Baltic states would be a responsive operation, meaning that Putin would feel a real threat to his interests. In other words, a military confrontation in Russias defined sphere of national interest would trigger the trained scenario. Examples would be Belarus, Ukraine, or Georgia. We know that, in 2008, they had the contingency plan that if the US gets involved in guarding Georgia from their invasion, the Baltic states would have become a target.

Air defence unit drills during the exercise in September

The source also mentioned events that would NOT trigger a war, such as the NATO accession of Sweden or Finland. They threaten to take military actions if these two countries join NATO, but we dont think this would be their red line. Not even a direct military confrontation between the US and Russia in Syria would trigger a war against NATO, the source believes. They would rather withdraw in the worst case, but this would not lead to a war in Europe.

The threat of a nuclear war

The sources pointed out that the scenario Russia trained for would be the last step before a nuclear war with the West and  ironically  Russias attempt at preventing such a war by simultaneously achieving a quick victory in the Baltics and conducting a successful shock campaign in Western Europe. Of course, if all of this does not help, Russia would signal the West that, if it tries to reverse its military gains in the Baltic space, the next step would be the use of tactical nuclear weapons, in all likelihood followed by the use of ICBM. However, the Kremlin would try to avoid such a scenario.

Russian manpower used in the exercise

According to the two sources, 12.700 ground forces participated in the Belarus drill (including 7.200 Belarusian soldiers). The declared numbers here were correct, which makes sense, because you cannot force Belarus to give false numbers if they dont want to.

However, another 12.000 Russian soldiers took part in the Leningrad and Pskov regions near the Estonian borders and almost 10.000 were involved on the Kola peninsula. Taken together with a high number of naval personnel, air force staff, and support forces, more than 100.000 Russian troops participated in Zapad 2017, the sources said. Additionally, 20.000 Russian National Guard troops (soldiers) and further FSB units and Ministry of Emergency Situation personnel also participated, which makes the overall number even higher.

The sources pointed out that the sheer number of involved ground forces was a violation of the Vienna document. An exercise number of 13.000 or more participants requires observers. And make no mistake. There was not a single observer, although this is what the Russians want to tell the public. There were invited guests from NATO countries which were allowed to watch some bombings. Observers would have been allowed to go wherever they wanted and to talk to all involved units. This did not happen.

Extent of the exercise area

While Russia announced several training grounds in Belarus, the Kaliningrad region, and Pskov as well as the Leningrad oblast, the real extent of the exercise was much larger. There were more training grounds within the announced areas. Moreover, and more importantly, the Murmansk oblast on the Kola peninsula also took part in the exercise. Naval force manoeuvres took place over a wide area in the Baltic Sea and Barents Sea. Aerial drills were carried out over the Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, and North Sea. There were also other military exercises happening simultaneously in the Black Sea region and on occupied Crimea, aimed at a potential NATO response from Bulgaria and Romania.PS: Sind Sie bei Facebook? Werden Sie Fan von BILD.de-Politik!




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
HARRISBURG  Theres no doubt a gunman who fired at police in several locations in the state capital, wounding one of them before they shot and killed him, was targeting police officers, a prosecutor said.

Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired at a Harrisburg police officer on Friday afternoon and later at a state trooper, wounding her before pursuing her, Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said.

He fired several shots at a Capitol police officer and at a Pennsylvania state police trooper in marked vehicles, Marsico told reporters, flanked by state police, Capitol police and FBI officials.

The Department of Homeland Security is calling the incident a terror attack.

The gunfire began shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, when the man fired several shots at a state Capitol officer in downtown Harrisburg, striking his car several times and sending one shot that went very close to hitting him, Marsico said. About 20 or 30 minutes later, he fired several shots at the state trooper, striking her with one of those shots.

The trooper is doing well, is in good condition and is expected to make a full recovery, Marsico said.

El-Mofty pursued the trooper to a residential neighborhood, where city and state police encountered him.

He approached them with two handguns ... firing many shots at those police officers, and the officers returned fire, killing him, Marsico said.

El-Mofty had ties to the Middle East and recently traveled there, but the motive for the attack was unknown, Marsico said.

Marsico asked for information from the public about the man, who also had ties to the city and its western suburbs across the Susquehanna River. He declined to comment on whether the man was known to police.

Department of Homeland Security Acting Press Secretary Tyler Q. Houlton said Saturday that El-Mofty was a naturalized U.S. citizen who was admitted to the country from Egypt on a family-based immigrant visa.

The long chain of migration that led to (El-Moftys) admission into the United States was initiated years ago by a distant relative, he said in a statement.

Houlton said incidents like the one involving El-Mofty highlight the Trump administrations concerns with extended family chain migration. He said chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program have been exploited by extremists.

Not only are the programs less effective at driving economic growth than merit-based immigration systems used by nearly all other countries, the programs make it more difficult to keep dangerous people out of the United States and to protect the safety of every American, he said.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Saturday he had talked to the director of Homeland Security as federal, state and local law enforcement authorities investigate last nights attack on law enforcement.

I again want to thank officers who put themselves in harms way to prevent further injury or loss of life, he said in a message on Twitter.

Marsico expressed gratitude to state and local police for bringing a rapid end to an episode he said could have been much worse.

This could have been a really tragic incidence with this individual firing many shots at police cars in downtown Harrisburg in the midst of rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon and then coming up here in a residential neighborhood and firing again many shots, he said.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it - John 1:5

To mark Christmas the leaders of the Catholic and Anglican churches in Ireland have released a joint Christmas message.

We have reproduced the statements from the Archbishops of Armagh, The Most Revd Eamon Martin and the Most Revd Richard Clarke, here in full.

"A couple of weeks ago, we both travelled to Rome to meet with members of the SantEgidio Community and to experience at first hand  however briefly  some of the wonderful work that these remarkable Christian disciples are carrying out.

Not only are members of the community working for reconciliation in many countries of the world, but they are also to be found among the dispossessed of Rome giving practical and material help.

In more recent times they have been at the forefront of caring for  and taking responsibility for  refugees who have found their way (sometimes in the most difficult of circumstances) to Italy.

It was in this context that we had the opportunity, one evening, to meet a number of these refugees  some from Syria and some from Eritrea.

Three Eritrean girls, possibly still teenagers, had arrived in Rome only a few hours earlier, having been rescued from danger in Ethiopia by members of the SantEgidio Community. In conversation, we asked the girls how they were now feeling. One of them, with a sudden huge smile on her face, replied in just one word  safe.

In the Old Testament Gods people were promised that if they trust in the Lord, they will find a place of rest, safety, security, a refuge and a reason for hope and confidence. The Christmas promise went deeper and further. To those who would put their trust in Him, Jesus came to offer spiritual safety  the reward of eternal salvation.

Part of the challenge of Christmas is to seek to bring safety, in its widest sense, into the lives of those around us. There are people in our midst who are without the security of food or even of a roof over their heads.

There are those who are newcomers to our country, perhaps of a different religious faith and culture, who feel that they are objects of suspicion and dislike.

And there are also those whose need for security in their lives is less evident  those who are alone and afraid, those who are without friends and without people who will look out for them, and some who feel that their lives have become aimless or useless, almost empty of hope and confidence.

In the twentyfifth chapter of Matthews Gospel, Our Lord assures us that we meet him when we care for those who need us, whoever they may be.

Christmas is a time when many of us are happy to have the emotional security and safety of our family and friends around us, and the comfort and assurance of strong faith in the birth of the Saviour.

Let us be ready to share our safety and our reasons for hoping with others."
For students intrepid enough to attend college in another country, Dickinson Colleges long winter break poses a dilemma.

Heading home, in some cases, literally involves a journey of planes, trains and automobiles. Staying in Carlisle means separation from the family over Christmas and New Years Day holidays.

Yejin Son, a sophomore from South Korea, and Alexander Bossakov, a sophomore from Bulgaria, both chose to make trips home that will take the better part of a day to complete.

Son, who will be joining her family in Thailand, said the trip involves multiple stops on different continents in locations like Paris, Qatar and Southeast Asia. Often, the only sleep she has during the trip is on the flights.

Between the flights, transfers, train and the wait time associated with each leg of the journey, it will take Bossakov about 24 hours to make the trip home. Its a trip he has taken for both summer and winter breaks, but he recalls the day he arrived in New York City for the first time, alone with two huge suitcases.

It was very exciting and intimidating as I went out of Penn Station and looked up, he said.

Had she decided to go home, it would have taken junior Katia Umutoni about 17 hours to get home to Rwanda. First theres the trip to New York to catch a seven-hour flight to Amsterdam. After a layover of a couple of hours, she takes a 10-hour flight to Kigali.

Usually, its not that bad compared to other places, she said.

Such journeys result in the inevitable case of jet lag, which Son said international students attempt to mitigate by arriving back on campus at least one day prior to the start of classes after a break.

That plan, though, is dependent on factors such as the cost of different flights, Bossakov said.

Celebrating Christmas

For all three students, spending time with family is a significant part of their Christmas celebrations.

Though he was working on securing an externship in Morocco over winter break, Bossakov said he would split Christmas Day itself between his family in Bulgaria and his family in France. The holiday is more cultural than religious in Bulgaria since the religion is not actively practiced, Bossakov said. The family will eat a lot, decorate the tree and watch for a white Christmas.

We always hope to have snow on Christmas. We usually do, but not always, he said.

For me, its first of all family, and then second, because our family is a Christian family, we spend our time in church in the morning and then get together, Son said.

It will be warm in Thailand when Son arrives for winter break, but the celebration will be similar to those typical in the United States with a Christmas tree, talking with family and plenty of good foodKorean food in Sons case.

If theres one difference, you wouldnt gather around a bonfire or something. Youd gather around an air conditioner, she said.

Air conditioning is still a concept to which Umutoni is trying to adjust, given that the weather in her home country is either dry or rainy.

It never gets too cold. It never gets too hot. Honestly, its the perfect weather. You never have to check the weather, she said.

Back in Rwanda, Umutoni said Christmas is more closely tied to religion in a tiny country in which Christianity is a majority, she said.

Back home you start thinking about those things. People go to church. You have little kids sing these songs like Silent Night, Holy Night and all those songs. Theyre very cognizant of the birth of Christ, she said.

If Umutoni were to be at home, the family would go to church and her mother would cook a large meal. She said they dont do presents as families in the United States does. The parents will give the children presents, but the children typically dont buy the parents presents.

We dont have the traditional American way of celebrating Christmas. Back home, its more family time, going to church, spending time with your family and doing things together, she said.

Away from home

This year, Umutoni is giving up at least a bit of that family time to experience not only Christmas and New Years but also the cold of January stateside over the colleges winter break. She said she will be away from campus until Jan. 2 while she first visits her sister, who is attending college outside of Philadelphia. She will then visit cousins who live in New York City just a few blocks from Times Square, but has no intentions of heading to Times Square for the New Years Eve celebrations.

Having decided to see what its like to spend the winter break in Carlisle, Umutoni isnt sure when she will see her family next. She hopes to do research work over the summer so it may be next December until she makes the trip back to Rwanda. If not then, she said, it will be after she graduates.

The Christmas celebrations may have common elements between their home countries and the United States, but all three students agree theres a greater element of commercialization here.

You do have it more commercialized here, but its happening globally so its happening in Bulgaria, too, Bossakov said.

The international students on campus have a way of coming together to support each other, especially for students like Umutoni who watches most of the campus heading home for the holidays.

It helps if you have friends who are around you, people who are in the same boat. They become your second family, but its hard being away from your family, she said.
A teenager is being treated for gunshot wounds to the leg in Belfast.

The pararamilitary style shooting happened in the Pembroke Loop Road area of Dunmurry at around 8.15pm last night.
The school holidays are nearly here and with it being so cold outside, it can be a challenge entertaining kids every day for two weeks.

When all the Christmas shopping and youve visit every relative, theres nothing nicer than cosying up on the couch with a snuggly blanket, hot chocolate, snacks and a variety of Christmas specials, musicals and movies.

Heres what Netflix has to offer the kiddies:

A StoryBots Christmas (Now Streaming)

When Bo mistakenly thinks that her friends dont like her gifts, she heads to the North Pole to ask Santa for help making better presents. She learns along the way that Christmas is about far more than just the toys. Ed Asner guest stars as Santa Claus.

DreamWorks Home: For the Holidays (Now Streaming)

Oh takes it upon himself to introduce Christmas joy to his fellow Boovs. Unfortunately, his well-meaning mission nearly destroys the city.

Trolls Holiday Special (Now Streaming)

When the eternally optimistic Poppy, queen of the Trolls, learns that the Bergens no longer have any holidays on their calendar, she enlists the help of Branch and the rest of the gang on a delightfully quirky mission to fix something that the Bergens dont think is broken.

The Magic Snowflake

Young Nicolas agrees to do Santas work for one year. But the stress of the job threatens the boys sense of joy  and Christmas itself.

Arthur Christmas

At Santa Clauss super-secret toy-making facility, Mr Claus entrusts his son, Arthur, to carry out an ultra-important Christmas mission.

Bobs Broken Sleigh

An overly eager elf improves Santas sleigh, but when he crash lands far from home, three odd critters pitch in to send him back to the North Pole.

Caillous Holiday Movie

Join Caillou in this animated adventure as he helps his dad shovel snow, learns about the holidays of other cultures and makes gifts for his family.

The Legend of Frosty the Snowman

The mayor of Evergreen dismisses magic as nonsense, but when Frosty the Snowman blows through town, he shows the local children that magic is real.

Santas Apprentice

Young orphan Nicolas learns how to guide a sleigh, slide down chimneys and other duties hell need when he becomes the next Santa Claus.

Caspers Haunted Christmas

Casper faces getting into a heap of trouble with the king of the ghosts unless he frightens at least one person before Christmas Day.

My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas

After accidentally breaking the special candy cane which guides Santa Claus to Ponyville, Minty heads to the North Pole to set things right.

Timmy Time: Timmys Christmas Surprise

When Timmy and his friends get snowed in at the nursery on Christmas Eve, Osbourne and Harriet make the best of it by creating a yuletide atmosphere.

A Very Pink Christmas

Pink Panther and Big Nose establish rival Christmas tree businesses to make enough money to purchase a mutually coveted luxury car.

The Koala Brothers: Outback Christmas

Sad that their friend, Penny, cant make it to their holiday party, Frank and Buster take an adventure-filled trip to the North Pole to bring her back.

Power Rangers Super Samurai: Stuck on Christmas

The Samurai Rangers get stuck in the Megazords cockpit on Christmas Eve when it breaks down. Can the Rangers get out in time for Christmas?

Power Rangers: Megaforce: The Robo Knight Before Christmas

Robo Knight learns the meaning of Christmas from a group of children when he is mistaken for a donated Christmas toy and is shipped to a foreign land.

Power Rangers Samurai: Christmas Together, Friends Forever

On Christmas Eve, as the teens at Shiba House reflect on their first year together, they get an unexpected lesson on the true spirit of Christmas.

DreamWorks Shrek Stories

Shrek celebrates a busy Christmas and a spooky Halloween, Puss in Boots is captured by soldiers, and the kingdom hosts a singing competition.

DreamWorks Happy Holidays from Madagascar

Madagascar goes wild with holiday spirit in this set of Valentines Day and Christmas-themed tales featuring everyones favourite animal characters.

Santa Pacs Merry Berry Day

Pac aims to keep Berry Day the happiest day ever by unravelling a curious mystery about his parents and thwarting Betrayuss plan to capture Santa Pac.

DreamWorks Holiday Classics

Join your DreamWorks friends for these four holiday specials, featuring Shrek and Donkey, Hiccup and Toothless, and the wacky animals from Madagascar.

Pee-wees Playhouse: Christmas Special

Amid an avalanche of stars, Pee-wee straps on his ice skates and glides into the holiday season with Christmas cards, carols and Charo.

The Wiggles: Go, Santa, Go!

Join the Wiggles as they help Santa and his elves get ready for Christmas in this special filled with singing, dancing and holiday cheer.
President Donald Trump questioned the impartiality of the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who is planning to retire from the bureau in the months ahead after being buffeted by attacks over alleged anti-Trump bias in the agency.

In a tweet on Saturday, the president wrote: "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 dollars for wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

Mr McCabe spent hours behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week being grilled by politicians on two separate committees as part of a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clinton's email practices when she was secretary of state.

His role supervising the email investigation has come under renewed scrutiny.

Mr McCabe's wife, Jill, received 700,000 dollars in donations from Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe's political action committee and the Virginia Democratic Party for a state Senate race in 2015.

The money was donated before Mr McCabe was promoted to deputy director and assumed a supervisory role in the Clinton email investigation. Mr McAuliffe is a longtime supporter of Mrs Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton.

Mr McCabe became acting FBI director last May after president Trump fired Mr Comey, who was overseeing the bureau's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump maintains there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian government, and has blasted the investigation as a "witch hunt."

From his South Florida home, where he is spending Christmas, Mr Trump also tweeted that Mr McCabe "is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

Mr McCabe plans to retire in about 90 days, when he becomes fully eligible for pension benefits,The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the situation.

Mr Trump and his Republican allies have made it clear that they want Mr McCabe out of the FBI. But Mr McCabe is a civil service employee who cannot be fired without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

Mr McCabe was among the candidates Trump interviewed for the FBI director's job after he dismissed Mr Comey. He also has been a focus of Mr Trump's ire for some time.

President Trump originally tweeted about Mr McCabe's wife's campaign in July, inaccurately describing the campaign donation as coming from Mrs Clinton: "Problem is that the acting head of the FBI & the person in charge of the Hillary investigation, Andrew McCabe, got $700,000 from H for wife!"

In a second tweet that month, the president asked "why didn't A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation," referring to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The FBI declined to comment on reports about retirement by Mr McCabe, who was summoned to Capitol Hill this week and grilled for hours by two congressional committees.

Republicans claim an anti-Trump bias exists in the bureau's ranks, citing the campaign donations to Mr McCabe's wife and, more recently, the release of hundreds of text messages between FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Mr Strzok and Ms Page used words like "idiot" and "loathsome human" to describe Mr Trump during the campaign.

AP
PITTSBURGH  It should be open season for job-hunting workers in the Pittsburgh region.

The region's unemployment rate, at 4.7 percent, is the lowest in nine years. Education, health care, technology and financial services sectors report steady hiring. Business leaders say the city has a shot at winning Amazon's second headquarters and the promise of 50,000 jobs and a $5 billion investment. In September, the Brookings Institution described Pittsburgh's economy as the "future."

Still, the pool of people who say they are looking for a job is on the decline.

"The job-seekers are a little bit more depressed here, or less hopeful," said Vera Krekanova Krofcheck, chief strategy officer for Partner4Work, a publicly funded workforce development agency that connects job-seekers with employers. "All the great things happening in the economy cannot be denied, but people do not feel like they're a part of it."

Especially mystifying is the data that show among those giving up are those of prime working age: white men aged 25 to 54.

The shrinking workforce has been a phenomenon across the country, but one that is especially concentrated in southwestern Pennsylvania, where officials say technological advances and the rust-to-robots transition have left people behind.

The hunt for missing pieces of the puzzle has driven Krofcheck to embark on research remarkable for a workforce board. Such organizations are known for arranging job skills training and crafting high-level policies in the background of a region's economy.

But with a new team of researchers, Krofcheck is tapping big data and listening to discouraged workers themselves  and publishing conclusions that may challenge long-held beliefs espoused by business leaders and politicians.

"Any kind of labor market data out there  people do not necessarily factor into the equation," she explained. "It's always 'where are the jobs' and 'how much do that pay,' but not how people behave."

The quest for answers will likely keep her busy for a long time, but her early conclusion is that employers are as much to blame for the discouragement as workers.

Why did you quit?

Hundreds of people file through the PA CareerLink offices in Downtown each year, where job-seekers can find state-funded computer labs and classrooms with programs to connect them with employers.

Over a period of several weeks earlier this year, Krofcheck and a researcher, Edgar Largaespada, stopped by to find people who had quit their jobs without having another lined up.

The researchers asked a simple question: Why?

Gathering about 400 anonymous responses from 30 focus groups, they published a report in October that peeled back answers to a trend that takes people out of the labor force in large numbers.

People who quit their job with nothing else lined up  roughly 87,000 in Pittsburgh every quarter, according to Partner4Work  talked about high-stress environments, getting injured and being unable to return, getting fed up with long bus rides, family members getting sick.

The report, called "Resignation: Understanding Why Workers Choose Non-Employment," hits at the heart of what Partner4Work is trying to do: tell the stories of people forgotten by the positive Pittsburgh narrative.

Krofcheck also has begun pulling information from the state's unemployment insurance program that sends checks to jobless residents for up to 26 weeks.

By analyzing the numbers, big questions can be answered about average Pittsburghers: What does their career look like? How many jobs have they held, and how long have these jobs lasted? How likely are they to get the next job? Who has more success: people who have more jobs and shorter tenures or people who have fewer jobs and longer tenures?

Partner4Work has released several reports this year that shine a light on the concerns of workers: People who obtained commercial driver licenses talked about the freedom of the open road but worry that autonomous cars could put them out of work. Older workers shared their frustrations with being treated by hiring managers as overqualified and slow-learners.

Though the nation's some 500 regional workforce boards have access to such information, it's rare that they analyze it, said Bryan Wilson, director of the Workforce Data Quality Campaign, a Washington, D.C.-based initiative that, among other things, helps states better use labor data.

"There are gaps in what data is collected," Wilson said. "There's a lack of tools that analyze how the supply of skilled workers matches the employer demand  if enough students are graduating from post-secondary programs compared with the number of job openings."

Krofcheck's report concluded with a message to Pittsburgh businesses: "Partner4Work is sharing these experiences to challenge the assumptions these job-seekers face from prospective employers who flag gaps in their resumes."

Missing pieces

Krofcheck saw Pittsburgh with fresh eyes when she joined Partner4Work in 2006, then known as the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board.

Arriving from her native Czech Republic, where she had been a management consultant for nonprofits, she heard the stories of adoration: the city's post-steel rebirth, the transition into the service economy, the tech-driven innovation with world-class universities as the engine.

But there was an undercurrent to the story.

After the Great Recession hit in 2008, economists focused on job growth and unemployment rolls. Politicians celebrated the post-recession recovery in this region, marking the decline of joblessness from a peak of 102,000 people in February 2010 to 56,100 in October 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A deeper analysis of the same data show just one of every 10 people who left the unemployment rolls in the past seven years actually held a job in the region in October. The rest left the labor force altogether.

In the big picture, the region's workforce shortages can be seen as tied to demographics, with older workers retiring faster than younger people can replace them. Pittsburgh's population has declined in recent years, with people moving to other metro areas, and university graduates are likely to move away for jobs.

In the past four years, the majority of government-tracked job classifications in the Pittsburgh region showed modest to high growth: computer systems, services for the elderly, highway construction among them, according to a Post-Gazette analysis of employment across nearly 200 largest professions. At the same time, industries like metals manufacturing, dry cleaners, oil and gas pipeline construction and grocery stores shed workers.

Employers and flexibility

If it's not because of laziness or imprudence that people drop out of the workforce, employers perhaps need to get more creative with how they hire.

Among those who have decided to look for work again  like the job-seekers at PA CareerLink  many have experience to put toward a job even if it doesn't exactly line up with employers' official requirements.

Krofcheck estimates 6,000 job-seekers in the region have "some college" experience, and most have two or three years toward a bachelor's and associate's degree that they never finished. Many prime-age workers were decades into a career when they lost their jobs and have skills that don't transfer directly  like the roughly 1,400 people who have lost their jobs in iron and steel mills since 2013.

In October, 64 percent of online job ads in the region required education of a bachelor's degree or higher, according to Partner4Work's labor market report. About 56 percent asked for three to five years of experience or more.

If employers were more flexible, Ms. Krofcheck reasoned, the pool of candidates would expand. She is beginning to get people to listen.

In a 2016 report, business leaders with the Allegheny Conference on Community Development warned of a coming 80,000-worker shortfall by 2025. The Allegheny Conference, the preeminent group of executives and investors in the region, partners with other groups to advance business interests.

In that workforce report, employers acknowledged a need to change.

"We've got to figure out how to connect (workers) to opportunities, how to get the companies to bring them in and train them, and do whatever they need to do," said Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference, last year.

Further, the group selected Stefani Pashman, who has led Partner4Work for the last seven years, to take the reins after Yablonsky steps down at the end of the year.

"Those of you who know me know I am not patient," Pashman told a packed Carnegie Hall at the Allegheny Conference's annual meeting in November. "We are not living in your grandfather's Pittsburgh, and this will not be your grandfather's Allegheny Conference."
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...
Dubai-based Khaitan Holdings, which had a substantial stake in Loop Telecom, is among the first foreign investors in telecom that are considering moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) as well as going in for international arbitration against the government on account of their licences getting cancelled.
If you are a frequent flyer, chances are there that you have faced a delayed flight more than once in the last few months. Over the past four months, the airline has been the worst performer on parameters of punctuality in domestic routes with an OTP of 54 percent in November- meaning it barely managed to operate half of its flight on schedule. Rivals SpiceJet and IndiGo registered an OTP of above 80 percent.
Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother will visit Pakistan on December 25 to meet the Indian prisoner on death row, Pakistan's foreign office said on Saturday.

They will arrive by a commercial flight on December 25 and leave the same day. Indian deputy high commissioner will be the accompanying diplomat.

"India informs that the mother and wife of Commander Jadhav will arrive by commercial flight on 25 Dec and leave the same day. Indian DHC in Islamabad will be the accompanying diplomat," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

Pakistan on December 20 issued visa to Jadhav's wife and mother to visit Islamabad to meet him.

Pakistan had agreed that a diplomat from the Indian high commission in Islamabad would accompany the visitors.

Jadhav, 47, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April, following which India moved the ICJ in May. The ICJ halted his execution on India's appeal pending the final verdict by it.

Jadhav's family had applied for visas last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

It said that Jadhav is not an ordinary person as he had entered the country with the intent of spying and carrying out sabotage activities.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran.

India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.
The father of the twin babies, one of whom was wrongly declared dead by the Shalimar Bagh Max Hospital, has sought a court-monitored probe into the matter, alleging that the ongoing "tainted" investigation may harm the prosecution case.

In the plea filed through advocate Rishipal Singh before a magisterial court in Rohini, Ashish Kumar has also urged that the station house officer concerned be directed to share details of the progress made in the investigation.

"Monitor the tainted investigation as it may harm the prosecution case and also give direction to give a copy of status report," the plea said.

A baby boy and his twin sister, prematurely born at the hospital on November 30, were declared stillborn by the hospital doctors.

However, when the parents were on their way to the crematorium, they found the boy was still alive and rushed him to another hospital. He died later at a private nursing home.

The applicant has alleged that there was a delay of 20 hours in lodging FIR in the matter. "We have also sought a CBI probe in the matter," Singh said.

The plea has sought directions to the police to explain why the statements of the family members of the complainant (the father) have not been recorded by the police.

"This is a case of grave medical criminal act, misconduct and omission with an intention to cause the death of two infants in Max hospital, Shalimar Bagh when the applicant was not in a position to fulfil the extortion demand of Rs 50 lakh," the plea alleged.

It said that hospital did not provide proper care and treatment which resulted in the death of two infants.

The hospital's licence was cancelled by the Delhi government on December 8, following an uproar over the incident.

But the hospital resumed its operations 10 days later after it got relief from an appellate authority which stayed the Delhi government's order.
Irrigation department of Telangana government is doing preparations to conduct the dry run on a 140 mw capacity pump, first of the 7 pumps being installed at Ramadugu reservoir, about 180 kms from here.

The discharge capacity of this single electric pump is so huge that it can fill the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad city in just a couple of days.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday requested the Central Government to withdraw and withhold the .

While addressing a press briefing in Lucknow, AIMPLB's Sajjad Nomani said, "The AIMPLB urges the Central Government to not table the Bill in the Parliament."

The AIMPLB spokesperson further accused the Centre of not following the laid procedure in drafting the bill.

"No procedure was followed in drafting this bill; neither was any stakeholder consulted," said Nomani.

AIMPLB also claimed the Bill was against women and children, and if implemented, it would destroy many families.

The remarks have come after the AIMPLB held an emergency meeting here ahead of the tabling of the Bill in the Parliament.

After the Supreme Court declared the practice of instant divorce 'void, illegal and unconstitutional', the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet on December 15 approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will now introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha.

The drafted bill says: "Any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal".

There is also a provision of imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and fine for violators.

The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance.

It also has a provision for the divorcee Muslim women to have the custody of their minor children. The offences under the purview of this bill will be cognisable and non-bailable.

It shall extend to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
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To facilitate trade with bordering countries like Nepal and Bangladesh, India will link its major highway corridors to international trade points at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

About 2,000 kms of highways will be constructed under the plan.

"About 2,000 kms of highways will be constructed to link major highways corridors to international trade points," the road transport and highways minister told PTI.

He said this will be to facilitate trade with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The project is part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, he added.

The Cabinet on October 25 had approved a mega plan to build 83,677 kms of highways by March 2022 at a cost of about Rs 7 lakh crore, which includes the ambitious Bharatmala project at a cost of about Rs 5.35 lakh crore.

Asked about the funding for the project, Gadkari said the entire Rs 5.35 lakh crore for Bharatmala has been tied up as Rs 2.37 lakh crore would flow from the central road fund, Rs 2.05 lakh crore as market borrowing, Rs 34,000 crore from monetisation of highway projects and Rs 60,000 crore through budgetary allocation.

The minister said that besides project to link highway corridors with international trade points, there are several other projects under implementation which aim to facilitate India's international connectivity with neighbouring countries in South Asia and Asean.

He said a pact on strengthening of road infrastructure in Terai area in Nepal had been inked in 2016.

"NHIDCL has been nominated as project management consultant by the Ministry of External Affairs for this," he said, adding that contracts have been awarded for all 14 projects and work is going on.

Earlier this month, Gadkari had said that India has proposed USD 1 billion line of credit to promote sea, air and road connectivity projects with Asean countries.

Apart from this, India has set up a project development fund of USD 77 million to develop manufacturing hubs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
The U.S. administration plan to support Ukraine reached an important milestone this weekend as President Donald J. Trump approved a support plan to Ukraine, which, for the first time since the U.S. began its assistance plan in 2014. The total value of U.S. military support to Ukraine, since 2014 is estimated at more than US$750 million. The FY2018 budget allocates $350 million for military assistance to Kiev. The situation in Eastern Ukraine Donbass region continues to be tense since the Russian side has left the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination that has been stabilizing the region. This was followed by outbreaks in several spots across the Donbas, Ukraines Defense Ministry reported.

The newly approved support package includes the supply of lethal weapons. The military aid package worth $47 million comprised of FGM-148 Javelin multipurpose guided missiles. The US also approved financing for the deal.

Since its debut in the Middle East in the second Iraq war in 2003, the Javelin demonstrated high effectiveness in combat but has not been proven against the latest Russian tanks such as the T-90s. The Javelin weapon system is comprised of missiles stored in disposable containers, and reusable Command-Launch Units that are used for target acquisition and battlefield surveillance. Until recently the U.S. exported mainly the second-generation Raytheon BGM-71 TOW missiles but has recently approved the Javelin for export to former Eastern Bloc countries, including Ukraine and Georgia.

The sale of western weapons is important for the security of Ukraine, but even more critical as a symbolic backing the West gives Kiev. Ukraine already has the capability to produce s its own anti-tank missiles, for example, the Corsar and Stunga-P. Corsar is a man-portable, laser-guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile effective against main battle tanks at ranges up to 2.5 km. Stunga-P is a laser-guided weapon with an effective range of four kilometers. According to local media, about 50 Corsar missiles have been delivered to the Ukrainian military recently.

Another arms package approved last week by the State Department includes the export of Barret M107A1 semi-automatic long range sniper rifles (LRSR) and 0.50 cal ammunition at a value of $41.5 million. These rifles are effective at ranges up to 2,000 meters, exceeding the effective range of other sniper rifles and are therefore highly effective for counter-sniper operations in open or urban terrain. Canada has opened the door for sales of Automatic Firearms to Ukraine by adding Kiev to the Automatic Firearms Country Control List. This act will enable Canadian arms exporters to sell firearms to Ukraine, pending approval from the Canadian Foreign Ministry.
Union Minister today said the Nokia facility at Sriperumbudur near here, was left like an "orphaned child" and the Centre was "on the job" to make it operational.

Finland-based Nokia, one of the largest employers in Sriperumbudur, had provided jobs to 8,000 people when the facility was functioning with full capacity.

The factory was left out of the $7.2 billion deal that was signed between Microsoft and Nokia in 2014.

"Nokia was left as an orphaned child.. I tried my best. You know Microsoft took over Nokia but left the Nokia plant (due to double) taxing issue," the Minister for Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology said.

"We are trying to work it out," he told reporters at a CII organised event here.

Elaborating further, he said, "We (the government) were on the job.. We tried with one-two companies.. It did not work out.. Let me concertise and then disclose it to you.. But, we are on the job(to make it operational)."



On the proposal by Apple Inc., to set up a manufacturing facility in the country, he said, the government is in talks with them.

To a query, he said there were 40 lakh persons working "directly" in the IT industry and 1.30 crore employed "indirectly."



"I am very happy to tell you that one-third of them are women," he added.

He said the number of mobile manufacturing factories in the country has increased to 108 from two that were operating earlier.

"Now 108 mobile manufacturing facilities have come up (across India) and about three lakh boys and girls are working directly and indirectly," he said.

On the Pradhan Mantri MUDRAYojana scheme, he said about Rs four lakh crore has been given to eight crore Indians in ticket sizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 50,000 Rs five lakh and Rs 10 lakh.

The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana scheme provides access to institutional finance to small business units of various ticket sizes.

"50 per cent of them were first time entrepreneurs. Now, even if half of this eight crore Indians have added one job, there would be four crore new jobs," he said.

Prasad also said, the government has decided to set up 23 BPO centres targetting skilled employees present in Tier II and III cities in Tamil Nadu.

Nineteen BPOs were already operational in places like Coimbatore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruchirapalli among others, he noted.

"In the BPO jobs the potential is 2,700 seats in total. Initial employment has been given to 2,500 people", he said.

Responding to another query, he said the government has set up 2.70 lakh Common Service Centres that would provide nearly 300 digital services.

"About 10 lakh boys and girls are working.. Even you talk of BPO, they have started operating in places like Kohima, Imphal in the North East," he said.

On his interaction with the core members of Confederation of Indian Industry earlier,Prasadsaid the members have come out with suggestions on GST and that he would look into it.

"What is important is, the larger objective of the (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi government, which is to perform, reform and deliver.. we (industry and government) have to work together to show that development," he said.

On the initiatives taken by his Ministry, he said he discussed the story of Digital India, Skill India, Start Up India, smart cities to themembers of CII, Tamil Nadu region.

"India's digital initiative is one of digital inclusion to bridge the divide between the digital haves and digital have nots. I also explained to them (CII members) about bankruptcy code, to GST, RERA. I also told them about how Moody's rating have made India positive for India," he said.

Last month, the Moody's Investors Service raised India's sovereign rating for the first time in 13 years, saying growth prospects have improved with continued progress on economic and institutional reforms.

The US-based agency upped India's rating to Baa2 from Baa3 and changed its rating outlook to 'stable' from 'positive' saying the reforms will help stabilise rising levels of 'debt.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress were locked in a nail-biting contest in at least 16 seats in Gujarat, where the victory margin was less than 2,000 votes or of just 200 votes in some.
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind has greeted fellow citizens on the eve of Christmas. .

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In a message the President said, On the auspicious occasion of Christmas, I convey my warm greetings and good wishes to all fellow citizens, especially our Christian brothers and sisters in India and abroad. .

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May this day, marking the birth of Jesus, promote in us and our families the universal message of love, sacrifice and compassion. May it renew our societys sense of fraternity. And may it herald a season of peace and friendship across the world". .

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Vice Medias co-founders told employees the company had failed them, in a letter that emerged as the New York Times published a story describing more than a dozen cases of sexual misconduct and legal settlements paid to four women.
At least 11 militants belonging to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group were killed in an operation carried out by the Afghan security forces in eastern Nangarhar province, on Sunday.

The Tolo News quoted the Public Order Police, as saying in a statement, that the operation was launched in Khogyani district to clear the area.

Four other insurgents got injured, the statement further said.

A "heroin factory was also destroyed," it added.

IS has not commented on the incident so far.

Further details are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after an Army officer, a Lance Naik and two jawans lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Keri sector, the Congress Party questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "commitment and assurance" to keeping the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) inviolable.

Addressing the media, Congress leader Manish Tewari raised doubts over government policies towards Pakistan.

"Mr Prime Minister, before assuming office, he proudly proclaimed from every podium across the country that if his government came into office, then Pakistan won't be able to kill even a bird. What happened to your commitment and the assurance which you gave to this country that you will keep the LoC and IB inviolable?" he questioned.

"We would like to ask as to what is your government's policy towards Pakistan? Because for the last 3 and half years all that this country has seen in the name of policy are U-turns, flip-flops and somersaults," he added.

Continuing his tirade, he again raised questions on Prime Minister Modi's surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015.

"Mr. Prime Minister, we would like to ask you once again, today it is 24th of December 2017, exactly two years ago you went to Pakistan, till today the country doesn't know as to why did you go to Pakistan. We would like to ask you as to why did you invite the ISIS to investigate the Pathankot terror attack when the figure of complexity straight pointed at the Pakistani establishments", he added.

Further giving details on the number of unprovoked ceasefires that took place along the LoC and IB, Tewari said, "In this year alone from Jan 1st till 24th December there have been 900 major ceasefires across the LoC and the International Border. 780 across the LoC and 120 across IB.in the year 2014 between June and December the number of violations was 583. In 2015, there were 400, in 2016, there were 460 and this year, 900".

He also paid tribute to Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Sepoy Pargat Singh, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh, who lost their lives in yesterday's ceasefire violation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday filed prosecution complaints against Delhi businessman, Gagan Dhawan, and also attached assets worth Rs 1.17 crore in a money laundering case.

The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court took cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed before it by the ED in the money laundering case of Rs 5,000-crore bank loan fraud by the Sandesara Group of Companies.

Following the investigations in the Rs 5,000-crore money laundering case of the Sterling Biotech Group, the ED has provisionally attached a plot owned by Gagan Dhawan in DLF Phase III, Gurgaon, to the extent of Rs 1.17 crore.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR against Nitin Sandesara and Chetan Sandesara, the directors and promoters of Sandesara Group of companies, and others for obtaining fraudulent loans from various public sector banks and subsequently diverting and misusing such loans for personal use.

Dhawan reportedly facilitated Nitin and Chetan in diversion and misuse of bank loans obtained by their companies from various public sector banks on the basis of forged and fabricated documents.

The ED investigations revealed that Dhawan purchased a plot in DLF Phase III, Gurgaon, as loan from PMT Machines Ltd (a Sandesara Group company) which was sourced from the funds obtained from a public sector bank.

Dhawan was arrested by the ED on November 1 for his role in assisting and facilitating the Sandesaras in money laundering.

The ED is also probing the case regarding bribing of Income Tax (IT) officials by the Sandesaras and the role of Dhawan in facilitating the same.

The role of more than 300 Benami entities controlled by the Sandesara Group is also under the ED scanner.

Further investigation is under process.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mourning the death of Army personnel, who lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, their families on Sunday sought the Union government's action against the neighbouring country.

"He lost his life for the nation... but the major concern is why the government is not taking any action. So many sons of the nation lost their lives at the border," said Sepoy Pargat Singh's father Ratan Singh.

The jawans family urged for government's action to deal with Pakistan and lamented, "He always wanted to go in the army, even when we tried stopping him he was adamant."

Sepoy Singh is survived by his parents, wife and a three-year old son, who are yet to cope with their loss.

Mother of Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas was also shattered with the loss of their son in the attack.

She said, "My son had promised to visit us next year, but for us, now that year is never going to come," she said.

The bodies of the jawans are expected to reach later in the day.

Earlier on Saturday, two jawans and an army officer lost their lives and one other got injured when Pakistan on Saturday violated ceasefire in the Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC).

Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling and firing when 120 Infantry Brigade, Batallion Area was on patrol, after which the Indian Army retaliated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Lebanon Arts Commission is ready to unveil the first four art boards at Strawberry Plaza for the community to enjoy.

The formal unveiling will be at noon Wednesday, Jan. 3, at the plaza, 847 S. Main St. Coffee and cookies will be available.

The Lebanon Arts Commission first put out a call for artists to submit proposals for the art boards in May.

Commission members acted as a jury in selecting works for display.

The first four boards, 4 by 8 feet in size, will be on public display for a year. During that time, the public will be able to participate in a silent auction for eventual purchase of the pieces once they are retired from the plaza.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is planning to retire early next year.

McCabe plans to step down in a few months, when he is fully eligible for pension benefits. That is expected to happen in early March, the Washington Post reported.

McCabe, who sat before three congressional committees this week, has been under fire from congressional Republicans who have been questioning the political bias at the FBI and also the law enforcement agency's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

McCabe served as former FBI Director James Comey's deputy and has also been repeatedly questioned about the agency's actions during the 2016 presidential race.

Reacting to the reports, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter and stated, "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 wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?"

The 49-year-old McCabe faced criticism specifically after it was revealed that his wife, who ran for Virginia state Senate in 2015, received hefty amount of campaign donations from a political action committee led by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Clinton ally.

In an another tweet, Trump, said, "FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least two people were killed and eight injured after unknown assailants opened fire on a cafe in Cairo, on Sunday.

The Anadolu Agency quoted Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Mujahed, as saying, that the shooting took place in the al-Amirya village, west of Cairo.

According to a security source, two masked gunmen, involved in the incident, were on a motorbike when opened fire on cafe-goers in the village and fled.

The injured were rushed to the hospital for medical assistance.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

The Egyptian Police have launched a search operation to nab the culprits and are further investigating the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least three Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel were killed in a blast in North Waziristan's Ghulam Khan area of Pakistan, on Sunday.

According to Dawn, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast took place targetting the personnel's vehicle when they were patrolling in the area.

A curfew was, hence, imposed in the area.

The security forces have launched a search operation to nab the culprits behind the explosion.

Earlier this month, five people were killed in an IED blast in South Waziristan.

Officials had said the head of a peace committee Wali Jan Mehsud was among those killed in the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India is fast emerging as an inventors' hub for patents for an assortment of drugs worldwide. Around 15 per cent of the total 1.3 lakh patents filed in India from 2013 to 2015 have been contributed by the indigenous pharmaceutical industry. India is ranked second only to the United States in terms of applications for product patent for drugs with the USFDA (US Food and Drug Administration) as revealed during the ongoing 69th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress taking place in Chandigarh.

Largely known for the manufacture of generic drugs, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has started moving up the value chain as it invests more money in research to develop new drugs and reformulate existing ones.

"It was brought to light that India has traditionally been focusing on process patents, but since 2005, importance is being given to product patents. There has been a paradigm shift. Key speakers at the 69th Congress spent Saturday deliberating on the strides being made in this direction of discovering new drug molecules," said Dr. Shailendra Saraf, Chairman of the IPC's local organising committee.

"India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally, accounting for 20 per cent of global exports in terms of volume. The country has a large pool of scientists to steer the industry ahead to an even higher level. Presently, over 80 per cent of anti-retroviral drugs used to combat AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) are supplied by pharmaceutical companies in India" added Dr. Dhirender Kaushik, the organising secretary (LOC) of the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).

Dr. Kaushik further observed that "India has emerged as a global hub for manufacture of formulations, generics and biological. India exports all across globe. Indian medicines are known for affordable price. The Indian pharmaceutical market is the third largest in terms of volumes and 13th largest in terms of value, and it accounts for 20 per cent in the volume terms and 1.4 per cent in value terms of global pharmaceutical industry."

The UN-backed medicines patent pool has signed six sub licenses with Indian manufacturers Aurobindo, Cipla, Desano, Emcure, Hetero Labs and Laurus Labs, allowing them generic anti AIDS medicine Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF) for 112 developing nations. It is noteworthy that a professional exhibition to showcase new innovations of pharmaceutical machinery, laboratory equipments etc. from India and overseas are being displayed concurrently alongside the technical sessions during the Congress.

"Pharmaceutical Expo-2017, a highly acclaimed resource has roped in with the Congress, to showcase the latest technological advancement in industries and other related fields to budding pharmacists. It is providing an opportunity to students for close interaction with the industrial development. It's also providing an opportunity for buyers-sellers interaction and possible business opportunities to participating exhibitors" Dr. Kaushik informed.

The three-day event will conclude today with a deliberation on the dual regulation of pharmacy education by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) which is a controversial issue.

The issue of creating a separate ministry of pharmaceuticals will also come up, as having pharmaceutical industry being monitored and supervised by the under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has not given the desired results, according to participating experts.

"We will be adopting a resolution on the final day which will be submitted to the central government for appropriate action," said Dr. Saraf.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Sunday reaffirmed that India was the nation's closest friend and ally.

"While appealing for restraint in criticism and asking to not engage in negativity towards India, especially in the media, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom reaffirmed that India is the Maldives' closest friend and ally," the President's office said, in a statement.

While highlighting that Indian assistance formed an invaluable contribution to the Maldives, President Yameen said his administration would never entertain negative sentiments towards India.

He further said the government was currently working towards a free trade agreement between the Maldives and India.

The Maldivian president is currently on a three-day visit to South Miladhunmadulu Atoll, Faadhippolhu Atoll, and South Maalhosmadulu Atoll.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israel on Sunday sealed off the entrance to the West Bank cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh.

"Israel has decided to close the DCO checkpoint until further notice due to the ongoing rioting that is taking place at the City Inn roundabout near Ramallah's entrance," noted a statement on Twitter by COGAT, a military body of the country that controls the West Bank.

"The ball is in the Palestinian people's court and the equation is clear - when peace is restored, normal conditions will resume, but as long as violence continues, the border will remain closed," added the statement, as reported by Al-Jazeera.

The border checkpoint is frequently used by Palestinian Authority officials, Israeli forces, foreigners, diplomats and journalists for accessing Ramallah to and fro.

Protests in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip erupted earlier this month after US President Donald Trump announced the relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on December 6.

Since then, Israeli forces have killed 12 Palestinians. At least 2,900 others have been injured and more than 400 were arrested.

This comes two days after 128 countries voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution, calling on US' decision to withdraw its unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Only nine countries supported the decision.

Trump's Jerusalem move has prompted international criticism and sparked protests across the .

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has also rejected US peace efforts and called on the European Union (EU) to take the lead in the Israel-Palestine peace process.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minister of State (MoS) for Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh, on Sunday condemned the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Keri sector and slammed the Opposition for politicising the matter.

Speaking to the media here, Singh said, "Where are all those politicians who raise their voices against the government and make statements on Twitter? When a terrorist is exterminated then these very politicians make a fuss about it but when our own soldiers lose their lives, they keep mum. This is a very dangerous they are trying to play under the garb of terrorism."

He added the Kashmiri youth had moved forward and they were bright and progressive youngsters who had whole heartedly become a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's developmental goals.

"If any Indian soldier is martyred on the ground then of course it is condemnable and the entire nation condemns that. We people are able to commence our daily routine because of these soldiers only," Singh further said.

Earlier on Saturday, two soldiers and an army officer lost their lives and one other got injured when Pakistan violated ceasefire in the Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC).

Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling and firing when 120 Infantry Brigade, Batallion Area was on patrol, after which the Indian Army retaliated.

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Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia will not celebrate his birthday due to the killing of farmers in police firing during the Mandsaur violence and cases of continuous suicide in the state.

Scindia, whose birthday is on January 1, urged all party workers to not send him greetings or hold any kind of event.

Mandsaur became the epicentre of farmers' agitation over a demand for loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

During the agitation, several farmers were gunned down by the police, thereby drawing criticism from political parties.

The situation forced the district officials to impose Section 144, and restrict prominent personalities from visiting the violence-hit district.

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Arguing that pharmacy education courses are not technical programmes, the 69th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) on Sunday passed a resolution that called on the Central Government to liberate all pharmacy courses from dual control of two agencies, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

On the concluding day of the three day conference held here, Dr. Shailendra Saraf, Chairman, Local Organising Committee, said "the IPC issue of dual control of pharmacy education in India by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has been affecting quality and prospects of pharmacy professionals for some time now. No initiative has been taken by the Central Government to sort out this issue even after repeated representations by the PCI and pharmacy professionals in the past. The PCI made an appeal to all the pharmaceutical associations, pharmacy professionals and new graduates to come together on one platform to press for a single regulating body for the pharmacy education in the country. Nothing much happened even after that appeal".

"The Indian Pharma Congress is upset mainly because the AICTE is also sanctioning new pharmacy colleges and conducting periodical inspections of these institutions without the knowledge of PCI. In view of this, there is confusion existing among pharmacy colleges, students and the common man as to which authority is actually responsible to ensure standards for pharmacy education and the profession. Now, the Pharmaceutical Congress has brought in a resolution urging the central government to do away with the AICTE control on pharmacy courses in the country".

Contrary to the cases of medical, nursing and dental educational courses, pharmacy education, which is also part of the healthcare system, comes under the regulatory purview of the technical education regulator, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Along with statutory powers to regulate the educational programmes of engineering, technology, architecture, town planning, management, applied arts and crafts, hotel management and catering technology, the AICTE has been given the power to regulate the standards of degree and post graduate programmes in pharmacy conducted by academic institutions affiliated to various universities.

Dr. Saraf said that "under Pharmacy Act 1948, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has the statutory power to control the pharmacy education and the institutions for approval for registration. It performs its duty well, and its advocacy as a single regulatory authority like Medical Council of India, Nursing Council of India and Dental Council of India, needs to be accepted and legally endorsed."

Dr.Dhirender Kaushik, Organising Secretary, LOC, PCI 2017 said, "The dual control over pharmacy education by AICTE and PCI creates hindrance for maintaining quality education all over India. Pharmacy education in the country needs to be improved much as per global standards. So, AICTE's interference in the management of pharmacy education should be done away with for the greater interest of the profession. For this, the Central Government's attention is required for suitable amendments in the act eventually to liberate the courses from the clutches of dual control."

On the concluding day, the Pharma Congress adopted some crucial issues in their resolution related to improvement and strengthening of pharmaceutical industry and overall profession of the country. One other resolution adopted related to the bulk import of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), pharma raw materials required for drug formulations.

APIs and intermediates are key raw materials to manufacture pharmaceutical formulations such as tablets, capsules, syrups, etc. The pharma industry and the policy makers have raised concerns over India's rising dependence on imports from China for many APIs that go into the making of a number of essential drugs.

"India may have emerged as a key supplier of generic and affordable medicine for the world market, its overwhelming dependence on China for crucial raw materials, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates, to the extent of over 75 per cent of the requirement, has emerged as a main worrying area," said Dr. Kaushik

Apart from above issues the Congress has urged Union government to put in place an effective mechanism for the enforcement of safe drug through pharmacists only by making amendments in the Drug & Cosmetics Act 1948.

Over 10,000 delegates from India and abroad have assembled here to participate in the Congress making it a mega event for the pharmaceutical industry. The Indian Pharmaceutical Congress is a national annual event of pharmacist from all walks of pharmacy profession assembled to deliberate various issues relating to industry, regulatory, academia, hospitals and community pharmacy and to evolve collective wisdom for formulating newer policies for the country in the relevant fields and for the betterment of mankind.

The 69th IPC was held at the Chitkara University between December 22 and December 24 and was hosted by Association of Pharmaceuticals Teachers of India (APTI) and the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA).

The theme "Skill and will to make and serve the quality pill" envisaged how a pharmacist can play a leading role in realizing the vision of a healthy India and stimulate thought processes accordingly.

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In view of New Year and Christmas celebrations, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday issued an advisory to all states to maintain utmost vigil to prevent any untoward incident.

The ministry also advised the state administration to take measures to ensure peace, including crowd control and maintenance of law and order.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had, yesterday, said that an advisory was issued to the states to ensure law and order during Christmas in the wake of fringe elements threatening Christians against celebrating the festival.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 54th-anniversary parade of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Saturday, Singh said: "Any festival, whether it is Christmas, Ramzan, Holi or Diwali, should be celebrated without any problems. Strict action will be taken if anyone tries to create ruckus during the festivals.India is the only country that believes in 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', a philosophy that inculcates an understanding that the whole world is one family. "I believe that all people irrespective of any religion should celebrate each other's festivals in its true spirit with full enthusiasm."

On December 17, a right-wing group in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, issued a circular, threatening the management of all city schools against celebrating Christmas. If they do, it will be "at their own risk," it said.

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Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.

A right delayed is a right denied.Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Martin Luther King Jr.

No one is born hating another person People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist

James Baldwin

There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.

Newton Lee

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

Albert Einstein
Taxi aggregator Ola on Sunday dismissed reports of the gang-rape of a 25-year-old girl in one of its cabs on December 19.

"At Ola, we condemn any act of crime. We can confirm that this incident has not occurred on the Ola platform. We have extended all support to the authorities to share any information that will help support their investigation," said a statement by Ola.

The police had earlier arrested two people after a 25-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped in an Ola share cab on December 19 while travelling from Kashimira to Thane.

The accused have been identified as 32-year-old Suresh Pandurang Gosavi, the cab driver, and 31-year-old Umesh Jaswant Zala, the passenger in the cab by which the girl was travelling.

Ola has also confirmed that the driver had not logged in at the Ola platform for last four-five days and he was not on any kind of Ola duty at the time of the alleged incident.

The police filed a case of rape against both the accused based on the complaint filed by the girl on December 20.

Both the accused were produced in a court and remanded into police custody till December 26.

The police are further investigating the matter.

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A Pakistani soldier was neutralised on Sunday in retaliatory fire by the Indian Army in the Jhangar sector of Jammu and Kashmir, reveal sources.

Further details are awaited.

Earlier on Saturday, three jawans and an Army officer lost their lives and one other was injured when Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Keri sector.

In the aftermath, families of the deceased demanded the government to look into the matter more seriously.

The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling and firing when 120 Infantry Brigade, Batallion Area was on patrol, after which the Indian Army retaliated.

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With festive fervor in the air ahead of Christmas, preparations are in full swing in various pockets of the country, ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Monday.

Celebratory instincts, in case of Christmas, are not just among Christians, but for society at large. The prime message, as the saying goes, is to bring peace and prosperity, irrespective of one's religion.

On Christmas Eve, people across various states are gearing up to celebrate the Pagan holiday.

In Guwahati, churches are being decked up with cribs consisting of sculptures of Joseph, Mary and a number of others, while the buildings are lit up with strings of multi-coloured fairy lights. Further, church groups are also conducting enactment of scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.

Special lighting arrangements have also been made in malls and other public areas, with a large decorated Christmas tree in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, students of a primary school in Bhopal were seen participating in a Christmas special session, where they dressed up as Santa Claus and took part in a fashion show. The little ones were also seen merrily dancing to the tune of a number of Christmas carols.

On the other hand, a choir singing carols took the streets of Mumbai and gathered at Carter Road in Bandra to hold a peaceful protest against the growing incidents of violence against minorities in India.

Down South, in Coimbatore, Raja, a local miniature artist, designed a Christmas tree by melting candles and decorated it with pearls and glittering stones.

"For every occasion, I design miniature art models and I'm doing the same for Christmas. I used waste candles to design the miniature candle Christmas tree," Raja told ANI.

Furthermore, a private hotel here erected a 63-feet-tall steel Christmas tree using 1.2 tons of steel, built by 30 workmen over a span of seven days. Every level of the tree has been decorated with accessories like stars, Santa caps, gift boxes, bells, snowmen and glittering balls.

Markets in various parts of India have also begun selling Christmas-related decor, such as cut outs of Santa Claus, Christmas stars of various sizes and colour variants, fairy lights and so on.

While traders say the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was expected to hamper sales, the numbers show that the impact was only marginal, and sales continue to bloom.

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The scheduled visit of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 9, has been postponed to a later date.

According to Gulf News, the postponement of Rahul's trip was revealed by a senior member of INCAS UAE, an Indian community group in the UAE with political allegiance to Congress.

Punnakkan Mohammad Ali, General Secretary of INCAS UAE committee, said: "Mr Gandhi (Rahul) will visit the UAE after attending the Biennial International Convention of GOPIO (Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin) in Bahrain."

In a statement issued today morning, Ali and Mahadevan Vazhasseri, president of INCAS UAE told that Rahul's visit had been postponed for the time being.

"Discussions are on to reschedule his visit and hold it in a much grander way at the earliest," the statement said.

The January visit to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was to be Rahul's first visit outside India, after taking over the reins of the party, replacing his mother Sonia Gandhi last week.

A few members of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had already visited the UAE earlier to inspect the venues suggested by the Congress.

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Seven members of a gang involved in illegally diverting international calls through voice over internet protocol (VOIP) were arrested by the Commissioner's task force, south zone team along with Moghalpura Police on Saturday.

The gang was busted after the Commissioner's task force and Moghalpura Police jointly conducted simultaneous raids in Hyderabad.

The VoIP allows a person to make voice calls using an Internet connection instead of a regular phone line.

The arrested persons have been identified as Syed Mohammed Ilyaz, Mohsin Bin Mohammed, Mir Muzaffar Ali, Dr. Mohd Omer, Mohd Zubairuddin, Mohd. Shahnawaz and Isa Bin Sayeed.

They all were secretly doing an illegal business of termination/ illegal routing of international incoming calls through internet VOIP by arranging required equipment of VOIP Gateway, GSM-CDMA sims and fixed wireless telephones at three locations, Moghalpura, Golkonda and Tolichowki.

Syed Mohammed Ilyaz, Mohsin Bin Mohammed, Mir Muzaffar Ali, Dr Mohd Omer, Mohd Zubairuddin, Mohd

They were found operating illegal units under the name 'Grey Call Set Up' at Chaitanyapuri, Nagole, Uppal, Ibrahimpatnam and Puthlibowli.

The police seized cash of Rs 4,80,000, six laptops, nine GOIP-Gateway (VOIP- 16 Ports), sim cards of various networks, Gateway tenors, Wi-Fi routers and other related equipment from the illegal units.

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United States Marine Corps commandant General Robert Neller warned Norway-based U.S. troops to be prepared for a coming war.

"I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming. You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence," Fox News reported, citing Gen. Neller as saying.

The commandant was referring to Russia and the Pacific theatre as the next major areas of conflict, predicting a "big-ass fight" in the future.

Russia has reportedly warned neighbouring Norway that its decision to accommodate a new unit of US Marines to the end of 2018 could hurt relations.

Endorsing Gen. Neller's views, Marine Corps Sergeant Major Ronald Green added, "Just remember why you're here. They're watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We've got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar."

Neller's visit comes amid tensions between Russia and NATO allies.

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The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday held an emergency meeting here ahead of the tabling of Triple Talaq bill in Parliament.

After the Supreme Court declared the practice of instant divorce 'void, illegal and unconstitutional', the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Cabinet on December 15 approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha.

The drafted bill says that "any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal".

There is also a provision of imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and fine for violators.

The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance.

"Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in any other law for the time being in force,a married Muslim woman upon whom talaq is pronounced, shall be entitled to receive from her husband such amount of subsistence allowance for her and dependent children as may be determined by the Magistrate," says the draft bill.

It also has a provision for the divorcee Muslim women to have the custody of their minor children.

"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, a married Muslim woman shall be entitled to custody of her minor children in the event of pronouncement of talaq by her husband, in such manner as may be determined by the Magistrate," the draft bill says.

The offences under the purview of this bill will be cognizable and non-bailable.

It shall extend to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.

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Two heterosexual Irish men have married in Dublin to avoid paying 50,000 inheritance tax on a house.

Matt Murphy, 83, wanted to leave his house to his best friend and carer Michael O'Sullivan, 58, after he died.

The duo decided to get married after they discovered how much tax would have to be paid on the house, reported the Guardian.

Murphy could not afford to pay O'Sullivan as a carer, thereby "he was to leave me the house," said O'Sullivan, "He said he would give me the house so I have somewhere to live when he goes."

However, given the huge tax bill that would have to be paid on the house, it meant, the house would have to be sold.

O'Sullivan stated that Murphy "was chatting a friend down the country in Cashel, Co Tipperary, and she jokingly said we should get married."

"Then one night he turned around and said it to me and I said I would marry him," he added.

The marriage is "perfectly lawful", as the former minister for justice and attorney general Michael McDowell told The Irish Times.

While, it is Murphy's first marriage, O'Sullivan was formerly married to a woman.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Irish male friends have got married reportedly to avoid paying inheritance tax.

Michael O'Sullivan (58) tied the knot with his 85-year-old best friend Matt Murphy after having finalized that O'Sullivan should get Murphy's house in Dublin when he passes away.

The duo, who has been friends for last 30 years and decided to marry recently, claimed that the plan came all of a sudden but they went ahead seeking financial benefits.

O'Sullivan, who had no house, recently moved into Murphy's house to become his full-time care-taker as he needed someone to take care of him at this old age.

"I was homeless, sleeping in my car and Matt needed someone to move into his home and take care of him. He was losing his sight and needed a full-time carer," O'Sullivan told The Independent, a British news website.

"He told me that he couldn't afford to pay me but said that I could live with him and he would give me his house when he passed away as payment," added O'Sullivan, who is a father of three.

The pair also credited the LGBTQ community for their fight for equality that made the same-sex marriage possible.

"You know what? The LGBTQ community fought really hard for equality, fought against discrimination and in 2015 same-sex marriage was legalised and it was a wonderful moment, a great victory," said O'Sullivan.

"But they didn't just win the right to marriage for same-sex marriages. They opened the door for everyone. It's equality for all", he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A roadside bomb killed at least three Pakistani security personnel in North Waziristan tribal region on Sunday, the military said in a statement.

It said an improvised explosive device went off while a bomb disposal team was undertaking routine search and clear operation in Ghulam Khan, a town bordering Afghanistan.

No group claimed the attack. Officials here usually blame militant groups for attacks on security forces.

Pakistani forces have cleared most of North Waziristan of all the militant groups following major operation launched in June 2014. Officials said most of the militants have either fled to Afghanistan and some may be hiding in the rugged mountains and carry out targeted attacks.

On December 12, gunmen fired at an army vehicle in North Waziristan and killed two security men including a senior officer, according the army.

--IANS

ahm/

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At least 15 militants, involved in interruption of electricity cables and damaging power pylons, were killed following an air raid in an Afghan province, Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

"An air-supported clearance operation on Sunday, launched by army Corps Tander 203, resulted in the death of 15 insurgents, including one of their local commanders, Fayyaz, in Sayed Abad district, Wardak province," the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

The targeted militants were involved in subversive activities in the district, including interrupting Arghundi-Ghazni power cords and wounding a local engineer who was fixing a power pylon on Saturday.

A big amount of heavy and light arms and ammunition were also seized during the clean-up operation which is still ongoing in the turbulent district.

More development would be shared with media later in the day, the statement noted.

--IANS

ahm/

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Mount Agung in Indonesia's Bali island spewed thick smoke and ashes high into the air on Sunday, authorities said.

The eruption took place at 10.05 a.m., emitting thick grey smoke, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.

"The eruption lasted for 10 minutes. White smoke was seen came out from the volcano summit after the blast," Xinhua news agency quoted BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho as saying.

He added that activities in the volcano remained intense at present.

Indonesian authorities issued the highest alert on November 27.

An eruption on Saturday prompted rain of ashes in the villages located in the slope of near the volcano.

Volcanic activities of Mount Agung have been ensuing since September after 54 years of inactivity.

--IANS

ksk

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China on Saturday called for the latest UN sanctions on North Korea to be implemented in a comprehensive and balanced manner for a peaceful solution to the problem in the Korean peninsula.

The UN Security Council imposed fresh sanctions on the Kim Jong-un regime, Efe news reported.

In a statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying reiterated Beijing's call for restraint and working to ease tensions while finding an appropriate solution to the conflict in the Korean peninsula.

The new resolution number 2397 increases sanctions to pressurize North Korea into stopping its nuclear program and missile tests, by banning the export of nearly 90 per cent of refined petroleum to the country.

Hua also underlined that China - a member of the UNSC with a veto power - remains committed towards achieving denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, as well as maintaining peace and stability in the region.

She also recalled China's earlier proposal of finding a solution to the crisis, which included the United States and South Korea putting an end to military drills in the region in return for Pyongyang abandoning its weapons program.

The Chinese customs authorities reported Saturday that trade between China and North Korea, very limited due to the sanctions, reached $388 million in November, which is 15.9 percent more than in October but around 36 percent less year-on-year.

--IANS

ahm/

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Emmy-winning composer Dominic Frontiere, who had worked for shows like "The Outer Limits" and "The Flying Nun", is dead. He was 86.

Frontiere died on Thursday in Tesuque, New Mexico, variety.com reported on Saturday.

Throughout the 1960s, '70s and '80s, he composed hundreds of hours of music, mostly for TV but also for films including "Hang 'Em High", "Cancel My Reservation", "Hammersmith Is Out", "Freebie and the Bean", and "The Aviator".

He won a Golden Globe award for his score for "The Stunt Man" in 1980.

He also won an Emmy as musical director of "Swing Out, Sweet Land", a patriotic TV special hosted by John Wayne in 1970.

Frontiere's TV work dominated, however, including themes and scores for many series including "The New Breed", "That Girl", "Stoney Burke", "12 O'Clock High" and "Branded".

His largest-scale work for TV was the 12-hour mini-series "Washington: Behind Closed Doors", composed during his stint as head of music for Paramount in the mid-1970s.

Frontiere was born June 17, 1931, in New Haven, Connecticut.

He performed with Horace Heidt's big band in the late 1940s and early 1950s, moving to Hollywood where he met fellow New Haven native Alfred Newman, then music director at 20th Century-Fox.

Newman took him under his wing, gave him jobs as an accordion player on many Fox films, and guided his career as a budding composer and arranger in the late 1950s and early '60s.

He is survived by his wife Robin, and five children.

--IANS

nn/ksk

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Condemning the killing of four Indian Army soldiers by the Pakistan Army on the Line of Control (LoC), the Congress on Sunday questioned the Narendra Modi government's lack of policy towards Pakistan, asking where its "muscular national security policy" had gone.

The country has only seen U-turns, flip-flops and somersaults in the name of policy, said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.

Paying "heartfelt tribute" to the victims - Major Prafulla Ambadas Moharkar, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, Sepoy Pargat Singh, Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh, he said that these repeated border transgressions and repeated firing raises some fundamental questions which Prime Minister Modi and his government must answer.

"In this year alone, there have been 900 major ceasefire violations across the LoC. In the year 2014, between June and December, the number of violations were 583, in 2015 there were 400, in 2016 there were 450," said Tewari, what happened to Modi's commitment that the LOC would not be allowed to be breached.

"We would like to ask you, what is your government's policy towards Pakistan because for the last three and a half years, all that the country has seen in the name of policy are U-turns, flip-flops and somersaults," he said, adding that exactly two years ago Modi went to Pakistan, but till now, the country does not know why he went there.

"During the election campaign in Gujarat, you pointed fingers at very honourable people, accusing them of colluding with Pakistan to derail the Gujarat elections, an allegation which you (Modi) have not been able to susbstantiate.

"Far more substantive is the question that because of a lack of policy, how long will the soldiers keep getting martyred on the LOC. This is the question the nation is asking. We demand an answer from the prime minister," he said.

The Congress leader also said all the policies towards the neighbouring countries have failed.

"The new government in Nepal is not tilted towards India, China's involvement in Sri Lanka is a matter of concern for India, Maldives signed a free-trade agreement with China without informing India, in Doklam China has set up permanent structures," he said, adding that India "has been isolated because of the wrong policies of the Modi government".

"National security is under threat. There is no muscular national security policy. National security cannot be protected with speeches. The government looks incapable of protecting our borders," he added.

About alleged spy Kulbhushan Yadav who has been sentenced to death in Pakistan, Tewari said: "The national consensus is he should be released immediately. But the question is Pakistan's intention. Hafiz Saeed, who was declared an international terrorist.... today he is preparing private army against India in Pakistan. What solution the government has to this."

--IANS

sid/vd

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Critics have demanded that Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's name should be cut from one of the most popular childrens books of 2017, a collection of stories about female role models inspiring girls and challenge the status quo.

When "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" was written last year, Suu Kyi was deemed a worthy subject: winner of the Nobel peace prize and epitome of courage in the face of oppression, reports the Guardian on Sunday.

But widespread criticism over her response to violence against the Rohingya Muslims, described by the UN as "ethnic cleansing", has triggered calls for her to be taken out of future editions.

In response, the authors, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo said: "We're monitoring the situation closely and we don't exclude the idea of removing her from future reprints."

The book devotes two pages to each of its role models including Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Hillary Clinton, Serena Williams.

It quotes Suu Kyi as saying: "Since we live in this world, we have to do our best for this world."

It charts her story from her protests against the junta through 21 years of house arrest to her release and leadership.

On the book's Facebook page, a critic wrote: "As much as 99 per cent of book is inspiring, I found it absolutely disgusting that you have included someone suspected of genocide in the book... Suu Kyi has no place between those women. Someone who does nothing and perhaps is directly involved in massacres, rapes, burning of kids alive... I am speechless she is in the book."

Another parent said: "I bought this book for my three-year-old daughter as an antidote to the tyranny of 'pink princess publishing'. It is filled with inspiring female role models who don't rely on a prince to sort their lives out. I was dismayed to see this page effectively canonising Suu Kyi. I hope the publishers issue another edition..."

Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi, who has raised concerns in parliament about the Rohingya crisis, said: "I often wonder how it can be possible to go from being one of the most admired and respected civil rights champions, a symbol of courage, patience and principle, to someone who shows such lack of compassion.

Suu Kyi, who has won more than 120 international honours, including the Nobel prize, was last week stripped of her Freedom of the City of Dublin award and earlier lost her Freedom of Oxford accolade, the Guardian reported.

The Dublin decision came after musician and activist Bob Geldof returned his own Freedom of the City in protest. St Hugh's College Oxford, where Suu Kyi studied, has taken down her portrait.

It is estimated that 650,000 Rohingya Muslims have been forced to flee to Bangladesh since the crackdown by Myanmar's security forces began.

--IANS

ksk

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Asserting that India was the only nation to integrate material development with the inner world, the Dalai Lama on Sunday advised Tibetans to imbibe ancient Indian wisdom as well as environmental protection.

The Nobel laureate also called for efforts to revive ancient Indian values and knowledge as part of educational curriculum.

"Tibetans can play a major role by reintroducing ancient Indian wisdom, rich with philosophical and ethical inquiry in the land of its origin," said the 82-year-old 14th Dalai Lama at an educational event here.

Addressing about 12,000 students and faculty of city-based Seshadripuram Group of Institutions on "Education for wisdom and compassion for rebuilding the nation", the monk said Tibetans could contribute to the world in dealing with moral, ethical and political crises.

"It is the moral duty of the Tibetans to preserve the fragile ecology of Tibet and its rivers -- Brahmaputra, Ganga, Yellow River, Mekong, Salween and the Indus -- which are a source of livelihood for over a billion people living downstream.

"Therefore, they have the moral right and responsibility to air their grievance on the ecological degradation in Tibet," the Tibetan spiritual leader said.

The Dalai Lama said: "We could reintroduce fundamental inner human values in the school system purely in secular context without touching so that education on love and compassion becomes universally acceptable."

Born in Taktser hamlet in north-eastern Tibet, the Dalai Lama was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. He fled to India from Tibet after a failed uprising against the Chinese in 1959.

The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent campaign for democracy and freedom in his homeland.

India is home to over 100,000 Tibetans settled majorly in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka among other states.

--IANS

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Sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V.Dhinakaran on Sunday won the Radhakrishnan Nagar (R.K.Nagar) assembly constituency here, trouncing his nearest AIADMK rival E.Madhusudhanan by a margin of 40,707 votes.

Contesting as an Independent candidate, Dhinakaran got 89,013 votes as against Madhusudhanan's 48,306 votes. The DMKs' N.Marudhu Ganesh came a poor third securing 24,681 votes.

Supporters of Dhinakaran celebrated the victory by dancing, distributing sweets and bursting crackers.

From the start, Dhinakaran was in the lead and the gap between him and the rivals kept on widening as the counting progressed.

Earlier in the day, Dhinakaran, speaking to reporters at the Madurai airport, predicted that the government headed by Chief Minister K. Palaniswami will fall in three months time.

He said the people in R.K. Nagar have reflected the views of the Tamil Nadu's populace.

While 2,373 voters have voted for 'none of the above' (NOTA) option, BJP candidate K.Nagarajan has got 1,417 votes and Naam Tamizhar party's Kalaikotudhayam got 3,860 votes.

The R.K. Nagar constituency fell vacant after the death of its sitting member, late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa on December 5, 2016.

The by-poll was held on December 21 and around 1.77 lakh voters exercised their democratic right.

Ironically the defeat of AIADMK's 'Two Leaves' symbol by Dinakaran's "Pressure Cooker" came on the 30th death anniversary of party founder and late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.

Speaking to reporters here after his victory, Dhinakaran said though he was an Independent candidate, AIADMK's party cadres were with him.

Barring Dhinakaran and Madhusudhanan, the remaining 57 candidates forfeited their poll deposit failing to secure one-sixth of the total votes polled.

Dhinakaran is also the first Independent legislator since 2001 win of M.Appavu from Radhapuram constituency.

The by-poll is considered an acid test for the ruling AIADMK, as it underwent a split and then a patch-up, with Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam going out of the party and then rejoining it.

In the meantime, Dhinakaran, who was the party's Deputy General Secretary, and his jailed aunt V.K.Sasikala were sidelined forcing the former to contest as an Independent.

Meanwhile, leaders of several parties have termed Dhinakaran's victory as the victory of cash play.

DMK leader M.K. Stalin, in a statement, said the party's defeat in the by-poll is actually a Himalayan defeat for the Election Commission, claiming it or police did not do anything to ensure that the poll was held in a free and fair manner.

He said the Election Commission remained silent when voters were bribed even when the polling was under progress.
Popular Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who were earlier in India with their children Dylan Michael and Carys Zeta for a family vacation, have left the country and moved to Cambodia.

Zeta-Jones, 48, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photograph of herself with Douglas enjoying a meal.

"Arriving in Cambodia. A sunset river cruise with a cup of tea and a few cakes. Perfect," she wrote alongside the image.

Zeta-Jones, best known for her roles in films like "Chicago", "The Terminal" and "Broken City", along with her family was in India last week.

During her visit, she shared videos and photographs on the image-sharing site.

On Saturday, she shared a video titled "Life in India", in which she shared all the images from her vacation.

"My family and other life in India," she wrote alongside the image, which shows different cultures and traditions of India.

Zeta-Jones and Douglas visited the Taj Mahal, roamed around the streets of Jaipur and enjoyed wildlife in India during their vacation.

On Instagram, the actress also shared that it was her "dream" to visit India.

"When you dream of visiting a country all your life, and it lives up to everything you hoped it would be," she wrote.

Douglas, 73, has appeared in films like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Wall Street", "Solitary Man" and "The American President".

--IANS

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Five-time legislator Jairam Thakur, who rose through the ranks and is known for his humble, clean and low-profile nature, will be the 14th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, the BJP announced on Sunday.

A decision on his name was taken unanimously at the Bharatiya Janata Party Legislative Party meeting here, where central observers -- Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar -- were present along with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and state party incharge Mangal Pandey.

"Thakur was elected BJP Legislature Party leader in the (Himachal Pradesh) Assembly," Tomar told reporters, adding that "no proposal was made for any other candidate".

Thakur's name was proposed by two-time former Chief Minister P.K. Dhumal and seconded by Nadda and another two-time Chief Minister Shanta Kumar.

The Chief Minister-elect met Governor Acharya Devvrat to formally stake claim to form the new government in the hill state.

In his first remarks after he was elected the BJP Legislature Party leader, Thakur thanked all party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Nadda, Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

"We will try to meet the expectations of the people of Himachal Pradesh. Our dream of a Congress-free Himachal Pradesh has been realised," Thakur told reporters.

The BJP took almost a week to decide on the Chief Minister after its chief ministerial candidate Dhumal lost the election. Several names were doing the rounds for the past few days, including those of Nadda, MLA Suresh Bharadwaj, Dhumal and Thakur.

Thakur -- who will turn 53 on January 6 -- belongs to the Rajput community with a significant presence in the hill state.

Thakur won his fifth consecutive assembly election from Seraj, earlier known as Chachiot in Mandi district, defeating Chet Ram of the Congress.

He will be the first Chief Minister from Mandi, the second biggest district of Himachal after Kangra. In these elections, the BJP won nine out of the 10 assembly seats in Mandi.

Earlier Chief Ministers of Himachal hailed from Shimla, Kangra and Sirmaur districts.

Thakur was a Cabinet minister in the BJP government led by Dhumal from 2007 to 2012.

The Chief Minister-elect, known for his proximity to Nadda, did his graduation from a Mandi college and post-graduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh. Thakur is married to Sadhna Singh, a doctor by profession.

"My son has seen extreme poverty in his childhood," his emotional mother Bikrumi Devi, 79, told reporters at her ancestral house in Tandi village in the interiors of Mandi district.

Thakur's father Jhethu Ram, who was struggling to make ends meet, died on December 25 last year.

Thakur, the fourth of five siblings, lost his maiden assembly election in 1993. He contested the assembly election again in 1998 and since then has won all five assembly elections consecutively with huge margins.

A senior BJP leader told IANS: Thakur has suitable credentials for the top post as he has been a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad, the student wing affiliated to the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The BJP wrested power in Himachal from the Congress, winning close to a two thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member Assembly. The Congress won 21 seats, independents two and the Communist Party of India-Marxist one.

Thakur emerged as a front runner after Dhumal and state party chief Satpal Satti were defeated in the November 9 elections. The poll results were declared on December 18.

--IANS

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A Rajasthan farmer on Sunday said he had failed to get his missing daughter freed who, he claimed, had been hypnotised and confined to a Delhi 'ashram'.

Even court warrants that mandated the production of the young woman, in her early 20s, in the court had not been followed, Vijay Singh told IANS.

The farmer from Jhunjhunu district said his daughter Tika went missing on November 9. He claimed Anand from Pilani, working as an agent, took the girl to Virendra Dev's ashram in Vijay Vihar area of Delhi, where she was confined.

Despite two court warrants, he alleged, police had not been able to free his daughter and produce her in an SDM court, for recording her statement.

Vijay said that on the basis of a FIR, a search warrant was issued on November 24, following which a team of Rajasthan Police went to Delhi. However, Delhi Police allegedly made them return on the pretext that a warrant issued in Rajasthan was not enforceable in Delhi.

After getting a second warrant issued, the Rajasthan Police again went to Delhi. The warrants clearly said the woman be produced in the SDM court and the police work to bring her but this was not done, he added.

During the second visit, Vijay said, they were kept waiting for two days before the visit to the ashram materialised. Only officials of Delhi Police went inside the ashram, met Tika and returned to say that "she doesn't want to come back".

A senior officer in Delhi, part of the Central Bureau of Investigation's special investigation team, said the search warrants clearly stated that 'thana' officials should visit the ashram, search for her in whatever way they can and present her in the Sub-Divisional Magistrate's court.

Lawyer Satyendra Singh Rathore, who represents the family, said the young woman should have been provided police protection and produced in the Surajgarh SDM's court after recovery.

Vijay Singh alleged that his daughter had been hypnotised and was acting under someone's influence.

Till she returns, it seems, he can do little but look for divine intervention.

--IANS

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Two-year-old Samarth Bangari from Allapur village in Dharwad district in the northern part of Karnataka has been attracting visitors from across the state for a special bond that he shares with monkeys.

Samarth's parents, Sunil and Nanda Bangari, who are farmers, noticed a few months ago that the young boy was very comfortable with monkeys when he was playing with nearly a dozen langurs around him in an open field outside his home.

"Initially, we were worried if the monkeys would hurt our boy. But we realised that even the monkeys were fond of him and they liked each others' company," Samarth's uncle, Mallikarjun Reddy, told IANS.

Each morning, the langurs living in the nearby fields flock to Samarth's home in the village, which is located about 400 km to the northwest of state capital Bengaluru.

"Nearly 20 monkeys land up at our house each morning by around 6 a.m. and wake Samarth up to play with him. They don't come close to anyone else in the house but the boy," Reddy asserted.

The simians are said to pay at least two visits each day, in the morning and evening, to see the child, who shares his food with them.

On many days, the child spends more time with the langurs than with his six-month-old baby brother, Reddy noted.

Over the months of daily visits paid by the langurs, Samarth has never been harmed by them even once, the boy's maternal uncle said.

"The villagers are amazed at the friendship that Samarth has with the monkeys. They believe that he is blessed by Lord Hanuman (commonly known as the Monkey God)," Reddy said.

With the word about this special friendship spreading, people from across the state are now visiting the boy in the scores each day, he added.

"We have visitors from nearby villages, Hubballi (about 10km from here), Bengaluru and other districts coming all the way to our village to witness Samarth's love for monkeys."

Realising the boy's affection for the animals, the family now makes food for the monkeys.

"We make around 100 rotis (flat bread) for Samarth to feed around 20 langurs that visit him each day," Reddy said.

The family is ecstatic to see that the simians, which are usually known to hurt the people, are so friendly with their child, he added.

"My family is over the moon with the attention that this unusual friendship is bringing from across the districts," Reddy said.

(Bhavana Akella can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in)

--IANS

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On actor-producer Anil Kapoors 61st birthday on Sunday, his daughter and actress Sonam Kapoor said that she considers herself lucky to have the "Mubarakan" star as her father.

Sonam tweeted a few photographs in which she can be seen sharing lighter moments with Anil.

"Happy birthday to the person who taught me to fight for what I believe in and to never stop chasing my dreams. Without you, I wouldn't be half the woman I am today and for that I love you endlessly," Sonam wrote in a series of tweets.

"There is no one in the world who understands me like you do and for that, I'm truly grateful. Happy birthday daddy, you are a true gem and I'm so lucky to have you in my life.

"You have made me the person I am today and I continue to be inspired and in awe of your charisma, loyalty and dedication every single day. How lucky am I to have a father like you," she added.

Bollywood celebrities like Shekhar Kapur, Farah Khan and Anupam Kher also tweeted their birthday wishes to Anil.

Anupam wrote: "Happy birthday my dearest friend Anil Kapoor. May you always look 39 years younger than you are. May all the best roles first come to you. May I always have the access to your gym and to your physiotherapist. May God give you all the happiness in the world. You are the bestest."

Kapur recalled a confession and wrote: "Here's a confession. For 30 years since 'Mr India' whenever Anil and I met we celebrated that we survived yet another year despite all odds in the movie business. Here's to another year of survival success friendship love happiness."

Farah tweeted: "Happy birthday Anil Kapoor. You are a diamond in a world full of rhinestones. Unbreakable and shining."

Actor Riteish Deshmukh said Anil is someone "who has frozen time".

"Be it the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, or 2010s he looks the same. Drama, action, romance, comedy he has aced it all. Has the energy and enthusiasm to put a newcomer to shame. Wishing the youngest of them all a very Happy birthday. We love you Anil sir," he wrote.

--IANS

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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday offered prayers at the Takht Keshgarh Sahib gurdwara in the Sikh holy town of Anandpur Sahib to mark the conclusion of the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of tenth and final Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh.

The shrine, considered second most holiest in Sikh religion after the Golden Temple in Amritsar, is where Guru Gobind Singh had announced the birth of the Khalsa Panth on April 13, 1699.

Manmohan Singh, while addressing a gathering, said the life and ideology of Guru Gobind Singh showed the path to strengthen the ethos of harmony, religious tolerance, peace and brotherhood.

"Guru Gobind Singh never discriminated against any religion, but respected all human beings, regardless of colour, caste and creed," said the first Sikh Prime Minister (2004-2014) of the country.

"The real tribute to Sri Guru Gobind Singh would be to follow his path and bring an end to gender discrimination. As true Sikhs, we should not discriminate between men and women, and should provide equal opportunities of education to both, to enable them to become ideal citizens of the society," he said.

Speaking after offering prayers, Amarinder Singh announced the revival of the Anandpur Sahib Urban Development Authority. He also announced the setting up of a skills university in Anandpur Sahib, about 80 km from here, to be named after Guru Gobind Singh.

The revival of Sri Anandpur Sahib Urban Development Authority would pave the way for the upgradation of its basic infrastructure and amenities, he said.

"The skills university, for which the government has already approved 100 acres of land, would help empower the children of this sacred land and make them gainfully employable in the competitive global job market," he added.

The Sikh shrine attracts millions of devotees from across the country and the world every year.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will attend the swearing-in of Jairam Thakur as the new Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister here on December 27, the party said on Sunday.

Thakur, a confidant of Union Health Minister J P Nadda and associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, will take oath as the new Chief Minister along with his Cabinet colleagues at the Ridge in the state capital.

The Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states will attend the swearing-in ceremony, said a senior BJP leader.

Earlier in the day, newly elected legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party chose five-time legislator Thakur as their leader.

He along with senior leaders later met Governor Acharya Devvrat to stake claim to form the new state government.

The BJP wrested power in Himachal from the Congress, winning close to a two-thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member assembly. The Congress won 21 seats, independents two and the Communist Party of India-Marxist one.
A Pakistani sniper was killed by Indian soldiers in cross-border firing in Jhangar Sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, a day after an Army Major and three jawans were killed on the LoC in the state.

Army sources said the Pakistan personnel was killed around 11 a.m.

Indian and Pakistan troops also traded heavy fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Sunday.

Pakistan Army used mortars, automatics and small firearms to target Indian positions on the LoC in the Shahpur area.

The four Indian Armymen, including the Major, were killed on Saturday after Pakistan troops violated the ceasefire on the LoC in Rajouri district.

--IANS

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Interstate pimp Geeta Arora, alias Sonu Punjaban, notorious for immoral trafficking, sale, rape and torturing for prostitution minor girls at many places in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana has been arrested, Delhi Police said on Sunday.

"Sonu Punjaban was arrested on Saturday after she was interrogated by team heading by ACP Sandeep Lamba in Cyber Cell office of the Crime Branch," said a senior police officer.

"The minor victim was kidnapped in year 2009, when she was 12 years old. The victim came to Najafgarh police station by herself in 2014 and complained against Sonu Punjaban and her pimps," the officer said.

"The victim went missing again since than. The case was handed over to ACP Lamba and the girl traced in November," the officer said.

According to the officer, the victim said that she was kidnapped by Sonu Punjaban and revealed the immoral trafficking, sale, rape and torture for prostitution by pimps associated with Punjaban at many places in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other places.

"Following which, Punjaban was given a notice to join investigation and she was arrested when she admitted her crime," he added.

Punjaban was involved in 5 cases previously which include cases under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act, f murder and other crimes in Delhi and Haryana, he added.

--IANS

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Actress Priyanka Chopra says she is left "heartbroken" to miss out on the "special moment" of getting honoured with a doctorate degree by Bareilly International University because of flight delay due to smog.

"I am heartbroken that I will not be able to attend the convocation ceremony and receive my honorary doctorate in person at the Bareilly International University today (Sunday). We have been at the airport since this morning waiting for clearance from the ATC," Priyanka said in a statement.

The former Miss World, currently in Delhi, was supposed to visit Bareilly on Sunday to attend the ceremony.

"My team had also explored all other possible options to get there, but the fog has put to rest all plans for today. I was really looking forward to going back to Bareilly Not just to receive the honorary doctorate but also to see old friends and family and just reconnect with a city that has been such an important part of my life.

"I want to thank the university for being so understanding and amazing and I wish every graduate all the very best as they set forth on a new journey. I will see you all again very soon," she added.

University chancellor Keshav Kumar Agrawal was supposed to honour the "Quantico" star with the degree in the presence of Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal.

--IANS

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Actress Priyanka Chopra might have to miss out on the "special moment" of getting honoured with a doctorate degree by the Bareilly International University due to "fog lock down".

Priyanka, currently in Delhi, was supposed to visit Bareilly on Sunday to attend the ceremony.

"Weather Gods and Goddesses, please do your thing and clear the skies. I really need to get to Bareilly! Fog lock down. This can't be happening," Priyanka tweeted.

"I can't believe the ATC (air traffic controller) won't let me take off, saying it's not safe. My heart is breaking. This was supposed to be such a special moment. I actually may miss it. Bareilly calling," she added.

The university chancellor Keshav Kumar Agrawal was supposed to honour the "Quantico" star with the degree in the presence of Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal.

--IANS

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The proposed bill that criminalises the practice of instant divorce "empowers" Indian Muslim women by giving them a larger say in dissolving marriages, custody of minor children and the right to seek maintenance from their estranged husbands, according to the cabinet-cleared controversial legislation opposed by Muslim groups.

The bill defines triple talaq as "any pronouncement (of divorce) by a person upon his wife by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form, or in any other manner". It proposes to make the practice a punishable offence and is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha next week.

IANS has exclusive access to a copy of the cabinet-cleared version of the legislation drafted after the Supreme Court's decision against the gender-discriminatory practice that is not followed even in major Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan.

The draft bill says the practice against "constitutional morality" and "gender equity" is to be considered "void and illegal".

Anyone who pronounces instant divorce "shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and a fine", the bill proposes.

In its statement of objects and reason, the draft mentions the landmark Shayara Bano case in which the Supreme Court invalidated the practice of instant triple talaq. The statement would be read by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad when he introduces the bill in the Lok Sabha to explain why the government had to formulate the legislation.

Shayara Bano, a 38-year-old woman from Uttarakhand, fought a long legal battle seeking an end to the the patriarchal custom after she claimed to have suffered for 14 years in her marriage.

"This judgement gave a boost to liberate Indian Muslim women from the age-old practice of capricious and whimsical method of divorce, by some Muslim men, leaving no room for reconciliation," the minister says in the bill's statement of objects.

The judgment vindicated the position taken by the government that "talaq-e-biddat", which allows men to pronounce divorce thrice in one sitting, is against "constitutional morality, dignity of women and the principles of gender equality, as also against gender equity guaranteed under the Constitution".

Clerics and several Muslim organisations, cutting across sects and schools of jurisprudence, protested against the Supreme Court judgment and termed the government's stand as "uncalled for interference" in the personal laws of the community.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, in the bill's objects and reasons says the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which was also a respondent in the Shayara Bano case, had contended that it was not for the judiciary to decide matters of religious practices such as talaq-e-biddat but for the legislature to make any law on the same.

"They had also submitted in the Supreme Court that they would issue advisories to the members of the community against this practice," the minister explains.

The bill notes that "there have been reports of divorce by way of talaq-e-biddat from different parts of the country" even after the Supreme Court invalidated the practice and the assurance by AIMPLB.

"It is seen that setting aside talaq-e-biddat by the Supreme Court has not worked as any deterrent in bringing down the number of divorces by this practice among certain Muslims. It is, therefore, felt that there is a need for State action to give effect to the order of the Supreme Court and to redress the grievances of victims of illegal divorce," the minister says.

The bill states that urgent suitable legislation was necessary "to give some relief to...the hapless married Muslim women who suffer from harassment due to talaq-e-biddat.

"This is essential to prevent this form of divorce, wherein the wife does not have any say in severing the marital relationship.

"The legislation would help in ensuring the larger constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help subserve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment."

(Anjali Ojha can be contacted at anjali.o@ians.in)

--IANS

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Ten years ago, when three women walked into Shabnam's one-roomed home here one afternoon, her six- and seven-year-old daughters, Sana and Shaima, were school dropouts. They were attending a nearby madrassa as the family could not afford their school uniforms.

Back then, Shabnam did not know that the visit by the three women would change the lives of her daughters.

They were teachers of Rasta, a newly-opened girls' school in the neighbourhood. They had only one request: "Please send your daughters to our school."

It is a request that has since brought hundreds of young Muslim girls into the fold of .

In this "disease and crime-infested village" on the edge of Delhi -- as the local media once described it -- with a large Muslim population and no girls-only school, Rasta's teachers went from door to door convincing parents to send their daughters to the school - which then charged only Rs 40 a month and provided free books and uniforms.

For Sana and Shaima, who joined in the same class despite the difference in their ages, it was a decision that has paid off. "Now they can read names of buses, government documents; my daughters are cleverer than us," a beaming Shabnam told IANS outside her shanty.

From a modest beginning, the school now boasts of around 600 students (of whom 70 per cent are Muslims), online classes, and a pass percentage of 85 per cent for Class X.

On a recent winter morning, 17 girls sat on wooden benches and a chorus of "Yes, ma'am", "No ma'am" could be heard in the Grade X classroom, painted a bright yellow and orange.

A decade after she joined the school, the roadside biryani-seller's daughter Sana - now 16 and her teacher's "best student" - will write her Class X exam in a couple of months and she dreams of becoming a teacher one day. And she is clear that has helped her "become independent".

Her sister, Shaima, who earned a "double promotion", has moved on to another school nearby and is in Class XI today.

Seated next to Sana in her class are Saima, 18, and Rukaiyya, 17 - both confident enough to articulate their dreams.

"I can talk to anyone now. I'm not afraid to go anywhere," said Saima, while Rukaiyya believes that, because she is now educated, her children will be better off.

All three girls had dropped out of school and, like many others, were brought back to school by Rasta.

Though well-established now, Rasta had an accidental beginning -- a challenge between two old friends over cups of hot tea on a cold Delhi afternoon in January 2007.

"A friend asked me, as a challenge, whether I could teach Muslim girls -- and I said yes," recalled K.C. Pant, 58, founder of the school, sitting in a crammed office room at Rasta School.

Pant, who has about three decades of experience in the field of education, said that Khoda was an obvious choice and he worked fast to set up the school. By mid-February that year, Rasta started by providing informal to about 250 students in four different locations in Khoda, each with two to three classrooms.

In 2015, the school was recognised by the Uttar Pradesh government and now it operates out of a single building.

But Pant recalled that things were not easy in those early days.

He and others had to go to madrassas and mosques, convincing religious leaders to send girls to school. "They were not used to sending their daughters to school. Maybe their sons, but not daughters."

There has, however, been a major shift in the attitude of locals, he said. And the girls know that they have benefitted immensely.

Manju Joshi, 41, a Hindi teacher at the school, said that some of the students go on to get a degree. "Some of them return to visit the school -- and they come and hug us," she said with a smile.

"Two years back, a girl delayed her marriage as she wanted to study more. For a Muslim girl from a poor background, it is a big achievement," said Vinita Singh, the school's principal.

Another Shabnam - Shabnam Ansari, 45 - also has two daughters studying at Rasta. But her reason for sending them to school was different. "These days even the groom asks 'How much did the girl study?'" she noted.

"Father also puts thumb impression on paper, mother also puts thumb impression on paper -- will the children also do that?" she asked. "What happened to us shouldn't happen to them."

Pant, however, believes that there is still a long way to go.

And that is evident at Sana's house, where her father Arif, the biriyani-seller, said: "What will she do after studying? Anyway we won't let her do a job. Class X is enough. Now let her do household work. The fee has also increased to Rs 300 and I don't have money."

"What will people say if we send her for a job?" asked her mother Shabana. She also complained that Sana only does school activities and not religious ones.

Their education has, however, had its impact on the girls.

"Even if it's through open school, I want to continue my studies," Sana said, adding: "I want to go to college."

"Now she'll also say that she wants to go for a job" Shabnam said with a laugh. "We are not going to allow her."

But even with her parents around, Sana said with quiet determination, without looking at them: "I WANT to get a job."

(The weekly feature series is part of a positive-journalism project of IANS and the Frank Islam Foundation. Nikhil M. Babu can be contacted at nikhil.b@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 real estate sector, which witnessed a slew of policy measures through the year, experienced a market slowdown but the affordable segment emerged as its growth driver, say property consultants and developers.

The policy reforms, however, promise to make residential real estate dealings more transparent than ever before and the market is expected to see at least a partial recovery in 2018 on the back of revived confidence of homebuyers, fewer new launches, improving sales and declining unsold units.

The Centre's surprise demonetisation announcement late last year was a "real shocker" for the sector. But, simultaneously, it helped the sector to resist unaccounted funds from finding their way into the secondary and even primary sales segments as well as the luxury housing section.

Meanwhile, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) was rolled out to improve financial discipline, boost market transparency and give consumers confidence and a clear legal choice for dealing with errant developers and brokers. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced to improve taxation transparency and the Benami Properties Act got further amended to make it more effective in curbing anonymous real estate transactions and ownership.

"There were reforms galore which literally altered the DNA of the Indian real estate business, focusing on eliminating black money and improving market transparency so as to make the country's residential real estate a better place for consumers and investors," Anarock Property Consultants' Chairman Anuj Puri told IANS.

National Real Estate Development Council Vice Chairman Parveen Jain said all stakeholders adopted a wait and watch policy following the note ban and introduction of RERA and GST.

"This resulted in a somewhat slowdown in the sector as everyone was trying to understand the after-effects of demonetisation and the effects of RERA and GST. No one is willing to venture into new deals until and unless things settle down," Jain told IANS.

GST, applicable to the purchase of homes in under-construction projects, prompted home buyers to either buy completed projects or hold back their purchase decisions. Also, developers halted sales in projects not registered under RERA across major cities, JLL India CEO and Country Head Ramesh Nair said.

"These factors led to a quarterly sales decline in five of the top seven cities to an all-time low of 4.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2017," Nair told IANS.

Residential launches up to the third quarter of 2017 saw a decline of 33 per cent compared to the same period in 2016. Simultaneously, affordable housing saw a rise of 27 per cent in the first three quarters, mostly by taking advantage of the new government regulations and incentives for homes in that category.

"Affordable housing is an attractive proposition both for developers and consumers as the demand is huge and largely unmet. The high focus of the central government has resulted in the availability of more funding options for the developers such as ECB, FDI and debt-financing from national financial institutions at highly competitive rates," Cushman & Wakefield's Senior Director, Research Services, Siddhart Goel told IANS.

However, the flip side is the implementation RERA by the states. As per the central government schedule, by the end of July 2017, all states should have implemented the RERA with full functionality.

"Many states are still either in the process or don't have requisite infrastructure. Dilutions in a few RERA rules by a some states, has also hurt buyer confidence," Knight Frank Chief Economist Samantak Das told IANS.

According to an ICRA study, by the close of third quarter of 2017, most of the major states had notified their real estate rules and set up real estate regulatory authorities as required under the RERA Act. While new project launches have remained subdued even after RERA implementation, the developers continue to push sales in ongoing projects, with expectations of improved customer confidence in those projects which are approved by the state RERA.

However, the inclusion of land and real estate (completed properties) under the ambit of GST has been a topic that has been debated significantly and will ultimately require a political solution since land is a state subject and any such move will require the concurrence of state governments.

"Any such move could bolster the transparency and compliance of real estate transactions (especially in the secondary market) since there would be an incentive to report transactions at market price to claim full tax benefit," said Shubham Jain, Vice President and Sector Head-Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited.

The industry is expected to somewhat stabilise in 2018 as both real estate developers and customers become attuned to the changed regulatory scenario.

Developers are likely to take a cautious approach as far as new project launches are concerned, given the over-supply situation in various markets, along with their own stressed balance sheet positions.

The focus is likely to remain on liquidation of existing stock and reduction of the debt overhang before new projects are launched. This is already visible from the trend of decreasing quantum of absolute stock of unsold inventory available with the developers.
The SAD on Sunday accused the Punjab government of sacrilege over the 'morphing' of a picture of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh by using one of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, a charge dismissed by the authorities as "ridiculous".

A computer-generated swapping of faces was done for the picture used in an advertisement released by the Public Relations Department to commemorate the 350th birth anniversary of the Sikh Guru, the Shiromani Akali Dal said and demanded strict action against the erring officials and the advertising agency concerned.

SAD Senior Vice President Daljit Singh Cheema said the picture shown as that of Guru Gobind Singh in the advertisement was actually of Napoleon.

"An image of Guru Gobind Singh ji's face was swapped with that of the French ruler through computer on the picture. The said painting dates back to 1800, almost a century after Guru Sahib's period. I wonder why the Congress government committed this grave sin of passing off the tampered picture as that of Guru Sahib when plenty of the Gurus' paintings are available," Cheema said in a statement here.

"The painting has the same horse, with resemblance to face, body, mane, tail, stirrups and other things shown in the Napoleon's painting. Even the clothes Guru Gobind Singh ji is shown wearing in the morphed picture are the same as Napoleon's in the original painting," the Akali leader claimed.

He sought an immediate apology from the government over the alleged morphing and removal of the painting from media and public places.

In response, the government rejected the charge of sacrilege vis-a-vis advertisements issued in connection with the 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh.

"The assertion is totally ridiculous. The picture (of Guru Gobind Singh) has been sourced from a Sikhism website, which is in the public domain. It was neither created nor modified by the government in any manner," the government spokesperson said.

"The Akalis, who claim to be the custodians of Sikh religion, are obviously completely ignorant about these basic facts and have merely reacted to a media report without verifying its authenticity," he 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 course of any human's life has three significant episodes -- hatching, matching and despatching. The first we have no control over, the second doesn't entirely depend on us and in only the third can we have some say. While we can never predict when this may come, we can at least try to make the ending -- or even our less permanent exits -- somehow exceptional.

And writers -- from Shakespeare to Jonathan Swift to James Thurber, as well as some philosophers, scholars, and others have been in the forefront of doing so -- through their works or even personally.

It may seem incongruous to focus on mortality in a festive season -- but it is a time of endings, with the year drawing to close and the natural conditions bleak. "The leaves falling like our years, the flowers fading like our hours, the clouds fleeting like our illusions, the light diminishing like our intelligence, the sun growing colder like our affections, the rivers becoming frozen like our lives," said 18th-century French diplomat Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand in "Memoires d'Outre-Tombe (Memoirs from Beyond the Grave)".

We can argue about propriety, but a memorable exit does count. Let's start with Crinis the Stoic, of a school of thought priding itself on its indifference to worldly concerns and fears. Of him, we only know that he died of fright at the squeaking of a mouse. Stoic philosophy never got over it -- and perhaps that is why they suppressed all knowledge of him.

Chrysippus of Soli (c.280-c.207 BC) died of laughing at one of his own jokes. While most accounts say he died of excessive laughter after watching his drunk donkey try to eat figs, the best version is that the donkey, belonging to an old woman, once ate a large amount of his figs. Thereupon, he offered her a wineskin, saying, "Better give him this to wash them down better." Then he fell about laughing. Then he died.

One uncharitable introduction to philosophy observes that, with such a sense of humour, it may be considered a good thing that none of Chrysippus' more than 700 books has survived to the present.

More temporarily, the father of Sceptism, Pyrrho of Elis (360-270 BC), whose philosophy held that you cannot believe anything exists -- with his devoted friends ensuring his long life by preventing him from walking off imaginary cliffs, into imaginary chariots -- once ended an argument with rivals by jumping fully clothed into a (illusory?) river and swimming powerfully away.

In our times, Austrian Paul Feyerabend (1924-1994), whose position on truth, in his own words, was "Anything goes", ended his lectures at the London School of Economics by jumping out of the window (fortunately out of a ground-floor classroom), and riding away noisily on his motorcycle.

Of others, venerable French grammarian Domique Bonhours, on his deathbed, whispered: "I am about to -- or I am going to -- die; either expression is used", while the Marquis de Favras, reading his death warrant during the French Revolution, told his executioners: "I see that you have made three spelling mistakes."

In literature, there is Shakespeare's stage direction "Exit, pursued by a Bear" in Scene III, Act III of "The Winter's Tale". Unfortunately, we never know the fate of Antigonus, a lord of Sicilia, who was ordered to abandon the baby Princess Perdita in the jungle.

Then there is "Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift, D.S.P.D." by that unsurpassed satirist, Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), who has much more to his credit than "Gulliver's Travels". In 1731, Swift was inspired by French writer La Rochefoucauld's maxim: "In the hard times of our best friends we find something that doesn't displease us" to begin writing a poem on how society and his friends would react to his death.

Finally published in 1739, the nearly 500-line poem begins with a digression on human weaknesses -- and literary envy -- before he comes to the point. The best part is: "Here shift the scene, to represent/How those I love my death lament./Poor Pope will grieve a month, and Gay/A week, and Arbuthnot a day" and "St. John himself will scarce forbear/To bite his pen, and drop a tear/The rest will give a shrug, and cry,/'I'm sorry-but we all must die!'" Hours of fun for those so inclined to insert their own options.

And then the ending of that Thurber masterpiece -- in all senses of the word. "Walter Mitty lighted a cigarette. It began to rain, rain with sleet in it. He stood up against the wall of the drugstore, smoking . . . He put his shoulders back and his heels together. 'To hell with the handkerchief,' said Walter Mitty scornfully. He took one last drag on his cigarette and snapped it away. Then, with that faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last."

Who can beat that?

(Vikas Datta is an Associate Editor at IANS. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at vikas.d@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.)
Concerted action against militants and appointment of an interlocutor to carry forward the dialogue process were key aspects of Centre's policy on Jammu and in the past year as it sought to expose the narrative of the separatists through a crackdown on their flow of funds from the "neighbouring country" to finance unrest in the state.

The year also saw the Home Ministry dealing with the issue of Rohingyas, repeated ceasefire violations in Jammu and as also Maoist violence in some parts of the country.

A total of 203 militants were killed in Jammu and in till December 10 - - the highest in the past seven years -- as part of Centre's "tough" strategy to root out militancy from the trouble-torn Valley.

Those killed included some top militant commanders such as Lashkar-e-Taiba's Bashir Ahmad Wani, Abu Dujana and Junaid Mattoo, and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's Sabzar Ahmad Bhat.

The security forces had a hard time last year in dealing with incidents of stone-pelting following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.

The incidents of coordinated stone-pelting came down drastically this year and have been attributed to action by the security forces against militant groups as also probes by National Investigating Agency (NIA) into "terror funding".

The arrests of separatist leaders and others by NIA were preceded by efforts to obtain information through improved intelligence. The government has also made efforts to wean away youth from the influence of separatists by taking steps to boost investment and employment in the state.

As part of its ongoing probe in the terror-funding cases, NIA seized nearly Rs 36.5 crore in demonetised currency in November.

The government has said its policy to restore peace and normalcy in Kashmir has focus on five Cs -- "compassion, communication, co-existence, confidence-building and consistency".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the Valley in his August 15 Independence Day speech from New Delhi's Red Fort and said Kashmir's problems can be solved only by embracing its people, not with bullets or abuses.

As part of efforts to address the sense of alienation and improve infrastructure in the sensitive border state, the Modi government released funds under its Rs 80,000 crore (over $12 billion) package for the state announced in 2015.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh made five visits to Kashmir during the year and emphasised that the government was willing to talk to anyone in the state.

In October, the government appointed Dineshwar Sharma, a former Intelligence Bureau chief, as its special representative to "initiate and carry forward a dialogue with elected representatives, various organisations and concerned individuals in the State of Jammu and Kashmir".

One of Sharma's objectives apparently is to deal with and contain radicalisation among the youth in the state.

Pakistan resorted to repeated ceasefire violations and the Home Ministry gave clear instructions to the Border Security Force (BSF) "not to count bullets and give befitting reply".

Around 900 ceasefire violations -- the highest in a decade -- were committed by Pakistani forces both along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir till December 10. The firing caused some injuries to the civilians and disrupted their lives.

The terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir included one on Amarnath pilgrims on July 10 in which seven persons were killed.

Ambush by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in April, in which 25 Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) troopers were killed, reflected the continued challenges faced by the Home Ministry in containing violence by Left Wing extremists.

The ministry also made efforts to provide succour to people in over 19 incidents of natural disasters including Cyclone Ockhi.

The Home Ministry rejected demands for giving concessions to Rohingyas, who faced violence in their settlements in Myanmar, and made it clear that those who have come into India were illegal immigrants and need to be deported back.

Around 22,000 Rohingyas are estimated to be living in various parts of India.

The Home Ministry held meetings with chief ministers of states bordering Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh which were aimed at enhancing border security and curbing illegal immigration, drug peddling, fake currency, and human trafficking.

In a major initiative, the Home Ministry approved a Rs 25,000-crore outlay for upgrading the internal security apparatus in states under an umbrella scheme on modernisation of police forces.

The unease in relationship with Pakistan also got reflected in the number of visas issued.

Against 52,525 visas issued to Pakistan nationals in 2016, 34,445 were issued in 2017. However, the number of visas issued to Bangladeshi nationals increased to 12,89,332 compared to 9,33,695 in 2016.

The ministry also stepped up efforts to integrate various organs of the criminal justice system such as the police, courts, prisons, prosecution, forensic laboratories, finger prints and juvenile homes with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) database.

Intelligence estimates have put the number of Indians who had gone to fight for the terror group Islamic State after their radicalisation at 30.

The ministry kept a strict tab on the reports about online radicalisation of youth by the Islamic State.

(Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@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.)
US President Donald Trump's administration has decided to renew leases for mining copper and nickel on land bordering a nature reserve in Minnesota, rolling back the environmental regulation put in place by predecessor Barack Obama administration.

The renewed leases will clear the way for carrying on with the extraction plans of Twin Metals Minnesota, a subsidiary of Chilean mining giant Antofagasta PLC, owned by the family of billionaire Andronico Luksic, the administration announced on Saturday.

The company had previously presented a project for mining copper and nickel right next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, an nature reserve with an area of some 450,000 sq.km of lakes and woodland in northern Minnesota near the Canadian border, and protected since 1926.

However, two years ago the Obama government shut those plans down to avoid the risk of irreparable damage to the beautifully preserved Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area from acid mine drainage.

The US press also noted that Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, rent a house from Luksic for $15,000 a month.

Asked about that relationship, a US official denied any connection between the mining leases and the house rental.

In a statement, Twin Metals Minnesota hailed the Trump administration's decision, which it described as "an important first step to ensure the certainty of investments in US mining projects and to reaffirm long-standing property rights and the rule of law".

The area has one of the largest reserves in the world of untapped copper and nickel, the company said upon presenting its project, and has an estimated value of $2.8 billion.

Twin Metals Minnesota promises to invest over $2.8 billion and directly create 650 jobs.

Since his arrival at the White House, Trump has repealed numerous Obama regulations while promising a strong future for the US mining and energy sectors, which he considers asphyxated by the excessive zeal of his predecessor in environmental matters.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to slam two top Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials, the media reported.

"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 wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?" Trump wrote in one tweet on Saturday.

In another tweet, Trump said McCabe "is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!"

McCabe told senior FBI officials months ago that he was planning on retiring in the coming months, informed officials told CNN.

He told senior agents that he was eligible to retire in March. Under FBI rules governing accumulated leave, he may be able to exit earlier. He is not being forced out.

As for the campaign donations, McCabe himself never received any money for his wife Jill McCabe's campaign for state senate.

The criticism of McCabe comes as a growing number of Republicans are questioning the credibility of Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between Trump's team and Russian officials.

Several Republicans, including Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, have called for McCabe's removal.

On Saturday, Trump also took aim at FBI general counsel James Baker, who is being reassigned.

"Wow, 'FBI lawyer James Baker reassigned...,'" Trump tweeted.

Baker was tapped as the FBI's top lawyer by former agency Director James Comey in January 2014.

Baker was recently been caught up in an investigation into a leak involving the FBI, the National Security Agency (NSA), and news reports about surveillance methods used by an email provider.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Activist CEOs  those that take a public stand on political and social issues unrelated to their companys bottom line  are in the news. They certainly are in the US, where CEOs are speaking up  over their governments withdrawal from the Paris Agreement or the White House order on immigration or even personal issues like same sex marriage and the morning after pill. Should they be doing so and do companies benefit from their CEOs taking a public stand on issues that fall outside their realm? Is it the companys view which they are vocalising? And if so, are companies expected to have a conscience  even as people seem not to have one?
The has directed the government to set up fast-track courts that would try criminal cases involving politicians. This was in response to a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) petition that sought to debar anyone with a criminal conviction from participation in politics. The government submitted an affidavit to the court, saying that it would set up 12 special courts exclusively to address criminal cases against members of Parliament and legislative assemblies. This affidavit came in for some criticism in Parliament last week, with some MPs resented singling out politicians. In response to this concern, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that politicians should be like Caesars wife, above reproach. But, while the ministers point is well taken, and the intention of the government to introduce greater accountability and to depoliticise criminal accusations is worthy, the argument being made in favour of fast-track courts is ultimately unpersuasive.
125 YEARS AGO

December 17, 1892: Mrs. C.H. Sproule has been appointed Postmaster at Elko, vice E.E. Bilkey, who was elected County Clerk at the last election.



Attorney Farrington added over 200 new volumes to his already extensive law library last week. He has one of the most complete law libraries in Nevada.



Last Monday night, before the ice was solid, young McIntire, of the express office, inspected the bottom of the river without giving the fish previous notice. When he came out he was a solid chunk of ice. He hasnt thawed out yet.



H.M. Reed and family of Reed Station, were in town yesterday.



W.T. Crane of South Fork, is bringing in some fine beef these days.

100 YEARS AGO

The museum is missing the 1917 newspapers from the Elko Daily Free Press and there is no microfilm for October 1917 through December 1917. Sorry for the omission.

75 YEARS AGO

December 24, 1942: Work on five grade crossing jobs in Elko, which had been moving toward the point where actual work would have begun with the arrival of material here, has been ordered stopped by the WPB, according to word received from Reno today. Frank Depp, highway engineer, said that the crossing signals had been ordered and would have been installed upon their arrival in Elko. However, the order makes it impossible now. Four of the crossings are located in the downtown area of the city, which is intersected by the railroad. These are at Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth streets. The crossing at Ninth street, in the residential area, was also included in the order.

December 28, 1942: Common sense, the patriotism of food merchants and housewives combined today to prevent a serious run for food stuffs, which will be rationed under a point system in February. The government announced Sunday night that nation-wide rationing of all canned, dried and frozen fruits and vegetables will begin in February under a point system designed to insure equitable distribution of diminishing supplies.



Radio owners will be required to turn in their old tubes when purchasing new ones in 1943, the WPB announced today.

December 30, 1942: When flags became available for various organizations to list the names of the members in the service, the Commercial hotel ordered a flag with 25 spaces for stars upon it. Twenty of those spaces have been already taken and indications are that stars will have to be placed on the border before the conflict ends. Heres the complete list of those who have already answered the call: Newton H. Crumley, Jr., Louis Ciro, Robert L. Bob Butler, Harold Akey, James Evans, Robert A. Bob Moore, Mel Clayburn, Jack Berry, Herman I. Owens, Dominick Foretich, Willard Lanyon, Peter Carlson, Jerome Schmitt, Stanley Homecheck, Glenn Jarrett, F.F. Landis, William Owen, Ralph Drown, Joe Maero, Ray Dudley.

50 YEARS AGO

December 27, 1967: Progress is a slow process. Sometime there are abrupt changes, but mostly they are gradual. But there were some notable changes in Elko during 1967 and those could have a marked effect upon the future of the city. Two events at the top of the list is the establishment of the first Community College in Nevada and an almost entirely new city council. Building permits in the city were $1,000,000 with one clinic building completed and another started. There were two new motels in 1967, with an addition to one of these well on the way to completion. Some new residences were erected. The lot west of the Commercial Hotel was cleared of all buildings, an emphasis upon the importance of parking places for business. One of the big stories of the year was the announcement that the J.C. Penny Company would build a new and elaborate store as the hub of a new shopping center, Elkos first. This did not make any immediate change in Elkos business pattern but it will have a marked effect, once the shopping center is completed. One change we look forward to in 1968 is the widening of the Railroad street between Third and Fourth. This seemed fairly well assured in 1967 but it never materialized. Our efforts to make Elko a shopping center for the surrounding area should never falter.

December 30, 1967: E.B. Steninger and Chris H. Sheerin, co-publishers of the Elko Daily Free Press, today announced the sale of the paper and the commercial printing plant operation in conjunction with it. The new owners are Mel Steninger, Elko real estate broker, and Earl Frantzen, business manager of the paper. The sale is effective today and the new owners will publish their first edition Jan. 2, 1968. The building where the paper is printed was not included in the sale, nor was the price disclosed. Publishers Steninger and Sheerin purchased the interest of E.M. Steninger in the newspaper and job shop, December 31, 1945. Each owned a fifth of the business at the time. They have been associated in the business ever since.

25 YEARS AGO

December 17, 1992: Area ranchers today were cooperating with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in operating six cloud seeding generators west of the Ruby Mountains in an effort to boost the ranges snowpack and, thereby, next springs supply of irrigation water. The volunteers include two from Spring Creek, three from Jiggs and one from Halleck. On receiving storm alerts last night from DRI meteorologists, the ranchers turned on the generators, which blow silver iodide particles up into storm clouds. The procedure simulates the natural snow-making process by providing additional microscopic particles necessary for ice crystals to form around.



Bannock Paving was the lowest of seven bidders and was awarded a road construction project that could total $2.82 million. Elko County Commissioners awarded the project yesterday, in spite of pleas by incoming commissioners to hold off. The county plans to put down gravel and a magnesium chloride seal on 6.08 miles of County Road 717 from Jiggs toward Harrison Pass. The U.S. Forest Service also may come up with funds to pave the road. Earlier in the day, incoming commissioners Llee Chapman, Mike Nannini, Roberts Skelton and Barbara Wellington asked the board to put off the bid opening until they could review the project. But outgoing members Ernie Hall and Norm Thompson and holdover Dale Porter refused.

December 18, 1992: Skiers may be able to schuss the SnoBowl as early as Sunday if preparations go well today and tomorrow, said George Lostra of the SnoBowl Committee. The plan right now is that were gonna put the tow up tomorrow, Lostra said. El Aero has offered its helicopter to place the tow and headframe and Hackworth Drilling has offered a grader to open the road. Assuming the SnoBowl opens, Elko Ski Club president Bruce Dayton said an all-day tow ticket will cost $5.
This year started with uncertainty regarding the effects of demonetisation and ends with uncertainty regarding the effects of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Global trade growth rose sharply but export growth remained tepid, although in positive territory over a low base. The World Trade Organization (WTO) adopted a Trade Facilitation Agreement but failed to agree on a declaration at the 11th ministerial conference at Buenos Aires.
The report titled A password to fill up tanks at fuel pumps (December 22) is heartening. Having worked for one of the largest oil companies, way back in the Sixties, I am aware that huge amounts of fuel were being siphoned off from the tankers transiting between terminals and fuel pumps, particularly the ones at what was then known as Palam airport. The stolen ATF (aviation turbine fuel, also known as superior kerosene) would be sold to colluding dealers and, at the airport end, less amount would be pumped into the aircraft than what was billed for.
The vehicle sales of Bajaj Auto and Royal Enfield for November have gone up by 21 per cent year on year. Similarly, Hyundai Motor India, Ford India, Mahindra & Mahindra and some others have registered growth in sales by 10 per cent, 28 per cent and 21 per cent during the period. The auto industry is growing fast and is set to touch 12 per cent of GDP by 2026, as against 7 per cent in 2016. But, sadly the infrastructure has not been growing commensurate with the growth of vehicles.
Five-time legislator Jairam Thakur, who rose from the ranks and is known for his humble, low-profile stature, will be the 13th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, the BJP announced on Sunday.

A decision in this regard was unanimously taken at the BJP Legislative Party meeting where central observers -- Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar were also present along with Union Health Minister J P Nadda and state party in-charge Mangal Pandey.

"Thakur was elected as the BJP legislature party leader in the (Himachal Pradesh) Assembly," Tomar told reporters, adding "no other proposal was made for any other candidate".

Thakur's name was proposed by two-time former Chief Minister P K Dhumal and seconded by Nadda and another two-time Chief Minister Shanta Kumar.

The Chief Minister-elect will meet state Governor Acharya Dev Vrat to formally stake the claim to form the government in the hill state.

In his first remarks after being elected as the BJP legislature party leader, Thakur thanked all party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Nadda, Dhumal and Shanta Kumar.

"We will try to meet the expectations of the people of Himachal Pradesh. Our dream of a Congress-free Himachal Pradesh has been realised," Thakur told reporters.

The BJP took almost a week to decide on the Chief Minister candidate after after its Chief Ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost his election. Several names kept doing rounds for the past few days including Nadda, MLA Suresh Bharadwaj besides Dhumal and Thakur.

Thakur, is turning 53 on January 6, belongs to the Rajput community that has a significant presence in the state.

He won his fifth consecutive assembly election from Seraj, earlier known as Chirchot, in Mandi district, defeating Chet Ram of the Congress. He was a cabinet minister in the previous BJP government in the state led by Prem Kumar Dhumal from 2007 to 2012.

Thakur was known for his proximity with Nadda.

He did his graduation from a college in Mandi town and postgraduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh.

"My son has seen extreme poverty in his childhood," his emotional octogenarian mother Biri Singh told reporters in her ancestral house in Tandi village in the interiors of Mandi district.

Thakur lost his maiden assembly election in 1993. He contested the assembly election in 1998 and since then consecutively won all the five assembly elections with a huge margin.

A senior party leader told IANS Thakur has "suitable credentials" for the post as he has been a member of ABVP, the student wing affiliated to BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The BJP wrested power in Himachal Pradesh from the Congress, winning close to two-thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member assembly.

Thakur emerged as a frontrunner for the post after Dhumal and state party chief Satpal Satti were defeated in the November 9 elections. The poll results were declared on December 18.

The Congress won 21 seats, with its Chief Ministerial candidate. Two seats were won by independents and one by the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
The BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat of bandit Phoolan Devi fame in a bypoll on Sunday by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 per cent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 per cent).

The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes.

Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

While the SP and Congress had contested the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, in an alliance, the two parties had decided to go alone in the bypoll.

The scene turned ugly during the counting of votes today after the SP and Congress candidates and their agents claimed that the seals of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) were broken. They alleged that the authorities had deliberately tampered with the machines to ensure the BJP nominee's win.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ratan Kant Pandey, however, denied that there was any disturbance during the counting of votes.

"The SP and Congress candidates twice attempted to create a nuisance, claiming that the seals of the EVMs were broken. The EVMs had three seals and all of those, including the presiding officer's seal, were intact," he said.

On December 21, braving a cold weather, nearly 53 per cent of the total 3.21 lakh eligible voters had exercised their franchise in the bypoll.

The Sikandra constituency falls under the Kanpur Dehat district, a place which had gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs by "bandit queen" Phoolan Devi and her gang to avenge her rape.

Phoolan Devi had surrendered before the police in 1983. After completing her jail term, she had successfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket and became an MP from Mirzapur. The bandit-turned- politician was shot dead by masked gunmen outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.

The Sikandra bypoll was necessitated following the death of its sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22.

In the Assembly polls, Pal had polled 87,879 votes, defeating his nearest Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rival, Mahendra Katiyar (Bablu), who had secured 49,776 votes.

A total of 12 candidates were in the fray in the bypoll, including five independents.
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamypaid homage to former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M G Ramachandran on the occasion of his 30th death anniversary here today.

Ministers and MLAs of the ruling Congress also paid tributes at the statue of the founder of AIADMK.

Scores of workers of the opposition AIADMK led by the party's legislature wing leader A Anbalagan came in a procession and garlanded the statue of MGR.

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BJP chief Amit Shah today cited his party's win in assembly bypolls to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the opposition's anti- development .

With the Congress not winning any of the five seats in the bypolls, Shah took a dig at it, saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

After putting up a strong fight in Gujarat, where the BJP won its sixth consecutive Assembly election, the Congress had claimed moral victory last week.

Shah, in a series of tweets, said that his party's winning spree has continued after the victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls as it won three of the five by- elections.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district.

The result in Sikandra underlines the support of farmers and villages to the BJP, Shah said, claiming that the BSP's "tacit support" to the SP did not help the opposition.

"BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti- development of the opposition," he said.

The win in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East policy", Shah said.

The BJP will continue to serve the northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen, he said.

"I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of Congress," Shah said.

He also took heart from the rise in BJP's vote share in Sabang in West Bengal, where the party's candidate came third.

Shah claimed that the BJP is fast emerging as an alternative to the "anti-people" Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left front, which he alleged has "ruined" West Bengal.

The TMC, in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In the crucial RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu suffered a major setback with rival faction candidate T T V Dhinakaran winning the prestigious seat, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin.

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Twenty-two years after K Karunakaran was removed as Kerala chief minister in the wake of the ISRO spy case, KPCC president M M Hassan has stirred a hornest's nest by saying Congress leader A K Antony was against the leader's ouster.

A "reluctant" Antony was asked to contest the state Assembly polls by then prime minister Narasimha Rao and was eventually anointed as chief minister, Hassan said in Kozhikode yesterday.

He also said that he "regretted" having worked for the removal of Karunakaran.

Antony, the CWC member and former Union defence minister, did not favour Karunakaran's removal from the post and stated that a demand for change in style of functioning or a warning would have been enough, the KPCC chief said.

"I now regret having acted against Karunakaran. Antony was against removing Karunakaran and he said so to me and Oommen Chandy (former chief minister)," Hassan said at a function held to mark the seventh death anniversary of Karunakaran.

As the remarks created a mild furore, Chandy refused to comment.

Hassan today said that he stood by what he said.

"There is no need to give any other meaning or interpretation to my remarks," he said here.

The ISRO spy case had caused political upheavels in Kerala, leading to the resignation of Karunakaran.

There had been allegations that Karunakaran's bete noire Antony had played a role in removing him as chief minister in 1995.

The espionage case, which hit the headlines in 1994, pertained to charges of transfer of certain confidential documents on India's space programme to other countries by two scientists and four others, including two Maldivian women.

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The Army today bid farewell to four soldiers who were killed in yesterday's ceasefire violation in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

General Officer Commanding of White Knight Corps Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh laid wreaths at a military send-off in Jammu which was attended by senior Army officers, police officers and other ranks, a defence spokesperson said.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, Speaker of legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta and some other ministers of the state also attended the ceremony and paid tributes to the slain soldiers, he said.

Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh said the soldiers' sacrifice would motivate the future generations.

"The nation will remain forever indebted for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty of our heroes," he said.

A separate ceremony was held in Udhampur where GOC-in-C northern command Lt Gen D Anbu laid the wreaths, the spokesman said.

Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas (32) of Maharashtra, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (34) and Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh (30) of Punjab, and Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) of Haryana were killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Keri sector.

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Officials say all four University of Idaho students who were found dead inside a home near campus on Sunday are considered victims in the case, but police have yet to release the cause of death or other details. Mayor Art Bettge said that the deaths were believed to have occurred hours before the bodies were discovered, prompting police to determine there wasn't an active threat to the community. Police found the students dead in a home near the Moscow, Idaho campus. No one had been taken into custody by Monday evening. The university canceled school on Monday and increased campus security, but some students opted to leave for Thanksgiving break early because of safety concerns.
Proper arrangements have been made for the three-day annual 'Shaheedi Jor Mela', which will begin here tomorrow, to mark the martyrdom of the two younger sons of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, authorities said today.

A large number of devotees from all over the country and abroad have started arriving here to pay their obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib for the mela that would run till December 27, they said.

The two younger sons (Sahibzadas) of the 10th Sikh Guru were bricked alive here during the regime of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

While earlier, 'Shahedi Jor Mela' was a purely religious affair, over the years it assumed a political colour.

The three-day religious function would begin with 'Akhand Path' of Guru Granth Sahib at Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup tomorrow, officials of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said.

Till last year various political parties used to organise their political conferences on the second day of the Mela, but while respecting directions of Akal Takht Jathedar, Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, Aam Adami Party, BSP have decided not organise their political conferences this year, they added.

Deputy Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, KanwalpreetBrar saidall necessary arrangements have been made.

All the basic civic amenities like toilets, drinking water and cleanliness would be ensured andenquiry centres and medical teams would work round-the-clock, she said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Fatehgarh Sahib, Alka Meena said that for the first time 150 CCTV cameras and drone cameras have been installed to keep a close watch on the anti-social elements.

She said that the mela has been divided into five sectors and each sector will be headed by an SP-rank officer.

Meena said that 5,500 police personnel from across the state have been put on duty to maintain law and order.

She said that 10 observation posts, seven police help centers, 20 free parking sites and five mobile vans equipped with modern IT technology willpatrol round the clock.

The SGPC said they have made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the mela.

According to SGPC officials, the apex religious body of the Sikhs has been arranging 'deewan', where the Sikh preachers, 'ragis', 'dhadi jathas' will present devotional songs and give the accounts of the Sikh history.

On December 26, a play 'Sirhind Di Diwar' will be presented at Aam Khas Bagh Sirhind from 6 PM to 8 PM. As per district administration authorities,Punjab Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will be chief guest of the function.

On December 27, a Nagar Kirtan would be taken from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib to Gurdwara Jyoti Swaroop, in a decorated 'Palki Sahib' (palanquin).

The SGPC-run Mata Gujri College, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib and students and staff of the other nearby instituteswill participate in the event.

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A Brahmin outfit stepped up its protest against senior BJD leader Damodar Rout today demanding his removal from the party for his alleged derogatory remarks on the community.

They staged a demonstration near Sishu Bhavan square here, under the banner of 'Brahmana Mahasangha', prompting the police to tighten security outside Rout's residence.

The police detained several protesters as a precautionary measure after the agitation against the former minister was intensified amid slogan shouting, a police officer said.

Leaders of the Mahasangha said the agitation would continue to mount pressure on Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik to expel Rout from the ruling party for his remarks against Brahmins.

Rout should also purify himself by shaving his head outside Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri and taking dip in sea besides seek an apology, they said.

Rout, who was the agriculture minister, was dismissed from the council of ministers on December 22 by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The chief minister removed the veteran leader from the post of party vice-president yesterday.

He was also removed from the post of observer of Dhenkanal district.

The opposition BJP has dubbed Patnaik's action against Rout as a political stunt.

BJP state unit spokesperson Sajjan Sharma alleged that the BJD believes in caste and communal and Patnaik has dismissed Rout to mislead people.

Rout was removed from a minister's post following state-wide protests by Brahmins over his remarks against their community during a function in Malkangiri on December 17.

The veteran leader, who represents Paradip in the Assembly, had said, "While no tribal is seen begging in any part of the state, one can spot Brahmins resorting to begging in places such as bus stands".

Brahmins, who constitute about nine per cent of the state's population, had been demonstrating and staging dharnas in different places to press their demand.

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Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today greeted the people of the state on the eve of Christmas.

Extending his greetings and best wishes to the people of Bihar, Governor Malik said in his message that "May Lord Jesus Christ's bless the people of the state with happiness, peace and prosperity. The festival of Christmas spreads the message of tolerance, love and world brotherhood."



In his message, Kumar said that "Lord Jesus Christ spread the message of sacrifice, peace, love and compassion for the welfare of entire mankind. We should try to emulate Lord Christ's teachings in our life."



"We should all celebrate Christmas with love and harmony," Kumar said in a release.

Bihar Congress chief Kaukab Qadri also greeted the people especially the Christians of the state and said that Lord Christ's birth was for the welfare of humanity. He spread the message of love, amity and brotherhood.

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A roadside bomb today exploded near a market, killing three soldiers in Pakistan's restive northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said.

The improvised explosive device blast occurred in Ghulam Khan area of north Waziristan agency.

Frontier Constabulary personnel were patrolling the area when the explosion took place.

Security forces cordoned-off the area and launched a search operation to nab the culprits. A curfew was imposed in the area.

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Noted conservation architect Vikas Dilawari and his team spent over a month removing extraneous elements from the iconic Wellington Fountain in south Mumbai before restoring it to its original glory.

The ornate fountain in Colaba is now gurgling again in all its shimmering splendour. One of the challenges faced by the restorers was removing layers of paint the basalt structure, built in 1860s, was given over the years.

It recently earned an honourable mention in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Dilawari, in his late 40s, is no stranger to UNESCO awards, but he says each recognition motivates him to look at heritage buildings "more humbly".

"Ever since my college days, restoration has excited me more than demolition of a structure. And, the successful projects have not only enriched my experience, but also helped open eyes of people from the government side, local or otherwise, on the value of heritage and its adaptive reuse," he said.

"People generally think old buildings should be just discarded, because that is the ethos in our county. When we restored a hall in the grand Mumbai municipal corporation building, and its glory was revealed again, then the civic officials saw the merit in it," Dilawari told PTI.

The Mumbai-based architect has restored some of the most iconic landmarks of the country's financial capital. This year, Dilawari's painstaking work on Christ Church in Byculla won an Award of Merit. His work on the Bomonjee Hormarjee Wadia Fountain and Clock Tower also earned an honourable mention in the awards announced last month in Bangkok.

Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is one of the oldest cities in India and it is endowed with iconic old public buildings, private mansions and parks and fountains, a lot of which has suffered neglect or erasure.

The Royal Bombay Opera House, one such landmark, had fallen into disrepair and was practically on the verge of collapse when a heroic restoration project brought back its glory in 2016 after seven years of painstaking work.

Mumbai-based conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, who led the restoration project for the former royal family of Gondal, its current owner, says it was "leap of faith" given the myriad challenges they faced.

"We went through old documents and drawings during the planning of the restoration. But, it was the end scene in a 70s Bollywood film which provided us vital clues about its original interior," she told PTI.

A listed heritage building in Baroque style, the Opera House was inaugurated by British monarch, King George V, in 1911 and completed in 1916, and won an Award of Merit from the UNESCO, making it the fourth recognition for Mumbai this year in the Asia Pacific category.

But stories of restoration and challenges involved have come from Delhi and other parts of the country too.

Nestled in a narrow bylane of the Walled City, three- storeyed Haveli Dharampura in Gali Guliyan, a stone's throw from the historic Jama Masjid, was rescued after six years of restoration. It is now a boutique hotel, and has won an honourable mention in the UNESCO awards list.

Union minister Vijay Goel, owner of the haveli, says, "The restoration was a herculean task, but such projects need passion. We hope more people would take up conservation after seeing these success stories.

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The ruling AIADMK today alleged there was a 'tacit understanding' between TTV Dhinakaran and the opposition DMK to defeat it in the RK Nagar bypoll, where the sidelined party leader emerged victorious.

The party is also likely to brainstorm on today's defeat at a meeting here tomorrow.

Party coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswami said DMK, their party's archrival, faced its "worst defeat" in an election to any Assembly segment in Tamil Nadu so far.

The DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh finished third in the bypoll by garnering 24,651 votes, in the process losing deposit.

"The result of the RK Nagar bypoll is an outcome of the tacit understanding between DMK Working President MK Stalin and Dhinakaran," Panneerselvam and Palaniswami said in a joint statement tonight.

It showed how Stalin and Dhinakaran planned to defame party founder, the late MG Ramachandran and late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa by joining hands to "defeat Two leaves," the AIADMK's symbol, they said.

"People are amazed how DMK is pushed to a situation where it could not even get the primary votes it has in RK Nagar. At the same time, they are questioning how DMK can enter into a conspiracy with Dhinakaran to defame Amma," they added.

Stalin had entered into such a "tacit understanding" unmindful of his party's performance as his sole intention was to target the AIADMK government, they alleged.

Taking a swipe at Dhinakaran, the two leaders said he had earlier been dismissed by Jayalalithaa along with other relatives of her confidante VK Sasikala.

They also accused him of "betraying" Jayalalithaa even after her death by allegedly joining hands with DMK.

They cited Dhinakaran's respsonse to the acquittal of DMK leaders Kanimozhi and A Raja, in the 2G spectrum allocation case on December 21, that he was happy for them as they hailed from Tamil Nadu.

"The election outcome shows he (Dhinakaran) received DMK votes as a reward for this. Realising he cannot take on AIADMK and Two Leaves directly, Stalin has diverted his party votes to Dhinakaran," they charged and accused the DMK leader of "betraying" his party.

The two AIADMK leaders also levelled allegations of money distribution against Dhinakaran.

They said Dhinakaran's victory cannot be accepted as the "thought process" of the people of entire Tamil Nadu.

The win achieved by "conspiracy" by Stalin and Dhinakaran will not affect AIADMK nor was it a setback, they said.

They vowed to take forward the "Amma rule" and deliver welfare and commit to upholding Jayalalithaa's fame.

Dhinakaran today won the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes.

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Future of lakhs of business establishments in Delhi has come under threat as many shops have been sealed in several areas of Delhi, CAIT said today while seeking Home Minister Rajnath Singh's intervention in the matter.

Sealing business premises without following mandatory provisions of MCD Act amounts to violation of principle of natural justice, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said.

"Future of lakhs of business establishments in Delhi has come under the threat of same havoc of sealing, which Delhi witnessed from year 2006 to 2008, as the Supreme Court appointed Monitoring Committee has once again become active and so far has sealed many shops in Defence Colony, Chattarpur and other areas of Delhi," Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said in a statement.

The traders' body has written a letter to Singh, seeking his direct interference in the matter and called upon him to ensure passing of The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Third Amendment Bill in the current session of Parliament but before 31 December.

It has also sought an appointment with Singh on the issue. It has sent the same letter to Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri.

As many as 51 commercial units in the posh Defence Colony market in south Delhi were sealed earlier this week for "not depositing" conversion charges as per provisions in the city's Master Plan 2021, according to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

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The CBSE has tied up with the Ramakrishna mission to impart value to its students and make them "awakened" citizens with values of peace, harmony, humility and cooperation.

"Values such as harmony, peace, compassion and humility have for centuries been a part of the discourse of every society of the world and their need and importance is universally accepted and felt.

"With the objective to strengthen, promote and develop cooperation in promoting values education, the Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi has prepared 'Awakened Citizen Programme' for teachers and students," the board said in a letter sent to schools.

This programme is a three-year graded Values programme for students of classes 6-8 (or classes 7-9).

However, the implementation of the programme by schools is voluntary.

"The schools that opt for this programme are required to allot 16 periods per year and are to be committed for a minimum period of three years. As the programme involves initial two days' training of teachers conducted in the school, the schools desirous of enrolling into the programmes will also have to register with the Ramakrishna Mission," the letter added.

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Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has asked the Delhi government to expedite implementation of the projects approved under the Centre's AMRUT scheme and complete them by 2020.

Launched in June 2015, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) aims at ensuring robust sewage networks, water supply and other infrastructures to improve the quality of life of people in urban areas.

In a recent letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kerjriwal, Puri said the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has approved all 'State Annual Action Plans (SAAP)', totalling around Rs 802.31 crore, submitted by the Delhi government in three rounds under the AMRUT.

The ministry has released the first instalment of 20 per cent of the committed central assistance amounting to Rs 160.46 crore, he said.

"Against the total SAAP size of Rs 802.31 crore, projects worth Rs 143 crore only have been awarded so far. With respect to projects worth Rs 397 crore, even detailed projects reports (DPRs) have not been prepared/approved.

"Thus so far, projects for Rs 659 crore have not been awarded. This would mean that 82 per cent of the total SAAP size has not been addressed as yet," Puri said in the letter.

In SAAP-I, which was approved on March 15, 2016, the Delhi government had proposed projects worth Rs 217 crore in water and sewerage sector. However, only two projects, costing Rs 142.11 crore have been awarded so far, Puri said.

Similarly, he said in case of SAAP-II, approved on December 21, 2016, against the proposal of Rs 251 core, no projects have been awarded so far.

Puri said all projects under the AMRUT scheme have to be completed by March 2020 so that the Delhi government can claim full central assistance.

Delay in commencement may result in incomplete projects, depriving Delhi of approved central assistance and also its citizens of the benefits from the projects, he added.

"I solicit your personal attention and intervention in the matter and request you to kindly take full advantage of the fast track approvals and fund release made by the ministry under AMRUT by expediting the implementation of projects in the UT," Puri said.

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China today warned manufacturers of industrial control systems against heavy reliance on foreign technology and asked them to increase localisation.

Vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wang Shengjun, while briefing lawmakers on cyberspace in an official report, said some key industrial control companies not only have their production control systems built by foreign companies.

They also allow related cyberspace security equipment to be foreign-produced and controlled. And worse, even Chinese staff have no permission for configuration and administration, the state-run Xinhua agency reported.

"The localisation rate of equipment and control systems in major industrial companies should increase," Wang said.

The localisation rate of production control systems in key industrial control enterprises falls even below 20 per cent in certain provinces, the official report said.

Wang proposed to intensify efforts in technology research and development to raise the localisation rate gradually in order to improve Chinese companies' control over these important equipment.

China aims to set up an independently controllable technology system to ensure cyberspace security by 2020.

The government initiated a major project to improve cyberspace security in its five-year R&D plan for 2016-2020 period, vowing to inject research funds of about 1.38 billion yuan (about USD 210 million).

Today's report was based on investigations between August and October to assess the Cybersecurity Law that took effect on June 1, and a decision on protection of online information, the Xinhua reported.

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A police constable was killed and two policemen were injured when the car carrying them collided with a pick up van coming from the opposite direction in Rohtas district, police said today.

The accident occurred on NH 2 near Tekari village late last night.

Sasaram Sub-Divisional Police Officer Alok Ranjan said the constable who succumbed to wounds in the early hours today has been identified as Srikant Prasad Yadav (45), a resident of Bakhtiyarpur of Patna district.

While one of the injured policeman Thakur Gautam Kumar has been referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital, another constable Parshuram Singh is undergoing treatment at the sadar hospital in Sasaram.

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A newly-elected BJP corporator has demanded that night shelters set up by municipal bodies during winters be named after Atal Behari Vajpayee, who represented the city in Parliament, ahead of the former prime minister's birthday tomorrow.

Dilip Srivastava, the corporator from Maithilisharan Gupt ward, also said he would distribute saffron shawls, blankets and woollen clothes here through an NGO on the occasion, adding that saffron colour signifies "warmth" and these clothes would be "instrumental in combating the chill".

"He is a man of masses and known for his political convictions. It would be a true acknowledgement to the stalwart leader, if the shelter homes put up by various municipal corporations across the state are named after him. They should be called 'Atal Rain Basera'," Srivastava told PTI.

"A letter in this regard has been sent to the office of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath requesting him to rename the winter shelter homes after the former prime minister who had represented Lucknow in the Lok Sabha," he added.

Copies of the letter were also sent to UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey, Urban Development Minister Suresh Khanna, UP BJP general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal and the Lucknow mayor.

When asked what prompted him to offer this suggestion, Srivastava said, "Atalji was always concerned for the welfare and upliftment of the poor, and the homeless. This is a small step in acknowledging the vision and concern which he had for the downtrodden."



"A special puja will also be organised on December 25 for speedy recovery of Atalji and Sundar Kaand will be recited. A bhog of 93 kg boondi (sweet) will be offered during the puja, and 93 lamps lit on this occasion," he said.

Vajpayee was elected to Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. He is the first and the only non- Congress leader who completed his full term as prime minister.

Born in 1924, he entered politics during the Quit India movement in 1942. He was also the first external affairs minister to deliver a speech in the UN Assembly in Hindi.

Meanwhile, Vajpayee's birthday would bring cheers to 93 prisoners who would be set free by the Yogi Adityanath-led government tomorrow. These convicts are lodged in different jails of the state and their names were chosen from a list of prisoners who have completed their tenure in jail.

"It has been decided to set free 93 prisoners convicted in different cases on the birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. These prisoners have completed their tenure but could not be released due to non-payment of fine imposed on them," Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said.

In an order issued here, he directed the prisons department to ensure that the fine is paid by NGOs, trusts and others, after verifying their credentials.

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Counting of votes for the RK Nagar bypoll, the outcome of which can have a bearing on political equations in Tamil Nadu, began here today.

The seat was represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The counting began by 8 am at Queen Mary's College here and the process is expected to be completed in 19 rounds.

As many as 200 officials drawn from both Central and State government services have been deputed for the exercise.

Tight security is in place with state and Central Armed Police Forces personnel providing multi-layered security.

The outcome of the result is crucial for all key contenders - the ruling AIADMK, rival leader T T V Dhinakaran, and the main opposition DMK.

Unfazed by some exit polls indicating an edge for rival AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, both AIADMK and DMK have expressed confidence that they would win the seat.

For the ruling regime helmed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam, it will be seen as an acid test of whether voters prefer them after the demise of their formidable leader late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

For Dhinakaran, who claims to represent the welfare legacy of Jayalalithaa, the bypoll success is a veritable springboard for his future political aspirations.

Success for an aggressive DMK is critical as it would lend credence to its campaign line that the people were fed up with the incumbent "horse-trading" regime and wanted to bring it to the seat of power for dispensing good governance.

The DMK has been bolstered with the support of some more parties, including the Left, MDMK and VCK.

A win in this bypoll could help it project itself as a much more redoubtable key opposition party.

While there are 18 micro observers drawn from Central government services, each of the 14 counting tables will be monitored by one of them, according to election authorities.

The entire counting process is being videographed and arrangements have been made to announce the results after conclusion of counting of each round.

The bypoll held on December 21 had seen a record 77.68 per cent voter turnout.

There are 59 candidates in the fray, but the fight is essentially a triangular one, with key contenders being ruling AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan, main opposition DMK candidate N Maruthu Ganesh and Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent.

The ruling AIADMK got back its Two Leaves election symbol back following merger of factions led by Palaniswami and former rebel O Panneerselvam.

The 2015 R K Nagar bypoll in which Jayalalithaa was elected by a huge margin of 1.5 lakh votes for the first time in this segment had witnessed a record 75 per cent turnout.

R K Nagar, represented twice by Jayalalithaa, has an electorate of 2,28,234, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders.

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High-end leather products retailer Da Milano is eyeing Rs 300 crore turnover and plans to open 150 new outlets across the country for its three brands in three years.

"We are looking at a turnover of Rs 300 crore by fiscal 2020-21. We will grow our business through our network of retail stores and focus on customer loyalty and satisfaction," Da Milano Managing Director Sahil Malik told PTI.

Da Milano expects to close the current fiscal year with turnover of Rs 200 crore.

The company currently operates 70 stores in India and six abroad. It is also looking at expanding its overseas operations and plans to open stores in Singapore and London by next fiscal.

Da Milano recently opened its new store in Dubai.

"We expect overseas operations to contribute to our turnover in a big way. We are a affordable luxury leather brand and the price points at which offer our products makes the brand attractive," Malik said.

Da Milano sells three brands -- Da Milano, Rosso Brunello and Wooba.

"We plan to open 150 stores across our three brands in three years time," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thick fog today disrupted flights at major airports in the United Arab Emirates as thousands of foreign residents rushed to travel home for Christmas and the New Year.

Dozens of flights were cancelled, diverted or delayed at the three main airports in the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

At the Dubai airport, one of the busiest in the world, at least 17 flights were cancelled, as visibility dropped to just 100 metres in some areas of the emirate.

At least another 100 incoming flights were either diverted to nearby airports or delayed, according to the flight schedule at the airport.

Dubai airport is a major transit hub, and thousands of tourists are expected to visit the United Arab Emirates for the end-of-year festivities.

Dubai carrier Emirates Airlines, which has a fleet of over 250 large planes, said it has cancelled 10 flight departures.

The fog has engulfed most of the country since Friday, but it intensified overnight as relative humidity soared to 95 percent amid cold winter weather.

Police warned motorists to be extremely cautious when driving in the fog, which the UAE weather centre has said is likely to continue until the end of the day.

The United Arab Emirates has a native population of just one million against nine million foreigners, most of them from the Indian subcontinent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government has decided to conduct detailed topographic and hydrographic surveys of all water bodies, drains and rivers in the national capital for their revival.

The Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi government has engaged four firms to assist its officials in the exercise.

A senior department official said the move is intended to know exact topography and hydrography of water bodies, river and drains and also the construction activities in their vicinity.

"After the survey, a comprehensive plan will be made to revive water bodies across the national capital," the official said.

Last year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had asked the then water minister Kapil Mishra to prepare a blueprint to revive the water bodies.

According to the official, executive engineers ofthe Irrigation and Flood Control Department have been asked to take the help of four empanalled firms to conduct this survey.

"All the executive engineers have been asked to execute the work of topographic and hydrographic survey of water bodies, drains, rivers and all other construction activities through these four empanelled firms," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu today suffered a major setback with rival faction candidate T T V Dhinakaran winning the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin, while the BJP wrested two seats from the Congress in Arunachal Pradesh and retained one in UP.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by a gang led by bandit Phoolan Devi.

Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed leader V K Sasikala, defeated his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK by 40,707 votes, election officials said. Polling for the seat was held on December 21.

The bypoll in the Assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of J Jayalalithaa in December last. The late Tamil Nadu chief minister was elected from the RK Nagar seat in north Chennai.

Dhinakaran surpassed the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. While he polled 89,013 votes, Madhusudhanan secured 48,306. DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh came a distant third with 24,651 and lost his deposit, as also 57 others, including the BJP nominee.

He contested as an independent on the pressure cooker symbol after the Election Commission allotted the 'two leaves' symbol to the factions led by K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The two factions had merged in August this year after deposing Dhinakaran and Sasikala, who is serving a four-year jail term in a Bengaluru prison in a corruption case.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed BJP victories in UP and Arunachal Pradesh and said his party is committed to serving the country's villages.

He also expressed happiness over the party's improved performance in the West Bengal by-election.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent.

B R Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy chief minister, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after state minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4. The bypoll in Pakke- Kessang was held after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency polls null and void.

In West Bengal's Sabang seat, while TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP polled 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick got 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll came in the wake of former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defecting to the TMC earlier this year. He is a Rajya Sabha member.

The biggest jolt was to the Congress, which not only lost one of its citadels to the TMC, but also finished a distant fourth in the bypoll. Sabang has been a Congress stronghold since 1957.

The results came as a booster for the TMC and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, ahead of the panchayat polls and two by-elections -- in Noapara Assembly constituency and Uluberia Lok Sabha seat -- due early next year. The bypoll was necessitated after former Congress MLA.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party, bagged 61,423 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

The Sikandra bypoll was held following the death of sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22.

While the SP and the Congress had allied for the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, they had parted ways in the bypoll.

Phoolan Devi, who had surrendered before the police in 1983, had successfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket and became an MP from Mirzapur. The bandit- turned-politician was shot dead by masked gunmen outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a blow to the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, rival faction candidate today won the prestigious RK Nagar Assembly bypoll, bettering J Jayalalithaa's margin, while the BJP wrested two seats from the Congress in Arunachal Pradesh and retained one in UP.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district, a place which gained notoriety after the 1981 Behmai massacre of 21 upper caste Rajputs allegedly by a gang led by bandit Phoolan Devi.

Dhinakaran, the 54-year-old nephew of jailed leader V K Sasikala, defeated his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the AIADMK by 40,707 votes, election officials said.

Polling for the five seats was held on December 21.

The bypoll in the RK Nagar Assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of J Jayalalithaa in December last. The late Tamil Nadu chief minister was elected twice from the north Chennai seat.

Dhinakaran surpassed the record of Jayalalithaa, who had won by a margin of 39,545 votes in the 2016 Assembly polls. While he polled 89,013 votes, Madhusudhanan secured 48,306. DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh came a distant third with 24,651 and lost his deposit, as also 57 others, including the BJP nominee.

He contested as an independent on the pressure cooker symbol after the Election Commission allotted the 'two leaves' symbol to the factions led by K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

The two factions had merged in August this year after deposing Dhinakaran and Sasikala, who is serving a four-year jail term in a Bengaluru prison in a corruption case.

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed BJP victories in UP and Arunachal Pradesh and said his party is committed to serving the country's villages.

He also expressed happiness over the party's improved performance in the West Bengal by-election.

BJP chief Amit Shah cited his party's win in the assembly bypolls to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the opposition's "anti-development" politics.

With the Congress not winning any of the five seats in the bypolls, Shah took a dig at it, saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent.

B R Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy chief minister, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhattacharjee said.

In the Likabali, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest.

The Likabali seat had fallen vacant after state minister Jomde Kena passed away on September 4. The bypoll in Pakke- Kessang was held after the Gauhati High Court declared the election of Dolo from the constituency polls null and void.

In West Bengal's Sabang seat, while TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP polled 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick got 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

The bypoll came in the wake of former Congress MLA Manas Bhunia defecting to the TMC earlier this year. He is a Rajya Sabha member.

The biggest jolt was to the Congress, which not only lost one of its citadels to the TMC, but also finished a distant fourth in the bypoll. Sabang had been a Congress stronghold since 1957.

The results came as a booster for the TMC and the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, ahead of the panchayat polls and two by-elections in Noapara Assembly constituency and Uluberia Lok Sabha seat due early next year.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party, bagged 61,423 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

The Sikandra bypoll was held following the death of sitting BJP MLA, Mathura Prasad Pal, on July 22.

While the SP and the Congress had allied for the state Assembly polls, held earlier this year, they had parted ways in the bypoll.

Phoolan Devi, who had surrendered before the police in 1983, had successfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket and became an MP from Mirzapur. The bandit- turned-politician was shot dead by masked gunmen outside her Delhi residence on July 25, 2001.

(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.)
Rival AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran today surged ahead with a significant lead against AIADMK and DMK candidates in the RK Nagar bypoll, and claimed victory from the prestigious segment represented by late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

As soon as he registered a lead of about 20,000 votes against his AIADMK rival E Madusudhanan, Dhinakaran, contesting as an independent, visited the memorials of party stalwarts--the late M G Ramachandran (party founder) and Jayalalithaa--at the Marina Beach and paid floral tributes.

He also prostrated at Jayalalithaa's mausoleum.

At the end of the eighth round, Dhinakaran bagged 39,548 votes, about 20,000 more than Madhusudanan who got 19,525. DMK's N Maruthu Ganesh got 10,233 votes.

A beaming Dhinakaran told reporters in Madurai, "We are the true AIADMK...people of RK Nagar have elected Amma's successor".

The surging leads show that people want change of regime, he said, taking a dig at the AIADMK government headed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

"During my recent visits to various parts of Tamil Nadu such as Avinashi (Tirupur) and Arumanai (Kanyakumari), people said the 'pressure cooker' (his poll symbol at RK Nagar) will win. They want a change of this regime," Dhinakaran said.

Claiming victory, the rebel leader said, "This is the best gift for the 1.5 crore party supporters" on the 30th death anniversary of party founder Ramachandran, fondly addressed as MGR.

On the AIADMK party symbol issue wherein the Election Commission awarded it to the Palaniswamy-led camp recently, Dhinakaran said only a candidate determines the symbol.

"We are the true AIADMK. A candidate determines the symbol. I have already said the 'two leaves' will be a success symbol only if it was with Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR) and Amma (Jayalalithaa). Will the people vote if it is handed over to M N Nambiar and P S Veerappa," he asked, amidst chuckles from his supporters.

Nambiar and Veerappa are famous yesteryear villains, with the former being cast against MGR in many of the matinee idol's films.

Dhinakaran said the Palaniswami government will "end in three months".

Dhinakaran later returned to Chennai and was given a rousing reception at the airport by his supporters, even as scores of well-wishers thronged his Adyar residence.

Jubilant supporters celebrated by distributing sweets and bursting crackers, while exuding confidence that their leader would triumph with a thumping margin.

Earlier, counting of votes suffered a temporary disruption following an alleged altercation between supporters of Dhinakaran and Madhusudhanan.

A senior electoral official said the "altercation caused disruption," even as the two sides charged each other with roughing up counting agents.

Another official said the police restored peace and that the second round of counting was on.

"Police restored peace, Nothing alarming. Compilation of the second round going on," he said.

The counting of votes is on progress at a women's college amid tight security.

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Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday slammed Lalu Prasad for comparing himself with Nelson Mandela and B R Ambedkar, saying they made sacrifices in interest while the RJD chief was in jail for corruption.

The Lok Janshakti Party chief said Prasad had insulted stalwarts like Ambedkar by comparing himself with them and asked if the was a scam of the poor or the powerful people.

Defending his ally BJP, which has been accused by Prasad of conspiring to put him behind bars, Paswan said the allegations amounted to an insult of the judiciary as he has been convicted by a court not the saffron party.

"Lalu ji you should not blame the BJP for everything to hide your sin. You should also not compare yourself with Martin Luther King, Mandela or Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They made sacrifices in the interest. You are in jail for corruption, which is against interest," Paswan said on Twitter.

The LJP chief, who was an ally of Prasad earlier, said the RJD chief and his supporters may make a lot of noise but his crimes cannot be brushed under the carpet.

A CBI court had yesterday convicted Prasad in a corruption case involving the . He blamed the BJP for the development, accusing it of a conspiracy to put him behind bars.

Soon after the verdict, a post on Lalu Prasad's Twitter handle had read, "Powerful people and powerful classes always managed to divide society into ruling and the ruled classes. And whenever anyone from the lower hierarchy challenged this unjust order, they would be deliberately punished."



Another tweet had said, "Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and casteist minds. No one should expect any different treatment.
Mental wellbeing of prospective parents seeking to adopt a child from India will now be an important criterion for determining their eligibility with the nodal body for adoption in the country amending its rules following the death of an India-born girl in the US.

The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has asked its partner agencies globally to ensure that applicants who want to adopt a child from India undergo a psychological evaluation by a licensed practitioner in order to determine their "stress and frustration tolerance".

The instructions follow the death of three-year-old Sherin Mathews in the Texan city of Richardson allegedly from choking after her adoptive father "physically assisted" her with drinking milk.

The girl was adopted in July 2016 from Bihar by Indian- American parents. The adoptive father, Wesley Mathews, is under arrest on the charge of injury to a child, punishable up to life in prison.

In an order last month, the CARA asked the nodal bodies responsible for adoption in different countries such as Authorised Foreign Adoption Agencies (AFAAs) and Central Authorities (CAs) to assess the psychological health of parents who wish to adopt when they meet them to prepare their Home Study Reports (HSRs) and determine their eligibility.

"We would request that for ensuring the best interest of the child being placed in adoption all HSRs being prepared for PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) should incorporate assessment related to psychological profiling, details pertaining to non-family stakeholders and any other relevant feedback on these aspects in order to have better suitability checks of PAPs," according to a circular signed by Lt Col Deepak Kumar, CEO, CARA.

A Home Study Report is prepared for all applicants who register for adoption on the CARA's website. A social worker meets these prospective parents to determine their suitability for adoption and collects details about their social, economic and health status as well as family background.

A subsequent communication dated December 20, which amends the format for home study report to conform with the order, says that a psychological evaluation has to be carried out by a "licensed/ trained practitioner".

"A psychological evaluation will include a detailed interview by a psychologist for 30-45 minutes. The interview should be focused on PAPs motivation for adoption, temperament for PAPs, stress tolerance, frustration tolerance, emotional stability, decision-making and future plans," it adds.

The notice also prescribes three specific tests that a parent should be subjected to.

"Looking at the Sherin Mathews case we found that even though the AFAA submitted regular follow-up reports, there was something amiss which was not observed. Therefore, we felt that it is important to have a psychological evaluation of parents who want to adopt a child," Deepak Kumar told PTI.

The norms have been amended only for "inter-country adoption" or adoption by overseas applicants.

"When a child goes out of the country we need to take some extra measures because he/she is permanently going to a different country and gets a new citizenship, while in case of domestic adoptions, the post-adoption assessments are carried out by our own agencies and we can take control of the child if there is a wrongdoing," Kumar added.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also made its passport norms stricter for adopted children. Parents who apply for a passport for an adopted child will have to procure a "conformity certificate" from the CARA after a court issues an order legalising adoption.

This certificate will be in addition to the no-objection certificate issued by the nodal body at the time of matching a child from the adoption pool with the prospective parents.

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The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) plans to project powerful laser beams in the sky to shed more light on the composition of pollutants present in the air of the Delhi-NCR but the proposal has hit a financial roadblock.

The apex pollution regulator has drafted a proposal to mount five LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) equipment across the region which will essentially act as pollution monitoring towers.

Officials, who are in the know, said the plan was drawn up last year itself, however, it has not made much progress so far due to monetary constraints.

"LIDAR projects laser beams towards the sky. Subsequently, the interplay of light with the objects falling on its path through absorption, reflection, scattering help determine the composition of particulates by studying the wavelengths," an official said, wishing to remain anonymous.

The project document pegged the cost of each such device at Rs 60-70 lakh. The plan was to install five such devices for the time being.

The devices may also help determine the trajectory of the pollutants present in the upper layers of the atmosphere, which are not always possible through the conventional surface-level monitoring.

"It becomes easier to pinpoint the source of pollutants through this technique," a CPCB scientist said.

In fact, Nepal already has a facility of vertical monitoring of air under a United Nations-funded project to study the transboundary nature of pollutants.

India had seven stations along its eastern and western borders under a similar project, an offshoot of the Male declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia.

But even in this case, "fund crunch" has forced India to abandon the project, the scientist said.

"In such a situation, it would not be fair to expect comprehensive pollution data. We need to put in place a diverse monitoring network and that requires money. And CPCB with an annual budget of around Rs 40 crore for air pollution monitoring is not in a position to deliver," the official said.

But there have been a few findings in the recent past which point towards the need for such advanced monitoring.

A team of CPCB scientists have found that air-borne particles from the salt mines of Afghanistan are pushing up the levels of air pollutants, especially PM2.5, in Delhi.

Winds are carrying the salt particles from those areas of Afghanistan which have large salt pans.

Last month, the Centre-run pollution monitoring agency, SAFAR, had identified a West Asian dust storm as the chief trigger behind the November smog episode in the Delhi-NCR.
The Centre has expressed concern over difficulties faced by women in accessing money awarded to them as maintenance by courts, urging the judiciary and state governments to monitor disbursal of funds in such cases.

In a letter to chief justices of various high courts, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the issue of "procedural delays" has also been flagged by his cabinet colleague and Woman and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi.

"All the stakeholders, the Government of India, the judiciary, legal services authorities and state governments need to take collective responsibility for ensuring that institutional mechanisms, such as the proposed committee comprising district judge and Superintendent of Police, work seamlessly to provide justice to women," read the letter.

The law minister also urged the judiciary to advise district courts to monitor timely disbursal of maintenance and speedy execution of warrants awarded by the court in collaboration with state police forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur today staked his claim to form the government in Himachal Pradesh following which Governor Acharya Devvrat has invited him to do so.

Governor Devvrat today invited Chief Minister designate Jai Ram Thakur to form the government in Himachal Pradesh, a Raj Bhawan release said.

Earlier, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti and the newly elected leader of BJP Legislative Party Thakur, along with other senior BJP leaders called on the governor at Raj Bhavan and handed over a letter to him, staking claim to form the government.

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Actor Priyanka Chopra says she is heartbroken as she could not be present at the convocation ceremony at Barielly International University, where she was supposed to receive an honorary doctorate.

The 35-year-old actor was scheduled to arrive in her hometown today but could not land at the airport due to the fog.

"I am heartbroken that I will not be able to attend the convocation ceremony and receive my honorary doctorate in person at the Bareilly International University today.

"We've been at the airport since this morning waiting for clearance from the ATC. My team had also explored all other possible options to get there but the fog has put to rest all plans for today," Priyanka said in a statement.

This could have been the actor's first visit to the city after a gap of almost five years.

"I was really looking forward to going back to Bareilly... Not just to receive the honorary doctorate but also to see old friends and family and just reconnect with a city that has been such an important part of my life," she added.

The ceremony was to be attended by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal.

Priyanka also expressed gratitude to the university for understanding the situation.

"I want to thank the University for being so understanding and amazing and I would to wish every graduate all the very best as they set forth on a new journey. I will see you all again very soon," she said.

Priyanka, who was in New Delhi yesterday for a UNICEF event, had shared her excitement on receiving the doctorate and visiting Bareilly.

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Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has lauded the trailer of Rani Mukherji's upcoming film "Hichki" and the actor says the film is an example that the new generation is eager to create something "different".

The 75-year-old actor took to Twitter to praise the effort by director Sidharth P Malhotra and also shared the link of the recently released first trailer of the film.

"A link to the creative agenda of this generation, of doing different, working different, achieving different. From a generation that thinks different! My wishes as ever @sidpmalhotra," Bachchan wrote.

The Yash Raj Films project marks Rani's first after giving birth to daughter Adira.

Rani, 38, who is married to Aditya Chopra, was last seen in 2014 film "Mardaani," in which she played a cop.

According to the makers, the movie is a positive and inspiring story about a woman who turns her biggest weakness into her strength.

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The family of a 29-year-old man from Hyderabad, who died in a road accident in New Zealand, has requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to help bring his body back.

Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad, who was studying in Auckland, New Zealand, also worked as a part-time taxi driver there, his family members said.

A relative living in Australia informed them yesterday morning that a drunk driver jumped a traffic signal at a high speed and rammed into Fahad's car, killing the latter on the spot, the deceased's cousin, Faizal, told PTI.

The family, which lives in the Chanchalguda area here, has appealed to Swaraj to help bring Fahad's body to Hyderabad at the earliest and also for financial assistance, he said.

"We have contacted the officials at the Indian embassy (in New Zealand) also," Faizal added.

Telangana BJP president K Laxman also requested Swaraj for help in this regard.

"Madam @SushmaSwaraj Ji, Syed Abdul Raheem Fahad aged 29 years R/o Hyderabad died in a road accident in Auckland, New Zealand. Kindly help to bring back body to India. Thank you (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.

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India Sotheby's International Realty, which is into advisory services for luxury properties, has raised USD 2 million from high net worth individual to expand its operations in Bengaluru, Kolkata and Gurgaon as it expects demand for premium housing to rise.

The company, an exclusive master franchisee of US-based Sotheby's International Realty, had few months back entered into an equity deal with Bennett Coleman and Company Ltd (BCCL) worth USD 7 million.

"We have raised USD 2 million from HNI. The fund will be used for expansion in three new cities. We currently have presence in Delhi and Mumbai," India Sotheby's International Realty CEO Amit Goyal told PTI.

The company would also increase headcount to about 50 from the current around 30, he said, adding that the company plans to set up India desk at Singapore, New York and Canada to market Indian properties among NRIs.

Goyal said the company has facilitated about 70 property transactions, with an average ticket price of Rs 11 crore, this year with an annual growth of 30-40 per cent. The target is to reach the average ticket price of Rs 13-14 crore.

Asked about luxury real estate market, Goyal said this is the right time to buy premium properties as prices have stabilised after falling 25-35 per cent across major cities.

"As the affluent Indians increasingly make their presence felt across the globe and seek consultants who are insightful, trust-worthy and advise on their needs, we step in with our global expertise of managing the top of the pyramid," Goyal said.

The company's President Ashwin Chadha said: "With additional investments comes greater responsibility and we are fully aware of that as we look at fast emerging as the most preferred partner in the space of luxury real estate."



India Sotheby's International Realty has recently opened office in Mumbai to cater demand of luxury real estate for West India HNIs. It has hired experienced professionals from a mix of real estate, banking and the luxury segment to drive their Mumbai operations.

Sotheby's is a 270 year old world-renowned brand that is synonymous with luxury, with interests in areas like auction, diamonds, wine and real estate.

Sotheby's International Realty operates a global network of over 21,000 agents across 71 countries with 900 offices with a unique online platform to support. In 2016, the brand achieved a record global sales volume of USD 95 billion.

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Fashions is looking to be a Rs 1,000 crore firm by FY21 as the company is expanding its sales network and reach, particularly in north and eastern region, said a top company official.

Besides, the Chennai-based firm is expecting its kids- wear brand India Terrain Boys to grow four times to Rs 200 crore in next three years and higher contribution from accessories to its bottom line.

"We have a target of Rs 1,000 crore revenue by FY 2020- 21, which we are well on the way to achieve it," Chairman & MD Venky Rajagopal told PTI.

He further added: "Our gross revenue this year (fiscal) would be around Rs 700 crore and we are growing with a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of over 20 per cent".

The company has launched India Terrain Boys two years ago to focus on the fast growing kids' branded clothing segment.

"Its only been four seasons but it already have Rs 50 crore revenue and we have barely pushed its distribution. In the next three years, it going to be a Rs 200 crore brand," Rajagopal added.

Besides, the company also expect that its accessories segment will contribute more in the coming years as it is expanding its distribution and add more to the bottom line.

The company will also ramp up its distribution network in north, east and north-east region where the company feels that it has opportunity to enhance its presence in existing places and explore new cities as well.

Presently, 40 per cent of Indian Terrain's revenue comes from South India, 20 per cent each from west and north, and rest from 20 per cent from eastern region and online sales.

"Being a South based brand, our best performance is in South and next is West. North India is barely penetrated for us. We have good presence in Delhi and Punjab but there are areas where we have lot of distribution opportunities," he Rajagopal.

Online sales presently contribute 3 to 4 per cent of its total revenue, he added.

"The percentage of growth would be much faster in north and east but in absolute terms it would take some time as the base is small there," Rajagopal said adding that "in next 3-4 years, north would contribute much bigger percentage".

The company is now planning for big push in the denim segment.

On being asked on foray into overseas market, he said: "There is enough opportunity for to grow because the opportunity to distribute exists."



The company presently spends 5 to 6 per cent of its total turnover on branding/marketing.

Indian Terrain has a network of around 1,000 point of sales in which 140 are company-owned-company-operated and 320 are large format stores and other 500 are multi branded outlets.
Each new year holds the promise of a fresh beginning. And a fresh start is exactly what the USD 10 billion revenue Infosys -- once considered the IT bellwether -- and its two lakh workforce now need after a stormy 2017.

With its new CEO Salil Parekh taking charge on January 2, Infosys will certainly hope to turn the page in the coming year as it seeks to move on from the year-long, public standoff between its high-profile promoters and the past leadership that kept it in the spotlight for most of 2017.

The initial cracks between the founders and past leadership emerged when co-founder N R Narayana Murthy raised questions about severance pay promised to former key executives like Rajiv Bansal and flagged irregularities in Infosys' USD 200 million Panaya acquisition.

Murthy, the man who put India on the global outsourcing map, alleged that Infosys had strayed from the path of the golden governance that it was once known for.

Joining the chorus were former Infosys honchos T V Mohandas Pai and V Balakrishnan, who added further pressure, questioning the IT major on its capital allocation policy.

To address concerns around capital allocation, Infosys announced a mega buyback plan of up to Rs 13,000 crore, a first in its over three-decade history.

Things took an ugly turn as early as February, when an anonymous letter was received by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission that alleged irregularities in the Panaya acquisition by Infosys.

The letter hinted that the deal was overvalued and that some Infosys executives may have benefited from the transaction.

While allegations and counter-allegations flew thick and fast in the next few months, it was in August when the then CEO Vishal Sikka put in his papers citing slander.

Sikka refrained from naming anyone but said the decision stemmed from the "malicious" and "personal attacks" on him.

The Infosys Board, at that time, rushed to Sikka's defence but it was a matter of one more week that R Seshasayee (then Chairman) and two other Board members also relinquished their positions.

This set the stage for the return of co-founder Nandan Nilekani at the helm of affairs at Infosys that has over 2 lakh employees.

Nilekani, who had himself served as the CEO between 2002 -2007, this time took on the mantle of non-executive chairman to steer the company away from the controversies that had impacted investor sentiment.

Interestingly, Infosys' Board -- under Nilekani's leadership -- gave a clean chit to the Panaya deal saying there was no merit in the allegations of wrongdoing.

The company has also filed a settlement application with the capital markets watchdog SEBI to resolve the charges arising out of alleged disclosure lapses on the severance package paid to Bansal (former CFO).

Nilekani was also mandated with finding a new CEO for Infosys, a task that was completed earlier this month.

Industry watchers say that Parekh is someone who not only has the experience of handling a global tech enterprise but is also known as a 'turnaround manager'.

The fact that Murthy has welcomed Parekh's appointment shows that the former Capgemini executive is a leader acceptable to the founders.

Infosys seems to have found an ideal match in Parekh against all odds. He has in-depth experience of the North American and European market and is also adept in handling large acquisitions, making him the perfect candidate for the role.

Experts believe he may have to work overtime to ensure that order is restored at the over USD 10 billion revenue company that was once the poster boy for the Indian outsourcing industry.

While ensuring that peace prevails between the founders and new management, Parekh will also have to tackle external challenges like increased visa scrutiny in key markets like the US and a tougher macro environment.

It will also be a tightrope walk for the 53-year old executive, who will have to drive the innovation agenda at Infosys as words like automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning become a part of everyday parlance.

Under Sikka, Infosys had set its eyes on achieving USD 20 billion revenue by 2020.

While the previous management did refer to the target as "ambitious", it was confident of reaching the milestone on the back of acquisitions and investments in new-age technologies.

The roadmap that Parekh sets on would be keenly watched, not just by investors but the industry as a whole as Infosys reboots to bring back its lost glory.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today greeted people on the eve of Christmas.

In his message, the governor said the teachings of Jesus Christ, the apostle of peace, compassion and brotherhood, have guided human beings on the path of righteousness.

He observed that the message of Lord Christ is perhaps more relevant today than ever before, when the world is faced with increasing hatred, intolerance and violence.

Vohra expressed hope that this joyous occasion would strengthen the bonds of communal harmony, brotherhood, amity, and re-invigorate the secular and pluralistic traditions for which Jammu and Kashmir was known in the centuries gone by.

The Governor wished the people a bright and merry Christmas and prayed for peace, progress and prosperity in the state.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in her message, hoped that the occasion would be a harbinger of communal harmony, love for humanity and compassion for all across the world.

"Such occasions remind us to rekindle the spirit of harmony, brotherhood and lead a virtuous life," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five-time MLA will be the 14th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh and will be sworn-in on December 27 at a star-studded ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah among others.

The 52-year-old Thakur leader edged past party stalwarts in the race to the top office and will be the first leader from the politically-significant Mandi region to helm the hill state.

Thanking the party leadership and workers after his election Thakur said that swearing in ceremony would take place on December 27.

Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who along with Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as a central observer by the BJP, announced that Thakur was chosen to be the next chief minister as thousands of party workers began celebrating.

The Seraj MLA, a throughbred RSS man, emerged as the frontrunner for the top post after the shock defeat of BJP's chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal in the state Assembly polls, the results of which were announced last week.

A former chief minister, Dhumal, was still in the reckoning for the chief minister's post till last night, when he opted out. Union minister J P Nadda was another top contender.

Thakur, a former state unit chief and rural development and panchayati raj minister in a government headed by Dhumal, was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party today.

The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP MLAs.

His name was proposed by senior leaders Suresh Bhardwaj and Mahender Singh and seconded by others.

"It is expected that Thakur will take oath as the state's next CM on December 27 at a ceremony where Prime Minister Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and a galaxy of top leaders would be present," a source said.

Thakur along with senior party leaders handed a letter staking his claim to form the government in Himachal Pradesh to Governor Acharya Devvrat who invited him to do so.

The five time MLA will be the first chief minister from Mandi, the second largest district of the state. Himachal's chief ministers and political leaders mostly belong to or hailed from Shimla, Kangra and Sirmour districts.

Mandi has 10 Assembly seats, second only to Kangra's 15.

In this election, the BJP put up a stellar show in Mandi, winning 9 of the district's 10 seats.

Seen largely as a low-profile man, Thakur is from a farming family of Mandi. He did his post-graduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh and decided to join politics when he was in his 20s.

Thakur contested on a BJP ticket in the 1993 Assembly polls. He lost, but went on to win in 1998 from the now delimited constituency of Chachiot (Seraj) and every Assembly election after that.

A soft-spoken man, Thakur's strength is that he is seen as a leader who has managed to straddle the party's warring factions in the state.

A lack of consensus among the newly elected MLAs had resulted in the two central observers -- Union ministers Sitharaman and Tomar -- returning to Delhi from Shimla yesterday to hold fresh consultation with the BJP central leadership.

Earlier, the two-member team of central observers, which was in the state on December 21 and 22, had taken feedback from members of the state BJP's core committee, MPs and some MLAs.

The BJP ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 out of the 68 seats in the Assembly polls.
Five-time MLA Jai Ram Thakur will be the 14th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh and is likely to be sworn-in on December 27 at a star-studded ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah among others.

The 52-year-old Thakur leader edged past party stalwarts in the race to the top office and will be the first leader from the politically-significant Mandi region to helm the hill state.

Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who along with Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as a central observer by the BJP, announced that Thakur was chosen to be the next chief minister as thousands of party workers began celebrating.

The Seraj MLA, a throughbred RSS man, emerged as the frontrunner for the top post after the shock defeat of the BJP's chief ministerial face Prem Kumar Dhumal in the 2017 Assembly polls, the results of which were announced last week.

A former chief minister, Dhumal, was still in the reckoning for the chief minister's post till last night, when he opted out. Union minister J P Nadda was another top contender.

Thakur, a former state unit chief and rural development and panchayati raj minister in a government headed by Dhumal, was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party today.

The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP MLAs.

His name was proposed by senior leaders Suresh Bhardwaj and Mahender Singh and seconded by others.

"It is expected that Thakur will take oath as the state's next CM on December 27 at a ceremony where Prime Minister Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and a galaxy of top leaders would be present," a source said.

Thakur will be the first chief minister from Mandi, the second largest district of the state. Himachal's chief ministers and political leaders mostly belong to or hailed from Shimla, Kangra and Sirmour.

Mandi has 10 Assembly seats, second only to Kangra's 15.

In this election, the BJP put up a stellar show in Mandi, winning 9 of the district's 10 seats.

Seen largely as a low-profile man, Thakur is from a farming family of Mandi. He did his post-graduation from Panjab University in Chandigarh and decided to join when he was in his 20s.

Thakur contested on a BJP ticket in the 1993 Assembly polls. He lost, but went on to win in 1998 from the now delimited constituency of Chachiot (Seraj) and every Assembly election after that.

A soft-spoken man, Thakur's strength is that he is seen as a leader who has managed to straddle the party's warring factions in the state.

A lack of consensus among the newly elected MLAs had resulted in the two central observers -- Union ministers Sitharaman and Tomar -- returning to Delhi from Shimla yesterday to hold fresh consultation with the BJP central leadership.

Earlier, the two-member team of central observers, which was in the state on December 21 and 22, had taken feedback from members of the state BJP's core committee, MPs and some MLAs.

The BJP ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 out of the 68 seats in the Assembly polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes as Christmas celebrations began in Bethlehem today, but many tourists stayed away with tensions still simmering following Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The December 6 announcement by US President Donald Trump unleashed demonstrations and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus in a midnight mass.

On Bethlehem's Manger Square, hundreds of Palestinians and tourists gathered in the cold near a huge nativity scene and Christmas tree to watch the annual scout parade.

They took pictures as a marching band made its way through the square towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus.

The square usually throngs with tourists on Christmas Eve, but clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army in the past weeks have kept people away this year.

Twelve Palestinians have been killed since Trump's declaration, including a 19-year-old who died of his wounds today nine days after he was shot during a Gaza protest.

Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur, a town near Bethlehem, said Trump's decision had made the run-up to Christmas "miserable".

"People are only going out to vent," said the 67-year- old, whose granddaughter wore a Santa Claus hat and clutched a pink balloon.

Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two per cent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived in Bethlehem after noon and shook hands with local personalities on his way to the Church of the Nativity.

Pizzaballa said last week that "dozens" of foreign visitors had cancelled their Christmas trips after Trump's announcement.

But Israel's tourism ministry has said Christmas preparations have not been affected, and it expects a 20 per cent increase in the number of Christian pilgrims this year compared with 2016.

An Israeli police spokesman said that extra units would be deployed in Jerusalem and at the crossings to Bethlehem to ease the travel and access for the "thousands of tourists and visitors".

And the Israeli army officer in charge of the Bethlehem area said that while tensions had been high in the area following the Jerusalem announcement, he did not expect trouble on Christmas.

"We've reinforced our troops, and are ready for any scenario," Lieutenant Colonel Benny Meir told AFP.

Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and interpreted Trump's statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this.

In a statement before Christmas, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump's announcement "encouraged the illegal disconnection between the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, both separated for the first time in over 2,000 years of Christianity".

Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told AFP today that Christmas this year is a "mix of sadness and joy" because of the US decision on Jerusalem, which he called "the beating heart of Palestine."



In neighbouring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017.

Hundreds entered the church, chanting slogans calling for its demolition, destroying furniture and attacking worshippers before security forces restored order.

Christmas decorations have meanwhile become more visible in Christian areas of the Syrian capital Damascus this year.

In the central city of Homs, Christians will celebrate Christmas with great fanfare for the first time in years after the end of battles between regime and rebel forces, with processions, shows for children and even decorations among the ruins.

In Iraq too, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Hymns filled a Mosul church today as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July.

Muslims, as well as local and military officials, stood with Christian worshippers amid the candles and Christmas trees at St Paul's Church.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A junior engineer posted in Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan here was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today while taking a bribe of Rs 10,000, an official said.

Acting on a complaint, junior engineer Rupesh Kumar, posted in Panchu area was arrested for accepting the bribe as commission for payment of work bills under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, an ACB spokesperson said.

He said that the accused was arrested under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and further investigation was on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lohia Auto, part of the diversified Lohia Group, plans to invest up to Rs 100 crore for setting up a new manufacturing plant by 2021 as it expects enhanced demand for its products.

The company also plans to double its electric vehicles product portfolio to around 20 models, including an e-bike, by the end of next fiscal.

"We are looking to invest Rs 100 crore on the new manufacturing plant which is expected to come up by 2021," Lohia Auto Industries Ayush Lohia told PTI.

The company is in advanced talks with various state governments, including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, to set up the new facility, he added.

The new plant would roll out both electric as well as diesel products.

Lohia Auto currently rolls out its range of two- and three-wheelers from its Kashipur-based manufacturing unit, which has a installed capacity of 1 lakh units a year.

When asked about the challenges being faced by the electric vehicles industry, Lohia said lack of awareness about such products was one of the major impediments in the growth of the sector.

"It would be great if we could also get the kind of push LED bulbs received from the government. It will change the entire scenario," Lohia said.

In 2014, US-based UM Motorcycles and Lohia Auto had formed a joint venture (JV) to roll out a range of motorcycles for the Indian market.

The JV also utilises Lohia Auto's Kashipur facility in Uttarakhand to manufacture new products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata-SIA-run Vistara, which plans to spread its wings to the international skies from the next year, will soon have a mix of female and male cabin crew on its flights.

At present the airline employs female members for various jobs in the cabin. But in a policy shift, it has decided to hire male crew members too, an airline official said.

As much as 20-25 per cent of the cabin crew will be male members, the official said.

"As an equal-opportunity employer, it has always been part of our plans to have mixed cabin crew," he told PTI.

Vistara currently employs around 1,800 people to carry out its pan-India flight operations from across 21 domestic airports. Of this, around 500 are cabin crew.

Besides Vistara, budget carrier IndiGo is the only other domestic carrier which recruits only female members for cabin crew jobs.

All other airlines including Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet have mixed cabin crew.

Vistara has started the process of hiring male cabin crew which is expected to be completed by March. "We plan to deploy them into flying from April onwards," the official said.

"It (hiring of male cabin crew) is also good timing from a service delivery perspective as we gear up to start our international operations soon," the official said.

The Delhi-headquartered airline has expanded its network to 21 destinations since its launch in January 2015, with over 660 flights a week operated by a fleet of 17 Airbus A320 aircraft, including four A320 Neos.

Vistara, whose 51 per cent stake is owned by Tata Sons and the rest by Singapore Airlines, is expected to launch its international services in the second half of next year.

The airline has already reportedly advanced the delivery of its 20th aircraft, which will qualify it for launching overseas services, to March from June 2018.
Communist leader Mao Zedong declared war on India in 1962 because he saw the country as a "soft target" and thought the way to regain his own control over China would be unifying it against an outside enemy, says a new book.

The other key objective of the war was to strengthen China's position geopolitically among the newly independent nations in Asia and Africa and block India's emergence as a leader of the developing world, Swedish strategic affairs expert Bertil Lintner argues in his book, 'China's India War'.

Lintner contradicts the popular perception that Jawaharlal Nehru's "Forward Policy" of 1961 had triggered the war in which India suffered a disastrous loss, and says that preparations by China for the war started much earlier.

The Swedish expert links the preparation for the war by China with the disastrous result of Mao's Great Leap Forward, launched in 1958, to modernise the country.

"By 1961, anywhere between 17 and 45 million people had died as a result of Mao's policies which had caused a famine rather than, as intended, any rapid industrialisation. Mao was discredited and, very likely, (was) on his way out," says Lintner in the book published by the Oxford University Press.

The Chinese leader would have thought the best way to regain power was by unifying the nation, especially the armed forces, against an outside enemy, he argues.

Lintner says Mao felt India was a "soft target" as it had, in 1959, granted the Dalai Lama asylum after the Buddhist leader fled Tibet following a "failed uprising" against Chinese occupation of the region.

The book says China's policy was not to conquer and keep territory.

The aim of the war, the book suggests, was to strengthen China's position geopolitically among the newly independent nations in Asia and Africa.

"After the 1962 War, it was China rather than India, that became the leader of the Third World -- an entirely new concept that China's omnipotent Chairman Mao Zedong had introduced to replace the old idea of non-alignment," it says.

Lintner also rejected analyses, including by Neville Maxwell, author of Indias China War, that Nehru's "Forward Policy" was responsible for the war.

The Henderson Brooks report, an analysis of the war, had also blamed Nehru's Policy and the then army leadership for India's humiliating defeat. The Forward Policy, which had sought the raising of military outposts in areas claimed by Chinese and launching of aggressive patrols, increased the chances of conflict, the report had said.

In his book, Lintner also rejects perceptions of intelligence failures on the Indian side and that it was not aware of the massive Chinese build up along the border since 1959.

Lintner says Nehru's then intelligence chief Bhola Nath Mullik had repeatedly warned the government of Chinese manoeuvres along and across the border.

At the same time, the author observes that the problem was that Nehru refused to believe the Chinses were actually preparing for a war against India.

Lintner says the claim that the movement of troops around the Dhola Post in the northwest of Tawang and some skirmishes between the Indians and Chinese in the middle of October 1962 were the trigger for the War was part of a "twisted interpretation" of the cause of the war.

The Dhola post was set up by Indian troops on February 24, 1962.

China's Great Leap Forward was an economic and social campaign led by Mao and its aim was to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into an economic power through rapid industrialisation.

(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.)
Hyderabad Hunters got off to a bright start in the Premier Badminton League as they beat North East Warriors in their campaign opener here today.

The Hunters have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match tie at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium here.

They won their men's doubles, men's singles and women's singles matches.

The North East Warriors, supported by a large number of vociferous fans, took the first two matches to the distance but failed to deliver the knockout blow.

Hunters' star player Carolina Marin justified her World No. 3 billing by defeating Michelle Li 15-9, 15-11. It was a significant victory as the Hunters had listed it as their Trump match, fetching them two points.

After three matches, they had garnered four points while the Warriors were yet to open their account.

Earlier, the Hunters men's doubles pair of Markis Kido/Yoo Yeon Seong overcame a resolute Kim Gi Jung/Shin Baek Cheol 15-10, 13-15, 15-13 in a thriller to give them their first point.

The South Korean duo put up a gallant fight but the experience of Indonesian Kido and Korean Seong stood out in a tense finish.

Lee Hyun Il then caused an upset by defeating Ajay Jayaram 15-13, 11-15, 15-6 in the men's singles.

Jayaram, who held a 3-0 advantage against the Korean in their earlier meetings, appeared to justify it by racing to a 6-0 lead in the first game.

But Lee Hyun clawed his way back to turn the tables on him 15-13. Although the Indian bounced back in the second and took the contest to the third game, Lee Hyun closed out the match with a dominant display.

Results:



Men's doubles: Markis Kido/Yoo Yeon Seong bt Kim Gi Jung/ Shin Baek Cheol 15-10, 13-15, 15-13.

Men's singles: Lee Hyun Il bt AjayJayaram 15-13,11-15, 15-6.

Women's singles: Carolina Marin bt Michelle Li 15-9,15- 11.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mortal remains of Major Prafulla Ambadas Moharkar, who was killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Kashmir, arrived at the Air Force Station Sonegaon near here by an IAF aircraft today evening.

Aboli Moharkar, his wife, accompanied his body.

Officials from the Indian Air Force, Army and Maharashtra government placed wreaths on the body which was received with full military honours.

Maharashtra energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule was also present at the airport.

Major Moharkar's body will be taken to his native village Pavni in Bhandara district where the last rites will be performed.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tributes to him.

"Our Salutes to Major Prafulla Moharkar from Bhandara who got martyred giving befitting reply to the enemies during #CeasefireViolation by Pakistan in #Rajouri sector," Fadnavis tweeted.

"Our condolences to his family and friends. We are with them in such tough times," the CM said.

Major Moharkar (32), Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (34), Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh (30) and Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) were killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Keri sector yesterday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Police's probe into the case of the twin babies, one of whom was wrongly declared dead by the Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, may be delayed since it is waiting for the Delhi Medical Council's (DMC) reply on the matter.

The DMC has already issued a notice to nine doctors and two nurses of the hospital on December 20 for alleged medical negligence in connection with the case and has sought a response from them in 15 days.

Currently, the case is being probed by Delhi Police's Crime Branch.

A senior police officer, privy to the probe, said that since the case was of medical negligence, they had to rely on expert's opinion.

"Our officers have interacted with the doctors and nurses of the hospital. We have also spoken to the child's family but there are some technical points that we need clarity on before we proceed ahead in the probe," he said.

The officer said that the baby was 22-weeks-old and premature. According to medical guidelines, babies born before 22 weeks or around that time usually do not survive and were not considered as deliveries.

There are medical guidelines, but the fact that the baby was declared dead despite being alive, was being probed, he said.

The officer said that they were awaiting the council's report in the matter and further investigation will be based on the report.

The case pertains to a baby boy being wrongly declared dead after his birth on November 30 by the upscale private hospital. The other twin, a girl, was still-born. The infant boy died a week later at a nursing home in Pitampura.

The case sparked a public outcry and the family has been protesting in front of the hospital, soon after an appellate authority stayed the order by the Delhi government to cancel the licence of the facility.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for raping a minor girl here, with the court blaming the media and Internet for projecting sex as the culmination of love among youngsters who are yet to reach the "permissible age".

It also said that it was quite evident that the intention of the convict was to have a "good time" with the girl.

The observations were made by Additional Sessions Judge Seema Maini, who also slapped a fine of Rs 30,000 on north Delhi resident Neeraj. An amount of Rs 20,000 from the fine would be paid to the 14-year-old girl as compensation.

The judge also said that with the advent of the media, telephone, Internet etc., the idea that sex was the culmination of love between a boy and a girl, had become rampant in today's time.

"Girls and boys are often found indulging in such bodily pleasure willingly, before attaining the permissible age of discretion as per law and decide to have physical relations, promising to marry each other later and even when there is no promise or even possibility of marriage between them," the judge said.

Noting that the convict also had a daughter, the court said he continued to have physical relations with the victim, despite being cautioned by her mother to stay away from her.

"The accused was a man of the world, aged about 26 years, once married and having a daughter, and he was wooing a girl, who was more than 10 years younger to him," it added.

Neeraj had claimed that he wanted to marry the girl but it was her mother who falsely implicated him in the case after she got to know about it.

The judge, however, said, "I am of the opinion that the victim had not attained the age of discretion and her consent for having sexual relations with the accused was without knowing the implications and consequences thereof."



The court rejected the claim of the convict that the physical relation between the girl and him was consensual.

"In the instant case, the consent was given by a girl who knew nothing about what was good or bad for her and was rather being used by the accused for satisfying his own physical needs," it said, adding that the "intention of the accused is quite evident that he was having a good time with the victim..."



According to the prosecution, Neeraj, a widower, was a neighbour of the minor girl. He had wooed her, saying he was in love with her and established physical relations with her.

The complaint had alleged that the convict had forcibly established a sexual relationship with the girl multiple times.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Resumption of peace parleys between Mizoram government and Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention (Democratic), proposed to be held before Christmas has been deferred, home department officials said.

The 'framework agreement' drafted during the last round of official level talks was still with the Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla as a committee has been formed to look into the political aspects of the proposed framework agreement, the officials said.

The chief minister himself is heading the committee.

The official level talks, which began on August 10 last year and ended on October 22 last, were to be elevated to a political level, after points of the framework agreement were discussed in detail and a general agreement reached between the two parties.

Giving more political and financial autonomy to the Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC), proposed to be rechristened as 'Sinlung Hills Council', was among the main points of the agreement.

The SHDC was created comprising areas adjoining Manipur in accordance with the accord signed in 1994 between the erstwhile underground HPC and the Mizoram government.

The HPC was demanding a separate autonomous district council under the sixth schedule of the Constitution for the Hmar community concentrated in the north eastern part of the state adjoining Manipur, before the accord was signed.

The HPC (D) was formed after the surrender of the HPC cadres to the authorities, by some leaders who were not satisfied with the terms of the agreement and continued to demand a separate autonomous district council under the Sixth schedule of the Constitution.

The outfit, which had revived the demand for autonomy since 1995, had recently agreed to drop the demand paving the way for a solution to the Hmar imbroglio.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State Highway Police officials today said that vehicular traffic on Mumbai-Pune Expressway was back to normal after continuous traffic interruptions that started early Friday morning.

Officials said that heavy flow of traffic out of Mumbai due to the long weekend caused a traffic jam on both the Mumbai-Pune expressway as well as the Mumbai-Goa highway.

Matters went from bad to worse on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, officials said, after a container-truck toppled at Khandala ghat around 8am yesterday.

The container-truck was set right by around 1:30pm but it had caused traffic to slow down considerably by then, said an official.

"A traffic bottleneck was created at Amrutanjan bridge in Khandala where the width of the road is narrow and gradient is high," said Vijay Patil, Superintendent of Police, State Highway Police.

He added that more than 50 vehicles broke down due to various reasons during this time adding to the bottlenecks on several stretches of the route.

"To avoid further inconvenience, the Highway Police today stopped traffic movement of Mumbai-bound vehicles from Pune. Following this, a 11 km long lane was opened on the wrong side of the road to allow vehicles to move," he said.

Due to these measures the bottleneck was cleared and traffic movement was back to normal around 3.00 pm today, he added.

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DGP Jacob Thomas, the senior-most IPS officer in Kerala who was recently suspended for criticising the state government, today said the action was in "retaliation" of his anti-corruption stand and a "warning" to all public servants who stood against corruption.

Besides the suspension, Thomas was also served with two memos this month by the CPI(M)-led LDF government, citing service rule violations in two books penned by him.

One among them is his bare-all autobiography 'Sravukalkkoppam Neenthumpol' (Swimming Along With Sharks).

The top cop had triggered a row by initiating a probe against high-profile persons, including ministers, politicians and bureaucrats during his tenure as vigilance chief.

He said he would continue to raise his voice against corruption but rejected rumours that he would enter .

"My suspension is a warning to all potential public servants who act against corruption.The message to them (from the government) is very clear...you should tide with corruption," Jacob Thomas told PTI.

"Those who are in power can retaliate against officers in various ways. Suspension is one of such means. But I will continue to blow the whistle on corruption," he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had last week issued directions for suspension of the officer as the head of the Institute of Management (IMG) in Government under relevant sections of the All India Service Rules as some of his recent remarks had shown the state government in poor light.

At a seminar on International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, Thomas lashed out at the LDF government, alleging that there was total breakdown of rule of law in the state.

He also accused the government of not "properly handling" the situation due to Cyclone Ockhi.

Alleging that all "corrupt forces" are united in the state and are in positions of power, the official had also claimed there was a conscious attempt to silence those who stood against corruption.

In the suspension order, the government pointed out that the statements by Thomas were "certainly inflammatory in nature" and "unwarranted and unbecoming of an officer of his stature".

However, Thomas said he completely stood by what he said and has no regret over that.

He said he had been organising programmes to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day for the last four years to raise public awareness on corruption and urge people to fight it.

"This year also I took part in a seminar as part of the day and cautioned people about some possible ways of corruption. My job is to create awareness about corruption. What is wrong in it?" he asked.

During the speech, Thomas had criticised the way in which the Rs 1,400 crore tsunami fund was used for rehabilitation in the state.

It had triggered widespread debate as the statement came in the wake of the LDF government seeking central funds to tide over the Ockhi cyclone which hit the shores on November 29-30.

Stressing that there are many ways to sabotage a probe into corruption charges, Thomas said it was the government's duty to give necessary protection to public servants who act against corruption.

"Those who act against corruption and expose such wrongdoing in the government system should be protected under the Centre's Whistle Blowers Protection Act," he said.

Interestingly, Thomas, during his about 30 year-long career, had sought protection under the WBP Act three times.

The first was during his tenure as the managing director of Civil Supplies in 2005 and then while probing the bar bribery scam, Pattoor land case and disproportionate wealth case of a senior bureaucrat as the Vigilance ADGP in 2015.

He also sought WBP protection last year as Vigilance chief during investigation of charges against some top bureaucrats.

The IPS officer had earned ire of the ruling CPI(M) after he registered a vigilance case against the then industries minister E P Jayarajan over charges of nepotism, following which he had to resign from the Cabinet.

Chief Secretary K M Abraham and Additional Chief Secretary Tom Jose had lodged a complaint with the chief minister against Thomas after the vigilance department raided their residences over alleged disproportionate assets.

The officer had sore relations with the previous Congress-led UDF government also.

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Online fashion retailer is using futuristic technologies like data mining and artificial intelligence (AI) to help designers come up with patterns and styles that can boost sales for apparel makers.

The Flipkart-owned company has already tested this internally with its two in-house brands Moda Rapido and Here and Now which are powered by AI.

These brands in Myntras private label portfolio have been receiving a great response from customers for their "machine-generated" designs.

"The software uses data like designs and styles that are popular, cuts that customers prefer... it, then, comes up with designs on its own using AI that have been used by the two in-house brands," Chief Products Officer Ambarish Kenghe told PTI.

He added that is now looking at partnering with brands in India and other countries to licence the software.

"Technology has been at the core of Myntra. We have huge amount of data available in terms of what people are looking for, what they are actually buying and what they aren't," he said.

Apart from using machines to come up with new designs, Myntra is also looking at using augmented reality (AR) to enhance connect with consumers.

Myntra is working on adding a feature on its app for consumers that can rate the user's attire and eventually, help them don clothes that are in fashion.

"It uses the camera of the phone, figures out what you are wearing and then provides a rating. It is for the fashion-conscious audience who would want to wear the latest trends and be seen as fashionable," Kenghe said.

Another cool feature is the use of augmented reality to make 'talking t-shirts' for its Roadster brand. On pointing at the (AR-enabled) t-shirt, the design almost comes to life.

"We have a design where users can see various parts of a motorcycle's engine. While its early and it will be sometime before the t-shirt hits the market, but we think there are a number of ways in which various brands can leverage this," Kenghe said.

He added that all these innovations will also help Myntra in differentiating itself from other players.

Fashion is one of the largest categories in the e- commerce industry and one of the fast growing as well.

Flipkart -- which is locked in an intense battle with US-based Amazon for leadership in the Indian e-commerce market -- had acquired Myntra in 2014 to strengthen its play in the fashion category.

Myntra, in turn, acquired smaller rival Jabong last year to consolidate its position in the Indian market.
The Centre has refuted the claim made in a PIL that due to lack of vacant posts in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), its members are working on their own without any direction and coordination.

"It is not true, NDMA is headed by the prime minister," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in its response to a public interest litigation which alleged that the posts in the NDMA and the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) have not been filled up in the last two years.

The ministry further informed a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar that the rules provide that the chairperson may designate one of the members to be the vice chairman of the authority.

"At present there are four members in NDMA," the reply filed by the Centre said, adding that "weekly meetings are held regularly, where all the members and joint secretaries discuss the implementation of various schemes, programmes and other issues related to disaster management."



"In addition, wherever required, guidance from the Prime Minister's office and MHA are provided," the Centre's affidavit said.

It said that the both the NDMA and the NIDM are discharging their roles as envisaged under the Disaster Management Act.

"The suggestion to the effect that these institution are rendered dead is completely baseless," it added.

The bench was hearing a PIL by a lawyer who claimed that several key posts, including that of the vice chairperson and secretary of the NDMA, were lying vacant for the past two years and this was seriously affecting its functioning.

The Centre, however, said, "as regard the post of secretary NDMA is concerned, one of the members in the NDMA has been authorised to exercise the administration and financial power vested with the secretary NDMA".

The PIL by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal alleged that several posts are lying vacant also in the NIDM which was established to provide assistance in the national level policy formulation, organise training programmes, carry out research and several other important functions.

"It is important to mention that Respondent 1 (MHA), in order to provide skilled human resources, critical supplies for emergency responses etc, created a network i.e. India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN).

"For the successful implementation of IDRN, MHA has authorised NIDM to organise training programmes regularly across the country. However, due to lack of manpower since last two years, NIDM has not organised any such regular training programme," the petition said.

Bansal sought directions to the government to fill up all the vacant posts in the two organisations.

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Scientists have discovered a water-adapted species of spiders and named it after Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley.

In 2009, the sea along the coastline of Queensland in Australia receded to such an extent that it exposed a population of spiders.

Researchers associated their emergence with Marley's song "High Tide or Low Tide".

In a study published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics, researchers from Queensland Museum in Australia and University of Hamburg in Germany described the intertidal spider.

Unlike the spiders which people are familiar with, the intertidal species have adapted to the underwater life by hiding in barnacle shells, corals or kelp holdfast during high tide.

To breathe, they build air chambers from silk. Once the sea water recedes, though, they are out and about hunting small invertebrates that roam the surfaces of the nearby rocks, corals and plants.

The new species, listed under the scientific name of Desis bobmarleyi, is described based on male and female specimens spotted and collected from brain coral.

Both sexes are characterised by predominantly red-brown colours, while their legs are orange-brown and covered with a dense layer of long, thin and dark grey hair-like structures.

The females appear to be larger in size with the studied specimen measuring nearly nine millimetres, whereas the male was about six millimetres long.

While the exact distribution range of the newly described species remains unknown, it is currently recorded from the intertidal zones of the Great Barrier Reef on the north- eastern coast of Queensland.

"The song 'High Tide or Low Tide' promotes love and friendship through all struggles of life," researchers said.

"It is his music that aided a field trip to Port Douglas in coastal Queensland, Australia, to collect spiders with a highly unique biology," they said.

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Scientists have developed a new type of neural network chip that can dramatically improve the efficiency of teaching machines to think like humans.

The network, called a reservoir computing system, could predict words before they are said during conversation, and help predict future outcomes based on the present.

Reservoir computing systems, which improve on a typical neural network's capacity and reduce the required training time, have been created in the past with larger optical components.

Researchers from University of Michigan in the US created their system using memristors, which require less space and can be integrated more easily into existing silicon-based electronics.

Memristors are a special type of resistive device that can both perform logic and store data.

This contrasts with typical computer systems, where processors perform logic separate from memory modules.

For the study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers used a special memristor that memorises events only in the near history.

Inspired by brains, neural networks are composed of neurons, or nodes, and synapses, the connections between nodes.

To train a neural network for a task, a neural network takes in a large set of questions and the answers to those questions.

In this process of what's called supervised learning, the connections between nodes are weighted more heavily or lightly to minimise the amount of error in achieving the correct answer.

Once trained, a neural network can then be tested without knowing the answer. For example, a system can process a new photo and correctly identify a human face, because it has learned the features of human faces from other photos in its training set.

"A lot of times, it takes days or months to train a network. It is very expensive," said Wei Lu, professor at University of Michigan.

Image recognition is also a relatively simple problem, as it does not require any information apart from a static image.

More complex tasks, such as speech recognition, can depend highly on context and require neural networks to have knowledge of what has just occurred or what has just been said.

"When transcribing speech to text or translating languages, a word's meaning and even pronunciation will differ depending on the previous syllables," Lu said.

This requires a recurrent neural network, which incorporates loops within the network that give the network a memory effect. However, training these recurrent neural networks is especially expensive, Lu said.

Reservoir computing systems built with memristors, however, can skip most of the expensive training process and still provide the network the capability to remember.

This is because the most critical component of the system - the reservoir - does not require training.

When a set of data is inputted into the reservoir, the reservoir identifies important time-related features of the data, and hands it off in a simpler format to a second network.

This second network then only needs training like simpler neural networks, changing weights of the features and outputs that the first network passed on until it achieves an acceptable level of error.

"The beauty of reservoir computing is that while we design it, we don't have to train it," Lu said.

The team proved the reservoir computing concept using a test of handwriting recognition, a common benchmark among neural networks.

Using only 88 memristors, compared to a conventional network that would require thousands for the task, the reservoir achieved 91 per cent accuracy.

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Nine Islamist militants were killed today by security forces in a raid on a farm where they were receiving training to carry out terror attacks in restive North Sinai in Egypt.

The terrorists were involved in recent attacks against security forces in North Sinai which left a number of police and army personnel killed, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Police attacked the farm in Sharqeya Governorate, killing the nine terrorists in an exchange of fire.

Nine other terrorists were arrested in Cairo in a separate raid. Four of the nine arrested terrorists were engaged in an attack on a security point in July, which left a conscript and a civilian injured.

The arrested terrorists are from the outlaw Muslim Brotherhood group.

Egypt especially the restive North Sinai has witnessed many terrorist attacks since the January 2011 revolution that toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks, mainly targeting police and military, increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule.

Hundreds of police and army personnel have been killed since then. The military has launched security campaigns in the North Sinai area.

The security forces have arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.

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NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja, on bail after a case was registered against him for 'rioting' at a police station earlier this week, was today again named in a case of assault.

Jadeja and five others allegedly beat up three men at a petrol pump at Ranavav in Porbandar early today morning, police said.

The pump belongs to Jadeja's political rival, Samat Gogan.

Jadeja and others also vandalised the property at the petrol pump, police said, adding that CCTV cameras captured the incident.

Police were searching for Jadeja and five others, said an official.

Jadeja, the newly-elected MLA from Kutiyana Assembly constituency in Gujarat, had been arrested on December 21 on the charge of rioting and assault.

A local court granted him bail as his lawyer said he had to attend the swearing-in of the new Gujarat government on December 26.

Early today morning, Jadeja and his five supporters allegedly drove to the petrol pump and beat up three employees and damaged property, a Ranavav police station official said.

Jadeja is the only NCP candidate to win in the recently-held Gujarat Assembly elections.

On December 20, the MLA and his supporters allegedly barged into the Ranavav police station and thrashed Samat Gogan who had taken shelter there fearing attack. They also allegedly beat up a police officer present there.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed BJP victories in Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh assembly bypolls, and said his party is committed to serving the country's villages.

He also expressed happiness over the party's improved performance in a bypoll in West Bengal.

"My gratitude to the people of Sikandra for once again supporting BJP. Our commitment to serving India's villages and taking them to new heights of progress is unwavering," Modi tweeted.

In another tweet, he thanked voters of Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh for reposing their faith in the BJP.

"We derive immense strength from this affection and remain committed to transforming the Northeast," he said.

On the bypoll results of Sabang, West Bengal, Modi said the BJP will leave no stone unturned in serving West Bengal.

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Policy advocacy bodies lauded the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's clarification that bar on airing of condom ads was only for those with "sexually explicit content", saying that bans and restrictions were not signs of a mature democracy.

They said that instead of restricting the debate to matters like explicit contents, it should be widened to larger issues like protection and knowledge of HIV-AIDS.

Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of Population Foundation of India (PFI), said the organisation would like to congratulate the ministry for taking into consideration the larger interest of the people and for its swift action.

"This move will no doubt be a significant contribution to advance the reproductive goals of the country. In line with PFI's recommendation, the ministry has rightly decided to grade advertisements according to the content and slot their telecast accordingly," she said.

In an advisory to all television channels on December 11, the I&B Ministry had asked them to restrict airing of condom advertisements to slots between 10 pm and 6 am as these "could be indecent/inappropriate for viewing by children".

In an official memorandum, the ministry had later said, "It is clarified that the said advisory only pertains to sexually explicit content being used to market certain condom brands which titillate the audience from a PR perspective."



"Advertisements that do not sexually objectify women and are aimed at informing citizens regarding devices/products/ medical interventions to ensure safe sex are not covered under the said advisory," it added.

"Now is also an important moment to consider the necessity for our governing bodies to take measured and calibrated decisions," said Muttreja.

"Bans and restrictions are not signs of a mature democracy, instead it could cost us and the generations to come dearly," she said.

PFI had earlier said the ministry's decision was poised to undo decades of progress on sexual and reproductive health.

It had suggested that like in the film industry, advertisements can be graded by content and accordingly slotted for telecast instead of removing all advertisements.

On the other hand, V Sam Prasad, Country Programme Director, AIDS Healthcare Foundation said they welcomed the ministry's decision.

"We laud the clarification of the ministry. Instead of restricting the debate on what is raunchy or explicit, the debate should concentrate on protection, knowledge of HIV AIDS and beyond," he said.

"It also welcoming to note that the judicial activism exercised in this issue propelled the revoke of the ban," Prasad added.

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Former President Pranab Mukherjee today said free thinking and exchange of ideas can create a scientific temper and cultivate a spirit of curiosity in young minds.

Mukherjee, who was conferred with a Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) at the 62nd annual convocation of the Jadavpur University, said the institution has time and again participated in various activities for the welfare of the society and its people.

"It (the university) has championed the cause of many a social and political challenges and it should not waver from the path while pursuing academic excellence," he said.

Mukherjee said a holistic plays a major role in shaping up a good human being.

"A good system is one that empowers and enables an individual with social responsiveness," he said.

The former president also said that emerging economies like India should meet the development aspirations of its citizens and must build "an educational eco-system comparable with the best in world".

"There has to be sincere deliberations on various fora towards this end and the higher sector must align itself with the global education sectors," Mukherjee said.

Institutions need to provide better emphasis on quality research work to get global recognition, the former president said.

"Aspiring universities should encourage mobility of persons and ideals across the globe. Adopting a world view would help institutions in getting accepted by the global community of higher education and it will add to their academic repute" he said.

West Bengal Governor and the Chancellor of JU, K N Tripathi, on this occasion, advised students to put their knowledge to practical use.

"Let us remember a degree from an institution of higher education by itself is not the end... One has to put knowledge for practical use" he said.

Giving a brief history of the university's establishment, Vice chancellor Prof Suranjan Das said JU has always strove hard to achieve excellence.

The JU has secured the top ranking among state universities in National Institutional Ranking Framework of the Ministry of HRD. It had secured the 5th position among all universities and the 9th rank among all engineering institutions in the country, Das said.

A total of 1698 graduate students, 1402 post-graduate students, 168 M.Phil students and 397 PhD students were awarded degrees on this occasion.

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Presidency Mentor Group Chair Professor Sugata Bose today said the group was exploring options to reach out to brilliant students in districts for bringing in the best brains to Presidency University.

Bose, the Gardiner Professor of History at Harvard University, said they wanted to attract the best brains to Presidency University and the Mentor group will intend to visit districts and reach out to meritorious students.

"We must ensure the students come to know about the details regarding the subjects and courses on offer at Presidency. The modalities can be chalked out in due course," the Mentor Group Chair told reporters on the sidelines of the Convocation of Jadavpur University here.

"We have to bring the talents," he said.

Presidency Mentor Group had been set up by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to charter a roadmap for making Presidency University as a pre-eminent institution of learning in the world.

Bose said the mentor group will make assessment on the overall situation in the university, how much progress had been made after 2011.

"One thing I can say, there had been no political influence in any faculty recruitment since 2011-12 and everything had been done on purely academic merit," he commented.

Bose said while the best universities in the world are more flexible in allocating fund to retain the human resources (faculty), in India the varsities are bound by set rules by UGC.

"While the Centre can allocate fund for brick and mortar (infrastructure), all professors and assistant professors are paid as per UGC directives," he said hinting the situation should change.

Bose said at a recent Higher Consultative Committee meeting in Delhi he had pointed out that all central and state universities should be given autonomy to enable them to reach excellence.

To a question about minister Partha Chatterjee commenting that the heritage structure of Presidency was tinkered with during renovation work, Bose said, the Mentor group will talk to the minister as well as Alumni Association and university authorities on the issue.

"The mentor group has already held talks among its members about several issues including this one," he said.

"We will discuss everything threadbare at a meeting in the end of January," he said.

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A 55-year-old property dealer Raj Kumar Mishra was killed at his house in the Shiv Colony locality here allegedly by five youngsters, police said today.

According to police officials, the property dealer was shot at from close range yesterday evening. Mishra died on the spot, they said.

The deceased's son identified three of the killers and informed the police officials.

"A police team raided a hideout of the accused, who opened fire," Kotwali in-charge Ashok Pandey said.

Additional police superintendent Ghanshyam Chaurasiya said that two youths were arrested, while attempts were on to arrest three others.

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Striking government doctors in Rajasthan continued to abstain from work for the ninth consecutive day affecting healthcare services in the state.

Aiming to break the deadlock, the state health department had invited striking doctors for talks today. But the agitating doctors did not turn up.

"A meeting can be held when there is no fear among doctors," Mahesh Sharma, an advocate representing agitating doctors said, adding he will put up matter of fact of the issue before the court.

A special bench of the Rajasthan high court will hear the matter on Monday.

The doctors are accusing the government of not executing the promises made to them last month and taking vindictive action against them.

The in-service government doctors went on an indefinite strike on December 16 against the arrest of some of their fellow doctors under the Rajathan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA). The act was invoked after the doctors threatened that they would go on strike.

As many as 86 doctors had been arrested before the high court On December 19 directed the agitating doctors to resume their duties and assured them that no doctor would be arrested.

Sharma alleged that the government has failed to implement the demands were mutually agreed upon in the previous meeting and is bent on taking vindictive action against the doctors.

He claimed that there will be a medical emergency in government and private hospitals tomorrow as the in-service doctors have the support of private doctors association and medical teachers association.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Medical Teachers Association (RMTCA) secretary Dr Dhananjay Agrawal said they will wear black armbands on arms to lodge their protest and demand that the government amicably resolve the issue.

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The use of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's portrait by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has led to a tussle with its rival faction which is claiming that the picture of a member of another party cannot be used for campaigning.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) reportedly used the portrait of Rajapaksa for campaigning for the upcoming council elections.

A senior minister representing the government from the SLFP said it is be illegal to use the image of Rajapaksa for campaigning as he is a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and not the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

"They can't use the image of a member of another party for campaigning," the senior minister said.

The Rajapaksa loyalists who are in the SLPP remain careful not to identify themselves officially with the SLPP as they run the risk of being removed by the SLFP for breach of party discipline by promoting interests of another party.

Both factions, however, say that their common enemy is the United National Party (UNP) of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The party was split with Rajapaksa loyalists who call themselves the Joint Opposition forming a new party SLPP.

The SLFP's mainstream is currently led by President Maithripala Sirisena. The two factions went separate ways after the failure of the unification talks in order to face the February 10 election for 341 local councils.

Both factions accuse each other of trying illegally to use the image of Rajapaksa, the man who ended the war with the LTTE.

"We object to the use of the former President's image by the SLFP," Ranjith Soysa, a Rajapaksa loyalist legislator said.

The two factions would go into coalition arrangements after the elections to gain control of the councils.

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The Health ministry, which is struggling to make six new AIIMS fully functional due to unavailability of suitable candidates, has now decided to hire retired doctors, who have worked in premier medical institutes of the country, on contract.

The government will hire retired doctors on contract basis as various faculty positions of professors, additional and associate professors in most of the clinical disciplines are lying vacant despite two rounds of vacancy filling exercises.

The six new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) -- Rishikesh, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Raipur, Patna and Bhubaneshwar -- are yet to become fully functional due to lack of doctors and faculty.

"Approval of the competent authority is conveyed for engagement of retired faculty at the level of professor, additional professor and associate professor, on contract basis, in new AIIMS, up to the age of 70 years, from institutes of national importance (INIs) and government medical colleges (GMCs)," the order read.

According to a senior health ministry official, all the six new AIIMS are unable to start out-patient and in-patient department services in a number of speciality and super- speciality disciplines due to faculty crunch.

"We advertised twice. Last year, we advertised 1,300 posts for the AIIMS at Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur, Bhubaneswar and Rishikesh but could only fill up 200 posts. Most of them were found to be unsuitable for the positions," the official said.

The contractual engagement of retired faculty would be against vacant regular posts in new AIIMS and there would be continued attempts for direct recruitment of faculty by open advertisements.

The retired faculty consultant will report to the Director of the institute, the terms and conditions read.

Participation of retired faculty consultant in national seminars or conferences would be permissible as per entitlement of regular faculty.

In case retired faculty consultant is also deputed out of station on official assignment, TA/DA would be paid on tour, as admissible, as per entitlement against post last held immediately before retirement.

"Private practice of any kind, including laboratory and consultant practice is prohibited," the terms and conditions stated.

During the period of contract, the engagement is liable to be terminated at any time with a month notice without assigning any reason whatsoever.

It will be open to the institute to pay, in lieu of notice, salary for the period by which the notice period falls short.

If at any time, in the opinion of the competent authority, which is final in this matter, retired faculty consultant is found non-performing or guilty of any offence, disorderly behaviour, negligence or any other conduct considered by the competent authority, deterrent to the interest of AIIMS or violation of one or more terms and conditions, his or her services may be terminated without notice.

A high-powered committee, headed by M K Bhan, former secretary in the Department of Biotechnology, constituted to look at the governance structure of all the new AIIMS, had made these proposals to the ministry.

Over the last two years, the AIIMS at Jodhpur has been able to fill up 47 per cent of its vacancies, followed by Bhubaneshwar which filled up 45 per cent vacancies, Rishikesh had 43 per cent vacancies filled, Bhopal had 35 per cent, and Raipur just 24 per cent.

The AIIMS at Patna has been able to fill up only 17 per cent of its faculty positions.

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Superstar Salman Khan will be working on his birthday this year, as the actor has started filming the next schedule of his upcoming action-thriller "Race 3".

The 51-year-old actor today commenced the shooting for a six-day-long schedule here.

"Salman will be shooting for a six-day-long schedule for the film over the Christmas week. A pivotal action sequence is being shot in Mumbai, where Salman will be performing stylised action," the film's spokesperson said in a statement.

The actor will be shooting at the Film City from December 24 to December 30.

Apart from Salman the film also features Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Jacqueline Fernandez, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem and Freddy Daruwala.

The previous two installments had Saif Ali Khan as the main lead but he has now been replaced by Salman. Remo D'Souza has taken over the project from director duo Abbas-Mustan.

Produced by Salman Khan Films and Tips Films, "Race 3" will hit theatres on Eid 2018.

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Six militants, including a woman, belonging to different underground outfits, were arrested by security forces from different places in Manipur, police today.

The police arrested two active members of the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) from Heingang Bazaar area in Manipur's Imphal East district yesterday, a police statement said.

Three other militants, including a woman, of the same outfit, were arrested after the two arrested militants disclosed their whereabouts during interrogation, the statement said.

On Friday, the police had arrested an active member of the banned underground outfit KCP (People's War Group) while carrying out frisking and checking at Pishum Bridge in Imphal West district, the statement added.

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An aviation official in the Turks and Caicos Islands says a small plane crash has killed two people.

Airport authority CEO John Smith says the plane crashed shortly after taking off today from the island of Providenciales. Photos from the scene show the aircraft was engulfed in flames and thick smoke following the crash along a road near the airport.

Smith declined to identify the operator of the plane or the nationalities of the two people on board, and said the cause was under investigation. The plane was leaving the British territory southeast of the Bahamas at the time of the crash.

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Soft-spoken, low profile organisation man Jairam Thakur was just 28 years old when he first contested the state Assembly elections from Chachiot in Himachal Pradesh in 1993.

He lost by a slender 800-vote margin but caught the attention of the BJP's top brass.

In 1998, Thakur contested from the same seat, won, and then went on to convert Chachiot (renamed Seraj after delimitation in 2010) in Mandi district into his bastion, winning it a record five times in a row.

It was this ability to nurture and consolidate a support base that held the BJP in good stead during the 2007 Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls which the party contested with Thakur as its state chief.

Led by Thakur, the saffron party stormed to power for the first time on its own in the hill state and Prem Kumar Dhumal became the chief minister.

Thakur served as rural development and panchayati raj minister in the Dhumal government from 2010 to 2012.

However, it was Dhumal's shock defeat in this year's Assembly polls that the chief ministerial race in the state was thrown open and Thakur emerged as the natural choice, despite the names of several tall leaders, including Union minister J P Nadda, doing the rounds.

Thakur will be the first legislator from Himachal's second largest Mandi district to become chief minister.

The BJP created a record by winning nine out of ten seats in Mandi district in the 2017 state polls.

Known for his integrity, Thakur enjoys a good rapport with his voters and the remoteness and difficult topography notwithstanding, got 56 out of 58 panchayats in Seraj constituency connected by road.

During student days, Thakur was a dedicated activist of the ABVP, and is known to be close to the RSS.

In Shimla, the atmosphere turned festive as supporters celebrated his elevation, bursting into song and dance the moment the 52-year-old Rajput leader's name was announced.

Thakur will be the sixth leader of the state to occupy the chief minister's office and the 14th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Earlier Dr Y S Parmar, hailing from Sirmaur, was elected chief minister in 1952, 1963, 1967 and 1972 while Ram Lal from Shimla remained the chief minister for three months from January 28 to April 30, 1977.

Shanta Kumar from Kangra district remained chief minister from June 21, 1977 to February 14,1980 as Janta Party leader and again from March 5, 1990 to December 15, 1992 as BJP leader.

Congress leader Virbhadra Singh from Rampur in Shimla district was chief minister from April 8, 1983 to March 5, 1990 , from December 3, 1993 to March 24, 1998. He again served as chief minister from March 6, 2003 to December 30, 2007 and December 25, 2012 till date.

BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal from Hamirpur served as chief minister from March 24, 1998 to March 5,2003 and again from December 30, 2007 to December 25, 2012.

Thakur is likely to take oath on December 27.

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The Army today clarified that the bodies of its personnel killed in firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir were not mutilated and the injury marks were due to splinters and gunshots.

An Army major and three soldiers were killed yesterday after Pakistani troops targeted the Army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

"The injuries suffered are due to splinters and gunshots sustained due to firing by the enemy on the patrol," Army sources said here.

Responding to media reports, they said that there has been no mutilation of bodies.

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At least 13 passengers were injured after a civic-run BEST bus collided with a dumper-truck in suburban Andheri today, police said.

The incident occurred near Marol bus depot around 12.40 pm.

The speeding bus was heading for Andheri from Airoli in Navi Mumbai.

Driver of the bus lost control near the Marol bus depot and hit the dumper-truck, said a police official.

All injured persons, including the conductor and the driver of the bus, were sent to a BMC-run hospital in Jogeshwari.

None of them suffered serious injuries, police said.

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There has been a sharp spike in the number of young Kashmiris joining militant groups this year, with the number crossing 100 for the first time since such data started being collated in 2010, officials said here today.

The figure, which stood at 88 in 2016, has already reached 117 by the end of November this year with south Kashmir emerging as one of the main hubs which provides cadres to militant groups such as Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e- Taiba, reports of security agencies said.

According to the reports, the number of local youths who joined various militant groups this year include 12 from Anantnag, 45 from Pulwama and Awantipora, 24 from Shopian and 10 from Kulgam.

The figures for North Kashmir are -- four youths joined militant groups from Kupwara, six from Baramulla and Sopore, and seven from Bandipore, according to the reports.

From central Kashmir, Srinagar district accounted for disappearance of five youths while Budgam for four.

The reports are based on technical and human intelligence besides interrogation reports of militants arrested during various counter-insurgency operations in the Valley.

The reports have put the number of those joining the militants this year as high as 117, but Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police S P Vaid contends that the numbers are much lesser.

However, a senior security officer said the figures of the police only take into account the cases registered in the police stations whereas the actual figures are always on the higher side as many parents do not report the matter to the law enforcing agencies due to fear.

Comparing the figures with previous years, 2017 has emerged as the year of highest recruitment of youth in various militant groups in last seven years. Such data is available from 2010.

According to the data laid on the floor of Parliament in March this year, there has been a steady increase in the number of youth taking up arms in the Valley from 2014 onwards as compared to 2011, 2012, and 2013.

In 2010, 54 youths joined militancy while in 2011, the number came down to 23 and further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013.

In 2014, the number shot up to 53 and in 2015, it reached 66 before touching the highest mark of 88 in 2016, the data showed.

The spurt in locals joining militancy began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group's poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8 last year.

Security officials feel that there is a difference between the present day militants compared to those of early 1990s. The ideological conviction of the present lot of militants is far more superior than that of the terror groups during the early days.

The worrying trend in the Valley is that it is witnessing a trend of 'Pan-Islamisation' where young boys are opting for the path of terrorism knowing fully well that they are at the risk of being killed, the officials said.

Militants infiltrating from Pakistan are equally distributed among the various local militant groups who make them aware of the topography and escape routes besides providing them the mobile numbers of overground workers in the region.

While a majority of the missing boys mainly belong to the average middle class and described as the new face of terrorism in Kashmir, militants like Owais Ahmed Shah from Kokernag in south Kashmir and Eisa Fazli hailing from Soura in Srinagar show a trend that literate students from well-to-do families are also picking up arms with conviction.

Both Shah and Fazli were extremely brilliant in their studies, an official said, adding that if such people were also brainwashed, then there is a need to revisit the drawing board and examine policies of the state government at the earliest.

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Separatists in Kashmir today termed the NIA's summoning of Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son an "act of vengeance and harassment".

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on Friday summoned Naseem-ul-Zafar Geelani to its headquarters in New Delhi in connection with a terror funding case.

The separatists, under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), alleged the central government, "using the NIA and the ED, has time and again summoned hundreds of others including both sons of Geelani to Delhi several times, wasting their precious time, intimidating and humiliating them".

"Summoning Syed Naseem Geelani to Delhi is an act of vengeance and harassment. Forcing one for talks by bullying is ridiculous," the separatists said.

The JRL targeted the Centre's special representative for Kashmir Dineshwar Sharma and said, "It now wants us to talk to its envoy by intimidating us and this summoning of kith and kin by the NIA is an example of this forced talks policy.

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Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today lashed out at Lalu Prasad and his supporters for alleging that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief was being targeted as he belonged to a backward caste.

A special CBI court in Ranchi had yesterday convicted Prasad and 15 others in a fodder scam case, 21 years after it had surfaced, while acquitting six others, including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra.

"Upon being held guilty in a case of illegal withdrawal of Rs 89.4 lakh from the treasury, Lalu Prasad has gone to jail, for corruption, for the seventh time. Yet, he is comparing himself to leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King," Modi tweeted.

He was hinting at a tweet by the RJD supremo, shortly after his conviction yesterday, wherein he had said, "Had people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Baba Saheb Ambedkar failed in their efforts, history would have treated them as villains. They still are villains for the biased, racist and casteist minds. No one should expect any different treatment."



The senior BJP leader, who was one of the petitioners, on whose PIL the Patna High Court had, in 1996, ordered a CBI inquiry into the fodder scam cases, tweeted, "Wonder what type of leadership is provided by people who brazenly indulge in self-praise and amass illegal wealth."



In another tweet, he said, "Among the 16 persons convicted, eight (50 per cent) belonged to the upper castes. Among the eight who were acquitted, four (50 per cent) were Dalits or from the backward classes. RJD supporters are refusing to look at the facts and accusing the judiciary of being casteist."



Soon after the conviction of Prasad yesterday, many RJD supporters had questioned the acquittal of Mishra and alleged that the judgment smacked of an "upper-caste bias".

Modi also took potshots at RJD vice-president Shivanand Tiwary, without taking his name, and said, "A socialist leader, who gave up his vow of sanyas (retirement) to support the politics of benami property, now feels that he had committed a sin 21 years ago by associating himself with the PIL against Lalu Prasad."



Tiwary was a co-petitioner in the PIL filed in the high court. Upon his expulsion from Nitish Kumar's JD(U) just before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Tiwary had announced his retirement from active politics.

However, he joined the RJD recently and was made the party's national general secretary.

The deputy chief minister was hinting at Tiwary's statement that he felt he had "committed a sin" by filing the PIL, "which paved the way for Nitish Kumar to come to power in the state".

"Actually, he (Tiwary) is committing a sin now. The ability to discern between sin and virtue is lost by those who do not keep their vow of sanyas," Modi said sarcastically.

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The crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested a man, who was evading arrest for three years, for duping youngsters on the pretext of getting them government jobs here, it said today.

Mohammad Nasir Chandel, a resident of Rehmti village of Udhampur, was arrested by a special team from Shaheedi Chowk, at the heart of the city yesterday, a spokesman of the crime branch said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSB), Crime Branch, Ramesh Kumar Jalla had recently formed the team to arrest Chandel, he added.

Some more arrests were expected on the basis of information provided by the accused, who was believed to be heading a gang of fraudsters, the spokesman said.

The gang was allegedly exploiting the unemployed youth, especially from the hilly and remote districts of Doda, Ramban and some other districts, and had extorted lakhs of rupees from them on the assurance of getting them government jobs, he added.

A case was registered against Chandel in 2015 after the crime branch was tipped-off about the gang members' modus operandi of impersonating themselves as authorised agents of different government departments and extorting money from the youth.

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Concerned over rising NPAs of the banks, a Parliamentary panel asked the government to take urgent remedial measures to reduce volume of stressed assets in the system and strengthen vigilance mechanism.

The Committee on Petition in its reports said that it is constrained to note that even after having a 'vigilance mechanism' in vogue in the banking system, there are incidences of fraud relating to non-performing assets (NPAs).

"In this regard, the Committee opined that merely issuing of guidelines or advisories by the government or the RBI for averting the incidences of fraud relating to NPAs do not seem to have yielded the desired results and the RBI-being a Regulator - does not seem to have succeeded in so far as implementation and enforcement of its own guidelines is concerned," it said.

The Committee, therefore, recommended the government to impress upon the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to monitor and follow up strict compliance of the relevant instructions with the and financial institutions on a regular basis, the panel added.

It also recommended that the existing vigilance mechanism should be re-visited and, if required, the same be amended to provide more teeth to existing mechanism.

There is a need for establishment of a more robust vigilance mechanism to put a check on the incidences of irregularities, malpractices, corruption, etc, at all levels in the functioning of .

The committee has also made a case for amending banking laws, including the SBI Act, to provide for disclosure of names of loan defaulters.

The panel had recommended that the government make appropriate amendments in "the archaic provisions of the SBI Act and other relevant laws to disclose the names of individuals who owe money to the or are responsible for bad loans on account of their default to repay".

In this regard, it said the Committee appreciated that RBI was in favour of making available information on 'wilful defaulters' in public domain.

However, it added, the Ministry of (Department of Financial Services)/RBI are of the opinion that the disclosure of information of other defaulting borrowers may not be in the interest of the revival of their distressed business units, which may be otherwise viable.

It reiterated that they should undertake an "objective examination and analysis of the extant provision(s) for disclosure of details of loan defaulters in public domain by amending the existing relevant Acts/Rules vis-a-vis interest of the revival of their distressed business units without having any impact on their viability".
India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place and both sides putting it on the back-burner even as the political situation in the country remained fragile with the ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers scandal.

The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside PoK. The sentencing of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death in April further deteriorated ties.

Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal claimed that Pakistan is all for resumption of dialogue but India has been running away on one pretext or another.

"Indian stubbornness is the main reason that we are unable to resume talks. The fault is with India and not with us. We are ready to talk about everything, but they don't come forward and only hurl allegations," Faisal told PTI.

The ties strained further after Pakistan Army special forces team sneaked 250 metres across the Line of Control and beheaded two Indian security personnel in May.

In response, the Indian Army launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting "some damage".

Faisal said Pakistan cannot be blamed for "zero" progress in the bilateral ties in 2017, as it made persistent efforts to improve relations.

"First, India linked talks with the issue of militancy but when we showed readiness to discuss every issue, including terrorism, then they (India) ran away. Actually, Indian side is not ready to sit across the table," he alleged.

He said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a letter to his Indian counterpart urged India to maintain peace on the LoC after over 1,300 ceasefire violations killed 54 civilians this year.

Throughout the year, Pakistan repeatedly summoned Indian diplomats to the Foreign Office to register its protests on the ceasefire violations.

The spokesman was not very optimistic for talks in the 2018 and said that there was no hope for peace with the current government in India.

"The same trend may continue in 2018. Nothing is changing on ground," he said.

The two countries also engaged in war or words in the United Nations and the Human Rights Council, wherein India called Pakistan the "face of international terrorism".

In April, India reacted strongly when a Pakistan Army court sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of espionage after a secret trial. India demanded consular access to Jadhav, which Pakistan repeatedly denied claiming the man was an Indian spy. India took the case to the International Court of Justice, which put a hold on Jadhav's execution.

During the year, Pakistan also witnessed one of its worst political crisis when the Supreme Court disqualified Prime Minister Sharif and put him on trial for corruption.

Sharif nominated his close aide and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as interim prime minister.

With his ouster, Sharif became the first prime minister in the politically unstable Pakistan to quit in the middle of his term for a record third time.

The year will also be remembered for the deaths of hundreds of people in several terror attacks in all provincial capitals - Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta. Several other cities were also targeted by terrorists, including those from the Islamic State.

Pakistan this year also test-fired its first Submarine- Launched Cruise Missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 450 kms and the radar-evading surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 2,200 kms, bringing many Indian cities within its range.

This year, career diplomat Tehmina Janjua became Pakistan's first-ever woman Foreign Secretary, replacing Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry who was appointed as ambassador to the US.

Her elevation to the top bureaucratic slot prompted Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit to quit as the senior diplomat ostensibly was not ready to work under his junior.

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Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami andleaders of political parties today extended their greetings to people on the eve of Christmas.

"Christmas is a festival of merriment and joy. On this happy occasion,I convey my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all our Christian brothers and sisters who are celebrating, the brith of Lord Jesus Christ", Purohit said in a Raj Bhavan release.

"Lord Jesus Christ symbolised love, compassion and brotherhood. On the day of his birth let us resolve to foster peace, harmony and tolerance so as to create a better future for all mankind", he said.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami in his greetings recalled that the late AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa has implemented a scheme for members of the Christian community to take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

"So far 2,800 people have gone on pilgrimageto Jerusalem and have benefitted out of it",he said in an official release.

Palaniswami appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to follow the preachings of Lord Jesus and spread love and promote brotherhood on the occasion.

MDMK Chief Vaiko and DMDK President Vijaykanth also extended their greetings to the people on the occasion.

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The first woman to head an Indian central trade union started young.

Amarjeet Kaur was a teenager studying in a Delhi school when she organised a strike to get an examination schedule changed. The strategy worked.

That was in 1969.

Today, Kaur is the national general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), and still recalls the strength that the young can wield.

"Trade Unions cannot limit themselves to only labour issues. The time has come for them to build bridges with other sections of society. We have to address young Indians who are job seekers. They are the workers of tomorrow," she said.

Kaur, whose father fought for India's independence, was introduced to issues of national concern as a child.

"That was when I realised the strength of mass movements for getting justice," she told PTI.

Recently elected to the top post in AITUC, affiliated to the CPI, Kaur said she was inspired by her father to take up and fight for issues.

"I was always in the company of my father's friends among whom were trade unionists and freedom fighters. I used to go with them to the coffee house and TU offices," she recalled.

Kaur, 65, started her political journey as a student activist in Delhi University's Ramjas College, where she was elected as a union leader despite strong opposition from several quarters.

"Those days, girls were not encouraged to enter student politics," she said.

Her interest in TU activities prompted her to merge labour issues with the students' movement. She would often organise students' protests to back agitating workers of textile mills near the Delhi University campus.

Though she was not a member of any political party then, Kaur moved towards the CPI after she was jailed in 1972.

"A call was given by the the Communist Party of India for a protest against rising prices. I had organised a students' protest. The Police arrested me and I was put in Tihar jail for ten days," she said.

Soon after she was released, the CPI asked her to join the party, she added.

She did, and was given the responsibility of its students' wing, the All India Students Federation (AISF).

Kaur went on to become the first woman all-India general secretary of the AISF in 1979.

Always interested in gender issues, she also worked for the CPI's women's group.

But the political journey was not an easy one. Kaur was strongly criticised by many who believed it was not a woman's role to take part in politics.

After she was married, her relatives tried to pressure her to give up political activism. But Kaur carried on.

Later, when she joined AITUC as a labour leader in 1994, she focussed on issues related to women and child labour.

Kaur felt that being a woman TU leader helped her understand problems of women at work and home.

"Trade Union doesn't deal with domestic violence, but if a trade union leader is a woman, then you can understand women's problems," she said, adding that it helped that she was aware of both women's issues and labour laws.

"I had this additional advantage that gave me additional strength," Kaur explained.

Today she feels that the time has come for trade unions to go beyond their labour agenda.

"We have to reach out to the youth who are unemployed. Otherwise, they will be used by communal forces," she said.

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Comprehensive travel service portal Travkart is looking to create about 200 franchises, mostly in tier 2 and 3 cities by 2020, as part of its efforts to expand the operations to bring more customers on board.

Travkart, a unit of Holidays by Sahibji Pvt Ltd, competes with the likes of MakeMyTrip and Goibibo, among others and specialises in fixed departures and curated itineraries across domestic and international destinations.

The franchises will be a shop-based model from where customers can choose their travel packages, which includes both air and non-air packages along with arrangement for meetings, exhibitions as well as car rental services.

"As per the response we are getting, we are targeting about 200 franchises by 2020 and we have at present 200 applications in hand," Travkart.com co-founder Manheer Singh Sethi told PTI.

The company has already opened four such franchises, including in Delhi and Mohali.

"We are going to expand more into northern Indian states right now," Sethi said.

The company has partnered with the franchise business consulting company Sparkleminds to help its expansion plans in India.

"We are targeting to have 70 per cent franchise in tier 1 and tier 2 cities as many people are untraveled and they need prebooked packages," Sethi said.

He further said the consumer can know about the nearest franchise through the application and each franchise owns its own microsite.

The franchises will initially focus on north and east India to reach to the audience smaller cities who scout for convenience and value for money.

Founded in December 2016, the company claims to be self funded with a turnover of Rs 11.25 crore.

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Turkey has sacked 2,756 more people from its public service sector for alleged links to terror groups as it presses ahead with purges launched following last year's failed military coup.

According to two government decrees published in the Official Gazette today, those dismissed in the new wave of purges include 637 military personnel, 360 gendarmerie force members and 150 academics or other university personnel.

Turkey blames the July 2016 on US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Some 50,000 people have been arrested and more than 110,000 civil servants have been dismissed for alleged links to Gulen or militant groups in a crackdown since then.

The government says the purges are needed to counter the continuing danger posed by followers of Gulen's movement. Gulen denies involvement in the coup.
The number of NRIs registering themselves as 'overseas electors' has seen a two-fold jump in the last three years, latest government and EC data show.

The figure, however, is far too less when compared to the number of Indians living abroad and entitled to vote here.

The issue of voting by NRIs in Indian elections is being debated again with the government moving a bill in the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting rights to them on the lines of service voters.

The bill says the necessary provision of coming to India to cast ballot caused "hardship" to overseas electors.

As of now, non-resident Indians--essentially people living or working abroad who have not given up their Indian citizenship--can cast their vote in the constituencies they are registered in.

This means that they first have to register themselves as voters and then take a long flight to India be present on election day.

The hesitation to spend money and make travel plans to vote in India is reflected in the data available with the Election Commission and the government on 'overseas electors'.

As on May 2012, there were 1,003,7761 NRIs, according to the report of the multi-agency 'committee for exploring feasibility of alternative options for voting by overseas electors'.

Quoting electoral roll data of 2014, the committee said 11,846 people were registered as 'overseas electors'-- 11,140 of them men and only 706 women.

The number of registered 'overseas electors' saw a two- fold jump this year. According to a Lok Sabha question answered in writing by Minister of State for Law P P Chaudhary on December 15 in the ongoing Winter Session, a total of 24,348 people are 'overseas electors'.

These include 22,428 men and 1,920 women. Though the chart has a column for transgenders, no one has registered.

Interestingly, out of 24,348 overseas voters, 23,556 are from Kerala. Thirty-seven are from Delhi.

According to the provisions of 'Representation of the People Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017' introduced by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Lower House, overseas Indians who are entitled to vote in India can now appoint a proxy voter to cast their votes.

The person authorised as proxy has to be a different person in every election.
Three people, including the son of UP Congress vice-chairman and former minister Badshah Singh, was arrested today in connection with a case of abduction, a police official said.

"On December 23, Amit Jaiswal lodged a complaint saying his son Shivam has been abducted and taken to Gorakhpur. However, during investigation, it came to light that the abducted person was in Mahoba district. Police then acting on tip-off raided Kharela village, arrested three people, and freed Shivam," the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (Lucknow) said in a statement.

The arrested include Suryadev Singh, Rajesh Singh and Gunnu. Suryadev Singh is the son of former UP minister Badshah Singh, who currently is the vice-chairman of the UP Congress.

Shivam, who had recently become friends with Suryadev, alleged that the latter took him to a farmhouse, beat him and locked him up in a room, police said, adding that Suryadev had planned to call Shivam's father and demand a ransom of Rs 50 lakh for his release.

An investigation was launched into the matter, the statement said.

On November 5, 2016, former BSP minister Badshah Singh, who had joined the BJP before the 2012 UP elections, joined the Congress in Lucknow.

A four-time MLA, Singh had been a minister during the previous Mayawati regime and had contested the 2012 state elections from Mahoba on a BJP ticket but lost.

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Uttar Pradesh minister of state (independent charge) for water supply and water resources Upendra Tiwari today alleged that efforts were made to save the accused persons in the 2G scam during the Congress-led UPA regime.

"It was during the regime of the Congress-led UPA government that the 2G spectrum scam took place. The then government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made efforts to save its own minister and other accused," Tiwari told reporters here today.

He alleged that the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in order to save the accused, had put pressure on the CBI. "In this case, the acquittal of the accused was quite natural," Tiwari said attacking the UPA leadership.

Mounting an attack on the former SP government in the state, he said the, "SP government had shown discrimination towards Hindus in different government schemes. SP, which indulges in Muslim appeasement, is now claiming to be pro- Hindu. This is completely misleading."



On the issue of UPCOC Bill, 2017 being referred to a select committee of UP Legislative Council, Tiwari blamed SP, BSP and Congress.

"The Opposition parties in UP are not interested in improving the law and order," he said.

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President today said that America is winning the war against terrorism as he greeted US troops stationed around the world on Christmas Eve.

In a video conference with American soldiers on Christmas Eve, Trump told the troops that Americans are thankful for them and their families. He said they are "the greatest people on earth."



Praising them for their "incredible contributions" in the war against terrorism, he said, "We are winning."



It is customary for the US president to make calls to American troops on the occasion of Christmas.

"I just want to wish everybody a very, very merry Christmas, we say Merry Christmas, again, very, very proudly. Very very merry Christmas. Were going to have a great year, an incredible year, Trump said.

"Im thrilled to bring seasons greetings on behalf of the first lady and our entire family and most importantly, on behalf of the American people. Today and every day were incredibly thankful for you and for your families. Your families have been tremendous. Always underappreciated, military families, the greatest people on earth," he said.

During the call, he commended sailors on the USS Sampson for setting "a new standard in readiness".

He thanked the Coast Guard for saving thousands of lives during a series of deadly US hurricanes.

"Many Republicans are very happy, but I have to tell you the people of Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, lots of other states are even more happy. What a job youve done.

"The Coast Guard saved thousands and thousands of lives, almost its unbelievable when I look at the charts, I saw the number of lives you saved. So I want to congratulate the coast guard for having done an incredible job, he said.

As we celebrate this most precious holiday, were grateful for each of you who spend this Christmas away from our families and defend all of our families, our freedom and our flag. Every American heart is thankful and were asking God to watch over you and to watch over your families, Trump said.
Venezuela today said two diplomats from Canada and Brazil were no longer welcome, in an escalating showdown over their criticism of President Maduro's socialist government.

The head of the powerful pro-government Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, said the body decided on the move against Brazil's ambassador Ruy Pereira and Canadian charge d'affaires Craig Kowalik.

"We have decided to declare persona non grata the Brazilian ambassador until such time as constitutional order is restored in the neighboring country" Rodriguez said referring to the government of Brazilian President Michel Temer.

The Brazilian conservative replaced leftist Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff after she was impeached.

And Kowalik of Canada has been carrying out "nagging, constant rude and offensive interference in Venezuela's domestic affairs."



On the Twitter account of the Canadian embassy in Caracas, she said, the assembly was described as a threat to Venezuelans' ability to elect their leaders, including their next president.

Last week, Brazil urged Venezuela -- which has been sidelined from the regional trading bloc Mercosur -- to improve its human rights record. Temer said he would welcome Caracas back into Mercosur's fold when Venezuela returns to democracy.

Venezuela considers Rousseff to have been pushed out in a political "coup d'etat" in Congress.

No time frame was set for the diplomats' departure, she said.

In Brasilia, the government said that if the measure were to take place, Brazil would take reciprocal steps.
Bakeries in West Bengal have alleged that banks in the state were refusing to accept coins, crippling the employment-intensive sector's financials.

Bakery businesses' working capitals are getting locked and gradually turning unviable due to the non-acceptance of coins by banks for the past few months, claimed Idris Ali, secretary of the joint action committee of bakeries in West Bengal.

"The banks are not accepting coins when the bakeries are going to deposit them. We have been repeatedly complaining to authorities, including the Reserve Bank of India," Ali told PTI.

For small bakeries, almost 50 per cent of their sales realisation happens through coins, he said.

With the small and medium enterprises already burdened with GST, which has pushed several bakery products to the 18 per cent tax bracket from five per cent, the coin issue is like a double whammy for the sector, Ali said.

According to sources in the banking industry, lenders in the state do not have enough chests to manage such large quantity of coins.

"If the situation does not ease, large-scale closure of small bakeries is imminent," Ali added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu today said yoga is the only way to a healthy life in modern times and that it has nothing to do with any particular religion.

"In today's sedentary lifestyle, which hardly allows us to do physical exercise, yoga is the only way through which we can keep ourselves physically and mentally fit," Naidu said while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the centenary celebrations of 'The Yoga Institute' in Santacruz.

The vice-president said yoga was India's gift to the modern world and the people who connect yoga with Hindu religion should know that Hinduism is a way of life.

"Unfortunately, a few people link yoga with a particular religion. Yoga has nothing to do with religion, it's a science of how to live a peaceful life," Naidu said.

He hailed the institute for promoting yoga across the world for three generations and training many yoga teachers.

Naidu said certain evils have entered today's society and Moral Science as a subject needs to be brought back in schools to combat them.

"Just see what is happening in today's society. Girls of 3-4 years of age are being raped. In our (old) education system, we used to learn about "maryada" (dignity) and "parampara" (tradition) in primary (school). We used to have Moral Science in our school days. Moral Science should be brought back," said Naidu.

"Use of Google is OK, but Google can never replace guru (teacher). If we have a proper guru then it can refine our character, calibre, capacity and conduct," he said.

Maharashtra's Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, founder of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati Acharya Lokesh Muniji, president of Paramarth Niketan Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Education Minister Vinod Tawde attended the event.

Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji of the Paramarth Niketan praised Naidu for promoting Indian culture.

The Yoga Institute is celebrating a year-long programme of yoga awareness across the world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union for 2018-19 is likely to emphasise quickening the market intervention scheme to give states more freedom to stabilise prices of agricultural commodities at the time of slump.
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries on Saturday celebrated 40 years of group's existence and 85th birth anniversary of its founder Dhirubhai Ambani. RIL Chairman hinted at making Reliance the leading provider of renewable energy and to take the company among top 20 companies globally. Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who spoke at the gala event, paid tributes to Reliance Industries founder Dhirubhai Ambani.

"Dhirubhai was not a beneficiary of the wealth which was acquired by many during our independence of 1947. Dhirubhai had no such luxury... he was not the third or fourth or fifth generation businessman He was the first generation, the first generation that grew to be the first. That is the rarity of the man I call Dhirubhai Ambani," Amitabh Bachchan recalled.

"I believe opportunities did not invite Dhirubhai to his dreams. His dreams invented those opportunities... A phenomenon called Dhirubhai Ambani could have happened only in India." Bachchan said.

Remembering his father's legacy on company's 40th anniversary Mukesh Ambani said, "It is because of him that Reliance has grown - from 1 employee to over 2,50,000 employees; from initial investment of Rs 1000 to a company of over Rs 6 lakh crore, and from operations in only one city to 28,000 cities and towns, and over four lakh villages in India and across the world."

"Can Reliance be among the top 20 companies in the world? Yes we can... and yes we will," he said. Ambani said in the coming decades, the world will see a transition from fossil fuels to clean, green and renewable energy sources.

"Can Reliance become a leading provider of clean and affordable energy to India? Yes we can... and yes we will," he said. Ambani said the world will invent new materials that will revolutionize how we manufacture and produce things and improve the quality of life of every human being.

The glittering function attended by more than 50,000 staff and families of Reliance Industries Limited and its group companies. The event, which took place at Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai, was beamed to around 2,00,000 employees and their families live via video conferencing in more than 1000 locations across the country including manufacturing sites, retail stores, Jio Points etc.

Ambani said, "Today, Reliance is a global leader in energy and materials, where operating safely is an obsession. With Jio and retail where Reliance has established a leadership position in India, we are customer obsessed."

"As we enter our golden decade, we at Reliance are in a unique position to accomplish what very few companies in the world can even dream of," he said.

Ambani said the most important lessons he learnt from his father was courage. "Nobody has ever achieved anything big, in business or in any other walks of life, without courage. With courage, with self-belief and the can-do spirit you can overcome any adversity," he said.

Bachchan recalled that Dhirubhai had sent Anil Ambani to help him financially emerge out of the crisis, which he had politely refused. "The money which Dhirubhai was offering me could have help me come out of the crisis in a jiffy. However, I politely refused his offer and slowly by God's grace started to get work again which helped clear my debts," Bachchan said.

"Later, when I met him again at an event at his house, he called me and declared in front of his industrialist friends that 'this boy had fallen down but got up on his own. I respect him for that'. These words of his were much more valuable to me than any amount of wealth that he would have given," Bachchan added.
Corporate thought-leader and Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has flayed the high wage hikes that senior managements have been apportioning to themselves when the software industry is in trying times and has advised them to make "sacrifices" to maintain common man's faith in capitalism.

Conceding that times are difficult for the IT services sector, Murthy dismissed the commonly attributed threats of artificial intelligence and automation as "more hype than reality".

Terming the trend of no hikes for juniors and freshers as "worrisome," Murthy rued that the senior level people have been taking handsome hikes.

"I think that is not the way to make capitalism acceptable to the larger masses in a country that has huge poverty," he said, speaking at the IIT-Bombay over the weekend.

"If we believe in capitalism, if we believe that is the best solution for the country to move forward, then the leaders of capitalism will have to demonstrate self-restraints in apportioning to themselves the part of the benefits that come out of running companies, Murthy, who mostly flies the economy class, added.

Murthy, a strong proponent of "compassionate capitalism" since his days in the company, did not make any reference to Infosys. It can be noted that over the past few months, Murthy had gone public with his displeasure over senior executive compensation at Infosys.

Speaking before the students at the prestigious institute, Murthy said in the last seven years, the salaries of freshers in the software industry have stayed stagnant while the same for senior-level employees have grown by up to 1,000 per cent.

"If all of us make sacrifices, then the youngsters will understand," he said.

He said the IT sector is passing through a trough that is cyclical in nature and may occur once a few years.

One of the reasons for this is the investments in IT done by the developed world clients in the past, he said, adding they are waiting to reap the benefits of the same before starting to invest again.

However, change in the technological landscape where automation and artificial intelligence are said to be making deeper in-roads was dismissed by him.

"There is this whole thing about automation and artificial intelligence. That is much more hype than the reality, at-least in the software services," Murthy said.

The domestic IT sector employs over 4 million directly and its revenues have crossed over $150 billion, according to industry lobby Nasscom.

The lobby warned that the rate of hiring is slowing down, while some IT companies concede that a fewer number of people are required to do the work for the same revenue billing.

Many industry reports had in the past highlighted steep decline in hiring in the software space primarily because of automation which has been eating up tens of thousands of human jobs annually. So far this fiscal year, there has no net increase in hiring by the industry.
Photo for illustration (Source: VNA)

This was stated by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).



Switzerland accounts for 0.5 percent of total shrimp import value in the world, mainly importing shrimp for domestic consumption. Each year, this country imports some 8,500 tonnes of shrimp.



Shrimp import in Switzerland was not stable during the 10 years (2007-2016), with the lowest import value in 2007 at USD81.4 million and the highest in 2014 at USD144.6 million. In 2014, the value of shrimp imports in this country reached the highest level because the price of shrimp worldwide increased significantly. From 2014 to 2016, the value of shrimp imports into the country showed a tendency to decline.



In the Swiss market, Vietnam has to compete with Ecuador and other Asian suppliers such as Bangladesh, Thailand and India, although Vietnamese shrimp is more affordable than European suppliers such as Germany, Denmark and France.



Frozen shrimp and sealed bags with processed shrimp are the two main products imported into Switzerland, of which Vietnam is the largest supplier of these two products.



VASEP said Switzerland offers free import duty on frozen shrimp for all five major sources -- Vietnam, Germany, Denmark, Ecuador and Bangladesh.



In the first three quarters of this year, shrimp imports to Switzerland totaled USD87.6 million, a year-on-year increase of 17 percent. Vietnam remains the largest supplier, accounting for 59 percent of total Swiss shrimp imports, followed by Germany, Denmark, France and the Netherlands.



Switzerland ranks 10th among Vietnams main shrimp import markets, accounting for 1.03 percent of the Southeast Asian countrys total shrimp exports to all the markets.



As of November 15th, 2017, Vietnams shrimp exports to Switzerland reached USD34.3 million, up 17.3 percent over the same period last year.



VASEP suggested that in light of the current situation, Vietnam should take advantage of being the largest supplier of shrimp and the zero per cent tariff on exporting shrimp to Switzerland to maintain and promote exports to this market./.
"Whether you are home in Canberra or away on holidays, this is a great time to slow down, spend time with family and friends, and recharge our personal batteries a little bit. And let's not forget many people are still working - a special thanks to our many ACT government staff keeping the city running.
The man did not enter a plea, but his lawyer said he would be denying all charges aside from those relating to the property damage and pushing the woman.
"The significant increase in offers made to date this year shows that people like what we have to offer and want the University of Canberra to play a part in shaping their future," acting vice-chancellor Vicki Williams said.
Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper.
"It's a difficult industry to regulate but I think contractors are getting the message the government is serious when it comes to contractors meeting all the terms of their contracts, that they're not just putting words on paper, they're willing to enforce it," Ms Ryan said.
Public art has something in it for the city and also does wonders for the soul. The Economist sings that "Last year, a public-art project in New York had some unusual stars: pigeons. Duke Riley attached LEDs to homing pigeons and set them free at dusk on the Brooklyn waterfront. Using whistles and poles, he directed their movement like a conductor, orchestrating a mesmerising aerial dance above the East River called Fly by Night. In Riley's hands, the birds, an urban nuisance, became creatures of beauty which made us see the city with fresh eyes. No gallery could provide such a rich platform."


Typhoon Damrey landed at Dai Hong commune, Dai Loc district, Quang Nam province

Australia will work with CARE International in Vietnam to assist about 8,000 people affected and associated flooding in Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue provinces. The support will help people rebuild and repair their homes, as well as helping to restore livelihoods and establish an alternative means of household income.

Typhoon Damrey made landfall over Central Vietnam on November 4th, 2017 and brought heavy rainfall, flooding and strong winds, affecting 15 provinces of the Southern Central Coast and Central Highlands regions. At least 107 people were killed, 16 people are still missing, while 3,485 houses collapsed and 137,981 houses were partly damaged or lost their roof. Over 50,000 households have completely lost their means of livelihood. The total losses caused have been estimated at approximately USD1 billion.

The assistance is a response to the Government of Vietnams call for international support to help people and communities to overcome the aftermath of the natural disaster./.
It took a while before Top Gears Chris Harris got his hands on the new Lamborghini Huracan Performante, but the review is finally here.



Thus, the following video shows the automotive journalist and TV host drive the Italian supercar really fast on the Knockhill track.

Lamborghini have really done some serious work on the Performante, with clever aerodynamics, a giant rear wing, tuned four-wheel drive, recalibrated steering, grippy tires made by Pirelli and an extra 30PS (30hp) and 40Nm (30lb-ft) of torque produced by the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10, which resulted in it braking the Nurburgring lap record by posting an unbelievable sub-7min time, beating the Porsche 918 Spyder and even Lambos own Aventador SV.

These noticeable changes have significantly transformed the Huracan Performante over its LP610-4 sibling, turning it into a proper drivers car, according to Chris Harris, who states that this is, quite probably, the best car Lamborghini makes right now.

Nevertheless, as mega as it may be, its not perfect, as you can see in the video that follows after the jump.

VIDEO
Photo: RCMP

UPDATE DEC 24, 2013 1:30 P.M.

Kelowna RCMP are reporting that missing adult patient Kurtis Alderliesten has been located in Nanaimo B.C. and that the RCMP are no longer looking to apprehend him under the Mental Health Act

Police are looking for an unstable 30-year-old Kelowna man who suffers from schizoaffective disorder and paranoia.

He was supposed to return to Kelowna General Hospital Saturday evening and has still not returned.

A Form 21 Director's Warrant was issued by a medical physician on Saturday night because of concern regarding the safety of the man and others.

According to RCMP, Kurtis Alderliestens actions may be unpredictable and he could be a danger to himself or others.

He also apparently had a desire to travel to Duncan, BC and may be attempting to make his way there.

Alderliesten has not been charged with a criminal offence however a warrant is issued to allow police to return the person into medical care.

Alderliesten is described as:

Caucasian male

6'5" tall and 198 lbs

Sandy blonde hair and brown eyes

Last seen wearing a black leather jacket with white stripes on the shoulder and a "Sons of Anarchy" hooded sweater.

If seen, do not approach him, rather call 911 immediately.

Anyone with any information regarding the whereabouts of Kurtis ALDERLIESTEN is asked to call their local police.

Remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net or by texting your tip to CRIMES (274637) ktown.
For about a decade, Tourism Kelowna has looked for a suitable downtown location for its tourist information centre.

The highway location was no longer viable, as the travel habits of tourists changed. Several locations were considered, including one in a revamped City Park. All were rejected.



That changed in 2014, when a site was identified at the foot of Queensway between Stuart and Kerry parks. Opposition sprang up almost immediately, culminating with a raucous public hearing in January.



More than 200 people, divided between supporters an opponents of the plan, crammed into council chambers to voice their disapproval or praise over the contentious development.



While some weren't swayed by the need for a downtown tourist centre, many were opposed to any structure along the waterfront, while others suggested the land was zoned as parkland and should not be touched. Still others spoke up in favour of placing the tourist centre where tourists are  at the "epicentre" of tourism in the community. The crowd was split almost down the middle on the issue.



The heated debate got downright nasty as council and city staff had their character and integrity challenged. They were told they were breaking the law, had a conflict of interest and had not done their job of protecting the interests of residents.



After more than five hours, council voted 7-1 in favour. Coun. Tracy Gray called it the missing link between City Park and Stuart Park.



Unlike many who said parks are for grass and trees, Coun. Luke Stack suggested parks are enhanced by buildings.



There is still fight left in some against the single-storey building, which will also feature a mezzanine.



Despite simmering opposition, construction work has already begun on the $2.8-million project. It's expected to open sometime in late spring or early summer of 2018.
Councillor Given is not pleased that there are fewer speeders in the Okanagan. Either that or she believes the RCMP are not doing their jobs in catching them.

During budged deliberations she is quoted as saying: As a way to offset the loss of more than $300,000 in traffic fine revenue shared by the province, Councillor. Gail Given brought up the motorists four-letter word, 'photo radar.

"If we were putting more effort to traffic speed regulation, we may see more of those revenues come back to us."

So now tell me it is not just about the money. I say Cash Grab.

Gord Marshall
If you're like most Canadians (myself included) you probably voted for your local MP with limited understanding of what exactly their job is, or what they do? Even more specifically what they can do directly for you? I mean, if a tree falls in the forest, right? Well, what if for once the tree fell on your house?

For the past four years, our family has been riding through the international adoption process. Then nearly a year ago we had been matched with an amazing little boy. We immediately hopped on a plane to meet our future son then again with our other children a few months later. It was hard, but we maintained our patients throughout this process respecting the speed at which third world cultures work. So you might imagine how excited we were upon hearing the adoption on the other end was complete and our documents had landed in the hands of the Canadians at our embassy for our exit visa!

Again, we waited for due process with our go bags at the door. All available information pointed to this part not taking too long (7 days). However, this also lagged. Planning our work/home life became ambiguous and

stressful especially with only a few direct flights going into the country before the holidays. Needless to say after another extended period of waiting and hundreds of unanswered calls to our embassy abroad, we received a one line response that it will probably be a few more weeks? No explanation. Our adoption agency was as frustrated as we were and they suggested we attempt to contact our local MP for assistance. "My MP? ok."

After contacting MP Fuhr's office they had us down to sign a consent form granting the MP's office permission to work on our behalf. To my surprise, MP Fuhr phoned me directly from Ottawa to gather background on my familys situation. Later that same day the MPs office called to confirmed that the exit visa request was complete and approved?! In shock we booked our tickets and were off to the airport. A few days later my wife and I not wanting to waste any more time went directly to the Canadian embassy abroad. Armed with our passports, a file number and MP Fuhr's business card, we surprised the embassy when we showed up on their doorstep. They undoubtedly recognized our file from the countless calls and federal involvement in the immigration process. The Visa and exit documents were ours! Off to the orphanage and back to Canada.

So, what does my MP do for me? Well... besides mending the hole in our families hearts and giving immigration a human perspective. I believe our Member of Parliament hears my homegrown concerns and works for me to protect them in places I can't.

Thank you & Merry Christmas, Mr. Fuhr.

Dustin Sargent
Photo: Contributed

Andre Brosseau President of Innov8 Digital Solutions has come up with a unique way to give back this holiday season.

"Instead of giving gifts to the businesses we work with, this year we are donating the value of those gifts to the food banks in the areas where we work."

This year, they've donated $6,000 to food banks in the Okanagan and Vancouver Island.

"My understanding is for every dollar you donate, they are able to buy $4 worth of food. So that $6,000 goes a long way towards feeding families a really nice Christmas dinner."

Many charities have lamented the fact that donations are down this season.

Innov8 has offices in six B.C. communities, including Kelowna, Kamloops and Victoria.

Brosseau said he'd like to challenge other businesses in the province to follow their lead.
Photo: Contributed Police reportedly removed five computers from a home in Rutland on Saturday.

Police in Kelowna reportedly removed five computers from a home in Rutland as well as other bagged items on Saturday.

A witness said officers had been at the residence at 700 Leathead Road since 9 a.m., and said they were still on scene five hours later.

Officers were also observed with a handheld battering ram by the witness.

Kelowna RCMP have not responded to Castanet's request to comment on the incident.

Castanet will provide more information should it become available.
Photo: Contributed

A counterattack road block in Kamloops led to police arresting a man and seizing drugs, cash and a handgun from his vehicle.

The 32-year-old man went through the road block on Victoria Street West at about 12:45 a.m. on Saturday.

He told police he didn't have a license, and a further check showed he was restricted from driving, according to Kamloops RCMP.

Upon arresting the male, an officer noticed a "small bag with a powder substance" in his car. Police then searched the vehicle and found drugs, cash and a nine-millimetre semi-automatic handgun, which had been reported as stolen.

Police said the male is not from Kamloops and that he is known to police and has a "very lengthy criminal record."

His vehicle was impounded for seven days as a result of the incident, and RCMP are recommending several charges against him.

Those include possession of loaded restricted firearm, possession of stolen property, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition, and other drug charges.

Police said they continue to investigate.
Photo: Google Maps

Fire broke out at the Glenmore landfill in Kelowna Saturday night.

The fire was reported in the solid waste structure at the landfill about 8:40 p.m., on the 2100 block of Glenmore Road.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the rear of the structure.

Crews made entry into the building and were able to extinguish the fire quickly, confining the fire to the rear portion of the building, says Platoon Capt. Dennis Miller.

The Kelowna Fire Department responded with three engines, one rescue vehicle, a command vehicle, water tender, safety officer and 16 firefighters.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and is not suspicious.
Photo: Contributed

Looking for a doctor in the new year? You might want to consider moving to Peachland B.C. if you dont live there already.

You see partly because Peachland is naturally beautiful it has attracted not one but two new doctors.

Head nurse Lisa Guderyan says we have exceptional staff and they wanted to come work with a great team in a great community.

Guderyan herself is working at the clinic thanks in part to a ministry funded program designed to place nurses in key positions in the province to help minimize doctor burnout.

The nurse-in-practice program started in April and is designed to expand access and support more patients with their health needs.

Guderyan says doctors may treat a patient for a lung condition and part of the process could include smoking cessation, that's where I come in. Explaining and finding the best options depending on the situation and individual.

So if youre in the market for a doctor in 2018 the Beach Avenue Medical Clinic has new patient forms in the office. They have already experienced plenty of interest and as the website says please note our services are by appointment only.
Photo: Contributed Brenda Gooder

UPDATE: 11:45 a.m.

The coldest day on record for December according to the Weather Network goes back to December 28, 1996, when it was -22. The warmest was recorded on December 16, 1999, when it was +11.4.



Average daytime temperatures in Kelowna in December generally reach highs of around +2 and drop down to -6 at night.

Some Castanet reader's remember days when the mercury dipped way down and according to Weather2, in recent times the highest recorded temperature in December has been +12, with the lowest recorded temperature -13.1!

ORIGINAL: 8:21 a.m.

If you think it feels extra cold this morning, you're right.

According to Environment Canada records, December 24th is shaping up to be a record cold day and Christmas day could be another.

The record for December 24th was set back in 2009 at -13.1 and the coldest Christmas day on record dates back to 2008 when the mercury dipped to -13.1 as well.

The overnight low for tonight is expected to be -14.

As of 8 a.m. Sunday the mercury was sitting at -15 according to Environment Canada.

There is also a good chance we will get snow on Christmas day as well.

There is a 60 per cent chance of snow Sunday and a 40 per cent chance on Monday, Christmas day.